N00348:158
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.
4. We must add meditation unto prayer: It is not all our hearing will profit us, though we should attend constantly on Ordinances, in season and out of season, if we go away and think no more of the things that have been told us: the way to make the Truth ours, is by getting it sixth in our hearts, and that is not done without serious musing upon it: Truth that is heard at an Ordinance, and is not afterwards taken and digested by meditation, is like meat which is eaten, and presently vomited up again, which affords us no nourishment: like the seed which was sown by the high way-side, that was suddenly ⟨p. 132⟩picked up by the Fowls of Heaven, and lay not long enough to take any rooting. Meditation is that whereby we take possession of the Truth, and enrich our Understandings; it was by this that David got the start of his Teachers; Psal. 119. 99. I have more Understanding than all my Teachers, for thy Testimonies are my Meditation. Thinking hearers are like to be the most profitable Hearers of the Word of God.
4. We must add meditation unto prayer: It is not all our hearing will profit us, though we should attend constantly on Ordinances, in season and out of season, if we go away and think no more of the things that have been told us: the way to make the Truth ours, is by getting it fixt in our hearts, and that is not done without serious musing upon it: Truth that is heard at an Ordinance, and is not afterwards taken and digested by meditation, is like meat which is eaten, and presently vomited up again, which affords us no nourishment: like the seed which was sown by the high way-side, that was suddenly ⟨p. 132⟩pickt up by the Fowls of Heaven, and lay not long enough to take any rooting. Meditation is that whereby we take possession of the Truth, and enrich our Understandings; it was by this that David got the start of his Teachers; Psal. 119. 99. I have more Understanding than all my Teachers, for thy Testimonies are my Meditation. Thinking hearers are like to be the most profitable Hearers of the Word of God.