thornes I will also command the clouds that they raine no raine vpon it 7 For the Vineyard of the LORD of Hostes is the house of Israel and the men of Iudah his pleasant plant and he looked for iudgement but behold oppression for righteousnesse but behold a cry A Table of the Method of the whole Parabolicall Song of the BELOVED followed in this EXPOSITION 〈◊〉 this Song 〈◊〉 the Beloâ—â—d we haue â—â—nsiderable The Prooem or Preface to it where are remarkable 1 The Inditer instrumentall or penman of it I. 2 The Nature or kinde of Treatise indited A Song 3 The Manner of the Authors deliuerie of it Will sing 4 The Person to whom he dedicates it To my welbeloued 5 The Authoritie whereby he published it Of his beloued 6 The Subiect Matter contained in it Touching his Vineyard The Poem it selfe or body of itâ— and therein is obseruable A Parable which is Briefly propounded vers 1. wherein take we notice of 1 The Husbandman My welbeloued 2 His Possession Had a Vineyard Largely prosecuted vers 2-7 and therin the Vineyards Plantation where wee haue The Vinitors care and paines manifested 1 In its Situation for it was 1 On a hill 2 A fruitfull hill 3 A very fruitfull hill 2 In its Protection He fenced it in 3 In its Elapidation He gathered out the stones 4 In the Plants election He planted it with the choisest vine 5 In its Fortification He built a Tower in the midst of it 6 In the Wine-presses erection He made a wine-presse therein And the successe where is declared 1 What he expected He locked for grapes 2 What it returned It brought forth wilde grapes Supplantation and there obserue His Plea with them in it 1 His Appeale to them and there note 1 The Manner of it I pray you 2 The Matter of it Iudge 3 The Iudges of the cause 1 Inhabitants of Ierusalem 2 Men of Iudah 4 The Parties at variance Mee My Vineyard 2 The Inditement against them where marke 1. He acquitteth himselfe â—hat could I haue done c. 2. Accuseth them which accusation is amplified by Antithesis from His iust demand Wherefore when I locked c. Their vniust demeanour brought it forth wilde grapes Sentence vpon them and in it 1 A gratious premonition demonstrating Gods mercy 1 In foretelling it I will tell you 2 In prolonging it What I will doe 2 A terrible execution manifesting Gods iustice where 1 The punisher I. 2 The punished My Vineyard 3. The punishment which consisteth 1 In the euill of lesse I will take away the hedge breake downe the wall c. 2 In the euill of sense It shall be eaten vp trodden downe c. The Application where is shewed vers 8. Who this Vinitor is The Lord. The Lord of Hoasts Which the Vineyard was The house of Israel The men of Iudah What the grapes were Which he expected Iudgement Righteousnesse Which they returned Oppression A cry A Strange Vineyard in PALAESTINA IN An exposition of Isaiahs parabolicall Song of the Beloued discouered To which Gods Vineyard in this our Land is Paralleld ISAIAH 5. 1. 8. Now will I sing to my well-beloued a Song of my Text. beloued touching his Vineyard IT was a practice vsuall with the Prophets in former times after that they had prophesied to the people to gather a compendious summe of what they had taught and affixe it to the gate of the Temple that the prophesie might be the better viewed and learned of all and after it had there remained for certaine daies it was then taken downe and put into the treasurie of the Temple that the memory thereof might continue for euer And thus by Gods speciall prouidence it came to passe that if not all yet most of the bookes of the Prophets were gathered and preserued and now as rich treasures are enioyed by vs wherein we haue the Sermons of the holy Prophets not so largely penned as they were preached but only such generall heads collected as were by them deliuered Now as before in the former Chapters so heere in this we haue some such Sermon notes preached by an excellent and incomparable Prophet by name Isaiah A man of noble birth and of as noble a spirit trace him and you shall still finde him like his noble selfe pithy powerfull and as Saint Paul witnesseth very bold in deliuering of his message fearing no cruelty nor danger albeit for his boldnesse he lost his life being by the commandement of Manasses sawne asunder with a woodden saw if Historie speakes true He was a Courtier and a Master of speech being saith one of the Antient the eloquentest Prophet for Hebrew in the Old Testament as Saint Paul was the elegantest Apostle for Greeke in the New To whose elegancies the rowlings of Demosthenes doe no more answer than that confused noise of waters doth to that sweet noise of Harpes spoken of in Saint Iohns Reuelation In all his writings he rather seemeth to be an Euangelist than a Prophet most liuely describing and setting forth the Natiuitie Preaching Persecution Apprehension Death Resurrection Ascension yea and latter comming to Iudgement of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ so that no Euangelist seemes to goe beyond him His Auditorie was Iudah and Ierusalem a stubborne and disobedient people more brutish than the Oxe and Asse whose sinnes were crimson receiuing a double dye or admitting a two-fold aggrauation one from Gods vnutterable kindnesse vnto them in nourishing bringing of them vp and choosing them for his The other from the qualitie and multitude of their transgressions against him whose sinnes were for number many for nature heauie To these is Isaiah Gods Health sent that he might heale their sicknesse with these he deales and first discouers their disease and then labours for their recouerie He proues that they are a sinfull nation a people full of iniquitie a seede of euill doers corrupt children whose whole head was sicke and whole heart heauie so that from the sole of the foot to the crowne of the head there was no soundnesse but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores c. And that of a faithfull citie it was now become a harlot whose siluer was become drosse and wine mixt with water c. For all which Gods anger was conceiued against them and yet withall he signifies his mercy if it were receiued by them vsing his best Oratorie in Inuiting those that did rebell Inciting those that did neglect hastening those that did linger and recalling those that did wander to sue out their pardons and make peace with their Maker And thus he spends the foure fore-going Chapters All which to haue heard this Orator himselfe presse in his owne words and with his owne affections whose bowels would not haue yerned and heart melted within their breasts And yet ah Lord what heare I Israel is not gathered thy seruants report is not beleeued euen Isaiah himselfe labours
or such a Preacher deliuered it in a Pulpit As if there were not some who runne before they are sent and publish the visions of their owne braine prophesying that which God neuer spake In matters ciuill we are more cautelous and wary no gold almost we take before wee haue tried it by the touch or weighed it in the ballance and what 's the reason because there is much of it light and naught yea hardly we will take a groat without bowing bending rubbing it and the like being therein oftentimes ouer-curious But in religious matters which concerne our saith and soules saluation wee are ouer-carelesse albeit we are forewarned of many false Prophets that are gone into the world and therefore willd not to beleeue euery spirit but to try the spirits whether they be of God This is a great yet common fault amongst vs. Were he an Angell from heauen that preacheth to thee yet art thou bound to looke into his Doctrine and examine it and not to take it vpon credit without hee bring sufficient proofe and warrant for it By vertue of our place we challenge Audience hearken to a matter you must because we say it but we cannot by and by challenge Credence for you may not beleeue it vntill you know vpon what ground we speake it And therefore like good Beraeans see you search the Scriptures whether these things be so The Matter Subiect of this Song is the last thing to be considered in the Prooem the text saith it is Touching his Vineyard Of which Vineyard we shall hereafter speake more largely In the meane time this obserue we The good of Gods Church is the subiect of a Preachers labours that is it whereupon he must especially attend as did our Prophet whose Art wit learning time and paines was especially spent about that which might make for the welfare of Gods Vineyard Hereunto tends that exhortation of the Apostle Let vs wait on our ministring he that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation with which dutie he straightly chargeth Timothie and vs in him Giue attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine Neglect not the gift that is in thee Meditate vpon these things giue thy selfe wholly to them Preach the word be instant in season and out of season c. And according to this Doctrine was his and the other Apostles practice who would not admit any other charge to be ioined to their Ministerie no not the Office of Deacons but laid the charge of prouiding for the poore on others thinking it not fit to leaue the word of God to serue tables And did we but consider the weightinesse of the calling we would soon confesse a Minister had little need to employ himselfe in any by-affaires For as it is an honor so it is a burden and such a burden as is too much for halfe a man it requires the whole man yea the strength and abilitie of Angels to stand vnder it and therefore saith the Apostle who is sufficient for these things But Saint Paul exercised a manuall occupation and became a Tent-maker labouring with his hands and that after he was called to his Apostleship And so Saint Peter and others were fishers and followed fishing I grant the Apostles did so but it was only in case of necessitie in time of the Churches wants and pouertie to the end they might support the need and necessitie of it as also that they might cut away all occasion from them who watched for an occasion whereby they might disgrace them and winne credit to themselues And thus for a Minister to ioine another calling to his calling when he is not able to maintaine his charge and in the generall want and pouertie of the Church it not being able to maintaine him and his cannot be thought vnlawfull But where there is a Church well established and reformed this cannot be allowable This Doctrine likewise like Rebeckaes wombe doth twinne it affords a double vse one to vs who are the Lords warriers that we entangle not our selues with the things of this life The Lord hath laid a heauy burden vpon thy shoulders couch not downe with Isachars Asse to receiue any other load What ashame is it for to see a Minister to turne Farmer Grasier Physitian or the like and all for a little pelfe so loading his minde with the burden of cares and couetousnesse as if he were exonerated of the burden of the Gospell May we not well wonder with Synesius how he comes to gaine so much leisure as to serue two Masters God in Choro and Mammon in Foro I know there is a care of secular affaires belonging to vs For a Bishop must be able to rule his owne house honestly And againe if there be any without exception that prouideth not for his family he denieth the faith and is worse than an Infidell But these things must not hinder our constant care for the welfare of Gods Vineyard Neither doe I thinke it a thing vnlawfull for a Minister to studie Physicke or haue to doe with some other calling for besides in the forenamed cases so it be at spare houres and vsed rather as a recreation than occupation it is allowable yet still Diuinitie must be our most and mainest studie that we may saue and winne soules to God Let vs then that are Ministers of Gods word neither be idle nor ill occupied and when we are about any thing which belongs not to our calling then remember we the checke that Christ gaue to Peter What is that to thee The Church is thy proper element and the Pulpit thy right vbi the Temple should be the center of all thy circumference Doe that which belongs vnto thy Office as Valentinian said to Ambrose Thou art a Minister minde thou that And now for our people this vse concerneth them I doubt not but you will subscribe to what hath now beene taught and say Thou hast well said in all that thou hast spoken but now marke your duties for if this be so then ought you so to prouide for your Ministers and their families as that they may haue no cause to diuert their studies A necessary liuing saith Chrysostome ought plentifully to be ministred vnto your Teachers lest they should be discomfited and that they might not depriue themselues and you of great things while they be busied about the smallest And surely this is one of the blemishes of our Church that many well-deseruing Ministers are of necessitie compelled to leaue studying of Sermons and studie for bread to put in their owne and childrens mouthes What Vocation is there in this land honest in it selfe and industriously followed by the professors of it wherein a man may not liue and leaue well behinde him for the maintenance of such as shall some after except only in the Ministerie Physicke and Law bring wealth
yea I will helpe thee yea I will vphold thee c. Thus Gods strength is made perfect in the Churches weaknesse by his power is it sustained on her beloued she is faine to leane comming out of the wildernesse of this world The Altar of the Sanctuary which at the base had Lions of brasse for supporters of it we may well thinke was a type of this Secondly vnlesse it beare grapes it is the vnprofitablest wood of any Sonne of man saith God to Ezechiel what is the Vine-tree more than any tree or than a branch which is amongst the trees of the Forest Shall wood bee taken thereof to doe any worke Or will men take a pinne of it to hang any vessell thereon Behold when it was whole it was meet for no worke c. Thus the wood of this plant is meet for no vse being cut downe or taken from the root it is only fit fewell for the fire This is the condition likewise of all barren and fruitlesse professors they are good for nothing but to be fewell of Gods wrath But of this hereafter In the Leaues likewise the resemblance is excellent 1. the leaues of the Vine are good for shadow euery thing delights in the heat of Summer to harbour vnder their shade And thus howeuer the Church and members of the Church are persecuted and afflicted by the wicked and well cudgeled as fruit trees are in Summer yet in the day of trouble their shadow is good then can the wicked runne to them for shelter Thus Pharaoh and his Courtiers in the euill day can send for Moses and Aaron and desire them to pray vnto the Lord that there bee no more mighty thunders and haile c. So Saul in foule weather runnes to Dauid and Ieroboam to the man of God Belteshazzer to Daniel Zedekiah to Ieremiah the foolish Virgins to the wise These besides many more that might be reckoned haue found the best harbouring to be vnder their shade and that no leaues could so well keepe off a storme of vengeance as these leaues could Themistocles though he were banished in peace yet he was sent for home in warre And so the godly though they bee passed ouer in the dayes of pride yet when the showres of Gods wrath shall fall then they and their shadow shall be more regarded 2. The leaues of the Vine are good for medicine they are very profitable and of excellent vse for healing wounds cleansing sores if they be taken and applied The fruit thereof shall be for meat saith Ezechiel speaking of the Church and the leafe thereof for medicine Thus the very outward profession of a Christian the very leaues and outward carriage of the godly is for medicinable vse hereby many haue beene healed thousands haue beene wonne to a loue and liking of the truth Thus Lucianus an ancient Martyr perswaded many Gentiles vnto the faith by his graue countenance and modest disposition insomuch that as it is recorded Maximinus that persecuting Emperour durst not looke him in the face for feare he should turne Christian And so mention is made by Beda of one Albane who receiuing a poore persecuted Christian into his house and seeing his holy deuotion and sweet carriage was so much affected with the same as that hee became an earnest professor of the faith and in the end a glorious Martyr for the faith And so their words they haue a healing quality with them if they were applied they tend to the edification and feeding of many and minister grace vnto the hearers as the Apostle speaketh The mouth of the righteous will speake of wisdome saith Dauid and his tongue talketh of iudgement They are sometimes perswading sometimes instructing sometimes admonishing sometimes comforting other whiles praying all tending to the healing of wounded and distressed consciences And thus in this we see a good agreement Now lastly for their fruits and first for the quantity then for the quality of it The Vine we know beareth first plenty of fruit it beareth in bunches and clusters many Grapes together So the Church aboundeth in good workes bring filled with the fruits of righteousnesse as the Apostle speaketh to the Philippians bringing forth much fruit as our Sauiour testifieth of his Disciples Full of mercy and good workes without partiality and without hypocrisie as Saint Iames saith which fruit of righteousnesse as he further speaketh is sowne in peace of them that make peace Thus they bring forth Grapes in clusters vnited in the bond of peace and loue 2. The Vine beareth Pleasant fruit no fruit more delectable to the taste than is the Grape nor more comfortable to the heart than is the Wine made of the Grape Should I leaue my Wine which cheereth God and man saith the Vine to other trees in the Parable And so the fruit of Christians How doe their workes of loue and mercy refresh the bowels of the Saints distressed brethren afflicted How doe their fruits of iustice and equity ease and releeue the oppressed soule How is God glorified Angels and men reioyced by the fruitfulnesse of these trees of righteousnesse when as the fruit of other trees and plants is but bitter fruit fruit vnto death as the Apostle speaketh In diuers other particulars the comparison might be followed but I desire not to be more curious than profitable By this that hath beene said wee cannot but see the aptnesse of the similitude Now to some profitable obseruations And first something may be noted in generall in that the Prophet vseth a Parable or Similitude and that from a Vine or Vineyard a thing earthly and temporall whereby he doth set out the estate and nature of the Church together with Gods care and cost for the welfare of the Church things heauenly and spirituall As first It is lawfull to make resemblances and likenesses between corporall and spirituall earthly and heauenly things for our better instruction The Prophets and Apostles and Christ himselfe that chiefe Shepheard of the Sheepe haue vsed thus to teach For proofe reade these places amongst multitudes that might be brought Psal 92. 12. Mat. 13. 3. 24. 31. 33. 44. 45. 47. Luke 13. 6. 15. 18. Let Ministers wisely and soberly vse this their libertie in teaching for the edification of their hearers whom if they be of the weaker sort let them not trouble with profound matters which they are not able to vnderstand but let vs be content to vse plaine similitudes and home-bred comparisons fetcht from leauen from the meale-tub or other domesticall businesse knowing therein wee doe no other than Iesus Christ our great Doctor and Master himselfe did We are called Nurses Now nurses are not ashamed nay they rather delight in it to condescend to the balbutient infancie of their nurcelings And so let vs becomming in this sense Barbarians vnto Barbarians Thus learned Austin as himselfe
of righteousnesse because they pay euery man his owne deale iustly truly and so carry themselues as that no man can say blacke is their eie when notwithstanding they are void of all true pietie and sanctitie No nor fruits of externall profession of Religion or outward reformation But the fruit God expecteth from thee must be kindly resembling the Author which is the Spirit of grace and that holy and pure seed which is the word of grace Such fruits as those reckoned vp by the Apostle Loue Ioy Peace Long-suffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith c. other fruits than these or the like to these beseeme not Christians As for fornication vncleannesse couetousnesse let it not be once named amongst you saith the same Apostle as becommeth Saints Neither filthinesse nor foolish talking nor iesting which are not conuenient If it becommeth not a Saint once to name these things much lesse to beare them and bring them forth Muddie water is lesse offensiue in a puddle than in a fountaine Brambles and briars doe a great deale better in a hedge or thicket than in a garden knot Let one worldling doe as another worldling does but let no worldlings practice be a president to thee What if my Lady Iesabel and other gentlewomen in Court and Citie haue such a complexion such haire not as God hath made but as the deuill hath beene the dyer of as one of the Ancient speaketh what if they disguise themselues like harlots more like than attiring themselues as chaste Matrons what is that to thee And what if many it may be the greatest in your countrie Master Iustice or thy Land-lord will drinke till they be drunken sweare lye and breake Gods Sabbaths wilt thou imitate and follow them in their lewdnesse It beseemes thee not learne more manners than to doe as such great ones doe The consideration of whom I am should teach me what a one I should be Thinke then thus with thy selfe I am a tree of righteousnesse a branch of the true Vine the planting of the Lord whose heart hath beene sowed with pure seed and shall I bring forth such fruit will such workes become me Good Nehemiah being perswaded to flie and saue his life would not but said to him that perswaded him vnto it Should such a man as I flie and who is there that being as I am would goe into the Temple to saue his life I will not goe in Now therefore O God strengthen my hands So say thou when thou art entised vnto lewdnesse Should such a one as I doe thus Shall I sweare swagger drinke to be drunke or the like I will not doe it For who is there being as I am what heart hauing been sowed with such seed as mine hath beene would bring forth such fruit so vnanswerable thereunto Now therefore O Lord strengthen my hands giue grace to withstand for I will not doe thus Thirdly our fruit if acceptable must be timely and seasonable This is a commendable property in our grounds trees plants that they bring forth their fruit in due season as it is said of that tree which was planted by the riuers of water whereto the godly blessed man was resembled If our corne should not eare vntill haruest was past nor our trees bud vntill after Midsummer men might looke to haue but small store of fruit and to reape but a sorrie and slender crop Thus the grace of our fruit is the seasonablenesse of it God himselfe for our example hath an appointed time and fit season for all his workes But is any time vnseasonable for the bringing forth of fruit I answer Yes A good worke may be vnseasonable as well as fish or flesh For the clearing this wee are to know there is a difference of good things to bee performed by vs Some good things are as continuall acts to be performed by all persons at all times and in all places from the doing whereof no part of our life is exempted because they reach to all times of this life and yet only to this life As for example the exercise of Faith Repentance Mortification Amendment of life working out our saluation with feare and trembling seeking reconciliation with God and such like these are daily and hourely to be performed by euery of vs and yet for these there are sometimes and seasons more fit though all be fit wherein if they be done they will be more acceptable As to repent in the day of our youth and to remember our Creator before our old yeeres come Who will not confesse that young age is a fitter time to learne the Horne-booke or Primmer in than old yet it is better for a man of three score to learne his A. B. C. than die a dunse so for repentance God takes no delight to pledge the deuill and drinke those snuffes and dregs that he hath left Other good duties we are bound to doe that reach not to all times and places but are limited to some particular place time and season As hearing reading set and solemne Prayer Singing Conference Almes-deeds and the like and these are they that may vnseasonably be performed Take an instance In time of publike exercise while the Minister is preaching here is not fit time for any person to fall a praying otherwise than by eiaculation or lifting vp the soule to God for hee is now Gods mouth and by him the Lord is speaking vnto vs now it is no point of good manners to speake to our betters before they haue made an end of speaking And so while the Minister is praying for a man then to fall a reading is vnseasonable for he is now the voice of the people to the Lord and all must ioyne with the congregation in that dutie And let not this seeme strange to any for it is an old policie that the deuill hath to iustle out a greater good by a lesse He can be well content that we should doe duties for matter good so we dishonour God in the sinfull manner of performance of them Neither let any thinke I speake against these duties for my desire is that men would pray more reade oftner c. but only against the vnseasonablenesse in the performance of them which maketh our best seruice in Gods esteeme no better than the sacrifice of fooles Wisely then obserue thy time and bring forth fruit in the right Quando in the due season For know it for a truth all duties done vnseasonably are hopelesse fruitlesse Fourthly our fruit must be ripe fruit if commendable Would a husbandman respect that tree which euery yeare doth bud and blossome like many of our outlandish plants but neuer bring any fruit to its perfection And yet if haply he should delight in it and nourish it in his Orchard because of the sweetnesse of the blossome or fairenesse of the leafe or flower which may yeeld a comfortable shade in the heat of Summer yet God will neuer He