the covenant, will toss off with ease the load of
impediments that obstructed for a time its movements, and you will
forgive even as you have been forgiven.

IX.

THE VINEYARD LABOURERS.

"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 market-place, 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."--MATT. xx. 1-16.

Again the heavenly kingdom is compared to the proceedings of a human
householder. While in fertile plains, like Esdraelon, the grain-field
was the Hebrew husbandman's chief care, on the mountain sides, the
vineyards were the most valuable property, and required the greatest
amount of labour. The steepness of the slopes on which the vine grows
best, greatly increases the owner's toil. In many ca