z+8 kh144204412WM$4720WORS"dgiot24W _; RW' , blatitiazi4L40L34gATed THE SIXTEENTH SERMON, VPON THE FRYDAY AFTER THE SECOND SONDAY I N LENT. MA T. 2I. MA it C. I2. Lv c.20. Homo quidamplantauit Vineam. Acertaine manplanted a Vineyard. His is a. LawSuit or Tryall between God and his People; wherein,accordingtothe tenor of theProcefhe,his peopleare condemned as vngratefull, cruel!, difrefpeótiue, forgetfull of their dutie,andthruft out of all that they had,asvnworthie of that good which theypoffeffed. This Storie much refembles the Statuaof Njbacadnezar, whofehead wasof gold , whofe breft was ofliim er, whofebodieofbrafle,whofelegsofyron,andwholefeet ofclay. ForGod hauing begun firftvnto them withmany great kindneffes, ex- traordinarie fauours,andvndeferuedcourtefies hegoes defcending and decli- ning from them, till they fallinto the greateft difgrace & disfauor that any foule can receiue from thehands ofGod. .Acertainemanplanted a Vineyard. He planted foperfeda Vineyard., that it mighttruly be faid, What couldihauedone morevinomy Vineyard? And this is a ftrange indeering on Gods part,Thathe fhouldmake choiceofthis Vine-ftocke fromamongft all the reft ófthe Countries and Nations of the World. When the mofi Highhaddivided theN, Lions,andwhen hehadfeparated thefonnesof Adam. Efycalls it, Germendife tabile,HispleafansPlant. leremie, T /ineameletëam,hirelra andcboycePine. Saint Hiere»re,VineamSerec,which is aVine-plant,whofe grapes (according to fetme}had no {tonesin them. And he compaffed it withanhedge: wherébyfonie Commentators vnderftand,theAngelsprotectingof it ; others, Gods gardirigof it himilfe others,the fere ofpunifhment ; For,Feare keepes the Vineyardffe. And' this Gods yowile Inheritance may runnt a twofolde danger Firít, Inregard of the- Deuills malice ; and againft this, God oppofeth him felfe, bymakingahedgeaboutit,andby drawingaline, beyondwhich the Deuill cannot paffe. Secondly, In regardofourlibertie ;againftwhich heebath placed the Feare ofthe Law, and the feueritie of Gods .chaftifements : For,itw Feare that keeper thevineyardfäfe. If there beany thing that puts abridle to thefe our vnlawful longings, Theiriftof theitorÿ. Dan. 2. gone, the on- ly thing to kcepefafe the Vineyard. Efay. 5.4. Eloy. S. y lei. 22.
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