to enjoy heaven as his due,-some-, solemn admonition, "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

thing which he could challenge at the hand of God as his undoubted right on account of previous de- If thou wilt enter into life, keep the sert. A desire to obtain everlast-commandments.—If we would obtain ing happiness is quite consistent eternal life under the moral law as a with that proud and independent covenant of works, then we must frame of mind which is the essence render complete, unfailing, sinless of rebellion, and alienation from the obedience to that law. But this, living God. Again, there was pro- through the fall, has become imbably no small degree of unfounded possible. See Rom. iii. 20-28; self-complacency, and ignorance, Gal. ii. 16; Eph. ii. 9; 2 Tim i. 9.— more or less voluntary, of the real If we would be saved under the nature and tenor of his past conduct, Gospel, then we must keep the com-in that question of this young mandments, or fulfil the demands, man, What lack I yet? He had not of that dispensation. These comperfectly fulfilled the moral law, mandments are summed up in the even so far as it related to his duties duties of repentance towards God, towards his neighbours. But he was and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. not acquainted with his own de- We are required to surrender ourmerits; and therefore little disposed selves sincerely to the love and to exercise penitence, humility, and service of God, coming to him by faith. And, moreover, he appears to faith in the one Mediator Jesus have been a slave of covetousness, or Christ, and showing forth our faith at least of a love of the world and of by our works. This, through grace his present possessions. He could given, we can do, and must do, if not consent to renounce his riches we would partake of that great gift even at the command of one whom of God, eternal life.-The comhe seemed disposed to recognise as a mandments to which our Lord good teacher."-Let us gather in- referred the young man were those struction from his history. Let us of the second table, comprising our be willing to receive eternal life, duty to our neighbour; and, if he had humbly and thankfully, as the gift failed in respect of them, how much of God, and not as the fruit of our more had he come short of his duty own doings or deservings. Let us towards God! He asserted, however, honestly compare our own lives and that he had kept all these things actions with the entire and perfect from his youth up. Perhaps he had law of God, and learn to seek pardon done so, outwardly, in the letter; for our offences, rather than to boast but he had failed in the spirit. His of a fancied righteousness. And let covetousness and love of the world us watch and pray against the in- had involved practically the neglect sidious and encroaching love of of many a duty; and this continued present good; remembering that to be one of his besetting sins. Our

Lord therefore proposed a test, with reference to this evil disposition; and he could not abide it.-Let us continually seek not only for that mercy which may pardon our transgressions and failings, but also for that grace which may write the law upon our hearts, and enable us to obey it not in the letter only, but in the spirit. "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and wordly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour, Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus ii. 11-14.

man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. We find, by reference to St. Mark, that our Lord is here speaking particularly of "them that trust in riches." But it cannot be doubted that the mere possession of wealth is, in itself, a source of temptation, and forms a difficulty to be overcome,-an especial obstacle to be surmounted,-in the way of salvation. Still, praise be to the Divine goodness, and the power of Divine grace, these difficulties are not necessarily fatal. He who gives abundance of riches, is also ready to bestow abundance of that spiritual influence whereby their peculiar dangers may be successfully met and overcome. With men it is impossible to deliver the rich man's heart from the love of this world,-to save it either from grasping covetousness on the one hand, or from self-indulgence and sensuality on the other; but "with God all things are possible," and this among the rest. He can give power to obey that command. "If riches increase, set not your heart upon them." And, through his grace strengthening us, we may be enabled to "trust not in uncertain riches, but in the living God."

Jesus saith unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, &c.-As a touchstone of his sincerity and the universality of his obedience, our blessed Lord proposed to this young ruler the same line of conduct which had been already adopted by his Apostles. He gave him the same call (Follow me) to which others had cheerfully responded, forsaking all. They, through grace given, had obeyed the call; but he, through pride and ignorance, and an evil love of the world, resisted the grace, and refused to obey. Let their conduct be our pattern and encouragements; and let his be our warning. He went away sorrowful. Riches that keep the heart from God, will one day be sore occasions of sorrow to their possessors. Verily, I say unto you, that a rich to forsake; but still it was their all.

Then answered Peter,-still, as on other occasions, the forward speaker, and in this instance betraying perhaps some symptoms of human weakness,-Behold we have forsaken all and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?-It was comparatively little of this world's good which these poor fishermen had been called upon

This they cheerfully yielded up at the command of Christ; and we know, from the history of the widow and her two mites, that the Lord Jesus Christ considers rather the intention and spirit of the donor, than the magnitude of the gifts. In like manner, let us comply with that demand, "My son, give me thy heart;" and with that apostolic exhortation, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."-Perhaps there was too much self-complacency, and too much of a mercenary spirit, in this question of St. Peter; but the Lord saw that there was withal sincerity and uprightness of heart, with faith; and he accepted those good dispositions which had been wrought by the power of Divine grace, overlooking the human imperfections with which they were blended. He saw that the young man's heart was buried in the world, even while he was proposing that question, What good thing shall I do? And he saw that Peter's heart was really given to God, even while he was asking, What shall we have? The Lord seeth not as man seeth; he judgeth righteous judgment. He searcheth the hearts and trieth the reins of the children of men.-How full of kindness and compassion does our Saviour appear on this occasion; amply sustaining his gracious character as one that "will not bruise the broken reed, nor quench the smoking flax." He condescended to give an encouraging reply to

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Peter's inquiry. And he added, for the encouragement of all believers, to the latest ages of the church,

Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.-If we make sacrifices from a principle of duty or conscience, and in the service of religion, we shall be no losers. We may not recover, or receive again, the same things, in kind, but we shall obtain the same, and far more, in value. Not indeed that we can hereby make God a debtor; but he is pleased to manifest his lovingkindness and the riches of his grace, in this way, as well as in many others. - St Mark adds, "with persecutions," i.e. notwithstanding persecutions. The comforts and blessings which God will give will be very great, even taking into account all the troubles we may suffer.

"The gifts and graces, the comforts and consolations of the Holy Spirit shall be an hundredfold better portion than any thing we can part with for the sake of Christ and his Gospel here. Though we may be losers for Christ, yet we never shall be losers by him. Christ gives present recompences as well as future rewards; insomuch, that they who have suffered and lost most for Christ have never complained of their sufferings or losses. Therefore never be afraid to lose any thing for Christ; he will not only see you indemnified, but plentifully re

soever is right, that shall ye re- and the first last: "for many ceive. be called, but few chosen.

8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.

9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,

12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

The Roman penny is the eighth part of an ounce which after five shillings the ounce is sevenpence halfpenny. ch. xviii. 28.-10r, have continued one hour only.-a Rom. ix. 21.- Deut. xv. 9. Prov. xxiii. 6. ch.

vi. 23.-c ch. xix. 30.—d ch. xxii. 14.

Reader. This parable of the labourers in the vineyard is designed as an illustration of the sentiment contained in the last verse of the foregoing chapter, and repeated at the close of the parable, that "many that are first shall be last, and the last shall be first." We are taught that God, in his treatment of the various members of the church, will not make any difference whatever on account of the time of their calling, or the age of the church in which they lived. He will show no favour to the early patriarch or to the later Christian, as such; but will give all and each their due. And we are also given

to understand that among the members of the later church there will be many who will obtain priority, and gain advantage over the earlier believers.-More particularly, the parable seems to refer to the calling of the Gentiles, and their being made partakers of equal privileges with the Jews. The Gentiles are represented under the figure of the

labourers hired at the eleventh hour; and the unwillingness of the Jews to acquiesce in the Divine dispensation concerning them is described under the image of the murmuring of the earlier labourers against "the goodman of the house;"-just as the elder son is represented as complaining of his 16 So the last shall be first, father's reception of the younger

15Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine

b

own? Is thine eye evil be

cause I am good?