Matthew Poole and continuators on Mark 4:29

29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle because the harvest is come.

Our Evangelist alone taketh notice of this Parable, nor hath it any particular explication annexed, if we expound it with relation to what went before, the Scope of it seemeth to be, to let us know that God will have an account of Men for their hearing of his Word, and therefore Men had need to take heed what they hear, (as Mark saith) and how they hear (as Luke phraseth it) thus the 29 verse expoundeth the former with the help of our S[illegible: 1 letter]viours exposition of the Parable of the Tares, on which he had told us, Matth. 13.39. The harvest is the end of the World. The reapers are the Angels. There is another notion of Gods harvest, Matth. 9.37. and Iohn 4.35. where Gods harvest signifies a People inclined, and prepared to hear, and to receive the Gospel. But withal this Parable of our Saviours may be of further use to us. The Kingdom of God is, &c. That is, such is the Providential dispensation of God, in gathering his Church by the Ministry of the Word, as mens casting of seed into the ground; when the Husbandman hath cast his seed into the ground, he is no more sollicitous about it, nor doth he expect to discern the motion of it, but having done what is his part, he sleepeth, and riseth again, leaving the issue to Gods Providence, the Earth brings forth Fruit of it self, yet not without the influence of Heaven, both in the shining of the Sun, and the falling of the Dew, and of the Rain, neither doth its fruit appear presently in its full ripeness and perfection, but gradually is made perfect; first there appears the Blade, the Herb, then the Ear, then the Grain, which by degrees groweth to its full Magnitude, and then hardeneth, and then the Husbandman putteth in his Sickle; so the Ministers of the Gospel ought faithfully to do their Parts, in sowing the seed of the Gospel, then not to be too sollicitous, but to leave the issue unto God; where the seed falls upon good Ground, the Word will not be unfruitful, the Minister of the Gospel doth not presently discern the fruit of his labour, he at first, it may be, seeth nothing of it, but is ready to cry out, I have laboured in vain, but tho the seed lie under the clods, and seems choaked with the corruption of Mans heart, yet if the Soul be one to whom it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God, it shall Spring out, the Word will be found not to be lost; but first will Spring the Blade, then will appear the Ear; the Fruit of the Word Preached appears by degrees, sometimes at first only by creating good inclinations in the Souls, and desires to learn the way of the Lord more perfectly, then in acts further tending to perfection, at last in confirmed habits of Grace. It is not thus with all, in some the Word brings forth nothing, but the Blade, a little outward Profession, which dwindleth away and dyes, in some the Profession holds longer, but they never come to confirmed habits of Virtue and holiness. But there will come an Harvest when God will come with his Sickle, to reap the Fruit of his Seed Sown; therefore Men had need take heed what and how they hear. This I take to be the sense of this Parable.

Marginal references: Or, Ripe.