A Lord there was whose steward provd unjust, His goods he wast'd and abus'd his trust; He bids him straight for his accounts prepare, What shall he do- perplex'd with anxious care.

THE UNJUST STEWARD.

Whither to go when him his lord disclaim'd;
He cannot dig, and is to beg asham'd?
At length, resolv'd, to take the wisest way,
And thus provides against a rainy day.

A CERTAIN rich man had a steward

who had wasted his goods.

"And he

called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed." (Luke xvi. 2, 3.)

In this parable, all the children of men are represented as stewards of what they have in this world. We are only stewards; for whatever we possess, it is the property of God; we can have only the use of it, ac

cording to the directions of our great Lord, and for his honour. This unjust steward wasted his lord's property. We are all liable to the same charge; we have. not made a proper improvement of what God has intrusted us with in this world, yet how few consider themselves in this light! His lord speaks as one sorry to be disappointed in him, and under a necessity of dismissing him. The steward cannot deny it, and therefore he must make up his accounts and be gone. This may teach us that death will come, and deprive us of the opportunities we now have of doing good; and that we must give an account to our Lord of our stewardship.

The steward began to consider: "What shall I do ?" He cannot earn his bread by his labour. To beg I am ashamed." This was the language of his pride, as the

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former of his slothfulness.

He therefore

determines to make friends of his lord's debtors, or tenants. "Now, I will so oblige them, that they will bid me welcome to their houses." He would make them his friends by striking off a considerable part of their debt to his lord. Observe here what uncertain things worldly possessions are. See what treachery is found even among those in whom trust is reposed!

When this was known, the lord referred to in this parable commended, not the iniquity, but the policy of the steward,-only meaning that it was a shrewd plan of providing against actual destitution. In that respect alone is it so noticed. Worldly men are more prudent in respect to their present interests, than the people of God are respecting their eternal concerns.

It would be well if the children of light