The Scripture directory for church-officers and people, or, A practical commentary upon the whole…

First, Hereby God doth declare his Wisdom. His honour is magnified by these varieties. It argueth there is plenty and fullness of the Spirit with him. When God made the world, how many several Species and kinds of Creatures did he make, which no man can reckon up? And then, every individual in that Species, different by some individual Properties from one another. Every man hath a different face from another: Which variety of the creatures, doth wonderfully extol the treasure of his wisdom. The Musician showeth his skill, by his variety of Notes. When the Tabernacle was to be built, there was Aholiab, and Bezaliel, endowed with excellent wisdom for that purpose. So that in this diversity of Administrations, we may behold the wisdom of God, and praise him much more in the Church Assemblies, then in beholding the creatures.

First, Hereby God doth declare his Wisdome. His honour is magnified by these varieties. It argueth there is plenty and fulness of the Spirit with him. When God made the world, how many several Species and kinds of Creatures did he make, which no man can reckon up? And then, every individual in that Species, different by some individual Properties from one another. Every man hath a different face from another: Which variety of the creatures, doth wonderfully extoll the treasure of his wisdome. The Musician sheweth his skill, by his variety of Notes. When the Tabernacle was to be built, there was Aholiab, and Bezaliel, endowed with excellent wisdome for that purpose. So that in this diversity of Administrations, we may behold the wisdome of God, and praise him much more in the Church Assemblies, then in beholding the creatures.

Secondly, God gives several Gifts, that so the meanest may not be despised, nor the greatest puffed up: Because they did not only all come from God, but they are in their harmony necessary. The foot is a necessary member as well as an eye, but the eye is more noble. So that where the meanest gifts are, if gifts, when faithfully and conscionably employed for the public good, they are not to be contemned, because Gods Gifts. And in this sense, He that reproacheth the poor, reproacheth his Maker. Even as the least creature in the world, is not without its proper use and office. And then, the greatest gifts, they are but gifts, and therefore we must not arrogantly be puffed up with them. We must not take this wedge of gold, and make an Idol of it, and worship it. Great parts and gifts, have many times been great temptations, and brought great misery: As Matthew Paris speaks of one that having spent his time in his Lectures, to prove that Christ was God, and being greatly applauded for it, he cried out and said; O Jesus, thou art beholding to me for thy Divinity this day! (Or to that effect.) Whereupon immediately this great Doctor was stricken with such ignorance and forgetfulness, that for ever after, he could not so much as say the Lords Prayer, but as a little Child said it to him. Let those then that have Parts, take heed they do not promote the Devils Kingdom thereby; and so at last be cursed by God. Ornari à te Diabolus quaerit, said Austin to an Heathen, a great Scholar, whose Conversion he endeavoured. But