Tropes and Figures · Benjamin Keach
Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 7 · Part 10 – Part 11
The Church compared to a Vineyard.
Pſal. 80.15. And the Vineyard which thy Right-hand hath planted.
Iſa. 5.1. Now will I ſing to my well-beloved, a Song of my Beloved, touching his Vineyard.
Verſe 7. For the Vineyard of the Lord of Hoſts is the Houſe of Iſrael, and the Men of Judah his pleaſant Plant.
A Vineyard, the Place where Vines are planted, metaphorically ſignifieth the Church. The Church is compared to a Vineyard.
| Metaphor. | Parallel. |
| THe Land that is made into a Vineyard, is a Piece of Ground taken out of a Wilderneſs, or other common Ground, deſigned to that ſpecial uſe. | SO the Church is taken out of the Wilderneſs of this World,1 Pet 2.9. being ſeparated from all People, to be a peculiar People to God:Eph. 2.1, 2 By Nature Saints were as barren and fruitleſs as Sinners. |
| II. A Vineyard is fenced or walled in, to ſecure it from wild Beaſts, and others, who may offend or hurt it. | II.Iſa. 5 2. Zech. 2.5. So the Lord's Vineyard hath a Wall or Fence about it: Saith the Lord, I will be a Wall of Fire unto her round about. What uſe ſoever a Fence is to a Houſe, Garden, or Vineyard, the ſame is God to his People. 1. Every one of his Attributes (as we have elſewhere ſhewed you) is a Fence or Security to her; his Power is a Fence, his Wiſdom is a Fence, his Mercy is a Fence, his ſpecial Providence is a Fence. 2. The holy Angels are as a Wall or Fence to the Church, and to every particular Saint; they were as a Wall of Safety to the Prophet, 2 Kings 6.15, 16. 3.Pſal. 34.7. There is about the Church the Fence or Wall of Ordinances, Church-Government, and Diſcipline. — The Reaſon why God makes a Wall about his People, is opened under Metaphor, God a Husband man; alſo the Nature and Strength of it, to which we refer you. Queſt. Perhaps ſome may enquire, How much Ground doth this Hedg or Wall take in? 1. It taketh in all the Bodies of God's People; no Diſeaſe, Sickneſs, or Affliction whatſoever can come upon thoſe that truly fear and ſerve the Almighty, but what he lets in. This appears in the caſe of Job; and by what David ſaith, My Life is in thy hand, &c. 2. This Wall comprehends more eſpecially the Souls of Saints; no Temptation,1 Cor. 10.13. Mat. 10.30 Luk. 21.18 Perſecution, or Trial, can come upon them, but what God lets in. His ſpecial Eye, Care, Protection, and Divine Providence is ſo over them, that not a Hair of their Heads ſhall fall to the Ground without his Notice; that is, He hath intereſted himſelf in all the Concernments of his Children, yea, even in the ſmalleſt Matters. 3. This Wall takes in their Houſes, and all they have:Job 1.10. Haſt thou not made a Hedg about him, and about his Houſe, and about all he hath, on every ſide? The Devil could not touch any of Job's Sheep, Oxen, or Aſſes, until God opened the Door for him; much leſs his Sons, Daughters, Body and Life. Suffer us (ſaid the unclean Spirits to Chriſt) to go into the Herd of Swine. They could not deſtroy thoſe Swine, before permitted or ſuffered by the Almighty. |
| III. A Vineyard is planted; the choice things that grow there, come not up of themſelves. | III. So the Church is planted by the Lord, and every goodly Plant that grows therein. Hence God the Father is called an Husbandman.Joh. 15 1. Iſa. 5.7. The Men of Iſrael are called his pleaſant Plants. |
| IV. A Vineyard is digged up, and well-manured, before it is planted which is not done without much pains. | IV. The Church of God, and every gracious Soul, may be ſaid to be digged, or the fallow Ground of their Hearts by powerful Conviction broken up,Hoſ. 10.12 and thereby prepared to receive the good Seed, or to have a Principle of Grace planted in their Hearts. |
| V. A Vineyard hath many Vines planted in it,Luk 13.6. Cant. 6.11 & 7.12. and not only ſo, but alſo Fig-Trees, Pomegranates, and other excellent Fruit-Trees. | V. So in the univerſal Church are many particular Congregations or Communities of Chriſtians, who are as ſo many choice Vines in God's Sight; it alſo abounds with Plants, ſome fruitful, and ſome barren, as is ſignified by our Saviour, Luke 13.6. He ſpake alſo this Parable: Luk. 13.6. A certain Man had a Fig-Tree planted in his Vineyard, and he came and ſought Fruit thereon, and found none. |
| VI. A Vineyard needs much pruning and watering; the Stones alſo muſt be gathered out of it: hence there are Vine-dreſſers appointed to look after it. | VI. So the Church of God muſt have much pains taken with it, or it will ſoon decay; there is need of pruning, and cutting off ſuperfluous Branches, and gathering out other things that offend: Hence God hath appointed his faithful Miniſters,2 Cor. 6.1. who are Workers together with him, to take care and charge of it. Hence Paul ſaith, I have planted, 1 Cor. 3.6. and Apollo watered. |
| VII. Vineyards were wont to be hurt by Foxes, by the wild Boar, and other evil Beaſts; it hath many Enemies. | VII. So the Church of God is often vexed, and greatly hurt by the Foxes, little Foxes, namely, falſe Teachers, who for their Subtilty and Cruelty are called Foxes. By little Foxes, Cant. 2.15 ſome underſtand ſuch as ſeem devout, and very humble, and yet preach hurtful and poyſonous Doctrine, yea, bring in damnable Hereſies,2 Pet. 2.2, 3 which greatly tend to the ſpoiling of God's Vineyard. And then the Church is greatly annoyed alſo by the wild Boar, as David ſhews, The Boar of the Wood doth waſte it, and the wild Beaſts of the Field devour it. Pſal. 80.13 By which are meant the cruel Enemies the Church met with in thoſe Days; like as in theſe latter Times, ſhe hath the Pope, who may fitly be compared to a wild Boar; and the bloody Papiſts, to ravenous Beaſts, Beaſts of Prey, ſuch as continually delight in Blood and Rapine, and to tear the Lambs out of Chriſt's Fold, or deſtroy the precious Bunches of the tender Grapes. |
| VIII. A Vineyard is continually watched over, leſt any thing ſhould annoy or hurt it. | VIII. So God is ſaid to watch over his People. In that day ſing unto her: Iſa. 27.2, 3 A Vineyard of red Wine; I the Lord do keep it every moment, leſt any hurt it. I will keep it night and day. |
| IX. Many that are idle are call'd into a Vineyard to work. | IX. So God calls Men into his ſpiritual Vineyard, to labour therein, with the Promiſe of Reward. See Mat. 20.Mat. 20.2, to 8. The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Man that is an Houſholder, which went out early in the morning to hire Labourers into his Vineyard; and when he had agreed with the Labourers for a Penny a day, he ſent them into the Vineyard. And he went out, and ſaw others ſtanding idle in the Market-place. |
| X. He that is employed to plant and dreſs a Vineyard, or is a faithful Labourer therein, is allowed to eat of the Fruit thereof, beſides his Reward at night. | X. So thoſe whom God employs as Planters and Vine-dreſſers in his ſpiritual Vineyard, ought to eat of the Fruit thereof, viz. have a ſufficient Maintenance allowed them. Who planteth a Vineyard, 1 Cor. 9.7, 14. and eateth not of the Fruit thereof? or who feedeth a Flock, and eateth not of the Milk of the Flock? even ſo the Lord hath ordained, that they who preach the Goſpel, ſhould live of the Goſpel. |
| XI. It is expected by the Owner of a Vineyard, that after much Coſt and Pains is beſtowed upon it, it ſhould bring forth much Fruit. | XI. So after God hath beſtowed much Pains and Coſt with a People, (as he did with Iſrael: Iſa. 5.4. What could have been done more to my Vineyard than I have done in it?) he expects Fruit: And he looked it ſhould bring forth Grapes, and it brought forth wild Grapes. |
| XII. A Vineyard, having had great Labour and Coſt beſtowed upon it, and not yielding Fruit anſwerable to the Charge, greatly grieves and troubles the Owner, cauſing him to lay it deſolate, and care no more for it. | XII. So when a People have had much Coſt and Pains beſtowed upon them by the Lord, and yet they remain barren and unfruitful, walking like Men, and bringing forth ſour Grapes, Grapes of Sodom, rather than good Fruit, He is greatly offended and grieved thereat, and many times dealeth by that People, Church, or Nation, as he threatned to deal by Iſrael of old. I will take away the Hedge thereof, Iſa. 5.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. and it ſhall be eaten up; and break down the Wall thereof, and it ſhall be trodden down: And I will lay it waſte, it ſhall not be pruned, nor digged, but there ſhall come up Bryars and Thorns; I will cauſe the Rain to rain upon it no more, &c. Therefore I ſay unto you, Mat. 21.43 The Kingdom of God ſhall be taken from you, and given to a Nation bringing forth the Fruits thereof. Which of all Judgments is the moſt ſevere; God deliver his Church in England from ſo ſore a Stroke. |
Inferences.
THis may teach the Church and People of God to take heed they anſwer the Pains and Coſt God hath been at with them. It is not a little,Jam. 3.18. Rom. 5.17 but much Fruit that God expects from us; and not only Grapes, but good Grapes, ſweet Grapes, viz. Fruits of Righteouſneſs.
II. And let all the Plants in this ſpiritual Vineyard ſee to it,Mat. 15.13 that they are Plants of God's own planting; for if they are not, they ſhall be plucked up.
III. And let thoſe that his own Right-hand hath planted, ſee alſo that they be well rooted. 1. A Tree not well rooted bears but little Fruit. 2. A Tree not well rooted is ſubject to be ſhaken and blown down. 3. A Tree not well rooted is in danger of being pluck'd up.
1. Labour to be rooted in all the Eſſentials of true Religion.
2. And in all the Principles of Inſtituted Worſhip.
3. And in all the Graces of the holy Spirit, in Faith, Love, &c.Eph. 3.17.
IV. It may alſo be of uſe to encourage and comfort the Church of God, whilſt it remains fruitful to him. How ſafe and ſecure is that Vineyard, that God hath ſo gloriouſly walled in on every ſide! In vain are all the Strivings and Strength of bloody Rome: if God openeth not the Door for them, they can never prevail againſt us.
5. It alſo may be for Reproof to looſe and ſlothful Profeſſors; O what Danger do their Sins expoſe God's Church to!
The Church compared to a Virgin.
2 Cor. 11.2. I have eſpouſed you to one Husband, that I may preſent you as a chaſt Virgin to Chriſt.
A Chaſt Virgin. This Simile alludes to the legal Type of the High-Prieſt, who might marry none but a Virgin, Lev. 21.14.
Note. The Church (or a gracious Soul) is by the Apoſtle compared to an eſpouſed Virgin: I have eſpouſed you, i. e. I have been an Inſtrument or Spokeſman in the hand of my bleſſed Lord and Maſter herein.
| Simile. | Parallel. |
| A Virgin is a Perſon that is not defiled, one that hath been kept pure from Fornication and Uncleanneſs. | THe Church of God, and every ſincere Chriſtian, is kept pure from Idolatry, viz. the inordinate Love of this World, and all Antichriſtian Worſhip.Rev. 14.4. Hence the Forty four thouſand upon Mount Sion are ſaid to be Virgins; thoſe are they which were not defiled with Women, that is, with the Mother of Harlots, myſtical Babylon, nor with any of her Daughters; for they are Virgins, that is, true and chaſte to Chriſt. |
| II. A chaſt Virgin, that is eſpouſed to an Husband, is greatly beloved by him. | II. So the Church, and each ſincere Chriſtian, is dearly beloved by the Lord, who is ſaid to rejoyce over his People, Iſa. 63.4, 5 as a young Man rejoyceth over his Bride. |
| III. A Virgin eſpouſed to an Huſband, longeth for the Wedding-day. | III. So the Church longeth for the Return of the Bridegroom,Cant. 8.14. Rev. 19.7, 8 when Chriſt will take her to himſelf. The Marriage of the Lamb is come, &c. |
| IV. A Virgin eſpouſed, greatly prizeth every kind Token of Love from her Friend, and delights to hear from him. | IV. So all ſincere Souls wonderfully prize every precious Token of Chriſt's ſpecial Favour to them. Let him kiſs me with the Kiſſes of his Mouth, Cant. 1.1. for his Love is better than Wine. |
| V. A Virgin eſpouſed is a Man's Wife. | V. So is the Church the Wife of Chriſt. |