more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him1?" And does He not further show, from the Parable of the poor widow, prevailing in her entreaties with the unjust judge, the mighty encouragement which is therein given unto men, that they "ought always to pray, and not to faint 2?" Just so, in the present instance, good is elicited from evil; the lessons of holiness and prudence stand out in strong relief from the dark policy of the world; and the persons of the wicked become the instructors of the righteous. Israel is provoked "to jealousy by them that are no people 3." It is the hand of the Gracious Physician bringing out healing medicine from the poisonous herb. It is the counsel of the wise Master Builder converting those very objects, which, to the hardened and impenitent are stones of stumbling, into steps of safe and sure ascent in the believer's path towards heaven.

3

In accordance with this merciful purpose, our Blessed Lord proceeds, in the sequel of the Parable, to enforce upon the children of light the duties of zeal, and watchfulness, and perseverance, by setting before them the view of the "exceeding and eternal weight of glory," in store for them. His words are thus expressed: "Make to yourselves friends

1 Luke xi. 13.

2 Luke xviii. 1.

Compare Deut. xxxii. 21. and Rom. x. 19.

3

4 2 Cor. iv. 17.

of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations." Now, by the word "mammon" it is hardly necessary to remind you, that we generally understand wealth or money: and, therefore, by the expression "mammon of unrighteousness," if we were to take it singly, and without reference to the context, we might be led, at first sight, to suppose that it meant unrighteous wealth, i. e. wealth obtained unrighteously, the result of fraud or violence. But this signification of the term would involve a duty so directly at variance with all that is elsewhere taught concerning the duties and privileges of Christian men, that it were impossible to receive it as the true one. And, indeed, the context sufficiently proves that the interpretation to be attached to the epithet "unrighteousness," is not that of injustice or dishonesty, but that of frailty or uncertainty. Thus, in the eleventh verse of the present chapter, the same term is again brought forward by our Lord, and applied, by way of contrast, to the true and enduring riches of heaven. "If therefore," He saith, "ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?" Yet this does not clear up all the difficulty. For even, according to this sense, even supposing that the mammon or riches of the world, which are entrusted to our hands, be not darkened with any shade of infamy either in acquiring, or in using them,—yet,

frail and perishable as they confessedly are, making "themselves wings," and flying "away as an eagle toward heaven '," how can they be said to help us in our way towards the everlasting habitations of God's presence? How can it, in any way, accord with the precepts of our Lord, or with the exhortations of His inspired servants, to be told to make unto ourselves friends of such fallacious possessions? This question is at once answered, and the objection implied in it at once removed, by a simple denial of the matter of fact which it assumes. No such command is here given. The enquiry, therefore, which is based upon it, rests altogether upon a false hypothesis. We are not required to make the frail mammon of the world our friend; but, through its means, by the right and proper use of its agency, to make unto ourselves friends of others. That this is the proper meaning of the preposition which, in our authorized version, is translated by the word " of 2," might be proved, if it were necessary, by reference to abundant authorities. The command of our Lord, therefore, in the present instance, is but the application of that general principle which is at all times incumbent upon us,-viz. that we should exercise the gifts of God in the service of God. Whatsoever be the frailty of the world's wealth, it is, nevertheless,-like any other possession or advantage extended to us in

2

1 Prov. xxiii. 5.

'Ek, i.

զ. diá. See Schleusner's Lexicon, in loc.

the world, whether rank, or power, or learning, or time, or intellect,-a talent which God hath bestowed upon us who are made the stewards of His "manifold grace1;" a talent which must be used to His glory, and the account of which must be rendered to His judgment. It was so used by the faithful Zaccheus ; for, although he was "the chief among the Publicans, and rich 2," yet was he eager to welcome the Redeemer, and received him into his house joyfully. Yea, he "stood, and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham "." 3 The friendship, therefore, to be obtained by the right exercise of our stewardship is neither mercenary in its motives, nor transitory in its nature. It comprises not only the purest joys of this world which are felt, when the blessings of the poor and fatherless and those that are ready to perish come upon their deliverer, and the widow's heart singing for joy brings sweetest music to his ears; but also the favour of Him who hath declared, that, they who, in the name of Christ, have fed the hungry, or given drink to the thirsty, or sheltered the wandering, or clothed the naked, or visited the sick, or consoled

1 1 Pet. iv. 10.

2 Luke xix. 2.

Ibid. 8, 9.

2

the imprisoned brethren of Christ, have done the same unto Himself1. It depends not upon any of the interests of the world, perishable and fleeting as the world itself; but upon the sure promise of that redeeming love which appoints him who has "been faithful over a few things," to be "ruler over many things;" and bids him "enter into the joy of" his "lord "." It is the friendship proclaimed by those ministering sons of light, who are "sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation 3." -who sing their loudest hymns of praise over the repentant sinner, who see God's brightest glory manifested in the joys of His redeemed, and who, when the earthly course of those His faithful children is finished, and all the duties and trials of their mortal life have ceased to be, shall receive them "into everlasting habitations."

Contemplate, therefore, I beseech you, seriously and impartially, the greatness of the trust committed to you, the greatness of the blessing promised to you. See how the same spirit of faith which enables you to discharge the one, prepares you to enjoy the other and then say, whether you are not furnished herein with the most constraining motive to be faithful and diligent in the exercise of your stewardship. This motive must not be lost sight of. Our Lord forbids us to do so: nay, He distinctly

1

2 Matt. xxv. 35-40.

Matt. xxv. 21.

3 Heb. i. 14.