with my heart; but I shall not easily be per. suaded to give any more advice or counsels, where I find them despised or neglected. In this paper there are many things omitted, which might have been inserted; but the constant reading of the Holy Scriptures will supply unto you that defect: I have chosen only in this paper to mention such things which are seasonable for you upon this occasion. God Almighty hath not been wanting to you in admonition, correction, mercy and deliverance; neither hath your father been wanting to you in education, counsel, care and expense: I pray God Almighty bless all unto you. This is the prayer of THE great Lord of the world hath placed the children of men in this earth as his Stewards; and according to the parable in Matthew xxv, he delivers to every person his Talents, a stock of advantages or opportunities. To some he éommits more; to some, less; to all, some. This stock is committed to every person under a Trust, or charge, to employ the same in ways, and to ends, and in proportion, suitable to the talents thus committed to them, and to the measure and quality of them. The Ends of this deputing of the children of men to this kind of employment of their talents are divers : 1. That they may be kept in continual action and motion, suitable to the condition of reasonable creatures, as almost every thing else in the world is continued in motion suitable to its own nature, which is the subject of the wise man's discourse : "All things are full of labour.*” 2. That in that regular motion they may attain ends of advantage to themselves; for all things are so ordered by the most wise God, that every being hath its own proportionable perfection and happiness, inseparably annexed to that. way and work which his providence hath destined it unto. 3. That in that due and regular employment, each man might be inə some measure serviceable and advantageous to another. 4. That although the great Lord of this family can receive no advantage by the service of his creature, because he is perfect d and all-sufficient in himself; yet he receives glory and praise by it, and a complacency in e beholding a conformity in the creature, to his d own most perfect will. 2 Les to lliw To the due execution of this trust commit ted to the children of men, and for their d encouragement in it, he hath annexed a Re-. ward by his promise, and the free appointment of his own good pleasure. This reward therefore is not meritoriously due to the employment of the talent; for as the talent is the Lord's, so is the strength and ability whereby it is employed; but by his own good pleasure and free promise the reward is knit to the work. In this case therefore, the reward is not demandable, so much upon the account of the divine justice, as upon the account of the divine truth and fidelity. On the other side, to the mal-administration of this trust, there is annexed a retribution of Punishment; and this most naturally and meritoriously for the law of common justice and reason doth most justly subject the creature, that depends in his being upon his Creator, to the law and will of the Creator; and therefore, having received a talent from his Lord, and together with his being, an ability to employ it according to the will of his Lord, a non-employment or misemployment thereof, doth most justly oblige him to guilt and punishment, as the natural and just consequent of his demerit. : Of the Persons that do receive these talents, some do employ them well, though in various degrees; some to more advantage, some to fess and although the best husbands come short of what they should do, and at best are in this respect unprofitable servants, yet if there be a faithful, conscientious, and sincere endeavour to employ that talent to their master's honour, they are accounted good Stewards; and the merits of Christ sup ply by faith that wherein they come short. ⠀⠀ On the other side, some persons are unfaithful Stewards of their talents; and these are of three kinds : 1. Such as wholly mis-employ their talents, turning them to the disho nour and disservice of their Lord, which they should have employed to his service; and these have a double account to make, viz. of their Talents, and of their Mis-employment. 2. Such as do not at all employ their talent; but as they do no harm, so they do no good with it: these are negligent Servants, and have the single, but full account of their Ta lents to make. 3. Such as do make some use of their Talents, but do not produce an increase proportionable to their stock: and so, though they are not debtors for their whole Talents, yet are in arrear and grown behind-hand; and |