man, no, not the Angels of Heaven, but MY FATHER only.

Concerning this verse, see on St. Mark xiii. 32.

But as the days of Noe were, so shall also 37 the Coming of the Son of Man be. For as 38 in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until 39 the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the Coming of the Son of Man be.

A similar reference to 'the days of Noe,' as typical of the final overthrow of the World, will be found to have been already made by our LORD on another occasion P. Then, He proceeded to recal the History of Sodom also: but not now, because the fate of that guilty City has been already brought before us".

Take notice that it would appear from what precedes, as if, although fearful signs "are to precede the last Judgment, yet that Day itself will come in a time of thoughtless security; which seems to be intimated by the eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage; and still more so by the buying and selling, planting and building, 'as in the days of Lots.""

P St. Luke xvii. 26, 27.

q St. Luke xvii. 28 to 32.

See above, ver. 16 to 18, where see the notes.

s Williams.

40

Then shall two be in the field: the one 41 shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

42

Some remarks on this place will be found in the note on St. Luke xvii. 36.

Watch therefore: for ye know not what 43 hour your LORD doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have 44 suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh.

This warning is of perpetual recurrencet, and of general obligation: but what follows, to the end of the chapter, is addressed more particularly to those who are made rulers over the LORD's Household". The place is to be compared with a portion of St. Luke's twelfth chapter; of which, ver. 38 will be found a fitting introduction to ver. 42, above; while verses 39 and 40 of St. Luke correspond with verses 43 and 44 of the present chapter. A question asked by St. Peter follows in St. Luke's Gospel,- LORD, speakest Thou this Parable unto us, or even to all?'-out of which

See above, the latter part of the note on ver. 26, together with

the reference.

u See below, ver. 45: also 1 Cor. iv. 1, 2: Tit. i. 7: 1 St. Peter iv. 10. St. Luke xii. 41.

naturally arise the sayings which are found in the ensuing seven verses of the present chapter, and which also occur in St. Luke. This must be allowed to be a very surprising circumstance; well deserving of our most reverent attention.

Who then is a faithful and wise Servant, 45 whom his Lord hath made ruler over his Household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his 46 Lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That He shall make 47 him ruler over all His goods.

6

Every word here is suggestive. Take notice that he who is set over the Household, is but a Servant, after all: and of him it is required that he be not only faithful, but wise also. To zeal there must be added discretion. A 'ruler' he is; yet what is his office? Even, like a good Pastor, to feed the sheep and the little lambs of CHRIST'S fold, giving to each the milk' or the 'strong meat, in due season:" "seasonably dispensing the Word of Life to a Household which is to be nourished with the food of Eternity." What words shall describe the blessedness of the 'servant whom his LORD when He cometh shall find so doing?' 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant,' (it will be said;) 'thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler

y St. Luke xii. 42 to 46.

Heb. v. 12, 14.

z St. John xxi. 15, 16, 17.

b Hilary.

48

over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy LORD!'-words which recal, if they do not help to explain, what is read above, in ver. 47.

But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth His coming: 49 and shall begin to smite his fellow-servants, 50 and to eat and drink with the drunken the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for Him, and in an 51 hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Concerning the last words, see the end of the note on St. Matthew viii. 12. With those which precede, compare 2 St. Peter iii. 3 to 10.-Take notice that Teachers of the Gospel are here addressed; who, if they neglect their duty, will have the same punishment as those who pretended to believe, but were in fact 'unbelievers d'Then follows the parable of the wise and foolish Virgins,' which is again succeeded by the parable of the Talents.' Both are fitly introduced by the word of exhortation which is found above in ver. 42; or by that which St. Mark preserves in this place,' And what I say unto you, I say unto all,-Watch!'

d St. Luke xii. 46.

c St. Matth. xxv. 21.

e St. Mark xiii. 37.

Α

PLAIN COMMENTARY

ON THE TWENTY-FIFTH CHAPTER OF

St. Matthew's Gospel.

1 The parable of the Ten Virgins, 14 and of the Talents. 31 Also the description of the last Judgment.

THE parable of the Ten Virgins' with which the present chapter begins, and which is peculiar to the present Gospel, sets forth and enforces the duty of Watchfulness; taking up the solemn train of Exhortation with which the preceding chapter concludes. CHRIST is here the Bridegroom, while the Church, (as throughout the Song of Solomon,) is His Bride. This image has come before us repeatedly, already: in truth, it gives a colour to the language both of the Old and the New Testament. The time spoken of is the End,-whether of Life, or of the World. It need not perplex us that the Church, here, is represented both by the Bride and the Virgins; for, as all must perceive, and as we have so often remarked, neither Type nor Parable may be so pressed as if it were the very thing it signified. It is also to be observed that, as if to preclude any confusion of thought, the Bride is not once mentioned throughout the

See the notes on St. Matth. xxii. 3: St. John iii. 1, &c.