сн. 24. SECT. XIIT. cause there shall be then so great tribulation, as hath not been since the beginning of the world 22 until now, nor shall be ever after. For if the time were protracted, no soul could survive; but for the sake of the elect, the time shall be short. Mar. 13; 21.23 If any shall say to you then, 'Lo! the Messiah is 'here, or he is there,' believe it not: for false MesLu. 17; 23. 24 siahs and false prophets will arise, who will perform great wonders and prodigies, so as to seduce, if pos25 sible, the elect themselves. Remember I have warn26 ed you. Wherefore, if they cry, 'He is in the de sert,' go not out; "he is in the closet,' believe it not. 27 For the coming of the Son of Man shall be like the lightning, which breaking forth from the east, Lu. 17; 37.28 shineth even unto the west. For wheresoever the carcase is, the eagles will be gathered together. Mar. 13; 24. 29 Immediately after those days of affliction, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall with-hold her light; and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the 1s. 13; 10. 30 heavenly powers shall be shaken. Then shall appear Ezek. 32; 7. Joel, 2; 31. Rev. 1; 7. the sign of the Son of Man in heaven; and all the tribes of the land shall mourn, when they shall see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven 31 with great majesty and power. And he will send Mar. 13; 28. 32 Lu. 21: 29. his messengers with a loud-sounding trumpet, who shall assemble his elect from the four quarters of the earth, from one extremity of the world to the other. Learn now a similitude from the fig-tree. When its branches become tender, and put forth leaves, 33 ye know that summer is nigh. In like manner, SECT. XIII. CH. 24. when ye shall see all these things; know that he is 34 near, even at the door. Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass until all these things 35 happen. Heaven and earth shall fail; but my 36 words shall never fail. But of that day and that hour knoweth none but my Father, no not the heavenly messengers. 37 Now that which happened in Noah's time, will Lu. 17; 26. 38 also happen at the coming of the Son of Man. For as in the days before the flood, even to that day that Noah entered the ark, they were eating and 39 drinking and marrying, and suspected nothing, until the flood came and swept them all away: so shall it also be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men shall be in the field; one shall be taken, Lu. 17; 3541 and one shall escape. Two women shall be grind. -42 ing at the mill; one shall be taken, and one shall ch. 25; 13. Watch, therefore, since ye know not at what Ma. 13; 32. 43 hour your Master will come. Ye are sure that if Lu. 12; 39the householder knew at what time of the night the 1 Th. 5; 2. thief would come, he would watch, and not suffer 44 him to break into his house. Be ye therefore Rev. 3; 3. always prepared; because the Son of Man will & 16; 15. come at an hour when ye are not expecting him. 45 Who now is the discreet and faithful servant, whom his master hath set over his household, to 46 dispense to them regularly their allowance? Happy that servant, if his master, at his return, shall find 47 him so employed. Verily I say unto you, he will entrust him with the management of all his estate CH. 25. SECT. XIII: 48 But as to the vicious servant, who shall say within 49 himself My Master deferreth his return,' and shall beat his fellow-servants, and feast and carouse 50 with drunkards; the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not expecting him, and 51 at an hour he is not apprized of, and having discarded him, will assign him his portion with the perfidious. Weeping and gnashing of teeth shall be there. XXV. Then may the kingdom of heaven be compar ed to ten virgins, who went out with their lamps to 2 meet the bridegroom. Of these five were prudent, 3 and five foolish. The foolish took their lamps, but 4 carried no oil with them. But the prudent, beside 5 their lamps, carried oil in their vessels. While the bridegroom tarried, they all became drowsy and fell 6 asleep. And at midnight a cry was raised: 'The 'bridegroom is coming, go out and meet him.' 7 Then all the virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the prudent, Give us of 9 'your oil; for our lamps are going out.' But the prudent answered, saying, 'Lest there be not enough for us and you; go rather to them who 10 sell, and buy for yourselves.' While they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready, went in with him to the marriage, and the 11 door was shut. Afterwards came also the other virgins, saying, "Master, master, open unto us.' 12 He answered, Verily I say unto you, I know you ' th. 24; 42. 13' not.' Watch, therefore, because ye know nei SECT. XIII. 14 CH. 25. For the Son of Man is like one who, intending to travel, called his servants, and committed to 15 them his stock; to one he gave five talents 41 to another two, and to another one; to each according to his respective ability, and immediately 16 set out. Then he who had received the five ta lents, went and traded with them, and gained other 17 five. Likewise he who had received two, gained 18 other two. Whereas he who had received but one, digged a hole in the ground, and hid his 19 master's money. After a long time, their master 20 returned and reckoned with them. Then he who had received the five talents, came and presented other five, saying, Sir, thou deliveredst to me 'five talents: here they are, and other five which 21 'I have gained.' His master answered, Well done, good and faithful servant, thou hast been 'faithful in a small matter, I will give thee at 'more important trust. Partake thou in thy 22'master's joy.' He also who had received the two talents advancing, said, Sir, thou deliver'edst to me two talents. Here they are, and 23 other two which I have gained.' His master answered, 'Well done, good and faithful servant, 'thou hast been faithful in a small matter, I will 'give thee a more important trust. Partake thou 24 in thy master's joy.' Then came he also who Lu. 19; 20, had received the single talent, and said, ‘Sir, Į 'know that thou art a severe man, reaping where 41 A talent thought to be equal to 1871. 10s. sterling. CH. 25. Lu. 8; 18. & 19; 26. SECT. XIII. 'thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou 'hast not scattered; being therefore afraid, I hid 25thy talent under ground; but now I restore thee 26' thine own.' His master answering, said unto him, 'Malignant and slothful servant, didst thou know ' that I reap where I have not sown, and gather 27 where I have not scattered? Shouldst thou not, then, have given my money to the bankers, that, ' at my return, I might have received it with inte ch. 13; 12. 28' rest? Take from him, therefore, the talent, and Mar. 4;:25. 29 give it to him who hath ten: for to every one 'that hath, more shall be given, and he shall abound; but from him that hath not, even that 30 which he hath shall be taken. And thrust out 'this unprofitable servant into darkness, where 'shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' Is. 58; 7. 31 Now when the Son of Man shall come in his glory, accompanied by all the holy angels, and 32 shall be seated upon his glorious throne; then shall all the nations be assembled before him; and out of them he will separate the good from the bad, as a shepherd separateth the sheep from the 33 goats. The sheep he will set at his right hand, and the goats at his left. 34 Then will the king say to those at his right hand, 'Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the king'dom prepared for you from the formation of the 35 world; for I was hungry, and ye gave me food; 'I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a 36 'stranger, and ye lodged me; I was naked, and ye 'clothed me; I was sick, and ye assisted me; I |