с It is granted by all that I know of, that the feedfman is Chrift: the fcripture faith, the feed is the word of the kingdom, which muft needs be the fpiritual word nigh in the heart, fuitable to the heavenly kingdom, which Chrift faid was within, otherwife called light, that is faid to be "fown for the righteous;" or the grace which "comes by Chrift, that appears unto "all men, and brings falvation to them that are "taught by it," or the fpirit, that quickens us: and laftly, common fenfe tells us, that the feveral grounds comprehend mankind; for they muft either include the bad with the good, or the good only must be fown: but the very fcripture exprefsly diftinguisheth betwixt the good and bad ground, yet affirms the one, to have been fown with the feed as well as the other: therefore God's gift is univerfal, however men, by wicked works, may have rendered their hearts ftony, thorny, or otherwife defective and uncapable of bringing forth fruit. The other parable is also weighty, and much to the purpose: "For the kingdom of heaven is as a man "travelling into a far country, who called his own. "fervants, and delivered to them his goods; and unto "one he gave five talents, to another two, and to an"other one; to every man according to his ability, "and straightway took his journey. Then he that "had received five talents, went and traded with the "fame, and made them other five talents; and like"wise he that had received two, he alfo 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 fervants cometh and "reckoneth with them: and fo he that had received "five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredit unto me five talents, behold, I have gained, befides them, five talents "more. His lord faid unto him, Well done, thou "good and faithful fervant; thou hast been faithful VOL. I. • Mat. xiii. 19, ❝ over "over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He "alfo that had received two talents, came and faid, "Lord, thou deliveredft unto me two talents, be"hold I have gained two other talents befides them; "his lord faid unto him, Well done, good and faithful fervant; thou haft been been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things, "enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he who "had received one talent, came and faid, Lord, I "know thee, that thou art an hard man, reaping "where thou haft not fown, and gathering where "thou haft not ftrawed; and I was afraid, and went "and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou haft "that which is thine. His lord answered, and faid "unto him, Thou wicked and flothful fervant, thou "knewest that I reap where I fowed not, and gather "where I have not strawed, thou oughteft therefore "to have put my money to the exchangers, and then "at my coming I fhould have received my own with "ufury take therefore the talent from him, and give "it unto him who has ten talents: for unto every one "that hath fhall be given, and he fhall have abun"dance; but from him that has not, fhall be taken away even that which he hath: and caft ye the unprofitable fervant into utter darkness, there fhall be weeping, and gnashing of teeth; when the Son of man fhall come in his glory, and all the holy an"gels with him, then fhall he fit upon the throne of "his glory, and before him fhall be gathered all na"tions, and he shall feparate them one from another, "as a fhepherd divideth his sheep from the goats, and he fhall fet the fheep on his right hand, but the "goats on the left.f" Serious reader, I have the rather repeated the fcripture at large, because of that great ftrength it carries with it, methinks to the conviction, at least confufion, of that narrow spirit, which confines the infinite good nefs of God, and renders him, whilst he is the univerfal Creator, but a narrow benefactor; fhutting np his gifts within the ftrait compass of a few; reprefenting him thereby as partial as fome parents, who, they know not why, befides their own unequal wills, do frequently beftow their favours (indeed their whole affection) upon an elected darling, to the manifeft, though caufelefs neglect of the reft. But to speak the truth of the matter, the over-fondness fome carry to their opinion, joined with the envy raised towards those who conform not to it, has fo emptied them of all natural affection, that looking upon God in that condition, they dare think him as unnatural as themselves. For my part, I have not a great while believed but that it rather rifes from an unwillingness in fome that diffenters from them fhould be faved, (thereby endeavouring a compliance upon neceflity) than that God had not been propitious unto all his creatures. For who fees not, that can or will fee, that God is this fovereign Lord; that he made mankind to be his fervants; that these three fervants reprefent mankind; and to the end they might not be unprofitable, he gave them talents to improve against his return, that is, against the "day of recompence, for which they are "accountable;" that those who improve their talents may be rewarded, and they who make no improvement of their talents, may be punished with eternal feparation from the prefence of God, and all his holy angels. I will conclude with these five observations: 1. That God, though it be his fovereign prerogative to give what he will, has given a talent out of his celeftial treasury unto every man and woman. 2. That this talent is in itself fufficient: but as the best corn, fo this talent, put up into a napkin, must needs be unprofitable: yet, that the fault is in the party neglecting or hiding of it, and not in itself. 3. That thofe who improve not their talent, are moft apt to charge God with reaping where he fows not; as do many 'profeffors we have to do with, that Y 2 make make God to require an account of all, and yet deny, in order to rendering up this account with joy, that he has given to all a talent fufficient thereunto. 4. That the eternal eftate of men and women, as fheep and goats, depends upon their improving, or not improving of that heavenly talent wherewith God has endued them. Lastly, Neither is there any fhelter for these men, under the inequality of the number of talents; for it is not how many talents are given, but what improvement is made of what is given: wherefore greater is his reward, who makes one talent three, than his, who of ten advances but to fifteen; fince the one makes but half, whilst the other makes treble improvement. Bleffed therefore are you all, and will you affuredly be in the day of the Lord's recompence, who, difregarding the vanities, pleasures, cares, honours, and carnal religions of the world, diligently mind your own talent, and are, in the pure fear and holy counfel of the Lord, making your daily improvement of the fame, "laying up treasure" in the high and heavenly place, that is durable and everlasting. V. This reasonable truth is yet farther manifeft, from the weighty words of our Lord Jefus Chrift: "For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, nei"ther comes to the light, left his deeds fhould be "reproved." To which I would add, as before, that of the apostle, Whatsoever is reproved, is made "manifeft by the light." Certainly then, unless men will be fo unjuft to God, as to think (contrary to fcripture and reafon) he should let millions of men, and scores of generations, live in fin, without a light to fhew it them, or a law to limit them, it must be yielded, that they had light and law in their hearts and confciences, by which they were convicted of fin, and that fuch as obeyed it, were helped and led to work righteousness; fince their refufing to bring their • John iii. 20. Eph. v. 13. deeds deeds to the light, was not an act of ignorance, but defign; because they knew their deeds would be condemned, and they for them; which loudly afferts, that they both had a light, and knew they had it, though they rebelled against it. And if I fhould grant, that whatever was reproveable was not made manifeft unto them, yet this will no ways impeach the capacity of the light to do it. It is evident, that fome things. which the Gentiles did were reproved; therefore they bad the light and if they had it not in all the extent of its revelation, the light was no more to be blamed, than that guide was, whofe paffengers never came to their journey's end, because they never would begin, at least proceed, by his direction. Had the heathens been faithful to the light that God had given them, and not been blinded by the vain idolatries and fuperftitious traditions of their fathers, they had more fully known and learned the mind and will of their Creator; which some of those Gentiles notwithstanding did, as will anon appear. VI. Thus the apoftle Paul teaches us to believe, in that remarkable paffage of his in the first chapter to the Romans: "For I am not afhamed of the gospel " of Chrift: for it is the power of God unto falva"tion, to every one that believeth, to the few first, " and alfo to the Greek. For therein is the righteouf"nefs of God revealed, from faith to faith: as it is "written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath " of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodli"nefs and unrighteoufnefs of men, who hold the "truth in unrighteoufnefs. Because that which may " be known of God is manifeft in them, for God hath hewed it unto them. For the invifible things of " him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, "being understood by the things that are made, even "his eternal power and godhead, fo that they are "without excufe; because that when they knew God, "they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts were darkened. And even as Y 3 "they |