*

may digest strong meat, though he carve for himself. One leaf of the Bible was in Luther's account worth a world, much more all a Christian's treasure whereby he is enabled to improve Scriptures. Histories and tradition tell us of some good Christians, who in dark times having got a few leaves of the Bible, run with them into a corner, and either read themselves or hired others to read, whereby they received incredible comfort and profit, and arrived at a high degree of knowledge and courage. So likewise the souls of God's children may seek and see God's face in private communion of saints, in conference, prayer, and praise; God may make it a make it a happy exchange to them; the private lesser glass of secret duties may represent God as clearly to the eye of their souls, as the broad glass of public ordinances. I speak not this to derogate from public ordinances; they are to be preferred when God grants liberty; and when God withdraws them, the want of open vision is much to be lamented. We are to be sorrowful for the breaking up of solemn assemblies, and mourn sore when the gates of Zion mourn. † But this I mean, when by persecution public teachers are driven into corners, then the Lord may supply that want to his children some other way. Lest, however, this be condemned as novelty, I shall express it in the words of a learned author. ‡ Buchanan asks the question, "What shall they do that want the opportunity of frequenting the public ordinances ?" He answers, "Such must travel abroad, and seek far and near for them, but if they cannot find them, they must exercise themselves in religious duties at home; because," saith he, "the kingdom of God is within them, and because the word without the sacrament may be the power of Heb. v. 14. + Zeph. iii. 18. Lam. i. 4. Institut. Theol. De Sacram. loc. 46, page 601.

God to salvation." And he further adds, "That the faithful can never be without the matter and marrow of a sacrament, though they may be compelled to want the visible sign." * Oh what a blessed thing it is to have a principle of grace, and this blessed treasure! It is surely worth something to have light and plenty, in a time of darkness and scarcity.

6. Consider this benefit of a heavenly treasure in the heart of a Christian, that every thing turns to the increase of his stock. It is the strange, attractive property of this treasure, that it will fetch from all things to fill it up, and make it greater. Like fire, it will turn every thing into its own nature. It is a divine alembic, † that can extract pure spirits out of all things, according to that catholic promise in Rom. viii. 28, "We know that all things work together for good," prosperity and adversity, riches and poverty, renown, and ignominy, thraldom and liberty, sickness and health, success and disappointment, satanical suggestions, violent temptations and victorious conquests, all work for good; yea, some extend this also to corruptions, yet these but accidentally, or being managed by the constant care of a wise, gracious and able physician ; as poison may be turned into a remedy, † or, as they say, "the drinking of that wine wherein a viper hath been drowned cureth the leprosy;" even thus, God can so husband even the breakings in of temptation, and breakings out of corruption as to make them turn to good, being an occasion of deeper humiliation; a rope to bring down the topsails of spiritual pride; a spur to promote a holy jealousy and watchfulness, and a means to work in the soul charity and sympathy towards

Re sacramenti nunquam destituuntur fideles, etiamsi visibilibus signis carere cogantur.

+ A Still.

Venenum aliquando pro remedio fuit.-Sen.

others, to alienate our hearts from this sinning, weary world, to endear our hearts to God for pardoning grace, and to make us long for a sinless state in glory. These and such like ends and uses God hath and makes of sin, or else he would not suffer this dead body, or rather "body of death," to haunt the souls of living saints. Our wise God raised a stately structure over the ruins of Adam's fall, or he had never suffered it. God doth his servants good by their sins; this uncouth experiment made good Mr. Fox to say, "That his graces did him most hurt, and his sins most good." A strange paradox, but a gracious soul knows what this means, that hath many a time by divine assistance, fetched heaven out of hell, light out of darkness, sweet advantages from sad miscarriages. Sometimes the Christian can say, I had sinned, except I had sinned, the furthest way about hath proved the nearest way home, God hath suffered me to break my bones by falling, that he might set them more strongly. "We cannot go to heaven," saith an experienced divine,*" by Geometry, we must fetch a compass by the gates hell, and hear what news with Satan, ere we be duly humbled, or can relish the promises aright." Yet mistake not, no thanks to sin or Satan for this, but to free grace, that orders all things for the best; nor let any adventure upon sin with such a conceit, for this were to "sin that grace may abound;" that is the devil's logic and dangerous presumption. But when the Christian hath fallen thus, the Lord helps him to improve his falls for spiritual good; but much more all dispensations of providence, sweet and severe; if it go well with the treasured soul, it is drawn nearer to God by these cords of love; if ill, it is whipped further from sin and the world by these scourges of anger. He can Mr. Capel, on Tempt. page 234.

of

fetch a good crop of spiritual fruit out of the barren heath of a wilderness condition. If from outward poverty he get this advantage, to be "poor in spirit," it is a rich gain, and worth a mine of gold; and so of other afflictions. The north wind is sharp and piercing, the south wind soft and cherishing, but both blow good to the Christian, and make his spices flow out, or graces break forth into lively exercises.-Cant. iv. 16. Yet further, this treasure doth in a sort consecrate all states, so that let a man have more or less, he hath a sufficient treasure if he have this treasure within; "godliness with contentment" is not only enough," but gain," yea "great gain;" it seasons all things. That man hath nothing that wants this-that man who hath this wants nothing. Wicked men may have much, but godly men have all things. When Jacob and Esau complimented each other about the present which Jacob sent to pacify his angry brother, Esau said, "I have enough my brother," Jacob also said, "I have enough;" but in the Hebrew, Esau said, “I have much," † and Jacob saith, "I have all,” or “all things are to me," intimating that Jacob's treasure was far beyond his brother's, even as the whole is more than the part. There is a secret blessing attends this hidden treasure, which gives content with want or abundance, and if God see good he will increase the store. However, a saint's modicum, or little, amounts to more than wicked men's multum, or large revenues, as the word of truth testifies.-Psalm xxxvii. 16.

*

7. This treasure is safe, it is well locked up, and cannot be lost, Phil. i. 6, " being confident of this very

Habet omnia qui habet habentem omnia.

+ Gen. xxxiii. 9, 11. 27 multum est mihi.

.sunt mihi omnia יש לי כל :

thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." It is true, an external profession, and mental accomplishments may be lost, but sincere saving graces shall not be lost. It is also true, a saving treasure may be obscured, but cannot be destroyed; yea, it may be diminished, but is never totally wasted. The infinite Jehovah is the keeper of Israel. He that is the portion of your cup, will maintain your lot. * It is not so much the truth, nor yet the strength of grace that keeps you from falling, but it is God only who alone is able to keep you from falling, and who supports the weak Christian. Received grace will not preserve without assisting grace; faith as a habit, will not carry on the soul to death, or through-death, but we are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation.-1 Pet. i. 5. The power of God, as the efficient cause,-faith, as the the instrument; God keeps faith, and faith keeps the soul steadfast. They that have Mary's part and Mary's spirit, shall never be poor; God will fulfil the desires of them that fear him, and will likewise fill the hearts of his saints with a rich treasure. My God," saith Paul, "shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."-Phil. iv. 19. It is a mighty full expression, and refers to all want, spiritual, as well as corporeal. Our heavenly father gives his travelling children a sufficient stock to bear their charges through the world, and discharge every debt of duty to God and man, in some measure of sincerity. This is that twopence with which the good Samaritan furnished the wounded man, † as some allegorize. It is true, some saints live at a high rate, in great expence, in costly duties, but this very chargeable living in high and hard exercises, and efforts of self-denial, do much increase + Luke x. 35.

Psal. xvi. 5.

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