Page:Spiritual Reflections for Every Day in the Year - Vol 2.pdf/79

 existence, and not possess them as our own. The doctrines and truths of the Word regard the life, and are to be applied to the improvement of our spiritual states and condition—to the regulation of our affections, thoughts, and conduct; and thus to our advancement in goodness, as well as to our increase in wisdom, and so long as these doctrines and truths are not applied to the life, nor brought out into the conduct, so long the sacred Treasure is hid, and we may be compared to a man who knows where the Treasure is concealed, but it is not his own! he has not bought the field; and the reason why he has not bought it, is, because he has not sold all that he has! The JOY at finding the Treasure, which leads a man willingly, with cheerfulness and delight, to go and sell all that he has, in order to buy the field, is not yet felt. How long, dear reader, will you be disposed to suffer the Treasure which you have found, to lie hid in the field? Bring it forth in the life and conduct; then will the Divine Love be found to glow in your bosom, as well as wisdom to sparkle in your eyes! then, the Church, as the spiritual kingdom of Christ, will be found within you, and the field containing the Treasure will be your own! Then, while Truth springs out of your earth or mind, righteousness will look down from Heaven. In you, mercy and truth will meet together, righteousness and peace will kiss each other, and the Lord will give you that which is good, and your land shall yield its increase. Be determined, then, to go and sell all that thou hast, and buy the field. Do not start at this, and like the young man in the Gospel, go away sorrowful, because thou hast great riches.