diately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon fhall not give her light; and the stars fhall fall from heaven, and the powers of 30 the heavens fhall be fhaken. And then fhall appear the fign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power 31 and great glory. And he will fend forth his angels, with a loud-founding trumpet, and they fhall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 32 || Learn a parable from the fig-tree; when its branch is now tender and shooteth forth leaves, ye know that 83 the fummer is nigh. So likewise when ye fee all these 34 things, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I fay to you, This generation fhall not pass away till all 35 things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but 36 my words fhall not pafs away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, neither the Angels of heaven, 37 but my Father only. But as the days of Noah, fo 38 fhall also the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating language of man as of God, with whom a thousand years are as one day, one moment. Many of the primitive chriftians not obferving this, thought he would come immediately, in the common feufe of the word: a mistake which St. Paul labours to remove, in his fecond epiftle to the Theffalonians. The powers of the heavens--Probably the influences of the heavenly bodies. V. 30. Then fhall appear the fign of the Son of man in heaven—It seems a little before he himfelf defcends. The fun, moon, and ftars being extinguifhed (probably, not those of our fyftem only) the fign of the Son of man (perhaps the crofs) will appear in the glory of the Lord. V. 3 They fhall gather together his elect-That is, all that have endured to the end in the faith which worketh by love. V. 32 Learn a parable-Our Lord have spoken of the figns preceding the two grand events, concerning which the apostles had enquired, begins here to speak of the time of them. And to the question propofed ver. 3. concerning the time of the deftruction of Jerufalem, he anfwers ver. 34. Concerning the time of the end of the world, he anfwers ver. 36. V. 34. This generation of men now living fhall not pass 'till all these things be done-The expreffion implies, that great part of that generation would be paffed away, but not the whole. Juft fo it was. For the city and temple were deffroyed thirty-nine or forty years after. V. 36. But of that day-The day of judgment: Knoweth no man-Not while our Lord was on earth. Yet it might be afterwards revealed to St. John, confiftently with this. V. 40. One Mark xiii. 28. Luke xxi. 29. Lake xvii. 26. and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage 'till the 39 day that Noah entered into the ark, And knew not, till the flood came and took them all away; fo fhall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40 Then fhall two men be in the field: one is taken, 41 and one is left. Two women fhall be grinding in the mill; one is taken, and one is left. 42 * Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour 43 your Lord cometh. But ye know this, that if the houlholder had known in what watch the thief would have come, he would have watched, and not have 44 fuffered his houfe to be broken open. Therefore be ye alfo ready for at an hour ye think not, the Son of 45 man cometh. Who then is the faithful and wife fervant, whom his lord hath appointed ruler over his 46 houfhold, to give them food in due feafon? Happy is that fervant, whom his lord coming fhall find fo doing. 47 Verily I fay to you, he will appoint him ruler over all 48 his goods. But if that evil fervant fay in his heart, 49 My lord delays his coming: And fhall begin to fmite his fellow-fervant, and fhall eat and drink with the drunken: 50 The lord of that fervant fhall come in a day that he ex pecteth him not, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 51 And fhall cut him afunder, and allot him his portion V. 40. One is taken-Into God's immediate protection; and one is ft-To fhare the common calamities. Our Lord fpeaks, as having the whole tranfaction prefent before his eyes. V. 41. Two women fhall be grinding-Which was then a common em ployment of women. V. 42. Ye know not what hour your Lord cometh-Either to require your foul of you, or to avenge himself of this nation. V. 45. Who then is the faithful and wife fervant-Which of you aspires after this character? Wife-Every moment retaining the clearest con viction, that all he now has is only intrufted to him as a steward: faithful -Thinking, fpeaking, and acting continually, in a manner fuitable to that conviction. V. 48. But if that evil serdant-Now evil, having put away faith and a good confcience. V. 51. And allot him his portion with the hypocrites-The worst of finners, as upright and fincere as he was once! If Minifters are the perfons here primarily intended, there is a peculiar propriety in the expreffion. For no hypocrify can be bafer, than to call ourfelves minifters of Christ, while we are the flaves of avarice, ambition, or fenfuality. Wherever fuch are found, may God reform them by his grace, or difarm them of that power and influence, which they continually abufe to his difhonour, and to their own aggravated damnation! Mark xiii. 38. Luke xii. 35. xxi. 34. C. xx v. This Ch. xxv. 1---ġu with the hypocrites: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. XXV. Then fhall the kingdom of heaven be like ten virgins who taking their lamps, went forth to meet the 2 bridegroom. But five of them were wife, and five were 3 foolish. They that were foolish, taking their lamps, 4 took no oil with them. But the wife took oil in their 5 veffels with their lamps. While the bridegroom delay6 ed, they all flumbered and flept. But at midnight there was a cry, Behold the bridegroom cometh: come ye 7 forth to meet him. Then all thofe virgins arose and 8 trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wife, 9 give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wife answered, Left there be not enough for us and you go ye rather to them that fell, and buy for : your C. xxv. This chapter contains the laft public difcourfe, which our Lord uttered before he was offered up. He had before frequently declared what would be the portion of all the workers of iniquity. But what will become of those who do no harm? Honeft, inoffenfive, good fort of people? We have here a clear and full answer, to this important question. V. 1. Then fhall the kingdom of heaven-That is, the candidates for it, Be like ten virgins-The bride maids on the wedding night, were wont to go to the houfe where the bride was, with burning lamps or torches in their hands to wait for the bridegroom's coming. When he drew near they went to meet him with their lamps, and to conduct him to the bride. V. 3. The foolish took no oil with them-No more than kept them burning juft for the prefent. None to fupply their future want, to re cruit their lamp's decay. The lamp is faith. A lamp and oil with it, is faith working hy love. V. 4. The wife took oil in their veffels-Love in their hearts. And they daily fought a fresh fupply of fpiritual ftrength, till their faith was made perfect. V. 5. While the bridegroom delayed-That is, before they were called to attend him, they all flumbered and slept Were easy and quiet, the wife enjoying a true, the foolish a falfe peace. V. 6. At midnight-In an hour quite unthought of. V. 1.7. They trimmed their lamps-They examined themselves, and prepared to meet their God. V. 8. Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out-Our faith is dead. What a time to difcover this! Whether it mean the time of death, or of judgment. Unto which of the Saints wilt thou then turn Who can help thee at fuch a feason. V. 9. But the wife anfwered, Left there be not enough for us and you Beginning the fentence with a beautiful abruptnefs; fuch as fhewed their furprize, at the state of those poor wretches, who had fo long deceived them, as well as their own fouls. Left there be not enough-It is fure there is not; for no man has more than holiness enough for himself. Go ye rather to them that fell-Without money and without price: that is, to God, to Chrift. And buy-If ye can. O no! The time is paft, and returns no more! V. 13. Watch 10 felves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to 11 the marriage; and the door was fhut. Afterward come 12 alfo the other virgins, faying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answering faid, Verily I fay to you, I know you Watch therefore; for ye know not the day nor 13 not. the hour. 14 * For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own fervants, and 15 delivered to them his goods. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability, and immediately took his 16 journey. Then he who had received the five talents, went and traded with them, and gained other five talents. 17 And likewife he that had received the two, he also gain18 ed other two. But he that had received the one, went and digged in the earth, and hid his mafter's money. 19 After a long time the master of those servants cometh 20 and reckoneth with them. And he that had received the five talents came and brought other five talents, faying, Sir, thou deliveredft to me five talents, behold I 21 have gained to them five talents more. His mafter said to him, Well done, good, and faithful fervant: thou haft been faithful over a few things, I will fet thee over 22 many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He alfo that had received the two talents; came and said, Sir, thou deliveredst to me two talents; behold I have 23 gained to them two other talents. His mafter faid to him, Well done, good and faithful fervant: thou haft V. 13. Watch therefore-He that watches, has not only a burning lamp, but likewife oil in his veffel. And even when he fleepeth, his heart waketh. He is quiet; but not fecure. V. 14. Our Lord proceeds by a parable, ftill plainer (if that can be} to declare the final reward of an harmless man. May God give all fuch, in this their day, ears to hear and hearts to understand it! The kingdom of heaven-That is, the King of heaven. Chrift. V. 15. To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another oneAnd who knows whether (all circumstances confidered) there be a greater difproportion than this, in the talents of those who have received the moft, and those who have received the feweft? According to his own ability -The words may be tranflated more literally, according to his own mighty power. And immediately took his journey-To heaven. V. 18. He that had received one-Made his having fewer talents than others a pretence for not improving any. Went and hid his mafier's money Reader, art thou doing the fame? Art thou hiding the talent God hath lent thee? 24---30. been faithful over a few things; I will fet thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 24 Then he that had received the one talent came and faid, Sir, I knew, that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hadft not fown, and gathering whence thou 25 hadft not scattered. And being afraid, I went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, thou haft what is thine. 26 His master answering faid to him, Thou wicked and flothful fervant, thou knewest that I reap where I fowed 27 not, and gather whence I had not fcattered? Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received my own with 28 intereft. Take therefore the talent from him, and give 29 it to him who hath ten talents. * For to every one that hath fhall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not, shall be taken away even 30 what he hath. And caft ye the unprofitable fervant into the outer darkness: there fhall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. Thou knoweft him V. 24. I knew thou art an hard man--No. not. He never knew God, who thinks him an hard master. Reaping where thou haft not fownThat is, requiring more of us than thou givelt us power to perform. So does every obftinate finner, in one kind or other, lay the blame of his own fins on God, V. 25. And I was afraid-Left if I had improved my talent, fhould have had the more to anfwer for. So from this fear, one will not learn to read; another will not hear fermons ! V. 26. Thou knoweft-That I require impoffibilities! This is not an allowing, but a strong denial of the charge. V. 27. Thou oughteft therefore-On that very account, on thy own fuppofition, to have improved my talent, as far as was poffible. V. 29. To every one that hath fhall be given So clofe does God keep to this ftated rule, from the beginning to the end of the world. V. 30. Cafve the unprofitable fervant into the outer darkness-For what? What had he done? It is true he had not done good. But neither is he charged with doing any harm. Why, for this reafon, for barely doing no harm, he is configned to outer darkness. He is pronounced a wicked, because he was a flothful, an unprofitable fervant. So mere harmlessness, on which many build their hope of falvation, was the cause of his damnation! There fhall be the weeping-Of the careless thoughtless finner; and the gnashing of tecth---Of the proud and ftubborn. The fame great truth, that there is no fuch thing as negative goodness, is in this chapter fhewn three times, 1. In the parable of the virgins; 2. In the fill plainer parable of the fervants who had received the talents; and 3. In a direct unparabolical declaration of the manner wherein our Lord will proceed at the laft day. The feveral parts of cach of thefe exactly answer each other, only each rifes above the preceding Matt, xiii. V. 31, When |