like the sweeping out of dust and rags out of an house when it is to be inhabited Christ will not take possession of the soul till vile lusts and worthless affections are purged out not by way of purchase of him but by way of preparation for him And this is one of the easiest purchases in the world to let go dirt {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and to receive gold 3. A wise merchant though he will make his purchase as easie as he can will yet in a rare commodity bid home and not stick at a finall difference and so doth a wise Christian knowing the unsearchable riches of Christ never sticks at any abatement Many men bid much proceed far Herod doth many things Agrippa is almost a Christian hypocrites will part with thousands of rams rivers of oil there first borne Mic. 6.7 but when the child comes to the very birth they stay in the place of the breaking forth of children Hos. 13.13 when it comes to this issue they must shake hands for ever with their darling and beloved lust Herod with Herodias the young man with his worldly love the Iew with his legal righteousness the Greek with his carnal wisdome nay saith the hypocrite be the Iewel never so rich I resolve to keep this green glasse or this wooden platter something of mine own here Christ and the soul part and they who came running unto him go sorrowing from him whereas wise Christians consult not with flesh and blood but go through with the bargain Let me haue Christ though I have nothing but him 4. A wise Merchant doth husband time and opportunity for his best advantage takes the right season for his voyage and commodity that he may returne with the more speed and profit As t is observed of the Philosopher that foreseeing a plentiful yeare of Olives he rented many Olive-yards and by that demonstrated that a learned man if he would aime at worldly gain could easily be a rich man too It is noted as an excellent part of wisdom to know and to manage time Cujus unius avaritia honesta est as Seneca speaks Esther 1.13 1 Chro. 12.32 Eph. 5.15 17. The Rabbi said Nemo est cui non sit horasua every man hath his hour he who overslips that season may never meet with the like again If thou hadest known in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace Luke 19.42 The Scripture insists much upon a day of grace and calls upon us to work before the night come 2 Cor. 6.2 Hebr. 3.15 Ioh. 12.35 The Lord reckons the times which pass over us and puts them upon our account These three yeares I come seeking fruit and I finde none Luk. 13.7 I gave her space to repent and she repented not Rev. 2.21 22. from the 13. yeare to the 25. year I have spoken unto you saith the Prophet Ier. 25.3 therefore we should learne to improve them and with the impotent persons at the pool of Bethesda to step in when the Angel stirs the water Now the Church is afflicted it is a season of prayer and learning heare the rod learn righteousness Mic. 6.9 Isai 26.8 9. Psal. 94.12 Now the Church is enlarged it is a season of praise This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad therein Psal. 118.24 I am now at an Ordinance I will hear what God will say now in the company of a learned and wise man I will draw some knowledge and councel from him I am under temptation now is a fit time to lean on the Name of the Lord Isai. 50.10 I am in place of dignity and power Let me consider what it is that God requireth of me in such a time as this Esth. 4.14 As the tree of life bringeth fruit every moneth Rev. 22.2 so a wise Christian as a wise husbandman hath his distinct imployments for every moneth bringing forth his fruit in its season Psa. 1.3 5. In a great City one merchant having one commodity and another another they do mutually interchange them for the inriching of one another So in the City of God one hath the spirit of wisdom another of knowledge one excelent at opening scripture another at stating questions another at resolving cases another at exhortation and Christian conference and wise Christians should improve all advantages of this kinde unto their mutual enrichment 6. A wise merchant hath constant intelligence and returns to and from the Country where his trade lies is not without a factor there to manage his affairs so should the christian marchant his trade is in heaven phil. 3.20 thither should he continually send and return the commodities of that kingdome The Lord Iesus is the Agent of his Church there to transact their affairs for them we should keep constant intelligence with him pour out our desires into his bosome and wait for the answer which he will send Prayer and praises are the Vessels in which we send to heaven faith meditation study of the Scriptures attendance of the Ministry vessels by which we hear from heaven He shall receive of mine saith our Saviour of the holy Spirit and shall shew it unto you Joh. 16 14. This intercourse we must keep continually open and unobstructed that Christ may daily hear from us and we daily receive from him that so we may be filled with all the fulness of God and may have all the storehouses of the soul replenished from heaven with all abundance of necessary graces comforts 7 A wise merchant doth provide for losses and yet though he venture much will assure the main so should we resolve before hand upon many troubles in the way to heaven sit down and consider the cost of our holy profession Luke 14.26 28. the ship wherein Christ is is not secured from a storm His crown of thorns went before his crown of glory and so must ours there is a sea and a wilderness between Egypt and Canaan through many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven But this is our comfort That there is an assurance-office wherein all our losses will be repaired an hundred fold and that upon Gods own security whereof we have a record Marck 10.29 30. Verily I say unto you there is no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receive an hundred fold now in this life house and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecution as comforts supports incouragements in the midst of his persecutions and in the world to come eternal life There is no aged Christian but will love us in such a case with the love of a father no young Christian but will reverence us with the love of a son no fellow Christian but will tender us with the love of a brother every good mans house and heart shall be open unto
can prefer you unto greater happines if he have an immarcescible crown an eternall kingdome to bestow vpon you if he have shed any blood laid down any life to purchase blessedness for you I am willing where your gain is greatest there your trade and service be directed But if my wages be much better then his and my love much greater then his and my right in you and authority over you much more then his not onely for love and duty to me but for your own sakes limit and confine your negotiations there where your own advantages will be more abundant and your own comforts more durable and glorious We see Christ allows us to eye our own profit in his service In what sense we may or may not this do may be briefly thus resolved 1. We may not respect profit or advantage as the ultimate end of our obedience Gods glory being simply the supream of Ends in it self should accordingly be so unto us Our greatest aim in bringing forth fruit should be that God may be honoured Joh 15.8 that whether we live we may live to him or whether we die we may die to him Rom. 14.7 8.9 All things are of him and for him therefore all things must be to him likewise Rom. 11.36 2. We must not respect profit and reward as the onely reason of our obedience without which we would not do God any service at all for this would be a meer mercenary and servile consideration The chief reasons of obedience are our subjection to Gods authority over us because he is the Lord our faith love and thankfulness for his Covenant of grace because he is our God These two are joyned in the Preface to the Decalogue I am the Lord thy God 3. We may not respect profit and reward as the fruit of any merit in our services when we have done all we can we are but unprofitable servants unto God and therefore he might justly make our services unprofitable to our selves It is matter of comfort it is not matter of boasting we may rejoyce that there is profit in serving of God but we may not glory of it as any naturall or necessary consequent of our services for Grace doth exclude boasting Eph. 2.8 and the reward is of grace and mercy not of debt Rom 4.4 5. and 11.6 Psal. 26. 12. Exod. 20.6 But then we may look on the reward and profit of obedience 1. As a secondary end under the glory of God so the Apostle calleth salvation the end of our faith 1 Pet. 1.9 Our love to God though it be above our love to our selves yet doth not exclude it so our seeking of Gods glory though it be above all other ends yet it doth not exclude the seeking of our own happiness yet God hath been pleased so graciously to twist and as it were interweave and concorporate these together that no man can truly aim at the glory of God but he doth eo ipsâ— promote his own salvation neither doth any man sincerely seek his own salvation but the Lord esteemeth himself therein glorified by him 2. As a manifestation of Gods bounty who when he might require homage of us as our Lord by the tie of our natural subjecton unto him is pleased out of free grace to propose further rewards making our services as well matter of profit to our selves as of praise and glory unto him faith looketh upon God as a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11.6 as a God that not onely is good but doth good Psal. 1â—9 68 as a God whose power and mercy is herein declared in that he rendreth unto every man according to his work Psa. 62.11 12 3. As matter of encouragement to run with patience the race that is set before us to animate us against all the difficulties dangers temptations and variety of disheartnings which through the subtlety and malice of Satan we are sure to meet with in Gods service The Hope of ensuing glory doth work resolutions in God servants to purifie themselves that so being like unto Christ in holiness they may thereby be Prepared to be like unto him in glory 1 Ioh. 3.3 The crowne of righteousenss kept up the resolution of the Apostle himself to fight the good fight of faith to run his race to finish his course to keep the faith 2 Tim 4.7 8. Thus a Christian is allowed by his Lord to do his masters work with some eye and intuition of his own gain But then as the Apostle saith If a man strive for masteries he is not crowned except he strive lawfully So If a man contend for gain he shall never overtake it except he contend lawfully Our Saviour here hath excluded one way and that a broad one where in multitudes weary themselves for this Prize What shall it profit a man if he win the whole world And secondly intimateth the true though a more narrow and private way viz. to prosecuâ—e the interest of our precious souls Let us consider them both First worldly love is inconsistent with true â—hristian gain upon many accounts 1. It is vast and insatiable like the horseleech which cries Gâ—ve give like fire and the grave which never sayes it is enough Prov 30.15.16 Lust is infinite there is no end of its labour Eccles. 4.8 It reacheth at all therefore the Apostle calleth it not onely love of the things of the world but love of the world Love not the world neither the things that are in the world 1 John 2 15. A covetous heart grasps at the whole world would fain be master of all and dwell alone like a Wen in the body which draws all to it self let it have never so much it will still reach after more adds house to house and field to field Isai. 5.8 keeps not at home cannot be satisfied inlargeth gathereth heapeth increaseth loadeth it self with thick clay Habac. 2.5 6. The very Heathen have complained of this endless and unbounded reach of corupt desires {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ex libidine orta sine termino sunt Lust hath no bound no measure like a bladder it swells wider and wider the more of this empty world is put into it Like a breach of the sea which hath no internal bounds to contain it self in sternit agros sternit sata laeta boumque labores The Countryman in the Fable would needs stay till the River was run all away and then go over dry but the River did run on still Such are inordinate worldly desires the deceitful heart promiseth to see them run over and gone when they are attained unto such a measure and then they are stronger and wider more impotent and unruly then before modus modus non habet modum for as natural so sinful motions the further they proceed are usually the stronger Now God having so odered the world as that no man can have it all to him self it is divided and bounded to several
without wisdome to guide it is but a weary idleness 3. We may receive the things of this world from God in Christ as a fruit of his gracious Covenant 1 Tim. 4.8 4. We may lay up and provide for our selves and those that belong unto us so far as the necessities of life and decency of our particular state and condition do admit Christ himself had a bag in his family Ioh. 13.29 1 Tim. 5.8 But we may not love nor set our hearts upon the world When riches increase set not your heart upon them The world is for the back and the belly but God onely is for the heart Though we may eye our own gain yet the gain of the world is not that gain which we are chiefly to eye The soul being the most precious thing which a man hath the saving and inriching thereof is the only true Christian gain First Take the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} here for life and even so the truth of the Text will hold what gain is it to get the world and to lose the life Is not the life more then meat and the body then raiment Luke 12.23 1. All the world cannot hold or lengthen life beyond the period set it by God Our times are in his hand Psal. 31.15 the efficacy of all second causes is suspended upon his blessing man liveth not by bread alone but by every word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God Mat. 4.4 2. Life is necessary to the enjoyment of the world what good doth light without an eye to see it Or musick with out an ear to hear it what good do dainties without a mouth to tast them Or Crowns without an Head to wear them Nay a man may have his life so clog'd with sickness sorrow discontent of mind distress of conscience that all the world shall not suffice to revive and comfort him 3. When life is lost the world is all lost with it a living porter is richer then a dead Prince death translates properties If a man purchase land to himself for ever that ever is no longer then his own life if he will have the purchase extend further he must put in his heirs with himself Secondly Take the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for the soul as Luke 12.19 20. and then the truth holds much more For 1. If a man could keepe his soul and the world together there is so vast a dis-proportion between them that the one could never replenish the other 2. If it could satisfie it for a time yet it would cloy and satiate it at the last there is excesse in wordly enioyments and all excess is nauseous and painful 3. If they could replenish and not cloy that there were a commensurateness between them yet there is not an equality of duration One generation saith Solomon passeth away and another cometh but the earth abideth Eccles. 1.4 If when a man goes away the earth did go with him happily the same content which he found in it here he would find in it elsewhere but when he goes and that stayes behinde him all the content which he had in the fruition doth vanish in the separation 4. Being parted the soul must be for ever as long as God is merciful to save or just to punish and what comfort is it think we in hell for a man to remember the pleasures of a short life of which nothing there remains but the worm and the sting The Poet could say If the headach did come first no man would be drunk If men could feel but a little of hell before they sin they would easily by that understand how empty and vanishing the pleasures of lust are and how easily extinguished in a tormented Conscience as a drop of wine loseth all its sweetness in a barrel of water Again what addition is it to the joyes of heaven for a man to recount the comforts of a perishing world What content takes a grave wealthy learned man in remembring the joy which in his childhood he was wont to take in his top and counters 5. The nature of the soul is spiritual and must have spiritual objects to converse about Sensitive faculties may be delighted with material objects Meer natural reason may gaze with some content upon the beauty order contexture concatenation of natural causes and effects But the supream spiritual part of the soul is of a more high and noble extraction then ultimately to delight it self in any thing but in God from whom it was breathed It is capable of the knowledg of God whom to know is perfect wisdome and eternal life It is capable of the image and grace of God of righteousness and true holiness to beautifie and renew it Capable of the peace of God of the joy of his salvation of the earnest the seed the seal the witness of his Spirit of the sense of his love in Christ which is unspeakable and glorious Capable of that fulness of joy which is in his presence and of those everlasting pleasures and rivers of comfort which are at his right hand Capable of the heavy wrath of God which is beyond the fear or the fancy of man to comprehend As the goodness of God exceeds our faith so the anger of God exceeds our feare 6. The dignity of the soul appears by the spiritual enemies which war against it Of whom we may say as the Prophet of the Medes Isai. 13.17 that they regard not silver or gold they fight neither aganst house nor land but against the soul only Satan saies as the King of Sodom unto Abram Gen. 14.21 Give me the souls and take the goods to thy self 7. By the guard of Angels which God hath appointed to protect it And convey it to heaven Luke 16.22.8 By the heavenly Manna the breasts of Consolation the wells of salvation the bread of life the feast of marrow and fatted things which the Lord in his Word and Ordinances hath provided to see it one sentence and period whereof is more worth in an hour of Temptation then rocks of Diamonds ot mountains of Gold 9. And above all the dignity of the soul appears by the price which was laid downe to redeem it We were not redeemed by silver and gold but by the blood of God 1 Pet. 1.19 If silver and gold could have bought the soul silver and gold haply might have blessed it but since no price can purchase it but the blood of God no treasure can enrich it but the fruition of God The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance Psal. 16.5 Very many Uses might be made of this most important doctrine As. 1. To adore the infinite love of God towards the souls of poor sinfull men in finding out of his own unsearchable wisdom an expedient which neither men nor angels could ever have discovered for the punishing of the sin and saving of the soul that sinned 2. The infinite love of Christ who so loved us as
to give himself for us to make his soule an offering for sin that our souls might not be undone by it A Son to die for servants an holy an onely and beloved son for rebellious servants a Judge for malefactors to come not only to save but to seek those that sought not that inquired not after him as there was never sorrow like his sorrow so there was never love like his love â— The infinite mercy of God in revealing Christ unto us bringing life and immortality to light by the Gospel and waiting upon us that he may be gratious unto us If Thales the Philosopher gave thankes that he was born of a Grecian and not a Barbarian how much more should we bless God that we are Christians and not only Philosophers that the Lord hath taken care not onely to adorne our soules but to save them 4. The infinite sweetness of his powerfull and most efficacious grace in perswading us to give entertainment unto the mercy thus tendred unto us who of our selves were ready to beleeve lying vanities to forsake our own mercie and to thrust away saluation from our selves 5. The great reasonableness and wisdome of true Religion as being that which promoteth our supreme interest namely the happiness of the soul Wisdome is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the knowledge of the most honourable things and of greatest concermment He that winneth souls is wise saith Solomon Prov. 7.11 30. how much more he that saveth his own Prov. 9.12 1. Tim. 4.16 A man may be wise for others and a fool for himself Achitophel was a wise man when he counselled Absolom but a fool when he hanged himself Iudas a wise man for others when he preached Christ a fool for himself when he betrayed him no greater folly in the world then for a man to barter away his soul though it were for the world it self 6. We should therefore all be exhorted 1. Seriously to study the worth of a soul the spiritualness the immortality of it the image of God after which it was both created and renewed the glory reserved for it if it stand the wrath prepared for it if it fall 2. To walk as men that have souls many walk as if they had nothing but bellies to fill and backs to cloath fancies to be tickled with vanity eyes and eares to look after pleasure brains to entertain empty notions and tongues to utter them but their souls serve them to little other purpose them as salt to keep their bodies from stinking Socrates wondred when he observed Statuaries how carefull they were to make stones like men and men in the mean time by their carelesness turning themselves in to very blocks and stones 3. To secure the salvation of the soul to take heed of exposing our principal Iewel unto rapine and miscarriage Keepe thy hurt saith Solomon with all diligence Prov. 4.23 Give all diligence saith Peter to make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 that so we may never be without the comforts of God to delight our souls Psal. 94.19 that we may be able to say as David did Returne to thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Psal. 116.7.4 To prize the meanes of that salvation and to incourage the Ambassadours of Christ as those that watch for your souls and unto whom is committed the ministry of reconcilation They study pray watch labour and sweat for you Esteem them highly in love for their works sake 1 Thes. 5.13 It is recorded for the honour of Hezekiah that he spake comfortably to all the Levites who taught the good knowledge of the Lord 2 Chorn. 30.22 And of Nehemiah That he took care of the Offices of Gods House Nehem. 13.10 14. Of the good Shunâ—mite that she provided for the Prophet 2 Reg. 4.8 10. And of the Galatians That they received Paul as an Angel of God and would if possible have plucked out their eyes to have done him good Gal. 4.14 15. And though you do these thinges and your honour it is that you do it in an age wherein God hath suffered seduced souls to pour contempt upon the Ministers of the Gospel and as mad-men to fight with the Physicians that heal them yet give me leave to stir you up by putting you in remembrance 5. To resist the enemies that withstand this salvation fleshly lusts worldly snares Satanical temptations which war against the soul 6. To pitty the souls of other men to promote in our several stations and imployments the interest of mens souls to save them with violence to snatch them out of the fire to disquiet wicked men in their sins to encourage good men in their wayes to our uttermost power every where to promote the grace of God which bringeth salvation to the souls of men Lastly To be wise merchants for for own souls Our Saviour telleth us That the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant man seeking goodly pearls Matth. 13.45 And as else where the Virgins are distinguished into wise and foolish So may we distinguish those Merchants who trade heavenward For as he said Mala emptio exprobrat stultitiam It is a note of folly to make an ill bargain Now there are several things wherein the wisdome of a Merchant doth shew it self 1. He considers where the best and most sure commodities are where he is certaine to make a good return as it is noted of Solomon 1 Reg. 10.11.22 28. and of Tyrus Ezek. 27. So our Christian merchant knowing that the best commodities come from heaven hath his thoughts and affections most there And as those that trade to China though they cannot travell far up into the Country are admitted to some skirts and maritine Harbour to receive the commodities of the Country so our Merchant though he cannot go to heaven it self yet he hath access as it were to the out borders of heaven the Word and Ordinances calld frequently in the Epistle to the Hebrews {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Heavenly things Here then they watch at the gates of wisdomes house here they search dig hide and lay up that the Word may dwell in them richly and that they may be rich in knowledg Prov. 8.34 Col. 3.16 1 Cor. 1.5 2. A wise merchant considers where is the easiest purchase of those commodities It is true heavenly things are in their own nature the most precious and do indeed cost the most excellent price The Redemption of a soule is precious Psal. 49.8 1 Pet. 1.19 yet because this precious price was none of ours we are said to be saved freely Eph. 2.8 to buy milk and wine without money and without price Isai. 55.1 for though we must sell all for this Jewel if not actually yet in praeparatione animae yet it is all no reall or valuable estimation in such a bargain but like the glass beads and such like trifles which we give unto Indians for their silver and gold