4 The Stewards Summons. fended', his Baylifl`s for rent , that they return him the fruit of his own ground./ Every foul is Gods ground, from which God expeets fome fruit or other, and he fends his Bsyliffs, his Servants, continually to gather there fruits from men. When he fends a poor man to the rich, there's a BayliffPent to him, togather famefruit: of his wealth. When he fends an opprefled man to thofe that arein authority, there's a Bayliff fent to him , to gather the fruit of his power and greatnels4 When he fends an ignorant man to thofethathave wifdomeandknowledge, there's' a Bayliff fent to him, to gather the fruit of his Knowledge. And fo we may fay of all things whatfoever': whatfoever endowments of body, or mind, or eftate, any man bath, if another need it, that other is Gods Bayliff; fent to hint to` call for his rent, to call for the fruit of his ground, and thoumuft return it by fuch a one, for thou art but a Steward : and you know how fearful the proceedings Mat. at, jq: of the great Kingwas in Meath. at. Hefeat hisfervants to the Husbandmen, to thofe to whom he had let out his ground, to receive the fruits of it, and there was none ; what was the iffue of it i He wasfull ofwrath : and cometh upon the Hof- bandsmen andflew them.. So when God (hall fend the poor to thee for relief, and thou helpelf him not : flrall lend the ignorant to thee.for inftru&ion, and thou in- 1 formclt him not ::hall fend any one to thee that may have ufe of thy gifts and abi- I lines, and thou doeft not imploy them that way, thoudenieff the great Lord the fruit of his ownground, and art of the number of thofe Husband-men that muff expe& this at his hands to be (lain in his wrath. You lee the Point opened, That all men are GodsStewards, both in refpe& of what Godhath beftowed onthem, and what God doth expeâ front them. I come briefly now to make force ufeof this. Vfe, Are all men Gods Stewards ? Then certainly there is fomework required of every man in the worldby vertue of this title.put upon him, that he isGods Stew- ard. Ir concerns therefore, Every one to look to his place. Two things There are two thingsrequired ofevery Steward. requited of a Firft, a Difpenfation. Steward. Secondly, a right orderingofhis Difpenfations. ,Difpenfation. Firft a Difpenfation. For a Steward ye know is appointed for laying out, he is made for others, not for himfelf, for the good of theFamily in which he is fet, not for his own benefit. God bath made every creature to be for the ufe, of o- thers, and not for it felf : thofe heavenly bodies, the Sun, and Moon, and Stars, their Motion and influences are for us, for the fervice of the world : the Earth with the fruits of it ; the Beats, and all are for the ferviceof man. So every man in his feveral place, bath Tome work to do for others, force abilities given him Rom,13. ç. for the fervice of others. Hence it is, that the Magifirate is laid to be the Mini- fier of God for the peoples good. Hence it is, that Miniffers are laid to be ekefer-i Rom. 1.14. wants of the Churches. I am a debtour ( faith Paul) to the few, and to the Gen- tiles, to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians. Hence it is, that a Mailer of a Fa- Tim. 1. 8. mily is laid to be worfe than an Infidel, if he provide not for thofe of his own hqufe. And every-other Chriffian (though he ffaod not in thefe relations to o- thers -) he bath tome gifts or other, that are tobe laid forth for the ufe and advan- tage of others, and every private perfon in the world, he may be of fotneufe or othcr111 the place in which he is fet. Hence it is, thatthe nameof Brother is com- mon to ,a1.1 Cbriflians, and ye know Jofeph acknowledged that he was preferred to thofe honours, and that authority and place, for the good of his Brethren, for! his Fathers bottle : fo fhould all Gods people acknowledgeother Chriftianstheir Brethitejr, and that whatfoever parts they have, they have them for the good of the Family. Hence it is, that Chriftians are calledMembers one ofanother ; Every Member is ofufe to the whole body, fo muff every Chriftian he ofufe toanother, to force by the riches ofthe body, to force by the riches of the mind, to force by the abilities of their eftates, every one according to the treafure he is intrufted with, and the Talent that is committed to him. Tisis is the fir{: thing, that men muff make confcience to do, to be difpencer o
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