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man been a real character, it is proba- | ble he would have out-lived all those miscalled friendships which men of evil minds form one among another; and would have died, probably, a friendless and destitute person. But, however, it is plain that this dishonesty which calls for the reprobation of all good men, is not what our Lord calls on us to imitate; he is not set up for our imitation in this. The lord his master, who found he had by a new act of knavery defrauded him in this second instance, surely could not praise that villainy which he finally discovered. This was not, then, the subject of the Lord's commendation. When it is said, that the Lord commended this man, surely it could not be that which our Saviour proposes for our imitation. It would be unjust in the stewardship which God has given us to waste his goods, and to violate all those relations in which we stand to him; which must surely bring us to eternal ruin, and is no subject of praise and commendation.

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secure his reception; and therein we
may imitate him-not indeed by merit-
ing such a reception in heaven, but re-
membering that our reception in heaven
is to be ascertained on earth. Now,
there are multitudes who say, Lord,
Lord," and think they are his disciples,
who carry on a delusive hope even till
they stand before him, and yet have
nothing to testify that their faith is
genuine, and who are not in reality
believers. It is important, then, that
Christians should ascertain for them-
selves, and mark out to others, that
their faith is not that which ends in
perdition, the speculative belief of the
unholy. How is this to be done but
by such acts as the unrighteous steward
now addresses himself to? Our acts of
obedience to God, and diligence in his
service are the proper fruits of faith;
and without these we cannot assure
ourselves of our reception in glory for
which we are longing. Without this
be effected, unless this appear, we are
not adopted into God's family--we are
not disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ

our hope is delusive, and will at last
be incomplete. In this second parti-
cular, then, we should imitate his de-
sign-now to assure ourselves of our
eternal happiness at last.

But, secondly, let us see whether we are called to imitate him in the design by which he would avert these consequences. The single aim of this man was to merit and secure a kind reception from others when turned out by But we observe, that this was his his employer: he designed to merit single aim-his design was solely selftheir reception by obliging them by ish. In utter disregard of his master's this last act of dishonesty. In this interest, without a single act of conour design assuredly is not to be like trition for his monstrous dishonesty, his we cannot imitate him in that, he now doubles his crime in order to because no creature can merit forgive- secure himself from its effects. We ness from God. We are not called by are not to imitate him in this, that our our acts to merit our reception in own happiness is to be the single heaven, as he designed to merit his object we have in view. Like him we reception into their several houses. may aim at our happiness-God has Our reception into the divine favour mercifully allowed it, as he has made depends on another source. Received it essential to our nature. But, then, by simple faith we become friends by our happiness is ever to be in harmony believing only, without all works, and with the glory of our Lord, and in before all works. God receives any every thing subordinate to it. one of us that becomes his, solely for universal Christian rule is, "Whether the sake of that pre-eminent merit we live we live to the Lord, and which he beholds in Christ; and all whether we die we die to the Lord; the acts to which God's children are so that whether we live or die we are called are to be the result of his recep- the Lord's." It is to him that Christion, and not its cause. Therefore, in tians are called to yield themselves; our design to merit a reception, we are and their own happiness is never found not taught that we by our acts are to separated from that higher object of endeavour to merit it. This is a truth rendering honor to their Saviour, but so plain that I need not prove or illus-in exact conjunction with it. trate it by passages of Scripture. On we see, then, that we are to copy parthe other hand, his design was to tially, and not entirely, the design

The

In this

of

the unjust steward: his injustice we are wholly to avoid-his design we are partly to imitate.

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But in the third place, his wisdom in securing his design is marked out for our entire approbation and imitation."The Lord commended the unjust steward because he had done wisely.' This was the point of commendation. He had acted in disregard of principle, it is true; but with regard to his interest, most wisely. A man on the very verge of ruin, he contrived to avoid it. A friendless man, he contrived at the very crisis of his ruin to make himself friends. Moneyless, he employed the funds of his ill-treated master to secure his ultimate fortune. His villainy was detestable, but his wisdom was most to be admired. It is somewhat humiliating to observe the general truth which our Lord has subjoined to this particular example, that worldlings are in their generation wiser than the children of light; intimating that the steward was one of this world-a humiliating remark to show, as it seems, that this kind of dishonesty is not unfrequent in this evil world, cloaked, it may be, by various disguises, but still greatly prevalent; amongst savage nations, universal; where religion is hardly professed, most general; and even in those communities where there is a leaven of godliness, how perpetual are the complaints of this radical, though perhaps not open and avowed, dishonesty. Now, in their generation worldly persons are wiser than the children of light. What admirable wisdom they display in securing their perishable fortunes-how quick-sighted to foresee the dangers that may accrue to them in their pursuits after wealth and honour, prompt to avail themselves of all advantages that may occur! How they economize those means that are at their disposal, availing themselves of them to the utmost to secure their ends! How eager to employ their means of success, never refusing any aid that another can offer in procuring connections that may probably advance them in their fortunes! How often, with admirable sagacity, will they sacrifice small ends to great ones! With what skill, with what boldness, with what decision, with what admirable force, do they often turn untoward

circumstances to their benefit, and reap advantage from that which would seem to crush them in their pursuit of honour, fame, or wealth! Christians are often in spiritual things, in the most humiliating way, the reverse of all this. How sad it is to observe and feel, that Christians, often in spiritual matters, cannot watch against the temptation which threatens shipwreck to their souls; whereas they should imitate this assiduity and providence of the world! Christians not unfrequently contrive little for their spiritual interest, not taking the advantages that occur by laying themselves out to obtain them; whereas they should imitate the world's diligence in procuring means, and should contrive means by which to advance their spiritual welfare. Christians are apt to make little use of means. Which of you cannot recollect many opportunities which might have been seized for your soul's advantage, but which were suffered to pass away through inconsiderateness or indisposition to improve them?-whereas we should be prompt in using all those means and opportunities when they occur. Christians are often indolent in employing the advantages they possess : so are not the worldly. Christians do not set their minds on particular successes, and often are not ready to make the sacrifices that are necessary to secure great spiritual objects. Also in this they should follow the world. Christians, finally, will often yield to circumstances with a lamentable weakness, and say, If my circumstances were other than they are, I would be more holy, I would be decided-if God had blessed me with a stronger mind, and a more vigorous understanding, I would: if my circumstances were more favorable I would: I wish to be so, but I am carried along by the force of circumstances. Alas, the very same persons in their worldly business often show that they can wrestle with circumstances, and turn them, however untoward, to their advantage. Should not the children of light most of all possess this wisdom? In all these points the believer is called to manifest that wisdom which the world shows in regard to temporal things: and they may well do it, for the objects for which they strive are greater,

the rules by which they strive are plainer, and the aid afforded them is divine.

:

But in this passage believers are particularly called to imitate that wisdom which the unrighteous steward displayed. What that was we have already seen. Believers are called to imitate it in the words of the text"Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness." Mammon was, among the Syrians, the idol, the god of riches and here it is used for riches itself, probably because riches are the idol of men in the world -the mammon of unrighteousness, because so very often acquired in ways that are not perfectly Christian, and so wickedly employed when gained. Now, when our Lord says, "Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness,” we should not overlook that which is another man's snare, which is often wickedly employed, and so often does mischief, may, and surely should, by the children of God be so employed, as to be, first and last, a blessing. Make to yourselves friends, he says, of that which ensnares others, making it a spiritual good to your selves. By thus employing your wealth secure to yourselves friends in the eternal world, those who when you die shall welcome you to be their friends and comrades in eternal glory. Some would understand it as referring to Christians, by the proper use of their wealth, assuring themselves that they are the friends of God, and assuring a favourable reception to them in the other world. But as the reference is to the conduct of the steward in making the debtors his friends, and not in making the master his friend, it may be more proper to refer it to those Christian friends whose love may be augmented to us. We will take it in this light. The words seem more probably to mean, Make to yourselves friends by all the means in your power. God says to all his servants, Employ your wealth to augment Christian friendship around you: by your wealth endeavour to convert the wicked-endeavour to edify the righteous-see that Christian instruction be provided for ignorant children. By your money see that religious books be distributed among the ignorant: by your money that Bibles be diffused-that tracts are

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distributed. Forward missionary efforts-forward every object by which the spiritual welfare of men can be promoted. Nor neglect the temporal welfare of God's people: secure their gratitude by visiting them in their sorrow and affliction, by taking care to relieve them in their necessities as far as your means extend; and thus augment, as all these actions will augment, their friendship to you. And what is the object of all this? That when you die these men may look around and meet you, as it were, at the gates of heaven, and say—I was brought here by the school which you foundedand I by the Bible you put into my hand-and I by the missionary you supported-and I by the place of worship you helped to found-and another may say, I, by the kind and Christian care with which you accompanied your gifts of charity when I was reduced to distress-I was converted, I was built up, I was established and brought to glory by youand now welcome to this place of rest, to this place of glory to which you are come. Is not such an exhibition of friendship the very best result that can take place from the use of wealth? When all the luxuries of this world have passed away-when all the lower, but legitimate, purposes of wealth are gone for ever-when strength fails— when friends are obliged to part with you-when your health declines and your spirits decay-when you must enter alone the valley of the shadow of death-when you give up all these comforts which you have enjoyed-when you fail, as fail you must, though it is no melancholy thought to the child of God-then those Christian friends, made doubly dear to you by the employment of your riches, will receive you into glory to be for ever happy with them.

But let us remember, lastly, that they will be gathered into the presence of their Saviour. They will receive you into eternal habitations-not where they alone are, but where Christ also is. This will double the joy of those who, by employing their wealth well, have assured to themselves and others that they are the children of God.

I will add but a few words of serious and plain reflections to ourselves.

Let us lay these things to

heart. As this man, we are stewards. It is not others-it is we who are stewards of the divine goodness: we are bound to deliver back to him all we received. Our stewardship is of short duration; we shall soon be called to account. Whatever circumstances we are now placed in will be remembered at that day. How you have employed your wealth, either already acquired and possessed, or to be hereafter gained, will then be noticed. At that day you and I must give an account of every single gift of every sort which we possess from the divine being and God Almighty grant to you all that it may be with joy and gratitude.

But let us remember wherein we, not others, are to imitate this man. Being stewards of the Divine bounty, we ourselves are by our works to assure ourselves here that we are the children of God-to assure it to others, and thereby to honour our Lord, unto whose honour our own interests are ever to be subservient; and thereby to augment that Christian friendship which here is one of the greatest blessings which a child of God can enjoy, and which in the next world will be a principal ingredient of its felicity. Here, however, let us not pass by this signal goodness of the Almighty, that while we are stewards, and owe him all, he permits, nay, he commands us so to use this gift, wealth, as to secure our own eternal blessing. By it he makes us the possessors of what is good in order that we may employ it for him, and in employing it for him, to employ it for ourselves. How liberal, how kind, how wise our heavenly Father is!

Yet let not the poor man think, that because he is not wealthy he cannot secure this felicity. Among the means

by which the felicity of heaven is to be augmented, I doubt not the right application of wealth is one, and a very principal one; but that which is the chief is, conformity to the likeness of Christ, to give him honour, and love him while on earth. The poor man always can, and often does this as much as the rich, and even more. He may be like the Saviour, and therefore secure the love of all his brother saints in heaven, more even than those who have by the right application of their wealth procured to themselves an augmentation of eternal friendship. So let all the children of light in this place imitate the wisdom of the men of this world, lay their eternal interest to heart, live for immortality, and think it worth their while by any sacrifice to secure and to enlarge that blessedness which God offers hereafter; and so to be with Christ-with him whose excellent goodness is even here, in proportion to our faith, the foundation of every man's satisfaction. oh, when we go there we shall see him as he is, and be surrounded by a crowd of brethren and friends, who shall bring us, when our spirits enter the eternal world, to be with our Lord. When you fail they shall receive you-not only at the final judgment, but when you fail, when you die, when your eyes close on this present scene, you shall have a troop of warm-hearted Christian brethren to carry you to the very throne of your incarnate Saviour, to see him and know him as he is, to feel his dying love, to understand those wonders of redeeming love which here we do so very imperfectly appreciate, which here grow upon us as we grow in religion, the very glance of which is so delightful, the full enjoyment of which will be heaven itself.

But

London: Published for the Proprietors, by T. GRIFFITHS, Wellington Street, Strand;

and Sold by all Booksellers in Town and Country.

Printed by Lowndes and White, Crane Court, Fleet Street.

No. 13.]

SERMON BY THE REV. E. BLUNT.

SERMON BY THE REV. W. HOWELS.
SERMON BY THE REV. DR. HOLLOWAY.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1830.

A Sermon

DELIVERED BY THE REV. E. BLUNT,

AT ST. LUKE'S CHURCH, CHELSEA, OCTOBER 31, 1830.

[Price 3d.

1 Peter, i. 3-5.-"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

THERE are, it will readily be acknowledged, numberless benefits for which every created being has abundant reason to bless the Father from whence they proceed. The true Christian, however, who has been brought out of the world of the ungodly, who has been taught to look beyond the present state of things, where sin and sorrow continually intermingle, and to catch some glimpse of what shall be his future heritage-he has indeed cause for praise which no earthly sorrow can suppress, and which neither difficulties nor trials can extinguish.

This is remarkably manifested in the words of the text. In the opening of the epistle, the main intent of which was to prepare the Church for a time of suffering, and to warn them of persecution, and to arm them against their coming trials-for one or other of these is alluded to in every chapterwe yet find the language to be that of thanksgiving and praise. Happy is he who can imitate so bright an example, who, when all earthly prospects are dark and lowering, can still delight himself and joy in the God of his salvation. Blessed is he who really knows God as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ-that relationship so endearing to the heart of every Christian-and who knowing him, is

VOL. I.

able at all times, and under all circumstances, to say with the Apostle Paul, "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift."

In the endeavour to promote so delightful a frame of mind, let us pray for the Spirit of God, the Comforter, that he may be with us while we meditate on the themes which call for the Apostle's thanksgiving in the passage before us.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." FIRST, that he hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." SECONDLY, that he has prepared for us an inheritance. THIRDLY, that he has reserved this inheritance for us, and that he has promised to keep us for it.

BE

The First object of the Apostle's thanksgiving is, that GOD HAS GOTTEN US AGAIN UNTO A LIVELY HOPE BY THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD.

It is natural that the first step in the Christian life should be the first subject of the Christian's thanksgiving. God has begotten us again. Yes, my brethren, as surely as that you were once born of flesh and blood, so surely, if you are children of God, have you been born again of the Spirit, made new creatures in Christ Jesus, taught to put off the old man with his

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