Chapter 1. On the Treasure Hidden in a Field.

HITHERTO I have spoken what God hath suggested to me in my meditations, concerning the happiness of the saints, under the names of those places wherein they who are truly happy and blessed dwell ; that is, concerning the Kingdom of Heaven, the City of God, the House of the Lord, and the Paradise of delights. I will now add a few remarks on the same subject, under the name of those things by which our Lord hath described the happiness of the Saints, in the parables. But we must first be in formed, that these words of our Lord, " The Kingdom of Heaven is like/' &c., which He continually makes use of in the Parables, do not always refer to the words immediately following: as if when our Lord saith, " The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant/' He meant that it was

like to this man : the words relate to the whole narration, in which by a similitude the way to the kingdom of heaven is pointed out. And sometimes the happiness of this heavenly kingdom is described obscurely ; sometimes clearly, and at other times it can in no way be comprehended. I will explain each part of this division.

When our Lord, in St. Matthew, proposes the parable of the Sower, He de scribes the fruit which the preaching of the Gospel produces according to the various dispositions of the land, and this is called the "Mystery of the Kingdom of God:" but He mentions nothing of the happiness of the saints. But when in the same place, He adds the parable of the cockle, He alludes briefly to the happiness of the saints, when He saith, " The wheat gather ye into my barn, but bind the cockle into bundles to burn." But when in the same chapter He speaks of a merchant seeking good pearls, and of one that found a treasure hidden in a field, He then clearly compares the kingdom of heaven to the pearl and the treasure. I find only six parables of this kind : the first being of the treasure hidden in a field ; the second of the precious pearl ; the third of the labourers in the vine yard ; the fourth of the talents ; the fifth of the supper ; the sixth of the marriage-feast. To which I shall add two similitudes from the Apostle Paul ; one concerning those that run for the prize, the other concerning

those that contend in the race. Thus there will be eight " Considerations" in the blessed life of the saints, taken from the parables.

The first parable, therefore, (which is found in St. Matthew,) makes " the king dom of heaven like unto a treasure hidden in a field ;" and it briefly teaches us how it may be acquired, in these words : "Which a man having found, hid it, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field." (St. Matthew, xiii. 44.) A treasure signifies an immense sum of gold, silver, and precious stones; and it ought to be so old, that no memory of it exists, and therefore not having a pro per owner, it belongs of right to him that finds it. Now this " treasure" is the Divi nity itself, which is hidden in the field of the humanity of Christ, according to the Explanations of St. Hilary, and of St. Jerome in his Commentary on the 13th chapter of St. Matthew ; for in Christ, as the Apostle saith, "are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." But the Divinity is the truest treasure of all good, and so ancient is it, that no memory remaineth of it, because it is eternal and before all ages : nor had this great treasure ever any owner, since He is himself the Lord of all things. But it is said to belong to those that find it, because He willingly gives it to them, who having sold all their goods, hasten to purchase it. But it is said

to be " hidden" in the humanity of Christ, as if buried in a field; because although the Divinity be every where present, yet nowhere is it more so, than in the humanity of Christ, with which it is so united, as to make God and man but one person. Where fore the Apostle saith : "God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself." ^ And although he was nowhere more than in the humanity of Christ, yet he appeared to be so hidden, that a " Light" was necessary to show God was in Christ. This Light was St. John the Baptist, who, as St. John the Apostle writes, " Was a burning and shining light," and of whom David spoke in the person of God the Father, " I have prepared a lamp for my anointed." (Psalm cxxxi. 17.) St. John made Christ manifest, and truly proved Him to be the only- Begotten Son of God, where he says : " No man hath seen God at any time ; the onlybegotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared Him." (chap. i. 18.) And again: "He that come th from heaven, is above all;" and a little lower, " The Father loveth the Son ; and He hath given all things into his hands. He that believeth in the Son, hath life everlasting ; but he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life ; but the wrath of God abideth on him." (chap. iii. 35, 36.) But although this " burning and shining light" so clearly proved Christ to be the Son of God; yet Jie blind Jews could not, or would not,

acknowledge the Divinity hidden in Christ; for, as the Apostle saith : "If they had known it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory/'

He therefore, who, being divinely enlightened, findeth the treasure, " hides it, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field." To hide the found treasure, is nothing more than under the veil of humility, to conceal the grace we have received; not to be elated by the light given to us from above, nor to boast of our divine consolations and revelations, lest vain glory corrupt our true glory. Wherefore, the Prophet Isaias was accustomed to say, " My secret to myself;" and the Apostle Paul, " If I must glory (it is not expedient indeed) : but I will come to the visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ above fourteen years ago," &c. (2 Epist. to Corinth, xii.) The wonderful revelations he received when rapt into paradise, he passed over in silence for fourteen years ; and for ever would he have concealed them, had he not been obliged to reveal them. He plainly says, "it is not expedient" to make known such gifts ; and under a feigned name he reveals them, to show how greatly it was against his inclination. Something like this hap pened to St. Francis, when the sacred " Stigmata" were miraculously impressed upon him, as St. Bonaventure relates in

his life :'"" he was always accustomed to conceal his divine revelations, and to exclaim with Isaias, " My secret to myself:" but yet when he perceived it could not be concealed, he related the whole case with great fear to his inquiring brethren.

With joy to sell all that we possess, and to purchase the field where the treasure was concealed, means — that he who wisheth to enjoy God and Christ in the kingdom of heaven, must be entirely free from all affection to temporal things, and deliver himself and all that he possesseth, to the disposal of God; and this he should do, not in sadness or through necessity, but with great joy, for "God loveth a cheerful giver." But he that truly understandeth how great will be the treasure to enjoy Christ in His eternal country ; to see with the eyes of the mind His divinity, and with those of the body His humanity, and to be made a partaker of all the good things of God and of Christ, and to possess these securely for ever, to him it will not appear a great sacrifice to despise all temporal goods, and life itself, for the love of God and of eternal happiness. Of this St. Ignatius the martyr is witness, who in his Epistle to the Romans, thus writes: "Let fire and the cross; let the companies of wild beasts ; let breaking of bones and tearing of members ; let the shattering in pieces of the whole body, and all the wicked torments of the devil come

upon me : only let me enjoy Jesus Christ."""" He that could speak thus, would much less fear want, ignominy, exile, and the prison, in order that he might not lose that incom parable treasure. He therefore who truly dqsireth to possess the treasure of eternal life, should seriously consider again and again, whether he be prepared to despise all other goods ; otherwise he will never obtain, either living or dead, that treasure without which he will be eternally poor and miserable.

Bat whence is it, that so many anxiously seek after treasures of gold and silver ; and not content with human diligence, employ the aid of evil spirits, to the great clanger of their life and character? But why do so few seek after Thy treasure, O Lord, my God, who alone canst make men rich, and which can be found without labour, without cost, or danger? I find rip other cause, except either the slender faith of Thy people, or their being too occupied in temporal things, which leave them not any time for considering Thy divine promises to men. Wherefore, dear Lord ! increase our faith in Thy promises, and extinguish the thirst of acquiring temporal riches : thus we shall be enabled with greater ardour to seek after Thy treasure ; and when found, with Thy especial assistance to purchase it, by selling all our goods.