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disposed and slothful. He had considered his master as one who sought much gain from little benefit; and who looked for a harvest where he had sown no seed: being then entrusted with his master's money he ought to have done his best with it. If he had been afraid of venturing the money in any private business, he should at any rate have placed it in the bank; so that, when the master came to settle accounts with him, he might have received a reasonable sum for interest, together with the original amount. The master therefore desired that the talent should be taken from this man, and given to the servant who had brought ten talents: thereby shewing that every one who had diligently profited by the means entrusted to him shall receive increased advantage, even over and above what could be expected: while on the contrary every one, who neglects to make a profitable use of what is entrusted to him, shall be deprived even of what he had hitherto possessed. Then the master commanded that the servant who had brought no return of advantage by the means entrusted to him-instead of being admitted to a share of his master's happiness as the others wereshould be cast out of his presence, and left in a state of continual sorrow and remorse.

This parable conveys our Lord's description of what may be called the judgment upon the works of the saints ; and it shews us the separation that will one day be made between the spiritual children of God, and the mere formal professers of Christianity; who now both together make up Christ's outward and visible Church. In order rightly to understand the meaning of this parable, it must be taken in connexion with the foregoing one. That describes the state of the visible Church at the time of the Lord's coming, and shews that some of its members will "go in with him to the marriage ;" and that afterwards, when the door is shut, others will come desiring to enter in, to whom the Lord will answer I know you not." This parable gives additional information on these two events, which are to take place at Christ's coming. With respect to the first, it informs us that, when the Lord returns from his distant journey, he will at that timé

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"reckon with his servants;" that is, he will call the members of his Church to account for the use they have made of the means of grace, and opportunities of glorifying him, which he has afforded them. This must be the judgment to which the Apostle refers, when he says, "We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ" (Rom. xiv. 10); and again, "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." (2 Cor. v. 10.)

A very important distinction must be made here, between the judgment upon the persons of men according to the law, and the judgment of the works of Christians according to the Gospel. To be judged under the law will bring sure condemnation; "for as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." (Gal. iii. 10.) Through faith, however, the atonement of the Lord Jesus is effectually applied by the Holy Spirit to the souls of true believers, who thereby also receive the desire and capacity of living according to the will of God. (Rom. iv., v., vi.) Christ having redeemed them from the curse of the law (Gal. iii. 13) such persons are freed from condemnation (Rom. viii. 1), and being justified by faith, they have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom. v. 1.) Such are "sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession" (Eph. i. 13, 14); that is, until the Lord shall come, and put his saints in possession of that glory, which as yet he is only preparing for them. By this sealing of the Holy Spirit, true christians are "his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. ii. 10); thus are we taught by the grace of God "that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he

might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus ii. 12-14.) It is then as to this zealousness of good works, that the reckoning is to be made; as described in this parable of the talents.

But we find from other parables (such as those of the tares and the wheat, Matt. xiii. 24-30, 36-43; the dragnet, Matt. xiii. 47-52; the wedding garment, Matt. xxii. 1—14), as well as from sad experience, that persons not possessing true faith join themselves to the church of Christ on earth. Thus assuming the character of the Lord's "own servants," they are tolerated as such by him: and the mere knowledge of divine truth, necessarily connected with their christian profession, is at least one talent; which might be used for the glory of Him into whose service it admits them. We may observe in the parable, that the master divided his possessions amongst his servants, and that he gave in different proportions, according to their several ability. There was a difference in the sums given to those who really turned what they had to profit; and to the servant who profited nothing, only one talent was given. So also there are different degrees of spiritual advantage afforded by the Lord Jesus to his true people, who all receive something out of his fulness (John i. 16); while those who take upon themselves the christian profession without an inward desire and ability to profit by it, are (to say the least) providentially intrusted with one talent-the knowledge of Christ's salvation, and the privilege of lifting up the light of His name in the midst of the world that "lieth in wickedness." (1 John v. 19.) For this talent they will have to give account: though in other respects they will stand in a position altogether different from the true and living members of His Church. Whereas these are ready with oil for their lamps at His coming, professors without spiritual life will not be ready, and consequently not acknowledged as His. Whereas the one have been personally justified and freed from condemnation, before the exercise of that grace which worked their works in them (Phil. ii. 12, 13), and therefore will enter into the Lord's glory; the other

class of persons were partakers of no such justification, and at last find the door shut, when they would desire to be admitted as his people.

In agreement with this, we find the first two servants in the parable cheerfully manifesting their zeal in their master's service, in a way which shews that they had rightly understood his character and requirements. This he approved, for he says to each of them "Well done, good and faithful servant." Whereas the man who brought back his one talent speaks to his master, as knowing him to be his Lord; but proves himself to be perfectly ignorant of that Lord's true character, and to have acted inconsistently with his own acknowledgments. The class of persons represented by this servant, do not in fact possess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, though they acknowledge that he is their Lord; neither do they act consistently even with their own profession. These are the persons afterwards represented as branches that bear no fruit, not abiding in the Vine-to be cast forth, withered, and gathered up for the burning. (John xv. 6.)

The contrast between the different motives from which obedience flows is of great importance. "We are not under the law, but under grace" (Rom. vi. 15); and the favour, which God bestows upon "his own servants," is the strongest motive to earnest diligence. "We love him, because he first loved us" (1 John iv. 19); and love is a sure impulse to faithful service. All the good works

which are done in his service under such a motive are willingly ascribed to the grace of God. While no claim is made to the merits of these works, no fear is entertained that they will be rejected of the Lord, in whose service they were performed. This sets the christian at liberty to act on the gospel-motive, and "to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called" (Eph. iv. 1); and produces a higher capacity of holiness, and humbler and more successful efforts at obedience, than can possibly follow from other motives. Whereas they, whose conduct is regulated by an endeavour to fulfil the law of God, under the expectotion of a future judgment according to that law, are constantly finding out that the

law is a hard master, and that they are unable to do what it requires of men: accordingly under such a bondage of fear, as is produced by the law-motive, they fail to take advantage of the opportunities of service afforded them; and, trusting to a false notion of God's justice, they bury their talent in worldliness, giving no glory to God by their works.

Keeping in view this meaning of the parable of the talents, let us examine further, and see how it represents the circumstances of the judgment upon the works of real christians, and their separation from nominal professors; in order that we may better understand the instruction our Lord intended to convey. Much light may be gained by the help of other Scriptures connected with the subject. This parable is part of the discourse which Jesus delivered in reply to the question put by the four disciples, as to what would be "the sign of his coming, and of the end of the world." (Matt. xxiv. 3, &c.) He first corrected their mistake of supposing that the destruction of the temple was immediately connected with that great event: and then (from Matt. xxiv. 29 to the end of Matt. xxv.), he gives them the information they had desired. Accordingly we find that the reckoning spoken of in this parable takes place when "the Lord of those servants cometh," a long time after his departure: this parable therefore, as well as that of the ten virgins, refers to the time of his future appearing. Now we have in 1 Thess. iv. 13-18, a very particular account of some of the circumstances which will take place at his coming. From that passage we learn, that all the true people of God will be "caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so will ever be with the Lord." The reckoning therefore, alluded to in this parable, takes place at the same time, since it is to be "when the Lord of those servants cometh; and the judgment-seat, spoken of by St. Paul (2 Cor. v. 10. Rom. xiv. 10), may mean that cloud on which Jesus will appear; and into which his true and diligent servants will enter, to be ever with their Lord, as St. Paul states;-to partake of the joy of their Lord, as is stated in the parable.

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