66

24. When the people, therefore, faw "that Jefus was not there, neither his dif

ciples, they alfo took shipping and came "to Capernaum, feeking for Jefus.

66

66

25. And when they had found him

on the other fide of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou "hither?

66

66

66

66

"26. Jefus answered them and faid, Verily, verily, I fay unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye faw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and

were filled.

"27. Labour not for the meat which perifheth, but for that meat which en"dureth unto everlafting life, which the "Son of man fhall give unto you: for him "hath God the Father fealed."

Had a right motive been the cause of their following Jefus, how commendable would their zeal have appeared! In their conduct, we may fee our own, when we take undue pains and spend too much time and labor for the perishable things

of

of this life. From the rebuke given to them by our Saviour, it is plain that their object was merely selfish. We are not, however, to understand from the last verse, that it is improper to provide for the neceffaries of this life: on the contrary, it is enjoined us, as a duty, to labor not only for our own support, but for the support of those whom the Almighty has intrusted in a particular manner to our care: all that feems to be meant is, that we are not to pursue worldly matters with fuch earnestness, as to make us neglect our fuperior duties. In their anxiety for the things of this world, to the total forgetfulness of the other, they acted like the unjust steward represented by our Lord in the fixteenth chapter of St. Luke's Gospel; a parable which contains fo much inftruction on the subject now before us, that I fhall go a little aside to make a few remarks upon it.

Our Saviour describes this steward as in the fervice of a rich man to whom he had been accused of dishonesty in the ma

nagement

nagement of the affairs intrusted to him; in confequence of which, his master calls upon him to make up his accounts and quit his ftewardship. Under these circumftances, being in great diftress as to the means of his future fupport, for "he could not dig, and to beg he was ashamed," he determined, after fome deliberation, to make friends of his master's debtors, by allowing them to defraud him likewise in the fettlement of their accounts, and fo to fecure to himself an afylum when dif miffed from his ftewardship. The scheme was well laid, and carried with it every probability of fuccefs: and, it is added, that his Lord commended him; that is, that he gave him credit for his ingenuity, care, and forefight, in endeavoring to procure for himself a retreat. In pursuing the subject, our Saviour contrasts the eagernels with which we are too apt to pursue worldly advantages, with our indifference and lukewarmness to heavenly bleffings. Though his plan did not anfwer his purpose, detection being the confequence,

fequence (the poffibility of which in his great anxiety he had overlooked), yet it was evident that this world was his only object, and therefore that he kept up to his character, never lofing fight of what he fuppofed his own intereft. In this fense it is, that "the children of this world

are in their generation wiser than the "children of light." The perfons here defcribed, are fuch as this fteward; men who, difregarding eternity and their immortal fouls, place their whole felicity on this world; to fecure the goods of which, they will undergo more pains than would infure them heaven. Let us, however, profit by the example, and fhew ourselves equally active to attain our object-an eternal manfion of blifs; let us not fuffer ourselves to be fhamefully outdone, in a race where the prize is so infinitely in our favor. We know that Heaven is ready to receive us, but we know also that none can enter there, but fuch as fulfil the conditions required for their admiffion.

Let this parable ftir us up to make it the chief business of our lives to procure a permanent home, when we are called upon to give up our stewardship. That we Chriftians are ftewards to the Almighty, and that we must give an account of our stewardship, we shall scarcely deny. Let us not, then, because we may have so acted as to escape the cenfure of human laws, make ourselves too confident that we may not come under the appellation of unjuft, when tried by the divine law.

It is not justice alone, but charity, generofity, and benevolence, which will be required from thofe whom the Almighty has bleffed with the power. That gratitude must be due from those who have fuch conftant bleffings beftowed upon them, even the light of nature would teach us. The Christian must be liberal, as far as it is in his power, of his time, as well as his fortune; and those who are blessed with fuperior knowledge of their duty, are equally bound to communicate it to the ignorant and unlearned, as to relieve the bodily dif

treffes