Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 13:44

44 Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure, hid in a field, the which when a man hath found he hideth, and for joy thereof, goeth, and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

Whatsoever belongeth to the Kingdom of God, whether the Word, which is called the Word of the Kingdom, or the Grace and Favour of God, which he by me di[illegible: 1 letter]penseth out under the Administration of the Gospel, is like, that is, should be adjudged, e[illegible: 1 letter]teemed, and used like as Treasure hidden in a Fie[illegible: 1 letter]d. Men should do by it, as they would do upon the Discovery of a great Sum of Money, buried up in the Earth, in some Field, not yet their own. Suppose a Man had made some such discovery, what would he do? he would rejoyce at it▪ he would hide it, he would sell all he had, and buy that Field, so should men do to whom there is a Revelation of the Gospel, and the Grace thereof. They should inwardly rejoyce, in the Revelation, and bless God [illegible: 1 letter]or it, and what ever it co[illegible: 1 letter]t them, labour that they might be made partakers of that Grace. Earthly Possessions cannot be had without purchasing, and those who have not ready Money to purchase with, must raise it from the Sale of something which they have, therefore our labour, for the Kingdom of Heaven is set out under the Notion of buying. But the Prophet Is. 55.1.2. lets us know that it is a buying without Money, and without Price, however there is some Resemblance, for as in [illegible: 1 letter]uying and selling, there is a parting with something that is ours, in Exchange for something which is anothers, so in order to the obtaining of the Grace of the Gospel, and the Kingdom of Glory, to which the Remission of Sins leadeth, we must part with something, in order to the obtaining of it. We have no ready Money, nothing by us, that is, a Quid pro quo, a valuable Price for Divine Grace, we must therefore part with something that we have, and it is no matter, what it be, which God requireth. Where this Discovery is made, the Soul will part with all it hath, not only its old Heart, its unlawful De[illegible: 1 letter]ires, and Lusts, but its Riches, Honours, Pleasures, if it can by no other means obtain the Kingdom of Heaven, that it may obtain it, they are all of no value to it. Nor is it at all necessary in order to buying, that the thing parted with, be of a proportionable value. Amongst Men, Wedges of Gold, have been purchased for Knives, and Rattles, &c nor doth any thing we can part with, that we may obtain the Kingdom of Heaven, bear any better Proportion, yet it is a buying, because it is what God is pleased to accept, and upon the parting with, gives us this Heavenly Kingdom.

Marginal references: Phil. 3.7, [illegible: 1 letter]