Wharſoever belongeth ro the Kingdom of God, whether the Word , which is called the Word of the Kingdom , or the Grace and Fxwour of God, which he by me diſpenſerh our under the Admi- niſtr.ation of the Goſpel, # like; thar is ; ſhould be adjudged, eſteemed, and uſed like as Treaſure hidden in a Field. Men ſhould do by ir, as they would do upon the diſcovery of a great Sum of 3/ſmey buried up in the Earth in ſome Field , not yer their own. Suppoſe a Man had made ſome ſuch difcovery , what would he do ? He would rejoyce at it, he would hide it, he would ſell all he had, and buy that Field; ſo ſhould Men do to whom there is a Revel.ztion of rhe Goſpel, and the Grace there- of. They ſhould inwardly rejovce in the Revelation, and bleſs God tor ut ; and whatever it coſt them, labour rhar they might be made partakers of that Grace. Earthly Voſſeſſimms cannor be had wirhour purchaſing ; and thoſe who have not Ready-money ro Purchaſe wich, muſt raiſe ic from the Sale of ſomething which they have; therefore our Labour for the Kingdom of Heaven , is ſer out under the Notion of Byying. Bur the Propher , Iſa. 55: 1. 2. lets us know that it 15 a Buying without Money , and without Price : However, there 1s ſome Refemblance, for as in Buying and Selling there 1s a parting with ſomerhing thar is ours, in ex- chanze for ſomething which 1s anothers; fo in order to the obtaining of the Grace of the Goſpel , and the Kingdom of Glory, to which the Remiſſin of Sins leadeth, we muſt part wich ſomething in order co the obtaining of ir. We have no Ready-money ; no- rhing by us that is a Quid pro qu2, a Valuable Price for Divine Grace ; we muſt therefore part with ſomething that we have, and ir 15 no matter what it be which God requireth. Where this Piicrvery is made, the Soul will part with all it hath; nor only irs of Heart, its unlawful Deſires and Luſts; bur irs Riches, Honours, Pleaſares, it he can by no other means obtain the Kingdom of Heaven; that it may obrain it, they are all of no value to it: Nor 1s it atall neceſſary in order to Byying,that the thing parred with be of a proportionable Value. Amongſt Men, Wedges of Gold have been purchaſed for Knives and Rartles, &4c. Nor doth aay thing we can part with that we may obtain the Kingdom of Heaven, bear any better Proportion ; yer it 1s a Buying, becauſe it is what God is pleaſed to accept; and upon the parting with, gives us this Heavenly Kingdom. |
45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, ſeeking goodly pearls :
45 Who when he had found one pearl of great price, he went und ſold all that he had, and bought it.
St MATITHE WV.
the Houſe of !
The State of the Goſpel-Diſpenſation is ſuch , that Men ;n : having a Diſcovery of more excellent things , than before tf 5 were aware of, Life and Immortality being brought to Light ers: the Goſpel, 2 Tim. 1, 10. Grace? and Truth coming by Feſus __ Foh, 1. 17. Men and Women are fer upon ſeeking for 4, Spiricual things,as Merchants do tor goodly Pearls; and when o 1 makes a diſcovery of Chri8?, and his Grace to the Soul, it ; : ro them as a Pearl of great Price, of more Value than all they =”
in the World ; and they are ready to part with all , to ob+4; 5,42, Chriſt and his Grace. Both theſe Paratles haye the CR - and Tendency, viz. to inform us, 1. That Chriſt and his Grace OY are of a great and tranfcendent Value, 2, That under "ng J Goſpel, there 1s a clear Diſcovery of theſe things to the World 3. Thar where this Diſcovery 1s effettually and particularly mage th co any Soul, that Soul will part wich all it hath, or is werth, rather | chan it will miſs of Chrift and his Grace and Glory. ; C 47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a w net that was caſt into the ſea, and gathered of every | T kind : : | 4's 48 Which when it was full, they drew to ſhore, | wi and fat down, and gathered the good into velitls 2 he but caſt the bad away. -.. 49 Solhall it beat the end of the world: the angels _ {hall come forth,and * ſever the wicked fromthe juſt, *c, . or 50 And ſhall caſt them into the furnace of hire: 3 © Pre * there ſhall be wailing and gnaſhing of teeth. £ vr Nis The Scope of this Parable is much the ſame with that of the "I <q . d
T.res; to reach us, that whilſt the Church 1s in this World, there