them out as worthy objects of bounty? And was not the master to be the judge where it became him to bestow and where to forbear? Was it not lawful for him to do what he would with his own?

I. The principal causes from which discontent proceeds, are selfishness, envy, and pride. The selfish man sees with disquiet any good in the possession of his neighbour, because he desires to possess it himself. The envious man is disquieted, simply because his neighbour enjoys the gratification of possessing it. The proud man is indignant that others, whom he despises, should possess an advantage of which he deems them unworthy: and doubly indignant, that he is not himself the possessor.

II. Discontent, viewed as an offence against God, is base ingratitude to our heavenly benefactor. He has crowned us with numberless blessings. He has mercy upon us, notwithstanding our continual transgressions. He has given his own Son to die for our iniquities. He sets before us a kingdom of everlasting glory. Yet because there is one object which he withholds or resumes, and withholds or resumes because he loves us; we are dissatisfied with his dealings, and slight his immeasurable goodness! When Job had to sustain, in addition to the sudden loss of wealth and children, the severest bodily afflictions, was his language that of a discontented spirit? What! "shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips." (ii. 10.)

Discontent is presumption against the Lord of the whole earth. It forgets that we are his servants. It assumes his prerogative, and aspires to regulate after its own will the works of his hand. We may lay it down as a certain truth, that all the disposals of God are founded on reasons of wisdom, goodness, and equity. Whenever, therefore, God is represented in Scripture as acting arbitrarily, we ought to infer, that the dispensation is wise and good and just, because God so wills it. Shall we then, by the murmurs of discontent, interfere with God in the exercise of his prerogative? or shall we allow that the great Jehovah may do as he wills, with his own?

III. Observe the powerful influence of discontent on morality. He who loveth God, will love his brother also. The two great commandments are ever found hand in hand.

He who loveth

not God, will not love his brother. So it was in the parable. Of the persons who murmured against the good man of the house, under which title the supreme Lord of all is emblematically described, it is at the same time stated, that their eye was evil towards their associates.

IV. In order to repress the spirit of discontent, let us reflect on our own demerit. "Another man," you say, "enjoys more of the favours of God than myself, and deserves them less." Deserves them less! Who art thou that judgest another? Perhaps, this man's transgressions are fewer than thine. Perhaps, when compared with thee by the Searcher of hearts, he is seen to have offended in the face of fainter light, against inferior instruction, under the contagion of worse example. Be these things as they may, do you deserve the favours which you grudge to your neighbour? Is that grudging spirit an indication of deserving them? Think of the countless benefits which God has showered down upon you; and answer whether, instead of murmuring for an additional blessing, it were not better to be employed in an humble confession, that you have justly incurred the forfeiture of all that you have received.

Farther; attend to the example of your Lord, and of those who after his departure from the world, trod the most carefully in his steps. When the Lord of glory had not where to lay his head; did he repine at the dispensation? Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God, was, under every circumstance, the language of his heart. When wearied in the cities by crowds which incessantly pressed upon him to be healed of their diseases and to hear his doctrine, so that he had not time even to eat bread; when precluded from repose in the deserts to which he had retired, by immediate interruptions from new multitudes; when recompensed for his incalculable mercies with disregard, with contempt, with treachery, with persecution, with death; where is the instance, in which a murmur of discontent broke from his lips? Look to his apostles. How diligently did they follow the example which their Master had set before them! He among them who had relinquished the most and had suffered the most, was enabled, through the grace of his Lord, truly to affirm; I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. (Philip. iv. 11.) Look to the early Christians, who proved that they regarded themselves as strangers and

pilgrims upon earth; who, not only when they had food and raiment, were therewith content; not only were not dissatisfied in the total absence of worldly advantages, but took joyfully, -took, be it observed, with a rejoicing heart, the spoiling of their goods; knowing themselves to have in heaven a better and a more enduring substance. (Heb. x. 34.)

Listen to one consideration more. All things work together for good to them that love God. Where then is the place for discontent? If you love not God, on what pretence can you desire gifts and favours from him? If you love him, all things work together for your good. The absence of the object for the possession of which you are anxious; the failure of your efforts to acquire it; the final disappointment of your hopes; are working together for your good. What is there farther for you to desire? (GISBORNE.)

Christ utters the parable of the vineyard let out to unfaithful husbandmen; from which he takes occasion to admonish the Jewish rulers, of the danger and ruin they would incur by the schemes which they were forming against him. MATTHEW, xxi. 33-45; MARK, xii. 1-11; LUKE, XX. 9-18.

THE owner of the vineyard is God; the vineyard, the Jewish nation; the husbandmen, the priests and doctors of the Law; the servants, the prophets; the Son, our Blessed Lord; the other husbandmen, the Gentiles; the punishment, the destruction of Jerusalem.

Matt. 33; Mark, 1; Luke, 9: There was a certain master of a family, who planted a vineyard, and spared no cost to render it productive: for he made a fence around it to preserve it from beasts; and digged a wine-press, and under the wine-press, a vat [or cistern] for the grape-juice; and built a tower for receiving the fruit, and for the accommodation of labourers and watchmen, and let it out to husbandmen who were to pay him from the produce; and then went abroad for a considerable time.

Matt. 34-36; Mark, 2-5; Luke, 10-12: And at the season when the time of gathering the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that he might receive his share of the fruit of the vineyard. And the husbandmen caught his servants and severely-scourged one, and sent him away empty; and killed

another; and with stones drove away another. And again he sent unto them other servants more honourable than the first: but they did the same unto them: and him who was the chief, they wounded in the head with stones, and sent him away empty and ignominiously treated.

And again, the third time he sent another: and him also they wounded, and cast him out, and killed him and many others who came on the same errand, beating some, and killing others.

Matt. 37-39; Mark, 6-8; Luke, 13-15: Then the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my son to them. Having, therefore, one son, his well-beloved, he sent him also, the last of all, to them; saying, 'Perhaps, they will reverence my son, when they see him.' But when the husbandmen saw the son, they discoursed among themselves, saying, 'This is the only heir: come, let us kill him, and seize on his inheritance, that it may be ours.' And they seized him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

Matt. 40-45; Mark, 9-11; Luke, 15-18: When, therefore, the Lord of the vineyard cometh, what will he do to those husbandmen? They [the priests and elders] say unto Jesus, 'He will put those wretches to a wretched death, and will let out the vineyard to other husbandmen, who will render him the fruits in their seasons.' And when they heard Jesus confirming their words, they said, God forbid:' for they now began to perceive that they had condemned themselves.

Matt. 42, 43; Mark, 10, 11; Luke, 17: And Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, 'What is this then that is written? Did ye never read this in the Scriptures (Psal. cxviii.), The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing; and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore, on account of the refusal of this stone, I say unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and given to a nation which shall bring forth the fruits thereof.

Matt. 44; Luke, 18: And whosoever shall stumble and fall upon this stone, shall be broken and bruised: but on whomsoever the stone itself shall fall, it shall disperse him as chaff.

The preceding passage is interpreted by referring to the humiliation and exaltation of Jesus. In his humiliation, he is a stone 'despised and rejected' by the builders of the Temple

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which was not then completed. In his exaltation to his mediatorial kingdom, evinced by his resurrection, ascension, and descent of the Holy Spirit, he is the same, now at length beautified and pronounced fit as the uppermost or head-corner stone, which gives grace, solidity, and union to the spiritual Temple, his Church. In the former case, whoever by stumbling, falls upon the stone, or takes offence against Jesus as, the Messiah, will not be exempted from severe suffering; he will be broken or bruised or injured in his limbs; but by penitence, he may recover from the damage of his fall. In the latter case, on all who wilfully persist in malignant opposition to an exalted Messiah, the stone will fall from that lofty eminence to their utter destruction, realised, partially, in the destruction of Jerusalem, and finally in the day of judgment.

THE general purport of this parable is the same as that of The Murmuring Labourers; being intended as a vindication of the divine conduct, with respect to the extension of mercy to the Gentiles, in consequence of the obstinate infidelity of the Jewish nation. The chief point of difference between the parables lies in this; the parable of The Murmuring Labourers seems to respect the nation in general; whereas the present parable is particularly addressed to the Jewish Rulers, to whose corrupt administration and example he traces back the degeneracy and corruption of the people.

The general contents of this parable may be divided into four points of consideration.

1. The Jewish Church, is often termed God's vineyard. His digging a wine-press and building a tower are expressions, intimating "the excellent means and advantages of the Jewish Church for religious and moral improvement." When the Jews had been transplanted from the slavery of Egypt into the promised land, God vouchsafed to them a religious code, and established them in peace and prosperity, though surrounded by many enemies. "He had not so dealt with any other nation, neither had the heathen knowledge of his laws." When the Jews desired a king, God delegated Judea to rulers first nominated by himself; reserving, however, the right of interference on any occasion according to his own supreme will; and though in this delegation, he (as it were) let out his vineyard to husbandmen, while