carelesnes 3. Ioh. 1.9 Lucae 16. or giue it avvay as Diotrephes did for preheminence as the Glutton for delight as the vvanton for pleasure as the envious for nothing but for vexatiō of mind as the desperate only for horror of conscience vvho destroy their bodies that the deuill may haue their soules Practice 3 Thirdly this teacheth vs not to be rebells in this kingdome not to partake vvith the beast vvho disposeth of kingdomes at his pleasure nor vvith the deuill vvho seekes to ruinate the states of kingdoms Rom. 6.12 but that finally vve resolue that sinne may not raigne in our mortal bodies as in a kingdome that vve should obey it in the lust thereof Rom. 5.21 but that as sinne hath raigned vnto death euen soe grace might raigne through righteousnes vnto eternall life by IESUS CHRIST our lord The third lesson The former was a kingdome but novve a kingdome of heauē is sett before vs wherein we may learne That God hath prepared a kingdome of heauen for those that in hope thereof purge themselues in the kingdome of grace By heauen vve vnderstand not that place betvvixt the earth Gen. 1.28 the Moone for that 's the heauen of fovvles for they are called the foules heauen Genes 1. nor yet the firmament vvherein are placed the sunne the moone 2. Cor. 12.2 starres but that third heauen into vvhich Paule vvas taken vp vvhere Christ sitteth at the right hand of god the father vvhere the soules departed are in rest vvhere all the elect in the end of the vvorld shal be as the angels shal shine as the sunne in brightnes glorie of god the father Of vvhich kingdome of heauen if you aske me vvhat it is I ansvvere it is a creature made of god in the begining vvhē he created the earth Gen. 1.1 If you aske me vvhere it is I ansvvere it is aboue these visible heauens If you aske me vvhy god made it I ansvvere for to shevve his glorie vnto his saincts therefore it is called a paradise of all delectable desireable things in the presence of god The house of god vvherein all the elect are gathered A kingdome vvherein god is king Christ is the prince the church the queene the subjects all the angells saincts Luc. 6.38 And it is called the kingdome of glorie vvherein not only vve receaue glory in good measure but pressed dovvne heaped vp running ouer In hope vvhereof all gods children purge prune themselues that they may bring forth much fruite 1. Ioh. 2.3 For vvhat vvill not a Christian soule doe labour striue struggle vvhile he is here that here after he may sitt in heauenly places vvith Christ Iesus Eph. 2.6 The right of this learning the reason of scripture shevves Apoc. 21.8 For noe vncleane thing entereth into this holy city nor any abhomination The meanes is therefore offered 1. Ioh. 1.7 euen the bloud of Iesus Christ vvhereby vve may be purged frō all our sinnes that vve may be cleane And gratious is the conversation of all gods children for their conuersation is in heauen allbeit they be in earth Phil. 1.20 First by liuing in christian charity For he that liueth in charity liueth in god Matt. 6.21 Secondly in affection for their hart is in heauen vvhere their treasure is Thirdly by right of inheritance for vvhere the head is there must the members be Christ our head is in heauen christians the members clayme their interest in him Gorranus in locum Or as our contryman sayth the conuersation of Christians on earth is in heauen 1. By meditation in the strength vvhereof they fly daily into heauen 2. By daily conference for they speake continually of those things that belong to the kingdome of heauen 3. By holy admiration for vvho knovveth the order of the visible heauens therefore much lesse can vve vnderstand the glory of the invisible 4. By speaking to our soules in holy soliloquies saying Who is or vvhat is there in heauen or in earth that vve desire but thee o lord god Lastly by attending gods leasure as the Patriarches did Gen. 49.18 soe doe they daily vvaite for their saluation The life of this learning consists in practise Practice 1 First of greuance for it is a thousand greeuances to see the madnes of the vvorld that vvhen as god hath prepared vs a kingdome this kingdome is preached daiely vnto vs yet it is sleigthed neglected as if vve told thē tales of Virginia Iob. 4.19 2. Pet. 1.14 1. Pet. 2.11 or of the Bermuthaes vvhere they neuer meane to goe And for asmuch as vve knovve that vve dvvel here in houses of clay in tabernacles of earth are but strangers pilgrimes yet that vve should haue noe more desire to goe to our mansions to repaire to our tabernacle made vvithout hands to reside in our ovvne country is a straine of extreame madnes Practice 2 Secondly of contentation in vvhat estate or condition soeuer vve are either vvith Abraham dvvelling in tents Heb. 9.10 yet still to haue an eie to the land of promise or vvith Paule not to looke on the things that are seene 2. Co. 5.1.2 but to knovve that if this earthly tabernacle be destroyed vve shal be sure of a better made vvithout hands Practice 3 Thirdly of confutation of those hellish spirits that make hast vnto the kingdome of darknes For say preach vvhat the lord Iesus vvill in his holy Testamēt that they should purge and purifie themselues for the hope of this kingdome Hosh. 5.4 yea if Hoshea preach neuer soe earnestly yet the Spirit of vvhordome vvilbe in the middest of some Exod. 16.5 If Moses Aarō preach of this kingdome shevve Signes vvonders 2. Ti. 4.10 yet the spirit of gluttony vvill desire the flesh potts of Egipte if Paule preach neuer soe povverfully yet the spirit of coueteousnes vvill cause Demas to forsake him Matt. 5.22 imbrace this present vvorld the spirit of vvrath vvill call his brother Racha though he be in dainger of a counsell Eph. 4.29.30 the spirit of enuie vvill sell innocent Ioseph the spirit of lying of peruersnes peeuishnes vvill greeue the spirit of god vvith rebellion vvhat soeuer can be sayd to the cōtrary Practise 4 The fourth is of purgation vvhich directeth vs hovve vve may be cleansed laying dovvne this first as a ground that noe man shall see god vvithout a purgatory but this is noe popish foolish cōceite of purging after this life vvithout ground or vvarrant of the vvord but our invvard effectuall purging by baptisme the lavacre of regēeratiō the vvashing of the nevve birth by Christs passiō where in he hath vvashed vs in his bloud by the vvord vvhich maketh vs cleane Aquinas by grace vvhich purgeth vs from all our sinne by
seeke the vvorld For the world is but a pharisee promising much performing nothing nor yet seeke after the flesh to fullfill the lucts thereof for it is but a familiar Iudas vvhile he kisseth he killeth nor seeke ye to the povvers of darknes for the deuill is but a crafty Herod a foxe vvho vvhen he canot tyrannize vvill subtilize If you vvil not be aduised S. Paule vvill pose you in all your proiects in one word what fruite had yee then in those things vvhereof ye are novve ashamed for the end of those things is death Practice 4 The fourth is of satisfaction The deuill seekes to gaine you in euery case of your conscience seeke therefore in euery case of conscience to thy god For there is balme in Gilead there are physitioÌ„s in Israel God hath giuen the vvord great is the companie of the preachers The curious conscience may find a Moses vvho vvith his rod vvil satisfie him by MTRIS if not by MIRACULIS The afflicted conscience may find an Aaron who vvith his bells will qualifie all distresses A coÌ„trite broken hart may find a Dauid Israells svveete finger vvho vvith his deuine harpe vvill cure him of the venemons biting of the beast TARANTULA vvhich is his sinne The hard conscience may find a Ieremy vvho vvith the hammer of gods iudgmeÌ„ts vvil vvorke him The sleepie conscience may find an Esay vvho vvith his trumpet vvil avvake him The vvearie conscience a Peter vvho vvith his keyes of heauen may open vnto him coÌ„forts that may refresh him And the tender conscience may find Barnabassas sonns of consolation vvho may helpe to bind vp the vvounds poure in vvine oyle Practice 5 The fift vse is of ansvvere to theÌ„ that say oh good Sir vve knovve not howe to seeke god TheÌ„ I vvill tell you First you must looke forvvards not backvvards in the spirit of pharasâ—isme that is to consider not what we haue done but vvhat vve must doe Phil. 3.14 as Paule resolues I presse tovvard the marke for the price of the high calling of god in Christ Iesus the reason is vpon record For if vve forgett vvhat vve haue done for gods sake as thinking all is to little vvhat euer it be then god vvill record it as he did the curtesie of the vvoman vvhich Christ calleth a good vvorke But if vve record Math. 26. commemorate our good deeds god will sleight them Secondly vve must resolue in euery case Luâ— 7.32 conditioÌ„ to seeke him Out of the veary deepes early in the morning yea though vve grovell in our ovvne dust stucke fast as it vvere in our ovvne durt yet as Ieremy vve must cry vnto him out of the dungeon For vvhen the spirite of man doth grone to god for helpe The blessed spirit of god for the loue of Christ vvill breath vnspeakable comfort vnto man Practice 6 Lastly let me moue you to seeke god vvhile he may be found It is propheticall apostolicall counsell And Dauid yealds the reason For there vvill come a tyme that in the great vvaters vve shall not vve cannot come nigh him Psal 32. There vvere and yet are certayne foolish philosophers pratlers in the vvorld called Sceptiques in deed meere Scoptiques vvho vse to question all things euen the Magnificat but asseuere rosolue on nothing So there are certayne vvho seeke god daily as sayth Esay Esai 58. 2. Tim. 3.7 as Pauls vvoemen did vvere euer learning neuer earning And these are such vvho flatter their ovvne soules that they seeke god aright vvhen as they only prattle prate of god deny indeed the povver price of their redemption But being persvvaded better things of you my bretheren Remember 〈◊〉 beseech you by the mercifulnes of god that vve all liue for a day for an hovver for a minute Seeke Your god therefore this day this hovver this minute harden not your harts For euen novve is the axe layd to to the roote of the tree euery tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hevven dovvne cast into the fire Matth. â— From vvhich fearfull fatall finall distruction god deliuer vs all in the sauing mercies of his sonne CHRIST JESUS The eight lesson You haue seene this our reall marchants Dilligence Novve behold his constancie For he seeketh god not by fitts flashes but resolueth to seeke this Pearle vntill he find it So doth the fullnes of the greeke vvord in the text signifie by the fittnes of it is taken from the sagacitie of hounds that earnestly seeke neuer giue ouer vntill they find their game Whereof the learning is That if euer vve desire to find fauour in the sight of god vve must continue in our suits vnto him in our seruice for him most constantly vntill vve obtaine the blessing The light of this appeares First from the oracles of Christ himselfe positiuely as Mat. 10.22 Ye shal be hated of all men for my name but he that endureth to the end he shal be saued Mat. 15.32 Miraculously Then IESUS called his disciples vnto him said I haue compassion on this multitude because they haue continued vvith me already three daies haue nothing to eate I vvill not let them depart fasting least they faint in the vvay So by their constant-staying they beheld a miracle Mat. 24.13 Prophettically But he that endureth to the end he shal be saued And pyrobalically Abide in me Io. 13.4 I in you as the branch cannot beare fruite of it selfe excepte it abide in the vine no more caÌ„ ye excepte ye abide in me Secondly from the practice of the patriarches by the example of Enoch vvho vvas translated because he vvalked vvith god Gen. 5.24 Gen. 18.23 Of Abraham vvho earnestly sued for Sodom Of Jacob vvho vvrestled all night vvith the angell nevver lest of vntill he had obtayned the blessing vvayted vnto his end for his saluation Gen. 19. And of Moses vvho continued vvith god forty dayes in the mount receaued the lavve Thirdly by the prophets Jeremy expostulats the Ier. 2.5 cause vvhat iniquitie haue your fathers found in me saith the lord that they are gone farre from me Ier. â— 5 haue vvalked after vanity Hos 6.4 are become vaine Hosea lameÌ„ts it saying O Ephraim vvhat shall I doe vnto thee O Judah vvhat shall I doe vnto thee for your goodnes is as the morning devve as the early cloud it goeth avvay further shevves the reason vvhy they did not continue vvith god Because they vvere like a cake on the harth not turned Hos 7.8.10 like a silly doue vvithout hart vvere fed vvith the vvind Fourthly the light of this doth appeare from the practice of the true Christian church They continued vvith one accord in prayer Act. 1.14 Act. 2 4â— supplication vvith the vvomen Mary the mother of
vvho by his povver sends forth the prophetts Math. 17.5 Deu. 18. Mat. 23.34 Apo. 19.10 Psal 24.10 Psal 45.6 vvhose testimony is the spirit of prophecie A king of regall dignity euen the king of glory vvhose scepter is only righteousnes the extent vvhereof is ouer the vvhole vvorld the continuance beyond all tyme vvho after all tyme shall deliuer vp a kingdome purchased vvith his bloud that god 1. Cor. 15. may be all in all The right of reason thevves this also vnto vs. For there is valuation in pearle vvherein consisteth their dignity their lustre povver What valuation is comperable to Christs dignity vvhich surpasseth that of gold siluer Ye vvere not redeemed vvith corruptible things as gold siluer from your vaine conuersation receiued by the traditions of the fathers 1. Pet. 1.28.29 But vvith the pretious bloud of Christ as of a lambe vndefiled vvithout spot That of beasts cattle For thou desirest noe sacrifice Psal 51.16 though I vvould giue it thou delightest not in burnt offering That of angells Vnto vvhich of the angels sayd he at any time sit at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footestoole Heb. 1.13 Ps 116.11 That of men for all men are liars Farre aboue the value of the offence For if through the offence of one many are dead much more the grace of god Ro. 5.15.16 the gift by grace vvich is by one man Iesus Christ hath abounded vnto many For if by the offence of one death raigned through one much more Shall they which receiue the abundaÌ„ce of grace the gift of righteousnesse raigne in life through one that is Iesus Christ Secondly there is lustre in pearle but in our Christ in his light vve shall see light Yea the deuils the reprobate see so much to make them vnexcusable Thirdly pearles are povverfull in their effects Gen. 49.8 Christ hath excellency aboue Juda preheminence ouer diseases povver of the influence of the sunne moone starrs yea ouer the graue death hell Practice 1 The vse of this is diuerse First of Accession Come ye Marchant Ievvellers that aâ—â— faithfull soules see vvhat Ievvells your Sauiour hath prepared for you 1. Cor. 12. Ioh. 14. Can. 1. they are such that cannot be expressed by vvords Yet is he gone to prepare them for you Jt remaines that you haue an affection to seeke runne after this your ievvell that you may at the last attaine him Come blessed soules that haue hope in CHRIST though your sinnes be as red as scarlet he hath made them of a pearle colour Let euery religious soule see his sauiour this pretious pearle hovve vile he hath accompted of himselfe being sold for thirty peeces of siluer hovve pretious he hath esteemed of vs that shed his pretious bloud for vs one drop vvhereof vvas vvorth ten thousand vvorlds And let the languishing soule come hither see hovve god hath giuen vs his only ievvell to be our JESUS What then vvill he deny vs vvith him For he made him of noe reputation vile in the sight of the vvorld that vve might be pretious pearles in the sight of god Practice 2 The second vse is of ExpostulatioÌ„ vvhat price is there that you can desire that is not to be found in this pearle of great price The price of your redemption is in his passion of absolution in his condemnation of remission of sinnes in his crosse of satisfaction in his sacrifice of nâ—vvnes of life in his resurrection of immortallity in the kingdome prepared for you of purgation in his bloud For he that vvas a diamond hath made himselfe a ruby all red in his ovvne bloud that vve might be diamondâ— in the sight of his father What vvould you haue One pearle vvithout peaâ—e He is this one For he is One god in the essence of the diety Ioh. 11. One creator that made heauen earth One man vvho died for vs. One lord paramount vvho hath the preheminence Matt. 23. Ioh. 10. Hebr. 10. One master not many One father One sheephard One sacrifice for our sinnes Practice 3 The third vse is of caution that vve bevvare howe vve become vile in gods sight for then vve become svvine Mat. 7.6 pearls must not be cast before svvine the deuill desireth to goe into such kind of creatures Matt 8 31. Ibidem hath permission so to doe But our case is as the case of Aaron vvhich had a robe bells a tunacle an Ephod the Vrim Thumim blevv silke fine linnen yet all these vvere none of his ovvne but ornaments ordayned by god to be put vpon him So vve haue noe pretiousnes in our selues but all our lustre commeth from this pearle Eph. 5.8 Ie. 14. Ecc. 1.2 Matt. 7. Matt. 25. Gen. 8.21 For vve are in ourselues darknes in the abstract Folly Vanity doggs hogs death damned If you vvill not beleeue me Moses vvill tell you that the imagination of mans hart is euill from his youth Iob vvill assertaine you for sayth he If I vvash my selfe vvith snovve vvater Iob. 9.30.31 make my hands neuer so cleane yet thou shalt plung me in the ditch mine ovvne cloths shall abhorre me Practice 4 The fourth vse is of feare trembling For S. Paul sayth if any man loue not the lord Iesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha 1. Cor. 16.22 that is accursed vvhen the lord shall come Yea surely they shal be accursed in their goods as the cursed things of Iericho their specious mansioÌ„s made a iakes their possessioÌ„ a bloudy Dan. 3.19 Acheldama their gaines as the cursed guiles of Corban their name as branded as Ieroboams their fame rotten Jf they be honerable god vvill lay their honor in the dust if noble they shal be vile base in his sight if learned their learning shal be a byvvord a hissing If he be a king he shal be made a beast vvith Nebuchadnezzer If a minion or fauorite he shal be hanged as vvicked Haman that loues not the lord Practice 5 The last vse is of petition vvherein I become an humble sutor vnto all that are here present that there may not be amongst vs a prophane person of a svvinish boorish condition that vvill tread this pearle vnder his feete For if there be any such most fearfull fatall is the expectation of his vvoe For saith the apostle vvhat punishment suppose yee shall he be vvorthy of vvhich treadeth vnder foote the sonne of god Heb. 10.29 counteth the bloud of the nevve Testament as an vnholy thing doth despite the spirit of grace But let euery one of vs be of Paules resolution to accompt all things doung dresse that vve may obtaine this pearle Ephes 3.14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 And for this cause I bovve my knees for you all vnto god the father
of our lord Iesus Christ Of vvhom is named the vvhole familie in heauen in earth That he might graÌ„t you according to the riches of his glory that ye may be strengthned in the inner man by his spirit That Christ may dvvell in your harts by faith that ye being rooted grounded by loue may be able to comprehend vvithall saincts what is the bredth length depth height And to knovve the loue of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye may be filled with all fulnesse of god Vnto him therefore that is able to doe exceeding abundantly aboue all that vve aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in vs be praise in the church by Christ Iesus throvvout all generatioÌ„ for euer Amen The eleuenth lesson Thus you haue hard vvhat is meant by that One pearle of great price in heauen Novve see vvhat is that One pearle of great price on earth which this reall marchant findeth here The former interpreters haue expounded it to our hand shevving that it is Charity The learning then is That Christian Charity is that one only pearle in earth both peareles priceles vvhich is found only among the children of god The light of this appeares most euidently from S. Paules vvords 1. Cor. 12.31 1. Cor. 13. per tout Wherin first S. Paule sayth That he vvould shevve a more excellent vvay in the chapter follovving doth make it demonstrable The Analysis vvhereof is thus breefly First it callengeth the best things Secondly it combateth vvith the vvorst things and Thirdly it conquereth the last things Christian Charity callengeth the best things For angellical euangellicall eloquence vvithout Charity is as sounding brasse or as a tinckling cymball The gift of prophecie all knovvledge all faith yea miraculous faith in comparison of this is nothing Almes deeds martyrdome vvithout Charity profitteth nothing In the second place it combateth vvith the vvorst things In vvrath it suffereth long base couteousnes it caÌ„not endure for it is bountifull it is voyd of spight for it enuies not it is not frovvard for it doth not beast it selfe it is noe sovvlen bladder of pride for it is not puffed vp it is farre from reproach that it vvill doe noe vncomly thing it is so farre from iniury that it seeketh not its ovvne in it is noe bitternes at all for it cannot be provoked to wrath noe surmises of euill for it thinketh none noe vniustice for it reioyceth not in inquity but reioyceth in the truth beleeueth the good hopeth the best endureth all In the third place it conquereth the last things For vvhen the vvorld hath done it shall endure vvhen faith vvhich beleeueth all things of god hope vvhich expecteth all doe cease yet shall Charity vvhervvith vve loue god man endure for all eterinty It is also one Io. 13.34 for it is that one commandement from mount Sion vvhich is the complement of the other ten from mount Sinai vvhich Christ calls the nevve commandement affirmes that it is the marke of his chosen It is also a pearle of perfection for the Christians house vvhich he builds to god hath faith for its foundation vvhere vpon it is grounded hope the vvalls vvhereby it is erected but Charity is the roofe vvhich perfecteth couereth all It is of all price vvhether vve respecte the nearenes of it vnto vs It is not in heauen that thou shouldest say vvho shall goe vp for vs bring it vnto vs that vve may beare it doe it Neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say vvho shall goe ouer the sea bring it vs that vve may heare it doe it But the vvord is very nigh vnto thee in thy mouth in thy hart that thou mayest doe it Or the breefnes The commandement is shortened that euery man might be vnexcusable that noe maÌ„ in the day of iudgmeÌ„t as saith S. Augustine might implead god or complaine that he could not retayne this lesson in his memory Therefore saith that father the vvord is this If yee loue me you vvill loue one another Matâ— 11.30 Or if vve respect the easines of this lesson It is an easie yoke For both old young rich poore vveake and vvhole may performe this duty Or if vve respecte the preâ—iousnes of it It is the bond of perfectioÌ„ yea pretious it is in all dimensions In lenght it endureth euer In breath it is dilated to all to the good of duty to the bad of pitty In deepenes it fayleth neuer it vvill not forsake a frend in misery noe nor in extremity noe not in death it selfe Cant. 8.6.7 For loue is as strong as death ielousie is as cruel as the graue the coales thereof are fierie coales a vehement flame Much vvater cannot quench loue neither can the flouds drovvne it if a man should giue all the substance of his house for loue they vvould greatly contemne it Or in height it is of a noble disposition it loues our frends in the lord our enimies for the lord In a vvord it is pretious in extension In this vvorld universall it doth good to all In the other vvorld it is eternall Pretious in this vvorld for vse for a mans faith is his ovvne proper good but Charity is profitable and vsefull to others In the other vvorld it is pretious for continuance for it endureth to the end in the end after the end vvithout end Ignatius Christs martyr shall conclude vvho saith that faith is the beginning of our Christianity Charity the end best pillovve vvhereon to repose our head at the last gaspe The right of this appeares in the subject of Charity for it svvimmes not in the braine vvith fancifull imaginary opinions but setleth in the hart by deuine and Christian affections It is not conceitfull but truly cordiall In the obiect it is pretious for god is the obiect thereof vvhatsoeuer god vvill haue beloued as men all men yea our enimies for that 's the exaltatioÌ„ thereof Angels saincts Christ himself according to his humane nature vvhereby he doth not disdaine to call vs brethren Lastly in the effects pretious for it bringeth vnto vs the ioy of the spirit peace of our conscience patience mercie bounty the like Practice 1 The vse of this is first of Confutation of the Papists vvho make Charity the forme of faith they argue thus If Charity be greater then Faith hope more pretious for vse continuance as Paule affirmeth Then are vve not iustified by faith only I ansvvere that these conclusions vvill as vvell follovve A king is better then a boore therefore he can till the earth better A man is better then a beast therefore he can runne svvifter then a horse he can carry more then an Elephant Who sees not the absurdities Let Faith haue her prerogatiues It is the cause of gods loue Galat. 5.6 For in Iesus Christ neither circumcision aueileth
his house for loue it vvould vtterly be contemned saith the Spouse in the Canticles Cant. 8 7. vvithout doubt if vve loue god vvith all our hart vve vvill deny him nothing of all Paule tells vs that vve are all concluded vnder sinne for vve haue all of vs sinned Let vs therefore make our peace vvith our all that vve may obtayne all then haue vve made the best bargaine that euer vve made in the vvorld For then vve shall be deliuered vp in the kingdome by CHRIST to god the father that he may be all in all vvhich god grant vnto vs all AMEN Novve are vve come vnto the last vvhich is this Marchants purchase Blessed vvas his deligence choise constancie skill readines contempt of the vvorld full persvvasion to obtaine so great a purchase for the text sayth he bought it The learning vvhereof is this The fiftenth lesson That it is the greatest purchase of the world so to buy sell in the vvorld that vve may purchase at the last the inheritance of the other vvorld Mat. 16.26 The truth of this appeareth First by Christs question For vvhat is a man profited if he should purchase the vvhole vvorld lose his ovvne soule Or vvhat shall a man giue in exchange for his soule This question poseth all vvorldlie purchasers all subtile exchangers Secondly this appeareth by parable vvhat did all those recusaÌ„ts gaine which vvould not come vnto the supper Luc. 14.16 vvhereunto they vvere so kindly invited One had purchased a farme another bought fiue yoke of oxen euen this they gained that they should not tast of that heauenly supper 1. Cor. 7 29.3â—.31 Thirdly it is plaine by apostolicall exposition of that supper But this I say brethren the tyme is short It remayneth that both they that haue vviues be as though they had none they that vveepe as though they vvept not And they that reioyce as though they reioyced not they that buy as though they possessed not they that vse this vvorld as not abusing it for the fashion of this vvorld passeth avvay In the seond place it appeareth by the rules of buying selling First vvho sees not his ovvne vvant therefore vve buy Rom. 3. We all vvant the grace of god vvho vvould not buy it if he sold all Secondly buyers desire to haue vvhat they vvant for their mony But this purchase is offered vvithout mony Esai 55.1 Phil. 3.8 or monies vvorth Thirdly they buy for a great price vvhat they vvould haue yea vve must account all things as doung to vvinne Christ Fourthly buying selling is by exchange Properly in this there is noe exchange as is shevved before out of Esay 55. 1. And Simon Magus vvas rebuked that thought the grace of god vvas to be bought vvith mony Was it not a blessed exchange for vs vvhen the ramme vvas taken for Isaac 2. Cor. â— 21 that is vvhen he that knevve noe sinne vvas made sinne for vs that vve might be the righteousnes of god in him vvhich caused Martin Luther oftimes to say in his prayers O god thou art my sinne I am thy righteousnes If you shall aske of me hovve this exchange is made I ansvvere in a vvord By faith the friuts thereof prayer good vvorkes For albeit vve haue nothing of our selues to giue yet it hath pleased god to giue himself in his sonne for vs. By vvhich free voluntary gift vve purchase pure gold that enricheth vs royall robes that cover our nakednesse pretious eie salue that maketh vs see The gold is our faith vvhich is much more pretious then gold that perisheth both in brightnes price profitt as S. Peter speaketh 1. Pet. 1.7 The garments vvhere vvith vve are couered are the rich robes of our sanctification Gal. 3.27 For as many of vs as haue bine baptized haue put on Christ Yea all the elect of god haue put on the tender bovvells of mercie kindnes humblenes of mind meekenes long suffering Coll. 3.12 For if we are not thus clothed vvith the robes of grace our filthines vvill appeare to god and vve shall become abhominable The eie salue vvherby vve see vvhat is it but the illumination of gods spirit vvherby vve see vvith Stephen heauen opened Heare vvith Paule things that cannot be vttered by vvords at the last enioy eternall rest vvith Lazarus in Abraham bosome The reason of this appeares from Solomons Counsell Prov. 23.23 Buy the truth Apoc. 3.18 sell it not also vvisdome instruction vnderstanding Secondly from the counsell of an angell I counsell thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou maiest be rich vvhite rayment that thou maiest be clothed that the shame of thy nakednes doe not appeare anoynt thine eies vvith eies salue that thou maiest see Marke vvhat is sayd he counselleth you that you may not distrust this counsell Esay 9.6 The prophet Esay tells you he is the vvonderfull counseller Thirdly from the obseruation of all the godly in all the ages of the vvorld Some haue stolne this purchase by doing good deeds secretly are revvarded openly Matt. 11.12 Some haue taken it by violence For the kingdome of heauen suffereth violence by such as are importunate vvith god day and night for it Others barter for it by leauing frends fauors all to haue this purchase Let all the great men of the vvorld that thinke of nothing els but of their purchasing rents and reuennevvs tell me vvhat purchase can be compared to this The light vvhereof the vvord hath shevved them the right vvhereof reason hath directed them in Practice 1 The first practice of this is of estimation For vvherein is any purchase in the vvorld to be esteemed as this or compared vvith this Either in respecte of continuance or the vvorth The continuance of this purchase is not only for our life time but eÌ„dures till our death yea after our death What purchase then is like this vvhich brings to the penitent pardon for sinns past preseÌ„t to come vvhich clotheth vs vvith the obedieÌ„ce of Christ in the fullfilling of the lavve which dignifieth vs vvith the titles of the sonnes of god the brothers of Christ Iesus vvhich gardeth vs vvith protection of angels turneth all our crosses curses into blessings giues vs his spirit to be our life makes our prayers incense in the nostrills of god makes his ovvne flesh vvhich he took of vs to be a pavvne for vs in heauen Tell me o you purchasers of the earth vvhat royalties of any earthly purchase can be compared to these But this is not all It continues in death For death is noe death to such a purchase but by a blessed exchange is made the vvay to heauen yea after death it continueth for by this purchase our bodies arise againe to life Phil. 3.10 vve haue a royalty to