The parable of the labourers in the vineyard.

111

cxxxvii.

of a good conscience before him, a life of friendship with God, the SECT. consolations of his Spirit, and the hopes of his glory, will yield, even for the present, an hundred-fold more satisfaction than the Ver. possessions of the greatest riches, or the enjoyment of the most 30 tender and beloved relatives. How much more abundantly then will all be repaid in the heavenly state! And, if we cannot trust the promise of our Lord for it, we are no more real Christians than if we were publicly to worship mammon, or Plutus, with all the idolatrous rites of the ancient heathens.

SECT. CXXXVIII.

Christ, by the parable of the labourers in the vineyard, warns the Jews against envying the Gentiles those equal privileges to which they should be called in the Messiah's kingdom. Mat. XX. 1—16.

MAT. XX. 1.

FOR the kingdom of

heaven is like unto

a man that is an house

holier, which went out early in the morning

to hire labourers into his vineyard.

MAT. XX. 1.

'N order to illustrate the observation which our SECT. Lord had just been making, "that many cxxxviii. who were first should be last, and many last Mat. should be first," he added the following para- xx. 1. ble, and said, This will be found to be the case in many instances; for the kingdom of heaven, or the gospel-dispensation, is like, or may be fitly represented by the similitude of a mana that was the master of a family, who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard, at the time when the vintage was to be gathered in. And having agreed with the 2 labourers for the usual price of a denarius, or Roman penny, a day, he sent them into his vineabout the third hour, yard, to be employed there in his service. And going out again about the third hours, 3

2 And when he had

agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his

vineyard.

3 And he went out

and

a Is like, or may be fily represented by the similitude of a man.] See note i on Luke vii. 32, Vol. VI. p. 307.-Those who are acquainted with the eastern manDers know that this parable is exactly suited to them in a variety of circumstances, which many learned commentators have observed, but which it does not seem necessary to enumerate here. See Petav. Dogmat. Theolog. Vol. I. p. 305, & seq.

b A denarius, a Roman penny, a day.] It seems from hence that this (which was in value about seven-pence halfpenny of our money) was the usual price of a day's service among the Jews; as Tacitus tells us it was among the Romans. (Annal. i. 17.) It is therefore justly mentioned, Rev. vi. 6. as a proof of the great scarcity

(or

of provisions, when a measure or chenix of
wheat, which was the usual allowance to
one man for a day, and was about an
English quart, was sold at that price.

c About the third hour.] Dr. Whitby in
his Paraphrase explains the first call in the
morning, of the earliest days of Christ's
preaching; that of the third hour, as re-
ferring to the mission of the apostles when
they were first sent forth to preach among
the Jews; those of the sixth and ninth
hours, of their preaching the gospel, after
the descent of the Holy Ghost, to the Jews
in Judea, and then to the dispersed in other
parts; and that of the eleventh hour, of the
calling of the Gentiles: but this seems an
excessive nicety of distinction.-The Jews
were ready to look upon themselves with
complacency,

84 Christ, as the good Shepherd, will die for the sheep.

SECT. cxxxii.

X. 7.

as of mercy; and make it our humble prayer that we may be enlightened by him, and not sealed up under aggravated darkness, as a punishment for our obstinacy and impenitence; for then all the means of knowledge which we have so basely perverted will rise up to condemn us.

John Let Christ be regarded by us as the door from whom all true. teachers derive their authority, and to whom they direct their administrations and let it be our care that we enter by this door. Let inferior shepherds learn their duty, so plainly suggested here: Let them learn to know their sheep, and take as particular notice as they can of each single person committed to their care; and let them go before them in all the paths of duty for what could the greatest enemy to the flock do worse than to lead them by example into the paths of destruction?

9 Hap souls, who are entered in by this gate! Their safety, their comfort, is secure; they enjoy a holy liberty and plenty, and going in and coming out they find pasture. If we are strangers to that entertainment and refreshment which arises from ordi. nances (those green pastures which Christ hath provided for his sheep in the wilderness,) we have a great deal of reason to fear 10 that we belong not to his flock. He came that his sheep might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly; that greater provision might be made for their instruction and consolation now, till they are brought to those better pastures he intends for them above: May his grace prepare us for them! and his hand will certainly conduct us to them; nor need we fear the darkest passage in our way.

SECT. CXXXIII.

Christ describes himself as the good shepherd, who will lay down his life for the sheep. John X. 11——21.

JOHN X. 11.

JOHн X. 11.

herd: the good

SECT. OUR Lord, having thus represented himself I Am the good Shepas the door of the sheep, and intimated the shepherd giveth his life regards to be maintained towards him, parti- for the sheep.

cxxxiii.

X. 11.

John cularly by those that professed themselves teachers of others, now changed the similitude, and said, I may also very properly add, that I am myself, by way of eminence, the good Shepherd, the Person frequently forefold in

a I am the good Shepherd.] Lamy (in his Harmony, p. 339) very justly supposes that there might be some allusion here to Isa. xl. 11. But nothing can be more precarious than the argument he seems to draw from hence for placing this discourse at the feast of tabernacles, even though it

scripture

should be allowed that the xlth of Isaiah was read in the synagogue at that time of the year for it is certain our Lord does not confine himself to the lesson for the day in his quotations from scripture, or his al lusions to it.

He knows his sheep, and will gather them into the fold.

12 But he that is an hire'ing, and not the shepherd, whose own

fleeth: and the wolf

85

cxxxiii.

scripture under that character, (Isa. xl. 11. SECT.
Ezek. xxxiv. 23. xxxvii. 24. and Mic. v. 4.)
and I must fully answer it all in its branches ; John
especially in this, that as the good shepherd on x. 11.
occasion layeth down his very life for the de-
fence of his sheep, and will expose himself to
any danger for their safety, (compare 1 Sam.
xvii. 34, 35,) I not only expose, but sacrifice,
my life for the good of my people.

The hireling indeed, who is not the true shep- 12
herd, and whose own property the sheep are not
the sheep are not, seeth as soon as he is apprehensive of approaching dan-
the wolf coming, and ger, and sees the wolf, for instance, or some
leaveth the sheep, and other savage beast, coming, immediately regard-
catcheth them, and ing nothing but his own safety, is only careful
scattereth the sheep. to secure himself, and leaves the sheep and flees
away; and so the wolf, meeting with no resist-
ance, seizes on some of them, and disperses the
13 The hireling rest of the sheep. Now the hireling flees on 13
Aeth, because he is an such an occasion, because he is a hireling, and
is not concerned about the safety of the sheep, but
takes the work upon him merely for his own
gain and the wages he is to receive: and thus
basely will those teachers act in a time of dan-
ger who undertake the office merely in regard
to their own secular advantage.

hircling, and careth not for the sheep.

14 I am the good Shepherd, and know my sheep, and ain known of mine.

But I am the good Shepherd, who have a true 14 affection for my sheep, and am above the influence of all such mean and selfish views: and such is the relation that there is between us, and such the love we have to one another, that I know and acknowledge my [sheep], and take the kindest and most tender care of them; and I am also known, acknowledged and confided in, by 15 As the Father mine: So that we mutually are dear unto each 15 know I the father: other; and even as the Father knoweth me, and and I lay down my owns his affection and regard to me, by the sure Life for the sheep.

knoweth me, even so

16 And other sheep I have, which are not

tokens of his presence and approbation; and I
also know, or acknowledge and honour, the Fa-
ther, in the delight with which I do his will; so
the affection is reciprocal between me and my
sheep: and as it is in love to them, as well as
with an ultimate view to his appointment and
his glory, that I lay down my life for the sheep he
bas given me, so also do my sheep acknowledge
and confide in me, and so do I protect and pa-
tronize them.

And I would farther observe to you, as a point 16 of of great importance, that I have other sheep which

L 2

are

114

Reflections on our duty to improve our privileges.

SECT. On with an envious and malignant countenance, cxxxviii. because I am so good, that out of compassion to these poor men I freely give them what they XX. 15. could not justly have claimed ?

Mat.

16

And thus said Jesus at the conclusion of this

parable, You see (as I have just been telling you,
Mat. xix. 30.) there are some who seemed to be
the last in privileges and advantages, who shall
be first in the reward and happiness that shall be
given to them; and, on the other hand, there are
many in those respects the first, who shall be last.
And this is a remark peculiarly applicable to
the Jewish nation', who will murmur at the
calling of the Gentiles to equal dignities and
privileges with themselves, and on that account
will reject the gospel, and persecute you the
preachers of it: for though many are called,
and the messages of salvation are sent to vast
multitudes, even to all the thousands of Israel,
yet there are but few chosen: a small remnant
only will embrace the gospel so universally
offered, and so be saved according to the
election of grace, (Rom. xi. 5.) while the rest
will be justly disowned by God, as a punishment
for so obstinate and so envious a temper.

16 So the last shall be first, and the first

last: for many be called, but few chosen.

IMPROVEMENT.

Ver. MAY we by Divine grace appear in the happy number of those 16 who are not only called, but chosen too! If we are first in privileges and opportunities, let us be careful that our improvement be proportionable; otherwise we shall be last, and see ourselves another day exceeded, and perhaps condemned, by those who stood in a rank much below us.

We are called to a course of holy labour, even to work in our Lord's vineyard, or in every station, whether public or private,

i Peculiarly applicable to the Jewish nation.] The remark itself is far more extensive, as I intimate both in the paraphrase and improvement. But as this was a memorable instance of it, so it is plainly what Christ had immediately in his view.

k Many are called, but few chosen.] Grotius has a very learned and ingenious note on this text; but no genius or learning can be sufficient to prove what he seems to intend, that persons are called the chosen of God, merely with respect to the Divine complacency in them on account of some distinguished virtue and excellence. Compare Deut. vii, 6-3, ix. 6. John xv. 16.

to

Acts ix. 13, 15. Rom. xi. 5, 6. and 1 John iv. 19.-To understand the expression here of chosen and excellent servants (as Mr. Le Clerc, Dr. Wall, and many others do) is quite to contradict the design of the parable. On that supposition the master must have said, "These last have done as much in one hour as you in many; or I chose them, because I knew they were men remarkable for their diligence."This is the turn which the Talmudists have given to the parable in their insipid imitation of it, which may be seen in Dr. Lightfoot, Hor. Heb. on Mat. xx 1.

Reflections on the care of Christ for his sheep.

among the Jews for these sayings.

them said, 1⚫ hath a

devil, and is n ad; why

hear ye him?

87

SECT.

cxxxiii.

vision therefore again pressions, there was a division therefore again among the Jews (as there had been before, chap. vii. 43. sect. ci. and ix. 16. sect. cxxx.) espe- John 20 And many of cially on account of these last words. And many X.20. of them said, He has certainly a demon dwelling in him, and, by the operation of that evil spirit, is apparently distracted with one of the most malignant kinds of lunacy; why then do you give yourselves the trouble to hear him while he Others said, goes on in such extravagant absurdities? But 21 These are not the others much more rationally said, These are not a devil: can a devil by any means the words of a demoniac, or a luopen the eyes of the natic; for there is the greatest consistence and

21

words of him that hath

blind?

energy in them: and besides, could a demon that
made a man mad open the eyes of the blind, as it
is plain this man has often and very lately done?
It is rather madness to imagine that an evil spirit
has such power, or that he would employ it to
such benevolent purposes.

IMPROVEMENT.

THERE is not, perhaps, any where to be found a greater in- Ver. stance of the force of prejudice than in thesc perverse Jews, who 20 censured Christ as a lunatic and a demoniac for one of the gravest and most excellent speeches that was ever delivered. Let us review it with all due attention and regard.

Let us consider Christ as the good Shepherd, and humbly com- 11 mit our souls to him, as ever we desire they should be safe and happy. We have known his kind regards to the flock in expo-ing and laying down his life for them. And he hath not laid it 15 down in vain. Delightful thought! Our compassionate Shepherd, even when the sword of the Lord was awakened to smite him, has not so fallen as to rise no more; but as in this great and good work he voluntarily laid down, so he has also re-assumed his life; 18 and still bears on his heart the same concern for his flock, and uses his renewed life and exalted dignity for their security and happiness.

Let us humbly acknowledge him as acknowledged by the Father: 15 let us courageou-ly and gratefully own him, and be ready to lay down our lives also for him. We are those other sheep, of whom he spake, who were not originally of the fold, but by his grace are 16 now brought in to the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls. Let us pray that the boundaries of his fold may be still more extended, and the whole number of his elect accomplished; that all the flock may at length appear together, and may be conducted by him to the regions of that immortal life which he determines to give it.