cannot receive this

11 But he said un- marriage above the advantages and conveniences of to them, All men it would be so great, that it were more prudent not to saying, save they to marry at all, than to be subject to such possible inwhom it is given.

which were so born

conveniences.

12 For there are 11. To this objection he gave this answer, that all some [a] eunuchs, men are not capable of that prudential aphorism-that from their mother's a single life is more profitable and fit for their turn womb: and there are than marriage-but those only whom God hath some some eunuchs, which way more than ordinarily fitted for it by some special were made eunuchs gift.

be eunuchs, which

let him receive it.

of men: and there 12. For some live unmarried, as being naturally have made them- enabled to do so chastely, and without great difficulty; selves eunuchs for some, as being by men disabled, (of which sort there the kingdom of hea- were very many among the heathens, ordinarily callven's sake. He that ed eunuchs;) some out of firmness of resolution have is able to receive it, gotten that mastery over themselves that they can 13 Then live chastely in a single life, and do so on purpose that there brought unto they may have fuller vacancy to set themselves apart him little children, for the duties of Christianity. Now he that finds this that he should put agreeable to his condition, and can thus conquer and and pray and the subdue himself, he may do accordingly, if he please, disciples rebuked and shall do well and wisely in so doing.

were

his hands on them,

them.

that by imposition of hands he would bestow his 14 But Jesus said, benediction upon them. And his disciples would have chid them away.

Suffer little children, and forbid them not,

to come unto me: their meekness, humility, and docility, are the for of such is the temper, which of all others is most like that which is kingdom of heaven. required of disciples of Christ.

15 And he laid his

hands on them, and 15. And using that ceremony of imposition of hands, departed thence. frequent among the Jews in all kind of benedictions, 16 ¶ And, behold, he bestowed his blessing upon them, and departed—

one came and said

unto him, Good

Master, what good i what is the condition required of me to make me I may have eternal capable of eternal bliss?

thing shall I do, that

life?

17 And he said un

to him, "Why callest

Thy calling me good without conceiving me to be thou me good? there God is not right. But for thy question of the way to is none good but eternal bliss this is soon answered: it is by obedience

one, that is, God:

but if thou wilt enter to God's commandments.

into life, keep the commandments.

18 He saith unto

him, Which? 'Jesus

no murder, Thou

1 Jesus said, Those great precepts given by God to said, Thou shalt do Moses, containing the heads of all duties both toward shalt not commit God and man, particularly those six of the second adultery, Thou shalt sort, containing the duty toward man.

not steal, Thou shalt

not bear false witness,

m Thou shalt not design advantage to thyself by another man's loss, or desire any thing that is his, but ther and thy mother: consider his good as well as thine own; which is the and, Thou shalt sum of the last commandment.

19 Honour thy fa

m

love thy neighbour

as thyself.

20 The young man saith unto him, "All

"All these parts of duty I have sincerely observed all my life; what more is required of me?

• If thou wilt ascend to that higher pitch to which these things have I I come to raise men, if thou wilt be a Christian, then kept from my youth must thou, upon contemplation of the reward that is up: what lack I yet? laid up in heaven for all that sincerely obey me, be 21 Jesus said unto contented to part with all the wealth of the world him, "If thou wilt be [b].perfect, go and whensoever that is required of thee, either directly sell that thou hast, (as now I command thee to sell and give to the poor and give to the poor, all that thou hast, and so to follow me as all my disand thou shalt have ciples have done, though they had not so much to with as thou hast) or by consequence, when thou and come and follow part canst not obey any particular precept without danger 22 But when the of being undone by it.

treasure in heaven:

me.

away sorrowful: for

young man heard 22. When the young man heard Christ say this he that saying, he went was much grieved, because he had a very great estate, and therefore seeing he could not be a Christian at any cheaper rate, he forsook or departed from Christ, 23 ¶ Then said Je- would not pay so dear for that perfection. sus unto his disci

he had great possessions.

Pit is very difficult for a wealthy man to undertake ples, Verily I say that condition required of all by me that will be unto you, That Pa rich man shall hardly Christians, and come to bliss now under the gospel. enter into the king- 9 The rich man setteth his heart upon his riches, dom of heaven. and trusting in them, Mark x. 24, must part with as 24 And again I say much of his humour before he can be capable of unto you, It is १ easier for a [c] camel being a Christian, of performing the condition by me to go through the required to attain bliss, as that beast, camel or eleeye of a needle, than phant, &c., which is of the greatest bulk, must part for a rich man to with, to be qualified to pass through the straitest enter into the king

dom of God.

place.

25 When his dis- If the way prescribed by thee to bliss be as ciples heard it, they strait as a needle's eye, who then can undertake it? exceedingly who can come to bliss upon such terms as these? amazed, saying, who is there that according to this rule is qualified

were

Who then can be

saved?

for salvation?

26 But Jesus "be- S

unto them, With men

looked upon them, (as examples of the practicaheld them, and said bleness of this doctrine, of forsaking, parting with all this is impossible; to follow him,) and tells them, to encourage them, but with God all that it seems those things which are in themselves things are possible. so hard and so unreasonable for mere men to do, are yet 27 Then answer- very possible for God; and so this of contemning the ed Peter and said world, working such a change on a worldly man's we have forsaken all heart that he shall liberally bestow his wealth, and and followed thee; not place any confidence in it, is a work that God

unto him, Behold,

what shall we have doth ordinarily work in men's hearts, and enables them to do with ease.

therefore?

I say unto you,

28 And Jesus said Ye that are now my disciples, and have by reunto them, Verily ceiving the faith and baptism left all to follow me, That ye which have shall, as soon as I come to my kingdom, be highly followed me, in the honoured and rewarded by me: or, You that have re[d] regeneration ceived me and followed me, and persevered constant man shall sit in the to me, continued with me in my temptation, Luke throne of his glory, xxii. 28, shall in the new age or state (taking its ye also shall sit upon beginning from the resurrection and ascension of twelvethrones, judg- Christ) have a power in the church instated on you, ing the twelve tribes as my successors, somewhat proportionable to that of

when the Son of

of Israel.

the several rulers of the tribes among the Jews, (a token of which are the keys, after given to them, and promised, as here, ch. xvi. 19.) The power which my Father hath given me on earth shall, at my departure, be instated upon you, Luke xxii. 29.

29 And every one 29. And whosoever shall for my sake part with any that hath forsaken of the advantages and possessions of this life, whatsohouses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, ever it is, he shall be so far from being a loser by it, or mother, or wife, that he shall in this very life be by that means abunor children, or lands, dantly more richly provided for; in the same profor my name's sake, portion that he which in the harvest hath the most [e] hundredfold, and plentiful returns to his seed and painstaking, (ch. shall inherit ever- xiii. 8.)

shall receive an

lasting life.

30. But though you have advantage of other men 30 But many that in being thus early in discipleship, yet it is very posare first shall be sible that some that come after you in time (as Paul) last; and the last may labour as fervently, deserve as much, and consequently be as richly rewarded as you. (Upon which follows the parable of ch. xx. 1.)

shall be first.

FOR the kingdom

went out 1

CHAP. XX.

1. If you do not perfectly understand what was last of heaven is like unto said, (of the last shall be first, &c.,) then a resema man that is an blance of it (and in that of all God's dealing with men housholder, which early in in the church) you may have in a man of an estate, the morning to hire managing it himself, by the manner of his dealing labourers into his with his hired labourers; first, he went out as soon vineyard. as it was light (answerable to Christ's calling and sending the twelve at the beginning of men's receiving the faith, ch. ix. 38, and ch. x. 1,) into the marketplace, where day-labourers were wont to stand, ex2 And when he had pecting employment, to hire labourers for his vineagreed with the layard.

bourers for a penny

a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

2. And having agreed with a certain number for a set determinate wages of seven-pence halfpenny a day1 at daybreak, auа тршt.

3 And he went out a about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace.

4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard,

a about nine of the clock in the morning, and saw

and whatsoever is b I will not bind myself to give you the wages of a right I will give you. whole day for this part of it, but according as you And they went their shall, for the time you are in, behave yourselves in 5 Again he went the vineyard, you shall be rewarded.

way.

out about the sixth

and ninth hour, and did likewise.

c about twelve at noon, and about three in the afternoon, and did—

6 And about the 6. And about five in the evening he went out again, eleventh hour he

went out, and found and found others looking for work; willing to be others standing idle, employed, but not entertained by any, and saith

and saith unto them,

Why stand ye here all the day idle?

7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning

e

d See ver. 4.

e

beginning first with those that came in latest, and

from the last unto so ascending to them that came in first.

the first.

9 And when they 9. And when they came to be paid that had entered came that were hired last upon their work, he gave them a whole day's about the eleventh hire, upon their good discharge of that one hour in hour, they received

every man a penny.

should have received

the vineyard.

10 But when the 10. But when they came which were hired first, first came, they sup- and wrought from the morning all day, they thought posed that they that they should have more than they which had been more; and they like-less time in the vineyard, but they were mistaken in their expectation, and had no more than the sum man a penny. for which they were hired.

wise received every

II And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,

2 Or found, for the Gr. and Lat. MS. reads eupev. sight, ἐπιτρόπῳ. 4 master of the house, oikodeσTÓT.

3 bailiff, or him that had the over

12 Saying, These f hast given them as much wages as we, which last have [a] wrought have laboured all day long.

but one hour, and

thou hast made

14. Be thou content with that which comes to thy them equal unto us, share, according to agreement; this man that came which have borne last to work (it being not his fault that he came not the burden and heat sooner, but his not being sooner called, ver. 7, and of the day. he having laboured honestly and cheerfully ever 13 But he answered one of them, and since he came,) shall by me, who accept the will for said, Friend, I do the deed, be rewarded with the same reward that thee no wrong: didst thou hast.

not thou agree with me for a penny?

14 Take that thine

is, and go thy way:

15. And sure thou hast no reason to complain. What reason is there that my bounty to others should be matter of envy and discontent to thee? or that I will give unto this thou shouldst be the judge, how I am to deal with last, even as unto thy brother? Many reasons there may be, which thou knowest not, why they that came in last to the for me to do what I vineyard, if they were not sooner called, or not so will with mine own? powerfully as others, should be rewarded as liberally Is thine eye evil, be- as they that have longer laboured; for a few acts of cause I am [b] good? the will, if they be more intense and heroical, may

thee.

15 Is it not lawful

16 So the last shall be first, and the first

chosen.

5

in equitable estimation countervalue the work of a far longer time; as the thief's confessing Christ when he was on the cross, when his apostles had forsaken him; and so Paul, called last, was in labour more abundant, and so ranked with the first; and so many that came in to Christ in the cool of the day, when persecution was over, might yet be as cordially intense and affectionate in his service as they that suffered for him; and so some that come to repentance more aged than others; and those that at Christ's preaching came in to Christianity, compared with those that had lived in the Jewish church all their time, see note [b].

16. And thus that which was said before, ch. xix. last: for many be 30, is evident, that some that come after you in time [c] called, but few may prove as richly rewardable as you; for the known saying is very true, that they that have favours done them by God beyond others (as, to be first called, was a special favour to the disciples, of which no reason can be given but God's will) do not always exceed all others in labour and Christian diligence, (as the apostle St. Paul, called long after, and therefore by himself styled less than the least, and born. out of due time, as called after Christ's being gone to heaven, yet did labour more abundantly than all the twelve,) nay some of them apostatize, and fall off from "the called are many, but the choice or elect few.