I. Septuagefima; or the Third Sunday before "T LENT. The GOSPEL. St. Matth. xx. HE Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a man that 2. And when be bad agreed with the labourers for a penny PARAPHRASE. I, 2. The method made ufe of by God, in diftributing the Advantages of his Bleffed Gofpel, may be not unfitly refembled, by that of an Houfholder calling in Workmen, and contracting with them according as they were to be met with, at their ufual Place of Standing, at different Hours of the Day. Some presently after Sun-rifing; 3. And he went out about the third hour, and far others ftanding idle in the market place, 4. And Jaid unto them, Go ye alfo into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right, I will give you. And they went their way. 5. Again he went out about the fixth and ninth bour, and did likewife. 3, 4. Others at nine of the Clock, when the fecond of thofe four Watches, into which the Jews ufually divide their day, begins. 5. Others again, at twelve, and three in the Afternoon, the Jews third and fourth Watch. 6. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others ftanding idle, and faith unto them, Why fland ye bere all the day idle? 7. They fay unto him, Because no man bath hired us. He faith unto them, Go ye alfo into the vineyard, and whatfoever is right, that shall ye receive. 8. So when even was come, the Lord of the vineyard faith unto his Steward, Call the labourers, and give them their bire, beginning from the laft unto the firft. 9. And when they came, that were hired about the eleventh bour, they received every man a penny. 10. But when the firft came, they fuppofed that they fhould have received more, and they likewife received every min a penny. 11. And when they had received it, they murmured against the good man of the boufe, 6. And Others ftill at five, an hour before Sun-fet, and the time of leaving work. ; 14, 15. Thou haft had thy Bargain, and fo no reafon to complain. Thou oughteft not to trouble thy felf how I 12. Saying, Thefe laft have wrought but one hour, and thou haft made them equal unto us, which have born the burden and beat of the day. 13. But be answered one of them, and faid, Friend, I do thee no wrong, didft thou not agree with me for a penny? 14. Take that thine is, and go thy way, I will give unto this laft, even as unto thee. 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil because I am good? deal with Others. Nor am I bound to give thee an account, who doft very ill to envy the good Fortune of thy Brethren, and think much at my Bounty to them. 16. Thus it shall be 16. So the last shall be first, and the first last; for many in the Gospel Benefits be called, but few chosen. too; Because the Num ber of them, to whom the Advantages and Opportunities of Salvation are offered, is great; but that of the Men, who anfwer and make the best of them, is, in comparison of the former, very small. M COMMENT. Any wife Reasons (particularly that of infinuating neceffary but unwelcome Truths, in a manner as inoffenfive as might be) moved our Bleffed Lord, to fpeak fo much in Parables. But, to help our Understandings in the ftudied Ambiguity of fuch Figurative Speeches, he frequently applies, or concludes them, with fome Figurative Sentence, which may serve as a Key to their Meaning and main Defign. Thus it is here, The first fhall be laft, and the laft first, is an Aphorifm at the end of the Chapter foregoing, intended to be illuftrated by this Parable. And it is here repeated again, Ver. 16. in the Close, with an exprefs direction, how to interpret the Paffages leading to it; So the last shall be first, and the first last. In order therefore to know, what Cafes and Do&trines are referred to by this Allufion, it may be of fome use, to confider the places, where this Sentence Occurs, occurs, and the Occafions, upon which it is introduced. The rather, because being but few, they will neither employ us long, nor endanger any Confufion in the Application. In the xiiith of St. Luke, verse 30. It follows a Prediction, concerning the Exclufion of the Jews for their Obftinacy, and the vaft and happy Confluence of the Gentiles into Chrift's Church. That they, whose Ancestors were Patriarchs and Prophets, fhould be fhut out from their Glories; and Strangers, from every Quarter, admitted to partake with thofe Good Men, in Honour and Blifs. But then the 24th and 25th Verses make it plain, that this Exclufion of the Jews was not an Act or Decree, purely Arbitrary, but inflicted as a Punishment for their Wilfulness and Pride; and because they did not think it worth their Pains, to enter in at the Strait Gate, now made the only Inlet to the Regions of the Bieffed. On the other hand, the Promotion of the Gentiles is, in that and other Scriptures, mentioned, as the Confequence of their eager and indefatigable Zeal. A Zeal, exprefs'd by coming from far, by pressing into the kingdom of Heaven, by being violent, and taking it by force. Now in this regard, the Jews, who were first, (fuperior in Privileges, and earlier in the Tenders of Happinefs) came to be last; failed, and fell fhort of it. And the Gentiles, who were laft, in Opportunities and common Efteem, became first in Success. They were forwarder in their Duty, and greedily embraced those Benefits, which the Other defpifed and fuffered to go befide them, when every thing feemed to favour their Pretenfions, and promife a certain Poffeffion. Ver. 20. Matth. xix. 30. In the Nineteenth of this Gofpel, the Matth. xx. 16. The The Words feem not fo much to concern Thofe, who abfolutely loft what they feem'd in better Condition to attain; and Others, who, from a State in appearance defperate, became Happy; As to ftate the Comparison between Perfons, who all of them obtain a Recompence, though it be awarded to Each in different and very furprifing Meafures. Thus the Labourers here all received Wages; Some indeed more, fome lefs, than was expected. But, which was strange, They, whofe Fatigue had been longer, were paid no more than Others, whofe Time had been shortest. Now, fince the Perfon, whofe Image that Houfholder bears, is Judge of all the Earth, and cannot but do right; Since he is infinitely above all unaccountable Likings and partial Fondnefs, (as is evident from His fo frequent and folemn Declarations, That he is no Refpecter of Persons) we have leave at least, nay, I take it, we ought, to conclude, that fome very wife and juft Confiderations moved him to proceed thus, with these feveral forts of Workmen. Reafons perfectly well understood by their Mafter himself, tho' their Fellow-Labourers either did not comprehend, or would not attend to them. And fo, in this fecond Senfe, Not with regard to being miferable, or being happy; but in regard of a Happiness greater or less than was expected, and in proportion to the time of working being more or lefs; There are many that are firft which shall be laft, and the last which Chap. xix. 30. fhall be firft. From thefe Paffages thus compared, we have, I think, fufficient warrant to apply this Parable, First, To the Cafe of all Mankind; Or elfe, Secondly, To that of the Jews and Gentiles in general; Or, Thirdly, To that of private Chriftians in particular. I fhall ftate each as briefly as I can, and then conclude with fome per Obfervations from them. pro 1. Take * Epifile for Christmas 1. Take it in its first and most comprehensive Sense, and thus it intimates, That God was never in any Age wanting to Mankind, that He (as hath been formerly obferved) did frequently renew his Call, and enlarge the Discoveries of his Will and their Duty, by fuch Difpenfations, as anfwer to the several Hours here. But that the Gofpel is his Laft Call; and after this nothing is to be looked for, but the bringing Men to account, how they have acquitted themselves, under their respective Circumftances. Next, Let us view that of the Jews and Gentiles in general. To the Jews God was pleafed to make the first express Discoveries of his Will by a written Law. Their Nation alone, in the Ages before the Gospel, were bleffed with a Revealed Religion. And, at the first Publication of the Gofpel, our Lord confined his own Prefence and Miniftry to this People and Country. So did his Apoftles and Difciples, by his Direction, during his Abode upon Earth, and for fome time after his Afcenfion into Heaven. The feveral Steps taken in this Affair, during that Interval, may be thought answerable to the repeated Invitations of the Morning, the Third, the Sixth, and the Ninth Hours. At laft, which answers to the Eleventh, this Benefit was extended to the Gentiles. They readily accepted it, and by fo doing, became Partakers of the fame Grace and precious Promises, with thofe, who had all along been brought up under the Legal, and from that removed fooner under the Evangelical, Difpenfation. This gave great Offence to thofe earlier Converts. They thought themselves ill dealt with, and their Services not fufficiently confidered, when Men, from Darkness and Idolary, were at once tranflated into the fame marvellous Light; and all that diftinction of Favour taken away, which had been |