differ one from an other Iam. 1.6 they are like a waue of the sea Heb. 13.9 euery Wind of Doctrine is readie to ouer blow them their Heartes are not stablished Heb. 5 14. they haue no exercised Wits They will be readie to crie Hosanna to Christ to day and to bid Crucifie him to morrow they are like those of Lystra who at the first admired Paul and made a God of him but with the turning of an hand by the counsell of certaine Iewes they drew him out of the Citie and stoned him Act. 14. so vnstable and vnsetled are the most of vs at this day that a man may perswade any thing sauing that which ought to be beleeued Who almost is so skilfull and experiēced as to know euen in the principall matters and most necessarie points of Religion what is to be held as Truth and to be detested as an Error to be able to say peremptorily this I am sure is true in Religion and I will by the grace of God liue and die in it this is an Error I hope neuer to yeeld vnto it You will say perhaps this is inough for Preachers Oh belooued I say as Moses did I would all the Lords people were Prophets I would we were al thus cunning nay I would men were Num. 11.29 or could be perswaded that this is a dutie to striue to come to a setled certentie herein Then ther were much hope of the perpetuating of Religiō then we need neuer feare the restablishment of Poperie and Atheisme I am sure would giue vp the Ghost Well you see the Truth must be bought for shame we cannot deny it In Buying we may be ouereached in reason we cannot say against it therefore we should also be ashamed to be so without Reason as not to thinke it reason to labour with the Lord by Praier to lead vs into all Truth that so we may grow in the Truth and continue firme in the Truth vnto the end And this is an End of the third Branch The fourth Branch The fourth Circūstāce in making this Purchase of the Truth is to giue the price proportionable to the value of the Commoditie which is indeede the very Act of Buying the other three which I haue named hitherto are but preparatiues to Buying For though a man feeleth his owne want commeth to the place of sale trieth and examineth the commoditie which is for his necessitie yet he is not said to haue bought till he haue paid the price at which the thing is rated All the while before he is said to be but a chapman and many do all the former oftentimes who haue no great disposition to buie So fareth it in our customarie Buying and so it is in this case It is necessarie for a man to feele the want of Knowledge to come to the place of Knowledge to examine that which is profered to him but yet he hath not followed Salomons counsell as he ought vntill he haue paide the price also Now the price as I told you is not money for Act. 8.20 Thy money perish with thee which art of that opinion but the price is this to preferre it in account and estimation before all Things and so to make it our chiefest labour to attaine it You shall see this prooued If thou seekest knowledge as siluer and searchest for her as for Treasure Pro. 2.4.5 then thou shal◠vnderstand the Feare of the Lord. The kingdome of Heauen is like to a Merchant-man Math. 13.45 that seeketh good pearles who hauing found a pearle of great price went and sold all that he had and bought it The kingdome of Heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force Math. 11.12 Will you haue examples Phil. ◠◠I count all things losse saith Paul for the excellent Knowledge sake of Christ Iesus and a little after in the same chapter he compareth himselfe to a man in a race who partly to signifie his desire of the prize partly to helpe himselfe in running leaneth forward in his running ver 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so saith he I forget that which is behind bending forward to that which is before I follow c. And if a man might goe further Dauid may seeme herein a little to haue gone beyond him I opened my mouth and panted Psal 119.131 because I loued thy Commandements Dauid was so hotte and egre in this pursuit that he was euen breathlesse he was faine to gape for a new supplie of winde Thus these places and these examples I hope doe sufficiently prooue this point namely that the price to be giuen for the Knowledge of the Truth is to set no price vpon it but to esteeme it aboue all price and to account that nothing is too deare no trauaile too much no paine too great for the attainment thereunto The Vse The vse of this point is necessarie also because the Church of God is at this day so ful of Hucksters which are euer cheapening but buie nothing that is as S. Paul speaketh are euer learning 2. Tim 3. ◠and yet neuer come to the knowledge of the Truth They come to church and heare and goe home and come againe and heare againe and so goe round like a Horse in a mill and are yet neuer the nearer They are like the fish in the sea which liue in the salt water and are yet neuer the salter so they heare the word which is the salt of the Earth and yet are still vnseasoned Mat. 5.13 Now the speciall reason of it is because they be no franke chapmen they would haue too good a peniworth they will buie the Truth vnder foote or they will none of it If to heare now and then and in hearing now and then to hearken and so an ende and some such superficiall performances will doe it they will be content to be at the cost otherwise they wish you a better chapman the ware is too deare If you tell them of often Hearing and of keeping their hearts and eares together from the beginning of a Sermon to the end of priuate Meditation of conference of praier before to prepare them of praier after to strengthen them of redeeming the Time and setting some part apart for such holy purposes they make you answer that you set your Knowledge at too high a rate and vnlesse they shall find you more reasonable and that they may haue it with lesse paines lesse hindrance lesse disgrace they are content to let it goe or els as men doe when things are too deare they will take the lesse and a smaller portion shall suffice them To shake off this dulnes and backwardnes and that men may learne to be ashamed of this niggardize to stand offering and offering and like to neere fellowes to be loth as it were to come off with the other penie I pray you let vs remember the price which the Lord hath set and
Truths Purchase OR A Commoditie which no man may either neglect to buie or dare to sell laid forth in two Sermons vpon Prov. 23.23 by Samuel Hieron Minister of the word at Modburie in Deuon Very necessary for the times in which so few seeke after the Truth and so many fall away from the profession and practise of the Truth Reuel 2.25 That which ye haue alreadie hold fast till I come HINC · LVCEM · ET · POCVLA · SACRA ALMA MATER CANTABRIGIA PRINTED BY IOHN LEGAT PRINter to the Vniversitie of Cambridge 1606. And are to be sold at the signe of the Crowne in Paulâ— Church-yard by Simon Waterson TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull my very good Ladie the Ladie Elizabeth Champernowne of Modburie MAdam beeing well perswaded both of your good knowledge in Gods holy Truth of your vnfained affection thereunto I haue emboldned â—y selfe to present you with these two Sermons touching Truth yet not for your selfe alone but that from you they may passe to the common vse of all the Louers of the Truth I doubt not but that your La doth both see and bewaile the miserie of these wretched times in which Atheisme and Policie falsely so called beeing indeede little better then plaine villenie and Temporizing haue like a canker fretted out the very heart of Pietie They are but a fewe which seeke to search out the Certaintie in matters of ReligioÌ„ or which care to haue stablished hearts Luk. 1.4 Heb 13.9 and to know precisely which is the True God Baal or the Lord. Men had rather halt betweene two opinions that so they may be for all Times 1. king 18. â— then vndergoe the labour of gaining aduised Resolution On the other side if we come to these which yet will needes be religious what a wofull falling away doe we behold In some to Poperie beeing lead captiue God in iustice sending them strong delusions by those False brethren 2. Tim. 3.6 2. Thess 2.11 Gal. 2 4. which are priuily crept into euery corner through the remissenes of these Euill Times In other some to Prophane-nesse and to that which is of all other the worst luke-warmenes So that we may well say Reu. 3.16 Isa 1.9 Ier 3.14 Except the Lord of Hosts had reserued vnto vs euen a small remnant culling out as it were one of a citie Amos 3.11 and two of a Tribe as the shepheard taketh out of the mouth of a lyon two legges or a peece of an eare according to the Election of grace we should long ere this haue beene as Sodom and like vnto Gomorrha we had beene as it is saide of a cursed Tongue a very world of wickednesse Iam. 3.6 Now things beeing so there are three duties required of all that feare God The first is to long for the Appearing of Christ 2. Tim. 4.8 and to crie daily with the Soules vnder the Altar How long Lord holy and true Reu. 6.10 Reu. 22.20 Euen so come Lord Iesus The other is to beware least they be plucked away with the Errour of the Times 2. Pet. 3.17 and fall from their owne stedfastnes The third is euery man in his place earnestly to contend for the maintenance of the Faith and the aduancement of the Gospel Iud 3. and to be as industrious to conuert the goers astray Iam. 5.20 Act. 14.22 and to exhort the Beleeuers to continue in the Faith as the Pharisaicall Math. 23.15 both Iesuits and Seculars are to compasse sea and land to make men of their profession 2. Tim. 4.4 and to turne them from the Truth vnto Fables In desire to performe some part of this latter dutie as I first preached these Sermons so with the same intent I doe now publish them The Text I am sure is excellent for the purpose but for my manner of handling it I leaue it to the censure of Gods Church In Preaching I haue ever accounted plain-nes the best eloquence and the cariage of matters so that those of the lowest forme may learne somewhat the soundest and surest learning If any censorious disposition shall say that these things are too meane for this ripe and exquisite age let them consider that at the building of Salomons Temple 1. kâ—ng 5.15 there was roome as wel for Burden-bearers as for other more curious Artificers and at the first making of the Tabernacle not onely the Bringers of blue silke and purple and scarlet but euen the poorer sort which brought Goates haire Exod. 25.4.5 and Rammes skinnes were accepted How euer it be I doe more then hope that your La. will kindly accept it from me and entertaine it as a Testimonie of my loue and not so onely but vse it also for your comfort And so praying the Lord 1. Thess 3.13 to make your heart stable and vnblameable in holines I commit your La. to his grace in Christ Iesus Modburie Novemb 14. 1606. Your La. in all good affection Samuel Hieron Prou. 23.23 Baie the Truth but sell it not The first Sermon THis short speach of Salomons containeth in it two things 1. an Iniunction Buy the truth 2. an Inhibition Sell not the truth First of the Iniunction To make way vnto the profitable handling whereof we are to examine two things 1. what is the Truth 2. what it is to Buy the same Truth is but one and it is in God VVhat is meant by Truth Quicquid est in deo Deus est and of God nay it is God himselfe For the nature of God is not subiect to any attending properties whatsoeuer is in God is God As he is Mercy it selfe Iustice it selfe Goodnesse it selfe so he is also Truth it selfe God is Truth Deut 32 4. Ioh. 14.6 saith Moses and I am the Truth saith Christ of himselfe Yet neuerthelesse this Truth which is but one and is primarily in God is from him conueied into diuers other things which in that respect are also rightly termed True For as the Sunne is the Fountaine and naturall seat of Light yet that Light is theÌ„ce deriued into many other Bodies naturally fitted to receiue it which are therefore truly termed Lightsome so though God is in that sort the Head spring of all Truth that he is called euen Truth it selfe yet his Truth is communicated vnto other Things also and euery thing is so farre forth called True as it is squared and made answerable vnto that eternall Truth And as diuers resemblances in many glasses being set together doe come all from one and the same Face which is set against them so all that Truth which is in other things fetcheth it first Beginning from the Lord Now howsoeuer the end of all our Endeauours is the vnion of this Truth to our vnderstanding and the knitting of our soules vnto God wherein the the very heathen by the Light of nature placed mans Happines yet this is not so properly that Truth which is here commended to vs
a man to feele his want of a commoditie to know the worth of it and to wish the hauing of it vnlesse he also resort to the place where it may be had so in this case it is not inough that we find our selues ignorant acknowledg our neede of Knowledge vnlesse we vouchsafe to repaire thether wher it is ordinarily set to sale and as it were by Proclamation offered to our vses Now the vsuall place of sale for this commodity of sauing Knowledge is the Church the Assembly of Gods Saintes where the ministry of Gods word the ordinarie meanes of Knowledge is dispensed In the Church by the Ministry of Gods word we heare Christ making a solemne Oyez and saying If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke Come buy without siluer and without mony Ioh. 7.37 Isay 55.1.2 wherefore doe you lay out siluer and not for bread I couÌ„sell you to buy of me gold tried by the Fire Rev. 3.18 that you may be made rich and rayment that you may be clothed and â—iesalue that you may see This is the voice of Christ proclayming in the open Market of his Church and vttering his voice by the Toppe of the high places Pro. 9.4 who so is simple let him come hither Col. 2.3 In me are hid the Treasures of wisedome and knowledge Of my fulnes you may receiue grace for grace Ioh. 1.16 So that in the congregation wher the word is truly sincerely preached as in a Publicke Marte there is that which is fitting to euery man in euery respect There are the Principles of Truth for Christians of a lower forme there are deeper points for exercised Wits Heb. 5.14 there is for Magistrates for Ministers for priuate men for euery calling for the youÌ„gmaÌ„ that hee may redres his way for the old man to encrease in wisedome there is truth for the vnderstanding truth for the conscience truth for the will truth for the Affections that so a Christian may be perfite to euery good worke 2. Tim. 3.17 whatsoeuer thou dost lack there thou shalt be sure to haue it abundantly supplied there thou shalt see discouered the great Mysterie of godlines which is God manifested in the flesh iustified in the spirit 1. Tim. 3.16 seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleeued on in the world and receiued vp into glory Thus the church is the place the preaching of the word is the Treasure subiected to the view and offered to the vse of all which desire to receiue it And indeede herein especially standeth the difference betwixt the word Read the word Preached The word read is as a rich wardrope of a Prince where many garments of cost are folded vp together in a narrow roome which cannot so satisfie the beholder as if the same might be seuerally layd forth before him time beeing also granted him to take notice of euery particular because being lapt vp he caÌ„not see the whole beautie and being together he is not able to obserue euery specialtie Euen so it fareth with the scripture If a man heare the word read it cannot but draw him to admire the maiestie and riches of the Text and it will cast some glimmering light vpon the vnderstanding but when he heareth the riches of it laid open by Preaching it will much more astonish him yea it euen ravish him as it were striking a greater terror into his conscience casting a clearer light vpon his iudgement working more mightily vpon his affections This is not spoken to discountenance the Reading of the word or to banish the vse of it out of Gods Church or to depriue it of that respectiue estimatioÌ„ which it doth deserue nay it is rather spoken to the winning of reuerence thereunto For indeed there is no man heareth the word read more humbly obserueth it more heedefully or listeneth vnto it more affectionately then he who by preaching hath beene brought to know the excellencie of the word So then here I shutte vp this doctrine He that desireth to make this purchase of the Truth must repaire to the place where it is set to sale even to the House of God where the word is truly preached and soundly deliuered The Vse This point is also very necessarie to be throughly vrged in regard of the common sinne of the world at this day which is this the negligent depending vpon the Ministery of Gods word For howsoeuer sound and syncere and often preaching be not so vniuersall and common as were to be wished if God were so pleased to thrust out more painfull Labourers into his haruest yet it is far more generally bestowed Math. 9.38 then obediently and dutifully entertained For truly if a man should aske of me what that thing in my opinion is which is at this day almost in euery place most hatefull most abhorred most â—â—ksome most contemptible least welcome and least regarded I know not I speake vnfeignedly how to answer more truly then to say it is the Ministry and preaching of Gods word And to the end that I may not speake at Randon but may lay this fault vpon those in whom at is I will distinguish those of our Times to let professed Enemies of our Religion Papists alone which either come not to the Place of sale of Truth or els come as gazers to looke on and to fill vp number into three sorts 1. The common protestant 2. The Politician 3. The proud and selfe conceipted man By the Common Protestant I vnderstand such an one as the Papist calleth in scorne so speaking of vs all a Parliament protestant that is a Time-seruer who looketh no further then to the Law of the Prince who is readie for any religion and is therefore indeed of no Religion Of which humor there are the Lord knoweth infinite multitudes at this day all whose Bible is the statute Booke and the Articles of whose faith are grounded vpon positiue IniunctioÌ„s Now the common Religion of this common Protestant I find to be this He hath a certaine notice of louing God aboue all and his neighbour as himselfe and that he thinketh is as much as he needeth to care for and after this manner he thinketh with himselfe I keepe my Church as well as the most I receiue the communion at Easter as becommeth a good subiect I liue quietly among my neighbours and wherein am I now to be found fault withall Indeede I am not ouer precize for I hold that to be more then needes I am no medler with the Scriptures that I account to be beyond my reach once I am no Papist I content my selfe to doe as other doe and haue no desire to be singular Here haue we the right humor of our common men at this day this is their Catechisme these be the very principles of their Religion Now hath this man thinke you any neede of preaching careth he to depend vpon the Ministry of the word Surely no. For he
priuie workmen who are all guided with the spirit of the Beast sent out and set on worke by that Antichrist that man of Rome who are crept almost into euery corner and vnder pretence of their deuotions and Voluntarie Religion Col. 2 2â— and Humblenes of minde insinuate and winde theÌ„selues into many mens Affections drawing some to traiterous disloyaltie some to setled Poperie others to indifferent and depending vncertentie that so they may fit and prepare them for that day which they haue long exspected and I pray God they may still with wearied eyes and languishing spirits awaite for Now to the ende that these false Brethren Gal. 2.4 which are come in priuily to bring vs into bondage may not carie vs away with drosse for siluer glittering shewes for a golden substance counterfait profession for sound Religion we had neede to labour and pray for discerning spirits Secondly this abilitie to discerne is necessarie in regard of so many dangerous and infectious Bookes which I know not by whose default are sparsed abroad into all partes tending to the defaming of the present state and of our holy Religion and to the working of mens affections to a more tolerable opinion if not a totall embracing of Poperie Thirdly this skill is no lesse necessarie in respect of so much corrupt Preaching both in manner and matter First for the manner of Teaching it is an ordinarie thing with many men of giftes to scorne to seeme to Know nothing but Christ and him crucified 1. Cor. 2.2 and to thinke basely of the plaine euidence of the spirit And therefore they haue more care to abound with excellent words with the entising speeches of mans wisedome then to speak to the conscience of their Hearers so that in this respect we had neede to be wise to discerne least our faith should be in the wisdome of man rather then in the power of God 1. Cor. 2.5 Againe for the matter of preaching it is now almost in religion and diuinitie as in the matter of Apparell every yeare bringeth a new fashion and then because of the loue which men haue to noveltie that is thought to be the most hansome most thriftie and most profitable fashion only indeed because it is the newest and so euery yeare almost we heare of some new opinion or other raked out of the dunghill of Poperie and a new glosse set vpon it 2. Tim 4.3 and by and by it is entertained men that haue itching Eares are readie to listen to it are soone wrought to embrace it This is the great pollicie of the Deuill neither is there any thing by which he doth more harme by which he killeth more soules then by this meanes When the Lord was purposed to bring a plague vpon Ahab the Scripture describeth him as it were sitting in counsell what might be the next way to ouerthrow him At last when one had said on this manner and another on that there came forth a Spirit and stood before the Lord and said I will entise him â— king 2â— 20 and the Lord said vnto him Wherewith And he said I will goe 〈◊〉 and be a false spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets Then he said Thou shalt entise him and thou shalt preuaile Thus it appeareth that the most speedy way which Satan beeing put to his choice hath to doe mischiefe is to sende spirits of Error priuily to bring in damnable and dangerous opinions And surely it is iust with God to giue vs ouer to be seduced because we haue not receiued the loue of his Truth 2. Thess 2 1â— that we might be saued So then that neither insinuating Iesuites may deceiue vs not dangerous bookes empoison vs nor fantasticall Teachers beguile vs nor corrupt Doctours carrie vs away with euery winde of Doctrine Eph 4 14. it standeth vs vpon to labour to abound with spirituall wisedome and vnderstanding that we may discerne betwixt Light and darkenes Truth and falsehood least leauing to follow Christ as a shepheard to the fold we go after Antichrist as a Butcher to the shambles The Vse The Vse of this point is to reprooue two faults especially 1. The wilfulnes of some 2. The vnskilfulnes of other-some For the first many there are in this naughtie crooked generation who because of the corruption which is in the Teaching of some which implieth a possibilitie to be deceiued and because of the shew of difference in some things which seemeth to be among other-some I say in these respects some there are who are growne to that peeuishnes that they resolue with themselues that it is the best course to heare none We cannot tell say they whom to beleeue they are at uariance among themselues and therefore till they doe better accord it will be the safest and wisest way either not to heare or not to credit any This is the wayward humor of many in this Age. Their folly as to me seemeth may well be manifested by vrging the present similitude of Buying If a man wanting meat drinke and raiment and other necessaries and being perswaded to supply himselfe out of the market from those which sell should make this Answere The world is so full of deceipt that a man knoweth not whom to trust they which sell many of them will beguile their owne fathers if they should chaffer with them and the trickes and deuises which tradsemen haue are so many that it is twentie to one but a man shall be coosened I had rather therfore goe neere the wind and want necessarie prouision then put it to the hazard of Buying If I say a man amongst vs should plead thus what would we thinke of him but that either he were very foolish or verie froward And so we well might because we know the fraud of others must be preuented rather by care and circumspection and not vsed as an occasion for a man to abridge himselfe of his necessaries Is not he then as much a foole who wanting the sauing knowledge of the Truth and being called vpon to repaire to the house of God where the Meanes is offered freely vnto him shall pâ—ead strait the deceiuablenes of false doctrine the corruption of many Teachers the shew and appearance of contrarieties as though he were therefore to depriue himselfe of the necessarie foode of his soule because it may be that through want of care instead of being fedde he may be poisoned We know rather that he ought to be the more diligent in praier the more studious in the scripture that so when he commeth to buy the Truth he may not be deceiued Thus this point meeteth with this humour of wilfulnes Now for the vnskilfulnes of men this point doth also make against it exceedingly It is too true of the greatest part of our Hearers at this day 1. Cor. 14.20 Phil. 1.10 that they are Children in Vnderstanding they want that IudgemeÌ„t which Paul speaketh of to discerne things that