good bargaine for no price Here is that then which may draw us on to strike thorow this bargaine and may encourage us to trade and buy we shall be sure to have a pennyworth for our penny we shall not bee pincht with a deere penny-worth Many a man hath a great minde to such an house and land he would faine buy it he beates the price and bids faire for it but yet as good a minde as hee hath to it he buyes it not he feares it is to deere he feares he shall repent him of his bargaine and wish his money in his purse againe and therefore falls off But now here is no such feare what ever the Truth cost thee suppose it cost thee much paines and labour suppose it proves matter of great charge to thee suppose it cost thee thy credit and respect in the world thy liberty thine estate thy bloud thy life yet thou buyest it not too deere it is well worth all thou canst give for it A man may buy house and lands good house and lands too deere a man may buy Gold too deere as the Proverb is but yet hee cannot buy Truth nor Grace nor Christ nor Heaven too deare The Land is worth foure hundred shekles and Heaven and Christ Truth and Grace is worth all that ever God shall aske for it A man may buy a good purchase of land and yet have no cause to rejoyce in it may wish hee had never medled with it but had kept his money in his purse Ezek. 7.12 The time is come the day draweth neere let not the buyer rejoyce Such times may come as a man may have but little joy in buying a a purchase But a man that buyes the Truth shall never repent him of his purchase but let such a buyer rejoyce Come what times will come yet he may rejoyce yea the worse the times may be the more cause may he have to rejoyce in his purchase Thus being convinced that this duty is to be done that Truth is to bee bought come wee now to shew how this duty is to be done and wherein this buying stands This buying then stands in diverse things First In giving a price and paying a price for it In trading in the world when a man gives the price for a commodity he buyes it and a man cannot be said to have bought a commodity till some price be given for it that is contracted for ye are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6.20 therefore in buying there is a price given When Abraham bought the fields of Ephraim he gave him the price of foure hundred shekels and when hee gave that price then hee bought it Deut. 2.6 ye shall buy meate of them that ye may eate and ye shall buy water of them that ye may drinke But how must they buy yee shall buy meate of them for money and ye shall buy water of them for money That which a man hath without money or some valuable consideration it is not bought but is given freely or taken unjustly But when a man gives money for bread gives money for water then he buyes it So in this case hee that would buy Truth must give a price for it it will not bee had for nothing that which a man hath for nothing is not bought The price that men must give for Truth and Grace is the use of all such meanes by which Truth and Grace is to be gotten So buy the Truth that is use all meanes by which it may bee had God hath appointed certaine meanes in the use of which he will give Grace and the knowledge of the Truth and they that will have this commodity must give this price must use such meanes as God requires to be used to this end This price that God sets is not a matter of money Simon Magus would have bought that gift for money Act. 8.18 He offred them money But thy money perish with thee saith Peter to him We our selves are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6. but yet 1 Pet. 1. are not redeemed with Silver and Gold and corruptible things so Truth and Grace must bee bought but yet it is not gold that will buy this Gold But there is another price with which Truth must bee bought The use of those meanes which God hath appointed that is the price that look as by the giving of a price an earthly commodity is bought and obtained so by the use of the meanes Truth and Grace is gotten and obtained And what then are those meanes First Prayer Buy the truth pray for the knowledge of the truth pray for grace As by money wee obtaine and buy the commodity wee neede and have a minde to so by prayer wee obtaine and buy the truth Jam. 1.5 If any of you lacke wisdome Shop-keepers as men passe by their doores aske them What doe yee lacke what is it that you want So the Apostle here seemes to say what is it that ye lackc what is it that ye want Doe yee want grace Do ye want knowledge and wisdome Well what if we doe How may wee come by it Buy it sayes the Apostle I but what is the price that must be given for it If any man lacke wisdome stand in need of this commodity let him aske of God And it is the price that Christ sets upon grace Matth. 7. Aske and ye shall have The price that the Lord sets upon the knowledge of the truth Jer. 33. Call upon me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and hidden things which thou knowest not God highly befriends us hee sets the commodity at a low price It is little worth that is not worth the asking The way then to buy is to beg begging is buying and praying is paying And therefore how often finde wee David in those suites Teach mee thy truth teach me thy Statutes c. David knew the commodity would not be bought without this price and therefore hee stickes not at it he gives the price and seekes grace and the knowledge of the truth by prayer Secondly hearing the Word and attending upon the Ministery thereof As Paul speakes of Christ Rom. 15.8 That Jesus Christ was a Minister of the circumcision for the truth of God So it may in another sense be said of the Ministers of the Gospel That they are Ministers of the Gospel for the truth of God to make knowne the truth of God to offer and tender it unto people And Mal. 2.6 The Law of truth was in Levi's mouth God sends them to set his truth to sale they bring this commodity to Market So that if wee would buy the truth wee must attend upon them whose worke is to dispense the Word of truth as the Gospel is called Ephes 1.13 And it is a part of the price that is to be given for it to come to attend upon their Ministery See Mal. 2.6 The Law of truth was in his mouth and vers 7. They should seeke the Lawes of
bee content to doe many things and part with many things for the truth but Herod hath one jewell his Herodias hee is loath to buy truth so deare as to give her for it It is too deare a price to buy truth at to part with one so deare to him I but if Herod will have the truth hee must come to Gods full price not doing of many things not the parting with some lusts and vanities but the parting with all Herodias and all is Gods price Bid wee and offer wee what wee will use meanes and endeavours and goe on in them yet if wee will not part with our lusts we shall never have the bargaine nor buy the pearle It is a pearle of great price and therefore a great price the selling and putting off all our lusts must be given for it or else bid as oft and as faire as we will it will not doe See 2 Tim. 3.7 Ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth They bid faire for the truth They were content to learne and to bee at some paines to get the knowledge of the truth which is more then a great many will bid for it nay they doe it not for a fit but are ever learning they seeme to follow it with some closenesse and yet for all this never come to the knowledge of the truth ever bidding but never come to buy the truth Why what 's the matter they buy it not Because though they seeme to bid faire yet they come not to the full price They would sell somewhat to buy the pearle but not sell all not part with their sinfull lusts and therefore God denyed them the knowledge of the truth vers 16. They leade captive simple women laden with diverse lusts which women are ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth Prov. 14.6 A scorner seeketh wisdome and findeth it not Hee bids and buyes not hee will not give the full price hee scornes at such a deare price as to part with all his lusts There is no reason or equity that the buyer should have a mans commodity at the price hee will set The seller is to set the price and if hee cannot have his price hee wrongs no man to keepe his commodity to himselfe specially when it is richly worth the price hee sets If therefore wee would buy the truth sell away and part with all thy lusts that 's Gods full price of which hee will not abate any thing It is but a folly to hucke and to hope by hucking to fetch downe the market If yee thinke good give God his price if not forbeare Either all or nothing at all As men say to such as offer short of their price I had as live ye offered me nothing Secondly Our money and meanes in that kinde when God calls for it these temporall things It is true indeede that money will not buy grace Indeed the Popes graces may be bought with money There be Bookes in print of the taxes of the Apostolicall Chancery in which bookes are sold dispensations and absolutions for all manner of villanies and some not to be named And sayes that Booke these kinde of graces are not for the poore because they are destitute of goods and means But therefore these graces are for the rich they may for money buy the Popes graces But Gods graces are not to be had for money So Simon Magus would faine have been trading And yet in one sense wee must buy the Truth with our money and temporall good That is wee should bee willing to be at costs and charges and to spend money for the maintaining of those meanes and those Ordinances in the use of which the truth is to bee gotten Though we cannot buy grace for money yet with our money wee may buy preaching maintaine the Ministery we may buy Bibles buy good Bookes by all which wee may come to get the knowledge of the truth And so in this sense wee must buy the truth with our money and it is a part of Gods full price and such a price as must be given if men will buy the truth Prov. 4.7 If need be part with any gettings to get the truth Though our money cannot buy grace yet it can procure and mainetaine the Ministery of the Word and preaching of the Gospel by which the knowledge of the truth and grace is to be gotten And therefore it is well noted by some on that place Matth. 13.44 That the Merchant finding a rich treasure hid in the field is said to sell all and buy the field He doth not buy the treasure but the field and so in buying the field hee buyes the treasure therein The field is the Ministery of the Gospel in which the treasure of grace is hid And so some expound those words Col. 2.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which Ministery of the Gospel vers 2. are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Now though our money will not procure grace and knowledge yet it will purchase that field the preaching of the Gospel in which these treasures are to be had And this price God requires a part of his full price Gal. 6. Let him that is taught make him that teaches him partaker of all his goods God will not have the Ministery of the Word eleemosynary to be matter of meere almes but hee will have not onely mens paynes to heare the Word but mens purses to maintaine the Word and his Ordinances by which the truth is to be had God himselfe would not have the doores of the Temple shut for nought nor fire kindled upon his Altar for nought Mal. 1.11 And would hee then have his Word opened for nought and the fire of the word kindled for nought No but Numb 35.8 Every one shall give of his Cities to the Levites according to his inheritance which hee inherites And will have him that keepes the Fig-tree eate of the fruit thereof Prov. 27.18 and will have the Oxes mouth unmuzzeld that treads out the corne So buy the truth that is be at cost and let your purses walke for the maintaining of the Gospell Though our money cannot buy grace and knowledge of the truth yet our money may buy Bibles and good Bookes by the reading whereof wee may come to get knowledge and grace So that when hee sayes Buy the truth hee sayes Buy Bibles buy good Bookes and sticke not at the cost and charge of them but willingly bee at such charge for the getting of the truth It was a great price those Bookes came to which they burned after they came to the knowledge of the truth Act. 19.19 They brought their Bookes together and burned them before all men and they counted the price of them and found it fifty thousand peeces of silver Surely they that in honour of the truth burned Bookes of so great price would not have stucke in desire of the truth to have bought Bookes of great price And thus our
price that I was prized at of them So a goodly price that Truth is prized at of men as if God offered trash when he offers Truth The Devils cōmodities goe off roundly men will buy their lusts though it cost them the price of their soule and men will buy toyes buy Play-bookes ballads Dice Cards these commodities hang not but Gods market is at a stand For shame be awakened to this duty and now that God offers to deale with us let us fall to buying Consider but two things to quicken us First It is a commodity that is like to grow deere it is a commodity that may rise and may be that it will bee very hard to be had See how the world went in Elies time 1 Sam. 3.1 And the Word of the Lord was precious in those dayes there was no open vision The Truth rose to an high price no publike prophecying Wee have no charter for the perpetuity of the Truthes abiding with us What know wee but it may grow as precious to as deere and high prices as it did in Elies dayes There is a time when running to and fro will increase knowledge and helpe to buy the truth paines are to the purpose Dan. 12.4 And there is a time when running to and fro will doe no good when for no price nor paines Truth will be had Am. 8.12 And who knowes but hee may see such dayes And is it not better to runne to and fro to take paines when good will be done upon it then to runne to and fro when all the paines in the world will not helpe us to this bargaine Wee see how deere extraordinary deere one kinde of graine is now with us Had a man foreseene it a yeere before what a deale might hee have saved and gained by buying good store of that graine then When Joseph foresaw the seven yeeres famine in Egypt it was his wisedome and providence to buy all the Corne that ever hee could lay his hands on and what a world of advantage did it bring in to the King of Egypt If hee had stayed buying till the famine came hee could have had Corne for no money none was to be had and Egypt had starved for it So wisely he did to buy Corne whilest Corne was plentifull Secondly Buying the truth will keep the Truth and the Gospel amongst us but if wee neglect and slight the buying of it it will be the losse of the Gospel and all the good wee have with it Wee see a man that comes to market so long as men buy up his commoditie and hee hath store of customers he keepes the market constantly and will not leave comming to the market But if once his takings faile and men cease to buy hee may come a while still to try if his markets will mend but if hee sees they mend not and men buy not hee goes quite away and carries his commodities to some other place where hee may finde better trading Just so here Buying will keepe God and the Gospel with us keepe the market going and the Gospel will never goe but once slight Gods Truth and regard not the buying of his commodity God will packe up and be gone and try a new place for trading Hee cast those out of the Temple that bought and sold Luc. 19. hee cast them out for trading in the Temple but here hee will cast men out of the Temple will unchurch them will take away Church and Gospel because men doe not buy in the Temple If ever yee lose the Gospel and Truth bee assured that yee lose it because yee make no more regard of buying the truth Yee see many places that were great market Townes that now their market is downe and quite decayed Why so because men come not in to sell commodities And why came they not in to sell Because men came not in to buy So here If wee will not buy the Truth God will take his Truth away our markets shall downe and God will carry his Truth to Turkes Indians Jewes and there God will have great and goodly markets God will not stay long where once markets grow dead Secondly the prohibition followes Sell it not When once thou hast gotten the truth and gotten grace by no meanes part with it againe but hold and keepe it fast In selling there is a parting with that wherein we have a propriety and wherein wee have a possession In selling there is an alienation of our right propriety and possession of the commodity sold so upon the sale of my commodity I part with it it is no more mine I have no more to doe with it my commodity and I are wholly parted And thus hee prohibits the selling of the truth Doe not sell it when once thou hast it part not with Truth Grace Religion upon any tearmes whatsoever Doct. That the Truth of God once bought must never be sold once gotten and obtained must never be parted withall It is not with this as with other worldly commodities Other commodities a man may buy and may sell againe A man may buy an house and sell it againe may buy land and sell it againe Yea men doe buy other commodities on purpose to sell them as Merchants and Tradesmen In this kinde men may buy and sell but for this commodity of Truth men must onely buy and not sell Other trading lyes in buying and selling both but a Christians trade lyes onely in buying Buy they must and buy they may as much as they will but sell they may not at any hand Buy the Truth and sell it not Prov. 4.5 6. Get that is Buy the same word And not onely buy but when ye have bought sell it not that is exprest in the words following forget it not decline not forsake her not And therefore Prov. 19.8 Hee that gets wisdome loves his owne soule hee that keepeth understanding shall finde good Marke then it is not all that God requires of us to get wisdome but hee requires that when wee have gotten it wee keepe it Hee that sells it keepes it not A man keepes not that which hee sells but parts with it Hee that gets and he that keepes Christians must be keepers as well as getters Buy the truth and keepe the Truth keepe it fast and sure never to part with it more 2 Joh. 2. for the Truths sake which dwelleth in us Truth must not onely lodge with us and be a guest with us for a night or so must not sojourne with us be with us for a yeere or so but it must dwell with us I but a man may dwell a long time in an house and yet be turned out for all that I but it must not be so with the Truth The Truth which dwells in us and shall be with us for ever Truth once bought must be bought for ever must never be sold more nor parted with It is with Truth as it was with the Land of Canaan Levit. 25.23 The Land shall
of the worth of it sell it not but keepe it still rather then make a fooles bargaine and to be made the laughing stocke of men and Angels Secondly to sell the Truth it is to make a profane bargaine and it is a manifest evidence of a profane heart Heb. 12.15 Looke diligently least any man fall from the grace of God that is lest any man sell the Truth they are the same thing What if any man doe sell the truth and fall from the Doctrine of Grace Lest there be any profane person as Esau was who for one morsell of meat sold his birth-rights Marke then that that man that sells the truth and falls off from it is such another profane person as Esau was and is guilty of the same profanenesse that he was Esaus profanenesse what was it not onely in this that hee sold such a priviledge at so despicable a price that indeed aggravates his profanenesse but in that hee sold spirituall things for temporall things The selling of his birth-right was the selling of his title to and hope of Heaven This to doe is profanenesse and this they doe that sell the Truth for ease preferment liberty life c. They sell spirituall things for temporall ones they sell their right to and hope of Heaven for outward things And thus are they guilty of making a profane bargaine Thou that sellest the Truth thou makest Esaus bargaine and shewest thy selfe as profane a wretch as Esau was Thirdly to sell the Truth it is to make a dangerous bargaine Ezek. 7.12 Let not him that selleth mourne but no man hath more cause to mourne then he that sells the Truth that man may come home by weeping crosse That as Salomon speakes in that case Prov. 11.26 Hee that with-holdeth Corne the people shall curse him but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it So here contrarily Hee that holds and keepes fast the truth God himselfe shall blesse him but cursing shall be upon the head of him that sells it It is that which will bring a curse with it and therefore a dangerous sale Dangerous in these respects First Such as doe make Merchandise of the truth and sell it and once part with it they seldome or never recover it againe That 's Gods curse upon them for selling that they shall never redeeme or buy it more A man that sells his inheritance it is seldome seene that ever hee comes to buy it againe And yet it is possible and falls out oft in the World that a man sells his house and Land and lives to redeeme and buy it againe But when a man hath sold the truth hath played the voluntary Apostata by falling from Religion whose experience can give an example of any one that ever recovered againe and repented and received and embraced the truth againe That 's commonly Gods curse upon such since yee have sold it yee shall sell it for ever you shall never have the commodity againe That as in that sense the Prophet speakes Eze. 7.13 The seller shall not returne to that which is sold So in this case God in wrath makes it good upon the sellers of the Truth such sellers shall not returne to that which they have sold but as they have parted with the truth so they and the truth shall be parted for ever They are irreducible irrecoverable by the Ministery of the Word Hos 11.7 And my people are bent to backe-sliding from mee though they called them to the most High none at all would exalt him Secondly Such as sell the Truth God will sell them and they themselves shall be sold And that First They shall be sold over to sinne sold to be bond slaves and servants to all wickednesse That as it is said of Ahab 1 Reg. 21.25 Hee did sell himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord. There was none like unto him So it is true often of the sellers of the Truth that when men have once bought the Truth and then sell it againe they have once profest the Truth and Religon and then decline and fall off they grow so wicked so vile so base in their courses that there are none like them they be men sold over to sinne to commit wickednesse with greedinesse The house fell sayes Christ and the fall of that house was great If these men sayes Moses dye the common death of men c. So these men fall not the common falls sinne not the common sinnes of men but prove the most transcendent outragious sinners of all other men None so loose none so notorious drunkards adulterers non so bitter and pestilent persecutors of the Truth as they Dan. 11.30 There were forsakers of the Covenant sellers of the Truth and what proved they vers 32. wicked doers against the Covenant Psal 53.3 Every one of them is gone backe back from the truth were sellers of the truth And what proved they they are altogether become filthy They prove filthy fellowes filthy drunkards filthy adulterers filthy scoffers filthy persecutors Thus men that have sold the Truth are sold to worke wickednesse in the sight of God and men Secondly they shall be sold over into the hand and power of their enemies When men sell Truth they sell God and when men sell God God will sell them and as Psal 44.12 Thou sellest thy people for nought We shall never finde God threatning to sell his people or selling them but when they had first sold the Truth Hee threatens to sell them Deut. 28.6 8. There yee shall be sold unto your enemies for bond-men and bond-women But this threatning is upon their forsaking God and his truth and the purity of Religion and their falling off to superstition and Idolatry And when hee did sell them why was it but because they had first sold the Truth Deut. 32.30 32. How should one chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight except their rocke had sold them and the Lord had shut them up For their vine is of the vine of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorrah their grapes are grapes of gall their clusters are bitter And so Judg. 3.7 8. And the children of Israel did evill in the sight of the Lord and forgat the Lord their God and served Balaaim and the groves Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel and hee sold them into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim King of Mesopotamia and the children of Israel served Cushan-Rishathaim eight yeeres And Judg. 4.1 2. And the children of Israel againe did evill in the sight of the Lord when Ehud was dead And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin King of Canaan that reigned in Hazor the Captaine of whose host was Sisera which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles It is an hainous thing to sell a righteous man for silver the poore for a paire of shooes Am. 2.6 And that which brings heavy judgements upon a Nation how much more will it bring
is to keepe the fire burning It is a fond thing for a man to quench his fire and then thinke to keepe himselfe still warme It is no wonder that this man complaines of cold that hath let his fire goe out or hath himselfe quench'd and extinguisht it And thus we have the coherence of these words with the former Now for the words Quench not the spirit In them there is a Metaphor and a Metonymie The metaphor in the word Quench Quenching properly is of fire when the light and heate of fire is abated and put out wee use to say it is quenched And hence is this word borrowed to signifie the abating decaying or extinguishing of the spirit The Metonymie is in the word Spirit Spirit is taken I. For the essence of the Deity So John 4. God is a Spirit It is not so taken here II. For the third person in the Trinity the Holy Ghost 1 John 5.7 The Father the Word and the holy Spirit This is not meant here III. For the gifts of the Spirit And thus it is here meant Quench not the gifts and graces of the Spirit Now the Spirit in this sense is taken diversly 1. First for the gift of Prophesie 1 Sam. 10.6.10 Then the Spirit of the Lord shall come upon thee And the spirit of the Lord came upon him viz. upon Saul 2. For Gifts and Abilities to discharge any calling whether it bee extraordinary or heroicall and this is called the Spirit of fortitude and courage Judg. 14.6 The spirit of the Lord came upon Sampson Judg. 3.10 Vpon Othniel and upon Saul against Nahash 1 Sam. 11.6 Or whether it bee ordinary gifts of government by which a man is fitted for Magistracy 1 Sam. 10.6 or for Ministeriall gifts Or for art and skill in any mechanicall trade Exod. 31.3 Bezaliel was filled with the Spirit of God to finde out curious workes to worke in gold 3. For the gifts and common graces of Illumination as knowledge of the doctrine of religion understanding of the truthes of the Gospel and other such common graces as Reprobates may have Thus it is taken Heb. 4.6 have tasted of the heavenly gift and made partakers of the holy Ghost That is if they had their understandings inlightned their judgemēts convinced of the Gospel if they were inlightned by the work of the Spirit of God 4. Fourthly It is taken for the graces of sanctification for the sanctifying gifts of the spirit And therefore it is that the name of the spirit is given to diverse graces as Isa 11.2 The spirit of meeknesse Ephes 1.17 The spirit of faith 1 Cor. 4.13 And the spirit of love 2 Tim. 1.17 that is the gift of meeknesse faith love infused by the Holy Ghost Now concerning these graces of sanctification we must remember two Distinctions Distinct 1. Some sanctifying graces are radicall originall fundamentall graces primary graces as they may be called which are the immediate worke of the spirit as faith hope love others are secondary graces issuing and flowing from these which though the Spirit workes too yet it workes by these such is joy which arises from faith Rom. 14. Fill your hearts with joy in all beleeving such is confidence arising from hope such is zeale and fervour of spirit arising from love These are as it were the lustre the shine the radiancy of the radicall fundamentall graces They are the flame of them There is a difference between the coales of fire that lye on the harth and the flame of the fire which is kindled from the coals on the harth When a mans faith causes joy then faith flames when his hope breedes confidence then hope flames and when a mans love makes him zealous then his love flames and burnes out They are like the body of the Sunne and the beames of the Sunne Faith Hope Love they the body Joy Confidence Zeale they the beames of the Sunne 2. Distinct Wee must consider in the sanctifying graces of the Spirit 3. things 1. There are the gifts themselves the habits infused the habits of faith hope and love 2. There is the use and exercise and act of them 3. There are the degrees and severall measures of them 4. The Spirit of God signifies the motions and holy suggestions of the spirit those gracious excitements to dutie The Spirit blowes where it listeth The motions of the spirit are the breathings and the blasts of it And this is also here meant Now seeing what Spirit signifies we are to inquire in what sense and after what sort the Spirit may be quenched Quenched it may be or else the counsell is in vaine not to quench it And againe if it may be quenched it may be an uncomfortable thing what comfort can a man have in having Gods Spirit if it may be lost what comfort to have this fire kindled in our hearts if so be it be a quenchable fire Therefore for the clearing of this point wee must know 1. First take the Spirit for the spirit of prophecie that may be quencht and lost and so for the gifts of government Ministery c. This Spirit may be quenched A man may have such gifts much decayed and abated yea a man may wholly lose such gifts As it is said of Saul that the spirit of the Lord came upon him so it is said of him that ihe Spirit of the Lord departed from him 1 Sam. 16.14 Secondly Take the Spirit for the gifts common graces of illumination and so the spirit may be quencht and utterly extinguished so as such may quite lose that grace that look'd like grace and came very neere a saving grace If they fall away Heb. 6. Therefore men may have all that there is spoken of which fall away Thirdly take the Spirit for the sanctifying Spirit and then make use of this first distinction And according to it the radicall and fundamentall graces of the spirit such as faith hope love cannot be wholly totally extinguished where once they are wrought in the heart but yet their lustre their radiancie their shine and flame may bee quenched A man though he cannot lose his faith yet he may lose and want and quench his joy A man though he cannot lose his hope yet may lose his comfort and confidence A man though he cannot lose his love yet may coole his zeale and fervour Wee see in a fire the wood may bee burnt out and so the flame abated and quite quenched but yet there remains still an heap of coales on the harth and there may be a good fire still though the flame be quenched The beames of the Sunne doe not alwayes shine out a cloud may be interposed that may intercept the beames of the Sun and the bright and comfortable radicie and splendour of them but yet the body of the Sunne is in heaven still though the beames be intercepted So joy confidence zeale may for a time be quenched lost abated but though the flame of these be downe and the
one that sinnes against the Holy Ghost begins his sin at quenching the spirit These five bee the five stayres downe to Hell and to damnation unquestionable And this sinne of the quenching the spirit is the first stayre of the fire A danger able to make our hearts tremble Is it not dangerous to step one stayre downe towards Hell If thou wilt adventure to goe downe one step what canst thou tell but thou mayst goe downe the second the third c. If thou wilt adventure to quench the spirit thou mayst come to the sinne of grieving the spirit and when thou hast urged it thou mayst come to despight the spirit of grace And when thou art there where art thou then As surely damn'd as irrecoverably gone as if thou wert in Hell already Would we then avoid the danger of that sinne of despighting why then take heede of vexing if not vex take heed of resisting if not resist take heede of grieving if of grieving take heede of quenching Hee that keepes himselfe from quenching shall never come to a despighting of the spirit of grace But if thou wilt be too bold to meddle with the first take heed that thou come not to the last 5. Fifthly the quenching of Gods spirit and the fire of it will prove the kindling of the fire of GODS wrath 1. First it may kindle the fire of his wrath to bring temporall judgements As when a Nation and a Church shall quench the spirit shall forsake the truth of God and the zealous profession of his Name such a quenching will kindle a fire that will not be quenched See 2 Reg. 22.17 Because they have forsaken mee and have burnt incense unto other gods that they might provoke mee to anger with all the workes of their hands therefore my wrath shall bee kindled against this place and shall not bee quenched Gods Spirit you may quench but yee cannot so easily quench the fire of his wrath that will consume a Nation with temporall judgements 2. Secondly it may kindle the fire of his wrath to bring spirituall judgements in the removall of his Ordinances of his Ministers Ephesus quenched the spirit Apoc. 2.4 I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love Thou hast quenched the spirit in that thou hast not that zeale and fervency in the profession of the Gospel c. Well what followes Lest I come and remove thy Candle-sticke vers 5. As if hee should say Because thou hast quenched the spirit therefore I will quench the Candle and the light of the Ministry Hezekiah complaines that the Lampes of the Temple were quencht 2 Chron. 29. God doth it often hee causes the Lampes and lights of the Temple to be quencht and people they complaine of it and finde fault with it But let them consider whilst they complaine of others whether they have not most cause to complaine of themselves Have not they quencht the spirit have not they quencht their love to and zeale for the truth therefore it is just with God to quench light as you quench heate You put out the Lampe of the spirit therefore God puts out the Lampes of the Temple As you feare this so look that you keep the spirit burning and you shall keepe the Lampes burning But quench the spirit and looke for it and bee sure of it God will quench the Candles and remove the Candle-sticke 3. Thirdly it may and will kindle the fire of his wrath in eternall judgements Did yee never reade of a fire that shall never be quencht that can never be quencht If not see Mark 9.43.46.48 into the fire that shall never be quencht Now then if ye will make no conscience of quenching the Spirit yet remember there is a fire that shall never be quencht And that the quenching of the fire of the Spirit puts you in danger of bringing you into the fire of Hell that shall never be quencht If you can quench the fire of Hell then quench the spirit and feare not But if when you have quencht the fire of the Spirit you cannot quench the fire of Hell then as you feare the vnquenchable fire of Hell so feare the Quenching of the Spirit FINIS THE HEART-SMITTEN SINNER'S SVITE FOR PARDON By IER DYKE Minister of Epping PSAL. 21.1 For thy names sake O Lord pardon mine iniquitie for it is great Rogandus est deus ut nos aspiciat avertat autem faciem suam a peccatis nostris ut deleat ea Quae enim non aspicit delet quae deleverit ea a memoria sepelientur Ambros Lib de Apolog. David cap. 8. LONDON Printed by Tho Paine for Iohn Rothwell and are to be sold at the Sun in Pauls Church-yard 1640. THE HEART-SMITTEN SINNERS SVITE FOR PARDON 2 SAM 24.10 And now I beseech thee O Lord take away the iniquity of thy servant WEE read in these two Books of Samuel that Davids heart twice smote him once 1 Samuel 24. and another time in this 2 Samuel 24. there before here after the Lord had set him upon the Throne of his Kingdome there for cutting off the skirt of Sauls garment here for the numbring of the people And Davids heart smote him saith the Text after that hee had numbred the people Which smiting of Davids heart here is me thinks most like to the smiting of Moses when hee smote the Rocke Numb 20.11 whereupon the water came out abundantly so here Davids heart had no sooner smote him but the water came out abundantly hee thereupon First confessing his sinne when hee said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done Wherein you see First peculiarity in respect of the object person to whom hee made confession which was not Gad though a Prophet and his Seer but the Lord And David said unto the Lord I have sinned Secondly Particularity in respect of the object thing the sinne hee made confession of when hee said unto the Lord I have sinned in that I have done Thirdly impartiallity towards himselfe the delinquent in the thing And David said unto the Lord not I have sinned only or I have sinned in that I have done but I have sinned greatly Secondly upon such his confession hee falls immediately to deprecation and begging pardon of sinne the second thing that his hearts smiting of him wrought upon him here And now I beseech thee O Lord take away the iniquity of thy servant Where you see the substance of his deprecation is the taking away of his iniquity Take away that is Lord pardon and forgive the sinne of thy servant His heart smites him his conscience accuses and prickes him and hee falls to begging of pardon and forgivenesse Whence learne First Doct. That the onely thing that can give ease and quiet to a smiting accusing troubled conscience is the pardon and forgivenesse of sinne Nothing can ease and quiet a troubled and a smiting heart but pardon of sinne As nothing can trouble and pinch the conscience but sinne
and reading the Word some morsell every day and misse not publike meales See 1 King 19.5 7. where the Prophet Eliah was by the Angel bidden to eate and hee did so yea though hee had eaten but just before yet hee goes to it againe the second time being bidden a second time If thou have eaten in the morning yet if God call to it a second time eate againe in the afternoone If thou have eaten on the Sabboth yet if God give opportunity and liberty eate also on the weeke day The Word is to be eaten and eating must bee frequent and often FINIS THE PVRCHASE AND POSSESSION OF THE TRVTH By IER DYKE Minister of Epping in Essex MATTH 13.45 46. The Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a Merchant man seeking goodly pearles Who when he had found one pearle of great price hee went and sold all that hee had and bought it August de Verb. Dom. Ser. 5. Laudas mercatorem qui vendit plumbum acquirit aurum non laudas mercatorem qui erogat pecuniam acquirit justitiam LONDON Printed by Tho. Paine for L. Fawne and S. Gellibrand at the brazen Serpent in Paules Church-yard 1640. THE PVRCHASE AND POSSESSION OF THE TRVTH PROV 23.23 Buy the Truth and sell it not c. FRom the 19. to the 29. verse of this chapter the Prophet endevours to fence men from the danger of two common and foule sinnes drunkennesse and whoredome Against drunkennesse vers 19 20 21. Against whoredome in the residue In which passage this one thing may be observed Dehorting from drunkennesse he prefaces thereto onely in one verse vers 19. but dehorting from whoredome hee prefaces to that counsell in five verses vers 22. to 26. It is the more hainous evill of the time and of more mischievous consequence It is a sinne to which our nature is more prone and inclinable and therefore to keepe men off from it he makes the hedge the stronger In this Preface hee gives such counsells as being listned to may prove strong preservatives against the poyson of that pestilence One is that vers 22. Respect and obedience to parents holy counsels Those hearkned to would be speciall meanes to save men out of those snares Another in this verse which is an exhortation to the study and acquisition of godlinesse grace and Religion with which the heart being effectually seasoned it would in speciall manner save a man from that sinne And so it suites with that Prov. 2.10 11 12 16 17. When wisedome entreth into thine heart and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soule Discretion shall preserve thee understanding shall keepe thee To deliver thee from the way of the evill man from the man that speaketh froward things To deliver thee from the strange woman even from the stranger which flattereth with her words Which forsaketh the guide of her youth and forgetteth the covenant of her God Wisdome and truth godlinesse and grace will preserve both from the evill man and the evill woman Thus this verse stands in coherence with the others Take the words now in themselves considered and they are an exhortation to stirre up men to bestirre themselves with all paines and diligence to get knowledge godlinesse grace c. for that is comprehended under truth wisdome c. As if he had said Let it be your maine care and labour to get the knowledge of the truth to get grace and Religion into your hearts And this counsell is laid downe under a metaphor Buy the truth by which he implyes with what desire and affection and cost it should be sought that men should so looke after it and seeke to compasse it as men use to doe after commodities of use and worth Those men will buy for those men will trade and lay out their mony that they may get the possession of them So here hee would have them so affected to the truth that they should trade for it be at paines and cost for the compassing and getting of it And when they have once gotten and purchased this commodity they should by no meanes part with it againe but hold and keepe it fast sell it not When once men have made the bargaine and gotten this good penny-worth by no meanes part with it againe part with it upon no termes what price soever is offered for it So then here be two things in these words 1. A precept Buy the truth 2. A prohibition Sell it not First to to begin with the precept Buy the truth also wisdome instruction and understanding or as some translate Buy the truth of wisdome c. Buy the truth I but what truth or what doe you meane by truth That truth which is of wisdome of instruction of understanding the truth that is in piety godlinesse religion Tit. 1.1 and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godlinesse That truth wisdome understanding Doct. godlinesse grace and religion are not to be had for nothing It is the duty of every one to use all meanes and diligence to get the truth to be willing to be at the cost of all paines and diligence for the buying and compassing the truth wisdome godlinesse c. These are commodities which will not be had without cost They are commodities that will not fall into mens mouthes but they must be bought Hee sayes not Take the truth as if it might be had for taking up but buy the truth there must be a price given for it and men must be at cost before they can have it See how Araunah speakes to David 2 Sam. 24.22 Let my Lord the King take and offer up what scemes good unto him c. and see Davids answer vers 24. Nay but I will surely buy it of thee at a price neither will I offer of that which doth cost me nothing So here many it may be would be content to have these things if they might have them for stooping and taking up Nay but they must buy it at a price God forbid that we should think to have truth for that which doth cost us nothing It must cost men a price and a good round price too Buy the truth And this is that we have elsewhere Prov. 4.5 Get wisdome get understanding and vers 7. With all thy gettings get understanding It is the selfe-same word that is used here and may be as it is by some translated Buy wisdome buy understanding and with all thy gettings buy understanding Get it say some Buy it say others it all comes to one for it is to be gotten with buying The way to get it is to buy it It is not a commodity that goes a begging it must be bought before it can be got It is the counsell that Christ gives Apoc. 3.18 I counsell thee to buy of me Gold tryed in the fire Could not Christ give it as a matter of Almes No hee will have it bought or they shall goe without it He doth not say I counsell thee to take gold of mee
but to buy gold of mee hee will have men draw and draw deep too before they have it It is that is called for Isa 55.1 Come ye buy and eate buy Wine and milk It is not enough to come and looke and gaze upon this commodity to praise and commend it no not enough to bid for it and offer for it but wee must strike through the bargaine and buy it A man may bid and not buy but wee must bid and buy both So Matth. 13.44 The man that findes the treasure in the field goes and buyes the field Hee doth not wish hee had the field he doth not bid money for the field and then leave it but hee goes thorow with the bargaine hee buyes and purchases the field And vers 45 46. The Merchant when bee finds a pearle of great price hee buyes it Christians should be Merchants men that drive a trade When commodities are set forth in Marts and Fayres yee have many country people will come and gaze upon them and will cheapen and be asking the prices though they never meane to buy them They will cheapen pearles and jewels c. onely to know their worth and prices but now when a Merchant comes he cheapens and buyes So Christians driving a trade for Heaven and being Merchants they must buy those pearles buy those commodities that are set to sale There be foure things that may make a man willing to buy the truth The same things that make men willing to lay out their money for other commodities First it is a necessary and usefull commodity Indeed things that a man hath no need of no use of hee hath no minde to buy or to lay out his money for them It is no providence nor good husbandry to buy such things as hee hath no need or use of Joh. 13.29 Buy those things that we have need of If a man want bread want clothing for him and his hee is willing to lay out his money and to buy them because these things hee hath need of Necessity forces him to buy these So here the truth is a necessary commodity an usefull commodity It was when Christ was dispersing and many hearing the Word of truth that Christ spake that speech One thing is needfull As if he had said Thou thinkest much at Mary that shee is at this market that she is buying this commodity but blame her not it is a needfull commodity and therefore shee doth well to buy it It is as necessary as Heaven and salvation it selfe 1 Tim. 2.4 Who will have all men to be saved I that men like well but marke what followes and to come unto the knowledge of the truth Marke then there is no comming to salvation till men come to the knowledge of the truth The Truth must be had before Heaven can bee had Truth therefore being so needfull a commodity and so usefull there is great reason we should be forward to buy it and to be at cost for it There is a necessity of buying it and of being at cost for it Apoc. 3.18 I counsell thee to buy of me white rayment that thou mayst be cloathed and that the shame of thy nakednesse doe not appeare There is a necessity of clothing a necessity of covering ones nakednesse therefore a necessity of buying knowledge grace religion godlinesse being things of such necessary use men must be at cost and charges for them men ought to buy them Secondly it is a profitable commodity a gainefull commodity there is much to be gotten and gained by the buying of it Hee that trades in this commodity shall never be a loser by it nay hee shall be a great saver and gainer by it 1 Tim. 6.6 Godlinesse is great gaine If it were but gaine it were somewhat and it were enough to crosse the conceit of the world that counts godlinesse losse and hindrance but that is not all it is great gaine it brings in great returnes rich returnes it brings in such advantage as makes a man Thirty and forty in the hundred are counted great gaines in trading but this buying and trading brings in greater by farre Matth. 19.27 29. Then answered Peter and said to him Behold we have forsaken all and followed thee what shall wee have And whosoever shall forsake houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my Names sake hee shall receive an hundred fold more and shall inherite everlasting life As if hee had said Lord we have beene at great cost and great charges to buy the truth what shall wee have what gaine will our adventure bring us in what shall wee get by the buying of this commodity Christ answers Every one that hath forsaken c. shall receive an hundred fold Where marke that the gaine is not one for an hundred but an hundred for one as if a man should lay out a pound and gaine an hundred pound by laying out one The gaine of buying this commodity is like the gaine that Isaac had by sowing Gen. 26.12 Who received in the same yeere an hundred fold And marke againe that it is not in this trading and buying as it is in buying and trading in other commodities We see in other trading in the World and buying that some men grow very rich gaine great estates but yet many get little many lose and are undone by trading But now it is not so here And every one sayes Christ that hath forsaken c. shall receive an hundred fold This commodity bought makes all gainers gainers an hundred fold in in this life Every Merchant of this Company is a gaining Merchant There is a three-fold profit or gaine to be had by buying the Truth First a mans spirituall freedome from the captivity and bondage of Satan and lust Joh. 8.32 Yee shall know the truth Know the truth And what shall we get by that truth And the truth shall make you free Wee see that many will give good summes to buy the freedome of the City As Act. 22.28 With a great summe bought I this freedome viz. of the City of Rome So that hee that buyes the truth buyes his freedome hee gaines his freedome by the bargaine his freedome from the thraldome of his lust his freedome from the slavery of Satan See 2 Tim. 2.25 26. If God at any time will give them repentance that they may know the truth And that they may come to amendment out of the snare of the devill which are taken of him at his will Secondly Riches The buying of the Truth makes a man rich Prov. 3.13 Blessed is the man that findeth wisdome and the man that getteth understanding Happy is hee that buyes this commodity But why vers 14. For â—he merchandise thereof is better than the merchandise of silver and the gain thereâ—f is better then gold and vers 16. Riâ—hes are in her left hand It many times â—ings in earthly riches for godlinesse â—ath the promises of this life and the
life to come But that matters not To be sure it makes spiritually rich Apoc. 3. The Church of Laodicea thought shee was rich but she was poore Well Christ will teach her a course to become rich But what course is that Shee must fall to trading and to buying to the buying of truth of grace vers 18. I counsell thee to buy of me gold But what shall wee be the better for buying it It is a commodity if yee buy it will enrich you will make you to buy of mee gold that thou mayst bee rich So that the way to fetch in the gaine of spirituall riches is to be buying this gold It is a trading then wee see that is gainefull it will gaine spirituall riches Thirdly Life and happinesse Pro. 3.18 Shee is a Tree of life to them that lay hold upon her So that here is that should make us willing to buy the truth and be at cost for it and to come off roundly for it too in that it is so profitable and gainefull a commodity If a man sees a commodity in the Market that will yeeld profit that will bring him in gaine hee need not be intreated to buy it hee will be sure to lay hold on it to fasten upon it hee will have it though hee borrow the money to buy it Gainefull commodities use not to hang in hand but they are presently snatcht up there is catching at such commodities to buy them The truth therefore being a commodity in which there is gaine and advantage to be had what ever it cost what ever be the price buy it lose not the buying of a gainefull commodity What shall it profit a man to gaine the whole world and lose his owne soule Hee that makes such a bargaine makes but a losing bargaine And so what shall it endammage a man to lose to give the whole world and to gaine his owne soule He that makes such a bargaine makes a saving a gaining bargaine Hee that buyes the truth though hee give the whole world for it makes a gaining bargaine because he gaines his soule and Heaven by it Thirdly it is a pretious commodity of great worth and excellency Prov. 3.13 14 15. Blessed is the man that findeth wisdome and the man that getteth understanding For the merchandise thereof is better then the merchandise of silver and the gaine thereof is better then gold It is more precious then pearles and all things that thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her See Job 28.12 16 19. But where is wisdome found and where is the place of understanding It shall not be valued with the wedge of gold of Ophir nor with the pretious Onix nor the Saphir The Topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equall unto it neither shall it be valued with the wedge of pure gold Matth. 13. The Merchant seekes pearles and he findes one pearle of great price of great value and worth It is no vile and paltry commodity but a commodity very pretious And therefore worth the buying Things that bee vile who will buy them refuse stuffe none will lay out money about them But when things are pretious and excellent their excellency tempts men to buy What made the Merchant in the Parable to sell all that he had and to buy the pearle It was a great price to give all that hee had it seemes to cost exceeding deere To have given halfe that he had one would thinke had been enough but he gives all that he hath to buy it And what was the reason It was a pearle and it was a pearle of great price so Truth being a pearle and a pearle of great price lose not the buying of so pretious a commodity Fourthly It is a commodity we can never be over-reacht in we cannot be cheated and cosend in A man is over-reacht and cosend in buying when hee gives more for a commodity than it is worth when the commodity bought and the price given have no proportion are not of equall value the buyer hath not a pennyworth for his penny Gen. 23.15 The land is worth foure hundred shekels of silver So long as the land was worth it Abraham could not have an hard bargaine could not bee over-reacht in it could have no cause to repent him though hee gave foure hundred shekels of silver The land was worth it so here in buying the Truth a man shall bee sure not to bee over-reacht he shal be sure not to be pincht with an hard bargaine because let it cost what it will let the price be never so high let a man give what he will yet the truth is worth it and a man shall be sure to have a pennyworth for his penny Prov. 3.15 All the things thou canst desire are not to be compared to her Prov. 8.11 For Wisedome is better than precious stones and all pleasures are not to be compared unto her The highest price that can be set is disproportionable to the worth of it is beneath the value of the commodity Iob 28.17 Though it be a necessary commodity a profitable gainefull commodity a precious commodity yet at any price it is set at it is a cheape commodity and the price is low A man cannot be over-reacht when the commodity is necessary profitable precious and yet the price low How can a man be over-reacht where the commodity is profitable and cheape both Now this commodity as it is well worth all our paines endevours costs so all we can doe and give it is but cheape it is but an easie low price Is 55.1 Come buy wine and milke without money and without price that is without any meritorious price as he that gives the money and the price that a commodity is worth in point of commutative Justice deserves to have the commodity and it is Injustice to hold it from him Thus wee must buy without price because no man can give a meritorious price to God for Grace and Heaven Buy without price that is without meritorious price or else thus to our present purpose It is true that Truth must bee bought with a price and with a great price but yet the greatest price that is is so beneath the commodity that it is no price As we say of a cheape commodity that is bought for little that it is no price Ten thousand pound is a great summe of money an huge summe but for a man to buy ten thousand pound a yeer for the price of ten thousand pound it is but one yeares purchase it is no price ten thousand pound is no mony no price to ten thousand pound a yeere It is a great deale of paines and cost that a man must bee at to get the Truth to get Christ and Grace but the worth of the commodity considered and the transcendency of the value of it above cost and paines all our cost and paines is no money is no price And how can a man bee over-reacht or have an hard bargaine when he hath a
of earnestnesse and contention of spirit Cold formall dead-hearted prayer is not Gods price it is too low a price to fetch so rich a commodity What must I give you say wee when wee come to buy a commodity So if wee would know here My sonne give mee thine heart In prayer for grace give God thine heart The tongue the lippes the voyce is too low a price God must bee prayed to seriously with the heart Is that all No there is more yet that same Psal 119.145 I cryed with my whole heart That 's the whole price and full price in the point of prayer Not some of the heart but the whole heart must bee given to God in this duty It is not enough to heare the Word to get grace and the truth but men must so heare as God requires with such preparation with such affection with such attention with such after endeavours as God commands Ezek. 40.4 Sonne of man behold with thine eyes and heare with thine eares and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee Eyes and eares and heart must all be set on worke in the duty Those Ezek. 33. heard the Word but they gave not the full price the price that God asked Their hearts were running after their covetousnesse It is not enough to reade but it must be such reading as God requires that will helpe a man to the truth and to grace It must be reading with industry diligence heedfulnesse and much paines-taking Therefore Christ bids us not barely Reade the Scriptures but to search the Scriptures A man must set his head and his heart on worke both in reading the Word Prov. 2.4 5. If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for treasures Then shalt thou understand the feare of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God There is the full price What paines doe men take to seeke and search for treasures hid in the earth for silver in the Mynes They dig thorow rockes dig wonderfull deepe follow every veyne and search every cranny where the silver lyes It costs a great deale of paines and labour in searching and digging for silver and so it must cost a great deale of paines and industry in the reading of the Word and searching of the Scriptures that 's Gods full price in this particular if we will buy the truth Slight and overly formall use of these meanes are not price enough to buy the truth If a man aske ten pounds for a commodity and one bid him but tenne pence hee cannot buy that commodity The buyer and seller will never meete at such a distance God hee askes diligence painfulnesse industry and labour of spirit in the use of meanes Now if wee come with our dead and cold formalities and make prayer but a lip-labour hearing but an eare-labour reading but an eye-labor this is to offer God but ten pence nay but ten tokens when hee sets the price ten pounds And they that come so short of Gods price are never like to buy God must have his full price his whole price and they are never like to buy that doe not give him his whole price that offer him not halfe his price Here is that which keepes men off from buying because they are loth to goe to the full price to bee at all that paines that must be taken in the use of the meanes If prayer hearing reading would doe it they would not stick at that but if so much paines and labour must bee taken in these they thinke it too deare at such prices rates they will forbeare See Prov. 24.7 Wisedome is too high for a foole It is too high prizd in a fooles conceit and therefore he buyes it not The Wise-man speakes in the fooles language Wisedomes in the plurall are too high As if he had said fooles when they look upon this commodity of wisedome Oh say they it is Wisedomes oh what a multitude is there of these truthes what a deale of paines will it require to know all these things and besides They be high points deepe matters what a deale of study what beating of a mans braines will they aske what a deale of striving in prayer before wee shall attain to them there is no medling with them as good goe without them as take them at such a deare price And thus fooles lose a good bargaine because they thinke it too deare upon those tearmes because they will not give the full price It is otherwise with an understanding man that understands the worth of Truth Prov. 15.14 The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge Hee seekes or pursues it There bee many difficulties to be overcome ere he can have it it will cost much paines but he yet for all that seekes and pursues after it hee stickes not at that price And againe The heart of him c. seekes Hee doth not onely speake of it or heare others speake of it but his heart and his minde is upon it And though a commodity be deare yet if a man have a minde to it he will have it though he pay the price A man that hath an heart and a minde seeking Truth thogh the price of it be so much pains labour and industry in the use of means yet he will buy it at that price he will give the full price of it So that when he bids us Buy the truth hee bids us not onely pray but pray hard pray earnestly with thy whole heart not onely heare but heare with all diligence attention and intention of spirit not onely reade but reade searchingly diligently This is Gods price this is to give the full price Give that and then wee buy Secondly in a cheerefull parting with and giving for the Truth such things as are deare to us or of price and worth to us These may be referred to three heads First our lusts and corruptions which are deare to us which we count so dearely of as our right hands and our right eyes And yet as deare as they be to us these must bee given and parted with for the getting and buying of the truth Gods full price is that these must bee given and bee all sold and made off to buy this purchase So the merchant that findes the pearle of great price Matth. 13.46 hee goes and sells all that he had and bought it All that hee had was the full price of the pearle and he came to the full price parts with all that hee had and so bought Hee sold not some of that he had that was but a pinne of the price not halfe that hee had that was but halfe the price but hee comes to the full price All that hee had and bought it A man that will have Christ and buy his Truth must part with all his lusts and give them all for this bargaine Some man likes Christ and the Truth so well that hee could bee content to part with this and that lust hee could as Herod
of a love and with a love of the Truth for it selfe To use meanes and use them industriously for the getting of the truth and not sincerely out of a love of the truth but for other ends this is to offer copper and counterfeit coyne and God will not part with his commodity for such coyne Hee will not part with it but for currant money Hee will buy and weigh every peece of our money and when hee findes that men goe about to cheat him with false and counterfeit coyne they shall none of his commodity I consell thee to buy of me gold tryed in the fire We must not thinke to buy gold with copper and brasse but men must give good gold for this gold if ever they meane to have it As hee offers gold tryed in the fire so hee requires gold tryed in the fire 2 Pet. 3.1 2. To stir up your sincere mindes that yee may bee mindefull of the words c. And so men must come with sincere mindes if they would understand the words of the Prophets and come to the knowledge of the truth in the Scriptures Yea when men will be buying with false coyne they shal not only not buy what they would have but they shall forfeit and lose what they seemed to have bought Matth. 13.12 that which hee had seemed to have bought They shall misse of what they would buy and they shall lose what they have bought And therefore David desires of God that hee may have the Truth and the knowledge of it because hee dealt honestly with him paid him current money Psal 119.10 With my whole heart that is with a single and sincere heart have I sought thee and thy truth Oh let mee not wander from thy Commandements let mee not misse of the knowledge of thy Truth Lord here is current money let mee have the commodity Simon Magus offered money for the gift of the Holy Ghost Hee is denyed it because he thought to buy it that way But if hee had offered to buy it another way hee should have beene also denyed it upon that ground Act. 8.21 Thine heart is not right in the sight of God Hee would have had that gift onely to have made an advantage of it to have brought him in money and therefore he offered money therefore he desired not that gift sincerely for the gifts sake So when mens hearts are not right in thē they use meanes and take paines to get knowledge of the Truth not for the love of the Truth but for other by and base ends that they may have credit or advantage by it this is to offer false coyne and their heart is not right and Gods Truth and Grace shall never be bought for false coyne But when the meanes are used used industriously and sincerely it is much to see how freely God will part with his cōmodity to such sincerity will bring in great encreases of the knowledge of the Truth and all other graces The secret of the Lord is with them that feare him Psal 25. When God sees mens hearts sincere in the seeking of the Truth hee will liberally communicate his gifts and graces to them nothing helpes a man to buy such great penny worths as sincerity doth For as men so God loves to trade and deale with such as will deale honestly and will be currant pay-masters will pay currant coyne The fourth thing in which this buying stands is To buy in time and whilst the commodity is to be had A man that meanes to buy a commodity will take his time and his season will be sure to be at the Market and the faire when the commodity is to be had A man that meanes to buy will not misse nor lose the Market day nor the market time Hee will make haste to the market and be sure to take his time because if hee come too late the commodity will be gone and then he cannot buy that hee wants If a man come the day after the fayre and the morrow after the market hee may goe home as wise as hee came Nay if a man come to the market to buy and walke up and downe talke with this body and that If hee goe and sit and talke away the market time in the Ale-house bibbing and twatling with this and that idle companion before hee mindes it the market is over and done and hee cannot buy because the commodity is all gone Hee cannot buy because through negligence and idlenesse hee lost this market time But hee that meanes to buy will doe that first will waite upon his market time will doe that businesse first and then if hee have any spare time hee can spend it upon other lesse necessary imployments So here hee that will buy truth must watch and take his market time must be buying truth whilest truth may be bought There is a buying time and a trading time for truth Eccles 3.1 To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under Heaven And there is a time and a season in which God offers Truth to bee sold in which men may buy it and obtaine it Luc. 19.42 If thou hadst knowne at least in this thy day c. vers 44. Thou knowest not the day of thy visitation This thy day that is this market day in which truth and grace might have beene bought The time of thy visitation that is the market time of Grace There is then a day and a time a market day and a market time a day and time in which Grace and Truth are to be bought 2 Cor. 6.1 2. Wee then as workers together with him beseech you that yee receive not the grace of God in vaine For hee saith I have heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee behold now the accepted time behold now the day of salvation Now then they that will buy the truth must be buying whilest it is market time must be trading for Truth and Grace whilest they may be had must ply their market whilest the market lasts To day if yee will heare his voyce Luc. 12.56 Yee can discerne the face of the skie how is it that yee doe not discerne this time This buying time this selling time this market time It must be a man care that will buy to discern the buying time and to lay hold upon that time and to follow his market close whilest it lasts If men will buy the truth let them not neglect buying whilest God offers to sell doe not trifle away the market time of Grace in following the world and thy lusts First make thy market and when thy market is made and thou hast bought this commodity that spare time thou hast bestow that upon secular businesse of lesse moment A man that will buy the truth when hee sees it is market time must doe as hee speakes Ezra 7. 16 17. And all the silver and gold c. That thou mayest buy speedily with this money
bullockes rammes c. So when wee see it to be market time and the good penny worths of the Gospel are stirring then all the time all the paines all the labour you can finde in all your course offer it willingly as a price that you may buy speedily with your paines and diligence in the use of the meanes knowledge of the truth grace and godlinesse When Christ bid Judas That which thou doest doe quickly the Disciples thought hee had meant That those things were necessary to be bought hee should buy quickly Joh. 13.29 Surely so it must be in this case with all that will buy the Truth That which yee doe doe quickly that which yee buy buy quickly So long as the Gospel is preacht to us so long it is market day buying time Therefore if yee will buy the Truth now now is the time put it not off I will buy to morrow or next weeke or next yeere or at my lives end but buy speedily and buy presently If yee lose the market day and market time yee shall not then buy though yee would The market may be done to morrow the market may be past in another yeere and it will be too late to buy when the market is done See Matth. 25.9 10. c. The foolish Virgins had their oyle to buy when they should have had greatest use of it It was no time to goe to buy oyle when the Bridegroome was come it was too late then whilest they goe to buy then and furnish themselves then the Bridegroome comes and they are shut out of doores Had they bought their oyle when the time of buying was then they had entred Presse men to get grace the knowledge of the truth to be trading now whilest the market time of the Gospel and their life lasts and their answer is all in good time hereafter may serve at the hardest at their death I but then it is no buying time Alas it is an ill time to be catechised in and to be learning the knowledge of the Truth when a man is upon his death bed That 's the time to spend oyle not to buy oyle It is then dying time not buying time it is ill buying when a man is dying If a man be to buy then the doore of heaven will be shut upon him before hee can returne from the shops In vaine shall men seeke the truth and grace and to be taught when the day of grace is past that would not take and buy it whilest the market of the preaching of the Gospel was on foot See Joh 8.21 When the market is done and over then yee shall seeke to buy and all the world if yee had it yee would give to buy the Truth and ye shall not buy but yee shall dye and dye in your sinnes It is not in the markets of the Gospel as it is with other markets Wee see many will put off buying in other markets till toward the end of the market till men have some commodity lye upon their hands and there be but few left to buy and then they make account at the latter end of the market to buy at lower prices to get better penny-worths And so it oft proves But it will not prove so here the best penny-worths here are to be had at the beginning of the market At the end of the market it is a great venture if any thing will be to bee bought at all or if it be to be bought it cannot be had but at farre dearer prices then it might before If thou doe get any thing it will cost thee double and trebble the price it might have beene had for in the prime of the market If thou get any grace and mercy at thy death that hast neglected it in thy life time and in the time of grace it must be had with farre more struggling sorrowing weeping lamenting repenting then it might have beene had for before God is ever deerer and his prices higher at the latter end of the market then at beginning Vse To condemne men for the neglect of this duty their grosse neglect of buying the Truth God offers men in the Ministery this pretious commodity of the Truth and wooes men to buy it and yet men will scarce looke upon it It is strange to see how dead the markets are growne and how this commodity hangs in our hands that God hath betrusted us with the sale of That shall be a good time when it comes Apoc. 18.11 that no man shall buy Romish merchandise any more when Romes markets shall goe downe and the Whores trading shall decay when men shall buy Pardons Reliques Masses Dirges Agnus Deis hallowed Graynes and such trumpery no more When men shall buy lyes no more An happy thing when the Popes Merchandise shall no more be bought but a sad and wofull thing when men will not buy Gods Merchandise any more As 1 Cor. 7.3 Let them that buy be as though they possessed not as though they bought not That 's commendable in worldly mercature To be sure so men deale here Buy as if they bought not as if they cared not whether they bought or no that 's a miserable thing in trading with God It was made a cause of publike fasting and humiliation amongst the Jewes when trading decayed and grew dead And what is it then when this trading growes dead Prov. 17.16 Wherefore is there a commodity of Truth and Grace in Gods hand and a price a meanes in a fooles hand to get wisdome and truth and he hath not an heart Here is a rich commodity men see the price and have the meanes in their hand and yet have no heart to buy no minde to trade slight the commodity as if not worth looking after When God offers this commodity to buy they shuffle it off they have farmes to buy yoakes of Oxen to buy Luc. 14. they have so many things to buy that they will not buy the Truth I pray thee have mee excused I must lay out my time and paines for other things I have not wherewith to buy this Truth It is miserable to see how cold mens desires are after the Truth Just as Pilate Joh. 18.38 What is Truth A good question but asked with a base oscitancy of spirit hee cares not to know what Truth is but before an answer can be given hee goes his way out and turnes his backe upon Christ Just such respect give me not the Truth Presse them to buy the Truth Why what say they is truth but they care not so much as to heare what the Truth is they ought to buy Some it may be could be content to buy it so it might be at their owne price if now and then a Sermon a Chapter reading a good Booke in a good fit would helpe them to it they would not greatly sticke at it But as Zech. 11.12 13. They weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver And the Lord said cast it to the Potter a goodly
heavie judgement upon a Nation when they sell God and they that sell truth sell God See how God threaens Tyre and Zidon Joel 3.6 7 8. The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians that ye might remove them far from their border Behold I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them and will returne your recompence upon your owne head And I will sell your sonnes and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah and they shall sell them to the Sabeans to a people farre off for the Lord hath spoken it It was an hainous sinne to sell the children of Jerusalem to the Grecians God would be quit with them for it And how heinous is it then to sell truth which is the Daughter of God Surely when men doe sell truth and a Nation doth apostatize from God God will be quit with them hee will sell them into the hands of their enemies they and their children Thirdly such as sell the truth sell their owne soules Get what yee can by selling the truth yet what shall a man give in exchange for his owne soule What if by selling the truth a man could gaine the whole world yet what shall it advantage a man to gaine the whole world and lose his owne soule It is ill selling when a man shall sell to losse but specially it is ill selling when a man shall lose his owne soule by the bargaine Hee loses his soule that sells it hee sells it that sells the truth See Prov. 19.8 He that getteth wisdome that buyes the truth loves his owne soule I but a man may buy truth and sell it away againe may get wisdome and lose it And what then is his soule the better for it Therefore marke what followes He that keepes understanding shall finde good As if he had said Hee that gets wisdome and keepes it hee that buyes truth and sells it not hee loves his owne soule hee saves his owne soule therefore hee that gets it and keepes it not that buyes it and sells it againe hee hates his owne soule hee loses hee damnes his owne soule Iudas hee sold Christ for thirty peeces it was the deerest bargaine that ever man made in selling of Christ hee sold his owne soule hee damned his owne soule by that sale It is the case of every man that sells truth hee that sells truth Iudas-like hee sells Christ and Iudas-like hee loses his owne soule It was death by Law to sell some things as to steal a man and sell him Exod. 21.16 Deut. 24.7 And it is death eternal death to sell the truth They that sell the truth sel God sell Christ and so sell their souls They sell Heaven and buy Hell Quest How may a man keepe himselfe from selling the truth Answ First get the love of the truth into thine heart That man that loves the truth wil never sell the truth and the truth is never sold but it is sold for something that is loved better than the truth A man that sells it for preferment and gaine loves gaine and preferment better then the truth that sells it for life or liberty loves these better then truth Now let a man learne to love the truth better than all worldly things and hee will never sell it for them Psal 119.127 I love thy Commandements above gold yea above fine gold Therefore to be sure hee would rather sell gold for truth then truth for gold Therefore they sold the truth and beleeved lyes 2 Thess 2. Because they received not the truth in love A man that is in love with his house with his land no price will tempt him to sell it If a man have but an horse that hee loves though hee be offered more then hee can be worth yet because hee loves him hee will not part with him Prov. 7.4 Say unto wisdome Thou art my sister and call understanding thy kinswoman A man will not sell his sister because hee loves her Say in in this case as Nehem. 5.8 Wee after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Iewes which were sold unto the Heathen and will you even sell your brethren Our fore-fathers the Martyrs after their ability bought the truth and gave their lives to buy and redeem the truth and we wil even sell the truth which should be as deere to us as our brethren as our sisters Secondly take heed and make conscience of selling Truthes of lesser moment that are not so fundamentall and so necessary Be not over easie to part with them Hee that will over easily part with smaller truthes is in a dangerous preparation to sell maine and substantiall Truthes Hee that will not be brought to sell some small field that lyeth far off from his house hee will never be brought to sell all his whole inheritance But when men begin once to sell here a peice and there a piece it comes to passe at last that the whole followes after the inheritance and mansion house goes and is sold at last Hee that will sell and part with little truthes and not sticke close to them hee will if neede be sit as loose from maine fundamentall Truthes FINIS ERRATA PAge 3. line 22. for this read that p. 11. l. 26. r. the joy of thy salvation p. 18. l. 20. f. both r. holy p. 21. l. 9. f. prayer r. Christ p. ibid. l 24. f. of r. by p 25. l. 25 f. the r. your p. 26 l. 25. f. our r. the. p. 31.22 f. these r. this p. ibid. l. 25. f. where r. when p. 36. l. 2â— dele for p. 38. l. 9. r. to do some good p. ibid. l. 10. f. know r. leave p. 52 l. 8. f. desire r. degree p. 53. 14. 16. f. great r. greater p. 57. l. 18. f. certainely r. contrarily p. 65. l. 14. f. Heb. r. Isay p. 74. l. 14. f. danger r. dampe p. 86. l. 23. f. he made it r. as the word is p. 91. l. 11. f. brazen r. barren p. 117. l. 8. f. their r. these p. ibid. l. 9. f. these r. their times p. ibid. l. 16. f. God r. Gods p. 119. l. 14. f. that r. then p. 147. l. 20. f. fire r. five p. 148. l. 2. f. urged r. grieved p. 157. l. 18. f prickes r. pinches p. 165. l. 26. r. is in debt p. 168. l. 7. f. so r. goe p ibid. l. 8 f. see r. goe p. 169. l. 1. f. that r. all p. 185. l. 14. f Oh. r. Object p 188. l. 19. f. with that of Haman r. in that with Haman p. 203. l. 22. f. the r. his p. 208. l. 1. r. to lay hold p. 215. l. 9. f. learne r. know p. 242. l. 8. f. vers 39. r. 35. p. 250. l. 26. f. loose r. base p. 251. l. 11. r. raigne over them p ibid. l. 12. f. bed r. body p. 261. l. 18. f. disperse r. dispense p. 273. l. 17. f. was r. or as p. ibid. l. 18. f. rules r. reades p. 276. l. 7. f. as r. that is p. 279. l. 5. r. so a signe of spirituall life p. 282 24. f. wasted r. marred p. 284. l. 11. f. cherish r. nourish p. 287. l. 10. r. men say as they Mal. 1.12 p. 291. r. a deceived heart p. 296. l. 2. f. fitted r. filled p. 297. l. 17. r. long coopt p. 306. l. 9. f. time r. two p. 307. l. 26. r. the knowledge of the truth the love of the truth p. 313. l. 13. f. dispersing r. dispensing p. ibid. l. ibid. f. many r. Mary p. 343. l. 14. f. pinne r. piece p. 347. f. good r. goods p. 348. l. 20. f. elleemisynary r. eleemosynary p. 50. l. 2. f. goe r. goes Imprimatur Tho. Wykes September 12. 1639.
fore-fathers godly christians before Luthers time here in England when there was some glimpse of the light of the Gospel they bought the truth though at an high price It is memorable which Mr. Foxe speakes of them They did sit up whole nights in reading and hearing good Bookes read That was one part of the price they gave But they did not onely buy with their paines but with their purses with their goods being at great cost and expences in buying Bookes in English They gave sometimes five markes and more for a good Booke they gave a loade of hay for a few chapters of Saint James or Saint Paul in English It was more money five markes then then ten pound is now What a deale of cost was it to buy such bookes I but it was to buy the truth and good men they thought truth deare at no price nor the meanes of truth too high at any rate It was Gods price then and they shukt not at it Thus is truth to be bought Buy the truth lay out money and stick not at it to maintaine preaching to buy a Bible c. Alas I want money I have so many occasions and the world so hard I cannot be at the charge of maintaining preaching buying Bibles c. Those be the shuckings of earthly hearts that are of Judas minde that the oyntment was wasted that was bestowed upon Christ But suppose there be truth in it yet I say buy the truth and rather then not buy it doe as our Saviour advises Luc. 22.36 He that hath no sword let him sell his coat and buy one So sell thy coate and purchase a Preacher sell thy coate and buy a Bible Thou must come to Gods price if buy Thirdly Our comforts of this life as peace liberty houses lands husbands wives children life it selfe Sometimes truth is at dearer rates then at other times God sometimes raises the price that truth cannot be bought nor had but at these high rates That if a man will have it it may cost him his deerest comforts his very blood and life it selfe Truth was very deare at very high prices in Queene Maries dayes It pleased God that by the raising up Queene Elizabeth a nursing mother in Israel that the prices fell and truth was had at easier and lower rates But yet when truth was at these deare prices in Queene Maries dayes we see the servants of Christ did not sticke to give the price of their blood for it And though it were as much as their lives were worth to be medling with the Truth and the Gospel yet they were content to come to Gods full price to the very highest price of all to part with all the comforts of this life and life it selfe for the truth when God pitched that price And though it be sometimes at lower prices yet that is a price that must be pitcht upon and wee must be willing to give it if God call for it Joh. 8.31 32. Yee shall be my Disciples and yee shall know the truth The knowledge then of the Truth and being a Disciple are both of a price Looke what it will cost to be a Disciple that it may cost to get the truth At what price then is it to be a Disciple Matth. 16. If any man will be my Disciple let him take up his crosse and follow mee So that hee that will bee a Disciple must reckon upon the price of the Crosse and so must hee that will buy the truth for a man must bee a Disciple that will have the truth I confesse this is a sharp price when God calls for it and yet this price must then be given Wee saw before that it is a commodity royally worth what ever God askes for it This men count too high a price and so start at it that they let the bargaine goe They deale just in this case as Boaz his kinsman did in the buying of Naomies land Ruth 4.3 4. Hee said I will redeeme or buy it I but vers 5. Boaz tells him of a condition that goes with the bargaine What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi thou must also buy it of Ruth c. thou must take her to wife c. The man had a good minde to buy the field but when hee heares of that condition hee starts at it vers 6. by no meanes can I buy it lest I marre mine inheritance So when truth is offered unto men to buy it God offers to sell truth to you say his Ministers Buy it therefore and let not such a commodity goe Oh say men wee will buy it with all our hearts I but what day you buy the truth you must make account to take up the crosse make account of losse of liberty c. when men heare that and see the price so high oh say they wee cannot buy it lest wee marre our credit our liberty our houses and lands and our very lives This price is thought too high and thereupon men breake off Those in the parable the stony ground seemed to be very forward to buy the truth but when persecution and tribulation arises because of the Word they are offended they cease trading any longer they like not the buying truth at such smart rates as those If men might have the truth and their credit the truth and their peace ease liberties they could be well content to buy it but if it cannot be bought but upon such hard termes they will none they will stay till it may bee had better cheape And this is the second thing in which is the full price of Truth a willingnesse for truths sake to part with any thing that is deere and pretious The third thing in which this buying stands is in paying current money for it Hee that buyes a commodity and comes with false coyne hee doth not buy but hee cheats Hee is a cheater not a chapman When Abraham bought the field of Ephron the Hittite Gen. 23.16 Hee weighed him foure hundred shekels of silver current money with the Merchant So must God be dealt with all men that will buy his commodity and trade with him must pay him current money Now money that is current must first bee good mettall secondly it must bee weight If a man pay gold the mettall is currant but if gold want weight and be light it will not passe and proves not currant for want of weight If money be weight yet if it be not good mettall be false and counterfeit coyne be brasse and copper be gilded or silver'd brasse that 's not currant But when money is good for the materiall is true silver and true gold and when it is good for the weight then it is currant money And such money must they buy withall that will buy truth and will trade with God for this commodity Now this currant money is not onely to use the meanes and to use them with industry but to use the meanes with industry in sincerity out