Heavenly merchandiseHeavenly merchandize

2. And there are other things which you must part with in affection for the Truths sake, and that is all whatsoever is precious and delightful to you in this world. Love to the Truth, or our receiving of it in the love of it, is our entering upon the possession of it, and the strongest evidence of an indisputable title unto it; but it is not every pretended love that is so, but it must be such as undervalues every other thing in comparison with the Truth. I know that God doth not always call men actually to part with and cast away all these things, Houses, Lands, Relations, and going away from the company and comfort of them, turn desolate Hermits, and ⟨p. 138⟩dwell in solitary caves void of all humane converse, that they may enjoy the fellowship and friendship of the Truth, as if Truth dwelt only in a wilderness, & were no where to be met with but in caves and deserts; the good things of this life are Gods common favours, and he hath engaged them to such as fear him, so far as shall best serve to his own glory and their advantage, Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is, and if God gives, his people ought with thankfulness to receive these favours; but still he requires absolutely of us, that we withdraw our affections from them to such a degree, as to be at all times in a cheerful readiness, either to let them go one after the other by retail, or all at once by whole sale, for Truths sake, if there be occasion for it. Neither is this a lesson to be learned afterwards, or by those that have been a great while trained in Truths School, and have attained to be of the uppermost forms of her Scholars; that have made a great proficiency in the learning of it: but it is one of the entrance articles, it is a law of the School, and to be complied with upon admission; it is one of the conditions of Discipleship, Mat. 16. 24. If any man will be my Disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross and follow me, Luke 14. 26. If any man come unto me, ⟨p. 139⟩and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my Disciple: i. e. if he doth not set a less and lower esteem upon them, than upon the Truth and ways of Christ; and there is great reason for it; because he that buys the Truth, buys together with it the hatred of Men and Devils;