are first shall be last, and the last first.” The mere giving up of worldly advantage for His sake would not ensure final acceptance with God unless the act were performed and accompanied with an acceptable spirit of modesty and self-abasement: “For”—and he proceeds to employ a parable which can only be rightly understood in view of these attendant circumstances. It is a parable of hired labourers. The owner of a vineyard goes out early in the morning and employs all that accept service at a penny