If the way of Life be so very difficult, who then can be faved? 26. But Jefus looking upon them with a compaffionate Countenance, as pitying their present anxiety of Mind, anfwered: 'Tis true; that difpofition of Mind which the Gospel requires, is fo Holy and Spiritual; and the Temptations which much Riches occafion, are fo many and great,; that morally speaking, it is hardly poffible in the ordinary courfe of things, for a very rich Man to look beyond the Advantages of this prefent World, and be a good Chriftian: But by the Grace and Affiftance of God, 'tis poffible for fuch Men to overcome all those Temptations, to make a good use of their Wealth, and to become worthy Disciples of Christ. 27. Then faid Peter to Jefus ; Well, we have actually done all, that you required of this young Man: And though we had not Q 3 indeed indeed great Poffeffions, we 28. Jefus answered: Ve- 29. And all other good and fincere Men, who for the fake of true Religion and Virtue, shall fuffer any Loffes in this prefent World; these alfo, befides that their Loffes fhall be abundantly recompenfed even in this Life, by the Joy of a good Conscience, by the Love and Affiftance of all good Men, by the Comfort of the -Holy Ghost, and by the glorious expectation of future anil on ky ma Happiness; fhall moreover be rewarded with eternal Life. 30. Only many of those, who are here firft in Time, and feem now to have the the Precedence in many Advantages, (as the Jews, which are first called,) fhall then be ranked in a lower Degree: And on the contrary, many of those who are here later in Time, and feem now inferiour in many respects, as the Gentiles, which are laft called,) fhall then, if they come in readily and heartily, aud be fincere and more diligent in their Time, equal or exceed the former in Dignity and Glory. CHAP. CHAP... XX. W the Equity of God's thus diftributing his Rewards, that those to whom his Will is difcovered later, if they be fincere and diligent in their La bours, may be fo honoured by the abundance of the Divine Liberality, as to be equalled or even preferred to those who were called first; The Equity,I fay,of this, may be illuftrated by this Similitude. A Houfholder went out early in the Morning, to hire Labourers into his Vineyard: Thus God in the beginning of the World reveal'd his Will to Mankind, and that in a FOR the king dom of heaven is like unto a man that is an housholder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. + Though this Parable was primarily intended, to fhew the Equity of God's equalling the Gentiles with the Jews; yet fince one great objection of the Jews against the equalizing with them the Gentile Converts, was the Idolatry and Wickedness of the former part of thefe Gentiles Lives; and fince the feveral Parts of the Parable may aptly enough be applied to the different Parts of Man's Life, as well as to the different Ages of the World; I have therefore endeayoured to exprefs both thefe Senses together. more special manner to the Patriarchs and Ancestors of the Jews: And † thus alfo to fome Men he has difcovered his Will early, and, brought them to the knowledge of the Truth in the beginning or former part of their Lives. 2. And agreeing with the Labourers for a Penny a Day, he sent them to work in his Vineyard: So God, when first he revealed his Will to Mankind, promised Life and Happiness as the Reward of Obedience: And the fame condition is then offered to every particular Man, when he first comes to the use of reafon, and to understand the difference between Good and Evil: 3, & 4,&5. Afterwards going out at the third Hour, and again at the fixth and ninth Hours, be found other Labourers Standing idle in the Market; and them also he hired to go and work in the Vineyard, promifing to give them what was reasonable : Thus God in the following Ages |
