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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
earth_n	call_v	heaven_n	word_n	5,297	5	3.9799	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15576	The best merchandise or, A cleare discovery of the evident difference, and admirable advantage, betweene our traffike with God, for the true treasure; and with men, for temporall commodity VVherein is shevved that our spirituall trading is both free from all the evill, & full of all the good, which is incident to civill commerce; yea, that it overfloweth with divers excellent prerogatives, which the affayres of the earth cannot yeelde. Preached at Middleburgh in Zeelandt, immediately before the remoovall, of the famous fellowship of Merchant Adventurers of England, from thence, vnto Delft, in Hollandt. And now published, and dedicated, to the honour and vse, of that whole society, there, or other where, residing. By Iohn VVing, a true harted wellwiller, to their temporall, and eternall good, with God and men.	Wing, John, of Flushing, Zealand.	1622 (1622)	STC 25843; ESTC S120117	86,198	146

from being puffed vp in the height of our earthly happines and soe temper vs betweene the two extreames whervpon millions of men are wrac●kt that we shall ride safely without any danger on either hand For it will not suffer vs either to fall from the highest and steepest top of abundance and prosperity nor yet suffer the deepest gulfe of want and penury to finke and drowne vs. So that this one good it hath that it make's all other things good to vs. And in it there is no evill either in getting or in keeping all we can attaine we may most lawfully covet the most of it that can be gotten and as lawfully may we care how to kepe all we can get there is no sin or evill in either of these In the former there was and is as we spake even now and woe to him saith the Lord that cove●eth an evill covetousnes but to covet spirituall things is not only not for bidden but expresly againe and againe commanded as he may see that peruseth what the Apostle saith to the Corinthians both in the twelfth 1. Cor. 12.31 cap 14.1 and fourteeneth chapter of his first epistle In the former wealth there may be an excesse a man may have too much of the world and surfett assoone on riches as on any thing and therefore to avoyd the perill of this plurisey we are commanded to be content with what we have and to satisfy our selves with such a measure of outward things as the wisdome of God shall please to put vpon vs be they more or lesse but he that can enlarge his desires and endeavours te craue and to have the greatest quantity of this wealth that is attaynable he is the happiest man no man neede once to feare a superfluity because it is out of all humane possibility to have enough that is to say soe much as we should have of every grace which we once had in perfection when we were created and now at the best can have but in jmperfection since we were corrupted the most sanctifyed man is he who hath the most vnsatiable desire most vnweariable endeavour after these advantages Againe the most and best that can come by all the confluence and abundance of temporall wealth is only some reputation and place among men to be a man of creddit and estimation whose word or hill will passe currantly for great summes vpon the exchange to be accounted square dealers good men sore paymasters this is the vtmost honour the earths abundance can yeelde And what great good thing is this when it is apparant to be as common among Pagans as Christians and alwayes as much yea many times more their honour then ours All the riches vnder heaven cannot make God to give a man one good word or to entertaine a kinde thought of him that hath most Is it any mans commendation in all the bible that he was rich and had much divers good men who are commended are reported to be soe but noe jot nor tittle of their prayse doth or can consistin this particuler And that is most plaine to every mans eye and observation who will take knowledge how the Lord speaketh of th●se that had nothing but wealth to grace them before men and of wealth it selfe considered as severed from saving grace before God wealth hath scarce one good word in all Gods booke but I am sure it hath many bad the odious epithites that are given it of God are such as should worke vs to better consideration of the danger of it Is it not called mammon of jniquity treasure of wickednes vnceartayne riches Doth not Christ compare them to thornes the apostle to snares are they not sayd to be deceitfull and vnrighteous may not the same man be wealthy and wofull too is it not sayd w●e be to you that are rich The Lord Iesus doth not speake of many rich men but of th●se of whome he doth speake either historically or parabolically what heavy things are concluded Of one to wit he in the 12 of Luke in what danger of hell his soule body were when his barnes were to litle to inne his corne Thou foole this night shall they take away thy soule Of another to wit the glutton in the 15 of the same gospell that not a few great ones are in the belly of that gulfe already and laden with the heaviest damnation Of a third namely the young man that was so fayre for heaven what extreame difficulty of getting to heaven doth wealth draw vpon a man nay an absolute jmpossibility where riches and regeneration are severed But now on the other side the divine commodities of this celestiall commerce doth get vs a glorious name and state with the Lord and he is glorifyed by them in vs both we are honoured by him and soe is he by us through these things Who are magnifyed or esteemed by the Lord but such as in whome Grace did abound and who were rich in the endowments of the holy Ghost as Abraham for faith Moses for meeknes Iob for patience Samuell for integrity David for faithfullnes and many others for many Graces they that were rich in these evcellencyes are the only renowned persons the Lord hath left them a name that shall never dye fame that cannot rott all generations to come shall call them blessed and well they may because now they are in infinite blessednes with the Lord. This our merchandise is that only thing which makes a man both truly blessed on earth and. fully blessed in heaven The Lord doth esteeme soe preciously of these things and of those that have them that the best words that can be given are not too good the things are called Gods owne My grace is sufficient for thee c that we might be partakers of his holynes yea of the divine or Godly nature not in the incommunicable essence but in the communicable effects therof And they that are endued with these things are entituled as most naturall neerest and dearest to him they are not only his freinds as Abraham was both by the Prophet and by the Apostle sayd to be but more his childien yea more then that his spouse yea and more then that too and that which is most of all his very members and to be the least of these is no meane honor but to be all these as every one is that is any of these is glory and happines vnspeakable And this our honour and renowne accrewing to vs is peculiar to vs also and not as the former common to the swyne of the world whether carnall christians or cursed Pagans all that are without as the holy Ghoste vses the phrase are without this honour to be any thing in Gods esteeme whether they be such as are without the christian world and have not soe much as the name of a christian or such as are without Christ being within it have no more but a Christian name Neither of the two can communicate

reason doe concurre in one consent for the justification hereof that no man in the managing of this divine commerce may justle in another and shuffle out himself in any thing that is here to be done for he who put 's in another put 's out himself The current of the scripture run's strong this way let vs looke vpon the streame and we shall see it will overbeare all opposition by the voyce of God who by all his holy ones hath left his mynde written touching this matter By Solomon who sayth If thou be wise Pro. 9 12. Hos 10 ●● thou art wise for thy self By Hosea who adviseth all people to Sow to themselves in righteousnes By Christ who exhorts vs to Lay vp treasures for ourselves By Paul who tells vs that Every man must give account to God for himself And many more whose testimonyes it is needles now to multiply vnto you by jnnumerable instances which might be produced if there were any reason to doubt or demurre of this but soe farre is it from that that all reason doth assent vnto it also God thinks it vnreasonable that any man should drive this trade doe this busines by another or by any but our selves and we cannot but be of the same mynde and thinke it good reason if we minde well these few considerations that follow 1. These things are too high excellent and precious too heavenly in their nature too heavy in their neglect to be committed to the care of any but our selves vpon any tearmes The least of those things that belongs to this bufines lye's vpon our life yea it concernes our eternall life which is infinitely more then our naturall the happy gayne or wofull losse of our everlasting blisse and being with God in the inconceivable foelicityes of heaven for ever and ever stands vpon our well or ill looking to our estate in these passages If we looke well to it it cannot but be well with vs but if we fayle herein we are vndone in body soule for ever heaven is lost we are lost there is noe prison or punishment for such as breake in this trade but hell from whence it is grosse folly to have one hopefull thought of any recovery Now what man is there among men so slight and carelesse that in matters of this waight and jmportance wherin and wherevpon all happines or misery doth consist and wil be assuredly consequent will repose must in another and cast the care of his present and future state vpon any agent whatsoever we would deeme it no discretion to doe it in temporall things whether naturall or civill if either did touch our lives and is it not monstrous dotage to offer it in these spirituall things the meanest wherof carryeth greater consequence then the whole world and all things therein can doe Things of common and ordinary rate which reach not to our making or marking we dare cast vpon other men but of the mayne we wil be respective and looke to that our selves not trusting to others eyes save in petty things but our owne shal be jealous and vigilant But in this merchandise of grace nothing is meane or vnworthy of our most serious care and consideration not a commodity we meddle withall but all lye's vpon it the least of these doth as farre exceede the greatest of the earth as the soule doth the body or eternall life doth our naturall or heaven the earth in happines or hell our temporary crosses and losses in vnhappines There is not neither can be any proportion or comparison conceited betweene these the one being foe incomparably beyond the other in all excellency commodity and whatsoever els may be apprehended to make a thing vnspeakably happy Who then can or will rest vpon others in these things which are of soe high a nature soe absolute necessity soe excellent in advantage soe miserable in damage surely none that hath reason in himself can see reason to doe thus 2. As the things are too high to be trusted vpon others so is God with whome alone we have to doe herein too good to be served by any vnderlings of ours He is most worthy that we should our selves in our owne person and that in all the powers of our soules serve him in these affayres and we are most vnworthy at our best to deale with him how then can it be tollerable that we should set others about it we our selves are but servants in this negociation he only that is in heaven is a Master and shall we appoint him other servants of ours and set them a worke in this soe worthy an employment wherin the best of vs is too bad and vnworthy to intermeddle Dare any subject offer this to his Prince to send another in his place at what time our owne presence and attendance is required and that then when the honor of his crowne and safety of his person is to be preserved The majesty of a mortall man cannot endure any such deputation as to be served at second hand by their inferiours who are his jmmediate officers And doe we dreame that the highest majesty of the jmmortall God who is soe high and excellent can brooke to be thus basely abused of vs that we should turne those that serve us to serve him for vs. Every where we are called vpon in our owne persons Thou shalt doe this or that no where is it allowed that Thou shalt doe it by another or another shall doe it for thee The Lord hath not dealt soe with us as by any other either in heaven or earth to redeeme vs but by himself yet all men know he might and could had he soe pleased have done vs all good by other meanes then his owne jmmediate working yet he would not but did it himselfe to give vs an ensample and by this blessed worke of his owne to vpbrayd most righteously all such as should dare thus jmpiously to idegenerate from soe dealing with him in their bounden duty as he hath done with them in his marveilous and most ab●ndant mercy 3. The advantage of another mans industry cannot by any meanes be made ours in this merchandise There can be noe kinde of conveyance made that is good in law I meane in Gods law whereby the grace that another getteth may become or be made over to us that which he is and that which he doe's is for himself and it is his owne no other man is capable of the comfort or commodity of it inasmuch as in all Gods courts of justice there is no Office of alienation from one's self and of assignation to another our owne graces remayne for ever inseparable to our selves or as I may say incommunicable from our selves if we have faith it is our owne we have it to our selves and we live by it it fareth with our spiritualls as with our naturalls that as we cannot breath or eate or evacuate or live for another but the bensfit of all these is our

shamed of our affiance in the Lord who neuer fayleth Heb. 13.5 nor forsaketh any one that truly reposeth his trust in him Heb. 10. and therefore would not have vs cast away our confidence which hath great recompence of reward And none could speake this better then they that have tryed it as both David and Paul other of Gods saints have done in like manner shall all saints doe if they can finde occasion to doe soe they shal be sure to have occasion to say soe With men it is good yea be the men never soe good and sufficient to get in debts because their state is mutable their wealth or their will mooveable and it may quickly come to passe that they cannot or will not pay but with the Lord it is good to get him into our debt for the longer it run's the larger shall our reward be if not before yet at the resurrection of the just we shal be sure to have it to the full yea as was noted before infinitely farre beyond all fullnes Againe which is yet more Note and therefore to be more marked of vs his payment shall not rest only in our selues the whole benefit of it shall not be ours alone but it shall extende it self and reach to our posterity also and this is much more then any man will doe at any time but noe more then God will doe at all times having protested his favour respect to a thousād generations of them that loue him tolde vs many a time how well many have fared for their fathers sakes The righteous is mercifull c saith David his seede enjoyeth the blessig and againe Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord c his seede shall be mighty vpon earth the generation of the just shal be blessed It is enough with men and as much as either law or conscience doth require and commaund that a man pay to one if the debt be due to the father and duely discharged the credditor neede not conferre any thing vpon the childe being no way bound to pay one debt to more then one party but God wil be superabondāt in what he doth no mā shal be such a paymaestr as he is for beside the full yea infinite comfort contentment that the father shall receive or hath received the child shall also reape some good thing from God because he was debtor to his father The Lord was never in debted to any one but he payd more then one as the scriptures doe most abundantly testify Againe wheras among men there can be noe possibility of a bad debt to be made but the same must arise either out of the ability or honesty of the debtor that decayeth in either or both we may be the more ceartainly assured that as in this merchandise there is none soe neither can there be any because this God whome we only and wholy trust who is to be blessed for ever cannot fayle in either of these God is the only debtor here he make's himself soe what hart of any man vnlesse of an jufidell 〈◊〉 or pagan can conceit in the Lord a possibility 〈…〉 in power or truth or that he should be any way incident to faile in favour or in faithfullnes Can it enter into the soule of any man or may a thought herof have any place and entertayment with a Christian that he that is abone should bankerupt either by necessity or any other meanes It were a most jmpious prodigious apprehension How should he want ability in whome is all infinit fullnes yea and all full infinitenes also How should he want truth or faithfullnes to keepe touch with vs whose honour it is and ever hath beene to holde with all who ever dealt with him whose testimonyes are very sure yea most sure and never fayling noe not in any one to whome in the least thing he was ever pleased to engage himself Is he not God all sufficient as he tolde Abraham yea he who hath all Gen. 17. alsufficientnesses in him the whole world can witnes this most truly as they are treatures and millions of men more comfortably as they are Christians He never did as many men doe run more in debt then they are worth or have where with to pay his debts are not of any necessity as most mens are but he wil be a debter only to whome he pleaseth and none els and those to whome he is soe shall well see he doth not nor cannot disapoint them For why comsider I pray you most men haue power to make bebts and to get in with many but what man can make money to get out give satisfaction withall if that were also in every mans power who would be arrested jmprisoned discreddited and troubled for non-payment he were a man worthy of noe pitty but of all extreamity that having a myne a mynt woulde yet lye by it for debt why the Lord our God he hath all this he hath as much power to get out of debt as pleasure to get in rather then any shall faile he can create new comforts and mynt new mercyes if the fullnes of those already being should faile it is easy with him to make as many worlds as there are creatures in the world that is made no no the Lord hath tyed himself by such an jndissoluble band that there can be no cause nay no colour of suspicion of any feare hereof saying Once haue I sworwe that I will not fayle The heavens must want their fullnes Psa 89.35 the earth the ayre the sea their abundance all worlds must be emptyed e're the least of those that rely vpon him shall goe away disappointed He hath speken Ps 132.11 will not depart from it saith David he never went from his word yet all his words are faithfull and true for he is amen the true faithfull witnes he is God who cannot lye as we have heard enough before his word being most true himself more even truth it self what place is left for any probability of doubtfullnecistrust or feare in our harts Now then seing all ill debts come some of these wayes and none of these are any way incident to the Lord they that trade here may well and truly say even out of happy experience that this merchandise is in this respect farre better then the merchādise of Golde or siluer because here is no occasion of discomfort to any credditor in any debt be hath made but t●●● same is good and currant he is sure to have it with wonderfull advantage benefit God is capable of no necessity nor culpable of any fraudulency he cannot over-trade himself or be overseene in any thing he dealeth with vs for how then should any thing be vnsure Who here among men that mourneth not to see the is tlamentable catalogues that come dayly both of bad debts and debtors I say of both for every bad debt doth not argue a bad debtor the Lord