be allowed of, so long as they keep in the
tenour of the catholic faith,(3)) yet they pertain all to one end and
effect, and they are all alike. Therefore although this parable is harder
to understand than the others at the first hearing or reading, yet when we
well advise and consider the same, we shall find it agreeable unto all the
others.

Now to the principal cause, and to which our Saviour had respect in this
parable, and that is, he teaches us hereby that all Christian people are
equal in all things appertaining to the kingdom of Christ. So that we have
one Christ, one Redeemer, one baptism, and one gospel, one Supper of the
Lord, and one kingdom of heaven. So that the poorest man and most
miserable that is in the world, may call God his Father, and Christ his
Redeemer, as well as the greatest king or emperor in the world. And this
is the scope of this parable, wherein Christ teacheth us this equality.
And if this is considered, the whole parable will be easily and soon
understood.(4)

Here is declared unto us that some laboured the whole day, which are hired
for a penny, that is of our money ten pence: for like as we have a piece
of money which we call a shilling, and is in value twelve pence, so the
Jews had a piece that they called _denarium_, and that was in value ten of
our pence. The first company wrought twelve hours, and the others wrought,
some nine hours, some six hours, some three hours, and some but one hour.
Now when evening was come, and the time of payment drew on, the
householder said to his stewart, Go, and give to every man alike, and
begin at those that came last. And when the others that came early in the
morning perceived that they should have no more than those that had
wrought but one hour, they murmured against the householder, saying,
"Shall they which have laboured but one hour, have as much as we that have
wrought the whole day?" The householder, perceiving their discontented
mind, said to one of them, "Friend, wherefore grudgest thou? Is it not
lawful for me to do with mine own what pleaseth me? Have I not given thee
what I promised thee? Content thyself therefore, and go thy way, for it
hath pleased me to give unto this man which hath wrought but one hour as
much as unto thee." This is the sum of this parable, which Christ
concludes with this sentence, "The first shall be the last, and the last
first."

First consider who are these murmurers? The merit-mongers, who esteem
their ow