charge in a quick and pressing stile 1. Take fast hold of instruction 2. Let her not go 3. Keep her and fasteneth all with this knot for she is thy life If thou lose her it is more than thy life is worth it were better to part with thy dearest heart-blood if thou get and keep the Truth it will keep thee alive in the very jawes of death if thou lose it thou art dead whilest thou livest and in the road-way to everlasting death What need we any farther witnesse yet if ye please to hear an argument or two take these briefly Reason 1 1. Whilest we are travailing here in this world toward our long home our way lieth through a wildernesse wherein are many by-pathes multitude of passengers wandring out of the right way abundance of snares and dangers and above all we are wofully benighted with the naturall darknesse and blindnesse of our mindes now Truth is that Pillar of fire which should guide us in the way wherein we must walk and direct us to the promised rest And though this Truth be never so cleerly held forth unto us in the ministry of the gospel yet unlesse we buy it and get possession of it so as to make it our own and to have it dwelling in us we are not able to follow it It is not enough to have the light of the Sun except withall there be a light in the eye to meet with that light without and take it in so that lumen externum that externall light of Truth which shineth forth in the word will never lead us to that rest which remaineth for the people of God except there be also lumen internum an inward light of Truth and principle of saving knowledge set up in the heart The Apostle having notably magnified his office as in other respects so in regard of that lustre and brightnesse of Divine Truth which shined in his Ministry 2 Cor. 3. proceedeth in the next chapter and saith that he had not handled the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth c. It must be objected What is the cause then that your Gospel is hidden to many thousands his answer is ready If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which beleeve not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them They want inward light Satan the prince of darknes hath filled them with darknesse within they will not buy the Truth and so the Gospel of Christ though it shineth out never so gloriously in it selfe yet it shineth not at all to them as the Sun when it giveth the greatest light shineth not to the blind 2. If we do not buy Truth the Truth will witnesse against us and condemne us A necessity lyeth upon us either wee must make the Truth our owne or else we shall be sure to have it our Enemy Consider that weighty speech of Christ He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day Who is he that rejecteth Christ he that doth not receive his words he that doth not buy Truth but shutteth his eyes or heart against that light of Truth which shineth from the face of this Sun of Righteousnesse These men perhaps may think in their hearts We will have nothing to do with this which they call Truth for which there is so much contention nor with the way wherein it leadeth those that receive it we will neither embrace nor oppose it Nay but saith Christ this will not serve thy turne either thou must receive it or be judged by it if thou doest not buy this Truth and embrace it with thine whole heart it will condemn thee at the last day If men could apprehend with what Majesty and authority that Truth of God which now they cast behinde their backs will appear against them in the day of Christ how would their Souls tremble to despise it How would they yeeld themselves convinced that the purchase of Truth is of absolute necessity whatsoever it may cost them The proudest spirits which now may think to out-face the Truth of God shall then not be able to hold up their faces before it So much for the proofe and opening of this point Let us see the Use of it and that may be 1. For Reproofe 2. For Exhortation Use 1 1. For Reproofe 1. of those who are so farre from buying truth that they labour to stop the trade Such were those Expounders of the Law to whom the Lord Christ saith ye have taken away the key of knowledge ye entred not in your selves and them that were entring in ye hindred they kept the store-house of truth locked up and carried away the key How many have we had of late in this land led by such a spirit who when the truth had many buyers beheld it with an evill eye like the Pharisees complaining of the multitudes that followed Christ the world is gon after him It was a vexation to their false hearts to see the streame of trade bend towards the Coasts of truth and especially when any upon whose habitations was a famine of the word travailed abroad to buy themselves a little food But how are we bound to blesse God who hath stirred up your spirits like so many Josephs already to open many to indeavour to open all the store-houses of truth in the Land that none may complaine of want who have hearts to buy No wonder if the enemies of truth oppose you in this worke It crosseth their maine designe He that doth evill hateth the light and cometh not to the light lest his deedes should be reproved Can the Blackmore change his skinne or the Leopard his spots Doe we expect a reconcilement betweene light and darkenesse Let all tremble to give them the right hand of fellowship in stopping the course of the word of truth and hindring the worke of reformation 2. Of those that are ashamed of the truth what hope is there that such will buy it He that will buy it must looke upon it as his crowne The Church was presented to John in a vision cloathed with the Sun and the Moone under her foote and upon her head a Crowne of twelve Stars The Churches cloathing and her Crown is Light and Truth Can any true-borne Childe of the Church account that his shame which is his Mothers glorie Let such weigh those words of him who is not ashamed to call himselfe the Truth Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinfull generation of him also shall the Sonne of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy Angells 3. Of those who will not take so much paines as to resort to
dependeth wholly upon the death of the Testatour To this end saith he was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnesse to the Truth How many thousands of God his Saints have drunk of the same Cup in severall Ages It is appointed to all men once to dye and that is a blessed improvement of death when a man dyeth not onely in the Lord but for the Lord and His Truth He that loseth his life shall find it He shall find mortality swallowed up of life His life is hid with Christ in God far above the reach of any weapons of warre and when Christ who is his life shall appear then shall he also appeare with him in Glory And now give me leave Much honoured Worthyes to bespeake your selves in the Name of the God of Truth whom I looke upon as precious Instruments of the Lord for the advancing and promoting of His Truth Truth of doctrine of worship of discipline truth and power of Godlinesse Ye are farre engaged in this Cause of truth already and it concerneth you to goe on both in Conscience and in point of Honour but chiefely for the Honour of your God who hath so highly dignifyed and so many wayes encouraged you by notable testimonies of His Presence Let it appeare that ye are so possessed with the truth so overpowered by the truth that ye may justly apply that of the Apostle to your selves We can do nothing against the truth but for the truth and then Christ will not fayle to make good that title which he hath assumed to himself The Amen the faithfull and true witnesse The People of God have reposed a great trust in you and they expect truth from you And blessed be God they have had their desires in great measure already answered and the Worke is yet in your hands these first-fruits seeme to be pledges of a full Harvest if our sinnes doe not blast our hopes One of the cleerest evidences I conceive which ye can give of the truth of your hearts to the Publick Cause is Selfe-denyall and quitting of Private Interests Of this ye have given reall demonstration in your readines to devest your selves of militarie and civill dignities that ye might reserve your selves for your proper worke Hereupon yee may with greater Authority exact truth from those whom yee shall imploy a true accompt of the publick service and for the future at least a true accompt of the publick treasure though perhaps for the time past it may be difficult if not impossible in regard of those many sudden exigents confusions unexpected occurrences which have happened yea inasmuch as ye have made your selves such eminent precedents of self-denyall how can others in modesty refuse if you require them not to seeke great things for themselves in making over much advantage of the publick miseries especially such whose service is attended with no hazard and very little labour some redresse in these things might encourage the well affected to more cheerefulnesse in assisting the common Cause and stop the mouthes of others More particularly let me beseech you in the first place to examine every man the truth and sincerity of his owne heart in managing the great businesse which yee have in hand To professe a mans selfe engaged in the Cause of truth and yet to be salfe-hearted toward it and to harbour treacherous aimes against it is not onely contrary to the duty of a Christian but a thing far below the spirit and ingenuity of a Gentleman it suiteth better with the basenes of common cheaters then with men of place and worth A man who by his corrupt principles is led out of the way and put into a posture of defiance and open hostility against the truth is lesse odious by many degrees then a false brother I am perswaded there was more of the Devill in one Judas then in all the High Priests Cavaliers and that Christ resented more hellish malignity in that one Traytours kisse than in all their swords and staves Wherefore Let every man prove his owne worke and then shall he have rejoycing in himselfe and not in another For every man shall bear his owne burden It is not enough to joyne with those who are sincere in the Worke of the Lord but every man must prove his own worke with what heart out of what inward principles to what end upon what grounds and motives in what manner he doth it that he may have rejoycing in himselfe and not in those with whom he joyneth in a good cause nor by comparing himselfe with those who either directly oppose or basely desert it For in the great day of account every man shall beare his owne burden men shall not be ranked on the right hand by whole Companies Corporations Regiments Brigades Armies Houses of Parliament but as in that search which was made in Achan his case they shall be singled out man by man and every mans worke shall be tried in particular 2. Be united among your selves in the great cause of Truth according to that of the Apostle Stand fast in one spirit with one minde striving together for the Faith of the Gospel The expressions are strong he speaketh to them as to Champions of the Truth as the originall word importeth and to whom may it bee applyed if not to such â—oble Champions as your selves stand fast keep your ground Servate gradum as Beza maintain your station and that in one spirit in the power and strength of that Holy Spirit of Truth with one minde or one soul wrestling or striving together as if ye were a combination of many bodies associated and concentred together by one soul as one man with joynt forces contending for the Truth of the Gospel and for the cause of Truth so should ye be able to strengthen your spirits with that encouragement following In nothing terrified by your adversaries which is to them an evident token of perdition but to you of salvation and that of God Your uniting would be a terrour to the adversaries a strengthening to your selves an encouragement to those who are friends to the truth and your friends and servants for the Truthes sake If a noble Heathen out of a morall bravery of spirit could privatas inimicitias reipublicae condonare passe by private quarrells for the Common-wealthes sake far be it from any Member of a Christian Parliament not to lay down all private grudges and crosse designes at the feet of this afflicted Church and State far be it from them not to quit them for the truthes sake lest the cause of truth should miscarry through their default If the greatest persons who will approve their hearts to God must throw down their Crownes at the footstoole of Christ how much more their corruptions But especially let every one take heed of raising or fomenting divisions out of a secret desire to hinder the carrying on of the great work
A SERMON PREACHED TO THE HONORABLE HOUSE OF COMMONS At their late Solemne FAST Wednesday FEB 26. 1644. BY JOHN MAYNARD Minister of the Word of God at MAYFIELD in SVSSEX and a Member of the ASSEMBLY of DIVINES LONDON Printed by George Bishop for Samuel Gellibrand at the Brasen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard 1645. A SERMON Preached to the Honorable House of Commons at their late Solemne FAST Febr. 26. 1644. PROV. 23. 23. Buy the Truth and sell it not TRUTH is the great busines of these stirring Times enquiries after Truth discoveries of Truth contending for Truth This I suppose all parties pretend to though never so contrary each to other And among those who doe really aime at Truth and meete in the maine no wonder though there be differences in judgement and conflicts about some particulars the parts of Truth being so exceeding numerous the conceptions of men so various the eye of the inner man so dimme-sighted and apt to mistake whilest it looketh but through a glasse And indeede that the cause of Truth is of a transcendent nature and exceeding high concernement the Wiseman here sheweth so advancing the worth of it as to be bought at any rate so heightening the price of it as not to be sold upon any termes Buy the Truth c. This being one of those entire portions of Scripture as I conceive which have no necessary connexion with that which goeth before or followeth some time may be spared which otherwise should have been spent in shewing the Coherence Neither doe I discerne any such difficulty in the words as needeth much to retard our progresse Buy The Originall word may signifie either to buy or to possesse to get or keep possession and so the exhortation may suit all sorts Thou that wantest the Truth buy it thou that hast it keep it but the latter is manifestly included in the negative sell it not The Truth The Hebrew note used for emphasis demonstration specification is not in the Text and therefore I thinke our English particle The which answereth it may be omitted and we may read it Buy Truth as afterward Wisdome c. Not the Wisdome and so leave the word Truth in its just latitude Here then is a point of Heavenly negotiation or Spirituall traffique which the Holy Ghost commendeth to all who desire to make a wise improvement of that short span of time allotted them in this world and to give up their account with joy That sense which one Expositour giveth maketh this place parallell to that Gal. 6. Let him that is taught in the word communicate c. though it be a truth cleerly held forth in Scripture and may be either included in this Text as a part of the sense or inferred from it as a consequent yet I conceive it is farre short of the full and direct meaning of the place I concurre with those who understand it thus Get possession of the Truth whatsoever paines it cost thee whatever hazard it may lead thee into whatsoever losse or suffering it may bring upon thee Sell it not Doe not part with it to gain a world leave it not lose it not for the greatest advantage under Heaven In the words ye may easily see two Propositions 1. An affirmative or precept Buy Truth Secondly A negative or prohibition Sell it not In these observe 1. The Acts. 2. The Object the Act enjoyned in the precept or affirmative is To buy the Act forbidden in the negative or prohibition is To sell The object is the same in both Truth The precept and prohibition of these two Acts in reference to the same object are both of them absolute and peremptory we are absolutely commanded to buy Truth peremptorily forbidden to sell it and so the parts of the Text mutually give light each to other shewing that Truth must be so bought as never to be sold that he who buyeth it cannot overbuy it that he who selleth it shall be sure to underfell it It can never bee bought too deare it can never be sold at the true value He that buyeth it at the highest rate shall be an happy gainer he that selleth it to the best advantage putteth it off with losse he maketh a miserable bargaine Object But it may be said the parts of the Text seem rather to crosse than to cleer each other for if there be no seller there can be no buyers If the prohibition be observed forbidding all to sell the precept cannot be performed commanding all to buy Answer I answer the precept and prohibition are of the same extent all men are commanded to buy all men are forbidden to sell but they are not commanded to buy of men who are forbidden to sell but of God who is the onely Proprietary of this rich treasure and doth not impose this Law of not selling upon himselfe And therefore Christ saith to the Angel of the Church of Laodicea I counsell thee to buy of Me gold tryed in the fire c. But the wise Virgins though they had oyl for their owne lampes yet they had none to fell or give From the precept or affirmative part to which at present I intend to confine my selfe give me leave to offer unto you this one point of Doctrine That Doctrine The purchase of Truth is of absolute necessity to all who will be wise for their Souls In trading for things of the world there is a latitude Merchants have their liberty they are not limited to one Port nor restrained to one Mart or to deal in one commodity so they make a good return it mattereth not much what kinde of wares they bring home But they who approve themselves free of that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that glorious Corporation in heaven trade to purpose for the things above and not prove bankrupts in the great day of account a necessity lieth upon them and woe unto them if they buy not Truth Let their Ships seeme never so well fraighted their Shops and Ware-house never so richly furnished yet if they want this pearl of great price they are broken and undone for ever The foolish virgins had their lampes and it may be for a time made as faire a blaze in shew as those of the wise but they wanted Truth their oyl was spent their lamps were extinguished they went to buy when market was done they called and knocked when it was too late the doore was shut For the cleering and proofe of the point and our more orderly proceeding I desire you to consider with me these four things 1. What this Truth is which we are required to Buy 2. What it is to buy Truth 3. Of whom it must be bought 4. The necessity of making this purchase For the 1. Of these what this Truth is which we must buy 1. There is veritas rei or veritas in essendo The truth of things the truth of their essence or being and
Christ must reign there in righteousnesse and thou must have a soul subdued to his Scepter The Peace of God must rule in thy heart and that is peace in truth when sin reigneth the soul hath no peace with God it may be in a dead sleep Then hast thou this truth of peace with God when the Peace of God ruleth within thee suppresseth mutinous affections subdueth rebellious lusts when the winds and sea obey it and it hath power to calme all the turbulencies and disorders of thy spirit So concerning joy in the Holy Ghost Thou must have thy heart possest with this joy if thou wilt purchase this truth How many read and hear of joy in the Holy Ghost unspeakable full of glory but yet content themselves with such joyes and delights as are full of shame at least full of vanity and end in mourning and misery these are false joyes as one saith Voluptates animi febres earthly joyes are soul-feavers carnall sensuall sinfull delights are even the agues of the inner man For what is the condition of a soul given up to pleasures of this nature but to be in a continuall agitation between hot paroxysmes or burning fits of lust and cold shaking fits of shame and horrour Now as there is a great difference between that unnaturall inflammation of a feaverish body drinking up the radicall moisture wasting the spirits and that kindly wel-tempered heat of an healthy body so there is a vast distance between those vaine and earthly or impure and sinfull delights which waste the conscience and those soul-ravishing sweet serene and heavenly joyes which flow from the bosome of Christ into the breasts of beleevers I might adde many other instances but I forbear Lastly if ye will buy truth ye must improve it It is none of those commodities which a man may buy and then suffer it to lie dead by him no man buyeth the truth but he that buyeth it for use I rejoyced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth as we have received a commandment from the Father It is no arbitrary thing or matter of indifferency but one of the great commandments of God that we should walk in truth and Paul having told the Ephesians Ye are light in the Lord he inferreth walk as children of light Then a man hath bought the truth when he walketh in the light and power of Divine truth when he prayeth humbleth his soul heareth the word and performeth every act of Divine worship in spirit and truth out of such true principles in such a manner with such a frame of heart and such aimes as the truth of God his word requireth when in his place and calling he improveth the truth of God to all purposes Those things which men buy at high rates they desire to make the most of The truth of God being so exceeding precious and costly those that buy it should labour to improve it to the uttermost It is none of those things which are the worse for wearing 2. Let us be perswaded not to thinke any cost too much that we may buy truth And first consider I beseech you what we must cast away which otherwise might hinder us either in getting or keeping truth 2. What we must be content to resigne and yeeld up into the Lord his hands that wee may buy truth The former are such things as are better cast away then kept the very losse of them will be our gain 1. In generall our lusts and sinnes Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God an heart cleansed from the filthinesse of flesh and spirit is like a cleer glasse fittest to give a reflection of those beams of truth which shine from the face of God in Christ The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant They that will see cleerly must do away these scales from the eyes of the inner man 2. In speciall let us renounce our carnall and naturall wisdom 1. If any man among you seemeth to be wise let him become a fool that he may be wise for the wisdom of this world is foolishnesse with God A spirit emptied of all self-sufficiency and selfe-conceitednesse is best fitted to receive the wisdom of God and to purchase His truth 2. Lay aside all prejudices against the truth and first quit all prejudices against the dignitie of Truth Take heede of thinking any Truth of God to be below thee too meane for thee to stoope to Do not thinke thy selfe thy place or parts too high for the least of God his holy Truthes Preach the word be instant in season out of season is a Truth of God which once was given in Charge to Timothy but some I beleeve who pretended to be of Timothy his Ranke looked upon this truth as a thing below their places On the other side when a cause of Religion was brought before Galliâ— he cared for none of these things he had no leisure to spend time about words and names his place ingaged him in Realities State-matters such as were worthy of a Proconsuls Cognizance 2. Take heede of prejudices against the necessity of truth looke not upon it as a matter of indifferency Regard it as that one thing necessary 3. Renounce all prejudicate opinions of dangers or inconveniences which seeme to attend or follow truth such as divisions and commotions these though accidentall to truth doe ordinarily throng in after it Suppose yee that I am come to send peace on Earth I tell you Nay but rather division and that betweene those of neere relations as it followeth there Hereupon some seeme to be as much afraid of the truth as of a ball of wilde-fire they dare not buy it they would rather banish it out of their Coasts whereas truth is no way the cause though the corruptions of some men and their malignity against it and the weakenes and mistakes of others often make it an occasion of those ruptures That there are oppositions betweene the friends and enemies of truth is not strange but that there are dissentions among some of those who unfainedly love and seek truth and agree in the most and principall parts of it is sad yet let not this prejudice hinder us from buying and imbracing truth Amongst those who in the Apostles daies received the Gospell and with joynt consent acknowledged the Lord Jesus to be the Christ there were differences about the observation of Mosaicall Rites and Ceremonies this prejudice did not keepe the faithfull from imbracing and holding fast the truth of the Gospell In Luthers time there were controversies betweene those who were newly come out of Babylon this prejudice did not so far prevaile with the Godly as to make them preferre their slaverie under Anti-Christ above the sweete yoake of Christ Let the unanimous and full consent of the Godly in many and those the most substantiall parts of truth encourage
so all things that are are truly the same which they are so gold is true gold opposed to that which is false and counterfeit but pretended to be gold And this truth of things is the conformity of things to the Divine intellect or knowledge of God And therefore by the way I conceive that those lies are untruths which are called mendacia iocosa or officiosa officiouslies or lies in jest if they be such as in no regard tend to our neighbours prejudice are not so fitly ranked under the 9. Command as reduced to the first because they contradict that Truth which is in the minde of God for the Lord in His infinite knowledge comprehendeth and as it were asserteth all truth and every untruth uttered by men is either a deniall of some Truth which God affirmeth or an affirming of some falsehood which God denyeth and so no man can utter any falshood though concerning matters of small moment but in so doing he giveth God the lie God His knowledge is the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or originall Truth and the truth of things is their correspondency thereunto as the truth of a copy is its correspondency with the originall For Truth carrieth a respect to knowledge omne verum est intelligibile every Truth is in a capacity to be understood and the Truth of things is their conformity to a right understanding Now the truth of things may come under a two-fold Consideration 1. Metaphysicall 2. Morall and in both of these it still holdeth good their truth is their Conformity to the knowledge of God For 1. God knoweth what every person action or thing is and such it truely is as God knoweth it to be and no other and this I call a Metaphysicall Consideration Secondly God knoweth what every person Action or thing ought to bee and so farre as any of these crosse this knowledge of God they are false in a morall Consideration They are true in a Metaphysicall apprehension because they are such as God knoweth them to be but they are false in a Morall notion because they are not such as God knoweth they ought to be The Lord knoweth the way of the Righteous how with approbation This is true but I think there is more in it The Lord knoweth what is that good way wherein men are to walk and the way of the Righteous is sutable to this knowledge of God and so the Lord knoweth it that is looketh upon it as an object conformable to this knowledge of His on the other side He saith to the wicked I know you not I know what manner of persons ye ought to be but ye are men of another shape ye are not objects conformed to this knowledge of Mine Secondly There is Veritas scientiae or veritas in cognoscendo Truth of knowledge and that in the creature is twofold 1. Speculative which is a conformity of the understanding to the nature of things when the understanding of man so judgeth of things as they are and the notions or conceptions of his minde are the very images of those things this Conformity of his understanding to the nature of things apprehended by him is truth Things are true as they agree with the knowledge of God because his knowledge is the Fountaine of all truth as his essence is the Fountain of all being But the knowledge of man is true because it agreeth with the nature of things Secondly The practicall truth of mans knowledge is when together with a right apprehension of the true nature of things in the understanding there is a frame of heart and affections toward those things sutable to that apprehension when the understanding rightly judgeth of things good or evill and the will and affections are regularly guided by such a right apprehension loving imbracing desiring delighting in that which the understanding rightly judgeth to be lovely desirable c. Hating abhorring shunning c. According to that true intelligence which the understanding giveth in of the nature of things or actions then there is a practicall truth in that mans knowledge But when the understanding rightly apprehendeth and yet giveth way to the perversenesse of the will and distempers of the affections this knowledge though speculatively true is practically false Thirdly There is veritas signi Truth of expression Speeches writings gestures Actions when truth possesseth the minde and heart within and shineth out at the windowes as it were when a mans words and conversation are the very image and Characters of that truth which dwelleth in him when hee knoweth and loveth the truth and speaketh and walketh according to that truth which he knoweth and loveth Now then what is that truth which we must buy 1. The true knowledge of those things which serve for the perfecting of the inner and for the ordering of the outward man the true knowledge of God of Christ of the mysteries of grace of the wayes of God of the power of godlinesse of the will of God in things concerning the matter and manner of his worship and in those things that belong to our Places Callings Relations in ordinary and extraordinary occasions Secondly The Practicall truth of these things such a frame of heart as suiteth with the nature of these things rightly apprehended which cannot be without the possession of the things themselves Thou must have God dwelling in thee thou must possesse Christ and be made one with him thy body and soule must become a temple of the Holy Ghost otherwise thou hast not this Practicall through and effectuall knowledge of God and Christ thou hast a shadow of the truth rather then the truth it selfe Thou must have the truth of all saving Graces in thee otherwise thou canst not have an heart suited to a right apprehension of Divine truth Lastly thou must be so possest of the truth as to speak the truth from the heart and to walk in the truth The second thing to be enquired is what it is to buy truth To buy in generall is For a considerable value with consent of the owner to get the propriety and possession of something which formerly was not our own He then that will buy truth 1. Must look upon it as none of his own A man doeth not buy that which hee is born to That which hee hath by inheritance he needeth not purchase The simple inherit folly Such silly ones we are all by nature and our inheritance is folly falshood This inheritance we have by descent our first Parents changed the truth of God into a lye forfeited their possession of truth and left us lies to inherit after them and now if we will enjoy any of these forfeited and confiscated goods which the Lord hath justly seized into his own hands we must buy them as things which are no longer our own He that is not convinced of this is never likely to buy He that wil buy truth indeed must be of
such a poore and humble spirit as Agur was surely I am more brutish then any man so the translation but as ye see the word any is in a smaller Character not being in the originall neither doe I think it ought to be supplied but we are to read it thus I am more brutish then man according to that of the Psalmist man being in honour abideth not he is like the beasts that perish Man being honoured with the image of God in wisdome and Holinesse his spirit shining with the Beauty and glory of Divine truth did not abide in this condition but lost the truth yeelding himselfe to be seduced by the father of lies and so no longer had the wisedom of man in him but degraded himselfe from his created Dignity debased himselfe to the ranke of brute creatures enthralled his immortall Soul and intellectuall nature to his brutish senses and affections and the next words of Agur confirm this sense And have not the understanding of Adam in me that understanding and knowledge of Holy truth which was in Adam and was properly belonging to the nature of man He that knoweth not thus much of himselfe knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know and is no fit Merchant to Trade for truth Christ first informeth the Laodicean of his wants Thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked and then counselleth him to buy vers. 18. Secondly He that buyeth giveth a considerable value But alas what have we to give that is considerable If we offer gold or silver what can we expect but such an answer as Simon Magus had Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money And Solomon telleth us This wisdom of Divine truth is better then rubies and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it which maketh good what I said before we cannot buy truth too dear all outward things that can be desired are not to be compared to it And therefore we may conclude This buying is not of the nature of common contracts in which there is a just proportion between the price and the purchase but rather such as hath some remote Analogy or resemblance to it such as that where the Lord by solemn Proclamation offereth a free and open market Hâ— every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money Come ye buy and eat yea come buy Wine and milk without money and without price And indeed whosoever getteth possession of saving Truth he hath it by a free gift of meere grace yet so that we must give up whatsoever is necessary for the obtaining of Truth and cast away whatever may hinder us in the receiving or retaining of Truth or is inconsistent with it 1. We must give up our selves our hearts spirits souls bodies to the God of Truth We must bee content to part with any outward things for the procuring and promoting of Truth for the supporting and maintaining of Truth we must account our selves gainers by every losse which we can possibly suffer for Truth 2. On the other side we must renounce and cast away our lusts our own corrupt reason blind carnall notions and prejudices in a word we must out our selves of our selves and yeeld up our selves into the entire possession of the Truth and in all this we give nothing unto God for whatsoever we give up to him for Truth is his own already and cannot bee withheld from him without wrong and robbery what wee cast away is worse then nothing and if we leave it not we keep it to our losse and utter undoing It remaineth then that though we are said in some sort to buy yet Truth is a most free gift of God and conveyed to man by a meere Act of grace Thirdly If we will buy Truth we must get the propriety of it we must make it our own get it into our possession have a sure interest in it and title to it For the Truthes sake which dwelleth in us and shall be with us for ever Then hath a man bought the Truth when he hath so owned it and given it such possession of his heart that it is in him as in an everlasting Mansion so as to dwell in him and be in him for ever when he is so possessed of the Truth and the Truth hath such possession of him as to denominate and Characterize him according to that Hereby we know that we are of the Truth and shall assure our hearts before him As great Persons are denominated from their Seates Mannor-houses c. Such a Lord of such a place So he that will buy Truth must get such possession of it and propriety in it as that he may by good right take a title of honour from the truth his own conscience bearing him witnesse in the Holy Ghost that he is of the Truth Thirdly Of whom must we buy Truth This hath been intimated before even of him who is the God of Truth who is the first the Highest Truth the Fountain of all Truth who calleth himselfe I Am because he is in and of himselfe the onely infinite perfection of being and so the infinite perfection of Truth He seeth and knoweth his own essence infinitely perfect and glorious with a most exact knowledge of infinite perfection and some have conceived that this contemplation of God the Father reflecting upon His owne Majesty and glory is the eternall and unspeakable generation of the Son But we are to speak soberly of these mysteries so farre above us Howsoever when we use Scripture-language we are warranted by the highest Authority which calleth Christ the brightnes of his Fathers glory and the expresse image of his Person and the Son of God saith of himselfe I am the Truth And the Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son is called the Spirit of Truth To this fountain wee must bring our empty pitchers if we would be filled with these living waters and take in these pure streames of Truth John being in the Spirit saw before the throne of God in heaven a Sea of glasse like unto Crystall The Saints may have their Vials filled with Truth but here is veritatis plenitudo An Ocean and full Sea of Truth and that without mud or mixture cleere as crystall wherein the faithfull Soule may see the glory of God shining in the Face of Christ Here is the Springhead of Truth and they which come not to God and are not inwardly acquainted with him in Christ are strangers to the Truth they never looked into this Sea of crystall which is before the throne of God And so I come to the fourth and last particular to shew the necessity of making this purchase ye see it is absolutely commanded in the Text and because a threefold cord is not easily broken observe how Solomon strongly twisteth together a threefold
the market though it be neere their owne doores who grossely neglect precious opportunities of hearing the word upon slight pretences Did they know the worth of truth and looke upon it as their life they would not think every petty inconvenience a just excuse A little change of weather or distemper of body will not keepe those within doores who are necessitated to seek out for that without which they cannot live Those that followed Christ sometimes three dayes together having nothing to eat might have had a fair plea in appearance to shift off their attendance Such as will suffer nothing in this case but make the hearing of the word a meere recreation when they can doe it with ease and at pleasure are not likely to go to the price of truth 4. Of those that come onely as meere spectatours rather than buyers who view many glorious gospel-Gospel-truthes openly proposed and freely tendred to all but are content to looke on whilst others buy Such are our common sort of ignorant hearers compared to the way side who hear the word and understand it not The seed lieth above ground then commeth the wicked one and catcheth away that which was sowne in his heart The father of lies easily robbeth such a one of the word of truth 5. Of such as seem to cheapen but doe not buy those who are somewhat affected with the truth and think it worth the carrying home if they might have it at their own price they hear it perhaps talk of it repeat it c. And of these there are two sorts the one compared to the stony the other to the thorny ground the former would own the truth were it not accompanied with the crosse but when persecution ariseth because of the word by and by they are offended They never gave the truth rooting in their hearts and so when the Sun ariseth it is scorched and withered The latter suffer it to be overgrown and choaked with thornes there may be some stirrings in their spirits some springings of their affections upon the receiving of the seed of truth but then their unmortified lusts the care of this world and the deceitfulnesse of riches and pleasures of this life draw away the strength of their hearts from the truth and it becometh unfruitfull they will not renounce their earthly-mindednesse or their voluptuous ambitious corrupt affections to make a full purchase of truth Herod did many things and heard John gladly but would not yeeld so far to the commands of truth as to forsake his Herodias there was a thorny lust which choaked all The yong man also seemed willing to buy What good thing shall I doe that I may have eternall life what shall I give to buy truth again All these have I kept from my youth what lack I yet Thus much I have offered if this be not enough I am willing to give more I beleeve he thought hee offered like a chapman But when he heard Christ raise his demands so high Goe and sell all that thou hast and give to the poore he brake off went away sorrowfull as if the price had been unreasonable I feare many who countenance the cause of truth some who are great actours in it yea some who may venture their lives in the prosecution of it may deceive themselves There may be some thornes not rooted up some root of bitternesse not killed some corrupt principle which may carry men far this way some by-end which may poison all If I give my body to be burned and have not love it profiteth me nothing A man may seem to die for the truth and yet never buy it Use 2 2. This is for for exhortation 1. In generall to us all 2. In speciall to those whom the Lord hath honoured above others for the patronage and promoting of the great cause of his truth And 1. let me stir up you and my selfe by all meanes to make this purchase 2. Not to think any cost too much for that purpose concerning the former 1. Get a cleer and solid understanding of all the main and most necessary truthes Learn to be throughly acquainted with the Fundamentalls of Faith Great is the mystery of godlinesse And the knowledge of it is of great concernment it is a great mystery and requireth a deep search An overly slight and superficiall view of those great secrets which the Angels desired to looke into must not satisfie them who will indeed buy truth Labour for a right understanding of the Alsufficiency and infinite excellency of God in all his attributes as hee hath revealed himselfe in his word of the person natures offices of Christ of the covenant of grace of the fountain of all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ the eternall love and good purpose of God toward his and those glorious wayes and meanes whereby the Lord is pleased to bring poore lost soules to glory reconciling them to himselfe by the death of his Sonne calling them by his Word and Spirit uniting them to Christ adopting them for his children and heires justifying them freely by his grace sanctifying quickning and keeping them by his mighty power through Faith unto salvation These and the like are especially to bee studied and wee are to take heed lest Satan intangling us in doubtfull disputes about things of an inferiour nature should cunningly divert our thoughts from searching into these hid treasures I confesse the rents and divisions which follow upon contrariety of opinions are sad and such as we have cause to lament but I am perswaded this is not the onely nor the greatest mischiefe I feare Satan gaineth much advantage by engaging young beginners and wanton wits in the agitation of controversies ere they have laid the foundation much more before themselves have taken root in Christ or so much as proved themselves to be in Christ and Christ to be in them 2. Let us labour to make those Truths which we understand our owne 1. By mixing them with faith The word preached did not profit the unbeleeving Israelites not being mixed with faith in them that heard it they did but view not buy the truth we cannot make the truth our owne nor truly say we have bought it unlesse we so mixe and temper it with faith as that it becometh one with our soules or rather our soules become one with it faith strongly closing with the word digesting it and so leavening all the powers of the soule with the truth and causing them to relish of it 2. By receiving the truth in sincere love No man buyeth truth who doth not truly love it So much truth as thou lovest is thine owne Some may hastily conclude from hence Then all the promises of pardon are mine for these I love from my heart though not those precepts of obedience and qualifications of repentance morification and holinesse But know this It is easie to mistake lies of our owne coyning for God his
holy truth for those promises carrie a respect to their qualifications and are true in relation to them if thou seperatest what God hath joyned together thou huggest an Idoll of thine own braine and dost not embrace the truth of God as the Devill in his temptations mangleth the truth of God promissionem objicit conditionem abjicit he objecteth the promise rejecteth the condition But this is rather to prophane the truth then to buy it He that will buy must take the commodity with all the appurtenances This not receiving the truth in love was the roote of that great Apostasie of the world This beggered and undid them they played with the light and dallied with the Truth of God and did not buy it and enrich themselves with it by receiving the love of the Truth that they might be saved 3. Labour to abound in the knowledge of the truth A Merchant who hath made a good voyage finding such a commodity advantagious is encouraged to new adventures that man never bought any saving truth who sitteth down and thinketh he hath enough If once thou wert possest of the truth indeed thy desires would bee more and more enlarged toward it many seem to think they have got truth enough already more then they know what to do with so much that they are troubled with it it disturbeth their slumbring spirits disquieteth their consciences These men are far from buying the truth rather some truthes have surprised them against their wills and are as welcome to them as Elijah to Ahab Hast thou found me O mine enemy But all that will buy truth let them hearken to the Apostles Counsell Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome 4. They that will buy truth must subject themselves to the power and command of it A man must not buy truth as he purchaseth outward things to dispose of it at his pleasure thou must not buy it as men were wont to buy slaves to keep it in bondage to make it serve thy lusts and ends or to fetter it and imprison it by withholding the Truth in unrighteousnes but as a man would buy an office at Court a place of service and attendance upon a Prince in buying truth thou must sell thy self a servant to the truth give up thy self to be ruled guided by the truth Some I beleeve are troubled that they have more of the truth than they can well rule it meeteth and faceth them in many of their crooked by-pathes it is as a lighted torch to them when they are most of all retired in acting their works of darknesse it is apt to interpose yea and to controll it will not suffer them to bee private when they would these would have truth enslaved and lust predominant But to pretend to truth and not to allow it that Soveraignty which belongeth to its place and dignity is indeed to reject it Let truth rule thy judgement will and affections in all things 5. Do not rest in meere notions of truth but endeavour to have the truth of God realized to thy soul Labour to have thy heart possest with the substance and reality of Divine truth to furnish thy selfe with those very things which thou findest cloathed with the truth of God in Scripture Saith the Apostle Ye were sometime in darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord He doth not say ye have light but ye are light the light is realized in you ye are transformed into the light ye are become such indeed and in truth as the light discovereth those to bee who are children of light The word and truth of God hath many beames of light in it and we must seek to take them in so as to find the reall effects of them in our selves Beleeve and thou shalt be saved there is a beame of truth and then do we buy this truth indeed when we get that precious Faith of God his elect that Faith unfeigned which really uniteth the soul to Christ taketh root in him draweth life and spirit from him conformeth and subjecteth the soul unto him Take heed of Satans jugling lest he sell thee a counterfeit stone instead of this precious Pearl a false Faith a vaine fancy an empty shadow of Faith how many content themselves with this because it is of a low price or rather may bee had for nothing But if ever that caution be needfull it is in this case Caveat Emptor Let him that would buy truth beware It is not in this case as when a man would buy a thing to please a childe a slight toy of small value will serve as well as a better but it is as if a man were to buy a ship to transport himselfe his whole family and all his goods into a far-country were it not the extremity of folly to venture all in a rotten vessell for saving of charges rather then with greater cost to provide a substantiall bottome Oh let us tremble to embark our souls more precious then the world together with all our eternall hopes in a leaking ship of a rotten faith being to make so great a voyage among so many dangerous Rockes and sands through so many stormes and waves which were too much for the soundest Faith to breake through were it not kept by the power of God unto Salvation Again Except ye repent ye shall all perish Doe not think thou hast bought this truth so soon as thy judgement is informed that this grace of repentance is necessary to salvation thou hast but viewed it yet thou hast not purchased it If thou wilt buy it indeed thou must have a through change wrought in thy heart soul repentance from dead works repentance unto life thou must look upon thy sweetest sins as thy bitterest enemies and feel them as they heaviest burthens fleeing from them as from a Serpent inwardly loathing outwardly leaving them Thou must labour for the truth of mortification the reall destruction of thy lusts as it is said of Cassius Chaerea a Pretorian Collonel or Tribune when he and others conspired the death of that cruell tyrant Caligula the signall word agreed upon was Repete strike again So thou must not content thy self to make some faint attempts against thy sinnes or a light skirmish as souldiers at a muster but thou must do it with all thy might hast thou wounded them and do they yet resist Repete strike again and again hate them pursue them to the death give them no quarter spare them not so long as thou findest them stirre or breath Again the Apostle saith The Kingdom of God is righteousnesse peace joy in the Holy Ghost This is a most sweet and precious truth wouldst thou buy it If thou doest thou buyest a Kingdome yea a Kingdome more worth then all the Kingdomes of the world But if thou wilt buy it indeed thou must have this Kingdome set up in thy heart Righteousnesse must reigne there or
called heresie as in Pauls time though the truth be scorned reproached evill spoken of though the wise men of the world thinke no better of those that buy truth than of such as pay dear for a trifle and say of them in their hearts A fool and his money are soon parted though thou must bee counted a fool and a mad man as Festus termed Paul yet buy it howsoever 5. Be content to buy Truth with expence of time though that be very precious esteem that time well bestowed which is laid out for Truth Doe not say Wherefore is this waste Though time cannot be bought with gold yet it is well spent for the purchase of Truth Apelles beholding a curious picture Drawne by Protogenes admired the wormanship but understanding that it had been seven yeers in hand he said the grace of the work was not answerable to the time and paines bestowed upon it But if those whom the Lord in his providence hath called together shall be able by the good hand of their God upon them to draw to the life that glorious body of Truth in all its lineaments for matter of doctrine worship government discipline I doubt not but in conclusion it would be found time well imployed though it should cost more moneths then some expected And as in this more publike enquiry after truth so in particular searchings after it bee carefull to redeem time from other occasions that thou mayest spare it for buying of truth It is part of the blessed mans description His delight is in the Law of the Lord and in that Law he doth meditate day and night 6. Peace is one of the great blessings of God upon a people and yet if need be we must part with this also to purchase truth If peace may be hadwith truth it is exceedingly to be desired as in toher respects so for truths sake to which if well improved it may be very serviceable and usefull towards the opening of a free trade for truth which is many wayes obstructed and interrupted by war But when truth cannot be secured but by the sword and all wayes are tried which are consistent with the purity safety and honour of truth and recourse is had to warre as the last remedie in such a case peace it selfe must be broken that truth may be preserved and purchased Object Some may say there is no sufficient cause at this day in relation to truth Answ and the businesse of Religion to ground a necessary warre upon I answer 1. I doe not take upon me to assert that this warre was primarily and originally a warre of Religion But secondly if that were granted I desire that case betweene the Tribes of Israel may be considered The two Tribes and an halfe beyond Jordan built an Altar by the River tidings came to the rest of Israel who apprehended this as an Act tending to the falsifying and corrupting of the Truth of God and the Ordinances of his Worship This was conceived a just ground for a Warre For the whole Congregation of the Children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shilo to goe up to warre against them But yet desiring a peaceable accommodation if it might be had without prejudice to truth they resolve to treate with them and send Phineas a man of great eminencie and ten Princes with him These deale throughly in the businesse and presse it home upon them the Defendants make a free and candid declaration of their intentions shewing that this Altar was not erected for Burnt offering nor for Sacrifice but onely for a Monument of their interest in the God of Israel whereupon both the Ambassadours and at their returne the people were fully satisfyed Now suppose this Altar had beene built for sacrifice as was suspected and compare with this the many hundred Altars I beleeve lately erected in this Land to the darkning at least of those great Truths of the Gospel that Christ is the only Altar which sanctifyeth all the offerings of the faithfull that His Sacrifice of himself once offered by Himself is the onely Propitiation adde hereunto the Idolatrous bowings and cringings the Crucifixes and Images set up in many places the indeavours to corrupt the Truth and Doctrine of Christ in divers points of great importance the plots laid to stop the course of the Gospell propagating of the truth the obstinate resistance against such a Reformation as the Truth of God cleerely revealed in His Word requireth c. And see whether there were not many causes for a Warre against the Enemies of the truth in England for one which Israel had though that had beene such as was surmised Oh that the Lord would deliver our King from those that are Adversaries of his Truth and make him an Instrument to execute His wrath upon the great whore that so the Truth of God might have a free passage through the severall Regions of the World I have read of some Mariners who being tossed on the sea in a Tempest were so superstitiously slavish as to vow or promise at least upon their safe arrivall on the shore to build a Temple the mortar whereof should be tempered with Malmsey I desire it may be considered whether those be not more lavishly prophane who being terrifyed with the stormes of warre could be content to make the sacred Truth of God more precious then all the golden veynes in the bowells of the Earth to serve in stead of mortar for the cementing or rather daubing up an unsound peace with men Object But it may be said the losse of peace implyeth by consequence the losse of life the expence of bloud and precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Answ I answer it is true and doubtlesse The Lord will make inquisition for their bloud And yet in the last place even this precious bloud of God his people is not too precious to be adventured or spent in the necessary defence of Gods Truth Did not Christ himselfe shed his most precious bloud worth more than all the best bloud under Heaven to seal the Truth of the Gospell the truth of all the promises of the new Covenant none of all which had been true if Christ had not shed his bloud to verifie them For all the Promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen The Law is true in it selfe but the Truth of the Gospell and Word of Promise dependeth wholly upon Christ The Law hath an intrinsecall and native truth Cursed is he that continueth not in all things written in the Booke of the Law to doe them But the Truth of the Promise is borrowed the promise of the pardon of sinne of justifying the ungodly of being mercifull to unrighteousnesse passing by iniquity blotting out transgressions c. seemeth to crosse the Truth of God His Justice and Holinesse if ye consider it without reference to Christ It is true then onely in Christ the Truth of this Testament
in it if any through their own weaknesse shall be discouraged from buying when they hear those whom the Lord imployeth as his trustees and factours to be cried downe and stigmatized for Baals priests limmes of the beast Ministers of Antichrist The way to bring a shop out of custome is first to bring it out of credit 5. Procced in that worke wherein ye have already made so good a progresse in removing those who are either unskilfull or unfaithfull dispensers of the truth or whose fingers are so foul that they fully the truth by handling it causing the word and way of truth to be evill spoken of and discouraging men from buying The very heathens may shame those who censure you in this who seem to have been very tender of the honour of their idol-gods in this kinde Livy as I remember hath a story to this purpose A Vestall virgine was suspected of incontinency because of her neatnesse in apparell courtly deportment or some such thing but being called in question no such crime appeared upon examination yet was she sent away with a check or admonition willed to remember Sancte magis quam scite colendas esse religiones That the services of their gods required rather sanctity in those that were actours in them than any such curious dresse as might carry an appearance of evill And Sozomen inserteth the Copie of a letter written by Julian the Apostate to Arsacius Arch-Priest of Galatia requiring him to charge those heathenish priests under his superintendency neither to haunt Theaters or according to our times stage-playes nor to frequent Tavernes and that upon paine of deprivation Seneca in his Controversies hath such a case as this A Virgine being taken captive by Pyrates was sold to a Pandour prostituted in a Stewes yet preserved her virginity and at last slew a man in defence of her chastity whereupon she was arraigned and upon hearing of her cause acquitted after this she sueth to be admitted as a Priest to attend on one of their goddesses this barre was put in against her plea by way of supposition Tres petunt Sacerdotium capta prestituta rea Suppose three severall Virgins should come in competition for the Priesthood whereof one had beene captivated the second prostituted the third arraigned Omnibus nego I reject them all much more when all these meete in one and yet in all these three was nothing criminall but rather something of disparagement How much more when the question is concerning the admission of men to the Ministry of the Gospell or retayning those that were formerly admitted suppose one of them a drunkard another a swearer a third superstitious a fourth an ignorant person a fift idle c. Omnibus nego none of them shall have my voyce and what shall we say of them in whom many of these meete It was further pressed in behalfe of that virgine that her suite should be regarded out of compassion to her sufferings it was answered Non facimus miserandos Sacerdoteâ— In choosing Priests we must respect the honour of our gods not the miseries of those who desire the office the wants and necessities of persons and families in this case are not to be looked at but the glory of Christ and the wants and miseries of poore soules yet I desire from my heart that mercie may be shewed them in other kinds that they may have meanes of subsistance and those who are knowne to be learned and studious may not be deprived of their Libraries Lastly I beseech you shew your selves tender of the honour of Truth it selfe in bridling those who cast foule aspersions upon it rich wares troden under feele and spoiled may lie by neglected buyers are nice and will hardly come off unlesse that which is tendered to them be sightly This the Devill knoweth and therefore stirreth up his Instruments to throw dirt upon the beautifull face of truth not onely in blinde corners but also in pulpits and printed pamphlets And if it belong to a Court Martiall to do right to a man of quality in poynt of honour surely it well becometh the supreame Court of Parliament to vindicate the Honour of God his everlasting Truth Many motives might bee used to set on the Exhortation both generall and speciall exciting us to this great purchase of Truth and to the promoting of the cause of Truth Much might bee said of the glory riches majesty beauty and divine excellencie of truth and heavenly wisedome for which I referre you as to other Scriptures so in particularly to the eighth chapter of this booke of Proverbs Give me leave for the present in few words to touch upon these three things and so conclude 1. The power of truth 2. The speciall engagements obligeing us of this Age and Nation to purchase and promote it 3. A serious consideration of what value the truth will be at the last Admirable is the power and strength of truth for all that buy and possesse it against all that either oppose or neglect it All the most unlikely Prophesies of Scripture have beene or shall be accomplished by the power of divine Truth all the exceeding great and precious promises of the Gospell have beene or shall be performed by it all the dreadfull threats verifyed The Power of truth raysed a Seede of the vanquished woman to bruise the head of the Serpent and god of the world It brought the Son of God to descend from His Throne of Supreame Majesty to cloath himselfe with flesh subject himselfe to the guilt of sinne and curse of the Law to the death and shame of the Crosse to drinke the bitter Cup of his Fathers Wrath and for that end to suspend the excrcise of His Authority in calling downe Legions of Angels from Heaven to rescue him out of the hands of his enemies The Power of Truth which is the Power of Christ Himselfe raysed Him from the dead and advanced Him to the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty on High c. Yea this Power of truth what wonderfull alterations hath it wrought in the world how hath it dissolved the severall Mineralls whereof that Image was composed the gold silver brasse and iron broken in pieces famous Monarchies and Empires of the world blasted and in great part already consumed the power of that man of sin enfeebled the strength of that Beast whom the world worshipped and wondred at It is admirable to consider how the strength of divine Truth breaketh thorough all opposition beareth downe all resistance Pulleth downe the mighty from their Seates Exalteth the humble and meeke witnes a late and notable example in this Land The Ruine of the Prelacy Truth had long since spoken it I will spew thee out of my mouth yea such is the power of truth that it maketh its very enemies serve its ends and in the midst of the most perplexed concurrence of second causes crosse interferings and overthwart interposings of inferiour Agents holdeth
a steady course towards its full accomplishment and moveth on in a streight line to its finall period where it arriveth most exactly in its owne proper poynt of time The Power of God his truth brought Israel out of Egypt at the end of the four hundred and thirty years even the self-same day it came to passe All Pharaohs oppositions all his tergiversations could not prorogue the terme of Israels bondage one day beyond that terme which truth had prefixed nay these served rather to spinne out that interim to fill up that voyde space of time that the truth might take place in its owne time Woe to them who stand up against the Power of truth at such a time when any of its great workes are to be accomplished for the Israel of God Those persons or what degree soever Meane men Nobles Peeres Princes who happen to stand up as Adversaries against the truth at such a time seeme to have beene borne in an evill houre Pharaoh I am perswaded might have gone to his grave with a great deale lesse guilt upon his conscience had he lived and reigned in another Age and not at that time when the Power of truth was to be put forth in Israels deliverance some of his Ancestours perhaps had hearts as bad but had no such occasion in so high a degree to treasure up wrath against their owne soules the like may be said of his Courtiers and People that joyned with him in that designe When the Lord by visible and glorious signes of the times and extraordinary dispensations of providence owneth the cause of his People in bondage and saith againe and againe Let my People goe let my People goe that they may serve mee according to mine owne minde and direction then let men tremble to hearden their hearts and oppose God lest in the issue it appeare that for this cause they were set up that the Lord might make his Power knowne upon them On the other side the Power of truth is strong for all that embrace it and labour to promote it It will carrie them through all dangers and difficulties and in the end crowne them with Glory In a word this Power of truth is sufficient to deliver poore slaves and captives out of the power of Satan and to make them free Then said Jesus to those Jewes which beleeved on him If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed and ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make ye free In a Sea-fight betweene the Spanyards and Hollanders it is sayd that a poore captive in one of the Spanish Galleyes had his chayne wherewith he was fastned broken asunder by a Cannon shot himselfe not hurt and perceiving that he was loose leapt into the Sea with a Peice of his chayne and escaped to the other ship by this strange providence regaining his liberty many seeme afraid of the truth especially when it commeth thundring like a Cannon shot from the mouth of some Boanerges but if thou receive it yeeld and subject thy self to it it will never hurt thee no it will breake thy chayne those chaines of death and darkenesse whereby Satan holdeth thee captive and make thee free and though thou mayest carry a piece of thy chaine with thee to thy dying day yet it will wholly free thee in the end Buy Truth and walk in the power of the spirit of Truth and ye shall be mighty in the strength of Christ to overcome and shall sit downe with Him in his Throne even as he overcame and is set downe with His Father in his Throne 2. Many and great ingagements lie upon us of this Nation and in particular upon us of this generation to make us buy truth and stand for Truth to the uttermost Wonderfully hath the Lord wrought for the bringing in the restoring preserving and propagating of the Truth among us To say nothing of the first introduction of the light in or neere the Apostles times How graciously did the Lord visit this Nation about 200. yeers before Luthers dayes by the ministery of Wickliffe and others raising up a succession of faithfull witnesses to seal the Truth with their blood in the severall Reignes of our Kings who according to the blindnesse of those times gave their power to the Beast Then followed that strange act of Henry the eighth in abolishing the Popes Supremacy next the wonderfull workings of our God upon the heart and by the hands of our English Iosias King Ewâ—râ— 6. In whose Reigne it is very observable that by an admirable conjuncture of providence the Churches of Germany should be under persecution and the Churches in this Land should enjoy a short breathing time of Peace that so England which had need to borrow light from forreigne parts might be supplyed from Germany Divines were called both such as were Orthodox and such it seemeth who were tainted with the Lutheran errour one at least viz Brentius a man noted to bee much infected aswell with that great errour of ubiquity as that of the Corporall presence in the Sacrament a person of eminent authority for his Learning and manifold accomplishments and one who had he accepted of the call might have sowed such seed in one or other of our Universities as might have overspread the Land perhaps those weeds which might have sprang from it would not have been rooted out unto this day especially if that be considered that our leading men Cramner Ridley c. were supposed not to be wel informed in that point at that time I conceive there was a gracious overruling providence of God in it diverting him and moving him to decline so faire an offer though it seemeth hee was troubled to finde a place wherein to hide his head with safety On the other side the Lord was pleased to incline the hearts of Martyr Bucer and Phagius three pious and Orthodox Divines to accept the call What were all our multiplied deliverances in the Reigne of Queen Elizabeth among the rest that of 88. And since her time from the Powder-treason and now of late a wonderfull series or large Catalogue of extraordinary events brought about by the mighty hand of God what are all these I say but the glorious workings of our God for the procuring and continuing unto us these precious opportunities of buying truth and therefore they ought to be mighty provocations to our spirits not to neglect such a price put into our hands unlesse we will shew our selves of all people upon the earth most unthankfull and so most unexcusable Let me name one of the last sort that as in the dayes of Josh. The Lord hearkened to the voice of a man saying Sun stand thou still upon Gibeon and thou Moone in the valley of Aialon and the Sun stood still in the midst of Heaven and hasted not to go down about an whole day so whereas our Parliaments have formerly been made like fleeting meteors or
falling stars giving some glimpse of light and suddenly vanishing the Lord should now hearken to the cryes of His people and give us a fixed Parliament like the Sunne standing still in the midst of Heaven that so there might be time for the discovery and establishment of Truth and for the scattering of the enemies of Truth 3. And lastly consider what will be the value and price of truth at the last on the death-bed in the day of judgement How many thousands of gold and silver yea of worlds if they had them would the greatest enemies or contemners of truth give at that day if then it might be had if then they could purchase the saving knowledge of God of Christ of the Gospel the Truth of Faith repentance sanctification then a whole world for a lamp full of this precious oyl Certainly Truth is alwayes of the same value every whit as much worth now as it will be then But now men looke upon Truth as they do upon rich wares in a dark-shop and so undervalue it whereas they take a full view of the things of the world and look upon them in the open Sun But then the Truth shall be fully discovered men shall see such a light as they never saw a glorious irradiation and Divine brightnesse from the face of Christ and Truth shall be exhibited sub dio in the broad day-light in the cleer light of that Great Day to which the light which now we see by is but as a twilight or evening light Then the worth of Truth shall be fully known they that would not goe to the price of it shall know their losse Oh ye that prize your wealth above the Truth ye will be of another minde when the pillars of the earth are trembling the heavens gathering together as a scroll and passing away with a great or hideous noise the elements dropping or melting the earth and the works in it burnt up if yee will seeke for that wealth which now yee value above the Truth ye must seek it in that heap of ashes and ye that preferre your pleasures above it as they are but shadowes now when they are at best so then they will be torments and ye that esteeme your honours credit reputation and the praise of men above the Truth ye will then see that this was but a blast an empty breath when ye enjoyed it and then it will be nothing yea it will turn into shame and confusion of face for ever On the contrary the beauty and glory of truth will then shine forth in perfection they that bought it at the highest rate shall cleerly understand what a blessed advantage they have made Oh that now we could be wise for our souls Let us be content to begger our selves if need be that we may bee rich Give any thing to buy Truth The time is short as the Apostle saith it remaineth then that those which buy the things of this world be as if they possessed not as men ready to part with them at any time looking upon them as things that little concerne them carrying their hearts above them keeping their spirits weaned from them but that those who buy Truth bee as those that possesse and improve it to the best advantage For the fashion of this world passeth away but the Word and Truth of God and the fruit comfort and benefit of it endureth for ever FINIS 1 Cor. 13 12. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Pellican Mercerus Junius Jansenius {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rev. 3. 18. Mat. 25. 9. Phil. 3. 20. 1. Veritas rei Psal. 1. 6. Mat. 25. 12 2. Veritas Scientiae 3. Veritas Signi 2. What it is to Buy Truth Pro. 14. 18. pro 30. 2 3 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Psa. 49. 12 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Revel. 3. 17 18. Acts 8. 10 Pro. 8. 11. Isai. 55. 1. 2 Iohn 2. 1 Ioh. 3. 19 Deus est summ maxima Veritas Snarez {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Hebr. 1. 3. Ioh. 14. 6. 17. Rev. 4. 6. Pro. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 3. 4. 2 3. Ioh. 12. 48. Reproofe Luke 11. 52. Ioh. 12. 19. Gen. 41. 56. Rev. 12. â— Mar. 8. 38. Mat. 15. 32 Mat. 13. 19. Mat. 13. 22. Luke 8. 14. Mat. 19. 16. 1 Cor. 13. 3 Exhortation 1. Generall 1. to make this purchase 1 Tim 3. 16. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Heb. 4. 2. Math. 4. Jun. in Parallel Res transit cum onere 2 Thes. 2. 10. 1 Kings 21. 20. Col. 3. 16. Eph. 5. 8 Caveat Emptor Luke 13. Suet in Calig Rom. 14. 17. Col. 3. 15. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 John 4. 2. Part of the generall Exhortation Mat. 5. 8. 1. Cor. 3. 18 c. Intus â—xiflens prohibet 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 4. 2 Luke 12. 51. Joh. 1. 45. Joh. 7. 49. 2 Chro. 25. 16. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rom. 8. 32 Joh. 21. 21 22. Mat. 16. 26. Mat. 12. 42 43. Act. 26. 24 Aelian {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Josh. 22. 10. c. Psal. 119. 15. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Ioh. 18. 37 2. A more speciall exhortation 2 Cor. 13. 8. Rev. 3. 14. Gal. 6. 4 5. Phil. 1. 27. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} iâ—de Athleta {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Verse 28. Veâ—itatem sub hasta vendere vel potius praedae et direptioni exponere Agelius Sisinnius {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Soz. lib. 7. cap. 12. Socr. lib. 3. cap 10. Soz. lib. 2. cap. 30. Tit. 3. 10. Rom. 14. 1 2. Comment. de statu reipub. et relig. sub 9. An 1561 Osiand Cent. 16 Joh. 3. 21. Rom. 3. 13. 1 Cor. 4 3. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Livy As they worshipped goddesses or female gods so they had female Priests Soz l. 5. 15 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Senec. Motives Dan. 2. Rev. 3. Exo. 12. 41 John 8. 31. 32. Triumphs of Nassau Motive Vocatus a rege Angliae Edvardo amplissimis promissionibus Mel Ad in vita Brontii Josh. 10. 12 Motive 2. Pet. 3. 10 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 1 Cor. 7. 30