Jesus expressed Himself figuratively. It is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God'. Among the many indirect benefits derived from Christianity, is the correction of our judgment upon moral topics. Though few, perhaps, go the whole length of our Lord's determination as to the injurious tendency of wealth, none now seem disposed to rank it among those things that recommend us to the favour of God; and yet when worship consisted in sacrifice, it was natural to suppose that he whose circumstances enabled him to make more frequent and more costly offerings, would be preferred to his poorer brother. In such an age it would be difficult to persuade men, especially the rich, that the sacrifice required by God was a broken and a contrite spirit, and that praise and thanksgiving would please Him better than a bullock that hath horns and hoofs. (Psalm lxix. 31.)

Our Lord's speech led the Apostles to reflect, that what He had enjoined they had done-left all, and followed Him; and Peter with his usual forwardness, and apparently with some self-complacency, asked what would be their reward. As his motive was, however, substantially right, Jesus overlooked its alloy, and replied, that not they alone, but all who

The saying is expressed in terms so contrary to European taste, that critics have suggested a different reading, but the use of a similar in the Talmud shows that it is a favourite one in the East. Káuλos, a cable, is substituted by Theophylact for Káμnλos, but his conjecture is not supported by any manuscript. In Syriac and Arabic, the two words as in Greek differed only in the vowels, but in the Koran it is pointed so as to mean cable. (vii. 38.)

j If such were the tendency of sacrificial worship under a divine dispensation, which has carefully kept spirituality of mind in view, how pernicious must it practically prove under the corruptions of paganism. A striking illustration is afforded by this passage from a celebrated Sanscrit work, the Hitopadesa, the original of Pilpay's fables, "Knowledge produceth humility, from humility proceedeth worthiness, from worthiness riches are acquired, from riches religion, and thence happiness." What a comment upon the words, The poor have the Gospel preached to them!

for His sake sacrificed their earthly treasure and connections, should even here, notwithstanding persecution, enjoy a hundred-fold greater happiness, even of the same kind, than others, and in the next world eternal life. To some at least of those to whom it was originally addressed, this promise may be said to have been literally fulfilled; for instead of one house which they had forsaken, wherever they made converts they found several; instead of a few brothers after the flesh, many spiritual ones; for sons, all whom they should convert; for possessions of their own, the use of the property of all believers; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things! To them especially He said, according to St. Matthew, that in the Regeneration or Renewal of the world, in that new earth in which, purified by fire, dwelleth Righteousness, (2 Peter iii. 13.) when He Himself should sit on His glorious throne, they should be peculiarly honoured, for they should sit upon twelve thrones, judging [or ruling'] the twelve tribes of Israel. He added, Many that are first shall be last, and the last shall be first; and illustrated His meaning by a Parable, the scope of which is not apparent, but the key to it must be sought in this saying, which is repeated at the close of it. A Householder is described as going out in the dawn of the morning to hire Labourers for his Vineyard, and agreeing with them for the usual sum of a denarius for the day's work. Again, at the third, the sixth, the ninth, and even at the eleventh hour, he went for this purpose to the market, where then, as now in

This Пayуevería so translated, as a Regeneration not only of men but of things, may be connected with either clause, but it is I think better suited to the second, since it was rather prepared than effected by our Lord's personal preaching, and this is supported by Mark xii. 23.

The word will bear this sense, which here seems most appropriate. The Judges of Israel, like the Consuls of Carthage, who were distinguished by the same Phoenician title, Shophetim, rendered by Livy Suffetes, were not what we should call Judges, but Rulers.

the east, labourers waited to be hired. He engaged them, but not according to the former specified rate, but for whatever he should judge right. The last (and we may presume all the intermediate ones, though as usual in parables omitted) received also a denarius. They were paid first, and in consequence those who had agreed for that sum murmured, and were indignant that they who had borne the burden and heat of the day, should be treated like those who had worked but a single hour. May I not do what I like with mine own? is the householder's reply. If the complaint appears to us not unreasonable, it must be because we like them have an evil eye, that is, are envious of others, and forget that though they have worked a much shorter time in their Master's service, their reward is not greater than ours, and where the service is perfect freedom, if there be any cause for regret, it is for them to lament that they were not engaged in it sooner. He who hires labourers, if he pay them their stipulated wages, cannot be charged with injustice, though out of his liberality he bestow the same as a gift upon others who work less, were it but for one hour. In the same manner our great Master, if He should grant the same remuneration to all, whether called to serve Him in the morning, the noon, or the evening of life, cannot be justly blamed. It is true that some will have reason to magnify His bounty, but none can complain of wrong. The Parable is commonly explained of the call of the Gentiles, but the more it is examined, the less applicable does it appear to be to them in contradistinction to the Jews; though cases might be found, as indeed among the Jews too, of persons whom the knowledge of Christianity has reached late in life. It is applied by many to individual believers at different periods, an application which is sanctioned by eminent names. This explanation, however, is liable to great abuse; for it may lead a reader to think that he may innocently wait till hired

by some special act of Providence; whereas in a Christian country, whoever has been admitted by Baptism into the Church, was then sent into the vineyard. The parable also will not suit this case, for it presupposes that those called at the eleventh hour had been idle so long unwillingly, and we may fairly suppose that they worked the more heartily, in consequence of the short duration of their engagement. The connection of the Parable with the preceding speech of the Apostle, We have forsaken all and followed Thee, seems to limit it to the Ministers of Christ, at most to laymen appointed to particular offices. Whatever interpretation we adopt, the remark twice made, many are called but few are chosen, deserves our most serious consideration, that, not content with the possession of church privileges, we may give all diligence to make our calling and election sure. God looks not so much to the length or nature of our services as to their earnestness: He considers less what we have accomplished than what we are, what we work than what has been wrought in us. The Apostles seem to have thought, that they who were first called into our Lord's vineyard, would be necessarily more willing and more able than any that came after. He subjoined what is said on other occasions: Many are called, but few are chosen. Many become members of the visible Church, but they who receive the love of the Truth, appear to have been at all times a little flock.

106. Jesus again foretels His own death. Matt. xx. 17-19. Mark x. 32-34. Luke xviii. 31-34.

The rulers, on the resurrection of Lazarus, had issued a Proclamation against Jesus. His disciples therefore were alarmed, as He was now returning to Jerusalem, in order to keep the Passover. They were indeed in immediate

expectation of the establishment of His Kingdom, but they had recently heard of the difficulty of the rich entering into it, and they knew that the rulers were opposed to Him. Jesus endeavoured to prepare them for the event that was to usher it in, reminding them that His ministry would close at Jerusalem, and plainly told them, what He had before obscurely intimated, that according to the Scriptures He would be betrayed to the chief priests and Pharisees; but as they had no longer the power of inflicting capital punishment, they would deliver Him up to the Gentiles, that is, to the Roman government, and that He would be put to death according to their custom by Crucifixion. Humanly speaking, it seemed far more probable, that instead of making His death a public and a national act, His enemies would have privately killed Him. Such indeed we know was their intention; but it was overruled by God, who in His Providence led them voluntarily to accomplish their object by the means which ancient Prophecy had darkly hinted, and His Son now plainly declared. He was to be mocked as a fool, to be scourged as an offender, to be spit upon as a blasphemer, and to be crucified as a criminal. His declaration, that all that was to happen to Him had been foretold, ought to have strengthened their faith, especially as His suffering was to end in His triumph, His Resurrection on the third day. But they understood Him not, though He had spoken without disguise, because, like the rest of His countrymen, they mistook His second advent for the first, and could not be brought to believe, till He afterwards opened their hearts to comprehend the then unwelcome truth, which they were yet so slow of heart to believe, that Christ must suffer, and then enter into His glory.