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244

The First murmur, that the Laft receive Sect. 138. Steward, Call the Labourers, and pay them their Wages, beginning from thofe who were the Laft Mat. XX. 8. hired, and fo going on even to the First.

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And having thus been ordered to present themfelves, when they accordingly came foremost, who [were hired] about the Eleventh Hour, and fo had entered Laft into the Vineyard, they each of them received no less than a Penny, the Master having directed, they should be thus generously rewarded.

And upon feeing this, when thofe who were the First came to be paid, they reckoned with themfelves that they should receive confiderably more; but they were aljo paid the fame, and only received 11 every one a Penny. And having received [it,] they murmured against the Master of the Houfe (e), 12 who had fet them to Work, and faid, Truly thefe Laft have laboured but one Hour, and thou haft made them equal in Reward to us, who have borne the whole Burthen, and all the Heat of the Day from Morning to Night.

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as much as they. Call the Labourers, and give from the laft unto the firft.

them their Hire, beginning

9 And when they came that were hired about the

eleventh Hour, 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 Man a Penny.

II And when they had

received it, they murmured against the Good - man of the House,

12 Saying, Thefe last have wrought but one Hour, and thou haft made them equal unto us, which have borne the Burden and Heat of the Day.

I

of them, and said, Friend, do thee no Wrong: didft not thou agree with me for

13 But he anfwered one

a Penny ?

14 Take that thine is, and go thy Way I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

But he calmly answered and faid to one of them, who spoke in the Name of the reft, Friend, it is moft apparent, that I do not in any Degree injure Thee, or any of thy Companions; Didft not thou agree with me to labour all the Day for a Penny, and haft thou not received it? Take what is juftly thine, and be gone, without pretending to dictate to me in an Affair wherein thou haft no manner of Concern; for I will do as I fee fit, and give to this Laft Man, who came in but an 15 Hour ago, even as I do to thee (f). And what Colour haft thou for Complaint? Is it not lawful me to do what I will with for me to do what I will with mine own Property (g)?

What

15 Is it not lawful for

mine

(e) They murmured against the Mafter of the House.] That this was the Cafe of the Jews, upon a general Notion of the Gentiles being, according to the Christian Scheme, intended to be Partakers with them in the fame Church Privileges, is plain from a Variety of Scriptures. See Acts xi. 2, 3. xiii. 45,-50. xvii. 5, 13. xviii. 6, 13. xxii. 21, 22. xxviii. 29. Rom. xi. 28. and I Theff. ii. 16.

(f) I will give to this Laft, even as to thee.] Since no Murmurings can happen among the Bleffed, this must refer to the unbelieving Jews; but as it is certain they will have no Place in the Kingdom of Heaven, we plainly fee that it would be very abfurd to pretend to draw Doctrinal Confequences from every incidental Circumftance of a Parable.

(g) Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?] So many Scriptures declare exprefsly, that GOD at the Great Day will render to every one according to his Works, and intimate, that there shall be an exact Correspondence between every Man's Character, and

the

But the Mafter may do what he will with his own.

mine own? Is thine Eye evil, because I am good?

16 So the laft fhall be

many be called, but few chofen.

Mat. XX.

245 What if I pleased to give it to one, who had done Sect. 138. nothing at all for it? Is thine Eye evil (h), or doft thou look on with an envious and malignant malignant 15. Countenance, because I am fo good, that out of Compaffion to these poor Men I freely give them what they could not justly have claimed ?

And thus, faid Jefus at the Conclufion of this 16 firft, and the first laft: for Parable, you fee (as I have just been telling you, Mat. xix. 38.) there are fome who seemed to be the Laft 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 thofe Refpects the First, who shall be Laft. And this is a Remark peculiarly applicable to the Jewish Nation (i), who will murmur at the Calling of the Gentiles to equal Dignities and Privileges with themselves, and on that Account will reject the Gofpel, and perfecute you the Preachers of it: For tho' many are called, and the Meffages of Salvation are sent to vast Multitudes, even to all the Thousands of Ifrael, yet there are but few chofen (k): A small Remnant only will be faved according to the Election of Grace, (Rom. xi. 5.) while the rest will be juftly difowned by GoD, as a Punishment for fo obftinate, and fo envious a Temper.

the Reward which (thro' the Riches of Divine Grace) fhall then be bestowed, that it would be very unreasonable, from fuch a Circumftance as this in the Parable, to infer the contrary. But if any fhould maintain, that all the Favours of Divine Providence and Grace must now be difpenfed, only in Proportion to the Wifdom and Goodness of the Perfons concerned, I apprehend they would argue directly contrary to the whole Defign of this Parable, and to what daily appears to be Fact, which therefore cannot give Way to any Hypothefis.

(b) Is thine Eye evil?] Here is an evident Reference to that malignant Afpect, which is generally the Attendant of a felfish and envious Temper.

(i) Peculiarly applicable to the Jewish Nation.] The Remark itfelf is far more extensive, as I intimate both in the Paraphrafe, and Improvement. But as this was a memorable Inftance of it, fo it is plainly what Chrift had immediately in his View.

(k) Many are called, but few chofen.] Grotius has a very learned and ingenious Note on this Text; but no Genius or Learning can be fufficient to prove, what he seems to intend, that Perfons are called the Chofen of GOD, merely with Refpect to the Divine Complacency in them on Account of fome diftinguished Virtue and Excellence. Compare Deut. vii. 6,-8. ix. 6. John xv. 16. Act: ix. 13, 15. Rom. xi. 5, 6, and 1 John iv. 19.To understand the Expreffion here of chofen and excellent Servants, (as Mr. Le Clerc, Dr. Wall, and many others do,) is quite to contradict the Defign of the Parable. On that Suppofition the Mafter must have faid, "Thefe Laft have done as much in one Hour, as you "in many; or I chose them, because I knew they were Men remarkable for their Dili"gence." This is the Turn, which the Talmudifts have given to the Parable in their infipid. Imitation of it, which may be seen in Dr. Lightfoot, Hor. Heb. on Mat. xx. 1.

IMPROVE

246

Sect.

139.

M

Reflections on our Duty to improve our Privileges.

IMPROVEM ́E N T.

AY we by Divine Grace appear in the happy Number of thofe, who are not only called, but chofen too! If we are First in PriviMat. xx. 16. leges and Opportunities, let us be careful that our Improvement be proportionable; otherwife we shall be Laft, and fee ourselves another Day exceeded, and perhaps condemned, by those who stood in a Rank much below us.

Ver. 1.

Ver. 6.

Ver. 12.
Ver. 8.

Ver. 6.

Ver. 9.

Ver. 15.

We are called to a Courfe of holy Labour, even to work in our Lord's Vineyard, or in every Station, whether publick, or private, to do our utmost to promote the Glory of GoD and the Happinefs of Mankind. Let us not, with fo many Calls, and fo many Advantages, ftand all the Day idle ; but let us be active and patient, and chearfully willing to bear all the Burthen and Heat of the Day in fo good a Caufe; knowing that e'er long the Evening will come, and that he who employs us, faith, Behold, I come quickly, and my Reward is with me, to give every Man according as bis Work fball be. (Rev. xxii. 12.)

Let fuch as have long neglected the great Bufinefs of Life, be encouraged with this Thought, that fome were called at the Eleventh Hour : But let none presume on their having such a Call; nor ftrain the Parable fo far, as to imagine, that an equal Reward awaits all, without any Regard to their Characters, or Improvements; which is most contrary to the Reason of Things, to the Word of Go D, and to the great Intent of that Day, which is to render to every Man according to his Deeds. (Rom. ii. 6.)

The Gentiles are indeed now called to equal Privileges with the Jews, to which this Circumftance of the Parable refers: And we all fee, how Ver. 11, 12. odious a Temper it was in that favourite Nation, to be offended with the Gospel on that Account, which should rather have recommended it to their more joyful Acceptance. Let us be careful to avoid every Degree of Envy, whoever may be put on a Level with us, or preferred to us. Let us acknowledge the Sovereign Right of GOD to do what he will with his own, and let not our Eye be evil, because he is good. To prevent this, let us labour after that unfeigned Love to the Brethren, which never will allow us to repine at their Advancement to the greatest Privileges, but will engage us to behold the Favours that are fhewn them with Delight and Satisfaction, and to rejoice in their Honour and Happinefs, as our own. So fhall we exchange the bafeft and most uneasy Paffion of Human Nature, for that which is of all others the noblest and the most delightful.

SECT.

CHRIST is informed that Lazarus of Bethany was fick.

SECT. CXXXIX.

Our LORD bearing of the Sickness of his Friend Lazarus, and afterwards knowing that he was dead, determines to go from the Country beyond Jordan to Judea, tho' against the Perfuafion of his Difciples. John XI. 1,---16.

JOHN XI. I. NOW a certain Man was fick, seamed Laza

rus of Bethany, the Town

of Mary and her Sifter Mar

tha.

2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with Ointment, and wiped his Feet with her Hair, whofe Brother Lazarus was fick.)

3 Therefore his Sifters fent unto him, faying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lov

eft, is fick.

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When Jefus heard that,

he faid, This Sickness is not

unto

JOHN XI. I.

2

247.

Now while Jefus was on the other Side Jor- Sect. 139.
NOW
dan, there was one Lazarus of Bethany,
which was also the Town of Mary and Martha John XI. 1.
ber Sifter, who was fick of a very dangerous Dif-
temper. And by the Way it is to be observed,
that it was [that] Mary, who afterwards at a pub-
lick Entertainment anointed the Lord with Per-
fume (a), and wiped his Feet with her Hair, whose
Brother Lazarus was fick. The Sifters there- 3
fore, full of Concern for their difeafed Brother,
knowing where Jefus was, fent to him, and faid,
Lord, we beg that thou wouldst be pleased to fa-
vour us with a Vifit, whatever Difficulties may
lie in the Way; for behold, he whom thou so ten-
derly lovest, even Lazarus thy Friend, is fo ex-
ceedingly ill, that without thy Interpofition for his
Deliverance, nothing but Death can be expected.

But when Jefus heard [it,] he said, This Sick-
nefs is not defigned by Providence to end in his
Death,,

(a) It was that Mary, who anointed the Lord with Perfume.] Some Commentators have fuppofed, that this refers to the Story related by Luke, chap. vii. 37, & feq. (Sect. 60.) and have argued from thence, that Mary Magdalene, whom they think to be the Perfon there defcribed as a Woman that was a Sinner, was the fame with this Mary the Sifter of Lazarus. But it feems much more probable, that John himself fhould mention the Fact that he has here referred to; which if he has done at all, it must be that which he relates, John xii. 3, &feq. where there can be no Doubt, but that the Perfon who performed this Inftance of Refpect to Chrift, was Mary the Sifter of Lazarus, who was of Bethany near Jerufalem, and therefore muft be different from Mary Magdalene, who was of Magdala, a Town of Galilee at a confiderable Distance. Nor is there any Ground from Scripture to conclude, that Mary Magdalene was the Perfon who anointed Chrift in Luke, which appears rather to be there defcribed as the Action of a Woman of Naim, where Chrift reftored the Widow's Son to Life. (Luke vii. 37.) Compare Note (b) on Luke viii. 2. Vol. i. pag. 370.-Befides, the Stories are related with fuch different Circumftances, that it is ftrange they fhould be taken for the fame Fact; and as Luke no where tells us, that thePerfon he fpeaks of, was named Mary, fo neither have we any Reafon to fuppofe, that the fame Perfon fhould anoint him twice.

(b) This

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248 Sect.

139.

He tarries two Days, before he fets Death, and final Removal out of this World (b); but shall serve for the remarkable Illuftration of John XI. 4. the Glory of GOD, and is fuffered to prevail, chiefly with a Defign, that the Son of GOD may be glorified by it, and his Divine Miffion moft fignally confirmed.

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Now it was well known, that Jefus loved Martha, and her Sifter Mary, and this their Brother Lazarus, with a peculiar Affection, and had often visited them, and lodged at their Houfe; and in Confequence of this, he was determined to order the Affair in fuch a Manner, as he knew would be most for their final Advantage, tho' it might for a while be an Occafion of greater Affliction. When therefore be heard that he was fick, he then abode two Days on the other Side Jordan, in the Place where he was before. And then after that, that is, on the third Day, he fays to his Dif ciples, Let us go back again to Judea (c).

And the Disciples fay unto him, Rabbi, it is but just now that the Jews fought to ftone thee, (John x. 31. Sect. 134.) and doft thou intend fo foon to 80 thither again, as if it were to tempt the Danger, from which thou haft fo lately with such Difficulty escaped?

Jefus anfwered, Are there not Twelve Hours in the Day? Now if any Man take the Advantage of them, and walk in the Day, he does not Stumble at every Obftacle which may chance to lie in his Way; because the Sun is then above the Horizon, and he fees the Light of this World. 10 But if any Man will rather chufe to walk in the

Night,

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(b) This Sickness is not to Death, &c.] Compare Mat. ix. 24. and Mark v. 39. Vol. i. pag. 446.-Our Lord afterwards fo fully explains what he meant by this ambiguous Speech, that nothing reafonable can be objected to it: But it is a remarkable Inftance of the Candour and Fidelity of the Evangelifts here, and in the fore-cited Places, fo exactly to record the very Words of Jefus, tho' Malice might fo eafily cavil at them.

(c) After that he fays to his Difciples, &c.] From comparing Mat. xx. 17. Mark x. 32. and Luke xviii. 31. (Sect. 142.) many Criticks infer, that what is recorded there, and in the following Verfes, happened during the Interval of Chrift's Delay to go to Bethany, after he heard that Lazarus was fick: But I don't find that Christ went to Jerufalem now; and if he did, it feems that thofe Events happened in his very laft Journey thither, and confequently fhould not be introduced here; efpecially as they break the Thread of the Story, out of Regard to which, I think, fome fmall Tranfpofitions may well be allowed in other Places, tho' none be needful here.

(d) For

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