your talents be improved for God, they will bring from him a recompence proportioned to the increase r. Thus, both here and in the eternal world, will you be gainers, if with meekness and modesty you employ for God the blessings he has imparted to you. To every one, then, that is among you, I say,]
1. Consider your gifts as conferred on you by God —
[Never, for a moment, lose sight of this truth. Let Him be acknowledged, in every bounty of his providence, and in every blessing of his grace. There is no need that you should be blind to what God has done for you, or wrought in you : but, if at any time you are constrained to say, " I laboured more abundantly than they all," be sure to add immediately, " Yet not I ; but the grace of God that was with mes."j
2. Improve them diligently, for the glory of his
name —
[Forget yourselves altogether. Moses saw not his own glory, when it shone ; though it was so resplendent, that none of his brethren could sustain the sight. O that you also might be so intent on the work assigned you, as to have your atten- tion wholly taken from yourselves! Consider only what talent you possess, and what improvement can be made of it : and if you find that God has given you a capacity for great and arduous services, be willing to undertake them, whatever diffi- culties they may be attended with, and whatever self-denial may be required for the performance of them. On the con- trary, if you have but one talent, " wrap it not in a napkin," but improve it for your God. Let it be said of every one amongst you, " He hath done what he could1." Then, whe- ther your powers be great or small, you shall be approved of your God, and hear him at last say unto you, " Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."]
r Matt. xxv. 20, 21. ' 1 Cor. xv. 10. l Mark xiv. 8.