The Song of the Beloved Concerning His Vineyard, Part 2 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
The louelove and merciemercy of God, expreſſed alſo in this: that he gathered out the ſtones of the vineyard, verſe 2.
NExt to the encloſing, the Prophet telleth of a clenſing, ſaying, thatThe clenſing of the Vineyard. his Beloued gathered out the ſtones. There be ſome which would confound this circumſtance with that which goeth before, expounding this place to be a …alling, or placing of ſtones in order, as …n a wall, for that the word Sákar, ſigni…iethIn ſecundá coniugatione. to gather ſtones, to place ſtones, to …edge with ſtones, or to make a wall with …tones: and ſo much the ſooner, becauſe …hat Chriſt in the Goſpell ſpeaketh of the …edging and planting, but not of the clenſing of the Vineyard. Howbeit, it …s true, that neither Chriſt nor the Pro…het meant that the Vine could wellMath. 21. 33 …roſper and grow there where the ſtones …ere not gathered out, and the ground …leanſed of bryars, thornes, and other …oyſome things. S. Luke making report …f the ſame thing, as reſpecting ratherLuk. 20. 9. …he drift and purpoſe of the Lord, then …he exact repetition of circumſtances, …elleth neither of the place, nor of the …edge, nor of the clenſing, nor of ye tower, …or of the wine-preſſe: but only ſayth, A …ertaine man planted a Vineyard, and let it …rth to husbandmen. And yet is it certaine, …hat the Vineyard was not only planted, …ut had al things prouided both neceſſary …nd conuenient in & about the ſame. Be…des that, the word as it may be & is beſt …xpounded, ſignifieth to clenſe from ſtones.
2. Therefore the beſt expoſitours hauehave and do conſent in this, that the Prophet here meaneth a picking out of the ſtones from the Vineyard, and a cleanſing of the ſoyle to make it capable of the plants; and profitable for the fruite. And in this;The maner of husbandmen. he alludeth to the manner of husbandmen, who before they caſt in their ſeed or plant in their fields, do firſt clenſe and purge the ſame of brambles, buſhes; thornes, ſtones, and whatſoeuer els which may hurt or hinder the growing of the ſeed, plants, and fruits thereof.
3. He gathered out the ſtones: A ſton… What is ment by a ſtone.in the Scripture is diuerſlie taken, but i… this place in the worſt part, as we may gather by this, that the ſtones be gathere… out of the Vineyard, as things vnprofitable and noyſome to the Vines. ByThe Gentiles. ſtones, are ment ſometimes the Gentil… and heathen people, and thoſe (ſome ſay) Iohn the Baptiſt ment, when he ſayd, G… is able euen of theſe ſtones to rayſe vp children to Abraham, Math. 23. And here by the ſtones, are vnderſtood thoſe hardhearted Chanaanites, whom the Lord ca… The Cananites.out before the children of Iſrael, an… thereof the Pſalmiſt ſingeth to the Lord, …hou haſt driuen out the heathen with thine …nd, and thou haſt deſtroyed them, Pſal. 44. … Againe: Thou haſt caſt out the heathen, …d planted it. Pſal. 80. 8. That is, thou haſt …pelled the curſed Chanaanites, and …anted thy people (euen the Iſraelites) their Land.
4. And theſe the Prophet callethWhy they be called ſtones. …nes for the hardneſſe of their hearts, …e which would not be mollified with …e word of God, to ſerue to any good …e. And in this ſenſe Chriſt calleth them …nes, which hauing ſtonie hearts, when …e ſeede of the word is caſt among them,They that hauehave hard hearts, be as ſtones. …fer not the ſame to take roote. So the …rd by Ezechiel, calleth ſuch kind of …ſons, ſtony hearts. Chapt. 11. 19. & 36. … That is, hearts which are obſtinate, … will not bee mooued to repentance. …ch ſtones the Lord gathered out of his …neyard, that he might giuegive reſt and …ſperitie to the ſame. Such ſtones would …e bene as pricks in the eyes, and whips the ſides, and an intollerable burthen …he Lords people, had he not expelled …m, and cauſed the land to ſpew them out, as things moſt vnworthie ſo good lād. Thus did he vntounto them of his iuſtic… for their ſtony hearts, and filthie abh… minations: and thus did he for his Vin… yard, of his free louelove and merciemercy towar… the ſame, without any deſert.
5. Let vsus learne to make vſe of thi… and ſuch other examples, as Paul w… wont to do to the Romanes and Cori… thians, 1. Cor. 10. Rom. 11.applying them vntounto theſe daye… to admoniſh vsus, on whom the ends of th… The vſe of this example.world are come, how that God, wh… the ſame now, that he was then, will al… reiect vsus, as he reiected them, if we b… ſtones, that is, hard-harted, ſtiff-necke… ſtubborne, and polluted with the lik… abhominations and ſinnes. And let … pray to the Lord in the name of … deare Sonne, to put that new Spir… within vsus, to t…ke away that ſtony hea… out of our bodyes, and to giuegive vsus … heart of fleſh, that is, ſoft and tractable that we may be moued by the allurin… pipe of his word, to walke in his way… to keepe his iudgements, and be indeed his people, and that he will be & continu… our good God, with whom we may liu… honour among thoſe liuing ſtones of his …ple, and not be gathered out and re…ed frō his Vineyard, with thoſe dead … ſenceleſſe ſtones which are good for …hing.
Further, by theſe ſtones, may be vnſtoodStones alſo ſignifie all ſinnes and abhominations. all kind of errours, ſinnes, and …ominations, the which are no leſſe …ſome to the good vine, then thoſe vnſitable ſtones which the husbandman …h to gather vp and caſt out from his …l are hurtful to his ſeed. And theſe alſo Lord God gathered out frō his Vine…: he baniſhed away errours, he par…ed their ſinnes, he abandoned all kind …hominations, and conſecrated this …le to himſelfe, through the moſt …llent Graces of his Spirit, where…hey might be and continue wiſe, …e, pure, and an holy people, as to …m he might ſay (as to his innocent …wſeſſe) Behold, thou art fayre (my …e, my Sister, my Spowſeſſe) and with…pot.
Finally, by theſe ſtones are ment more …erally all things whatſoeuer were of…iue, noyſome, or vnprofitable to the Lords people, to the end he might (the things being remoued) furniſh them w… things good and profitable. Such a mat… mindeth this Prophet, Chap 57. 14. wh… propheſying of the returne of the peop… from their captiuitie into their own la… that none impedimēt might hinder th… happie returne and way homeward, h… ſaith: Cast vp, cast vp, prepare the way, t… vp the ſtumbling blocks out of the way of … people. Againe, he ſaith: Caſt vp, caſt … the way, and gather out the ſtones: that … prepare your ſelues, and remoue away t… lets that may hinder you.
8. So the Lord gathered out the ſto… from his Vineyard: that is, he reiected … Heathen in reſpect of his people, the c… dren of Iſrael: he expelled and caſt… the ſtonie Canaanites: hee cleanſed th… The Lord remoued all naughty and vnprofitable things from his Vineyard.from all abhominations, and ſuffered… thoſe groſſe ſinnes of the Heathen … raigne among them: and hee remo… from them all noyſome impedime… that the Vine being planted, might ſpr… vp and proſper. And in this, is ſet fo… the great regard and care that the Lo… (in merciemercy) had of this people of Iſra… And by this the godly (which are the …ds true inheritance) do not onelyonly ac…wledge the Lords great louelove and mer…owards them: but alſo his deſire to …nſe them from all errors, impediments …hinderances, to their daily growing, …ſpering, and bea…ing the fruites of …ctification; and they gladly adde to … example, that commandement which …iſt gaue them for theyr good. If thy …t hand hinder thee, cut it off and cast it … thee: which alſo alludeth to that …d of God ſpoken to Moſes, ſaying: Put …hy ſhooes from thy feet, for the place wher…hou ſtandeſt, is holy ground. Exod. 3. 4. …d the which Iohn the Baptiſt in his prea…g, did warily obſerue, Prepare, ſaith …he way of the Lord, &c. For, neither …OD and Mammon, nor Chriſt … Belial can agree: nor can ſuch burriſh …es, agree with the pure Vines in the …eyard of the Lord: therefore they be …hered vp with thoſe noyſome toyes, …d caſt out.