The Unsearchable Riches of Christ

I would have such and such things, saith the poor man, as the rich man hath; I would fare as he fares, and wear as ⟨p. 266⟩he wares, and do as he does, but my stock will not reach it. So a soul that is spiritually rich can reach to those things that one that is poor in grace cannot reach unto. He can reach to those joys, to those comforts, and to those contents, to those heights of communion with God, and to those Visions and apprehensions of God, that a soul that is not rich in grace, cannot reach to. Oh! I would fain have that comfort, and that joy, and that peace, and that communion with God, and those Visions of God, that such and such souls have, saith a poor Christian, but I cannot, my stock will not reach to it. It's an Argument a man is grown higher, when he can reach higher then he could before, whether it be a beam, or a pin, &c. So it's an Argument that a soul is grown rich in grace, when he can reach beyond what formerly he could reach unto; when he can reach beyond his enlargements, beyond his incomes, beyond his comforts, to a Christ: When in duty, he can reach above duty; when in an Ordinance, he can reach to Christ, above the Ordinance; when under enlargements, he can reach above enlargements, to Jesus Christ. Oh but now a man that hath but a little grace, he can rarely reach above his duties, above Ordinances, above Enlargements, to Christ, he is very apt to sit down, and warm himself with the sparks of his own fire, and to feed upon ¹ashes, as the Prophet speaks, &c. But now a soul that is rich in grace, says, Well, these Ordinances are not Christ, these refreshings are not Christ, these meltings are not Christ, these enlargements are not Christ, these are sweet, but he is more sweet; these are very precious, but he is most precious. And thou those that are spiritually rich, do out-reach all others, &c.

I would have such and such things, saith the poore man, as the rich man hath; I would fare as he fares, and weare as ⟨p. 266⟩he wares, and doe as he does, but my stock will not reach it. So a soul that is spiritually rich can reach to those things that one that is poore in grace cannot reach unto. He can reach to those joyes, to those comforts, and to those contents, to those heights of communion with God, and to those Visions and apprehensions of God, that a soule that is not rich in grace, cannot reach to. Oh! I would faine have that comfort, and that joy, and that peace, and that communion with God, and those Visions of God, that such and such soules have, saith a poore Christian, but I cannot, my stock will not reach to it. It's an Argument a man is growne higher, when he can reach higher then he could before, whether it be a beam, or a pin, &c. So it's an Argument that a soule is grown rich in grace, when he can reach beyond what formerly he could reach unto; when he can reach beyond his inlargements, beyond his incomes, beyond his comforts, to a Christ: When in duty, he can reach above duty; when in an Ordinance, he can reach to Christ, above the Ordinance; when under inlargements, he can reach above inlargements, to Jesus Christ. Oh but now a man that hath but a little grace, he can rarely reach above his duties, above Ordinances, above Inlargements, to Christ, he is very apt to sit downe, and warm himselfe with the sparkes of his owne fire, and to feed upon