November 26 — On the Parable of the Vineyard let out to Husbandmen

Matt. xxi. 33.

Consider, first, what our Lord here tells us: that tJu: e was a certain householder who planted a vineyard and made a hedge round about it, and dug in it a wine-press, and built a tower; and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a strange country. This householder represents to us God himself; and this vine» yard, which ho has planted, is his universal church. But see, my soul, what care he has bestowed upon this vinoyarcf; fencing it in with his excellent laws and his perpetual proleetion as with a hedge; digging in it a unne-press by the institution of his divine sacraments, the sources of his heavenly grace, pressed out for us from the sacred wounds of our crucified Saviour; and building in its favour a tower, in which he might watch over it, by his extraordinary providence, as well to keep evils away from it, as to provide it with all good. This vineyard he lets out to husbandmen, that is, to all men, inasmuch as he has given to all men a part, or a share, in Which each one is to la hour, to wit, his own soul at least, and the souls of as many others, as he has committed to his charge. Aod having done this he withdraws himself, as it were, into a far country by keeping himself, out of our sight, during the time of our mortal life, snd patiently waiting fr the fruit of this his vineyard, Which we are to furnish in due season. O, what lessonS have we here, as well with regard to the goodness of our God, on the one hand, iii all that he has done for this vineyard, and for every part of it and consequently for every Christian soul; as with regard to our indispensable duty, on the other hand, of corresponding with this his goodness, by our labours, in prucing and furnishing the fruit he expects.

Consider, secondly, with regard to thyself, what this great Lord has done for the vineyard of thy soul in particular; by innumerable favours and graces of every kind, which he has be- stowed upon thee all thy life long, until this very hour; and by many happy opportunities of doing good, which he has afforded thee, (which, if duly embraced by thee, might have made thee a saint,) beyond what he has granted to thousands of others. Then see if he may not say of thee, what he said heretofore of his vineyard of Jerusalem, (Isai. v. 4,) What is there that / ought to do more for my vineyard, that I katie not done to it 7 But, after all this care on his part, what fruit hast thou hitherto produced for him? Alas! may he not justly complain of thee, as he did of that Jewish vineyard, that instead of the good grapes, which he looked for from thee, thou hast only brought forth wild grapes? O dread, then, what he threatens in the same place, in consequence of his being thus disappointed, in the words that immediately follow: — I will shew you, said he, what I mil do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall he waited: I will break down the wall thereof, and it shall he trodden down: and I will make it desolate. It shall not he pruned, audit shall not he digged; hut briers and thorns shall come' up: and I will command the clouds to rain no rain upon it Can any thing be more terrible than these threats of the soul s being thus abandoned, and given up to a reprobate sense, ki punishment of her still bringing forth no good fruit, after so many repeated favours and graces?

Consider, thirdly, in this parable, how the Lord of the vineyard sent, at different times, his servants to the husbandmen tc receive the fruits of it; but they persecuted them, and put them to death; till at length he sent his only Son, whom they used in like manner. In punishment of which, he brought those evil men to an evil endy and let out his vineyard to other husband vten, that should render him the fruit in due season. This was literally verified in the Jews, to whom this parable was addressed by our Lord, a few days before his passion. God sent to them, at divers times, his servants the prophets, to call for the fruits of his vineyard; but they returned him no fruits; they even persecuted his messengers, and put several of them to death. At length he sent them his only Son; and him they cast off, condemned to death, and crucified. And therefore, as our Lord here foretells, the kingdom of God (that is, the vineyard of his church) has been long ago taken away from them to be given to a nation (that is, to the Gentiles) that should bring forth the fruits thereof But all this is applicable, more or less, to the particular vineyard of the soul of each Christian. Wherefore, as to thy own part, O my soul, reflect how far thou hast imitated those unhappy husbandmen, in refusing to render to the Lord of thy vineyard, in due season, the fruits which he has so often called for, at thy hands, by his messengers; that is, by his preachers, by his word, by his inspirations, by reproaches of conscience, &/C.: and in persecuting those whom he sent to thee, by wilfully resisting his graces, stifling his inspirations, and setting at naught all them who sought to bring thee to good. Alas! hast thou not by thy obstinacy in sin, as much as lay in thee, even crucified again the Son of God 1 O, take heed, lest, if thou go on in this perversity, thou fall under the like sentence as the Jews did, of being brought to an evil end; and the kingdom of God be taken away from thee, and given to another.

Conclude to look well to the vineyard of thy soul, that it may, by due correspondence with divine grace, bring forth its fruit in due season; even such good grapes as may be acceptable to the great Lord, who has let out this vineyard to thee, and who ceases not to furnish thee with all proper helps to make it fruitful.