Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 25:30

30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

God often in this Life, depriveth Men and Women of those Gifts which he hath given them, and they do not make use of for the Glory of his Name, and the good of their and others Souls, the great ends for which he hath betrusted them with them: But this seems not to be here intended, this Text referring to the day of Judgment; all therefore that we are to understand by this, is, That no Mans Gifts, whether of Nature, or Providence, of what advantage soever they have been to him in this Life, will be of any Profit to him in the day of Judgment unless he hath in this Life used them, to the ends for which God gave them. In that day he will loose all, and the Glory of Heaven, shall not be the Port[illegible: 1 letter]on of them, that have had great Talents of Learning, Wit, Riches, Honours, spiritual Gifts, or any thing of that Nature, but of those only, who have used these things to the Honour and Glory of God, and to the advantage of their own and others Souls. For all those that have been unprofitable, Hell will be their Portion at last, where their Misery will be, as of those that Live in extreme darkness, continual Weeping, and Gnashing of Teeth. The substance of what is in v. 29. we met with, Ch. 13.12. To him that hath shall be given, &c. But I think, the Proverbial Speech here, is applied differently from the Application of it there. There, He that hath, seemeth to signifie, He that hath in actual Possession; for it is said before, Because it is given to you, to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God. So that I take that Text, to contain a Promise of the increase of Grace, to those that have the Seed of God: When as the appearances of it, in others shall not last, but vanish away. Here plainly, He that hath, signifieth, He that maketh a good and true use of what he hath, and thus the Parable expounds it. So as the Sense is: He that hath any Talents from God, and maketh use of them, and improveth them for the Honour and Glory of God, shall be rewarded, with further Gifts of Grace, or Glory. But if a Man hath not; that is, Hath, but is, as if he had not, making no use of what he hath for the Glory of God: those Gifts and Talents which he hath, shall be of no Profit and Advantage, but miserable disadvantage to him at last.

Marginal references: Chap. 8.12.