the appearance of grace where the substance is not The apostle tell 's vs that Great is the mystery of Godlines and so indeede it is too great for vs to know learne as we ought and as true it is that great is the mystery of Vngodlines though nothing so great as the other yet too great for vs to know and shun as we should Hyprocrisy is spun with a fyne threed and made as fayre as is possible to deceive the simple and it doth indeede delude the greatest part of the christian worlde misleading most men and making them to thinke they have saving whenas intruth they have naught but deceiving Grace that is that which they they thought was true grace but were deceived by it Howbeit yov most know that this is not the merchandise meant here in our text all bad wares come out of the Divells warehouse and his they are Now because they are soe deceivably made as that such multitudes are gul'd with them it shal be good for vs and it wil be well worth our labour and learning to endeavour as every maÌ„ doth in his owne element to get some skill to discerne betweene true and false Grace that you may be able to put a difference betweene that which is sound and that which is only seeming And soe much the more doth it stand vs vpon soe to doe because if we be deceived in this one thing we are vtterly vndon for ever and if we be not we are made for ever and ever Let vs fall to it then and looke well about vs for though here be more difficulty then in the most cunning collusion of any temporall commodity yet is it no jâ—possibility to try it out most manifestly vpon good advise and diligent search Some few things we will note therefore wherin Gods true commodityes and Satans sophisticated vanityes may be well knowne one from another though they seeme to be both alike both in matter and colour Among others note these three 1. Diffe ∣ rence 1 Seeming grace come's not from the same fountayne that sound grace doth They have not one father nor one author that which only seemeth is from below and it is carnall sensuall divelish Iam. 3.15 as the Apostle speaketh but that which is substantiall commeth downe from aboâ—e from the father of lights from whome cometh every good and perfect gift cap. 1.16 as the same Apostle doth also witnes But it may be some will say vnto vs this is most true that you say yet are we not the wiser for we know not how to know which is from aboâ—e which is from below Yea but you may if you doe carefully marke whither it tendeth how it worketh in man For as naturall things doe tende their owne center soe in like manner doe supernaturall things evermore incline to their owne author whence they came originally That saving grace which is from aboue will carry a man vpward in all respects it will make him heavenly mynded towards God heavenly tongued towards men heavenly lyâ—ed before God and men The affection the communication the conversation of that man who hath it wil be all of things that are aboue doe but marke well how kindly holy speeches fall from him what occasions he takes nay rather then faile what occasions he makes to vent his graces that he may employ them to the glory of the giver the good of every hearer all that flowe's from him will fly vpwards as the sparks doe that is naturally freely and of it owne accord that which is sound and came from God will to God againe from whome it first came But that which is from below though it have some shew as if it were from aboue hath not this property to ascend freely of it self Indeede Satan force's the hypocrite many times to seeme very pious and exceeding zealous and the hypocrite forces himself to the vttermost that he may appeare vnto men soe to be by them be apprehended taken for a true Jsralite And to this end he arme's them with all infernall subtilty cunning to conterfeit the carriage demeavour of the dearest and most conscionable saints of God But wise and wary observation will soone detect this wicked and diabolicall jugling For why they cannot but bewrayed if we note either the time of the continance or the manner of vtterance of these things For all that is done by this seeming grace being but strayned and forced we know that VVhat soeuer is violent cannot be permanent for some time it may holde to delude others but it cannot holde out to discharge themselves either in the sight of God whose pure eyes doe peirce into the depth of their consenage or before the face of such men as keepe a wakefull and jealous eye vpon their dayly carriage especially in matters of religion Or put case it make some sorry shift to shuffle out a little longer then ordinary yet during the tearme it abideth this outside grace hath not that free frequent natiue operation neither doth it worke soe kindely or flow from the hypocrite with that facility at any time that it doth from the faithfull at all times There is allwaies as much odds to the eye of an experienced and vnderstanding christian as betweene the water that falleth from heaven or floweth out of the earth of it self without mans endeavour and that which is drawne out of the earth sprinkled vpon it by great paynes labour The dissembler knowe's this to be vndeniable inasmuch as his borrowed Grace doth not nor cannot beare vp his hart to heaven or call him in secret before the searcher of all harts without and beyond any notice of man to humble abase him before the higest majesty and to rayse him againe with those jnward and vnknowe coÌ„sosations which only they that are intimate with their God doe finde and feele Noe his Grace like a â—arcase must have some other jmpulsive cause to mooue it for of it self it cannot finde worke for it self But that which the Lord giveth vnto any he doth ever draw it againe to himself and his spirit from whence as from a fountaine it issued is ever causing the streame to run from whence it came and the same spirit will still be pressing and provoking that gracious hart towards those blessed things that are aboue by the secret and silent motions of the same and vpward will the minde mount with all alacrity From God it came and to God it will goe 2. Seeming grace DiffereÌ„ ∣ ce 2 as it come's not from the same spring soe neither doth in run through the same channell that sounde grace doth It is not wrought in any man by the same meanes that true grace is and the carefull search of this will soone shew whence it is Doe but aske and enquire diligently whence he had his grace how he came by it and when when was the time what was the meanes who was the instrument of
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 â—â— 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 abâ—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
from being puffed vp in the height of our earthly happines and soe temper vs betweene the two extreames whervpon millions of men are wracâ—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 coveâ—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 thâ—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 wâ—e be to you that are rich The Lord Iesus doth not speake of many rich men but of thâ—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
vnto it these diuine graces doe so farre exceede all wordly riches as no man can compleatly comprehend and discover There is no comparison betweene them the one is not worthy to be named with the other wealth is scarce good enough to wayte vpon wisà ome But this is easy we proceede Then Siluer golde yea fine golde c. the Lord is not sparing we see to magnify wisdome in that he doth it in soe many words which words doe import most precious things and that as was remembred before by a gradation or rising from one good thing to another that is better then it and from that to another yet better as we all know Siluer to excede all commodityes Golde to exceede silver Precious stanes to exceede Golde And that no place might at all be left in mans hart for any thought of a thing that might seeme better he putt's in all that mans hart can desire or Wish to enjoy affirming that to have saving grace is a more happy thing then to have all things els that the soule of an earthly minded man could desire to have So that now we see what these words doe contayne to wit in the generall a confirmation of that commendation of wisdome and vnderstanding which is given vs by the holy ghost in the verse going before This confirmation if we descend into particulers is comparatiue riseth from one good thing to another and from that to a better to shew that wisdome is the hest of all good things and exceeding farre surmounreth all temporary commodityes The parts are three 1. the things compared to wit wisdome wealth 2. the wealth wherewith wisdome is compared which is partly expressed siluer golde prectous stones partly included all that then caust desire 3. the disproportion betweene them which sheweth not only that wisdome is something better then wealth but also that it doth incomparablely surpasse and exceede it Thus being now come to the sence and parts of the words let vs put forward toward the matter that is contayned in them which that we may the better come to vnderstand be it all wayes well and carefully remembred and considered of vs that inasmuch as it pleaseth the Lord to speake vnto vs of these mysticall things in such manifest english as he doth in calling it A Merchandise it shall well become vs to scan and search that we may see how farre and Wherin the metaphor doth mayntaine this truth and make it appeare that the odds and excellency lyeth here And the more to enlightē vs herein let vs proportion THIS merchandise and MANS together comparing the one with the other in such particulers as wherein the correspondence will holde currant and sound by warrant from God To run through all passages would be an endles race and a fruitles endeavor taking vp more time then may be conveniently spared therevnto we will not therefore goe that course but strive to that way which may be nearest and clearest to the truth here intended medling only with such as are most familiar to our notice and most materiall to our purpose and in opening these we will doe our best to shun all extreamityes both of incenes and of negligence because as it is not good to be curious so is it naught to be carelesse the one is jale the other is evill both are reproovable especially in matters of religion It shal be safest for vs to goe that beaten way wherin we may looke for Gods light to guide vs and to avoyd all corners and by-pathes The evidence of his Word to comfirme all we speake the assurance of his spirit to comfort and quickē vs in all that is spoken are the things we should seeke for the one makes it sound to our conscience the other make's it sweete to our experience let vs therefore labour for both these that soe our instructions may become sensible to you and you the more happy by them Well then let vs approach to the mayne point which we will first propound then proue And this it is GODS MERCHANDISE IS BEETER THEN MANS Doct. it is better being a Trader for wisdome then for wealth for Grace then for Goods His commerce with vs doth farre exceede ours with one another and wil be founde every way infinitely more beneficiall Who can doubt of this that heare's the Lord himself both speake it and vrge it as he doth especially if withall he remember what infinite knowledge and wisdome is in the Lord that he is not as man that he should be partially over-affected to any thing he see 's or weakely over seene in any thing he saye's either touching his owne graces or touching our commodityes To set the one at too high a rate or to vndervalue the other but most vprightly to estimate both in all equality as they are in their owne ranke and quality So that his word which never fayled were enough to worke any mans hart to a full assurance of the truth hereof howbeit because we may meete with such faithlesse and vnbeleeving harts as Thomas had who must see and feele before they will consent and confesse let vs come neerer and take better notice of this truth and we hope that in handling the point we shall have our harts fully confirmed therin Let vs looke then and pry into every particuler and as it were feele and put our fingers into them and we shall finde the prooffes of this doctrine as vndeniable to evince vs as the prints in Christs body were to convince him and soe from propounding what we say we come now to proove the same That which we say is no more but this that this merchandise with God is better then all merchandise with men God himself saith as much and will beare vs out in that we say by comission from heaven But let vs se will some say wherin it surpasseth nay say we see if yov can wherin it surpasseth not come along let vs veiw some few things of many that we might looke vpon and you will easily assent that this is a true saying and that we may not be carryed into any confusion in our jnquiry and confirmation let vs range those things into some order which we produce for evidence in the point and in every of them the verity of what we speake will appeare vnto vs abundantly Let it then be carefully noted and considered of vs that in three speciall respects this trading hath preheminence beyound yours and every respect may be in steed of a most apparant and incontroleable reason to settle vs in the assured perswasion of the superabundant benefit of this heavenly and blessed traffike Know then that to the better being of this merebandise these things doe concurre 1. that it hath not some things that yours hath 2. that it bath some things that yours hath also 3. that it bath somethings that yours bath not Some things are proper to your merchandise alone to wit all that are bad as having any
well into it it is better with vs now then it was before he began to bring evill vpon vs. And what is now left of him but the bare shaddow or outside of an adversary in regard of that he was when he had power not only to tempt but to overturne vs but now he can only tempt vs we in our Christ can â—verturne him Let vs not then like fooles feare or discomfort our selves or suffer others to disquiet vs with things of no consequence in this our commerce with our God Say our ships be brittle suppose our passage be boysterious admit what we carry be corrupt what is all this when we further consider that we have an omnipotent Pilot that can make our vessell thyte the sea quiet and change our commodityes into better condition The liuing God both can doe and hath promised that he will doe all this the more to assure vs of soe much it pleaseth him to vtter and expresse his consolations vnto vs in sea-faring mens tearmes speaking to vs as vnto men in sea dangers Isai 54.11 cap. 43.2 saying Oh thou afflicted tossed with tempest c. againe VVhen thou passeth through the water I will be with thee that the floods shall not drowne thee by the apostle he further tells vs what good ground-tâ—kle we have to wit an anker Heb. 6.19 sure and stedfast that cannot fayle vs though therefore some seeming danger may shew it self yet assured danger there is none something may appeare very perilous to our flesh and blood to our frailty ignorance and infidelity as the growne sea and the great billow doth to fresh water souldiers who start and shrinke at every waâ—e but to our faith and that power of grace given vs of God nothing can proone terrible howsoever it appeare We have a God that can doe whatsoever he will Psa 115.3 and hath power at his pleasure to jmploy for our best good and will doe by that power according to his pleasure whatsoever may any way redounde to the happines of their harts who vnfaynedly defire to deale with him Vpon him and vpon his power and favour we depend fearing no present or future perill in any thing appertayning to his kingdome and those affayres that concerne the same And in this resolution let all Gods saints set vp their rest for ever For there is a crew of vpstart TRADERS or rather INTRVDERS I meane Papists ArminiaÌ„s I joyne them together though the one be much yonger then the other yet are both late â—â—vices in respect of the ancient truth of God who meddle or rather Peddle in Gods merchandise and tell men that there is great hazzard and adventure borne in this blessed trade and no such manifest and vndoubted security as we plead but danger of being â—aâ—kâ—â—â—pt failing in Grace in falling finally from it and no câ—â—tainety of being blessed in Glory or assurance of being received into it Concerning these I am perswaded verily they speake as they thinke and I thinke they finde themselues as they speake to others for not being made free of the fellowship of Gods faithfull ones the truth not having yet made them free of the communion and corporation of the true saints I can see noe reason seing they wil be INTERLOPING in Error but they should mistrust danger and meete with it too and not enjoy the gracious previledgis and these most beneficiall jmmunityes of that society wherof they are not And seing they are not members vnited but monsters annexed therevnto why should they goe vpon as sure grounds as Gods owne doe Especially seing they will not make God soe good a master or his factors soe good merchants as they grant the Divill to be for they confesse that all that deale for him are sure enough of damnation but of those that are agents for the Lord it may be doubted of their salvation yea it is presumption to rest infallibly vpon it which if they spake intended only of themselues I could soone put it into my creede but being as they meane it vniversally true of the very elect what man having the faith of Gods elect in him can beleeve it Some also there are among the multitude of our ignorant vulgar Protestants who being neither well perswaded nor at all experienced in the light and power of this truth thinke it something with the most for any man to secure his owne soule of his eternall salvation oh say they you must not presume but have a good hope that all shal be well it is too much to say more And is it soe indeede why then there is noe more safer or faster holt of heavens everlasting treasures then of the temporary vanityes of the world for a man may say soe much of them it is not sin to hope that such a ship shall come safely to her port and may noe more be sayd of the jmmutable things of God then of the worldes â—â—oneabâ—es which have soe many waies and meanes to miscarry Are your conceits soe grosse confused that they can put no difference nor vnderstaÌ„d the difference Christ himself hath put betweene the things that perish and those that cannot perish is it all one to trade with God and man in heauen and in earth in fadeing corruptible and transitory traâ—h and in that enduring substance which will outlast both heaven and earth How prejudiciall are these foolish sayings to his wisdome who evermore make's it a property incommunicable a prerogative royall to spirituall things to be firme and not fadeing and labour's herevpon to wynn our harts vnto them vpon this consideration that they are soe certaine sure to weane vs from all things here below because they are soe brittle and vnsounde How apparantly opposite is this speech to that of the Apostle who tell 's vs that he was perswaded and that throughly that Neither life nor death Rom. â— 38.36 nor angells nor principalityes nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor beight nor depth nor any other creature if any other could be conceited could separate him from the loue of the Lord Iesus in whome he saith not only of himself but of all the elect of God that we are made more then conquerours ver 37. through him that loued vs and in this especially shewed his loue vnto vs that he vnderwent the brunt that most willingly of whatsoever was indeede dangerous and by soe doing brought vs from vnder the mutable freedome of the first Adam to be free from mutability and miscarriage any more vniting vs to himself that in the second Adam we might be safe and sounde for ever Let this be remembred of vs and magnifyed by vs in him our Lord who hath done soe great things for vs as to make vs in this thing to be more happy then he who was created in absolute happines he was without sin Note yet not sure we are sure though not without sin his
thereof is better c. and the gaine therof c. loe here is nothing but merchandising and gayning not a word of any no not the least losse to any trader They who entertayne this course of spirituall commerce may safely resolve on that which others presumptuously made account of to wit of going to such a place and tarrying there such a time and buying selling getting gaine these reckoned I say not without their host but I am sure I may say without the Lord of hostes whose sufferance and assistance was never entertayned into their thought as a conditiō or cōsideration needefull to be taken with them and therefore they were sherpely taken vp and reprehended Jam. 4. because they did not as they ought say if the Lord will But to us the Lord hath revealed his will in this thing to encourage vs with the assurance of that in this heavenly traffike which the best earthly tradeing can have but in hope he hath tolde vs that if we doe buy and sell we shall ceartainely get and gaine for tradeing and gayning are inseparable companions in this busines We never read of any in all Gods booke but he gayned Psal 119. they that were the greatest doers doe tell vs that their advantages were better then thousands of Golde and Silver yea and beyond all treasure And they who have beene happily experienced in these affayres have found that worke of God to be true in themselves which his word hath affirmed of others Thus we see in the first of these passages that we finde in this second rank to wit our spirituall sales how well we speed that all we sell is for gaine and for no small gaine neither The which that we may the better vnderstand let vs set vpon the second beneficiall advantage in this commerce and that is that which you call BARTERING when one commodity is done away for another And in this particuler we are as farre before you as in any other before named nay further benefit and greater riches doth this way arise then by any of those which we have hitherto discovered And the apparant truth thereof may plentifully appeare vnto all men in the due ponderation of one thing which if it be well weighed will sway with vs perswade vs fully of the same And that in a word is this That wheras in all civill barters which are made betweene man and man one good thing is set against another and one commodity is exchanged for another In this blessed tradeing it is not soe but in the bartars betweene God and man the Lord give 's vs good for evill and putt's his graces vpon vs for the jmpietyes we put of to him The world doth not yeeld such traffike it is not to be had among men if any merchant should doe away a currant staple and well-conditioned commodity for some baggage stuffe that were base and not vendible it would be jmputed to him either for egregious folly or grosse injury or both all that should come to know it would account him exceeding sottish that should doe it But beholde that which were wonderfull folly or injury with vs to doe from man to man is the Lords doing betweene himself and vs and may most worthily be accounted an admirable favour and mercy in his majesty towards vs miserable transgressors who aboue all things are bound to magnify his most glorious name in this thing which is and ought to be according as it doth well deserve to be marvelous in our eyes and to be sought out considered of and sought after of all that love the Lord especially of all those whome he hath loved in this kinde For of this manner of merchandising and of such a kinde of commerce as this is it may well be sayd as the lewes spake of that mighty miracle of opening the mans eyes who was borne blinde Since the world began Joh. 9. it was never heard that any man hath done such a thing to give away good for evill yea the best for for the worst It is the Lord alone who bring 's all things out of nothing in creation all good things out of evill in regeneration all light out of darknes all mercy out of misery yea all grace and piety out of sin and jmpurity it is his goodnes and his glory thus to doe and all that are good cannot but glorify him for thus doing When the Lord Iesus had reprooved yea and vpbrayded the Laodiceans for all the evills that were in them as their pride presumption selfe-conceitednes and luke warmenes in religion he perswades them to part with these things and to worke them to a greater willingnes and forwardnes therevnto he tell 's them what they may have of him in lein of them to wit many and sundry excellent things eye-salve to annoynt their eyes golde tryed and refyned by the fyre c even all things that might make them truly and throughly happy And vpon the same ground did our saviour advise the yong man that came soe forwardly to him to enquire the next and neerest way to heaven why saith Christ sell all give to the poore and because thou shalt not thinke it a loosing bargaine know that insteed of that thou puttest away here thou shalt have treasure in heaven loe here is treasure for trash yea heavenly treasure for earthly trash Who but God would yea or could give this and make such blessed battars with vs as to let vs have and enjoy gold for drosse yea the finest gold for the foulest drosse precious rubies for base rubbish things excellent and jnvaluable for those that are vile and exeecrable It is he that doth it it is we that receive it we leave what is loath some and have what is louely he whose mercy is aboue the heavens hath done thus vnto vs and holy is his name who for his owne names sake doth endue vs with holynes yea he make's vs partakers of his owne holynes soe soone as we furcease our hellishnes if we let goe our dung he let 's vs enjoy and posesse those blessed and dearest advantages which Christ Iesus hath bought with his blood Who can prayse the Lord enough for this or sufficiently advance his name who hath wrought thus for the happines of our harts who having nothing worse then that which is best to give for the worst we have doth not therefore refuse to trade and intermeddle with vs and soe send vs away empty without any thing but is graciously pleased to entertaine commerce with vs and to bestow vpon vs his blessed graces for our cursed jmpietyes his sons robes for our owne rags the righteousnes of Christ for this wretchednes of ours Oh deare and welbeloved Christians would God that we could spend some houres in the heavenly meditation of this thing and thinke of this happy merchandise in this one respect added to all the rest Did we but enter the serious consideration herof what evill could
be beloued of vs what sin would be deare vnto vs were it possible that any Jmpiety should have the least place in our affections if this were well pondered of vs who would give house-roome to dyrt that might have as much money as his house would holde if he would but cast the dyrt out of dores were we perswaded of this and posessed with it as we should be every evill would be abhorred of vs abhominable to vs and well worthy our greatest excecration seing soe long as we keepe it it keepes out those singuler and surpassing excellencyes aforesayd and assoone as it is voyded we are presently filled with them Could any merchant be excusable among men that should refuse such a beneficiall bartar as this as to have some rare commodity for some ordinary drug he who should doe it would be thought a foole and a dolt if he dealt for himself and no lesse but it may be a knaue which is more if he were entrusted to trade for some other would any mā thinke him fit or worthy for any merchants busines that should neglect and let goe such a market wherin soe much benefit might be made by bartaring away a meane commodity against a good And are we not then condemned of our selves beloved even out of our owne mouthes nay consciences if in this heavenly trading we let slip such singuler advantage and is not our condemnation soe much the more just by how much these kinde of most commodious bartars are ordinary and common betweene God and vs whenas among men they are rare and vnvsuall and not every day to be founde Common did I say nay they are continuall in this traffique for there is no other neither indeede can be for how should there whenas it is vndeniable and past all question in all that have to doe with the Lord in this blessed busines that it is not more ceartaine that he hath nothing but good to conferre vpon vs then it is that we have nothing but evill to put away in steed of the good wherewith he doth posesse vs. If there be any dealing betweene the Lord of heaven and vs it is it must be it cannot but be of good on his part to vs for evill on our part toward him inasmuch as nothing els is to be had of neither They who have brought the worst have carryed away the best as might be most manifest in those forenamed examples of Manasses of Mary Magdalen of Paul and such others which I speake not to encourage any man to be naught A good hart will never make such bad vse of any thing but to comfort those who have beene soe and now from their soules doe desire to be better that Satan may not keepe them away and quash them with their conceit of being too vile seing they who have come to the Lord and with whome it hath pleased his holy majesty to entertayne this gracious commerce if they have brought with them the grossest vices they have borne away the greatest graces And this is not only to barter evill for good but the worst evill for the best good So that the more wretched we come the more rich we goe he who was most vngodly goeth away most gracious So that if in respect of things that are evill any man shall say as sometimes Peter did touching things temporary and civill VVe have left all followed thee what shall we have it may be truly answered to them as by Christ it was to him that if he that foregoeth lawfull things shall receive such abundant reward much more shall they who doe relinquish things sinfull finde that vnspeakable favour and advantage before spoken yea and as it is added there besides over and aboue all that can be conferred vpon him here on earth to make him truly gracious he shal be sure in the life to come to be eternally glorious with that God who hath not disdayned out of his speciall grace to deale with him vpon the tearmes wherof we now treat And thus shall it be done to the man whome the Lord will honour even to that man who in thus doing will honour the Lord as we have sayd in relinquishing all his jmpiety to doe it away for holynes Every such trader shall finde abundant benefit on earth and infinite blessednes in heaven The end of this course is endles comfort And shall we neede to vrge any other arguments or by more powerfull evidence to perswade men or to plead with them to forsake and surcease all sin whenas before-hand they know they shall thus gaine by giving it away Of this I am sure an Elect sinner needeth no more though it might be had and seing more cannot be enforced he that is not prevayled vpon by this doth thereby proclayme himself no better no other then a reprobate Gods evidence are prevayling with his elect and he that rejecteth them it is a most sure signe that God in great justice hath rejected him Let vs then rest perswaded yea resolved herin that in this busines of celestiall trading as we can fare no better soe we shall fare no worse but according to these words It is not more experimentally true toevery mans feeling that our great vniversall grand-father Adam did vndoe vs all when he soe wretchedly made away his created perfect grace fell into sin soe became eternally accursed then it is vnquestionably true to every mans faith that by this bartar of which we speake we shal be made men againe and that for ever and ever his copeing with the Divell was not so ill as this of ours with the Lord is good beleeve it this advantage doth equall nay wonderfully exceede that damage Let no man feare it then but every man in the feare of God fall to it for we may be nay we shal be worse offred if we refuse soe great goodnes as this then which it is absolutely jmpossible to be better offred He that is wise will ponder these things and vpon deliberation of them put himself jmmediately vpon their practise A man seing he might have but a temporall advantage of this kinde though nothing neere soe good yet would he in noe wise for it were no wisdome to foreslow it it should be the first match he would make least some other should prevent him of it or vndermyne him in it Why then by how much better and happyer this heavenly dealingis by soe much let our haste and expedition be the greater to attaine the advantage therof that through Christ we may purchase to our selves this rich portion It hath beene the manner of all Gods children to make great haste to all good things to run and not leyter to force themselves and not linger about them what they have once gone about to doe they have done quickly and that vpon the considerations wherof we have spoken before in the time of this tradeing Let it be our care to doe in like manner and we shall finde
with vs in the comforts of these things our wealth cannot make them rich they cannot be partners or partakers in it at all it is all our owne both wholy and solely Money they may have silver and gold growes as well in their mynes as ours and for other rare riches their clymates excell ours we fetch much from them But piety sincerity sanctity heavenly wisdome saving grace the true treasure they cannot have one dramme or graine therof And the want of this makes them as vnhappy as the abundance of the other the having of these makes heaven as easy to all saints as the other made it either hard or jmpossible to any other Few not many saith the apostle mighty or rich are called meaning of the other sort but of these not any but many not only many but all but every wise holy righteous religious man is called sanctifyed shal be also glorifyed The former to wit all graces they have in present posession the latter to wit glory they have in most vndoubted assured and vnquestionable reversion Now he that compareth these things in this particuler will he not say that it is better tradeing where is soe much good without any evill then where is some litle good with much evill is it not best fishing where nothing but wholesome fish comes to the net then where a man may meete with many harmefull things that will teare and spoyle all Well to conclude though it cannot be denyed but that some good such as it is is in the worlds wealth yet this may be avouched thas few have sped well that have had it because the evell is more then the good that comes by it But the benefit of this trade hath redownded to all their happines who have had the same not a man ever sped ill that had any part of it because there is much good in the least of it and noe evill no not the least in all of it And this is the third thing of this last ranke The fourth now followes which as it is the last of all in order soe also is it the best of all in nature yea soe good and soe great it is that it will make men wonder exceedingly at it soe soone as they heare it because though in it self it be as menifest as any of the former yet it will seeme marvelous to vs at first sight yea almost incredible as being not only divers from all the rest before named but quite cōtrary to the course of all temporall trading And it is this That whereas in all manner of commerce among men a man gett's no longer then he live's and trades this trade makes a man MOST HAPPY when he hath DONE TRADING How many benefitts come vnto vs by it while we follow it hath beene formerly declared at large in al the particulers that we have hitherto prosecuted but the last and best even the infinite and everlasting benefit that come's by it is found and felt of vs when we have left it that is when our time is come that we cannot liue longer in this present evill worlde to deale in it The worlds merchandise doth not enrich every one that trades during all the time he doth follow it many doe their best and attaine not much but they whome it doth enrich must get all they have while they are in trading if any man during life give it over or if it give over any man by death there is no more proffit to be expected it can yeeld no benefit when it is not followed But the best of this our trade is brought to a man when he hath done tradeing our best-being begins then when we make an end of dealing for why after we have done all we can we shall receive endles glory blisse and faelicity with the Lord our God in the highest heavens A man that hath beene a merchant among men and now is none he cannot but grow worse and worse because if he get nothing he cannot avoyd it but he must spend of the stock soe bring himself to a meaner estate then he was before and if he dya a merchant all is done that wherein he gaynes noe more the world in regard of himself doth also dye with him But this trade as it is happy to vs in some measure while we vse it soe shall it be most happy to vs beyond measure when once the time is come that we can vse it no more It doth every way as we have heard infinitely out strip the worlds affayres while we are in the worlde in dealing with it but after we have done with it in the world it doth infinitely out strip it self in those inconceiveable comforts and advantages wherevnto it carryes vs in the world to come All the time we were interessed into it here on earth was but as it were the time of our apprentiship yet it was a sweete service both in regard of our good master we served to wit God himself and that good worke he set vs about even goodnes it selfe but now after the end of all our dayes and endeavours we come as it were to be made free and to be set at liberty in perfect freedome peace and felicity when we chang mortality for life corruption for incorruption grace for glory and that litle good which we have done here for the infinite we shall have there In the world many a man who hath done his best endeavour dyes without riches many others dye at once both rich and wretched and have nothing to clog and cloy their consciences more then the pelfe which they have got which like some heavy weight hath lyen soe vpon them that they could not mount to heaven vnlesse in Balaams hopeles vnseasonable desire to dye well when they have lived long done ill Death it self hath not beene more miserably bitter to them then the things they got in their life But where the benefit of all things els doth leave vs there doth the advantage of this come vnto vs much of it abideth with vs from the time we began to be traders with the Lord but the most best goeth with vs out of this world or rather stayeth for vs in that other worlde till we come to posesse and enjoy it there The things we have spoken of are incomparably beyond those other in temporall tradeing but these we speake of now are incomparable in respect of the future comforts for which we shall exchange those that are present with vs. I remember it is sayd that the merchants of the great WHOORE that is those who traded with her for her whoorish trash were the Kings and great men of the earth and it is spoken by the Lord to the great and just reproach of themselves that being soe potent they would prostitute themselves so basely vnto her as also for the furtherāce of her most righteous overthrow and finall confusion that she could and would besott such potentates with the poysoned
cup of her fornications But of these merchants of God it shal be sayd yea it is already sayd jrrevocably recorded too that they shal be kings in heaven every merchant of wisdome shall be called GREAT in the kingdome of heaven and have glory there with the king of kings for ever and ever The Lord Iesus hath made it sure already by his blood it is not more ceartayne that he is dead shamefully for vs then that we shall liue gloriously with his father through him for by his infamy our honour was purchased he dyed miserably to the end we might live blessedly and was content to come much beneath himself that we might be marveilousy exalted by his extreame abasement It is he that hath of his owne goodnes made vs of naturall men gracious merchants and he it is that will make vs Princes of glory after we have beene merchants in grace proclayming vs both to our selves and others by the proper and peculyar prerogatives of his spirit to be heires apparant vnto that kingdome while we are in this body here below and afterward putting vs into the actuall and eternall possession of the same And what a rare royall and surpassing prerogative this is every man may apprehend it is rare for the world cannot match it royall for it dignifyes a man aboue the worlde surpassing for none els can come neere it We were as was sayd happy while we were getting this merchandise by Prayer and Endeavour and such other good meanes as we have specifyed but all this was but the first fruits the beginning and earnest pennyes of our comforts now to come which are full infinite everlasting and incomprehensible for greatnes for goodnes for durablenes and whatsoever els may any way conduce to make a thing inconceivably comfortable both in it self and vnto vs. While we were here we were but driving this trade and during the time wherin we were either selling our corruption or buying sanctification we now and then mett with some adverse and opposite things our graces could not evermore worke kindely because they were many times encumbred and interrupted Satan the world and our owne corruption were often in our way all or some of these did ever annoy vs doing daily their worst to make the streame muddy to embase these excellencyes and to embitter our sweete proceedings in these happy passages But now we shal be out of the divells the world and our owne sins reach all their gunshot shall not come neere vs but we shall for ever enjoy most quietly the fruit of that which we have gotten Christianly Now shall we be enriched and honoured by him by whome we were employed and set on worke now shall we sit with our fellow Merchants in grace and posessors of glory Abraham Isaac and Iacob all the rest of the most blessed Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and whatsoever other Saints doe concure to make vp that numberlesse number of those who are sayd to be an jnnumerable multitude of just and perfect men and with them all and all the residue of the mysticall members of the most sacred body of Christ shall we see the face and enjoy the presence of our lining God our loving father the king of kings and Lord of Lords and we shall beholde him as he is in the perefection of his essence in the glory of all his excellencyes in the mystery of his persons Then and there shall we be in such a state as we cannot now discover it appeareth not what we shal be saith John that is in particuler perfection of that estate of the boundles and vnlimited extent wherof nature and mortality is no way capable There shall we be as kings to raigne with the Lord the king of saints sitting vpon thrones of glory wearing crownes of jmmortality with Iesus the purchaser of these perfections for vs who hath given and granted to all saints to fit vpon his throne as he sitteth vpon his fathers throne What we have gott here shal be wholy taken vp there I meane of those remayning graces that shall abide for faith hope patience zeale and such like graces as had their proper excercise and principall jmployment either vpon present evill or good to come and not yet posessed shall cease but all those graces that goe into glory with vs shal be jmployed in a most glorious manner vpon the most glorious things that are there as our wisdome and knowledg and loue vpon himself his son and spirit those three blessed and distinct persons every of which is God to be blessed for ever not thrice nor a thousand thousand times blessed but infinitly beyond all millions of blessings and blessednes that the created and finite hart of man comprehend in the vttmost jmaginations therof That one moe glorious essence of those three most glorious persons and that Trinall and most sacred subsistence shall then be the only objects of our wisdome to know them fully loue to affect them perfectly joy to delight in them everlastingly These while we were here among mysts of ignorance were mysteries vnto vs and such secrets vnto our clouded vnderstādings as we could not clearely discerne but we had some glymmering light or weake guesse at them such as the man had whose eyes were in part opened that saw men walking like trees which was a seing very grosse and confused New we see saith the apostle through a glasse darkely and know but in part But when we shal be translated from hence to that celestiall state and station then shall we see face to face and know vs we are knowne yea saith another apostle we shall see him the Lord as he is both in the incomprehensible vnity of his nature and inconceivable trinity of the persons the severall excellencyes of the former and their infinite acts the distinct acts of the latter and their divine effects the FATHERS eternall generation of the SON the SONS eternall sonship or filiation of the father and the proceeding of the holy GHOST eternally from the Father and the Son shall the shyne openly vnto vs and soe shall the power the wisdome the merey the justice all that infinite variety of ineffable goodnes whic hath his residence in the glorious nature of that Being of Beings these shall we see with open face yea as we sayd even now face to face the Lord will no more turne his backe-parts to vs but we shall have full sight of all his glory vnto the brightnes wherof the clearest lustre of the sun is but as fogg and darknes our eyes and vnderstanding shal be free from feeble jmpotency and both made absolute in perfect jmmutable jmmortality to beholde him who hath blessed vs with these heavenly things in heaven The shaddowes of these things which we now reade with astonishment in the booke of God we shall then and there receive and feele with vnvtterable ravishment where the Lord is and where we shall for ever be with him in the highest happines
that the heaven of heavens hath reserved for all the holy and elect Our Lord Christ had a transfiguration on earth vpō mount Tabor wherin his glory was such compared to his ordinary estate which was very meane among mē as that Peter vpon sight of the same so affected with it that he could not contayne the manifestation of his apprehension but must reveale his over-joyed mynde in desiring to make his abode and dwelling there yet Peter was no partaker at all in it but a meere spectator of it he was graced chosen to be one of those that might stand by to beholde it as a witnes but neither he nor any of the rest who had the favour to be admitted thither were more then standers by Now if the sight of such momentany glory as may be seene vpon a mountayne here on earth and wherin one hath hath no part himself but only beholdeth it in another who doth wholy enjoy the same may soe take vp a man beyond himself to make him soe quickly forget and soe willingly forgoe all other things what shall we conceive that heavenly glory and happines will be vnto vs and how shall we apprehend it whenas it is greather then can be manifested on the earth and more glorious vpon our whose soule and body then it was threre vpon Christs humanity we our selves not only beholding his glory which infinitely surpasseth that which was seene here but the glory of the Father and of the holy Ghost also and made glorious partakers of the same glory not which Christ had here in the world but of a farre better even of that which he as himself saith had with his father before the world was Our corruption that darken's vs now will not only not suffer vs to see but doth disable vs vtterly to discerne the lease thought of that honour and happines which jndeede is more then can be thought So that we who are true Christians shall have a more glorious trensfignration in heaven then Christ himself had on earth to be raysed from merchandising in grace to be jnvested into matchles glory with the Lord king of glory Such honour have all his faints even al who doe their best endeavours to honour him sincerely in their bodyes and soules harts and lives This endles joy and the full fruition of all those pleasures which are in fullnes at his right hand for evermore shal be the end of our faith such other graces as wee have gotten Here shall wese not Hench Elias talking with Iesus but Iesus himself talking with vs that is manifesting such gracious familiarity to vs as a father would doe to his dearest childe or a bridegroome to his delightfull and beloved bride there shall we heare those most melodious voyces which mort all tongnes cannot speake nor mortall eares heare vnlesse they be as it were jmmortalized for a feason as were the apostle Pauls who heard things not to be vttered here on the earth when he was wrap't vp into the third heaven and had some taste and appearance of that glory which he doth now posesse in infinite fullnes And this is the last and best thing of this third and last ranke wherein we see that this heavenly trade bring 's vs that blessednes which cannot be brought vnto vs by the most gainefull busines of the whole worlde Thus we have now at length made good that which we promised in the beginning to wit the mayne point we propounded that GODS MERCHANDISE is better then MANS ⸪ which I hope hath abundātly appeared in every of those particulers which we have at large discovered to prove the same Soe that now we stande perswaded convinced therof as of a divine and vndeniable truth The mayne evidence as you may remember did consist of three most noble branches every branch spreading it self into divers admirable advantages which it cannot be amisse for vs breifely and in few words to recall to our memory We have heard that the excellency of this trade aboue yours doth consist as in many soe especially in three things First that it hath NONE of the EVILS which are vsuall in your affayres and therein we have shewed that thereis No Adventure No Bad Debts No Bad Wares No Bad Servants Secondly that it hath all the GOOD THINGS that yours hath with the advantage of a better measure of them then can be had in yours and here we have shewed that there are evermore Good Sales Excellent Exchanges and The Best Barters Thirdly that it hath some GOOD THINGS PROPER to it self which are beyond all possibility for your trade to partake in and here we have shewed that All our busines is in one place with one party about one commodity All we trade with and all we trade for is freely given vs. All is absolutely good without any evill The best benefit of this trade come's when we have one trading Every of these passages one by one in their due order have beene playnely discovered and handled in our hearing to the end we might well throughly know the odds betweene a heavenly and an earthly commerce betweene a civill and a celestiall course of traffike And now my Christian beloved and deare bretheren after whose eternall enriching my soule doth long from the very hart roote in Christ Iesus seing foe it is as we have seene that there is A TRADE soe surpassing this of yours A trade that hath Noe evill in it wheras yours hath much All good in it that yours hath and more Yea some Good things that yours cannot have What say your soules now to these things which we have sayd bethinke your selves throughly and call in all your jnmost thoughts to the most serious harty consideration of what you have now heard that you may make such an answer as suits with Christanity and may both have approbation with God and bring consolation to you I say what say your soules consciences myndes willes affections harts here vnto summon them all joyntly and severally to give answer to that God who will either presently appose you in merey to make you soe more then ever you have done or let you alone till heareafter at his day of appearance in justice to condemne you for ever and ever for that which you should have done If there be a better trade then that which you are bufied in if a more and much more yea and a soe much more beneficiall busines may be founde will you not be affected toward it and fall to it were there but some odds of advantage betweene our present temporall employment we follow and some other that a freind had given vs notice off it would be censured for egregious sillynes yea for grosse folly in vs if we did not forthwith betake our selves vnto it and lay by that we have to get better And shall others condemne vs in this latter and not we condemne our selves in that former case wherin we may be more happy then
any exchange of earthly busines vnder heaven can make vs when we shall not neede wholy to cast aside our civill callings but abate something of our too quick eager edge after them take this imployment vp into the best and soveraigne place setting all other in the second and subordinate vnder it We neede not let fall our civill merchandise to fall to this spirituall it is enough to keepe it downe that it be not predominant in vs aboue the coelestiall or equall to it in our estimation affections and actions all earthly things must be much inferiour to heavenly if they have their owne places yet may they sit with these best things though not neere the best place the merchandise of wisdome wealth are not two contraryes expelling one another they are not incompatible with one another but may dwell together soe that the world will be content to abide and keepe her house and residence in the lower roome and not offer to clymbe into the vpper pallace of these spirituall treasures which being heavenly in nature have most reason to be highest in their habitation and the other have as much reason to fit downe lower as being at their very best but from below You then who have insight and vnderstanding in the carriage of mens merchandise and doe well know the mystery of this temporall trading strive to looke a litle further into this spirituall which doth full well deserve to be looked after the mystery whereof as I have in some measure desired to manifest vnto you soe shall the Lord if once you vnfaynedly take it in hand reveale it more compleatly then I can doe and accquaint your harts with many other excellent advantages benefitts then those which I have endeavoured to declare And hereof you may be sure for Christ Iesus hath given his worde that if any man will doe the will of God the same shall know it more entyrely then others the more sincere practise the more sound knowledg The Lord thinks knowledg well bestowed on such as bring it to obedience and expresse it therein for thereby doth arise double advantage for both he gayne's and we gayne also He glory in our practise we good by our knowledge it is honorable to him and to vs it is happy Begin then bretheren to gather your thoughts together and to call yours witts about you that you may be truly wise in this one thing let you civill calling be a provocation to this spirituall endeavour to see that as it were through this make all the good of that as the glasse of this which is so much better that the best of the earthly is scarce good enough to be a shaddow or representation of the heavenly It was the course of our Lord Iesus Christ to carry the eyes and eares of his hearers from naturall to divine things he evermore made spirituall vse of all civill occurrents and as this was Christs manner of teaching soe will it allso be their order of learning who have well learned Christ and more especially doth it appertayne vnto you considering that you are pointed at in particuler and the kindome of heaven is compared among many other things to your commerce and merchandise soe that if you should not see this better through your owne meaner estate your blindnes were the more justly blameable Strive then and endeavour earnestly herevnto that you may as wise Christians answer the worthy expectation Iesus Christ hath of you that you may not be civill merchants alone for Pagans can be soe but more especially spirituall ones which neither any Pagan no nor counterfeit Christian can by any meanes attayne to be And thinke this trade worthy the following not only for the foresayd benefitts but for some other sweete considerations ensuing which I will in few words set downe the more to enamour and affect your harts with the same that nothing may be omitted whereby you may be provoked and put on with all alacrity ex pedition to entertaine traffike with the living God in this enduring treasure In the first place then to wooe you to attayne this wealth we must remember it is every one's Duty to be as rich as he can in this commerce and the richer he is the better is it for himself and for others allso Note what I say it is every mans duty to be as rich as he can and the more rich any man is the more doth God gayne by him He gayne from God Others from him In the world this is not soe no man is bound by any law of God to be rich though many breake the most of Gods lawes to make themselves see every one is to rest fatiffyed with that measure of estate that the wisdome of God see 's meere to cast vpon him whether it be mighty meane or whatsoever and but to desire to be greater then the Lord would have vs is covetensnes which is a sin heavily accursed of God as the roote of all evill the rajne of all them vpon whome the branches thereof doe spread themselves But in this busines covetousones is a vertue a thing commaunded to vs required of vs as we have heard before if a man can enlarge his hart like hell after the riches of heaven and in regard of grace have an appetite as greedy as the grave which still crye's GJVE GIVE the more he would have and doth crave the happier man is he God would have all men rich that meddle in this busines yea rich in all the particulers of it rich in knowledge rich in faith rich in obedience Abounding in all things which may make them rich in God To this end how many precepts doth God give that men should be soe how many promises doth he make to harten those that would be soe how many prayers doth the Apostle Paul in all his epistles put vp that those Christians to whome he wrought might be soe there is nothing left on Gods part vnattempted to perswade men to purchase and store vp these truest treasures Most happy is he that hath most for his abundance shall glorify God further his owne glory with God and helpe to enrich others with himself The better any Christian thrive's the better is it for other Christians in the same communion of saints because grace is a thing that cannot be engrossed or made a Monopolie but it is wil be common and comfortable to others with our selves in the friut of the same wherof the more any receiveth from vs the more doe we ourselves gaine frō God who multiplye's it most in their harts who are found faithfull distributers of the same No man can here vndermyne another there is no possibility of forestalling any man but very much of furthering all men with the fruite of that which we our selves have received from the Lord. And which is yet more and much to be noted the very poorest of all those who are in any measure endued with saving grace are
on high when we shal be preferred to those heavenly places promotions wherin we shal be happy as long as the Lord himself doth inhabite in the heaven of heavens This traffike ever brings riches these riches ever bring honour and glory partly on earth perfectly in heaven Now all men love wealth most men love honour why then come â—ither all you that love either and feede on both to your fill for here you may be nay you shal be both rich and honorable these two are never parted in our heavealy trade but doe ever goe together though in the worlds affayres they are often founde a sunder Let vs then for conclusion of all collect all these things we have spoken and heard and vpon consent given vnto them be it our care to addresse our selves with all spirituall jndustrey and diligence herevnto It were a foule yea a wofull shame to vs to know there were such a beneficiall trade and to be no-body in it and soe much the rather because if we be any-body we shal be rich and if we be rich we shal be honourable both in Gods account while we live and in Gods kingdome when we dye They alone shal be able to stand before the Lord at the last day who have gotten some of this wealth all others whether infidells without the church or vnfaithfull Christians within it shall hang downe their heads and be banished from all hope of blessednes and abandoned vnto eternall malediction Among men he that hath litle money may have much honest but with the Lord it cannot be soe he who hath not this riches is a wretched and forlorne creature for ever and as Princes that are honorable and mighty doe not nor will receive either base vagabonds who have noe calling noe busines or place of abode or villanous and wilfull bankrupts who might have beene more honesty vpright into their dominions make them the Peeres and principall officers of their kingdome but disdayne and drive them away with contempt and scorne soe neither will or can the Lord admit any spirituall beggers or bankrupts into his king-dome to make them any-body there but with infinite jndignation he will send them from himself into the kingdome of darknes there to be dammed for ever In the world it is at the worst but a CROSSE not be rich bu to be voyd of these riches is noe lesse then a CVRSE the other cannot be attayned by many doe what they can but these are never wanted but only in them by whome they are neglected which neglect is insufferable in the sight of the living God who will not endure to let the abuse of his kindnes patience long suffring goodnes whereby they might have beene enriched to goe vnavenged but will reward them to their face who are foule in this fearfull offence As ever then we hope to holde vp our heads for ever and ever before the God of Gods and to be happy in his heavenly glory soe let vs settle our selves and that in our soules herevnto that we may appeare before him comfortably at that day and live from that time in glory with him beyond all time Let not this world totally take vp our harts to rob and bereave vs of a better Loue not the world nor the things of the world that is predominantly it is Gods owne counsell and backt with no small reason for if any man loue the world the loue of the father is not in him and it is also Christs counsell that we labour not for the things that perish that is soe instantly as we should doe for those that perish not for if we doe soe loue the world and soe labour for it as we should doe for these better things we cannot soe looke after these as we ought neither will the Lord looke after vs as we would But if the best loue and labour of our harts be after these best things we shall surely attaine them yea we shall attayne him and he will also entertayne vs with that most worthy welcome well done good and faithfull servaÌ„t enter into thy masters joy which joy because it is endles I will end in the mention of it desiring that all that hath beene spokeÌ„ may affect vs aright towards it Glory be to God on high ERRATA Pag. Lin. Error Correction 19. 29. incenes nicenes 22. 28. or our 24. 19. dronond drowned 34. 30. it if 35. 24. by not be be not by  25. challeagne challenge 37. 28. them then 40. 12. bebts debts 41. 17. the is those 49. 14. in it 69. 26. proydie provide 75. 7. to ever ever to 79. 1. sherply sharply 94. 5. of any of my 97. 8. our place one place 105. 16. admisse amisse 111. 20. vpon where wherevpon words to be put in 47. 6 tend to their  63. 16. either to buy  101. 7 chose he had to doe  words to be put out 110. 31. in haue Â
reputed rich and that both because it is the nature of these things to enrich those that have them because also it is the nature of God in the riches of his infinite grace to repute them rich in his son Christ who have received of his spirit and by faith lay holde on those riches of his son who therefore became poore to make vs rich before his Father All the graces of Gods spirit are farre beyond all pearles and the most precious things that can be had are but vile in respect of them even as dung or trash as we have heard Now all men know that a litle portion of that which is of great price and valuation will make a man rich and he may well be esteemed worth much though he have no great quantity of that which is soe highly esteemed especially if loe it were that who soever had any one of those prizeles pearles should be interessed into that mans whole estate which had all the rest that were to be had soe is every Christian into Christ we having any measure given vs of God are made partakers of his fullnes in whome all the graces are beyond measure So that as was sayd the nature of these things is rich inasmuch as the come from the Lord and the Lord from whome they come doth through his grace account them rich who have received them according to his most wise dispensation It is not the quantity or measure but the nature quality of Grace by which our estate spirituall is measured of the Lord our God Now then summe vp these passages together to wit FIRST that it is most lawfull for all men to be as rich as they can SECONDLY that the richer any man is the happier he is both before God and in himself and vnto others and TIRDLY that every man that is indeede endued with any saving grace is reputed rich and then tell me whether these be not entising considerations to tole on any man to take this trade in hand and to doe his best to follow it with his whole hart Adde here vnto further that a man in this merchandise if he be once a trader he can never fayle he that is once rich cannot be beggerd if God doe set vp a man he is past falling downe our spirituall stock cannot breake You never read in all Gods booke nor never heard in the whole world of any if you were rightly informed that was vndone since the dayes of our first father Adam since his time none hath ever broke of all that were â—ruly free of the body of Iesus Christ this corporation never had one Bankrupt no not one of all those that ever traded in these true treasures for these riches have power to preserve themselves where they are once planted and also to preserve those in whome they are planted there is vertue in them to sustayne those that have them that nothing in heaven earth or hell no angell man or devill are able to bereave vs of them they are given vs by him who gives vs by his Christ ability to stand with them and that against both the feyrcest and the subtilest assaults wherewith Satan either jmmediately by himself or by any mâ—anes of his shall attempt by power or by policy to overturne vs. The Lord doth arme vs with strength against his force with wisdome against his fraude That we may be able to stand fast and firme in the evill day and to accquit ourselves as men yea as men of God against the Divell who is Gods enemy and ours They that teach otherwise and tell the world that men may fall finally from saving grace are but Satans jmposiors to abase the stability of the Graces of the holy Ghost and to abuse the riches of our soules making them as mutable as mooveable as those of our body and concerning all such as doe say they may be lost I thinke it may be most safely sayd that of these men these true never fading treasures were never founde he that doth perswade others that a man may fall for ever from it was never yet made a partaker of any whit of the true preserving power of it Assuredly it is no small mischeife the devill doth these men in telling them thus and setting them on to teach others soe to beleeve because he well knowe's that which their sillynes doth not vnderstand that he that beleeues all the grace he can get may be lost and himself become a lost childe after he he hath gotten it can never soe seeke after saving grace as he may obtayne it For why it being not attaynable but by both our most earnest and affectionate desires and our most vnfayned and vtmost endeavours What man can have any hart to addresse himself vnto either of these when he knowe's before hand he shall get nothing but that which when in both kindes he hath done his best may come to nothing This is no small jndignity to God and jnjury to vs jndignity to him to deny him double honor the honour of his graces in their just valuation the honour of our services in their due affection and jnjury to vs it is also in that it keepes vs in-capable of those graces which should preserve vs inasmuch as we are soe meanely peaswaded of them that they are not able to preserve vs. The man that is not perswaded of the power of Grace shall never be partaker of the power of it that hart that doth not thinke it can keepe him is not fit to keepe it God speakes better to vs when he tell 's vs that by grace we stand and that so strongly that we can never jrrecoverable fall It is for the world for deceitfull riches to yeeld bankrupts and beggerly companions it is for vaine men in whome is no constancy or confidence or conscience to vndoe such as they deale withall it is for mortall and corruptible things to fayle and leave vs in poore estate The things of God are such as the world can neither haue from him nor take from vs. We cannot have them from the worlde therefore cannot the world haue them from vs for what they canâ— not give it lyeth not in their power to deprive any man off Now who would not meddle in that busines wherin never man did miscarry who is not in love with that trade that never yeelded one bankrupt but wherin every man who tradeth prospereth And vnto this consideration cast in yet one more and that is the honour that followe's these merchants of which something was before spoken In the world many men toyle much and get no wealth many doe attayne wealth which yet attayne not honour but here whosever trades growes rich and none are enriched but the same are also honoured and that of God who doth preferre vs to some spirituall and divine dignityes while we are on earth making vs Kings over sin satan and the world but the most and best honours are reserved for vs