Heavenly merchandiseHeavenly merchandize

2. How much baulking there is of the truth to gratify mens own lusts, and the lusts of other men All Divine Truths are practical, and men then properly hold them, when they walk in conformity to them, so that when men once begin in works to deny the Profession which they have in word held forth, they do really make sale of the Truth, and this is usually done to give content to some lust or other: mens exorbitant courses are therefore in Scripture called Lies, because they are a practical renouncing of the ⟨p. 45⟩Truth; & that man that lives contrary unto it, doth as openly deny it, as he who sets himself to confute it by arguments: and where ever a man doth any thing which is contrary to the light of the Word of God, and the Dictates of his own Conscience, he then foregoes the Truth; and if he doth not sell it out-right, he lays it to pawn; and how many such Mortgages may we see made in the world, from one time to another? and it is plain, that there are many who run so deep upon the account, that it is justly to be doubted, whether ever they intend to take them up again. The covetous man, who to get gain, neglects the rules of honesty; the voluptuous man who to please the cravings of his fleshly lusts, goes beyond the set bounds of sobriety; the ambitious man, who to screw himself into preferment in the world, forgets the precepts of sincerity; when the fearful man to avoid reproach and scoffs, and to preserve his Estate or Liberty, either dissembles or suppresseth the Truth, these men are in all these things guilty of transgressing this command, and are to be looked upon as barterers of the Truth. In a word, every degree of Apostasy; all growing weary of the Gospel Ordinances, all careless or slighty attendance upon the means of grace, ⟨p. 46⟩or neglect of performing the duties enjoined men in the Word of God, come under this reproof: and if men once come to think the Truth a burdensome or a dangerous thing to them, they are not very far from making a sale of it; when it is as Mal. 1. 13. What a weariness is it? and in pursuit of this reproof, I might reinforce the arguments used with the former, but to pass them over, let me further urge two things.

2. How much baulking there is of the truth to gratifie mens own lusts, and the lusts of other men All Divine Truths are practical, and men then properly hold them, when they walk in conformity to them, so that when men once begin in works to deny the Profession which they have in word held forth, they do really make sale of the Truth, and this is usually done to give content to some lust or other: mens exorbitant courses are therefore in Scripture called Lies, because they are a practical renouncing of the