39. The harvest is the end of the world. This is, no doubt, a very distressing consideration, that the Church is burdened with the reprobate to the very end of the world; but Christ enjoins on us to exercise patience till that time, that we may not deceive ourselves with a vain hope. Pastors ought to labor strenuously to purify the Church; and all the godly, so far as their respective callings enable them, ought to lend assistance in this matter; but when all shall have devoted their united exertions to the general advantage, they will not succeed in such a manner as to purify the Church entirely from every defilement. Let us therefore hold, that nothing was farther from the design of Christ than to encourage pollution by lending countenance to it. All that he intended was, to exhort those who believed in him not to lose courage, because they are under the necessity of retaining wicked men among them; and, next, to restrain and moderate the zeal of those who fancy that they are not at liberty to join in a society with any but pure angels. (212)
This passage has been most improperly abused by the Anabaptists, and by others like them, (213) to take from the Church the power of the sword. But it is easy to refute them; for since they approve of excommunication, which cuts off, at least for a time, the bad and reprobate, why may not godly magistrates, when necessity calls for it, use the sword against wicked men? They reply that, when the punishment is not capital, (214) there is room allowed for repentance; as if the thief on the cross (Luke 23:42) did not find the means of salvation. I shall satisfy myself with replying, that Christ does not now speak of the office of pastors or of magistrates, but removes the offense which is apt to disturb weak minds, when they perceive that the Church is composed not only of the elect, but of the polluted dregs of society.
The reapers are the angels. This term must be viewed in reference to the present subject. In another passage, the Apostles are called reapers, as compared with the Prophets, because they have entered into their labors, (John 4:38,) and it is enjoined on all the ministers of the word,
that they should bring forth fruit, and that their fruit should remain, (John 15:16.)
Such also is the import of that statement, that the fields are white, and are in want of reapers, (John 4:35;) and again, that
the harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few, (Matthew 9:37.)
But here the comparison is applied in a different manner; for those who occupy a place in the Church are said to be planted in the Lord’s field. Nor is this inconsistent with what is said elsewhere, that Christ, as soon as he comes forth with his Gospel,
hath a winnowing-fan in his hand, and will thoroughly cleanse his thrashing-floor, (Matthew 3:12.)
These words describe the commencement of that cleansing, which, this passage declares, will not take place before the last day, because not till then will it be fully completed. Christ will put the last hand to the cleansing of the Church by means of angels, but he now begins to do the work by means of pious teachers. He assigns this office to angels, because they will not remain idle spectators before his tribunal, (215) but will hold themselves in readiness to execute his commands. It follows, that those who proceed, with undue haste, to root out whatever displeases them, prevent, as far as lies in their power, the sentence of Christ, deprive angels of their office, and rashly take that office on themselves.
(212) “ Qui ne pensent point qu’il soit bon de s’adioindre a la compagnie des fideles, sinon que tout y soit pur comme entre les Anges;”— “who do not think that it is proper to join themselves to the society of believers, unless every thing in it be as pure as among the Angels.”
(213) “ Et semblables reveurs;” — “and similar dreamers.”
(214) “ Quand la peine n’est pas a mort (comme est l’excommunication;)” — “when the punishment, as in the case of excommunication, is not to death.”
(215) “ Devant le siege iudicial de sa maieste;” — “before the judgment- seat of his majesty.”