11 lines
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11 lines
8.6 KiB
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<p>Christ had formerly in parables showed how he designed to set up the gospel church; now he begins in parables to show how he would lay aside the Jewish church, which it might have been grafted into the <i>stock of</i>, but was built upon the <i>ruins of</i>. This parable we had just as we have it here, <a class="bibleref" title="Matt.21.33" href="/passage/?search=Matt.21.33">Matt. 21:33</a>. We may observe here,</p>
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<p class="tab-1">I. They that enjoy the privileges of the visible church, have a vineyard let out to them, which is capable of great improvement, and from the occupiers of which rent is justly expected. When God <i>showed his word unto Jacob, his statutes and judgments unto Israel</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="Ps.147.19" href="/passage/?search=Ps.147.19">Ps. 147:19</a>), when he set up his temple among them, his priesthood, and his ordinances, then he <i>let out</i> to them the <i>vineyard</i> he had <i>planted</i>; which he <i>hedged</i>, and in which he <i>built a tower</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Mark.12.1" href="/passage/?search=Mark.12.1">Mark 12:1</a>. Members of the church are God’s tenants, and they have both a good Landlord and a good bargain, and may live well upon it, if it be not their own fault.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">II. Those whom God lets out his vineyard to, he sends his servants to, to put them in mind of his just expectations from them, <a class="bibleref" title="Mark.12.2" href="/passage/?search=Mark.12.2">Mark 12:2</a>. He was not <i>hasty</i> in his demands, nor <i>high</i>, for he did not send for the rent till they could make it, <i>at the season</i>; nor did he put them to the trouble of making money of it, but was willing to take it <i>in specie</i>.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">III. It is sad to think what base usage God’s faithful ministers have met with, in all ages, from those that have enjoyed the privileges of the church, and have not brought forth fruit answerable. The Old-Testament prophets were persecuted even by those that went under the name of the Old-Testament church. They <i>beat them</i>, and <i>sent them empty away</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="Mark.12.3" href="/passage/?search=Mark.12.3">Mark 12:3</a>); that was bad: they <i>wounded them</i>, and <i>sent them away shamefully entreated</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="Mark.12.4" href="/passage/?search=Mark.12.4">Mark 12:4</a>); that was worse: nay, at length, they came to such a pitch of wickedness, that they <i>killed</i> them, <a class="bibleref" title="Mark.12.5" href="/passage/?search=Mark.12.5">Mark 12:5</a>.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">IV. It was no wonder if those who abused the prophets, abused Christ himself. God did at length send them his Son, his <i>well-beloved</i>; it was therefore so much the greater kindness in him to send him; as in Jacob to send Joseph to visit his brethren, <a class="bibleref" title="Gen.37.14" href="/passage/?search=Gen.37.14">Gen. 37:14</a>. And it might be expected that he whom their Master <i>loved</i>, they also should respect and love (<a class="bibleref" title="Mark.12.6" href="/passage/?search=Mark.12.6">Mark 12:6</a>); “<i>They will reverence my son</i>, and, in reverence to him, will pay their rent.” But, instead of <i>reverencing</i> him because he was the son and heir, they <i>therefore</i> hated him, <a class="bibleref" title="Mark.12.7" href="/passage/?search=Mark.12.7">Mark 12:7</a>. Because Christ, in calling to repentance and reformation, made his demands with more authority than the prophets had done, they were the more enraged against him, and determined to put him to death, that they might engross all church power to themselves, and that all the respect and obedience of the people might be paid to them only; “<i>The inheritance shall be ours</i>, we will be lords paramount, and bear all the sway.” There is an <i>inheritance</i>, which, if they had duly <i>reverenced the Son</i>, might have been theirs, a heavenly inheritance; but they slighted that, and would have their inheritance in the wealth, and pomp, and powers, of this world. So they <i>took him, and killed him</i>; they had not done it yet, but they would do it in a little time; and they <i>cast him out of the vineyard</i>, they refused to admit his gospel when he was gone; it would by no means agree with their scheme, and so they threw it out with disdain and detestation.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">V. For such sinful and shameful doings nothing can be expected but a fearful doom (<a class="bibleref" title="Mark.12.9" href="/passage/?search=Mark.12.9">Mark 12:9</a>); <i>What shall therefore the Lord of the vineyard do</i>? It is easy to say what, for nothing could be done more provoking.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">1. He will <i>come, and destroy the husbandmen</i>, whom he would have saved. When they only denied the fruit, he did not <i>distrain</i> upon them for rent, nor <i>disseize</i> them and <i>dispossess</i> them for <i>non-payment</i>; but when they killed his servants, and his Son, he determined to <i>destroy</i> them; and this was fulfilled when Jerusalem was laid waste, and the Jewish nation extirpated and made a desolation.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">2. He will <i>give the vineyards to others</i>. If he have not the rent from them, he will have it from another people, for God will be no loser by any. This was fulfilled in the taking in of the Gentiles, and the abundance of fruit which the <i>gospel brought forth in all the world</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Col.1.6" href="/passage/?search=Col.1.6">Col. 1:6</a>. If some from whom we expected well, prove bad, it doth not follow but that others will be better. Christ encouraged himself with this in his undertaking; <i>Though Israel be not gathered</i>, not gathered to him, but gathered against him, <i>yet shall I be glorious</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="Isa.49.5,Isa.49.6" href="/passage/?search=Isa.49.5,Isa.49.6"><span class="bibleref" title="Isa.49.5">Isa. 49:5</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="Isa.49.6">6</span></a>), as a <i>Light to lighten the Gentiles</i>.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">3. Their opposition to Christ’s exaltation shall be no obstruction to it (<a class="bibleref" title="Mark.12.10,Mark.12.11" href="/passage/?search=Mark.12.10,Mark.12.11"><span class="bibleref" title="Mark.12.10">Mark 12:10</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="Mark.12.11">11</span></a>); <i>The stone which the builders rejected</i>, notwithstanding that, is become <i>the Head of the corner</i>, is highly advanced as the <i>Head-stone</i>, and of necessary use and influence as the <i>Corner-stone</i>. God will set Christ as <i>his King</i>, upon his <i>holy hill of Zion</i>, in spite of <i>their</i> project, who would <i>break his bands asunder</i>. And all the world shall see and own this to <i>be the Lord’s doing</i>, in justice to the Jews, and in compassion to the Gentiles. The exaltation of Christ <i>was the Lord’s doing</i>, and it is <i>his doing</i> to exalt him in our hearts, and to set up his throne there; and if it be done, it cannot but be marvellous in our eyes.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">Now what effect had this parable upon the chief priests and scribes, whose conviction was designed by it? They knew <i>he spoke this parable against them</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Mark.12.12" href="/passage/?search=Mark.12.12">Mark 12:12</a>. They could not but see their own faces in the glass of it; and one would think it showed them their sin so very heinous, and their ruin so certain and great, that it should have frightened them into a compliance with Christ and his gospel, should have prevailed to bring them to repentance, at least to make them desist from their malicious purpose against him: but, instead of that, (1.) They <i>sought to lay hold on him</i>, and make him their prisoner immediately, and so to fulfil what he had just now said they would do to him, <a class="bibleref" title="Mark.12.8" href="/passage/?search=Mark.12.8">Mark 12:8</a>. (2.) Nothing restrained them from it but the awe they stood in of the people; they did not <i>reverence</i> Christ, nor had an <i>fear of</i> God before their eyes, but were afraid, if they should publicly lay hold on Christ, the mob would rise, and lay hold on them, and rescue them. (3.) They <i>left him, and went their way</i>; if they could not do hurt to him, they resolved he should not do good to them, and therefore they got out of the hearing of his powerful preaching, <i>lest they should be converted and healed</i>. Note, If men’s prejudices be not conquered by the evidence of truth, they are but confirmed; and if the corruptions of the heart be not subdued by faithful reproofs, they are but enraged and exasperated. If the gospel be not a <i>savour of life unto life</i>, it will be a <i>savour of death unto death</i>.</p>
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