text itself explicitly declares the only ground of our Lord's applause b.]
It admirably illustrates (what alone our Lord in- tended to illustrate),
II. The comparative folly of God's own children —
" The children of this world" are very indefatigable in prosecuting their temporal interests; but " the chil- dren of light" ought to be incomparably more earnest in pursuing their spiritual interests —
[They are called "children of light," because they are enlightened by God's word and Spirit. They have been " brought out of darkness into the marvellous light" of the Gospel. They see the vanity of all things that are visible and temporal, and the infinite importance of those that are invisible and eternal0. They know what a strict account they must shortly give of their stewardship, and the necessity of improv- ing every hour in securing an " everlasting habitation." They know how much more important are their interests, more honourable their work, more certain their success, and more glorious their reward : they therefore should be more con- cerned about their souls than others are about their bodies; and " labour more for the meat that endureth, than others for that which perishethd."]
It must be owned however that the children of this world discover more wisdom in the prosecution of their interests :
They seek them more earnestly—
[What quickness in conceiving, eagerness in maturing, and promptness in executing his plans, did the unjust steward discover e! Thus worldly men in general find it easy to put forth the whole energy of their souls. But where is the Chris- tian that displays such ardour in his pursuits ? How rarely can the spiritual man thus engage in his work ! Alas ! what backwardness to duty, what languor in it, and what readiness to disengage himself from it, does he feel ! Happy indeed would he be who could fully equal the zeal of worldlings : but Christians have to oppose the tide of their corrupt nature, while others have only to commit themselves to its impetuous current.]
They follow them more uniformly —
b " He had done wisely." c 2 Cor. iv. 18. d John vi. 27.
e " What shall I do ? — / am resolved — so he called — every one — sit doivn quickly" —