and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, and his APOSTLES, &c. 215 fay unto you, I know you not. You are ilrángers to me ; you did not attend me at my coming, and now the door is (hut, and entrance for ever denied; depart from me all ye workers of iniquity. Therefore, how jufily did our bleffed Saviour bid us all watch, that we may be found ready whenever he cometh, or com- mands, by the king of terrors, our attend- ance before his judgment-feat. Let us not refufe this kind invitation of being con- Randy prepared to meet the heavenly Bridegroom: let us fill our lamps with oil, that we may be ready to follow our great Mafter into the happy manfions of the heavenly Canaan. However, as this duty was of the utmoft importance, our bleffed Saviour, to fhew us more clearly the nature and ufe of Chriftian watchfulnefs, to which he exhorts us at the conclufion of the parable ofthe ten virgins, he added another, wherein he reprefented the different characters of a faithful and flothful fervant, and the dif- ference of their future acceptance. This parable, like the former, is intended to dir us up to a zealous preparation for the coming of our Lord, by diligence in the difcharge of our duty, and by a careful improvement of our fouls in holinefs ; and, at the fame time to expofe the vain pre- tences of hypocrites, and to demonftrate, that fair fpeeches and outward form, with- out the power of godlinefs, will be of no fervice in the laft great day of account. The Son of man, with refpecl to his final coming to judge the world, may be likened unto a man travelling into a far country, whocalled his own fervants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his leveret abilities; and fraitway took hisjourney. He that had received the five talents, loft no time, but went immediately, on his matter's departure, and traded with the fame, and his increafe was equal to his in- duftry and application ; he made them other five talents. He that had received two talents, did the fame, and had equal fuccefs. But he that received one, very unlike the conduct of his fellow -fervants, went his way, digged in the earth, and hid his Lord's money, idle, ufelefs, unemployed, and unimproved. But after a long time, and at an hour when they did not expea it, the Lord of thofe fervants returned, called them before him, and ordered them to give an account oftheir feveral trufls. Uponwhich he that had received five talents, as a proof of his fidelity, produced other five talents, faying, Lord, thou deliveredit unto mefive talents : beheld, I havegained beeide them five talents more. His Lord, highly applauding his induflry and fidelity, faid to him, Well done, thou good and faithful fervent; thou haft beenfaithful over a few things, Iwillmake thee -ruler over many things : enter thou into thejoy of thy Lord. In like manner alto, he that had received two talents, declared he had gained two others : upon which he was honouredwith the fame applaufe, and admitted into the fame joy with his fellow- fervant; their matter having regard to the induftry and fidelity of his fervants, not to the number of the talents only, and . the greatnefs oftheir increafe. Then he that had received the one talent, came, and with a fhameful falfehood, to excufe his vile indolence, faid, Lord, I knew thee, that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou haft not fawn, and ga- thering. where thou haft not ftrawed: andI was afraid, and went and-hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou haft that is thine. This difhonourable notion, which the fer- vant entertained-of his Lord, "greatly- ag- gravated his crime ; and, accordingly, his Lord was wroth, and anfwered, Thou wicked and flothful fervent, thou kneweft that I reap where Ifowed not, and gathered where I have not ftrawed ; thou ought, therefore, to have put my money to the ex- changers, and thenat my coming, Ifhould have received mine own with ufury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto
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