of their duty, sent them, from time to time, patriarchs, prophets and priests, but all in vain. He sent them, in the last place, His only Son, but they murdered Him. With reason then does He exclaim by the mouth of the Prophet: " What is there, that I ought to do more to My A vineyard, that I have not done to it?" (Is. v. 4.) With reason then is it said, " He will bring those evil men to an evil end." (Matt. xxi. 41.) Take care that the weight of this sentence do not fall on you and yield fruit corresponding to your tenure in the vineyard of our Lord.
THURSDAY
The Vineyard Let Out to Husbandmen.— II.
I. In regard to God, this vineyard is the soul of each individual, and yours in particular. This vineyard the Supreme Master of the family has furnished with a press and a tower, and He has surrounded it with a hedge: that is, He has done every thing which is requisite on His part to secure your soul's salvation, and to make it produce every fruit of virtue. You are, in the language of the Prophet, "a chosen vineyard." (Jen ii. 21.) And of you God may say, " What is there, that I ought to do more to My vineyard, that I have not done to it?" (Is. v. 4.)
II. God lets out this vineyard of your soul to yourself; for He himself is the absolute proprietor of it. " All souls," He says, "are mine" (Ez. xviii. 4), and " I am the Lord, and there is none else." (Is. xlv. 5.) He therefore wishes that you should cultivate your own soul like a good husbandman, and render it fruitful in His service; for " who planteth a vine and eateth not of the fruit
