Matthew 25

From this glorious manifestation of God's love, will flow infinite joy into the souls of the blessed. Therefore heaven is called entering into the joy of our Lord (Matthew 25:21). The seeing of God, the loving of God, and being beloved of God, will cause a jubilation of spirit,…

3. Grace in Christ is communicative: his grace is for us; the holy oil of the Spirit was poured on the head of this blessed Aaron, that it might run down upon us. The saints have not grace to bestow on others: when the foolish virgins would have bought oil of their neighbor-virg…

At that day of judgment shall Christ be exalted super-eminently; he shall come in the glory of his Father (Mark 8:38). He shall wear the same embroidered robes of majesty as the Father; and he shall come with all his holy angels (Matthew 25:31). He who was led to the bar with a…

There is none here present, but God has put you in some capacity of glorifying him; the health he has given you, the parts, estate, seasons of grace, these all are opportunities put into your hand to glorify him; and be assured God will call you to account to know what you have…

Use 1. Then see that religion is no melancholy thing; it brings joy, the fruit of the Spirit is joy, Mutatur, non tollitur; a poor Christian that feeds on bread and water, may have purer joy than the greatest monarch; though he fares hard he feeds high, he has a table spread fro…

Grace may be like a sleepy habit; the godly may act faintly in religion, the pulse of their affections may beat low. The wise virgins slumbered (Matthew 25:5). The exercise of grace may be hindered, as when the course of water is stopped and does not run.

2. The worm (Mark 9:44), this is the worm of conscience, and the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15) — other fire is but painted to this. 2. This house of hell is haunted with devils (Matthew 25:41). Anselm has a saying, I had rather endure all torments, than see the devil with bodi…

The wicked being convicted will be speechless. Then follows that dismal sentence (Matthew 25:41): Ite Maledicti, Depart from me you cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. He that said to God, Depart from me (Job 21:14), and to religion, Depart from…

Our Saviour Christ here commends to us the wisdom of the serpent, and the innocency of the dove. The elect are called wise virgins (Matthew 25:4). Virgins — there is the dove; wise — there is the serpent.

Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord. The Holy Ghost does not mention Sarah's unbelief, or laughing at the promise, he puts a finger upon the scar, winks at her failing, and only takes notice of the good that was in her, her obedience to her husband, She obeyed Abraham, callin…

The slothful person hides his talent in the earth, he does no good, his time is not lived but lost. An idle person lives unprofitably, he cumbers the ground: God calls the slothful servant wicked (Matthew 25:26): You wicked and slothful servant. Draco, whose laws were written in…

The loitering servant is a kind of thief, though he does not steal from his master goods, yet he steals that time which he should have employed in his master's service. The slothful servant is called a wicked servant (Matthew 25:26). (3.) The servant is to honor his master, who…

Fourthly, in this we resemble God, to be doing good to others. 'Tis our excellence to be like God. Godliness is God-likeness. And in what are we more like him than in acts of bounty and munificence? Psalm 119:68. You are good, and do good. You are good, there is God's essential…

St. Chrysostom did inveigh against mixed dancing in his time. We read, says he, of a marriage feast, and of virgins going before with lamps (Matthew 25:7), but of dancing there, we read not. Many have been ensnared by dancing; as the Duke of Normandy, and others.

Answ. "God's wrath and curse both in this life, and that which is to come. Matthew 25:41. Depart from me you cursed into everlasting fire.— Man having sinned, is like a favourite turned out of the king's favor, and deserves the wrath and curse of God.

Weep not for us, but weep for your selves. 8. Branch, See the wisdom of the godly, they have the serpent's eye in the dove's head, wise virgins (Matthew 25:2). Their wisdom appears, in their choice, they choose that which will bring them to a kingdom; they choose grace, and what…

1. Consideration: We should often consider what a Kingdom Heaven is. 'Tis called Regnum paratum, a Kingdom prepared (Matthew 25:34), which implies something that is rare and excellent. God has prepared in his Kingdom, such things as eye has not seen nor ear heard (1 Corinthians…

In the Hebrew it is Eloha Selicoth, a God of pardons. We are apt to entertain wrong conceits of God, that he is inexorable and will not forgive (Matthew 25:24). "I knew you were a hard man."

If it shall be your infelicity then to fall under a sentence of condemnation, it had been better for you that you had never been born. Everlasting punishment will be the certain fruit of it (Matthew 25, last verse): "These shall go into everlasting punishment," that is, those th…

(2) Ephesians 4:8, 12, 13. (3) 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6, 7; Colossians 4:17; Matthew 25:14, 15, 16. (4) 1 Corinthians 12:7.

Q. This punishment of the damned is in itself most dreadful and terrible, but how long shall it continue? A. The thing were something less grievous, if this misery would ever have an end; but this is the aggravation of it that it must be everlasting (2 Thessalonians 1:9; Matthew…

Q. What shall be the last act of this glorious power and authority of Christ, and so the last degree of his exaltation? A. His return to judgment at the last day, when he shall come a second time into this world with unspeakable majesty and glory, to judge the quick and dead (2…

Q. What sentence will he give? A. To them upon his right hand he will say, "Come you blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 25:34). Q. And what will be his sentence upon the wicked at his left hand?

As the Apostle says (Romans 11:2): God has not cast away his people which he knew before. For as the Lord is said not to know those, whom he does reject — as when he answered the foolish virgins saying (Matthew 25:12), "Verily I say to you, I know you not" — so he is said to kno…

So was it in the infancy, so in her perpetual growth, and so shall it be in the last age of the church: the good shall never be quite separated from the bad, until Christ himself do it at the last judgement. Goats shall always be mingled amongst the sheep, till Christ the great…

The other sort are they, which being baptized in the Church, hear the word effectually, and receive the Lord's Supper worthily, to their salvation; because God doth establish his Covenant in their hearts. This difference is plain in Scripture, in the parables of the dragnet, (Ma…

Lastly, if there be such a communion between Christ and a believer, that our sins were made his, and his righteousness made ours; This may teach us patience, and minister us comfort in all outward afflictions, or inward temptations; because it is certain all our sufferings are h…

And if the love of Christ draw you to keep all his Commandements (though in the world you meet with affliction for his sake; yet in Christ you shall find peace) for the Father, Son, and Spirit will dwell in your heart, and take it for the Sanctum Sanctorum, where they will abide…

(4.) Since, or rather, from the Foundation of the World. This expression is sometimes used absolutely for the original of the world in its creation; for the absolute beginning of time and all things measured by it (Ephesians 1:4; Matthew 25:34; John 17:24; 1 Peter 1:20). Sometim…

These the world is filled withal; and it is the great trial of faith (Jude 20, 21). (5) Preparation for it, that we may be ready and meet for his reception, which is the substance of what we are taught in the parable of the virgins (Matthew 25). To those that thus look for him s…

For 4. The persons to be judged are (1) fallen Angels (1 Corinthians 6:3, 2 Peter 2:4, Jude 6, Matthew 25:41); (2) all men universally without exception (Isaiah 45:23, Romans 14:9, 10, Matthew 25:31). In especial (1) all the godly, all such as have believed and obeyed the Gospel…

(2) The value of it is inexpressible. It is a kingdom (Matthew 25:34; James 2:5). Salvation (Hebrews 1:14).

If your works be from God (in that sense we are speaking of) God will own them, accept them, and reward them: what is his own, he will acknowledge and reward it in us, though it be never so little, and never so much despised in our own eyes, or in the eyes of others (Zechariah 4…

(1) Some think, they have paid their debt, by their repentings, and reformings, and other good works; and hence their minds are at rest, in some measure; but there comes an after reckoning at death, when it appears that their coin is not current: and what they trust to will not…

Ans. It is freely granted, that the Church of the Jews, when they shall be called and converted, shall be very holy and glorious; and yet it may be questioned, whether that Church shall have none in it, but only elect and sincere Believers, both they and their children to the en…

If this admonition takes no place in your heart, then at the day of judgment it shall stand against you, and be a bill of indictment to your further condemnation. The second point follows, that Christ after that he is come in the clouds shall sit in a throne of glory, as the sov…

Therefore it is divinely instructive, in what he himself will do in the great day; it is futuri judicii praejudicium: But he will scarcely be thought well advised, who shall send men to Doctors-Commons, to learn the way and manner of Christ's judgment of his Church, with the cau…

We are not Lords of an estate, but Stewards; and how soon may we hear that word, redde rationem, Give an account of your stewardship, for you may be no longer Steward, Luke 16. 2. An estate is a talent to trade with, 'tis as dangerous to hide our talent, as to spend it, Matthew…

The same unction teaches you all things. The saints are compared to wise virgins (Matthew 25:2). Sensualists have often a greater reach in matters of the world, but they have no insight into the deep things of God (1 Corinthians 2:14).

1. It hinteth duty to ministers, it teacheth us diligence in our Lord's work, for we are servants, and must give an account (Hebrews 13:17), what good we have done in our places, how we have employed our parts, improved our interests, for his glory. Matthew 25:19: After a long t…

This a ruling Elder ought to do by virtue of his calling, and with authority (1 Thessalonians 5:12). Private Christians ought in charity to instruct the ignorant (John 4:29; Acts 18:26), to exhort the negligent (Hebrews 3:15 & 10:24, 25), to comfort the afflicted (1 Thessalonian…

The things that eye has not seen, nor ear heard, more glorious things than ever entered into the heart, are all prepared for lovers of God. And for whom can everlasting fire be prepared but for the Devil and his angels, and such other accursed God-haters, as I have been! (Matthe…

And this discrimination or differencing has these four steps. 1. There is a differencing in God's purpose in respect of the end, while all men are alike before him, some are designed to eternal life, others not; therefore Matthew 25:34 it is said, "Come, you blessed of my Father…

Will He take notice how Christ carries Himself in His service, and trust, and will He not take notice of others? Most certainly He will; and therefore, (Matthew 25 and Luke 19) He calls the servants to a reckoning, to whom the talents are given; and as they have made use of them…

Who will needs keep up confidently their fancied hope of Heaven; and yet never knew what it was to answer a challenge for sin, or a threatening of the curse, for the breach of God's law, from Christ's righteousness, nor did they ever set and arraign themselves before God's tribu…

Now if Christ put all to sea, and hazard all he has to guard the Lord's name from dishonor, and made his soul, his life, his heaven, his glory a bridge to keep dry and safe the glory of God, that it sink not; and if God would rather his dear Son should be crowned with the cross,…

(verse 9) Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that does evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile. (Matthew 25:34) Then shall the King say to them on his right hand, come you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the w…

4. Hell is a condition of sinning and blaspheming of God, but to desire nothing but the eternal good, and to understand the eternal good to be above measure good, is not a condition of sinning, but of happiness, and holiness, and so cannot be hell. 5. These two conditions sort n…

Know you, O Angels, O glorified Spirits, where is the brim, or where is the bottom of free grace? Yet not one sinner can have less grace than he has; he has need of all, he has no oil to spare, to lend to his neighbor (Matthew 25). Our deep diseases, and festered wounds could ha…

Whereas we must not be ashamed of Christ (2 Timothy 2:12): If we suffer we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us. Or that we need not be so strict and nice, whereas all we can do is little enough (Matthew 25:9): Not so, lest there be not enough for us a…