A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Matthew · Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV.
1. THen ſhall the kingdom of heaven be likened to ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2. And five of them were wiſe, and five were fooliſh.
1. When Chriſt cometh to Judgment, (either on the Jews as aforeſaid, or on any with Death; or on all, at the laſt Day,) the Adminiſtration of his Kingly Government, towards the Ready, and Unready may be illuſtrated by this ſimilitude, of Ten Virgins, &c.
Note, The Cuſtome of the Jews was, to make very Pompous Feaſts, at Weddings, and many Virgins uſed to go to the Brides Houſe, and thence with hand Lamps to go, and attend her to the Wedding.
3. They that were fooliſh, took their Lamps, and took no oyl with them. 4. But the wiſe took oyl in their veſſels with their Lamps.
3.4. The Fooliſh made no preparation but for the preſent, but the Wiſe provided for the time to come, ſuppoſing there might be ſome delay.
Note, The Parable is, to ſtir up all to preparation for Death and Judgment; and all the Tryals that are to come: and to prove it damning Fooliſhneſs after all warnings to delay, and be unprepared.
5. While the bridegroom tarried, they all ſlumbred and ſlept.
5. Note, The Lamp, and the Veſſel of Oyl ſignifie, Preparation by ſudden act, and Preparation by a ſtated habit: Wiſe, and Fooliſh, Good, and Bad, may ſleep upon delay; and keep not up ſtill the ſame lively Activity: But the Godly have ſtill the holy Nature and Habits.
6. And at mid-night there was a cry made, Behold, the bridgroom cometh, Go ye out to meet him.
6. And when they are deepeſt in ſecurity, or forgetfulneſs, and minding Worldly things, they ſuddenly hear that Chriſt by Death or Judgment is coming; He is juſt at hand: There's no more delay, you muſt preſently come away to Judgment, and to be ſaved if you are his.
7. Then all thoſe virgins aroſe, and trimmed their lamps.
7. When the Midnight cry cometh, and there is no longer ſtay, all men good and bad, wiſe and fooliſh, will be awakened, to attempt ſome ſudden preparation: The worſt almoſt under the ſentence of Death will think, what now muſt I do to be Saved: ſelf-love, and fear, will make them cry for Mercy, with ſome kind of Repentance, though they be Unconverted.
8. And the fooliſh ſaid to the wiſe, Give us of your oyl for our lamps are out.
8. The unprepared unholy Souls, when Death and Judgment comes, would fain then be found in the State of holy Believers, and would die the death of the righteous, and wiſh for their preparations.
9. But the wiſe anſwered, ſaying, Not ſo: leſt there be not enough for us and you, but go ye rather to them that ſell, and buy for your ſelves.
9. Theſe wiſhes then are vain: One man cannot be Saved by another mans Righteouſneſs: It muſt be your own, or it will not ſave you. Go therefore and make your own preparation.
10. And while they went to buy, the bride-groom came, and they that were ready▪ went in with him to the marriage; and the door was ſhut.
10. Death and Judgment will not ſtay for the unready: They that then are found unſanctified, onelyonly under fears and wiſhes to be ſaved, will be ſhut out, when holy prepared Souls are all let in.
11. Afterwards came alſo the other virgins, ſaying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
11. Self-love and fear, will make the unholy Cry in vain, too late for Mercy.
12. But he anſwered and ſaid, Verily I ſay unto you, I know you not.
12. But he will not own, or open to ſuch ſeekers, but reject them. N. Not that true Converſion and Holineſs is ever too late. But thoſe fears and crys for Mercy, which in time might have been good preparations for a true Change, may be all loſt, and come ſhort of it at the laſt extremity.
13. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour, when the Son of man cometh.
13. God hath purpoſely concealed the time of Chriſts Coming from the knowledge of all Men, that all might be obliged to be in conſtant watchful readineſs: yea, it is ſaid, That Chriſt himſelf knew it not as man, They that ſay, The Year may be known, though not the Day, or Hour; diſtort the Text which meaneth, by Day and Hour, the Time: as if he had ſaid, You are not ſure (ſave by the Signes forementioned not Fulfilled) but it may be the next Day, or Hour: ſo that the Apoſtles themſelves were uncertain, tho they rebuked them that pretended to know, that it was at hand, before Jeruſalem was Deſtroyed. From their days till now, God hath kept the Church uncertain, but that it might quickly come. So that Grotius is miſtaken, that thinks Paul believed it would be in his days; as if he had by a falſe Motive drawn men to godlineſs: But Paul knew not how ſoon it might have come. Ignorance of it is needful; but Error is hurtful: (of which before.)
14. For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far countrey, who called his own ſervants, and delivered unto them his goods: 15. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to every man according to his ſeveral ability, and ſtairway took his Journey.
14.15. Chriſt paſſing into the Heavens, committeth to his Servants the Word, means, and mercies of his Grace, that they may improve them till he come by Death and Judgment, to call them to account; Not giving the ſame degree of means and mercy to all, but to ſome more, and to ſome leſs.
16. Then he that had received the five talents, went and traded with the ſame, and made them other five talents. 17. And likewiſe he that had received two, he alſo gained other two.
16.17. They that had the greater means and helps improved them, to their own increaſe of Grace, and the good of others, and the ſervice and honour of their Lord.
18. But he that had received one, went and digged in the earth, and hid his lords money.
18. Note, Tho the leaſt helps ſhould be anſwerably improved, yet the leſs (ſuch as thoſe have, who have little more than the Light of Nature) excite not men ſo powerfully to an improvement.
19. After a long time, the Lord of thoſe ſervants cometh and reckoneth with them.
19. Note, Chriſt here intimateth that hiscoming to reckon with them would not be haſty.
20. And lo he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, ſaying, Lord, thou deliveredſt to me five talents, behold, I have gained beſides them five talents more.
20. I have uſed them to the increaſe of thy grace in me, and to the good of men, and to thy Glory.
21. His Lord ſaid to him, Well done thou 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.
21. His Lord who freely gave him his talents to uſe, yet rewarded his faithful uſage of them, and praiſed his fidelity, ſaying, I will give thee great things, becauſe thou haſt well and faithfully uſed the ſmaller mercies of this life which I gave thee.
22. He alſo that had received two talents came and ſaid, Lord, thou deliveredſt to me two talents, behold I have gained two other talents beſides them. 23. His Lord ſaid to him, Well done thou good and faithful ſervant, thou haſt been faithful over a few things, I will make the ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
22, 23. N. 1. The reward of Glory given for our diligent improvement of the mercies of this life, is conſiſtent with the freeneſs of the gift. 2. God himſelf will praiſe the fidelity of his Servants, as worthy of praiſe. 3. Great rewards will crown the Faithful for little things here ſincerely done. 4. It is our Lords own joy that the faithful ſhall enter partake of.
24. 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 ſtrewed: 25. And I was afraid and went and hid thy talent in the ground, Lo, there thou haſt that is thine.
24, 25. The fear of thy ſeverity made me think it ſafeſt to keep thy Money merely from being loſt.
N. Hard thoughts of God makes men backward to his ſervice, which is a work of Love; and ſinful fear is an enemy to holy diligence and fruitfulneſs.
26. His Lord anſwered and ſaid to him, Thou wicked and ſlothful ſervant, thou kneweſt that I reap where I ſowed not, and gather where I have not ſtrewed. 27. Thou oughteſt therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I ſhould have received my own with uſury.
26, 27. Note, 1. God will take a ſlothful ſervant for a wicked ſervant: unprofitableneſs and omiſſion of duty, is damnable unfaithfulneſs in us that are but Stewards and Servants. To do no harm is a praiſe fit for a ſtone and not for a man. 2. To confeſs Gods holy Government, and yet to be unholy, is to be ſelf-condemning.
Qu. Doth this Text juſtifie uſury? Anſ. It ſpeaketh of that ſort of increaſe made by exchange and trading, without reproof, and with ſeeming approbation. Gain by Trading and Merchandize is one ſort of Uſury: all Uſury is unlawful which is againſt Juſtice or Charity. And all other is lawful; and ſome that is a work of Charity is to ſome a duty.
28. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it to him which hath ten talents. 29. For to 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.
28, 29. He ſhall be deprived of the mercies of this life, who improved them not for a better life, when he that ſo improved them ſhall have an abundant reward, the mercies of this life and that to come.
30. And caſt ye the unprofitable ſervant into outer darkneſs, there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth.
30. N. 1. Omiſſion and unprofitableneſs is damning ſin. 2. Hell is called Fire for pain, and Darkneſs for uncomfortableneſs.
31. When the Son of man ſhall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then ſhall he ſit upon the throne of his glory: 32. And before him ſhall be gathered all nations, and he ſhall ſeparate them one from another, as a ſhepherd divideth his ſheep from the goats. 33. And he ſhall ſet the ſheep on his right hand, and the goats on his left.
31, &c. The coming of Chriſt ſhall be in Glory, with all his holy Angels, who ſerved him here for the good of his Elect; and as Judge he ſhall ſit on his Throne of Glory: And all perſons and Nations ſhall be called by him to Judgment, and he ſhall ſeparate them as ſheep and goats, &c.
34. Then ſhall the King ſay to them on his right hand, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
34. Then Chriſt ſhall pronounce this ſentence on the Faithful, Come, &c. N. O comfortable words, [Come,] Whither? To Chriſt, to God, to Heaven! [ye bleſſed of my Father,] ſure ſuch ſhall be bleſſed indeed, [inherit] not only uſe [the Kingdom,] in participation with the King of Glory: [prepared for you] by eternal Love, and Decree.
35. For I was hungry and ye gave me meat, I was thirſty and ye gave me drink, I was a ſtranger and ye took me in: 36. Naked and ye cloathed me, I was ſick, and ye viſited me, I was in priſon and ye came to me.
35, 36. N. 1. Theſe works are noted as the effects of Faith and Love, without which they would have been but dead works. 2. The cauſal [for] ſignifieth not any merit by commutative Juſtice, as giving God any benefit; But their moral qualification and fitneſs to receive the Kingdom freely given, but on ſuch conditions, that we ſignifie our thankful acceptance by true devotedneſs to Chriſt. And thus all are judged (that is, finally juſtified or condemned) according to their works, as judged by the Law of Grace and Faith, and not by Moſes Law or that of Innocency. 3. Love to Chriſt is not ſincere, if it will not cauſe us to prefer his intereſt in his poor Saints (much more in the whole Church) before our Eaſe, Wealth and ſafety.
37. Then ſhall the righteous anſwer him, ſaying, Lord, when ſaw we thee hungry and fed thee? when ſaw we thee thirſty and gave thee drink? 38. When ſaw we thee a ſtranger and took thee in? or naked and cloathed thee? 39 Or When ſaw we thee ſick or in priſon and came unto thee?
37, &c. Chriſt doth more intereſt himſelf in his ſervants love and good works, than they thought or can eaſily believe; and valueth theſe more than we do our ſelves.
40. And the King ſhall anſwer and ſay to them, Verily I ſay to you, in as much as ye have done it to one of the leaſt of theſe my brethren, ye have done it to me.
40. Note, 1. Thoſe poor and weak Chriſtians which the proud deſpiſe and ſcorn, Chriſt calleth his brethren: 2. And he taketh that as done to him that is done to them for his ſake.
41. Then ſhall he ſay alſo to them on the left hand, Depart from me ye curſed into everlaſting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
41. N. Every word unſpeakably terrible. The curſed ſtate is to depart from Chriſt into everlaſting fire with Devils, who were firſt adjudged to it, and draw the wicked to be their Companions in torments by following them in ſin. Wicked men are ſo like Devils, that they muſt dwell with them for ever in miſery.
42, 43. For I was hungry and ye gave me no meat, I was thirſty and ye gave me no drink, I was a ſtranger and ye took me not in, naked and ye cloathed me not, ſick and in priſon and ye viſited me not.
42, 43. Note, That it is not only hating, hurting, perſecuting, ſcorning or oppreſſing that men are damned for to hell fire with Devils, but alſo not loving, relieving, and helping Chriſts ſervants: for he truſted them with his gifts for that uſe and trial. If theſe muſt be in hell with Devils, where will oppreſſours, perſecutors and murderers be?
44. Then ſhall they alſo anſwer him, ſaying, Lord, when ſaw we thee hungry, or thirſty, or a ſtranger, or naked, or ſick, or in priſon, and did not miniſter to thee.
44. Note, Wicked men know not the greatneſs of their own ſin, nor how much that is againſt Chriſt which is againſt his ſervants.
45. Then ſhall he anſwer them, ſaying, Verily I ſay to you, in as much as ye did it not to one of the leaſt of theſe, ye did it not to me.
45. N. The wicked ſhall ſuffer not only for hurting, but for not helping the faithful, as if it had been Chriſt himſelf that they neglected. O what a motive is this to Charity?
Qu. Will it not be endleſs thus to convince and judge all the world? Anſ. No: though this be ſpoken after the manner of Men, God can at once open every mans caſe to his own Conſcience, and judge all the world in a moment, as the Sun doth at once enlighten all the eyes on earth.
46. And theſe ſhall go away into everlaſting puniſhment, and the righteous into life eternal.
46. The Execution ſhall preſently follow the Sentence. All that ſhewed not their faith in Chriſt, and love to him, by loving his ſervants above their worldly wealth and pleaſure, ſhall go to everlaſting puniſhment with devils that deceived them: And the faithful that loved Chriſt, and his intereſt and ſervants above their fleſhly intereſts ſhall go into endleſs life and bleſſedneſs. But this doth not extend to comdemn Infants or poor unable perſons for not doing what they could not; nor to deprive them of a reward that had a will to do more than they were able.