Heavenly merchandiseHeavenly merchandize

Proverbs 23. 23. Buy the Truth, and Sell it not.

The Proverbs of Solomon (not to mention their independency […] which we are often told of; nor yet their singular excellency in couching of much matter in a few words,) are for the manner of their composure, of two sorts: 1. Doctrinal, being delivered in the form of Axioms or Sentences, for the information of the Understanding in many weighty Truths. 2. Hortatory; presented in way of exhortation, or dehortation, to engage the Will and Affections, either to a ⟨p. 2⟩closure with, or an avoidance of such things as are of moment for them so to do. Of the latter sort of these, is this of our Text, and it is compounded of a Counsel, and a Caution. There is something advised to, viz. Buy the Truth; and something dehorted from, i. e. Sell it not. The words are Metaphorical; a form of Speech which the Holy Ghost makes frequent use of in the Holy Scriptures; therein dressing up of Heavenly Matter in Earthly Language, and thus accommodating of himself to our capacity: A Metaphor being nothing else but a contracted comparison, by which he represents the things of God under the resemblance of things here below; with which our constant converse among them gives us better acquaintance.

THe Proverbs of Solomon (not to mention their independency 〈…〉 which we are often told of; nor yet their singular excellency in couching of much matter in a few words,) are for the manner of their composure, of two sorts: 1. Doctrinal, being delivered in the form of Axioms or Sentences, for the information of the Understanding in many weighty Truths. 2. Hortatory; presented in way of exhortation, or dehortation, to engage the Will and Affections, either to a ⟨p. 2⟩closure with, or an avoidance of such things as are of moment for them so to do. Of the latter sort of these, is this of our Text, and it is compounded of a Counsel, and a Caution. There is something advised to, viz. Buy the Truth; and something dehorted from, i. e. Sell it not. The words are Metaphorical; a form of Speech which the Holy Ghost makes frequent use of in the Holy Scriptures; therein dressing up of Heavenly Matter in Earthly Language, and thus accommodating of himself to our capacity: A Metaphor being nothing else but a contracted comparison, by which he represents the things of God under the resemblance of things here below; with which our constant converse among them gives us better acquaintance.