Section 786
IV. The letting out of this vineyard to keepers, is next to be inquired into
By the keepers, we are to understand the ministers of the gospel
Who have their several parts and different employments assigned them in this vineyard of Christ. 1. The business of some of them is to plant: this work the apostle Paul was much concerned in; "I have planted," says he (1 Corinthians 3:6, 8), and indeed it is hard to say how many churches, and how many souls in those churches, were planted by him; and especially at Baal-hamon, in the Gentile world, with whom he was chiefly concerned. 2. Others are employed in watering this vineyard, as was Apollos; of whom Paul says, "I have planted, Apollos watered:" some ministers are more useful for edification than conversion; their ministry succeeds most for the watering of Christ's plants, for promoting the comfort and faith of those who are already planted; their doctrine drops as the rain, and their speech distils as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass (Deuteronomy 32:2), so that they become fruitful. 3. The work of others is to prime the vines; they have an excellent talent at reproof, both on the account of erroneous doctrines, and immoral practices; they can give gentle admonitions where the case only requires them; and rebuke with sharpness, cut deeper, where there is a necessity for it; not being afraid of the faces of any, but having the good of Christ's vineyard at heart; these excel in that branch of their office, which concerns the discipline of the church. 4. Others ate useful in supporting and upholding weak believers; who, like vines, stand in need of it; which they do, by putting into their hand the staff of the promises, and refreshing them with the reviving cordials of gospel-doctrines. 5. The employment of others is to protect and defend; their business is chiefly to take the foxes, to refute heresies, and defend the doctrines of grace, and preserve the church from all innovations, both in doctrine and worship. Now I would not be understood, as though I thought that ministers were so confined to one or other of these particular branches of the ministerial work, that they had no concern in the rest; for one and the same minister may be more or less useful in them all; but yet, generally speaking, he excels in some one of them.
The letting out of this vineyard to them, agrees with those parables of our Lord, in Matthew 20:1, 2 and 21:33, where he seems to allude to the words of our text; which is no inconsiderable evidence of the divine authority of this book. The phrase shows, 1. That though Christ takes care of the vineyard himself, yet he also makes use of his ministers: Christ is not separated from his ministers; he acts as the owner, they as the servants; he is the chief and principal wine-dresser; which work he performs mediately by his ministers, who are not to be slighted and laid aside; hence the apostle writing to the Corinthians, among whom were many divisions about their ministers; some being for Paul in opposition to Apollos, and some for Apollos in opposition to Paul; and others for Cephas in opposition to them both, and others for Christ in opposition to them all; they were for Christ without his ministers; but, says the apostle (1 Corinthians 1:12, 13), "Is Christ divided?" that is, from his ministers; no, they are not to be separated from him, though subordinated to him. 2. It shows, that Christ entrusts his vineyard with his ministers; he makes them overseers of it; he sets them to watch over it, and faithfully discharge the several branches of their duty before-mentioned which is meant by the letting it out unto them: and it ought to be observed, that Christ has the sole power of letting out his vineyard, and he lets it out to whom he pleases; therefore none ought to usurp it: it is indeed a great honor to he entrusted with it; but no man should take this honor to himself, but he that is called of God to it; persons should not run into this work before they are sent, nor perform it negligently when they are in it. 3. Christ in some respects makes his ministers owners of this vineyard; he let out, or gave[4308] the vineyard to keepers; hence, in chapter 2:15, it is said, our vines have tender grapes: ministers-have in some sort an interest in the vines, the churches; their joy, comfort, life, and glory, lie much in the fruitfulness and well-being of them; which is a very great and powerful argument to induce them to vigilance, diligence, and carefulness, in the discharge of their work.