3. But as foon as this thy Son was come, which hath Harlots, thou haft killed for him the fatted Calf.

31. And he faid unto him, Son, thou art ever with me,

and all that I have is thine.

32. It was meet that we fhould make merry and be glad for this thy Brother was DEAD, and is ALIVE again; and was LOST, and is FOUND.

*** *****)**XXXXXXX***(******

Of the Unjuft Steward.

xvi. AND he faid alfo unto his Difciples, There was Luke A

1.

a certain rich Man which had a Steward; and the fame was accufed unto him that he had wafted his Goods.

2. And (a) he called him, and faid unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? Give an Account of thy Stewardfhip for thou mayft be no longer Steward.

(a) 2 Cor. v. 9. Wherefore we LABOUR, that whether prefent or abfent we may be accepted of him.

10. For we must all appear be-fore the Judgment-feat of Chrift, that every one may receive the Things DONE in his BODY, accord

ing to that he hath done, whether

it

be GOOD OF BAD.

3. Then the Steward faid within himself, What fhall I do? for my Lord taketh away from me the Stewardfhip: I cannot dig, to beg I am ashamed.

I am refolved what to do, that when I am put out of the Stewardship, they may receive me into their Houses. 5. So he called every one of his Lord's Debters unto him, and faid unto the first, How much owest thou unto my Lord?

6. And he faid, An hundred Meafures of Oil. And he faid unto him, Take thy Bill, and fit down quickly, and write fifty.

7. Then faid he to another, And how much owest thou? And he faid, An hundred Measures of Wheat. And he faid unto him, Take thy Bill, and write fourscore.

8. And the Lord commended the unjuft Steward, becaufe he had done wifely: for the Children of this World are in their Generation wifer than the Children of Light.

9. And I fay unto you, Make to your felves Friends of the Mammon of Unrighteoufnefs, that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting Habitations.

ic. He that is faithful in that which is leaft, is faithful alfo in much and he that is unjust in the least, is unjust alfo in much.

11. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the Unrighteous Mammon, who will commit to your Truft the true Riches?

12. And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another Man's, who fhall give you that which is your own?

13. No Servant can ferve two Masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or elfe he will hold to the one, and defpife the other. Ye cannot ferve God and Mammon.

*****************.**********

Of the rich Glutton and Lazarus.

(a) Pfal. xlix. 6. They that truft in their WEALTH, and boast themfelves in the Multitude of their RICHES:

Luke THERE (a) was

xvi. 19.
a certain RICH
Man, which was cloathed in
Purple and fine Linen, and`
fared fumptuously every Day.

20. And

7. None of them can by any

Means redeem his Brother, nor give

to God a RANSOM for him:

8. (For the Redemption of their SOUL precious, and it ceafeth for ever)

ever, and not fee Corruption.

9. That he should ftill LIVE for 10. For he feeth that wISE Men die, likewife the FooL and the brutish Perfon perifh, and leave their WEALTH to others.

11. Their inward THOUGHT is, that their Houfes fhall continue for ever, and their Dwelling places to all Generations; they call their Lands after their own Names.

12. Nevertheless, Man being in HONOUR abideth not, he is like the Beafts that perifh.

13. This their Way is their FOLLY; yet their Pofterity approve their SAYINGS.

14. Like Sheep they are laid in the Grave, Death fhall feed on them; and the Upright fhall have Dominion over them in the Morning, and their Beauty thall confume in the Grave, from their Dwelling.

15. But GoD will redeem my SOUL from the Power of the Grave; for he fhall receive me.

16. Be not thou AFRAID when one is made RICH, when the Glory of his Houfe is increased.

17. For when he dieth, he fhall carry NOTHING away: his GLORY fhall not defcend after him.

18. Though whiles he lived, he bleffed his SouL: and Men will praise thee, when thou doft well to thy felf.

19. He fhall go to the Generation of his Fathers, they fhall never fee

LIGHT.

20. Man that is in Honour, and understandeth not, is like the Beasts that perish.

Fames v. 1. Go to now, ye RICH Men, wEEP and HOWL for the Mituries that hall come upon you.

2. Your

2. Your Riches are corrupted, and your Garments are Moth-eaten. 3. Your Gold and Silver is cankered; and the Ruft of them fhall be a Witness against you, and fhall cat your Flesh as it were Fire: ye have heaped Treasure together for the LAST DAYS.

4. Behold, the Hire of the Labourers which have reaped down your Fields, which is of you kept back by Fraud, crieth and the Cries of them which have reaped, are entred into the Ears of the LORD of SA

BAOTH.

5. Ye have lived in Pleafure on the Earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your Hearts, as in a Day of Slaughter.

6. Ye have condemned and killed the JUST; and he doth not refift you. Job xxi. 1. But Job anfwered and faid,

2. Hear diligently my Speech, and let this be your Confolations.

7. Wherefore do the WICKED live, become old, yea, are MIGHTY in POWER?

13. They spend their Days in Wealth, and in a Moment go down to the Grave.

14. Therefore they fay unto God, Depart from us; for we defire not the KNOWLEDGE of thy WAYS.

15. What is the Almighty, that we should ferve him? and what Profit fhould we have, if we PRAY unto him?

17. How oft is the CANDLE of the Wicked PUT OUT? and how oft cometh their Destruction upon them? GOD diftributeth Sorrows in his Anger.

18. They are as STUBBLE before the Wind, and as CHAFF that the Storm carrieth away.

19. Gon layeth up his INIQUITY for his Children: he rewardeth him, and he fhall know it.

20. His Eyes fhall fee his DESTRUCTION, and he shall drink of the Wrath of the ALMIGHTY.

21. For what Pleasure hath he in his House after him, when the Number of his Months is cut off in the midst ?

22. Shall any teach GoD Knowledge? feeing he JUDGETH those that are HIGH.

26. They fhall lie down alike in the DUST, and the WORMS fhall cover them.

29. Have ye not asked them that go by the Way? and do ye not know their Tokens?

30. That the Wicked is referved to the DAY of DESTRUCTION; they fhall be brought forth to the DAY of WRATH.

Ifai. xxx. 33. For TOPHET is ordained of old: yea, for the King it is prepared, he hath made it deep and large: the PILE thereof is Fire, and much Wood; the Breath of the Lord, like a Stream of Brimftone, doth kindle it.

Chap. xxxiii. 14. The Sinners in Zion are afraid, Fearfulnefs hath furprized the HYPOCRITES: Who among us fhall dwell with the devouring Fire? Who amongst us fhall dwell with everlasting BURNINGS?

Chap. Ixvi. 24. And they fhall go forth, and look upon the Carcases of the Men that have tranfgreffed againft me: for their Worm fhall not die, neither fhall their Fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all Flesh.

Matt. xvi. 26. What fhall it profit a Man to GAIN the whole World, and LOSE his own SouL! Or what fhall a Man give in EXCHANGE for his SouL!

(b) Pfalm

20. And there was a certain Beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his Gate, full of Sores,

21. And defiring to be fed with the Crumbs which fell

from the RICH Man's Table: Moreover, the Dogs came and licked his Sores.

22. And (b) it came to pafs that the Beggar died, and was carried by the ANGELS into Abraham's Bofom: The rich Man alfo died, and was buried.

23. And in Hell he lift up his Eyes, being in Torments, and feeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his Bofom.

(b) Pfalm x. 14. The Poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the Helper of the Fatherless.

Pf. xxxiv. 6. This POOR MAN cried, and the Lord heard him; and faved him out of all his Troubles.

7. The ANGEL of the Lord enhim, and delivereth them. campeth round about them that fear

Pf. Ixix. 29. But I am poor, and forrowful; let thy SALVATION, O GOD, fet me up on high.

33. For the Lord heareth the

Poor, and despiseth not his Prifo-
ners.

the NEEDY when he crieth: the
Pf. 1xxii. 12. For he shall deliver
Poor alfo, and him that hath no
Helper.

Needy, and fhall fave the SOULS of
13. He fhall fpare the Poor and
the Needy.

14. He fhall redeem their SouL from Deceit and Violence: and precious fhall their Blood be in his Sight."

P. cvii. 41. Yet fetteth he the POOR on high from AFFLICTION. Poor meet together: the Lord is the Maker of them ALL.

Prov. xxii. 2. The RICH and

Ifai. xi. 4. But with RIGHTEOUSNESS fhall he JUDGE the Poor, and reprove with EQUITY, for the

Meek of the Earth.

Chap. xxv. 4. For thou haft been a Strength to the Poor, a Strength

to

the Needy in his Diftrefs.

Jer. xx. 13. Sing unto the Lord, praife ye the Lord: for he hath the Hand of Evil-doers. delivered the SOUL of the Poor from

24. And he cried, and faid, Father Abraham, have Mercy on me, and fend Lazarus, that he may dip the Tip of his Finger in Water, and cool my Tongue; for I am tormented in this Flame.

25. But Abraham faid, Son, remember that thou in

thy Life-time receivedft thy GOOD THINGs, and likewife Lazarus EVIL THINGS: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

26. And befides all this, between us and you there is a great Gulph fixed: fo that they which would pafs from hence to you, cannot ; neither can they pafs to us, that would come from thence.

James ii. 5. Hearken, my beloved Brethren, Hath not God chofen the Poor of this World, rich in FAITH, and Heirs of the KING

DOM which he hath promifed to them that love him?

27. Then he faid, I pray thee therefore, Father, that thou wouldst fend him to my Father's House:

28. For I have five Brethren; that he may testify unto them, left they alfo come into this Place of Torment.

29. Abraham