Some think this is to be understood in regard of the sameness of reward; as if Christ had said thus: The first shall be as the last, and the last shall be as the first, in matter of reward. And for this, they have the next Parable to show, where this same speech is brought in: A certain householder went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard, and agreed with the labourers for a penny a day: and be hired some at the first hour, and some at the last; and those that came in at the last, received a penny as the first did. Whereupon the first they grumbled. The Master answered, vers. 15. 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. Why? because the last had the same penny. As if the meaning of this therefore should be thus much, That ⟨p. 33⟩there should be the same reward given to the one as to the other. But this cannot be the meaning on't: for it is not true; for there shall not be the same reward given to all; some shall have more then others, some shall have greater degrees of glory then others.
Some think this is to be understood in regard of the sameness of reward; as if Christ had said thus: The first shall be as the last, and the last shall be as the first, in matter of reward. And for this, they have the next Parable to shew, where this same speech is brought in: A certain housholder went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard, and agreed with the labourers for a peny a day: and be hired some at the first hour, and some at the last; and those that came in at the last, received a peny as the first did. Whereupon the first they grumbled. The Master answered, vers. 15. 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. Why? because the last had the same peny. As if the meaning of this therefore should be thus much, That ⟨p. 33⟩there should be the same reward given to the one as to the other. But this cannot be the meaning on't: for it is not true; for there shall not be the same reward given to all; some shall have more then others, some shall have greater degrees of glory then others.
