: it and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold. 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. Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding.* Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, is the true Wisdom. He is "the power of God, and the wisdom of God."+ He is made unto us-Wisdom.‡ "Unto you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men."- "Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things."" Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoso findeth me, findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.§ To find Christ is to find life. For "this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son, hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life." To find Christ is to find the Pearl of great price. The vast universe, with all its treasures, cannot purchase it. The Hierarchy of Heaven, with all their united excellencies, cannot procure it for us. Infinite Justice demands a price beyond the power of heavenly intelligences to pay. Before this treasure can be obtained through the merit of the creature, whether human or angelic, works must be performed more than God hath commanded, and be wrought out by a power beyond what he has bestowed. All that is short of this will avail nothing, for thus said our Lord: "When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants, we have done that which was our duty to do."¶ Where is boasting then ?-It is excluded.-Fallen man, if left to himself, must sink * Job xxviii. 14-20. § Prov. viii. 4, 6, 33-35. + 1 Cor. i. 24. 1 Cor. i. 30. ¶ Luke xvii. 10. into the depths of misery; and yet, what thousands toil to save themselves on the plank of their own righteousness! O, ye self-righteous professors, ye, who seek to be justified by the works of the law; ye who labour to obtain a righteousness of your own, and to claim heaven as the purchase of your doings, learn wisdom ere it be too late. Your works, which, in your estimation, are like "goodly pearls," are beheld with abhorrence by a Holy God;-those actions which you so much admire and value, are in His sight as "filthy rags. Seek, then, by faith and prayer, through the Spirit of all grace, THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE; the Lord Jesus Christ. Sell all that you have to obtain this treasure. So did St. Paul. "What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and 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 be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith."* So did the Apostles: "Lo, we have left all, and followed thee." And so did the primitive believers, who, for the Gospel's sake, endured a great fight of affliction, and took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a better and an enduring substance. Oh! what a mystery of grace is contained in these precious words:- God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The Pearl of great price is freely given to enrich my soul. To all who come this Pearl is free, *Phil. iii. 7-9. Yes! it is freely offered, without money and without price. And does Jesus thus give himself to my poor sinful soul? He does; and declares, by his Apostle, that to as many as receive Him, to them he gives the privilege to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.* O! blessed Jesus-thou Saviour of my soul, enable me now, even now, to make a full surrender of myself to thee. Make me faithful, humble, and sincere. Preserve me from vain-glory and from selfdependence. Give me a single eye, and simplicity of heart. Guard me from the crafts of Satan, and the poison of my natural corruption. Alas! I have daily to mourn over the secret workings of spiritual pride. When I would speak a word for thee, how soon does vanity spoil all. Oh! show me more of my emptiness and nothingness, of my guilt and misery. Teach me to prize thee as my only treasure, to esteem thee, as indeed Thou art-the Pearl of great price. O! root out of my heart that evil leaven of unbelief, which mars every action; which so awfully dishonours thee! Crucify this thief which robs thee of thy glory, and me of thy consolation. Give me a deeper insight into the dark recesses of my heart.-Let me descend into this sepulchre, loathsome as the sight may be. Oh! may this view of my pollution endear Thee to my heart, my Saviour and my God.-Wash me in the fountain of thy precious blood; cover me with the mantle of thy perfect Righteousness; purify my soul, through the cleansing influences of thy Spirit. Adorn me with Thyself, thou Pearl of great price, that I may appear before Thee as 66 a bride adorned for her husband.”+ The more I read the Sacred Scriptures, the more I find that true religion is seated in the heart.—It does not consist in outward forms, however excellent, -in orthodox notions, however correct,-in frames and feelings, however ardent,-in morality of conduct, however admired.-It consists in that faith + Rev. xxii. 2. * John i. 12. which worketh by love, which purifies the heart, which overcomes the world. It consists in a vital union to Christ by a living faith; in an entire renunciation of self; in an absolute surrender of the soul to God. It consists in having the understanding enlightened by the truth as it is in Jesus; in having the will swallowed up in the will of God; in having the affections supremely set on things above; in loving God above all created things, and our neighbour as ourselves. This great work is the operation of the Holy Ghost, and is aptly termed, a new creation,-regeneration,-the conversion of the soul to God. O! Almighty Saviour! Thou who didst bleed upon the Cross for me; who didst there pour out thy soul unto death for me, how can I adore and praise thee as I ought? Alas! in this world, never!-All my thoughts, all my affections, all my desires, must ever fall infinitely short of all thy praise! And yet, thou compassionate Redeemer, thou dost not reject the sigh of penitence, nor the breathings of the contrite heart. Thine ear is open to the softest prayer; to the inmost longings of a loving heart.-How gracious are thy words:-"Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Ask, and receive, that your joy may be full."*" Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."+" Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word."+ * Matt. xxi. 22. John xvi. 24. + Isa. lvii. 15. Rejoice, O my soul, at this revelation of love! The heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee, O my God, and yet Thou condescendest to dwell in the contrite heart! Well may angels rejoice over one sinner that repenteth, when Thou, who inhabitest Eternity, makest his heart thy dwelling-place. What anxious thoughts, what wearying care, And thirsts, and longs, and thirsts for more. Vain man! and why this constant toil, The hour will come when thou must die; Jesus, my Lord, this treasure is, That can support, and cheer, and bless.— |