afterward we have the touching prayer, “ Return, we beseech thee, O God of Hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine, and the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch which thou madest strong for thyself.” In the fifth chapter of Isaiah we have the parable of a vineyard and its explanation, where we are expressly told that the house of Israel is God’s vineyard; the men of Judah his pleasant plants; the grapes which he looked for, judgment and righteousness; the wild grapes produced, wickedness and oppression ; 80 that instead of honesty in the dealings of the people there was the cruelty of the oppressor, and instead of the strict adminiatra- tion of justice on the part of the magistrates there was the cry of the oppressed. Every reader of the New Testament is familiar with our Lord’s representation of himself as the true Vine, of disciples as the branches, of his Father as the Husbandmean, and union with himself as the secret of fruitfulness. The parable in the passage before us is recorded, with slight variation, by St. Matthew and St. Luke. This threefold occurrence of the same parable proves its importance, shows its instructiveness, claime our attention to it, and commands our interest in it.
IL Gon’s caze oF HI8 CHURCH. 1. The culture of the vine laborious. The care neces- sary for the proper culture of « vineyard is surprising, and to those unacquainted with it almost incredible. It is so in the vineyards of the Rhine, for example, at the present day. As you pass along the “ wide and winding” river, many a vine-clad hill presents itself to view. Vineyard rises above vineyard, and terrace above terrace, from the bottom to the top of the hill, in some instances to the height of a thousand feet. How beautiful they look! How pleasant to work among them and keep them! you are apt to suppose. If, however, you visit them and talk with the vine-dressers, you will find your supposition s grave mistake. The duty of the vine-dresser is no sinecure. His work is never over. It is continued throughout the year. Every season brings some- thing for him todo. Planting, propping, pruning, plucking the useless leaves, weeding, hoeing, and gathering the vintage occupy all his time. From year in till year out he knows little or no relaxation; his care ceases not all the year round. Hw beautifully this illustrates Ged’s care of and attention to his people! It was so also in ancient times. ‘There is a fine didactic poem on husbandry by an old poet who flourished nearly two thousand years ago, and whose works are read at school and college still. He has left us a glowing and life-like description of the continuous toil and laborious industry of the Italian vine-dressers in his day. He there tells us that it was indis- pensable to plough the soil three or four times a year, to break the clods daily, to unload the branches, and thin the leaves. Even in winter the vine, after being bared of ite leaves and fruit, has to be subjected to the pruning-knife, the ground to be dug, the lopped branches burnt, and the props brought into the house. Besides, twice in the ae hen luxuriant leaves, and twice the weeds and brambles, were to be removed.
er, it remained to cut the reeds and willows that grew on the river’s bank, and prickly shrubs in the woods, to bind the vines withal and fence them. In addition to all this, the ripening grapes must needs be protected from hail, and rain, and rust, and accidents of the weather. No wonder, then, he adds, that the husbandman’s care ran in a circle, nor ending with the closing year, extended to the coming season. Sv great is the attention in generaé needed by vineyards, whether in ancient or modern times; such and so great God’s care for the vineyard of the Church. But particular instances are here enumerated. 2. The planting. He planted it. The vineyard soil needed to be the choicest and the best. il that would do very well for pasturage, or soil that might be quite suitable for tillage, would not answer for a vineyard. Nothing but soil of rich and generous mould would suit the planting of the vine. ‘The sttuation required to be carefully selected. A good deal depended on the aspect, and it needed to be sheltered from the wintry wind, screened from the ungenial cold, and exposed as far as possible to the bright beams of a warm Southern sun, like the sunny slopes of Zion, the sides of Lebanon, or the vale of Eshcol. Hence the prophet says, “ My well-beloved hath » vineyard on a very fruitful hill” It naturally followed that vineyards were the most valuable of all property, at least in land. So the Church of God is very precious in his sight. It is very costly, too, for he bought it with his blood; and hence the injunction “to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” It is a place distinguished for fruitfulness and enriched with blessings; a place of precious privileges, of numerous ordinances, of heavenly light, where the Sun of Righteousness sheds “his
ou. xu. 1—44.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. 188