I The Stemards Summons. , 5 of their goodnefs, of any thing they have, to be communicative, to defufe and extend themfelves to others, as occafion fhall be offered. And indeed where there is anygoodnefs in a man, he will exprefsit this way, by doingall the good to others he can. Secondly, it is required ofa Steward, that he confider ofthe manner, and right ordering of his difpenfations. There be twoRules for that. z. Right ot- deung ofhis difpenfations, That he difpenfe5Eauhfrdly. `Wifely. Who ( faith the Lord in that tiLuke 4z.) is a faithful andwife Steward, whom bisLord/hall make ruler over his hou/hold, &c. Gods Stewards ye fec mutt in their difpenfations be faithful and wife. Puff, they mull be faithful. Fidelity appears in this, when they have a right End, and a right Rule to walk by. What is the End and Rule of a faithful Steward in all his difpenfations in the boufeofhis M:$er ? His Mafters credit, and hisMatters will His Mailers honour, and his Mailers command. . So it mutt be in the houle of God. If we would be faithful in our places, let Godsglory beour end, and his Word our rule. That is, leta man confider, what Cod in his Word commands him in fuch a place , in fuch a qualification, having fuch endowments, fuck parts, fuch abilities , and let him difpenfe thofe by that Ride , according to that Command, to the glory ofGod that gave them him. Thus was Mofes a faithful Steward , faithful as afrvant in all the hoofe of God, fo the Apoftle faith of him, Reb. 3. y. His Mailers glory was his end, and there- fore when once he law his Matter difhonoured by Idolatry, he could not then con- tain himfelf, but his Anger waxed het, though be was the meekefl man upon earth. And his Matters Will was his Rule, therefore he came down from the Mountain with the Tables in his hand, that it might appear what he made his guide, and direftion in all his carriage amonft the people: and we thall find that in all the doubts of the people, either in matter of Command or punifhment , he alwayes fought dire&ion from.God. He is no faithful Servant that doth not do this. Secondly, ? s he mutt be a faithful Steward in difpenfing, fo he mutt be wife in his dipenfing too. What isthe wifdome ofGods Stewards? Not the wifdome drawn from thewritings ofMachivile, or the wifdome of the World, orof the flesh, for that id enmity against God, not drawn from the rules tat politicians walk by : But that wifdome that is drawn out of the Scriptures, the Word of God : The word ofGod ( faith the Apoftle) is able to make the man of God wife to falvation : this is the wifdome that Gods fervants mutt exprefs, and manifeft in dìfpenfing of their gifts, they muff be made wife by the Word, they mutt feek wifdome from theWord the rule ofWiídome,fromthe Examples in the Word, of thofe that were guided by the Spirit ofWifdome, if they would be wife Stewards. They mutt compare the preceptsof theWord, and the praftifeof the Saints to- gether : fee what God commandeth in fuch a place, in Bach a condition, fee vvhat Gods fervants that are gone before have done in fetch a condition. Mark hove Abraham and ,yob, and others of Gods Saints have imployed their vvcalth and authority, it veas for the relieving ofthe poor, for thefurtherance ofGods glory , for the eafe of thofe that vvere oppreft : Mark hovvNehemiah beflirted himfelffor the fan&ifying ofthe Sabbath, for the furtherance of Gods vvorfhip : Mark again hove Sc. Paul, as a Minifter vvatched againft the Wolves , and hóvv he fpends himfelf to the uttermoft for the Church of God. Mark hove Abraham as Luke as. 42. 1. Fai,hfully. íteh. ;: t: Exot. ;a,19. z. Wifely. Rom. S. 7. Tim. 3. 17. Gen. t9.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=