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Christian, as our seventeenth Article states, if it be connected with a sober and intent regard to the holy fruits by which alone it is to be known, and with an habitual and well-fixed adherence to the following of that will of God which is plainly revealed in Holy Scripture. The consideration of it will then inflame our love to God, will promote our humility and thankfulness, will inspire us with holy hope of attaining everlasting felicity, will animate us to prepare more and more for it, and will teach us especially, as we find in our text it is intended to do, to put on all those virtuous and lovely tempers, which peculiarly become the children of God; all those graces which honour Christ, all that adorn the Gospel, all that benefit our fellow-creatures, all that prepare us for the peace, purity, and harmony of heaven.

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SERMON XI.

THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS.

MATTHEW, xxv. 14-30.

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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. 1 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to every man accord ing to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one, went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time, the lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst` unto me five talents; behold, I have gained besides them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful

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over a few things, I will make thee ruler over · many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents; behold I have gained two other talents beside them. 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. 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 sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 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; thou oughtest, therefore, to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take, therefore, the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 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. And cast ye the unprofitable. servant into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

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THERE are few of our Lord's parables more plain and important than this. The accountableness of man for every blessing he feceives is a fundamental point in religion; and the statement of it contained in this parable is so express and authoritative, as to demand our most attentive consideration. It was addressed by our Saviour to his disciples in order to correct their false expectation that the kingdom of God would immediately appear, and to direct them to a right use of the various advantages intrusted to them during his personal absence but it is applicable to the servants of Christ in every age. It appeals at once to the conscience. It exhibits to the world at large a general rule of the moral government of God with his rational and intelligent creatures; whilst it displays especially to the church the order of the divine proceedings in the last awful day of judgment. It is of course very possible, by expounding it without a due reference to other parts of the sacred volume, to pervert the design of this, as well as of many other of our Saviour's parables. But where the primary doctrines of the fall of man, his responsibility, his condemnation by the holy law, redemption by the death and sacrifice of Christ, justification by faith, salvation by grace, the, regenerating and sanctifying influences of the Holy Ghost, and the necessity of

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holy obedience, are rightly enforced, according to the general scope of Scripture, the instruetion of this particular portion of it will be eminently useful. In considering it, there are three parts which seem to demand explanation. 9.

I The talents intrusted to the management of the servants.

II. The right employment of them by the faithful servants, with their rewardly bell of

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III. The character and doom of the slothful servant. an at dosta ut bet. Canoga vistari tomme asp tur ebc etulev sø° 10 ser 3.We are to notice,09% Cena ei antren I. THE TALENTS INTRUSTED TO THE MANAGE MENT OF THE SERVANTS. ' nt of $50 L MISA

The man travelling into a far country, who called unto him his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods, represents to us our Lord and Saviour, who is the master and proprietor of his creatures; the absolute owner of all things, and the Lord and Redeemer of his church; and who has left his disciples, as to his visible presence, by his ascension into heaven. The servants to whom the talents were intrusted, represent the professed disciples and members of Christ, the visible body of the faithful; but particularly the ministers and stewards of his mysteries. The command given to them to manage his goods during his journey, teaches us the duty which he has enjoined on Christians,

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