Quesnel: Moral Reflections on the Gospels Vol 1

304 ST. MATTHEW.
ing to the rules of the gospel, in the spirit and exer-
cises of repentance, he performs every thing which
God requires of those whom he calls last, to make
them equal to the first. To enjoy God, and to
enjoy him eternally, is the penny given equally to all.
A moment is perhaps sufficient to obtain it ; but it is
the height of folly and madness, either through a
rash presumption to stay till the last moment, or
through a distrust of God's mercy to let that mo-
ment slip.
" 10. But when the first came, they supposed
that they should have received more; and they like-
wise received every man a penny. 1]. And when
they had received it, they murmured against the
goodman of the house,"
There are perhaps abundance of persons whose
long labours, great austerities, and aversion to ex-
ternal vices, serve only to nourish their pride, to give
them a contempt of others, and to make them think
that God is in their debt. The goodness of God
towards converted sinners is so great, that it gives
some kind of jealousy to the righteous when left to
themselves; and would do so even to the saints if
they were capable of it.
" 12. 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."
We must rely more on the goodness and mercy
of God, than on our own labour or righteousness.
He dispenses not his liberality either according to
the order of our call, or the time of our labour, or
the difficulty of the work, or the reputation it has
acquired us ; but according to the measure of charity.