10 FIRST SERMON He hath a book of remembrance written before him, for them that fear him, and think upon his name ; " And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels, and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him," Mal. iii. 6. 17. Here is a climax and gradation of arguments drawn from love. In a great fire, and devouring trouble, (such as is threatened, chap. iv. 1.) property alone is a ground of care ; a man would willingly save and secure that which is his own, and of any use unto him ; but if you add unto this, pre- ciousness, that increaseth the care. A man will make hard shift to deliver a rich cabinet of jewels, though all his ordinary goods and utensils should perish. But of all jewels, those which come out of the body are much more precious than those which only adorn it. Who would not rather snatch his child than his casket or purse out of a flame : relation works not only upon the affection, but upon the most tender feelings of the heart, Jer. xxxi. 20. And lastly, the same excellency that the word jewel adds unto the word mine; the same excellency service adds unto the word son. A man hath much conflict in himself to take off his heart from an undutiful son. Never was there a worse son than Absalom, and yet how did David give charge to the commanders to have him spared ! How inquisi- tive after his safety ! How passionately and unseason- ably mournful upon the news of his death ! But if any child be more a jewel than another, certainly it is a dutiful child, who hath not only an interest in our love by nature, but by obedience. All these grounds of care and protection for God's people in trouble are here expressed property, they are mine ; preciousness, they are jewels, treasures, ornaments unto me ; relation, they are sons ; usefulness, they are sons that
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