vER. 1—8. ST. LUKE. 653 EUSKB.His questionconcerningJohn the Baptistisnot fromwhencewas he sprung,butwhencereceivedhe hislaw ofbaptism.But theyfearednot to shun the truth. For God sentJohn as a voice,crying,Prepareye theway of theLord.But theydreadedtospeakthetruth,lestitshould besaid,Why did ye notbelieve?and theyscrupleto blame theforerunner,not from fearofGod, butof the people; as itfollows,And theyreasonedwithinthemselves,saying,If vieshallsay,From heaven; He willsay,Why thenbelievedye Mm not.BEDE. As ifHe shouldsay,He whom you confess hadhisgiftof prophecyfromheaven,and gavetestimonyto Me. And ye heardfrom him by what powerI shoulddo thesethings.It follows,But ifwe shallsay,Of men ; the wholepeoplewillstoneus: fortheybepersuadedthatJohn wasa prophet.Thereforeperceivedthey in whateverway theyshouldanswertheywould fallintoa trap,fearingthe stoning,but much more the confessionof the truth. And thenitfollows,And theyanswered,thattheycouldnot tell whenceitwas. Becausethey willnot confessthatwhich theyknew,theywere baffled,and theLord would not tell themwhat He knew; as itfollows,And Jesussaidunto them,NeithertellI you by what authorityI do thesethings. Forthereare two reasonsespeciallywhy we shouldconceal thetruthfrom thosethatask; forexample,when the ques tionerisincapableof understandingwhat he asks,or when fromhatredor contempthe isunworthyto have hisques tionsanswered. 9. Then began He to speak to the peoplethis parable; A certainman planteda vineyard,and let itforthto husbandmen,and went intoa farcountry fora longtime. 10. And at the seasonhe sent a servantto the husbandmen,thattheyshouldgivehim of the fruit ofthevineyard: but the husbandmen beathim,and senthim away empty. 11. And againhe sentanotherservant:and they beathim also,and entreatedhim shamefully,and senthim away empty.