The Song of the Beloved Concerning His Vineyard, Part 2 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
… viewe of the naughtie fruites of the … Vineyard: viz.
Of the ſinnes of the Iewes.
…F wee well note the Prophets words, … wee ſhall heare him to tell vsus plainely … what hee meaneth by thoſe wilde …rapes which the Vineyard brought …rth. For he ſaith, Lo, oppreſſion: Lo, a …ying: Verſ. 7. the which two words, do …nſwere thoſe two former words, Iudge…ent and Iustice: and that by a pretie allu…n, which the Hebrewes call, Zacoth Paronomaſia: Polities Linguae.…aleſhon: that is, a decking or garniſhing of …e tongue: where (indeed) the Prophet …yneth togither two words of neare like …und, but of a contrarie ſignification: as …e looked for Miſchpat, and loe Miſch…ac: There was neither Iudgement nor Iuſtice, but oppreſſion, and crying.for Tſedacah: and loe, Tſeyacah.
2. Where the Lord looked for Iudge…ent, behold, he found oppreſſion: where …e looked for Iustice, behold, he found a crying. There was neither Iudgement to ſuppreſſe the wicked, nor Iuſtice to defend the godly: but the wicked did oppreſſe… the innocents, and the innocents were conſtrained not onelyonly to complain of the iniurie to them in authoritie, but alſo, to crie to the Lord for vengeance on theyr oppreſſors. In a word: there wanted the feare of God. And ſo all humanitie, gentleneſſe and iuſt dealing: and in ſte…d thereof, there ſwayed the malice of the diuell, and ſo all inhumanitie, crueltie and iniurious dealing one towards an other. Therefore the Prophet in his firſt Chapter, ſaith: How is the faithfull citie become an harlot? It was full of iudgement, and iuſtice lodged therein: but now, they are murtherers: couetous, deceitfull, extortioners, theeues, brybers, cruell and vnpure. And truly, where theſe ſinnes ſway, there is neither any feare of God, nor good religion, whatſoeuer ſhewe of holineſſe men make before the world. The Prophet would therefore ſet foorth theſe their ſinnes euen before their faces to conuince them, as tranſgreſſors of the lawe of GOD, whiles they would with the Phariſee iuſtifie themſelues …efore all other Nations, as the …nely keepers and dooers of the law of God.
3. And it may be, that as in the two …ormer words, Iudgement and Iustice, the Prophet would comprehend al godly ver…ues: ſo by thoſe two latter words oppreſ…on and crying, hee would comprehend all …ngodly vices. And that as thoſe 2. words …udgement and Iuſtice were firſt referred to …he function and dutie of the Princes and …udges, and then to the people (as it is be…ore ſaid in the 10. Chapter) ſo here, the Prophet doth (no doubt) reproue the vn…uſt dealing and abuſes of the Princes andHe firſt reproueth the vniuſt dealing of the Magiſtrates. Magiſtrates, which were wont to oppreſſe …ther men with their tyrannie, when they …hould rather hauehave adminiſtred iudgement: and the poore innocents were compelled to groane and crie out for want of Iuſtice which they requeſted to hauehave at theyr handes; the which came into the eares of the Lord, as that clamour of the Iſraelites in Aegypt, and as that of righteous Loth in Sodome, and as the innocent bloud of Abel from the earth. And as that loud crie of thoſe Saints vnderunder the Altar, ſaying: How long Lord, holy, and true, doeſt not thou iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth? Apo. 6. 10.
4. Indeed, ſuch Princes and Magiſtrates, this Prophet vehemently reprooueth, and from thence deſcendeth to the common people, he calleth them, as theyIſa. 1. 10 21. 23. deſerued: Princes of Sodomah, and rebel… companions of theeues, and murtherers: hauing (indeed) a taſte of the Vine of S… dome, whoſe Grapes be of Gall and cluſters bitter; whoſe Wine is the poyſon of Dragons and the cruell Gall of Aſpes, asDeut. 32. 33 Moſes propheſied: for whereas they ſhould ſeeke Iudgement and Iuſtice, in ſuppreſſingIſa. 1. 16. 17. the vngodly, and ſuch as oppreſſed the Innocents, and helping, defending and releeuing the poore oppreſſed, they did not onelyonly neglect their dutie therein, but alſo became cruell oppreſſors themſelues. As ſuch of whom Salomon Eccles. 4. 1.complained, ſaying: Behold the teares of the oppreſſed, and none comforteth them: the ſtrength of the hand of them that oppreſſe them, and none giueth them conſolation. As if he ſaid, the poore Innocents be oppreſ…dThe poore oppreſſed, find no Iuſtice nor Iudgement in them that ſhould extend it. by tyrants and cruell hearted perſons, …nd they find no Iuſtice, nor perceiue …dgement to be adminiſtred by them …ho are called and exalted to this functi…. And thoſe kinde of the Princes of …rael, immitated Iulian the Apostate, who …ither puniſhed them that oppreſſed the …ore Chriſtians vponupon their complaint, …r deliuered, nor defended them from …eir oppreſſion, as he ſhould in right hauehave …ne.
5. After that the Prophet had poin…dFrom the Magiſtrates he cōmeth to the people. to the Princes and Magiſtrates of Iſ…el, who had broken the yoake (as Iere…e ſaid) then he commeth to the people, …om alſo with the ſame words he repro…th, charging them, that they hauehave not …ely neglected Iudgement and Iustice in …eir kind and manner of dealing: but al… hauehave bene as tyrants one to an other: …preſſing, and deceiuing one an other …f them, without all law, humanitie, mer…e, Iuſtice, Iudgement and pietie, tranſ…reſſing therein moſt horribly the lawe …nd commaundements of the Lord God, …o leſſe then did Gomorah: and therefore the Prophes calleth them the people of G… morah, …ſa. 1. 4. 5. 6. 10.a ſinfull Nation, a people laden wi… iniquitie, corrupt children: And thus t… Lord chargeth them by Amos. Chap. 5. … They turne iudgement into wormewood, … leaue off righteouſneſſe in the earth: that i… where they ſhould vſe iudgement and i… ſtice as a fruite moſt ſweete and pleaſan… to the Lord, they did in ſteed therof, practiſe all kind of oppreſſion and crueltie on… towards an other of them: whereof ther… aſcended vp a pitifull crie, as of the poor… oppreſſed againſt their oppreſſors.
6. Thus farre the Prophet ſpeaketh … generall words: from the which heede… ſcendeth to certaine particular ſinnes an… abhominations of the Iewes, with th… which, (as with moſt vnſauorie fruites) they had diſpleaſed the holy one of Iſrael: yet not, that euerie particular ſinne ofCertaine particular ſinnes. this people is heere numbred vp (for that had beene a matter both labourſome and vnpoſſible, in ſo much a… they were polluted with infinite ſinnes) but ſome certaine vices, which moſt raigned among then at that time. So Ezechiel, The ſinnes of Sodome.when he ſpeaketh of the ſinnes of Sodome (to the which he compareth Ieru…lem with her ſinnes) he nameth onelyonly …oſe 4. viz. Pride: fulneſſe of bread: aboun…nce Ezech. 16. …9.of idleneſſe: and contempt of the poore. …nd theſe Chriſt ſeemeth to note in theThe ſins of the rich men. Luk. 16. 19. 20. 21. …h man. Luk. 16. 19. Who no doubt, …d in him many other ſinnes beſides: … pride is noted, in that hee was …athed in purple and fine white: ſe…nd, his fulneſſe of bread, in that he …ed dilitiouſly: third, his idleneſſe, … that hee vſed it euerie day: fourth, … neglect of the poore, in that hee … not releeue poore Lazarus at his …e.The ſins of the Iewes.
And thus Chriſt ſpeaking of the …fidious Husbandmen, Mat. 21. no…h chiefly their contempt and blou… crueltie againſt the Prophets, the …uants of GOD, and his ſonne: … the which he did ſufficiently depaint …d ſet forth their monſtrous ingratitude …ainſt God. So here the Prophet num…eth vp (as I ſaid) ſome certaine ſins, …d ſuch as we may thereby well iudge of …e reſt.
Now therfore, as the prophet had before generally vnderunder two words; comprehe… ded either all the wicked abhominatio… of the Iſraelites, or at leaſt their two cap… tal vices: ſo in the words following the e… poſition and application of the Parabl… dooth hee number vp and note ſome c… taine particular ſinnes, as the vnpleaſa… fruites of the ingratefull Vineyard. A… firſt he depainteth foorth the inſatiab… The couetouſneſſe of the rich men.couetouſneſſe and ambition of tho… worldly rich men, who are neuer conten… with any houſes or fieldes, be they neuer ſo many, but labour daily ro encroa… and get more, howſoeuer they come b… them: as if the Lord had giuen all the ear… to them, and not to any beſides them; an… that therefore, it is lawfull onelyonly for the… to hauehave all, and not lawfull for any poo… man, to poſſeſſe and enioy any par…o… portion thereof with them. Thus Alexander hauing the conqueſt of the world, was not contented, but would hauehave th… other world alſo at his commaundement But the Prophet threatneth them with a woe (as with thoſe ſowre Grapes o… tares) meete for nothing, but for the fire… Verſ. 8.
7. Another ſowre Grape the ProphetRioters, gluttons, & Epicures. …oteth and condemneth to the fire, in the …euenth Verſe, where hee ſaith: Woe …to them that riſe vp early to follow drun…nneſſe, and to them that continue vntill …ht, till the Wine inflameth them; as …h as ſpend moſt of their time in ryo…g and exceſſiue pleaſures, and vſe … meanes poſſible to prouoke the …ne, and regard not the worke of the …rd, neither conſider the operation of … hands.
8. An other wilde Grape the Pro…etImpenitent cōtemners of Gods Iudgemēts. noteth and cenſureth to the … in the 18. verſe, ſaying: Woe be to …n, that draw iniquitie with cords of vani… and ſinne, as with Cart ropes: &c. …ch, as are impenitent, contemners of …ds iudgements; deriders of the Pro…ts and Miniſters; and of a reprobate …e: and vſe all exerciſes and allure…ts to harden theyr conſciences in …e.
9. Another wilde Grape hee notethMen impudent and of▪ an impious iudgement. … condemneth in the 20. verſe, ſaying: … vntounto them, that ſpeake good of euill, and … of good: which put darkneſſe for light, and light for darkneſſe: that put … for ſweete, and ſweete for ſowre: As ſuch, are not aſhamed of ſinne, nor care for h… neſtie, but are growen into an impude… and deſperate impietie.
10. An other wilde grape he noteth an… Contēners of doctrine, diſcipline, & admonitions.condemneth in the 21. Verſe, ſaying Woe vntounto them, that are wiſe in the… owne eyes, and prudent in theyr … ſight. As ſuch as are contemners of … doctrine, diſcipline, and good admon… tions: ſuch as diſdaine to learne of … ny *Hoſ. 7. 8.beeing (indeede) dead, ere …u… they perceiue themſelues ſicke, who therefore Salomon calleth children, a… fooles. Pro. 1.
11. An other wilde Grape hee n… tethSuch as glorie in their wicked exceſſe, and iuſtifie the wicked for rewards. and condemneth in the 22. a… 23. Verſes, ſaying: Woe vntounto them th… are mightie to drinke Wine, and to th… that are ſtrong to power in ſtrong dri… And this hath affinitie with that … Grape which hee noted in the eleue… Verſe: howbeit exceeding that, in t… degrees, whereof the one is, th… theſe perſons doo ioyne vntounto that … o…te a kinde of glorie, making brag… … their owne ſtrength and abilitie in this …xceſſe, and deride and mocke them that …e weak and not able to keep them com…nſe in this ſame.
The other degree is this, which the …ophet alſo noteth in the 23. Verſe, as …ſt incident to thoſe perſons: that …y iustifie the wicked for a reward, and …e away the Iustice of the Iuſt from …n. As ſuch as louelove and like them …ich reſemble them in theyr ſinnes, …d hate and cōtemne them that reproue …m, and be not anſwerable to their con…ons: as ſuch, as in their exceſſe con…nne all that is good, and commend that …ch is abhominable.
12. Theſe, and many other ſuch bit… and vnſauorie fruites, did the people of …el and Iudah bring foorth and yeeld to Lord, after all his great and bountifull …ſings beſtowed on them, in ſtead of …ete and pleaſant fruites; yea, ſo farreThis is not ſpokē without admirarion. …ond all expectation, as it could not cauſe woonder and admiration. …d this doth the Prophet teach in the …etition of this demonſtratiue Hinne, Hinne. Ecce:…olde, as hee looked for Iudgement, and behold, oppreſſion for iustice; and behold crying: the which hath in it no ſmall emphaſis, force, and matter of momen… As if hee ſaid, that the Vineyard of th… Lord, contrarie to the nature of th… Vine, and diligence, care and coſt of th… Lord thereon employed, did bri… foorth wilde Grapes; it was a thi… moſt ſtrange and miraculous. Ther… fore at this, Ieremie alſo woondreth an… Ier. ca. 2. 21.expoſtulateth with them in Gods b… halfe; thus I planted thee a noble Vine whoſe plants were all naturall: how then a… thou turned vntounto mee into the Plants of ſtraunge Vine? that is to ſay, how is th… faithfull Citie become an harlot? (… ſaith Iſayah) how is it, that oppreſſ… ſpringeth vppe in the place of Iudg… ment? and how is it, that there is a cry… Eccles. 3. 16in the place of Iustice? yet ſo it is, as Sa… mon alſo witneſſeth; I ſaw vnderunder the Su… wickedneſſe in the place of iudgement, and i… quitie in the place of iustice.
Heereby it appeareth, not on… ly that they had no fear… of GO… at all (to whom they ſhould hauehave ye… ded ſome better fruites had they fear… him): but alſo that moſt horrible was …eyr ingratitude, deſeruing to bee …erly caſt off from his louelove and de…ht.
13. Now, as no man beholding theyr gratitude and wickedneſſe can but diſ…e them, and condemne them, as wor…e of deſtruction for the ſame: ſo let bee warie, that we fulfill not theyr …aſure of iniquitie; by our like requitalls …ll thoſe good things which God in his …e and merciemercy hath giuen vsus: but let daily indeuour to anſwere the expec…on of our moſt louing and mercifull …er; let vsus bee perfect as hee is perfect; …y as hee is holy; and fruitefull to him …all good workes (to his honour and …rie) as hee hath beene, and yet is …d and gracious vntounto vsus in all things.