' SERMON XXVI. 381 all sense of righteousness. Yet there"are too many, who, when once they have borrowed, grow so careless and negli- gent of payment, that it brings a disgrace upon their profes- sion, and a blot upon their character. Profuse and thought- less sinners, who run in debt to every one that will trust them for the daily conveniencies of life! Though they have no reasonable prospect of paying, yet they ask their neighbour to lend, with a free and courageous countenance, and put a bold face upon their venturous iniquity, being too proud to let their poverty be known. But the God of justice beholds their crime, and writes their names down in his book among the unrighteous. Ps. xxxvii. 21. The wicked borroweth and payeth not again. Hence it comes to pass that there are so manybankrupts in in our days, even among the professors of strict religion: A shameful anti ungodly practice, if it arise from luxury and pro- fuseness, or from a careless neglect of their proper affairs ! It was thought sufficient, in the clays of our fathers, to deserve an expulsion from the church of Christ, unless they could evidently make it appear, that it was merely the unforeseen and frowning providences of God, they were reduced to this extremity. l'here is many' a man bath groaned away his latter years in poverty,. and perhaps in a cold prison, and in most forlorn cir- cumstances of life, by means of the profuseness of his youth : And he hath been taught to read the guilt of his luxury and in- justice in a long and painful lesson. But a profuse and sensual humour is not only the spring of unrighteousness among persons of better rank and circumstance in the world, but it tempts servants also to be unjust to their masters : They will now and then provide a treat for themselves and their friends ; they must eat nicely, and drink to excess : And thus they waste their master's substance. Theymust keep good company in the world, and now and then spend a licentious hour or two, while their just and reasonable service at home is neglected ; and perhaps the purse of the master must pay for all. Under the same head I maybringa charge of injustice against the careless and wasteful servant, who persuades himself that his master is rich enough, and therefore he is not solicitous to buy or sell, or manage any atfairs'for him to the best advantage. Hepermits the goods of his master to he wasted or embezzled, he grows liberal and generous at his master's cost, and has no thought of the golden rule of our Saviour, to manage his mas- ter's concerns with the same frugality and conduct, as he would expect a servant should do for him. But it is time I proceed to the next particular.
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