of the joyous mansion, the opportunity was gone-the door was shut-the reply to their piteous petition "Lord, lord, open to us," was -cold and forbidding-"I never knew you!"

When the Heavenly Bridegroom shall come, the unprepared among mankind-hurried and helpless-filled with shame and despair-will cry to the rocks to fall on them and hide them from the wrath of the Lamb. This is not all. Did the five foolish know the five wise, formerly their companions, to be making merry within the mansion from which they were excluded? The unprepared of men-the impenitent-will behold Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, entering into the Kingdom of God, and be themselves shut out. Yes, hearers, your own flesh and blood: the child you lost ere it had become a transgressor: the pious wife whose head reposed upon your bosom: the mother that nursed you: the father you remember with such loving reverence: before your very eyes may pass to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Christ, within your sight, may take them to his presencechamber. You, shut out, in outer darkness,

sinking to Tophet, plead, but plead in vain. You curse your folly-you abjectly implore. The judge replies "I never knew you." From day to day, from age to age, unendingly, you are an exile from Paradise-lost-a cast-away!

97

LECTURE V.

MATTHEW Xxv. 14-30.

"The Kingdom of Heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered

unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according 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 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.