CHAP. XII. 18 And he faid, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I beftow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will fay to my foul, Soul, thou haft much goods laid up for many years; take thine eafe, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God faid unto him, Thou fool, this night thy foul fhall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be which thou haft provided? 21So is he that layeth up trea fure for himself, and is not rich towards God. 22 And he faid unto his difciples, Therefore I fay unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. 23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. 24 Confider the ravens for they neither fow nor reap; which neither have ftorchoufe nor barn; and God feedeth them: How JOHN. refolution at laft was, to pull the old ones down, and build new ones larger, and lay up all in them, pleafing himfelf with the thoughts of being a happy man, as having Wealth enough for himfelf and his Friends to fupport a voluptuous jolly way of living for many years. But a divine Admonition dafh'd all thefe airy Projects, by warning him that he was to dy that very night: So unexpected a Summons brought him to his right wits, by making him confider how fhort a time he was to be Mafter of all that Wealth, and that in a few hours it would all pafs into other hands This is the very cafe of those who spend their days in amafling Riches, and neglect to lay up a Treasure in Heaven by their good Actions here on Earth. Then turning to his Difciples, Take care therefore, faid he, not to be over-follicitous about the neceffaries of this Life, whilst you are imploy'd in my Service, fo as to break any of my Commands by looking out for Food or Raiment. God, who has already beltowed much greater Benefits upon you, will not leave thofe deftitute of what is neceffary for their fupport, who perform their religious Duties as they ought. Reflect upon the condition of the Birds, who neither fow nor reap, nor have any Storehouses for Provifions, and yet the divine Providence has abundantly V v 2 provided LUKE. CHA P. XII. much more are ye better than 25 And which of you with 26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is leaft, why take ye thought for the rest? 27 Confider the lilies how they grow: They toil not, they fpin not and yet I fay unto you, that Solomon in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of thefe. 28 If then God fo clothe the grafs, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is caft into the oven: how much more will be clothe you, O ye of little faith? 29 And feek not ye what ye fhall eat, or what ye fhall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30 For all these things do the nations of the world feek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. Јони. provided for their fubfiftence. By how much you are of greater value, fo much greater care will he take of you. And this you may be convinc'd of by confidering, that you are not able with all your thoughtfulness and follicitude to prolong your Lives but for one moment, if God thinks fit to take them away. For fince you are not able by your own prudence to provide for the confervation of your Life, you have no reafon to be anxious about things of lefs importance, fo as to neglect the neceffary Duties of your Ministry. Confider the Lilies and other Flowers, how fast they thrive, and how beautiful they appear: Thefe fpin not, nor take any pains to provide themfelves this gay Attire, and yet I affure you Solomon in his moft magnificent Robes did not equal them. If the Providence of God concerns it felf therefore fo much for the Plants, which are but of a few days duration, how much rather will it take care to provide you with neceffaries for Life, if you duly perform the Injunctions I lay upon you, Oye who have fuch narrow conceptions of the divine Beneficence? Neglect not therefore the leaft tittle of your Duty, out of an anxious concern for Food or Raiment. 'Tis true, the general practice of the ignorant World is against this Doctrin; but as for you to whom your heavenly Father has reveal'd himself, reft fatisfied that you are under his eye, and rely firmly upon his Providence. Let your main business there CHA P. XII. 31 But rather feek ye the kingdom of God, and all these things fhall be added unto you. 32 Fear not little flock; for it is your fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide your felves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be alfo. 35 Let your loyns be girded about, and your lights burning; 36 And ye your felves like unto men that wait for their Lord, when he will return from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediatly. 37 Bleffed are thofe fervants, whom the Lord, when he cometh, fhall find watching: verily I JOHN. therefore be, to acquaint Mankind with the good tidings of the approach of the Kingdom of Heaven, and to enlarge its Borders; but as for all other things, they fhall be added to you over and above the Benefits you have already receiv'd. Fear not because you are but a handful in refpect of the bulk of Mankind; for it is God's good pleasure to make you Denifons of his Kingdom, which he will uphold against all the Attempts of the Wicked. Thofe that abound with this World's Goods, let them part with them, that they may have wherewithal to fupply the neceflities of the Miferable. In thus doing you will fecure your felves a real Treasure, not in Bags that will wear out, or are liable to be ftolen; but im Heaven, where neither Moth nor Ruft can confume your Wealth, nor Thieves break in and steal it. If you fet your heart upon thefe neverfailing Riches, you will be always eafy and contented; but if you hanker after thefe deceitful Goods, your Mind must be continually tormented with endless care and follicitude: for where your good things are plac'd, there will your Heart be alfo. Be ye as Servants attending their Masters bufinefs, ready whenfoever he commands them any thing, that at my return I may find you diligently imployed in the Offices I intruft you with. Happy are thofe Servants whom their Mafter at his return finds intent upon MATTHE W. MARK. LUKE. CHA P. XII. fay unto you, that he shall gird 38 And if he shall come in 39 And this know, that if the good man of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have fuffered his house to be broken through. 40 Be ye therefore ready alfo : for the fon of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. 41 Then Peter said unto him, Lord, fpeakeft thou this parable unto us, or even to all? 42 And the Lord faid, Who then is that faithful and wife fteward, whom his lord fhall make ruler over his houfhold, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Јони. their bufinefs; fuch men may be affur'd their Diligence fhall not be unrewarded; nay, he will not refuse upon occafion to perform the moft fervile Offices in their behalf, if he finds them not unprepar'd against his arrival, tho he furprises them in the fecond or third watch of the night, at never fo unexpected an hour. Like as a Mafter of a Family, if he be forewarn'd of the Thief's coming at a certain time to break open his Houfe, will fecure it against the danger he is threatned with; fo alfo it behoves you to be continually imploy'd in your religious Duties, as having bin foretold that I fhall return in a fhort time, tho you know not withal the very moment in which I thall be with you. Peter then ask'd him whether that Similitude did refpect his Apoftles only, or all his Difciples. Jefus reprefented to him in another Similitude, that he had respect to all the Difciples, tho in a more efpecial manner to his Apostles. Whom think you will the Mafter make choice of out of all his Servants, on whofe Fidelity and Prudence he may rely, to fee that the reft of his Servants do not neglect their Task, or want their neceffary allowance in his abfence? Him doubtless whom he has 43 Bleffed is that fervant, whom his lord when he cometh fhall find fo doing. 44 Of a truth I fay unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. 45 But and if that fervant fay in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and fhall begin to beat the men-fervants, and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken : 46 The lord of that fervant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in funder, and will. appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47 And that fervant which knew his lords will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, fhall be beaten with many ftripes. 48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of ftripes, fhall be beaten with few Stripes. For unto whomfoever much is given, of him shall be much required and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. Јони. has experienc'd faithful and diligent in his Imployment. But if this Steward in the abfence of his Mafter fhall fancy to himself that it will be a long time before he returns again, and upon that prefumption act imperioufly over his Fellow-fervants, cruelly mifufing them, whilft he indulges himself in all manner of Senfuality; the Mafter will furprize him in an hour he is not aware of, and take exemplary vengeance on him. He fhall be bound with Chains, and referv'd to fuffer thofe Puniflments that are appointed for Servants who betray their truft. Certainly that man who knew the care and fidelity his Mafter expected from him, and yet neglected to perform his duty, fhall be more feverely punish'd than he that is unacquainted with what is expected from hirn: So that if any other Servant, ignorant of his Mafter's will, fhall fail in fome particular, he fhall be much lefs feverely punish'd. For as it is vulgarly faid, Unto whomfoever much is given, of him fhall be much requir'd; and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. Then |