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 saying: That  one  of  the  surest  ways  of  making  a  man your enemy  is  to  load  him  with  favors,  is  oftenest verified in  the  relations  between  man  and  God, There are  exceptions,  of  course — Pharao  sometimes finds a  faithful  Joseph — but  none  the  less  they  are  the exceptions. And howsoever  great  his  dishonesty, howsoever complicated  his  accounts,  each  is  firmly persuaded that  the  day  of  reckoning  is  afar  off. Others may  see  ruin  closing  in  around  us;  we  can  see it in  the  case  of  others;  but  as  for  ourselves,  we  are serenely confident. The sailors  on  Jonas's  straining ship are  all  bustle  and  confusion,  but  Jonas,  the  one person most  concerned,  is  fast  asleep. By and  by, says the  unjust  steward,  I  will  cease  from  pilfering, and later  on  I  will  make  restitution. In my  will,  says Plutus, I  will  remember  the  different  charities,  but  I am  not  ready  just  yet  to  sign  a  will. There is  no hurry,  says  the  sinner,  to-morrow,  perhaps,  I  will arise and  go  to  my  Father,  and  if  not  to-morrow,  at the  last  surely. To the  last,  says  Wisdom  itself,  they shall be  marrying  and  giving  in  marriage,  and  Dives shall be  confidently  planning  for  his  future  on  earth with not  a  thought  of  heaven,  even  while  the  Lord  is at  his  very  door  to  demand  his  soul  of  him.

Brethren, the  second  point  worthy  of  notice  is  the steward's dreadful  plight  when  suddenly  called  to account. Sooner or  later  every  David  meets  his Nathan. " Your  sin,"  says  Holy  Writ,  "  will  find  you out." Doubtless the  steward  had  been  severe  with those under  him,  and  now  these  detect  his  dishonesty and in  return  hasten  to  inform  their  lord. A man