In preaching these things, the prophets sought the fruits of righteousness. But last of all He sent to those unbelievers His own Son, our LordJesusChrist, whom the wickedhusbandmen cast out of the vineyard when they had slain Him. Wherefore the LordGod did even give it up (no longer hedged around, but thrown open throughout all the world) to other husbandmen, who render the fruits in their seasons,—the beautifulelecttower being also raised everywhere. For the illustrious Church is [now] everywhere, and everywhere is the winepressdigged: because those who do receive the Spirit are everywhere. For inasmuch as the former have rejected the Son of God, and cast Him out of the vineyard when they slew Him, God has justly rejected them, and given to the Gentiles outside the vineyard the fruits of its cultivation. This is in accordance with what Jeremiah says, “The Lord hath rejected and cast off the nation which does these things; for the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the Lord.”4360
meditating (as they do) day and night in the law of the Lord, because “it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man; better to hope in the Lord than in man.”2935
