N00348:109
Heavenly merchandiseHeavenly merchandize
Heavenly merchandise; or The purchasing of truth recommended and the selling of it dissuaded; as it was delivered in several sermons upon Prov. 23. 23. / By Samuel Willard, teacher of a church in Boston. ; [Three lines of Scripture text]Heavenly merchandize; or The purchasing of truth recommended and the selling of it disswaded; as it was delivered in several sermons upon Prov. 23. 23. / By Samuel Willard, teacher of a church in Boston. ; [Three lines of Scripture text]
printed by Samuel Green, 1686
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. In order to your making of this purchase, you must come to the Truths Market, with a real purpose to buy it, and that you may thus do, it is requisite that you apprehend, believe and practice such things as these;
1. You must believe that there is such a thing as Truth. Ignorance is an unavoidable ground of negligence; many a man doth therefore live contentedly without a thing, and never so much as makes enquiry after it, because he knows not that there is any such thing to be had, which if he were well informed of, it would be the next thing that he would be laying out for: Now that there is such a Rule by which fallen man be sufficiently directed to the attainment of eternal life; that the sinner is not left under an absolute necessity of perishing, for want of a ⟨p. 85⟩clue to guide him in the right-way to escape the wrath, and obtain the favour of God; that infinite mercy hath not only provided a remedy for all that misery which mans Apostasy hath brought upon the world, but also pointed out the way by which he may come at it, the Scriptures do abundantly assure us; yea Christ affirms it of himself that he is so, John 14. 6. I am the way, the Truth, and the life; and all the counsels and encouragements propounded in the Gospel, are given to this end, to persuade us that this is attainable by us in some way or other.
1. You must believe that there is such a thing as Truth. Ignorance is an unavoidable ground of negligence; many a man doth therefore live contentedly without a thing, and never so much as makes enquiry after it, because he knows not that there is any such thing to be had, which if he were well informed of, it would be the next thing that he would be laying out for: Now that there is such a Rule by which fallen man be sufficiently directed to the attainment of eternal life; that the sinner is not left under an absolute necessity of perishing, for want of a ⟨p. 85⟩