Booklii. THE GOSPEL COMPARED .TO A TREASURE. s8r METAPHOR. IV. Treafure is much fought after with great Care and Pains; and when obtained, Men are very loath eo part with it. PARAtLEL. IV. What Pains did the holy Men of old ule; in feeking after a Dili:overy of the Truth of the Gofpel, and of the Things therein contained ! And what a Cloud of WitneJfes are there, who rather than they would part with this Treafure, parted with their Lives, and all they had. V. Treafure is ufually kept in fome firong or fen1re Place, to the end it may be fafely prcferved. V. So the Word and Gofpel of God hath been preferved in the woril: of Times, when the great Defign of Men and Devils hath been to defhoy or corrupt it: 'Thy Word have I hid in mine Heart, Pfa!. cxix. I 1. VI. Treafure fometimes figni– lies Srore and P lenty of good Things, Prov. xv. 6. V1. There are Store ofgood Things held forth in the Gofpel, viz. Chrifl:, Grace, Glory, and every good Thing elfe, with him and by him. VII. Much Treafure makesMen great and honorable in the World. VII. Faith in the Gofpel raifeth to great Ha– nor. 0 ! what Dignity arifeth from that noble Binh that is from above! until which, how mean and difgraceful an Object is fallen Man! VIJI. Treafure will carry a Man a great way, in and through great Scraits, Afflictions, Sorrows, and Suffcrings. VlJI. So the Gofpel and the Grace of it, 0 how far, and through what Difficulties will it carry a Man! With what Contentment have Chrifl:ians behaved themfelves in the Wane of all outward Enjoyments, having had a little of this Treafure! M E T A P I-I 0 R. 1. ALL Treafures here, be they ever fo rich or rare, yet they are but earthly, or from the Earth. II. E arthly Treafures are cor– ruptible, and many Times are fpoiled; they become worth little or nothing, L ay not ttp '.Treafure on Earth, where Moth and Rvjf doth corrupt, Matt. vi. zo. &c. Ili. Earthly Treafures, though they may go far, and fupply many bodily W ants, yet they cannot fupply Soul·wants. IV. The Poor have but little of worldly Treafure, and therefore it is they are accounted poor; it is moftly in the Hands of the great Men of the Earth. V. Men by their natural Care and lnduftry may gee worldly Trea– fure, and grow rich thereby. D 1 SPAR IT Y. I. BUT fuch is the Glory of the Gofpel, as chat it is a Treafure from Heaven, and of an heavenly Product and Extract. I!. Bm the Gofpel, and Grace thereof is a Treafure incorruptible, ic cannot pmrify, or be fpoiled; its Splendor and Glory is durable: But ofincorruptible,- the Word ofGod, which !iveth and abideth for ever, 1 Pet. i. 23. Ill. Bm the Gofpel, or Word of God, extend– eth to the Supply both of the Soul and Body. The Gofpel heard and received by Faith, makes' up a full Supply to the Soul of whatever it needs: .II4Y Godjha!!Juppf:y a!!your Wants, &c. Phi!. iv. 19. IV. Bur it is evident, that the Poor receive the Gofpel; and Janus faith exprefsly, that God bath choftn the Poor of this World, rich in Faith, &c. James ii. 5· The Poor of this World have gene– rally mofl: of this facred Treafure, and fa are the rich Men. V. No Man whatfoever, though ever fa world– ly wife, ingenious, careful and induftrious, in lay– ing our all his natural Parrs, can enrich himfelf with this facred Treafure: What haft thou which thou haft not received? VJ. Worldly Treafure may be taken away by Thieves, as well as eaten by Moths. VI. Bm the Gofpel is a Treafure that cannot be taken away by Thieves, nor can the Moth cor– rupt it; it is called the ever!afting Gojpe!, Lulee xii. 33· Rev. xiv•. 6. ' INFERENCES.
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