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him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance but from him that hath not, shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”—Matt. xxv. 14-30..

DR. CAMPBELL remarks, "something (it is not said what) is here compared to a man who went abroad. This defect is supplied in the common version by these words-the kingdom of heaven is.' In my opinion it was originally, the SON OF MAN is." This we regard as a very probable conjecture or, at any rate, we are confident Jesus intended to represent himself by the man travelling into a far country.'

The different kinds of Christians, to whom different opportunities of doing good had been given, were represented by the several servants, on whom different degrees of treasure had been confered.

The return of the master to reckon with his servants, represents the coming of Christ, at the destruction of Jerusalem, to reward the faithful and punish the slothful members of his church.

The improvement made by the faithful servants of the means placed in their hands, and the slothfulness of him who hid his talent in the earth, repsent the different kinds of conduct pursued by the professing Christiaus, some of them making a wise use of the advantages they enjoyed, and others indulging in sloth and disobedience.

The righteous retribution with which Jesus visited both faithful and unfaithful professors, is displayed in the manner the servants were dealt with on the return of their master.

A few remarks on the particular design of Christ

4 Note on Matt. xxv. 14.

in uttering this parable, and such observations as will tend to present the different features of it in the most striking manner, is all that is necessary to be said in this place; since it will be brought forward again, in the consideration of the succeeding parable.

To enforce the duty of faithfulness was the particular object which Jesus had in view, as he had enjoined that of watchfulness in the parable of the virgins. Christians were not allowed to plead that they had enjoyed but few advantages, and that it was, therefore, excusable in them if they were not prepared for the coming of their Lord. Nothing more would be required of them than what they actually had the power to do. He who had gained but two talents was equally praised and rewarded with him who had gained five, because he had done equally as well, considering the means which had been put into his hands. But he to whom one talent was given, had not gained any thing; he was slothful and faithless; he had hid his talent in the earth; and to add to his wickedness, he sought to excuse himself by accusing his master. To him that hath,' i. e, hat much, shall be given,' saith the Saviour, and from him that hath not,' i. e. hath but I tile, shall be taken even that which he hath.' The evident meaning here is, the disciple who has many advantages, and improves them well, will receive still more; but he that has few advantages, and neglects to improve them, shall lose the little which he possesses.

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The master of the servants is described as returning after a long time. It is certain that the Christians grew impatient in expecting the coming of Christ. The evil servant, Matt. xxiv. 48, is represented as saying, "my lord delayeth his coming."

The ten virgins all slumbered and slept while the bridegroom tarried. Paul, 2 Thess. iii. 5, recommends "the patient waiting for Christ." James saith, chap. v. 7, 8, "Be patient, therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and bath long patience for it, until he receive the early and the latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." Under the grievous persecutions which they suffered from the Jews, and which they had been promised should expire at the coming of Christ, it is not strange that they should become impatient; and while James bids them wait patiently for the event, he assures them it is drawing nigh; and the whole strain of his language implies that they would live to see the event.

Parable of the Sheep and Goats.

MATT. XXV. 31-46.

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations; and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was a hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee a hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? shall answer and say unto them, Verily, I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was a hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, whey saw we thee a hungered, or athirst,or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily, I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."

not.

And the King

We have now approached a parable, that, for many ages, by the almost universal consent of the Christian church, has been applied to the events which it is supposed will take place at the end of time, and in the future state of existence. Notwithstanding it has been thus generally misinterpreted, the incaning is certainly plain; and the reader would be infallibly led to it by the context, were his mind not diverted by prejudice from the strain of the Saviour's reasoning, and were he to exercise a due degree of caution in the investigation. With a proper deference to the general opinion of divines and commentators, we shall proceed with care, assuming nothing which is not evident, nor asserting what we do not prove,

At the very commencement of the parable, the Saviour informs us, when those things of which he spake were to take place. See verse 31. "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of glory," &c. &c. Let the reader now be careful to observe, that all which is predicted in this parable was to be fulfilled, at the coming of the Son of man in his glory. The only inquiry, therefore, necessary to make, in order to ascertain when the events of this parable took place, is this-when did the Son of man come in his glory?

In the first place, see Matt. xvi. 27, 28, "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." This must be the same coming of the Son of man, mentioned in the text. In both instances it is a glorious coming; in both the Son of man is accompanied with angels; and in

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