eir meaning comprehended. Lest those to whom they were promised might
count too surely upon successful attainment, to the neglect of effort,
and become proud withal, the Lord added this profound precept of
caution: "But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be
first."

It was the text of the sermon known to us as the _Parable of the
Laborers_.[1005] Hear 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. And when he had agreed with the
labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And
he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle
in the marketplace, and said unto them:

"Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will
give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the
sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh
hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto
them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him,
Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also
into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye
receive. 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. And when they came that
were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a
penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should
have received more; and they likewise received every man a
penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the
goodman of the house, 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. But he answered one of them, and
said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me
for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give
unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do
what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be
called, but few chosen."

The procedure of a householder going into the marketplace to hire
laborers was common to the time and place, and is still an ordinary
occurrence in many lands. The first to be hired in the course of the
story made a de