182 The NEW and COMPLETE LIFE Of our BLESSED LORD giveyou. And theywent their way. Again he went out about thefixth and ninth hour, and did likewife. And about the eleventh hour he went out, andfound others f anding idle, and faith unto them, Why fand ye here all the day idle? They fay unto him, Becaufe no man hath hired us. Ile faith unto them, Go ye alto into the vineyard; and whatfoever is right, that (hall ye re- ceive. So, when even was come, the lord Of the vineyard faid unto his fieward, Call the labourers, andgive them their hire, beginningfrom the la/t unto the firft. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man. a penny. But when thefart came, theyfup- pafed that they jhould have received more; and they likezoi/e received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured againji the good man of the lioaefe, Pitying, Thefe loft have wrought but one hour, and thou haft made them : equal unto us, which have' borne the burden and heat of the day. But he anfwered one of them, and faid, Friend, Ido thee no wrong : didf not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way : I will give unto this laft,even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what Iwill with mine own? Is thine eye evil, becaufe Iam good? So the laffhall be firit, and the firit loft for many be called, but few chofen, Mat. stx. 1 -16. Ourbleffed Saviour delivered the parable of the houfholder in fuch a manner, as, from the application he has made of it, it would not be difficult to interpret it. The difpenfations of religion, which God gave to mankind in different parts of the world, are reprefented by the vineyard : the Jews, who were early members of the true church, and Obliged to obey the law of Mofes, are the labourers which the houfholder hired early in the morning: the Gentiles, who were converted at feveral times, by the various interpofitions of Providence, to the knowledge and worfhip of the true God,_ are the labourers hired at the third; fixth, and ninth hour: and the invitation given at the eleventh hour, implies the calling of the Gentiles in every country, to live pioufly and virtuoufly. The law of Mofes was a heavy yoke ; and, therefore, the obedience to it's precepts was very elegantly reprefented, by bearing the heat and burden of the whole day: but the profelyted Gentiles paid obedience only to fome particular precepts of the law, bore but part of it's weight, and were, therefore, reprefented by thofe who were hired at the third, fixth, and ninth hours ; while thofe Heathens, who regulated their condu&by the law of nature only, and efleemed the works of juftice, piety, temperance, and charity, as their whole duty, are beauti- fully reprefented as labouring in the cool of the evening only one hour. The time being come wheneach labourer was to receive his wages, they were all placed on an equal 'footing; thefe rewards being the privileges and advantages of the gofpel. The Jews, who had borne the grievous yoke of the Mofaic ceremo- nies, murmured when they found the Gen- tiles were admitted to it's privileges, with- out being fubje& to their ceremonial worfhip : but we muff not urge the cir- cumftance of the reward, fo far as to fancy that either Jews or Gentiles merited the bleffings of the gofpel, by their having la- boured faithfully in the vineyard, or having behaved well under their feveral. difpenfa- tions. The gofpel, with it's bleffings, was bellowed entirely by the free grace of God, and without any thing in men to merit it ; betides, it was offered promifcuoufly to all, whether good or bad, and was embraced by perfons of all chara&er. The conclu- fion of the parable deferves our utmoff attention; we fhould often meditate upon it, and take care to make our calling and ele&ion fure. Our Lordhaving finned thefe difcourfes, he continued his journey towards Jerufa- fern, where the chief inlet's and elders, foon after the refurre&ion of Lazarus, iffued a proclamation, promifing a reward to any one who Ihould apprehend him. In all
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