SERM. gifts of providence, wherewith they are inXII. trufted, to the purposes of religion, and their obtaining the glorious reward of eternal happiness. He putteth the cafe of a great man, who had a fervant whom he trufted with the keeping of his accounts, and the management of his affairs; but being informed of his dishonesty and unfaithfulness, he called upon him to make up his accounts, for that he was determined not to employ him any longer. The fteward foreseeing the event of this difgrace, that he must be reduced to extremity unless fome method were found for his fubfiftence; and confidering that he was now too old, and his ftation had been too honourable, to make either hard labour or beggary tolerable to him, bethought himself of this contrivance for his future fupport; he fent for his Lord's debtors, and made them fuch abatements of their debts, as should oblige them in gratitude, after his lofing his present employment, to receive him into their habitations. When the Lord was informed of all this, he could not but applaud the policy of his fervant at the fame time that he must condemn his injuftice. Our Saviour reproving the floth and imprudence of his difciples, propofeth the conduct of the un

just

just steward, as a pattern to them, that they SERM. might imitate the diligence and wisdom of it, XII. by the practice of religion and charity, providing for their eternal welfare, without the fraud, which the nature of the cafe alloweth; nay, requireth them to do; for he affureth them, that by thus laying out their talents they shall secure to themselves the everlasting heavenly inheritance, when this frail mortal life, and all the enjoyments of it fhall fail. He then inforceth this exhortation by two arguments.

First, That riches, and other worldly good things committed to them as to ftewards, are but little in comparison with more substantial bleffings, which God will bestow in confequence of their wife and induftrious improvement of the former; but by negligence in these inferior matters they will forfeit and render themselves unworthy of those greater and more valuable benefits. Secondly, That of these worldly things, far lefs excellent in their nature, we are only depofitaries for the fervice of another, whofe property they are, though by a confcientious industry and fidelity greatly improveable to our advantage Y 4

but

SERM.

XII.

but the other gifts which are the reward of our ufing thefe wifely and honestly, are of nearer and more important 'confideration to ourselves, being properly our own goods which fhall always remain with us. These particulars, which have been briefly hinted as the contents of the text, fhall be more largely confidered in the following observations.

First, That the common maxims of human wisdom in the condnct of worldly affairs, and even thofe of carnal and unjust policy, may be ufefully applied for our direction in the concerns of religion, and they reproach the folly and flothfulness of chriftians in working out their falvation; the children of this world are wifer in their generation than the children of light. No one can be fo unacquainted with the world as not to know that men ufually employ their understanding in this manner; they lay their schemes for the eafy and comfortable enjoyment of life, and for avoiding all the inconveniences they can foresee, with all the caution and judgment they are mafters of; and enter into deep and ferious deliberation for carrying on their defigns fuccefsfully. And even what St. Paul calleth the wisdom of the делья

flesh, directly oppofite to fimplicity and godly SER M. fincerity, is fhewn in fhrewd contrivances, XII. however difhoneft, for carrying on the pro

pofed ends; which was the

cafe of the un

In a word, the

just steward in the parable.
characters of wife or foolish are given to men,
according as they do or do not exercise their
reafon in finding out means for accomplishing
their ends, and according to the degree of
their diligence or negligence in using them:
He is esteemed a wife man, who is always
attentive to his true intereft, and letteth no
opportunity flip for promoting it; who is
provident for the future, and upon a careful
forefight of dangers which may befal him,
taketh timely precautions against them; who
not only mindeth the business now in hand,
but looketh to the remoter iffues of things
as far as human prudence can reach, that in
all events he may be fafe; and if one pro-
ject he hath formed miscarrieth, another may
fucceed; who poftponeth trifles or matters of
little confequence, and doth not spend his
time idly in amusements, but is chiefly fo-
licitous about his main concern, which he
often revolveth in his deliberate and ferious
thoughts, laying hold on every occafion for
fecuring and advancing it.

SERM. This is the wifdom of the world, or raXII. ther, it is a description of wisdom in general,

which the children of this world apply to. their own affairs, and practise within their own fphere, and according to their narrow views: It is fo far a proper example to the children of light, or to the virtuous and good, who have glory, and honour, and immortality in their view, that in profecuting their higher and more important intereft they fhould follow the like measures; for wisdom in this branch of it is uniform, and fheweth itself the fame way, whatever the matter be to which it is applied: The fame kind of conduct which in inferior cafes and in carrying on, perhaps, bafe defigns, is low cunning, if we change the scene, and apply it to the noblest ends of our being, becometh the trueft difcretion, For the steward to provide for his reception into the houses of his lord's debtors by cheating his lord, was a very dishonest, tho' cunning artifice; but for us to provide for ourselves an everlasting habitation by works of charity and righteousness, is the best wisdom. Let us, therefore, apply to the principal concerns, thofe of religion and falvation, and bring into our management of them, the maxims of worldly policy. Let us be chiefly

thought