Book 5

Matthew 20:5-7. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and says to them, why stand you all the day idle? He says to them, Go also into the Vineyard, and whatever is right, that you shall receive.

We have done with the Season of Salvation in regard of the means, consider we now the time which the Lord takes in regard of the parties, upon whom it is wrought who do yet enjoy their lives, and the means of grace. Among these the dispensation of the Lord is diverse, dealing as it seems best to his heavenly wisdom; some he calls, and converts in their younger, some in their older, but most usual it is to bring home sinners to himself in their riper age.

For the scanning of this point, we have made choice of this parable of the Vineyard: which presents to us four things at the first view.

- 1 The [illegible] of the Vineyard, who owned it. - 2 The [illegible], who dressed it. - 3 The [illegible], when they were hired. - 4 The Reward here promised and given for their [illegible]. Under the letter or which words, this [illegible][illegible] is [illegible], [illegible] ought to be conceived.

The [illegible] is the Church (Isaiah 5:7). The Master and Householder, is the Lord Christ. The [illegible][illegible], are his redeemed ones, whom he calls by the effectual operation of his blessed Spirit in the [illegible] of his Word, to be diligent and fruitful in good works as in Christ they are created to, and [illegible] ordained they should walk in. The diversity of the time of their hiring shows the difference of the times wherein they are converted, some sooner, and some later, and for the right and ready [illegible] of this circumstance, let it be remembered that it was the received manner among the Jews to divide their nights into four watches, and their days [illegible] of twelve hours, into four stations or portions, designating three hours to each part; so [illegible] from [illegible] to [illegible], was the third hour; from [illegible] to twelve, the sixth hour; from twelve to three, [illegible][illegible] hour; from there to five, the eleventh [illegible], one hour before the ending of the day.

To apply: The day is as it were our life; God [illegible] some of his servants in the morning of their youth; some at mid-day, in their middle age; some at the eleventh hour, in their aged and declining time, when their sun is near setting, and they drawing on to the end of their days, not long [illegible] their death, not long before their souls depart out of their bodies, and they depart from the land of the living.

I am not ignorant that some interpreters run another way, and conceive by laborers, [illegible] only to be understood, whether they be good or bad; and their [illegible], their calling to that [illegible] in the Church. He that is a Demas and seeks [illegible] world, his penny, his praise, and applause, if [illegible]; his profit and wealth, if covetous, and for that he makes his agreement with the Lord, when first he makes entrance upon the work of the ministry. When he that is sincere hearted, and seeks the things of Christ, the penny for which he agrees, and the hire he would have, is the hearts of poor [illegible], the conversion of souls, and [illegible] of the body of Christ are instead of all the tithes and [illegible], livings, and benefices he desires to look after: though the sense is pleasant and spiritual, yet I do not think it suits with the scope [illegible] this place, nor here intended by the Spirit. For of those [illegible] parable must be understood, of whom that conclusion in the last verse of chapter 19 was spoken, Many that be first shall be last, and many that be last, shall be first: this parable being inferred for the opening and proving of that, as the first words of the first [illegible] of this chapter 20, do plainly evidence, For the Kingdom, &c.

But they are without question, the [illegible] only who are there meant, such who have left all for Christ's sake, such who shall inherit [illegible] life, verse 29, always with this proviso, Many that are first called, if they bear up themselves somewhat too much upon their own worth, shall be last rewarded; they who are last called, if yet they do renounce all confidence in their own excellency and sufficiency, and depend upon the free mercy of God, they shall be among the chiefest that shall be recompensed. Following then the sense which the scope of the text, and the best interpreters give; the point which fits our purpose, and offers itself to consideration without any forcing from the words, is this: