N00348:22
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.
That there is such a Truth as this I am speaking of, we must believe, or else we must utterly despair of the happiness of man at all, much more of fallen mans Salvation. If God had not found out a way for mans felicity, he had been lest most miserable. If it were not a regulated way, (contained in sure Rules and Precepts) he could never have known it, but must always have lived in the dark about it; and if it were not drawn into infallible maxims, he could not possibly have gained any assurance of knowledge, when he was in ⟨p. 10⟩the right. But God hath shown unto man the way, Mich. 6. 8. and his word gives them sufficient direction, whence▪ it is called, a Lamp, and a Light, Psal. 119. 105. and it is safe and secure to them that follow it, verse 165. In a word; if there were no Truth, the understanding of man must needs want an object; and if there were no Divine and Saving Truth, it would want an happifying object; but the Goodness and Grace of God hath plentifully provided for it, both the one and the other; hence that Prov. 2. 10, 11.
That there is such a Truth as this I am speaking of, we must believe, or else we must utterly despair of the happiness of man at all, much more of fallen mans Salvation. If God had not found out a way for mans felicity, he had been lest most miserable. If it were not a regulated way, (contained in sure Rules and Precepts) he could never have known it, but must always have lived in the dark about it; and if it were not drawn into infallible maxims, he could not possibly have gained any assurance of knowledge, when he was in ⟨p. 10⟩the right. But God hath shewn unto man the way, Mich. 6. 8. and his word gives them sufficient direction, whence▪ it is called, a Lamp, and a Light, Psal. 119. 105