Job 28:19

The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

Ver. 19. The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it] Of the Topaz, see Plin. lib. 86, cap. 8. It seemeth to have the lustre of gold and purity of crystal, and those agreeable mixtures of colours which make the purple of kings. The operations of this stone are many and rare, as Rueus sets them forth, lib. 2, cap. 3.

Neither shall it be valued with pure gold] Plato saith as much of moral wisdom, Oυτε χρυσυς, ουτε αδαμας, ουτως αστραπτει, No gold or gem so glistereth. And elsewhere he saith, that if moral virtue could be beheld with mortal eyes, mirificos sui amores excitaret, it would wonderfully enamour men. Aurelius the emperor would say, that he would not leave the knowledge he might learn in one hour for all the gold that he possessed. Alphonsus, king of Arragon, professed that he would rather choose to lose his jewels than his books, his kingdoms (whereof he had many), quam litteras, quas permodicas scire dicebat, than that little learning he had attained unto (Val. Max. Christian. 118,237). Many have been so taken with the study of the mathematics, that they could have lived and died in it. Vae igitur stupori nostro, woe then to the world because of wisdom! this incomparable wisdom of God in a mystery, as the apostle calleth it.

Haec quia pro vili, sub pedibusque iacet (Ovid).

Money is most men's study, not without a horrible neglect of piety, which yet is the principal thing, Proverbs 4:7, and profitable to all things, 1 Timothy 4:8, as that which hath the promise of both lives, Ibid. Now the promises are exceeding great and precious things, 2 Peter 1:4, even the unsearchable riches of Christ, Ephesians 3:8. Such gold as cannot be too dearly bought, Matthew 13:44; Matthew 13:46, nor too far set, no, though so far as the queen of Sheba came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and could have been content to have changed her throne for his footstool. Sure it is she was no niggard, but parted with abundance of precious things and sweet odours for that wisdom which she held, and worthily, far more sweet and precious than all her annual revenue. Sure it is, that if the mountains were pearl, the huge rock rubies, and the whole globe a shining chrysolyte, yet all this were nothing to the worth of the wisdom here commended. How greatly bound then are God's people to bless his name for communicating unto us this invaluable treasure by his word and Spirit, 1Co 2:13 Hath he not written for us excellent things in counsels and knowledge? Proverbs 22:20; hath he not made his Son, that essential wisdom of his, to become unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption? 1 Corinthians 1:30. Should some earthly prince give us a rich ring off his finger, wherein there were a chrysolyte, a sapphire, a topaz, or some other precious stone, how highly would we honour him, and what would we not be ready to do or suffer for him? And shall we not much more do so for God, rich in mercy, plenteous in goodness, abundant in kindness and in truth, who giveth us all things richly to enjoy? O pray for that blessed sight, Ephesians 1:18; Ephesians 3:18, and reckon one grain of grace more worth than all the gold of Ophir, one remnant of faith beyond all the gorgeous and gay attire in the world.