Quesnel: Moral Reflections on the Gospels Vol 1

CHAPTER XXV. 399
talent for it. This is of itself a piece of theft and
injustice : but for him to pretend to have discharged
his duty, by doing neither good nor evil, is to add
falsehood and insolence to his injustice. When a
man is obliged to do good, not to do it is to do evil.
" 26. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou
wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap
where I sowed not, and gather where I have not
strawed : 27. Thou oughtest therefore to have put
my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming
1 should have received mine own with usury."
The more a man endeavours to excuse himself
before God, the more he condemns himself. There
is a filial fear ; and one which is servile, mercenary,
idle, and slothful. The unfaithful servant hides
this last under a false prudence, and justifies it by a
very weak argument. The true wisdom of the good
and faithful servant consists in performing readily
his Master's will, without arguing concerning it. It
is only the wicked and slothful servant who disputes
so much, and does nothing. This is the first pun-
ishment of the unprofitable servant : convicted of
wickedness and slothfulness out of his own mouth,
he bears the shame and confusion thereof before all.
" 28. Take therefore the talent from him, and
give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29. For
unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall
have abundance : but from him that bath not, shall
be taken away even that which he hath."
The second punishment of the unprofitable ser-
vant is, the being deprived of every thing which he
had received. The third is, the seeing others already
rich in good works, still more enriched by that which