William Huntington

XX. - The Saint's Daily Labour, and Present Pay.

"At his day thou shall gave him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it, for he is poor and setteth his heart upon it; lest he cry against thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee,"
Deut. xxiv. 15.

IN this, as well as in ten thousand other instances, we may see the tender mercy of God over all his works, and his tender feelings for the poor and needy. How considerate doth he appear towards the poor distressed labourious ones, who get their bread by the sweat of their brow, whose mouths crave all that their hands bring in; and who, being thus poor, set their hearts upon their hire! and their kind God will not suffer them to go home without it, lest they be driven to run in score, and on that account have an advantage taken, or be imposed upon by those who give them credit.

This law is a display of God's anger at the sin of covetousness in the employer, who was not to keep the labourer's hire after he had earned it, nor was he to keep him waiting at his door, or standing about the gate until midnight; a time when every shop was likely to be shut up, and nothing to be bought. "Thou shalt pay him before the sun go down, or it shall be sin unto thee." However, the mercenary and the unrighteous paid but little regard to this law, for many of them, instead of paying their labourers before the sun went down, never paid them at all; and the excuse that some of those masters seem to have made in gospel days was, because some of the labourers were believers in Jesus of Nazareth: but in their trouble these poor defrauded souls cried to God, and obtained an answer too. "Go to, now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries, that shall come upon you; your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten; your gold and silver is corrupted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire: ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold! the hire of the labourers which have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth; and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth," James, v. 1, 2, 3, 4.

My intention and business, in the present work, is to discover the gospel that is couched in this text. Every branch of the ceremonial law represented Christ; and thus the masters that hired these labourers prefigured the great Lord of the household of faith, who was master of all these masters in Israel: and, indeed, the three PERSONS in the GODHEAD are called masters, as it is written, "The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one Shepherd," Eccl. xii. 11. No masters, except these divine persons called watchers and holy ones (Dan. iv. 17), can give a piercing point to these goads, or clench these nails, that is, apply the word of truth to the salvation of souls; "for the excellency and the power is of God, and not of man." God hath given us a particular description of this hired servant. "Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers, that are in thy land within thy gates," Deut. xxiv. 14. Wherein we find that the state of those servants is "poor and needy;" and where it is thus, whether the servant be "Jew or Gentile, his heart being set upon his hire, he is to be paid before the sun goes down." Now, as this master represented Christ, and as these poor and needy servants, some of whom were Israelites, and others strangers, set forth God's elect among Jews and Gentiles; and as Christ came to fulfil all righteousness, and to be the truth of all the types, and the substance of all the shadows, we must look for the accomplishment of this branch of the ceremonial law in the New Testament, and there we shall find it.

"For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard," Matt. xx. 1. The Lord hath said "that he would once more shake not only the earth, but heaven;" which shaking signifieth the removing of the Mosaic dispensation, which, upon the coming of Christ, was shaken, waxed old, and vanished away, that the gospel dispensation might take place; which is never to be abolished, or succeeded by another dispensation, so long as the world stands, and which is what Christ here styles the kingdom of heaven. And thus Paul explains it, saying, "And this word, yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore, we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear," Heb xii. 27. 28. Now the preaching of the gospel, or publishing the glad tidings of the kingdom of heaven, and Christ going forth with his power in the ministry of the gospel, to make it effectual to the calling and converting Jews and Gentiles, is like a

"Householder which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard." The householder is Christ, who is the king of Zion and master of the household of faith. He appeared at the end of the Jewish dispensation, at a time when it was very dark, both in the Jewish and Gentile world. At his appearing "day broke, and the shadows fled away;" and then it was "that the Day-spring from on high visited the world; for the Sun of righteousness shone forth with healing in his beams upon those that feared God's name," who were waiting in faith for the consolation of Israel, or looking for redemption in Jerusalem. These

"Labourers were hired." There are two sorts of hired servants; the worst of which are those who "feed themselves, but feed not the flock;" such as the scribes and pharisees, who laboured, but it was after the mammon of unrighteousness, and not in seeking the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof; these toiled in devouring widows' houses, but not to build up the household of faith; they compassed sea and land to make one proselyte to their own devices, and they laboured as hard to take away the key of knowledge; and those who were entering into the kingdom of God they laboured to hinder: these laboured hard in their own traditions, but not in the word and doctrine, for they omitted all the weighty matters of the law, such as judgment, mercy, faith, and the love of God, for these they left undone: they worked hard to keep the vineyard for themselves, by killing the Son of God the heir of it, whom they cast out, and then seized his inheritance; yea, they stoned his servants, and sent them away shamefully handled, and others they killed; in which way they laboured hard, and "verily they had their reward." These false husbandmen, vain scribes, and blind leaders, the Lord call hirelings; who, so far from caring for the flock, that they looked upon them as the offscouring of the earth, and as sheep for the slaughter; yea, they thought they did God service when they killed them.

But there is another and better sort of "hired labourers," who are hired by the Lord himself, and by him sent into the vineyard; and these are they who seek the kingdom of God, and the righteousness of it, and the subjects of it, and who seek the honour of their great King, and not their own, and who receive the fruits before they labour; and these, and only these, are willing, after a godly sort, to spend and be spent in his service; which hired labourers "are worthy of their hire," because they work for the Lord, and with the Lord; "and the Lord works with them, and confirms his word by them with many signs." But it may be asked

What is the labour of a true labourer? To which I answer, labourers of this sort are found to labour hard under a sight of sin, and a feeling sense of their own guilt; they labour against their own corruptions, and the temptations of Satan to evil, and under the fears of wrath, and dread of future torment; they labour between hope and fear, mercy, and judgment, goodness and severity, grace and corruption, and this world and heaven; which is attended with labour and soul travail, "being in pain to bring forth; for they labour and are heavy laden," possessing an anxious, ardent, and godly desire of entering into the promised rest, and fearing dreadfully lest they should come short of it. They see their state and feel it, and they also see the suitableness and all-sufficiency of Jesus, "and labour hard to work out their salvation with fear and trembling;" that is, they struggle against sin, conscience, guilt, fear, wrath, torment, the law of God, and the fiery darts of Satan; and also against despair, infidelity, carnal enmity, rebellion, and the frowns of an angry God. Thus they labour to press through the crowd, "to lay hold of the hope, and to take shelter in the refuge that God hath set before them:" they also strive and labour hard "at the strait gate," and at the door of the sheep-fold, to get into the experience of the just, into the liberty of God's children, into union with the living vine, and into union with the living branches of that vine; and therefore their cry is like David's; "Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people! O visit me with thy salvation, that I may see the good of thy chosen; that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation; that I may glory with thine inheritance!" Psalm cvi. 4, 5.

And when they get into the vineyard, having overcome and obtained the promised blessing, by finding a union with the living vine and living branches, they then find plenty of labour to exercise them; for "if they are not made keepers of the vineyard," they have work enough "to keep their own," yea, and that is more than they can do; and (blessed be God for his goodness) it is more than they are left to do by themselves, for God works in them. However, their own corruptions will employ them on the watch-tower, and also with the pruning-hook of mortification, and that continually. And, besides, the "little foxes that spoil the vines" will cause them no small trouble, I mean such as hold damnable heresies; these often make them stink like themselves with their ill-savour; add to all which, there is self to deny, and a daily cross to bear, while others are found to have their work of hard "labour in the word and doctrine." In short, there is not one idle servant among them, for Christ hath no drone-bees in his hive, not one slothful one that he sends into his vineyard. He calls them labourers, not loiterers; and labour they must.

"And, when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard," Matt. xx 2. Whatever this penny may be, the labourers, who, according to my text, "are poor and needy, set their heart upon it," or lift up their souls unto it. The Roman penny amounts to seven-pence half-penny of our coin; but the spiritual labourers in the Lord's vineyard, blessed be God, are paid with better specie than that of gold or silver. This penny, in our country, may appear to be but small wages, though it might be sufficient in the land of Canaan. I have been informed, if the report be true, that some of the labourers, who were employed in the building of St. Paul's Church, had but a penny per day, and others two-pence. And it is also reported that at that time a person could buy half a sheep for ten-pence: if true, a penny would enable the labourer at that period to buy more mutton than twenty pence per day will now, in this day of unparalleled oppression. However, the present day of oppression is most certainly a prelude to the coming and kingdom of Christ, for it is a time "that people are oppressed every one by another, and every one by his neighbour;" Isaiah, iii. 5; which is sent to raise the cries of the poor and needy; and, in answer to the cries of the poor, "Christ's first work will be to break in pieces the oppressor," Psalm lxxii. 4.

We know that all temporal supplies are promised to those who seek the kingdom of God, yet I think that the temporal penny is not the proper wages of righteous labourers. If we follow the Saviour in his conduct, and observe the promised hire which he agreed to give to the first labourers he bargained with, we shall get at the meaning of this penny by the terms agreed upon between him and the labourers. "Then answered Peter, and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all and followed thee, what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And 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 hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life," Matt. xix. 27, 28, 29. This is the Lord's promised reward to the first labourers that hired, and his answer to Peter seems to be the agreement between the householder and the labourers; and this price the Lord calls a "penny per day." Peter, as foreman and mouth for the others, asked what the dear Redeemer gave to his labourers, or what wages they should have for their labour; and the above sum is that which the householder promised to give; and that sum, according to my text, is what "the poor labourer's heart is set upon, and which must be paid him before the sun goes down."

But then the question of my reader may be, What is meant by "following of him in the regeneration?" I answer, It is to follow him in faith, and not in legal works; to follow him out of the law, into the gospel; out of bondage, into liberty; out of legal, into evangelical obedience; out of death, into life; out of wrath, into mercy; and out of fear, into love.

"These disciples were to sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel:" but these twelve thrones do not respect the general doom, for Christ is the only judge of quick and dead, as it is written, "For God is judge himself." And, though it is true we shall judge angels, and the world, yet only by the testimony that we have borne, and as witnesses against them. These twelve thrones respect them as apostles in their ministerial capacity, and not as judges in the day of judgment. These thrones also point out their great authority, being kings and priests, and having the keys of the kingdom of heaven so as to admit all who believed their testimony into the household of David, and to keep out all those who did not; to discover what was lawful and what unlawful; to bind the one to the obedience of the gospel, and to loose the other by their testimony from the yoke of Jewish traditions and legal ceremonies; to pronounce the sentence of justification on all who believed in Jesus, and the sentence of damnation on all who believed not, according to their great commission and the word of Christ; "If I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges."

Hence we may see that the twelve thrones shew their authority as kings and priests, and as apostles in their high office of the ministry, speaking by Christ's Spirit, and personating him in their work, who is the judge of all men.

Christ, who in his "human nature is a glorious throne to his Father's house, and a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem," Isaiah, xxii. 21, 22, 23, was formed in all their hearts, and the empire of grace was set up and reigned in them, and the sentence of life and death was committed unto them as the greatest part of their ministry; "Go preach the gospel to every creature; he that be and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believes not shall be damned." Thus "life and death were in the power of their tongue," and "they were a sweet savour unto God in those that perished, and in those that were saved." And this, with their commission to go and preach to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, is what I understand by "their sitting upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel," which is expressive of no pre-eminence above other common believers; for "he that overcometh (saith Christ) shall sit down with me upon my throne, even as I overcame and am sat down with my Father on his throne;" which is better than judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And the Lord adds,

"He that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or land, for my name's sake, shall receive in this life an hundred fold." One single principle of vital godliness in the heart comes up to all this, which is the love of Christ. "He that forsakes houses," is one who loves "the house that is from above" in preference to any other, that house "which is eternal in the heavens." Again, he that forsakes carnal brethren, is one who loves a brother in the faith far better. Further, he that forsakes sisters, is one who loves the heavenly family in sincerity. He also who leaves a father for Christ's sake, is one who loves God above an earthly parent; moreover, he who forsakes a mother, is one who loves the church more than she that bore him, if she is in a carnal state. He that forsakes a wife, is one who loves the wife of the Lamb and the gospel-supper better than that fool did who said, "I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come." Again, he that in faith forsakes his children, when called to suffer for Christ's name, hath more regard for the honour of Christ Jesus the Lord, and for the establishment of the children of God, than he hath for his own family; and proves himself a true son of Abraham, who loved God before his own son, when called to be offered up as a sacrifice upon the service of the saints' faith; and he who forsakes lands for Christ's sake, is one that regards not the country from whence he came out, but seeks an heavenly one, confessing himself a stranger and pilgrim in this. And now it may be asked what can this penny be which is promised to the labourers? I answer,

It is the "love of Christ;" for who are those that follow him in the regeneration, but those heaven-born souls that love him? For he that loveth is born of God. And who are those that forsake all earthly friends, with all the advantageous prospects, pleasures and amusements of this world? No one but those who sincerely love heavenly treasure, heavenly acquaintances, and heavenly pleasures. And who are those that shall inherit eternal life? "Not such as love the world, or the things of the world; for the love of God is not in them," as it is written, "A friend of the world is the enemy of God," James, iv. 4. Nor those that have gifts either; for a man may have all knowledge, and understand all mysteries, and yet be destitute of love, and be nothing but an instrument without life.

The labourer in my text is represented as being "poor and needy; he is poor," because he is by nature destitute of all true riches, and truly sensible of it, for he is conscious that he is not rich in faith, or rich towards God; that he is not an heir of the grace of life in the enjoyment of it, nor yet an heir of promise in the application of it; he cannot call God the portion of his soul, nor find his heart and affections in heaven, and therefore he cannot believe that his treasure is them.

And "he is needy," because he feels his need of all those things which I have described, and therefore "he sets his heart upon his hire." And what doth such a poor soul want above all things? Why, "he covets earnestly the best gift;" and what is that but "charity?" He doth all that he can to obtain a sense of Christ's love, and "would gladly give all the substance of his house for it." But it is not to be bought; Christ loves us freely. And what encourages and constrains the labourer to work? Why, it is "his hire," upon which "his heart is set." And what was it that constrained "Paul to labour more abundantly than they all," than all the rest of the apostles? He tells you himself "the love of Christ constraineth me." Every poor perishing sinner first labours hard to obtain a sense of Christ's love; and, when he hath received it, he then labours as hard to keep it, nor can all the current coin of heaven satisfy him if this penny be wanting.

These labourers are described and held forth as "standing idle in the market-place." They were idle, because, by their having no knowledge of Christ, they could not work for him; and, by their being discontented and distressed, like "David's regiment," they could not work cheerfully for Satan, and so could not "serve either God or mammon," and therefore they stand idle.

"And he said, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you; and they went their way," Matt. xx. 4. The word that sends them makes them obedient at once, for "where the word of a king is there is power;" which we may clearly discover in the conduct of "the younger son, who at first declared that he would not go into the vineyard, but afterwards he repented and went;" which repentance unto life, and a godly sorrow, or sorrow after a godly sort, is produced by a discovery of the "dying love of Christ," for it is that which "makes us look at him whom we have pierced, and mourn for him;" a sense of which produces repentance and obedience too. "Whatsoever is right that shall ye receive." Christ so loved us as to lay down his life for us; and he calls all those who labour and are heavy laden to come unto him, and promises that they shall find rest to their souls, for his yoke is easy and his burden light. But who are they that shall come to him? "Jesus saith, if I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me;" but there is no drawing us to him but by love, and they must and shall find rest to their souls; but they cannot rest contented, though they may possess many gifts, without a sense of his love. And what is his easy yoke? "Why, faith that worketh by love." And what will make the burden of a daily cross light? Not slavish fear, "but love that casts out fear." And who is this promised to? Why, "to those who labour and are heavy laden." And is this promised to such poor miserable labourers? Yes it is, and that by one who cannot lie. Then it is no more than right that they should have it, and so they shall, for so it is written, "Whatsoever is right that shall ye receive."

Some of these labourers were hired early, others at the third hour, others at the sixth, and others at the eleventh hour; so that some were hired at five o'clock in the morning, others at nine, others at twelve, and others at five o'clock in the afternoon; which different times, I conceive, imply the various stages of life at which different persons are called by grace. Many persons, like Samuel, Jeroboam's son, and Timothy, are called early; and "such remember their Creator in their youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them," Ecc. xii. 1. And others, like "the thief upon the cross," are called at the eleventh hour; the first of which had a sense of Christ's love, and the last had the same; for "Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise." Which answer to the poor thief's prayer was such an one as was never received by any soul in such circumstances, either before Christ's day or since. It was as full and replete with free and sovereign clemency, both in the application and effects of it, as eternal love could make it.

It is common for money, which passes current in a nation, to bear the image of the sovereign ruler of the people; hence we read of "Caesar's image and superscription" on the Roman penny which was brought to Christ. And surely there is nothing that makes a saint appear with so much of the image of Jesus as a sense of pardoning love; and, on the other hand, I believe that carnal enmity against God is the most striking and principal feature in the image of the "earthly Adam," of Satan also, and of all his children. "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed."

Now these labourers, being poor and needy, and having set their heart upon their hire, they are, saith my text, to be before the sun goes down; for "the sun shall not go down upon it:" conformable to which our great Householder acts; for, "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," Matt. xx. 8.

This steward is a gospel minister, or the whole cloud of witnesses in one body, in union and in harmony together, both in faith and doctrine; who are called "stewards of the mysteries, and of the manifold grace of God." But then it may be objected that it is not in their power to "give the love of Christ," which I readily grant; yet they are said to "invite the people and to bid the guests," and, having "freely received, freely they are to give;" and they are said to "bring forth the best robe, the shoes, and the ring, to put on the prodigal son;" that is, they are to preach Christ crucified, imputed righteousness, faith, and the love of Christ, to him; and, if they bring forth the ring, why not the hire? and, if they give to the household a "portion of meat in due season," as to hungry souls, why not the "penny to the labourious" ones? I know that the excellency of the power is of God, and not of man; yet Christ will put an honour upon the ministry of his own word, and upon those ministers in whom he dwells, and out of whom he shines, and by whom he speaks; and I believe that most of God's people will agree with me in this, that they have received the love of Christ into their souls through the instrumentality of the gospel ministry; for, where one receives it without that means, there are an hundred that receive it by that means, or by the instrumentality of private christians.

"The sun shall not go down upon the hire of these labourers." By the sun going down two things are meant; the one is the awful departure of the glorious light of the gospel from a nation, or a people, who have been favoured with it. "When the sun goes down over the prophets, and the day is dark over them," Micah, iii. 9. When there are no visions, and people perish for lack of knowledge; for "where there is no vision the people perish," Prov. xxix. 18. And this was the case with the Jews when their "sun was turned into darkness, and their moon into blood," at the awful departure of the Messiah, and his gospel from them. And the other meaning is, when people come into a state of death; for that is "the night which cometh wherein no man can work;" and, when they are thus gone, "they have no more part for ever in any thing that is done under the sun;" for, though the sun is not gone from them, yet they are gone from it, like Israel into their state of captivity, compared to a valley of dead men and dry bones. "She that hath borne seven languisheth, she hath given up the ghost, her sun is gone down," Jer. xv. 9.

This hire must be paid before the sun goes down. "The sun must not go down upon this hire, upon which the poor and needy set their hearts." And this the lord of the household owns to be right, for he saith at their going into the vineyard, "Whatsoever is right that shall ye receive." And what is to make a thing right or wrong, but some law? And the law says, "The sun shall not go down upon the hire of a servant that is poor and needy, because his heart is set upon it." He must be paid; and therefore the householder calls his servants, and orders his steward to pay them, and that at six o'clock too; for he that was "hired at the eleventh hour," or at five o'clock, had "wrought but one hour, and yet he was paid first."

But why must they be paid before the sun goes down? Because God will have it so; and Christ came to do the will of him that sent him, and to finish his work; yea, he delighted in it. "I delight to do thy will, O my God; yea, thy law is within my heart:" and it became him to fulfil all righteousness.

Now the reasons assigned for this is not only the appointment of God the Father, but it is what God the Son undertook. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; he hath sent me to preach good tidings to the meek, to bind up the broken hearted, and to preach deliverance to captives." But I know not of any good tidings to the meek but dying and redeeming love; nor do I know of any bandage that will swaddle a heart broken with the terrors of God but the love of Christ. And what can deliver a captive but that love which casteth out fear?

Again, himself declares that "except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God;" but how can he be born again who never tastes of divine love, seeing that it is he "and only he that loveth that is born of God, and knoweth God, for he that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love."

Once more, "Christ came to deliver those who, through the fear of death, were all their life-time subject to bondage." If he came on purpose to deliver such souls as these, no doubt but he will do it; but then what can deliver them from this bondage to the fear of death? I answer, "nothing but love can cast out torment." By which it appears that the absolute will of the undertaking of Christ to perform his will, the necessity of spiritual birth in order to an admittance into the kingdom of God, which is impossible without it, and the mission and commission of Christ to preach deliverance to captives, and to deliver those who through the fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage; these things, I say, make it indispensably necessary to pay the penny to the labourers before the sun goes down, for "it is their hire, and they are poor and needy, and set their heart upon it;" nor can their souls ever be satisfied without it, for it is love and nothing else, that satisfies; and therefore "the Saviour bids them ask for it, that their joy might be full;" for what can fill the heart with joy but love? I answer, Nothing; for no man can be filled with joy but he that loves the thing enjoyed; there is no joy in any thing that a man hates, but rather grief.

This hire is a penny per day, which is expressive of the constant, immutable, and everlasting love of Christ to his people, which is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. And without this penny to be enjoyed in the labour, there is no satisfaction. Let the saint have what displays of providence he may, let him have never so many distant views of the covenant, and let the preacher have never such great light and liberty in his subject, yet, if there is no sense of love, no penny per day, he is not satisfied, he will conclude that he is to be put off with portion in this life; or else he will take it for granted he has gift without grace, "and that he is to preach the gospel to others, and himself to be a cast-away at the last." Nothing but doubts and fears, jealousies and suspicions, will work within; and, the more he sees others blessed under him, the more the vehement flame of jealousy will burn, for jealousy is cruel as the grave, and love is the root of it; for where there is no love there is no jealousy, except it be like that of Saul's, who was jealous of human applause, and who wished Samuel to honour him before the people, in order to obtain it and keep it; but Saul was no saint.

But when these labourers were paid "they murmured against the good man of the house, became the last were paid first, and because all received a penny alike." This is often seen by souls as are called at the eleventh hour, and die in their first love; and thus those who are called late are more indulged than those who have borne the heat and burden of the day. This penny, or this love, is not to be bought either with labour or all the substance of a man's house; both these are utterly contemned when offered to be given for love, either for the displays of it or the enjoyment of it.

For this murmuring only a gentle reproof is given, for no householder can be offended at the envy and aim of his servants when they strive to be uppermost in his affections; nor is it likely that Christ, our dear Redeemer, who loved his spouse better than his own life, should be offended at her cordial affection for him, or jealousy over his love to her. The murmuring of these servants seems to spring from a legal spirit, conceiving that, as they had toiled under the heat and burden of the day, they merited more than others who had worked but one hour; against which spirit runs the whole current of the gospel; yea, even against the very name of it.

Furthermore, the servants by this spirit take upon them rather to command than obey, which ill becomes either a servant or a wife, who are ordered to be in subjection, the one to his master, and the other to her own husband; besides, this murmuring alters not the matter; the last are first, and the first last; he that humbles himself as a little child is the greatest in the empire of grace; he that takes the lowest room shall go up higher; he that thinks himself the last shall be first; and he that is the least in his own eyes shall be one of the heads of the tribes of Israel. God will dwell with the broken and contrite heart, and look at those for good, even with a loving heart and helping hand, who tremble at his word. I well know that all the scuffle and contention that arises among God's real saints, now is, and ever hath been, which shall be the greatest, or which shall stand highest in the Lord's favour. But God our Saviour is without partiality; he loves all his children alike; nor shall there be any difference between them in ultimate glory, though there are and may be many disputes about it in this world, in order to provoke the jealousy, and to stir up the diligence, of all to be ambitious in excelling.

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