SUBJECT: The Wicked Husbandmen; or, the efforts of Mercy to redeem, and the appearance of Justice to punish.

"Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: and when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet."-Matt. xxi. 33—46.

Analysis of Homily the Six Hundred and Forty-seventh.

NEXHAUSTIBLE was the mental wealth of Christ. His mind was an overflowing fountain of knowledge. "Hear another parable," says He. Already they had heard from His lips much more than they desired, yet not half what they needed, and nothing compared with what He had to impart. Students in the school of Christ, for centuries or millenniums indefinitely, must expect to hear another parable from their Great Master. Luke represents this parable as having been spoken to the people; Matthew and Mark as having been addressed to the Pharisees; but the fact that the former evangelist mentions (Luke xx. 19) the "chief priests and

scribes" as listeners on the occasion, obviates the apparent discrepancy.

The two great subjects which the Heavenly Artist throws on this parabolic canvas are the efforts of Mercy to redeem, and the appearance of Justice to punish. The materials of this parable are taken from the beautiful passage of Isaiah 1-7.

V.

I. THE EFFORTS OF MERCY TO REDEEM. The "householder" is the Great God, who is here represented as mercifully employing means for the cultivation of His vineyard. The parable suggests several thoughts concerning those merciful efforts.

:

First They were abundant. The abundance appears (1) From the favorable condition in which the vine was planted. "The householder hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen." We are not sure that these separate figures are intended to express separate ideas, probably they are used only to give a full expression to the wonderful care which the householder employed in order to secure all the conditions of fruitfulness. The abundance appears (2) From the agents employed to secure its cultivation. "He let it out to husbandmen." The "husbandmen" are supposed to represent the regularly established priesthood. They were appointed for the very purpose of taking care of God's vineyard. (Malachi ii. 7, Ezekiel xxxiv. 2.) From Aaron down they covenanted with God to do this; it was their solemn obligation. Beside the husbandmen, there was another class of agents employed in this work of cultivation, called "his servants." "When the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it." "How, it may be asked," says Trench, "are these 'servants' to be distinguished from the husbandmen? Exactly in this; that the servants, that is the prophets and other more eminent ministers of God in His theocracy, were sent-being raised up at particular times, having particular missions, and their

power lying in their mission; while the others were the more regular and permanently established ecclesiastical authorities, whose power lay in the very constitution of the theocracy itself." From time to time, prophets and special ministers of heaven had been sent forth by God to warn, instruct, and comfort His chosen people. Mercy then was abundant in its means to secure fruitfulness in the Jewish people, and well might the great householder say, "What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?" (Isa. v. 4.) If the efforts of mercy to redeem were so abundant in Jewish times, how much more so in these later times? In what a vineyard are we placed, and how numerous the agents which Heaven employs for our spiritual cultivation? These efforts of mercy to redeem were—

Secondly: Outraged. "The husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another." When these were killed, other servants were sent; and they shared the same fate. Last of all He sent His Son, and they slew Him. "They beat one," (Jer. xxxvii. 15). "They killed another," (Jer. xxvi. 23). "They stoned another," (2 Chron. xxiv. 21). Christ refers (Matt. xxiii 37) to their conduct towards His servants in His wail over Jerusalem :-" O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee," &c. "Others had

trial of cruel mockings," &c. (Heb. xi. 36.) A sight of astounding depravity this-men outraging the efforts of mercy to save them; yet, alas, a common sight. These efforts of mercy to redeem were—

Thirdly Persevering. After the first servants whom the householder sent-his loyal, loving servants-were beaten, killed, and stoned, he sent others; nor did it cease here. He persevered, and made of all sacrifices the most stupendous. "Last of all he sent unto them his son." Both Mark and Luke express it in terms more touching and striking. In the former it is said, "Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved son, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son." And in the latter it is said, "Then

said the lord of the vineyard, "What shall I do? I will send my beloved son, it may be that they will reverence him when they see him." Here is mercy persevering, to the eternal wonder of the universe. The other leading subject on this parabolic canvas is—

"When

II. THE APPEARANCE OF JUSTICE TO PUNISH. the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto these husbandmen ? " The following remarks are suggested.

First: The crime for punishment was immense. What ingratitude, injustice, cruelty, rebellion, are involved in the conduct of these husbandmen in martyring the servants of the householder, and at last putting his only beloved son to death. Truly the Jewish people had filled up the measure of their iniquity.

A time of settlement Such a settling time comes Such a settling time comes

Secondly: The time for punishment is acknowledged. "When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen ?" It is assumed that he will come. The householder having left the care of his vineyard with the husbandmen, went into a far country. He had left the system of things he had established to go on. He did not appear in person amongst them. But his return from the "far country" was certain. He would come to look after his property, and settle with his servants. was fixed, and all understood it. at death in every man's history. to humanity at the end of this world's history. Thirdly: The justice of the punishment is felt. he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons." Kakovç kaкws, an emphatic alliteration, not easily conveyed in English. "He will badly destroy those bad men; "" or, "Miserably destroy those miserable men." Thus, unwittingly, they pronounced a terrible punishment on themselves, dictated by their own consciences. It is often thus with sinners. David and Nathan are striking examples.

"What will

(2 Sam. xii. 5—7.) The Great Judge will make the sinner pronounce his own doom.

Fourthly: The nature of the punishment is terrible. It is suggested that it will consist (1) In the utter frustration of

the sinner's purposes. "The stone which the builders rejected, the same has become the head of the corner." The Son the husbandmen slew, becomes the Sovereign Judge of the universe. What an element of anguish will this be to see that very cause which it has been the purpose of our life to destroy, becoming the grandest power in the universe, &c. It is suggested that it will consist (2) In the utter loss of all our possessions. "Therefore I say unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you." The vineyard shall be lost for ever. It is suggested that it will consist (3) In present injury and ultimate ruin. "Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder." Those builders were falling on the stone now, and bruising themselves, but ultimately the stone would fall on them and grind them into powder. Their ruin would be complete. It is said in Luke, that the people exclaimed "God forbid" when they heard this doom pronounced upon those here called the husbandmen and the builders, and well might they exclaim "God forbid," for it is overwhelmingly terrible.

Brother, redemptive mercy is busy with thee now. It has placed thee in a beautiful vineyard, and favored thee with. every facility for the production of fruit. How art thou acting? Art thou rejecting the overtures of mercy, and sinning against the arrangements of grace? If so, be it known unto thee that when the Lord of the vineyard shall come, when Justice shall appear, better thou hadst never been born.