the earthly pleasures bear no proportion; and, in the end, obtain everlasting life. They shall leave this vale of tears, with all its pains and sorrows behind them, and fly to the bosom of their Almighty Father, the fountain of life and joy, where they shall be infinitely rewarded for all the sufferings they have undergone for his sake in this world.

Things shall then be reversed, and those who have been reviled and contemned on earth for the sake of the gospel, shall be exalted to honour, glory, and immortality while the others shall be consigned to eternal infamy. "But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first."-Matt. xix. 30.

These words seem also to have been spoken to keep the disciples humble; for in all probability they at first understood the promise of their sitting on twelve thrones in a literal sense, as they were ready to construe every expression to a temporal kingdom, which they still expected their Master would erect upon earth. Our blessed Saviour therefore, to remove all thoughts they might entertain of this kind, told them that though he had described the rewards they were to expect for the ready obedience they had shown to his commands, and the pains they were to take in propagating the gospel among the children of men, yet those rewards were spiritual, and not confined to the Jews alone, but extended also to the Gentiles, who, in point of time, should excel the Jews, and universally embrace the gospel before that nation was converted.

To excite their ardent pressing forward in faith and good works, our Lord relates the parable of the householder, who, at different hours of the day, hired labourers to work in his vineyard. "The kingdom of heaven, says our blessed Saviour, "is like unto a man that is an householder, which went early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed

with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market-place, and said unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the good man of the house, saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen."-Matt. xx. 1-16.

Such is the parable of the householder, as delivered by our Saviour; and, from the application he has made of it, it would not be difficult to interpret it. The dispensations of religion which God gave to mankind in different parts of the world are represented by the vine, yard. The Jews, who were early members of the true

church, and obliged to obey the law of Moses, are the labourers which the householder hired early in the morning.

The Gentiles, who were convertea at several times, by the various interpositions of Providence, to the knowledge and worship of the true God, are the labourers hired at the third, sixth, and ninth hours. And the invitation given at the eleventh hour implies the calling of persons in the eve of life to the knowledge of the gospel. The law of Moses was a heavy yoke; and therefore the obedience to its precepts was very elegantly represented by bearing the heat and burden of the whole day. But the proselyted Gentiles paid obedience only to some particular precepts of the law; bore but part of its weight; and were therefore represented by those who were hired at the third, sixth, and ninth hours; while those heathens, who regulated their conduct by the law of nature (so called) only, and esteemed the works of justice, piety, temperance, and charity, as their whole duty, are beautifully represented as labouring only one hour in the cool of the evening.

When the evening was come, and each labourer was to receive his wages, they were all placed on an equal footing; these rewards being the privileges and advantages of the gospel. The Jews, who had borne the grievous yoke of the Mosaic ceremonies, murmured when they found the Gentiles were admitted to its privileges, without being subject to their ceremonial worship. But we must not urge the circumstance of the reward, so far as to fancy that either Jews or Gentiles merited the blessings of the gospel, by their having laboured faithfully in the vineyard, or having behaved well under their several dispensations.

The glorious gospel, with all its blessings, was bestowed entirely by the free grace of God, and without anything in men to merit it; besides, it was offered promiscuously

to all, and embraced by persons of all characters. The conclusion of the parable deserves our utmost attention; we should often meditate upon it, and take care to make our calling and election sure. After Jesus had finished these discourses he continued his journey towards Jerusalem. where, it is said, the chief priests and eiders, soon after the resurrection of Lazarus, issued a prociamation, promising a reward to any one who should apprehend him. In all probability this was the reason why the disciples were astonished at the alacrity of our Lord, during this journey, while they themselves followed him trembling Jesus, therefore, thought proper to repeat the prophecies concerning his sufferings, in order to show his disciples that they were entirely voluntary; adding, that though the Jews should put him to death, yet, instead of weakening, it should increase their faith, especially as he would rise again on the third day from the dead. "Behold. we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: and they shall Scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again."—Luke xviii. 31–33.

As this prediction manifestly tended to the confirmation of the ancient prophecies, it must have given the greatest encouragement to his disciples, had they understood and applied it in a proper manner; but they were so ignorant in the scriptures that they had no idea of what he meant: "And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken."-Luke xviii. 34.

The sons of Zebedee were so blinded by prejudice that they thought their Master, by his telling them he would rise again from the dead, meant that he would

then erect his empire, and accordingly begged that he would confer on them the chief posts in his kingdom; which they expressed by desiring to be seated, the one on his right hand, and the other on his left, in allusion to his placing the twelve apostles upon twelve thrones, judging the tribes of Israel. But some writers think that this ignorant request was made at some other time. This race of mortals, ever since our Saviour's transfiguration, had conceived very high notions of his kingdom, and possibly of their own merit also, because they had been permitted to behold that miracle. But Jesus told them that they were ignorant of the nature of the honour they requested; and since they desired to share with him in glory, asked them if they were willing to share with him also in his sufferings: "Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with ?"-Matt. xx. 22.

The two disciples, ravished with the prospect of the dignity they were aspiring after, replied without hesitation, that they were both able and willing to share any hardship their Master might meet with in the way to the kingdom. To which he answered, that they should certainly share with him in his troubles and afflictions; but that they had asked a favour which was not his to give, except as prepared and promised by the Father. "Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father."-Matt. xx. 23.

This ambitious request of the two brothers raised the indignation of the rest of the disciples, who thinking themselves equally deserving the principal post in the Messiah's kingdom, were highly offended at the arrogance of the sons of Zebedee. Jesus, therefore, in order to VOL. II.

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