give them zhezr hire, beginning from the laſt unc, the firſt, : 9 And when they came that were h:red about th. eleventh hour, they received every man a peny, 10 But when the firſt came, they ſuppoſed th1; they ſhould have received more ; and they likewif: received every man a peny. p 11 And when they received 77. they murmure
againſt the good man of the houſe, ?
hour, and thou haſt made themequal unto us, which have born the burden and heat of the day.
13 But he anſwered one of them, and ſaid. Frienq I do thee no wrong : didft thou not agree with mz for a peny ?
I 4. Take 7hat thine z5,and go thy way : Iwill give unto thislaſt, even as unto thee.
my own? Is thine eye evil, becauſe I am good >
+ for many be called, bur few choſen.
1n 1t, bur the 16th ver, So the lat ſhall be firſt, and the fiſt 111} Fir many are called, but few are choſen. Some here by Fir$, wn.
Or, who have the higheſt Opinion of themſelves. By Lf, they underſtand Perſons who are of meaner Note and Reckoning in the World, and have loweſt Opinion of themſelves. The fornir ſhall be 128 as to the Love and Favour of God, and any Reward trom him, and the other ſhall be firſt. Others by the Kir/t, un. derſtand the Fews, who were the firſt People God had in the World, and more dignified than any other by Priviledzes: By rhe Laſt, the Gentiles, who came laſt into the Church of God, This ſeems to be direftly intended by our Saviour, who perfettly knew the Pride and Invidious Temper of the Fews, who valued rhemſelyes upon their Prerogative that they were che Church of God, when the World lay in Wickedneſs ; and were apr to re- ſent as an Indignity, that the Gentiles ſhould be called into the Church, and be made equally Partakers of Spiritual Priviledz with them. Having now fixed the Scope of the Parable, the lnter- preration is eaſte. | The Kingdom of Heaven, |] that is the Sove- raign Diſpenſation of God in calling Nations or Perſons to par. rake of Spiritual Benefits in his Church, and conſequently 9fErer. nal Blefledneſs; [ 7s like unto a Man that is a Houſhalder, which went out early in the Morning to hire Labourers into his Vinejad,) The Houſholder is God the Father, -compared by Chriſt t an Husbandman, with geſpe& to the Culture of Vines, Fob. 15.1. To one that hath a Vineyard, 7/. 5. 1, 2, &c. The Vineyard is the Church; the Work is that which concerns Eternal Salvation, borh of our own Salvation, and of others that are committed to our Charge; or that are within the Compaſs of our Adtivity to do them Spiritual Good. The Labourers are eminently Perſon in Otfice, and generally all that are called by the Goſpel. The hiring of them imports, the gracious Promiſe of the Reward pub- liſh'd in the Goſpel ro thoſe who will work. The Peny isthee- ward, comprehenſive of the Spirirual Priviledges, that Perſons in the Church are made Partakers of. [ Men ſtanding idle in the Mar- ket-place)] ſignifies their Negle& of the great and proper Work, for which they came into the World, to glorifie God, and ae their Souls. | Hs going out at ſeveral times, and calling in ſome the Vineyard,] at the third, ſixth, and ninth Hours, implies the Calling of the Zews in the early Age of the World, and hisſend- ing the Prophets in ſundry times, when they were degenerated, ro return to his Service. | The calling ſome at the tenth hour, | pat- ticularly, reſpeRs the bringing in the Gentiles by Preaching te Goſpel, who before were without the Knowledge of God; and the Way to Life. The Even is the timeof Accompts and{Recon: pence. The Murmuring of ſome, that they received no more that thoſe that came later into the Vineyard, primarily and imme: ately {ignifies the Envy and Vexation of the Jews, thar the Get tiles ſhould be equal Partakers of the Grace of God with then- ſelves, who for ſo many Ages had been his peculiar People. T'! Houſholder's vindicating himſelf, is from rwo Conſideration: Whercin ir appears, that his Liberality to ſome is perfettly col: ſiſtent with his vpn ro all. 1. That he agreed with them for a Peny, which they received : The Fews enjoyed thoſe Externi! Priviledzes of God's Covenant which they fo much valued them: ſelves for, till they cur themſelves off by their obſtinate rejcfting his Grace. 2. Thar he mighr do what he pleaſed with his 0 He was Maſter of his own Favours, and it was Malignity t0 04% his Bounty to others, which was nothing prejudicial ro what v6 due by Agreement to chem. Our Saviour concludes the Parable, that che La? ſhall be Firff : The Gentiles ſhall be made Partake!9 of the Goſpel, with the bleſſed Priviledges atrending to it. A! the Firft ſhall be Lait : Tha is, the Jews ſhould be deprived thoſe Priviledges. And Analogically in every Age, foine v9 are firſt in Preſumption of their own Merit, in Profeſſion, 4 Reputation, bur nor in real Holineſs,. ſhall be laſt in Gods Ac count ; and thoſe who were ſincere and diligentin the Chriftiat Calling, tho' diſyalued by the World, ſhall be preferred before them : | For many are called, but few are choſen.) This is the Rez fon of whar is faid before: Many are called by the Extent Preaching of che Word into the vifible Communion of tlie Church : This is the evident Meaning by the reading of tc at rable, wherein "ris ſaid, Perfons were called at ſeveral Hours, ©" prehending the Miniſtry of the Prophets and the Apoſtic:, Fo all the Succeſſion of Preachers in every Age. And few 915 ©
dzz0c
ſen: Thartis, by the free ang unchangeable Decree of 099 ©,
12 Saying, Theſe laſt have || wrought but one
i5 *Isitnot lawful for meto do what I will with ;
16 * do the laſt ſhall be firſt, and the firſt l1f -
We find this Parable only recorded by Sr. Matthew ; nor have % 1: any thing to guide us in underſtanding the Scope of our Saviour
derſtand ſuch as are of greateſt Repute and Eſtimation in the W1;[;7.
Chap, XY
Or ops! Mgt,
blelfe weh teach courſ and Fo g1Ves that t] Death inſtrut knew them a fir for ly of 1 before ſhould ould d rw upon, ar theſe th God wh ſtent in them wi foretold | the third arming : Weſhat,: and wher have ſhak: coming of the Son of flod none 9 them; the enough, by they could nor get ov( exercifing : the third D,
4% 20 Th | Children, firing 4 C< 21 An Nath unto fit, the ons left, in thy
Mark faith - eaee, cam "Jr us hat
I fhld d9 i; uy me on thy Watthow's fay 0511 foe doi l on had nere »ecauſe Chriſt 7, and others |
| OUS Secular Rir