Ten Sermons, Sermon 3 – Title page 2

Ten Sermons · Sermon 3 – Title page 2

p. 96At a Visitation at Boston, Lincoln. 13. March 1624.THE THIRD SERMON.

1. COR. 12.7.

But the manifestation of the Spirit, is giuen to eueryevery man, to profit withall.

§. 1. The Occasion.IN the first Verse of this Chapter S. Paul proposeth to himselfe an Argument, which hee prosecuteth the whole Chapter through, and (after a profitable digression into the prayse of Charitie in the next Chapter) resumeth againe at the fourteenth Chapter, spending also that whole Chapter therein: and it is concerning spirituall gifts, [aaVers. 1. Now concerning spirituall gifts, brethren, I would not hauehave you ignorant, &c.] These gracious gifts of the holy Spirit of God, bestowed on them for the edification of the Church; the Corinthians, (by making them the bbforeign. Chrys. in 1. Cor. hom. 29.fuell either of their pride, in p. 97despising those that were inferiour to themselues; or of their enuy, in malicing those that excelled them therein,) abused to the maintenance of schisme, and faction, and emulation in the Church. For the remedying of which euills, the Apostle entreth vponupon the Argument: discoursing fully of the varietie of these spirituall gifts, and who is the Author of them, and for what end they were giuen, and in what manner they should be employed; omitting nothing that was needfull to bee spoken anent this subiect.

In this part of the Chapter,§. 2. Coherence, entreating both before and after this verse, of the wondrous great, yet sweet and vsefull, varietie of these spirituall gifts: he sheweth, that howsoeuer manifold they are either for kind, or degree, so as they may differ in the materiall and formall, yet they doe all agree both in the same efficient, and in the same finall cause. In the same efficient cause, which is God the Lord by his Spirit, vers. 4, 6. [Now there are diuersities of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord; and there are diuersities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.] And in the same finall cause; which is the aduancement of Gods glory, in the propagation of his Gospell, and the edification of his Church; in this verse, [But the manifestation of the Spirit is giuen to eueryevery man to profit withall.]

By occasion of which words,§. 3. and diuision of the Text. we may enquire into the nature, conueiance, and vse of these gifts. First, their nature in themselues, and in their originall; p. 981what they are, and whence: they are the workes of Gods Spirit in vsus, [The manifestation of 2the Spirit.] Secondly, their conueyance vntounto vsus; how we come to hauehave them, and to hauehave propertie in them: it is by gift; [is giuen to eueryevery man.] 3Thirdly, their vse and end; why they were giuen vsus, and what we are to doe with them: they must be employed to the good of our Brethren, and of the Church; is giuen to eueryevery man [to profit withall.] Of these briefely, and in their order; and with speciall reference euer to vsus that are of the Clergie.

§. 4. The explication of the words.By manifestation of the Spirit here our Apostle vnderstandeth none other thing, than hee doth by the adiectiue word foreign in the first, and by the substantiue word foreign in the last verse of the Chapter. Both which put together, doe signifie those spirituall gifts and graces whereby God enableth men (and especially Church-men) to the duties of their particular Callings for the generall good. Such as are those particulars, which are named in the next following verses; aaVers. 8-10.the word of wisdome, the word of knowledge, faith, the gifts of healing, workings of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, diuers kinds of tongues, interpretation of tongues. All which, and all other of like nature and vse, because they are wrought by that one and selfe-same bbVers. 11.Spirit, which diuideth to eueryevery one seuerally as he will; are therefore called ccVers. 1.foreign, spirituall gifts; and here foreign, the manifestation of the Spirit.

p. 99The word [Spirit] though in Scripture it hauehave many other significations,§. 5. By Spirit is meant the Holy Ghost: yet in this place I conceiue to be vnderstood directly of the Holy Ghost, the third Person in the euer-blessed Trinitie. For first, in vers. 3. that which is called the Spirit of God 1in the former part, is in the later part called the Holy Ghost: [aaVers. …. I giuegive you to vnderstand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God, calleth Iesus accursed; and that no man can say, that Iesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.] Againe, that varietie of gifts, 2which in vers. 4. is said to proceed from the bbVers. 4-6.same Spirit, is said likewise in vers. 5. to proceed from the same Lord, and in vers. 6. to proceed from the same God: and therefore such a Spirit is meant, as is also Lord and God; and that is onelyonly the holy Ghost. And againe, in those words, in vers. 11. [ccVers▪ 11. all these 3worketh that one and the selfe-same Spirit, diuiding to eueryevery man seuerally as he will;] the Apostle ascribeth to this Spirit the collation and distribution of such gifts according to the free power of his owne will and pleasure: which free power belongeth to none but God alone, ddVers. 18.who hath set the members eueryevery one in the body, as it hath pleased him.

Which yet ought not so to bee vnderstood of the Person of the Spirit; as if the Father, §. 6. not as excluding the other Persons;and the Sonne, had no part or fellowship in this businesse. For all the Actions and operations of the Diuine Persons, (those onelyonly excepted which are of intrinsecall and mutuall relation) are the ioynt and vndiuided workes of the whole three Persons: according to the common knowne maxime, constantly p. 100and vniformely receiued in the Catholike Church, Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indiuisa. And as to this particular, concerning gifts the Scriptures are cleare Wherein, as they are ascribed to God the Holy Ghost in this Chapter; so they are elsewhere ascribed to God the Father, [aaIam. 1.17.Jas 1:17 EueryEvery good gift and eueryevery perfect giuing is from aboue, from the Father of Lights: I am. 1.] and elsewere to God the Sonne, [bbEphes. 4.7.Eph 4:7 VntoUnto eueryevery one of vsus is giuen grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ: Ephes. 4.] Yea and it may be, that for this very reason in the three verses next before my text, these three words are vsed; Spirit, in vers. 4. Lord, in vers. 5. and God, in vers. 6. to giuegive vsus intimation, that ccNe gratia & donum diuisum sit per personas Patri, & Filij, et Sp. Sancti: sed indiscretae vnitatis & naturae trium vnum opus intell…gatur. Ambros in 1. Cor. 7. ca. 61.1 Cor 7these spirituall gifts proceed equally and vndiuidedly from the whole three Persons; from God the Father, and from his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord, and from the eternall Spirit of them both the Holy Ghost, as from one entire, indiuisible, and coessentiall Agent.

§. 7. but by way of appropriation.But for that we are grosse of vnderstanding, and vnable to conceiue the distinct Trinity of Persons in the Vnity of the Godhead, otherwise than by apprehending some distinction of their operations and offices to-vsus-ward: it hath pleased the wisedome of God in the holy Scriptures, (which, being written for our sakes, were to be fitted to our capacities) so farre to condescend to our weaknesse and dulnesse, as to attribute some of those great and common workes to one person, and some to another, after a more speciall manner than vntounto the rest; although indeed and in truth none of the p. 101three persons had more or lesse to doe than other in any of those great and common-workes. This manner of speaking Diuines vse to call aaV. Aquin. 1. qu. 39 7.Appropriation. By which appropriation, as Power is ascribed to the Father, and Wisedome to the Sonne; so is Goodnesse to the Holy Ghost. And therefore, as the Worke of Creation, wherein is specially seene the mighty power of God, is appropriated to the Father; and the worke of Redemption, wherein is specially seene the wisedome of God, to the Sonne: so the workes of sanctification, and the infusion of habituall graces, whereby the good things of God are communicated vntounto vsus, is appropriated vntounto the Holy Ghost. And for this cause, the gifts thus communicated vntounto vsus from God, are called foreign spirituall gifts, and foreign, the manifestation of the Spirit.

Wee see now, why spirit! but then;§. 8. What is meant by Manifestation. why manifestation? The word, as most other verballs of that forme, may be vnderstood either in the actiue, or passiue signification. And it is not materiall, whether of the two wayes we take it in this place: both being true; and neither improper. For these spirituall Gifts are the manifestation of the spirit Actiuely: because by these, the spirit manifesteth the will of God vntounto the Church; these being the instruments and meanes of conueighing the knowledge of saluation vntounto the people of God. And they are the manifestation of the spirit Passiuely too: because where any of these gifts, especially in any eminent sort, appeared in any p. 102person, it was a manifest euidence, that the Spirit of God wrought in him. As we reade in Act. 10. that they of the Circumcision were astonished, aaAct. 10.45, 46.Acts 10:45Acts 10:46When they saw, that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. If it bee demanded, But how did that appeare▪ it followeth in the next verse, [for they heard them speake with tongues, &c.] The spirituall Gift then is a bbId est, Donum spiritus; quo dono spiritus suam in homine praesentiam declarat. Metonymia effecti. Piscat. in schol. hîc.manifestation of the spirit as eueryevery other sensible effect is a manifestation of its proper cause.

§. 9. By spirituall gifts.Wee are now yet farther to know, that the Gifts and graces wrought in vsus by the holy spirit of God, are of two sorts. The Scriptures sometimes distinguish them by the different termes of foreign & foreign: although those words are sometimes againe vsed indifferently and promiscuously, either for other. They are commonly known in the Schooles, and differenced by the names of aaV. Aquin. 1.2. qu. 111.1.Gratiae gratum facientes, and Gratiae gratis datae. Which termes though they be not very proper, (for one of them may be affirmed of the other; whereas the members of eueryevery good distinction ought to be opposite:) yet because they hauehave beene long receiued, (and change of termes, though happely for the better, hath by experience beene found for the most part unhappy in the euent, in multiplying vnnecessary booke-quarrels;) wee may retaine them profitably, and without preiudice. Those former, which they call Gratum facientes, are the Graces of sanctification; whereby the person that hath them, is enabled to doe acceptable seruice to God, p. 103in the duties of his generall Calling: these later, which, they call Gratis datas, are the Graces of edification; whereby the person that hath them is enabled, to doe profitable seruice to the Church of God in the duties of his particular Calling. Those are giuen Nobis, & Nobis; both to vsus, and for vsus, that is bbDuplex est operatio sancti spiritus: operatur enim in nobis aliud propter nos, aliud propter proximos. Bernard. in paruis. Serm. 53.chiefly for our owne good: these Nobis, sed Nostris; to vsus indeed, but for others, that is chiefly for the good of our brethren. Those are giuen vsus —geminae operationis experimentum. Vnius, qua nos primò i…tus virtutibus solidat ad salutem: alterius, qua foris quoque muneribus ornat ad lucrum. Illas nobis, haec nostris accepimus. Bernard. in Cant. Serm. 18.ad salutem, for the sauing of our owne soules: these ad lucrum, for the winning of other mens soules. Those proceed from the speciall louelove of God to the Person; and may therefore be called Personall, or speciall: these proceed from the generall louelove of God to his Church, (or yet more generall to humane societies;) and may therefore be rather called Ecclesiasticall or Generall Gifts or Graces.

Of that first sort are Faith, Hope, Charity, Repentance, Patience, Humility; and all those other holy graces and aaGal. 5.22.Gal 5:22fruites of the spirit, §. 10. What is here not meant;which accompany saluation: Wrought by the blessed and powerfull operation of the holy Spirit of God, after a most effectuall, but vnconceiuable manner, regenerating, and renewing, and seasoning, and sanctifying the hearts of his Chosen. But yet these are not the Gifts so much spoken of in this Chapter; and namely in my Text: EueryEvery branch whereof excludeth them. Of those graces of sanctification first, wee may hauehave indeed probable inducements, 1to perswade vsus, that they are, or are not in this or that man: But hypocrisie may make such a semblance, p. 104that we may thinke wee see spirit in a man, in whom yet there is nothing but flesh, and infirmities may cast such a fogge, that wee can discerne nothing but flesh in a man, in whom yet there is spirit. But the gifts here spoken of doe incurre into the senses, and giuegive vsus euident and infallible assurance of the spirit that wrought them: here is 2foreign, a manifestation of the spirit. Againe, secondly, those Graces of sanctification are not communicated by distribution, (bb1 Cor. 7.7.1 Cor 7:7 Alius sic, alius verò sic;) Faith to one, Charity to another, Repentance to another: but where they are giuen, they are giuen all at once and together, as it were strung vponupon one threed, and linked into one chaine. But the Gifts here spoken of are distributed as it were by doale, and diuided seuerally as it pleased God, shared out into seuerall portions, and giuen to eueryevery man some, to none all; for ccVers. 8.to one is giuen by the spirit the word of wisedome, to another the word of 3knowledge, &c. Thirdly, those Graces of sanctification, though they may and ought to bee exercised to the benefit of others, who by the ddMath. 5.16,Matt 5:16shining of our light, and the sight of our good workes, may be prouoked to glorifie God by walking in the same paths: yet that is but vtilitas emergens, and not finis proprius; a good vse made of them vponupon the bye, but not the maine, proper and direct end of them, for which they were chiefly giuen. But the Gifts here spoken of, were giuen directly for this end, and so intended by the giuer, to be employed for the benifite of others, and for the edifying of p. 105the Church; they were giuen to profit withall.

It then remaineth,§. 11. and what is. to vnderstand this Text and Chapter of that other and later kinde of spirituall Gifts: those Graces of Edification, (or Gratiae gratis datae,) whereby men are enabled in their seuerall Callings, according to the quality and measure of the graces they hauehave receiued, to be profitable members of the publique body, either in Church or Common-wealth. VnderUnder which appellation, (the very first naturall powers and faculties of the soule only excepted, which flowing à principijs speciei, are in all men the same and alike;) I comprehend all other secondary endowments, and abilities whatsoeuer of the reasonable soule, which are capable of the degrees of more and lesse, and of better and worse; together with all subsidiary helpes any way conducing to the exercise of any of them. Whether they be first, supernaturall graces, 1giuen by immediate and extraordinary infusion from God: such as were the gifts of tongues, and of miracles, and of healings, and of prophecie properly so called, and many other like; which were frequent in the infancie of the Church, and when this Epistle was written, according as, the necessitie of those primitiue times considered, God saw it expedient for his Church. Or whether they be secondly, such as Philosophers call Naturall dispositions: 2such as are promptnesse of Wit, quicknesse of Conceit, fastnesse of Memory, clearenesse of Vnderstanding, soundnesse of Iudgement, readinesse of Speech, and other like; which flow immediately p. 106à Principijs indiuidui, from the indiuiduall condition, constitution, and temperature of particular 3persons. Or, whether they bee thirdly, such as Philosophers call Intellectuall Habits: which is, when those naturall dispositions are so improued, and perfected by Education, Art, Industry, Obseruation, or Experience; that men become thereby skilfull Linguists, subtile Disputers, copious Orators, profound Diuines, powerfull Preachers, expert Lawyers, Physitians, Historians, Statesmen, Commanders, Artisans, or excellent in any Science, 4Profession, or Faculty whatsoeuer. To which we may adde in the fourth place, all outward subseruient helpes whatsoeuer, which may any way further or facilitate the exercise of any of the former graces, dispositions, or habits: such as are health, strength, beauty, and all those other Bonae Corporis; as also Bona fortunae, Honour, Wealth, Nobility, Reputation, and the rest. All of these, euen those among them, which seeme most of all to hauehave their foundation in Nature, or perfection from Art, may in some sort bee called foreign, spirituall gifts: in as much as the spirit of God is the first and principall worker of them. Nature, Art, Industrie, and all other subsidiary furtherances, being but second Agents vnderunder him; and as meanes ordained, or as instruments vsed by him, for the accomplishing of those ends he hath appointed.

§. 12. Inferences hence: The first;And now hauehave wee found out the iust latitude of the spirituall gifts spoken of in this Chapter, and of the manifestation of the spirit in my Text. p. 107From whence not to passe without some obseruable inferences for our Edification: Wee may here first behold, and admire, and magnifie the singular louelove, and care, and prouidence of God for and ouer his Church. For the building vp whereof, hee hath not only furnished it with fit materials, men endowed with the faculties of vnderstanding, reason, will, memory, affections; nor only lent them tooles out of his owne rich store-house, his holy Word, and sacred Ordinances: but, as sometimes hee filled aaExod. 35.30, &c.Exod 35:30Bezaleel and Aholiab with skill and wisedome for the building of the materiall Tabernacle; so he hath also from time to time raysed vp seruiceable men, and enabled them with a large measure of all needfull gifts and graces, to set forward the building, and to giuegive it both strength and beauty. A Body, if it had not difference and variety of members, were rather a lumpe, than a body; or if hauing such members, there were yet no vitall spirits within to enable them to their proper offices, it were rather a Corps than a Body: but the vigour that is in eueryevery part to doe its office, is a certaing euidence and manifestation of a spirit of life within, and that maketh it a liuing Organicall body. So those actiue gifts, & graces, and abilities, which are to be found in the members of the mysticall body of Christ, (I know not whether of greater variety, or vse,) are a strong manifestation, that there is a powerfull Spirit of God within, that knitteth the the whole body together, and worketh all in all, and all in eueryevery part of the body.

p. 108§. 13. The second;Secondly; though wee hauehave iust cause to lay it to heart, when men of eminent gifts and place in the Church are taken from vsus, and to lament in theirs, our owne, and the Churches losse: yet wee should possesse our soules in patience, and sustaine our selues with this comfort; that it is the same God, that still hath care ouer his Church; and it is the same Head Iesus Christ, that still hath influence into his members; and it is the same blessed Spirit of God and of Christ, that still actuateth and animateth this great mysticall Body. And therefore wee may not doubt, but this Spirit, as he hath hitherto done from the beginning, so will still manifest himselfe from time to time, vntounto the end of the world; in raising vp instruments for the seruice of his Church, and furnishing them with gifts in some good measure meete for the same, more or lesse, according as he shall see it expedient for her, in her seuerall different estates and conditions: giuing aaEph. 4.11, 13Eph 4:11Eph 4:13some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Euangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers; for the perfecting of the Saints, for the worke of the Ministerie, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all meete in the vnitie of the Faith, and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God, vntounto a perfect man, vntounto the measure of the stature of the fulnes of Christ. He hath promised long since, who was neuer yet touched with breach of promise, that he would bbMatth. 28.20Matt 28:20be with his Apostles (and their successours) alwaies vntounto the end of the world.

§. 14. The third;Thirdly, where the Spirit of God hath manifested p. 109it selfe to any man by the distribution of gifts, it is but reason, that man should manifest the Spirit that is in him, by exercising those gifts in some lawfull Calling. And so this manifestation of the Spirit in my text, imposeth vponupon eueryevery man the Necessity of a Calling. Our Apostle, in the seuenth of this Epistle, ioyneth these two together, a Gift and a Calling; as things that may not be seuered: aa1. Cor. 7.17.1 Cor 7:17As God hath distributed to eueryevery man, as the Lord hath called euerie one. Where the end of a thing is the vse; there the difference cannot be great, whether we abuse it, or but conceale it. The bbMath. 25.30Matt 25:30vnprofitable seruant, that wrapped vp his Masters talent in a napkin, could not hauehave receiued a much heauier doome had he mispent it. O then vp and be doing: ccMath. 20.6.Matt 20:6why stand you all the day idle? Doe not say, because you heard no voyce, that therefore no man hath called you: those very gifts you hauehave receiued, are a Reall Call, pursuing you with continuall restlesse importunitie, till you hauehave disposed your selues in some honest course of life or other, wherein you may be profitable to humane societie, by the exercising of some or other of those gifts. All the members of the Body hauehave their proper and distinct offices, according as they hauehave their proper and distinct faculties; and from those offices they hauehave also their proper and distinct names. As then in the Body, that is indeed no member, which cannot call it selfe by any other name, than by the common name of a member: so in the Church, he that cannot stile himselfe by any other name than a Christian, doth indeed but vsurp p. 110that too. If thou sayest, thou art of the body: I demand then, What is thy office in the body? If thou hast no office in the body: then thou art at the best, but Tumor praeter naturam (as Physitians call them) a scab, or botch, or wenne, or some other monstrous and vnnaturall exerescency vponupon the body; but certainely thou art no true part and member of the body. And if thou art no part of the body, how darest thou make challenge to the head, by mis-calling thy selfe Christian? If thou hast a Gift, get a Calling.

§. 15. The fourth.Fourthly, we of the Clergy, though wee may not ingrosse the Spirit vntounto our selues, as if none were spirituall persons but oue selues: yet the voyce of the World hath long giuen vsus the Name of the Spiritualtie after a peculiar sort; as if we were spirituall persons in some different singular respect from other men. And that not altogether without ground, both for the name, and thing. The very name seemeth to be thus vsed by Saint Paul in the 14. Chapter following, where at vers 37 he maketh a Prophet and a Spirituall man all one, (and by prophecying, in that whole Chapter hee meaneth Preaching: aa1. Cor. 14.371 Cor 14:37If any man thinke himselfe to be a Prophet, either spirituall, let him acknowledge, &c. But howsoeuer it be for the title; the thing it selfe hath very sufficient ground from that forme of speech, which was vsed by our blessed Sauiour, when hee conferred the Ministeriall power vponupon his Disciples, and is still vsed in our Church at the collation of Holy Orders, bbIoh. 20.22.John 20:22Accipite spiritum sanctum, Receiue p. 111the holy Ghost. Since then at our admission into holy Orders wee receiue a spirituall power by the imposition of hands, which others hauehave not; wee may thenceforth be iustly stiled spirituall persons. The thing for which I note it, is, that wee should therefore endeauour our selues cc2. Tim. 1.6.2 Tim 1:6foreign, so to stir vp those spirituall gifts that are in vsus; as that by the eminencie thereof aboue that which is in ordinary temporall men, we may shew our selues to be indeed, what wee are in name, spirituall persons. If we be of the Spiritualtie, there would be in vsus another gates manifestation of the Spirit, than is ordinarily to be found in the Temporaltie. God forbid I should censure all them for intruders into the Ministery, that are not gifted for the Pulpit. The seuerest censurers of Non-preaching Ministers, if they had liued in the beginning of the Reformation, must hauehave been content, as the times then stood, to hauehave admitted of some thousands of non-preaching Ministers, or else hauehave denied many Parishes and Congregations in England the benefit of so much as bare reading. And I take this to bee a safe Rule: Whatsoeuer thing the helpe of any circumstances can make lawfull at any time, that thing may not be condemned as vniuersally, and de toto genere vnlawfull. I iudge no mans conscience then, or calling, who is in the Ministery; be his gifts neuer so slender: I dare not denie him the benefit of his Clergie, if he can but reade: if his owne heart condemne him not, neither doe I. But yet this I say; As the Times now are, wherein learning aboundeth euen p. 112vntounto wantonnesse; and wherein the world is full of questions, and controuersies, and nouelties, and niceties in Religion; and wherein most of our Gentrie, very women and all (by the aduantage of long Peace, and the custome of moderne education, together with the helpe of a multitude of English books and translations) are able to look through the ignorance of a Clergy-man, and censure it, if he bee tripping in any point of Historie, Cosmography, Morall or Natural Philosophy, Diuinity, or the Artes; yea, and to chastice his very method and phrase, if hee speake loosely, or impertinently, or but improperly, and if eueryevery thing bee not point-vise: I say as these times are, I would not hauehave a Clergie-man content himselfe with eueryevery mediocritie of gifts; but by his prayers, care, and industrie improue those he hath, so as he may be able vponupon good occasion, to ddRom. 1.11.Rom 1:11import a spirituall gift to the people of God, whereby they may be established, and to speake with such vnderstanding, and sufficiencie, and pertinencie (especially when he hath iust warning, and a conuenient time to prepare himselfe,) in some good measure of proportion to the quicknesse and ripenesse of these present times, as that they that louelove not his coate may yet approue his labours, and not find any thing therein whereat iustly to quarrell: eeTit. 2.7, 8.Titus 2:7Titus 2:8Shewing in his doctrine (as our Apostle writeth to Titus) vncorruptnesse, grauitie, seueritie, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that he that is of the contrarie part may be ashamed, hauing no euill thing to say of him. They that are called spirituall p. 113persons, should striue to answer that name by a more than ordinary manifestation of spiritual gifts. And thus much shall suffice vsus to hauehave spoken concerning the name and nature of these spiritual gifts, by occasion of the title here giuen them, The manifestation of the Spirit.

Consider we next, and in the second place, the conueyance of these gifts ouer vntounto vsus;§. 16. The conueyance of these spirituall graces vntounto vsus, how wee come to hauehave propertie in them, and by what right we can call them ours. The Conueyance is by deed of gift; the manifestation of the Spirit is giuen to eueryevery man. Vnderstand it not to be so much intended here, that eueryevery particular man hath the manifestation of the Spirit, (though that may also bee true in some sense;) as that eueryevery man, that hath the manifestation of the Spirit, hath it giuen him, and giuen him withal to this end, that he may do good with it. Like as when we say, EueryEvery man learneth to reade before he learne to write; it is no part of our meaning to signifie each particular person so to doe, (for there be many, that learne neither of both;) but wee onelyonly entend to shew the receiued order of the things to be such, as that eueryevery man that learneth both, learneth that first. As wee conceiue his meaning, who directing vsus the way to such or such a place, should tell vsus, EueryEvery man rideth this way; and as wee conceiue of that speech of the Ruler of the Feast in the Gospell, aaIoh. 2.10.John 2:10EueryEvery man at the beginning setteth forth good Wine, and then after that which is worse; though there be many thousand men in the world that neuer rode that way, or p. 114had occasion to set forth any Wine at all, either better or worse: very so ought we to conceiue the meaning of the vniuersall particle EueryEvery man both in this, and in many other like speeches in the Scriptures; with bbforeign restringendum est ad praesentem hypothesin. Piscat. schol in Luc. 20.38. Instances, see Ioh. 1.7. Rom. 5.18 &c.Luke 20:38John 1:7Rom 5:18due limitations, according to the tenor and purpose of the thing spoken of. It mattereth not then, as to the intent of this present speech (be it true, be it false otherwise,) whether eueryevery man hauehave receiued a spiritual gift, or no: only thus much is directly intended, that ccVnicuique datur] intellige, Vnicuique cum datur. Piscat. in Schol. hîc.eueryevery man who hath receiued such a gift, hath receiued it by way of gift. All spirituall graces, all those dispositions, habits, and abilities of the vnderstanding part, from which the Church of God may receiue edification in any kind, together with all the secondary and inferiour helpes that any way conduce thereunto, they are all the good gifts of God. [The manifestation of the Spirit is giuen to eueryevery man.]

§. 17. is by way of gift;The variety, both of the gifts meete for seuerall offices, and of the offices wherein to employ those gifts, is wonderfull: and no lesse wonderfull the distribution of both gifts, and offices. But all that aaforeign. Chrys. in 1. Cor. hom. 29varietie is deriued from one and the same fountaine, the holy Spirit of God: and all those distributions passe vntounto vsus by one and the same way, of most free and liberall donation. HaueHave all the Word of Wisdome? HaueHave all the Word of Knowledge? HaueHave all Faith? HaueHave all Prophecy? or any other spirituall grace? No; they hauehave not: but bb1. Cor. 12.8. &c.1 Cor 12:8to one the Word of Wisedome, the Word of Knowledge to another, and to others other gifts. There is p. 115both variety you see, and distribution of these graces. But yet there is the same Author of them, and the same manner of communicating them: For to one ccIbid.is giuen by the Spirit the Word of Wisedome; to another the Word of Knowledge by the same Spirit, and to others, other graces; but they are all from the same Spirit, and they are all giuen. And as the gifts, so the offices too. To that question in vers. 29. ddVers. 29.Are all Apostles? are all Prophets? are all Teachers? Answer may be made, as before, negatiuely, No; they are not: but some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Teachers. There is the like variety, and distribution, as before: but withal, the same Doner, & the same donation, as before. For eeEphes. 4.11.Eph 4:11he gaue some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Pastors and Teachers: Ephes. 4. And ff1. Cor. 12.281 Cor 12:28God hath set some in the Church; first, Apostles; secondarily, Prophets; thirdly, Teachers, &c. beneath at vers. 28. Both gifts and offices, as they are à Deo, for the Author; so they are ex dono, for the manner: from God, and by way of gift. If we had no other, the very names they carry, like the superscription vponupon Caesars peny, were a sufficient proofe, from whom wee first had them. When wee call them foreign, Gratias gratis datas, Gifts, and Graces, and Manifestations of the Spirit; doe wee not by the vse of those very names confesse the receipt? For what more free than gift? and what lesse of debt or desert, than grace? Heathen men indeed called the best of their perfections, foreign, Habits: but Saint Iames hath taught Christians a fitter name for ours, ggIam. 1.17.Jas 1:17foreign, p. 116Gifts. They saw they had them, and looked no farther: but we must know, as that we hauehave them, so as well how wee came by them. And therefore this Apostle aboue at Chap. 4. ioyneth the hauing and the receipt together; as if he would hauehave vsus behold them vno intuitu, and at once. [hh1 Cor. 4.7.1 Cor 4:7 Quid habes, quod non accepisti? what hast thou, that thou hast not receiued?

§. 18. not from Nature, or Desert.Possibly, thou wilt alledge thy excellent naturall parts; these were not giuen thee, but thou broughtest them into the world with thee: or thou wilt vouch what thou hast attained to by art and industry; and these were not giuen thee, but thou hast wonne them proprio Marte, and therefore well deseruest to weare them. Deceiue not thy selfe: it is neither so, nor so. Our Apostle in the place now last mentioned, cutteth off all such Challenges. [aa1 Cor. 4.7.1 Cor 4:7 Quis te discreuit? Who made thee to differ from another?] Say there were, (as there is not) such a difference in and from Nature as thou conceiuest; yet still in the last resolution there must be a receipt acknowledged: for euen bb— cum illius fit gratiae, quod creatus es. Hieron. Epist. 139. Attendamus gratiam Dei, non solùm quâ fecit nos— Auggustin. in Psal. 144.Ps 144Nature it selfe in the last resolution is of Grace; for God gaue thee that. Or, say there were (as there is not) such a difference of desert, as thou pretendest; yet still that were to be acknowledged as a gift too: for God gaue thee that ccDeut. 8.18. foreign. dictum Agamemnonis ad Achillem apud Hom…r. Illad. ….Deut 8:18power whatsoeuer it was, whereby thou hast attained to whatsoeuer thou hast. But the truth is; the difference that is in men in regard of these gifts and abilities, ariseth neither from the power of nature, nor from the merit of p. 117labour; otherwise than as God is pleased to vse these as second causes vnderunder him: but it commeth meerely from the good will and pleasure of that free spirit, which bloweth where, and when, and how he listeth; dd1 Cor. 12.111 Cor 12:11diuiding his graces to eueryevery man seuerally as he will, (at the eleuenth) and eeIbid. 18.as it hath pleased him, (at verse 18. of this Chapter.) Nature is a necessary agent, and, if not either hindered by some inferiour impediment, or ouer-ruled by some higher power, worketh alwayes alike, and produceth the same effects in all indiuiduals of the same kinde: and how is it possible shee should make a difference, that knoweth none? And as for Desert; there is indeed no such thing: and therefore it can worke nothing. For can God be a debtor to any man. or hath any man ffRom. 11.35.Rom 11:35giuen to him first, that it might bee recompenced him againe? As a lumpe of ggEsay 64.8.Isa 64:8Clay lyeth before the Potter; so is all mankinde in the hand of God. The Potter at his pleasure, out of that hhRom. 9.21.Rom 9:21lumpe frameth vessels of all sorts, of different shape, proportion, strength, finenesse, capacitie; as he thinketh good, vntounto the seuerall vses, for which hee intendeth them. So God after the good pleasure of his owne will, out of mankinde, as out of an vntoward lumpe of clay, (all of the same price, equall in nature and desert,) maketh vp vessels for the vse of his Sanctuary; by fitting seuerall men with seuerall gifts, more or lesse, greater or meaner, better or worse, according to the difference of those offices and employments, for which he intendeth them. It is not the p. 118Clay, but the Potter, that maketh the difference there: neither is it any thing in man, but the Spirit of God, that maketh the difference here. Whatsoeuer spirituall abilities wee hauehave, we hauehave them of gift, and by grace. The manifestation of the spirit is giuen to eueryman.

§. 19. Generall Inferences. 1. Of thankefulnesse for those we hauehave;A point of very fruitfull consideration for men of all form; whether they bee of greater, or of meaner gifts. And first, all of vsus generally may hence take two profitable directions: the one, if we hauehave any vsefull gifts, whom to thanks for them; the other, if we want any needfull gifts, where to seeke for them. Whatsoeuer manifestation of the spirit thou hast, it is giuen thee: and to whom can thy thankes for it be due, but to the Giuer? Sacrifice not to thine owne aaHaba…. ….16.nets, either of Nature, of Endeuour, as if these Abilities were the manifestations of thine owne spirit: but enlarge thy heart to magnifie the goodnesse and bounty of him, who is bbHeb. 12.9.Heb 12:9Pater spirituum, the Father of the spirits of all flesh, and hath wrought those graces in thee by communicating his spirit vntounto thee. If thou shinest as a starre in the firmament of the Church, whether of a greater or lesser magnitude, (as cc1 Cor. 15.41.1 Cor 15:41one starre differeth from another in glory;) remember thou shinest but by a borrowed light from him, who is ddIam. 1.17.Jas 1:17Pater luminum, the Father and fountaine of all lights, as the Sunne in the firmament, from whom descendeth eueryevery good gift, and eueryevery perfect giuing. Whatsoeuer Grace thou hast, it is giuen thee: therefore be thankfull to the Giuer.

p. 119But if thou wantest any grace, §. 20. 2. of Prayer, for those wee want:or measure of grace, which seemeth needfull for thee in that station and calling wherein God hath set thee: here is a second direction for thee, where to seeke it. euen from his hands, who alone can giuegive it. aaIam. 1.5.Jas 1:5If any man lacke wisedome (saith S. Iames) let him aske of God, that giueth to all men liberally; and it shall bee giuen him. A large, and liberall promise; but yet a promise most certaine, and full of comfortable assurance, prouided, it be vnderstood aright, viz. with these two necessarie Limitations: if God shall see it expedient; and if he pray for it as hee ought. Thou mayst pray with an humble and vpright affection, and put to thy best endeauours withall; and yet not obtaine the gift thou prayest for: because, being a common Grace, and not of absolute necessitie for saluation, it may bee in the wisedome of God (who best knoweth what is best, and when) not expedient for thee, or not for his Church, at that time, and in that manner, or measure. Necessarie Graces, such as are those of sanctification, pray for them absolutely, and thou shalt absolutely receiue them: there needeth no conditionall clause of Expediencie in thy prayers for them; because they can neuer bee inexpedient. But these may: and therefore as thou oughtest not to pray for them, but with all subiection of thy desires to his most holy and most wise appointments; so thou oughtest to take a denyall from him, not only contentedly, but euen thankfully, as a gracious fruite of his louelove vntounto thee, and a certaine p. 120signe of the inexpediency of the thing desired.

§. 21. ioyning euer thereuntoBut if it be expedient; it will not yet come for asking, vnlesse it bee asked aright. aaIam. 1.6.7.Jas 1:6Jas 1:7But let him pray in faith, saith S. Iames: Who so doth not, let not that man thinke to receiue any thing of the Lord. Now that man only prayeth in Faith, who looketh to receiue the thing he prayeth for, vponupon such termes, as God hath promised to giuegive it: for Faith euer looketh to the Promise. And God hath not made vsus any Promise of the End other than conditionall; viz. vponupon our conscionable vse of the appointed meanes. And the meanes which hee hath ordained both for the obtaining, and the improuing of spirituall Gifts, are study, and industry, and diligent meditation. Wee must not now looke, as in the infancy of the Church, to hauehave the teats put into our mouthes, and to receiue spirituall graces by immediate infusion: That Manna, as bbHoskins Serm. on Luk. 12.48.Luke 12:48one saith, was for the Wildernesse. But now the Church is possessed of the Land, and growne to yeares of better strength; wee must plow, and sowe, and eate of the fruit of the Land, in the sweate of our faces: and now hee that cc2 Thess. 3.10.2 Thess 3:10will not labour, he may thanke himselfe if hee hauehave not to eate. Hee prayeth but with an ouerly desire, and not from the deepe of his heart, that will not bend his endeauours withall to obtaine what he desireth: of rather indeed hee prayeth not at all. You may call it wishing and woulding, (and we hauehave Prouerbs against wishers and woulders;) rather than Praying. Salomon accounteth p. 121the idle mans prayer no better; and it thriueth accordingly with him: ddProu. 13.4.Prov 13:4The saule of the sluggard lusteth, and hath nothing; Prou. 13.

To make all sure then, here is your course.§. 22. Our owne faithfull Endeauours. Wrestle with God by your seruent prayers; and wrestle with him too by your faithfull endeuours: and hee will not for his Goodnesse sake, and for his Promise sake he cannot, dismisse you without a blessing. But omit either; and the other is lost labour. Prayer without study, is Presumption; and study without Prayer, Atheisme: the one bootlesse; the other fruitlesse. You take your bookes in vaine into your hands, if you turne them ouer, and neuer looke higher: and you take Gods name in vaine within your lips, if you cry Da Domine, and neuer stirre farther. The Ship is then like to be steered with best certaintie and successe; when there is Oculus ad coelum, manus ad olauum: when the Pilot is carefull of both, to hauehave his eye vponupon the Compasse, and his hand at the Sterne. Remember these abilities you pray or study for, are the Gifts of God: and as not to bee had ordinarily without labour, (for God is a God of order, and worketh not ordinarily, but by ordinary meanes;) so not to bee had meerely for the labour, for then should it not be so much a Gift, as a Purchase. It was Simon Magus his errour, to thinke that aaAct. 8.20.Acts 8:20the gift of God might be purchased with money and it hath a spice of his sinne, and so may goe for a kinde of simony, for a man to thinke these spirituall gifts of God may be purchased with labour. You p. 122may rise vp early, and goe to bed late, and studie hard, and reade much, and deuoure the fat and the marrow of the best Authors; and when you hauehave all done, vnlesse God giuegive a blessing vntounto your endeuours, be as thin and meagre in regard of true and vsefull learning, as Pharaohs bbGen. 41.21Gen 41:21leaue kine were after they had eaten the fat ones. It is God cc2 Cor. 9.10.2 Cor 9:10that both ministreth seed to the sower, and multiplyeth the seed sowen: the Principall, and the Increase, are both his. If then wee expect any gift, or the increase of any gift from him, neither of which we can hauehave without him: let vsus not bee behinde, either with our best endeuours to vse the meanes hee hath appointed, or with our faithfull prayers to craue his blessing vponupon those meanes. These Instructions are generall; and concerne vsus all, whatsoeuer our Gifts be.

§. 23. Speciall Inferences to those of more eminent Gifts. 1. Not to be proud of them;I must now turne my speech more particularly to you, to whom God hath vouchsafed the manifestation of his Spirit in a larger proportion than vntounto many of your brethren: giuing vntounto you, as vntounto his first borne, a aaDeut. 21.17.Deut 21:17double portion of his Spirit, as bb4 King. 2.9.Elisha had of Eliah's; or perhaps dealing with you yet more liberally, as Ioseph did with Beniamin, whose messe (though he were the youngest) hee appointed to bee ccGen. 43.34.Gen 43:34fiue times as much, as any of his brethrens. It is needfull that you of all others, should bee eftsoones put in remembrance, that those eminent manifestations of the Spirit you hauehave, were giuen you. First, it will bee a good helpe to take downe that ddScientia inflat. 1 Cor. 8.1.1 Cor 8:1swelling, p. 123which, as an Apostume in the body through rancknesse of blood, so is apt to ingender in the soule through abundance of Knowledge; and to let out some of the corruption. It is **Magna & rara virtus profecto est, vt magna licet operantem, magnum te nescias. Bernard. in Cant. Serm. 13.a very hard thing Multum sapere, and not altum sapere; to know much, and not to know it too much; to excell others in gifts, and not perke aboue them in selfeconceipt. S. Paul, who eePhil. 4.12.Phil 4:12in all other things was sufficiently instructed, as well to abound, as to suffer need, was yet put very hard to it, when hee was to try the mastery with this temptation, which arose from the ff2 Cor. 12.7.2 Cor 12:7abundance of reuelations. If you finde an aptnesse then in your selues, (and there is in your selues as of your selues such an aptnesse, as to no one thing more,) to be exalted aboue measure in your owne conceipts, boastingly to make ostentation of your owne sufficiencies, with a kinde of vnbecomming compassion to cast scorne vponupon your meaner brethren, and vponupon eueryevery light prouocation to flye out into those termes of defiance [ggHîc, vers. 21. I hauehave no need of thee; and, I hauehave no need of thee] to dispell this windy humour I know not a more soueraigne remedy, than to chew vponupon this meditation; that all the Abilities and perfections you hauehave were giuen you, by one who was no way so bound to you, but hee might hauehave giuen them as well to the meanest of your brethren as to you, and that without any wrong to you, if it had so pleased him. You may take the Receipt from him, who himselfe had had some experience of the Infirmity; euen S. Paul in the fourth of this Epistle. p. 124[hh1 Cor. 4.7.1 Cor 4:7 What hast thou, that thou hast not receiued? and if thou hast receiued it, why dost thou boast as if thou had not receiued it?]

§. 24. 2. to make them Rules vntounto themselues;Secondly; EueryEvery wise and conscionable man should aduisedly weigh his owne Gifts, and make them his Rule to worke by: not thinking hee doth enough, if hee doe what Law compelleth him to doe, or if he doe as much as other neighbours doe. Indeed, where Lawes bound vsus by Negatiue Precepts, [Hitherto thou mayst goe, but farther thou shalt not,] wee must obey, and wee may not exceed those bounds. But where the Lawes doe barely enjoyne vsus to doe somewhat, left hauing no Law to compell vsus, wee should doe iust nothing; it can be no transgression of the Law, to doe more. Whosoeuer therefore of you hauehave receiued more or greater Gifts than many others hauehave; you must know your selues bound to doe so much more good with them, and to stand chargeable with so much the deeper account for them. aaGregor.Crescunt dona, crescunt rationes. When you shall come to make vp your accounts, your receipts will bee looked into: and if you hauehave receiued ten talents, or fiue, for your meaner brothers one; when but one shall bee required from him, you shall be answerable for ten, or fiue. For it is an equitable course, that bbLuk. 12.48.Luke 12:48to whom much is giuen, of him much should bee required. And at that great day, if you cannot make your accounts straight with your receipts, you shall certainely finde that most true in this sense, which Salomon spake in another, ccEccl. 1.18.Eccl 1:18Qui apponit scientiam, p. 125apponit dolorem: the more and greater your Gifts are, vnlesse your thankfulnesse for them, and your diligence with them rise to some good like proportion thereunto; the greater shall bee your condemnation, the more your stripes.

But thirdly;§. 25. 3. but not vntounto others. though your Graces must bee so to your selues, yet beware you doe not make them Rules to others. A thing I the rather note, because the fault is so frequent in practice, & yet very rarely obserued, and more rarely reprehended. God hath endowed a man with good abilities and parts in some kinde or other; I instance but in one gift only for examples sake, viz. an Ability to enlarge himselfe in prayer readily, and with fit expressions vponupon any present occasion. Being in the Ministerie, or other Calling, hee is carefull to exercise his gift by praying with his family, praying with the sicke, praying with other company vponupon such other occasions as may fall out: hee thinketh, and hee thinketh well, that if he should doe otherwise or lesse than he doth, hee should not bee able to discharge himselfe from the guilt of vnfaithfulnesse, in not employing the talent hee hath receiued to the best aduantage, when the exercise of it might redound to the glory of the Giuer. Hitherto hee is in the right: so long as he maketh his Gift a Rule but to himselfe. But now if this man shall stretch out this Rule vntounto all his brethren in the same Calling, by imposing vponupon them a necessitie of doing the like; if hee shall expect or exact from them, that they should also bee able to commend vntounto p. 126God the necessities of their families, or the state of a sicke person, or the like, by extemporary Prayer; but especially if he shall iudge or censure them, that dare not aduenture so to doe, of intrusion into, or of unfaithfulnesse in their Callings: he committeth a great fault, and well deseruing a sharpe reprehension. For what is this else, but to lay heauier burdens vponupon mens shoulders, than they can stand vnderunder, to make our selues iudges of other mens consciences, and our Abilities Rules of their actions, yea, and euen to lay an imputation vponupon our Master, with that vngracious seruant in the Gospell, as if he were aaMath. 25.24.Matt 25:24an hard man, reaping where hee hath not sowen, and gathering where he hath not strewed, and requiring much where hee hath giuen little, and like Pharaohs taske-masters, exacting the bbExod. 5.18.Exod 5:18full tale of brickes without sufficient allowance of materials? Shall he that hath a thousand a yeare, count him that hath but an hundred, a Churle if he doe not spend as much in his house weekly, keepe as plentifull a table, and beare as much in eueryevery common charge, as himselfe? No lesse vnreasonable is he, that would binde his brother of inferiour Gifts to the same frequencie and method in Preaching, to the same readinesse and copiousnesse in Praying, to the same necessitie and measure in the performance of other duties; whereunto, according to those Gifts hee findeth in himselfe, he findeth himselfe bound. The manifestation of the Spirit is giuen to eueryevery man: let no man bee so seuere to his brother, as to looke he should manifest p. 127more of the Spirit, than he hath receiued.

Now as for you,§. 26. Speciall inferences to those of meaner gifts. to whom God hath dealt these spirituall gifts, with a more sparing hand; the freedome of Gods distribution may be a fruitfull meditation for you also. First, thou hast no reason, whosoeuer thou art, to grudge at the scantnesse of thy gifts, or to repine at the giuer. How little soeuer God hath giuen thee, it is more than he aaforeign. Chrysost. in 1. Cor. hom. 29.owed thee. If the distribution of the Spirit were a matter of iustice, or of debt; God we know is bbActs 10.34.Acts 10:34no accepter of persons, and he would hauehave giuen to thee, as to another. But being, as it is, a matter of gift, not of debt, nor of iustice, but of grace: take that is thine thankfully, and be content withall; ccMat. 20.13.15.Matt 20:13Matt 20:15He hath done thee no wrong: may he not doe as he will, with his owne? Secondly, since the manifestation of the Spirit is a matter of free gift: thou hast no cause to enuie thy Brother, whose portion is greater. Why should ddMat. 20.15.Matt 20:15thy eye bee therefore euill against him, because God hath been so good vntounto him? Shall the foote enuie the hand, or the eare the eye; because the foote cannot worke, nor the eare see? If the eeHic vers. 17—19.whole body were hand, where were the going? and if the whole were eye, where were the hearing? or if the whole were any one member, where were the body? If the hand can worke, which the foote cannot; yet the foote can goe, which the hand cannot: and if the eye can see, which the eare cannot; yet the eare can hearken, which the eye cannot. And, if thy brother hauehave some abilities, which thou hast not; thou art not so bare, but thou hast other some againe, which p. 128he hath not. Say, thine be meaner: yet the meanest member, as it hath his ffHîc vers. …1, 23.necessarie office, so it is not destitute of his proper comelinesse in the Body. Thirdly, if thy gifts bee meane, thou hast this comfort withall, that thy accounts will be so much the easier. Merchants, that hauehave the greatest dealings, are not euer the safest men. And how happy a thing had it been for many men in the world, if they had had lesse of other mens goods in their hands? The lesse thou hast receiued, the lesse thou hast to answer for. If God hauehave giuen thee but one single talent, he will not require fiue: nor if fiue, ten. Fourthly, in the meanenesse of thy gifts thou mayst reade thy selfe a daily lecture of humilitie: and humilitie alone, is a thing of more value, than all the perfections that are in the world besides, without it. This thinke, that God, who disposeth ggRom. 8.28.Rom 8:28all things for the best to those that are his, would hauehave giuen thee other and greater gifts, if he had seene it so expedient for thee. That therefore hee hath holden his hand, and with-holden those things from thee: conceiue it done, either for thy former vnworthinesse, and that should make thee humble; or for thy future good, and that should make thee also thankfull. Lastly, remember what the Preacher saith in Ecclos. 10. [hhEccl. 10.10. Maximum mediocris ingenij subsidium, diligentia. Sen. in controu.Eccl 10:10 If the iron be blunt, then he must put to the more strength.] Many men, that are well left by their friends, and full of money, because they think they shall neuer see the bottome of it, take no care by any employment to encrease it, but spend on vponupon the stocke, without either feare or wit, they p. 129care not what, nor how, till they be sunke to nothing before they be aware: whereas on the contrary, industrious men that hauehave but little to begin withall, yet by their care and prouidence, and paines taking, get vp wonderfully. It is almost incredible, what industrie, and diligence, and exercise, and holy iiforeign. vers. 31. hîc.emulation (which our Apostle commendeth in the last verse of this Chapter,) are able to effect, for the bettering and encreasing of our spirituall gifts: Prouided euer wee ioyne with these, hearty prayers vntounto, and faithfull dependance vponupon God, for his blessing thereupon. I know no so lawfull kkforeign. Matth. 25.27.Matt 25:27Vsury, as of these spirituall talents; nor doe I know any so profitable Vsury, or that multiplyeth so fast at this doth your vse vponupon vse, that doubleth the principall in seuen yeares, is nothing to it. Oh then, llLuk▪ 19.23.Luke 19:23cast in thy talent into the banke; make thy returnes as speedy, and as many as thou canst; loose not a market, or a tide, if it be possible; mm2. Tim. 4.2.2 Tim 4:2be instant in season, and out of season; omit no opportunitie to take in, and put off all thou canst get: so, though thy beginnings be but small, thy later end shall wonderfully encrease. By this meanes, thou shalt not onelyonly profit thy self, in the encrease of thy gifts vntounto thy selfe: but (which no other Vsurie doth besides) thou shalt also profit others, by communicating of thy gifts vntounto them. Which is the proper end, for which they were bestowed; and of which wee are next to speake. The manifestation of the Spirit is giuen to eueryevery man to profit withall.

To profit whom? it may be, Himselfe. It is true; p. 130aaProu. 9.12.Prov 9:12If thou art wise, §. 27. The end of spirituall gifts, not only our owne,thou shalt be wise for thy selfe, said Salomon; and Salomon knew what belonged to wisedome aswell as another. For, bbSyrac. 14.5.Qui sibi nequam, cui bonus? He that is not good to himselfe, it is but a chance that hee is good to any body else. When we seeme to pitie a man by saying, He is no mans foe but his owne, or he is worst to himselfe; we doe indeed but flout him, and in effect call him a foole, and a prodigall. Such a foole is eueryevery one, that guiding the feete of others into the way of peace, himselfe treadeth the paths that leadeth vntounto destruction; and that cc1. Cor. 9.27.1 Cor 9:27preaching repentance vntounto others, himselfe becommeth a Castaway. He that hath a gift then, he should doe well to looke to his owne, aswell as to the profit of others; and as vntounto doctrine, so as well and first to dd1. Tim. 4.16.1 Tim 4:16take heed vntounto himselfe: that so doing he may saue himselfe, aswell as those that heare him.

§. 28. but rather the profit of others.This then is to be done; but this is not all that is to be done. In aaSunt qui scire volunt, vt aedificent, et Charitas est: sunt qui scire volunt vt aedificentur, & Prudentia est. Bern. in Cant. serm. 36.Wisedome wee cannot doe lesse, but in Charity we are bound to do more than thus, with our gifts. If our owne profit onelyonly had been intended, foreign would hauehave serued the turne aswel: but the word here is foreign, which importeth such a kind of profit as redoundeth to bbVtilitatem: sc. Ecclesiae. Pisc. in Schol. hîc.communitie, such as before in the 10. Chapter he professeth himself to hauehave sought after, [cc1. Cor. 10.331 Cor 10:33 Not seeking mine owne profit, (he meaneth, not onelyonly his owne,) but the profit of many, that they may be saued.] Wee noted it already, as the maine and essentiall difference betweene those Graces of sanctification, and p. 131these Graces of edification: that those, though they would bee made profitable vntounto others also, yet were principally intended for the proper good of the owner; but these, though they would be vsed for the owners good also, yet were principally intended for the profit of others. You see then, what a strong obligation lyeth vponupon eueryevery man that hath receiued the Spirit, conferre aliquid in publicum, to cast his gift into the common treasurie of the Church, to employ his good parts and spirituall graces so, as they may some-way or other be profitable to his brethren and fellow-seruants in Church and Common-wealth. It is an old receiued Canon, Beneficium propter officium. No man setteth a Steward ouer his house, onelyonly to receiue his rents, and then to keepe the moneys in his hand, and make no prouision out of it for his Hines and Seruants: but it is the ddLuk. 12.42.Luke 12:42office of a good and wise Steward to giuegive to euerie one of the houshold his appointed portion at the appointed seasons. And who so receiueth a spirituall gift, ipso facto taketh vponupon him the office, and is bound to the duties of a Steward; [ee1. Pet. 4.10.1 Pet 4:10 As eueryevery man hath receiued the gift, euen so minister the same one vntounto another, as good stewards of the manifold graces of God, 1. Pet. 4.] It was not onelyonly for orders sake, and for the beautifying of his Church, (though that also) that God ffEph. 4.11, 12.Eph 4:11Eph 4:12gaue some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Euangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers: but also, and especially, for more necessarie and profitable vses; for the perfecting of the Saints, for the worke of the p. 132Ministery, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Ephes. 4.11, 12. The members of the body, are not eueryevery one for it selfe, but eueryevery one for other, and all for the whole. The stomake eateth, not to fill it selfe, but to nourish the body; the eye seeth, not to please it selfe, but to espie for the body; the foote moueth, not to exercise it selfe, but to carry the body; the hand worketh, not to helpe it selfe, but to maintaine the body: eueryevery ggEph. 4.16.Eph 4:16ioynt supplieth something, according to the effectuall working in the measure of eueryevery part, for the fit ioyning together, and compacting, and encreasing of the body to the edifying it selfe in louelove. hhHîc vers. 27Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

§. 29. in respect 1. of the Giuer;Now this necessitie of employing spirituall gifts to the good and profit of others, ariseth first from the will and intent of the Giuer: my Text sheweth plainely what that intent was; The manifestation of the Spirit was therefore giuen to eueryevery man, that he might profit withall. Certainely, as aaDeus & natura nihil faciunt frustrae.nature doth not, so much lesse doth the God of Nature, make any thing to no purpose, or barely for shew; but for vse: and the vse, for which all these things were made and giuen, is bb1. Cor. 14.261 Cor 14:26edification. He that hath an estate made ouer to him in trust and for vses; hath in equitie therein no estate at all, if hee turne the commodities of the thing some other way, and not to those speciall vses for which he was so estated in it. So hee that employeth not his spirituall gift to the vse for which it was giuen, to the ccin Communem vtilitatem collatum est. Erasm. in paraphr. hîc.profit of the Church; hee hath de iure forfeited it to the p. 133Giuer. And we hauehave sometimes knowne him de facto to take the forfeiture; as from the vnprofitable seruant in the Gospel, [ddMat. 25.28. See Hieron. in Agg. 2.9.Matt 25:28Hag 2:9 Take the talent from him.] Wee hauehave sometimes seene the experiment of it. Men of excellent parts, by slackning their zeale, to hauehave lost their very gifts; and by neglecting the vse, to hauehave lost the Principall; finding a sensible decay in those powers, which they were slothfull to bring into act. It is a iust thing with the eeIam. 1.17.Jas 1:17Father of Lights, when hee hath lighted any man a candle, by bestowing spirituall gifts vponupon him; and lent him a candlestick too whereon to set it, by prouiding him a slay in the Church: if that man shall then ffMatth. 5.15.Matt 5:15hide his candle vnderunder a bushell, and enuie the light and comfort of it to them that are in the house; either to remoue his candlesticke, or to put out his candle in obscuritie.

As the intent of the Giuer, so secondly, §. 30. 2. of the Gift;the nature and qualitie of the gift calleth vponupon vsus for emploiment. It is not with these spirituall gifts, as with most other things, which when they are emparted, are impaired, and lessened by communicating. Here is no place for that allegation of the Virgins, aaMatth. 25.9.Matt 25:9Ne non sufficiat —Lest there be not enough for you and for vsus. These graces are of the number of those things, that communicate themselues by Multiplication, not Diuision, and by diffusion, without waste. As the seale maketh impression in the waxe, and as fire conueigheth heate into Iron, and as one candle tindeth a thousand: all without losse of figure, heate, or light. Had euer any man lesse knowledge, or wit, p. 134or learning; by teaching others? had hee not rather more? bbEc…les. 12.9.The more wise the Preacher was, the more he taught the people knowledge, saith Salomon, Eccles. 12. and certainely, the more hee taught them knowledge, the more his owne wisedome increased. As the cc4. King. 4.4.Widowes oyle increased, not in the vessell, but by powring out; and as the ddIoh. 6.11.John 6:11barley bread in the Gospell multiplied, not in the whole loafe, but by breaking and distributing; and as the ee2. Cor. 9.10.2 Cor 9:10graine bringeth encrease, not when it lyeth on a heape in the garner, but by scattering vponupon the land: so are these spirituall graces best improued, not by ffAbsconsione minuitur, & communicatione multiplicatur. Cassiod. in Epist.keeping them together, but by distributing them abroad. Tutius incredito, quàm in sudario: the talent gathereth nothing in the napkin, vnlesse it be rust and canker; but trauelling in the banke, besides the good it doth as it passeth to and fro, it euer ggQuò in plures diffunditur, …ò redundantior manet, [fortè leg. manat,] & in suum fontem recurrit. In se enim refluit vbertas prudentiae: & quò pluribus fluxerit, eò exercitius fit omne quod remanet. Ambros. 2.. Offic. 15.returneth home with encrease.

§. 31. 3. Of the Receiuer.Thirdly, our owne vnsufficiencie to all offices, and the need we hauehave of other mens gifts, must enforce vsus to lend them the helpe and comfort of ours. God hath so distributed the varietie of his gifts with singular wisedome, that there is no man so meane, but his seruice may bee vsefull to the greatest; nor any man so eminent, but he may sometimes stand need to the meanest of his brethren: of purpose, that whilest each hath need of other, each should helpe, none should despise other. As p. 135in a aaSocietas nostra lapidum fornicationi simillima est: quae casura, nisi inuicem obstarent, hoc vno sustinetur. Senec. epist. 95.building, the stones helpe one another, eueryevery lower stone supporting the higher from falling to the ground, and eueryevery higher stone sauing the lower from taking wet; and as in the body, euerie member bbEphes. 4.16.Eph 4:16lendeth some supply to the rest, and againe receiueth supply from them: so in the spirituall building, and mysticall body of the Church, God hath so tempered the parts, each hauing his vse, and each his defects; ccHîc Vers. 24.25.that there should be no schisme in the body, but that the members should hauehave the same care one for another. Such a consent there should be in the parts, as was betweene the ddAnthol. 1.4.blind and lame man in the Epigram: mutually couenanting, the Blind to carry the Lame, and the Lame to direct the Blind; that so the Blind might find his way by the others eyes, and the Lame walke therein vponupon the others legges. When a man is once come to that all-sufficiency in himselfe, as he may truly say to the rest of his brethren, eeHîc vers. 21.I stand no need of you; let him then keepe his gifts to himselfe: but let him in the meane time remember, hee must employ them to the aduantage of his master, and to the benefit of his brother. [The manifestation of the Spirit is giuen to eueryevery man to profit withall.]

Surely then those men, first of all,§. 32. The first inference; run a course strangely exorbitant; who instead of employing them to the profit, bend those gifts they hauehave receiued, (whether spirituall or temporall) to the ruine and destruction of their brethren. Instead of winning soules to heauen; with busie and cursed diligence aaMat. 23.15.Matt 23:15compassing Sea and Land, to draw Proselytes p. 136to the Diuell: and instead of raising vp seed to their elder brother Christ, seeking to make their brethren (if it were possible) ten times more the children of hell than themselues. Abusing their Power to oppression, their wealth to luxurie, their strength to drunkennes, their wit to Scoffing, Atheisme, Prophanenesse; their learning to the maintenance of Heresie, Idolatrie, Schisme, Noueltie. If there be a feareful woe due to those that bbMatth. 25.30 intelligatur poena interuersoris ex poena pigri. August. in Psal. 99.Matt 25:30Ps 99vse not their gifts profitably; what woes may wee thinke shall ouertake them, that so vngraciously abuse them?

§. 33. the second;But to leaue these wretches: be perswaded in the second place, all you, whom God hath made Stewards ouer his houshold, and blessed your basket and your store, to aaMatth. 13.52.Matt 13:52bring forth of your treasures things both new and old; manifest the Spirit God hath giuen you, so as may be most for the profit of your brethren. The Spirit of God, when hee gaue you wisdome, and knowledge, intended not so much the wisedome and the knowledge themselues, as the manifestation of them, or (as it is in the next verse) bbHîc vers. 8.the Word of Wisdome, and the Word of knowledge: as Christ also promised his Apostles, to giuegive them ccLuk. 21.15.Luke 21:15Os & sapientiam; A Mouth, and Wisdome. Alas, what is Wisedome without a Mouth? but as a pot of treasure hid in the ground, which no man is the better for. ddSyrae. 20.30Wisedome that is hid, and a treasure that is not seene, what profit is in them both? O then doe not knit vp your Masters talent in a eeLuk. 19.20.Luke 19:20Napkin; smother not his light vnderunder a ffMatth. 5.15.Matt 5:15bushell; pinch not his seruants of their due ggLuk. 12.42, 45.Luke 12:42Luke 12:45prouision; pott not vp the p. 137hhExod. 16.20▪Exod 16:20Manna you hauehave gathered till it stinke, and the wormes consume it: but aboue all, squander not away your rich portions by riotous liuing. Let not either sloath, or enuie, or pride, or pretended modesty, or any other thing hinder you, from labouring to discharge faithfully that trust and dutie, which God expecteth, which the necessitie of the Church challengeth, which the measure of your gifts promiseth, which the condition of your calling exacteth from you. Remember the manifestation of the Spirit was giuen you to profit withall.

Thirdly, §. 24. the third.since the end of all gifts is to profit: aime most at those gifts, that will profit most; and endeauour so to frame those you hauehave in the exercise of them, as they may be likeliest to bring profit to those that shall partake them. aaHîc vers. 31.Couet earnestly the best gifts, saith my Apostle at the last verse of this Chapter: and you hauehave his Comment vponupon that Text in the first verse of the fourteenth Chapter, bb1▪ Cor. 14.1.1 Cor 14:1Couet spirituall gifts, foreign, but rather that yee may prophecie. And by prophecying, hee meaneth the ccProphetas interpretes dicit scripturarum. Ambros. in 1. Cor. c. 63. Prophetia. i.e. donum interpretandi scripturas. Piscat. schol. in 1. Cor. 14.22. Mysticum…sensum ad salutem a…ditorum explan…nte E…asm. in paraphr ad: 1. Cor. 14.1 Cor 14:221 Cor 14instruction of the Church, and people of God in the needfull doctrines of Faith towards God, Repentance from dead workes, and new and holy Obedience. It is one stratageme of the Arch-enemie of mankind, (and when we know his wiles, wee may the better bee able to defeate him,) by busying men of great and vsefull parts▪ in bymatters, and things of lesser consequence; to diuert them from following that vnum necessarium, that which should bee the maine of all our endeauours, p. 138the beating downe of sinne, the planting of Faith, and the reformation of Manners. Controuersies, I confesse, are necessarie, the Tongues necessary, Histories necessarie, Philosophy and the Arts necessarie, other knowledge of all sorts necessarie in the Church: for truth must be maintained, Scripture-phrases opened, Heresie confuted, the mouthes of Aduersaries stopped, Schismes and Nouelties suppressed. But when all is done, Positiue and Practique Diuinity is it, must bring vsus to heauen: that is it, must paise our iudgements, settle our consciences, direct our liues, mortifie our corruptions, encrease our graces, strengthen our comforts, saue our soules. Hoc opus, hoc studium: there is no study to this, none so wel worth the labour as this; none that can bring so much profit to others, nor therefore so much glory to God, nor therefore so much comfort to our owne hearts, as this. ddTit. 3.8.Titus 3:8This is a faithfull saying, and these things I will that thou affirme constantly (saith Saint Paul to Titus) that they which hauehave beleeued in God, might be careful to maintaine good workes: these things are good and profitable vntounto men. You cannot doe more good vntounto the Church of God, you cannot more profit the people of God, by your gifts; than by pressing effectually these two great points, Faith, & Good works: these are good and profitable vntounto men.

§. 35. The Conclusion.I might here adde other inferences from this point, as namely, since the manifestation of the Spirit is giuen to eueryevery one of vsus chiefely for this end, that wee may profit the people with it, that p. 139therefore fourthly, in our preaching wee should rather seeke to profit our hearers, though perhaps with sharpe and vnwelcome reproofes, than to please them by flattering them in euill: and that fifthly, wee should more desire to bring profit vntounto them, than to gaine applause vntounto our selues: and sundry other more besides these. But I will neither adde any more, nor prosecute these any farther at this time, but giuegive place to other businesse. God the Father of Lights, and of Spirits, endow eueryevery one of vsus in our Places and Callings, with a competent measure of such Graces, as in his wisedome and goodnesse he shall see needefull and expedient for vsus: and so direct our harts, and tongues, and endeauours in the exercise and manifestation thereof, that by his good blessing vponupon our labours wee may bee enabled to aduance his glory, propagate his truth, benefit his Church, discharge a good conscience in the meane time, and at the last make our account with comfort, at the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ. To whom, &c.

FINIS.

THREE SERMONS, Ad Magistratum. BY ROBERT SAVNDERSON Batchellor in Diuinity, and sometimes Fellow of Lincolne Colledge in Oxford.

PSAL. 2.10.

Et nunc, Reges, intelligite: erudimini qui judicatis terram.

LONDON, Printed by R.Y. for R. Dawlman, at the Signe of the Bible neere the great Conduit in Fleetstreete. 1627.