Sharpness and smartness, in bargaining, and buying, and selling, and pushing trade, are often covering over things that ought not to be. The generation of "the unjust steward" is still a very large one. Let us not forget this. Whenever we do to others what we would not like others to do to us, we may be sure, whatever the world may say, that we are wrong in the sight of Christ.

Let us observe, in the second place, that one principal lesson of the parable before us, is the wisdom of providing against coming evil.

The conduct of the unjust steward, when he received notice to quit his place, was undeniably dexterous and politic. Dishonest as he was in striking off from the bills of debtors anything that was due to his master, he certainly by so doing made for himself friends. Wicked as he was, he had an eye to the future. Disgraceful as his measures were, he provided well for himself. He did not sit still in idleness, and see himself reduced to poverty without a struggle. He schemed, and planned, and contrived, and boldly carried his plans into execution. And the result was that when he lost one home he secured another.

What a striking contrast between the steward's conduct about his earthly prospects, and the conduct of most men about their souls! In this general point of view, and in this only, the steward sets us all an example which we should do well to follow. Like him, we should look far forward to things to come. Like him, we should provide against the day when we shall have to leave our present habitation. Like him, we should secure "a house in heaven," which may be our home, when we put off our earthly tabernacle of the body. (2 Cor. v. 1.) Like him,

we should use all means to provide for ourselves everlasting habitations.

The parable, in this point of view, is deeply instructive. It may well raise within us great searchings of heart. The diligence of worldly men about the things of time, should put to shame the coldness of professing Christians about the things of eternity. The zeal and pertinacity of men of business in compassing sea and land to get earthly treasures, may well reprove the slackness and indolence of believers about treasures in heaven. The words of our Lord are indeed weighty and solemn, "The children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light." May these words sink into our hearts and bear fruit in our lives!

Let us notice lastly, in this passage, the remarkable expressions which our Lord uses about little things, in close connection with the parable of the unjust steward. We read that He said, "He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much and he that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much."

Our Lord here teaches us the great importance of strict faithfulness about "little things." He guards us against supposing that such conduct about money as that of the unjust steward, ought ever to be considered a light and trifling thing among Christians. He would have us know that "little things" are the best test of character;—and that unfaithfulness about "little things" is the symptom of a bad state of heart. He did not mean, of course, that honesty about money can justify our souls, or put away sin. But He did mean that dishonesty about money is a sure sign of a heart not being "right in

the sight of God." The man who is not dealing honestly with the gold and silver of this world, can never be one who has true riches in heaven. "If ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?"

The doctrine laid down by our Lord in this place, deserves most serious consideration in the present day. An idea appears to prevail in some men's minds, that true religion may be separated from common honesty, and that soundness about matters of doctrine may cover over swindling and cheating in matters of practice! Against this wretched idea our Lord's words were a plain protest. Against this idea let us watch and be on our guard. Let us contend earnestly for the glorious doctrines of salvation by grace, and justification by faith. But let us never allow ourselves to suppose that true religion sanctions any trifling with the second table of the law. Let us never forget for a moment, that true faith will always be known by its fruits. We may be very sure that where there is no honesty, there is no grace.

NOTES. LUKE XVI. 1-12.

1.-[And he said...to his disciples.] The parable of the unjust steward is notoriously full of difficulties. The curious diversity of the explanations of it which have been given is sufficient to prove this. Those who wish to examine some of these explanations fully, will find them in Trench on Parables. I can only briefly refer to them.

Pearce thinks that the "rich man means God, and that every man is His steward.

Schleiermacher thinks that the rich man represents the Romans, the steward the publicans, and the debtor the Jewish nation, and that our Lord's object was to vindicate the publicans, and prove their kindness to their countrymen.

Anselm and others, think that the rich man means God, and

the steward all true penitents, and that the steward's lowering the bills represents the first actions of repentance and charity.

Vitringa thinks that the rich man means God, and the steward the Pharisees,-that the accusation against the steward means, the charges of the prophets and of Christ, and that the lowering of the bills means the effort made by the Pharisees to retain their position by lowering the standard of righteousness.

Jerome records an opinion ascribed to Theophilus, that the unjust steward is the Apostle Paul, who was thrust out of Judaism, -and then made himself friends by preaching the Gospel.

Gaudentius, Bishop of Brescia, and Olshausen think that the unjust steward is the devil, and the creditors, whom he makes his friends, mankind.

Some have thought that the unjust steward represents Pontius Pilate or Judas Iscariot.

Many think that the parable is nothing more than an earnest exhortation to liberal almsgiving. This is the view of Irenæus, Augustine, Athanasius, Theophylact, Erasmus, Calvin, and Luther. Luther says It is a sermon on good works, and especially against avarice, that men abuse not wealth, but therewith help poor and needy people."

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I shall not discuss these opinions. I will only say that I cannot assent to any of them. Some seem to me very fanciful. All seem to me more or less untenable or defective. My own opinion shall be summed up in a few general remarks.

(A.) In interpreting this parable, we should carefully observe to whom it was addressed. It was not spoken to "the Scribes and Pharisees," like the three last parables, but "to the disciples." They had heard a lesson to the proud and self-righteous. Now let them hear a lesson for themselves.

(B.) The connection between the parable of the unjust steward, and that of the prodigal son, which it immediately follows, is probably something of this kind. The disciples had heard of one who sinned by wasting money. They should now hear of one who sinned by dishonesty. They had heard of one who by carelessness squandered all his property and lost all his friends. Let them now hear of one who, by cunning management of money, made friends, and secured himself a home. -They had heard of the wickedness of riotous living. Let them now hear of another kind of wickedness no less abominable in God's sight, dishonesty, cheating, and fraud.-They had heard the sins of Pharisees denounced and exposed. Let them now hear an exposure of the sins of impenitent and extortionate publicans. They had heard what Pharisees ought to do,-to rejoice at the conversion of sinners. Let them now hear what

publicans ought to do,-to be faithful in money matters, and to make themselves friends by a right use of their wealth.

These, or some of them, appear to me the connecting links between the parable before us, and the preceding chapter. It looks to me like a caution to our Lord's "disciples." They were not to suppose that all Publicans were right in the Lord's eyes, or that the sins of Publicans were not noticed by Him as well as the sins of Pharisees.

(C.) The rich man and the steward and the debtors do not appear to me to be allegorical persons. I regard them as actors in the story, which our Lord is telling; but I cannot think that they were intended to represent any particular persons.

(D.) The great lessons which the parable is intended to convey, appear to me to be three.-The first is the wisdom of providing against the future. This is taught by the story of a rich man's steward, who by a wicked contrivance secured himself a home when he lost his office. If a wicked man can do this for an earthly home, and in a wicked way, how much more ought a righteous man to provide for himself a heavenly home, in a lawful way?—The second lesson is the importance of using money rightly. By prudent management of money, however dishonest, the unjust steward made himself friends. Let the disciples follow his example, but in an honest and righteous manner. The third lesson is the importance of faithfulness in the least affairs of business, as a test of character. The dishonesty of the steward showed plainly the state of his heart. Let the disciples remember that unfaithfulness in money transactions, is a sure evidence of a rotten state of soul. The cheating Publican who persevered in dishonesty, and the selfrighteous Pharisee who trusted in his own goodness, were both alike in one respect. They were both unfit for the kingdom of God.

[A steward.] The steward in this parable seems to have been an agent, who received his master's rents, which were paid in kind and not in money, and through whose hands all his master's receipts passed.

[Was accused.] The word so translated is only found in this place in the New Testament. It is the root of the word "devil.” The word devil means "accuser." It does not however mean in this place that the steward was falsely accused. On the contrary, his own language seems clearly to show that he felt the accusation to be just, and incapable of refutation.

2.-[Thou mayest be.] The expression so rendered means literally, "Thou wilt not be able to be steward any longer.”—It is impossible that thou canst be. I cannot allow thee.

[I am resolved.] The Greek word so translated means literally, I have known."-I know what I will do.