The first murmur that the last receive as much as they. 10 But when the first that they should have received more: every man a penny. 11 And when they had received it, they good man of the house, murmured against the 113 SECT. cxxxviii. Mat. And upon seeing this, when those who were came, they supposed the first, and had been working all the day, and came to be paid, they reckoned with themselves they likewise received that they should have received considerably more ; XX. 10, but they were also paid the same, and only received every one a penny. And when they had 11 received [it], instead of being satisfied with what was promised them, they murmured against the master of the house who had set them to work, 12 Saying, These And said, Truly these last have laboured but 12 last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal in the made them equal unto recompence they have received to us, who have us, which have borne borne the whole burden, and gone through all the burden and heat of the toil and heat of the day from morning to night. one hour, and thou hast the day. 13 But he answered one of them, and said, wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Friend, I do thee no 14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I Is thine eye evil, because I am good? will with mine own? e But he calmly answered and said to one of them, 13 who spoke in the name of the rest, Friend, it is most apparent that I do not in any degree injure thee, or any of thy companions: didst not thou agree with me to labour all the day for a penny, and hast thou not received it? Take what is 14 justly thine, and be gone, without pretending to dictate to me in an affair wherein thou hast no manner of concern ; for I will do as I see fit, and give to this last man, who came in but an hour ago, even as I do to thee 1. And indeed 15 what colour hast thou for a complaint? Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with what is undoubtedly mine own property? What if I pleased to give it to one who had done nothing at all for it? Is thine eye evil, or dost thou look f I will give to this last even as to thee.] Since no murmurings can happen among the blessed, this must refer to the unbelieving Jews; but as it is certain they will have no place in the kingdom of heaven, we plainly see that it would be very absurd to pretend to draw doctrinal consequences from every incidental circumstance of a parable. g And indeed is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?] That the particle may thus be rendered, And in deed, has been observed before, note e, on Mat. vii. 9. Vol. VI. p. 233.-And as to on what is here suggested, so many scriptures h Is thine eye evil?] Here is an evi- f Peculiarly 114 Reflections on our duty to improve our privileges. SECT. On with an envious and malignant countenance, exxxviii. 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, 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. 1 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 con.placency in them on account of some distinguished virtue and excellence. Compare Deut. vii, 6-8. ix. 6. John xv. 16. to Acts ix. 13, 15. Rom. xi. 5, 6. and I 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. While Jesus was beyond Jordan, Lazarus is sick. 115 to do our utmost to promote the glory of God and the happiness SECT. of mankind. Let us not, with so many calls and so many ad-exxxviii, vantages, stand all the day idle; but let us be active and patient, 6 and cheerfully willing to bear all the burden and heat of the day in 12 so good a cause; knowing that cre long the evening will come, 8 and that he who employs us saith, Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man accu ding as his work shall be. (Rev. xxii, 12.) Let such as have long neglected the great business of life be encouraged with this thought, that some were called at the ele- 6 venth hour: but let none presume on their having such a call nor strain the parable so 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 God, 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 9 the Jews, to which this circumstance of the parable refers and we all see how odious a temper it was in that favourite nation to be offended with the gospel on that account, which should rather 11, 12 have recommended it to their more jovful 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 so. 15 vereign 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 shewn them with delight and satisfaction, and to rejoice in their honour and happiness as our own. So shall we exchange the basest and most uneasy passion of human nature for that which is of all others the noblest and the most delightful. SECT. CXXXIX, Our Lord, hearing of the sickness of his friend Lazarus, and afterwards knowing that he was dead, determines to go from the country beyond Jordan to Judea, though against the persuasion of his disciples. John XI. 1-16. JOHN XI. 1. NOW while Jesus was on the other side Jor- SECT. dan, whither he had retired when he left cxxxix. Jerusalem (John x. 40, sect. cxxxiv.), there was P John one XI. 1. 116 SECT. cxxxix. John The Sisters send to inform Jesus of it. 2 (It was that Ma Lord with ointment, one Lazarus of Bethany, which was also the town the town of Mary and of Mary, and Martha her sister, who was sick of her sister Martha. a very dangerous distemper. And, by the way, XI. 2. it is to be observed, that it was [that] Mary who y which anointed the afterwards at a public entertainment, in testi- and wiped his feet mony of her high regard and veneration for with her hair, whose him, anointed the Lord with a most precious sick.) ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, brother Lazarus was 3 whose brother Lazarus was sick. The sisters 3 Therefore his sis- therefore, full of concern for their diseased bro- ters sent 4 But when Jesus heard [it], he said, This sick- 4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sick- 5 Now Jesus loved 5 Now it was well known that Jesus loved Mar- It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment.] Some commentators have supposed that this refers to the story related by Luke, chap. vii. 37, & seq. (sect. Ix. and have argued from thence that Mary Magdalene, whom they think to be the person there described as a woman that was a sinner, was the same with this Mary the sister of Lazarus. But it seems much more probable that John himself should mention the fact that he has here referred to; which, if he has done to all, it must be that which he relates, John xii. 3, & seq. (sect, cxlv.) where there can be no doubt but that the person who performed this instance of respect to Christ was Mary the sister of Lazarus, who was of Bethany near Jerusalem, and therefore must be different from Mary Magdalene, who was of Magdala, a town of Galilee at a considerable distance. Nor is there any ground from scripture to conclude that Mary Magdalene was the person who anointed order Christ in Luke, which appears rather to be there described as the action of a woman of Naim, where Christ restored the widow's son to life (Luke vii. 37). Compare note b on Luke viii. 2, Vol. VI. p. 319.-Besides, the stories are related with such different circumstances, that it is strange they should be taken for the same fact; and as Luke no where tells us that the person he speaks of was named Mary, so neither have we any reason to suppose that the same person should anoint him twice. b This sickness is not to death, &c.] Compare Mat. ix. 24, and Mark v. 39, Vol. VI. p. 381.-Our Lord afterwards so fully explains what he meant by this ambiguous speech, that nothing reasonable can be objected to it: but it is a remarkable instance of the candour and fidelity of the evangelists here, and in the fore-cited places, so exactly to record the very words of Jesus, though malice might so easily cavil at them. c • After He tells his disciples that Lazarus is asleep. 6 When he had was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. 117 CXXXIX. order the affair in such a manner as he knew SECT. affliction. When therefore he had heard that he was sick, 6 heard therefore that he he then, without declaring he had any thought of going to him, abode yet two days longer on the other side Jordan, in the same place where he was before. And then after that, that is, 7 on the third day, he says to his disciples, Let us now go back again to Judea. 7 Then after that, saith he to his disci ples, Let us go into Judea again. 8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee: and goest thou thither again? 9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve bours in the day? If because he seeth the light of this world. The disciples say unto him, Rabbi, it is but just 8 now that the Jews sought to stone thee (John x. 31, sect. cxxxiv.) and dost thou intend so soon to go thither again, as if it were to tempt the danger from which thou hast so lately with such difficulty escaped? XI. 5. Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in 9 the day? Now if any man take the advantage of any man walk in the them, and walk in the day, he is prepared for all day, he stumbleth not, events, and does not stumble at any obstacle which may lie in his way; because the sun is then above the horizon, and he sees the light of this world. But if any man will rather choose to walk in the 10 night, it is no wonder at all if he stumbles then, because there is no light in the air around him. In like manner I am desirous, as I lately told you, to do the will of my heavenly Father while the day or opportunity of life lasts (John ix. 4, sect. cxxx.) and I doubt not but I shall thereby approve myself in his sight, and secure his protection and favour. 10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. 11 These things said he: and after that, he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleep eth; but I go that I These things he said to silence their objections, 11 and to prepare their minds for what he yet concealed and after this, as he perfectly knew what had passed at Bethany, though so many may awake him out of miles distant from it, he says to them, Our friend Lazarus is fallen asleep; but I am going to him, that I may awaken him; thereby referring to his death, and to that raising him from it which he intended quickly to effect. sleep. After that he says to his disciples, &c.] From comparing Mat. xx. 17; Mark x. 32; and Luke xviii. 31, (sect. cxlii.), many critics infer, that what is recorded there and in the following verses happened during the interval of Christ's delay to go to Bethany, after he heard that Lazarus, was sick but I do not find that Christ went to His Jerusalem now; and if he did, it seems that d For |