Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/670

 salvation  with  fear  and  trembling”. However much  good  they  have done, they  confess  that  they  are  unprofitable  servants,  and  that  their only ground  for  hope  lies  in  the  mercy  of  God.

Picture to  yourself  the  consternation  and  despair of those  who  are  shut  out  for  ever  from  the  happiness  of  heaven. "We fools!”  they  will  say,  “for  we  might  have  been  saved!  We had  so  many  means  of  grace,  so  many  opportunities  of  doing good.  But  we  wasted  them,  and  are  now,  by  our  own  fault,  lost for  ever!”  Do  you  wish  to  be  one  of  these  unhappy  ones?  No! Then  begin  at  once,  while  you  are  young,  to  be  zealous  in  the service  of  God.

ESUS also  spoke  another  parable  to  the  same  effect,  showing the necessity  of  making  good  use  of  the  time  and  the  talents confided to  us.

“For even  as  a man  going  into  a far  country  called  his servants, and  delivered  to  them  his  goods. To one  he  gave  five talents, and  to  another  two,  and  to  another  one;  to  every  one according to  his  proper  ability:  and  immediately  he  took  his journey. Now, he  that  had  received  the  five  talents  went  his  way and traded  with  the  same,  and  gained  other  five. And in  like manner, he  that  had  received  the  two  gained  other  two. But he that  had  received  the  one,  went  away,  and  hid  his  lord’s  money in the  earth.

“After a long  time,  the  lord  of  those  servants  came  and reckoned with  them. And he  that  had  received  five  talents, coming, brought  other  five  talents,  saying:  ‘Lord,  thou  didst  deliver to  me  five  talents;  behold,  I have  gained  other  five  over  and above.’ His  lord  said  to  him:  ‘Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful servant; because  thou  hast  been  faithful  over  a few  things,  I will  set  thee  over  many  things:  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of thy  lord.”’