3. The reasons why they rejoice more in the way of God's testi- monies than in all riches.
[1.] Because of the suitableness of these things to the new nature. Everything hath a kind of joy when it enjoys that which is good for it. The ground doth pleasantly receive a shower of rain after drought ; the natural man eateth and drinketh, and his heart is filled with glad- ness ; so the spiritual man is aflected with that which is agreeable to the divine nature. Everything is preferred according to the suitable- ness and projDortion which it carrieth to our necessities and desires. The cock in the fable preferred a barleycorn before a jewel ; the barley- corn is more suitable to its natural appetite. So believprs have ' not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God," 1 Cor. ii. 12;
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therefore the way of God's testimonies is more suitable and proportion- able to that nature which they have. Their wealth and worldly things they indeed suit with the sensitive nature, but that is kept under, there- fore the prevalent inclination is to the word more than to the world.
[2.] There is nothing in the enjoyment of worldly things, but they have it more amply in the exac test and sincerest way of enjoyment by the word, and walking in the way of its precepts. Satan's baits whereby he leads men to sin are pleasure and profit ; when bonum honestum, the good of honesty and duty, is declined, there remains nothing but honum titile et jucunduni, the good of pleasure and profit. If we be moved with these things, it is good to look there where we may have them at the highest rate and in the most sincere manner. Now, it is the word of God believed and obeyed which yieldeth us the greatest profit and the greatest pleasure. You have both in one verse : Ps. xix. 10, ' More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold : sweeter also than the honey and the honeycomb.' Because of the profit it is compared to gold, and because of the sweetness and pleasure we have by it, it is compared to honey.
The word of God will truly enrich a man and make us happy. The difference between God's people and others doth not lie in this, that the one seeketh after riches, the other not ; they both seek to enrich themselves ; only the one seeketh after false, and the other true riches, as they are called, Luke xvi. 11, and so differ from one another as we and the Indians do, who reckon their wealth by their wampenpeage, or shells of fishes, as we do ours by gold and silver ; the one hath litUe worth but what their fancies put upon it ; the other hath a value in nature. Or, to speak in a more home comparison, counters, glass beads, and painted toys please children more than jewels and things of greater price, yea, than land of inheritance, or whatever, when we come to man's estate, we value and is of use to us for the supply of present necessities. So worldly men, preferring their kind of wealth before holiness and the influences of grace, do but cry up baubles before jewels. To evidence this, and that we may beat the world with their own notions, and so the better defeat the temptation, let us con- sider what is the true riches.
1. What is indeed true riches.
2. AVhy these are the true riches. 1. What is indeed riches.
[1.] Gracious experiences or testimonies of the favour of God. He is a rich man indeed tliat hath many of these. So it is said, Rom. X. 12, God is ' rich to all that call upon him ;' it is meant actively, not passively ; it only noteth that God doth give out plentiful experi- ences of his grace.
[2.] Knowledge : ' Let the word of God dwell in you richly, in all wisdom,' Col. iii. 16. And the apostle mentions ' the riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ,' Col. ii. 2. This is a treasure in- deed, tliat cannot be valued ; and he is a very poor soul that wants it.
[3.] Faith : James ii. 5, * Hath not God chosen the poor of this Avorld, rich in faith?' He is a rich man that is emptied of himself that he mav be filled with God.
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[4.] Good works : 1 Tim. vi. 10, ' Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, &c., but rich in good works/ 0 miserable man ! that hath nothing to reckon upon but his monej' and his bags, so much by tlie year, and makes it all his business to live plentifully in the world, laying up nothing for heaven, and is not rich in gracious experiences, knowledge, faith, and good works, which are a Christian's riches !
2. Why are these the true riches ?
[1.] That is true riches which maketh the man more valuable, which gives an intrinsic worth to him, which wealth doth not that is without us. We would not judge of a liorse by the richness of his saddle and the gaudiness of his trappings ; and is man, a reasonable creature, to be esteemed by his moneys and lands, or by his graces and moral perfections ?