nifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen, 1 Pet. iv. 9-11.

VER. 15.

Καὶ ᾧ μὲν ἔδακε πέντε τάλαντα, ὦ δὲ δύο, ᾧ δὲ ἕν· ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν δύναμιν καὶ ἀπεδήμησεν εὐθέως.

And unto one he gave a five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

A talent is 187l. 10s.

aBut he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more, Luke xii. 48. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come, Luke

xix. 15.

Then he that had received the five talents a went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

A. D. 33.

:

gain the more. And unto the Jews I
became as a Jew, that I might gain
the Jews; to them that are under the
law, as under the law, that I might
gain them that are under the law;
To them that are without law, as
without law, (being not without law
to God, but under the law to Christ,)
that I might gain them that are with-
out law. Το the weak became I as
weak, that I might gain the weak: I
am made all things to all men, that I
And
might by all means save some.
this I do for the Gospel's sake, that I
might be partaker thereof with you,
1 Cor. ix. 16-23. But by the grace
of God I am what I am and his
grace which was bestowed upon me was
not in vain; but I laboured more
abundantly than they all: yet not I,
but the grace of God which was with
me, xv. 10. But watch thou in all
things, endure afflictions, do the work
of an evangelist, make full proof of
thy ministry. For I am now ready to
be offered, and the time of my depar-
ture is at hand. I have fought a good
fight, I have finished my course, I
have kept the faith: Henceforth there
is laid up for me a crown of righteous-
ness, which the Lord, the righteous
judge, shall give me at that day : and
not to me only, but unto all them also
that love his appearing, 2 Tim. iv. 5
-8.

VER. 17.

Ωσαύτως καὶ ὁ τὰ δύο, ἐκέρδησε καὶ αὐτὸς ἄλλα δύο.

And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

a For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, Through mighty signs and wonders, a Now there was at Joppa a cerby the power of the Spirit of God; so tain disciple named Tabitha, which that from Jerusalem, and round about by interpretation is called Dorcas : unto Illyricum, I have fully preached this woman was full of good works the Gospel of Christ, Rom. xv. 18, 19. and almsdeeds which she did. And For though I preach the Gospel, I it came to pass in those days, that she have nothing to glory of: for necessity was sick, and died: whom when they is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, had washed, they laid her in an upper if I preach not the Gospel! For if I chamber. And forasmuch as Lydda do this thing willingly, I have a re- was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples ward: but if against my will, a dis-had heard that Peter was there, they pensation of the Gospel is committed unto me. What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the Gospel, I may make the Gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the Gospel. For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might

sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them. Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while

she was with them, Acts ix. 36-39. | A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway, x. 2. Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judæa: which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul, xi. 29, 30. Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work, 1 Tim. v. 10. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end, Heb. vi. 10, 11. As every man

hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God, 1 Pet. iv. 10.

VER. 18.

Ὁ δὲ τὸ ἓν Χαβὼν, ἀπελθὼν ὤρυξεν ἐν τῇ γῇ, καὶ ἀπέκρυψε τὸ ἀργύριον τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ.

But he that had received one, went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's

money.

A. D. 33.

napkin, Luke xix. 20. That ye be not
slothful, but followers of them who
through faith and patience inherit the
promises, Heb. vi. 12.
As every
man hath received the gift, even so
minister the same one to another, as
good stewards of the manifold grace
of God, 1 Pet. iv. 10. For if these
things be in you, and abound, they
make you that ye shall neither be
barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge
of our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Pet. i. 8.
VER. 19.

Μετὰ δὲ χρόνον πολὺν ἔρχεται ὁ κύριος τῶν δούλων ἐκείνων, καὶ συναίρει μετ ̓ αὐτῶν byv.

After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, band reckoneth with them.

they all slumbered and slept, ver. 5.
a While the bridegroom tarried,
But and if that evil servant shall say
in his heart, My lord delayeth his
coming, Matt. xxiv. 48.

See on chap. xviii. ver. 23. clause 2.
VER. 20.

Καὶ προσελθὼν ὁ τὰ πέντε τάλαντα λαβὼν, προσήνεγκεν ἄλλα πέντε τάλαντα, λέγων· Κύριε, πέντε τάλαντά μοι παρέ δωκας· ἴδε, ἄλλα πέντε τάλαντα ἐκέρδησα ἐπ ̓ αὐτοῖς,

And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: a behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

a He also that is slothful in his a Then came the first, saying, Lord, work is brother to him that is a thy pound hath gained ten pounds. great waster, Prov. xviii. 9. The And he said unto him, Well, thou slothful man saith, There is a lion in good servant: because thou hast been the way; a lion is in the streets. As faithful in a very little, have thou the door turneth upon his hinges, so authority over ten cities, Luke xix. doth the slothful upon his bed. The 16, 17. But none of these things slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; move me, neither count I my life dear it grieveth him to bring it again to his unto myself, so that I might finish my mouth. The sluggard is wiser in his course with joy, and the ministry, own conceit than seven men that can which I have received of the Lord render a reason, xxvi. 13--16. Thus Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, grace of God, Acts xx. 24. But by This people say, The time is not come, the grace of God, I am what I am: the time that the LORD's house should and his grace which was bestowed be built. Then came the word of the upon me was not in vain; but I laLORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, boured more abundantly than they Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in all: yet not I, but the grace of God your ceiled houses, and this house lie which was with me, 1 Cor. xv. 10. waste? Hag. i. 2-4. And another Whereunto I also labour, striving accame, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy cording to his working, which work. pound, which I have kept laid up in aeth in me mightily, Col. i. 29.

MATT. XXV. 21.

and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, Rev. vii. 17.

VER. 22.

Προσελθὼν δὲ καὶ ὁ τὰ δύο τάλαντα λαβὼν, εἶπε· Κύριε, δύο τάλαντά μοι παρέδωκας· ἴδε, ἄλλα δύο τάλαντα ἐκέρδησα ἐπ' αὐτοῖς.

He also that had received two talents came, and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, a I have gained two other talents beside them.

And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. Luke xix. 18, 19. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness, Rom. xii. 6-8. For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not, 2 Cor. viii. 12.

VER. 23.

A. D. 33.

| φως, είπε. Κύριε, ἔγνων σε ὅτι σκληρὸς εἶ ἄνθρωπος, θερίζων ὅπου οὐκ ἔσπειρας, καὶ συνάγων ὅθεν οὐ διεσκόρπισας

Then he which had received the one talent came and said, a Lord, b I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

a See on Matt. vii. 21. clause 1. b Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours, Isa. lviii. 3. As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil. But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the Yet ye famine, Jer. xliv. 16-18. say, The way of the LonD is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the LORD is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal? Ezek. xviii. 25-29. But ye have profaned it, in that say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. Ye said also, Προσελθὼν δὲ καὶ ὁ τὸ ἓν τάλαντον είλη | Behold, what a weariness is it ! and

Εφη αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ· Εὖ, δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστέ· ἐπὶ ὀλίγα ἧς πιστὶς, ἐπὶ πολλών σε καταστήσω· εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν χαρὰν τοῦ κυρίου σου.

His lord said unto him, a 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.

a And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living,

Mark xii. 41-44.

VER. 24.

ye

A. D. 33.

MATT. XXV. 24-27,

A. D. 33.

His lord answered and said unto him, aThou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

a Then his Lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou debt, because thou desiredst me, wicked servant, I forgave thee all that Matt. xviii. 32. For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty. Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I yea, thine own lips testify against thee, Job xv. 5, 6.

ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lonp | τῷ· Πονηρὰ δοῦλε καὶ ὀκνηρέ, ᾔδεις ότ of hosts, and ye brought that which | θερίζω ὅπου οὐκ ἔσπειρα, καὶ συνάγω ἔθεν was torn, and the lame, and the sick; οὐ διεσκόρπισα· thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD, Mal. i. 12, 13. Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered, iii. 14, 15. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends, Luke xv. 29. And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere Thou oughtest therefore to have put man: thou takest up that thou lay-my money to the exchangers, and then at edst not down, and reapest that thou my coming I should have received mine didst not sow, xix. 20. Because the own b with usury. carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, Rom. viii. 7.

VER. 25.

Καὶ φοβηθεὶς, ἀπελθὼν ἔκρυψα τὸ τάλαντόν σου ἐν τῇ γῇ· ἴδε, ἔχεις τὸ σόν.

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

a For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, wherely we cry, Abba, Father, Rom. viii. 15. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the put ting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind, 2 Tim. i. 6, 7. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death, Rev. xxi. 8.

VER. 27.

Εδει οὖν σε βαλεῖν τὸ ἀργύριόν μου τοῖς τραπεζίταις· καὶ ἐλθὼν ἐγὼ ἐκομισάμην avrò éμò cùv róng.

a And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up I did not sow: that I laid not down, and reaping that Wherefore then

law that

gavest not thou my money into the
bank, that at my coming 1 might
have required mine own with usury?
Luke xix. 22, 23. Now we know
it saith to them who are under the
that what things soever the law saith,
mouth may
every
be stop-
ped, and all the world may become
guilty before God, Rom. iii. 19. To
execute judgment upon all, and to
them of all their ungodly deeds which
convince all that are ungodly among
they have ungodly committed, and of
all their hard speeches which ungodly
sinners have spoken against them,

Jude 15.

Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother: usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury: Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest ̓Αποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ, εἶπεν αὐ- | thine hand to in the land whither

VER. 26.