not
to complain of the extension of the same pardon to another.

But the parable, in the two last verses of it, proceeds a step
further, for it is there added by our Saviour, "Is thine eye evil
because I am good?" which is as if he said, "What, do you take offence
then at my being so merciful? Does it provoke your envy to see a vile
Gentile called at the eleventh hour, and made equal to yourselves, who
profess to have been the people of God from the beginning, and to have
borne the whole burden and heat of the day?" Some very awful words are
then added, wherein it is implied, that they who are ready to make
this objection, brought thereby their own religious character into
suspicion; and that these very penitents of the eleventh hour, whom
they now presumed to despise, should hereafter even take place above
them--for it is said, "So the first shall be last, and the last first;
for many are called, but few chosen."

These words appear to be a prophecy of our Judge, which relates to the
great day of judgment. Then many a popular but irreligious character,
many a one who has been praised to the stars in this ignorant and
misjudging world, and whose supposed virtues have both deceived
himself, and dazzled all around him, shall sink at once into
everlasting shame and disgrace; while many a poor, despised, yet
repenting sinner, shall come forward and receive his crown of glory.

O, what a wonderful change in many of the appearances which we now
see, shall we witness on the day of judgment. Let us not fail to
remark, that then also many a false though flaming professor of the
gospel, many a vain, forward, and conceited teacher, many a
self-confident enthusiast, and many a narrow-minded and fiery bigot,
who has spent his life in little else than in judging and condemning
others, shall be brought forward in the face of the assembled world,
and shall receive his own condemnation. Then also many a diffident and
trembling believer, and many a meek and lowly Christian, who has been
laboring with little noise in some obscure corner of his Lord's
vineyard, and on whom the bigots, not seeing him among their party,
have presumptuously dealt damnation, shall take that prize which has
been denied to those who set themselves up as judges over him, and
shall be bid to enter into the joy of his Lord. "So the first shall
be last, and the last first; for many are called, but few chosen."

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