Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v10

Chap. 3 a . An Expof:tion upon the Bo& of J o B. Verf. 8. 59 we have not as much as others : we know the doome patfed on himwho havingbut one talent hid it in a napkin. If we are dif- content with a little portion, or with one talent, that little is too much, and that one too many for us ; nothing doth more dim the glory of God, nor more deflroy and eate out our own com- forts, then difcontent; the Devill,lince his fall, is the moll dif- contented fpirit in the world, and he was not contented while he flood ; he thought he was not high enough, & that was his un- doing.They who are difcontent with the gift of God, loofe what is given, and fo fall into deeper difcontent yea, as the Apoftle fpeakesin another cafe ( Tim. 3.'6.) into the condemnation of the devil!. SiXth.ly, Then, let us net be lifted up in our owne natural! wifdome and reafon, he that would be w,,fe, muff become a Poole, ( Cor. 3.18. ) until' we fee our ownewifdome folly, we can- not attaine the wifdome of God, or Godlywifdome. Seventhly , This (hews us the reafon of the various kinds, and feverall meafures ofgifts among the fons of men. Men differ not more in themeafures and degrees of their outward eflatesa, worldly riches, titles and honours, then they doe in the mea- fures anddegrees of their inward abilities,wifdome, knowledge, and underflanding : men diner not more in the feature and figure of their faces, then in the furniture of their minds. One bath five talents, another two, a third but one. And as the variousdegrees of the fame gift, fo diverfties of gifts are from the foveraigne pleafure of God. The Apofile is large and very diflin& in this matter (t Cor. z Z. 4, 8, j, i i.) There are diverfitiesofgifts, but the fame Spirit ; to one is given by the Spirit the word of wif- dome, toanother the wardofknowledge by the fame Spirit, to another prophecy, to another difcerningof Spirits, to another divers krods of tongues,&c. But all thefe worketh that one and the felfefame Spi- rit, dividing to every man feverally as he will. It is only the will of the Spirit, the will of God which makes this divifion and di- verfification of gifts amongmen.And as theApoflle fhewethhere the rife or fpringofall to be fromGod , fo he had !:hewed. that the reafon and intendment of all this is- the benefit ofmen.(v.7.) The maxifefation of the Spirit isgiven to every man to profit with- all. What ever your gift is God hàthgiven it for profit and ufe. One hach skill in fciences, another in languages , one is more I 2 acute,

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