MATTHEW.

CHA P. XXV.

with him to the marriage, and the door was fhut.

II Afterward came also the other virgins, faying, Lord, Lord,

open to us.

12 But he answered and said, Verily I fay unto you, I know

you not.

13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour, wherein the Son of man cometh.

14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own fervants, and delivered unto them his goods :

15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, and to every man according to his feveral ability, and straightway took his journy.

16 Then he that had received the tive talents, went and traded with the fame, and made them other five talents.

17 And likewife he that had received two, he also gained other two.

18 But he that had receiv

ed one, went and digged in

dent, having join'd the Train, were admitted with the reft into the Banquetingroom. The Door being fhut, the five other Virgins came, earnestly intreating the Bridegroom to give them admittance to the Feast; but he regarded their Requefts no more than if they had bin perfect ftrangers to him. So allo at my coming will I deal with those whom I fhall find inflav'd to their vitious habits: Wherefore diligently take heed not to deviate from the ways of Virtue.

Another Parable he spoke to them, like to that he had made ufe of lately (chap. 1.) A certain man, faid he, being to take a long journy, call'd his Servants to him, and divided his Mony among them in different fums according to their feveral abilities: To one he gave five Talents, to another two, to a third one. Having diftributed his Mony, with orders for them to trade with it, he departed. During his abfence, he who had received the five Talents, was fo diligent as to double them against his Lord's return; fo alfo did he that had receiv'd the two Talents. but the Servant intrufted but with one, being afraid of making any

venture

21 His lord faid unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful fervant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

22 He also that had received two talents, came and faid, Lord, thou deliveredft unto me two two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents befides them.

23 His lord faid unto him, Well done, good and faithful fervant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

24 Then he which had received the one talent, canie and faid, Lord, I knew thee that

venture with it, buried it in the Ground. A long time after their Lord return'd, and began to account with them for the Mony he had given them: And first of all came he who had received the five Talents, and brought with him five others he gain'd by Trade; which his Lord perceiving, he told him this was a proof of his Fidelity and Induftry; and fince he had fhewn himself faithful in a small Sum, he would afterwards intruft him with a greater; but for the prefent, faid he, fit down with me at my Table, and let us celebrate together my fafe return. In like manner he who had receiv'd the two Talents, came, and brought the other two he gain'd by trafficking with them; and being commended by his Mafter, received the like Encouragement. At laft came he who had but one Talent, and thus bespoke his Master: I knew, faid he, that thou wert of an exacting temper, that thou reapest

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where

1

MATTHEW.

CHAP. XXV.

thou art an hard man, reaping where thou haft not sown, and gathering where thou haft not trawed:

25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and flothful fervant, thou knewest that I reap where I fowed not, and gather where I have not ftrawed:

27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I fhould have received mine own with ufury.

28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

29 For unto every one that hath, fhall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not, fhall be taken away even that which he hath.

30 And caft ye the unprofit able fervant into outer darkness:

where thou haft not fown, and gathereft where thou haft not fcatter'd ; that is, thou art fo far from being contented with thy own, that thou invadeft what of right belongs to another. This Reflection made me afraid of ufing thy Talent, left if I loft it thou fhouldft require the Debt with rigour; I therefore hid it in the Ground till thy return, and now bring it thee juft as I received it. His Lord replied: O negligent and flothful Servant, thou fayeft thou art acquainted with my Temper, and knoweft I am wont to reap where I have not fown, and gather where I have not scatter'd: Since thou hadft this opinion of me, thou oughteft at leaft, conformably to it, to have put my Mony out to ufe, that at my return I might receive it with the ordinary Intereft, fince, as thou pretendeft, thou knewest not how to trade with it. Upon this he ordered his Servants to take the Talent from him,and give it to him that had the ten Talents (for whoever has any gift, and makes a right ufe of it, fhall receive more; but whofo abufes that he has, however small, it fhall be taken from him) and to turn him out of the Banqueting Room, that he might spend the Night in Darkness, lamenting his wretched cafe, while the diligent

MATTHEW.

CHA P. XXV.

MARK.

LUKE.

Јони.

there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

31 When the Son of man fhall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then fhall he fit upon the throne of his glory.

32 And before him shall be gathered all nations ; and he fhall feparate them one from another, as a fhepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

33 And he fhall fet the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

34 Then fhall the king fay unto them on his right hand, Come ye bleffed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a ftranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was fick, and ye vifited

and faithful Servants were admitted to their Lord's Table in the Banqueting Room illuminated with Lamps and Torches.

Jefus having premis'd thefe Parables, that he might the more effectually recommend the conftant practice of Virtue, thus defcrib'd his Coming, and thofe chief Offces of which he would require an exact account from Men. When he who is now efteem'd a vulgar perfon, faid he, fhall come from Heaven, furrounded with a moft glorious Company of Angels, he thall feat himself on a lofty Throne, and proceed to judg the whole Human Race. At that time shall all Mankind be rais'd from Death, and brought before his Tribunal; and he fhall divide them into two parts, as a Shepherd divides the Sheep from the Goats: The Sheep, or good men, fhall ftand on his Right Hand, and the Goats or wicked on his Left. Then fhall the King of Men and Angels fpeak to thofe on his Right Hand: Approach, O ye whom my Father has decreed to reward with the poffeffion of a Heavenly Kingdom prepar'd for fuch as you from the beginning of all things. For when I was hungry, you gave me Meat; when I thirfted, you gave me Drink; when I was a Stranger, you courteously entertain'd me; when naked, you clothed me; when fick, you fuc

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cor'd

MATTHEW.

CHA P. XXV.

me: I was in prison, and ye

came unto me.

37 Then fhall the righteous anfwer him, faying, Lord, when faw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When faw we thee a ftranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when faw we thee fick, or in prifon, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer, and fay unto them, Verily I fay unto you, In as much as ye have done it unto one of the leaft of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41 Then fhall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye curfed, into everlafting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.

42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43 I was a ftranger, and ye took me not in, naked, and yeclothed me not; fick, and in prifon, and ye vifited me not...

cor'd me; when imprifon'd, you vifited me, and offer'd me your affiftance, condoling my Misfortune. The Good will then ask him, When all these things hap pen'd, fince they never faw him in want of their affiftance, nor could they remember they had ever bestowed any thing upon him. But the King will reply, that he will look upon all the charitable relief they have given those whom he esteems as his Brethren, tho of the pooreft condition among men, on the account of their Belief of him, and Obedience to his Precepts, as done to himself. Then turning to thofe on his Left Hand, he will pronounce this dreadful Sentence: Away from me, you condemned Wretches, into everlafting Flames prepar'd for Devils and wicked men: When I was hungry, you refus'd me Meat; when thirsty, Drink; when a Stranger, you entertain'd me not; when fick and in prifon, you difdain'd' to come

near