2. If Jesus Christ be all, then make sure of Christ ; never leave trading in ordinan- ces, till you have gotten this pearl of price. In Christ there is the accumulation of all good things ; O then let not your souls be quiet, till this bundle of myrrh lie between your breasts ! Cant. i. 13. In other things we strive for property, — this house is mine, these jewels are mine, — and why is not this Christ mine? There are only two words which will satisfy the soul. Deity and property : q}iid est Deus, non est mens ? saith Austin. What was it better for the old world they had an ark, as long as they did not get into the ark ? And that I may persuade all to get Christ, let me shew you what an enriching blessing Christ is.
(1.) Christ is a supreme good ; put what you will in the balance with Christ, he doth infinitely outweigh. Is life sweet ? Christ is better. He is the life of the soul. Col. iii. 4., " his loving-kindness, is better than life," Ps. Ixiii. 3. Are relations sweet? Christ is better. He is the friend that " sticks closer than a brother."
(2.) Christ is a suilicient good; he who hath Christ, needs no more ; he who hath the ocean, needs not the cistern. If one had a manuscript that contained all man- ner of learning in it, having all the arts and sciences, he need look in no other book, so he that hath Christ, needs look no further. Christ gives grace and glory, Ps. Ixxxiv. 11. The one to cleanse us, the other to crown us ; as Jacob said, " It is enough, Joseph my son is yet alive," Gen.
xlv. 28. So he that hath Christ, may say, it. is enough, Jesus is yet alive.
(3.) Christ is a suitable good; in him dwells all fulness. Col. i. 19. He is what- ever the soul can desire, &c. Christ is i beauty to adorn, gold to enrich, balm to heal, bread to strengthen, wine to comfort, salvation to crown ; if we are in danger, Christ is a shield ; if we are disconsolate, he is a sun ; he hath enough in his ward- robe abundantly to furnish the soul.
(4.) Christ is a sanctifying good, he makes every condition happy to us, he sweetens all our comforts, and sanctifies all our crosses.
1. Christ sweetens all our comforts; he turns them into blessings ; health is bless- ed ; estate is blessed, relations are blessed. Christ's love is as the pouring sweet water on flowers, which makes them cast a more fragrant perfume. A wicked man cannot have that comfort in outward things which a godly man hath ; he may possess more, but he enjoys less ; he who hath Christ may say, this mercy is reached to me by the hand of my Saviour, this is a love-token from him, an earnest of glory.
2. Christ sanctifies all our crosses, they shall be medicinal to the soul ; they shall work sin out, and work grace in. God's stretching the strings of his viol, is to tune it, and make the music better : Christ sees to it that his people lose nothing in the fur- nace but their drossy impurities.
(5.) Christ is a rare blessing, there are but iew that have him ; the best things when they grow common, begin to be slighted ; when silver was in " Jerusalem as stones," 1 Kings x. 27., it was apt to be trod upon ; Christ is a jewel that iew are enriched with, which may both raise our esteem of him, and quicken our pursuit after him ; those to whom God hath given both the Indies, he hath not given them Christ ; they have the fat of the earth, but not the dew of heaven ; and among us Pro- testants, many who hear of Christ, but few that have him. Read Luke iv. 25. There are manv in this citv who have Christ sounded in their ears, but few who have Christ ft)rmed in their hearts. O how should we labour to be of this few ! They who are Christians, should be restless.
CHRIST ALL IN ALL.
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(6.) Christ is a select choice good. God shews more love in giving us Christ, than in giving us crowns and kingdoms, (iod may give us other things, and li;ite us ; but in giving Christ to a man, he gives him the blessings of the throne. What though others have a crutch to lean on, if thou hast a Christ to lean on ? Abraham sent away the sons of the concubines with gifts, but * he gave all he had to Isaac,' Gen. xxv. God may send away others with a little gold and silver ; but if he gives thee Christ, he gives thee all that ever he hath ; for *' Christ is all, and in all."
(7.) Christ is such a good, as without which nothing is good ; without Christ health is not good, it is fuel for lust ; riches are not good, they are golden snares ; ordinances are not good, though they are good in themselves, yet not good to us, — they profit not, — they are as breasts with- out milk, as bottles without wine, — nay, they are not only a dead letter, but a sa- vour of death; without Christ, they will damn us ; for want of Christ, millions go loaded to hell with ordinances.