The Second Desire

The Second Desire.

Let us come forth more admiring of, more affected with such things as are better than gold. The fear of God is one of those things, whereof it is said in Job 28:16, it cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir. Let it be then our prime and chief study, to be daily acting of it; yes, since we have lately seen time loudly calling on us to redeem it, let a respect to God now ennoble all the actions of our lives. The Word of God is another of those things, whereof it is said, in Psalms 19:10, it is more to be desired than much fine gold.

Let us then set an unspeakable value thereupon; yes, since we have lately seen an end of all perfection elsewhere; let the Bible of God be now more than ever the companion of your solitary hours.

Finally, the Son of God is the Pearl of great price, which no gold is to be equalized to. We read of a brazen serpent (or more truly a copper serpent) marvellously useful to Israel of old; O let us now esteem the antitype of that brazen or copper shadow, before the richest gold. The holy God has newly sent me back from the sides of eternity to tell you, that one Christ is worth ten worlds. It is a thing whereof you have been heretofore advised with frequent, solemn, lively warnings, from the eternal God: as Joshua could say, in Joshua 24:27, Behold, this stone shall be a witness, for it has heard all the words of the Lord. So may I say, let this pulpit, and these walls and seats and pillars remember, if you have forgotten, that you have been often told, all the gold in the world is not worth one Christ. And behold, I repeat to you one warning more. Let this house be a witness, and be you witnesses of it, O you angels that are invisible here; that it has been earnestly affirmed in our hearing, a Christ is better than a thousand worlds, and they that slight him, will be miserable for infinitely more than ten thousand ages.