Paraphrase of the Hard Texts of Scripture, Scripture 36 · Chapter 20
CAP. XX.
AS some great and carefull housholder that hath hired laboures at a set rate into his vineyard;1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 13, 14. For the kingdome of heaven is like unto a man that is an housholder, which went out earely in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard: And whē he had agreed with the labourers for a penie a day, hee sent them into his vineyard: And hee went out about the third houre, and saw others standing idle in the market place, and said unto them, goe ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you, and they went their way; and when they came that were hired about the eleventh houre, they received every man a pennie: But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more, and they likewise received every man a pennie. But hee answered one of them and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a pennie? Take that thine is, and go thy way, I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. calling in other workemen at severall houres, at the later end of the day, is pleased to give an equall retribution to those that came latest into the vineyard, with those that came in first: making good his promise and agreement with the first, whiles hee is bountifull unto the latter; cannot be chalenged to have done any wrong to the first, in his liberality to the last: even so, God the great master of this earthly familie, having called some more early to the service and profession of his name, some later, if hee shall please to give a like gracious remuneration to all, cannot justly be excepted against: since if some have cause to magnifie his bounty, yet no man hath cause to complaine.
Lord, thou knowest I am thy kins-woman: and therefore worthy to be respected of thee before a stranger: two of my sonnes have attended thee thus long: we are perswaded that thou being the Messias,21 Grant that these my two sonnes may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left in thy kingdome. shalt restore a glorious temporall kingdome to Israel, grant mee this favour, that these two sonnes of mine may be chiefe Peeres under thee, and may be next of honour to thy owne person.
22 But Iesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye aske: Are ye able to drinke of the cup that I shall drinke of, and to be baptized with the baptisme that I am baptized with? they say unto him, we are able.I know there are more hands in this suit, then thine owne: thy sonnes have set thee on to move this. But yee know not what it is, that ye sue for; yee thinke of raigning, and jollitie, and magnificence, but I must call backe your thoughts to sadnesse and suffering: much sorrow must be indured by mee, ere I can raigne, and triumph: neither is my soveraigntie such as yee fondly imagine, outward and earthly. Tell me then, have yee fully digested the expectation, and resolution of those crosses, and afflictions which ye must undergoe? can yee drinke of that bitter cup, wherein I shall begin to you? Can yee indure to be baptized in blood, as ye shall see mee to be? They say to him; Wee are resolved, both that wee are able, and to be willing to take part with thee in whatsoever measure shallbe offered unto thee.
23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drinke indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptisme that I am baptized with; but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them, for whom it is prepared of my Father.And hee saith unto them: as ye are my Disciples, and followers, ye shall indeed take part with mee in my sufferings, make account of smarting and bleeding for mee, and with me: but as for that glory which ye sue for, know that it is mistaken: my kingdome is spirituall, and my glory is, and shall be heavenly: there are indeed degrees of honour and happinesse above; but I came not now to dispose of them: my Father in heaven hath ordained and predetermined, before the foundations of the world, upon whom he will conferre these celestiall honours and precedencie, and eminence of glory; the end and purpose of my comming is, to purchase heaven for you and the rest of my Church: as for the principall roomes, and rankes of glory, there is a bold ambition, and curiositie in you to move for them, and it is no part of my commission to give you satisfaction therein.
When the other ten Apostles heard of this high,24 And when the Ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. and ambitious motion, which was made for their two fellowes, the sonnes of Zebedee, they swelled with envie, and secret indignation, to thinke that these two should make such earnest suit, to outstrip all the rest of their society; and every one began to compare himselfe with others, and to put himselfe forward into a competition of the like honour.
But Jesus called them aside and rebuked them, saying,25 But Iesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great, exercise authority upon them? ye do utterly mistake the matter; ye thinke belike that it is, & shall be in the governing of the spirituall kingdome of my Church, as it is in the temporall regiments, and courts of earthly Princes, ye dreame of secular soveraigntie, and rule each over other; but the case is quite otherwise here; here is no dominion to be exercised by any of you over the rest; as if ye were great Soveraignes, and your brethren base subjects, thus it is indeed in the government of earthly Princes.
But it shall not be so among you,26 But it shall not bee so among you: But whosoever will be great among, let him be your Minister. my Apostles and Disciples: there must needes indeed be distinct orders in my Church: neither is it possible that there should be a meere parity without confusion; but this necessary inequality must be without a proud overlinesse, and insolent domineering over your brethren: all the ambition that I do allow amongst you, is, who shall be most serviceable to my Church, and most obsequious to the rest of his fellowes.