The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 486

more thBn ought to be expecl,ed of them. They shrink from nndertaking religious work, lest by failure in that work they incur the wrath of God and bring themselves into danger. So they do nothing for God. They own that they had hidden the talent, the grace once given to them, but at nny rate they had not wasted it in riotous living or lost it by misfortunes in tro.de. They were free from gross offences. Their lives hnd been at least decent and respectable. Neither are they unbelievers; they own that the talent belonged to thoir Lord; he had given it them, and they would restore it. "There thou hnst that is thine," They are no worse than others, they say, no worse than they have always been. They will not see that this excuse is false, that negative obedience is not sufficient, They are God's servants; they belong to him; their time, health, strength, money, intellect, are not their own; all these things are God's gifts, lent to them for a while ; they must give an account of their use of them at thegreatdayofreckoning. 4. Thefudgment. "Thou wicked and slothful servant." Those most awful words put into the clearest light the solemn truth that more than freedom from gross offences is needful for salvation. The slothful servant was wicked, for be bad defrauded bis lord; be had not given him that service which was bis bounden duty ; he bad lived as if be were his own master, and had only himself to please. He was wicked, too, because he made these miserable excuses; because, instead of con- fessing his sin, he slandered hie lord. The lord repeats the servant's words in righteous indignation ; be judges him out of hie own mouth. If he bad been such as the servant falsely said, fear, if not love, should have urged the man to do bis duty. If he had feared the risks of trading, at least be should have put bis lord's money to the exchangers; 1The'-tel11'rns would have been small compared with the gains of the faith- full servants; :oo't 'tlven those ismalI:'l'eturns would have shown that the servant had taken: some care of liis lord's foterests. The Lord seems to imply that those small returns woulID•ha've been accepted: - 'Any real work for Christ is better than spiritual sloth. Some' Chtistians are 1 abundant in their labours; ·all must work if they would be saved; if they have not 'the energy of a St.- Paul, they must help those who' are foremost in Christian work•with their alms and with their prayers. They must at the least show their interest in their Master's cause in this way, if they are-incapable of more active exertion. And work they must, every one, in accordance with their powers. "Unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be mnch required;" but he also to whom little is given must use that little in bis Master's service. The smallness of our gifts is no excuse for sloth. The most ignorant, the very poorest, can do something for their Lord, They may do much, for the value of the work is measured by its pro- portion to the worker's powers. · The second servant received the same reward as the first, though his earnings were in themselves far less. The poor widow's two mites were more precious in the sight of God than the costly offerings of the rich. He that doth not use bis talent must lose it. God's gifts cannot be neglected with impunity. The Gift of God, if not stirred up by constant use, will be taken away. It will be given to those who have worked faithfully. Others will step into the places of the unfaith- ful, will do the work which they have neglected, and obtain the reward which might have been theirs if they had done their duty. For it is a law of God's kingdom that" unto every one that bath shall be given.'' He giveth more grac-.-grace for grace. Grace is ours when it is used; then it is wrought into the character; then we have it. "And to him that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundantly. But from him that bath not shall be taken away even that which he bath." He bath, and yet he hatb. not, God had given him that grace without which we can do nothing, but he bath not made it hie own by diligent use. It must be taken from him in the righteous judgment of God, The grace of God cannot lie dormant in the heart. If it is not valued, if it is not used, it must be taken away. But the loss of the talent was not the only punish- ment. We hear again those dreadful words which the Lord had uttered twice already (eh, viii. 12; xxiv. 61), which he repeated, we may be sure, in mercy, to warn us of the sinner's doom, "Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'' LEBBONB, 1. We are all God's nervants ; all alike have a work to do for him; all must do it. 2. All that we ha.vu is his, whether external gifts, or personal endow- ments, or gifts of the Spirit; all must be used in bis service. 3. The joy of our Lord ls blessed beyond the power of thought, Then work for Christ; it is faithful work, •92 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING '10 ST. MATTHEW. [OB. xxv. 1--40.