N00348:187
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.
He must have his hopes fixed no where short of Heaven, who will stand by his Purchase of the Truth against all the assaults that he may undergo for it upon Earth.
That which made the primitive Christians so steady in this practise was, they took their eyes off from Temporal, and sixth them upon Eternal things, 2 Cor. 4. ult. yea, this was it that made the ancient Patriarchs to forsake all for the Truth, because they confessed themselves Strangers and Pilgrims upon Earth, and looked for a City which hath Foundations.
That which made the primitive Christians so steady in this practise was, they took their eyes off from Temporal, and fixt them upon Eternal things, 2 Cor. 4. ult. yea, this was it that made the antient Patriarchs to forsake all for the Truth, because they confessed themselves Strangers and Pilgrims upon Earth, and looked for a City which hath Foundations.
2. Hence you must be much in the mortifying of fleshly lusts. So much of carnal concupiscence as there is in us, so much there is of enmity against the Truth; and hence, so much as there is of the activity and prevalency of it, so much danger there will be of our yielding to the Temptation offered us: these will be ever crying out, with Jobs Wise, how long wilt thou retain thine integrity? Curse God and Dye; and with Peter, Master save thy self, these are they which will be ever fighting against the Soul, and must therefore be abstained from, 1 Pet. 2. 11. these be they which know no other happiness, but what is enjoyed in the pomps and pleasures of the world, and apprehend no other misery but what is suffered by the loss of these things, and being subjected to the trials of this life: if these therefore may be heard, and their pleadings be any whit regarded, we shall be but wavering Christians, and tossed to and fro with every wind of Temptations. If therefore you would not sell the Truth, be sure to subdue your lusts, bring them to the Cross of Christ, learn to deny your selves, labour to be crucified to the world, and get that crucified to you: beware then of feeding and pampering of them, of gratifying their desires,