e man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise thereof is better
than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She
is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not
to be compared unto her." Here is the weight of wisdom in itself. See how
ponderous it is of itself; so heavy that it may weigh down all that come
within the compass of desire, and certainly its compass is infinite. But,
he adds, "Length of days are in her right hand, and in her left hand
riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths
are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her." She is a
tree of life in herself, though she had no accession of other things, "and
happy is every one who retaineth her," Prov. iii. 13-19.

Now, O men, if ye will not be allured with the beauty and excellency of
the princess, wisdom herself, then, I pray you, look what follows her.
That which now ye are pursuing after with much labour and pains, and all
in vain too, is here in her train. Look how the comparison is stated.
Christ Jesus would catch us with a holy guile, and, if it had success, O!
it would be a blessed guile to us. Ye have large and airy apprehensions of
temporal things, which ye call needful, and ye cannot behold eternal
things. Ye know not the worth of this kingdom. Ye conceive that godliness
is prejudicial unto you in this life, that the kingdom of grace will make
you miserable here; and that ye cannot endure. Ah, be not mistaken, come
and look again. If godliness itself will not allure you, if the kingdom
itself will not weigh with you, then, I pray you, consider what an
appendix, what a consectary these have. Consider that the sum is added to
the principal, which ye so much seek after. But ye refuse the principal,
the kingdom. Ye have not right thoughts of godliness, "for godliness is
profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is,
and that which is to come," 1 Tim. iv. 8. Now, is not this "a faithful
saying?" If ye believe it so to be, is it not "worthy of all acceptation?"

Ye may have things necessary here, food and raiment. And if ye seek more,
if ye will be rich, and will have superfluities, then ye shall fall into
many temptations, snares, and hurtful lusts, which shall drown you in
perdition, 1 Tim. vi. 8-11. Nature and reason might check such
exorbitances, for nature is content with few things. Therefore believe
that "godliness with