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A54657
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Happy merchandise or Wisdoms excellency darkly discovered or rather greatly obscured by words without knowledge By Charles Phelps.
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Phelpes, Charles.
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1670
(1670)
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Wing P1978; ESTC R218239
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66,695
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104
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their faces may not be ashamed Isay 42. 1 6 7. He is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world the light of the world Joh. 1. 9. and 8. 12. and 12. 46. and God in and by him giveth to all men liberally that whereby they may be made partakers of Wisdome Jam. 1. 5. And God in Christ by his spirit doth both discover unto men and give unto them Wisdome even the object of Wisdome and gives unto them some sight and opening of the eye to behold it in and thorow his testimonies in the holy scriptures the Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple namely both rendring Christ precious unto them and opening the eye of their soules that they might know Christ and win him Psal 19. 7 8. the entrance of Gods words giveth light to discover that in knowing whereof we may be wise indeed and it giveth understanding unto the simple Psal 119. 129 130. My Father saith our saviour giveth you the true bread from heaven in receiving and eating where of they should be made wise but how should they receive this heavenly bread they as all men are were dead and without life in themselves and had no will to it nor strength to receive it to remove this discouragement our saviour addes the bread of God is he that cometh downe from heaven and giveth life to he world which hath none naturally this bread of Wisdome is the most excellent bread it is the bread of God living quickening bread it prevents them with life that have none aswell as preserveth them in life even unto eternall life that eat it but how doth this bread of God give live our saviour tells us in the word in which it is declared and commended to us the words saith he that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life Joh 6. 27 32 33 35 51 63. the spirit of Wisdome and revelation is given in the knowledge and gospell of Christ Ephes 1. 17. Christ was anointed with the holy spirit to preach the gospell or glad tidings of and concerning himselfe and therewith to preach recovery of sight to the blind to preach their eyes open and to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death Luk. 4. 18. and as he thus prevents men with the discovery of the excellency of himselfe and inlighteneth their eyes Prov. 29. 31. he then calls unto and upon them to looke unto and behold him and to come unto him to receive this instruction and Wisdome which he is giving unto them for no man can receive any thing except it be given him from above Ioh. 3. 27. and not silver and knowledge rather then choice gold Prov. 8. 6 10 11. to get Wisdome get understanding and not forget it neither decline from the words of his mouth in which Wisdome is brought and given to us Prov. 4. 4 8. and not onely doth Wisdome call and cry unto us but also she stretcheth for t her hand to help and strengthen us to receive it where the word of this king of kings is there is power Eccles 8. 4. he is not onely opening mens eyes in and by his gospell but also turning them from darkness to light and from the power of satan to God that men might come unto him Prov. 1. 20 24. Act. 26. 18. 22 23. he is in and by his law and doctrine converting the soule wither men be converted or no and yet to the end they might be converted and therefore calls upon them be ye converted not convert your selves be ye saved be ye reconciled to God be ye wise be ye of an understanding heart to signify to us that God is not wanting to men but is in and with his calls and by his gospell converting saving reconciling and making men wise and of an understanding hearth and therefore if they perish their destruction is of themselves Psal 19. 7. Act. 3. 19 Isay 45. 22. 2 Corint 5. 19 20 Prov. 8. 5. by all which it evidently appeareth that men may in due time finde Wisdome and get understanding 3. It also appeareth that men may finde and get Wisdome and understanding because he not onely hath prepared it for men in Christ and is giving it unto them in and with him but also he hath made and confirmed great and precious promises that in our seeking and searching for it as thus prevented we shall finde it and get it from this motive and argument our saviour exhorteth aske and ye shall receive seek and ye shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you for every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Matth. 7. 7 8 11. To the same purpose the Wisdome of God speaketh if thou criest after Wisdome and liftest up thy voice for understanding if thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures then shalt thou understand the feare of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God For the Lord giveth Wisdome out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding Prov. 2. 1 6. the same incouragement also the Apostle James sets before the beleivers Ifany of you lack Wisdome let him aske of God that giveth liberally to all men and upbraideth not and it shall begiven him Jam. 1. 5. see also Joh. 4. 10. and 6. 27. Prov. 8. 14 17. many promises of this nature are proposed to us to the end we might seek and get Wisdome and faithfull is he that hath promised who also will doe what he hath promised according to the tenour thereof and these promises are now confirmed to us by the precious and incorruptible blood of Christ for in him all the promises of God are yea and Amen 2 Corint 1. 20. and he also who by his blood hath ratified and sealed them is alive and lives for evermore as the mediatour of the New Testament to take away our iniquities and give unto us in his fathers way all things that pertaine to life and godliness so as none that seek Wisdome or any other good thing shall be ashamed Hebr. 9. 14 15. Psal 69. 6. And this consideration that men may while called to day finde and get Wisdome and understanding as is in part thus evidenced may be usefull to us and usefully considered by us 1. To help us to cease to heare those instructions that cause to erre from the words of knowledge Prov. 19. 27. namely such instructions as whereby sinners intice us to cast in our lot amongst them and to walk in the way with them to run with them to the same excess of riot in lasciviousness lusts excess of wine revellings banquettings c. Prov. 1. 10 20. 1 Petr. 4. 1 4. to have fellow ship with them in their unfruitfull workes of darkness Aswel as also to goe from the presence of such foolish and false teachers as have not in them the lip of knowledge Prov. 14. 7. both
Wisdome and understanding is better then the merchandise of silver because it is a more sure and certaine way of finding none shall faile of it who seek it as men seek silver and search for it as for hid treasure men may seek for the treasures and riches of this World and not finde them they are uncertaine riches there is an uncertainty in getting aswell as in keeping 1 Tim. 6. 17. though many times the diligent hand maketh rich and they meet with profit and increase who are industrious and diligent in their business and however if they be skilfull therein also yet this is not allwayes so I returned saith the preacher and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift nor the battell to the strong neither yet bread to the Wise nor yet riches to men of understanding nor yet favour to men of skill but time and chance happeneth to them all Eccles 9. 11. men may in vaine and to no profit rise up early and sit up late and eat the bread of carefullness Psal 127. 2. there is a great uncertainty in getting and retaining this unrighteous Mammon especially by merchandise the merchants ships may be broken in going for commodities or sinke and be cast away when they are full and returning 2 Chron. 20. 36 37. Or trading may faile and decay Or those to whom they sell and adventure their commodities may breake or cheat and deceive them or moth and rust may corrupt and theeves break thorow and steale and however God hath not ingaged his word that those that seek silver and gold Shall certainely finde what they aime at and seek after But in seeking Wisdome with the whole heart we shall be sure to finde it for God who cannot lye hath so promised as hath been said and these promises are confirmed with the precious blood of Jesus who in the vertue thereof is raised againe and is the Mediator of the New Testament that the called may receive the promise of the eternall inheritance Hebr. 9 15. 2 Corint 1. 20. Matth. 26. 28. hence our savior exhorteth aske and it shall be given you seeke and ye shall finde knock and it shall be opened to you for every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh is shall be opened If earthly fathers who are evill give good gifts to their children how much more shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit the spirit of Wisdome and revelation to them that aske him Luk 11. 9-13 Ephes 1. 17. Prov. 2. 1-6 Jam. 1. 5 6. the Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soule that seeketh him even herein he is good he will give himselfe unto them to be their Wisdome and inheritance and with himselfe all things that pertaine to life and godliness according to that ye shall call upon me and pray unto me and I will hearken unto you and ye shall seek me and finde me when jou search for me with all your heart and I will be found of you saith the Lord Lament 3. 25. with Jer. 29. 12-14 and in dispersing this heavenly Wisdome it shall certainly tend to the inriching of them according to that be stedfast unmovable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as your labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord in due time we shall reap if we faint not 1 Cor. 15. 58. Galat. 6. 9 10. What an incouragement is this for us to seeke Wisdome to get up and be doing when there is a certainty of finding and what a shame will it be for us to neglect the opportunities put into our hands are the merchants of the earth so diligent in seeking perishing substance when also there is so great an uncertainty of finding and shall we be so bruitich and foolish as to have no heart to seek durable riches and righteousness when there is a certainty of finding in seeking in the due opportunity those that seek Wisdome early shall finde her Prov. 8. 17. O! let us not be slothfull but diligent followers of them who thorow faith and patience inherit the promises 5 The merchandise of Wisdome and understanding is the most excellent merchandise because it is most safe and secure from dangers and feares those that occupy themselves in the earthly merchandise are exposed to manifold feares lest they should lose their commodities yea and if they adventure upon the seas they are in danger of losing their lives For many times God commandeth and raiseth up the stormy winde which lifteth up the waves thereof they mount up to heaven they goe downe againe to the dephts their soule is melted because of trouble they reele to fro and stagger like a drunken man and all their Wisdome is swallo wed up Psal 107. 25-27 yea and many times they lose their lives also by stormes or robbers c. And if they grow rich they are in daily danger and feare lest theeves should break in upon them and spoile thein or kill them and this feare hath torment and occasions much disquietment to them But whoso hearkneth to Wisdome shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from the feare of evill Prov. 1. 20-33 This is a motive laid downe by Wisdome to ingage us to trade in this excellent commodity to keep sound wisdome and discretion Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely and thy foot shall not stumble When thou liest downe thou shalt not be afraid Yea thou shalt lye downe and thy sleep shall be sweet Be not afraid of sudden feare for the Lord shall be thy confidence and shall keepe thy foot from being taken Prov. 3. 21-26 Indeed the wise merchants as men and sons of Adam are subject to like passions and infirmities as others and so to seare and be afraid of danger but this wisdome strengthneth the wise against the feare of evill more then ten mighty men which are in the city A wise man is strong yea a man of knowledge increaseth strength Eccles 7. 19. and 9. 16-18 Prov. 24. 5. the love of God knowne and heartly beleeved casteth out continually that feare which hath torment and makes men bold as a lion 1 Joh. 4. 18. Prov. 28. 1. these wise merchants know that that good part and portion they trade in and make choice of shall never be taken away Luk. 10. 42. and that he that seeth the son and beleiveth in him shall never perish but have everlasting life God preserveth their soules and none can pluck them out of his hand who is greater then all and though in this Merchandise and for Christ sake they hate and may lose their lives in this World they shall keep them unto life eternall He that beleiveth in Christ though he were dead yet shall he live and be that liveth and beleiveth shall never dye Joh. 12. 25 26. and 11. 25 26. the name of the Lord is astrong tower and they run thereinto and are safe and set on high from evill