The display of glorious grace, or, The covenant of peace opened in fourteen sermons…

4. Because these Merchandises enrich the Soul with Choice and Blessed Experiences.¹ Hence David saith, The Law of thy Mouth, is better to me than Thousands of Gold and Silver. And again he saith (speaking of his Experiences) Thou hast put Gladness into my Heart, ²more than in the time when their Corn and Wine increased. ³One Day in thy Courts, ⁴is better than a Thousand— And from hence it is that he cries out, Whom have I in Heaven but thee? ⁵Neither is there any on Earth I desire besides thee. Again, saith he,⁶ O taste and see how good the Lord is: He is so Good, yea, so Precious, so Sweet in his Love and Favour, that I am not able to express it, (as if he should say) Therefore pray taste your selves, and then by experience you will find it to be as I say: Solomon also found by experience, this was the best Trade; Wisdom is better than Gold, ⁷and to get Understanding, rather to be chosen than Silver— Yea, better than Rubies;⁸ all things that may be desired, are not to be compared to it. Solomon ⟨p. 266⟩had the experience of all other Things, he had Riches in abundance, Honours beyond all Men on Earth, and Pleasures of all sorts, and such Wisdom also, which no mere Man ever attained to,⁹ yet he cries out, Vanity of Vanity, all things are Vanity: Doubtless God might let him try the Nature of all Worldly good, or whatsoever the Heart of Man could desire, that by him all Men might know, even by his Experience, the emptiness and vanity of them; no Man ever decried the Vanity of all things under the Sun, more than he did—And in the close of all, by that experience he had, how doth he commend Spiritual Things, or the Merchandise of Wisdom, i e. the Love and Favour of God in Christ, or our Lord Jesus Christ himself, whom he sets forth under the Name of Wisdom. Moreover, Moses chose rather to Trade in these rich and rare Commodities than in all the Treasures and Glories of Egypt, or of Pharaoh's Court; nay, he esteemed the Reproaches of Christ greater Riches,