SERMON XXXvif. 527 end things to come areall yours; and there is nothing in time or eternity, which can come within the reach or notice, but in some of these senses shall subserve your interest, and turn to your advantage. This is the genuine sense, and this the true limita- tion of these words, all things are yours. The second thing proposed in this discourse, was to prove that notwithstanding the limited sense of these words, yet the true Christian has a richer treasure in them, than all the worldly wealth of the sinner. And without multiplying particulars the proof of it will sufficientlyappear in these four things ; I. The treasure of the meanest saint is vastly more large and extensive, than that of the richest sinner. Let the wicked man point to his heaps of money, andrun over the names of his farms and manors, and call himself the lord and masterof them all ; it is but a narrow and poor survey, that a few pieces of shin- ing earth can give us; or the fields that lie within the prospect of a mile or two, when compared with this vast and universal treasure, all things are yours! It is true, Christians, that you have not thecivil property and power over the earth, or the hea- vens; but you receive a divine advantage from all things, and that is more than the sinner can say concerning any one thing that hepossesses in the way of civil property. II. This treasure of the saints ismore secure, and more du- rable than any thing that a sinner enjoys; therefore the apostle calls the wealth of this world, uncertain riches, that cannot be trustedin; 1 Tim. vi. 17. Riches snake to themselves wings, and fly away asan eagle towards heaven ; Prov. xxiii. 5. and leave the owner poor and destitute : Many a wealthy man who flourished yesterday, in abundance of ease and plenty, may be stripped of all to-morrow, and want the common supports of nature. What possessions soever are built upon the foundations ofcivil property, may be taken away from the saint or the sinner, by robbing and plunder, by cheating and knavery, by inundations of water, or the rage of fire, or by the invasion of a foreign enemy, but the, beneficial interest that a christian has in all things is preserved to him by the covenant of grace. He maybe stripped of all earthly possessions, but the loss of his temporal estate shall turn to his real benefit, as well as thepossession of it. Losses and crosses, as well as plentyand peace, are numbered among the items of his inventory, and make up his treasure ; so that though the outward scenes of things on earth are perpetually changing, his real and everlasting treasure is the same ; for all things that appear in nature, that occur in present providence, or shall arise' in fu- ture ages, shall work for hisadvantage : Hèmay losemoney or lands as well as'e sinner ; butthat very loss shall turn to his gain. VOL. 5. M m
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