CHAPTER IV: What are the things which we value as our dearest treasures
that may entertain him; but still says his soul, This is not the pearl I seek for. Now, as in Heb. 11:14, the apostle says of the patriarchs, that 'they which say such things declare plainly that they seek a country;' so say I of thee, the discomfort of whose life lies in the want of God, who canst not sit down in anything on this side of him, these longings of thy soul do declare plainly that thy rest is not here in the world. Yea, if worldly things court thee, and come in upon thee, so as thou couldst (as to outward advantages) return to make and patch up a life of comfort in them, yet still thou canst never do it. So, ver. 15, of the patriarchs, the same apostle speaks; 'If they had been mindful of the country' (and the comforts of it) 'from whence they came out, they might have had opportunities to have returned;' but they would not, as their children would have done into Egypt. Therefore, upon this demonstration, he concludes, ver. 16, 'But now' (that is, having such a frame of spirit) 'they desired a better country: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God.' For he was the chiefest and choicest of their desires, and nothing else would satisfy; and therefore he was their chiefest good. God is much glorified as thy chiefest good in such desires that can rest nowhere else but in him: he is equally glorified by thee, who waitest thus for him, and canst find no sweetness but in him, as he is by another in their enjoyments of him. For the affections stir as well one way as the other towards him, and from either glory ariseth alike unto him. And what affections of love the one soul shews in joy, and in sweet enjoyments of his goodness, the other shews in restless desires after his goodness.
CHAPTER IV
If we would know whether ice make God our chief good, we must inquire what are the things which we value as our dearest treasures.
Thus much as to such signs, which that plain and simple expression, 'What are thy good things?' hath afforded. I come to the second, as the same thing is represented under this metaphor of What is thy treasure?
The first sign as to this head is that which Christ, Mat. 6:21, holds forth, who is to be our judge, Heb. 4:12, and who is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Now 'where your treasure is' (says Christ, Mat. 6:21), 'there will your hearts be also.' No man's heart is in his own keeping; hut his treasure, be it what it will, or take it away from him, yet the heart will be where it loves. If God be made a man's treasure, he calls for the heart: Prov. 23:26, 'My son, give me thy heart.' And let any earthly thing be a man's treasure, and it takes the heart away without asking leave: Hosea 4:11, 'Whoredom and wine' (says God) 'take away the heart;' Ezek. 33:31, 'Their hearts go after their covetousness.'
1. What hath thy heart, hath thy thoughts most? The chiefest and the dearest of thy thoughts are spent upon what is thy treasure. Now therefore go down into thy heart, and examine what thing it is takes up and engrosseth to itself the musings and devisings of thy soul; what it is the eyes of the mind still are glancing, yea, fixed upon, with dearest contentment, and scarce ever off. That is thy treasure, and that hath thine heart. Thus, as a passionate lover delights to revive, in his captivated fancy, the image and likeness of the party he loves, draws pictures of her in his fancies; and as the thoughts are the only means to bring things absent and the heart together: so the soul feeds and increaseth the love it hath to a thing it desires, by thinking of it. Affections chain the thoughts, and fasten the mind and intention of it to the thing they affect; and such a thing is certainly a treasure to thee. For take but the exemplification of it in outward treasures. You may observe it in men that have treasures, any jewels,
&c. They will still be unlocking the casket, and viewing of them, eyeing of them. They love still to be opening the bags, and telling and counting of what is within. And so it is with the mind; what the heart
hath pitched upon as its treasure, it ever and anon reviews and visits with its thoughts. For there is a fresh contentment and security ariseth to the mind thereby. Be it 'goods laid up for many years,' the thoughts of this give an ease to the mind. Be it the credit of something past, men love to chew the cud of it in their thoughts, and run it over all again in their minds. Or be it the pleasure of some sin to come, as a sin of uncleanness, how do men anticipate the pleasure of it in their fancies, rolling it over and over again, act it over again and again, ere they do it, as players do their parts. And this we all find, that the chiefest pleasure of our lives is brought us in by our thoughts; and when we enjoy not the things we desire, we please ourselves with our own fancies and ideas of them, which help to entertain the soul till it doth enjoy them. And we may observe it in Scripture, that men are differenced by the objects of their thoughts, and of the musings of the heart, as well as by anything else: Isa. 32:7,
8, 'A covetous man deviseth wicked things, but the liberal liberal things.' Such as the things are men spend their devisings upon, it is certain such are the men. If they mind chiefly earthly things, as it is,
Philip. 3:19, then they are earthly men, 'whose end is damnation.'
And in the first Psalm it is made a distinctive note of a godly man from a wicked, that 'he meditates in the law day and night.' The scope of David is to distinguish men; and there is good reason why men may be differenced by their thoughts, and the things they are conversant about. For, 1, Noscitur ex socio. A man's disposition may be known by his companion whom he is most entire and familiar with. Now those things a man thinks on most, he makes his most familiar friends, is most entire with. By our thoughts we have the entirest acquaintance that we can have with anything, the closest that we can any way arrive at; for it takes the things into our bosom.
And therefore Solomon, Prov. 6:22, speaking of meditating in the law, when a man wakes in the morning, compares it to a familiar friend talking with a man: 'When thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.' And a man is therefore termed a 'friend to the world,' James
4:1–4.
2. The thoughts do most distinguish men's hearts, because they are the freest acts of the mind, wherein the mind is the most itself, and acts itself else: Prov. 23:7, 'For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.'
And therefore the proverb is, that 'thoughts are free.' And in this sense it is true that of all acts else they are the least enforced, which do follow the free disposition of the heart. Men cannot speak what they would, or do what they would: these are subject to enforcement.
And therefore, in judging by speeches and by actions, there may be deceit. But a man may think what he will; and, indeed, usually men do pore on that which pleaseth them; in their thoughts they act themselves, whatsoever they do in their actions. We do not know the disposition of players as acting their parts upon the stage, but look into the tiring-house, and there you may see them act themselves, their own base and lewd dispositions. The thoughts are the tiringroom of the soul, the privy chamber of it.
3. They are the immediate acts of the soul, and therefore shew what temper it is of. For the thoughts (as I may so say) are as they came new from the heart; they are the figments of it, and so the image of the heart is fresh on them as coming new out of the mint. If you would taste a grape, take the juice as it is new squeezed out into the wine-press, and before adulterated with other mixtures.
4. Thoughts are the most continual actings of the soul of any else, which the soul abounds in most, and therefore discovers the heart most, for of all faculties that is always a-work. The thinking faculty is as that little wheel in a jack, that moves twenty times faster than any of the rest. And when we have not liberty to satisfy our desires, yet our thoughts are working, so as the heart cannot be kept off from thinking of what it would enjoy. Christ calls the thoughts the treasure both of a good and bad man, for the abundance there is of them; as in that speech, 'A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good, an evil man evil.' Mat. 12:34, 35, 'For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man, out of the good treasure of the heart, bringeth forth good things: and an evil man, out of the evil treasure, bringeth forth evil things.' Christ, you
see, when he would give a reason why men might be distinguished by their speeches, and with what kind men abound therein most, he reduceth it to the heart as the fountain: 'For out of the abundance of the heart' (says he) 'the mouth speaketh,' that is, out of the abundance of the thoughts. Some persons have many restraints, even of speaking good, and are disadvantaged when yet their hearts are working upon them. Therefore look, what thoughts the heart abounds in (it is the sure rule), such is the heart. There is no good man but he hath a treasure and a spring of good thoughts within him, which no wicked man in the world hath. And though there is a spring of mud and filth runs with them, of vain thoughts, and sinful thoughts, which intermingles itself with the current of them at the best, and which doth often stop the current of them; yet this spring works itself out again, the current riseth up again, and though with many windings and turnings, keeps its course. And as rivers run into the sea, so there is a spring in his heart tends God-ward. Another man, though he may have a land-flood of good thoughts, in a good mode, yet they are soon dried up again; there is not a spring of them.
Prov. 12 2d and 5th verses compared together. A wicked man is called 'a man of wicked devices or imaginations,' that is, a man of wicked thoughts, as it were, made up of them, whereas, in the 5th verse, a godly man's thoughts, in opposition, are termed right: 'The thoughts of the righteous are right;' that is, for the tendency, the current of them, they are exercised about righteous things. Therefore
David, Ps. 139:17, 18, says not only that the thoughts of God are precious to him, but for multitude more than the sand. It may be interpreted of his thoughts of God, which he could not tell the total sum of; for, says he, 'every morning when I awake, I am with thee.'
Whereas, of a wicked man, Ps. 10:4, it is said, 'God is scarce in all his thoughts.' And, Jer. 2:32, God, upbraiding the people of Israel, says,
'Can a maid forget her ornaments,' not go abroad but be sure to be dressed; and when she hath pricked up herself, her mind is still on them? But 'my people hath forgotten me' (says he) 'days without number.' But, in Prov. 6:14, it is said of a wicked man's heart, 'it forgeth mischief continually,' as a smith forgeth iron, he is still
hammering of it. And because vain are all their thoughts, therefore a wicked man's heart is said to be little worth. Prov. 10:20.
There are two scruples and objections which, as to this branch of trial, some, yea, most good souls may and do make.
Obj. 1. The swarming of evil, vain, or foolish thoughts, that are so frequent and such familiars, that they are bold to knock and draw the latch when we have separated ourselves the most solemnly, and shut ourselves up for God in holy duties and on the Sabbath days. If, therefore, I should judge by my thoughts, the world and a thousand vanities are my treasure.
Ans. 1. A man is not to judge herein by the crowd and swarming, or barely by the multitude, the noise, the humming, the buzzing they keep. For these will and do arise naturally out of the heart, as Christ says. And 'the imagination of man's heart is evil continually.' And it is certain that the bulk or quantity of the unregenerate part in most
Christians is far more and greater than the regenerate part, though that be major virtute, greater in power, in carrying the heart on against corruptions, and strong steering a man in his course; especially in the great turns of his life, and in the end Christ bringing it forth to victory; so that if a man would go to measure by the bulk, or by the bushel, every man's heart would be found to have quarters of chaff, the flying thoughts which rise up in it, unto a pock of good grain and true corn; but thou must take estimate by the entertainment, which vain and worldly thoughts, after they have risen, have in thy heart, by their taking root again through its indulgency to them, nourishing of them and intention upon them, and delight in them, Jer. 4:14, 'How long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee?' lodge, and nest, and find the most pleasing welcome and harbour? lodge as thy best friends and pleasantest companions; that lie down with thee, when thou liest down to sleep, and thou invitest them to bed with thee; that talk with thee, when thou awakest, with deepest pleasure and delight? God's speech in Jeremiah is all one, as if God or a father should say to his son, a
riotous entertainer of lewd company, How long shall thy vain companions lodge with thee, that eat thee out of house or home, consume that provision which thy wife and children should have? So here, 'How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge with thee,' that prey upon the best of thy heart and dearest of thy affections? The regenerate part in a man is in that condition, in respect of his thoughts, that a man is in that walks in the midst of dust continually raised about him, or of little flies that in summer swarm, against which he shuts his eyes and holds his breath, but cannot hinder their coming about him, though he carries boughs in his hands, or the like, to keep them off. Thus it is with a regenerate man; but to another man these vain thoughts are as the free air which he breathes in with contentment and refreshment. They are his element.
The thoughts a, man hath of his treasure are the thoughts of greatest delight and contentment; not dry thoughts, but drenched and soaked deep in the whole of the affections, and they hug and entwine about them; and of which the affections say, 'Whither you go, we will go; whom you will bring with you, we will entertain.' They may and do come into a good man's heart, as gipsies, by swarms, but by his good will they should not lodge there; he goes often to God for a passport, and for a whip to send them away. And these may trouble thee most in holy duties, which the unregenerate part doth naturally hinder and disturb. It is strange that afore prayer a man would fain have recalled and remembered them, but could not; as soon as a man falls down to prayer, they come in instantly. And the devil waits that occasion for injections also; to be sure, what is like to strike the affections deepest, and to stick there, and so to hurry away the heart in the instant, that will be cast in at such cue and nick, when the heart is coming to such passages in prayer as his present condition hath most need of, and which he longs most to be at; so as the heart is carried out of the common stream into a creek or rivulet ere he is aware, insomuch as sometimes a man keeps but (I use to say) a negative Sabbath, the negative part of an holy duty; that is, it is his task upon that day, or in that duty, to keep a ward or court of guard against the troopings of vain thoughts; or (if you will) to keep the
doors, either so as vain thoughts should not crowd in, or if they do, still to be turning them forth. So as it often befalls the sons of Abraham in prayer, &c., in respect of inward disturbances, as it befell our father Abraham when he was offering a sacrifice to God, in respect of outward disturbance, Gen. 15:11. The fowls still ever and anon came down upon the carcasses. For it is said, 'when the fowls came down, Abraham drave them away.' He hunted them away with his breath, as the original imports, or crying out with a noise upon them, when he should have had his mind wholly intent on prayer and divine meditation which that solemn duty called for. Then his work must be to hoot away the fowls which came flying down upon the sacrifices. And at that time they did it especially, for there was prey for them. And Abraham could not hinder their coming down; for fowls fly aloft, and the same individual birds would come again and again, and he could not help it, that was not in his power; but when they came he could drive them away, and that was all he could do to them; yea, it took up his time when he was to have been at his devotion, it was his main work. And so it is here, the best of souls cannot help nor hinder these unclean and ravenous fowls from coming down upon the sacrifices, but they still endeavour to drive them away, &c.
Ans. 2. A second thing I would say, in answer to this, is, that although vain thoughts may be more by far, yet the heart of regenerate man (take the whole course) follows God, and returns to him and keeps its way. A spaniel that follows his master in a journey, runs out after every bird, after every flock of sheep, which he sees in his way; and in such goings out, runs over ten or twenty times more ground, spends more pains in them, than in the way his master goes in, or than it comes to; yet still he is sure to have an eye to his master, returns again to him, and follows him to the journey's end. And so it is with the soul in this respect.
Obj. 2. Are not godly men's thoughts to be taken up with their worldly business? Are not men to contrive and devise and mould what they are therein to do, especially in some callings, and therefore
to spend the most of their thoughts thereon? How then can we make a judgment by our thoughts?
Ans. 1. A good man must do diligently that business to which he may be called: 'And whatever work thy hand finds to do, thou oughtest to do with all thy might,' Eccl. 9:10.
Ans. 2. Yet, 2, there may be, and is, an habitual fear runs along and poiseth the heart all day long: Prov. 23:17, 'Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long.' These two commands of the same pen cross not one the other; an inferior that hath business to do in a room, where his master, or one eminently superior, is present all day, he may be all along intent and sufficiently thoughtful on his business, and that in respect unto his master. For there is withal an habitual reverence, which all along doth awe and poise his mind to act nothing unseemly of such a presence as he is afore.
Ans. 3. But, observe what thoughts return upon thee, when the mill of thy calling stands still; at such times when thy heart is left free; as at spare hours, a-mornings, when thou liest awake, &c. Observe the vergencies and the haunts of thy heart at such times, as thou wouldst of a servant or an apprentice, who though whilst he is kept at home works diligently, yet the free time he hath, or if he can but steal forth, he is still at such an house, if he be sent out of an errand, he steps in there; in like manner, watch thou the haunts of thine heart, when thou art retired, when the shop windows of thy calling are shut, and thou art free in thy thoughts to enjoy what thou pleasest; then see what secret treasury thy thoughts steal to unlock and to view with contentment. 'The wicked imagine mischief on their beds,' they sleep not till they have wallowed and tumbled in such fancies as naturally suit their spirits. For these lighten their spirits, and make way for sleep. 'But with my soul,' saith the church, 'I have desired thee in the night,' Isa. 26:9. David remembers the sweet songs in the night God and he had together: 'When I awake, I am still with thee,' Ps. 139:18; and Prov. 6:22, 'When thou awakest, the law of God, as a companion, it shall talk with thee.'
Ans. 4. Last of all, if thou beest overwhelmed with such thoughts as keep thee off from the free air to breathe up to God, thou wilt find thy heart like a mole under ground, heaving and working upwards, tossing up the earth that keeps it under, till thou art above ground.
As to the rest of those signs that follow, I must premise (as in relation to that part, namely, what carnal men do make their treasure), that some sinners' treasures (I term them such, because they are such to their hearts and the affections thereof, though not to their judgments), lie in things more base, more vile, as in debauched courses of uncleanness, drunkenness, vain company, joviality, mirth,
&c., which are so base, that, if you ask their consciences, or their judgments, they must acknowledge such things to be their shame.
Some are swine, and wallow in open mire which stinks in all men's nostrils; and yet as to their hearts and affections, they are that chiefest good they doat on; like beasts, in what they know naturally, they corrupt themselves. Others are more clean, as dogs and goats; to which those others of wicked men are compared, that feed more clean, and yet are beasts. These put the treasure of their hearts in things outwardly commendable, as riches, honours, learning, wit, reputation, quick conversation, &c.; yea, sometimes in outward righteousness, and a fair deportment in this world. And yet, not making God their treasure, and not subordinating all these to him, and not preferring him, and the things of God, to the chief of their joy, they evidently lay but up treasures on earth. I shall leave the first sort, as self-convicted, as judged wicked by the world itself, and as sentenced by such cutting sayings of the word: 1 Cor. 6:9, 10,
'Neither fornicators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.'
But as touching the second sort, who place their good things in what the world highly esteems, as Christ says; to convince them, and to comfort the hearts of the godly, by distinguishing and separating them from them, I shall give these following evidences or discoveries,
which shall be fitted to the metaphor of a treasure, or what a man really makes his treasure.
I shall premise this, that in the hearts and lives of many saints, yea, in all more or less, there are corruptions answering unto what I shall instance in, to convince wicked men by, that such and such things on earth are their treasure: that yet a man truly holy doth still in the pursuit, and valuation, and endeavours, and reaching forth of the soul, make God his chief treasure (notwithstanding those corruptions), in comparison of all things else.
1. Examine thy practical esteem and valuation of things; that is, what is it that is most precious to thee. That is thy treasure, 1 Peter 2:7,
'Unto you, that believe, Christ is precious.' As in himself such, verse 4, 'A stone chosen of God and precious,' so in the esteem of believers;
'Unto you he is precious.' And he speaks it byway of discrimination from carnal men, that have not true faith. 'But to them,' says he, 'that be disobedient, he is a rock of offence,' verse 7. Why doth he in this opposition give the title of disobedient to them, rather than of unbelievers, which is the opposite term unto the former, 'You that believe'? But because the valuation of Christ, or undervaluing him, is seen and discovered, as in the pursuit after him, so in the obedience to him, or in disobedience. Thus David, Ps. 119:14, 'I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.' Even in the way of them; mark it, because they did lead to God, as a man would do in a way, though never so craggy, that did certainly lead him to an hidden treasure: and in the way to them, in the pursuance towards
God, he delighted as much and above riches in present possession.
Yea, and above all riches too, of what sort soever, that men count riches; which is not in money only. So then he esteemed God his treasure, and manifested this by diligence in the way unto him, the way of his testimonies. Thus of Hezekiah, of whom interpreters do understand that passage, it is said, Isa. 33:6, 'The fear of the Lord is his treasure.' So of Moses, Heb. 11:26, it is said that he 'esteemed the very reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.'
With other men, how doth the market go? It is apparent, 1, that they
undervalue God and Christ, and those things of the other world, and hold them at the rate of common things; so in the original the expression is, Heb. 10:29, though it is rendered 'an unholy thing'; which though there uttered of men that sin against the Holy Ghost, with the highest contempt of Christ's blood, and was therefore so rendered, yet to esteem Christ and his blood a common ordinary thing, is common with them and other wicked men, as their respect thereunto manifests. In comparison of other things, a wicked man is
'a profane person, as Esau, who, for one morsel of meat sold his birthright,' Heb. 12:16; and for this his so manifest a demonstration of his undervaluing it to a mess of pottage (and the pleasure of lust is but just like it), he is termed a profane person, who is one which esteemeth holy things, and precious things, as common, for that is properly profanation.
And 2. Instead of these, what are their dainties? Sins, and the pleasures of them: Ps. 141:4, 'Incline not mine heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.' And so the good things of this world, Rev.
18:12–14, were dainty and goodly in their esteem, and so (as there) their souls lusted after them. Now, then, let us examine ourselves hereby.
1. This thy esteem of God and Christ, if true, and in any proportion rising up to the worth of the things themselves, will shew itself: as in thy first conversion, in selling all for them, Mat. 13:45, so after conversion, in thy diligent pursuit after them. Treasures lie buried under ground to a great depth often. Therefore, says Solomon, speaking of Christ and all his graces (by which we come to have interest in him) under the name of Wisdom, Prov. 2:4, 'If thou seek for her as silver, and searchest as for hidden treasure.' The mind of the similitude is, that as God, in his common providence, hath hidden the mines of rich metals in the bowels of the earth, because he would have men take pains for them, so, in the course of his dispensations to his children, he hath hidden his Christ, whom he so values, in himself: 'your life is hid with Christ in God,' Col. 3:3. And
all the riches of Christ, which are unsearchable, they are hid in God, Eph. 3:10, and hidden deep. They are the deep things of God, 1 Cor.
2:10, to the end he may be treated with by every soul that will have them. And although he gives them freely, and sells them not for any or all of our endeavours; and therefore, 'say not in your hearts,' that is, think not within yourselves (as Paul interprets Moses) 'who shall ascend up into heaven?' as if any may by his endeavours 'bring down
Christ from thence;' or who shall descend into the deep?' Rom. 10:7; yet before he usually brings Christ down into the heart, or discovers his own heart and face, he orders it so that men shall take the utmost pains, and use the utmost diligence, to the end to shew their valuation of these things. 'Many shall strive,' says Christ. You must do more, work as at a mine: 'If thou search for her as silver.' To work in mines is the toilsomest work in the world. The Romans of old, and the Spaniards now in the West Indies, condemn their slaves thereto.
And indeed, what a man values and esteems precious, his desire will set all in him a-work to seek: Pro. 18:1, 'Through desire a man, having separated himself, he seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.' Others read (as also the margin varies it) 'intermeddleth with every matter.' That is, what a man strongly desires and esteems, it will make him separate, or set himself apart wholly to it. He will deal in every matter, that is, way or course, whereby it is to be attained. He will turn every stone, or (which is all one, as we read it) will intermeddle with all wisdom. He will use all his wits to cast with himself how it may be compassed. Now go down into your own hearts, think, and think seriously, what doth the strength of thy intention run out upon? Is it after God and the things of that other world, or things in this? If thou hast been truly wrought upon, perhaps at the first thou wert so affected, as wholly to separate thyself through desire after God and his favour, because thou didst thus judge, It is not necessary for me to be eminently learned or rich,
&c., but to be saved is that one thing necessary, and so didst nothing else with thy heart, until thy spirit was settled and quieted in some good measure. Then afterward thou wast settled, and so that present and absolute necessity thy soul was put upon at first, as in respect to that distress and unsettlement, is not the same as before, yet thy
esteem continues such to the things themselves. As, though thou spendest not the greatest outward bulk of thy diligence, because thy outward calling in this world calls for it, yet the greatest strength of thy intentness of spirit and heedfulness is spent upon them, so as not to lose thy interest in them. And to that end a godly man will intermeddle with every duty, and he will deal in all ordinances, take the advantage of all opportunities.
On the other hand, my brethren, what is the reason that men search for learning as for silver, and dig for it as for gold, separate themselves unto it, intermeddle with every author, as the bee with every flower, and yet neglect God days without number? Or if not that way given (I would it were so commonly), men spend their intention and diligence (what it is) in idleness, vain company, which we term passing away the time. But as for God and Christ, and the ways of holiness, they are so far off from separating themselves unto them through desire, that they scarce intermeddle with them in a week, a month. These, as pebbles in the streets, they are so far from digging for them, that they trample as swine upon them (as Christ speaks), or at least stoop not to take them up. They think they may have them at any time for stooping for, at their cast-away leisure, or on their deathbed. What is the reason of this? Even because they are not their treasure. God hath not yet given thee a heart to value them at their own rate. Suppose thou hadst lived in Solomon's times, when gold and silver were as stones in the streets, or wert in the Indies, where, at least for the seeking or digging for them, thou mightest have enough, and yet all thy time were spent to load thy poor back with peacocks' feathers, which you read of also in Solomon's times
(which were indeed those glorious birds we now-a-days see brought from the hotter climates), would any man think, or couldst thou in reason think, that thou didst make gold and silver thy treasure in such a case?
Consider, you live in times and places in which the unsearchable riches of Christ are shovelled up to your hands, every day offered, tendered, yea, put (as it were) into your hands. The word we preach
is nigh thee, even in thy ears and heart; and yet, as Solomon says, Prov. 17:16, 'A fool hath a price in his hand, only wants a heart towards it.' Go home, and consider with thyself, these things are not yet my treasure, nor hath as yet God given me a heart to make them such.
Again, if these had been thy treasure, thou wouldst have parted with all for them; sold all thou hast, as Christ speaks of that good pearl.
For all men will do so for what is precious to them. What says God, Isa. 43:4? 'Since thou wert precious to me, I gave nations for thy life.'
And so wouldst thou have done for Christ ere this, and never have repented of your bargain. It is repentance never to be repented of. 'I have accounted all things loss,' Phil. 3, 'and I do account them so still,' says Paul. And still he pressed forward to attain them with the greatest diligence. But thou partest for unworthy courses, uncleanness, drunkenness, or such petty base lusts, which the (best part of thee, the speculative part of thy mind, is so far from reckoning a treasure, as they are thy shame; yet to the practical part, they are really thy precious things thou in thy great wisdom seekest after. Thou canst sell all for them, as Esau his birthright, thy soul, thy books, thy good name, the hopes of preferment, in the place thou art in, thy health, thy strength, thy wits, thy favour, expectations, and joy thy friends might have in thee, to pursue them. A goodly treasure sure! Are they not? Yet they must be reckoned thine.
2. Wherein, or in what, dost thou account thy greatest gains and thy greatest losses to lie? That, in the valuation of thine heart, is thy treasure.
You find, 1 Tim. 6:6, Paul speaking of the opposite disposition of a man truly godly, and who 'seeks the things of Jesus Christ,' from his that is carnal, he expresseth it with a but. 'But godliness with contentment is great gain;' or, as the word is, 'self-sufficiency,' μετʼ αὐταρκείας; that is, godliness hath such a sufficiency in itself, that, with or through that sufficiency, it alone is great gain to him in whose heart it is placed, and by whose spirit it is truly valued. And he
speaks this in perfect opposition to the spirit of carnal gospellers and professors, of whom he had spoken the verse afore, and which was the occasion of the saying annexed. Men of corrupt minds, supposing that gain is godliness; that is their secret opinion and esteem, that gain in outward things is the best religion in the world. But our religion, which we profess, is to serve him that is God; now, Phil.
3:19, Paul, speaking of the same sort of persons (for of those of the circumcision he speaks in both places), 'whose god is their belly,' he compares the lusts and appetites of natural men's hearts unto those of the belly; that is, the furious desire to the pleasures thereof; and such are theirs to earthly things, as it follows, 'who mind earthly things.' Unto which, Ps. 17:14 accords: 'The men of this world' (says
David), 'who have their portion in this life, whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure,' namely, of the earth (which also speaks home to the metaphor of the text). So then, earthly things were their god; that is, their chiefest good, instead of God. And the eager pursuit with which they adored their god, he as justly terms their religion, especially when under the pretence of religion they serve those ends.
The result is this (which is the thing in hand), that earthly things are, in the valuation of carnal men professing religion, their gain; and their religion also, supposing gain is godliness. But to godly men godliness is great true gain, having a sufficiency in it. Unto which accords that also of Solomon, Prov. 3:14, 'The merchandise thereof is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than of fine gold.' Hast thou ever been brought to such dispositions of heart and spirit as these?
1. To suffer (in thine own resolutions and account) the loss of all things, that thou mightest win or gain Christ. It is Paul who is your pattern, Phil. 3:7, 8, 'What things were gain to me, that I accounted loss for Christ; for whom I suffered the loss of all things, that I might win Christ.' Conversion to God is a great shipwreck of an old man, and all his goods and appurtenance. I do not know how conversion goes now a-days, when you may judge the world favours religion; but I will tell you how the price of the market went in our days. A man's
conversation* was such as not only some things, but all things he most valued, ho was fain to bring it and lay it down at Christ's feet, as they did their money at the apostles', and by wholesale give it up to him. For he knew not but that, for the sincere profession of Christ, he might lose all presently. Take a scholar in the university, whose education was as Paul's, profiting in the Jewish learning above his equals; yet the learning then cried up, and the way of preaching, in quotations of fathers, poets, apophthegms, stories, &c., was such as when a man had profited therein seven or ten years, and had a dispute† with or above his equals; if he were humbled for sin and came to Christ for righteousness, and treated with God for salvation,
God would say to him, What advantage or use will all this your learning, you have counted your treasure, be of to me? This poor soul was fain to give it all up for ever as lost, and was turned into the world a dunce, stripped of all his plumes; for the other was loss and useless, and all this to win Christ. And then his carnal friends would come upon him too, and say they had lost all their hopes, their cost upon him. Thus a proud scholar was at once undone by bankrupt.
Again, his heart was swollen with hopes of preferment, his sails filled with the wind of it; and he had ordered his studies, his comportment accordingly; taken in commodities for that port. And as he, in Habakkuk, had in his conceits gathered to himself all nations, all sorts of preferments as his prey; but when he came truly to turn to Christ and enter into a profession of strictness, he was brought in his own resolution to lay down all he was in hopes of, and all which he had laid up as gains, towards the procuring of it; and to be a poor schoolmaster, or a Levite in a private gentleman's house, was what in his future projections or expectations this man was brought to.
Conversion was a great shipwreck. And sure it is, and will be to every one that turns to Christ still in something or other.
2. Again, after thou art turned, wherein dost thou reckon thy comings in to lie, and thy truest gains? Paul being a preacher of the gospel, as before a persecutor (to instance therein), what were the chiefest of his gains ho looked at? What, to get livings? &c. No; but that he might win some souls converted or quickened by his
ministry, he accounted his treasure. 'What is our crown' (says he, 1 Thes. 2:19, 20), 'but even ye, in the presence of the Lord?' He acknowledged every such soul added as a jewel to his crown; and every degree of grace that was added to those souls, as so many carats in diamonds, which increaseth their value. Thou hast an outward, man with many appurtenances, a name and repute in the world, outward comforts about thee, health, vigour, the world fair on thy side. All these in Scripture language are termed the outward man. Well, and thou pretendest to have an inward man in thee; that is, to have a repute and acceptation with God, made to enjoy communion with him every day; unto which the things and comforts of another world do as properly and as suitably belong, as the other to that outward. To instance first in that part of thy outward man thy good name, God comes and makes a breach upon thy name; and this party of men, they report this, another that; yea, and pervert thy best and sincerest actions to thy reproach, turn thy glory into shame. And these losses and revilings daily come in like Job's messengers, upon the neck of one another. These are shrewd losses. But what dost thou reckon thy gains? All this while thou findest God draw near to thee, own thee, testify thy sincerity to thee. Thou hast an inward man, whose praise is with God, and not with men. And thou hast further a name in thy eye, at the latter day, above every name that is in this world. Yea, and every reproach will turn to increase it at that day.
'Even this shall turn to my salvation,' Phil. 1:19. Every thing written or spoken against thee will then be a crown about thine head, as Job
31:36, and every scoff and contempt a fence. And thine heart all this while finds a self-sufficiency in godliness, betwixt God and thee, in which thou rejoicest, and reckonest all these things thy gains, and secretly rejoicest heartily herein upon this account. Thus it was with Moses: Heb. 11:26, 'He esteemed the reproach of Christ,' or for Christ's sake, 'greater riches.' He looked on them as his gains.
And thus it is in all other kinds of outward losses, which are of the appurtenances of the outward man. See Paul's spirit, 2 Cor. 4:16,
'Though our outward man perish, yet, I thank God, my inward man is renewed day by day.' I find comings in more or less every day
thereby, and what do I lose by that then? And therefore I value not my losses of this kind, whilst a gain comes in the other way.
Yea, upon this account all afflictions are therefore but light, and so all losses of all sorts whatever, because they work for us an exceeding weight of glory. So it follows, verse. 17.
And reason good why we should thus judge: For the things we lose are but things temporal; but the things we have in exchange for them are things eternal. So again it follows, ver. 18, 'We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.' That true believers do really and in the private estimation of their souls thus judge, you may also see by the instance of the believing Hebrews, whose hearts Paul cuts up: Heb. 10:33, 34,
'Ye were made a gazing-stock by reproaches and afflictions, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods,' as great losses as can be supposed to befall men. What should be the reason of this? They knew that they were gainers, that they got well by it. 'Knowing in yourselves' (mark that) 'that you have in heaven a better and an enduring substance' (which as Paul told us even now), is wrought and increased by all these losses a hundred fold, as Christ speaks. It was the knowledge and actual application of this, caused them to rejoice as well as they might. But how did they know it? The text says, 'In themselves.' When the great providence of God took away these, or anything from them, God was graciously pleased still to seal to them a bill of exchange in their own hearts; to return instead thereof, so much better and enduring substance by way of exchange in the other world; and he wrote this bill in their hearts, they had it themselves, the earnest of it (as 1 John 5, 'he that believes' is said to 'have the witness in himself); and look, as all a man's actions are written in a man's conscience, which he shall not be able to deny, so all such impressions from God are also written in the heart. And God will own all these his bills of exchange at the latter day. So then a Christian accounts these his greatest gains. And well he may, for if one should come into your house and take all your pewter and all
your brass, and melt it before your face, but then come and sprinkle some of the elixir upon it (which you call the philosopher's stone) and turn it all into gold, I pray, what loss had you? Yea, what gains!
And truly thus by faith you may—and in the issue, in experience, all you true Christians must—look upon all afflictions and losses whatever. By faith you may aforehand, as knowing this will be the issue; therefore says James, chap. 1:2, 'Count it all joy, when ye fall into divers temptations;' observe his when, not when after ye are fallen, but at first, when you do fall. Rejoice thus aforehand. Suppose thy afflictions be for thy sins, no matter; wait and thou shall gain by them. They bring forth a quiet fruit of righteousness, that is, that issue which so quiets, as it causeth the soul to say, I am satisfied; it was well for me I was thus afflicted. Thou losest a child dear to thee, for it is thine image, and God renews (upon the occasion and by the affliction of it) his own image, or some member of it, more fair and fresh than ever. What are a hundred thousand children to the least degree of grace? The comings in by one good prayer is worth them.
God takes a pin off thy sleeve, and puts into thine heart the white stone which hath a new name on it. 'It was good for me I was afflicted,' says David; that is, he reckoned it his gains. To be kept but from one sin by an affliction is greater gain than this world hath to afford. 'I went astray,' says David, 'afore I was afflicted.' Crosses which break other men's hearts, and which they can never get off, but are sunk with the burden of to their graves, they are made light to a believer, as Paul speaks; they bring him nearer to God, and he blesseth God that ever it befell him. It is true, indeed, he desires rather, and he is to seek it, that God would sanctify mercies to him; yet if there be no other way to be made a partaker of God's holiness
(as the apostle speaks) but this, he would not care what God did with him. 'If by any means I may attain the resurrection of the dead,' says
Paul, Phil. 3:11. He speaks it in respect of the holiness that will be in that state. Let God take what course he will, what means he will, he should be glad. It was because he reckoned God and the things of God his treasure, and so his gains to lie there. By these two dealings of God with thee put together, thou mayest make forth a great and mighty evidence of thy election.
1. That however God deals with thee in what thy flesh and outward man desires, whether rich or poor, despised or in repute, &c., yet still thou canst and mayest observe that by all such dispensations God seasonably keeps thee, or breaks thee off from sin, draws thee nearer, and puts thee upon praying and crying out to him. What is this but that his eternal love hath taken care of an inward man in thee, which he doth renew from day to day (if thy crosses be such), or from month to month, from week to week; and therefore will not let thee go on in such a sin as others do, or in that dead frame, but it shall cost thee this affliction or that, a loss in this thing or that thing which is dear to thee; another piece of thy name must go for it, or the other child, or some of thy estate. This is a sign eternal love carries on its design towards thee, and not common or providential love.
2. Then, secondly, dost thou find this still, upon all such losses and porishings of thy outward man, thy heart to have some quietness and rejoicing from this, that though God hath dealt thus bitterly with me, yet he hath made it up by a supply of his Spirit some way or other, either in preserving from sin, stirring up conscience, quickening to prayer, exercising faith, waiting submission. And then with all thy heart thou dost value these more than all thy losses, and dost say, howsoever, I see it was good and best for me I got by such a sickness brokenness of heart, both off from and for such a lust; and though I cannot say I have grown much, yet my inward man hath been renewed, some life of graces have been kept in are hereby, so as I would not for all the world but God should have dealt thus with me; I would not have been rich, or great, or honourable instead thereof, though still what God will do with me at last I know not. I tell thee, such thoughts and dispositions as these do manifestly declare that thy treasure lies not on this side of heaven, but it is in the other world, which appears by thine own audit-book, in which losses and gains are written; that is, what things they are thou esteemest thy greatest losses and thy greatest gains. Thy gains in this case lie in things of the other world.
Now, further, to give you an evidence that not in this world, but in the other, a Christian's treasure lies; not only that he accounts the afflictions of this present life gains, but even death itself, concerning which other men's hearts say, When I am gone, all is gone. Death is the great murderer; like a sweeping rain, despoils a man of all in this world at once. But what says Paul? Phil. 1:21, 'To me to die is gain.'
So a good soul looks upon the thing in itself. And oh! that I had assurance, that I might account it so for me; yet such it is in his estimation, in his hopes, though not in his particular confidence. Oh, says he, I heartily value the things of that world, so as that I would not care if I were well there; this wife, these good houses, children, credit, honours, what will they do me? Whom have I, in affection, in heaven but thee? In earth I have too many harlotry things which draw away my heart from thee. Oh, would I were with thee, and in thy bosom! So he prays and sighs. And why is this? Because the true treasure thy heart values is laid up there, and there is an enduring substance. And then says the heart, If I die, I should go and receive all my bills of exchange, into which all the comforts I have had first or last have been one way or other turned. I shall meet with every prayer, tear, sigh, groan, and have all mine afflictions returned me with infinite advantage. 'To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.'
Again, I shall add, What dost thou endeavour to add to daily?
Therein lies the gains, and that is thy treasure. It is in the test: What is a man's treasure, he will lay up, and be still adding to that heap.
For a treasure lies in an abundance which a man seeks to heap up; whereas of other things lie only provides so much as barely serves his present use, as coals for firing, &c. Of the believing Corinthians Paul gives this testimony, and withal this motive, which he knew would take with their hearts: 2 Cor. 8:7, 'Therefore, as ye abound in everything, in faith, in utterance, in knowledge, and in your love to us; see that ye abound in this grace also.' Wherein lay the force of this exhortation, but that they accounted the graces of the Spirit their treasure? and so had a principle provoking them to abound in all sorts of them. The like exhortation you have, 1 Cor 15:58, 'Always abounding in the work of the Lord;' that is, in some good thing or
other that is for God, 'knowing your labour is not in vain;' for the more you abound, the more treasure you lay up in heaven. Consider, therefore, what heap thou art endeavouring to add unto as thy treasure. I do not say which of the heaps are bigger, thy good works or thy sins; but which heap is it thou seekest to add to, and to abound in? Dost thou go on recklessly to add sin to sin, Isa. 30:1, till the measure of thine iniquity is full? Thou and thy companions say (as Isa. 56), 'Come, to-day shall be as to-morrow,* and much more abundant.' Abundance of sin, and pleasure by sin, is that thou seekest; adding drunkenness to thirst, as (Deut. 29:19) Moses his phrase is; that is, a full satisfaction to every lust thou hast a mind to: if covetous, seekest to add land to land; if a scholar, notion to notion; but neglectest, yea, valuest not to add grace to grace, one good prayer to another, as Peter exhorts, 2 Peter 1:5. Dost thou give all diligence to add grace to grace, to that end that you may be rich in faith, James
2:5, rich in good works, in good speeches, good thoughts, as accounting these your treasure? Then God is the chief portion and treasure. And this by so much the more as thou hast formerly added sin to sin. And if thou sayest, Alas, my lusts abound, and deadness and unfruitfulness; well, but then thou aboundest in complaints hereof, and addest complaint to complaint; and it makes thy life bitter to thee, as a sorer vanity than any Solomon instanceth in.
Again, What times of thy life dost thou look upon as lost time, or else as most precious and gainful to thee? Days of greatest receipts of what is one's treasure, ho reckons his best days. A man counts that time lost, in which what he principally intends goes not forward. A scholar that makes haste to be rich in knowledge, as others to be rich in estates, looks upon times that conscience puts him upon holy duties in, as interruptions, which he thinks much at, as impediments to his main end. So of the Sabbath; when will it be gone? as they in the prophet; or, as the heathens scoffed the Jews, that they lost the seventh part of their lives. Dost thou so? It is because thou makest not God, nor the things of God, thy treasure. What made David account 'one day in God's house better than a thousand'? Ps. 84:10.
What makes one day better than another, but that gain which the day