INEXPRESSIBLY GREAT.

"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 hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life." Three ideas are here suggested, which will bring out our general proposition :First. That respect for Christ is essential to the rewardableness of human conduct.. "For my name's sake," says Christ. The expression, which is of frequent occurrence, indicates, I think, supreme respect for the Spirit which he exemplified, the doctrines he taught, and the enterprise he adopted. To respect Christ in this sense is to respect the greatest truths, the most perfect goodness, the highest interests of humanity, and the sublimest manifestations of God; and this is virtue, and nothing else. "Whatsoever ye do, therefore," saith the apostle, "in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus." Secondly. That respect for Christ may frequently involve great sacrifices. At the outset of Christianity, those who identified themselves with it had to forsake "houses," "brethren," "sisters," &c.; and, up to the present moment, it has held true that the full and faithful carrying out of religion involves sacrifices in some form or other. The next truth which this verse contains is, thirdly, that these sacrifices, however great, are infinitely more than compensated. An hundredfold shall be received in this life, and in the future state everlasting life. The advantages of a religious life here are infinitely more than a counterbalance to all the inconveniences that may arise out of it. What inward tranquillity what uplifting thoughts! what buoyant energy of soul! what high aspirations! what lofty hopes! what kindling inspirations! How delightsome to feel that death is gain, that God is our Father, that the universe is our home, and that eternity is the sphere where we shall develop our powers, realize our desires, and fulfil our aims! all this to the hereafter-EVERLASTING LIFE! Here are ages of enjoyment that no arithmetic can compute; oceans of pleasure, whose majestic billows rise from the depths of infinitude, and break on no shore !

But what is

This is the reward of piety for all-not for the apostles only, but for "every one." We infer, from this passage

III. THAT THE REWARD OF PIETY IS INVARIABLY OBTAINED IN CONNEXION WITH LABOUR. In the parable, the householder rewarded none "in the evening" who had not been employed some part of the day in the vineyard. Those who continued "all the day idle" received nothing from the householder's hand at the reckoning hour. Work is heaven's condition of prosperity and enjoyment in everything. Indolence brings ruin to the individual and the state, to the body, intellect, and soul. It fills our workhouses with paupers, our prisons with culprits; it keeps the intellect in the darkness of ignorance and error, and the will in the chain of prejudice and passion; it makes the moral heart of the world like the "field of the slothful," all grown over with thorns and nettles, “and the stone wall thereof broken down." Who, then, will be rewarded in the evening? Not the man whose religion consisted merely in hearing sermons, seeking comfort, talking his beliefs, uttering sentimental sympathies, and offering prayers; but the man who laboured earnestly, faithfully, and devoutly, in the cause of humanity, for Christ's sake.

I infer, from this passage

IV. THAT THE REWARD OF PIETY IS NOT REGULATED BY Here are

THE TIME ON WHICH THE LABOUR WAS ENTERED.

persons who commenced their labours at different hours in the day-some who entered even on the last hour-and yet all received the same sum. The common opinion concerning these "hours" is, that they refer to the different periods of individual life-childhood, youth, middle life, old age. Against this opinion I have two objections :-first, that such an idea does not harmonize with the design of Christ, which was to answer the question of Peter; and, secondly, that such an idea tends to weaken the motive for the present consecration, by holding out an advantage for procrastination; for if the man who adopts religion in the "eleventh hour"-in old

age will be treated the same as he who has pursued a religious course from the first of his conscious being, what motive is there for youthful consecration? It seems to me to refer not to the different periods of individual life, but to the different periods of gospel history. Our Saviour is answering the question of men who entered the Christian vineyard on the first period of the history of his system-the "third hour" -the dim dawn of the gospel day; and who seemed to feel that they had a claim to special honours on that account. Jesus reminds them, by his parable, that there was no ground for such a hope; that the people who would enter on the work in any subsequent age, up to the very last hour in the world's history, would be treated alike. This view not only gives point to Christ's reply, but a sublime grandeur to his system. His system is not for one generation, or one age, but for all generations and all ages, up to the last. Century after century, up till the clock of time strikes the last hour, men will be entering his vineyard; and the man of the last age shall be rewarded as well as the man of the first. Thus the old proverb shall receive another illustration :-" The last shall be first, and the first last."

V. THAT THE REWARD OF PIETY IS EVER ADMINISTERED ON PRINCIPLES OF UNDENIABLE FAIRNESS. Some of those labourers in the parable who had entered the vineyard first, on receiving the same pay as those who had entered last, "murmured against the goodman of the house, saying, These last have wrought but one hour," &c.*

The murmuring affords an opportunity of showing how fair the principles are on which he bestows rewards. First. It always agrees with the understanding of the labourer when he commenced his work. "Didst thou not agree with me for a penny?" What is the promise that Christ makes to a man on his entering his system? SALVATION. This is, indeed,

* This murmuring of the labourers is a mere stroke on the background of the picture, to show off to greater effect the main subject. All parables have such strokes.

all that Christ directly bestows. All the peculiarities of glory spring out of diversity of talent, position, &c. The labourer thinks of nothing more than SALVATION at the time. To have this is his highest aim; and this "penny," this reward, every true labourer shall have. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Secondly. It always agrees with the manifest principles of justice. "Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?" Indeed, in Christ's labour there is no right to a reward; the very word is an accommodation. Who gave the strength to labour, the time to labour, the disposition to labour? Christ. Whatever blessing, therefore, comes as the result, is a sovereign gift rather than a righteous allotment. Where, then, is the ground for murmuring? "Is thine eye evil, because I am good?"-Art thou envious, because I am so generous to all?

VI. THAT THE REWARD OF PIETY WILL BE EXTENSIVELY ENJOYED. "For many be called, but few chosen." Three different ideas have been attached to this expression. The first is, that whilst God calls many by the gospel, he has only chosen a few to be saved; the second, that the chosen refers to the Jews, and the called to the Gentiles; and the third, that the chosen refers to the few apostles selected as his first heralds, and the many to those who, by his gospel, shall be brought into his kingdom. The first is a God-dishonouring idea, entertained by a class which, under the increasing light of intelligence, is dwindling fast. The second is an idea which is, unquestionably, true, but not, we think, the truth intended to be taught. Christ is answering a question put by his disciples, who were, in an especial sense, his chosen ones; and what he means, I presume, is, You, my disciples, are but very few compared with the many that are to be called to the high privileges of my kingdom.

Analysis of Homily the Fifty-eighth.

"Behold, a sower went forth to sow; and when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth," &c. -Matt. xiii. 3-8.

SUBJECT:-God's Word, and Man's Soul.

THERE are four great general truths which this parable brings up to our minds, and which introduce us to a good view of the classes of gospel hearers here brought under our notice. First. That there is a constitutional affinity subsisting between man's soul and God's word. The soil is made to receive, germinate, and unfold the seed; and the seed, in its turn, to clothe its surface with loveliness, and enrich it with fruit. The parable implies a similar connexion between the word of God and the human soul. The most glorious fact in our nature is, that we have a capacity to receive and develop a word from the INFINITE. Secondly. That, notwithstanding this affinity, they are often found existing in a state of separation from each other. In the scene before us, you have the field ploughed and harrowed, but no seed in it: the seed is in the sower's basket, until he throws it out. It is so in relation to the word of God and the soul. There are millions of cases where they exist apart; and these minds, like the untilled acres of unpeopled lands, are "a wilderness and a waste." Thirdly. That there is an agency in operation to bring the two into a right connexion. The sower has gone forth to put the seed into the soil. This represents an agency employed to bring God's word into contact with souls. What is that agency? who is the spiritual sower? Our answer is, the Christian teacher. The old prophets, Christ, the apostles, ministers, and all who, in every age, of whatever sect, who from Christian motives-by writing, preaching, or conversationdisseminate gospel truths, are represented by this sower." Thank God, there is an agency at work in this world to bring

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