Thirdly, The master in the parable giveth not the same measure
Vers. 14, 15.] sermons upon matthew xxv. 431
of talents to each servant : Christ giveth not a like measure of grace to every one ; but to some more, to some less, as he thinketh expe- dient. Here are five talents, and two talents, and one talent, given to each servant, as there was a different measure given to Timothy and Demas.
JDoct. 3. That it pleaseth the Lord to dispense his gifts variously amoug his people, to some more, to some fewer talents.
See this is often inculcated in the scripture : Bom. xii. 6, ' Having then gifts, differing according to the grace given to us ;' 1 Cor. vii. 7, ' Every man hath his proper gift, one after this manner, another after that.' God giveth to every one in the church a measure and portion of gifts as it pleaseth him. So 1 Cor. xii. 11, ' All these things worketh one and the same spirit,' which is the proper seat of this doctrine. So Eph. iv. 7, ' To every one of us is given grace, according to the mea- sure of the gift of Christ.' So 1 Peter iv. 10, ' As every one hath received the gift, so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the grace of God.' I have brought all these scriptures to show you that this is a thing worthy to be taken notice of, and seriously improved by us.
I shall give you some observations concerning this diversity and variety.
1. That every one hath some talent or other to improve for God. He that had least, had one ; and the least gift is compared to a talent : there is none of God's people but they have received some gift from him, which, being rightly employed, may make them useful for the glory of God and the good of others ; if not in the higher and more public office, yet as wives, children, servants, Titus ii. 10. Every one hath his service and opportunity to do something for God : all offered to the tabernacle gold, or silver, or brass, or chittim-wood, or goats' - hair, or badgers'-skins. So, as Christ went to Jerusalem, some strewed the way with garments, others cut down branches, some cried Hosanna ; that was all they could do.
2. That there is a great diversity in the talents which we have. The Lord doth not give all to one, nor to all alike.
[1.] There is a diversity of employments and offices. The apostle telleth us, Horn. xii. 4, ' All members have not the same office ; ' some an eye, some a hand, some a head, some a foot. Magistracy, ministry are distinct offices in the church, which ought not to be confounded or invaded : Eph. iv. 11, 12, ' And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers : for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edi- fying the body of Christ ;' and Isa. liv. 11, ' I will lay thy foundations with sapphires, and thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones/ Here are variety of employ- ments, foundations, windows, gates, borders, to hold forth the variety of the gifts and graces of the members of the Church.
[2.] There is a diversity in the kind of gifts. In the general, some are common, some saving, Heb. vi. 5, 9. Carnal men have great abilities for the good of others, the stamp may be iron or brass, though the impress be on gold and silver ; some bodily, some spiritual. Some are called to glorify God with their honour and estates ; so Luke
432 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SEB. XI.
ix. 11 ; others with the gifts of the mind. The gifts of the mind are common or saving. Among the common gifts, ' One hath the word of wisdom, another the word of knowledge/ 1 Cor. xii. 8-10. Some are able to lay down the truth soundly, others able to apply it forcibly. Some have the gift of prayer and utterance, others are able to inform the judgment or convince gainsayers ; some to clear up doctrines, others to stir affections. As the three ministers of Geneva, Vireto nemo docuit dulcius, Farello nemo tonuit fortius, nemo doctius locutus est Calvino. Among hearers, some have more wisdom, some more knowledge, some more affection. Amongst the penmen of scripture, there is a great variety: John is sublime and seraphical, Paul spirit- ual and argumentative, Peter in an easy fluent and mild way, Isaiah more court-like and lofty, Jeremiah more priest-like and grave. Among the saving gifts there is a diversity of graces, though all have all in some measure. The new creature is not maimed, yet some are more eminent, some for one grace, some for another : Abraham for faith, Job for patience, Moses for meekness, Timothy for temperance ; every grace working according to the diversity of tempers. Some are modest and mild, others bold and zealous ; some are mourning for sin, others raised in the admiration of the grace of God in Christ ; others exemplary for strictness, and weanedness from the delights of the animal life.