i. 1-10).

Two other Parables of "The Kingdom of Heaven" remain to be
considered--"The Wise and Foolish Virgins" and "The Talents"--both of
which describe the judgment which the subjects of the Kingdom must be
prepared to meet at the last day. The lessons to be learned from them
are plain. The foolish virgins, who were shut out at the last because
their lamps had gone out, are a warning to all who profess the faith
of Christ and have once been earnest in the spiritual service of God.
They are represented as being shut out, not for profanity and
wickedness; but for spiritual negligence--for not seeking to keep up
the supply of grace through prayer and holy ordinances rightly used.
Empty lamps were useless. So our Lord warned His future subjects that
mere profession of faith and mere outward ordinances, without the
Spirit, would be equally useless in preparing them to meet His coming
at the Great Day (S. Matt. xxv. 1-13).

As the Parable of "The Ten Virgins" is a warning against spiritual
negligence, so the Parable of "The Talents" teaches the danger of
neglecting the outward service of the King. The powers and
opportunities of usefulness which He has given to His subjects, He
will expect them to use. All must work according to their talents, or
be condemned as "unprofitable servants and cast into outer darkness"
(S. Matt. xxv. 14-30).

This lesson of warning brings to an end the Parables which describe
the nature and conditions of "The Kingdom of Heaven" in its present
imperfect state. But to these is added a description, in words of
striking clearness, of the day when this present Kingdom of grace and
trial will be transformed into, and replaced by, the Kingdom of glory
and reward; "When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the
holy angels with Him; and before Him shall be gathered all nations;
and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth
the sheep from the goats; and He shall set the sheep on His right
hand, but the goats on the left." Then will He appear as King indeed,
seated on His throne of glory; and consequently He now uses that title
plainly of Himself. "Then shall the King say unto them on His right
hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for
you from the foundation of the world" (S. Matt. xxv. 31-34).

Thus the full meaning of the words "The Kingdom of Heaven" is unfolded
in the Gospels. It is a Kingdom upon earth, springing from small
beginnings