N00348:63
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. The little care there is to instruct and bring up children in the knowledge of the Truth; if men had indeed bought the truth, they could not but be engaged in heart and affection to it, and if so, they would desire that others might get it too; especially their ⟨p. 39⟩children, for whose wealth and prosperity nature it self teacheth them to be solicitous, when therefore they can altogether neglect them, and neither take any pains to instruct them themselves, nor send them carefully to those places where they may be instructed, they grossly discover themselves, to be at least strangers to the saving knowledge of the Truth; else they could never rest content till they had brought theirs to the market, and used their best endeavour that they might purchase it too; how often is the wise man in the Proverbs calling upon his Son to seek after Wisdom?
3. The little care there is to instruct and bring up children in the knowledg of the Truth; if men had indeed bought the truth, they could not but be engaged in heart and affection to it, and if so, they would desire that others might get it too; especially their ⟨p. 39⟩children, for whose wealth and prosperity nature it self teacheth them to be sollicitous, when therefore they can altogether neglect them, and neither take any pains to instruct them themselves, nor send them carefully to those places where they may be instructed, they grosly discover themselves, to be at least strangers to the saving knowledge of the Truth; else they could never rest content till they had brought theirs to the market, and used their best endeavour that they might purchase it too; how often is the wise man in the Proverbs calling upon his Son to seek after Wisdom?
Now for the greater conviction, give me leave to fasten this nail of reproof with these three blows: Consider,