Two discourses concerning the Holy Spirit, and His work the one, Of the Spirit…

The Sweetness, Condescension, Self-denial, Holy Compliance, with all which he made use of, mixed with Truth, Gravity and Authority, they would have had to be all Craft and Guile. And this Gift when it is in any measure continued unto any Minister of the Gospel, is of singular Use unto the Church of God. Yea, I doubt not but the Apostle fixed it here in the first place, as that which was eminent above all the rest. And as where it is too much wanting, we see what woeful Mistakes and Miscarriages, Men, otherwise good and holy, will run themselves into, unto the great Disadvantage of the Gospel; so the real Enjoyment and Exercise of it in any competent measure, is the Life and Grace of the Ministry. As God filled Bezaliel and Aholiab with Wisdom for the building of the Tabernacle of old, so unless he give this Spiritual Wisdom unto the Ministers of the Gospel, no Tabernacle of his will be erected where it is fallen ⟨p. 168⟩down, nor kept up where it stands. I intend not Secular Wisdom, or Civil Wisdom, much less Carnal Wisdom; but a Spiritual Ability to discharge all our Duties aright in the Ministry committed unto us. And as was said, where this is wanting, we shall quickly see woeful and shameful Work made in Churches themselves.

The Sweetness, Condescention, Self-denial, Holy Compliance, with all which he made use of, mixed with Truth, Gravity and Authority, they would have had to be all Craft and Guile. And this Gift when it is in any measure continued unto any Minister of the Gospel, is of singular Use unto the Church of God. Yea, I doubt not but the Apostle fixed it here in the first place, as that which was eminent above all the rest. And as where it is too much wanting, we see what wosul Mistakes and Miscarriages, Men, otherwise good and holy, will run themselves into, unto the great Disadvantage of the Gospel; so the real Enjoyment and Exercise of it in any competent measure, is the Life and Grace of the Ministry. As God filled Bezaliel and Aholiab with Wisdom for the building of the Tabernacle of old, so unless he give this Spiritual Wisdom unto the Ministers of the Gospel, no Tabernacle of his will be erected where it is fallen ⟨p. 168⟩down, nor kept up where it stands. I intend not Secular Wisdom, or Civil Wisdom, much less Carnal Wisdom; but a Spiritual Ability to discharge all our Duties aright in the Ministry committed unto us. And as was said, where this is wanting, we shall quickly see woful and shameful Work made in Churches themselves.