2. As the means of grace is best, and of greatest worth; so it is most necessary for us. What is the reason that men buy commodities? Because they have need of them; as if a man should say, This I must ⟨p. 300⟩have, and I have need of it. Gold is better then silver, and pearls then both; but bread is best of all, for all these must be left for it: a poor man will part with silver and gold, and all for bread, for that he must have. Now, there is nothing so necessary as for the soul to be saved; for if a man want any thing else, he may make a shift; if he be poor, haply his friends be rich, and they will relieve him well; but if the soul have sinned, and is become miserable by reason of sin, oh what hope, what help but only from God! Therefore that is most needful: without it the soul is starved & famished: And what though you have money? yet your soul may perish, and go down to hell. What's that to the soul ⟨p. 301⟩for a man to be rich, or what is that to the soul to have the person applauded, and have abundance of all things, and the poor soul is starved and famished, and wants all things? Me thinks I hear your souls cry out, The body, that's clothed, the house filled, and the shop, that's stored; oh, says the soul, I shall be damned; all is provided for, only I shall smart for it, I shall pay for all, I shall go to hell for it. I beseech you think of it. The time will come when you will prize mercy, and cry out for it. When thou liest on thy death bed, when thou art breathing out thy last breath, then one dram of mercy Lord, and then one dram of faith Lord; then it will be worth a world to thee. Mat. 23. It is said there, the ⟨p. 302⟩foolish Virgins cry out, We have no oil, oh, lend us some; oh then, Lord, open unto us. One day the poor soul will have need of mercy. You see that it is most necessary, then buy it, lest you be forced to borrow and cannot have it. So then there is but one needful thing, Luk. 11. ult. It is not of necessity to be rich, it is not of necessity to be honourable; but oh, this is of necessity, that thy sins should be pardoned, thy person accepted, and thy soul saved.
2. As the meanes of grace is best, and of greatest worth; so it is most necessary for us. What is the reason that men buy commodities? Because they have need of them; as if a man should say, This I must ⟨p. 300⟩have, and I have need of it. Gold is better then silver, and pearls then both; but bread is best of all, for all these must be left for it: a poor man will part with silver and gold, and all for bread, for that he must have. Now, there is nothing so necessary as for the soule to be saved; for if a man want any thing else, hee may make a shift; if he be poor, haply his friends be rich, and they will relieve him well; but if the soule have sinned, and is become miserable by reason of sin, oh what hope, what help but only from God! Therefore that is most needfull: without it the soule is starved & famish'd: And what though you have mony? yet your soul may perish, and goe downe to hell. What's that to the soul ⟨p. 301⟩for a man to bee rich, or what is that to the soule to have the person applauded, and have abundance of all things, and the poore soule is starved and famish'd, and wants all things? Me thinks I heare your soules cry out, The body, that's cloathed, the house filled, and the shop, that's stored; oh, sayes the soule, I shall bee damned; all is provided for, only I shall smart for it, I shall pay for all, I shall goe to hell for it. I beseech you think of it. The time will come when you will prize mercy, and cry out for it. When thou liest on thy death bed, when thou art breathing out thy last breath, then one dram of mercy Lord, and then one dram of faith Lord; then it wil be worth a world to thee. Mat. 23. It is said there, the ⟨p. 302⟩foolish Virgins cry out, Wee have no oyl, oh, lend us some; oh then, Lord, open unto us. One day the poor soule will have need of mercy. You see that it is most necessary, then buy it, lest you bee forced to borrow and cannot have it. So then there is but one needfull thing, Luk. 11. ult. It is not of necessity to be rich, it is not of necessity to be honourable; but oh, this is of necessity, that thy sins should bee pardoned, thy person accepted, and thy soule saved.
