Charge, to imploy the fame in ways, and to ends, and in proportion fuitable 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 Imployment of their Talents are divers; 1. That they may be kept in continual action and motion fuitable to the condition of reafonable Creatures, as almoft every thing elfe in the World is continued in motion fuitable to its own nature, which is the fubject of the Wifeman's difcourfe, Eccl. 1.8. All things are full of labour. 2. That in that regular motion they may attain ends of Advantage to themselves; for all things are fo ordered by the moft Wife God, that every Being hath its own proportionable Perfection and Happiness, infeparably annexed to that way and work which his Providence hath deftined it unto. 3. That in that due and regular imployment, each Man might be in fome 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 and All-fufficient in himself; yet he receives Glory and Praise by it,and a Complacency in the beholding a Conformity in the Creature, to his own moft Perfect Will.

To the due Execution of this Truft committed to the Children of Men, and for their incouragement in it, he bath annexed a Reward by his Promife, and the free ap pointment of his own good pleasure; This reward therefore is not meritorioufly due to the imployment of the Talent; for as the Talent is the Lord's, fo is the ftrength and ability whereby it is imployed; but by his own good pleasure and free promife, the reward is knit to the work. In this case therefore the reward is not demandable,fo much upon the account of the Divine Juftice as upon the account of the Divine Truth and Fidelity. On the other fide, to the male-adminiftration of this truft, there is annexed a retribution of Punishment; and this moft naturally and meritoriously, for the Law of common Juftice and Reafon doth moft juftly fubject 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 imploy it according to the Will of his Lord, a non

imploy

imployment, or mif-imployment thereof doth moft juftly oblige him to Guilt and Punishment, as the natural and juft confequent of his demerit.

Of the Perfons that do receive these Talents, fome do employ them well, though in various degrees; fome to more advantage, fome to lefs, and although the beft Husbands come fhort of what they should do, and at beft are in this refpe& unprofitable Servants; yet if there be a Faithful, Confcientious and Sincere Indeavour to imploy that Talent to their Mafters honour, they are accounted Good Stewards, and the Merits of Chrift fupply by Faith that wherein they come fhort.

On the other fide, fome Perfons are Unfaithful Stewards of their Talents, and these are of three kinds: 1. Such as wholly mifimploy their Talents, turning them to the dishonour and differvice of their Lord, which they should have imployed to his Service; and these have a double account to make, viz. of their Talents, and of their mifimployment. 2. Such as do not at all imploy their Talent, but as they do no harm, so they do no good with it; thefe are Negligent Servants, and have the Single, but full account of their Talents to make. 3. Such as do make fome use of their Talents, but do not produce an increase proportionable to their Stock; and fo, though they are not debtors for their whole Talents, yet are in arrear and grown behind-hand; and fo upon the foot of their account are found Debtors to their Lord, which without Faith in Chrift, and his Merits coming into make up the Sum, will be enough to caft them in Prison, and there keep them to Eternity.

And according to these varieties of degrees, of good or bad administration, are the degrees of Reward or Punishment. He that hath adminiftred his Truft well, fo that there is a great access of his improvement, hath the greater accefs of Glory; and he that hath lefs furpluffage upon his account, fhall have the lefs degree of Glary; and on the other fide, he that hath many Talents, and made no improvement, his Debt and Punishment fhall be the greater: He that hath fewer Talents, his Non-improvement leaves him a debtor in a lefs fum, and confequently fubject to a lefs Punishment.

The Great day of Account will be the great day of Judgment, when the Lord of the Families of the whole Earth will

call

call every Man to his account of his Steward-fhip here on Earth. Wherein we may with reverence, and for the better faltening it upon our affections, fuppofe the Lord thus to be fpeaking to all, and every particular perfon in the World.

The Charge.

'Come ye Children of Men, as I have formerly made you Stewards of my Bleffings upon Earth, and commit'ted to every one of you that come to the use of your understanding, feveral Talents to imploy and improve to 'the honour and service of me your Lord and Master; fo now I come to call you to render an Account of your Stewardthip and because you fhall fee the particular Charge of your feveral Receipts, whereunto you may give your Answers, 'behold, here is a Schedule of the particulars with which I will charge you. Give in your particular Anfwer how you have imployed and improved them, and fee you do it truly; for know, I have a controul and check upon you; a 'controul within you, your own Confciences, and a con'troul without you, my Book of Remembaance, wherein all your Receipts, Disbursements and Imployments are Regiftred.

"I have given unto you all your Senfes, and principally those two great Senfes of difcipline, your Sight and your Hearing

'Item. I have given unto you all, Understanding and Reason 'to be a guide of your Actions,and to fome of you more eminent degrees thereof.

" Item. I have given you all Memory, a treasury of things 'paft, heard and obferved.

Item. I have given you a Confcience to direct you and to 'check you in your mif carriages and to encourage you in 'well-doing; and I have furnished that Confcience of yours 'with light and principles of truth and practice, conformable to my will.

Item. I have laid open to all your view the Works of my 'Power and Providence, the Heavens and the Earth, the confpicuous adminiftration of my Wisdom and Power in them.

Item. I have delivered over to your view, my more Special Providences over the Children of Men, the Difpenfation of Rewards and Punishments, according to eminent de'ferts or demerits.

Item. I have given you the advantage of Speech, where'by to communicate your minds to one another, and to in'ftruct and advantage one another by the help thereof.

Item. I have given you Time of life in this World, to 'fome longer, to fome fhorter, to all a time of life, a season 'wherein you might exercise those other Talents I have in'trufted you withal.

Item. I have delivered over unto you the rule and Dominion over my Creatures, allowing you the use of them for your 'Food, Raiment, and other Conveniencies.

Item. Befides these common Talents, I have intrufted you 'withal, I have delivered over to you, and to you, &c. di'vers fpecial and eminent Talents above others, viz. of the Mind, or fuch as concern you, as intellectual Creatures.

I. 'Great Learning and Knowledge in the Works of Nature, Arts and Sciences, great Prudence and Wifdom in the conduct of Affairs, [Elocution, ] excellent Education.

2. Of the Body, a firm and Healthy Constitution, Strength, "Beauty, and Comeliness.

3. Of Externals. Great affluence of Wealth and Riches, 'Eminence of Place, and Power and Honour, great Reputation and Efteem in the World; great Success in enterprifes and undertakings, publick and private; Relations arconomical. 4. Of things of mixt Nature. Chriftian liberal Education 'Counfel and Advice of faithful and judicious Friends; good Laws in the Place and Country where you live, the written Word of God acquainting you with my Will, and the way to 'Eternal Life; the Word Preached by able and powerful Minifters thereof; the Sacraments, both for your imitation and confirmation; fpecial and powerful Motions and Impulfes of my Spirit upon your Confciences, diffuading from fin, and encouraging in, and to holiness; Special Providences abftracting and diverting you from the commiffion of things contrary to my Will, dilhonourable to my Name, and hurtful to your felves; Chaftifement and Corrections eminently and plainly inflicted for fin committed by your felves and others, fo that the guilt was legible in the punishment; Eminent Blefings upon the ways of holiness and virtue, even 'to the view of the World; Eminent Reftitutions and Deliverances upon Repentance and Amendment of life; moft

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clear and fenfible Experiences of my Love, Favour, and Liftening to your Prayers, to encourage you to a Dependance upon me; fingular Opportunities put into your hands; of inftructing the Ignorant, delivering the Oppreffed, promoting my Honour.

These are fome of the many Talents which I have committed to you, though in differing degrees: Give up your accounts, you Children of Men, how you have employ

'ed them.

The Account of the Good Steward.

Ord before I enter into Account with thy Majefty, Í muft confefs, that if thou fhouldeft enter into Judgment. with me, and demand that Account which in Juftice thou mayeft require of me, I fhould be found thy Debtor: I confefs I have not improved my Talents according to that mea. fure of ability that thou haft lent me: I therefore moft humbly offer unto thee the redundant Merit of thy own Son to fupply my defects, and to make good what is wanting in my ac.. compt; yet according to thy command, I do humbly render my Discharge of the Truth thou haft committed to me, as followeth :

1. In General.

As to all the Bleffings and Talents wherewith thou haft intrusted me:

I have looked up to thee with a Thankful Heart, as the only Author and Giver of them.

I have looked upon my felf as Unworthy of them.

I have looked upon them as committed to my Truft and Stewardship, to manage them for the ends that they were given, the honour of my Lord and Master.

I have therefore been Watchful and Sober in the use and exercise of them, left I fhould be unfaithful in them.

IfI have at any time, through weakness, orinadvertence, or temptation, mif-imployed any of them, I have been reftlefs, till I have in fome measure rectified my mifcarriage by Repentance and Amendment.

2. In