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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A54657 Happy merchandise or Wisdoms excellency darkly discovered or rather greatly obscured by words without knowledge By Charles Phelps. Phelpes, Charles. 1670 (1670) Wing P1978; ESTC R218239 66,695 104

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Petr. 2. 4 9. Prov. 9. 1 6. with 2 Corint 11. 2. and Revel 14. 4. 6. And this may be compared to merchandise because this spirituall exercise of theirs should be their trade as it were their daily and continuall imployment As the merchandise of the merchants of the earth is their trade their continued practice other men may sometimes buy what the merchant doth but they are not therefore reckoned or accounted merchants but they are accounted and are such who continue to buy and sell that they may get gaine Ezek. 27. 13 24. so they are wise merchants who with al their gettings get understanding Prov. 4. 7. and they are said to use merchandise because they trade in and with this heavenly riches So he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same and made them other five talents and likewise he that had received the two c. Matth. 25. 16 17. To the same purpose it is said in another Parable that a certaine Noble man delivered ten pounds to his ten servants and said unto them Occupy till I come this was to be their continuall worke and imployment And when he was returned he called unto him his servants to whom he had given the money that he might know how much every man had gained by trading Luk. 19. 12 15. this spirituall merchandise is not an hearing sometimes and seeking sometimes Wisdome but the making it ones business and happy are such servants whom their Lord when he cometh shall finde so doing according to that blessed is the man that heareth me not that hath heard for a little season but continues so doing watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doores Prov. 8. 34. happy are those servants who run to and fro that they may grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ Who follow on to know that they may know the Lord win him and be found in him and who are shewing forth God's righteousness and his salvation all the day and walking in the strength of the Lord God making mention of his righteousness even of his onely Psal 71. 14 24. In such like respects this finding Wisdome and getting understanding may be called and compared to merchandise 2. We come in the next place to shew 1. That the merchandise of Wisdome and understanding is better then the merchandise of silver 2. And the gaine there of then fine gold 1. The merchandise of Wisdome and understanding is better then the merchandise of silver And this appeareth 1. Because the commodity that is here traded for even this excellent Wisdome and understanding is better infinitely better unspeakably yea inconceivably more excellent then silver and gold She is more precious then rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her Prov. 3. 15. They are accounted amongst men the best merchants of the earth who trade for and in the most rich and excellent wares and their merchandise is esteemed more excellent then the merchandise of those that traffique in meane and inconsiderable things Now therefore the merchandise of the wise merchant must needs be most excellent because he seekes after a pearle of great yea of the greatest price How much better is it to get Wisdome then gold and to get understanding rather to be chosen then silver Prov. 16. 16. Man knowes not the price thereof the price it cost or the worth of this heavenly riches it cannot be gotten for gold neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof It cannot be valued with the gold of ophir with the precious Onyx or the sapphire the gold and the crystall cannot equall it and the exchange of it shall not be for jewells of fine gold No mention shall be made of corall or of Pearles for the price of Wisdome is above rubies The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equall it neither shall it be valued with pure gold Job 28. 13-19 Wisdome even Christ Jesus is the principall thing And the law of his mouth is better then thousands of gold and silver Prov. 4. 6. Ps 119. 72 127. There is gold and a multitude of Rubies but the lips of knowledge are a Precious jewell Prov. 28. 15. Yea this Pearle is better then that which many zealous and religious Merchants are seeking after They are seeking goodly pearles they are seeking first some brokenes of heart some love to God and men some marks and frames that from thence they may conclude Christ died for them and God loves them they are seeking after some knowledge of God zeale for God hatred of sin and victory over their corruptions as it were by the Work of the law and before they dare come to Christ and to this end they labour and are heavy laden and weary themselves in vaine and to no purpose But this is a pearle of great price even Christ as declared in the gospell in and with whom God gives all things here he gives wisdome and understanding to us hereby he quickens to a lively hope by him he gives repentance and forgiveness of sins here he gives the manifestation of his love to us before we love him he is the fountaine of all grace and truth Hence the Wise merchant who was seeking goodly pearles when he found this one pearle of great price went and sold all that he had and bought it Matth. 13. 45 46. Philip. 3. 4 9. Christ is made of God Wisdome and righteousness and sanctification and redemption Yea he is all in the new creation that we might come unto him and of his fullness receive grace for grace 1 Corinth 1. 30. Colos 3. 11. O that we did in deed know his excellency and comeliness That we might receive his instruction and not silver And knowledge rather then choice gold For Wisdome is better then rubies and all the things that may Possibly and lawfully be desired are not to be compared to it Prov. 8. 10 11. 2. The merchandise or exercise in seeking getting and drawing out this Wisdome and understanding is better then the merchandise of silver For 1. It is more honorable in the sight of God and all good men The merchandise of the earth is in esteeme among men and those that use it are some of them princes and the honorable of the earth Isay 23. 8. 2 Chron. 8. 27 28. Revel 18. 23. But this is more honourable not in the sight and account of fooles but in the judgement of him who is perfect in knowledge and of those who are taught of and led by him truly God hath no high account of the riches of this World nor of those that labour for them Will he esteeme thy riches no not gold nor all the forces of strength Job 36. 19 Prov. 23. 4. But those that honour him who preferre him above all other things and heare Christ Jesus for he that honoureth not the son honours not the father that hath sent him he will honour
counsells and knowledge and in this gospell are hid all the treasures of Wisdome and knowledge Prov. 22. 17 20. Colos 2. 3. 3. And this may be called Wisdome and understanding because here by God makes wise the simple and still and further giveth Wisdome to the Wise and knowledge to them that know understanding Psal 19. 7. and 119. 129 130. and verses 98 99 100. the God of our Lord Jesus Christ doth give the spirit of Wisdome and revelation in the knowledge or gospell of Christ and hereby openeth the eyes of the understanding Ephes 1. 17 18. with this gospell Paul was sent to open the eyes of Jewes and Gentiles and to turne them from darkness to light Act. 26. 18. And in preaching this gospell Christ preacheth recovery of sight to the blind and opens their eyes Isay 42. 1 6 7. and 61. 1. Luk. 4. 18. Oh that therefore we may bowe downe our eares and heare these words of the wise in which Christ is discovered to us and the manifold Wisdome of God made knowne and by which he giveth Wisdome and may apply our hearts unto his knowledge for it is a pleasant thing if we keep them with in us Prov. 22. 17 18. In receiving these words and hiding these commandements the old and new commandment with us we shall be helped so to behold the excellency and comeliness of Christ the Wisdome of God as to incline our eares unto Wisdome and apply our heart unto understanding and to cry after knowledge and lift up our voice for understanding c. Prov. 2. 1 2 3 4. 3. By Wisdome and understanding may be also meant that gracious gift of Christ and God in him which he giveth to men preventingly and gives and makes them partakers of who turne at his reproofes in the light and strength of his grace even the opening of the mind or eye of the soule to know Jesus Christ and God in him and all things in such manner and to such end as the spirit maketh discovery of them in the words not of mans Wisdome but which the Holy Ghost hath taught and teacheth Comparing spirituall things with spirituall Ephes 1. 17 18. 1 Joh. 5. 20. even Wisdome in the knowledge of Christ and such knowledge and understanding as that there by we are led to feare God and depart from evill unto man he said the feare of the Lord that is Wisdome and to depart from evil is understanding Job 28. 28. the feare of the Lord is the beginning or principall part of Wisdome A good understanding have all they that doe Psal 111. 10. Prov. 1. 7. and 9 10. the feare of the Lord is the instruction of Wisdome that which wisdome instructs us unto even to worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus to serve God with reverence and godly feare and to depart from iniquity Prov. 15. 33. and the feare of the Lord is to hate evill even pride and arrogancy and the evill way and the froward mouth Which things Wisdome hateth Prov. 8. 12 13. and therefore where as in the text it is said happy is the man that findeth Wisdome the same happiness is assured unto and affirmed of him that confesseth and forsaketh his sins Prov. 28. 13 14. He is a foole that sporteth with and makes a mock at sin Whatever Notionall understanding he may have he is destitute of blessed Wisdome but a man of understanding hath wisdome he feareth and departeth from evill Prov. 10. 23. and 14. 9 15 16. This then is the Wisdome and understanding commended to us Jesus Christ and the word of his grace and that Wisdome which he giveth and knowledge and understanding which cometh out of his mouth even such Wisdome and understanding of him as thereby we are led highly to prize come unto beleive in and love him and the father in him and to hate disrespect and reject whatsoever is hated rejected and disesteemed by him 2. We have in the next place to consider what is this finding and getting or drawing out here spoken of and what supposed herein and needfull hereto In Generall by finding Wisdome may be meant a knowing and understanding what this sound wisdome is and where it is and is to be had by us as it is here distinguished from getting indeed where either of the expressions are mentioned alone there it may meane what is here contained in both but here they being both used distinctly there maybe and is to be a distinct consideration of them and so by finding is signified as is said a knowing it and knowing the place of it where it is to be had by us and then by getting or drawing out may be meant a futher business to wit a being made partaker of this excellent commodity an obtaining it or getting it into our possession and hearts an imbracement retaining keeping and holding it fast as presently afterwards is said happy is every one that retaineth her even this Wisdome and understanding It is a laying hold of it taking fast hold of it and not letting it goe a keeping it as our life Prov. 3. 18. and 4. 13. there may be a price in the hand of a foole to get wisdome and he have no heart to it no love or affection to or courage for it and thereby he deprives himselfe of the happiness here assured Prov. 17. 16. but this exercise of finding and gettig is the same with that commended in the Wise merchant by our saviour in his parable Matth. 13. 45 46. The kingdome of heaven is like unto a merchant man seeking goodly pearles who when he had found one pearle of great price he went and sold all that he had and bought it he first found it and saw and knew where it was and was to be had and then he did not content himselfe that he had found Wisdome simply but he got it and parted with all sor it Now then more particularly here may be supposed in the exercise here commended to us 1. That this Wisdome and understanding is not ours or in us naturally it is to be found and gotten to which afterwards 2. And that this excellent pearle is hid in him are hid all the treasures of Wisdome and knowledge Colos 2. 3. it is a treasure hid in a field Malach. 13. 44. and to be searched for as hid treasure Prov. 2 4. And to our finding of it is requisite 1. An hearing where it is an hearing the words of wisdome a diligent hearing or hearing in hearing as Wisdome is lifting up her voice and preventing us with an hearing capacity which she is doing in due time for naturally we are deafe and untill prevented by Christ we cannot heare but the son of God in due time is causing us when dead to heare his voice that we might heare in hearing and live Joh. 5. 25. and when he is thus speaking to us and opening our eares then he requires us in the capacity afforded from him to heare Prov. 20.