God as the Apostle speaketh 2. Tim. 3.4 not that ever any were so simple as to say thus with their tongues or to kneele downe and worship their bellies for their God but hee that knoweth the heart and raines telleth us that thus it is and the Apostle tels us that in the last dayes thus it should be Loe then unlawfull things wil not be parted withall for the Treasures sake And as for lawfull things I meane the good Blessings of this Life Much lesse will they part with lawfull things Oh where is the man to be found that is content to part with them Where is the man that esteemes basely of them as drosse and doung in respect of Christ and sauing graces that layeth them aside for conscience sake when the publike and private exercises of Religion call for their devotion attendance Where is the man that parteth with them cheerefully to good and commendable uses sowing liberally that hee may reape liberally at the harvest that in preparation of heart hath resolved if persecution come to suffer the losse of all joyfully knowing in himselfe that he hath in heaven a better and an enduring substance where is the man that when losses affliction and death come can bid them all adue and that from his heart that hee may enjoy the Heavenly Treasure I speake not this Beloved as if I thought there were none such to be found some yea many there are I doubt not and I pray God increase the number of them but yet in respect of the multitude they are as rare as Blacke Swans The most part of men every where dote upon the world loving it onely and altogether or at least in the first and chiefest place How many Esaus are there in the world that say Tush what is this Birthright to me give me the pottage so red Gen. 25.32 How many Gadarens that will rather part with their Saviour Mar. 5.17 then with their very Swine Mar. 26.15 How many Iudasses that will sell their Saviour and their Soules for thirty pieces of silver nay for a farthing token Troche ludunt prandium perdunt pueri Children saith Chrysostome Chrys will play with their toppes and play away their dinners and most men childishly for toyes and trifles lose their God and heaven and their owne precious soules Hagar now adayes hath beaten her Mistresse Sarah out of doores Gen. 16.6 I meane the love of the world hath beaten the love of God and of Religion out of our hearts The world the world that 's our Treasure If our Saviours rule be true That where our hearts be there are our Treasures also Matthew 6.21 Mat. 6.21 then it is most plaine that wee have layd up our Treasures upon Earth for our thoughts our words our works our company are all worldly all earthly All the day all the weeke yea and the Sabbath day too is too little for the world Now if any man love the world saith Saint Iohn in expresse tearmes the love of the Father is not in him 1. Ioh. 2.15 1. Joh. 2.15 and as the ground where gold groweth is barren of all other things so an heart set vpon the world Simile is ever barren and devoid of heavenly graces for ye cannot serve God and Mammon saith our Saviour Mat. 6 24. Mat. 6 24. As for our buying of the Field I meane the Truth and Word of God 2 Men will not buy the Word it grieves my soule to think how the Booke of God is generally neglected his tenth part for the maintenance of his Ministers defrauded gelt and curtayled and all the labour the most men take for buying Truth is but to sit and give the Minister the hearing no preparation made before and after no meditation no conference no repetition of the things they have heard 3 At least not the Treasure no turning the Sermons into Prayer or into Practise Men place the utmost of their Religion in this they have read the Word they have heard the Sermon but never shew me the Meat but shew me the Man Never tell me thus many Chapters I have read thus many Sermons I have heard But tell mee what art thou what knowledge hast thou gotten what faith what hope what love what patience what temperance what humility what thankfulnesse what obedience what good hast thou gotten by the Word How justly may we take up the complaint of Salomon Pro. 17.16 Pro. 17.16 Why is there a price in the hand of a foole to get wisedome but he wants an heart Men have money time wit strength meanes of all sorts to buy the Field and to gaine the Treasure but the foole wants an heart eyther they get not the Word or get no knowledge out of the Word or turne not their knowledge into gracious practise Scire cupiunt tantum ut sciant They desire to know onely that they may know as if a man should get together Nummum ad numerandum Mony onely to number and tell it over Vas vitreum lingimus sed pultem non attingimus and not to buy necessaries withall and if it be thus with them certainly they may have got the Field the shell the huske and empty Casket but they have not gotten yet one peny-worth of the Treasure And by these meanes it comes to passe that while the Divel and the world have multitudes of Chapmen flocking and thronging about them to buy their Pedling-stuffe and painted Bables Simile The Lord may stand in the high places of the City making Proclamation Hoe come and buy of me Isa 55.1 Isa 55.1 and offering his rich and inualuable Treasures and few or none will come to the price Something they will bid and something they are content to give But hoc aliquid nihil est this something is as good as nothing for when he tels them They must sell all that meane to have the Treasure they goe away sorrowfull Joh. 6. â—0 saying in themselves Durus est hic sermo this is an hard saying and who can beare it this is an hard purchase and who can buy it as if poore soules that heaven and happines should be bought at too deare a rate if they should give their sins and vanities in exchange for it Vse 2 But alas alas Non Priamus tanti totaque Troia fuit All the lusts of Hell are not worth so much Mat. 16.26 and it will be a poore advantage to win the whole world and to lose Gods Kingdome and their owne soules Of ExhortatioÌ„ to withdraw our love from sin the world and set it on better things Let the second use be for Exhortation Let us all beloved in the Lord be persuaded to call off withdraw our love and affections from our sinfull lusts and from this present evill world and to settle and fasten them upon the Treasures of the Word namely upon Christ upon grace and upon glory
THE HIDDEN TREASVRE OPENED IN TWO SERMONS Preached by ZACHARY CATLIN Minister of Gods word at Thurstone in SVFFOLKE UPON MATTHEVV 13.44 These things hast thou HIDDEN from the wise and prudent and hast REVEALED them unto babes MATT. 11.25 LONDON Printed by M. Flesher for ROBERT DAVVLMAN at the signe of the Brazen-Serpent in Pauls Churchyard 1633. THE HIDDEN TREASVRE The first SERMON MATTH 13.44 Againe the Kingdome of heaven is like unto a Treasure hid in a field which when a man hath found he hideth it and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that hee hath and buyeth that field THis Parable welbeloved in the Lord is entire within it selfe and hath no dependance on any thing before delivered only this word Againe Againe gives us to consider our blessed Saviours frequent use of Parables as in other of his Sermons Cohoerence so in this very Chapter which I may call a Nest of seven Parables closely couched together Without a Parable spake he not unto them saith the Text verse 34. and the reason is given verse 35. Vers 34. Vers 35. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet saying I will open my mouth in Parables Hence observe that it was our Saviours usuall custome to preach by Parables that is Observ to borrow similitudes from earthly things in our ordinary callings Parabola est sermo similitudinarius qui aliud dicit aliud significat Aquin. Reason Simil. to the end that he might by these things that are obvious to sense and reason closely instill and insinuate into the mindes of worldly and naturall men things of an heavenly and spirituall nature with the more facility and greater delight even as skilfull Physitians are wont to minister unto their weake patients bitter Pils lapt up in sugar For this reason our Saviour borrowes similitudes from Husbandmen from Merchantmen from Fishermen from Leaven from Mustardseed from Pearles and from Treasures to illustrate unto his hearers matters concerning the Kingdome of God Vse 1 Vse 1. By which course of our Saviour the best Preacher that ever was wee his schollers may see what a workman in his trade a Minister of Christ ought to bee what a cunning Fisher for soules what a wily Proteus to insinuate the meaning of his doctrine into all capacities and the love of it into all affections Gen. 27.4 1 Cor. 9.22 dressing for every Isaac such meat as his soule loveth and with Paul that Master-builder becomming weake to the weake and all things to all men that by all meanes through Gods blessing we may winne some Vse 2 Secondly let this practice of our Saviour teach us all to labour for spirituall eyes and sanctified hearts that in earthly things wee may see things heavenly and in naturall things things spirituall Carnall Nichodemus hearing the doctrine of the newbirth Joh. 3. dreames againe of entring into his Mothers wombe and the carnall Capernaites hearing of eating the flesh of Christ John 6. dreame of tearing it with their teeth But our blessed Saviour in every common thing hee sees or meetes withall can espie something spirituall and heavenly Joh. 4. In the water of Iacobs Well hee can see the water of life in the stones of the Temple hee can read the destruction of Jerusalem Luke 21.6 and the end of the world and in Seed Tares Leaven Pearles and Treasures he can discerne the Kingdome of God as the Text saith The Kingdome of God is like a Treasure In like manner if we had heavenly hearts every thing we see and heare and meet withall would be unto us a Zacheus his Sycamore tree Luke 19.4 Deut. 34.1 from whence we might see our Saviour Moses his Mount Nebo from whence we might behold the Land of Promise And thus much of our Saviours use of Parables in generall In the Parable in particular Text it selfe the scope and aime of is our blessed Saviour is to teach us to prefer grace and glory Scope called here the Kingdome of heaven before all other things whatsoever and for the acquiring and enjoying of them to denie our selves and all our carnall lusts yea gladly to renounce the whole world that nothing might intangle us from the fruition of so great a good To accomplish this his aime he sets an high price and estimate upon them and greatly extols and sets forth the excellency of Gods Kingdome by comparing it in the next verse to a precious Pearle Verse 45. and here in this verse to a Desirable Treasure for the obtaining where of hee would have us to sell and part with all that wee have A needfull exhortation as in those so in these our dayes wherein alas carnall men do not duely prize the spirituall blessings and graces of God being bewitched with the baites of Satan and inticements of this present world And thus you have the generall scope and drift of this notable parable of the Treasure In the words themselves we have two things to be considered The two parts of the Text. First the Thing it selfe that is to bee purchased and secondly what is to be done about the obtaining of it First the Purchase it selfe about which wee are to bee employed is set forth unto us in the Text by foure severall circumstances Foure circumstances 1. The Name 2. The Value 3. The Place or Situation 4. The Difficultie of finding and obtaining it The Name is The Kingdome of Heaven The Value is It is like a Treasure The Place or Situation It is like a treasure in a Field The Difficulty of finding and obtaining it It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Treasure HIDDEN in a field Againe the Kingdome of Heavē is like unto a Treasure hid in a field In the second place for the procuring and obtaining of this Purchase What to bee done Five things five things are to bee done First the Treasure must bee Found Secondly wee must Rejoyce in our finding Thirdly wee must HIDE our Treasure againe Fourthly wee must Withdraw our selves for consideration Fiftly and lastly we must SEL ALL that we have and BVY the Field for the Treasures sake according to the example of this Man propounded by our Saviour in my Text of whom it is said When hee hath found the Treasure he hideth it and for joy thereof he goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth the field Of these in order The first Generall part The Purchase it selfe 1. Circumstāce The NAME Kingdome of Heaven as God shall assist and the time permit and first of the Purchase it selfe about which we are to be employed which as you have heard is set forth unto us by foure circumstances and first of all by the NAME The Kingdome of Heaven what that is seeing Interpreters give little satisfaction under correction of better judgement I will lay downe mine own opinion Dan 2.32 The Prophet Daniel in his secōd Chapter tels us of foure earthly
Set them O set them upon Religion and the kingdome of heaven Had we but truly found tasted heauenly things we would easily contemne earthly things as base and vile Qui invenit coelestia contemnit saecularia And impossible it is not to love these riches Simile till we know better Can children not be in love with rattles drums hoby-horses toyes and trifles 1. Cor. 13.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but after when they know better things of themselves they put away these childish follies O that we were wise and would once put away our childishnes from us Abraham left all to follow God Heb. 11.8 though he knew not whether he went nor what he should have when he came there Peter and Andrew left all to follow Christ Mat. 4.20 even Father and Ship and nets and all Matthew the Publican being called by our Saviour rose up left all Mat. 9.9 and followed him Mat. 2.11 The wise men of the East having found the babe Jesus opened their Treasures and present to him gold frankincense and myrrhe Luke 19.8 Zacheus found the man Jesus and presently halfe his goods he gives to the poore and makes restitution of wrongs fourefold The Primitive Saints found the Lord Jesus Act. 4.34 and they sold all their possessions and laid down the price at the Apostles feet And as S Paul tels us Heb. 11.34 Heb. 11.34 They tooke joyfully the spoiling of their goods knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a better an enduring substance The reason of all is they had found the Treasure and they held nothing too good or too deare to purchase it withall O that we were wise unto salvation and would follow the examples of these heavenly Merchants Omnes ita comparati sumus saith Musculus Musculus Pecuniam in loco negligere in lucro est ut libenter quod minus est impendamus ut acquiramus quod majus est Even nature it selfe doth teach us to part readily with a little to bring in a greater gaine Who will not part with a penny to gaine a pound who will not cast away a little seed that hee may reape a fruitfull harvest Heb. 2.3 Not caring for why should we then for vaine and transitory things neglect and lose so great salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 2.3 Let us in time bethinke our selves and with blessed Mary Luk. 10 42. Luk. 10.42 Let us chuse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that good part which shall never be taken from us If we lay up Treasures for our selves with that rich foole Luk. 12. and be not rich to God we shall shew our selves fooles Luke 12.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amâ—ns Beza as he was saith our Saviour v. 21. and speed as he did to whom it was said Thou foole this night shall they fetch away thy soule from thee and then whose shall all these things be Take to heart S. Iohns motive 1 Ioh 2 17. The world passeth and the lusts thereof but he that doth the will of God abides for ever Motive 1. Joh. 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccl. 12.5 All will forsake thee and thou must forsake all Thy lusts will forsake thee Concupiscence saith Salomon will flee away thy lust to meate and drinke thy lust to mirth and musicke and all Court-like delights will flee from thee as they did from aged Barzillai 2. Sam. 19.35 The world also will forsake thee it runs on orbes and wheeles and is ever passing and sliding away The old world is gone the old yeare is gone the old weeke is gone this day is in part gone and carryes with it the thread of thy life How many of our deare friends and Gods deare chidren are passed away and left us behind Onely the Word of God continues for ever 1. Pet. 1. ult 1. Pet. 1. vlt. and hee that doth the will and Word of God endures for ever 1. Ioh. 2.17 The Word of God will continue with thee to quicken and comfort thy soule grace and good conscience gotten by it will stand by thee and thy good works done according to it will follow thee after death Rev. 14.13 True Religion will bring thee true credit true prosperity true and solid comfort in life and death And when carnall and worldly men that have layd up their Treasures on earth and have gone a whoring after the world and worldly lusts shall lose heaven and the world too thou that hast made Gods Word thy Paradise and God thy portion whom to please and to enjoy thou hast esteemed thy greatest Ioy and Treasure thou shalt be sure to be well provided for for thou hast already a Treasure of grace and comfort and shalt have shortly a Treasure of Glory even Fulnes of Ioy at Gods right hand and Pleasures for evermore To conclude Psa 16 ult all those that can truly say to Christ as Peter did Mat. 19.27 Behold Lord we have forsaken all and followed thee What shall we have therefore He will undoubtedly answer them as there he did him Verily I say unto you Ver. 28. that ye which have followed me in the Regeneration shall sit on Thrones and ye that have forsaken houses or lands or friends for my Names sake shall receive an hundred fold in this life Ver 29. and in the end inherit life everlasting Now unto life everlasting he bring us that laid downe life and all for us and he give us grace to deny our selves and to lay downe life and all for him To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be ever rendred as is ever due All honour glory prayse and thankes from this time forth for evermore Amen Amen The end of the second Sermon Soli Deo gloria I counsell thee to buy of me Gold tryed in the fire that thou mayst be rich Rev. 3.18