CONCERNING MY TALENTS.

HAVING so solemnly devoted myself to God, according to the covenant he hath made with me, and the duty I owe to him; not only what I am, and what I do, but likewise what I have, is still to he improved for him. And this I am bound to, not only upon a federal, but even a natural account; for whatsoever I have, I received from him, and therefore, all the reason in the world, whatsoever I have should be’ improved for him. For, I look upon myself as having no other property in what I enjoy, than a servant hath in what he is entrusted with to improve for his master’s use; thus, though I should have ten thousand pounds a year, I should have no more of my own, than if I had but two-pence in all the world. For it is only committed to my care for a season, to be employed and improved to the best advantage, and will be called for again at the grand audit, when I must answer for the use or abuse of it; so that, whatsoever in a civil sense I can call my own, that, in a spiritual sense, I must esteem as God’s. And 204therefore it nearly concerns me to manage all the talents I am entrusted with as things I must give a strict account for at the day of judgment. As God bestows his mercies upon me, through the greatness of his love and affection, so I am to restore his mercies back again to him by the holiness of’ my life and conversation. In a word, whatever I receive from his bounty, I must, some way or other, lay out for his glory, accounting nothing my own, any further than as I improve it for God’s sake and the spiritual comfort of my own soul.

In order to this, I shall make it my endeavour, by the blessing of God, to put in practice the following resolutions.