our Lord assure them of a glorious eternity. Thus the parable is arranged so as to teach us the principle of our Lord's instructions under these different circumstances.

V. THE REPETITION.

Now read again the Scriptures: see No. II.

VI. THE APPLICATION.

1. Although the all that the Apostles had given up, in order to follow Christ, was very little in amount (being at the most the means of gaining the hard-earned profits of a fisherman's life, or, in the case of Matthew, the benefits that might honestly be derived from collecting the taxes); yet our Lord assured them, that not they only, but every one also who is called to give up, for Christ's sake, the advantages of this world, shall find himself more than repaid even in the present life. The experience of sincere Christians has fully confirmed this; proving that they have promise of the life that now is, as well as of that which is to come; and that by seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, all needful things shall be added unto them. (Luke xii. 31. 1 Tim, iv. 8.)

The power of that love, which Christian brethren feel toward each other (especially when suffering persecution), more than supplies the natural affection which influences even nearest relatives. The readiness with which true Christians assist each other in every distress, affords to the servants of God all the benefits of a safe and kind home; and such homes are multiplied in number, far beyond those of the natural connections of any man. It is the full supply of his wants that makes

any one rich (1 Tim. vi. 6); and when our wants are but few, (which is the case with a sincere Christian) we are in reality better off in this world, than if we had vast possessions of houses and lands. But in one respect, especially, the real followers of Jesus have a greater advantage than any other persons in the world. Though their profession is sure to bring upon them persecution and opposition, sometimes more and sometimes less (2 Tim. iii. 12), yet they have the sympathy and active affection of God's children to comfort and encourage them; strengthening their spiritual feelings by those helps, which the heart of man was formed to receive. It is only the follower of Christ who finds that, while his profession divides "the father against the son, and the son against the father, the mother against the daughter, aud the daughter against the mother," and oftentimes makes the brother deliver up the brother to death;" yet it provides for him in every fellow Christian whom he meets "a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." (Matt. x. 21, 34-38. Luke xii. 49-53. Prov. xviii. 24.)

QUESTIONS.

65

Am I willing to forego anything, or everything, which this world affords me, or that my heart naturally loves, rather than deny and forsake the Lord Jesus Christ?

Is

my heart alive to the comfort of Christian sympathy and affection? and do I derive comfort from it when in distress or difficulty; especially on account of religion?

Am I myself ready promptly to impart such sympathy to Christian brethren in their distresses?

2. While our Lord explained to the Apostles the benefits they would derive in this world from following him; he in the first place told them of the high privileges to which they were to be

admitted in the kingdom of glory; and closed these promises with the assurance, that every one who follows him shall inherit eternal life. This must be considered as the first and principal inducement of reward which the Lord holds out to his disciples. Unless a Christian makes this his highest and most earnest hope, he will have no right to expect the other benefits that Christ promises; neither would he be enabled to enjoy them, if they were afforded to him. The expectation of Christians is to inherit eternal life, and to partake of the glory of Christ hereafter: having this expectation, all worldly things which would prevent their obtaining this great end, seem as nothing in comparison with it; and thus they are able to forsake anything, however dearly loved, which would rob them of that more precious inheritance. And when, under this reasonable and constraining motive, they have denied themselves, leaving (it may be) "houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands," for Christ's sake and the Gospel's, they receive the benefits afforded in this world, as a gracious extra recompense: nor would they, if this recompense were not given them, be thereby influenced to take a different course. though a special honour is here marked out for the twelve Apostles, yet all who are redeemed by the blood of Christ, "out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation," are by Him "made unto God kings and priests," and will "reign with him on the earth" hereafter: to each "that overcometh" he will "grant to sit upon his throne," even as he also overcame, and is set down upon a higher throne with the

Al

Father. The glory which God gave to him he has given, not only to the Apostles, but to all those also which believe in him through their word. (Rev. iv. 9, 10; iii. 21, John xvii. 20-22.) This glory is reserved for all true believers, to be given to them "when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ; whom the heaven must receive, until the time of the restitution of all things" (Acts iii. 19-21), or the "regeneration," as he calls it in this portion; when he shall sit upon his throne, and "make all things new." (Rev. xxi. 5. 2 Pet. iii. 13.) It is painful to reflect that, though Jesus spoke of twelve thrones and addressed twelve men, it is certain that one of those twelve will never sit upon a throne. The intended number will no doubt be completed, but the place of Judas Iscariot will be filled by another; for we know that he is called by Christ himself "the son of perdition." (John xvii. 12.) The special promise in this portion was made to such of the Apostles as followed him: but the following of Judas was but an outward obedience, and did not "endure unto the end." This should be a powerful warning to every professor, not to rest too confidently upon the promises of Christ, without securing the testimony of that effectual working of the Spirit within us, by which we may confidently hope to follow Christ through all things, even to the end.

QUESTIONS.

Is the expectation of eternal life, for Christ's sake, the first and moving principle of my conduct?

Do I look forward to the Coming of the Lord, and the setting up of His glorious kingdom, as the object of my hopes, whatever I may be called upon to suffer in this life?

What effect is produced upon my motives and conduct by the greatness of this reward, and the certainty that it can only be attained by sincerely following Christ, even to the end?

3. The parable of the labourers in the vineyard has a most important application to each member of the Church of Christ; besides the explanation of it already given. The terms of the law are essentially different from those of the Gospel: yet many persons who are baptized into the Church of Christ make the sad mistake, of expecting their reward according to the principles of the law, rather than according to those of the Gospel. The main object of the parable, in its application individually, is to rectify this error. Such persons consider that, being called to be christians at their baptism, if they conduct themselves to the end of their lives in a respectable obedience to the letter of the law, they shall be entitled to a higher reward than others, who have been converted to God after passing a portion of their lives in sinful neglect of their duty. The labourers hired at different times represent those who are converted to God at some later period in their lives: some live till they are fifteen or twenty in disregard of God's law, and then are made sensible of their sinfulness, and turn to God; others continue idling their precious hours away, in things which are for time alone, or which heap up wrath against the day of wrath, until they are thirty, forty, or even fifty years old; and some do not heartily engage in God's service until the last years of old age, or perhaps even a very short time before they are taken from this world, whatever be their age. The object of the parable in this respect is to shew, that