time it will be, if it goes out in blessing the Lord Jesus for bringing you into his vineyard, and calling you to receive your hire.

Call the labourers. Those who have read and loved the Scriptures; prayed in secret, and with their families; kept the sabbath; frequented the sacrament; used all the means of grace, and sincerely endeavoured to obey all the commandments; and all from a root of faith.

-Beginning from the last to the first.-Why so? Why begin with the last? To show that the reward of all is of grace, and the last, by God's free gift, equally entitled to it with the first.

Ver. 11. They murmured against the good man of the house. Concerning the Jews murmuring against the Gentiles for being put on an equality with them in the favour of God, there can be no doubt but in the other way of interpretation, can it be imagined that any should be displeased at seeing others as amply rewarded as themselves? Yes; as sure as men are apt to over-value themselves, and think too meanly of others. And, I suppose, all are here called upon to know themselves; and reminded, that though their hire is by agreement, yet that agreement is merely of the good pleasure of God.

Ver. 13. Friend, I do thee no wrong.- No; blessed God. Thou art good, and dost good. We are unworthy of the least of thy mercies. Humble us in the dust, and deliver us from the guilt of pleading with thee.

Ver. 16. So the last shall be first, and the first last. The Jews, though first called, and first in covenant with God, shall be last, by casting themselves out of it. With respect to others, it does not seem to follow from the parable, that the first, though murmuring, will be utterly rejected; but that all, coming into the vineyard, first and last, altogether shall receive their reward; none having a title to it but by the free grace of God, who is abundant

in mercy to all, and must not be questioned for his manner of dispensing it.

-For many be called, but few chosen-To higher degrees of favour; or, not chosen at all. Can you hear this without being concerned for yourselves? Examine yourselves; you see you are not therefore chosen, because you are called; that is, called to be Christians, but only so in name. Consider how, and when, you obeyed your call; and whether you are now labouring in the vineyard, and giving all diligence to make your calling and election

sure.

LECTURE.

THE parable of the labourers in the vineyard is God's call to men at all times, and to every one of us in particular, to go into it, whatever time of the day it is with us. By the vineyard, understand the spiritual work which God hath given us to do; with an assurance that, if we follow it with a suitable care and diligence, we shall not fail of our wages. You will be entitled to your penny at the end of it; and God's penny will make you rich for ever. Do you know your work? Did you ever ask yourself what it is? Do you think much of it? And are you come to a resolution to keep close to it, as your great business in the world, and the end for which your life was given you? God's work is soul work; I say, Do you know it? Do you know that you are naturally in a state of great disorder and corruption, that sin has gotten possession of you, and that, if you are not seeking to the Lord for the forgiveness of it, and striving against it in the power of his grace, it will ruin you for ever? Do you know that forgiveness is only by Christ, and the purchase of his blood; that you must receive it by faith as mercy to you a sinner, whoever you are, be thankful to God for it, and faithful to it in a

work of obedience? You are often hearing of these things, that Christ is the Saviour of lost mankind; that self-knowledge brings you to him; that faith receives him; that submission to his teaching proves your interest in him; and that your present peace, and everlasting happiness depend upon the interest you have in him. You are taught to say in the Catechism, that you beartily thank God for calling you to this state of salvation, and that you do and will pray to God for grace to continue in the same unto your life's end. Certainly, these are nothing but vain words in your mouths, unless you know what you thank God for; have a lively sense upon your minds of his mercy in Christ, and are effectually stirred up to seek after it. Have you been awakened? Have you heard and obeyed your call? Has it been the great aim and endeavour of your life, ever since you could discern between good and evil, to be God's labourer, keeping your eye upon his service, and working with him day by day for the life of your soul? you begin to think of your unhappy the means of deliverance from it? opened to see your misery and danger? When did the light of God's truth break in upon your minds? When did his call sound into your hearts? Was there ever a time when you said to yourself, I am perishing in sin; I will arise, and go to my Father; I have heard that there is salvation in the name of Jesus; if I may lay all my sins upon him, it is a most inestimable mercy; I will do it as God shall help me without delay, and also gladly lay them down at his feet, and put myself into his hands for a full cure, for recovery from the power as well as the guilt of sin; for the blessing of a new heart to live unto him that, died for me, and washed me clean from all spot of sin in his blood? Or if you can say neither of these, neither that you were always working in God's vineyard, nor that

Or, if not, when did condition in sin, and When were your eyes

you are in it at present, yet will you go into it now at last, will you hear your call to-day?

My dear friends, if it is a late hour with you, do not wilfully throw it away; if you have hitherto been a dead soul, careless and unawakened, negligent of your work under Christ, and lived without God in the world, I mean without turning to him in a work of faith and repentance, lose not this precious moment which you still have in your hand for eternity, lest the night of darkness come upon you, when no man can work; do not perish for ever. Do not say vainly that you have other business upon your hands. I know you have, and that you must answer to God for your diligence in it; I know you must be careful for an honest livelihood. But if you do not seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness in the first place; if you are not convinced of the necessity of caring for the soul, and actually caring for it, so as to keep the worth of it uppermost in your thoughts; if you do not value God's peace, Christ's love, and the grace of the Spirit, above all things in the world; if you live only for this world, never think of your portion in another, and die an unbeliever, it would have been better for you that you had never been born. Think of the words, "call the labourers, and give "them their hire." Think you hear that awful summons. The day is hastening apace towards us, and we know not how soon we may be given up to it. Oh! think of that time when you will be fixed in a state of endless happi ness, or eternal separation from God. Think what you are labouring for day by day, and, during your whole abode upon earth, whether for the meat that perisheth, or for that which endureth unto everlasting life, the riches of time, or eternity, God and his favour, Christ and his glory, or a happiness in and from the world, which no man ever found, and would be the greatest of all curses to you, if it hinders you from seeking after a better. Hear

your call once more, and the Lord speak it to your hearts "Go ye into the vineyard." Remember that the kingdom of heaven, or God's kingdom of grace upon earth, consists only of those who are working with, and under Christ, faithful in his service, and looking for his blessings, and that none else will be entitled to his wages. And let it be your earnest, daily prayer, that as you are called to the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and received into the kingdom by baptism and outward profession, so you may be of the number of the chosen, and joint heirs with him of his everlasting kingdom of glory.

PRAYER.

Almighty God, who hast called us out of darkness into the light of the Gospel, and received us to a covenant of life and peace in thy Son Jesus Christ; give us grace to accept the offer of thy mercy with all thankfulness, and to use it faithfully, to thy glory, and the salvation of our own souls. Thou waitest with great patience and long-suffering for our return to thee, and wilt graciously reward all who are found in thy vineyard; let thy goodness lead us to repentance, and grant that we may enter upon thy service without delay, lest the night of death overtake us, when none can work. As this is the day and hour of thy calling to us, make it the blessed season of our hearing and obeying. Open our eyes to see the things which belong to our everlasting peace, and fix us in the diligent pursuit of them; that when our day of working is happily ended, we may be sealed up in our graves to the day of redemption, and rise again to be received into thy eternal and glorious kingdom, with all those who come unto thee by Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.