The Means of Grace Compared to Harvest

    THE MEANS OF GRACE COMPARED TO HARVEST

    "The Harvest is great, but the labourers are few" Mt 9:37.

    Note, the use of the Gospel Grace, wherein work is to be done, and many souls are prepared and made willing to hear the Word of God, is compared to Harvest.

    I. Harvest is the time to work and do business in, and it behoveth men to labour hard then: so whilst there is an open door for the Gospel, or God is pleased to continue the Means of Grace, Christ's ministers ought to labour hard.

    II. Harvest greatly tends to the relief of the poor; they in Harvest-time gather in, and lay up against a time of want and scarcity: so do the saints, whilst the day of Grace lasts, provide and lay up for their souls.

    III. Sometimes there is bad weather in Harvest, which doth hinder and discourage the painful and laborious husbandman: so storms arise, and very bad weather, as it were, often attend Christ's faithful labourers, which greatly hinders them, in their ministry.

    IV. The Harvest is sometimes great, and the labourers but few, so that the work lies very heavy upon some men: so in a spiritual sense, the Harvest is great, i. e., many people are willing to hear God's Word, but there are but few painful preachers, and by this means the work lies heavy upon them; and when it is thus, we are enjoined to pray to "the Lord of the Harvest, to send more labourers into his Harvest," Mt 38:5

    V. The Harvest sometimes proves thin, and comes into a little room; or it may seem much in bulk, and yet but a little grain: so it is sometimes in the spiritual Harvest, there are many multitudes that hear the word, attend upon the means, they flock into the assemblies; but alas! but few are converted; the corn is little: a small room will hold them, were they severed from the straw and chaff of the fruitless and unprofitable multitude.

    VI. When the Harvest is like to be catching, or the husbandman sees clouds begin to gather, and grow black, or they hear it thunder mightily, they work very hard, and hurry in the corn, not knowing when they may have fair weather again: so Christ's servants, when they perceive a dismal day approaching upon them, labour hard, and bring in what souls they can into his barn.

    VII. The Harvest sometimes is very long, and sometimes but short; so God lengthens or shortens the day of Grace, as he pleases, The old world had an hundred and twenty years; others but a short season. "O that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes," Lu 19:42, Christ seems to be quick with them. And so it fared with those, Ac 12:25.

    Observe in Summer's sultry heat,

    How in the hottest day,

    The husbandman doth toil and sweat

    About his corn and hay.

    If then he should not reap and mow,

    And gather in his store,

    How should he live, when for the snow

    He can't move out of door?

    The little ants, and painful bees,

    By nature's instinct led,

    These have their summer granaries,

    For winter furnished.

    But thou, my soul, whose summer's day

    Is almost past and gone,

    What soul-provision dost thou lay

    In stock, to feed upon?

    If nature teacheth to prepare

    For temporal life; much rather

    Grace should provoke to greater care,

    Soul-food in time to gather.

    Days of affliction and distress,

    Are hasting on apace;

    If now I live in carelessness,

    How sad will be my case?

    Unworthy of the name of man,

    Who for that soul of thine,

    Wilt not do that which others can

    Do for their very kine!

    Think, frugal farmers, when you see

    Your mows of corn and hay,

    What a conviction this will be

    To you another day?

    Who ne'er were up before the sun,

    Nor broke an hour's rest,

    For your poor souls, as you have done,

    So often for a beast.

    Learn once to see the difference

    Betwixt eternal things,

    And these poor transient things of sense,

    That fly with eagle's wings.