510 OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS. [BOOK IX.
unto them by Jesus Christ. See Eph. i. 8, 9, hi. 3-6, 18, 19 ; Col. iv. 3. The sole inquiry is, whence we may have this wisdom, seeing it is abundantly evident that we have it not of ourselves. That in gene- ral it is from God, that it is to be asked of him, the Scripture every- Avhere declares. See Col. i. 9, ii. 1, 2; 2 Tim. ii. 7; James i. 5 ; 1 John v. 20. And in particular it is plainly affirmed to be the especial gift of the Holy Ghost. He gives the " word of wisdom," 1 Cor. xii. 8; which place hath been opened before. And it is the first ministerial gift that he bestows on any. Where this is not in some measure, to look for a ministry is to look for the living among the dead. And they will deceive their own souls in the end, as they do those of others in the meantime, who on any other grounds do un- dertake to be preachers of the gospel. But I shall not here divert unto the full description of this spiritual gift, because I have dis- coursed concerning it elsewhere.
2. With respect unto the doctrine of the gospel, there is required unto the ministry of the church skill to divide the word aright; which is also a peculiar gift of the Holy Ghost : 2 Tim. ii. 1 5, " Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Both the former clauses depend on the latter. If a minister would be accepted with God in his work, if he would be found at the last day " a workman that needeth not to be ashamed," — that is, such a builder of the house of God as whose work is meet, proper, and useful, — he must take care to " divide the word of truth," which is committed unto his dispensa- tion, " rightly," or in a due manner. Ministers are stewards in the house of God, and dispensers of the mysteries thereof; and therefore it is required of them that they give unto all the servants that are in the house, or do belong unto it, a meet portion, according unto their wants, occasions, and services, suitable unto the will and wisdom of their Lord and Master : Luke xii. 42, 43, " Who is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?" for this giving of provision and a portion of meat unto the household of Christ con- sists principally in the right dividing and distribution of the word of truth. It is the taking out from those great stores of it in the Scripture, and, as it were, cutting off a portion suitable unto the various conditions of those in the family. Herein consists the prin- cipal skill of a scribe furnished for the kingdom of heaven with the wisdom before described ; and without this, a common course of dispensing or preaching the word, without differencing of persons and truths, however it may be gilded over with a flourish of words and oratory, is shameful work in the house of God. Now, unto this skill sundry things are required : — (1.) A sound judgment in general
CHAP. VIII.] GIFTS OF DOCTRINE, WORSHIP, AND RULE. 511
concerning the state and condition of those unto whom any one is so dispensing the word. It is the duty of a shepherd to know the state of his flock ; and unless he do so he will never feed them profitably. He must know whether they are babes, or young men, or old; whether they need milk or strong meat; whether they are skilful or unskilful in the word of righteousness; whether they have their senses exercised to discern good and evil, or not; or whether his hearers are mixed with all these sorts; — whether, in the judgment of charity, they are converted unto God, or are yet in an unregenerate condition; — what probably are their principal temptations, their hinderances and furtherances; what is their growth or decay in re- ligion. He that is not able to make a competent judgment concern- ing these things, and the other circumstances of the flock, so as to be steered thereby in his work, will never evidence himself to be " a workman that needeth not to be ashamed." (2.) An acquaintance with the ways and methods of the work of God's grace on the minds and hearts of men, that he may pursue and comply with its design in the ministry of the word. Nothing is by many more despised than an understanding hereof; yet is nothing more necessary to the work of the ministry. The word of the gospel as preached is " vehi- culum gratia?/' and ought to be ordered so as it may comply with its design in its whole work on the souls of men. He, therefore, who is unacquainted with the ordinary methods of the operation of grace fights uncertainly in his preaching of the word, like a man beat- ing the air. It is true, God can, and often doth, direct a word of truth, spoken as it were at random, unto a proper effect of grace on some or other ; as it was when the man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: but ordinarily a man is not like to hit a joint who knows not how to take his aim. (3.) An acquaintance with the nature of temptation, with the especial hinderances of faith and obedience, which may befall those unto whom the word is dispensed, is in like manner re- quired hereunto. Many things might be added on this head, seeing a principal part of ministerial skill doth consist herein. (4.) A right understanding of the nature of spiritual diseases, distempers, and sicknesses, with their proper cures and remedies, belongeth hereunto. For the want hereof the hearts of the wicked are oftentimes made glad in the preaching of the word, and those of the righteous filled with sorrow ; the hands of sinners are strengthened, and those who are looking towards God are discouraged or turned out of the way. And where men either know not these things, or do not or cannot apply themselves skilfully to distribute the word according to this variety of occasion, they cannot give the household its portion of meat in due season. And he that wants this spiritual gift will never