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14 the end, the fame fhall be (d) faved. And this gofpel of the kingdom fhall be preached in all the world, for a witnefs unto all nations, and then shall 15 the end come. When ye therefore fhall fee the abomination of (e) defolation, fpoken of by Daniel the prophet, ftanding in the holy place (whofo readeth, 16 let him understand) (f), Then let them which be in 17 Judea, flee into the mountains. Let him which is

on the houfe-top, not come down (g) to take any 18 thing out of his houfe: Neither let him which is 19 in the field, return back to take his clothes. And

wo unto them that are with child, and to them that 20 give fuck in those days. But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the fabbath21 day (h): For then fhall be great tribulation, such as

was not fince the beginning of the world to this 22 time, no, nor ever fhall be. And except thofe days fhould be fhortened, there fhould no fiefh be faved: but for the elect's fake thofe days fhall be 23. fhortened (i). Then if any man hail fay unto you, 24 Lo, here is Chrift, or there: believe it not.

For

there fhall arife falfe Chrifts, and falfe prophets, and

(d) Shall escape, and be faved from the common destruction. Acts.ii. 21.

(e) The standards and enfigns of the Roman army, in which were ftatues of the heathen Gods, and of the Cefars.

(f) Our bleffed Lord exhorts the people of his time to confider well the import of that paffage of the Gofpel, which foretells the pollution and deftruction of the temple.

(g) Let no confideration whatever hinder his making hafte to efcape by the fhorteft way poffible; that is, by the fairs on the outfide, by which they could go up to the roof, or down from it, without going through the house. Chap. x. 27. Sce Mark ii. 4.

(h) Journeying would be more difficult in the winter; and if on the fabbath-day, might provoke the fuperftitious Jews to hinder them. (i) For the fake of si e true believers, who endure to the end, Ver. 13. the time fhall be fhort; otherwife none could efcape. See Luke xxi. 18.

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fhall fhew great figns and wonders, infomuch that (if it were poffible) they fhall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore, if they 26 fhall fay unto you, Behold he is in the defert, go not

forth: behold, he is in the fecret chambers, believe 27 it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and fhineth even unto the weft: fo fhall also the 28 coming of the Son of man be (k). For wherefoever the carcafe is, there will the eagles (1) be gathered together.

29

Immediately after the tribulation of those days fhall the fun be darkened, and the moon fhall not give her light, and the ftars fhall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens fhall be (m) fhaken. 30 And then fhall appear the fign of the Son of man in heaven and then fhall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they fhall fee the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he fhall fend his angels with a great found of a trumpet, and they fhall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the 32 other. Now learn a parable of the fig-tree: When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, 33 ye know that fummer is nigh: So likewife ye,

when ye fhall fee all these things, know that it is 34 near, even at the doors. Verily I fay unto you, This generation fhall not pass, till all these things be 35 fulfilled. Heaven and earth fhall pafs away, but my words fhall not pass away (n).

(k) See Luke xvii. 24. Note.

(4) As you know by the refort of ravenous birds that a dead carcafe is near the place, fo you may judge by the approach of the Roman army (the ftandard of which was an eagle,) that the deftruction of Jerufalem is near at hand.

(m) There fhall be a general and great convulfion and diforder in the Jewish ftate. See this defcribed in plain language Luke xxi. 23, 24. (a) See Luke xxi. 32. Note.

36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 37 But as the days of Noe were, fo fhall also the com38 ing of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the 39 day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came and took them all away; fo fhall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40 Then fhall two be in the field, the one shall be 41 taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill, the one shall be taken, and the other left.

42 Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour 43 your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have fuffered his houfe to be broken 44 up. Therefore be ye alfo ready for in fuch an

hour as you think not, the Son of man cometh. 45 Who then is a faithful and wife fervant, whom his

Lord hath made ruler over his houfhold, to give 46 them meat in due feafon? Bleffed is that fervant,

whom his Lord when he cometh, fhall find fo 47 doing. Verily I fay unto you, that he shall make 48 him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil

fervant fhall fay in his heart, My Lord delayeth his 49 coming, And fhall begin to fmite his fellow-fer

vants, and to eat and drink with the drunken: 50 The Lord of that fervant fhall come in a day

when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that 51 he is not aware of; And fhall cut him afunder (0), and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there fhall be weeping and gnafhing of teeth.

(0) And fhall cut him off from ferving in his prefence, and fend him to be punished, as all wicked and unfaithful fervants fhall be, in a place of mifery and torment.

CHAP.

CHA P. XXV.

1 THEN fhall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went 2 forth to meet the bridegroom (a). And five of 3 them were wife, and five were foolish. They that

were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with 4 them: But the wife took oil in their veffels with their 5 lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all 6 flumbered and flept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh, go. 7 ye out to meet him. Then all thofe virgins arofe, 8 and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish faid unto

9 gone out.

the wife, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are But the wife answered, faying, Not fo; left there be not enough for us and (b) you: but go ye rather to them that fell, and buy for yourselves.

(a) This parable alludes to the ceremony ufed in Jewish marriages, at bringing home the bride by night; when the virgins who attended her, went out to meet the bridegroom with lamps to give them light in the way.

(b) Quite contrary to this is the Romish doctrine of fupererogation, or transferring the merits of one perfon to fupply the defects. of another; as if it were poffible for any to do more than their duty; whereas when we have done all we can, we are but unprofitable fervants, Luke xvii. 10. and instead of fuppofing that we have enough of merit to lend to others, we ought to take care that we fall not fhort ourselves. This is all that is intended by the parable.. The circumftance of buying and felling is introduced for carrying. on the literal ftory; but is utterly inconfiftent with a moral and spiritual application. Religion and merit are perfonal things, depending entirely on the ftate of a man's own foul, and not on the fuppofed goodnefs and worth of any other perfon whatever, whether living or departed. Be not perfuaded then to lean on fuch a broken reed; but confider the neceffity of preparing yourselves for your Lord's coming, by the fincerity and perfeverance of your own humble endeavours; trufting only for a fupply of your deficiency in his infinite merits, who will graciously open the door, and receive you into the joy of your Lord.

10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and they that were ready went in with him II to the marriage, and the door was fhut (c). After

wards came alfo the other virgins, faying, Lord, 12 Lord, open to us. But he answered and faid, 13 Verily I fay unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour, wherein the Son of man cometh.

14

For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own fervants, and 15 delivered unto them his goods (d): And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to every man according to his feveral ability, 16 and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents, went and traded with 17 the fame, and made them other five talents. And

likewife he that had received two, he alfo gained 18 other two. But he that had received one, went and 19 digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After

a long time, the lord of thofe fervants cometh, and 20 reckoneth with them. And fo he that had received five talents, came and brought other five talents, faying, Lord, thou deliveredft unto me five talents: behold, I have gained befide them five talents more. 21 His lord faid unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful fervant; thou haft been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: 22 enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that

had received two talents, came and faid, Lord,

(c) Obferve the fatal effects of putting off the neceffary preparation for meeting our Judge. We ought to be ready whenever he fhall be pleafed to come. When that time will be, it is not in our power to know.

(d) Whatever talents any man poffeffeth, whether many or few, they are intrufted to him by God, who expects a proportionable improvement to be made of them; and according to the improvement will be the reward.

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