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A86360
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The trade of truth advanced. In a sermon preached to the Honourable House of Commons, at their solemne fast, Iuly 27. 1642. By Thomas Hill, B.D. Pastor of the Church at Tychmersh in the countie of Northampton. Published by order of that House.
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Hill, Thomas, d. 1653.
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1642
(1642)
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Wing H2031; Thomason E110_13; ESTC R9372
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36,472
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68
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your publique interests to help forward the trade of Truth to promote Religion in the Libertie Puritie and Power of it Never was any Parliament the sonne of so many prayers and teares Never had any a larger share in that blessing of the Lord upon Ioseph Deut. 33. vers. 16. feeling the good will of Him that dwelt in the bush so often burning yet not consumed What reciprocall reall love have you expressed unto God and the Cause of his Truth When Moses proposed that question Exod. 32. vers. 26. Who is on the Lords side The sons of Levi gathered themselves together vers. 27. and by their zeale obtained a blessing in Moses his Catalogue when their brother Simeon was left out Deut. 33. vers. 9. We live in shedding discriminating times it is a frequent question quarum partium On what side are you If this be the question who is on Truths side what eccho what answer will you returne oh you great Counsellors Suppose this day God and thy Conscience held a Closet Committee the Lord saith I have put such a rich price into thy hand I have betrusted thee with an influence in the Grand Affaires of the Church what saith Conscience What hast thou done what wilt thou doe by speaking voting by hand heart purse for the Truth Davids question is most seasonable 1 Chron. 29. vers. 5. Who is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord Oh that you might returne the same pious answer with the chiefe of the Fathers and Princes of the Tribes who all offered willingly vers. 6. Could you finde this fruit upon your Self-examination Doubtlesse though you may serve this day in sorrow as you ought to doe upon a Soul-afflicting day in sighes in groanes in teares yet you shall reape in joy To engage and quicken your utmost endeavours for the happy purchase of truth You may please to looke upon your selves Honourable and Beloved in a double capacity First as Merchants trading for your owne everlasting good Then as Publique Factors betrusted with the best good of many hundred thousands In a Merchant or Factor there are some speciall Requisites 1. Wisdome 2. Activity 3. Resolution First Wisedome to discerne both the Commodities themselves and opportunities of trading The first use of Wisdome is to discerne the Commodities themselves Religion must not be taken upon trust Faith is Gods way to save us credulity the devils method to undoe us 1 Thess. 5. 21. Try all things hold fast that which is good And by sound knowledge possesse your selves most carefully of such truthes as are most necessary Those that are Fundamentalia in fide or in Praxi buy them at any rate but sell them at no rate There are Magnalia and minutula legis It will argue much hypocrisie to be substantiall in circumstantiall truthes and circumstantiall in the substantials of Faith and Repentance Let us wisely proportion our zeale according to the nature of the truths themselves This Counsell Paul giveth his Titus Matters of consequence he must affirme constantly but avoid needlesse questions Tit. 3. 8. It were a seasonable improvement of your Wisedome and Power to hinder the Devils or Popes Chapmen from opening their packes of adulterate wares and to put an high value upon such precious parcels of Truth as have a great influence both into Doctrinall and practicall Religion Give me leave here in the behalfe of Truth to suggest some briefe hints First Put in caveats against Arminian errours which doe so extenuate originall sinne and magnifie the power of nature that they feed our hereditary disease of pride and eclipse the glory of Gods grace Oh trade for the doctrine of free grace Maintaine the King of Heavens Prerogative In the spirituall building grace laid the first foundation in Gods free eternall purpose Grace erecteth the wals yea and addeth the top-stone Eternity will be little enough to admire to adore to cry grace grace Therefore carefully possesse your selves of this truth against the enemies of grace Secondly Minde the promoting of those Truthes which justifie The purity of Divine Worship according to Gods owne will against Popish and superstitious innovators There is a bewitching pompe in the out side of popery which intangleth some Ancient Writers used many wanton Metaphors and such a liberty of expression before the mystery of iniquity was discovered which deluded others There is a disposition in all corrupt natures no lesse to spirituall then bodily fornication Vindicate therefore the second Commandement which Papists have expunged and others so much clouded Where God hath professed himselfe jealous let us be zealous of trading for such Truthes Thirdly Put a value upon such Truthes as discover the dangerous errours of Socinianisme which is no better then a Complication of many antient heresies condemned by ancient Councels A Doctrine that undermineth the merit and satisfaction of our Saviours death that will scarce allow faith to swimme where reason cannot wade that will so farre bring downe Religion to reason that we must beleeve little more in Divinity then we can see in reason Arminianisme gratifieth the pride of will Popery the pride of outward sense and Socinianisme the pride of carnall reason Fourthly Let Truthes for the sanctification of the Lords day be pretious truthes Gods institution of that day bringeth with it a speciall Character of holinesse and an influence of a peculiar blessing God hath sanctifyed and blessed it Yea in the primitive times it was a badge of Christianity When the question was propounded Servasti Dominicum Hast thou kept the Lords day The answer was Christianus sum intermittere non possum I am a Christian I cannot neglect it There was no little danger in the Anti-sabbatarian doctrine seeing upon Gods owne day we professe publiquely our communion with God in his Ordinances Then we expect to enjoy the richest influence from him And if men could dispute away our Christian Sabbath we should soone lose the vigour of our practicall Religion God having made it holy by Institution by Ordination let us keepe it holy by Observation The second use of Wisdome in Factors is to know and consider their opportunities Ephes. 5. 15 16. See that ye walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise redeeming the time Hierusalem in this was as unwise as unhappy that she knew not the day of her visitation Luk. 19. 41 42. Who did expect such nutus providentiae hints of divine providence as God hath afforded to unworthy England in these two last yeares to repossesse her of that Truth which many thought departing The Philistins had almost taken our Arke Our friends our enemies our selves our owne guiltinesse passed a sentence of death upon us We discovered so many leakes in ships of Church and State as if both were sinking The tempest was great our Saviour seemed to be asleepe our onely refuge was to cry Lord save us we perish Mat. 8. 25. The