Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter 6 · Verse 19,20
Verse 19.
La… not vp treasures for your selues▪ vponupon the earth, where the moth and canker corrupt▪ and where theeues digge through and steale.
20. But lay vp treasures for your selues in heauen, where neither the moth nor canker corrupteth, and where theeues neither dig through nor steale.
Here beginneth the fift part of this excellent sermon, and it continueth… of Christ▪ set …. to the ende of this chapter; wherein our Sauiour Christ intendeth to reforme his hearers of couetousnes, and to worke in their hearts a moderate care & desire of worldly things. Now the order of this discourse is this; First, he laies down the substance of his perswasion, and then enforceth and amplifieth the same. The ground and substance of Christs perswasion consists in a double commandement: the first shewes what we must not doe in respect of treasures, v. 19. the second, what we must doe, v. 20. both which he enforceth by their seuerall reasons, in the same verses: as also with a reason common to them both, v. 21.
For the first commandement, La… not vp treasures▪ &c. The meaning. The word here translated …a…e vp, is more significant in the original, thenforeign our english doth expresse; for it imports two things: First to gather together: secondly, to hoard or heape vp in store things gathered, against the time to come: so Rom. 2. 5. Thou …eapest vp vntounto thy selfe, &c. Treasures▪ that is, worldly wealth in abundance, pretious things stored vp▪ as siluer, gold, pearls, &c. Upon earth: here Christ aimes not so much at the place, as at the kind of treasures; for heauenly treasures may be laid vp while we are here on earth: & therefore he forbids hoarding of earthly treasures. For themselues▪ that is, respecting your priuate gaine & benefit, all respect to the good of the Church & common wealth laid aside. So then the words beare this sense▪ Take heed that you gather not riches together, to hoard vp here below, for your owne priuate vse and benefit alone, making them your treasures in which you put your trust and place your ioy and delight.
But yet that we may not mistake the meaning of our Sauiour Christ,… allowed about wealth. I will distinctly set down what things Christ forbiddeth not, pertaining to the gathering or keeping of worldly goods; & then what it is which he doth directly forbid. There be 3. things respecting the world, which Christ forbiddeth not: viz. I. Diligent labour in a mans vocation, wherby1 he prouides things needfull for himselfe, and those that depend vpō him; for else he should be contrarie to himselfe, inioyning man to eat his bread in the sweat of his face, Gen. 3. 19. and commanding that he that will not labour should not eate, 2. Thes. 3. 10. II. The fruition and possessing 2of goods & riches; for they are the good blessings of God, beeing well vsed, & hauehave bin possessed of Gods children, as Abraham, Iob, Salomon, &c. III. The gathering & laying vp of treasure is not simply forbidden,3 for the word of God alloweth hereof in some respect, 2. Cor. 12. 14. The father must laie vp for the children: and the Disciples vnderstanding of the generall famine, by the prophesie of Agabus, which should be in all the world, gathered prouision aforehand for the brethre … Act. …1. 2… ▪ 29, 30.in Iudea: & b…. 41 48. Act. 7. 10.Iosephs prouident wisedome is commended by the holy Ghost, for hoarding vp the corne in Egypt against the time of dearth, for the common good: & the c1. …n 7. 5▪temple of God had his treasurie by Gods appointment▪ for the vpholding and repaire therof: so that Christ doth not simply forbid all gathering and laying vp of treasure or wealth.
What is it then which Christ here forbids? Ans. Sundry practises ofPractises of couetous… here forbidden. couetousnes, wherof the first is, Excessiue seeking of worldly wealth, whē men keep no measure nor morderation therein; although God giuegive sufficient, yet they are not cōtent, their desire is so vnsatiable. And that weHow farre▪ mā may seek for worldly wealth. may see the danger of this practise, I wil here shew how far forth a man may seeke for, and lay vp worldly wealth: for the better vnderstanding wherof, this distinctiō of worldly goods must be laid down for a groūd; They are either necessarie, aboundant, or superfluous▪ Necessarie goods are3 degrees of worldly goods. … ▪ Necessary. of two sorts; either necessarie to mans nature, without which no man can liue, nor familie stand; as meat, drinke, apparel, lodging, &c. or necessarie to a mans state and condition of life, without which he cannot exercise the duties of his calling wherein God hath placed him; as books to a student, tooles to a trades-men, &c. Now here ariseth the question:How farre …orth things necessarie may bee la…d vp. How much of these things are to be counted necessarie, & so may bee prouided for, & laid vp? Ans. The opinion and iudgement of the couetous man must be no rule in this case; for his corrupt heart is vnsatiable, like the sea which cannot be filled, and like dPro. 30. 16▪the fire, that neuer saith, it is enough, Now because of the diuersitie of mens estates, by reason of their difference in properties & conditions, there can be no certaine rule set downe; for that which is enough for one, will not suffice another: & therefore the iudgement & practise of the godly wise, who know how to vse the creatures as blessings of Gods prouidence, must bee our rule to iudge what is necessarie: other rules wee hauehave not in the word, but what they iudge needefull, according to the word, that must be esteemed necessarie, and accordingly prouided. Yet further this may here be added, that things must not be deemed necessarie, onelyonly in regard of the present vse, but also with respect to the time to come, wherein they may be needfull. Example. A trades-man hauing nothing besides his trade to liue vponupon, may prouide for things necessarie while his strength continueth, to maintaine himselfe in old age, when through decay of strength or …ight he is not able to worke. And so a man hauing many children, may in the vse of lawfull meanes, prouide for their portions before hand, that when their age requireth, hee may therewith dispose of them in some good state of life. The second sort of wordly goods is2. Abund…ce. Aboundance, whereby I meane that plentie and store, which serues not onelyonly for necessitie, but for holy comelinesse and delight. The third3. Superfluity sort is Superfluitie, whereby I meane such aboundance, as a man hath neither vse of for the present, nor in any likelihood shall hauehave for the time to come.
Now these grounds thus premised, I set downe this rule touchingA rule for prouision of worldly things. mans prouision for worldly wealth. Things necessarie for mans person & his calling, a man may seeke for and lay vp; but for aboundance, & for superfluities, no man ought to labour or be careful: hereto Christ hath put this barre, Lay not vp treasures for your selues: & Salomon praies as directly against superfluitie, as against pouertie, Pro. 30. 8, 9. GiueGive me not riches nor pouertie (saith he) but feed me with food conuenient for me: and he renders this reason against aboundance, lest I be ful and denie thee, & say, who is the Lord? Now hence I reason thus; looke what we may aske of God, that onelyonly must we seeke for, & no more: but we may only aske for things necessarie; for to pray for aboundance we hauehave no warrant, & therfore we must only seek for necessaries, & not for aboundance. Hereto the Apostles rule agreeth well, 1. Tim. 6. 8, 9.If we hauehave food and raiment, let vsus herewith be content, for they that would bee rich or abound (as the word signifieth) fall into temptation and snares. Quest. If we may not pray for aboundance, what must we doe, if God giuegive aboundance? Ans. If God blesse vsus with aboundance, vponupon our moderate labour and care in our lawfull callings, we must receiue it thankfully, & as good stewards lay it vp to be bestowed on good vses, either in our families, or in the church & common wealth, as God in his prouidence shal offer vsus iust occasion.
Now this beeing euident, that we must onelyonly seeke for things necessarie, and no more; then we must all learne to beware of carking care, & be contented with things necessary, when God giues thē. And to moue vsus hereunto, consider the reasons following: First, it is Gods commādement, that we should be contented with things necessarie, 1. Tim. 6. 8.Motiues to cōtentation. and therefore we must make conscience of obedience in the practise of1 contentation. Secondly, they that are greedie after aboundance, hauehave2 many temptations to bad dealing, and so can hardly keepe a good conscience: they fall into snares (as the f1. Tim. 6. 9.Apostle saith) and into many foolish and noysome lusts, which drowne men in perdition and destruction. Thirdly,3 in time of persecution (which oft accompanies the Gospel) the richer a man is, the more danger hee is in to forsake the truth; for the heart of man is naturally so glued to the world, that without Gods special grace, it will sooner forsake Christ, then worldly wealth: this wee may see in Demas, who to embrace the world, forsooke Paul, 2. Tim. 4. 10. whereupon Christ saith, g how hardly can a rich man enter into the kingdom of Mat. 10. ….heauen. And thus much of the first practise of couetousnes, which is excessiue care and labour after worldly goods.
The second practise of couetousuesse which Christ here forbids, isThe second practise of couetousnes when men seeke only or principally for worldly goods, neglecting spirituall graces in regard thereof. This appeares by the opposition of the next verse vntounto this, lay not vp for your selues earthly treasures, but lay vp for your selues treasures in heauen. This was Esaus practise, who sold his birthright for a messe of pottage, Heb. 12. 16. and the sinne of the Gadarens, that vponupon the losse of their swine, desired Christ to goe out of their coasts, Luk. 8. 37. And this is the sinne of our age, wherein many things, nay almost eueryevery thing, which may yeeld profit or delight, is cared for aboue the word; or else how could there be so much preaching, and so little profiting, but that mens thoughts and delights are taken vp with earthly things? but this is a preposterous and disordered care, which eueryevery one must labour to reforme, as Christ commands, v. 31.
The third practise of couetousnes here forbidden, is to put trust and The third practise of couetousnesconfidēce in worldly things treasured vp: this is the Idolatry of the heart, for looke whereon a man sets his heart, that he makes his God, & therefore is couetousnesse called idolatrie, Colos. 3. 5. Hence it is that Christ makes it so hard a thing for a rich man to enter into heauen, Mat. 19. 23, 24. because they gMar. 10. 24trust in their riches: and if we marke well, wee shall finde it commonly true, that rich men are proud hearted and secure, not regarding Gods iudgements, nor the meanes of their saluation; for they Ps. 52 7.take not God for their strength, that trust in their riches. Dauids coūsell therfore must be followed, kPsal. 62. 10 The fourth practise of couetousnesIf riches increase, set not your heart thereon.
The fourth practise here forbidden, is when men lay vp for themselues onelyonly, without regard to the Church or common wealth, or reliefe of the poore. This is a deuillish practise▪ for eueryevery one is but a steward of that he hath, to dispence the same for Gods glory to the good of others. The p…re are Gods poore, and members of his familie, and therefore he re…es, that eueryevery steward in his family should see they hauehave their portio… ▪ God …ill call the rich to their account, when this will not be taken for good disposing, to say I kept my riches to my selfe: so much will the …l…thfull seruant say, that hides his talent in a napkin. And therefore let vsus learne to make conscience hereof, with the rest of these bad practises.
Where the moth and canker corrupt, and where theeues digge through and steale. These words containe a speciall reason of the former commandement, to this effect: Earthly treasures, as riches, raiment, &c. are subiect to be corrupt by the moth and canker, and to be caried away by theeues: and therefore we must not excessiuely or principally seeke after them, set our hearts vponupon them, or hoard them vp for our selues.
The exposition. The word translated Moth, signifieth a worme thatforeign. eateth the finest cloath, and consumeth the best garment: yet here it must be taken more largely, for any worme that doth destroy or consume any creature. And so the word translated canker, must be largelyforeign taken, for any thing that by rust or fretting doth eate into and consume mettall, or any other creature.
Here then Christ noteth a two-fold vanitie of the creatures, both inThe vanitie of the creatures. respect of their nature, and of abuse for their nature, they are subiect to corruption by rust, moth, and canker, be the creatures neuer so pure and costly, as gold, siluer, pearles, &c. for the heauens themselues are subiect to vanitie. And for abuse, they are subiect to the iniuries of vngodly persons, theeues may steale them, and couetous persons may hoard them vp that they shall serue for no vse. Now if all earthly creatures be subiect to vanitie both by corruption and abuse, then we must not make them our chiefe treasures, but seeke for them and vse them in a moderate and sober manner. Quest. But whence came this vanitie vponupon the creatures? Ans. God hath subiected them vntounto it for the sinne of man. Rom. 8▪ 20.
The consideration hereof must let vsus see the grieuousnesse of ourvse. 1. sinnes, and the greatnes of Gods anger due thereunto, in that he hath imprinted the stampe of his wrath vponupon eueryevery creature for the sinne of man, by subiecting it to this two-fold vanitie. And therefore when we see a moth vponupon apparell, or rust and canker▪ vponupon mettall or other creatures corrupting them, we ought rather to be humbled for our sinnes, then to suffer our hearts to be drawne to immoderate desire & delight after earthly things. Secondly, are the creatures that neuer sinned, subiect to vanitie for mans sinne? then how vaine a thing is man, that by his transgression bringeth vanitie vponupon the creatures? let vsus therefore in them behold our owne vanitie, and when we pitie them, learne to lament our owne iniquities.
v. 20▪ But lay vp treasures for your selues, &c. Christ hauing shewed what we must not doe in respect of treasures here on earth, and knowing mans inclination to be such, that he will needs hauehave something for his treasure, doth here come to the second branch of his commandement; shewing what treasure we must lay vp for our selues▪ and enforceth vsus thereto by a speciall reason. The treasures we must lay vp are, treasures in heauen. Quest. How should we lay vp treasures in heauen, for we cannot of our selues come there; no man can saue himselfe, the beginning, progresse, and accomplishment of our saluation is of God in Christ wholly? Ans. It is vsuall with God in Scripture, to ascribe the worke of the principall efficient cause, to the instrument thereof. Thus in the last ver. of Obadiah, Preachers, are expressely called Sauiours: and,Obad. 21. 1. Tim. 4. 16. In doing this thou shalt both saue thy selfe, and them that heare thee: and, 1. Cor. 4. 15. I hauehave begotten you through the Gospel: and yet both saluation and regeneration are the works of God alone, onelyonly Preachers are the instruments thereof. So in this place, to make vsus rich with heauenly treasures, is the worke of God alone: for we rather treasure vp vntounto our selues wrath against the day of wrath, by ourRom. 2. 5. transgressions: and yet because we are instruments by his grace, in the vse of meanes to get this treasure, therefore he giueth this commandement vntounto vsus, as though the worke were wholly ours, though himselfe be the principall author.
But yet that we may better conceiue of, and practise this commandement, two points are to be considered. First, what this treasure is: Secondly, how a man must lay it vp for himselfe: both these we must marke with reuerence, because they are points of great waight and moment, in the practise whereof standeth our saluation. For the first. In searching it out, we will first consider, what is erroniously thought to be this treasure which Christ would hauehave vsus to lay vp. The Church of RomeWhat the Papists make the true treasure. Aquin. suppl. …d 3. part. Summae q… 5. Tollet. instr. Sacerd. l. 6. c. 21. hath for many hundred yeares, abused the world hereabout, making the ouerplus of Christs merits, and of the merits of Saints and Martyrs, to be the treasure of the Church, which beeing gathered together and put into a store-chest, is (say they) in the Popes custodie; and he alone hath the plenarie opening and shutting of this chest, and the ordering and disposing of these merits: by vertue whereof he giues out indulgences and pardons, when and to whome he will. And hereby indeede he maintaines and vpholds his kingdome: for hereby comes infinit wealth and reuenewes. But this cannot be the true treasure; …ay, it is corruptAnswer. and deceitfull for two causes: for first, hereby they abase the true treasure which is Christs merits, by adding supplie thereto from the merits of Saints: for if Christs merits receiue increase from the merits of men, then it is not al-sufficient of it selfe, and so but a poore treasure. Secondly, hereby they make the merits of Saints departed, to be the merits of others which liue long after them, by the Popes application; which is a thing impossible and absurd: for no man can merit for himselfe: but say he could, yet should his merits be for himselfe alone and for none other: for eueryevery man in regard of saluation is a priuate man, and the reward of his workes he doth that way can onelyonly redound vntounto himselfe: onelyonly Christ Iesus our Mediatour, God and man, who was by God himselfe made a publike person for this ende, can merit for others.
The true treasure then (to let the other passe) is in a word, the true The true treasure.God, that one only eternall essence in three persons, who made all things and gouernes all things; in him alone is all goodnesse and happines to be found. Gen. 15. 1. I am thy buckler, and thine exceeding great reward, saith God to Abraham: and Psal. 16. 5, 6. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance (saith Dauid)—I hauehave a goodly heritage: which is as much as if he had saide, The Lord is my treasure. I will not stand on this, for men by the light of nature hauehave seene and saide thus much. This rather is to be considered, how God becomes our treasure.How God is our treasure. And for this ende we must conceiue of God, as he hath reuealed himselfe vntounto vsus in Christ: for out of Christ he is not our God, and so not our treasure; but God incarnate is our true treasure: Coloss. 2. 3. In whome, that is, in Christ, are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge. Coloss. 3. 3. Our life, euen eternall life, is hid with Christ in God, as in a treasurie. 1. Cor. 1. 31. Christ is made vntounto vsus of God wisdome, righteousnes, sanctification, and redemption: and, Ioh. 1. 16. Of his fulnesse, as out of a full treasurie, we all receiue grace for grace. Now we must not rest in his incarnation, but conceiue further of him as he was crucified for vsus in our nature, and is set forth vntounto vsus in his word and Sacraments: for his obedience, death, and passion is our treasure, which is reuealed and applied in the word of promise, and in the Sacraments: and this is that thing prepared of God for them that louelove him, which eye hath not …eene, eare hath not heard, neither euer entred into the heart of …aturall man to conceiue. 1. Cor. 2. 9. But why (will some say) should Christ crucified be called our treasure? Ans. Because he is the fountaine and storehouse of all true blessings conuaied from God to man. Wouldest thou hauehave remission of sinne, & righteousnes with god? why, Christ was made sinne for vsus, that we might be made the righteousnes of God in him, 2. Cor. 5. 21. Wouldest thou hauehave life euerlasting? This same Iesus Christ is very God, and life eternall, 1. Ioh. 5. And he that hath him hath life, 1. Ioh. 5. 12. Wouldest thou hauehave comfort in distresse, and true delight in temporall blessings? then get Christ Iesus, for he is life in death; and without him, the good things of this life be no blessings vntounto vsus.
II. Point. Hauing found what this treasure is, let vsus now see howHow to lay vp Christ crucified for our treasure. eueryevery one must lay it vp for himselfe: for so Christ here cōmandeth, lay vp for your selues, &c. That we may lay vp Christ crucified for our treasure, we must be carefull to doe fiue things, intimated in the parable of him that bought the field wherein the hidden treasure was: 1. we must finde this treasure: 2. we must value it: 3. obtaine and get it: 4. assure it to our selues: 5. vse it as a treasure.
I. Dutie. We must needes find this treasure first of all, els we cannotHow to find the true treasure. value it, nor obtaine it, we cannot assure it to our selues, nor vse it: And thus much is implyed in that parable, where it is called an hidden treasure; for we cannot hauehave a thing that is hid before we find it. Now the finding of this treasure stands in Gods reuealing of it vntounto vsus, letting vsus see that naturally we want it, and making vsus feele that we are poore without it, and therefore stand in great neede of it, whereuponA twofold illu…inatiō. we beginne to seeke it. EueryEvery reuealing of this treasure is not the finding of it, for God inlightens the mind of man two waies: first, generally, whereby a man in reading the word is able to conceiue the true sense and meaning of it. Secondly, more specially, when beside the generall sense, God makes a man feele the truth and power of the word in his owne conscience: and in this speciall illumination stands the true finding. This indeede is a great blessing of God, but not common to all: for our naturall eies cannot discerne it, and the more we are dazled with the sight of worldly treasures, pomps, and vanities, the blinder wee are about this spirituall treasure: yea this treasure is hid from many that are able to propound the word of God truly; as Christ saith, Matth. …. 25.these things are hidde (ofitimes) from the wise and prudent, and reuealed vntounto babes: for till the Lord giuegive this speciall. illumination whereby a man sees his owne miserie in himselfe and his great need of Christs righteousnes, Christ is a hidden treasure vntounto him. In regard whereof we must descend into our owne hearts, and there trie whether by the sense of our owne miserie in our selues, and our owne desire and hungring after Christ, God hauehave reuealed this treasure vntounto vsus: we may say, hIoh. 9. 41.we see, with the Iewes, and yet be blinde, vnlesse we truly feele the want of Christ in our owne soules: oh therefore labour for this speciall illumination; for the Doctrine of the Gospel will neuer be sweete and pleasant to vsus, till we finde this precious treasure hid therein.
II. Dutie. Hauing found this treasure, we must highly prize and How to value the true treasure.value it, euen aboue all that we hauehave or can get; nay more worth then all the world besides. So did the man in the parable, Matth. 13. 44. esteeme the treasure hid in the field aboue all his goods: And cPhil. 3. 8.Paul so esteemed of Christ crucified, that he counted all things losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ, and iudged them as dung that he might winne Christ. This high esteeme of Christ is needfull, if euer we meane to lay him vp for our treasure; and then hauehave we made good progresse in this heauenly purchase, when we truely value Christ in our hearts at so high a rate: and therefore we must endeauour our selues hereunto, and labour so to frame our whole conuersation in speaches and in action, that they may testifie at how high a rate we value Christ. And because the word of God reueales Christ Iesus vntounto vsus, in which regard it d2. Cor. 4. 6.is called a treasure, therefore it also must be highly valued, euen aboue all carthly things. Thus Dauid did, Psal. 119. 72. The Law of thy How to va…ue the word of God.mouth is better vntounto me then thousands of gold and siluer: verse 127. I louelove thy Commandements aboue gold, yea aboue much fiue gold: hereof wisdome saith, Prov. 8. 19.my fruite is better then gold, euen then much fine gold, and my reuenues better then …ine siluer. It were happie for vsus if wee did thus value the word of God. Many hold there is but one truth, and so that be knowne it is no matter whence it is learned, whether out of Gods word, or the writings of men: but they are sarre deceiued, for the Scriptures of God onelyonly, are that truth which is according to godlinesse; and they alone discouer vntounto vsus this heauenly treasure, and therefore they must hauehave the preheminence in our hearts, and be esteemed farre aboue all the writings of men: which if we would doe, we should feele that power and comfort of the word in our hearts, which naturally we lacke.
III. Dutie. Hauing found out, and rightly valued this true treasure,How to get the true treasure to our selues. we must seeke to get it for our selues, and make it our owne: so did the man in the parable (Matth. 13. 44.) when he had found the treasure hid in the field; and so Christ here commandeth, lay vp treasures for your selues. Now that we may get this treasure to our selues, we must conscionably vse such meanes as God hath appointed for this purpose▪ to wit, I. heare the word of God preached with all reuerence, care, and diligence, labouring to mixe it with faith in our hearts: II. receiue the Sacraments with all reuerence and due preparation: III. pray to God in faith earnestly and constantly for the pardon of our sinnes, and the fiuition of this treasure. The reason hereof is plaine: for the word and Sacraments are as it were the Lords two hands, wherewith he reacheth out this heauenly treasure and all spirituall blessings vntounto vsus; and our faith is the hand of our soule wherewith we receiue them, now by our praiers we testifie this faith, and sanctifie vntounto our selues the two former meanes.
IV. Dutie. Hauing gotten this treasure, we must labour to make it How to mak this treasure sure to our selues.sure vntounto our selues? And to this purpose we must follow Pauls counsell and charge to rich men: 1. Tim. 6. 17, 18, 19. Charge the rich men in this world, that they be not high minded, neither trust in vncerten riches, but in the liuing God: that they doe good and be rich in good workes—: laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come, that they may obtaine eternall life: where marke how by trusting in God, and by liberalitie and bountie, we are exhorted to lay a good foundation. What (will some say) must we be saued by our Almesdeedes, and good works? Ans. Not so: for the f2. Tim. 2. 1….ground of our saluation is Gods election and louelove in Christ, which he himselfe hath laid vp in heauen for vsus. But the foundation which wee must lay vp for our selues, is in our owne consciences, for our assurance in Gods foundation: and this we lay by our good works of louelove, merciemercy, and iustice; all which be fruits of faith: and beeing done in faith and with singlenes of heart to Gods glorie, they are sure testimonies of our portion in the true treasure Iesus Christ: for hereby we know we are translated from death to life, because we louelove the brethren. 1. Ioh. 3. 14.
V. Dutie. Hauing got this treasure sure to our selues, we must vse How to vse Christ as our treasure.it as a treasure. Hereunto three duties are required: I. we must hauehave our conuersation in heauen, for there Christ our treasure is: and where1 our …reasure is, there will our hearts be: and if our hearts be on Christ in desire, in ioy, and delight, it cannot be but our liues will be holy and heauenly, though our bodies be here on earth: but let vsus beware that our affections be not set on things below, for then is not Christ our treasure at all. II. We must turne our earthly goods into heauenly2 treasures. This we doe by imploying them in works of merciemercy, for he that giues vntounto the poore, lends vntounto the Lord, Prou. 19. 17. so that the mercifull man hath the Lord for his debter, for the Lord sends the poore mā as his messenger vntounto the rich, to borrow of him such things as the poore man lacketh; and the Lords returne of paiment is in heauenly blessings: and therefore Christ himselfe as it were explaning this point, gLuk▪ 1…. 33.bids; sell that ye hauehave, and giuegive almes: make you bagges which waxe not old, a treasure that cannot faile in heauen, where no theefe commeth, neither moth corrupteth: This then is the Lords owne direction, for this happie exchange of earthly goods for heauenly treasures, then which, who can wish a better increase. III. We must rather3 part with all that we hauehave then with Christ Iesus; friends, goods, countrey, libertie, nay our owne life, and deerest hearts blood must all goe for this treasures sake: so doth the good purchasser part with all he hath for to …ie the field in which this treasure is, Matth. 13. 44. but if we will rather part with Christ then with some or with all of these, then wee vse not Christ as the true treasure. Thus we see how Christ becomes our treasure; let vsus therefore make conscience to practise these fiue duties so long as we liue: for when Christ becomes our treasure marke what will follow; we shall finde in our hearts such sweet content therein, that neither prosperitie shall lift vsus vp too high, nor aduersitie cast vsus downe too low; nothing shall daunt vsus while we hauehave this treasure sure; no kind of death, no not the day of iudgement.
Thus much of the commandement, now followeth the particular reason thereof: where neither moth nor canker corrupteth, &c. This reason is drawen from the vnchangeable certentie and safetie of this treasure: earthly treasures are subiect to corruption, and to losse by stealth; but this heauenly treasure is free from all such things, for the highest heauen is not subiect to corruptiō, nor to the violēce of theeues and robbers; and therefore our treasure must be there. Quest. Why…ow the highest heauens is free from vanity. should the highest heauens be free from that vanitie, whereto all creatures els are subiect by the sinne of man? Answ. The heauens aboue which we looke vponupon, and the earth below, with all creatures in them, belonged to man by the right of creation, but the highest heauen is the throne of God: Now when man fell, he was punished not onelyonly in his owne person, but in all the creatures that belonged vntounto him, which by his sinne were made subiect vntounto vanitie: But the highest heauen was free from that curse, because it did not belong to man by the right of creation, but is a supernaturall gift, whereto we hauehave right and title onelyonly by the grace of Adoption and redemption in Christ Iesus: now sith man had no right thereto by creation, it was not meet that the sinne of man should make it subiect to vanitie or corruption. If therfore the safetie of an enduring substance can allure our hearts to louelove and like, then let vsus set our selues for this heauenly treasure.