The End of the World Compared to Harvest

    THE END OF THE WORLD COMPARED TO HARVEST

    "The Harvest is the end of the World," Mt 13:39.

    I. When the Harvest is ripe, it is cut down; the husbandman sends reapers into the field: so when all the elect are ripe for heaven, and wickedness is grown to full maturity, so that ungodly ones are all ripe for hell, the end of the world will come, and then God will send reapers into the Field, which are the holy Angels; and they will put down, and gather out of the Field, all things that offend, and them that do iniquity.

    II. At the harvest, the reapers divide between the good and evil grain; they bind up the wheat by itself, and the tares by themselves, &c. So shall those spiritual reapers do, they shall gather all the elect, like wheat, into God's garner, and bind up the tares into bundles to be burned.

    III. The husbandman waits with much patience for the harvest; so God Almighty patiently waits, bearing and forbearing with wicked men, until the end of the world.

    DISPARITY

    When harvest is all housed, the husbandman presently tills and prepares his ground again, designing to sow more seed; but when this harvest is all come home, and housed, God, the good Husbandman, will not till, plow, or sow the Field of the World any more; no more Gospel to be preached, nor graces or gifts to be distributed, when this harvest is ended.