Selected quad for the lemma: earth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
earth_n	aim_v	best_a	great_a	16	3	2.1033	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41587	The Christian merchant described in a sermon at first design'd for a private audience, now humbly dedicated to all the merchants of the city / by William Gostwyke.	Gostwyke, William, 1650-1703.	1696 (1696)	Wing G1321; ESTC R8785	13,854	29

THE Christian Merchant Described in A SERMON THE Christian Merchant Describ'd in a SERMON At First Design'd for A Private AUDIENCE Now Humbly Dedicated to all the Merchants of the CITY By WILLIAM GOSTWYKE Rector of Purley in Berks. LONDON Printed for B. Aylmer at the Three Pigeons in Cornhill M DC XC VI. THE Christian Merchant St. MATTH 13. 45 46. Again The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Merchant-man seeking goodly Pearls Who when he had found one Pearl of great price he went and sold all that he had and bought it THE Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again we here first meet with is rather an Introductor to the Text then an Integral part of it yet gives us to understand that this is another Parable of our Saviour's added to the former more amply and clearly to represent and illustrate the Nature and excellency of the Kingdom of Heaven Another and so consequently that there is no danger in our knowing too much of our Duty to God or our Interest in him And that it is but a Mistake of some men's that Ignorance is the only Mother of Piety and Devotion Another Parable that is Similitude or Comparison For so St. Mark is well render'd Whereunto shall we Mark 4. 30. liken the kingdom of God or with what Comparison shall we compare it Of these the Use is very frequent in the Scriptures of both Testaments Whether it were that a readier Attention a clearer Perception a deeper Impression a firmer Retention or all these at once were wrought or won by them especially when explain'd or apply'd so it was that very often of old when a Prophet was sent on an Important Errand it was reveal'd to him in a Vision and to be deliver'd by him in a Parable And of our Blessed Saviour the same Evangelist aver's in a few Verses following that in many such Parables he spake the word Verse 33. to the people and adds as they were able to hear it that is as was most intelligible and withal most profitable for them saith the learned Dr. Hammond on the place Of this in the Text the two Terms or Extremes are differently taken and understood Some take them for the Kingdom of Heaven on the one Hand and the Pearl of Price on the other As if it had been said The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Pearl of great Price By the Kingdom of Heaven meaning the Happiness of Heaven as the Phrase often imports especially in Promise as in St. Matth. 5. and elsewhere And by the Merchant-Man the good Christian continually seeking till he make it sure Others take the Kingdom of Heaven indeed for the one but for the other extream the Merchant-man Reading the words as they run The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Merchant-man These meaning by the Kingdom of Heaven the whole Church of Christ Militant here on Earth but to be triumphant hereafter in Heaven as the words sometimes signify especially in Parable as here Where then the Enallage has a favourable Aspect either to the whole Church put for every single Member of it or to the single Merchant-Man put for the whole Company of which he is a Member And by the pearl of Price purchased the Happiness of Heaven as before gain'd By the first account the Happiness of Heaven to a Christian is like a Pearl of great Price to a Merchant-Man By the Second the Church of Christ in gaining Heaven is like a Company of Merchant-men purchasing a Pearl of great Price Or more particularly and plainly thus The good Christian aiming hereafter at Heaven is like a Merchant pursuing his best Interests here on Earth Sensus duplex uterque probandus Both Sences are sound both good and not unlikely both intended by our great Master with whom it was very usual in One Proposition to give us more points than one of Instruction Of this Comparison in this later sence to which my occasions at present lead me the Ground or Foundation is the parity or likeness between the two Persons here compar'd The Complete Christian is very like a well accomplisht Merchant Indeed Omne simile est dissimile there is some odds and some advantage too on the Christians side as shall be shewn but in many things they meet and agree They seek alike they find alike alike they sell all to make a purse or one grand Purchase at last that is contentedly part with any thing of lower price to get higher till they can reach the Top and compass the Sum total of their Happiness once for all This parity to make appear I shall give you the best account I can of the Merchant in general Divide it for clearer Process into particulars Compare the Christian with him in each particular and to make the Character a little fuller touch on two or three of his many excellent Properties and as I may Apply A Merchant then is a Vertuous and Valuable Person of great and uninterrupted Dealings abroad and at home with design to make himself and to make others happy This I take the Merchant to be And this with a very easie Turn is the Christian too 1. A Vertuous Person our Saviour here supposes him in that he sends the Christian not to correct to cull or curtail but transcribe him And such for the present I shall suppose the Christian to be One that whatsoever things are honest just pure lovely and of good report if there be any Vertue if any praise as sure enough there is the Christian is one that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 syllogizes argues and reasons himself into the Love pursuit and practice of these things Now to suppose him Vertuous is to assert him Valuable for Vertue is at least the Basis if not the very Essence of all true worth and value But besides as the World goes there are some other things add to his Stature and set him above many others as his Birth and Breeding First his Birth 'T is not for every Block to yeild a carv'd Head nor every common Stone a curious Statue 'T is not for every One to put himself upon this Office nor take upon himself this Honour but He that is call'd and enabled of God and good Friends In other and our own Nation too they are the Sons generally of the better sort that are dedicated to this generous Employ And they had need of something uncommon ex traduce and deriv'd down to them that are to go through all parts and upon the whole make any thing considerable of it The Christian too as such is of a Noble Extract of a Descent indeed Divine not born of Flesh and Blood or of the Will of Man but God is originally of the Family of Heaven and near ally'd to the Ancient of Dayes there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Off-spring Heir and Joynt with Christ And has a Seed remaining in him that he cannot Sin A settled 1 Joh. 3. 1. Principle that possesses him with