cribed, not to us, who are utterly insufficient of ourselves to think or do any thing as of ourselves, but to God alone, who chooses such weak means, that no flesh may glory in his . presence.

The doctrine is much the same with the words, namely, « That God will have the treasure of his gospel conveyed to his church and people in earthen vessels, that all men may know, that the excellency of its power for conversion and salvation is of himself, and not of man."

Through divine assistance, I shall observe the following method :

I. Speak a little of the gospel treasure.

II. Of the earthen vessels by which it is conveyed to God's family.

III. Of the excellent power of God, which attends the dispensation of this treasure.

IV. Show that the excellency of the divine power is illustriously manifested in the conveyance of the treasure of gospel grace in such a way.

V. Make application of the whole.

I. I begin with the first of these, namely, to speak a little of the gospel-treasure. And here I shall show, 1. What is imported in its being called a treasure. 2. Present you with some parcels of this treasure ; for it is impossible to bring it all forth to open view, in regard it is unsearchable. As to the first

, What is imported in this designation given to the gospel, which is called a treasure? To this I answer in these particulars:

1. A treasure consists of something very valuable; for what men do not value, they do not reckon a treasure. What so valuable as the gospel of the grace of God! O, says David, "How precious unto me are the words of thy mouth! they are better to me than thousands of gold and of silver:"" Every precept, every promise, every truth of God, is a precious jewel which we are to buy at any rate, but to sell at no rate. “Wisdom's merchandise is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold." They that know the value of it will prefer it to all the treasures of this world, and “take joyfully the spoiling of their goods,” rather than part with the least hoof of gospel truth, yea, they will not love their life unto the death, in comparison of the gospel-treasure; hence we are commanded to "contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints."

2. A treasure consists in something that is very useful and profitable to the life of men in the world. Men never reckon that to be their treasure which is of no use to them. O, what so profitable to the immortal soul, as that which brings life and immortality to light to them!" It is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; and the man of God is " thus "made perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works," 2 Tim. iii. 15-17.

3. A treasure consists of something very rare; what is common to every body is not reckoned a treasure. What so rare as the gospel, even as to the external revelation of it? It is not a thing common to every nation: Psal. cxlvii. 19, 20: “He showeth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation." The greatest part of the world, at this day, know nothing of the gospel-treasure; and among those nations to whom it is come, how few are they that enjoy it in its purity! There is but little gospel to be heard in many of the pulpits through Britain. I have lately seen sermons printed, and highly applauded by some, where there is not one grain weight of the gospel-treasure, from the beginning to the end, no more than in the writings of Plato, Seneca, and Cicero. And even where the gospel is preached in purity, how few are they that really receive and entertain it by faith!

4. A treasure commonly lies deep and hid in the earth. They that are in quest of the gospel-treasure must dig for it before they find it, therefore called by Christ “a treasure hid in the field:" The field where it lies is the word of God; and they who would find it, are directed to "seek it as silver, and to search for it as for a hid treasure," Prov. ii. 4. Hence our Lord, to the same purpose, exhorts us to "search the scriptures, for in them we think to have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me," John v. 39.

5. A treasure implies great abundance of these valuable and profitable things; a man that has but a small quantity of money cannot be said properly to have a treasure. David and Solomon, and other kings, had their treasures, in which there was great abundance of riches. Well, the gospel opens a mine of riches which has no bottom: Eph. iii. 8, says Paul, "I preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." Here is fulness, all fulness, yea, all the fulness of the Godhead; riches which eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive: "But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit," says the apostle, 1 Cor. ii. 9, 10.

6. A treasure implies not only abundance of great and good things, but that they are substantial and durable. Men

make no account of the treasures of snow, which melt away and perish. Such are all earthly treasures, they perish in the very using; "riches make to themselves wings, and fly away like an eagle," mounting up to heaven till she be quite out of sight. We read of a rich man in the gospel, who, when he had filled his barns with corn, and his coffers with money, said to himself, "Soul, take thine ease, for there is goods laid up for many years." But where were his treasures, when God said to him, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be taken from thee, and whose shall these things be?" Yea, worldly treasures frequently melt away before they are taken out of this world, as we see in the case of Job, who, though to-day he was the richest man in the East, yet to-morrow he became poor to a proverb. But the treasures of the gospel are durable, and substantial: Prov. viii. 21, says Christ, the essential Wisdom of God, "I will cause those that love me to inherit substance, and I will fill all their treasures." This is, indeed, a treasure to be desired, because it endureth for ever; moth and rust do not corrupt it, and thieves break not through to steal it. So much for the import of the expression, why the gospel is called a treasure.

2dly, I proceed to bring forth some of the gospel-treasure, that you may know what it is. But here there are two things I would advertise you of before I proceed. (1.) That it is so great that the tongues of men or angels cannot declare it fully; "it has not entered into the heart of man to conceive" how great it is; so that it is only some little glimpse of it we can give you from scripture-revelation. (2.) You must not look upon this treasure as a thing in which you have no concern, for it is all your own; therefore, while we are telling you of it, you must put to the hand of faith, and apply and appropriate it to yourselves; for "things revealed belong to you and your children; and to you is the word of this salvation sent: The promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off." And therefore mingle faith with what you are to hear, that so you may be enriched for eternity. Well, say you, tell us what this gospel-treasure is, bring it out of the earthen vessels, that we may see and know it.

Well then, first, In general, I tell you that Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, the sum and substance of the gospel-treasure. Christ is all in all; and if you win Christ, you win the whole treasure of the gospel of which I speak: Says Paul, Phil. iii. 8: "Yea, doubtless, I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung,, that I may win Christ." And when he went

up and down the world from nation to nation, scattering the gospel-treasure among them, what was the amount of it but Christ? Eph. iii. 8: "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." 1 Cor. i. 23, 24: "We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." And, chap. ii. 2: "I determined not to know any thing amongst you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." Col. i. 27, 28: "God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you" (margin amongst you, "the hope of glory; whom we preach," &c. Thus, I say, the sum total of the gospel-treasure is Christ; and no wonder, for God is in Christ, who is the alone adequate portion of the rational and immortal soul: "It hath pleased the Father, that in Christ should all fulness dwell, that out of his fulness all we might receive grace for grace," Col. i. 19, chap. ii. 9, compared with John i. 16. But, say you, we would hear something more particularly respecting this gospel-treasure. Well, then, I shall tell you of some rich and valuable things to be found in the treasure of the gospel.

1. Then, Of all things in the world life is the most valua-. ble. It was a true saying of the father of lies, "Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life." The mariner will heave overboard into the sea all his most valua ble goods and commodities that he has with him, to save his life. And if the life of the body be so valuable, what must the life of the soul be? Matth. xvi. 26: "What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” The redemption of the soul is precious, and ceaseth for ever as to any ransom that man can give for it. Well, sirs, we tell you, that the life and salvation of the precious soul is to be found in this gospel-treasure; if a man give but the hearing of faith to this gospel, his soul shall live, Is. lv. 3. The gospel is called a word of life, and a word of salvation, Acts xiii. 26, and chap. v. 20: "Go," (says the angel to the apostles who were imprisoned,)" stand and speak in the temple to the people, all the words of this life." And whoever he be that believes the report of the gospel concerning Christ, he shall not perish, but have everlasting life, John iii. 14-16.

2. Next to life, light is the most sweet and valuable thing in this world. What a melancholy unheartsome habitation would this world be, if it wanted the sun in the firmament! Truly light is sweet, and it is a pleasant thing for the eyes..

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to behold the sun." Well, the gospel brings a more valuable light to the world than the light of the sun in the firmament, even that light which discovers another world, and a far better world than this is, " for life and immortality are brought to light by the gospel." Wherever the gospel comes, "the people which sat in darkness are made to see a great light; and to them which sat in the region of the shadow of death, light doth spring up," Matth. iv. 16; and, John viii. 12, says Christ, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." And where this light of the gospel shines into the heart, it is just a prelude of the light of glory.

3. In this gospel-treasure is to be found a treasure of wisdom, whereby the foolish and simple sinner is made wise to salvation. "In Christ (whom we preach) are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge;" and he is "made of God unto us wisdom." David found such a measure of wisdom and knowledge in this treasure, that he had more understanding than the ancients, and more wisdom than all his teachers: by the gospel-revelation, these things are revealed to babes, that are hid, from the wise and prudent of this world. See a lecture of the excellency of the gospel-wisdom, Job xxviii. 12-23: "It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies. The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold. God only understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof."

4. In this gospel-treasure, is to be found that crown of glory which fell from Adam's head the day that he sinned against God: 2 Cor. iii. 18: "All we with open face, beholding as in a glass," namely, the glass of the gospel-revelation, "the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord." Christ is the image of the invisible God, and the brightness of his Father's glory; and, by beholding his glory in the gospel, we come to be renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created us at first, 2 Cor. iv. 4-6.

5. The gospel opens a treasure of "fine linen, pure and white, which is the righteousness of the saints," Rev. xix. 8. The judicious Durham upon that place observes, that by this righteousness of the saints, is to be understood the imputed righteousness of Christ, which he proves by several arguments. This is that white raiment which Christ counsels Laodicea to buy of him, that the shame of her nakedness might not appear, Rev. iii, 18. This, I say, we bring forth, and