3. Chrift as God was not obliged as we are, to entrust those only who are Faithful. He often commits the keeping and the difpenfing of the things of this World to thofe whom he knows to be such as will make an ill use of them, and carry themselves very unfaithfully in managing the Truft committed to them. He hath an abfolute, incontrolable and Sovereign Power as being the High Poffeffor of Heaven and Earth, to difpofe of the things of this World into what Hands he pleaseth, neither is it for any of us to object against his Providence therein, or to fay unto him, what doft thou? as Job fpeaketh, Job. 9. 12. Several things we may hence learn, As

1. That no Man ought to conclude himself to be beloved of God, and one of his Favourites, because God hath thought fit to entrust him with much of thefe Earthly things. God often commits the Bag and the bearing of the Purse to thofe that are no better than Judas was.

2. Let no Man eagerly pursue these things, or Covet to grafpe as much of the World as he can, feeing these are not the things from which any Man may

take

take measure of Gods fpecial Love to him. If Judas had thought himself more intirely beloved of his Mafter than the reft of the Difciples, because he trusted him with the Bag, he had been much mistaken. This is a Truft of that Nature that God more often puts it into the Hands of his Enemies than of his Friends.

3. Men may also hence learn how to value themselves and others, that is to fay, not according to the largeness of their Truft in thefe Temporal things, but as God hath been pleafed more or lefs to intrust them with the true Riches. Grace is the beft Standard, according to which Men may weigh and Rate themfelves and others. And fo much to that Question.

2. But why was Judas marked with the infamous Brand of a Thief, for having fometimes transferred to his own ufe fome part of what was in the Bag It was put into his Hands, he did not fecretly filch or steal from any Man. And it was put into his Hands for his own ufe, as well as for the use and necessary fupplies of Chrift and the other Difciples. Why therefore fhould he upon that ac

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count be ftigmatized with the odious Name of a Thief?

Anfw. He very well deferved that odious Name. For though he was to have his fhare of the Money that was put into the Bag, though his wants were thence to be fupplied as well as the wants of the rest, yet it was never intended that above the neceffary fupply of his wants he fhould fecretly take from the Bag or common Treasury to fill his own Purse. This was such a violation of the Trust committed to him as was no better than plain Theft : And fuch a Theft as whereby not only his Master and the rest of his fellow Disciples were injured, but the Poor alfo, who by Christs Order were upon occafion relieved out of the Bag when there was any thing to fpare. So this Notorious Hypocrite that made shew of fo much Zeal for the Poor was himfelf one that Robbed the Poor, and had no other or better intentions than to Rob them, in his pretended Zeal for them. Take notice of this you, if any fuch be here, who being trufted for others, make bold to serve your own Turns out of the trust committed to you. The Devil may tell you this is no Theft be

caufe

cause you only take of what was put into your Hands,and you had Poffeffion of. But flatter not your felves, neither fuffer the Devil to delude you. In Gods account 'tis not only Theft, but one of the worst kinds of Theft, in which befides Thievery there is alfo the betraying and violation of a Truft. To Thieve or Steal from any Man is an high offence, but to Thieve from thofe for whom you are intrufted, is Treachery and Unfaithfulness complicated with Thievery. And yet farther, if the Poor be those for whom you are intrusted,and you wrong them and deprive them of what was intended for them, there is an addition of Cruelty and Unmercifulness to Thie very and Unfaithfulness. Wherefore it highly concerns you that are intrusted with the Charity of Benefactors, to fee that nothing committed to you be diverted or transferred to any other uses than those for which it was defigned; and especially that no part thereof be transferred to any Mans own private advantage; this were Theft, and Unfaithfulness and Cruelty wrapt up together; than all which Meeting in the fame Sin, what could there be to render it more exceeding Sinful, or to give it the highest

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aggravations that a Sin of that Nature is capable of?

So from Judas his exceptions against Mary, I come to Chrift's Apology for her,or his Defence of her.Then faid Jefus, let her alone, against the Day of my Burying hath She kept this. For the Poor always ye have with you, but me ye have not always. In this our Saviours Defence of her, we have

1. His Charge to Judas and the rest not to give her any disturbance by taking exceptions against what she had done; Then faid Jefus, let her alone.

2. We have a double Reason of this Charge; the first of which is taken from the suitablenefs of her Action to his approaching Death and Burial; Against the Day of my Burying bath he kept this. The fecond Reason is drawn from the seasonableness of Marys Action in regard that he was now fhortly to leave this World, and then there would no longer be any place for fuch Teftifications of her Respects to him, and the Honour she had for him. For the Poor always ye have with you, but me ye have not always. Of these very briefly.