Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n
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A41587
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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.
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Gostwyke, William, 1650-1703.
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1696
(1696)
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Wing G1321; ESTC R8785
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13,854
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29
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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
should make his Last days his Best should give his old Age a writ of Ease his hoary Head a Bed of Honour and Embalm his Name to all Posterity The good Christian has his End too but a glorious one and high as Heaven it self Could he see Vertue in its Native Beauty and Brightness 't would need no Letters of Commendation to him But since he wants those Opticks and sees and knows but in part and that too imperfectly he is allow'd to have regard as well to the Price of his high Calling as to the Race he is to run for 't 'T is thought no diminution to a Beauty to be a Fortune too Nor is' t to Piety that 't is profitable and has the Promises of both Lives Nor does the great Apostle think our having those Promises too mean an Argument to move the best of us to perfect holiness in the fear of God much less should any think 2 Cor. 7. 1. the Examples he gives instance in below our Imitation As of others so of Moses who no minor but when come to Age refus'd the Crown of Egypt and chose rather to suffer affliction with the People of God For he sayes He had respect to the recompence of Reward Heb. 11. 24. And of the blessed Jesus himself who he says endured the Cross and despised the shame for the joy set before him Heb. 12. 3. With so good Reason and in so good Company the Christian thinks He may very fairly have an Eye to both not put asunder what God himself has joyn'd together the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof Of which vast Kingdom He is Heir in and through Christ looks for it and in some measure lives up to it He gets the Language of Canaan before hand And puts on the Habit of the Country here being cloth'd with Righteousness or rather cloth'd upon with a much better that of the Lord of Glory His House with respect to God is no other than an Oratory or Temple sanctified by the Word of God which dwells richly there and Prayer And where every thing else is as it should be decent and in Order His House with respect to Friends is a spiritual St. Cross * A Noble Hospital near Winchester Where by the means of a good Conscience he keeps continual Feast and where whoever would come for a supply of those wants which was the good-old-fashion-End of Visiting Mal. 3. 16. who would come might meet with ample Satisfaction And where those few that do come are freely entertain'd with a Collation of his Travels Trials Conflicts and the Successes he has had Not to divert so much as to direct animate and arm those of like Occupation and like enough to meet with all that he has past He shews them where they 'l be most in danger to be impos'd upon and where to be put to 't So where their Skill their Caution their Courage and Spiritual Armour and what of that will be of most use to them Shews them how to deal with Men cunning to deceive and how to defeat the devices of the Devil of which he has a great many and of which they had not need be ignorant And shews them how to hold fast what they have got that 's good that so no other take their Crown from them Thus out of his own Stores he brings forth new and old to those will come for them As often as he has the honour to be himself invited to his great Masters Table he 's sure to go and there glad to see many a Brother and Companion he has had in tribulation in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ More glad to see Him by Faith whom above all his Soul Loves Indeed here 't is He chiefly tastes and sees how good his Lord is Is here caress'd with Chear above that of Angels embrac'd with Armes of kindness and assur'd of never never-failing Favour In the strength Heb. 13. 5. of which he walks comfortably many dayes after And when to take his last long Journey being first lighten'd by Confession to and Absolution by his most affectionate and pious Pastor having the Recommendatory Prayers of the Church more deeply accented by particular and present Friends And this Divine Viaticum and Preservative in store He doubts not to come safe and well to the end on 't and to the end withal of all his Pains and Patience and be as happy as Heaven it self can make him Thus have you seen the Merchant and in him as in a Glass the Christian in his Rise Progress and End For your better Acquaintance Please to observe him in some few of his Properties not such as no other great Dealer has any thing of besides but such as no Merchant is or can be well without As 1. Prudence This like the Soul that animates and acts him is first middle last and all in all in him The true Gyges Ring that penetrates most others Breasts but renders him when-ever he thinks fit invisible This first directs him to pitch on the most noble End then to pursue it by the most proper means and lastly to secure the purchase of it This makes him observe and take time always by the Forelock not come a day after the Fair or ever overstand his Market Makes him enquire how Marts and Matters go abroad that he may know the better how to act at home Makes him forecast all accidents and do alwayes what may turn to best account Makes him to see and know himself what he deals in and yet upon occasion ask and take advice too especially as to his Grand Purchase where though he well examine the Particular himself yet for the Clearness of the Title consults the Learned in the Law whose Talent lyes herein The World is full of Cheats and Counterfeits all is not Gold that Glitters nor true Pearl neither that appears well And as there 's danger all along so without this the Merchant may make Shipwrack in the very Port. Nor is the Christian less a Man of Sence or need he be His being what he is and doing what he does is upon Choice not Chance The Religion he espous'd betimes and likes the better upon Use and Practice He Professes still Not because 't is the most fashionable easie or advantagious but because 't is the best evidenc'd refin'd and rational Free from the Carnality of the Jew the Sencelesness of the Heathen and Sensuality of the Mahometan The fittest to make him sensible of the Respects he owes to his Creatour and Redeemer his Fellow-Creatures and himself The fittest to exalt his Nature perfect his Being and consign him to Rewards Infinite and Eternal Nor will it let him spend his Money for that which is not Bread on Pomp and Pageantry nor on an empty Noise and next to Nothing but on the real and substantial Truths of God and Solid Reason Meat indeed This makes him enquire after and pray for the peace of