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…

Here we see we are commanded to buy Christ, and to make a bargain with him,¹ whereby we may have right to him and his merits. But how goes the case with the world? surely many come where this bargain is offered, but few there be that buy. We are like to Passengers on the sea, who see many goodly buildings, sumptuous Cities, & fruitful Islands, but they make no purchase of them; they only praise them, as they behold them, and so pass by: so we come and hear the doctrine of Christ and his merits, and approve of the same: but where is the party that maketh this bargain? Come to particular points, and it will appear that few bargain for Christ. For who feels his own misery as he ought? Who perceives himself to stand in such need of Christ as he doth? worldly wants we ⟨p. 210⟩feel and are affected with them, but in regard of spiritual wants, we are senseless; and yet till we truly feel our misery, we never come to make this bargain with Christ. Again, come to our desire & hungering after Christ; In bodily thirst and hunger, we can say; I hunger, or I thirst: but who can say, I hunger & thirst after Christ and his righteousness? Alas, our hearts are full, we feel no want: nay they are dead, we fear none evil; and as for our valuing and esteeming of Christ, we are plain Gadarenes and Esawes, we prefer the world and the basest things therein before Christ. And for the exchange; we are loth to part with our sins, & to put on Christs righteousness. Which plainly shows we make no exchange, and though we be willing to lay heaps of sins on Christ, yet who takes Christs righteousness and declares the same by the fruits thereof. And lastly, for the earnest of the spirit, though some there be that have received it, yet the body of our people as their consciences can tell them, have not received it: for they want knowledge, faith, and other graces.

Here we see we are commanded to buy Christ, and to make a bargaine with him,¹ whereby we may haue right to him and his merits. But how goes the case with the world? surely many come where this bargaine is offered, but few there be that buy. Wee are like to Passengers on the sea, who see many goodly buildings, sumptuous Cities, & fruitfull Ilands, but they make no purchase of them; they only prayse them, as they behold them, and so passe by: so wee come and heare the doctrine of Christ and his merits, and approoue of the same: but where is the partie that maketh this bargaine? Come to particular points, and it will appeare that few bargaine for Christ. For who feeles his own miserie as he ought? Who perceiues himselfe to stand in such neede of Christ as he doth? worldly wants wee