86 SERMON $ upon the S E R M. X1. ple but they have received fome Gift from him, which being rightly employed, may make them ufeful for the Glory of God, and the good of others, if not in the higher and more publick Office, yet as . Wives, Children, Servants. Titus 2. to. Every one hath his Service and Opp tunity to do fomething for God ; all offered to the Tabernacle, Gold, or Silver, or Brafs, or Chittim -wood, or Goats -hair, or Badgers skins. So, as Chrift went to 7erufalem, fome ftrowed the way with gar- ments, others cut down branches, force cryed Hofanna, that was all they could do. 2. That there is a great Diverfity in the Talents which we have. The Lord Both not give all to one, nor to all alike. (t.) There is a diverlity of Employments and Offices. The Apoftle telleth us Rom. 12. 4. All Members 'have not the fame Office ; force an Eke, fome a Hand, force a Head, force a Foot. Magiftracy, Miniftry, are diftin& offices in the Church, which ought not to be confounded or invaded, Eph. 4. Is, aa. And he gave fame "'po- pes, and tome Prophets, am fame Evangelifls, and' force Paflors and Teachers : Fof the perfeainQ of the Saints, for the work of the Miniflry, for the edifying the Body of Chrifl: And Ifa. 54.11. I will lay thy Foundations with Saphires, and thy. Windows of Agates, and thy Gates of Carbuncles, and all thy Borders of pleafant Stones. Here are variety of Employments, Foundations, Windows, Gates, Borders, to hold forth the variety of the gifts and graces of the Members of-the Church. (z.)' There is a Diverfrty' in the Hind of gifts : in the' general, force are common, force laving, Heb. 6. 5.9. Carnal men have great Abilities for the good of others, the ftamp may be lron:.and Brafs, though the Imprefs be on Gold and Silver ; force bodily, force fpiritual: force are called to glorify God with their Honour and Eflates; fo Luk. 9. I I.' Others with the gifts of the mind.' The gifts of the Mind are common, or. laving : Among, the common gifts , One bath the word of Wifdom, another the word of Knowledge, s Cor. Ia. 8, 9, to. Some are able to lay down the Truth foundly ; others able to apply it forceably : Some have the gift of Prayer. and Utterance, others are able to inform the Judgment or convince Gain - fayers ; force to clear Up Doctrines, others to ftir Affe &ions : As the three Mini - flers of Geneva, Yireto nemo docuit dulcius, Farello nemo tonuit fortins, nemd dot-tine locortas a Calvin: Among hearers, force have more wifdom, force more know- ' ledge, fume more affe &ion : amongft the Pen-men of Scripture, there is a great variety ; 7ohn is fublime and Seraphical Paul fpiritual and argumentative ; Pe- ter in an eafie, fluent and mild way ; Ifaiah more Court-like and lofty ; feremiah more Prieft -like and grave. Among thefavinggifts, there is a diverfity of Graces, though all have all in force meafure : The new Creature is not maimed, yet fòme are more eminent, force for one Grace, force for another: Abraham, for Faith ; yob, for Patience ; Wes, for' Meeknefs ; Timothy, for Temperance ; Every Grace working according to the Diverfity of tempers ; force are modeft and mild, others bold and Zealous ; force are Mourning for Sin, others raifed in the Admi- ration of the Grace of God in Chrift ; others exemplary for Strictnefs, and wea- nednefs from the delights of the Animal Life. (3.) There is a Diverfity as to the Meafure and Degrees. Every Bark that faileth to Heaven, loth not draw a like depth : There is the Meafure of the gift of Chrifl, Eph. 4. 7. and the Meafurâ pf every part, verfe 16. to force it may be fold, Great is thy Faith ; to others, Oh ye of little Faith ! Some are Fathers, force Toung men, force Babes in Chrift, '1 John 2. 13, 14. and in Heaven there are degrees of Glo- ry fuitable.. (4.) That this Diverfity cometh from the fame free Love of God, and there- fore not to be ufed contrary to the mind of the giver. This is the free gift of God, flowing from his undeferved Grace, there being nothing forefeen in any, that can merit the leaf good at Gods hand : a Cor. 4.7. Who made the.e to differ ? Rom. 12. 3 5. For of him, and through him, and to him are all things. The Sun oweth no- thing to the Stars, nor the Fountain to the Streams., (5.) Our Account mull be anfwerable to our Receipts ; there is a proportion of return expe&ed ! . Hezekiah rendered not according to' what he received. They that have received much, (hall account for much ; and they that have received. little, Mall account for little ; he that received five Talents, mutt look to reckon for five: As he comforted his Friend that had but one Eye, that he fhould account but for the Sins of one Eye. Now
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