Chapter 2: A Discovery of the Nature of a Treasure
A treasure imports the laying up of things for necessary use in after-times, and holds forth these seven particulars, all which suit with the laying up of spiritual provision in general.
1. Laying up a treasure implies carefulness, anxious thoughts, solicitous endeavor; it is easy to scatter, but it requires some industry to gather, indeed it is easier to gather by filching and cheating, than by trading or working; and things easily got by evil means, are as quickly lost by strange ways (Proverbs 13:11). Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished, that is, an estate procured by base shifts, devices, and juggling tricks, comes to nothing. But he that gathers by labor — by the hand — shall increase, and in time become a treasure. Experience tells us, that they that would get a great estate, take pains in the day, and plot in the night, and desires to get and keep their abundance will not suffer them to sleep. It is so in spirituals, there is hard tugging to get abiding provision; spiritual goods are not got with a wet finger; they drop not into the mouth of a careless loiterer. The choicer anything is, the harder is it attained: a harvest man's labor is hard toiling. O think not to get Heaven by laziness: the Kingdom of Heaven is taken by violence (Matthew 11:12). A resolute Christian, as it were, storms this uphill city; as soldiers run to get the prey, or racers to obtain the prize.
2. It imports choiceness in the things laid up. It is not all labor that obtains a treasure; they labor in the very fire, that weary themselves for very vanity. Men may lay out money and labor for that which neither does profit nor satisfy; there are many things better slighted, than sought and gained. However, stones and straws make no good treasure; no wise man will account himself rich with toys and trifles. A Christian's treasure consists in spirituals, which only are of worth and value; gold and silver are but red and white clay, called thick clay, because more solid bodies; but compared with divine things they are but dross. Spiritual blessings only make the believer blessed; nothing can be accounted a treasure, but what comes from, and leads to Heaven. Bona throni, the good things of the Throne, are a saint's treasure; Bonascabelli, the good things of the Footstool, are a wicked man's portion, and he may have a large measure, indeed a treasure of them; their bellies are filled with hid treasures. Yet these do not make them happy; all undermoon comforts are but sorry trifles to make a treasure of; the whole world cannot counterbalance a grain of grace. We account of things by their worth, not by their bulk; a little box of precious ointment is of more value and virtue, than whole tuns of ordinary liquor; only heavenly riches make up a soul's treasure.
3. Suitableness of the things stored up: no man will lay up what he shall never need, and account it his treasure. Every tradesman lays up that which is fit for his calling; clothiers, staplers, tanners, husbandmen, have all their peculiar provisions, suited to their vocations: that may be a cumber to one, that is a treasure to another. Kings have their peculiar treasure, that is, that which none but kings have; so all God's kings have their peculiar treasure; which as it is different from all others, so in some respects different one from another. Moses had a treasure of meekness, Job of patience, Solomon of wisdom, John of love. As the child of God is to come behind in no gift, so he is to excel in that which he is more especially called to exercise. It is a great duty and mystery in religion to be wise in observation, and prudent in provision; let every Christian lay up supplies suitable to the several ages, estates, sexes, offices, burdens, duties, relations, places, trials, or temptations, through which any one may pass, in the whole course of their lives. So shall they not be unprovided or unfurnished, but whichever way the Lord leads them in this uneven world, yet their foot shall stand in an even place, and go straight to Heaven.
4. A treasure imports sufficiency. Store has no lack; it is abundance that constitutes a treasure; the granaries of Egypt afforded plenty of corn. A scant modicum makes not a treasure. Spiritual goods are a Christian's riches, and he ought to be rich in these riches, rich in faith, and rich in good works. What a full expression is that of Saint Paul (Ephesians 3:19), where he begs to be filled with all the fullness of God. What, Paul, can your narrow vessel contain an infinite ocean? Though he cannot hold all, yet he would have all divine fullness; he would know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge; that is to furnish his intellectual faculty, with a treasure of heavenly knowledge; and he would be filled with all grace, as the richest treasure of his will and affections; indeed, nothing less than fullness will suffice. In fact further, the fullness of God; yet higher, even all the fullness of God, let the vessel be filled to the [reconstructed: brim], and let it be made more capacious to receive larger incomes; never has the believing soul grace enough, until grace be perfected and crowned with glory. A gracious heart has an insatiable appetite after heavenly delights, and dainties; nothing so good as grace, and the more a soul has of it, the better.
5. It implies secrecy: a treasure is not exposed to the common view of all men; it was Hezekiah's pride and weakness to lead the Babylonian messengers through his treasures. Treasures are usually hid in secret places; hence we read of treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, and a treasure hid in a field. So this good man's treasure is said to be in his heart, which Saint Peter calls the hidden man of the heart; none can see into this, but the heart-searching God, he that knows all things only is the anatomist of this close and hidden man. Men see the face, but they see not what lies within; hence it is that the greatest and best part of a Christian's treasure, is invisible; as the roots of a tree under the earth, or the bottom of a ship under water; or rather as a merchant's goods in his warehouse. So it is with a saint's treasure; he is a Jew inwardly, his circumcision is that of the heart; in the Spirit and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God (Romans 2:29). The regenerate soul is the King of Heaven's daughter, which is all glorious within, though some sparklings of grace appear without: the best and the worst of a soul is hid from the view of men; happy were it for a Christian if he had no more corruption than appears outwardly, and wretched were he also, if he had no more grace than others can take notice of.
6. A treasure for safety: this treasure being out of men's view is therefore secured from men's reach and touch. Treasures lie not loose, but are under lock and key: those at Rome are now laid up in the impregnable Castle of St. Angelo. Treasure-cities are always well fenced, guards were appointed to attend them; dragons are fancied to wait on treasures: hence come Dragoons, say some. But sure I am, the treasure of a Christian is safe; grace and peace are a saint's freehold that men and devils cannot deprive him of: grace is an incorruptible seed, and God has engaged himself to maintain it. Mary's better part cannot be taken from her; as soon, says one, may they pluck Christ out of Heaven, as grace out of my heart. Indeed, the treasure of joy can no man take from the believing soul, for this pure stream of spiritual joy grows stronger and sweeter, until it be swallowed up in the vast ocean of our Master's joy in eternal bliss. A Christian's treasure is locked up in his heart, which is a cabinet that none can wrest open: Christ's heart was pierced, that a Christian's might remain untouched; hence it becomes impenetrable and invulnerable. A lively emblem of this was the heart of John Huss, which remained entire, even when his body was consumed in the flames: the heart may be pulled out of the bosom, but not a saint's treasure out of his heart.
7. In a treasure there's readiness for present supply, it is but giving a turn with the key, and taking out provision, and making use of it, which is as soon made ready as Abraham's feast for the angels, or Jacob's venison for his father Isaac. He that has a treasure of food has it not to seek when he should use it; as the man in the parable, that ran to call up his neighbor, to borrow three loaves because he had nothing to set before his friend that came unexpectedly. But the well-furnished Christian can make God welcome in all his visits, in mercy or displeasure, and own him as a friend, whether he come by day or by night; a well-stored soul has something in readiness for his honorable guest. A notable resemblance of this we have in the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins; the oil in the lamp is the treasure of grace in the heart; and though the virgin Christian may slumber as to the exercise of grace, yet he is ready upon a sudden alarm for the Bridegroom's entertainment. But the foolish virgin is the treasureless soul; the graceless sinner, that has no oil at all, but while it goes to buy, is shut out of the presence chamber. But of this more hereafter — only observe, in general, that he that has a treasure will be quickly furnished with all accommodations, on all occasions: thus much for the first head.
