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 children of light." (v. 8.) The spiritual instruction contained in the parable is summed up by the Lord in these words, "And I say unto you, make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations." (v. 9.) The nature of a parable is to convey to the mind other instruction than that expressed by the words; and here three subjects present themselves for particular notice, the RICH MAN, the STEWARD, and the DEBTORS. The Rich Man is the Lord God of Heaven, for he alone is rich, possessing the all of Love, Wisdom, and Life! His goods are all the blessings of life, health, truth, love, faith, mercy, and providence. In and by the Word of God, the goods of the Rich Man are dispensed to the children of men, and the Church representatively, by its priests, ministers, and teachers, is the steward; while the debtors are the whole human race, who receive these goods, and who are to make faithful returns of gratitude as payments.

The truths of Divine Revelation are the goods of the rich man, given to purify the inward life, to root out of the soul all unholy passions, to enlighten the mind, and to establish our goings in the ways of righteousness. The steward, or church, should teach that all truth is given to amend the life, and thus to prepare for heaven: but should the truth be perverted by world-loving men, and faith without charity and love be taught as the all of religion and salvation, then the goods of the Lord are wasted, religion becomes a market for gain and worldly merchandise, and the once beautiful house of prayer becomes a den of thieves! The priests, by feeding themselves instead