Work he will furnish them with Endowments answerable to their vast Employment And the best Furniture they can have is the Holy Spirit in his Gifts and Qualifications suitable to their Work He breathed on them and said Receive ye the Holy Ghost Observe 4. How Christ asserts their Authority in the discharge of their Commission and declares that what they act Ministerially according to their Commission here on Earth is ratified in Heaven Whose Sins ye remit they are remitted Where Note That there is a twofold Power of remitting or forgiving Sins the one Magisterial and Authoritative this belongs to Christ alone The other Ministerial and Declarative this belongs to Christ's Ambassadors who have a Power in his Name to bind and loose It is a pious Note of St. Austin upon this Place That Christ first conferr'd the Holy Ghost upon his Apostles and then said Whose Sins ye remit they are remitted Thereby intimating that it is not they but the Holy Ghost by them that puts away Sin For who can forgive Sin but God only The Power of forgiving Sin that Man hath is only to declare That if Men be truly and really Penitent their Sins are forgiven them for the sake of Christ's satisfaction 24 ¶ But Thomas one of the twelve called Didymus was not with them when Jesus came 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe What the cause of Thomas his absence was is not declared it is evident that he was not with the rest of the Disciples when Christ appeared to them and his absence had like to have cost him dear even the loss of his Faith and he might have had cause for ever to have bewailed his absence from that Meeting of the Disciples had not Christ been more merciful Learn thence That the letting slip of one holy Opportunity may prove exceedingly prejudicial to the Souls Advantage It is wise and safe to lay hold upon every Opportunity for injoying Communion with God and Fellowship with his Saints Thomas his absence deprived him not only of the good News which Mary brought of Christ's being risen but also of the sight of him which the other Disciples got by assembling together and for want thereof Thomas is left under many Doubts and Fears Observe farther What a strange Declaration Thomas makes of his obstinate Unbelief Except I see the print of the nails and put my finger into his side I will not believe Where Note How strangely rooted Unbelief is in the Hearts of holy Men insomuch that they desire the Objects of Faith should fall under the view of their Senses Thomas carries his Faith at his Fingers ends he will believe no more than he can see or feel whereas Faith is the Evidence of things not seen 26 ¶ And after eight days again his disciples were within and Thomas with them then came Jesus the doors being shut and stood in the midst and said Peace be unto you 27 Then saith he to Thomas Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but believing Observe here First Our Saviour's appearing again to his Disciples after his Resurrection it was eight days after he first arose which was the first day of the Week Here Note That Christ's rising the first day of the Week and appearing on the next first-First-day of the Week after to the Disciples and they observing that Day for their solemn Assemblies and St. Paul administring on that Day the Lord's Supper Acts 20. and commanding on that Day Collections for the Poor 1 Cor. 16. and St. John calling it the lord's-Lord's-Day Rev. 1.10 From these Authorities and the Primitive Practice we derive our Christian Sabbath For we do not find in all the Scripture one Instance of any one Congregation of Christians only assembling upon the Jewish Sabbath but on the First Day of the Week on which we ground our Observation of that Day Observe 2. The wonderful Condescension of Christ to the weakness of Thomas his Faith he bids him reach forth his hand and thrust it into his side Not that Christ was pleased with but only pitiful towards Thomas his Infirmities and it ought to be no encouragement to any Person to follow his Example in seeking or expecting the like Signs of their own prescribing for helping of their Faith Observe 3. How mercifully Christ over-ruled Thomas his Unbelief for the Confirmation of our Faith His Doubting proved a means for establishing his own and our Faith Therefore says Gregory well Plus mihi profuit dubitatio Thomae quam credulitas Mariae Had not Thomas doubted we had not been so fully assured that it was the same Christ that was crucified who rose again 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him My Lord and my God These Words may be considered two ways 1. As an abrupt Speech importing a vehement Admiration of Christ's Mercy towards him and of his own Stupidity and Dulness to believe Learn hence That the convincing Condescension of Christ turns Unbelief into a Rapture of holy Admiration and humble Adoration 2. This Expression of Thomas My Lord and my God contains a short but absolute Confession of Faith Thomas rightly collects from his Resurrection that he was Lord God blessed for evermore the true Messias the expected Redeemer and accordingly with an explicite Faith he now professes his Interest in him saying My Lord and my God 29 Jesus saith unto him Thomas because thou hast seen me thou hast believed blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed Here we have Christ's Reprehension of Thomas for not believing without such sensible Evidence as he desired He believed now that Christ was risen from the Dead but it was upon the Testimony of his Senses only Therefore Christ tells him that his Faith would have been more excellent and more eminently rewardable if he had believed without such demonstrative Evidence Faith is the Evidence of things not seen Therefore to give Credit to a thing upon the Evidence of Sense is not properly believing Observe farther How Christ pronounces them Blessed who should hereafter believe on him through the preaching of the Gospel though they did not see him as Thomas did nor handle him as he might This is a sure Rule that by how much our Faith stands in less need of the external Evidence of Sense the stronger our Faith is and the more acceptable it is provided what we believe be revealed in the Word of God Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed 30 ¶ And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book 31 But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the
them to Marry to any other or for others knowingly to Marry to them 33 Again ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time Thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths 34 But I say unto you Swear nor at all neither by heaven for it is God's throne 35 Nor by the earth for it is his footstool neither by Jerusalem for it is the city of the great king 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head because thou canst not make one hair white or black The next Commandment which our Saviour Expounds and Vindicates is the Third which requires a Reverent Use of God's Name Now the Pharisees taught that Perjury was the only Breach of this Commandment and that Swearing was nothing if they did not Forswear themselves And that Persons were only obliged to Swear by the Name of God in Publick Courts of Justice but in their ordinary and common Discourse they might Swear by any of the Creatures Now in opposition to these Wicked Principles and Practices Christ says Swear not at all That is 1. Swear not Prophanely in your ordinary Discourse 2. Swear not Unduly by any of the Creatures for that is to ascribe a Deity to them 3. Swear not Lightly upon any Trifling or Frivolous Occasion for Oaths upon small Occasions are great Sins So that an Oath is not here forbidden by our Saviour but restrained Learn That tho' light and needless common and ordinary Swearing be a very great Sin yet to take an Oath upon a Solemn Occasion when Lawfully called thereunto is a Christian and Necessary Duty 37 But let your communication be yea yea nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil Here our Lord prescribes a proper Means and Remedy for shunning the Occasion and Danger of Rash Swearing and that is by using and accustoming our selves in Conversation to a true Simplicity and constant Plainess of Speech either Affirming or Denying according to the Nature of the Thing letting Oaths alone till we are called to them upon great Occasions for ending Strife between Man and Man Learn That the great End of Speech being to Communicate the Sense of our Minds each to other we ought to use such Plainess and Simplicity in Speaking that we may believe one another without Oaths or more Solemn and Religious Asseverations 38 Ye have heard that it hath been said An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth 39 But I say unto you That ye resist not evil but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the other also 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat let him have thy cloak also 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile go with him twain Our Saviour here Vindicates the Sixth Commandment which obliges us to do no Wrong to the Body of our Neighbour God had given a Law to the Publick Magistrate to require an Eye for an Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth when a Person was wronged Hereupon the Pharisees taught That a private Person wronged by another might exact Satisfaction from him to the same degree in which he had been Wronged by him if he had lost an Eye by another he might revenge it by taking away the Eye of another But says Christ I say unto you Resist not Evil that is seek not private Revenge but leave the Avenging of Injuries to God and the Magistrate Teaching us That Christians ought rather to suffer a double Wrong than to seek a private Revenge Christianity obliges us to bear many Injuries patiently rather than to avenge one privately 42 Give to him that asketh thee and from him that would borrow of thee turn thou not away Our Saviour here presses the Law of Charity upon his Disciples This is Twofold a Charity in Giving to them that Beg and a Charity in Lending to them that desire to Borrow Christianity obliges all those which have Ability to abound in Works of Charity of all sorts and kinds whatsoever He that is truly Charitable doth not only Give but Lend yea sometimes Lends looking for nothing again It is not enough to act Charity of one sort but we must be ready to act it in every kind and to the highest Degree that our Circumstances and Abilities will admit 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy 44 But I say unto you Love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you Another corrupt Gloss which the Pharisees had put upon the Law of God our Saviour here takes notice of The Law said Thou shalt love thy Neighbour Levit. 19.18 this they interpreted to relate only to their own Country-men the Jews concluding that they might hate all the Uncircumcised Nations as Enemies But saith our Saviour I require you to love all Men for if Enemies must not be shut out of our Love none must Love your Enemies here the inward Affection is required Bless them that curse you there outward Civility and Affability is required Do good to them that hate you here real Acts of Kindness and Charity are commanded to be done by us to our bitterest and most malicious Enemies Pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you These are the highest Expressions of Enmity that can be Calumny and Cruelty yet are we commanded to Pray for those that touch us in these two tenderest Points our Reputation and our Life Learn That Christianity obliges us to bear a sincere Affection towards our most malicious Enemies to be ready upon all Occasions to do Good unto them and to Pray for them 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust To encourage us to the foregoing Duty of Loving our Enemies our Saviour propounds the Example of God himself to our Imitation That you may be the Children of your Father that is that you may be known to be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven by your likeness to him and imitation of him Note That the best Evidence we can have of our Divine Sonship is our Conformity to the Divine Nature especially in those Excellent Properties of Goodness and Forgiveness 46 For if ye love them which love you what reward have ye do not even the publicans the same 47 And if ye salute your brethren only what do you more than others do not even the publicans so Yet farther to encourage us to this Duty of Loving our Enemies Christ assures his Disciples that he expects more from them than from others more than common Humanity and civil Courtesie towards Friends for even Heathens by the Light of Nature were taught to love those that love them But he expected that
give it a Civil Salutation but especially a Christian and Spiritual Salute wishing them Mercy Grace and Peace 3. He encourages his Apostles in the want of Success if they hear you not Shake off the Dust of your Feet This Action was Emblematical and signified That Almighty God would in like manner shake off them and esteem them no better than the vilest Dust Note That those who despise the Message which the Ministers of the Gospel bring shall hereafter find the Dust of their Feet and the Ashes of their Grave to give a Judicial Testimony against them in the Day of CHRIST Where-ever the Word is Preached 't is for a Testimony against them for if the Dust of a Minister's Feet bear Witness against the Despisers of the Gospel their Sermons much more 16 Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves Our Saviour in this and the following Verses arms his Apostles against all the Difficulties Dangers and Discouragements which they might meet with in the Course of their Ministry He tells them he sent them forth as Sheep amongst Wolves intimating thereby unto them that the Enemies of the Gospel have as great an Inclination from their Malicious Nature to devour and destroy the Ministers of Christ as Wolves have from their natural temper to devour Sheep He therefore recommends to them Prudence and Innocence Be wise as Serpents to avoid the World's Injuries and Harmless as Doves in not revenging them The Ministers of Christ must not be altogether Doves lest they fall into Dangers nor altogether as Serpents lest they endanger others For as Piety without Policy is too simple to be safe so Policy without Piety is too subtil to be good Our Saviour in this Text teaches us That Wisdom and Innocency should dwell together 17 But beware of men for they will deliver you up to the councils and they will scourge you in their synagogues 18 And ye shall be brought before governours and kings for my sake for a testimony against them and the gentiles 19 But when they deliver you up take no thought how or what ye shall speak for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak 20 For it is not ye that speak but the spirit of your Father which speaketh in you Here our Saviour lets his Apostles know that for their Owning Him and Preaching his Gospel they should be brought before all sorts of Magistrates and in all kinds of Courts But he advises them when they are brought before Kings and Princes not to be anxiously thoughtful what they should say for it should be given in that Hour what they should Answer Learn hence That tho' Truth may be opposed yet Truth 's Defenders shall never be ashamed and rather than they shall want a Tongue to plead for it GOD himself will prompt them by his Spirit and suggest such Truths to their Minds as all their Opposers shall not be able to gainsay 21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death and the father the child and the children shall rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death 22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake but he that indureth to the end shall be saved Our Saviour goes on in a farther Discovery of the World's Hatred and Enmity against the Gospel and the Preachers of it and gives all Christians in general and his Ministers in particular to understand That such is the Enmity of the World against Holiness and the Professors of it that it will overcome and extinguish even the Natural Affection of the nearest and dearest Relations towards each other Grace teaches us To lay down our Lives for the Brethren but Corruption teaches Brother to take away the Life of Brother The Brother shall deliver the Brother to Death Yet Observe Our Saviour comforts his Disciples that there will be an end of these Sufferings and assures them That if their Faith and Patience did hold out unto the end they should be saved This is our Comfort that if our Sufferings for Christ end not in our Life-time they will end with our Lives 23 But when they persecute you in this city flee ye into another for verily I say unto you Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the Son of man be come Our Saviour here directs his Apostles to a prudent Care of their own Preservation and allows them to flee in time of Persecution assuring them That before they had gone through all the Cities of the Jews Preaching the Gospel he would certainly come in Judgment against Jerusalem and with Severity destroy his own Murtherers and their Persecutors Learn That Christ allows his Ministers the liberty of Flight in time of Persecution that they may preserve their Lives for future Service Surely 't is no Shame to fly when our Captain commands it and also practises it Matth. 2. Christ by his own Example has Sanctified that State of Life unto us and by his Command made it Lawful for us 24 The disciple is not above his master nor the servant above his lord 25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master and the servant as his lord if they have called the master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold Our Saviour here teaches all Christians but especially Ministers how unreasonable and absurd it is for them to expect kinder Usage from an unkind World than he Himself met with Are we greater holier or wiser than He Why then should we expect better Usage than he Was he hated persecuted reviled murthered for the Holiness of his Doctrine and the Vsefulness of his Life Why then should any of us Think strange of the Fiery Tryal as if some strange thing had befaln us 1 Pet. 4.12 Is it not enough That the Disciple be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord but must he hope to be above him 26 Fear them not therefore for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed and hid that shall not be known 27 What I tell you in darkness that speak ye in light and what ye hear in the ear that preach ye on the house tops Christ here exhorts his Disciples to a free Profession and open Publication of the Doctrine of the Gospel from this Consideration That whatever they say or do shall be brought to light proclaimed and published to the World As Wicked Men have cause to fear because their Evil Deeds shall be made evident so Good Men have cause to rejoice because their Goodness and Good Deeds shall be made manifest Let it be our Care to do Good and it shall be CHRIST's Care to discover the Goodness which we do to vindicate it from Misconstruction and set it in its clearest Light 28 And fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul
bring forth Fruit tho' not all alike all in Sincerity and Reality tho' not all to the same Degree and none to Perfection 24 Another parable put he forth unto them saying The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field 25 But while men slept his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way 26 But when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit then appeared the tares also 27 So the servants of the housholder came and said unto him Sir didst thou not sow good seed in thy field from whence then hath it tares 28 He said unto them An enemy hath done this The servants said unto him Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up 29 But he said Nay lest while ye gather up the tares ye root up also the wheat with them 30 Let both grow together until the harvest and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers Gather ye together first the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them but gather the wheat into my barn The Design and Scope of this Parable is to shew that there is no Expectation of Universal Purity in the Church of God in this Life but as the Tares and the Wheat grow together in the same Field so Hypocrites and Sincere Christians are and will be intermixt in the same Church and can hardly be discerued one from the other St. Jerom observes that in the Eastern Countries the Tares and the Wheat were so like one another whilst they were in the Blade that there was no knowing them asunder Learn 1. That in the Outward and Visible Church there ever has been and will be a Mixture of Good and Bad of Saints and Sinners of Hypocrites and Sincere Christians until the Day of Judgment 2. That in that Day Christ will make a thoro ' and a perfect Separation and divide the Tares from the Wheat that is the Righteous from the Wicked 3. That in the mean Time none ought to be so offended at this Mixture in the Church as to separate from Church-Communion on that Account until the Harvest it is not to be expected that the Tares and the Wheat should be perfectly separated Yet Observe 4. That tho' the Tares are forbidden to be pluckt up when fown yet it is the Churches Duty all she can to hinder their â—owing Tho' we must not rooâ— the Wicked up yet we must prevent the rooting of Wickedness all we can Our Saviour that forbad to pluck up the Tares did not forbid to hinder their Sowing 31 Another parable put he forth unto them saying The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard-seed which a man took and sowed in his field 32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds but when it is grown it is the greatest among herbs and becometh a tree so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof 33 Another parable spake he unto them the kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till the whole was leavened 34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables and without a parable spake he not unto them 35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet saying I will open my mouth in parables I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world Our Saviour's Design in this Parable is to shew how the Gospel from small and little from unlikely and contemptible Beginnings should spread and increase fructifie and grow up Like as Mustard-see one of the smallest of Grains grows up to a considerable tallness and as a little Leaven turns a great Heap of Meal into its own Nature so the Gospel should spread and increase Nations and Countries becoming Christian Learn That how small Beginnings soever the Gospel had in it's first Plantation yet by the Fructifying Blessing of God it has had and shall have a wonderful Increase 36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house and his disciples came unto him saying Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field 37 He answered and said unto them He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man 38 The field is the world the good seed are the children of the kingdom but the tares are the children of the wicked one 39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil the harvest is the end of the world and the reapers are the angels 40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire so shall it be in the end of the world 41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity 42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the king-of their Father Who hath ears to hear let him hear The Parable of the Tares of the Field Christ is pleased to explain to his Disciples after this manner The Person Sowing Good Seed was himself the Son of Man who first Planted the Gospel The Field in which the Seed was sown was the World that is the Church in the World The Good Seed called The Children of the Kingdom are sincere Christians The Tares called The Children of the Wicked One are prophane Sinners and unsound Hypocrites The Enemy is the Devil the Harvest is the End of the World and the Angels are the Reapers Learn 1. That the Mixture of the Tares and the Wheat of the Rghteous and the Wicked must and shall remain in the Church unto the End of the World 2. That in the End of the World the Angels shall perform the Work of Separation gathering the Righteous from among the Wicked when every one's Harvest shall be according to his Fruit The Righteous shining in the Kingdom of their Father the Wicked cast into a Furnace of Fire 44 Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field the which when a man hath found he hideth and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field 45 Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant-man seeking goodly pearls 46 Who when he had found one pearl of great price he went and sold all that he had and bought it By the Treasure hid in the Field and the Pearl of great Price are understood the Grace of the Gospel and the Way to Life and Salvation therein discovered He that is throughly convinced of the Worth and Excellency of Grace will part with all that he has to purchase and obtain them Learn That the Sinner who will have Interest in Christ and a Part in Gospel-Grace must part with all that he has to purchase and obtain them Not part with his Goods and Lands with his Wife and Children for
of the Life universally and perceivingly Holy and Righteous consists our Actual Preparation Obs 3. The doleful Condition of such as were unready The Door is shut against them the Door of Repentance the Door of Hope the Door of Salvation all shut eternally shut and by him that shutteth and none can open Learn hence The utter Impossibility of ever getting our Condition altered by us when the Day of Grace and Salvation is once over with us Wo to such Souls who by the Folly of their own Delays have caused the Door of Conversion and Remission to be everlastingly shut against their own Souls 11 Afterward came also the other virgins saying Lord Lord open to us 12 But he answered and said Verily I say unto you I know you not Observe here The Virgin 's Petition and the Bridegroom's Reply The Petition Lord Lord open to us Learn thence That how negligent soever Men are of Heaven and Salvation here there are none but will desire it earnestly and importunately hereafter Afterwards that is when too late Observe farther the Bridegroom's Reply I know you not that is I own and approve you not There is a twofold Knowledge that Christ has a Knowledge of simple Intuition and a Knowledge of special Approbation the former Knowledge Christ has of all Men the latter only of good Men. Learn hence That it will be a dreadful Misery for any Persons but especially for such as have been eminent Professors to be disowned by Christ at his coming to hear that dreadful Word from the Mouth of Christ Verily I know you not 13 Watch therefore for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh Here we have our Lord's Application of the foregoing Parable to be always upon our Watch continually upon our Guard to meet the Bridegroom in Death and Judgment because we know not the time of his Coming and Approach Learn hence That Watchfulness and a prepared Readiness is a great Duty that lyes upon all those who believe and look for Christ's Coming and Appearance Happy Souls who are found in a Posture of Readiness at the Bridegroom's Approach standing with Lamps trimmed Loins girded Lights burning that is improving and exercising their Graces abounding in all the Fruits of the Spirit and in all the substantial Virtues of a good Life Such and only such shall have an Entrance abundantly administered unto them into the everlasting Kingdom 14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country who called his own servants and delivered unto them his goods 15 And unto one he gave five talents to another two and to another one to every man according to his several ability and straightway took his journey Observe here The Person intrusting Christ the Persons intrusted all Christians The Talents they are intrusted with Goods that is Goods of Providence Riches and Honours Gifts of Mind Wisdom Parts and Learning Gifts of Grace all these Goods Christ dispenses variously more to some fewer to others but with Expectation of Improvement from all Learn 1. That Christ is the great Lord of the Universe and Owner of all his Servant's Goods and Talents 2. That every Talent is given us by our Lord to improve and imploy for our Master's Use and Service 3. That it pleases the Lord to dispence his Gifts variously amongst his Servants to some he commits more to others fewer Talents 4. That to this Lord of ours every one of us must be accountable and responsible for every Talent committed to us and intrusted with us 16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same and made them other five talents 17 And likewise he that had received two he also gained other two 18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth and hid his lord's money The former Verses gave an Account of the Lord 's Distribution these acquaint us with the Servants Negotiation Some traded with and made Improvement of their Talents others traded not at all yet is it not said that they did imbezzle the Talent but not improve it Learn It is not sufficient to justifie us that we do not abuse our Talents 't is Fault enough to hide them and not improve them the slothful Servant shall no more escape Punishment than the wasteful Servant 19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them 20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents saying Lord thou delivered'st unto me five talents behold I have gained besides them five talents mo 21 His Lord said unto him Well done thou good and faithful servant 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 said Lord thou delivered'st unto me two talents behold I have gained two other talents besides them 23 His lord said unto him Well done good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy lord Note here 1. That the Wisdom of God dispences his Gifts and Graces variously as so many Talents to his Servants to be imployed and improved for his own Glory and his Churches Good 2. That all such Servants as have received any Talents must look to reckon and account for them and this Account must be particular personal exact and impartial 3. That all such Servants as have been faithful in improving their Talents at Christ's coming shall be both commended and rewarded also Well done good and faithful Servant enter into the Joy of thy Lord. Where Obs 1. That the State of the Blessed is a State of Joy 2. That the Joy which the Blessed partake of is the Joy of their Lord that is the Joy which he provides and which he possesses 3. That the way after which the Saints partake of this Joy is by entring into it which denotes the highest and the fullest Participation of it The Joy is too great to enter into them they must enter into that Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. 24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said Lord I knew thee that thou art an hard man reaping where thou hast not sowen and gathering where thou hast not strawed 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 slothful servant thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not and gather where I have not strawed 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury Observe here 1. That he that received but One Talent is called to an Account as well as he that received Five Heathens that have but One Talent namely the
Light of Nature must give an Account for that One Talent as well as Christians that have Five must account for Five Obs 2. The slothful Servant's Allegation I knew thee to be an hard man and I was afraid Where Note His Prejudice against his Master and the effect of that Prejudice he was afraid and the Fruit of his Fear He hid his Talent in the Earth Learn hence That Sinners entertain in their Minds very hard and unkind Thoughts of God they look upon him as an hard Master rigorous in his Commands and difficult to be pleased Learn 2. That such hard Thoughts of God do naturally occasion slavish Fear which is a great Hinderance to the faithful Discharge of our Duty to God Obs 3. The Master's Reply to the slothful Servant's Allegation which contains an Exprobation or upbraiding of him for his Sloth and Negligence Thou wicked and slothful Servant Where Note 1. That the slothful Servant is a wicked Servant as well as the unfaithful Servant 2. That wicked and slothful Servants to excuse themselves will not stick to charge their Miscarriages upon God himself Thou wert an hard Man 3. That no Excuses whatsoever shall serve either the slothful or unfaithful Servant at the Bar of Christ 28 Take therefore the talent from him and give it unto him which hath ten talents 29 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 30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth These Words contain the Sentence denounced by Christ upon the slothful Servant his Punishment is first a Punishment of Loss Take the Talent from him Learn thence That not improving the Gifts of God given as Talents to us provokes God to take them from us as well as mis-improving From him that hath not that is from him that improveth not shall be taken from him that which he hath 2. Follows the Punishment of Sense Cast him into utter Darkness where is weeping and gnashing of Teeth Learn thence That Hell is a Place and State of inexpressible Misery and Torment A dismal Place as being deprived of the Sight and Enjoyment of God of Christ of Saints and Angels A doleful Place full of overwhelming Sorrow and despairing Grief The gnashing of their Teeth signifies their being full of Rage and Indignation against God against the Saints and against themselves 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 his glory 32 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 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand but the goats on the left From hence to the end of the Chapter we have a Draught and Scheme of the general Judgment Where Observe the Person judging the Son of Man the Persons judged Good and Bad the one called Sheep for their Innocency and Meekness the other Goats for their Unruliness and Uncleanness Observe also the manner of his coming to Judgment most August and Glorious Glorious in his Person glorious in his Attendants Learn That Christ's Appearance at the great Day to the judging of the World it will be a splendid and a glorious Appearance He will come with Power and in great Glory in regard of the Dignity of his Person and the Quality of his Office and the Greatness of his Work He will appear as a King in the midst of his Nobles to take off the Scandal and Ignominy of the Cross and as a Recompence for his Abasement and Humiliation To strike the Hearts of his Enemies with Dread and Fear and to fill the Souls of his People with Joy and Confidence Let us therefore propound it to our Faith to believe it to our Fear to tremble at the Thoughts of it to our Hope and Love that we may expect and wait look and long for it Observe farther the Work of this Judge first to congregate secondly to segregate He shall first gather all Nations Learn That at the general Judgment all that have lived shall be summoned to the Bar of Christ Persons of all Sexes of all Ages of all Nations of all Conditions having gathered them together he shall next segregate and separate them as a Shepherd his Sheep Thence Learn That tho' there be a Mixture and Confusion of the Godly and the Wicked here yet at the Day of Judgment there will be a Separation made betwixt them and they shall never come together more 34 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 Here follows the Sentence which Christ will pronounce upon the Righteous and the Wicked at the great Day first the Sentence of Absolution upon the Righteous then the Sentence of Condemnation upon the Wicked Learn thence That at the Day of Judgment the Godly shall be absolved before the Wicked are condemned The Reasons are because 't is more delightful to God to reward than to punish to save than to destroy because 't is suitable to Christ's Love to begin with his Saints and to be admired by them Also to put his Saints out of Fear as to their Eternal Condition and to bring them near to himself and to set them upon the Throne with himself as Assessors and Judges of the wicked World 1 Cor. 6.3 Know ye not that the Saints shall judge the World Lastly With respect to the Wicked that they may be the more affected with their Loss and have a vexatious and tormenting Sense of that Happiness which they have refused Observe next the joyful Sentence pronounced Come ye Blessed of my Father Where Note 1. The joyful Compellation Ye Blessed Which Term is opposed to these Two Things 1. To the Worlds Judgment of them which accounts them vile and accursed Here is an Absolution from their unjust Censures 2. To the Sentence of the Law which pronounces all its Transgressors accursed Gal. 3.10 but says Christ I that have redeemed you from the Curse of the Law pronounce you Blessed But why Blessed of my Father 1. To point out the Fontal Cause of all our Happiness the Love of the Father This prepared the Kingdom 2. This Expression shews how the Divine Persons glorifie one another As the Spirit glorifies the Son so the Son glorifies the Father and referrs all to him Therefore Christ says not Come my redeemed ones but Come ye blesled ones not Come you that were redeemed by me but Come ye blessed of my Fathee 't is his good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom Learn hence That the Lord Jesus Christ at his second Coming will adjudge all his People unto a State of glorious and everlasting Happiness which his Father has prepared and