Thirdly, Where the matter will afford it, a liberal and open heart will not be defective in quantity: they think nothing too much for God, and therefore will do all that they can ; all seemeth too little : 1 Chron. xxii. 14, ' And now behold, in my trouble (Heb. or poverty), I have prepared for the house of the Lord an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver, and brass and iron without weight.' Look, as there may be a winter's day in summer, and a summer's day in winter, for the proportion ; so much may be little, and little much, according to the mind and love of the giver ; the widow gave 6\ov top fiiov. Some do twice as much good with a little as others with a great deal. Love will not be backward.
Reasons of the point.
Because righteousness doth consist in a proportion, and so it holdeth good both for our duty and God's judgment.
1. For our duty ; that we should be fruitful according to our means, opportunities, and helps ; for every one of these increase our obliga- tion.
2. For God's judgment. God is not a Pharaoh, to require the full tale of brick where he doth' not afford stubble. In all his proceedings there is great equity ; he considereth men according to their advan- tages: Born, ii. 9, ' Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile.'
Use 1. Let this assuage the envy and trouble of the meanest. If
444 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SeR. XII.
thy gifts be mean, thy account will be so much the easier. Merchants that have the greatest dealing are not ever the safest men : Eccles. i. 18, ' He that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.' None so miser- able as they that have received much and returned little; which should prevail with us to an acquiescence in God's providence, though our talents be not so large.
2. Let it quicken those that have received greater gifts than others to do so much the more good with them. You are more bound, and that which God will accept from others he will not from you. If you have many ordinances and means of improvement, you should get the more grace, Heb. vi. G, 7, and Mat. xi. 22-24. You are deeper in the state of condemnation if you do not bring forth fruit proportionable to the means of salvation : if greater abilities, you must give God the more glory ; if a greater estate, you must be richer in good works, 1 Tim. vi. 7, 8 ; for you to shut up your bowels : 1 John iii. 17, ' How dwelleth the love of God in you?' Potentes potenter cruciabimtur. Mighty shall be the destruction of the mighty. If we have greater mercies, there is greater duties ; and greater duties, greater sins ; and greater sins, greater judgments. Surely if men had any sense of their accounts, those that have much to answer for would have more trouble.
Doct. 3. Among those that have received talents all are not alike fruitful.
I shall handle the point with respect to the context we have in hand.
1. Though but one be mentioned, yet the number of unfaithful ones is very great. In parables the scope must be regarded. Now the general scope is to show that as the virgins are not all admitted, so all the servants of the house not accepted. In the parable, indeed, two of the servants are faithful, one unfaithful. We cannot conclude thence that the number of those that used their talents Avell should be greater than of those that hid them or neglected the improvement of them ; as in the former parable, that the number of the foolish shall be just equal with the number of the wise ; or in the parable of the wedding garment, that but one shall come to the gospel-feast unprepared. No ; the ornament of that scheme and figure which Christ would make use of to signify his mind required it should be so expressed ; for since our Lord, to avoid perplexity and confusion, would mention but three servants, it was fit that one should be an instance of eminent faithful- ness and service, another of service in a lower degree, that the meanest may not be discouraged, and the other should represent the unfruitful ones. Now experience showeth they are more than one to two ; yea, more than ten to one, much the far greater number. Oh ! how few are there even of those that hold much from God, that return him aught of love and service ! The idle and unprofitable ones are found everywhere, in all ranks and conditions of men.
2. Observe, he that had but one talent is represented as the unfaith- ful one, and that with good advice. If the example of reprobation and punishment had been put in the servant that had five talents, or two talents, we might have thought that men of eminent gifts, rank, quality, and employment in the church, shall be called to an account, and pun-
Vers. 16-18.] sermons upon matthew xxv. 445
ished for their neglect. No ; but as our Lord hath laid it, it reacheth his full scope and purpose. For in the instance of the servant that had but one talent, those that had five and two may easily know how much sorer punishment shall light upon them, if he that had least be called to such a strict reckoning for his non-improvement. However, this we may observe, that he that had the least gift was unfaithful. To be sure, those that have most spiritual gifts, do usually improve them, and the rest are left without excuse.