ON THE PARABLE OF THE UNJUST STEWARD, (LUKE xvi)
Consider, first, that we are all stewards of our heavenly
master, and our having so often like the unjust steward wasted
his goods, ought to give us a just apprehension of our being
quickly called to an account, and deprived of our stewardship.
Wherefore., in order to our future support, we must make to
ourselves friends by the good use of the mammon of this world;
that is, by liberal alms to the poor, and the diligent exercise of
charity in all its branches: we must do our endeavours to re-
claim sinners from the error of their way, and thus procure
them a discharge from their debts; and our Lord will commend
us for having "done wisely/' by thus engaging friends to stand
by us "in the evil day."
Consider, secondly, that all that we have is the Lord's: our
very being; our whole~soul and body; all our powers, faculties
and senses; all our gifts and talents; our whole time, and all
our worldly substance, are alike his property. If we waste
any part of these goods, we are unjust stewards; and the em-
ploying of any one of them otherwise than according to his holy
will and his divine ordinances, will be accounted wasting them
in the eyes of our great Lord and Master. Alas! when he
shall vise in judgment, who shall be able to answer to one article in a thousand.
Consider, thirdly, O my soul, those words in the parable as
addressed this day to thee: "give an account of thy stewardship." What couldst thou say for thyself if thy accounts were
to be immediately examined. Thou knowest not the day nor
the hour. Why then shouldst thou expose thyself any longer to
the dreadful danger of being called upon when unprepared, to
thy eternal condemnation? Ah! how little has thy time been
employed in the love and service of thy God? How often has
his choicest gifts and talents been abused? Alas! in what a
dreadful state are all thy accounts!
Conclude, now at least to set thy accounts in order, to rectify all that has hitherto been amiss, and henceforward to com-
mence a new course.
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