vine legation of Moses was followed by a succession of prophets for the same purpose. Under the Christian dispensation, “He gave

66

66

66

some, Apostles, and some, prophets, and

some, evangelists, and some, pastors and "teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, "for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ"." And from thence to the present time, let the history of the church testify how many illustrious champions of the faith, how many faithful and indefatigable labourers in the vineyard, have been raised up, making full proof of their ministry, in the most difficult times and under circumstances the most discouraging.

One more observation arises from this view of the parable. The cultivation of the vineyard was intrusted, not to labourers intruding into the service without authority from their Lord, but to such as were duly called and appointed to perform the work. The sacred office of the ministry is not, therefore, to be usurped by bold and confident men, assuming to themselves pretensions of which they can give no satisfactory external evidence. "No man," says the Apostle, "taketh "this honour unto himself, but he that is m Ephes. iv. 11, 12.

"called of God, as was Aaron ";" who had an authoritative commission evidenced by outward tokens. Nor is it difficult to know, under the Christian dispensation, what those tokens should be. Our Lord ordained his Apostles. The Apostles ordained others, with powers to ordain likewise; and thus provision was made for perpetuating the ministerial office according to the will of its heavenly Founder. This, then, is a visible, a standing evidence of the call which is necessary to warrant the assumption of the office and most fearful is the responsibility which is incurred by those who assume it without full conviction of being thus duly authorized. The fancied good to be derived from infringing on this rule will be greatly overbalanced by the evil of irregularity and confusion and the history of the church affords convincing proof that the labour thus expended will generally be of unsuccessful issue.

The parable has thus been shewn, I trust, to abound with important instruction, and to be clogged with no insuperable difficulties. Though it arose out of circumstances relating to the Apostles only; yet it is couched in terms which give it a much more extenn Hebr. v. 4.

sive application. It was calculated to repress any aspiring or ambitious views to which the peculiar situation of the Apostles rendered them liable; and to abate the force of those national prejudices which indisposed them to the enlarged views of the Gospel dispensation. It admonished them not to presume upon their high functions and privileges, to the disparagement of the labours of others; not to be "high-minded, but to fear," lest they themselves should fall short of their expected recompense; not to advance claims founded on their own merits, or on the value of their services, but to remember that their sufficiency was of God, and that it was of His free grace and mercy that they were called to this state of salvation themselves, and made instruments of calling others. It taught them also to beware of measuring the justice of the Divine dispensations by the standard of their own imperfect conceptions; to be careful in securing their own reward, without grudging a reward to any man; to trust in God for all needful helps to carry on and perpetuate the work he had begun in them; and to rely on the efficacy of his ordinances and appointments for producing the intended result.

o Rom. xi. 20.

66

In these instructions we also have an evident interest. A salutary reproof is given to all who are disposed to vaunt themselves on their spiritual privileges, or their superior merits; to all who "trust in themselves that they are righteous, and despise others;" to all who would limit the mercies of God to the narrow views of party spirit. Encouragement is also given, not only to the Christian ministry, but to every faithful disciple of his Lord, to labour diligently in his vocation, and to work the work of Him that sent him, whatever it may be. For of this may every one be assured, that whether he fill one station or another; whether he be sooner or later called to it; whether he have a greater or a less burden to sustain; God, who is no hard taskmaster, will vouchsafe sufficiency of ability for the purpose; and at the great day of account, every one who hath made a right use of his talents shall receive that sentence, "Well done, good and “faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of "thy Lord"."

66

P Matth. xxv. 21.