Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/672

 servant of  God  is  so  exceeding  great,  that  in  comparison  with  it  even the five  talents  appear  as  “few”. The just  man  will  receive  a “good measure (of  reward)  pressed  down  and  shaken  together”  (Luke  6,  38), and will  have  a share  in  the  eternal  joy  and  majesty  of  our  Lord  Jesus, whom he  served  faithfully  on  earth.

The slothful  servant  did  not  correspond  with  grace  and  made  no use  of  it,  and  used  his  natural  gifts  only  in  the  service  of  the  world. His faith  was  a dead  faith,  without  love  and  without  zeal. He excused himself by  pleading  that  Almighty  God  was  “hard”,  that  His  commandments were  too  difficult  to  keep,  and  that  He  required  what  it  was impossible to  give. His harangue  and  excuses,  however,  profited  him nothing, because  the  very  fact  of  his  knowing  that  God’s  judgments are severe,  ought  to  have  made  him  exert  himself  to  keep  His  laws. If he  had  corresponded  with  the  grace  he  had  received,  he  would have merited  further  grace,  and  would  have  been  praised  and  rewarded. But he  was  slothful,  did  not  profit  by  grace,  and  thus  lost  what  grace he had  (as  we  see  lukewarm  Christians  lose  even  the  gift  of  faith),  and was thrust  out  of  the  kingdom  of  grace  into  the  exterior  darkness of hell.

The chief  lessons  to  be  learnt  from  this  parable  are  as  follows:

1. Faith  alone  does  not  suffice  for  salvation,  which  must  be  won  by good  works.

2. At  the  judgment  every  Christian  will  have  to  give  an  account of the  use  he  has  made  of  his  natural  and  supernatural  gifts. The slothful servant  was  called  wicked  and  was  condemned,  simply  because he left  undone  that  which  he  ought  to  have  done.

3. God is  our  Lord  and  Master,  and  we  are  His  servants. He is a most  gracious  Lord,  for  He  gives  His  servants  more  and  more  grace as they  need  it,  and  rewards  them  with  everlasting  happiness.

Almsgiving. The poor  are  God’s  bankers. Alms are  a safe  investment and  bring  in  the  highest  interest,  for  God  rewards  them  with an eternal  recompense.

Everything you  have  is  a gift  of  God,  and  a talent  committed  to  your  charge. Even your  good  works  are  not your own,  because  without  God’s  grace  you  can  do  nothing. Only your sins  are  quite  your  own  and  your  own  work. Do not  therefore boast  of  your  understanding,  memory  &amp;c.,  but  be  humble, and remember  that  you  will  one  day  have  to  give  an  account  of them. “And what  hast  thou  that  thou  hast  not  received? And if thou  hast  received,  why  dost  thou  glory  as  if  thou  hadst  not received it?”  (1  Cor.  4,  7.)  Make  a resolution  not  to  say  one word to-day  in  your  own  praise.