recovered sheep, and the father over the returning Prodigal. He has even said, " He will rejoice over us with joy, he will rest in his love, he will joy over us with singing." Surely then neither is this without a cause : there must be real reason for joy, if Jesus himself rejoice over us. A soul enlightened, sanc- tified, and saved ! O what cause for joy ! Who that knows the temporal, and much more the eternal, judgments that fell upon the great body of the Jewish nation, would not incom- parably prefer the state of those, who are persecuted unto death, before that of their proud oppressors ? Let us then improve " this our accepted time, our day of salvation." Let us be earnest in fleeing from the wrath to come, and in laying hold on eternal life : so shall we have reason for triumph, though in the most afflictive circumstances ; and shall rejoice for ever in the presence of our God, when all others shall be " cast into that lake of fire, where is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth."]
Luke xx. 15. So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them ?
WHEN the mind is unbiassed, it can easily discern between truth and error, especially where the grounds of judgment are clear and strong. But where persons are under the influence of prejudice or worldly interest, they are blind to the most obvious conclusions, and obstinately tenacious of the most absurd opinions. Hence our Lord spake so much in parables; because his adversaries, not aware of their drift at first, were easily brought to acknowledge things, which, if more plainly delivered, would have excited the most in- veterate opposition. In this manner he gained their assent to the equity of God in executing the heaviest judgments on themselves and their whole nation.
This was the scope of the parable before usa
in opening which, we shall shew,
I. In whom this heinous wickedness is found —
It was manifestly accomplished in those to whom the parable was spoken —
a Read the whole parable, ver. 9 — 1G.