THE TALENTS.

are talents. To some He has given
little, and to others much; but to
all He has given something; and for
these things God will bring us into
judgment. Now we ought to use
the talents given us in God’s service,
and for God’s glory. If we make a
bad use of them, or no use at all, we
shall at last be punished as wicked
and slothful servants, and sent
away far from God and happiness
for ever.

Then Jesus spoke to his disciples
about the day of judgment still more
solemnly. He said, “ When the Son
of man shall come in His glory, and
all the holy angels with Him, then
He shall sit upon the throne of His
glory. And before Him shall be
gathered all nations; and He will
divide them one from another, as a
shepherd divides the sheep from the
goats. And He will put the right-
eous on His right hand, and the
wicked on His left. Then He will
say to those on His right, Come, ye
‘blessed, inherit the kingdom pre-
pared for you before the creation of
the world. For I was hungry, and
ye gave me meat; thirsty, and ye
gave me drink; naked, and ye
clothed me; sick, and ye visited
me; in prison, and ye came unto

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me. Inasmuch as ye have done it
unto one of the least of these my
brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

Will the righteous be saved be-
cause they did all these good things ?
No; they will be saved only by the
blood and righteousness of Christ,
not by their own goodness. They
will know this, and rejoice to give
him all the praise and glory; yet
Jesus will not forget their labors of
love for his sake.

Then the king will turn to those
on his left hand, and say, “ Depart,
ye cursed, into everlasting fire, pre-
pared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry, and ye gave me
no meat; thirsty, and ye gave me
no drink; naked, and ye clothed
me not; sick, and in prison, and ye
visited me not:—inasmuch as ye
did it not unto one of the least of
these, ye did it not unto me.”

Those on the left hand of the
judge will be people who had no
love to Christ, no faith in Him, and
who had never shown any kindness
to His people for His sake. And
therefore they will be condemned
in that awful day: they will be sent
into everlasting punishment; but
the righteous will be taken into life
eternal.