Keach - Houston-Packer Collection BS537 .K4 1779

s8o THE GOSPEL COMPARED TOA TREASURE. Book IJI. METAPHOR. IV. Dew comes down irrefi!li– bly ; who can flop or hinder the Dew from falling on the Earth ? PARALLEL. IV. Who can hinder or flop the Word from operating llpon the Sinner's Heart ? If God will work, who fhalllet ? My Word (hall not return to me in vain, it jhatl accomplijh that for which I Jent it, !fa. lv. It. V. Dew cloth ufually fall in the V. So theWord only comes upon Mens Hearts Night. like Dew, whiUl: the Night of this World conti- . . nues. In the State of Glory, the perfeCt Day, thts Dew wtll fall no more; no more Preachmg, nor Means of Grace will then be afforded to Sinners, neither will Saints have need of it: For when that which is perfect is come, then, and not ull then, will that which is in part be done away, Rom. xiii. MET AP H 0 R. I. DEW is not fuf!icient to water fome Ground, nor to make the new-mown Grafs to fpring and grow; that ne.eds a plentiful Rain. D IS PAR IT Y. I. THE Word of God is not only a Dew, that fweetly waters and refrefhes the tender Herbs; but alfo it is fuflicient to foak and well water the driell Ground: Hence it is compared to Rain, as you heard before. THE GOSPEL COMPARED TO A TREASURE.' But we have this 'l"reafure in Earthen Veffels, &c. 2 Cor. iv. 7· WE !hall firl1: !hew, that the Word and Gofptl of Chril1: is a Treafure, yea, moO: choice Treafure, though it be never fo much llighted by wicked Men. Secondly, We !hall run the Parallel, &c. Argu. r. That which is fet forth by the choicel1: and rarell: Things in the whole World, mull: needs be a Treafure: But the Gofpel is fet forth by the choicel1: and rare!l Things, as Gold, Silver, precious Stones, &c. therefore the Gofpel is a Treafure. 2. That which is of fuch Value, that its Worth cannot be known or computed, mull: needs be a Treafure: But the Gofpel is invaluable, Ergo, &c. 3· That by which the Grace and Love of God is communicated, mull needs ·be a Treafure, or that which is of great Worth: But the Gofpel is that by which the Grace and Love of God in Chril1: is communicated, Ergo, &c. 4· That which the beft, wifel1:, and holiel1: Men have e!leemed and prized above all earthly and worldly Things, muft needs be a Treafure: But fuch have fo prized the Gofpel, and Word of God, Ergo. Pfal. cxix. 14, 1 27. Jobxxiii. 12. 5· That which good and holy Men have died for, rather than to part with, muft needs be a Treafure, or that which is ofgreat Worth: But holy Men have rather chofen Death, than to deny or part with the Gofpel; Ergo. Phi/. i. 7· Heb. x. 29. and xi. 26. Acts xx. 24. 6. That which enriches all that really partake of ir, or enjoy it, mull needs be a Treafure: But the Gofpel doth fo, R•m. xi. 12. Ergo, &c. MET APH 0 R. I. RARE or excellent Treafure is more in Quality than ~antity, more in Worth than Shew. II. Treafure enrichetl1 thofe that have it. Ill. Treafure hath a great In– fluence upon the Hearts of the Sons of Men. PAR ALL EL. I. THE Gofpel is much in little; ir hath been of that Eaeem, that in the Time of its Scarcity, a Load of Hay bath been given for one Leaf of the Epi!lle of Jmnes in Englifh. See the Word of God compared to Light. II. So cloth the Gofpel. How many poor, miferable, wretched Men and Women h~ve not only been fupplied, as to their Need, but enriched thereby? III. So harh the Gofpel, through the Spirit; and therefore the Lip of Trmh faith, Wbere your 'Treafure is, there will your Heart be alfo, Jvfatt. vi. 2.r. IV. What

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=