1. Stewards of Christ's House
Doctrine T hat our Lord Jesus Christ will amply reward the faithful and prudent stewards of his house, in the day of their account.
This point will open itself to you in these three doctrinal branches.
(1) That ministers, in a special sense, are the stewards of Christ's house. (2) Faithfulness and prudence are the necessary qualifications of Christ's stewards. (3) Wherever these are found, Christ will abundantly reward them.
1. Stewards of Christ's House Ministers, in a special sense, are the stewards, or chief servants of Christ's house. So speaks the apostle, 1 Cor. 4:1. "Let a man account of us as the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God." To them he hath committed the dispensation of the word and sacraments, which contain the great mysteries of the kingdom of God.
Every private person, who hath received any talent from God, (and to be sure the meanest among us hath one talent at least,) is a steward, and will be called to an account for the employment, or nonemployment of that talent in the audit-day. But ministers are stewards in the strict and special sense: Christ distinguishes them from the others, as porters from the rest of the servants, Mark 13:34. Nor may any assume that office, but by order from Christ the Master of the family. But this is too obvious to stay longer upon it.
2. Qualifications of Faithfulness and Prudence We will therefore immediately take into consideration, the properties or qualification of the stewards of Christ: which are, (1) Faithfulness.
(2) Prudence. And consider them, (1) Distinctly. (2) Conjunctly.
FAITHFULNESS
Faithfulness is an essential requisite to a steward, 1 Cor. 4:2. It is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. What ground is there for trust, where there is no truth? Hence is that solemn charge,
2 Tim. 2:2 to commit that great trust of the ministry to faithful men.
And Paul blesseth God, 1 Tim. 1:11, 12 who had accounted him faithful, and put him into the ministry. This faithfulness, as it respects
God, ourselves, and the flocks committed to us, includes, 1. Pure and spiritual aims and intentions.
2. Sincerity and integrity of heart.
3. Diligence in the discharge of duty.
4. Impartiality in the administration of Christ's house.
5. And unshaken constancy and perseverance to the end.
1. Ministerial faithfulness includes pure and spiritual aims and Intentions for God. A servant is Ολως εκεινου; it is not his own, but his master's honour, and interest, he must design and aim at. Fidelity will not endure self-ends, disguised with a pretence of zeal for Christ.
It is said of the master workmen of the temple, 2 Kings 22:7 that there was no reckoning made with them of the money collected for that use, because they dealt faithfully, i.e. they had given sufficient proof that they appropriated not a farthing to themselves, but truly applied it to the public, sacred end and use, to which it was given. O