N00348:79
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.
5. It is the most Necessary Trade. Men ⟨p. 55⟩may do better without any thing than Truth. It is an observation which some have made, that the bigger half of trades and Merchandise in the world is occupied about trifles, or things of which there is no necessity, but it would be as well, if not better with mankind, if they were without them: and truly, if you please to add the other half too, you shall find all little better than toys, if compared with the Truth. As much as the life is better than raiment, as far as the soul excels the body, as highly as eternity is to be preferred before time; so far is the purchase of Truth more necessary than the gaming of every other thing in the world. Job therefore prizeth this, not only above his conveniences but beyond all his necessaries whatsoever, Job. 23. 12.
5. It is the most Necessary Trade. Men ⟨p. 55⟩may do better without any thing than Truth. It is an observation which some have made, that the bigger half of trades and Merchandize in the world is occupied about trifles, or things of which there is no necessity, but it would be as well, if not better with mankind, if they were without them: and truly, if you please to add the other half too, you shall find all little better than toys, if compared with the Truth. As much as the life is better than raiment, as far as the soul excells the body, as highly as eternity is to be preferred before time; so far is the purchase of Truth more necessary than the gaming of every other thing in the world. Job therefore prizeth this, not only above his conveniences but beyond all his necessaries whatsoever, Job. 23. 12.
6. They trade for the most Durable Estate: It is that which, when once gotten, will abide by them; hence that