The first use is for Examination, whither we have this Treasure.

Now for a more close application of this to our own soules: is it so, that a good treasure in the heart, is necessary to good expences in the life? then

1.It stands us all in hand to try our selves, and dig into our own hearts to see if we can finde a treasure there, both in respect of sincerity and degree of grace: Know it, You are beggarly soules unlesse you have truth of grace; gracelesse soules are the onely treasurelesse soules, and I fear there is more than a good many, that could never experimentally distinguish betwixt Nature and Grace, and therefore are encreasing guilt, and treasuring up wrath: O Christians! See whither you have the true Riches, try what proficiency you have made to grace, and in grace; you have long had a day of grace, and you must be accountable for all opportunities. Cheat not your selves with Counters instead of Gold; Bristol-stones may make as fair a shew as Pearls; true grace is a rare and rich Commodity. Thousands conceit to themselves a treasure, that are empty; Proud, conceited Professors are apt to boast of their attainments, whilest some self-denying humble soules, are apt to bear false-witnesse against themselves, by denying what they have: Salomon saith, There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing; there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches, Prov 13:7. Sounding Vessels are often empty, and stil-running waters are usually deep: Vapouring Tradesmen jingle their money in their hands, whilest sober Chapmen keep it in their Chests: You shal finde more of a Merchants goods in his Ware-house, than in his Shop-window. So it is with a sober, serious and judicious Christian: his glory and treasure is most within, whilest vain-glorious Mountebanks in Religion set all upon the Stage. I intreat you read those Books, that lay down marks of true grace, hear and attend the most heart-searching Ministry, take much pains in descending frequently into your own hearts, and the God of Heaven make you serious in a through search.#

More particularly, that I may help you in a discovery whether you have laid up a treasure of holy thoughts; flowing from truths, graces comforts, experiences. Ask, I beseech you your own hearts these four questions.

1.How came you by it?#

2.How do you value it?#

3.How do you use it?#

4.How do you increase it?#

1.Let me ask you, and do you ask your selves if you pretend to such a treasure, how you came by it? Men usually know how they get a treasure, the hand of the diligent maketh rich. Prov 10:4. i.e. the blessing of the Lord upon diligent endeavours, vers. 22. men that would be rich ply the oares, run to markets and faires, [Note 1] travel from City to City, to buy and sel and get gain, they travel by Sea and by Land, compassing the World to possess a smal portion of it: Why now, what do you in spirituals? Where are your thoughtful cares and painful hands? though labour wil not get this treasure ('tis a free gift) vet it will not be had without labour. Gods Ordinance must be honoured; 'tis the immtitable decree of Heaven since the fall: In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread, [Note 2] yea this holds good for the Soul. John 6:27. Labour —for that meat which endureth to everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you: mark it, Mans endeavours are very consistent with Gods free-grace, and Christs dear purchase. God will be found in his own way, he ordinarily conveys the first grace, in and by his own institutions, but seldome shall a soul grow up to a treasure without a long trading in the royal exchange of holy duties, and diligence hath the promise of increase. Mark 4:24.—And unto you that hear, shall more be given: Well sirs, hath the care of your hearts put labour into your hands, and travel into your feet, to repair to the Markets and Faires of publick, private and secret performances, to get a solid treasure? have you both digged and begged for it? where is your sweat and ageny? hath Jesus Christ sweat blood to fit you for Heaven, and have not you gone through a bloody sweat to get interest in him? and possession of his grace? Oh the pangs of conscience, and sad pantings of a convinced sinner to obtain a portion in these riches of grace! [Note 3] never did a poor labourer royle so hard for his days wages as an humbled soul to be filled with Christ: a treasure of money is got with sweat and blood; or to be obtained of almes with weary steps, and loud cries: but if thou beest too idle to dig, and too proud to beg, thou art without a treasure, and maist pine away in everlasting poverty.#

2.How do you value this treasure? Where the treasure is, there will the heart be also. Matt 6:21. The thoughts, cares, affections will center upon a Mans treasure, for he accounts his treasure the best thing he hath; yea worth all his other possessions; no Man would willingly part with his treasure. As Naboth did tenaciously adhere to his haereditary possession: [Note 4] the wise Merchant parts with all to purchase this: Paul accounted his gain to be no better than loss for Christ, nay it stunk like dung and Dogs-meat in comparison of his sweet and satisfying Saviour: all the World is a Christians prejudice, when it obstructs or obscures the grace of Christ: Is it thus with your souls? do you account your spiritual portion your only riches? the truth is, the riches of the soul, and the riches in the soul, are the very soul of riches: [Note 5] I confess that's a meretricious love, that prizeth receits from Christ more than the Person of Christ! but here I understand Jesus Christ to be the marrow and treasure of this treasure, and all these as insuring evidences of interest in him: for all that the soul hath is wrapt up in him, well then, let me pose the most dark and doubting (if sincere) Christian, what faist thou, poor soul, wouldst thou quit thy share in Christ and spiritual treasures, for a Crown and Kingdome? wouldst thou not answer, no? wouldst thou cast away thy trembling hopes of acceptance with God, to be delivered from the infamy, poverty and persecution that attends the powerful profession of Christianity, that thou maist live in honour, pleasure, & worldly delights? surely thou wouldest answer, no: wouldest thou change thy present, low, afflicted, and conflicting state with thy former carnal but confident condition, or with the pompous, prosperous state of graceless sinners? I dare say thou wilt answer, negatively; yet again, art thou not willing to part with thy dearest bosome-lust, and earthly enjoyment, for a true immortal treasure in Heaven, and in thy heart? I am confident an upright heart will answer, yes: And if I mistake not, this (if not only, yet chiefly this) is the very parting point betwixt a sound Christian, and a rotten-hearted hypocrite, the one chooseth Martha's many things, the other Mary's one thing needful: this is indeed a discriminating note, for a gracious soul will cry out, none but Christ, none but Christ, give me Christ, [Note 6] or else I die, give me Christ, and I shall live: Christ is my life, my crown, my joy, my all, if I may have him I have enough, without him I have nothing: when one asked Alexander where his treasure was, he answered, where Hephestion my faithful friend is, just so wil a good soul say: [Note 7] Christ is the chiefest of ten thousands. I prize him above my life, who loved me unto the death; I account that of great value that doth evidence my interest in him: As the Mari-gold opens to the Sun in the Firmament, so doth the heart of a sincere Christian to the Sun of Righteousness; take an instance of Moses, who chose the bitterest Cup of affliction, rather than the sugared cup of sensual pleasures, that he might enjoy Jesus Christ: see Heb 11:25,#

26.Observe the strange disparity that appeares to carnal reason in that choice: on the one side there was suffering, on the other injoying, affliction on the one hand, pleasures on the other, the despised people of God were companions on one side, ruffling Gallants in Pharaoh's Court on the other, yet on the one side it was for a season, on the other but for a season, and that But, cast the scales in his choice: those were pleasures, but treasures may prevail; the last yet not the least of Satans assaults of Christ, [Note 8] no, good Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Aegypt: the worst of Christ is better than the best of the World: the noble Marquess Galeacius Caracciolus, in imitation of him, being tempted with large offers to depart from Zion to Babylon, resolutely replyed, Let their money perish with them that account all the treasures of the World worth one houres communion with Jesus Christ: if all the Mountains were gold, the Rocks Pearles, and the whole World stuffed with the sweetest delights of the Sons of Men, and these offered to the Christian to be his proper inheritance for ever, he would with an holy scorn trample upon them, and look on them as not worth one glance of his eye, in comparison of one taste of the love of Christ, and a grain of saving grace in his Heaven-born soul: But a carnal heart sees no such beauty in Christ, wherefore he should be so desired, nor is he taken with the comeliness and excellency of grace, a sad yet lively embleme whereof we have in the hopeful young Gentleman that bade fair for Heaven, yet when he saw it would cost him so dear, [Note 9] as to part with all, he would rather go without it, than foregoe his estate for it: O sirs, this is a pinching point, look to it, this one mark wil discern betwixt joynt and marrow, and a day of tryal wil discover what you account a treasure.#

3.How do you use and improve this treasure? Habits of grace are no otherwise known but by their acts: what's a Man better for that he useth not? A talent of grace of the right stamp wil not be confined to a Napkin, though gifts may: exercising is as necessary and evidential, as having sincere grace: things that are not, and things that appear not, [Note 10] are both alike: He is a wicked Man that boasteth of his hearts desire, and he is a fool that trusteth in his heart: yet many will say I have as good an heart as the best, though I do not talk so wel with my tongue, or work so much with my hand, I have as good a meaning as any of them all, though I cannot make so great a shew, I love to keep my religion to my self, none knows how good I am: Let such know (though I deny not but degrees of modesty, fears of vain-glory, and jealousies of apostacy, may restrain some Christians profession, yet there may be a temptation on that hand also yet) that where fire is, it wil bewray it self by hear or smoak, [Note 11] 'tis impossible grace should be hid or stifled: though there be a smoaking flax (even the week of a Candle that affords little light, much offensive smel) yet it wil appear: Truths and graces in the heart will be (as the word was to Jeremiah) as a burning fire shut up in the bones and bosome, that cannot be concealed. [Note 12] He that is full of matter, is constrained by the internal workings of the Spirit to vent it, else it is like Elihu's new wine that hath no vent, [Note 13] it bursts the new bottles: the truth is, its as natural for a gracious heart to talk and walk holily, as for a living creature to breathe and move, so far as gracious: thus it cannot be otherwise, and also observe it, it must not be otherwise. Your treasure within ought to be laid out, what have you it for else? Profession with the mouth is as necessary in its kind, as believing with the heart, Rom 10:10. Our Light must not be hid under a bushel, but shine before men, that it may reflect comfort to our selves and influence to others, as wel as have approbation from the Lord: So then, if thou hast a treasure within, thou dost witnesse a good confession, and thy conversation wil be suitable to thy profession: Thy Trading wil answer thy stock. The Text tels you, a good man out of the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth good things: and I told you the manner of laying out was in holy meditations, savoury expressions, suitable actions, and comfortable bearing, and profitable improving of afflictions: Why now, Lay judgement to the Line, and compare your own course of life with these practises of Religion: How do you trade with heaven, and for heaven? What do you more than others? where's the life and power of Religion? Do you indeed exercise your selves to godlinesse? What large expences do you lay out for that God from whom you have such liberal incomes? When we see rich men lay out abundance of money in houshold goods, housekeeping, building, Recreations, we guesse, certainly such have a good stock before-hand, a great yearly Revenue; Thus it is here, though many make a great shew of what they have not, yet a ready, real, uniform, and constant performance of duty. A serious, sensible course of walking with God, and exercise of grace in all conditions, do evidence a suitable inward Treasure. What say you to these things? Can our hearts witnesse with us that in simplicity and godly sincerity, [Note 14] by the assistance of grace we have had our conversation? Can our Relations & Neighbors witness for us, that we have served the Lord with all humility of minde, with many teares and temptations? Can our Closets, Chambers, Shops, and Fields testifie our secret groans, meditations, self-examinations? Have we performed our relative duties with all care and conscience? As Magistrates punishing sin, as Ministers faithfully preaching at all seasons, suitably to all persons: as Housholders instructing, correcting, and leading a good example; as Husbands, Wives, Parents, Children, Masters, Servants, that man is not good at all, that's not good in all relations: Doth the treasure of grace and truths prompt our tongues, act our hands, guide our feet? Do these principles in our head, and that principle in the heart dictate to us our duty, and assist us in doing of it? Are we fruitful in good works, words, and meditations? and are we useful in our generations? let's not deceive our selves, its not a conceit of some good meanings within that wil serve our turn; but the Apostle tels us roundly and plainly, He that doth righteousnesse, is righteous, 1 John 3:7. Acts do evidence the state, and a man cannot be good unlesse he do good: That's the third tryal.#

4.How do you encrease this Treasure? To him that hath shall be given; truth of grace is the Prologue to growth in grace: and growth in grace arrives at full strength of grace; the Saints go from strength to strength, Ps 84 7. The true Christian, like his Master, encreaseth in wisdome and stature, and in favour with God and man; [Note 15] These waters of the Sanctuary, rise up to the ancles, knees, loines, neck, til the soul come to the Head Christ, and so be swallowed up in the unfathomable Ocean of Glory; [Note 16] 'Tis monstrous in Grace as wel as Nature to grow none, but continue as a Dwarfe; 'Tis a sad shrewd sign you have no grace, if you think you have grace enough: [Note 17] he was never good that desires not to be better: They are Hypocrites, and sure to be Apostates that are contented with a taste; The true Believer is unsatiable, stil hungring and thirsting after Righteousnesse, daily adding one cubite after another to his spiritual stature, that he may be a tall man in Christ; and at last attain to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, [Note 18] Eph 4:13. That is, not so much with respect to the compleat stature of our bodies at the resurrection, proportionable to Christs ful age upon Earth, as some expound it, though that may be true, but we must be increasing, til Christ his mystical body grow to ripeness and persection, both in respect of all the members to be added thereunto, and also particular members growth in grace til they advance to a ful maturity in knowledge and holiness: what say you to this? are you any better than you have been? are your last works more than your first? what light of knowledge in saving truths? what heat and warmth in sanctifying graces? what heart-refreshing-experiences and comforts have you laid up? are you grown more solid, humble, holy, watchful, faithful and fruitful? do you get more power against your lusts? more ability to walk with God? do you forget what is behinde, [Note 19] and press forwards to perfection? are you stirred up more to holiness? and strengthened with all might by his spirit in the inward man? are you stil sensible of defects, craving for more spiritual riches, as a beggar for almes? I confess I have sometimes wondered at this strange paradox in Christianity, that there is nothing doth so fil the soul as grace, and yet nothing makes the soul so hungry for more grace as a principle of grace; nothing contents but a dram of grace, yet a dram of grace wil not content: more knowledge, more faith, more love, and accordingly a gracious soul is stil perfecting holiness in the fear of God. [Note 20] So that, as the Apostle saith of some, their faith groweth exceedingly, and charity, aboundeth, even til it become a treasure: for observe it, this spiritual treasure is made up, and increased by accumulation, or by augmentation, by adding more graces, or strengthning graces already conferred. [Note 21] Several good Divines have done worthily in satisfying scrupulous soules in this great case about growth in grace: let such as doubt of sincerity, read them, it would be a digression here to speak fully to this point: only take this note, the more life you have added to your light, the more humility to your graces, the more watchfulness to your lives by your experiences; and the more tenderness of conscience, and chearfulness in holy performances by your comforts, the more have you grown in grace, and increased your treasure: and thereby have given a clear evidence that you have a spiritual treasure in your hearts.#