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I. Show what "letting out" doth imply or denote.

1. Negatively. This letting the vineyard doth not denote that any people have a lease sealed to them of their church state, church ordinances, and church privileges: no, all are but tenants at will. We hold all our spiritual privileges at the will and pleasure of the Lord of hosts, who may give us warning and turn us out of all when He pleaseth. And it doth not imply that any people buy and pay for any spiritual blessings and good things which they possess; no, we have all freely, church and church privileges, the gospel, ordinances, and promises, without money and without price. We have no rent, no tribute to pay, but the tribute of praise, thanksgiving, and fruitfulness unto God.

2. Negatively.a. Letting denotes God's entrusting a people with the great blessing of the legal Church.b. Letting implies that a Church, the Word of God, and ordinances, are not man's own proper or natural right or inheritance. We are but stewards entrusted with these things,c. Letting out to husbandmen signifies a mighty trust is committed to such.d. Letting out implies that if men do not bring forth unto God that holy fruit which He expecteth, they must be called to an account for it.

II. To whom may the Church or vineyard of Christ be said to be let?

1. Principally to the pastors, teachers, and such who are, or ought to be, helps of government.

2. In some sense it may be said to be let also to every member; for every member is a hired servant of Christ, and all have their proper work appointed by Him.

3. In a remote sense it is let to all that accept the invitations of the gospel.

III. What fruit is it that God expecteth?

1. The fruit of faith and conversion.

2. The fruit of good works.

3. Fruits good in quality anal quantity.

4. Fruit according to the cost and pains God hath been at.

5. Fruit according to the time of the vineyard being planted.

6. Fruit in due season.

7. Fruit according to gifts and grace received.

8. Fruit according to the places and stations wherein God hath set us.

(Benj. Keach.)

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KJV: Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

WEB: "Hear another parable. There was a man who was a master of a household, who planted a vineyard, set a hedge about it, dug a winepress in it, built a tower, leased it out to farmers, and went into another country.