Chapter 3: A Particular Account of the Treasure in the Text
The second general head is, what is the treasure that our Savior speaks of here? I conceive it is principally intended of the thoughts of the heart, which are called the possessions of the heart (Job 17:11), because these are the first-born of the soul, and enjoy the inheritance of it. You cannot turn off the thoughts from their free-hold; you may suspend the tongue from speaking, the hand from acting, but you cannot suspend the soul from thinking, while it is a rational soul; for this is the essential property of it, while it is itself. Good or bad thoughts are every man's treasure, and possession; and these center and settle in the heart; these are the spring and source of actions and expressions. Now it is said of a godly man (Proverbs 12:5), the thoughts of the righteous are right, that is, judgment, law, measure, as the word imports; the meaning is, a gracious person thinks as he is, according to the rules of rectified, sanctified reason; his thoughts run in a right channel, to right objects, for right ends, and are therefore very precious, and may well be called a treasure. Hence David's exclamation (Psalm 139:17), How precious also are your thoughts to me, O God? That is, say some, how rare and dear are the thoughts I have of you to my soul? This may be probable from what follows, in verse 18: When I awake, I am still with you, in thoughts and heavenly meditations. Certainly a godly man's holy thoughts are a precious treasure; if his tongue be as choice silver, what are his thoughts, that feed and furnish the tongue with profitable discourses?
Now as the thoughts feed the tongue, and hand, so there are four springs that feed and furnish the heart with holy thoughts; these are like the four streams of the River of Paradise, which water the divine garden of a Christian's soul, and being followed to the head, will certainly lead the believing soul to the heavenly Paradise. Those thought-nourishing streams are: 1. Scripture truths. 2. Spiritual graces. 3. Large experiences. 4. Lively comforts.
The first of these, Scripture truths, is like the River Pison, which encompasses the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold: so this takes in the large territories of the holy Scriptures, where there is such choice gold of divine truths, as are able to make the soul both wise and rich, to salvation. It is a choice mercy to have the understanding furnished with a treasure of saving knowledge of gospel mysteries. Hence the command is to buy the truth, search the Scriptures, to seek for wisdom as for silver; to search for knowledge as for hidden treasures. That is a notable passage (Colossians 3:16): Let the Word of God dwell richly in you — copiously, abundantly; the word notes two things: 1. The measure, and so it is rendered plentifully, says one. 2. The worth of the knowledge of the Word, and so it is rendered richly by some. And surely a great stock of Scripture knowledge is a precious treasure: O what a blessed thing is it to have a man's breast the library of Jesus Christ? The sacred Scriptures are the treasures and pleasures of a gracious soul: to David they were better than thousands of gold and silver. A mountain of transparent pearls heaped as high as heaven is not so rich a treasure as these. Hence that good man chose these as his heritage forever, and rejoiced in them as in all riches. A covetous miser could not take such delight in his bags, nor a young heir in a large inheritance, as holy David did in God's Word. All the saints are priests to God; now of Levi it is said (Malachi 2:6) that the law of truth was in his mouth, and his lips kept knowledge as a storehouse. So it is, or ought to be, with God's spiritual priests; they have the Law of God graven on their hearts, and in their tongues is the law of kindness and holiness. The word law comes from a root that signifies to try, as merchants that search and prove the wares that they buy and lay up; hence also comes the word for gems and jewels that are tried, and found right. The sound Christian is the wise merchant, seeking goodly pearls; he tries what he reads, or hears, by the standard and touchstone of Scripture, and having found genuine truths, he lays them up to the great enriching of this supreme, and sovereign faculty of the understanding.
2. Another spring that feeds holy thoughts is spiritual graces, the fruits of the Spirit, which exceedingly help the fruits of the lips; if the will and affections be sanctified with a principle of true holiness, the lips and the life will bring forth heavenly expressions and actions in the conversation. Hence (Proverbs 14:27), the fear of the Lord is the fountain of life — that is, a gracious habit streams freely and fully into all acts of spiritual life, and at last is swallowed up in the ocean of eternal life. It is said of Jesus Christ, the original of all grace, that the fear of the Lord is his treasure; and we may say also, it is a Christian's treasure. The head full of notions will not make the soul rich, without the heart full of grace; it is grace that ennobles the soul with heavenly excellencies, and enables the soul to bear burdens, and do duties. Without a principle in the heart, there can be no holiness in the life; all works of piety, charity, sobriety, must flow from a pure heart, a good conscience, and faith unfeigned; all which do contribute their influence to every good work. Obedience (says one) respects the command of a superior; love, the kindness and merit of the lawgiver; faith, his bounty and reward: the first sways the conscience, the second inclines the heart, the third gives encouragement. Sure I am, without these there can be no spiritual actings in an evangelical manner. He only has a Gospel frame of spirit, that has the Law written in his heart, and the works thereof in his hand; whose life is a continual transcript of this blessed copy. For he that does righteousness, is righteous; indeed, it is he that moves heavenward, from a living treasure of gracious principles, and not from external compulsion, as clocks and such dead artificial, yet self-moving engines do. Hence the Church (and a believing soul) says, My soul made me like the chariots of Amminadab, or of a willing people (Song of Solomon 6:12). Though some say they are the words of Christ, yet in this they are applicable to every gracious soul, that is acted by a new and living principle toward God, and goodness. Christ's people are voluntaries in the day of his power, in the way of duty, being acted by a free and princely spirit, the renewed will being the great engine that moves the soul in a Christian course; their own spirits make them willing for God.
3. A third spring that feeds holy thoughts is well-gathered experiences: the Christian's breast is to be a treasury of experimental observations, which may be improved as good props to uphold a tottering faith. It is said of them in Luke 1:66, that they laid up all those strange passages concerning John, in their hearts. And thus we find several saints carefully gathering, and seasonably recollecting their former experiences; as Jacob, David, Paul, Samuel, Manoah and his wife. Time would fail me to recount all the instances of this nature: recording the time, place, manner of divine discoveries, has been of singular advantage to believers. Experience begets hope; we lose much through neglect hereof: signal memorials of received mercies, help to present duties, and quicken faith in the greatest future difficulties. All artists gather knowledge, by laying up experiments; and he is the wisest Christian, that in this respect with Solomon, has his heart filled with experience of wisdom and knowledge: experience is the best instructor, and helps a man best in instructing others; an experienced physician and lawyer, are seldom nonplussed; an experienced soldier comes off with honor. O Christians! lay up in your hearts, what you have seen with your eyes, and felt in your souls, of the vanity of worldly, and the excellency of heavenly attainments, and enjoyments: you cannot be too young to collect experiences; you cannot be too old to recollect and improve them: if your green heads would use diligence, your grey hairs would arrive to large experiences; by which means, the works and loads of old age would be easy, that were almost intolerable in your younger years. A young carpenter is long with a little, and makes many chips, that an experienced workman dispatches, both more quickly, and more nearly: it is so in religion, experience facilitates every work of it. And how does experience feed thoughts? Thus, when a soul is at a pinch, and the heart struck dead with a sudden surprisal, so that the thoughts are puzzled, experience comes in to their relief, and represents the state as feasible, since it calls to mind as arduous a case, which yet was not insuperable; and why may you not get through as well as formerly, says experience? And thus it marshals the soul's faculties in their proper ranks, and brings it through the present attempt with order and victory, whether the undertaking be of doing duty, or enduring difficulty.
4. The last refreshing stream that supplies the heart with heavenly thoughts, is the wells of consolation; this like the last, yet not the least river of Paradise (Euphrates) does (as the name of that imports) refresh the heart with cheering incomes, and influences: this makes the soul both cheerful and fruitful; in the midst of terrifying thoughts, these comforts delight the soul (Psalm 94:19). Oh the joy that these beget in the midst of sorrow! Nothing can make sad, if divine comforts make glad: these bright beams of light chase away the foggy mist of darkness, and disconsolate horror; these pure streams of comfort wash away the bitter effects of despairing thoughts: these comforts infinitely exceed wine, which philosophers have called the chief allayments of men's miseries, but the sense of this love is better than wine; one drop of these divine joys would even mitigate Hell torments. This is a treasure indeed, which, as it is of great efficacy, so it is the satisfying result of the forementioned provision; saving truths, savory graces, sensible experiences, beget solid peace. But besides those, there are two clear streams that much promote the soul's comfortable thoughts: which are 1. Precious promises, 2. A clear conscience.
1. Promises are the storehouse of comfort, the charters of our privileges, the conveyances of our heavenly inheritance: promises are the breasts of consolation, the milk-pails of the gospel; the great receptacles of that sincere milk of the word, stored up for babes in Christ. The promises, says a good divine, are bills of exchange given you, that you may draw your estate into another country: nothing can cheer up the heart so much as a word of promise. Hence David desires to hear the voice of joy and gladness, that is, in a promise: there is a probatum est upon this means of spiritual comfort, whether it concern life or godliness, present or future enjoyments. It is said of the Duke of Guise, that he was the richest man in France, though not in lands, yet in bills and bonds, and great friends: so is a right Christian; he is the richest man in the world, in possession and reversion, for he inherits all things, and he is heir to a glorious crown at death. The exceeding great and precious promises may cheer up the heart of a drooping saint, if it were as low as Hell; for they were made and confirmed by an oath, that the heirs of promise might have strong consolation (Hebrews 6:17-18): it is strange if the bucket of faith does not always draw up the water of consolation, out of the wells of salvation. God has ordered in nature our feeding to be with delectation, so in spirituals; our application and improvement of promises is with sweetness and delight: this is the first means to beget a treasure of comfortable thoughts in the believing soul — enriching promises.
2. Clearness of conscience — this is a help to comfortable thoughts. Yet observe, that peace is not so much effected as preserved by a good conscience, and conversation, for though joy in the Holy Ghost will make its nest nowhere but in a holy soul, yet the blood of Christ only can speak peace, being justified by faith, we have peace (Romans 5:1). An exact life will not make, but keep conscience quiet; an easy shoe heals not a sore foot, but keeps a sound one from crushing. Walking with God according to gospel rules has peace entailed upon it, and that peace is such a treasure, as thereby a Christian may have his rejoicing from himself [reconstructed: (Galatians 6:4)]. His own heart sings him a merry tune, which the threats and reproaches of the world cannot silence. The treasure of comfort is not expended in affliction; death itself does not exhaust, but increase and advance it to an eternal triumph. O the excellency and necessity of it! Paul laid it up for a deathbed cordial (2 Corinthians 1:12). Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience — and Hezekiah dares hold it up to God, as well as cheer up himself with it at approaching death. A conscience good in point of integrity, will be good also in point of tranquility. The righteous is bold as a lion; They have great peace that love and keep God's commandments. And says the apostle, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God, and I may add, also towards men. Oh! what comfort and solace has a clear conscience? He has something within, to answer accusations without. He has such a rich treasure as will not fail in greatest straits and hazards. I shall conclude this with a notable saying of an ancient: The joys of a good conscience are the paradise of souls, the delight of angels, the garden of delights, the field of blessing, the Temple of Solomon, the Court of God, the habitation of the Spirit of God.
