Secondly: As variously employed. He who had five, gained another five; and he who had two, gained another two; but he with the one, hid it in the earth. The variety of distribution is to be referred to the sovereign will of God, -the variety of employment to the free will of man.

The text leads us to offer two general remarks upon the non-use of power.

I. THAT THE NON-USE OF POWER, EVEN IN THE FEEBLEST, IS A CRIME. To this man, who hid the one talent, Christ says, "Thou oughtest," &c. The parable teaches :-First: That the talents of all were given in trust. Men are not the proprietors, but stewards, or trustees. Responsibility is attested by the history of providence,-the testimony of inspiration, the universal consciousness of humanity. Secondly: That the talents are given in trust to be employed. Not to be "hid." Wealth, power, intellect, &c. Not to be dormant, but to be active. Thirdly That the talents are given in trust to be employed according to the WILL of the master. Not our own will. Life is a moral market. In it we are to carry on a moral merchandise for God. But wherein does the crime of this man appear? (1.) The power he had was given to him in trust, to be occupied according to the will of his master. He was not the proprietor of his power, but the trustee and steward. And it was not given, either to lie dormant, or to be occupied according to his will, or for his own pleasure; but according to the will of God. (2.) He was conscious of all this. "Thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not," &c. Thou knewest that the talent was not thine, &c. All men feel that they are responsible. They cannot obliterate this. The non-use of power in the feeblest is a crime. We are not responsible merely for what we have received, but for what we are capable of doing with that;—for all the profits that could he realized by it in the moral market of life. As the man who borrows money on interest, is as responsible to the owner for the interest as the principal; so we are as

responsible to God for the use of the power as the power itself. Two conclusions follow from this :—

First That if the non-use of power in the feeblest is a crime, what must it be in the strongest? Hoarded wealth, intellectual endowments, deep sympathies, high gifts of thought and speech;-what a crime to have them unoccupied! Men of wealth, you are responsible for all that gold can do; and how much good can money do in a world like this! Men of genius, you are responsible for all the useful influence that you are capable of exerting. Secondly That if the non-use of power in the feeblest be a crime, what must its abuse be in the strongest ? must be the crime of those who use their great talents in promoting error, sensuality, and vice? What will some of your millionnaires, authors, and men of great social, and political, influence, have to answer for?

What

II. THAT THE NON-USE OF POWER, EVEN IN THE FEEBLEST, CANNOT BE EXCUSED. This man pleads as an excuse, First: A state of mind, which is a common plea of his class. "I was afraid," &c. How often do you hear people of humble abilities plead after this fashion! They are afraid— afraid of offending friends, afraid of injuring business, afraid of opposition. Secondly: A state of mind which arose from wrong ideas of God. "I knew that thou art an hard man," &c. This is another feature of men of weak abilities little men are always suspicious. God is not a hard master. He does not require more than you are able to render. Let no one be afraid to employ his powers for Him.-Have faith!

III. THAT THE NON-USE OF POWER, EVEN IN THE FEEBLEST, LEADS TO RUIN. Here is, First: Destitution. "Take, therefore, the talent from him," &c. He that rightly uses power, gets more; he that neglects it, loses what he has. is a law. It is so in body-intellect-as well as soul. The physically feeble youth of Sparta got the iron frame, and

This

the sinewy arm, by action; the stammering Demosthenes acquired his princely eloquence by action. Secondly: Banishment. "Cast ye the unprofitable servant," &c. Who shall tell what that "outer darkness," is?

Ye feeble ones! -Men of "one talent"! rouse ye to action; there is a post of labour for you;-though your trust is small compared with that of others, it is trust; and you are as much bound to "occupy" it, as if it were a thousand times the amount. Have faith, have enterprise, and put it out to use. Though you can do but little, remember that the "great globe" itself—the universe, is but a combination of littles. Who built the Coral Islands, laid their foundation in the abysses of the deep, and spread out their landscapes on the ocean's heaving breast? Work, though your power is but the power of an insect.

SUBJECT:-Lawful Strife.

"Stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel; and in nothing terrified by your adversaries," &c.-Phil. i. 27-28.

Analysis of Homily the Hundred and Eighty-second.

The earth is one vast

THERE is much strife in the world. scene of eager and angry competition. Men, to a great extent, exist in the relation of rivals to one another; either on account of the necessities of the positions they occupy, or the character of the pursuits to which they voluntarily devote themselves. And how much of unrighteousness characterizes the strifes of men! In the senate, the school, the market, the shop, and even the sanctuary, what selfish and God-insulting contention! Verily it is not on the battleplain, or the blood-dyed wave, exclusively, that men seek to overthrow and defeat one another. Such attempts are made every place and moment. There is, however, a lawful

in

strife in which we may engage; nay, in which we must engage. The Apostle, in this portion of scripture, indicates several interesting particulars respecting it.

There is here indicated

I. THE OBJECT FOR WHICH WE SHOULD STRIVE. That is the "faith of the gospel." In other words, the system of truth delivered by Jesus. And we should endeavour, es

pecially, to do two things respecting it.

First To maintain it in its integrity. The divinity of Jesus, the expiatory character of His death, the agency of the Holy Spirit, the necessity of moral purity, and all that our great Teacher has said concerning the world to come, should be by us faithfully held. We must not give up one of, even the apparently subordinate, truths of the gospel. There is nothing little in the system of Jesus.

Secondly To promote its diffusion. Why should we labour to promote the diffusion of the gospel? (1.) Because it is the will of Him who introduced it. The tone and visions of prophecy, the instructions given to the disciples, and the gospel's capability of universal adaptation, prove that it was designed for general diffusion: whilst the commission shows that Christ intended to secure its spread through the agency of the church. (2.) Because the gospel is an instrument by which we may most successfully advance the temporal well-being of man. We should strive to advance the temporal interests of our brother man. This is the dictate of humanity, as well as of religion. By the aid of the gospel, we may do this. It checks degrading vices, such as intemperance, falsehood, and impurity; and originates opinions and social institutions, favourable to human progress in all its aspects. Hence, in those countries where pure religion most prevails, man is highest in the scale of physical, mental, and social, well-being. (3.) Because it is the only system in connexion with which man can be saved.

There is here indicated

II. THE MANNER IN WHICH WE SHOULD STRIVE. Observe:First We should strive firmly. "stand fast." Vacillation never accomplished anything great. "Unstable as water thou shalt not excel."

How firmly stood the apostles

and martyrs ! The fiercest opposition could not make them

waver.

Secondly: We should strive unitedly. "In one spirit, with one mind;" "together." There should be union as to feeling, aim, and action. How united and formidable would be that people, reciprocating the same feelings, cherishing the same aims, and co-operating in the same actions!

This

is the only pleasant mode of striving for "the faith." It is something to have pleasure in our work. It attracts and stimulates. And this is secured by oneness of "spirit" and "mind." We like to turn into the busy field of Christian enterprize and toil, when we know that it is thronged with kindred spirits. Harsh variance disgusts and enervates. It is the only consistent mode of striving for "the faith." The gospel demands this union; and, when its truths are viewed without prejudice, and its holy impulses obeyed without opposition, leads to it. We are one in Christ. It is the only successful mode of striving for "the faith." Individual effort may, and ought, to do much. But there are Christian enterprizes which only united effort can carry out. It is the only successful mode of sending the gospel abroad, and of spreading it at home. Churches languish where there is not this striving "together." Converts are repelled from their communion, who would, perhaps, otherwise join it. They would rather live in isolation, than dwell amid angry contention. And those churches, it may be, blame their minister for this state of things, when their own variance is the cause. Verily there may be inefficiency in the pew as well as in the pulpit. A church may be low on account of the quarrelsomeness of its members, when there is no defect in the ministrations of its pastor.

Thirdly We should strive courageously.

:

"In nothing