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
thinketh himselfe of so good a Religion to haue so good a faith to God-ward and to be so well minded that he hath no minde of Instruction And therefore he is cleere in it that it were a great deale better if there were lesse preaching it filleth mens heades full of matters breedeth diuision among neighbours brocheth nouelties and troubleth the whole countrey Adde hereto saith he that they themselues which preach cannot agree and that distracteth the people so that their preaching might better be spared or at the least be the lesse vsed and what should men doe which haue families to prouide for and many businesses to dispose of much to looke vnto they cannot intend it to follow these matters so hard and hotly as it is required This is the first sort that is guiltie of this sinne of not caring to frequent Gods cheap-house which is his Church where knowledge of the Truth is by preaching offered vnto vs and the men belonging to it are so humored as I haue described The second in this number is the Pollitician who thinketh all Religion to be but a fable a matter inuented by wiser men to hold the vulgar in subiection and to busie them withall least they should fall into worse matters and runne into further inconueniences And therefore tell him of preaching he laugheth in his sleeue accounting them a sort of silly fooles who esteeme it and making himselfe beleeue he is a great wise man because he seeth that which the common sort hath not espied Thus as the former in a drowsines and hardned security contemneth the word so this in a very Atheisticall and godlesse profa-nesse scorneth it and maketh a very Iest of it The third in this ranke is the proude conceipted man who walking in the sunne is tanned though he meant it not so this by reading now and then doth a little smell of some rudiments of Knowledge but yet that litle in his opinion seemeth so great that he imagineth that by his priuate Reading at home he can doe as much and more then by any hearing and therefore he hath no better opinion of a preacher then the Athenians had of Paul Act. 17.18 what will this Trifler say So that whereas the Lord tendring our weakenes and knowing in his wisedome what is fittest for vs hath left in his Church the ministry of the word for euery mans Instruction he careth not for his part if God had neuer appointed any such meanes he thinketh he can altogether doe as well without it This is the proud mans opinion And thus by that time you haue referred to euery one of these sortâ— those that doe by right appertaine to each and haue shuffled in among them all Familists and scorners and a rabble of other irreligious persons you shall finde the number of carefull comers to the house of God to buie the Truth at the handes of his Ministers to be as Micah speaketh like the summer gatherings Mic. â— 1 and as the grapes of the vintage to be but a small number scarse an handfull in regard of the multitude I beseech you therefore let vs learne this lesson from this place to loue the gates of the Lords house to let our feet weare out the Treshold of it to giue attendance at the Posts of his doores and to say also one to another Isay 2.2 Come let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord c. And let these carnall reasonings goe as to say looking but to the face and gifts of the Preacher what is he that he should teach me and why may I not profit as well by some other course but remember that the Power of God is made perfect through weakenes â— Cor. 12.9 and that as it was a greater honour to God to ouerthrow the walles of Iericho by the noise of rams-hornes then if it he had done it by Canon-shot 1. Cor. 1.21 so it is more for Gods glorie by the Foolishnes of Preaching to saue those that beleeue then if an Angel should descend from heauen to instruct nay then if the Lord himselfe should speake with some audible voice to conuert vs. And surely as in Buying and selling that Bargaine is by law most warrantable which is made in open market so I account that knowledge most acceptable vnto God and most like to receiue a blessing froÌ„ him which is gotten publikely by the ordinarie course appointed for that purpose Howsoeuer I doubt not but as a man hauing publikely bought a commoditie may priuately husband it to his owne best behoofe so that which is deliuered openly may nay ought by priuate reading praier meditation and conference be encreased And thus much for this second Branch The third thing in this Purchase of Truth The third Branch is Skill to discerne For as in Buying in regard of so many counterfeit Wares of the mingling good with bad and the great deceipt of the world it is good for a man to haue skill to preserue himselfe from cosenage and from cause-les expense vpon vnprofitable goods so in labouring after Knowledge in respect of so much blending mans inuentions with holesome doctrine it is requisite that we be able to put a differeÌ„ce betwixt holy and corrupt true and false profitable and vnprofitable Teaching And this is a thing which the Scripture also in many places requireth of vs. Tâ—â— the spirits saith Iohn 1 Ioh. 4.1 1. Thes 5.21 Pro. 14.15 whether they be of God or no. Try all things saith Paul and he is a foole saith Salomon that will beleeue euery thing and for this cause the noble men of Beraea are commended because hearing the Apostles preach they searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so Act. 17.11 And our Sauiour hath pronounced it generally of all his sheepe that they know his voice Ioh. 10.5 and will not follow a stranger but flee from him c. For howsoeuer we doe vrge all reuerent respect vnto the preaching of the word as to the Ordinance of God for the gathering together of his Saints and for the edification of the bodie of Christ Eph 4.12 yet we abhorre that Popish tyrannizing ouer the faith of our Hearers as though we would binde them to giue credit to euery thing we speake because we speake it Authoritate nomiâ—â—s Amb. in 1. The. cap. 5. We know that if he were an Angel from heauen that should come amongst vs yet his doctrine must be brought to the Law and to the Testimonie Isay 8.20 as the Prophet speaketh and if he be found to swerue from that holy doctrine which we haue receiued Gal. 1.8 2. Ioh. 10. he must goe for accursed and bid him not so much as God speede saith S. Iohn And this skilfulnes and Abilitie to discerne as it is euer necessarie so now especially First of all because there are that I may still follow the language of my Text so many pety-chapmen I meane so many
that Religion either to obscure Gods glorie or to weaken mans comfort or what pretense soeuer it may make Col 2.23 by not seeming to spare the Bodie to giue libertie to the flesh I pray you trie the Truth hereof vpon occasion and then credit the Direction accordingly Thus much briefly how a Christian good husband who hauing at a deare hand purchased the Truth and is willing still to enioy it may keepe the same from all Hucksters whether they be such as would draw him to No Religion or such as would winne him to a false religion A needefull point in these decaying times in which Sathan knowing that he hath but a short time Rev. 12.12 hath great wrath and bestirreth himselfe exceedingly and in which also many as it were wearie of Manna of the syncere doctrine of the Gospel doe long for the flesh-pots of Egypt for the grossenes of Poperie others goe about to make a Medley of Poperie and true Christianitie to put the Arke and Dagon into one Temple which cannot be others considering the course of Times carrie themselues in a kinde of Indifferencie casting like the wise Steward what they shall doe hereafter So that if euer the Papists leauing all other perswasioÌ„s should haue opportunitie which God forbid to resume their old Argument From the clubbes A Fâ—st buâ— threatning vs that If we will not sell our Inheritance they will fire vs out it is much to be feared that a great many of vs would resigne our interest choosing rather to goe seeke a new then to hold our old possession vpon so hard conditions I beseech you therefore let vs as well remember to take heed of a Thriftlessenes in forsaking the Truth as of Miserablenes and Niggardice in purchasing the Truth and let me conclude this place and exhortation with the wordes of the Apostle you that are or hereafter by the blessing of God vpon the vse of the good meanes shall be grounded in Gods holy Truth stand fast and keepe the Instructions 2. Thes 2.15 that ye haue beene taught and I pray Iesus Christ our Lord who hath given vs Euerlasting Consolation good hope through grace comfort our Heartes and stablish vs in euery word and good worke The next point is to vrge this InhibitioÌ„ in regard of the Truth of Obedience of which also this place is to be vnderstood which saith sell not the Truth that is After thou art once entred into a holy course of true Obedience see thou neuer forsake the same For the well handling of this point the most full and profitable course were this In somuch as Sathan the Arch-enemie of our soules knowing that the further we goe on in true Obedience the further we are from his iurisdiction doth therefore not faile to sollicite vs and by many seuerall meanes to be ever tempering with vs to slake our forwardnes and to kill and coole all zeale within vs for this cause it were good to discouer his plots to designe his instruments and to note the seuerall suggestions by which he attempteth to make vs cast off all holy Obedience to Gods Truth Sometimes Profite hindreth sometime Pleasure misleadeth sometimes a feare to impaire our credit in the world is a stoppe sometimes a conceipt of too much straitnes and difficultie in Religion discourageth sometimes an opinion that to much zeale is superfluous crosseth vs so that it is a hard matter to play the good Husband in holding fast a good profession to the End But because to enter into everie of these particulars would require a more large discourse therefore as a generall preseruatiue against all occasions that may withdraw I will onely commend and confirme vnto you this Doctrine namely That he which hath entred into a good course of true obedience ought not at any hand to desist and fall away from the same The course of Christianitie is often in Scripture compared to a Race in which it sufficeth not a man either to haue run long or to haue runne painefully vnlesse he hold out vnto the marke nay he which breaketh off in the mid way is as far from a reward as he which neuer set one steppe forward thervnto So in this Case it booteth not a man to haue beene sometimes very forward and to haue made some shew of loue and obedieÌ„ce vnto Gods Truth vnlesse he doe persist and continue therein vnto the end Therefore So runne saith the Apostle that you may obtaine so runne that is moderately in the beginning â— Cor 9.24 constantly in the midst and cheerefully in the end making the end rather better then worse then the Beginning An vnstayed inconstant and fickle disposition to be caried with a humour and to embrace a thing but for a fitte is a thing so disgracefull euen in common reason that many men oftentimes doe persist in that which is naught rather to incurre the suspition of vnsetlednes much more is it shamefull in matters of religion And therefore as it is the Brand of the wicked to be like a whirlewind Pro 10.25 so it is the note of the Righteous to be as an Euerlasting FouÌ„dation All the promises of Happines in holy Scripture are made with Condition of Continuance He that endureth to the end shall be saued To him that ouer commeth will I giue c. Math. 24.13 Reu. 2.7 Be faithfull to the Death and thou shalt receiue the crowne of life So that if you take away continuance all hope of happines is vtterly overthrowne In a word not to say so much as might be spoken in this case they which haue beene zealous and carefull forward and doe after grow cold their case is worse and their punishment more heauy First their case is worse because hereby they are brought into the way to that vnpardonable sinne against the holy Ghost so that if euer they recouer it will cost them the setting on Againe their punishment is more heauie For they who haue escaped from the filthines of the World through the knowledge of the Lord c. If they be tangled againe therein the latter end is worse then the beginning 2. Pet. 2.21 The Vse There is a necessarie vse to be made of this point Backsliding falling away loosing the first loue are the common sinnes of the professors of religioÌ„ in this age 2. Tim. 4.10 The Church is ful of Demasses who haue left their old zeale and haue embraced the present world The blessed continuance of our happy Peace hath beene to many an occasion of Falling It is time that the Lord should quicken vs by some sharper courses There be many of whom it may be said He was a zealous Gentleman carefull in the waies of godlines I knew such an one an earnest and painefull preacher studious industrious of excellent giftes There is an other was pretily come on and gaue good testimonie of Gods graces to be in him was a diligent hearer a man who loued to conferre
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
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
the Truth wil easily be gathered from the consideration of Buying which hath hitherto beene expounded As then Salomon when he enioyned the Buying of the Truth meant thereby a carefull and an Industrious endeauouring to obtain the Truth so here inhibiting the sale of Truth he inteÌ„deth a careles negligeÌ„t dispositioÌ„ to forgoe the Truth The only diuision which I will vse shall be to apply this selling to the double Interpretation of the word Truth So that I haue here two points to handle 1. Sell not the knowledge of the Truth 2 Forgoe not part not with thy Obedience to the Truth Of these two in order And first of this sell not the knowledge of the Truth that is Be not wrought by any meanes to alter thy Iudgement when thou art once grouÌ„ded and setled in the Truth Now as in handling of the former part I did apply the Similitude of Buying so in this also I must haue leaue to follow the phrase of selling so farre forth as agreeably to the Rule Proportion of Faith it may giue light vnto this place Of a good and thriftie Husband which is resolued not to part with that which by his great Industry and charge he hath gotten two things are required 1. To continue and preserue his estate 2. By all honest meanes to encrease it He which hath a resolution not to sell that which he hath you know he will haue nought to doe with common Brokers such as are lifting as it were at euery Thing and lie in the wind to catch whatsoeuer any vnthrift shall be willing to depart with or els if he happen to haue to doe with such he wil bewise to know how torid his haÌ„ds of theÌ„ and to keepe that which he hath from their fingering This is wordly Pollicie not much vnlike to this ought to be the wisedome of euery good Christian in this behalfe As our Times are Sathan who is the captaine Broker and cannot abide this Christian frugality hath two principall agents who follow his causes and are dealers for him in this kind 1. The Atheist 2. The Papist Against both these he which is a right religious Naboth and crieth God forbid that I should part with the possession of Gods Truth must arme himselfe First for the Atheist who is in the Deuills hand as the sword was in the hand of Ioab toward Amasa to strike Religion to the Heart that he may not need to double his stroke the best course in regard of him is altogither to disclaime him not so much as to vse any speaches of chafering with him but as Saint Iames speaketh touching the Deuill at the very first Encounter to resist him For Iam. 4.7 it is a dangerous thing in religion especially in the principall pointes as of the Godhead the Immortality of the soule the Resurrection and the like to admitte of any discourse although it may be pretended to be but for conference sake whereby the Truth of these Things might be called into Question Reason teacheth vs that euery Arte must haue his principles which must not be gainsaid I remember what the Philosopher could say If any should dispute and argue touching this Principle whether there be Motion in nature let him be beaten till he confesse that he who striketh him may desist from beating him or whether the fire be hotte let him be made to feele it and so he that should call the Immortalitie of the soule into questioÌ„ it were pitie but he should be serued as he did voluntarily do to himselfe who threw himselfe headlong from a Rocke that he might experimentally know it The Heathenish Ephesians were wiser for when they heard Paul beginne to call the Godhead of Diana into doubt Act. 19.34 they carried it away with a shoute Great is Diana of the Ephesians they thought it a thing not to be endured And through this Flood-gate came this Sea of misery into the world in which we are all ouerwhelmed euen that our graÌ„dmother Heuah did entertaine a discourse Parley with Sathan Gen. 3. touching the Truth of Gods word As indeed to what end are conferences and reasonings of this nature For Luc. 16.32 If men will not beleeue Moses and the Prophets nothing can perswade them Furthermore because euery Man shall now then feele a little peice of an Atheist in his owne bosome for each man by nature is that Foole which saith in his Heart there is no God Psal 14.1 therefore because also the Principles of Atheisme are grounded vpon Mans ReasoÌ„ it is good to be setled in this Rule that the Mysteries of Christian Religion are not to be examined by Humane Reason For which cause the Scripture saith 1. Cor. 2.14 The naturall man perceiueth not the Things of the spirit of God for they are Foolishnes vnto him c. And The Wisedome of the flesh Rom. 8. â—4 is Enmitie against God and If any man among you seeme to be wise in this world 1. Cor. 3.18 let him be a Foole that he may be wise It is not in Religion as in naturall Things In them a Iudgement is grounded vpon Experience and observatioÌ„ and the Induction of many particulars from which is drawne a generall conclusion In diuinitie the very Thing deliuered by Scripture is to be acknowledged though it be not as yet strengthened by Experience Blessed are they that haue not seene Ioh. 20.19 Heb 11.1 Ioh. 6 6â— and haue beleeued saith our Sauiour and Faith is the Euidence of things which are not seene and we haue beleeued and knowne c. said the Disciples As Abraham hoped against Hope so a Religious man must beleeue against all carnall Reason to beleeue And indeed if wee will tie our selues to Reason there can be no soundnes in religion For bring your maine pointes of Religion to Reasons Barre there to receiue their Triall and what shall be the verdict but this that the doctrine of the Trinitie is senslesse of the Incarnation of Christ absurd of the resurrection incredible of the vnion of Christs two natures vnlikely of Regeneration vnpossible of Predestination Vniust of Preaching Foolishnes and so of others howbeit I hold this also that where Scripture approoueth Reason there Reason may be brought in as a witnes although neuer as iudge as in the case of the Reall presence the Scripture ascribing to Christ a naturall Body maketh naturall Reason an argument strong inough against such an vnreasonable Opinion Thus if a man shall bring his owne thoughts into captivitie which exalt themselues against the knowledge of God he shall be reasonably well garded against the Atheist and mainetaine this spirituall possession of Gods Truth The second Manager of Sathans Busines in seeking to draw vs to an vnthriftie selling of the Truth is the Papist who was neuer busier nor fuller of deuises then he is at this day labouring by Bookes by privie Perswaders by Bribes and by all meanes which hellish witte