N00348:32
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.
8. Buying gives interest and propriety in the thing which is bought; what a man hath bought, that he owns enjoys and ⟨p. 18⟩possesseth. So the word (Buy) in our Text plainly intimates. Such is the buying of the Truth. Now a man then possesseth the Truth, when he can truly call it his own; and that is, when he is come to the saving knowledge of it; Truth is not to be laid up in Chests, and Coffers, as the worlds riches may; but it is the Understanding of man, which is the only subject of Truth: we have it, when we know it; and it is here to be observed, that knowledge is of two sorts; either literal, or saving; the former of these alone, is not worthy the name of Buying; it doth not really impropriate or take possession of the Truth; it is only the latter that doth so; and hence is only honoured by Christ with the name of knowledge; John 17. 3. This is Life Eternal, to know thee, &c: and the Truth is thus purchased by a man, when the Soul, discerning of a transcendent beauty in it, and persuaded of the incomparable worth of it, prefers it before all other things whatsoever, and parting with every thing else, in heart and affection, closeth in with it, and Christ in it, as his only Soul satisfying portion: he that doth so, buys: every one else, who comes short of this, let him profess never so fairly, he hath but trifled.
8. Buying gives interest and propriety in the thing which is bought; what a man hath bought, that he owns enjoyes and ⟨p. 18⟩possesseth. So the word (Buy) in our Text plainly intimates. Such is the buying of the Truth. Now a man then possesseth the Truth, when he can truly call it his own; and that is, when he is come to the saving knowledge of it; Truth is not to be laid up in Chests, and Coffers, as the worlds riches may; but it is the Understanding of man, which is the only subject of Truth: we have it, when we know it; and it is here to be observed, that knowledge is of two sorts; either literal, or saving; the former of these alone, is not worthy the name of Buying; it doth not really impropriate or take possession of the Truth; it is only the latter that doth so; and hence is only honoured by Christ with the name of knowledge;