Deuout contemplations expressed in two and fortie sermons vpon all ye quadragesimall Gospells written in Spanish by Fr. Ch. de Fonseca Englished by. I. M. of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford

THE SIXTEENTH SERMON, VPON THE FRYDAY AFTER THE SECOND SONDAY IN LENT. (Book 16)

MAT. 21. MARC. 12. LVC. 20.

Homo quidam plantauit Vineam.

A certaine man planted a Vineyard.

THis is a Law Suit or Tryall betweene God and his People; wherein,* 1.1 according to the tenor of the Processe, his people are condemned as vngratefull, cruell, disrespectiue, forgetfull of their dutie, and thrust out of all that they had, as vnworthie of that good which they possessed. This Storie much resembles the Statua of Nebucadnezar,* 1.2 whose head was of gold, whose brest was of siluer, whose bodie of brasse, whose legs of yron, and whose feet of clay. For God hauing begun first vnto them with many great kindnesses, ex∣traordinarie fauours, and vndeserued courtesies, he goes descending and decli∣ning from them, till they fall into the greatest disgrace & disfauor that any soule can receiue from the hands of God.

* 1.3A certaine man planted a Vineyard. He planted so perfect a Vineyard, that it might truly be said, What could I haue done more vnto my Vineyard? And this is a strange indeering on Gods part, That he should make choice of this Vine-stocke from amongst all the rest of the Countries and Nations of the World. When the most High had diuided the Nations, and when he had separated the sonnes of Adam. Esay calls it,* 1.4 Germen dilectabile, His pleasant Plant. Ieremie, Vineam electam, his elect and choyce Vine. Saint Hierome, Vineam Sorec, which is a Vine-plant, whose grapes (according to some) had no stones in them. And he compassed it with an hedge: whereby some Commentators vnderstand, the Angels protecting of it; others, Gods garding of it himselfe; others, the feare of punishment; For, Feare keepes the Vineyard safe. And this Gods owne Inheritance may runne a twofolde danger:

First, In regard of the Deuills malice; and against this, God opposeth himselfe, by making a hedge about it, and by drawing a line, beyond which the Deuill cannot passe.

Secondly, In regard of our libertie; against which hee hath placed the Feare of the Law, and the seueritie of Gods chastisements: For, it is Feare that keepe•• the Vineyard safe. If there be any thing that puts a bridle to these our vnlawful

longings, it is this Feare; as hath beene alreadie prooued in that our former dis∣course, treating of the rich mans being in Hell.

God hath so seuerely punished some sinnes, that in mans seeming he might be thought to haue gone a little too farre, and to haue exceeded therein; as in that of Ananias and Saphira, and many others, which (as Tertullian hath verie well obserued) were as so many Proclamations pasted vp on the principall posts of the Citie, to aduise the people what his diuine Iustice meant to doe hereafter in the like kind of delicts. And to this end God would that those his primary execu∣tions of his Iustice should remaine as a perpetuall memoriall to posteritie: As that of the Angells, against our pride; that of Sodome, against our lawlesse lusts; that of Caine, against our enuie; that of Zenacharib, against our arrogancie; that fire of Gods wrath which consumed those that called for Quailes, against our Gluttonie; that of the Israelites early rising vp to gather Manna, against our sloathfulnesse; that punishment occasioned by the golden Calfe, against our Ido∣latrie: So that It is Feare that keepes the Vineyard safe. This is that hedge where∣with it is compassed; this, that strong wall of defence; and this, the surest ob∣seruance of the Law. It is said in Deutronomie, Si custodieris Praecepta mea, ipsa cu∣stodient te, If thou shalt keepe my Commandements, they shall keepe thee. And in Ec∣clesiasticus, Si seruaueris, seruabunt te.* 1.5 Achior chiefe Captaine to the sonnes of Am∣mon, notified this truth to Holofernes; If this people haue kept the Laws & com∣mandements of their God, let my Lord passe by, lest their Lord defend them, and their God bee for them, and wee become a reproch to all the World: For assure your selfe, as long as they shall serue him, he will serue as a Wall vnto them.

Where it is to be noted, That as in a Wall there must not be any breach,* 1.6 be∣cause thereby Cities commonly come to be lost; so likewise must there not bee any breach in the obseruance of the Law: for the transgression of one Com∣mandement will serue to condemne thee, as well as of the whole Decalogue; and the failing in one vertue is the failing in all.* 1.7 Thy bellie is as an heape of Wheat compassed about with Lillies: The dangers are numberlesse that threaten this heape of wheat in the threshing floore; Creditors, Theeues, Beasts, Birds, and Pis∣mires: But far more in number are those dangers that threaten our Soule; those vertues which are to stand round about her, must guard and defend her; Circun∣date Syon, & complectimini eam.

Et Sepe circumdedit eam.

And he compassed it about with a hedge.* 1.8 Hee had no sooner planted his Vine∣yard, but he compassed it about with an Hedge: To shew vnto vs, That when a man hath once setled himselfe, his house, his wife, his children, and his familie, he ought presently to compasse it in with a Wal; which Wal must be, the Feare of God, and the keeping of his Lawes. It must be like Salomons bed,* 1.9 which had threescore strong men round about it, of the valiant men of Israell, such as could handle the Sword, and were expert in warre; euerie one hauing his sword vpon his thigh, for the Feare by night, Propter timores nocturnos. Admonishing vs to keepe good watch and ward; so many, and so secret are those perills that attend vs, that without the protection of God and his Angels, we shall hardly be able to defend our selues. Saint Paul sayes of himselfe, Gratia Dei, sum id quod sum, By the grace of God I am that I am. Whereunto Saint Augustine hath added, Gra∣tia Dei, non sum id quod non sum, By the grace of God I am not that which I am not. By the grace of God, thy house and thy lands may continue to thee and thy poste∣rity

to the worlds end; & by the grace of God, thy eyes may abstaine from that which is euill. Totus mundus in maligno positus est, All the world is set vpon mischiefe; The world is a continuall warre, a long inlarged temptation. And Saint Ambrose calls it Piraterium, A Sea fraught with Pirats: For (as Saint Augustine saith) there∣in there is nothing safe. In Paradice, the forbidden Fruit, nor the Tree of Life were not secure; and therefore God placed a Cherubin before the gate, to gard it the surer. Salomon had not his bed-chamber safe, though it were garded with so many strong men: How shall it be with that house then that is without walls or any defence at all? Vbi non est saepes, diripietur possessio, (saith Ecclesiasticus) A Vineyard that is without a Mount, giue it for lost.

Edificauit Turrim.

He built a Tower in it. This Tower Origen and Saint Hierome vnderstand to be the Temple of Ierusalem, which was built in a high place. Irenaeus would haue it to be the same Citie whereof Esay said, Venite, ascendamus ad montem Domini. Saint Ambrose and Saint Hilarie, The heigth of the Law. Others, that place where the fruits of the Vineyard were to be kept, Abundantia in Turribus tuis. Other Schoolemen and Doctors take it to be the Churches Beacon or Watch-Tower: Others, to be our Faith, whose sight extends it selfe to earth, heauen, and hell. There is nothing that imports the World more, than the eyes of this Tower. Some seeking out the principall cause of the Worlds perdition, say, Couetousnesse is the root thereof; Radix omnium malorum cupiditas. Others, Ig∣norance; alledging that of the Phylosopher, Omnis peccans, est Ignorans. But the truth is, it is the want of Faith.

Et fodit in ea Torcular.

* 1.10He digged a Pit for the Winepresse. By this pit of the Winepresse, Origen and Saint Hierome vnderstand, the Sacrifice of our Sauiours bodie and bloud: Saint Hilarie, The Crosse of Christ: Saint Gregorie, The chastisement of Hierusalem. The Owner of this Vineyard had made it so perfect and so absolute, that the Renters thereof liued in a manner idle, and had little or nothing more to do, than to keepe it cleane from Thornes, and to gather and enioy the Fruits thereof: wherin this Master of a family shewed the great care he had of his house, treating therein touching mans good, & the slight account that man made of this his hap∣pinesse and felicitie.* 1.11 When God created the World, he tooke not vpon him the name of an Husbandman; nor did he take any paines in the creating of it, for he but sayd the word, and it was done, Ipse dixit, & facta sunt. But this Vineyard of the Church, it cost him the paines of planting it, of compassing it in with a hedge, of digging a pit for the Winepresse, of building a Tower in it, besides the life of many of his seruants, as also of him, Quem acquisiuit sanguine suo. This was a new Noah, with whom that former old Noah was not to bee compa∣red: For that, giuing an end to a yong world, though grown old in sin, destroy∣ed the people, but not their wickednesse; but this did vtterly ouerthrow the Kingdome of sinne, drowning it in the floud of his bloud, and gaue the first be∣ginning to the life of Grace.

* 1.12Whence followeth the firmenesse and perpetuitie of the Church; for, being founded vpon so sure a Foundation, who can ouerthrow it? Supra dorsum meum fabricauerunt peccatores, [Another letter hath it, Arauerunt aratores] The Ploughers ploughed furrowes on my backe. Alluding to that which was then in vse for signing

out the scituation and circuit of some Citie. Romulus tooke that course when he founded Rome.

— Vrbem signauit aratro: — So sayes the Poet. Whom Saint Augustine also citeth. But this Citie, which hath on the one side Heauen for it's prop, and on the other, the shoulders of our Sauiour Christ; What firmenesse and prosperitie must it enioy? And onely because Christ doth cherish & water it, not only with his own most pretious bloud, but with that of so many Martyrs. Plutarch reporteth, That those of Eliopolis dranke no wine, beeing persuaded, that wine was the bloud of those Gyants which made warre against Heauen, of whose bodies beeing buried in the earth, sprang your Vines. And therefore when Alexander dranke much wine, Antocides would say vnto him, I pray Sir consider that yee drinke the bloud of the earth. These are all lies, yet may very well suit with this our truth; for wee are to vnderstand, That the Vines of the Faithfull sprang and grew vp from the bloud of that Gyant, of whom Dauid said, Exultauit vt Gygas adcurrendam viam. For that Morall, That the sprinkling of the bloud of those two Louers should giue colour & ripenes to the Fruit, is a meere fable; but that the bloud of our Sauiour Christ should so season these wild Vines, as to make them to bring forth aboundance of fruit, is a knowne truth. Whence it is to be noted, that whither it be that these Vines do represent the faithful; or whither or no, because the wine thereof is turned into the bloud of our Sauiour Christ, the Deuill beares so great a hatred to the sprigs and bran∣ches of the Vine, that there is not any thing that your Witches abhorre & stand more in feare of. As you may read in Petrus Gregorius, in his Bookes De Republi∣ca. Plutarch saith, That your Vinestockes being watred with wine, drie and wi∣ther away: But the Vines of the Faithfull being besprinkled with the wine of the bloud of Christ, grow vp and fructifie the better. Vinum germinans Virgi∣nes; it ingendreth noble thoughts. The Poet inuites Aeneas, and calls vnto him in this sweet kind of language, Sate sanguine Diuum: But more noblenesse doth a Christian enioy in that Sate sanguine Christi. Seneca saith, That the noblenesse of bloud eleuateth our thoughts. And God saith by the mouth of Hose, That if the Israelites shall returne vnto him, that they shall flourish as the Vine,* 1.13 and the sent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.

With the firmenesse of the Church sutes that fable of Atlas, who vpheld hea∣uen with his shoulders; but when Hercules saw he began to groane vnder so great a burthen, he came in to helpe him: yet for all this was not Heauen safe, vnder∣propped by his shoulders. But the Edifice of the Church, bore vp by our Sa∣uiour Christ, shall continue for euer. Erumpet radix eius, vt Libani stabilietur. An Interpreter vpon this place of Osee, saith, It shall stand as firme as the Root of Mount Lebanon, which shall take such a deepe rooting, that all the Deuils in hel shall not preuaile against it.

Locauit Agricolis.

He let it out to husbandmen. God is the onely true Lord of this Vineyard,* 1.14 the rest are but Farmers and Renters. Philon prooueth, That all of vs in this life en∣ioy but another bodies wealth; and that wee haue the vse thereof, but not the proprietie. Saint Chrysostome, That (saith he) is myne, which no man can take from me; & in this sence, neither is my life, nor my wealth, nor my health, mine owne, &c. Our life (saith Cicero) God hath onely lent it vs, without appointing any set place of payment, which he may demaund of vs at what time it pleaseth him. And so in the rest, wee dayly find the like experience. Your Emperours

(saith Horace) we call, Rerum terrenarum Dominos, Lords of the earth. But this is but mans flatterie; for they haue not the true dominion of these earthly things, but onely the vse of them. And hence was it that our Sauiour Christ did infer, Si in alieno infideles fuistis, quod vestrum est, Quis credet vobis? If yee were vnfaith∣full in that wealth, honour, health, and beautie, which are anothers goods, Who will relie vpon the loue of your good will, which is your owne? Saint Paul tea∣cheth vs this Lesson, Qui gaudent, tanquam non gaudentes; qui flent, tanquam non flentes; Those that reioyce, let them reioyce as though they did not reioyce; and those that weepe, let them weepe as though they did not weepe. For, on strange occasions, and such as belong to other men, we ought not to bee ouertaken with too much ei∣ther griefe or joy. Thou goest to see the Kings or Queenes Almoneda, or either of their Iewell-houses: doe not thou joy much therein, for those riches are none of thine, and thou must of force presently forgoe them: And therefore Philon saith, That the goods of this life are anothers, not ours, and that wee doe but onely rent them ad voluntatem Domini, At the will and pleasure of the Lord. Touching the disasters of this world, Epictetus saith, Doe not say, I haue lost such a thing; for it is an improper kind of language; but rather say, I haue retur∣ned it backe againe: and from this ignorance growes our melanchollie. Seneca tells vs, That he that will not be content that God should be sole Lord of all, is vniust. He that thinkes himselfe wronged, when a man askes him that which he hath lent him, is a couetous wretch. He that esteeming a present good, is for∣getful of a former receiued curtesie, is an vngrateful wretch. And he that retur∣ning backe those goods into his masters hands, which he had committed to his keeping, shal not think himself rid of a great care, & more secure than before, is a foolish wretch. In the creation of all the rest of the things, Genesis vseth the name of God alone by it selfe; but when man comes to be made, it puts this adiunct of Dominus Deus, the Lord God; because man should not imagine that there was any other Lord that should be able to bring them into the Land of Promise, saue the Lord God. And therefore God saith, I will goe before yee, and I will leade yee the way; That they might not attribute this enterprise to their owne valour.

Locauit Agricolis. God rented out this his Vineyard, looking to receiue some fruit thereof. As in Paradice there was not that Tree that was barren· [Ex omni ligno quod est in Paradiso comede,* 1.15 Thou shalt freely eat of euery tree of the Garden.] So, in the Paradice of the Church no Tree ought to be without it's Fruit. Da∣uid compareth the Iust,* 1.16 to a Tree that is planted by the Riuer side, Quod fructum suum dabit in tempore suo, That will bring forth it's fruit in due season; that is, alwaies: Like vnto that of the Apocalyps,* 1.17 which gaue fruit euerie moneth. In Deutrono∣mie God commanded, That they should plant no woods nor groues: not that the Spirit of God meant thereby, that all Forrests & Parkes should be condemned, wherein Kings and Princes were to take their pleasure; but that in the Church there should not be any vnprofitable Trees, and without fruit.

* 1.18He let it out to Husbandmen. The Lord knowing that these Renters would prooue vnthankfull, why did he let out his Vineyard vnto them? Why did hee likewise cast three parts of his seed into those grounds which were not to af∣foord him any Fruit? And why did that Father giue that his prodigal Sonne his portion, to spend and consume it in riotousnesse and wantonnesse? Why (saith Phylon) should God suffer his raine to fall into the sea, for to bring forth Foun∣taines in those Desarts whereas yet the foot of man did neuer tread? Why, co••∣ferre riches on those who were to maintaine quarrells and brawles therewith?

And why let out his Vineyard to him who should shut him out of his owne In∣heritance, keepe possession against him, and take his life from him?

First of all, Because Seneca saith, That for a Prince to conferre a fauour, which to his seeming is well bestowed, and to lose it afterwards through the in∣gratitude of the receiuer, is a token of a generous mind: For to this perill are they put, and all whosoeuer runne this hazard, who doe any courtesies in this life. For a forgetfull and vnthankfull man doth commonly shew himselfe vn∣mindfull of the good which he receiueth: But for a Prince to doe a fauor where he knowes it shall be lost, and that his kindnesse is but cast away, this is Kingly magnificence, and a generous kind of noblenesse. And of this kind are common∣ly Gods fauours, who although we shew our selues vnthankefull, and do not ac∣knowledge these his fauours, yet he dayly throwes them vpon vs, that hee may thereby manifest both his greatnesse and his goodnesse.

Secondly, Phylon saith, That he doth prosper the Vnthankefull, to draw them thereby to his seruice.

First, Because there are no gyues nor fetters that tye a man so fast, as benefits, or make him more a prisoner; Qui beneficia inuenit, compedes inuenit. This is that which Ose saith, In funiculis Adam traham eos: The Hebrew hath it,* 1.19 In funiculis hominum, I led them with cords of a man, euen with bonds of loue. Bulls are made tame, and yeeld themselues to a fiue twisted cord; Horses are made gentle with bridles and with chaines; and mens hearts are woon with benefits; Qui co∣ronat te in misericordia, & in miserationibus. God hath compassed thee in with so many mercies, and hath bound thee so fast vnto him, in the bonds of his louing kindnesse, that thou knowest not which way to get from him. Ioseph beeing ob∣liged to his master by the many fauors that he had receiued from him, said,* 1.20 Quo∣modo possum? How can I then doe this great wickednesse? How is it possible that I should shew my selfe such a Villaine to him, who knoweth not what hee hath in the house with me, but hath committed all that he hath to me; neither hath hee kept any thing from me but onely thee, because thou art his wife.

Secondly, Because there is no other meanes comparable vnto this, That a Prince should deliuer vp all the world to such a mans seruice, and that he should extend his liberalitie to an vnknowne and vnthankefull people: And to this end he affoords his enemies water, and the fruits of the earth, and other temporall blessings, that therby they might take occasion to serue him. And if he bestow so many fauours vpon an vngratefull people, and if he haue care of the beasts of the forrest, what kindnesses will he shew vnto them that shall truly serue him.

Locauit Agricolis. Hee let it out to Husbandmen.

To husbandmen, that know what belong to this businesse; For,* 1.21 of no people in the world, doth Gods vineyard suffer so much harme, as of ignorant Prelats, that doe not know how to prune, and to dresse it. And sloathfulnesse of all o∣ther, is most hurtfull in this kind. For thereupon, it growes presently full of Briers, Thistles, and Thornes; and the hedges goe to decay, the mounds are broken downe, and the wilde Bores, the Foxes, and the Dogges enter into it. carelesnesse likewise is very hurtfull thereunto; for by that means, all that go by (as Dauid sayth) plucke of her Grapes. Thou broughtest a vine out of Aegypt,* 1.22 thou didst cast out the Heathen, and planted it. Thou madest roome for it; and when it had taken roote, it filled the land. The hills were couered with the sha∣dow of it, and the boughes thereof were like the goodly Cedar trees. She stret∣cheth out her branches vnto the Sea, & her boughes vnto the Riuer. Why hast

thou then broken downe her hedge, that all they which goe by plucke off her Grapes?* 1.23 the wilde Boare out of the wood doth root it vp, and the wilde Beasts of the field deuour it. Behold, and visite this vine, ô Lord, and the place of the vineyard, that thine owne right hand hath planted; and the branches that thou madest strong for thy selfe. It is burnt with fire, and cut downe, &c. But these, & such other faults, may be mended; but ignorance, can neuer be repaired. If the Renter know not how & when he ought to prune the vine, to loosen the earth a∣bout the rootes, and to plant it, &c. it will quickly go to ruine. It is a great vnhap∣pinesse, that for to make thy shooes, thou wilt inquire out the best shooe-maker; And for to gouerne a Commonwealth, which is Ars artium, The Art of Arts; thou shalt thinke a Cobler fit enough to doe it.* 1.24 There are many reasons, why a Prince should make Noblemen, and Gentlemen, Presidents, and Prelates. But to weigh downe this, there is another great counter-poise. For being bred vp daintily from their cradle, some of them make gardens of this Vineyard; others houses of pleasure. Naboth made choyce rather to dye, than to part with his Vineyard to the King; because he would not see it turned to a garden; for to that end onely did he desire it. Shall my inheritance (sayd he) with the fruit where∣of my house is maintained, bee turned into a garden, for a tyrant to sport him∣selfe therein? God would take it very heauily, to see the Vineyard, which hee bought with his bloud, to bee, by some gentleman-like Prelate, turned into a greene Court: especially, hauing layd such a greeuous curse on those Hus∣bandmen, that shall not looke well vnto it, as Regiones vestras alieni deuorant, &c.

Hee let it out to Husbandmen. Locare, is a word of Espousall, or Marriage; and it sutes well with that Loue and Zeale, which a Prelat ought to haue to the Vine, his Spouse. To this marriage, the interest of Wealth, the respect of Honour, nor the pleasures of this Life, must not mooue him; but the good only of the Vine, and the desire he hath to take paines therein, till, like salt in water himselfe shall wast away and consume. He that enters vpon Gods patrimony, must enter there∣upon with a far different end to that, which he doth, who enters vpon that of the King; for this (commonly) makes his owne priuate benefit the marke whereat he aymes: But the Prelat, must make another mans profit, the pinne which hee must hit. The Minister of a King, takes a lesser charge first vpon him, that it may serue as a step to greater preferment: But a Prelat must not marry himselfe to the Church vpon hope to meet with a better benefice the next day after. Spospon•• enim vos vni viro, Virginem castam exhibere Christo. Many Prelats seeme vnto me to be like vnto those seuen husbands, which were espoused to one woman, who in that other life was wife to none of them all. So (putting the case the other way) let me aske you, (as those other did our Sauiour) when seuen Churches shall bee married to one Prelat, which of those shall be sayd to bee his wife in that other Life.

He planted a Vineyard, and let it out to Husbandmen. Saint Bernard sayth, Vi•••• sapienti,* 1.25 sua vita vinea est, & sua Conscientia. To a wise man, his own life, and con∣science, is a Vineyard. So that, not onely the Church is called a Vine, but euerie mans particular Soule, may also be immagined to be a stocke of this Vine. And that for three principall conueniences.

* 1.26First, In regard of the great ha••arads which the Vine runneth, as frosts, haile, wormes, want of water, carelesnesse of him that keepes the Vineyard, theeues, dogges, boares, foxes, and enemies, such as H••lofernes commanded to take away the waters from those of Bethulia. But farre greater perils than these doth ma••s Soule passe through; as those frosts, that nip it through default of Charitie;

those haile-stones of our sinnes, which beat it downe to the Earth, that it can hardly rise againe; those Deuils, which like the children of Esau, and gouer∣nours of the people of Moab, cry, Exinanite, exinanite, persequimini, & comprehen∣dite eam. And the carelesnesse that is had in pruning it. Saint Bernard saith, That the naturall Vine will aske but once pruning; but the metaphoricall Vine, a thou∣sand prunings; because euerie foot, new buds, and new sprigs of vices begin to sprout vp in it; being subiect (as Saint Paul saith) periculis in mari, periculis in terra, to perills by sea, and perills by land, &c.

Secondly, There is not any Plant, whose Fruit doth more liuely represent the essence of our nature. The Flower of the Vine represents vnto vs our child∣hood; the beautie thereof, it's peaceablenesse, it's prettinesse, it's wittinesse, it's pleasingnesse, it's innocencie: The sharpenesse and sourenesse thereof beeing greene, our youths hardnesse, harshnesse, tartnesse, and vnseasonablenesse. The Grape it selfe growne to perfection, the sweet, sauourie, discreet, and ripe yeares of our life, whereof that wine is made which glads the heart of man, and washes away care. In the Raysons, which by the heat of the Sunne proouing both sa∣uorie and wholesome, serue for physicke, is our old age represented vnto vs; which ought to be the Antidote of youth. It is that discourse which doth ad∣uice vs, that we ought not to despaire of our tart and distastefull youthfulnesse; for the greene and soure Grape comes not onely to be a ripe one, but turnes also to be a Rayson; and your young wild Lads come not onely to be stayd and well gouernd men, but proue likewise graue, wise, & antient old Senators in the com∣monwealth. Themistocles was such a young lewd fellow, that his father did dis∣inherite him, and his mother for verie griefe hung her selfe; yet it was his for∣tune afterwards to come to be a most valiant Captaine, and to prooue a most pru∣dent Gouernour. The like hapned to Alcibiades, and to Apolemon, (so saith Va∣lerius Maximus) and to Iulius Caesar (as Fulgosius reporteth it vnto vs.) Aristotle (according vnto Aelian) in his younger yeares played away all his Patrimonie; he followed the warres; he found that that course did not fit well with him, hee turnes Apothecarie, frequents the Schooles, and prooues in the end the Prince of Phylosophers.

Thirdly, All sorts of Trees, be they barren or fruitfull,* 1.27 they haue their na∣turall heigth and bredth, either more or lesse, according to their seuerall kindes; your Pines and your Cedars are the tallest of all others; your Wallnuts round like a Cup, and more spredding at the top: In a word, euerie one hath his con∣uenient stature and proportion. But the Vine hath no determinate either heigth or bredth; if you let it alone, it will traile vpon the ground, & so the fruit there∣of rot vpon the earth; if you let it leane vnto a pole, it will runne vp to the top thereof; if to an Elme, it will creepe vp to the highest boughes; if to a wall, it will runne and shoot it selfe along, till it hath claspt it in it's armes, and quite ouerspred it. And this is the verie Image and true stampe of man; for, all li∣uing beasts and other creatures whatsoeuer, hauing their termes and bounds of augmentation, which they may not passe and exceed; Man, through his free wil, fauoured and assisted by Grace, doth enioy so great an excellencie, that hee can by the helpe thereof leaue behind him the highest Mountaines, reaching by par∣ticipation, to Gods owne Beeing and abiding. And though he cannot shoot vp thus high of himselfe, (beeing no better than a sillie Worme of the earth) yet being raised vp by Grace, he may climbe vp to this happinesse,* 1.28 and flourish for euer in that eternall and glorious Paradise of Heauen. The Holy-Ghost hath compared the Spouse to a Wall, & her brests, to the branches of the Vine, which

goe clasping and compassing the same about. And in another place the Angells aske, Who is this that commeth vp out of the Wildernesse, leaning vpon her Welbeloued? Yee need not wonder so much at it, for it is the Vine, which desereth to be ioy∣ned in perpetuall loue with Christ; and hauing so good a prop, it cannot but reach to the highest part of Heauen. In a word, Thou maist, ô Lord, mold man like a peece of waxe; if thou wilt, thou canst make a Deuill of him, as thou didst of Iudas; and if thou wilt, thou canst make an Angell of him, as thou didst of Iohn Baptist: Thou canst make a just man mount aboue the Clouds, and to sore vp to the highest part of Heauen; And on the contrarie, thou canst maxe a sinner to sinke downe as low as the deepest dungeon in Hell.

Peregrè profectus est.

* 1.29And he went into a strange Countrie. When the Scripture saith, That God sleepeth, or is afarre off, it is (according to Saint Basil) a reciprocall kinde of Language. Nor are we thereby to vnderstand, that God either sleepeth, or is farre off, For he is neuer farre from any of vs; but it is thou that art farre off, and it is thou that sleepest, when thou doost depart from such a Citie, or when going to sea, thou leauest the land; it being thou that leauest the land, and not the land thee; for that remaines still immooueable. Iust so stands the case between God and thee; but is befitting his authoritie, to behold things as if they were afarre off; for in the notifying of his presence, the World in one day would be turned quite topsi-turuie. This made him say vnto Moses, It is not fit that I should lead forth this People, and be their Captaine & Commander; for their impudencies would oblige me to make an end of them at once. For such is the wickednesse of this World, that it is as vnable, as vnfitting to abide his presence: And there∣fore absenting himselfe, he saith, Peregrè profectus est. Hee doth beare with our iniquities, he doth patiently expect our amendment, hee doth dissemble his dis∣pleasure, and doth make as if he did not see what we did. From whence grow these two inconueniences:

* 1.30The one, Our boldnesse and presumption; It will be long ere my Lord will come. And this false presumption makes a naughtie seruant carelesse and negligent; Because I held my peace and said nothing, and for that I seemed not to see them, the wicked haue forgot that there is a God.

The other, The rigour and seueritie of the punishment wherewith God doth recompence this his slackenesse and long tarrying. Saint Gregorie compares the wrath of God to a Bow, which the more it is bent, the stronger it shoots it's Shaft. He may vnbend it for a time, butthat is but to make the draught the stron∣ger, when he takes it againe into his hand. Excitatus est tanquam dormiens Domi∣nus, tanquam potens crapulatus à Vino, & percussit inimicos in posteriora. Hee com∣pares him here to a sleeping man, and one that hath dranke hard; who if hee bee valiant, and a stout man in deed, if his enemies make a May-game of him in his sleepe, and offer to abuse him, they were as good awake a sleeping Lyon; for he no sooner opens his eyes, but he presently takes notice of their ill dealing to∣wards him; and when he hath once rowsed vp himselfe, vents his choller, and executes his vengeance.

He went to trauell. Hence grew the mischiefe of these Renters; for they thought with themselues, That their Lord being gone into a farre Countrie, •• would be long before he would return to require these his Fruits. So that al ou•• hurt proceeds from our presuming, that we shall liue so long, that we may laugh and be merrie as long as our youth lasteth, & afterwards haue time enough to re∣pent

at leisure. The Sinner he complaines of the shortnesse of his life, Nos nati fere statim desiuimus esse, We are no sooner borne, but wee are cut downe and gone. The righteous man complaines, That his pilgrimage heere vpon Earth is too long; He•• mihi, quia incolatus meus prolongatus est. But the truth is, That thou makest thy life short, by being forgetfull of the end for which it was giuen thee. God gaue it thee to gaine Heauen, and thou mispendest it in worldly businesses; so that though life be little, the losse is much. If thou beest borne to be rich, ho∣nourable, and much made of, thou wouldst thinke the yeares of thy life to bee but a few, in regard of the great desire that thou hast to enioy those thy earthly blessings: But if thou beest borne for Heauen, Who will say that he wants time (though he liue but a few yeares) to prepare himselfe for that journey. From the Cradle many young innocent Babes haue beene borne vp to Heauen, and yet their yeares are neuer a whit the lesse, but the more. And some, the more yeres they haue, the more is their hurt: For, that day (saith S. Gregory) thou must reckon amongst those of thy life, which thou foundest did make for thy Souleshealth.

He went to trauell. Not to forget his Vine, for that was alwayes before his eys;* 1.31 but for to shew the great trust & confidence that he had in these his Farmers and Renters, and to oblige them thereby the more vnto him: For that lord that trusts little, ties a man the lesse. When God had deliuered ouer Paradise vnto Adam, and quietly seated him in the peaceable possession of it, it is said, That he forthwith vanished and went his way. Hee that is Master of an estate, hath not his eye continually vpon his seruants, for that would fauour more of a tyrant than a master. That husband that alwayes stayes at home, and neuer goes out of his house, is extreame wearisome to his wife; but if he begin once to mistrust her, peraduenture she will not sticke to giue him iust canse so to doe. That Prelat which is alwayes gagging and pricking the sides of his sub∣iects, is an intollerable burthen: And Dauid himselfe complaines thereof, say∣ing, Imposuisti hominem super Capita nostra.* 1.32 Saint Luke and Saint Mathew cite two Parables, of Masters that did recommend to their seruants the charge of their house and of their wealth; and say, That presently thereupon they absen∣ted themselues, and went into farre and remote Countries.

El que fia mucho, obliga mucho; He that trusteth much, obligeth much. Ioseph held himselfe so much bound vnto his master, in that he trusted him with all that he had; that he said, being tempted by his Mistresse, Quomodo possum peccare con∣tra Dominum meum, How can I prooue such a villaine to my Master, as to wrong him in his Loue, who hath loued me so well? Saint Paul writes to Timothie,* 1.33 That he thought himselfe exceedingly bound to the seruice of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, that he had ordained him a Preacher, and an Apostle, and a Teacher of the Gen∣tiles, in Faith and veritie; and that he had trusted him with the ministrie and de∣fence of his Church, being that he had persecuted and blasphemed him hereto∣fore. Young Tobias said vnto the Angell Raphael, Albeit I should spend all my life in thy seruice, yet should I not satisfie that obligation which I haue to serue thee. These are the respects of noble brests; and he that shall thinke vpon these things truly, may consider with himselfe, how much greater benefits & fauours he hath receiued from Gods hands.

He went into a farre Countrie. He got him away to Heauen, where (for the loue which he beares to his Vine) he thinkes himselfe a stranger. The Disciples which went to Emaus said vnto him, Tusolus peregrinus in Ierusalem? Art thou on∣ly a stranger in Ierusalem? Wherein they spake truer than they were aware of▪ calling him by the name of Stranger, when as hee was now glorified: For, as

long as he liued here vpon earth, he was contented for our sakes to be a stranger in heauen. And though hee himselfe were in heauen, yet his Spouse was on earth. O Lord, where then art thou? Where I would bee; there where my Spouse is. Vbi thesaurus, ibi cor, Where a mans treasure is, there also is his heart. Nazi∣anzen cals vs, The Riches of God▪ And this (saith he) we are to esteeme as a sin∣gular fauour, Quia nos pro diuitijs suis habet, That he will vouchsafe vs so much honor as to account vs his Riches. And we are not onely his Riches, but his Delight and Recreation: Et delitiae meae esse cum filijs hominum, I made it my pleasure, to remaine among the children of men: Though my head were rounded with Starres, and cir∣cled about with a Crowne of infinite Glorie; yet did I humble my thoughts as low as Man. And here are we to ponder on the particle Et: And if Kings haue a care of their Parkes, and make great reckoning of their Gardens and houses of pleasure, for that they are their entertainment and recreation; How much more ought God to esteeme of his Vine, holding it to bee his Riches, his Pleasure, and Delight?

Cum autem tempus Fructum appropinquaret, misit Ser∣uos vt acciperent Fructus.

When the time of the Vintage was at hand, he sent his Seruants to the husbandmen, to receiue the fruits thereof. Here you see, how he did wait til the season that this his Vineyard was fit to yeeld him Fruit, and that the time of the Vintage drew neere: Not before; for it were meere tyrannie, to demand that which is not yet due vnto thee. Nor after; for so a Lord may runne the hazard of loosing his Fruits, vnlesse his Farmer be the honester man. Euery Plant hath it's due time and season to yeeld it's Fruit; and albeit our season bee the whole terme of our life, yet there are some seasons so precise, that not to giue Fruit therein, is held to be a wonderfull bad signe.* 1.34 God commanded his People, That when they came to in∣ioy the Land of Promise, they should offer vnto him of the first of all the fruit of the earth. This was a strict and precise occasion in them, and in vs, as oft as we begin to enioy Gods fauours and blessings towards vs. And this conceit is comprehended in this verie Parable which is here deliuered vnto vs.

* 1.35To receiue the Fruits thereof. And here first of all it is to bee noted, That in this he did not doe them any wrong in the World. What wrong doth that man doe to a Vineyard, that hath planted and pruned it, if he at the time of it's Fr••••t require Grapes? What wrong doth the Pope to the Cardinall, the Bishop, and the Chanon; or the King, to his Minister; or the Generall, to his Frier, to craue of them, That they shall complie with their Obligations; especially if the Su∣periour comply as he ought with his? Who planted this Vineyard? Who hed∣ged it about? Who made a Winepresse therein? Who built a Tower to it? The husbandmen? No, it was God: Is it much then, that hee should looke for the Fruits thereof?

Secondly, God herein did them a great and singular fauour: For Saint Paul saith,* 1.36 That these Fruits are Loue, Ioy, Peace, Long suffering, Gentlenesse, Good∣nesse, Faith, Meekenesse, and Temperance. And being these are the Fruits that we should bring forth, yet hee is pleased to call them his Fruits; for in all our actions he principally desireth our good and our profit: God being equally ho∣noured in punishing the Bad,* 1.37 as in rewarding the Good. If thou be righteous, what giuest thou vnto him, or what receiueth he at thyne hand? What addest thou to his glorie? (saith Iob and Thomas) for if he desires our praises, our thanksgiuings, and our seruices, he doth not so much pretend therein his owne glorie, as our

good; for he is fulnesse of Glorie it selfe. But by praising and seruing of him, we acknowledge him to be our God, and therein submit our selues to his diuine will, whereby we come to receiue a great reward. Saint Augustine saith, That when we make vowes and promises vnto God, he commaunds vs strictly to per∣forme them, not because that he hath any need that we should fulfill them, but because in f••lfilling of them, we shall reape the fruit of them; and the more we giue vnto God, the more still we haue. Benignus exactor est, & non ••genus; non v•• crescat ex redditis, sed vt crescere faciat redditores: Nam quod eis redditur, reddente ad∣ditur; Hee is a louing, not a needie exactor▪ not to increase his owne rent••, but to increase ours; not to raise them, but vs▪ For what we render vnto him, he renders it backe to vs with aduantage.

To receiue the Fruits thereof. The griefe of it was, That he sonding his Ser∣uants at the time of it's Fruit, they could scarce finde a bunch in all the Vine∣yard, they were not able to gleane any thing out of it. Non est botrus ad comme∣dendum, saith Micheas, My Soule desired the first ripe Fruits; but,* 1.38 there is no clu∣ster to eat; Perijt sanctus de terra, The good man is perished out of the earth, and there is none righteous among men. In a place that is generally infected, you shal scarce find a sound man; so likewise in this Vine, be it in the Law Naturall, in the Law Written, or in the Law of Grace, you shall hardly meet with good Fruit. For to meet with a good and righteous man, you must looke and looke againe: first, search this, and then that other Stocke; and when you haue done all ye can doe, in stead of sweet grapes, you shall gather those that are soure; and in stead of wine, haue the gall of Dragons, and the poyson of Aspes.

But some perhaps will say,* 1.39 That the husbandmen were not able to affoord their Lord any Fruits thereof, for that they were rented too high,* 1.40 the ground was out of heart, and that they had beene too much grated vpon. Many Prin∣ces, I confesse, doe so wring their Subiects with such intollerable Taxes & pay∣ments, and such strange and vnwoonted Impositions, that they destroy and make wast the Lands of their Kingdomes: The like may be said of many land∣lords towards their Tenants. But hereunto I answer,* 1.41 That God is quite contra∣rie to these; for making ouer the possession of Paradice vnto Adam, so rich and plentifull of all sorts of Fruits and Trees, hee reserued no more than one onely Tree to himselfe: Hee will giue vnto thee the whole sheafes of Corne, conten∣ting himselfe onely with those few Eares which are shattered and left behind in the Stubble: He will suffer thee to gather all the grapes, and to make a full Vin∣tage, so that thou wilt but let him gleane the refuse bunches, which will but spoyle thy Wine. Of him that hath two Coats, the Euangelist requires one; but Christ will bee content to take one of ten; [Quod superest,* 1.42 date Pa••peribus] he craues no more but the ouerplus, and that which thou maist verie well spare. In the old Law, for an acknowledgement of those his innumerable fauours to∣wards his people, he demanded onely two Turtles of the Poore, and one lambe of the Rich. In his house, he will not that Incense be offered vnto him for no∣thing. Amongst other of Gods complaints against vs, this is one, if not the grea∣test, That he contenting himselfe with so little, and giuing thee the inioying of so much, thou doost neuer thinke of reseruing this little for God. Thou wilt giue large allowance to thy Dogs and thy Hawkes, but wilt grutch thy Seruant his meat: Thou wilt pamper thy Horses with prouender; but it goes to thy heart to part with a piece of bread to the Poore. Out of which hard heartednesse of thine, those sicknesses, hunger-staruings, beggeries, and barrennesse which thou sufferest, are iustified vpon thee, and deseruedly inflicted.

Mi••it Seruos suos, vt acciperent Fructus.

He sent his Seruants. These Seruants were the Prophets, who were alwayes busied in requiring this Fruit, and did die in this their demaund. In their pla∣ces succeeded the Apostles: After them, the Prelates and Preachers of his Church. And though he had giuen them the name of Huntsmen & of Fishers, [Mittam Piscatores multos] here hee calls them Secatores, Cutters or Reapers; Misit Seruos suos vt acciperent Fructus. By Ezechiel he cals them watchmen or Sen∣tinells,* 1.43 Animam de manu speculatoris requiram, I haue made thee a Watchman to the House of Israell, therefore thou shalt heare the Word from my mouth, and admonish them from me. But if the Watchman see the Sword come, and blow not the Trumpet, and the People bee not warned; if the Sword come and take any man from among them, he is taken away for his iniquitie, but his bloud wil I require at the Watchmans hands. This is a hard office; for if thou doost not seeke to saue him, God will require him of thee: And if thou doost take pains, and goest about to gather in his rents, the Renters will kill thee.

Alios ceciderunt, alios lapidauerunt, alios occiderunt.

* 1.44They beat one, stoned another, and killed a third. This is the recompence of our Sauiour Christs Ministers; for as his Kingdome is not of this world, so neither are his Ministers, nor his rewards. He said vnto Pilat, If I were of this world, Ministri mei vtique decertarent, My Ministers would contend for me. From the dif∣ference of this his Kingdome, he inferred that of his Ministers. The Ministers of this world may plead an excuse for the non-payment of their Masters Rent; for the Vineyard which they inioy is not Christs, neither did he rent it out vnto them, nor are the Fruits Christs which they reape thereof: It is a Vineyard that they got by their owne proper industrie, so that they fall to eating of it vp, and to take away the Fruit of it, without paying any rent or pension out of it. For albeit all kind of goods vpon earth belong vnto God, and are due vnto him; yet it seemeth vnto them, that they are onely due to their owne diligence; and stick not to say in their heart, It is our owne hand••e worke, God had no finger in it.

Some they beat. By Saint Mathew, Christ charged the Pharisees with the bloud of the Righteous; from Abel, to Zacharies time, those who were slaine betwixt the Temple and the Alter, ioyning their bloud with that of the Pro∣phets: to the end that their condemnation should grow vp to it's fulnesse.

* 1.45He sent againe and againe, the second and the third time; and besides, that herein he shewed vs his singular clemencie and goodnesse, he aduiseth vs with∣all, That when one medicine will worke no good vpon the Sicke, he will applie many others. Seneca tells vs, That if the earth will not yeeld vs any fruit the first yeare, we must fall a ploughing the second and the third, and so many yeares to∣gether. In one yeare the defaults of many yeares are repaired and amended; but here Gods mercie goes a little further, as Saint Chrysostome hath noted it; for not hauing any hope to stop their malice, yet he stops not his mercie: & being th•••• the disease was incurable, yet would hee trie and make experiment, whither his Medicine could worke vpon it and ouercome it; here ioyned together as it were in competition, Mans malice, with Gods meecie. And although great was the obstinacie of their malice, yet in the end Mercie was master of the field. Saint Hilarie brings in the example of a Father that had a franticke Sonne; who al∣though he would throw the Trenchers and Candlestickes at his head, yet for all that did he not leaue to doe his best to cure him. Worthie are those words of

Saint Augustine, Tibi laus, tibi gloria, Fons misericordiarum; ego fiebam miserior, tu propinquior, To thee be praise, to thee be glorie, thou Fountaine of Mercies; the worser I was, the neerer wast thou vnto me.

Nouissimè, misit filium suum.

Last of all, he sent his sonne. He thought it no wisedome in him, to send any more of his Seruants, for that had beene echar la soga tras el caldero, to throw the helme after the hatchet. And aduising with himselfe what hee were best to doe, after that he had thought vpon a Quid faciam? he presently followes with a No∣uissimè misit filium suum, Last of all he sent his sonne.

First of all, This Quid faciam? What shall I doe? argues a kind of perplexitie, like vnto that before the Floud, the World being not more wicked, than he was sorrie that he had created it; Being touched inwardly with a heartie sorrow, hee sayd, What shall I doe? So now, beeing more grieued at the perdition of the husband∣men, than the ill vsage and slaughter of his Seruants, hee said, Quid faciam? What course shall I take with these men?

Secondly, He intimates a strange kind of sorrow arising from this perplexity, If I am Lord, where is my feare? If I be a father, where is my honour? In the end, hee resolued with Gaifas, Let my Sonne die. He indeered as much as he could, the force of his loue, sending him to saue these Murderers from death; but this could not appease their malice. To slay his Prophets, was more than a great ma∣lice; but to take away the life of his onely Sonne and heire, was excessiue. Saint Hierome saith, There was no weight, no number, no measure, in the ones clemencie, nor in the others malice. This was a Consummatum est, a fulnesse of his me••cie, & a ful∣nesse of their malice.

Verebuntur filium meum.

They will reuerence my Sonne. Saint Luke addeth a Fortè thereunto:* 1.46 And the Greeke Originall, a Forsitan: Howbeit it may goe for an Affirmatiue, as well as Vtique. Forsitan petisses ab eo, & ipse dedisset tibi aquam, &c. And so againe, Si cre∣deritis Moysi, crederetis forsitan & mihi, If yee had beleeued Moses, yee would likewise haue beleeued me. And so it sorts well with that Text both of Saint Mathew and Saint Marke, who absolutely say, Verebuntur filium meum, They will reuerence my Sonne. In neither of these is a May bee, or a Forsitan; and onely to signifie the great reuerence which was due vnto him. Where by the way Saint Chrysostome hath noted this vnto vs, That God (for all these their outrages) did desire no fur∣the•• satisfaction from them, than to see them abasht and ashamed ofthis their in∣gratitude and crueltie. Benigno Domino sufficiebat sola vindicta pudoris; misit enim confundere, non punire: It was their blushing, not their bleeding, that he desired; hee wisht their shame, and not their confusion. Parum supplicij satis est patri, pro ••••lio; God is so kind and louing a Father, that hee thinkes a little punishment enough for his Children. Saint Bernard saith, That the whole life of our Saui∣our Christ, from the Cratch to the Crosse, was to keepe vs from sinning, out of meere shame; and that his maine drift euer was, to leaue vs confounded and ashamed of our selues, that our sinnes and wickednesse should force God against his will to punish vs: For he takes no delight in the death of a Sinner.* 1.47 Ecclesia∣sticu•• makes a large memoriall of those things which ought to make a man blush and be ashamed of himselfe. Be ashamed of whoredome before a father and mother; be ashamed of lies before the Prince and men of authoritie; of sinne, before the Iudge and Ruler; of offence, before the Congreation and People; of

vnrighteousnesse, before a companion and friend; and of theft, before the place where thou dwellest, & before the truth of God & his Couenant; & to lean with thine elbows vpon the bread; or to be reproued for giuing or taking; & of silence to them that salute thee; & to look vpon an harlot, & to turn away thy face from thy Kinseman; or to take away a portion or gift; or to be euill minded towards another mans wife; or to solicite any mans mayd; or to stand by her bed; or to reproach thy friends with words; or to vpbraid when thou giuest any thing; or to report a matter that thou hast heard; or to reueale secret words: Thus mayst thou well be shamefaced, & shalt find fauour with all men. This Erubescite must be the burthen of the Song, to euerie one of these Versicles. It is a foule and a shamefull thing, to doe any of these things in the presence of graue persons, to whom we owe a respect. Much more foule in the presence of God, who stands at thy elbow in all thy actions. But foulest of all, to commit these things in the presence of the Sonne of God, whome his Father sent to bee thy Master, thy Tutor, and nayled him to the Crosse for thy sinnes, that thou mightst bee asha∣med to commit the like againe, considering the great torment that he suffered for thee. Some deuout picture or Image doth sometimes restraine a desperate sinner from committing some foule offence; What would it worke then with him, had God himselfe stood there present before him?

It may be they will reuerence my Sonne. Say that wee take this Fort•• or Forsit•••• in the same sence as the words themselues sound; it is a point worthie our con••i∣deration, That the innumerable summe of those infinite fauours which God did to his Vineyard, should end in a Peraduenture, and stand vpon hap-hazard. A man may thinke it somewhat strange, That God should come to any place vpon vncertainties: but God is so good a God, that he doth not so much proportion his blessings by the measure of his Wisedome, as his Loue; not that he doth not certainly know what we will be, but because he would faine haue vs to be what we should be.* 1.48 For if he should reward vs according to those our actions, which he in his prescience and eternall essence foresees will come to passe; Who of vs should be left aliue, or who of vs should bee borne? Onely the Innocent (saith Theodoret) should then be fauoured. And therefore rather than it should bee so, he was willing to put it vpon the venture, how or what we might prooue heere∣after. He knew before hand, that Lucifer should fall; that Adam should sin; that Saul should turn disobedient; & that Iudas should sel him & betray him: yet did he not forbeare for all this to throw his fauours vpon them. S. Ambrose asketh the question, Why Christ would make choice of Iudas, when as he knew before hand that he would betray him? And his answer thereunto is, That it was to ju∣stifie his loue, and to shew the great desire that he had that all should bee saued, yea, euen Iudas himselfe: And therefore (knowing his couetous disposition) hee made him his Purse-bearer, that he might shut the doore to his excuses, and that he might not haue iust cause to say, That he was in want, & lackt mony, & so was forced out of meere necessitie, to betray and sel his Master, which otherwise he would neuer haue done: but the deliuering ouer the Purse vnto him, tooke away that obiection. Well then, What can this Traitor say for himselfe? That Christ did not countenance him as he did the rest, or that hee made light recko∣ning of him? Neither will this hold water; for hee had made him an Apostle, hee was listed in the rolle with the rest, hee wrought miracles as well as his Fel∣lowes, & receiued many other fauours from his Masters hands. The same reason may serue as well for the Iewes, as Iudas: For our Sauior knew that they should put him to death; yet for all this would not he cease to shew his loue vnto them.

Hic est haeres; venite, occidamus eum, & nostra erit haereditas.

This is the heire; come, let vs kill him, and let vs take his Inheritance. They did not say, This is the sonne; but the Heire: discouering therein the dropsie of their couetousnesse; for greedinesse of the Fruits they killed his Seruants, and for greedinesse of the Inheritance, they killed the Heire. Couetousnesse is the root of all euill; Pride is the seed of all sinnes, and Couetousnesse the root which main∣taines them: The Seed is that beginning which giues them their beeing; the Root, that which sustaines and nourishes them in their verdure. From the Tree you may easily lop the boughes, but hardly remooue the roots: First, Because they are so deep that we cannot well come at them: And secondly, Because they are couered and buried vnder ground. When Couetousnesse taketh deepe roo∣ting in the heart of man, it is couered ouer with the cloake of Sanctitie and of Vertue, they are hard to bee digged out. From this Vice two great huts doe arise:

The one, That it is the Leauen of all our ill. Salust saith,* 1.49 That it destroyes the Vertues and the Arts, and in their places brings in Infidelities and Treasons, standing at open defiance both with God and Man. Ecclesiasticus saith, That there is nothing worse than a couetous man; for such a one would euen sell his Soule for loue of money. The Princes of Iudah (saith Osee) were like them that remooued the bound. Saint Hierome and Lyra note, That the Prophet borrowed this Meta∣phor from the Husbandmen, who inlarge the bounds of their Inheritance, grow∣ing by little and little on that which is another mans.* 1.50 And that the Gouernours of the two Tribes did reioyce in the seruitude and captiuitie of the other ten, for to inlarge their owne Lands and Territories, and to augment their jurisdi∣ction. To reioyce in the inlarging of their owne, was not much amisse; but to take pleasure in another mans miserie, is so great a sinne, that God threatens se∣uerely to punish it. I will poure forth (saith he) myne indignation vpon them like wa∣ter. In other his chastisements, he vseth the word stillare: now that which is di∣stilled comes away in little drops, and with a great deale of leisure; but heere he saith, Effundam iram meam, Like a storme, that comes so suddenly vpon him that he cannot escape it. The Prophet Amos saith, That amongst many other sinnes which the Sonnes of Ammon had committed, one was a verie desperate one,* 1.51 For three transgressions of the Children of Ammon, and for foure, I will not turne to it; Because they haue ript vp the women with child, of Giliad, that they might in∣large their borders. For bordering vpon those of Gilead, they slew their wo∣men that were great with child, that they might inherit their possessions; ad di∣latandum terminum suum: As Queene Iesabel caused Naboth to bee put to death,* 1.52 that she might haue his Vineyard. In a word, In that verie houre when Coue∣tousnesse killed the Sonne of God, What punishment, were it neuer so cruell, might not such an offence iustly feare?

The second hurt is, That it is a vice of all other the hardest to bee remedied.* 1.53 Phylon calls it, Wickednesses Fort, where all sinnes are protected and defended. Saint Chrysostome saith, That Gold turnes men into Beasts, nay, into beastly and abhominable Deuils. Whereby he signified, That it was an vnreclaimable sin. Saint Ambrose, That the couetous man reioyceth to see the Widow weepe, and the Orphan to crie, which is a foule sinne. Saint Bernard paints out the Chariot of Couetousnesse to be drawne by cruell, fierce, and desperate both Coachman and Horses. Iudas his owne heart opens this truth; in regard that all the diligen∣ces, all the fauours that our Sauiour Christ did him, (in washing his feet with

water, and it may be with the teares that trickled from his eyes; his permitting him to dip his finger in the same dish with him, and to bestow his best morcells vpon him) were not of power to mollifie and soften this stonie heart of his.

Come, let vs kill him. Verie fitly is Sinne called a breake-necke, or a down∣fall; not onely in regard of that heigth from whence the Sinner falls, and the deepenesse of the pit whereinto hee is to descend; but because of his retchles∣nesse and his carelesnesse, by falling headlong from one sinne into another, til he come to the bottome of all villanie and wickednesse. And this is the reason why the Scripture makes so much reckoning of the first sinne we commit. The first sinne that Saul committed, was the pittie that he shewed to Amaleck: And though in it selfe it were not so grieuous a sinne, yet hee perseuered afterwards in enuying and persecuting Dauid;* 1.54 hee committed great cruelties in Nob, as a Moore could not doe more; he slew fourescore and fiue Priests that wore a Lin∣nen Ephod: And because his faults were so heinous, the Scripture mentioneth not any one saue that of his pittie towards Amaleck; because that was the first round in the Ladder,* 1.55 by which he fell afterwards downe into Hell. Beatus vir qui non abijt, Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the councell of the Vngodly, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 stood in the way of Sinners, and hath not sate in the seat of the Scornefull.

There are three happinesses that a man is said to enioy:

The one, Not to fall into the pit of Sinne.

The other, If he doe fall, not to continue long therein.

The third, That if he doe perseuer in sinne, that he bee not bewitched there∣with, nor make it his Seat. For Sinne (according to Saint Austen) produceth Cu∣stome, and Custome, a necessitie of sinning.

Thus doth God punish one sinne with another, a lesser sinne with a greater; which is the greatest and seuerest rigour which the Tribunall of Gods Iustice inflicteth.* 1.56 Seneca tells vs, The prime and principall punishment of a Sinner, is his sin∣ning; for then, God falls presently a punishing sinne vpon sinne. The Scripture reckoning vp all the sinnes of Herod, as his tyrannies, cruelties, his swinish nature, and his incestuous life; it addeth, super haec omnia, (as though all the rest in com∣parison of this were as nothing) That hee had beheaded Saint Iohn Baptist, be∣cause he preached Truth vnto him. And this was the greatest vengeance that God could take of his former sinnes. With Vria's murder, God reuenged Dauids adultrie: And Nathans reproouing him was the appeasing of Gods wrath against him. For if God should not haue vsed this his mercy towards him, what would haue become of Dauid? Saint Ambrose expounding those words which Christ vttered vnto Peter, Thou shalt denie me thrice; saith, That this placing of these three denialls, was not onely a foretelling of them, but of setting likewise a bound and limit vnto them, to the end that hee should not denie his Master any more than three times. God reuenged his first deniall, by his second, being for∣ced to forsweare, That he knew him not; and his second, by the third, aggraua∣ting the same with so many protestations and Anathema's. But if Christ had not looked backe vpon him, and taken pittie of him, what would haue become of poore Peter? But vpon the sinnes of the Pharisees our Sauiour did not put any taxe or limitation, That all the bloud of the Iust might light vpon their heads; For they were a reprobate kind of people. The liues of the Prophets he reuenged by the death of his Sonne and heire: He reuenged the euill workes which they had done, in that the Light beeing brought into the World, they shut vp them∣selues in Darkenesse. And with this suteth that of Esay, Thou hast made their owne iniquities the instruments, and as it were the hands to dash them in pieces.

Thou hast made them subiect to their sinnes, they can doe no more than what sinne shall command them to doe: If it bid them kill, they shall kill▪ if steale▪ they shall steale. In a word, Sinne is their Lord, and they are Sinnes ••laues. And therefore the Scripture termeth those that are great Sinners, Vendidos, Men that are sould ouer vnto sinne. Esay puts this name vpon A••bab, I am sould to sinne: and those who denied God, his Law, or their Countrie, & did take part with those their enemies that were Infidells;* 1.57 the first booke of the Macabees registreth them for Slaues that had sould themselues ouer vnto sinne. The like saith Saint Paul of those who remaine captiues to the Deuill, and that follow after his will;* 1.58 A quo captiui tenemur ad ipsius voluntatem. Out of whose snare wee must come to amendment, and not suffer our selues to be taken of him at his will.

And the Inheritance shall be ours. The Sinner summing vp his wickednesse,* 1.59 thinkes he hath made a iust and good account: So, Pharaoh pursuing Gods Peo∣ple, made this sure reckoning with himselfe; Persequar, I will follow them, take them, and spoyle them, and my Soule shall haue it's desire vpon them. So did it fare with these Farmers, they had cast vp their reckoning, and made full account that the Inheritance should be theirs: They had destroyed his People, his Temple, his Vineyard, his Syon, his Prophecies, his Miracles, his Priesthood, his Arke, his Authoritie, and his Glorie; What could they well doe more, to make them∣selues Lords of all? But, Conuertetur dolor eius in caput eius; They shall bee ouer∣taken in their owne wickednesse, and this mischiefe shall light vpon their owne heads.

Et ejecerunt eum extra Vineam.

And they cast him out of the Vineyard.* 1.60 They cast him out of the Vineyard and slew him. Saint Chrysostome saith, That they cast him out of the Vineyard, that his bloud might not defile it: Vsing him herein like a Leaper; which was no more than was prophecied by Esay, Stand apart, come not neere me, for I am holier ••han thou. The Iewes were so daintie, that when Iudas repented him of what he had done, and returned them their mony againe, they would none of it;* 1.61 It is not lawfull for vs to put this money into the Treasurie, because it is the price of bloud. And they did not onely expresse their hypocrisie in this particular; but they would not likewise enter into the Praetorium, or Common-Councell house, That they might not be defiled with his companie. And here in this place, They cast him out of the Vineyard; but the Diuine prouidence, which did with a more especiall hand guide that action, did so order the businesse, that the bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ should be shed out of the Vineyard, because it should not hinder the de∣struction and desolation that was to come vpon that wretched & accursed City. For, if Ierusalem should haue beene besprinkled with the bloud of this Lambe, the Angel would haue past by it, and the Roman power should not haue bin able to haue ruined it and laid it leuell with the ground.

They cast him likewise out of the Vineyard, for to inrich the Land of the Gen∣tiles; his bloud, which spake better things than that of Abel, being shed in their ••auour, and for their good. The glorious Doctor Saint Ambrose saith, That the ••ield which Caine drew out Abel into, was bad and barren ground; it being Gods pleasure that that place should be vnfruitfull, wherein that bloud should be shed ••hat was to crie for vengeance. But for the bloud of our most blessed Sauiour ••nd Redeemer, Iesus Christ; howbeit it fell among stories, yet because it spake ••etter words than that of Abel, as also for that from the Crosse he poured down ••is benediction vpon it, they lost their barrennesse. Saint Augustine saith, That

as in the Garden he sweated bloud, making that ground fruitfull therewith, that Martyrs might bud and spring out of it; so in Mount Caluarie hee also shed his bloud, to the end that the Land of the Gentiles taking this diuine Balsamum in∣to their Soules, and letting it soke into their hearts, they might bring forth great and plentifull Fruits, euen Fruits in aboundance.

Quid faciet Dominus Vineae.

What will the Lord of this Vineyard doe? Tell me, yee that are learned in the Lawes,* 1.62 What course thinke yee he will take with these Husbandmen? Ezec••••••l in his twentie eigth Chapter sets out the King of Tyre with all possible glorie▪ and greatnesse; adorning him with Wisedome, Beautie, Riches, pretious stones, Pearles, and brooches of Gold, brought from beyond the seas. But if many were these his blessings and fauours which God had bestowed vpon him; the greater by far were those his sins which hee committed against him in his ingra∣titude, disloyaltie, ••yrannie, dishonestie, wantonnesse, filthinesse, &c. And there∣fore when God shall come to take an account of vs, What will the Lord of the Vin∣yard doe then?* 1.63 And in the sixteenth Chapter he paints out vnto vs a poore little Infant, that was cast out, as it were, into the Streets, and no eye pittied her: This poore soule the King as he passed by, tooke her out of the extremitie of mi∣serie, bred her vp, made much of her, inricht her, couered her with Silke, g••••∣ded her about with fine Linnen, cloathed her with broydered workes, decked her with ornaments, put bracelets vpon her hands, a chaine about her necke, and a beautiful Crown vpon her head, &c. & when he had bestowed all these things vpon her, and that she was come of age to be his Spouse, (which the King of all other things desired most) she left his house, ranne away from him, set vp for her selfe in a by-corner of the Citie, playing the Harlot, multiplying her Treasons, lightnesses, & loosnes of life; purchasing her selfe Louers with her Siluer, not re∣membring the dayes of her youth, when she was naked and bare, and forsaken of all the world, saue this good King that tooke compassion on her. Now when God shall come to take an account of her concerning those courtesies which she had receiued, What will the Lord of the Vineyard do then? The fauors which God aff••••∣ded his People, Who can recount them? He sent them Prophets, Miracles, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Victories; they did sigh for his comming, importuning Heauen with the•••• groanes; The Light shined vnto them, but they loued Darknesse; their Mess•••• came, and they killed him.

* 1.64What will the Lord of the Vineyard doe? He did direct this question to the re∣pairing of their perdition, for as yet they were in the state of saluation: And 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they would but haue beene ashamed of that which they had done, and repented them of their sinnes, hee would haue runne with open armes to haue receiued them into grace. Plutarch saith, That Loue takes any occasion, bee it neuer 〈◊〉〈◊〉 light, to doe good vnto him whom he loueth; it hath no need of baits & snares, himselfe beares those baits about him, wherewith he is taken; for Gods loue ne∣uer takes his leaue of a Sinner. Our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ remained dead in Mount Caluarie, yet for all that did he not forsake vs, but he returnes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hundred times and more,* 1.65 intreating and calling vnto vs; Be thou instructed, ô Ieru∣salem, lest my Soule depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, as a land that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 inhabiteth. In that generall inundation, he repented him of what he had 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and promised neuer to doe so no more;* 1.66 Nequaquam vltra, There shall bee no 〈◊〉〈◊〉 waters of a floud to destroy all flesh.

What will the Lord of the Vineyard doe? He askes the question, What he 〈◊〉〈◊〉

doe? and takes councell with himselfe; signifying thereby vnto vs, That great chastisements require great consideration. The Prophet Esay threatning Edom, saith, He will measure it out with a Line, that he may bring it to naught.* 1.67 No man doth measure a Building to destroy it; the Rule and the Square were ordained for to build. I answer, Amongst your Artificers here vpon earth, it passeth so as thou sayest; but he that was that onely Artizan of Heauen, dwelt longer vpon the de∣stroying of Niniuie, than hee would haue done in building of it. Cogitauit Do∣minus dissipare murum filiae Syon, tetendit funiculum; The Lord hath determined to de∣stroy the wall of the Daughter of Syon, he stretched out a Line, he hath not withdrawn his hand from destroying. The Lord had a determination to destroy the citie of Ierusalem; but first hee tooke a measure thereof (as wee say) by line and by lei∣sure. Rupertus hath noted it, that he was seuentie yeres about taking this measure.

Lastly he askes the question, What shall the Lord of the Vineyard doe? because to destroy and to kill, is to bee vsed where no other meanes will serue the turne.* 1.68 After that they had ill intreated his Seruants, stoned some, & slaine other-some, and last of all his heire; yet (euen after all this) doth he seeke to make peace with them. In the twentieth of Deutronomie God hath commanded, That when thou commest neere vnto a citie to fight against it, before thou shalt set vpon the same, thou shalt offer it peace. Abishai besieging Abel,* 1.69 a woman cryed out there with∣in, Knowst thou not that they spake in the old time, saying, They should first aske peace of Abel? and hence it is said, Qui interogant, interogent in Abel. Why doost thou not first demand Sheba of vs, & wee shall deliuer Sheba vp into thy hands? Quare pracipitas hereditatem Domini? Why wilt thou destroy the Lords Inheritance? Chrysostome saith, That Gods sending of Ionas to preach, Yet forty days, and Niniuie shall be destroyed; was no other but a profering of peace vnto them.

What shall the Lord of the Vineyard doe? All these, and other larger proffers, God vseth to make to Christendome in generall, and to euery one of the Faithfull in particular. He hath planted a Church, hee hath watred it with his owne bloud, and that of the Apostles and Martyrs; he hath ploughed and tilled it, and sowne it with the seed of his Doctrine; he hath affoorded thee strange fauours, as riches, discretion, beautie, the dainties of the Earth, of the Ayre, and of the Sea; and all these hast thou made as weapons to offend him, Quid fa∣ciet Dominus Vinia?

It is no meruaile, that many Christians are worse now in part,* 1.70 than the Phari∣sees were then; for in the brests of the Pharisees there was no faith nor no know∣ledge of Christ, which occasioned their sinnes against Christ: but the Christians beleeuing in him, and adoring him, doe not sticke to offend him. The Pharisees would not receiue Christ our Sauior & Redeemer, because then they must haue laid aside their couetousnesse, their ambition, their hypocrisie, & dissimulation; but they beeing so proud a People, would not admit of so humble a God. A poore King, and rich Vassals, doe not sute well together; but to beleeue in him, and yet not to regard him, this is a foule fault among Christians. Samaria being subiect to the Assyrians, God sent a fearefull scourge amongst them, Lyons, which euerie where slew them and tore them in pieces. The King desiring to repaire this losse, sent Priests among them, to instruct them in the Law of that Land, and to persuade them to the feare of God, and to teach them the manner of the God of the Countrie; but the Text saith, They feared the Lord,* 1.71 but serued their Idols withall; They offered their Vnderstanding to God, but their Will vn∣to Idolls. The like kind of course a great part of Christendome taketh; they acknowledge a God, but adore Vice, and their Faith they thinke shall serue them

for a safe Conduct, that God may not destroy them in his wrath. Beeing herein like vnto your Marshalls men, who onely therefore serue the Marshall, that they may liue the looser, and sinne with more safetie.

Two mischiefes seeme to threaten such kind of Christians:

• The one, That this their Faith may turne to their greater condemnation.
• The other, That they may runne the hazard of loosing it.

By Balaams aduice, the King of Moab sent many faire and beautifull women to Gods People, to the end to draw on their loue the more; but charging them withall, that they should not in any hand yeeld to their longings and their lu∣stings, vnlesse they would first worship those Idolls which they themselues ado∣red. And it so fell out (Affection ouer-ruling Religion) that many of the Faith∣full by this meanes fell away, and did linke themselues in marriage with them, making little or no scruple of the condition whereunto they were tyed. Wee may verie well giue great thankes to our Vices, and vnto God, who hath so or∣dred the businesse for vs, that though our Vices bring with them vnlawful plea∣sures and delights, yet they doe not bring Idols with them; which if they did, I feare me that many would echaran la soga, tras el Caldero, Hurle the rope after the kettle, or (as we say by way of Prouerbe) Fling the helme after the hatchet.

Aiunt illi, Malos male perdet.

They say vnto him, He shall destroy those wicked ones. Him, in Scripture, we call ill, who does ill. Si ergo vos, cum sitis mali, nostis bona dare filijs vestris, &c. Wee dayly pray vnto God to deliuer vs from euill, yet sticke not dayly to commit e∣uill; Hazarding thereby both body and soule. Mala est, vita mala; sed m••r•• peccatorum, pessima, An ill life, is bad; but a bad death, worse. God, does Bene perde•••• iustum; When his il, workes for his good. As in Iobs case, His goods were lost, but his soule was saued. But the perdition of this people was generall, both in their goods, their honours, their wiues, their children, their Temple, their liues, and their soules. In a word, God would, that this people (like Lots wife) should serue for a generall warning to the whole World, by notifying their punishment to all nations. Deus ostendit mihi super inimicos meos. Now, Ostendere, in holy Scrip∣ture, imports a Publication, Quantas ostendisti mihi tribulationes multas, & mala••, What great tribulations hast thou shewed me, many & euill.

* 1.72He will destroy those wicked ones. Dauid craues of God, That hee will not cor∣rect him in his furie, neither chasten him in his displeasure. Ne in furore Domine. God punishes all, but not in his furie. Ieremy craues a Corripe, but it is in judicio, non in furore, Correct vs (ô Lord) and yet in thy judgement, not in thy fury. This Pro∣phet sets downe two sorts of punishments.

The one, of an Almond tree budding. Quid tu vides Ieremiah? What 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thou Ieremy? Virgam vigilantem ego video, (sayth hee) I see a rod of an Al∣mond tree.

The other, of a pot seething, Quid tu vides, &c. What seest thou? Ollam succ••••••sam ego video, saith he, I see a seething pot.

In the rod, he represented vnto vs a light kind of punishment; with a rod, we vse to beat out the dust, & if you strike therwith but two or three strong blow•• well layd on, you will presently breake it. And this kind of punishment, is eue•• more directed to amendment of life, and to serue as a warning vnto vs. Ionath•••• eyes, were opened with that honie which he had on the top of his wand.

But in that of the pot seething, he represents vnto vs a most sharpe and seuere punishment.

He shall destroy those wicked ones. Man is so wedded to selfe-loue,* 1.73 that when it shall incounter with the counsell of God, it will goe about to condemne it. Of fiue hundred offenders that lye in prison, you shall scarce finde one that will not complaine, that he suffers vniustly; & that the Iudges sentence proceeded either out of malice or iniustice: And for these, there is no better course to be taken with them, than to halter them, as they doe Mules, when they begin to play ia∣dish trickes. As well conditioned as Dauid was, Nathan the Prophet was faine to hamper him in this manner, that he might thereby be taught to know his own error. The like order doth our Sauiour Christ take with this froward people; And albeit, they were so crafty and so wary, that when he propounded any que∣stions vnto them, they were wonderfull carefull what answere to make him, sus∣pecting this was but a trap set for them; insomuch, that when our Sauiour ask't them, Whether the Baptisme of Iohn Baptist, were from Heauen, or from Earth? They answered, We know not. But notwithstanding all this,* 1.74 forasmuch as there is no wisedome, no prudence, nor no counsaile against the Lord; and that the wisedome of the Earth, is but foolishnesse to that of Heauen: they fell into the snare, pronouncing this sentence against themselues, Malos, male perdet, He will cruelly destroy those wicked men.

It was not much, that the children should waxe blind, beeing neere the splen∣dour of his diuine Wisedome; when as their father the Deuill, who was the fountaine of Malice, was strucken blinde therewith. Iob, that patterne of Pati∣ence, saith, Hee that made him, will make his owne sword to approach vnto him.* 1.75 Some Bookes haue it, Applica••it gladium eius ei. He caused the Deuill to cut his throat, with his owne knife. Hee tooke vp sinne, as a sword, against God, and against Man: but the Wisedome of God so guided the blow, that he sheathed his sword in his owne bowels. He brought in Death, and Death was his death. Hee bit Eue by the heele; but this biting, was the brusing of his head. Of Golias sword, Dauid said, Non est similis in terra, There was not the like againe to bee had. Not that there was not such another to be found in the Philistimes armories, but because it found out the tricke to cut off his Masters head. So the Pharisees own sentence was the sword, that cut their throates. Nebuchadnezar, asking of his South∣sayers the signification of his dreame, They told him, None can doe that, but God. Now when Daniell shall interpret it, he must (by your owne confession) be either a God, or one of Gods inward friends. Malos, male perd••t, Hee will destroy those wicked ones, your owne mouth condemns you. Saint Chrysostome, and Euti∣mius say, That they were all of this opinion. But anon after finding themselues bitten, they foyst in an Absit. But our Sauiour citing for his purpose that saying of the Psalmist, Lapidem quem reprobauerunt, &c. The stone which they refused, &c.* 1.76 Their mouthes were bungd vp, and their Absit would not now serue their turne. And therefore he sayes vnto them, Auferetur à vobis Regnum Dei, The Kingdome of God shall be taken from you, &c.

Auferetur à vobis regnum Dei.

The Kingdome of God shall be taken from you.* 1.77 The prophecies of the transla∣tion from the Iewes, to the Gentiles, as they are many, so are they most mani∣fest. As in that of Esay, Quia posuisti ciuitatem in tumulum. Where he treateth of this alteration, and of the destruction of Ierusalem. Of Osee, The children of Israell shall remaine many dayes without a King. Of Ieremy, I haue forsaken my house,* 1.78 I haue left my heritage. Of Malachy, My affection is not towards you. Mathew sums vp all these prophecies in one. Your habitation shall be left vnto you desolate. Pope

Leo hath obserued, that our Sauiour Christ beeing not able to beare the heauie burthen of the Crosse, the Iewes fearing he would not dye till they had fastned him thereunto, hired a Gentile, called Simon Cirenaeus, to helpe him awhile in the bearing of it. Onely thereby to show, that the fruit of the Crosse, was to come vnto the Gentiles. Or to explaine it fuller, his submitting himselfe to the Crosse amidst these cruell Iewes, was not a thing done by chance, but a kind of prophecie, That the Gentiles should take possession of the key of Heauen.

The Kingdome of God shall be taken from you. Here first of all, he aduiseth Kings, Princes, and Rulers, that they looke well vnto their wayes, and stand in feare of this change. For God is woont to transferre Kingdomes, States, and Seignio∣ries from one nation to another,* 1.79 for their sinnes sake. Because of vnrighteous dea∣ling, and wrongs, and riches gotten by deceit, the Kingdome is translated from one people to another. A King suffers his subiects to be ouerladen with Taxes, when they are not able to beare them: Giue that Kingdome for lost. The wicked shall be cut-off from the Earth,* 1.80 and the transgressors shall bee rooted out of it. Daniel pronounceth as much, God changeth times and ages, he translateth kingdomes, and establisheth them. The most high beareth rule ouer the kingdome of men, and giueth it to whom∣soeuer he will. And those that walke in pride, hee is able to abase. And in the fourth chapter,* 1.81 He setteth vp a meane man in their steed. The examples of this in Gods people are more in number than the starres of Heauen. We see the house of Ieroboam destroyed and vtterly rooted out by the hands of Baasha; That of Baa∣sha, by Zambri; and that of Ahab, by Iehu. In the land of promise, God tooke a∣way one and thirtie Kingdomes,* 1.82 from those Kings, and bestowed them on his owne people. Alios laborauerunt, & vos in laborem eorum introistis, Others tooke the paines, and yee reap't the profit. But he did deferre the possession of these for some few yeares, because the sinnes of the Amorites were not yet come vnto their heigth. Salmanazer, carried away tenne of the Tribes captiue to the land of the Medes; Nebuchadnezzar destroyd the City and Temple of Ierusalem; and lea∣ding the people away captiue vnto Babilon, he left the land wast and desolate: as it appeareth in the Lamentations of Ieremie, Haereditas nostra, versa est ad alienos, Our inheritance, is turned ouer vnto strangers. The Monarchy of the Assirians and Babilonians, was transferred to the Medes and Persians; that of the Persians, to the Grecians and Macedonians; and that of the Macedonians, to the Romans; as was prophecied by Daniel, in that prodigious Statua which Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dreame. The Empire of Constantinople, was translated to the Ottoman Family. In a word, numberlesse are those Kingdomes, which haue suffered their alterations, and translations. Their sinnes, beeing the onely cause of this their change.

Secondly, He aduiseth those of the middle sort, on whome God hath bestow∣ed wealth,* 1.83 houses, honours, and health, wherewithall conueniently to passe this life of theirs, That they proue not vngratefull vnto God: For he knowes as well how to take away from them, as to giue to them, all these his good blessings, and to bring them by meanes neuer dreamt of, to the Hospitall, and to shamefull pouertie and dishonour. According to that saying vttered by God himselfe,* 1.84 They that despise me, shall be despised. As also by the mouth of Osee. This People doth not acknowledge that I giue them Wine, Wheate, and Oyle; and therefore I shall make them to acknowledge it, by taking these things from them, leauing them poore, hungrie, and miserable.

Thirdly, Hee aduiseth the Faithfull, to procure to preserue the goods of Grace, and the right and hope which they haue in the Kingdome of Heauen;

lest God should translate the same to a Nation that should bring forth better fruit, leauing them in the darkenesse of errours & heresies, without Priests, with∣out Sacraments, without Scriptures, without God; and passing these his good graces ouer to a People that haue not knowne his Law. For though God chops and changes Kingdomes, yet hee neuer takes away his Riches and his blessings. Tene quod habes, ••e alius accipiat Coronam tuam, Hold fast that thou hast, lest another come and take thy Crowne from thee; It is Saint Iohns, in his Apocalyps. God re∣mooued Adam out of Paradice, God will raise seed out of stones, and make bar∣ren places to bring forth fruit.

Et dabitur Genti facienti fructum.

And it shall be giuen to a Nation that shall bring forth fruit. The Princes of the earth takes away the wealth of one of his Ministers, & giues it to another; puts away a bad seruant, & takes in a worse; remooues a full fed Flie, and claps a leane Carrion in his roome. Ioshuah tooke ten stones out of Iordan, and put other ten in the places of them: This is a figure of the Worlds Reformation. Offices are euerie day chopt and changed; twelue pibble Stones are rowled out of the Court, and twelue others are tumbled in, in their stead. But God is of another kind of temper, he makes choice of a people that shall bring forth Fruit: Hee takes the Kingdome from Saul, & giues it vnto Dauid, I will giue it to one that is better than thy selfe. Hee toke away the Priesthood from Shebna, (who grew fat therein,* 1.85 like a Capon in a Coope) and gaue it to Eli∣akim, Who was as it were a father of the Inhabitants of Ierusalem. The sons of Ely died, and Samuel succeeded in the Priesthood. Sus∣citabo mihi Sacerdotem fidelem, I will raise vnto me a faithfull Priest. God raise vs vp all to newnesse of life,* 1.86 and let not our vnthankfulnesse cause him to thrust vs out of this vineyard which he hath planted for vs; but that we may return him some fruits thereof, that he may be glorified here by vs on Earth; and we receiue from him a Crowne of eternall glory in Heauen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The drift of the story.
• * 1.2

  Dan. 2.
• * 1.3

  Feare, the on∣ly thing to keepe safe the Vineyard. Esay. 5.4.
• * 1.4

  Esay. 5.7. Ier. 22.
• * 1.5

  Iudith 5.21.
• * 1.6

  God accepteth not a peece-meale obedi∣ence.
• * 1.7

  Cant. 7.2.
• * 1.8

  The feare of the Lord a strong defence.
• * 1.9

  Cant. 3.7.
• * 1.10

  What is vn∣derstood by the winepresse
• * 1.11

  The cost which Christ was at with his Vineyard.
• * 1.12

  The firmnesse of the Church
• * 1.13

  Ose 14.8.
• * 1.14

  All that we inioy in this Life is an o∣thers wealth, and we haue but the vse of it.
• * 1.15

  Gen. 2.16.
• * 1.16

  Psal. 1.
• * 1.17

  Apoc. 22.
• * 1.18

  Why God rented ••ut his Vineyard to the vngrateful
• * 1.19

  Ose. 11.4.
• * 1.20

  Gen. 39.9.
• * 1.21

  Ignorant & sluggish Pre∣lats the destru∣ction of Gods Vineyard.
• * 1.22

  Psal. 80.
• * 1.23

  The ignorāce of the Priest, the ruine of the People.
• * 1.24

  Gods Vine∣yard must not be turned into a garden.
• * 1.25

  Euery mans soule is a vine∣yard to him selfe, and he must dresse it
• * 1.26

  The hasard wherunto the Vine-yard of the soule is exposed.
• * 1.27

  The vine hath no bounds, no more hath the will of man.
• * 1.28

  The spouse compared to the vine. Cant. 8.5.
• * 1.29

  Gods absence from vs, is no∣thing else but his conniuing at our sinnes.
• * 1.30

  From Gods conniuence growes our presum••tion, and his seue∣rity.

  Gods wrath the longer de∣ferred, the fiercer.
• * 1.31

  Trust is euer the surest tye.
• * 1.32

  Luke. 19. Math. ••5.
• * 1.33

  1. Tim. 2.7.
• * 1.34

  Deut. 2••.
• * 1.35

  Euery man may claim the fruit of his owne labors.
• * 1.36

  God requireth nothing at our hands, but what is for our owne good.
• * 1.37

  Iob. 35 7.
• * 1.38

  Micah. 7.1.
• * 1.39

  Ob.
• * 1.40

  God is no rac∣king Land∣lord.
• * 1.41

  Sol.
• * 1.42

  He requ••••es of vs but a little.
• * 1.43

  Ezech. 33.6, 7.
• * 1.44

  Ministers in this world must expect nothing but hard measure.
• * 1.45

  Gods mercy is euer in com∣petition with mans malice.
• * 1.46

  God in his pu∣nishing of man, desires more his blush¦ing than his bleeding.
• * 1.47

  Ec••l••. 41.17.
• * 1.48

  Gods Loue ceaseth not for mans wic∣kednesse.
• * 1.49

  Nothing worse than a couetous man
• * 1.50

  Ose 5.10. No vice more seuerely puni∣shed than Co∣uetousnesse.
• * 1.51

  Amos 1.13.
• * 1.52

  3. Reg. 20.
• * 1.53

  No vice so hard to be reformed as Couetousnesse
• * 1.54

  1. Kings. 22.
• * 1.55

  Psal. 1.
• * 1.56

  Gods course in punishing of sinne, is to reuenge the lesser with the greater.
• * 1.57

  1. Mac. 1.
• * 1.58

  2. Tim. 2.
• * 1.59

  Sinners are vsually taken in their owne Snares.
• * 1.60

  Why the blood of Christ was not shed in the Vineyard. Esay 65.5
• * 1.61

  Math. 27.6.
• * 1.62

  Ezech. 28.
• * 1.63

  Ezech. 16.
• * 1.64

  God labours euery way the conuersion of a sinner.
• * 1.65

  Ierem. 6.8.
• * 1.66

  Gen. 9.15.
• * 1.67

  Esay 34.
• * 1.68

  God omits no meanes to bring vs to himselfe. Deut. 20.10.
• * 1.69

  2. Kings. 20.
• * 1.70

  Many Christi∣ans now worse enemies to Christ, than were the Pha∣risees.
• * 1.71

  4. Kings. 17.33
• * 1.72

  Gods punish∣ments of two sorts. Psal. 6.1. Ierem. 10.24.
• * 1.73

  Selfe loue the ouerthrow of man.
• * 1.74

  Prou. 21.30.
• * 1.75

  Iob. 40.
• * 1.76

  Psal. 118.21.
• * 1.77

  The translatiō of Gods king∣dome from the Iewes to the Gentiles.
• * 1.78

  Esay. 5. Osee, 3.4. Ieremy. 12.7. Math. 23.38.
• * 1.79

  Eccl. 10.
• * 1.80

  Prou. 2.22. D••••. 6.
• * 1.81

  Dan. 4.
• * 1.82

  3. Reg. 14.15. 3. King. 16. 4. King. 9.
• * 1.83

  God substracts his Blessings, whē we proue vngratefull.
• * 1.84

  1. Reg. 2.
• * 1.85

  Esay. 22.
• * 1.86

  1. Kings. 2.