tracting the wine from the grapes. In allufion to this practice, the bleffed God is here faid to have made a wine-prefs in the vineyard of his church, that he might therein collect the fruits of his vineyard, and all that praife and glory which he juftly expected to receive. Learned men are divided in opinion refpecting what is here intended by the wine-prefs. Some have

thought, that the altar was thereby fignified, upon which the blood of facrifices, and drink-offerings of wine, were poured out; others have contended, that the prophets were thereby reprelented, whom God fent unto his people, to prefs them, by their inftructions and example, to the exercises of true religion and virtue. I rather fuppofe, that the temple of Jerufalem was fignified by the wine-prefs, in which the affemblies of Ifrael were convened: the fruits of faith, of righteousness, and obedience, were, in fome measure, collected and expreffed in the facrifices, the prayers, and praises, which were therein prefented to the Most High. This beautiful edifice was a kind of public repofitory, in which all the gifts and graces of God's people were expreffed in the most becoming manner, in obedience to Jehovah, and to his glory. The tribes of Ifrael, who went up thither, were ftrongly urged to the exercife of devout affections, and good conduct, whereby the public benefit was promoted, and their own fruitfulne's demonftrated.Under the better difpenfation, with which we are favoured, Jefus Chrift affords us many greater prerogatives than those which were enjoyed in the temple by the posterity of Abraham. Such were the important advantages which God was pleafed to confer upon the vineyard of his ancient church. Let us not over-rate, nor envy their privileges. The bleffings we enjoy are far more excellent than the benefits they poffeffed. Deeply impreffed then with a grateful fenfe of God's diftinguishing goodnefs, let us diligently improve it, for animating us to the faithful performance of every good work.

And

And he looked that it should bring forth grapes. Af ter fo much had been done for the vineyard, the great Lord of all juftly expected, that it would have yielded good fruit in great abundance. The event however proved otherwife, Known unto God are all his works from the beginning. From everlafting he had a full view, and perfect knowledge of all the events of time; and therefore, ftrictly speaking, he never finds any thing different from what he clearly foreknew would certainly come to pafs. Notwithftanding, disappointment of expectation is here afcribed to God, refpecting the confequences of the care and kindnefs he had fhewn to his church. The expreffion is ufed in condefcenfion to the weakness of our capacities, and must be understood fo as to be confiftent with the infinite perfection of the divine nature, and the glorious attributes of Jehovah. Men who are attentive to their vineyards, and bestow much care and expence upon their cultivation, naturally expect fruits in fome meafure proportioned to their labour and charges, and would not be a little dilappointed did they prove otherwife. You who are husbandmen, entertain the pleafing hope, that, in the weeks of approaching harveft, you fhall be abundantly recompenied for all the coft and toil you have laid out upon your fields. In like manner, the bleffed God looks for fruit from the vineyard of his church, fuited to the many advantages they have enjoyed; and, in this profpect, he exercifes much long-fuffering toward them. This expectation, you must acknowledge, is just and reasonable, according to the well-known rule of equity, To whom much is given, much will be required.' The proper effects, however, the defirable confequences of the divine kindnefs and care, could not be difcerned in the vineyard of Ifrael.Would to God that, in this respect, we may bear them no resemblance; but, being planted in the house of the Lord, let us still bring forth fruit, to fhew that the Lord

I i

Lord is upright, he is our rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

And it brought forth wild grapes. Inftead of the good fruits of righteoufnefs, which tend to the glory of God, and comfort of men, the Ifraelitifh church produced only wild grapes, the fruits of corrupt nature. They entertained wrong fentiments concerning the ways of God, particularly respecting the way by which they might have become righteous before him. They followed after the law of righteoufnefs, but did not ' attain to it; because they fought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law: for they ftumbled at that flumbling-ftone*. Falfe notions of the great promifed Meffiah, of the rites they were commanded to obferve, and the facrifices which they offered, were exceedingly prevalent among them. They indulged corrupt affections: they were addicted to all manner of vice and wickednefs; fuch as idolatry, pride, oppreffion, and injustice, which they practifed under the cloak of a high profeffion. They rebelled against God: they defpifed his judgments, and "walked not in his ftatutes, but polluted his fabbaths:

for their heart went after their idols +.' Hence the heavy charge which God brought against them, by the prophet Jeremiah, I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right feed: how then art thou turned ' into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me? Their best performances were no better than wild grapes, and the clusters of Gomorrah, which, though outwardly beautiful, were putrid and ufelefs. On the part of God, no care or pains was wanting: but fo ftrong was the corruption of Ifrael, that it abufed the divine goodnefs, and turned the grace of the Moft High into wantonnefs: very great was the difproportion between the means employed for their improvement, and the end thereby accomplished.Have not we, my brethren, foolishly acted over, in

*Rom. ix. 31, 32. + Ezek. xx. 16.

Jer. ii. 21.

fome

fome measure, their criminal conduct, by the ungrate ful returns we have made to the Giver of all good for his diftinguifhing kindneffes. Afhamed of our paft unfruitfulness, let us henceforth have our fruit unto holiness, that, in the end, we may obtain everlasting life.

3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerufalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.

Si

The ungrateful, unprofitable people, with whom God was at variance, are here conftituted judges by fupreme authority, and invited to decide the caufe depending between the God of Ifrael and themselves, reIpecting the reasonableness and juftice of the divine expectations. -Such is the perfect righteoufnefs and equity of the divine procedure, and fuch his wonderful condefcenfion, that he not only permits finners to plead their caufe before him, but, fufpending as it were his fovereign rights, he offers to plead before the tranfgreffors, to account for his conduct, and to fubmit to the judgment of his creatures. milar inftances of this aftonifhing grace are mentioned in fcripture: a remarkable one is recorded in the first part of the fixth chapter of the prophecies of Micah; Hear ye now what the Lord faith, Arife, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice,' &c. The Almighty, by acting in this manner, obligeth finners to condemn themselves, and to pronounce their own fentence; of which I will mention two memorable examples, ferving to illuftrate this remark. When the Lord fent Nathan the prophet, to reprefent to David his criminal conduct, David was neceflitated, by the meffage he received, to pronounce fentence upon himfelf; as you may fee by confulting the twelfth chapter of Second Samuel. Our bleffed Saviour, by a parable, resembling the one before us, fo accurately defcribed the character and conduct of the rulers of the Jews, that they were compelled to condemn themfelves: When

⚫ therefore

therefore (faid Jefus Chrift) the lord of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto thofe husbandmen? They fay unto him, He will miferably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, who fhall render him the fruits in their feafons *. In the verfe under confideration, the Lord our God called upon the inhabitants of the highly favoured city Jerufalem, and the men of Judah, to whom he had granted many ineftimable privi leges, to judge betwee him and them; in doing which, juftice and equity would constrain them to decide against themfelves. Never was fuch a caufe heard before any judge. Never was a court concerned in a matter of fuch magnitude. Never were fuch parties heard at the bar of any tribunal: on the one part, the God of the whole earth, before whom all nations are lefs than nothing, and vanity; and, on the other part, finful duft and afhes, guilty creatures, a backfliding people. Never was a fubject of fuch extent and confequence agitated before any judgmentfeat, it being no lefs than the whole conduct of the great Lord of all toward his church, and the whole behaviour of the church toward him.To you, my friends, whom God hath favoured with many fignal advantages, he now appeals for your decifion upon his kindneffes toward you, and your ingratitude and mifimprovement. He will always be juftified when he fpeaketh, and clear when he judgeth; and before him every mouth must be ftopt, and all the world become guilty. Judge then righteous judgment: fuffer not foolish prejudices, or partiality to yourselves, to bias your decifion; but declare plainly, what, in found reafon, are your fentiments upon the subject of controverfy; and if your determination be juft, it must þe for God, and against yourfelves.

4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore

* Matth. xxi. 40, 41.

when