men, in the prevalence of righteousness, mercy, and truth in the world.

Secondly, to our own benefit and advantage, in a temperate, thankful use of his blessings, and in a diligent improvement of whatever he has bestowed upon us, GoD giveth us all things richly, to enjoy. He debars us from nothing that is not in some shape hurtful to us. Of this, our own experience, as well as that of others, is a constant witness. And it is a mistaken view of the Christian doctrine of self-denial, or mortification of the body, which extends it to things innocent in themselves, and possessing no tendency, either directly or by consequence, to injure us in soul, body, or estate. But though this is undoubtedly true, yet such is the fatal propensity of our fleshly minds to run to excess in the indulgence of appetite, in the pursuit of pleasure, falsely so called, that it is safer to follow St. Paul's example and to keep the body under; rather to abridge our gratifications, yea, to deny ourselves in things lawful and permitted, than to risk their becoming an occasion of falling in ourselves or a stumbling block to others. No man liveth unto himself; so that even our enjoyments partake of the character of duties, and must be regulated by the effect they are calculated to produce, both on ourselves and others.

Thirdly we hold our worldly advantages, indeed our spiritual ones also, in trust for the benefit of others. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, is the sum and substance of the second table, as it is called, of God's law. On which I will only observe, that the least that can be allowed concerning this duty, is, that the principle be as strong as our self-love. A hard saying, my brethren, and no otherwise to be fulfilled, than by the succour and help of GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT! For however natural it may be, that children of the same family should love one another, yet so strong is self, that with men it is impossible, though not with GOD.

In this trust for others there are also degrees.

First, our own families. If any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, (or kindred,) he hath denied the faith (perverted the gospel) and is worse than an infidel. Next, for our Christian brethren. As we have opportunity, let us

do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Thirdly, for the poor and needy, the suffering and afflicted. Pure religion-before GOD and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction.

This, my brethren, is to give our LORD's money to the exchangers, in the genuine sense. And it is not without purpose and connexion, that this weighty parable immediately precedes the description of the judgment of the great day. I was an hungered and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink, I was naked and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. LORD, when saw we thee in such case, and did minister to thee? Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. O what a beautiful and touching representation is this, my brethren, of the interest our LORD takes in his people! What an affecting application of his last commandment, that we should love one another even as he loved us! And behold how wisely he hath provided, that none should consider themselves exempt from the duty, because of the smallness of their means. For, says he, whosoever shall give to drink, unto one of these little ones, a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily, I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

III. A third head of instruction which we may draw from the text is, the necessity of consideration. Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents.

Hence we learn, that the person to whom they were given made his own individual condition, the advantages he was possessed of, the subject of careful consideration; otherwise he could never have ascertained what he was entrusted with so as to make the required use of them. This, my brethren, lies at the root of all advancement or improvement of condition, whether temporal or spiritual. Experience teaches us that, even in worldly things, there can be no success, no increase, no improvement, without considering carefully what our means are for the attainment of any proposed end; and then applying them steadily and diligently to that end.

Worldly men are well aware of the advantage of singleness of intention, of having one main leading object in view, and VOL. II.-57

directing their thoughts and efforts chiefly to its advancement, bending every circumstance in life to the one purpose which occupies their desire. And herein the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light, for rarely, indeed, are they disappointed, who thus lay themselves out for a portion in time. How much more strongly, then, does this apply to our spiritual concerns! How much more deserving of serious consideration and diligent engagement are our everlasting interests! How deeply are we all interested to ascertain what is entrusted to us, when it is so expressly set before us that improvement, and nothing but improvement, will be accepted at our hands. Even the unprofitable servant appears to have considered and reasoned on his particular trust, Lord, I knew that thou wert a hard man. He was aware that if he wasted and abused his lord's goods he would be punished. To guard, therefore, against that, he went and hid his talent in the earth. When called to account, he returned what was committed to him safe and uninjured, Lo, there thou hast that is thine. But, alas! it was unimproved, and therefore could not be received.

Oh! what a lesson, my hearers, should this be to us all. If simple neglect, if inadvertence and inconsideration are thus criminal, and consigned to outer darkness, to weeping and gnashing of teeth, what must be the unutterable misery of those who are spendthrifts alike of temporal and spiritual treasure? Who to carelessness, neglect, and light estimation of what is committed to them, add waste and abuse, perversion and prostitution of God's mercies-call their talents their own, and in the face of warning and example lay them out in the purchase of eternal death? O consider this, ye that forget GOD, while it is yet in your power to redeem the time by repentance.

IV. The fourth and last point I shall present for your instruction is, the fairness and equity of Gon's method of dealing with his creatures. He requires only in proportion as he gives, and he rewards according to the improvement made. Unto every

one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. This passage of Scripture, as it is the moral of the parable, can be explained and understood no otherwise than of

the improvement which, as rational, accountable beings, we are bound, both by duty and interest, to make of what God is pleased to bestow upon us in the present life; and the proceeding is so accordant with our natural notions of right, that we act upon it, even instinctively, in whatever it applies to. How fair and equitable, then, that God should measure out to us by the same rule! Take heed, therefore, for with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

He requires nothing of us perform, neither is it true

Some of us, perhaps, may be disposed to think with the unprofitable servant that our LORD is a hard man. But it is not so, my friends, either in fact or yet in our thoughts. Almighty GOD is a fair and bountiful master; yea, our God is merciful, of which every soul present is a proof. beyond what he gives us ability to that we think him a hard master. Hard and severe masters are generally very punctually obeyed and diligently served; and such would be the effect upon us were it our real sentiment. But, on the contrary, the secret thought of too many is, that he is more merciful than his own word declares him to be; taking license from this delusion to sin openly against him; drawing from the death and sufferings of his dear Son, not a proof of GOD's indescribable hatred of sin, but an argument to sin more securely; and thus making CHRIST the minister of sin, and turning the grace of God into lasciviousness by laying the flattering unction to their souls, that after all they shall escape the eternal punishment of GoD's revealed wrath. But let such think this with themselves again, that if simple neglect-failure to improve, is justly sufficient to drive those who thus act, from his presence for ever-if it includes a forfeiture of the reward offered by grace to faith and obedience through the merits of CHRIST, how much more shall waste and abuse of his mercies, contempt of his word and commandment, and open rebellion against his righteous government, draw down upon them the full tempest of his wrath and vengeance? Who, then, may abide the day of his coming? LORD! who shall dwell in thy holy hill? IIe that hath clean hands and a pure heart; he that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousness; he that by the improvement of his talent hath laid up in store a good foundation against the time to come

who, by care and diligence, hath made his calling and election sure, and attained to that holiness, without which no man shall see the LORD,

vant.

Thus, my brethren and friends, may we draw from the parable in my text instruction as to the nature of our present life; the bearing it has upon that which is to come; the condition on which we hold the varied mercies of Gon's bountiful providence; the account we have to render of them, and the unspeakable consequences which await the use we shall make of them. One leading thought is throughout pressed upon our attention, and that is, improvement, increase, advancement-in other words, growth in grace. Without this the moral of the parable shows us that there is no hope-no good hope, no assurance-none whatever. LORD, thou deliveredst unto me five talents, behold, I have gained besides them five talents more. Well done. LORD, thou deliveredst unto me one talent, and I feared thee and went and hid thy talent in the earth, here it is. Thou wicked and slothful serAnd I notice it the rather, singly and by itself, that it may reach your attention and help to cut up by the roots the delusion under which so many labour, that if they do no harm, as it is called, if they are orderly and decent in outward behaviour, refrain from the more gross and out-breaking practice of sin and wickedness, from the vain dissipations of a thoughtless world, and are in fellowship with some denomination of professing Christians, all is well-they are in a safe way of salvation. But what says my text, brethren? Where is the increase I had a right to expect? Where is the good it was in the power of thine hand to do with my goods? Wherefore didst thou not give my money to the exchangers? Take the unproductive servant and cast him into outer darkness! Alas ! my brethren, let us be no longer secure because we are free from the rankness of that sin which rules in the children of disobedience. When we have done all, we are taught to consider ourselves as unprofitable servants; but if we come short of that improvement, which GOD justly requires of us, we shall be, not only unprofitable, but unproductive, withered, unfruitful branches, fit for nothing but to be cast into the fire and burned. Oh! let this awakening truth do away the fatal propensity of our fallen