be careful how he needlessly lessens his master's character in his own vindication. The same rules, with circumstantial alterations, suit the case of apprentices and labourers; and all who are employed by others, according to the degree and nature of the trust reposed in them, (Gen. xxiv.)

On the other hand, masters are also instructed in their duties, by directions and examples in the Holy Scriptures. The Christian's principles will influence him to consider true piety as an invaluable accession to the character of a servant, who suits him in other respects; and to seek the blessing with fervent prayer, and by making his place desirable to such persons. If he be thus favoured, he will endeavour to behave to his servant, as to a brother in the faith; he will make proper allowances for mistakes and defects; and value a servant who, on the whole, is faithful, upright, diligent, and peaceable, though he be not without faults; knowing how much the comfort of his family, and the best interests of his children depend on such domestics. If he meet with bad servants, he will strive to repress his anger, to avoid reproaches, and to behave well to them, till he can change them. If his servants suit him in other respects, but are strangers to rcligion; he will use all proper means of conciliating their minds to it. In general, such a master will not expect more work from his ser vants, than they can well perform; nor deprive them of time for relaxation and retirement. He will deem it his duty to give them adequate wages, and to make their situ ations as comfortable as he cap. He will provide them with things suitable to their station when in health, and be very tender to them in sickness; procuring them help in their work under slighter indispositions, and proper advice if he can, in more acute diseases, (Matt, viii. 1-9.) He will not think himself justified by custom, in turning away a faithful servant by sending him to an hospital, because he cannot do his work, if he have it in his power to prevent it; but will consider, that he who has the benefit of his skill and labour when well, ought to submit to trouble

and expense for him when sick. Nay, if he can afford it, he will copy the example of the Lord, in respect of the aged; as he does not forsake his servants in their old age, or when their strength faileth. "Remembering that he also hath a master in heaven," he will consult the interests of his servants, and be a sincere and faithful friend to them, in whatever may tend to to their comfortable settlement in life. He will not keep them at a disdainful distance, or answer them with harshness, even when they are mistaken or unreasonable; nor express discouraging suspicions of them, or descant on their faults to others.

The same principles will influence him, to consider the souls of his domestics as intrusted to his care. He will, therefore, order his affairs so, as may give them most leisure and opportunity for hallowing the Lord's day; and use his authority in enforcing that observance, (Gen. xviii. 19.) He will read the Scriptures to them, and join with them in family prayer; he will arrange his daily plans in subserviency to that grand concern, and avoid whatever may prejudice their minds against it. He will watch over their morals and principles, and exclude from among them infectious companions, as much as possible. Thus he will make family religion the cement of family peace, and not only aim to influence his servants by love to willing obedience, but to give them cause to bless the day when they entered his doors, both in this world and for ever, (Acts x. 7, 22. Eph. vi. 9. Col. iv. 1.)

Many other relative duties might be discussed; but this topic has already occupied a full proportion of the limits prescribed to these Essays.-Subjects are required to obey the lawful commands of magistrates, to respect their persons, and reverence their authority, as God's ordinance; not to speak evil of them; to pay them tribute conscientiously; to pray for them, and to study to be quiet and mind the duties of their station. The duty of rulers and magistrates, as far as it falls under our plan, will be mentioned in an Essay on the improvement of talents.-The poor should behave with respect to the rich, without envy

ing, coveting, or repining.-The rich should be courteous, condescending, compassionate, and liberal to the poor; and set them an edifying example of piety.-The young should behave with modesty, deference, and attention to the old, especially to such as are godly, however poor they may be. The aged should temper gravity and seriousness with cheerfulness and kindness, in their conduct to the young.The faithful pastor will study from the Scriptures his duty to his flock; and the consistent Christian will, even in this relaxed day, consider himself as bound to honour, love, and attend to his faithful pastor.-In one word, true Christianity will influence every man to fill up his station, in the family, in the church, and in the community, to the glory of God, and the common benefit of the whole; and all, that come short of this, is the effect of remaining contrariety to its heavenly principles, in the judgment and dispositions of true Christians; and among those who name the name of Christ, but depart not from iniquity.

ESSAY XXII.

On the Christian's Improvement of his Talents.

WHEN the humble penitent has obtained peace of conscience by faith in Christ, and enjoys a prevailing hope of eternal life; he will be disposed, in proportion as his views are distinct and consistent, to inquire seriously by what means he may most effectually glorify the God of his salvation, and do the greatest good to mankind during the remainder of his days. For " the love of Christ,” (in dying on the cross to deliver sinners from the wrath to come, and to purchase for them everlasting felicity; and in calling him to partake of so inestimable a blessing,) "will constrain him-to live no longer to himself, but to Him who died for him and rose again." This will induce him to consider, very attentively, what advantages or opportunities his situation affords him, of promoting the ho

nour of the Redeemer's name; the peace, purity, and enlargement of his kingdom; the comfort and edification of his people; and the welfare, temporal and eternal, of the human species. These opportunities and advantages are commonly called talents, from the parable which our Lord spoke on this subject, (Matt. xxv. 14-30.) and doubtless >this portion of Scripture, and that coincident with it, (Luke xix. 11-27.) relate entirely to this matter; and cannot reasonably be thought to point out the method of salvation, as if the improvement of natural powers or common grace could merit or procure special grace, as some have confusedly argued. For, indeed, special grace produces the inclination and disposition to use natural powers, and all other advantages aright.

There are a variety of endowments and opportunities, which may be improved to the best of purposes; but which wicked men employ in gratifying their base lusts, to the increase of their own guilt, and the injury of all around them; and which formal professors of religion, who harbour hard thoughts of God, and a secret dislike to his service, as it were, bury in the earth. Of these, the true disciple of Christ will avail himself; and by occupying with the talent intrusted to him, he will become, as "the light of the world," and "the salt of the earth." (Matt. v. 13-16.) Every man has some measure of these advantages afforded him, according to the appointment of infinite wisdom, which also assigns to each person his station in the church, and in the community: and if a man profess the gospel, the use he makes of these advantages is one of the most decisive tests, by which the sincerity of that profession may be ascertained, and the degree of his grace estimated. (2 Cor. viii. 7, 8. James ii. 14.-26. John iii. 17-20.) But the improvement, and not the number, of his talents, will be considered in the decision: "he that is faithful in little, is faithful alsó in much :" (Luke xvi. 9-12.) and whilst the servant, to whom many talents have been intrusted, may be more extensively useful; he that hath improved a very small

proportion will be equally favoured of his Lord; and the poor widow's two mites may be more evidential of sincere love and fervent zeal, than the liberal donations of the affluent.

Every thing almost, that we are, or possess, or meet with, may be considered as a talent: for a good or a bad use may be made of every natural endowment, or providential appointment; or they may remain unoccupied through inactivity and selfishness.-Time, health, vigour of body, and the power of exertion and enduring fatigue, the natural and acquired abilities of the mind, skill in any lawful art or science, and the capacity for close mental application; the gift of speech, and that of speaking with fluency and propriety, and in a convincing, attractive, or persuasive manner; wealth, influence, or authority; a man's situation in the church, the community, or relative life; and the various occurrences, which make way for him to attempt any thing of a beneficial tendency; these, and many others that can scarcely be enumerated, are talents which the consistent Christian will improve to the glory of God and the benefit of mankind. Nay, this improvement procures an increase of talents, and gives a man an accession of influence, and an accumulating power of doing good because it tends to establish his reputation for prudence, piety, and integrity, sincerity, and disinterested benevolence; it gradually forms him to an habitual readiness to engage in beneficent designs, and to conduct them in a gentle, unobtrusive, and unassuming manner; it disposes others to regard him with increasing confidence and affection, and to approach him with satisfaction; and it procures for him the countenance of many persons, whose assistance he can employ in accomplishing his own salutary purposes. For, as far as we are consistent in our views of our calling and business in the world, we shall, both in the concerns of our own salvation and in endeavouring to be useful, imitate the skilful mariner; who always keeps his port in mind, and gets forward in his voyage, by using every wind that blows

.