Reasons for the degree of our love.
1. From the worth of the word, the reward, and those benefits that are gotten by studying and obeying it ; they exceed worldly things, as will appear, because the one suits with our bodily necessities, the other with our spiritual. Our bodily necessities are supplied by gold, our spiritual necessities by grace. Gold will not comfort a distressed conscience, no more than nosegay flowers a condemned man. Quod si dolentem, tfec, saith Horace : Frov. xi. 4, ' Riches avail not in the day of wrath.' The one renders us acceptable to men, the other to God. The world knovv-eth all things after the flesh ; they measure men by splendour and pomp of living ; but it is grace that God approveth most, and accepteth most. Grace is of great price in the sight of God : 1 Feter iii. 4, ' But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.' The one much embaseth our nature ; it is something more vile than us, therefore that affection is debased. But grace always ennobletli our nature, and is something above us. A greater affection is due to things above us than to things beneath us. Tlie one is useful to us in via, the other hi 'patria. Surely that which is of eternal use and comfort to us is better than that which is only of a temporal use. In our passage to heaven, we need gold and silver for the supply of our bodily necessities, and the support of outward life, so far as we have to do in the world ; but with respect to the world to come, gold doth nothing ; there we leave our wealth behind us, but our works follow us. Our treasui'e we quit when we die, but our grace we carry with us. Once more ; the price by which things may be purchased showeth the worth of them. Wisdom is of so great a ])rice, that all the treasures of the world cannot j)urchase it : Job xxviii. 15-20, ' It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof ; it cannot be valued with llie gold of Ophir, with
VeR. 127] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 317
the precious onyx, or the sapphire ; the gold and the crystal cannot equal it, and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gokl : no mention shall be made of coral or of pearls ; for the price of wis- dom is above rubies : the topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.' What cannot money do in the world ? yet it can do nothing as to the procuring of grace. The apostle telleth us this is a dear-bought blessing: 1 Peter i. 18, 19, ' Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversations, received by tradition from your fathers ; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish, and without spot.' To despise the favour of God, the image of God, is to despise the price that was paid for these things, to have lessening thoughts of the blood of Christ. To conclude ; those we count lesser'^ gifts which we bestow upon friends than upon enemies. A man would give meat and drink unto enemies when they hunger and thirst ; but other gifts of a greater value to friends and relations. God giveth his Christ, his Spirit, his grace to his friends, children, servants ; but corn and wine and oil, these he giveth promiscuously, yea, to his enemies a larger portion. Surely, then, these are better than gold. Our love should be according to the value of things.
2. Because if the word be not preferred before earthly things, it is not received with any profit and good effect. Christ saith, ' He that loveth anything more than me, is not worthy of me,' Mat. x, 37. He that studieth to please his friends rather than Christ, or to gratify his interest more than his conscience, within a very little while his Christianity will be worth nothing. It is not a simple love, but a greater love that we show to worldly things : Mat. xiii. 4-i-A6, ' Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field, the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant-man seeking goodly pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.' We must part with all, rather than miss of his grace, all that is pleasant and profitable, renounce all other things. When Christ propounds his terms, he would have us surrender all to his will and pleasure • Luke ix. 23, ' If any man*" will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.' He must not avoid the cross by sinful shifts : we are ready to do so every day. Tliese are the necessary terms, else we are not fit for the master's use: 2 Tim. ii. 21, 'If any man therefore purge himself from these, lie shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.'