N00348:27
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.
3. Buying presumes a desire of having the ware, raised by the apprehension of the suitableness, worth and excellency there is in it: though the natural man be a very fool in spiritual things, yet he hath a rational principle in him, which teacheth him not to be at cost for that which he hath not any esteem of, but reckons to be of no worth or use: The estimate which he sets upon any thing, is that which inwardly prompts him to barter for it; and just up to his esteem, so will his bidding be, rather than he will part with it: hence it is, that till God sheds light into mens minds, and convinceth them of the preciousness of Truth, they let it lye by, and will not so much as cheapen it; but when once they begin to have the right conceptions of it, and discern how advantageous a thing it is to him that hath it; now they will cry out earnestly after it, and then there is like to be a bargain made, Prov. 2. 3, 4, 5. if thou criest after knowledge, &c.
3. Buying presumes a desire of having the ware, raised by the apprehension of the suitableness, worth and excellency there is in it: though the natural man be a very fool in spiritual things, yet he hath a rational principle in him, which teacheth him not to be at cost for that which he hath not any esteem of, but reckons to be of no worth or use: The estimate which he sets upon any thing, is that which inwardly prompts him to barter for it; and just up to his esteem, so will his bidding be, rather than he will part with it: hence it is, that till God sheds light into mens minds, and convinceth them of the preciousness of Truth, they let it lye by, and will not so much as cheapen it; but when once they begin to have the right conceptions of it, and discern how advantageous a thing it is to him that hath it; now they will cry out earnestly after it, and then there is like to be a bargain made, Prov. 2. 3, 4, 5. if thou cryest after knowledge, &c.
4. A prudent buyer will see his wares, & try them before he will buy them. Men do not love to traffic in the dark, or take things upon trust, because they know that there is a great deal of falsehood and deceit in the world, false wares are sold for true, bad things are