s A I N T s COMP ARED TO s T E w A·'R D s. Book IV. SAINTS CO M PARED To ST E W A R D S. Givt a11 .llccouilt of tby Stewardjbip, &c. Luke xvi. 2. As good Stewards, e~c. 1 l'ct. iv. 10. Note. E-very Saint is the Steward of God. P A R A L L E L S I. A Steward is a Pcrfon th<t bath Goods or Monies committed to ·his Clnrge: s~ every ·Chriflian bath many Gooch, c~lled Talents, committed to him, both Spirituals and T emporals, Mall. xxv. q, 1 5· 11. A Steward cannot fay, the H.icla:s which are commin.ed to him are his own.; no, he is bot the Steward of them, in T rufl. 1 hey being the proper Right cf another l\1an, or his Lord's Goods: So a Chriilian cannot liy, any Tbing he hath is his own; all he is and bath i; theLord's. 111. A Steward ought to difpofe of every Thing commirted to his Charge, accord- ·ing to the fpecial Command of his Man:er, who yombly orders hun to pay !o muc_h w fuch an one, and fo much to fuch an one, and !o much ro fuch Poor th•t dwell in th<: Parifh, .&c. So every Chri!lian ought to difpofe of all his Lord's Guode., accordin" to his exprefs Command laid down in his 'Nord , or he is no fai thful Stewa:·d. So much he is rcqui~ed to difpofe of to the Miniftcrs of the ·Gofpd, that may tend to make their L ives comfortable, and free them from the perplexing Cares of this Life, which greatly hinder them .in their Minin:ry. The true Miniiler's Maintenance isjure divino, of divine Right: So bath the Lord ordained, tbat tbey that preach the Gofpel, jhould live of tbe Gqfpel, 1 Cor. ix. 14 . Alfo they are required to give ro the Poor, that they may not want, &c. Their Chariry ought to be according to their Ab;l;ty, and the Poor's Necdlity; and not only to give, but to give chearfully, with a willing Heart, &c. IV. Stewards are re<juired to improve their L ord's Money, &c. So Chriftians ought .to improve all thofe fpiritual Gifts and Graces, T ime, Strengrh, Wifdom and Know– .1edge. Whatfoever God bath given to them, he expeCts they 01ould improve it to his Glory, and to the Profit of their Neighbors. 'V. It is a great and horrible E vil in a Steward, to mind his own Bufinefs and Con-– cerns more than the Concerns of his Lord and Matter: So it is an utter Fault, and that which may juilly call in queilion the Trurh of his Sincerity and Chrin:ianity, for a Chriflian to mind the World, and his own private Interefl, more than the lnteref\s .and Concern~ of Jefus Chrilt. Some care not what becomes of Chriil's L aborers, or of the ,poor Saints, nor of the ·Interefl of the Gofpel, fo that they have all Things to their Hearts·Content. They eat the Fat, and dnnk the Sweet, and lay up great ;Store of :Treafure for their own Children, &c. They have, perhaps, their H undreds and Thoufands by them ; and in the·mean while many faithful Mini£\ers hard P"' to it to get Bread. Is it not an abominable Evil 1n a Steward, to live like a L ord him– .felf upon his Mafter's Goods, and let his Mafter's Children want Bread; and alfo to 'keep back the Right of his faithful and painful L aborers, for whofe Sake he en– .trufted him with fo much ·Subf\ancd VI. "A Steward mufl: expe{t to be called to an Account : Give an Account of thy Stewardjhzp, ·&c. Lukexvi. ·2. So mu!l every Chriilian expeEt to be called to an Ac– .count by Jefus Chrift concerning his Stewardfhip; and what will they have to fay, who have embezelled much of their Lord's Goods, and convened the reft to their own '.private Ufe. ·Let all take heed, and fo demean themfelve~, that .they may have their '.Accounts to give up withjoy. ~AIN'TS
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