The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-04-13
For the Central Presbyterian.
Precious Things.

IISclOuS 4 aluSS.
Solomon says, "Wisdom is more pre-
cious than rubies; and all the things thou
canst desire are not to be compared unto
her."
In this enlightened age, when Chris
tians are to "covet earnestly the best
gifts" and are mot come unto the mount
that might be touched, and that burned
with fire, nor unto blackness, and dark
ness, and tempest, etc., we are come
unto Jesus the Mediator of the new
covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling,
that speaketh better things than that of
Abel" to something more precious than
even that which Solomon, in all his glory,
had. 1t is some of these better than0s,
spoken of as precious, that. the mind of
the reader is asked to dwell upon.
We all agree with Solomon that "The
lips of knowledge are precious jewel, ="
but to US there are other things more
precious; for " knowledge puffeth up
"it shall vanish away"
In Deut. xxxiii, where the twelve tribes
are blessed by Moses, it is little re-
markable that Joseph only is blessed with
precious things. Blessed of the Lord
be his land, for the precious things of
heaven, . and for the precious fruits
brought forth by the sun, and for the
precious things put forth by the moon,
and for the precious things of the
lasting hills, and the precious things of
the earth"
When we look at Joseph in his life, as
a type Of Christ, we are better able to
understand why the Spirit chose him to
be the recipient of earthly precious things
In preference to any of his brethren.
Those things which are most precious
In. Gods all-seeing eyes ought to be in
ours, and as His children we should
treasure them up. Christ is precious in
His eyes-"To whom coming, as unto
living stone, disallowed indeed of men,
but chosen of God, and precious" l Peter
II: 4. Therefore thus saith the Lord
God, Behold, I lay in Zion for funda-
tion, stone, tried stone, a precious
corner stone, sure foundation" lisa.
xviii: l6; l Peter il 6.
The Spirit says, Unto you therefore
which believe He is precious" l Peter
II; Z. If we believe in Him, let us treas
use Him up in our hearts as one of the
most precious gifts the Father hast be-
slowed upon US more precious than
rubles the "chiefest among ten thou
sand" With Christ we have the most
precious thing that God could give US
His blood; for by it we were redeemed,
" Not with corruptible things, as silver
and gold, but with the precious blood of
Christ, as of lamb without blemish and
without spot. And without shedding
OF blood is no remission"
AS believers, we have faith, and we
are told that this faith is precious. The
I'd epistle of Peter is addressed to them
that have obtained like precious faith
with us, and as in almost every instance
where the word precious is used in the
Scriptures, blessings follow. "Grace and
peace be multiplied unto you" Hath
gwen unto us all things that pertain unto
life and godliness," Whereby are given
unto us exceeding great and precious
promises. And such promises Eter-
nal life-the Fathers fove-to be like
Christie be forever with Him-man-
sions In the Fathers house-His coming
to take us to Himself-His glory-to sit
with Him on His throne, with many
others; all of them sweet and to be be-
slowed with an open hand and loving
heart.
There is another thing that few of us
look upon as precious, which we regard
on the contrary any thing else, being
too apt to murmur whenever the Fathers
Christening rod descends. "That the trial
Of your faith, being much more precious
than gold that perisheth, though it be
tried with FIRE, might be found unto
praise and honor and glory at the an
Pearing of Jesus Christ. Peter /: 7.
The trial Of our faith, by whatever
mode it is applied, comes from kind
Fathers hand, and He tells us that it is
much more precious than gold. "For
our light affection, which is but for a
moment, worketh for us far more ex-
ceeding and eternal weight Of glory"
Then let these things, which we here
but mention, be treasured by us all as
more precious than rubies, as pearls of
great price," SO that we may know, THAT
if our earthly house Of this tabernacle
were dissolved, we have a building of
God, an house not made with hands. eter-
nal in the heavens" and have it said of
us: " Precious in the sight of the Lord is
the death OF his saints w.
Sacrifice for Christ.
A Cornish girl Of eerpoet rio4,, ,,...o