A godly and learned exposition or commentary upon the three first chapters of the…A godly and learned exposition or commentarie vpon the three first chapters of the…

III. point. The means whereby these worthy gifts of God may be gotten, is by buying and bargaining: so Christ saith: I counsel thee to buy of me. Where he alludeth to the outward state of this City; for it was rich, and also given to much traffic as Histories record: and therefore he speaks to them in their own kind; as if he should say, you are a people exercised in much traffic, and delighted with nothing more than buying and selling: well, I have wares that will serve your turn; as gold, garments, and oil, therefore come and buy of me. These words must not be understood properly, for so we can buy nothing of Christ; because there is nothing that is good in any, but it proceedeth from the free gift of God in Christ. This is only spoken by way of resemblance to buying and selling; which stands in these points, which are the principal things in bargaining. First, a man sees his want, and desires to have it supplied; and therefore goes to the place where such things are to be sold. Secondly, he seeth the thing and he liketh it. Thirdly, he prizeth and valueth it. Fourthly, he maketh exchange for it, by money or money worth. Fifthly, if it be a great sum, he giveth earnest. So in the getting of Christ, there is a kind of resemblance to all these. First, a man must feel himself, to stand in need of Christ and his merits; because men see want of bread, meat and drink in their houses, therefore do they go to buy the same. Now look how sensibly any man feels these worldly wants; so evidently should we feel our want of Christ, and his merits. For this is the first beginning that causeth us to seek to receive Christ Jesus. Secondly feeling our wants, we should hunger & long after Christ, that we might be made partakers of him & the virtue of his merits: as a man that is to buy a thing doth take a liking thereof, which doth stir up a desire in him to buy; so must we labour to have liking of Christ, which will move us to seek unto him. Isay. 55.1. Hoe, all they that thirst, come and buy: so that none make this bargain, but he that thirsteth. Thirdly we must prize and value Christ above all things in this world, even at so high a rate that we account all things in regard of him to be but lost; yea, even dross & dung: ^cas Paul did, Fourthly we must make exchange, How? we can give Christ nothing but his own? Answ.

III. point. The means whereby these worthy gifts of God may bee gotten, is by buying and bargaining: so Christ saith: I counsell thee to buy of me. Where he alludeth to the outward state of this Citie; for it was rich, and also giuen to much trafficke as Hystories record: and therefore hee speakes to them in their owne kinde; as if he should say, you are a people exercised in much trafficke, and delighted with nothing more than buying and selling: well, I haue wares that will serue your turne; as gold, garments, and oyle, therefore come and buy of mee. These wordes must not bee vnderstood properly, for so wee can buy nothing of Christ; because there is nothing that is good in any, but it proceedeth from the free gift of God in Christ. This is onely spoken by way of resemblance to buying and selling; which stands in these points, which are the principall things in bargaining. First, a man sees his want, and desires to haue it supplyed; and therfore goes to the place where such things are to be sold. Secondly, he seeth the thing and he liketh it. Thirdly, he prizeth and valueth it. Fourthly, he maketh exchange for it, by money or money worth. Fiftly, if it be a great summe, he giueth earnest. So in the getting of Christ, there is a kind of resemblance to all these. First, a man must feele himselfe, to stand in need of Christ and his merits; because men see want of bread, meat and drinke in their houses, therefore doe they goe to buy the same. Now looke how fencibly any man feeles these worldly wants; so euidently should we feele our want of Christ, and his merits. For this is the first beginning that causeth vs to seeke to receiue Christ Iesus. Secōdly feeling our wāts, we shold hunger & long after Christ, that we might bee made partakers of him & the vertue of his merits: as a man that is to buy a thing doth take a liking thereof, which doth stir vp a desire in him to buy; so must we labour to haue liking of Christ, which wil mooue vs to seeke vnto him.