SERMON III.

LUKE XVI. 10, II, 12.

"He that is faithfull in that which is leaft, is faithfull alfo in much and

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he that is unjust in the leaft, is un

juft alfo in much. If therefore ye "have not been faithfull in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit "to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that "which is another man's, who fhall

"give you

THE representation here given of

our fituation in this life is fimilar to that made of the fojournment of the Children of Ifrael in the wilderness;

where, we read, the Lord "led them "to humble them, and to prove them, "to know what was in their heart,

"whether they would "mandments or not."

keep His com

For it is in like

manner fuggefted by the words before us, that according to the proofs which we now give of fidelity in the use of the powers entrusted to us, will be the recompence awarded in another and more lasting state. This idea of human life, as a time allowed to men in which to form and manifeft their real character is so easy and so evidently juft, that it requires very little reflection to make any mind acknowledge its truth, and acquiefce in the equity of the difpenfation. If the good order and peace of a fociety be to be preferved, what fo proper to this end as to admit into it no one, who has not previously ma nifefled a disposition ftrengthened by habit, to conform to its ufages, and

obey

obey its laws? Or if a bountifull Superiour be pleased to diftribute larger poffeffions, or confer greater powers on His fervants, will wisdom and justice require that this be promifcuously done, or not rather that thofe individuals be felected for the objects of additional munificence, who have not by mifufing what was before committed to their charge, proved themfelves unworthy of further truft? The powers we at prefent poffefs are greatly circumscribed, fo much fo indeed, as to convince us on almost every exertion of our want of more; fhort too is the time in which we can exercise these powers little as they are, while of both the shortnefs and uncertainty of that time, the Divine Providence hath furnished men with numerous admonitions: how then would the wisdom of our Heavenly Governour be manifested, in giving to those who under conftant proofs of their own E. 2 weakness

weakness already dare to disobey His laws, more extenfive powers? or in granting to those, who amid hourly notices of the uncertainty of their continuance in this life presume to waste or mispend their time, another life which shall never be taken from them? And thus it being once known, that the existence of mankind comprehends two ftates, the one present and of fhort duration, the other future and endless; there becomes visible a neceffity in nature, that our fituation in the latter fhould be regulated by our conduct in the former, and our lot hereafter, depend on our behaviour here: While these two portions of our being are to be confidered as making but one whole, the first serving as a preparation and education for the laft. Strongly is this particular noted in the text; what men hold on earth is there represented as trifling in comparison with what they fhall poffefs in another world;