Select Sermons, Sermon 4

Select Sermons · Sermon 4

p. 305THE PVRCHASE AND POSSESSION OF THE TRVTH.

PROV. 23.23.

Buy the Truth, and ſell it not, &c.

FRom the 19. to the 29. verſe of this chapter the Prophet endevours to fence men from the danger of two common and foule ſinnes, drunkenneſſe and whoredome: p. 306Againſt drunkenneſſe, verſ. 19, 20, 21. Againſt whoredome, in the reſidue. In which paſſage this one thing may be obſerved. Dehorting from drunkenneſſe he prefaces thereto onelyonly in one verſe, verſ. 19. but dehorting from whoredome hee prefaces to that counſell in five verſes, verſ. 22. to 26. It is the more hainous evill of the time, and of more miſchievous conſequence. It is a ſinne to which our nature is more prone and inclinable; and therefore to keepe men off from it, he makes the hedge the ſtronger.

In this Preface hee gives ſuch counſells, as being liſtned to, may prove ſtrong preſervatives againſt the poyſon of that peſtilence. One is that, verſ. 22. Reſpect and obedience to parents holy counſels. Thoſe hearkned to would be ſpeciall meanes to ſave men out of thoſe ſnares. Another in this verſe, which is an exhortation to the ſtudy and acquiſition of godlineſſe, grace, and Religion, with which the heart being effectually ſeaſoned, it would in ſpeciall manner ſave a man p. 307from that ſinne. And ſo it ſuites with that, Prov. 2.10, 11, 12, 16, 17. When wiſedome entreth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleaſant unto thy ſoule; Diſcretion ſhall preſerve thee, underſtanding ſhall keepe thee: To deliver thee from the way of the evill man, from the man that ſpeaketh froward things. To deliver thee from the ſtrange woman, even from the ſtranger which flattereth with her words: Which forſaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God. Wiſdome and truth, godlineſſe and grace will preſerve both from the evill man, and the evill woman. Thus this verſe ſtands in coherence with the others.

Take the words now in themſelves conſidered, and they are an exhortation to ſtirre up men to beſtirre themſelves with all paines and diligence, to get knowledge, godlineſſe, grace, &c. for that is comprehended under truth, wiſdome, &c. As if he had ſaid, Let it be your maine care and labour, to get the knowledge of the truth, to get grace and Religion into your hearts. p. 308And this counſell is laid downe under a metaphor, Buy the truth, by which he implyes with what deſire and affection, and coſt, it ſhould be ſought, that men ſhould ſo looke after it, and ſeeke to compaſſe it, as men uſe to doe after commodities of uſe and worth. Thoſe men will buy, for thoſe men will trade, and lay out their mony that they may get the poſſeſſion of them. So here hee would have them ſo affected to the truth, that they ſhould trade for it, be at paines and coſt for the compaſſing and getting of it. And when they have once gotten and purchaſed this commodity, they ſhould by no meanes part with it againe, but hold and keepe it faſt, ſell it not. When once men have made the bargaine, and gotten this good penny-worth, by no meanes part with it againe, part with it upon no termes what price ſoever is offered for it.

So then here be two things in theſe words:

1. A precept, Buy the truth.

2. A prohibition, Sell it not.

p. 309Firſt to to begin with the precept, Buy the truth, alſo wiſdome, inſtruction, and underſtanding, or as ſome tranſlate, Buy the truth, of wiſdome, &c. Buy the truth. I, but what truth, or what doe you meane by truth? That truth which is of wiſdome, of inſtruction, of underſtanding, the truth that is in piety, godlineſſe, religion, Tit. 1.1. and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godlineſſe.

That truth, wiſdome, underſtanding, Doct. godlineſſe, grace and religion are not to be had for nothing.

It is the duty of every one to uſe all meanes and diligence to get the truth, to be willing to be at the coſt of all paines and diligence for the buying and compaſſing the truth, wiſdome, godlineſſe, &c. Theſe are commodities which will not be had without coſt. They are commodities that will not fall into mens mouthes, but they muſt be bought. Hee ſayes not, Take the truth, as if it might be had for taking up, but buy the truth; there muſt be a price given for it, and men p. 310muſt be at coſt before they can have it.

See how Araunah ſpeakes to David, 2 Sam. 24.22. Let my Lord the King take, and offer up what ſcemes good unto him, &c. and ſee Davids anſwer, verſ. 24. Nay but I will ſurely buy it of thee at a price, neither will I offer of that which doth coſt me nothing: So here, many it may be would be content to have theſe things, if they might have them for ſtooping and taking up. Nay, but they muſt buy it at a price, God forbid that we ſhould think to have truth for that which doth coſt us nothing. It muſt coſt men a price, and a good round price too, Buy the truth.

And this is that we have elſewhere, Prov. 4.5. Get wiſdome, get understanding, and verſ. 7. With all thy gettings get underſtanding. It is the ſelfe-ſame word that is uſed here, and may be, as it is by ſome tranſlated, Buy wiſdome, buy underſtanding, and with all thy gettings buy underſtanding. Get it, ſay ſome; Buy it, ſay others, it all comes to one, for it is to be gotten with buying. p. 311The way to get it, is to buy it. It is not a commodity that goes a begging; it muſt be bought before it can be got. It is the counſell that Chriſt gives, Apoc. 3.18. I counſell thee to buy of me Gold tryed in the fire. Could not Chriſt give it as a matter of Almes? No, hee will have it bought, or they ſhall goe without it. He doth not ſay, I counſell thee to take gold of mee, but to buy gold of mee, hee will have men draw, and draw deep too before they have it.

It is that is called for, Iſa. 55.1. Come ye, buy and eate, buy Wine and milk. It is not enough to come and looke and gaze upon this commodity, to praiſe and commend it, no not enough to bid for it, and offer for it, but wee muſt ſtrike through the bargaine, and buy it. A man may bid and not buy, but wee muſt bid and buy both. So Matth. 13.44. The man that findes the treaſure in the field, goes and buyes the field. Hee doth not wiſh hee had the field, he doth not bid money for the field, and then leave it, but hee goes p. 312thorow with the bargaine, hee buyes, and purchaſes the field. And verſ. 45, 46. The Merchant when bee finds a pearle of great price, hee buyes it. Chriſtians ſhould be Merchants, men that drive a trade. When commodities are ſet forth in Marts and Fayres, yee have many country people will come and gaze upon them, and will cheapen, and be asking the prices, though they never meane to buy them: They will cheapen pearles and jewels, &c. onelyonly to know their worth and prices; but now when a Merchant comes, he cheapens and buyes: So Chriſtians driving a trade for Heaven, and being Merchants, they muſt buy thoſe pearles, buy thoſe commodities that are ſet to ſale.

There be foure things that may make a man willing to buy the truth. The ſame things that make men willing to lay out their money for other commodities.

1,Firſt, it is a neceſſary and uſefull commodity. Indeed things that a man hath no need of, no uſe of, hee hath p. 313no minde to buy, or to lay out his money for them. It is no providence nor good husbandry, to buy ſuch things as hee hath no need or uſe of, Joh. 13.29. Buy thoſe things that we have need of. If a man want bread, want clothing for him and his, hee is willing to lay out his money, and to buy them, becauſe theſe things hee hath need of. Neceſſity forces him to buy theſe: So here, the truth is a neceſſary commodity, an uſefull commodity. It was when Chriſt was diſperſing, and many hearing the Word of truth, that Chriſt ſpake that ſpeech, One thing is needfull: As if he had ſaid, Thou thinkeſt much at Mary, that ſhee is at this market, that ſhe is buying this commodity, but blame her not, it is a needfull commodity, and therefore ſhee doth well to buy it. It is as neceſſary as Heaven and ſalvation it ſelfe, 1 Tim. 2.4. Who will have all men to be ſaved. I, that men like well, but marke what followes, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. Marke then, there is no comming to ſalvation, till men come to the p. 314knowledge of the truth. The Truth muſt be had before Heaven can bee had. Truth therefore being ſo needfull a commodity, and ſo uſefull, there is great reaſon we ſhould be forward to buy it, and to be at coſt for it. There is a neceſſity of buying it, and of being at coſt for it, Apoc. 3.18. I counſell thee to buy of me white rayment that thou mayſt be cloathed, and that the ſhame of thy nakedneſſe doe not appeare. There is a neceſſity of clothing, a neceſſity of covering ones nakedneſſe, therefore a neceſſity of buying knowledge, grace, religion, godlineſſe, being things of ſuch neceſſary uſe, men muſt be at coſt and charges for them, men ought to buy them.

2Secondly, it is a profitable commodity, a gainefull commodity, there is much to be gotten, and gained by the buying of it. Hee that trades in this commodity ſhall never be a loſer by it, nay hee ſhall be a great ſaver and gainer by it. 1 Tim. 6.6. Godlineſſe is great gaine. If it were but gaine it were ſomewhat, and it were enough to p. 315croſſe the conceit of the world, that counts godlineſſe loſſe and hindrance, but that is not all, it is great gaine, it brings in great returnes, rich returnes, it brings in ſuch advantage as makes a man.

Thirty and forty in the hundred are counted great gaines in trading, but this buying and trading brings in greater by farre, Matth. 19.27, 29. Then anſwered Peter and ſaid to him, Behold, we have forſaken all, and followed thee: what ſhall wee have? And whoſoever ſhall forſake houſes, or brethren, or ſiſters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my Names ſake, hee ſhall receive an hundred fold more, and ſhall inherite everlaſting life. As if hee had ſaid, Lord we have beene at great coſt, and great charges to buy the truth, what ſhall wee have? what gaine will our adventure bring us in? what ſhall wee get by the buying of this commodity? Chriſt anſwers, Every one that hath forſaken, &c. ſhall receive an hundred fold. Where marke, that the gaine is not one for an hundred, but an hundred for p. 316one, as if a man ſhould lay out a pound, and gaine an hundred pound by laying out one. The gaine of buying this commodity, is like the gaine that Iſaac had by ſowing, Gen. 26.12. Who received in the ſame yeere an hundred fold. And marke againe, that it is not in this trading and buying, as it is in buying and trading in other commodities. We ſee in other trading in the World and buying, that ſome men grow very rich, gaine great eſtates, but yet many get little, many loſe and are undone by trading. But now it is not ſo here: And every one, ſayes Chriſt, that hath forſaken, &c. ſhall receive an hundred fold. This commodity bought makes all gainers, gainers an hundred fold in in this life. Every Merchant of this Company is a gaining Merchant.

There is a three-fold profit or gaine to be had by buying the Truth.

Firſt, a mans ſpirituall freedome 1from the captivity and bondage of Satan and luſt. Joh. 8.32. Yee ſhall know the truth. Know the truth? And what ſhall we get by that truth? And the p. 317truth ſhall make you free. Wee ſee that many will give good ſummes to buy the freedome of the City. As Act. 22.28. With a great ſumme bought I this freedome, viz. of the City of Rome: So that hee that buyes the truth, buyes his freedome, hee gaines his freedome by the bargaine, his freedome from the thraldome of his luſt, his freedome from the ſlavery of Satan: See 2 Tim. 2.25, 26. If God at any time will give them repentance, that they may know the truth, And that they may come to amendment out of the ſnare of the devill, which are taken of him at his will.

Secondly, Riches. The buying 2of the Truth makes a man rich, Prov. 3.13. Bleſſed is the man that findeth wiſdome, and the man that getteth underſtanding. Happy is hee that buyes this commodity. But why? verſ. 14. For …he merchandiſe thereof is better than the merchandiſe of ſilver, and the gain there…f is better then gold; and verſ. 16. Ri…hes are in her left hand. It many times …ings in earthly riches, for godlineſſe …ath the promiſes of this life, and the life p. 318to come. But that matters not. To be ſure, it makes ſpiritually rich, Apoc. 3. The Church of Laodicea thought ſhee was rich, but ſhe was poore. Well, Chriſt will teach her a courſe to become rich. But what courſe is that? Shee muſt fall to trading, and to buying, to the buying of truth, of grace, verſ. 18. I counſell thee to buy of me gold. But what ſhall wee be the better for buying it? It is a commodity, if yee buy it, will enrich you, will make you; to buy of mee gold, that thou mayst bee rich: So that the way to fetch in the gaine of ſpirituall riches, is to be buying this gold. It is a trading then wee ſee that is gainefull, it will gaine ſpirituall riches.

Thirdly, Life and happineſſe, Pro. 33.18. Shee is a Tree of life to them that lay hold upon her.

So that here is that ſhould make us willing to buy the truth, and be at coſt for it, and to come off roundly for it too, in that it is ſo profitable and gainefull a commodity. If a man ſees a commodity in the Market that will p. 319yeeld profit, that will bring him in gaine, hee need not be intreated to buy it, hee will be ſure to lay hold on it, to faſten upon it, hee will have it though hee borrow the money to buy it. Gainefull commodities uſe not to hang in hand, but they are preſently ſnatcht up, there is catching at ſuch commodities to buy them. The truth therefore being a commodity in which there is gaine and advantage to be had, what ever it coſt, what ever be the price, buy it, loſe not the buying of a gainefull commodity. What ſhall it profit a man to gaine the whole world, and loſe his owne ſoule? Hee that makes ſuch a bargaine, makes but a loſing bargaine: And ſo, what ſhall it endammage a man to loſe, to give the whole world, and to gaine his owne ſoule? He that makes ſuch a bargaine, makes a ſaving, a gaining bargaine. Hee that buyes the truth, though hee give the whole world for it, makes a gaining bargaine, becauſe he gaines his ſoule, and Heaven by it.

Thirdly, it is a pretious commodity, p. 3203of great worth and excellency, Prov. 3.13, 14, 15. Bleſſed is the man that findeth wiſdome, and the man that getteth underſtanding. For the merchandiſe thereof is better then the merchandiſe of ſilver, and the gaine thereof is better then gold. It is more precious then pearles: and all things that thou canſt deſire, are not to be compared unto her. See Job. 28.12. 16, 19. But where is wiſdome found? and where is the place of underſtanding? It ſhall not be valued with the wedge of gold of Ophir, nor with the pretious Onix, nor the Saphir. The Topaz of Ethiopia ſhall not be equall unto it, neither ſhall it be valued with the wedge of pure gold. Matth. 13. The Merchant ſeekes pearles, and he findes one pearle of great price, of great value and worth. It is no vile and paltry commodity, but a commodity very pretious: And therefore worth the buying. Things that bee vile, who will buy them? refuſe ſtuffe none will lay out money about them. But when things are pretious and excellent, their excellency tempts men to buy. What made the Merchant in p. 321the Parable to ſell all that he had, and to buy the pearle? It was a great price to give all that hee had, it ſeemes to coſt exceeding deere. To have given halfe that he had one would thinke had been enough, but he gives all that he hath to buy it. And what was the reaſon? It was a pearle, and it was a pearle of great price: ſo Truth being a pearle, and a pearle of great price, loſe not the buying of ſo pretious a commodity.

Fourthly, It is a commodity we can 4never be over-reacht in, we cannot be cheated and coſend in. A man is overreacht, and coſend in buying when hee gives more for a commodity than it is worth, when the commodity bought, and the price given have no proportion, are not of equall value, the buyer hath not a pennyworth for his penny. Gen. 23.15. The land is worth foure hundred ſhekels of ſilver. So long as the land was worth it, Abraham could not have an hard bargaine, could not bee over-reacht in it, could have no cauſe to repent him, though hee gave foure p. 322hundred ſhekels of ſilver. The land was worth it: ſo here, in buying the Truth a man ſhall bee ſure not to bee overreacht, he ſhal be ſure not to be pincht with an hard bargaine, becauſe let it coſt what it will, let the price be never ſo high, let a man give what he will, yet the truth is worth it, and a man ſhall be ſure to have a pennyworth for his penny.

Prov. 3.15. All the things thou canſt deſire are not to be compared to her. Prov. 8.11. For Wiſedome is better than precious ſtones, and all pleaſures are not to be compared unto her. The higheſt price that can be ſet is diſproportionable to the worth of it, is beneath the value of the commodity. Iob 28.17. Though it be a neceſſary commodity, a profitable, gainefull commodity, a precious commodity, yet at any price it is ſet at, it is a cheape commodity, and the price is low. A man cannot be over-reacht when the commodity is neceſſary, profitable, precious, and yet the price low. How can a man be over-reacht where the commodity is p. 323profitable, and cheape both? Now this commodity as it is well worth all our paines, endevours, coſts; ſo all we can doe and give, it is but cheape, it is but an eaſie low price. Iſ. 55.1. Come buy wine and milke without money, and without price, that is, without any meritorious price, as he that gives the money, and the price that a commodity is worth in point of commutative Juſtice deſerves to have the commodity, and it is Injuſtice to hold it from him. Thus wee muſt buy without price, becauſe no man can give a meritorious price to God for Grace and Heaven. Buy without price, that is, without meritorious price; or elſe thus to our preſent purpoſe. It is true that Truth muſt bee bought with a price, and with a great price, but yet the greateſt price that is, is ſo beneath the commodity, that it is no price. As we ſay of a cheape commodity that is bought for little, that it is no price. Ten thouſand pound is a great ſumme of money, an huge ſumme, but for a man to buy ten thouſand pound a yeer p. 324for the price of ten thouſand pound, it is but one yeares purchaſe, it is no price, ten thouſand pound is no mony, no price to ten thouſand pound a yeere. It is a great deale of paines, and coſt that a man muſt bee at to get the Truth, to get Chriſt, and Grace, but the worth of the commodity conſidered and the tranſcendency of the value of it above coſt and paines, all our coſt and paines is no money, is no price. And how can a man bee overreacht, or have an hard bargaine, when he hath a good bargaine for no price. Here is that then which may draw us on to ſtrike thorow this bargaine, and may encourage us to trade, and buy, we ſhall be ſure to have a pennyworth for our penny, we ſhall not bee pincht with a deere penny-worth. Many a man hath a great minde to ſuch an houſe, and land, he would faine buy it, he beates the price, and bids faire for it, but yet as good a minde as hee hath to it, he buyes it not, he feares it is to deere, he feares he ſhall repent him of his bargaine, and wiſh his money in p. 325his purſe againe, and therefore falls off. But now here is no ſuch feare, what ever the Truth coſt thee, ſuppoſe it coſt thee much paines, and labour, ſuppoſe it proves matter of great charge to thee, ſuppoſe it coſt thee thy credit and reſpect in the world, thy liberty, thine eſtate, thy bloud, thy life, yet thou buyeſt it not too deere; it is well worth all thou canſt give for it. A man may buy houſe and lands, good houſe and lands too deere, a man may buy Gold too deere, as the Proverb is, but yet hee cannot buy Truth, nor Grace, nor Chriſt, nor Heaven too deare. The Land is worth foure hundred ſhekles, and Heaven, and Chriſt, Truth, and Grace is worth all that ever. God ſhall aske for it.

A man may buy a good purchaſe of land, and yet have no cauſe to rejoyce in it, may wiſh hee had never medled with it, but had kept his money in his purſe. Ezek. 7.12. The time is come, the day draweth neere, let not the buyer rejoyce. Such times may come, as a man p. 326may have but little joy in buying a a purchaſe. But a man that buyes the Truth ſhall never repent him of his purchaſe, but let ſuch a buyer rejoyce. Come what times will come, yet he may rejoyce, yea the worſe the times may be, the more cauſe may he have to rejoyce in his purchaſe.

Thus being convinced that this duty is to be done, that Truth is to bee bought, come wee now to ſhew how this duty is to be done, and wherein this buying ſtands.

This buying then ſtands in diverſe things.

Firſt, In giving a price, and paying a price for it. In trading in the world, when a man gives the price for a commodity, he buyes it, and a man cannot be ſaid to have bought a commodity till ſome price be given for it, that is contracted for, ye are bought with a price, 1 Cor. 6.20. therefore in buying there is a price given. When Abraham bought the fields of Ephraim, he gave him the price of foure hundred ſhekels, and when hee gave that price then hee p. 327bought it. Deut. 2.6. ye ſhall buy meate of them that ye may eate, and ye ſhall buy water of them that ye may drinke. But how muſt they buy? yee ſhall buy meate of them for money, and ye ſhall buy water of them for money. That which a man hath without money, or ſome valuable conſideration; it is not bought, but is given freely, or taken unjuſtly. But when a man gives money for bread, gives money for water, then he buyes it. So in this caſe, hee that would buy Truth muſt give a price for it, it will not bee had for nothing, that which a man hath for nothing is not bought. The price that men muſt give for Truth and Grace, is the uſe of all ſuch meanes by which Truth and Grace is to be gotten. So buy the Truth, that is, uſe all meanes by which it may bee had; God hath appointed certaine meanes in the uſe of which he will give Grace, and the knowledge of the Truth, and they that will have this commodity muſt give this price, muſt uſe ſuch meanes as God requires to be uſed to this end.

p. 328This price that God ſets is not a matter of money, Simon Magus would have bought that gift for money. Act. 8.18. He offred them money. But thy money periſh with thee, ſaith Peter to him. We our ſelves are bought with a price. 1 Cor. 6. but yet 1 Pet. 1. are not redeemed with Silver, and Gold, and corruptible things, ſo Truth, and Grace muſt bee bought, but yet it is not gold that will buy this Gold. But there is another price with which Truth muſt bee bought. The uſe of thoſe meanes which God hath appointed, that is the price; that look as by the giving of a price an earthly commodity is bought, and obtained, ſo by the uſe of the meanes, Truth, and Grace is gotten, and obtained. And what then are thoſe meanes?

Firſt, Prayer, Buy the truth, pray 1,for the knowledge of the truth, pray for grace. As by money wee obtaine and buy the commodity wee neede, and have a minde to, ſo by prayer wee obtaine and buy the truth. Jam. 1.5. If any of you lacke wiſdome. Shop-keepers p. 329as men paſſe by their doores, aske them, What doe yee lacke? what is it that you want? So the Apoſtle here ſeemes to ſay, what is it that ye lackc? what is it that ye want? Doe yee want grace? Do ye want knowledge and wiſdome? Well, what if we doe? How may wee come by it? Buy it, ſayes the Apoſtle. I, but what is the price that muſt be given for it? If any man lacke wiſdome, ſtand in need of this commodity, let him aske of God. And it is the price that Chriſt ſets upon grace, Matth. 7. Aske and ye ſhall have. The price that the Lord ſets upon the knowledge of the truth. Jer. 33. Call upon me, and I will anſwer thee, and ſhew thee great and hidden things which thou knoweſt not. God highly befriends us, hee ſets the commodity at a low price. It is little worth that is not worth the asking. The way then to buy, is to beg; begging is buying, and praying is paying. And therefore how often finde wee David in thoſe ſuites, Teach mee thy truth, teach me thy Statutes, &c. David knew the commodity would not be bought without this price, and p. 330therefore hee ſtickes not at it, he gives the price, and ſeekes grace, and the knowledge of the truth by prayer.

Secondly, hearing the Word, and attending 2upon the Miniſtery thereof. As Paul ſpeakes of Chriſt, Rom. 15.8. That Jeſus Chriſt was a Miniſter of the circumciſion for the truth of God: So it may in another ſenſe be ſaid of the Miniſters of the Goſpel, That they are Miniſters of the Goſpel for the truth of God, to make knowne the truth of God, to offer and tender it unto people. And Mal. 2.6. The Law of truth was in Levi's mouth. God ſends them to ſet his truth to ſale, they bring this commodity to Market: So that if wee would buy the truth, wee muſt attend upon them whoſe worke is to diſpenſe the Word of truth, as the Goſpel is called, Epheſ. 1.13. And it is a part of the price that is to be given for it, to come to, & attend upon their Miniſtery. See Mal. 2.6. The Law of truth was in his mouth, and verſ. 7. They ſhould ſeeke the Lawes (of truth) at his mouth. So then, they that would get p. 331the truth, muſt ſeeke it at the mouthes of Gods Miniſters, and that is the way to get this commodity. This is part of the price, to come to the publike meanes, and to attend upon them. Come and buy, Iſa. 55.1. Even comming is a part of buying. If Jacobs ſonnes would buy Corne, they muſt not onelyonly give money, but they muſt goe into Egypt, and their going into Egypt was one part of the price of it. They could not buy unleſſe they went into Egypt, where it was to be bought. They that will buy a commodity, they muſt goe to the Market, and the ſhops where the commodity is to be bought, Matth. 25.9. Goe to them that ſell, and buy for your ſelves. So if men would buy the truth, they muſt goe to them that ſell, and there buy. Now Gods Miniſters are they that in a good ſenſe ſell, and therefore to them, men muſt goe and buy. The Sabbaths are the Market dayes, the publike aſſemblies are the Market places, and the ſhoppes where this commodity is to bee bought. And if men would buy, thither p. 332they muſt goe, there they muſt waite. And this going to, and attending upon the ordinance of preaching is a part of the price that muſt be given to buy this pearle. Buy the truth then, that is, goe to the Word, and attend upon the preaching of the Word, goe to the Market and waite upon that Ordinance.

3Thirdly, reading the Scripture, and other Bookes, that may helpe us to the knowledge of the truth, and build us up in grace, mutuall conference, and meditation. This is a price that muſt be given for truth. It is not enough to uſe publike helpes, but wee muſt uſe private helpes alſo, wee muſt trade and traffique in private, as well as in publike. Thus in the uſe of the meanes that God hath appointed, wee muſt buy this pearle of Truth and Grace. God can infuſe grace and knowledge into us without our endeavours in the uſe of the meanes, but God will not doe it. His way is that the meanes ſhall be uſed, and the uſe of the meanes is the price hee will have for this commodity. p. 333God gives grace, and the knowledge of the truth, as Boaz gave Ruth corne, Ruth 2.15, 16, 17. Could not Boaz have given her at once as much corne as would have yeelded her an Ephah of Barley, and ſo have ſent her home without any more adoe? Yes ſurely, hee could have done it, and it had beene no more charge for him to have done ſo: But yet hee would have her uſe her endeavours, to gather and to gleane it, and beat it out to, when ſhe had gleaned it; and that labour of hers ſhould bee the price ſhee ſhould pay for it. So God can give us knowledge by immediate revelation, and grace by immediate infuſion, but yet hee will have us uſe the meanes in praying, hearing, reading and conference, and our labour and endeveavour in the uſe of thoſe meanes ſhall be the price with which the truth muſt be bought.

Secondly, in giving and paying the 2full price for it. A man that will buy a commodity, muſt not onelyonly give a a price for it, but hee muſt give the full p. 334price that is asked for it. When Abraham was to buy the field of Ephron, I will give thee money for it, and Ephron tells him it is worth foure hundred ſheckels: Now if Abraham will buy it, hee muſt give him his price: And ſo hee did, Gen. 23.16. Hee weighed unto him the ſilver which hee had named, hee gave him the price which hee asked, and ſo bought the field. If Abraham had offered him three hundred and fifty or three hundred and ninty ſheckels, hee had offered him a price, but not Ephrons price; hee had offered him ſilver, but not the ſilver hee named; hee had offered a price, but not the full price; and ſo the bargaine had not beene ſtrucke thorow, the field had not beene bought. Gen. 23.9. for as much money as it is worth, for full money, that is, as in the Hebrew, for the full price.

So it is here in the buying of the truth. Not onelyonly muſt a price bee given, but a full price, Gods price that hee askes and ſets. I may allude to that ſpeech of Chriſts, Zech. 11.12. If yee p. 335thinke good, give me my price, and if not forbeare. So the Lord in this caſe ſaies to us, If yee thinke good of my commodity that I offer to you, yee ſhall have it, but then you muſt not thinke to have it at your owne price, but you muſt give me my price, the price that I aske and ſet you. The ſeller ſets one price, and the buyer offers another, but if the buyer offer too low a price, hee muſt riſe and come to the ſellers price if hee will have his commodity. It is not enough then if wee will buy the truth to offer a price, and give a price, but wee muſt give Gods price, that is, the full price. Now Gods price, the full price is this, it ſtands in theſe two things:

Firſt, in an induſtrious, painefull, 1ſerious uſe of meanes. The uſe of meanes is a price, but the full price is the ſerious, induſtrious uſe of the means, the uſing of the meanes with all our might, Hoſ. 6.3. Then ſhall wee know if wee follow on to know the Lord. Many pray, heare, reade, &c. and yet buy not the truth, nor get knowledge, nor p. 336grace, they indeed give a price, but it is not Gods price, not the full price, and therefore they have not the commodity. The Apoſtle ſayes of thoſe women, 2 Tim. 3.7. They were ever learning, and came not to the knowledge of the truth. They were cheapning and offering for it, but they never bought the truth, and all becauſe they came not to Gods price. There be ſome that are ever praying, ever hearing, ever reading, and yet never come to the knowledge of the truth, never get true grace. Heere indeede is a price given, meanes are uſed, but the full price is not given, meanes are not uſed in good earneſt, ſeriouſly, induſtriouſly with all their might. It is not enough to pray for grace and the truth, but men muſt pray ſo as God would have them pray, Jam. 1.5. If any of you lacke wiſdome, let him aske of God, which giveth to all men liberally, and reprocheth no man, and it ſhall be given him. Well may one ſay, if that be all, I will ſoone aske it, I will give that price willingly for it. I, but marke verſe 6. But let him aske in faith: p. 337That teaches thus much; That asking is not enough, unleſſe men aske in that manner, for faith, and ſo for all other qualifications, as God requires. It muſt be faithfull, and fervent, earneſt prayer which is Gods price. See Prov. 2.3, 5. If thou cryeſt and lifteſt up thy voyce, then, &c. Hee ſayes not, If thou prayeſt, that is to be done, that's part of the price, but if thou cryeſt. That's Gods price, to have fervent prayer, full of earneſtneſſe and contention of ſpirit. Cold, formall, dead-hearted prayer is not Gods price, it is too low a price to fetch ſo rich a commodity. What muſt I give you, ſay wee, when wee come to buy a commodity? So if wee would know here, My ſonne, give mee thine heart. In prayer for grace, give God thine heart. The tongue, the lippes, the voyce, is too low a price, God muſt bee prayed to ſeriouſly with the heart. Is that all? No, there is more yet; that ſame, Pſal. 119.145. I cryed with my whole heart. That's the whole price, and full price in the point of prayer. Not ſome of the p. 336duplicate page p. 337duplicate page p. 338heart, but the whole heart muſt bee given to God in this duty. It is not enough to heare the Word, to get grace and the truth, but men muſt ſo heare as God requires, with ſuch preparation, with ſuch affection, with ſuch attention, with ſuch after endeavours as God commands. Ezek. 40.4. Sonne of man, behold with thine eyes, and heare with thine eares, and ſet thine heart upon all that I ſhall ſhew thee. Eyes and eares, and heart, muſt all be ſet on worke in the duty. Thoſe Ezek. 33. heard the Word, but they gave not the full price, the price that God asked, Their hearts were running after their covetouſneſſe. It is not enough to reade, but it muſt be ſuch reading as God requires that will helpe a man to the truth, and to grace: It muſt be reading with induſtry, diligence, heedfulneſſe, and much paines-taking. Therefore Chriſt bids us not barely, Reade the Scriptures, but to ſearch the Scriptures. A man muſt ſet his head and his heart on worke both in reading the Word. Prov. 2.4, 5. If thou ſeekeſt her as ſilver, p. 339and ſearcheſt for her as for treaſures: Then ſhalt thou underſtand the feare of the Lord, and finde the knowledge of God. There is the full price. What paines doe men take to ſeeke and ſearch for treaſures hid in the earth, for ſilver in the Mynes: They dig thorow rockes, dig wonderfull deepe, follow every veyne, and ſearch every cranny where the ſilver lyes; It coſts a great deale of paines and labour, in ſearching, and digging for ſilver; and ſo it muſt coſt a great deale of paines and induſtry in the reading of the Word and ſearching of the Scriptures, that's Gods full price in this particular, if we will buy the truth. Slight and overly formall uſe of theſe meanes, are not price enough to buy the truth.

If a man aske ten pounds for a commodity, and one bid him but tenne pence, hee cannot buy that commodity: The buyer and ſeller will never meete at ſuch a diſtance. God hee askes diligence, painfulneſſe, induſtry, and labour of ſpirit in the uſe of meanes: Now if wee come with our p. 340dead and cold formalities, and make prayer but a lip-labour, hearing but an eare-labour, reading but an eye-labor, this is to offer God but ten pence, nay but ten tokens, when hee ſets the price ten pounds: And they that come ſo ſhort of Gods price are never like to buy: God muſt have his full price, his whole price, and they are never like to buy that doe not give him his whole price, that offer him not halfe his price.

Here is that which keepes men off from buying, becauſe they are loth to goe to the full price, to bee at all that paines that muſt be taken in the uſe of the meanes. If prayer, hearing, reading, would doe it, they would not ſtick at that, but if ſo much paines and labour muſt bee taken in theſe, they thinke it too deare at ſuch prices & rates, they will forbeare. See Prov. 24.7. Wiſedome is too high for a foole. It is too high prizd in a fooles conceit, and therefore he buyes it not. The Wiſe-man ſpeakes in the fooles language, Wiſedomes in the plurall are too high. As p. 341if he had ſaid, fooles when they look upon this commodity of wiſedome, Oh ſay they, it is Wiſedomes, oh what a multitude is there of theſe truthes! what a deale of paines will it require to know all theſe things! and beſides, They be high points, deepe matters, what a deale of ſtudy, what beating of a mans braines will they aske, what a deale of ſtriving in prayer before wee ſhall attain to them! there is no medling with them, as good goe without them, as take them at ſuch a deare price. And thus fooles loſe a good bargaine becauſe they thinke it too deare upon thoſe tearmes, becauſe they will not give the full price. It is otherwiſe with an underſtanding man, that underſtands the worth of Truth. Prov. 15.14. The heart of him that hath underſtanding ſeeketh knowledge. Hee ſeekes or purſues it. There bee many difficulties to be overcome, ere he can have it, it will coſt much paines, but he yet for all that ſeekes and purſues after it, hee ſtickes not at that price. And againe, The heart of him, &c. ſeekes. Hee p. 342doth not onelyonly ſpeake of it, or heare others ſpeake of it, but his heart, and his minde is upon it. And though a commodity be deare, yet if a man have a minde to it, he will have it though he pay the price. A man that hath an heart, and a minde ſeeking Truth, thogh the price of it be ſo much pains, labour and induſtry in the uſe of means yet he will buy it at that price, he will give the full price of it. So that when he bids us Buy the truth, hee bids us not onelyonly pray, but pray hard, pray earneſtly with thy whole heart, not onelyonly heare, but heare with all diligence, attention, and intention of ſpirit: not onelyonly reade, but reade ſearchingly, diligently. This is Gods price, this is to give the full price. Give that and then wee buy.

Secondly, in a cheerefull parting 2with, and giving for the Truth ſuch things as are deare to us, or of price, and worth to us. Theſe may be referred to three heads.

1,Firſt, our luſts, and corruptions which are deare to us, which we count ſo dearely of as our right hands, and p. 343our right eyes. And yet as deare as they be to us theſe muſt bee given, and parted with for the getting, and buying of the truth; Gods full price is that theſe muſt bee given, and bee all ſold, and made off to buy this purchaſe. So the merchant that findes the pearle of great price, Matth. 13.46. hee goes and ſells all that he had, and bought it. All that hee had was the full price of the pearle, and he came to the full price, parts with all that hee had, and ſo bought. Hee ſold not ſome of that he had, that was but a pinne of the price, not halfe that hee had, that was but halfe the price, but hee comes to the full price, All that hee had, and bought it. A man that will have Chriſt, and buy his Truth, muſt part with all his luſts, and give them all for this bargaine. Some man likes Chriſt and the Truth ſo well, that hee could bee content to part with this and that luſt, hee could as Herod, bee content to doe many things, and part with many things for the truth, but Herod hath one jewell, his Herodias, hee is loath to buy p. 344truth ſo deare as to give her for it: It is too deare a price to buy truth at, to part with one ſo deare to him. I, but if Herod will have the truth, hee muſt come to Gods full price, not doing of many things, not the parting with ſome luſts and vanities, but the parting with all, Herodias and all, is Gods price. Bid wee, and offer wee what wee will, uſe meanes and endeavours, and goe on in them, yet if wee will not part with our luſts, we ſhall never have the bargaine, nor buy the pearle. It is a pearle of great price, and therefore a great price, the ſelling and putting off all our luſts, muſt be given for it, or elſe bid as oft and as faire as we will, it will not doe. See 2 Tim. 3.7. Ever learning, and never come to the knowledge of the truth. They bid faire for the truth. They were content to learne, and to bee at ſome paines to get the knowledge of the truth, which is more then a great many will bid for it, nay they doe it not for a fit, but are ever learning, they ſeeme to follow it with ſome cloſeneſſe, and yet for all this never come to p. 345the knowledge of the truth, ever bidding, but never come to buy the truth. Why? what's the matter they buy it not? Becauſe though they ſeeme to bid faire, yet they come not to the full price. They would ſell ſomewhat to buy the pearle, but not ſell all, not part with their ſinfull luſts, and therefore God denyed them the knowledge of the truth, verſ. 16. They leade captive ſimple women laden with diverſe luſts, which women are ever learning, and never come to the knowledge of the truth. Prov. 14.6. A ſcorner ſeeketh wiſdome, and findeth it not. Hee bids, and buyes not, hee will not give the full price, hee ſcornes at ſuch a deare price as to part with all his luſts. There is no reaſon or equity that the buyer ſhould have a mans commodity at the price hee will ſet: The ſeller is to ſet the price, and if hee cannot have his price, hee wrongs no man to keepe his commodity to himſelfe, ſpecially when it is richly worth the price hee ſets. If therefore wee would buy the truth, ſell away and part with all p. 344duplicate page p. 345duplicate page p. 346thy luſts, that's Gods full price, of which hee will not abate any thing. It is but a folly to hucke, and to hope by hucking, to fetch downe the market. If yee thinke good, give God his price, if not, forbeare. Either all, or nothing at all. As men ſay to ſuch as offer ſhort of their price, I had as live ye offered me nothing.

Secondly, Our money and meanes in 2that kinde when God calls for it, theſe temporall things. It is true indeede that money will not buy grace: Indeed the Popes graces may be bought with money. There be Bookes in print of the taxes of the Apoſtolicall Chancery, in which bookes are ſold diſpenſations and abſolutions for all manner of villanies, and ſome not to be named. And, ſayes that Booke, theſe kinde of graces are not for the poore, becauſe they are deſtitute of goods and means. But therefore theſe graces are for the rich, they may for money buy the Popes graces: But Gods graces are not to be had for money. So Simon Magus would faine have been trading. p. 347And yet in one ſenſe wee muſt buy the Truth with our money, and temporall good; That is, wee ſhould bee willing to be at coſts and charges, and to ſpend money for the maintaining of thoſe meanes, and thoſe Ordinances in the uſe of which the truth is to bee gotten. Though we cannot buy grace for money, yet with our money wee may buy preaching, maintaine the Miniſtery, we may buy Bibles, buy good Bookes, by all which wee may come to get the knowledge of the truth. And ſo in this ſenſe, wee muſt buy the truth with our money, and it is a part of Gods full price, and ſuch a price as muſt be given if men will buy the truth. Prov. 4.7. If need be part with any gettings to get the truth.

Though our money cannot buy grace, yet it can procure and mainetaine the Miniſtery of the Word and preaching of the Goſpel, by which the knowledge of the truth and grace is to be gotten. And therefore it is well noted by ſome on that place, Matth. 13.44. That the Merchant finding a rich p. 348treaſure hid in the field, is ſaid to ſell all and buy the field. He doth not buy the treaſure, but the field, and ſo in buying the field hee buyes the treaſure therein. The field is the Miniſtery of the Goſpel, in which the treaſure of grace is hid. And ſo ſome expound thoſe words, Col. 2.3. foreign; in which Miniſtery of the Goſpel, verſ. 2. are hid all the treaſures of wiſdome, and knowledge. Now though our money will not procure grace and knowledge, yet it will purchaſe that field, the preaching of the Goſpel, in which theſe treaſures are to be had. And this price God requires, a part of his full price, Gal. 6. Let him that is taught make him that teaches him partaker of all his goods. God will not have the Miniſtery of the Word eleemoſynary, to be matter of meere almes, but hee will have not onelyonly mens paynes to heare the Word, but mens purſes to maintaine the Word, and his Ordinances, by which the truth is to be had. God himſelfe would not have the doores of the Temple ſhut for nought, nor fire kindled upon p. 349his Altar for nought, Mal. 1.11. And would hee then have his Word opened for nought, and the fire of the word kindled for nought? No, but Numb. 35.8. Every one ſhall give of his Cities to the Levites according to his inheritance which hee inherites. And will have him that keepes the Fig-tree, eate of the fruit thereof, Prov. 27.18. and will have the Oxes mouth unmuzzeld that treads out the corne. So buy the truth, that is, be at coſt, and let your purſes walke for the maintaining of the Goſpell. Though our money cannot buy grace and knowledge of the truth, yet our money may buy Bibles, and good Bookes, by the reading whereof wee may come to get knowledge and grace So that when hee ſayes, Buy the truth, hee ſayes, Buy Bibles, buy good Bookes, and ſticke not at the coſt and charge of them, but willingly bee at ſuch charge for the getting of the truth. It was a great price thoſe Bookes came to which they burned after they came to the knowledge of the truth, Act. 19.19. They brought their Bookes together, p. 350and burned them before all men, and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thouſand peeces of ſilver. Surely they that in honour of the truth burned Bookes of ſo great price, would not have ſtucke in deſire of the truth to have bought Bookes of great price. And thus our fore-fathers, godly chriſtians, before Luthers time here in England, when there was ſome glimpſe of the light of the Goſpel, they bought the truth, though at an high price. It is memorable which Mr. Foxe ſpeakes of them. They did ſit up whole nights in reading, and hearing good Bookes read. That was one part of the price they gave. But they did not onelyonly buy with their paines, but with their purſes, with their goods, being at great coſt and expences in buying Bookes in Engliſh. They gave ſometimes five markes and more for a good Booke; they gave a loade of hay for a few chapters of Saint James, or Saint Paul in Engliſh. It was more money, five markes then, then ten pound is now. What a deale of coſt was it to buy p. 351ſuch bookes. I, but it was to buy the truth, and good men they thought truth deare at no price, nor the meanes of truth too high at any rate. It was Gods price then, and they ſhukt not at it. Thus is truth to be bought.

Buy the truth, lay out money and ſtick not at it, to maintaine preaching, to buy a Bible, &c. Alas I want money, I have ſo many occaſions, and the world ſo hard, I cannot be at the charge of maintaining preaching, buying Bibles, &c. Thoſe be the ſhuckings of earthly hearts, that are of Judas minde, that the oyntment was waſted that was beſtowed upon Chriſt. But ſuppoſe there be truth in it, yet I ſay buy the truth, and rather then not buy it, doe as our Saviour adviſes, Luc. 22.36. He that hath no ſword, let him ſell his coat and buy one. So ſell thy coate, and purchaſe a Preacher, ſell thy coate, and buy a Bible: Thou muſt come to Gods price, if buy.

Thirdly, Our comforts of this life, 3as peace, liberty, houſes, lands, husbands, wives, children, life it ſelfe. p. 350duplicate page p. 351duplicate page p. 352Sometimes truth is at dearer rates then at other times. God ſometimes raiſes the price, that truth cannot be bought nor had but at theſe high rates, That if a man will have it, it may coſt him his deereſt comforts, his very blood and life it ſelfe. Truth was very deare, at very high prices in Queene Maries dayes. It pleaſed God that by the raiſing up Queene Elizabeth, a nurſing mother in Iſrael, that the prices fell, and truth was had at eaſier and lower rates. But yet when truth was at theſe deare prices in Queene Maries dayes, we ſee the ſervants of Chriſt did not ſticke to give the price of their blood for it: And though it were as much as their lives were worth to be medling with the Truth, and the Goſpel, yet they were content to come to Gods full price, to the very higheſt price of all, to part with all the comforts of this life, and life it ſelfe for the truth, when God pitched that price. And though it be ſometimes at lower prices, yet that is a price that muſt be pitcht upon, and wee muſt be willing to give it, p. 353if God call for it. Joh. 8.31, 32. Yee ſhall be my Diſciples, and yee ſhall know the truth. The knowledge then of the Truth, and being a Diſciple are both of a price. Looke what it will coſt to be a Diſciple, that it may coſt to get the truth. At what price then is it to be a Diſciple, Matth. 16. If any man will be my Diſciple, let him take up his croſſe and follow mee. So that hee that will bee a Diſciple muſt reckon upon the price of the Croſſe, and ſo muſt hee that will buy the truth, for a man muſt bee a Diſciple that will have the truth. I confeſſe this is a ſharp price when God calls for it, and yet this price muſt then be given. Wee ſaw before that it is a commodity royally worth what ever God askes for it. This men count too high a price and ſo ſtart at it that they let the bargaine goe. They deale juſt in this caſe as Boaz his kinſman did in the buying of Naomies land, Ruth 4.3, 4. Hee ſaid, I will redeeme or buy it: I, but verſ. 5. Boaz tells him of a condition that goes with the bargaine, What day thou buyeſt p. 354the field of the hand of Naomi, thou muſt alſo buy it of Ruth, &c. thou muſt take her to wife, &c. The man had a good minde to buy the field, but when hee heares of that condition, hee ſtarts at it, verſ. 6. by no meanes can I buy it, leſt I marre mine inheritance. So when truth is offered unto men to buy it; God offers to ſell truth to you, ſay his Miniſters, Buy it therefore, and let not ſuch a commodity goe. Oh ſay men, wee will buy it with all our hearts. I, but what day you buy the truth you muſt make account to take up the croſſe, make account of loſſe of liberty, &c. when men heare that, and ſee the price ſo high, oh ſay they, wee cannot buy it, leſt wee marre our credit, our liberty, our houſes and lands, and our very lives. This price is thought too high, and thereupon men breake off. Thoſe in the parable, the ſtony ground, ſeemed to be very forward to buy the truth, but when perſecution and tribulation ariſes becauſe of the Word, they are offended, they ceaſe trading any longer, they like not the buying truth at ſuch p. 355ſmart rates as thoſe. If men might have the truth, and their credit, the truth and their peace, eaſe, liberties, they could be well content to buy it, but if it cannot be bought but upon ſuch hard termes, they will none, they will ſtay till it may bee had better cheape. And this is the ſecond thing in which is the full price of Truth, a willingneſſe for truths ſake to part with any thing that is deere and pretious.

The third thing in which this buying 3ſtands, is in paying current money for it. Hee that buyes a commodity, and comes with falſe coyne, hee doth not buy, but hee cheats: Hee is a cheater, not a chapman. When Abraham bought the field of Ephron the Hittite, Gen. 23.16. Hee weighed him foure hundred ſhekels of ſilver current money with the Merchant. So muſt God be dealt with all, men that will buy his commodity, and trade with him muſt pay him current money. Now money that is current, muſt firſt bee good mettall; ſecondly, it muſt bee p. 356weight. If a man pay gold the mettall is currant, but if gold want weight, and be light, it will not paſſe, and proves not currant for want of weight. If money be weight, yet if it be not good mettall, be falſe and counterfeit coyne, be braſſe and copper, be gilded or ſilver'd braſſe, that's not currant: But when money is good for the materiall, is true ſilver and true gold, and when it is good for the weight, then it is currant money. And ſuch money muſt they buy withall that will buy truth, and will trade with God for this commodity. Now this currant money is not onelyonly to uſe the meanes, and to uſe them with induſtry, but to uſe the meanes with induſtry in ſincerity, out of a love and with a love of the Truth for it ſelfe. To uſe meanes and uſe them induſtriouſly for the getting of the truth, and not ſincerely out of a love of the truth, but for other ends, this is to offer copper, and counterfeit coyne, and God will not part with his commodity for ſuch coyne: Hee will not part with it but for currant p. 357money: Hee will buy, and weigh every peece of our money, and when hee findes that men goe about to cheat him with falſe and counterfeit coyne, they ſhall none of his commodity. I conſell thee to buy of me gold tryed in the fire. We muſt not thinke to buy gold with copper and braſſe, but men muſt give good gold for this gold if ever they meane to have it. As hee offers gold tryed in the fire, ſo hee requires gold tryed in the fire, 2 Pet. 3.1, 2. To ſtir up your ſincere mindes, that yee may bee mindefull of the words, &c. And ſo men muſt come with ſincere mindes, if they would underſtand the words of the Prophets, and come to the knowledge of the truth in the Scriptures. Yea, when men will be buying with falſe coyne, they ſhal not only not buy what they would have, but they ſhall forfeit, and loſe what they ſeemed to have bought, Matth. 13.12. that which hee had ſeemed to have bought. They ſhall miſſe of what they would buy, and they ſhall loſe what they have bought. And therefore David deſires p. 358of God that hee may have the Truth, and the knowledge of it, becauſe hee dealt honeſtly with him, paid him current money, Pſal. 119.10. With my whole heart, that is, with a ſingle and ſincere heart, have I ſought thee, and thy truth, Oh let mee not wander from thy Commandements, let mee not miſſe of the knowledge of thy Truth: Lord here is current money, let mee have the commodity. Simon Magus offered money for the gift of the Holy Ghoſt. Hee is denyed it, becauſe he thought to buy it that way: But if hee had offered to buy it another way; hee ſhould have beene alſo denyed it upon that ground, Act. 8.21. Thine heart is not right in the ſight of God. Hee would have had that gift onelyonly to have made an advantage of it, to have brought him in money, and therefore he offered money, therefore he deſired not that gift ſincerely for the gifts ſake. So when mens hearts are not right in thē, they uſe meanes, and take paines to get knowledge of the Truth, not for the love of the Truth, but for other by, p. 359and baſe ends, that they may have credit or advantage by it, this is to offer falſe coyne, and their heart is not right, and Gods Truth and Grace ſhall never be bought for falſe coyne: But when the meanes are uſed, uſed induſtriouſly and ſincerely, it is much to ſee how freely God will part with his cō modity to ſuch, ſincerity will bring in great encreaſes of the knowledge of the Truth, and all other graces. The ſecret of the Lord is with them that feare him, Pſal. 25. When God ſees mens hearts ſincere in the ſeeking of the Truth, hee will liberally communicate his gifts and graces to them; nothing helpes a man to buy ſuch great penny worths as ſincerity doth: For as men, ſo God loves to trade and deale with ſuch as will deale honeſtly, and will be currant pay-maſters, will pay currant coyne.

The fourth thing in which this buying ſtands, is, To buy in time, and whilſt 4the commodity is to be had. A man that meanes to buy a commodity will take his time, and his ſeaſon, will be p. 360ſure to be at the Market, and the faire, when the commodity is to be had. A man that meanes to buy, will not miſſe nor loſe the Market day, nor the market time. Hee will make haſte to the market, and be ſure to take his time, becauſe if hee come too late the commodity will be gone, and then he cannot buy that hee wants. If a man come the day after the fayre, and the morrow after the market, hee may goe home as wiſe as hee came. Nay, if a man come to the market to buy, and walke up and downe, talke with this body, and that: If hee goe and ſit and talke away the market time in the Ale-houſe, bibbing, and twatling with this and that idle companion, before hee mindes it the market is over, and done, and hee cannot buy becauſe the commodity is all gone. Hee cannot buy becauſe through negligence and idleneſſe hee loſt this market time. But hee that meanes to buy will doe that firſt, will waite upon his market time, will doe that buſineſſe firſt, and then if hee have any ſpare time, hee can ſpend it p. 361upon other leſſe neceſſary imployments. So here, hee that will buy truth, muſt watch and take his market time, muſt be buying truth whileſt truth may be bought. There is a buying time, and a trading time for truth, Eccleſ. 3.1. To every thing there is a ſeaſon, and a time to every purpoſe under Heaven. And there is a time, and a ſeaſon, in which God offers Truth to bee ſold, in which men may buy it, and obtaine it, Luc. 19.42. If thou hadſt knowne, at leaſt in this thy day, &c. verſ. 44. Thou knoweſt not the day of thy viſitation. This thy day, that is, this market day, in which truth and grace might have beene bought. The time of thy viſitation, that is, the market time of Grace. There is then a day, and a time, a market day, and a market time, a day and time in which Grace and Truth are to be bought. 2 Cor. 6.1, 2. Wee then as workers together with him, beſeech you that yee receive not the grace of God in vaine. For hee ſaith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of ſalvation have I p. 362ſuccoured thee: behold now the accepted time, behold now the day of ſalvation. Now then they that will buy the truth muſt be buying whileſt it is market time, muſt be trading for Truth and Grace whileſt they may be had, muſt ply their market whileſt the market laſts. To day if yee will heare his voyce. Luc. 12.56. Yee can diſcerne the face of the skie, how is it that yee doe not diſcerne this time? This buying time, this ſelling time, this market time. It muſt be a man care that will buy, to diſcern the buying time, and to lay hold upon that time, and to follow his market cloſe whileſt it laſts. If men will buy the truth, let them not neglect buying whileſt God offers to ſell, doe not trifle away the market time of Grace, in following the world, and thy luſts: Firſt make thy market, and when thy market is made, and thou haſt bought this commodity, that ſpare time thou haſt beſtow that upon ſecular buſineſſe of leſſe moment. A man that will buy the truth, when hee ſees it is market time, muſt doe as hee ſpeakes, Ezra 7. p. 36316, 17. And all the ſilver and gold, &c. That thou mayeſt buy ſpeedily with this money, bullockes, rammes, &c. So when wee ſee it to be market time, and the good penny worths of the Goſpel are ſtirring, then all the time, all the paines, all the labour you can finde in all your courſe, offer it willingly as a price, that you may buy ſpeedily with your paines and diligence in the uſe of the meanes, knowledge of the truth, grace, and godlineſſe. When Chriſt bid Judas, That which thou doeſt, doe quickly, the Diſciples thought hee had meant, That thoſe things were neceſſary to be bought, hee ſhould buy quickly, Joh. 13.29. Surely ſo it muſt be in this caſe with all that will buy the Truth. That which yee doe, doe quickly: that which yee buy, buy quickly. So long as the Goſpel is preacht to us, ſo long it is market day, buying time: Therefore if yee will buy the Truth, now, now is the time, put it not off, I will buy to morrow, or next weeke, or next yeere, or at my lives end, but buy ſpeedily, and buy preſently: If yee p. 364loſe the market day, and market time, yee ſhall not then buy though yee would. The market may be done to morrow, the market may be paſt in another yeere, and it will be too late to buy when the market is done. See Matth. 25.9, 10. &c. The fooliſh Virgins had their oyle to buy when they ſhould have had greateſt uſe of it. It was no time to goe to buy oyle when the Bridegroome was come, it was too late then, whileſt they goe to buy then, and furniſh themſelves, then the Bridegroome comes, and they are ſhut out of doores. Had they bought their oyle when the time of buying was, then they had entred. Preſſe men to get grace, the knowledge of the truth, to be trading now whileſt the market time of the Goſpel, and their life laſts; and their anſwer is, all in good time, hereafter may ſerve, at the hardeſt at their death. I, but then it is no buying time. Alas, it is an ill time to be catechiſed in, and to be learning the knowledge of the Truth when a man is upon his death bed. That's the p. 365time to ſpend oyle, not to buy oyle. It is then dying time, not buying time, it is ill buying when a man is dying. If a man be to buy then, the doore of heaven will be ſhut upon him before hee can returne from the ſhops. In vaine ſhall men ſeeke the truth, and grace, and to be taught when the day of grace is paſt, that would not take and buy it whileſt the market of the preaching of the Goſpel was on foot. See Joh 8.21. When the market is done, and over, then yee ſhall ſeeke to buy, and all the world if yee had it, yee would give to buy the Truth, and ye ſhall not buy but yee ſhall dye, and dye in your ſinnes. It is not in the markets of the Goſpel as it is with other markets. Wee ſee many will put off buying in other markets, till toward the end of the market, till men have ſome commodity lye upon their hands, and there be but few left to buy, and then they make account at the latter end of the market to buy at lower prices, to get better penny-worths: And ſo it oft proves. But it will not prove ſo here, p. 366the beſt penny-worths here are to be had at the beginning of the market. At the end of the market it is a great venture if any thing will be to bee bought at all, or if it be to be bought, it cannot be had but at farre dearer prices then it might before. If thou doe get any thing it will coſt thee double, and trebble the price it might have beene had for in the prime of the market. If thou get any grace and mercy at thy death, that haſt neglected it in thy life time, and in the time of grace, it muſt be had with farre more ſtruggling, ſorrowing, weeping, lamenting, repenting, then it might have beene had for before. God is ever deerer, and his prices higher at the latter end of the market, then at beginning.

Ʋſe To condemne men for the neglect of this duty, their groſſe neglect of buying the Truth. God offers men in the Miniſtery this pretious commodity of the Truth, and wooes men to buy it, and yet men will ſcarce looke upon it. It is ſtrange to ſee how dead p. 367the markets are growne, and how this commodity hangs in our hands that God hath betruſted us with the ſale of. That ſhall be a good time when it comes, Apoc. 18.11. that no man ſhall buy Romiſh merchandiſe any more, when Romes markets ſhall goe downe, and the Whores trading ſhall decay, when men ſhall buy Pardons, Reliques, Maſſes, Dirges, Agnus Deis, hallowed Graynes, and ſuch trumpery no more. When men ſhall buy lyes no more. An happy thing when the Popes Merchandiſe ſhall no more be bought, but a ſad and wofull thing, when men will not buy Gods Merchandiſe any more. As 1 Cor. 7.3. Let them that buy be as though they poſſeſſed not, as though they bought not. That's commendable in worldly mercature: To be ſure ſo men deale here, Buy as if they bought not, as if they cared not whether they bought or no; that's a miſerable thing in trading with God. It was made a cauſe of publike faſting and humiliation amongſt the Jewes when trading decayed, and grew dead. And what p. 366duplicate page p. 367duplicate page p. 368is it then when this trading growes dead? Prov. 17.16. Wherefore is there a commodity of Truth and Grace in Gods hand, and a price, a meanes in a fooles hand to get wiſdome and truth, and he hath not an heart. Here is a rich commodity, men ſee the price, and have the meanes in their hand, and yet have no heart to buy, no minde to trade, ſlight the commodity as if not worth looking after?

When God offers this commodity to buy, they ſhuffle it off, they have farmes to buy, yoakes of Oxen to buy, Luc. 14. they have ſo many things to buy, that they will not buy the Truth, I pray thee have mee excuſed, I muſt lay out my time and paines for other things, I have not wherewith to buy this Truth. It is miſerable to ſee how cold mens deſires are after the Truth. Juſt as Pilate, Joh. 18.38. What is Truth? A good queſtion, but asked with a baſe oſcitancy of ſpirit, hee cares not to know what Truth is, but before an anſwer can be given hee goes his way out, and turnes his backe upon p. 385Chriſt. Juſt ſuch reſpect give me not the Truth. Preſſe them to buy the Truth. Why, what (ſay they) is truth? but they care not ſo much as to heare what the Truth is, they ought to buy.

Some it may be could be content to buy it, ſo it might be at their owne price, if now and then a Sermon, a Chapter, reading a good Booke in a good fit, would helpe them to it, they would not greatly ſticke at it. But as Zech. 11.12, 13. They weighed for my price thirty pieces of ſilver. And the Lord ſaid caſt it to the Potter, a goodly price that I was prized at of them: So a goodly price that Truth is prized at of men, as if God offered traſh, when he offers Truth. The Devils cōmodities goe off roundly, men will buy their luſts, though it coſt them the price of their ſoule, and men will buy toyes, buy Play-bookes, ballads, Dice, Cards, 2theſe commodities hang not, but Gods market is at a ſtand. For ſhame be awakened to this duty, and now that God offers to deale with us, let us p. 370fall to buying. Conſider but two things to quicken us.

Firſt, It is a commodity that is like 1to grow deere, it is a commodity that may riſe, and may be that it will bee very hard to be had. See how the world went in Elies time, 1 Sam. 3.1. And the Word of the Lord was precious in thoſe dayes there was no open viſion. The Truth roſe to an high price, no publike prophecying. Wee have no charter for the perpetuity of the Truthes abiding with us. What know wee but it may grow as precious, to as deere and high prices as it did in Elies dayes? There is a time when running to and fro will increaſe knowledge, and helpe to buy the truth, paines are to the purpoſe, Dan. 12.4. And there is a time when running to and fro will doe no good, when for no price nor paines Truth will be had, Am. 8.12. And who knowes but hee may ſee ſuch dayes? And is it not better to runne to and fro, to take paines when good will be done upon it, then to runne to and fro, when all the paines in the world will p. 371not helpe us to this bargaine? Wee ſee how deere, extraordinary deere one kinde of graine is now with us. Had a man foreſeene it a yeere before, what a deale might hee have ſaved, and gained by buying good ſtore of that graine then! When Joſeph foreſaw the ſeven yeeres famine in Egypt, it was his wiſedome and providence to buy all the Corne that ever hee could lay his hands on, and what a world of advantage did it bring in to the King of Egypt! If hee had ſtayed buying till the famine came, hee could have had Corne for no money, none was to be had, and Egypt had ſtarved for it. So wiſely he did to buy Corne whileſt Corne was plentifull.

Secondly, Buying the truth will keep the Truth and the Goſpel amongſt us, 2but if wee neglect and ſlight the buying of it, it will be the loſſe of the Goſpel, and all the good wee have with it. Wee ſee a man that comes to market ſo long as men buy up his commoditie, and hee hath ſtore of cuſtomers, he keepes the market conſtantly, p. 388and will not leave comming to the market: But if once his takings faile, and men ceaſe to buy, hee may come a while ſtill to try if his markets will mend, but if hee ſees they mend not, and men buy not, hee goes quite away and carries his commodities to ſome other place, where hee may finde better trading. Juſt ſo here: Buying will keepe God and the Goſpel with us, keepe the market going, and the Goſpel will never goe; but once ſlight Gods Truth, and regard not the buying of his commodity, God will packe up and be gone, and try a new place for trading. Hee caſt thoſe out of the Temple that bought and ſold, Luc. 19. hee caſt them out for trading in the Temple, but here hee will caſt men out of the Temple, will unchurch them, will take away Church and Goſpel, becauſe men doe not buy in the Temple. If ever yee loſe the Goſpel, and Truth, bee aſſured that yee loſe it becauſe yee make no more regard of buying the truth. Yee ſee many places that were great market p. 389Townes, that now their market is downe and quite decayed. Why ſo? becauſe men come not in to ſell commodities. And why came they not in to ſell? Becauſe men came not in to buy. So here: If wee will not buy the Truth, God will take his Truth away, our markets ſhall downe, and God will carry his Truth to Turkes, Indians, Jewes, and there God will have great and goodly markets. God will not ſtay long where once markets grow dead.

Secondly, the prohibition followes, Sell it not. When once thou haſt gotten 2the truth, and gotten grace, by no meanes part with it againe, but hold and keepe it faſt. In ſelling there is a parting with that, wherein we have a propriety, and wherein wee have a poſſeſſion. In ſelling there is an alienation of our right, propriety, and poſſeſſion of the commodity ſold, ſo upon the ſale of my commodity, I part with it, it is no more mine, I have no more to doe with it, my commodity and I are wholly parted. And p. 374thus hee prohibits the ſelling of the truth. Doe not ſell it when once thou haſt it, part not with Truth, Grace, Religion upon any tearmes whatſoever.

Doct. That the Truth of God once bought, muſt never be ſold; once gotten, and obtained, muſt never be parted withall.

It is not with this, as with other worldly commodities. Other commodities a man may buy, and may ſell againe. A man may buy an houſe, and ſell it againe, may buy land and ſell it againe: Yea men doe buy other commodities on purpoſe to ſell them, as Merchants and Tradeſmen. In this kinde men may buy and ſell, but for this commodity of Truth men muſt onelyonly buy and not ſell. Other trading lyes in buying and ſelling both, but a Chriſtians trade lyes onelyonly in buying: Buy they muſt, and buy they may as much as they will, but ſell they may not at any hand. Buy the Truth and ſell it not.

Prov. 4.5, 6. Get, that is, Buy, the ſame word: And not onelyonly buy, but p. 375when ye have bought, ſell it not, that is expreſt in the words following, forget it not, decline not, forſake her not. And therefore, Prov. 19.8. Hee that gets wiſdome loves his owne ſoule, hee that keepeth underſtanding ſhall finde good. Marke then, it is not all that God requires of us to get wiſdome, but hee requires that when wee have gotten it wee keepe it. Hee that ſells it keepes it not. A man keepes not that which hee ſells, but parts with it. Hee that gets, and he that keepes. Chriſtians muſt be keepers, as well as getters. Buy the truth, and keepe the Truth, keepe it faſt and ſure, never to part with it more. 2 Joh. 2. for the Truths ſake which dwelleth in us. Truth muſt not onelyonly lodge with us, and be a gueſt with us for a night or ſo, muſt not ſojourne with us, be with us for a yeere or ſo, but it muſt dwell with us. I, but a man may dwell a long time in an houſe, and yet be turned out for all that. I, but it muſt not be ſo with the Truth, The Truth which dwells in us, and ſhall be with us for ever. Truth p. 392once bought muſt be bought for ever, muſt never be ſold more nor parted with. It is with Truth as it was with the Land of Canaan, Levit. 25.23. The Land ſhall not be ſold for ever, or to be quite cut off. As that which a man ſells hee ſells for ever, and a man quite cuts off all future claime and right to it. The ſale quite cuts it off from him. The land of Canaan, and mens inheritances therein might not be ſold, and a perpetuall alienation of it be made from the owner. All they might doe was but a kinde of leaſe, which muſt determine too at the yeere of Jubile. It is mine ſayes the Lord, therefore muſt not be ſold. And ſo, the Truth muſt not be ſold, no not leaſed out neither. The Jewes might ſell their land for a time, but not for ever. But the truth may not be ſold though but for a time, a little time. The Land ſhall not be ſold for ever. The truth muſt not be ſold at all, Apoc. 3.11. Behold I come quickly, hold faſt that which thou haſt. 1 Theſſ. 5. Hold faſt that which is good. Prov. 7.2, 4. Would p. 393a man ſell his eyes, or ſell his ſiſter, and kinſwoman, the one were madneſſe, and the other barbarous inhumanitie.

Firſt, It condemnes ſuch as are not Ʋſe. 1 ſo wedded to the truth, but can and doe make ſale of it for their owne advantages, and to ſerve their turnes. They know ſuch Doctrine to be truth, the very Truth of God, have profeſſed it and preacht it for truth: But if times change, and favour, and preferments, and gaine, and advantage may be bought, they ſticke not to buy theſe with the ſale of the truth; yea, and ſell truth by whole ſale, not onelyonly part with ſome ſmaller truths, but even with maine fundamentall truthes of Religion. Some ſell the truth for a Benefice, for a good Looke, for a little good opinion. It was a vile price that Chriſt was ſold at, for thirty peeces, the price of a ſervant: A vile price, to ſell a boy for an harlot, and a girle for wine, Joel 3.3. To ſell the poore for a paire of ſhooes. At baſer rates doe too many ſell the truth.

p. 378Ʋſe. 2 Secondly, Let it teach us then, upon no tearmes to part with the truth of God, to ſell it for no price. Though wee may be offered ever ſo fairely, yet be ſure to hold and keepe the truth, Pſal. 119.111. Thy Teſtimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever. Hold them and keepe them as thine inheritance. No wiſe man will ſell his inheritance. It was a faire offer that Ahab made Naboth for his vineyard, either a better vineyard, or give him money for it. God forbid, ſayes Naboth, that I ſhould give thee mine inheritance, that he ſhould ſell it him for his money. So let us make the truth our inheritance, and let us not bee like prodigall dingthrifts, that ſell their inheritance and patrimony, and then muſt thieve, or beg. Doe not for profits, eaſe, liberty, &c. ſell and part with the truth. Wee are borne to beare witneſſe to the Truth, Joh. 18.37. and we ought not to be ſellers of, but fellow helpers to the Truth, 3 Joh. 8. Men muſt be valiant for the Truth, Jer. 9.3. If ſuch ſad times ſhould come, as Iſa. 59.15. that p. 379Truth ſhould faile, and Dan. 8.12. That truth be caſt to the ground, yet then ſell not the truth, but ſtand for, and ſtand to the truth. And that wee may be the better reſolved to cleave cloſe to the Truth, and never to part with it, and ſell it, conſider well theſe motives following.

Firſt, to ſell the Truth at what price 1ſoever, is a childiſh, ſilly, fooliſh bargaine. If a man will ſell a commodity, hee will ſell it ſomewhat like, or hee will keepe it: For a man to ſell his houſe and land under foot, for a ſong, for a trifle, ſell it, and to ſell it nothing neere the worth, the world laughes at ſuch a man, and counts him a weake ſilly man, a witleſſe and a braineleſſe fellow. A childe would ſell his eſtate, to which hee is heire, for an Apple, for a rattle, if hee might have the power to make a ſale in his childhood. Such a bargaine and ſale were but a ſilly childiſh bargaine. Now all that ſell the Truth make ſuch bargaines, they ſell an inheritance for an Apple, they ſell an eſtate for a rattle. It is p. 378duplicate page p. 379duplicate page p. 380impoſſible to ſell the Truth, but a man muſt needes ſell it under foot, impoſſible to ſell it for any thing that comes neere the worth of it. See Prov. 3.13, 14, 15. All the things thou canſt deſire are not to be compared to her. Job 28.16, 17, 18. It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious Onix, or the Saphire. The gold and the Chrystall cannot equall it: and the exchange of it ſhall not be for fine gold. No mention ſhal be made of Corall, or of pearles: for the price of wiſdome is above Rubies. Houſes lands, liberty, wife, children, life it ſelfe, they are all too cheape, too low a price to take for Truth, and to part with Truth for. It may be by ſelling the truth, and parting with it, thou haſt got preferment, and it may bee when thou haſt ſold the truth upon ſuch termes thou art ready to bleſſe thy ſelfe, and to ſay as they did that ſold their flockes, Zech. 11.5. They that ſell them ſay, Bleſſed be God for I am rich. It may be thou groweſt rich by ſelling the Truth, haſt gotten ſuch preferment, and promotion, in recompence p. 381of thy falling from the Truth & Religion. It may be thou haſt gotten liberty out of trouble and priſon, haſt ſaved thy lands and thy life, by the ſale and forſaking of the Truth, and thou thinkeſt thou haſt ſold it well, to get and ſave all this by it. As well as thou haſt got, thou haſt made a fooles bargaine, thou haſt ſold it for trifles, thou haſt not gotten the tenth part of the price Truth is worth. Eſau ſold his birth-right for a meſſe of pottage. All thou haſt gotten, bee it what it will, is but as a meſſe of pottage to a precious jewell. If a man will ſell the Truth, let him ſell it and ſpare not, if hee can ſell it for that which is better then it, nay if hee can ſell it but for that which is but as good as it: But inaſmuch as there is nothing in this world that can come neere the worth of it, it is a childiſh, and a fooliſh thing to part with it. If a man have a minde to ſell his houſe and land, yet if when hee hath offered it to ſell hee cannot get the worth of it, but if hee ſell it, hee muſt part with it upon low termes p. 382muſt take an hundred pounds for that which is worth a thouſand, hee will rather keepe it ſtill, and never ſell it rather then ſell it ſo under foot, then ſell it ſo as all the world ſhall laugh at him for a foole and a ſilly fellow: So here, if the world can give thee according to the worth of Truth, ſell it, and put it off, and ſpare not; but inaſmuch as the world cannot give thee the hundreth part of the worth of it, ſell it not, but keepe it ſtill rather then make a fooles bargaine, and to be made the laughing ſtocke of men and Angels.

2Secondly, to ſell the Truth, it is to make a profane bargaine, and it is a manifeſt evidence of a profane heart. Heb. 12.15. Looke diligently leaſt any man fall from the grace of God, that is, leſt any man ſell the Truth, they are the ſame thing. What if any man doe ſell the truth, and fall from the Doctrine of Grace? Leſt there be any profane perſon as Eſau was, who for one morſell of meat ſold his birth-rights. Marke then, that that man that ſells the truth p. 383and falls off from it, is ſuch another profane perſon as Eſau was, and is guilty of the ſame profaneneſſe that he was. Eſaus profaneneſſe what was it? not onelyonly in this that hee ſold ſuch a priviledge at ſo deſpicable a price (that indeed aggravates his profaneneſſe) but in that hee ſold ſpirituall things for temporall things. The ſelling of his birth-right was the ſelling of his title to, and hope of Heaven. This to doe is profaneneſſe, and this they doe that ſell the Truth for eaſe, preferment, liberty, life, &c. They ſell ſpirituall things for temporall ones; they ſell their right to, and hope of Heaven for outward things. And thus are they guilty of making a profane bargaine. Thou that ſelleſt the Truth thou makeſt Eſaus bargaine, and ſheweſt thy ſelfe as profane a wretch as Eſau was.

Thirdly, to ſell the Truth, it is to 3make a dangerous bargaine, Ezek. 7.12. Let not him that ſelleth mourne, but no man hath more cauſe to mourne then he that ſells the Truth, that man p. 384may come home by weeping croſſe. That as Salomon ſpeakes in that caſe, Prov. 11.26. Hee that with-holdeth Corne, the people ſhall curſe him: but bleſsing ſhall be upon the head of him that ſelleth it. So here contrarily. Hee that holds, and keepes faſt the truth, God himſelfe ſhall bleſſe him, but curſing ſhall be upon the head of him that ſells it. It is that which will bring a curſe with it, and therefore a dangerous ſale. Dangerous in theſe reſpects.

1Firſt, Such as doe make Merchandiſe of the truth, and ſell it, and once part with it, they ſeldome or never recover it againe. That's Gods curſe upon them for ſelling, that they ſhall never redeeme or buy it more. A man that ſells his inheritance, it is ſeldome ſeene that ever hee comes to buy it againe. And yet it is poſſible, and falls out oft in the World, that a man ſells his houſe and Land, and lives to redeeme and buy it againe: But when a man hath ſold the truth, & hath played the voluntary Apoſtata by falling p. 385from Religion; whoſe experience can give an example of any one that ever recovered againe, and repented, and received, and embraced the truth againe. That's commonly Gods curſe upon ſuch, ſince yee have ſold it, yee ſhall ſell it for ever, you ſhall never have the commodity againe. That as in that ſenſe the Prophet ſpeakes, Eze. 7.13. The ſeller ſhall not returne to that which is ſold: So in this caſe, God in wrath makes it good upon the ſellers of the Truth, ſuch ſellers ſhall not returne to that which they have ſold, but as they have parted with the truth, ſo they and the truth ſhall be parted for ever. They are irreducible, irrecoverable by the Miniſtery of the Word, Hoſ. 11.7. And my people are bent to backe-ſliding from mee; though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.

Secondly, Such as ſell the Truth, 2God will ſell them, and they themſelves ſhall be ſold: And that,

Firſt, They ſhall be ſold over to ſinne, ſold to be bond ſlaves and ſervants p. 386to all wickedneſſe. That as it is ſaid of Ahab, 1 Reg. 21.25. Hee did ſell himſelfe to worke wickedneſſe in the ſight of the Lord. There was none like unto him: So it is true often of the ſellers of the Truth, that when men have once bought the Truth and then ſell it againe, they have once profeſt the Truth and Religon, and then decline, and fall off, they grow ſo wicked, ſo vile, ſo baſe in their courſes, that there are none like them, they be men ſold over to ſinne, to commit wickedneſſe with greedineſſe. The houſe fell, ſayes Chriſt, and the fall of that houſe was great. If theſe men, ſayes Moſes dye the common death of men, &c. So theſe men fall not the common falls, ſinne not the common ſinnes of men, but prove the moſt tranſcendent, outragious ſinners of all other men. None ſo looſe, none ſo notorious drunkards, adulterers, non ſo bitter and peſtilent perſecutors of the Truth as they. Dan. 11.30. There were forſakers of the Covenant, ſellers of the Truth, and what proved they, verſ. 32. wicked doers againſt the p. 387Covenant. Pſal. 53.3. Every one of them is gone backe, back from the truth, were ſellers of the truth. And what proved they? they are altogether become filthy. They prove filthy fellowes, filthy drunkards, filthy adulterers, filthy ſcoffers, filthy perſecutors. Thus men that have ſold the Truth, are ſold to worke wickedneſſe in the ſight of God and men.

Secondly, they ſhall be ſold over into the hand and power of their enemies. When men ſell Truth, they ſell 2God, and when men ſell God, God will ſell them, and as Pſal. 44.12. Thou ſellest thy people for nought. We ſhall never finde God threatning to ſell his people, or ſelling them, but when they had firſt ſold the Truth. Hee threatens to ſell them, Deut. 28.6, 8. There yee ſhall be ſold unto your enemies for bond-men and bond-women. But this threatning is upon their forſaking God, and his truth, and the purity of Religion, and their falling off to ſuperſtition and Idolatry. And when hee did ſell them, why was it? but becauſe p. 388they had firſt ſold the Truth, Deut. 32.30, 32. How ſhould one chaſe a thouſand, and two put ten thouſand to flight, except their rocke had ſold them, and the Lord had ſhut them up? For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their cluſters are bitter. And ſo Judg. 3.7, 8. And the children of Iſrael did evill in the ſight of the Lord, and forgat the Lord their God, and ſerved Balaaim, and the groves. Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot againſt Iſrael, and hee ſold them into the hand of Cuſhan-Riſhathaim King of Meſopotamia: and the children of Iſrael ſerved Cuſhan-Riſhathaim eight yeeres. And Judg. 4.1, 2. And the children of Iſrael againe did evill in the ſight of the Lord, when Ehud was dead. And the Lord ſold them into the hand of Jabin King of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor, the Captaine of whoſe hoſt was Siſera which dwelt in Haroſheth of the Gentiles. It is an hainous thing to ſell a righteous man for ſilver, the poore for a paire of ſhooes, Am. 2.6. And that which brings heavy judgements p. 389upon a Nation, how much more will it bring heavie judgement upon a Nation when they ſell God, and they that ſell truth ſell God. See how God threaens Tyre and Zidon, Joel 3.6, 7, 8. The children alſo of Judah, and the children of Jeruſalem have ye ſold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border. Behold I will raiſe them out of the place whither ye have ſold them, and will returne your recompence upon your owne head. And I will ſell your ſonnes and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they ſhall ſell them to the Sabeans, to a people farre off, for the Lord hath ſpoken it. It was an hainous ſinne to ſell the children of Jeruſalem to the Grecians, God would be quit with them for it. And how heinous is it then to ſell truth which is the Daughter of God? Surely when men doe ſell truth, and a Nation doth apoſtatize from God, God will be quit with them, hee will ſell them into the hands of their enemies, they and their children.

Thirdly, ſuch as ſell the truth ſell p. 3903their owne ſoules. Get what yee can by ſelling the truth, yet what ſhall a man give in exchange for his owne ſoule. What if by ſelling the truth a man could gaine the whole world, yet what ſhall it advantage a man to gaine the whole world, and loſe his owne ſoule. It is ill ſelling when a man ſhall ſell to loſſe, but ſpecially it is ill ſelling when a man ſhall loſe his owne ſoule by the bargaine. Hee loſes his ſoule that ſells it, hee ſells it that ſells the truth. See Prov. 19.8. He that getteth wiſdome, that buyes the truth, loves his owne ſoule. I, but a man may buy truth and ſell it away againe, may get wiſdome and loſe it. And what then is his ſoule the better for it? Therefore marke what followes, He that keepes underſtanding ſhall finde good: As if he had ſaid, Hee that gets wiſdome, and keepes it, hee that buyes truth, and ſells it not, hee loves his owne ſoule, hee ſaves his owne ſoule: therefore hee that gets it, and keepes it not, that buyes it and ſells it againe, hee hates his owne ſoule, hee loſes, hee damnes p. 391his owne ſoule. Iudas hee ſold Chriſt for thirty peeces, it was the deereſt bargaine that ever man made, in ſelling of Chriſt, hee ſold his owne ſoule, hee damned his owne ſoule by that ſale. It is the caſe of every man that ſells truth, hee that ſells truth, Iudas-like hee ſells Chriſt, and Iudas-like hee loſes his owne ſoule. It was death by Law to ſell ſome things, as to ſteal a man and ſell him, Exod. 21.16. & Deut. 24.7. And it is death, eternal death to ſell the truth. They that ſell the truth, ſel God, ſell Chriſt, and ſo ſell their ſouls. They ſell Heaven, and buy Hell.

Queſt. How may a man keepe himſelfe from ſelling the truth?

Anſw. Firſt, get the love of the truth into thine heart. That man that loves the truth wil never ſell the truth, and the truth is never ſold but it is ſold for ſomething that is loved better than the truth. A man that ſells it for preferment and gaine, loves gaine, and preferment better then the truth, that ſells it for life or liberty, loves theſe better then truth. Now let a man learne to p. 392love the truth better than all worldly things, and hee will never ſell it for them, Pſal. 119.127. I love thy Commandements above gold, yea above fine gold. Therefore to be ſure hee would rather ſell gold for truth, then truth for gold. Therefore they ſold the truth, and beleeved lyes, 2 Theſſ. 2. Becauſe they received not the truth in love. A man that is in love with his houſe, with his land, no price will tempt him to ſell it. If a man have but an horſe that hee loves, though hee be offered more then hee can be worth, yet becauſe hee loves him, hee will not part with him.

Prov. 7.4. Say unto wiſdome, Thou art my ſiſter, and call underſtanding thy kinſwoman. A man will not ſell his ſiſter becauſe hee loves her. Say in in this caſe, as Nehem. 5.8. Wee after our ability, have redeemed our brethren the Iewes, which were ſold unto the Heathen; and will you even ſell your brethren? Our fore-fathers, the Martyrs, after their ability bought the truth, and gave their lives to buy and redeem p. 393the truth, and we wil even ſell the truth which ſhould be as deere to us as our brethren, as our ſiſters?

Secondly, take heed, and make conſcience 2of ſelling Truthes of leſſer moment, that are not ſo fundamentall, and ſo neceſſary: Be not over eaſie to part with them. Hee that will over eaſily part with ſmaller truthes, is in a dangerous preparation to ſell maine and ſubſtantiall Truthes. Hee that will not be brought to ſell ſome ſmall field, that lyeth far off from his houſe, hee will never be brought to ſell all his whole inheritance. But when men begin once to ſell here a peice, and there a piece, it comes to paſſe at laſt that the whole followes after, the inheritance, and manſion houſe goes, and is ſold at laſt: Hee that will ſell and part with little truthes, and not ſticke cloſe to them, hee will if neede be ſit as looſe from maine fundamentall Truthes.

FINIS.