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 thou not 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.

T. On what occasion did our Lord relate this parable? S. Immediately after the departure of the rich young man, who went away rather than sell his goods and give to the poor.

T. What is the kingdom of heaven likened unto?

S. A vineyard, i. e. a place where vines or grape plants

are grown.

T. Whom has Christ sometimes likened unto a vine? S. Himself and His people. "I am the vine, ye are the branches." John, xv. 5.

T. What has been spoken of under this figure by David and Isaiah?

S. The Jewish Church-the vine which God brought out of Egypt. Ps. lxxx. 8. Isa. v. 1.

T. How do we enter Christ's vineyard?

S. By Holy Baptism.

T. How many times do we read of the householder calling workmen into his vineyard?

S. Five times. Early in the morning, at the third, sixth, ninth, and eleventh hours, which answer to our nine, twelve, three, and five o'clock.

T. What do we remark of those who were called?

S. They were waiting, ready to obey His call when received.

T. If our earliest call to Christ's service is at baptism, mention other later calls.

S. Confirmation and every invitation to the Lord's Supper.

T. What common events may we look upon as calls? S. Every warning we receive by sermons, good advice, or examples, or our own feelings inspired by the Holy Spirit moving us to a more holy life.

T. What were those who were called expected to do? S. To labour in the Lord's vineyard, as they were commanded.

T. How may we do this?

S. By preparing the ground of our hearts by penitence and prayer; rooting up the weeds of evil desires and purposes, and receiving and distributing the seed of the word of God with thankfulness, and doing our duty in that state of life into which it hath pleased God to call us.

T. How may this parable be compared with the calling of the Jews and Gentiles?

S. The Jews were first called, the Gentiles last; yet now the last are first.

T. Wherefore did Paul and Barnabas declare God's word to the Gentiles? Acts, xiii. 46, 47.

S. Because of the unbelief of the Jews. They said, "It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth."

T. What do we notice in the payment of the labourers?

S. Each man received the same pay, a penny. (This was equal to sevenpence halfpenny of our money.)

T. What was their conduct upon this?

S." They murmured against the good man of the house."

T. Did not the Jews likewise murmur at the Gentiles sharing their privileges?

S. Yes. We read "they were filled with envy," Acts, xiii. 45; and when Paul at Jerusalem declared his mission to the Gentiles, "they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth; for it is not fit that he should live. Acts, xxii. 22.

T. What do we learn from the answer of the husbandman?

S. God will do His own will.

T. How does St. Paul warn the Gentiles who have been graffed into the good olive-tree? Rom. xi. 18-22.

S. "Boast not against the branches; but if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt

say then, the branches were broken off that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off."

T. May we defer working in Christ's vineyard till the eleventh hour, and hope to be accepted?

S. No. Those who followed their Lord in the parable at that hour were not called before.

THE SUNDAY CALLED SEXAGESIMA, OR THE SECOND SUNDAY BEFORE LENT.

The Collect.

O LORD GOD, who seest that we put not our trust in any thing that we do; Mercifully grant that by Thy power we may be defended against all adversity; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

T. What do we begin our prayer by saying?

S. "O Lord God, who seest that we put not our trust in any thing that we do."

T. What is the meaning of putting our trust in what we do?

S. Believing that our works are sufficient to save us without the help of God.

T. Give an instance of one who trusted in his own righteousness, from our Lord's parables.

S. The Pharisee (Luke, xviii. 12) who went up to the temple to pray, and stood and prayed thus with himself, "God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I

fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess." Luke, xviii. 12.

T. Was he condemned for these works?

S. No; but for trusting in them.

T. Can we be saved without works?

S. No; "for as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." James, ii. 26.

T. What do we notice in the conduct of the accepted of the Lord in the account of the last judgment? Matt. xxv. 31-46.

S. They followed our Lord's injunction. "When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do." Luke, xvii. 10. They did not consider their good works worthy to be counted as service to God, or deserving of any reward.

T. What are we taught? Tit. iii. 5.

S. "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost."

T. How do we continue our prayer?

S. "Mercifully grant that by Thy power we may be defended against all adversity."

T. What are adversities?

S. Troubles or sorrows; things adverse, i. e. contrary to our happiness.

T. What danger are we in when trouble comes upon us? S. Of being offended, and falling away, not submitting to God.

T. How are such people described in our Lord's parable of the sower? Mark, iv. 16, 17.

S. As seed sown on stony ground; "who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time afterwards, when affliction or persecution

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