to us for their use, we are guilty of the grossest injus- tice. Suppose, in a time of dearth, a person of opu- lence should commit to his steward a sum of money for the relief of persons who were specifically described ; and that, on inquiry, he should find that his steward had altogether withheld relief from those for whose benefit the trust had been committed to him, and had spent the money on himself: would any one hesitate to call him an unjust steward ? What then, if, instead of improving the Gospel for the ends for which it has been committed to us, namely, that " through our mercy the Jews might obtain mercy," we have been altogether regardless of our trust, and suffered them all to " perish for lack of knowledge :" will God account us faithful? Will he not rather complain of us as unjust stewards ? Will he not accuse us as having intercepted the flow of his bene- volence towards the objects of his compassion, and as having robbed them of the benefits which he had ordained them to enjoy ? Let us not then console ourselves with the thought, that we have never in- flicted on them any positive injury ; but let us rather tremble at that sentence which God has denounced against those who have hid their "talent in a napkin ;" " Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer dark- ness, where shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnash- ing of teeth."
There is yet another view in which I would place this conduct. Consider the ingratitude of it. We were once in as deplorable a condition as the Jews, or rather in a state far worse : for they do worship the one true God ; whereas we were bowing down to stocks and stones. And how did they act towards us ? The Jewish nation at large, I grant, opposed, with all their might, the calling of the Gentiles : and some who were truly pious could not see the Divine purposes in relation to this matter. But they acted under a mistaken sense of duty to their God ; (an excuse which none of us can offer :) and, as soon as they were fully instructed in their duty, they ac- counted nothing too much to do or suffer, if they