The Stewards Summons. First, that they acknowledge him to be the chief, to acknowledge that they hold all from him, that they have it not from themfelves or for themfelves, this is that which every Mailer expe hs from hito whom he committeth his treafure : And this would God have all mendo. God fpeaks thattruly that Benhadab fpake proudly, and fàlfly to theKing of lfrael : thyfilver is mine, and ahygaldis mine, and ¡thy daughters and wives are mine, and thy vineyards and thy orchardsare mine. So may God fay truly, All are his, the earth ( faith David) is the Lords and thefed- Pfal, 54. r. Heft thereof. He is the great poffcffor of all things. God (as he poficffeth all things) fo he letteth out parcels of his poffeffons to the tons ofmen. "I'b force a larger portion of the earth than to others,' yet they are but Tenants at will ; and Tenants upon certain conditions and refervations, wherein this great Lord bindeth rhofe that holdany thingof him, And the fief Condition, or Refervation that he ties all his Stewards unto, is Men do not this , that they wafle not his goods , that they fcatter themnot abroad vainly or wafte his unprofitably. Now a man that bath riches, ifhe relieveth not the poor : a man goods, that bathauthority, and hclpeth not the oppreffed : a man that hath wifdome, and inftruftedrnot the Ignorant. In a word , A man that hath anyabilities, ifhe be notofufe unto others with it, this man fcatterreth his Mailers goods, and is like that unprofitablefèrvant, that hidhis Talentin it napkin, and therefore was hound band andfoot,and caftinto utter darknefi. This was the accufation that was brought againft this Steward here, that he hadwafted thegoods ofhis Lord; that is, that he had fpent them vàmly , he was no honour to his Mafler., there came no profit to the houfhóldby it. That's thefirff. The fecond thin!; that this great Lord experts of all his Stewards, is, thatas they a. That they do not fcatter his goods, nor vainly wafld' them, fo that they fhould not abufe do nqt abufe them to ill ends. I here are a generation ofmen in the world that fight againft them to ill God with his ownweapons, and that ufe all their flrength, andwifdome, and po- wer, to maintain a faEtion of rebellion agaìntl him : that fide with the wicked of the world againft his Laws and Ordinances : and this is the greatefl unthankful_ nefs that can be. tf a King fhould raife "a fervant to honour, and beflow offices and dignities oponitiin, and yet ifhe fhouid raife an Army againft him, and let himfelf againíl all his Laws, Whac greater unthankfulnefs? What greater enmi- ty ? `Therefore it was the fpeech of that parabolical King in Luke 19. ( which is Chrilti the King of the Church ) thefe mine enemies that would not that 1. fbould Luke ,o, a7. reign over them, bring, them hither; and flay them before me. Such is'the 'hate of all thofe men that have wealth and abufe it, confumeit upon their lulls, (as St. /ames lames 4.3 fpeaks) upon their pride, is excels inapparel, meats, &c. that have wit, and fpend it like Turtulltu tocry down the wayes of God, toharden themfelves and others in the courfe of fin : that have greatnefs and authority, 'and naif-imploy it to the crufhing of good perlons, and good caufes : thefe and the like are Stewards that abufe their Mailers goods,mif imploy them to his difhonour;thefe Chrift counteth his enemies, and he will not bear it. 'There is a third thing that God experts ofall his Stewards; and that is this, that I. To do him they fhottld do himHomage, that they fhould appear at his Court dayes. `Gods Homage. Sabbaths ireGods Court dayes , wherein he calleth,and affembleth his fervants. together. He will baJeevery "one to -wait 'there upon him, that theymay know his will : as Cornelius brnsgeth his family together, ,andfaith he, Ive are allprefent Aas so. I3." tobearmhat i commandedthee of God. So God (1 fay) wilthave his fervants pre- fens at his Court day es : , and not only fo ; not only to be ptefent there,- to heat his will, and to underhand his mind, but to fubmit tohisorders, toyield obedience to-his Laws, to be ;overned'by his roles. God hathcertain rules to which he will have everyman fubje h, theie'he rulesfor Mágiftrates, for Minifters, for Mailers, for Parents, for Servants, for Chihien, for all': and he is a rebel, andcarrieth not himfelf as Gods Steward, that loth not keep the rules that:God bath fet up in his ownhoufe. Again fourthly ; Godéäpefts this from all his Stewards, that whenfoever Cende he' 4' To return B z him fruit. th
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