(2.) And for the servants of God, take Moses and St VauL What was the judgment of Moses ? In comparison, the worst things that can be in Christ and religion are better than the best things that can be in the world. What are the worst things ? Shame and reproach, together with poverty, and the like; but the 'reproach of Christ,' which is most insuli'erable to the disposition of one that is a man ; but the rebukes of Christ are greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt. Nay, Moses balanceth them ; he layeth the reproach of Christ in one scale, and the treasures of Egypt in the other, and the reproaches of Christ is the heavier scale, Heb. xii. 26. Take St Paul, Phil. iii. 7, 8. He puts into one scale all his excellencies whatsoever he had. He was a Jew ' of the tribe of Benjamin,' 'without reproof,' ' as to the law blameless ;' after he was a Christian, he had excellent graces, abundance of the Spirit of God. No man, next to Christ, discovered a greater portion of the Spirit of Christ ; and yet, not only ' I did ' before my being in Christ, account of my Pharisaism, and righteousness of the law and civil life, but note, ' I do,' when I am well ad%'ised what I say, I do ' doubtless esteem all dung in comparison of the excellency of the know- ledge of Jesus Christ, and to be found in him, not having mine own right- eousness, but the righteousness of Christ.' A/a rh U'lrsoi-^ov r^g y^uSBUJi XpistoZ ' IriSoij Tov liu^iov /jLov. That is the jewel of jewels; the treasure of trea- sures ; for thereby we come to have infused righteousness. Imputed is the most useful, and therefore the apostle so esteems that, that in regard of it he esteemed the other nothing, and thinks he hath not done enough till he hath set disgraceful terms upon it, calling it dung, offal, that which is cast to dogs.'" He will suffer the loss of all righteousness, reputation, and all, that he may gain Christ. Thus, if we believe the judgment of God, and of men led by the Spirit, and of Christ, we must needs judge this an excellent treasure.
Use. Therefore let us labour to have our parts and shares in this excellent treasure of Christ, and the good things of Christ ; to give no rest to our souls till we have union and communion with him, in whom ' all treasures are hid,' Col. ii. 3. Get the Spirit of Christ, whence all graces and com- forts be derived ; what will all other treasure do good, when w'e stand most in need ? When we lie gasping for comfort, as we must ere long, what will friends and possessions do good ? what will these farther you,
* ffxviSaXa quasi X'JSijSaXov — Suidas. Intestinumqnodcanibusnhjicitur. — Lapide. Significat id quod cniues aversantur.— ^anc/tJMS in loc. Excrementum. — G.
2 COniNTHIANS CHAP. IV, VEK. G. 347
■svben you go s'^elliug and puffing against God's ministers, and truth, and them that be better than yourselves — What will they do you good that thus leave you ? Alas ! nothing at all. It will only fill your souls with despair and horror. The knowledge of God in Christ, and the Spirit of God to seal it, and to sanctify hard hearts, is the only thing that will com- fort us. It will not comfort a man on his deathbed, that he hath worn gay apparel, or been acquainted with great persons, or borne so high a place, or tasted of so many dainties. Alas ! when he rcflecteth on these things, what good will they do ? This will do him good ; I remember such pro- mises, such comforts, such precious mercies, that have been unfolded to me ; the work of God's Spirit in me hath led me to such and such holy actions, as the fruits of his Spirit. I remember Christ hath been unfolded to me, that I might cast myself on his mercy. These things may comfort, but other things may be objects of discomfort, but comfort they can yield none. I beseech you, let us consider wherefore we came into the world, and wherefore God hath given men great parts. "We are sent as factors* into the world to trade, being all merchants. And what do we trade for ? For this commodity that we should carry to heaven with us, that we may go stored to heaven with them. If a merchant send a factor into a foreign, country, and he bring nothing but baubles and trifles, can he give a good account to him that sent him ? Doth God send us into the world to get a great deal of ' hard clay,' Hab. ii. 6, and of ill-gotten goods for pleasures, and to deify ourselves and others, to make ourselves much more the children of the devil than we are by nature ? No. We are factors for great matters, to get the knowledge of God in Christ, to get near acquaintance with God, to get out of the state of nature, to get near to heaven ; these be the ends wherefore we live in the world. This earth and this church of God is a fit place, a seminary, a nursery, wherein we grow, and are fitted to be trans- planted to the heavenly paradise. Wherefore do v/e live, and wherefore doth God give these excellent parts by nature ? Is our understanding to exercise itself in the dirt of the world ? Is this heart, these wills, and affections given to cleave to baser things than ourselves ? Hath he given love, so sweet, so large an affection, to cleave to things below ? — which is capable of Christ, of heaven, of happiness. These excellent capacious souls of ours, which the world cannot contain, are they for anything that is meaner than ourselves ? Oh no. They serve for Christ, and for these excellent treasures. Oh that we should forget the end of our creation, redemption, live here, and labour not for the things which we live in the world only to attain to but let the devil abuse us ! As they catch whales, with casting empty barrels about them to play withal, so while we be playing about this and that vanity, we are made a prey to Satan. How few live to that pur- pose for which they are ! Few fit themselves for their eternal condition, by heaping up comforts from these things, which may be true comforts. Lay these things to heart, that we may be wise to piu'pose, wise to salva- tion. This is our wisdom and our understanding.