THE BEST MERCHANDISE OR, A CLEAR DISCOVERY OF The evident difference, and admirable advantage, between our traffic with God, for the true treasure; and with men, for temporal commodity.  
WHEREIN IS SHOWN  
That our spiritual trading is both free from all the evil, & full of all the good, which is incident to civil commerce; yea, that it overfloweth with diverse excellent prerogatives, which the affairs of the earth cannot yield.  
Preached at Middleburgh in Zeelandt, immediately before the remoovall, of the famous fellowship of Merchant Adventurers of England, from thence, unto Delft, in Hollandt.  
And now published, and dedicated, to the honour and use, of that whole society, there, or other where, residing.  
By JOHN WING, a true hearted well willer, to their temporal, and eternal good, with God and men.  Pro. 23.23. Buy the truth, but sell it not. 
AT FLVSHING, Printed by Martin Abraham vander Nolck, dwelling at the sign of the Printing house. 1622.   

SOCIETAS ADVENTURARIA (Ana-gramma.) RE-RATA VIVIS DEO SANCTA.  
 

What ere can be concluded from a NAME  
Yours doth include: all happiness and fame.  
Thus speled, thus anagramed, it boade's your Fate,  
Than which, there cannot be, a happier State,  
With MEN, t'enjoy your reconfirmed GLORY;  
And with your GOD to be reputed HOLY.  
What can I wish, but THESE, withal increase?  
And after THESE, those joys that never cease,    

TO THE Right Worshipful, & my worthy friends Master EDWARD BENNET, Deputy, the Assistance and Generality of the famous Fellowship of Merchant Adventurers of England, resident at Delft in Hollandt.  
JOHN WING, wisheth all Temporal, Spiritual, and Eternal happiness, here, and in heaven.  
I Am bold, (beloved, and much respected in the Lord) to send this demonstration of my dearest affection after you; not, that that I account it any competent recompense, but that you will (as I hope) receive it as some greatfull remembrance of those your greater favours, which you have so kindly communicated unto me. Some taste hereof, you had while I was so happy as to speak (now and then) in your hearing, and because that was but a taste, (yet well savoured of such as heard the same) I could not deny, or discourage, the Christian desire of any, who were affected to feed more fully thereupon, It was the last message that I delivered among you from God; and therefore, inasmuch as you were upon your jmmediate remoovall, to attain a more happy course of commerce with men, I thought it my part and duty (therein) to do my best, for the furtherance of your most happy traffic with the Lord; that you might (if by 〈◊〉 possibility, I might help) be prosperous both in heaven and earth at once, and grow abundantly rich, in body temporally, and in soul, and body, eternally together. And God, who is Lord over all, and rich unto all, grant, that you may enjoy this double blessedness, to the greatest praise of his most glorious name, and the everlasting peace, and welfare, of your own hearts, and states, for ever before him. To his grace and love, I commend you all for ever; and to you all, (and to your love,) I commend this my poor endeavour; nothing doubting, (yet earnestly desiring,) your kind acceptance of the same, from him, who resolveth ever to remain.  
Yours, in all unfeigned affection for good. JOHN WING. From my house in Flushing. March. 26. 1622.   

The sum of the Sermons.  

God who compare's his kingdom to your trade.  
Would have you (Merchants) like his kingdom made.  
Whereto, sincerely if you do endeavour,  
Both rich, and blessed, shall you be for ever.  
For why? all things most sweetly do combine  
To raise rare profit by Commerce divine.  
It standeth wholly of advantages.  
There is no fear of loss, or damages.  
Adventures, Sales, Exchanges, Bartars, Debts  
All are secure, all gainful nothing let's.  
Th' Adventure's nothing, it's by th' almighty borne.  
Who for your safety, by himself hath sworn.  
That maugre, sin, and all the devils in hell  
Your soul's estate, for ever shallbe well.  
Your Sales are happy; of your sin that's naught.  
And that 〈◊〉 Bartar, for the grace, Christ bought.  
And so you make most rich Returns, and  
To give the best, for worst, God doth 〈◊〉 place;  
The Exchange, is gainful, 〈…〉  
Less bringeth more, 〈…〉  
The more (〈…〉 occasion) we deliver.  
The more we do receive, from this free giver.  
No desperate Debts, or Bankrupts in this trade.  
God is the Credditour; Christ Surety made.  
And both, have bound themselves to pay to us.  
The principal, with gracious over plum  
Nor need you doubt Bad Servants should deceive  
You lay out all yourself, and all receive  
There is no trusting other agents here.  
Each man, his own eternal state shall bear  
And if to th' reckoning day we wisely look  
When our great Master will peruse his book.  
Th' account will rise most happy to our share  
That sweetest voice, with gladsome hearts we hear  
Come faithful servant, take your master's joy  
Posesse eternal bliss, without annoy  
Lo● here, is heaven for earth, for, trash, true tr●●sure  
For some few cares and pains, joy without measure  
Glory for grief, eternity for ages,  
For little work, immortal, endless wages.  
My soul doth wish you were such Merchants all.  
That he who to himself, his own will call,  
May take you all, unto that bliss above you  
Next unto Him, (and his Viceroy) I love you.    

The method of the whole matter.  
The Excellency of the best merchandise, doth appear, in the consideration of 3. things.  

FIRST, that it is free from all the evils of civil trade, there being in it. 

No Adventure.  
No Bad Debts.  
No Bad Servant.    
SECONDLY, that it is 〈…〉 of all the good, that civil trade hath: for therein we have ever 

Good Sales.  
Best Bartars.  
Excellent Exchange.    
THIRDLY: that it overfloweth with much more good, then is to be found, in man's commerce, because  
All our business is 

in one place,  
with one party,  
for one commodity,    
All is given us which we deal for.  
All we deal for, is exceeding good, without any evil.  
Our greatest good cometh when we have done tradeing.    

The best Merchandise. OR, Tradeing for the true Treasure. WHEREIN The excellent difference, and admirable advantage, that is between spiritual, and temporal traffic, is clearly laid open, and discovered.  In ceartaine Sermons on Pro. 3.14.15. 
14. For the merchandise thereof, is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof, it better than fine gold.  
15. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire, are not to be compared to her.  
IT readily appeareth to every understanding reader, that these words do contain an evident reason of that which is avouched in those that go next before them in the 13. verse. In which verse, we hear the spirit of God magnifying (and that with his own mouth that cannot lie) the most happy blessedness and wellbeing of that man, who hath attained true wisdom and understanding. [Happy (or blessed) is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding]  
Now, what is propounded in those words, is proved in these, the proposition is in that 13. verse, the confirmation in this 14, & the 15. the thing that is made known there, is made good, here.  
It is God's manner to ratify and confirm, what he doth reveal unto us. It cannot be doubted but that one word of his mouth, were enough to satisfy a million of worlds, howbeit he will not only say a thing but he will also show the same to us, and make it plain, that his words are agreeable to reason. And that this may be apparent, it is his good pleasure sometimes to borrow his evidence from our affairs, & those things that are familiar with us here below, either in our natural, or civil estate. We must confess it to be much favour, that he will afford us any confirmation of what he affirmes seeing his word alone is so worthy to believed. But his kindness doth much more excel, when he will clear his truth by such assurance, as we may most easily apprehend, and rightly understand, according to the light of that reason which we have in our own ordinary business. Nothing is more sure, then that the mysteries of his kingdom do infinitely surpass all humane reach and capacity, and are too wonderful for us to know, we may much sooner be amazed at them, then acquainted with them. The well is deep (yea bottomless) and we have nothing to draw with. Howbeit, the Lord lends us buckets, and send's us to such things as may enable us (in some measure) to see & search them out, that we may behold these secret things with open face, shining upon us, & shadowed to us, in such particulars whereof we are more capable and apprehensive.  
Sometimes, the Lord send's us to search out his truth, in the creatures that are either, above, about, or below us, the heavens, the earth, and all things between both, shall teach us.  
Sometimes, he send's us to our selves, and will have us go no further than home to learn; our own estate of body, and soul, shallbe our instructor, and arguments grounded upon what we see, what we feel, & what we find, & understand in ourselves jnwardly, owtwardly, or both ways naturally, shall unfold some heavenly lesson to us.  
And sometimes our civil profession shall persuade us of some spiritual assertion; God will argue with us from our traffic, and commerce with men, and those celestial and divine passages which are between him and us, shallbe enlightened and enlarged, by those temporal matters, that fall out between us and others; our earthly business shall further our heavenly blessedness, in the things that belong to the eternal benefit of our souls and bodies.  
This singular and sweet variety of manifestation of God's truth unto us, doth evince both the unspeakable abundance of our blindness, and infidelity, (showing that we have no ability of our own to see, or to assent, to the holy sayings of God) and that inconceivable grace of his, which doth superabound, in tendering these apparent declarations of them unto us; where upon if we fasten not, our ignorance, and unbelief, will grow utterly inexcusable, and our state desperately jncurable before the Lord, by them both  
We may now see with shame enough, what inharent grace is natively in us, (wherein some have so grossly gloried) what understanding and believing hearts we have, when such a point as this must be proved to us, and that, we do not know nor can believe, that he that getteth true wisdom, is a happier man, than he that attaineth temporary wealth, though God speak it, unless also he give us a reason for it. But hoping that (now) we see cause to blame ourselves throughly, and bless him unfeignedly: come we to consider of the reason here given us of God, and lying in the words that we have read, [For the merchandise thereof is better etc.]  
Which words containing a manifest reason to settle us in the truth of that man's benediction, who hath gotten any spiritual riches, above his, that is stored with all temporal: do show themselves to be a ratification, arising from our civil profession, and it seemeth to be framed and jntended by the wisdom of God, as if in others words he had spoken thus.  
The world thinks that man well, & accounts him happy, who hath gotten great store of silver, gold, pearl, and precious stones: he is a blessed man who hath abundance of wealth; especially, if it hath been attained by pains, diligence, jndustry and providence in some lawful and honourable employment (because it may fall upon fools by succession, deed of gift, legacy, or the like) he is the man that goes currant among men for one in good case, that need care for nothing, nor fear anything.  
Now says God, if he be so happy, and so high in your estimation, that hath thus risen to a great estate in his earthily condition: know assuredly, that the man I mean, must be beyond him, whom you magnify in this manner, inasmuch as all he hath, is but base trath in comparison of that true treasure whereof I speak; gold, silver, & such things, are not worthy to be once named, with wisdom and understanding, these do as fare exceed all temporary revenues, as the most precious and priceless stones, do over value the flynts or pebble stones of the high way, or the street.  
And so much the more assuredly settled, is the happiness, and excellency of their estate, by whom they are gotten, than his was, to whom they were once given without any merchandising, or means at all used to obtain them. I am sure it proved too true in the first Adam who quickly lost, those excellencyes which came so lightly: whereas that which is gotten for us by Christ, and gotten by us in Christ, is not subject to such easy miscarriage. The first Adam was like to one, who without any thought, and beyond all expectation of his own, had mighty rents and riches befallen him: and we (in him) were like foolish and prodigal heirs, that not considering whence our excellency came, and what it cost, neither he for his own part, nor in our person, cared to keep it, but lost it, and let it soon go, to the utter undoing of himself, and his posterity. He (& we in him) had it easily, without any merchandising, or any means at all (by him) used, it came unto him naturally, he that gave him nature gave him grace, he was created holy and righteous; to be a man, and to be so excellent, were both one, to him. But with the second Adam it is not so (in regard of the elect in him) he hath merchandised with his father for us, & paid dear for the purchase of us: & what graces are accquired for us, & attained by us in him, are not easy to be taken from us, because they came so hardly to us.  
This is the cohaerence, and general sum of our text, it being a reason to persuade men, to be enamoured with that wisdom and understanding which the former verse doth mention, and commend, that so, we having (once) entertained it into true, and entire affection, might the more eagerly endeavour (by all means) to get it into our possession.  
And this reason (if we mark it well) may be observed to be rising, and gradual, from one step to another; for when the Lord saith that wisdom is better than any worldly wealth, he begins with silver, which will buy any meaner commodity, than he goes on to gold, yea fine gold, which is fare better than silver; from thence, to precious stones, which are richer than gold, and lest any thing under heaven, might seem, either in it self, or in any man's conceit, to be equal, or near, unto these in worthiness, he adds, that, not only what any man hath, or may have, but all that can be desired by any man, is not comparable, to the jnvaluable benefit and advantage, that cometh to us by these.  
Thus having survayed the generalities of these words in their drift, and scope, we will now come nearer, unto a more particular enquiry into them, as they lie in their order before us.  
[For] This word [For] is diversely used in scripture, but usually (though not uninersally) it is a rational word, or a word inferring a cause or reason, of something that went before, and when it is so, it noteth 

the efficient cause of a thing. Rom. 8.2.  
the final cause. Rom. 11.36.  
the jmpulsive cause. Mat. 5.11.   Yet at other times, it noteth no cause at all, but is only either, an affirmation, as Gen. 28.16. 

or a connexion, joh. 15.15.  
or an interrogation. Mar. 9.11.  
or a declaration. Gen. 20.7  
or a sign, sequel, or effect. Mat 25.35. Luk. 7.47.    
I observe these manifold senses of it, that we might not (ever) jmagine it to argue, a reason, or cause (as the paepist do) who most absurdly press it upon us for a cause, in many places where it is but a mere consequent, conceiting it often to be a reason, and (without reason) obtrudeing it as a reason to us, where it is none.  
In our text it is a reason indeed, and showeth why that man is in better case that hath wisdom, than he that hath aught else, because wisdom is better than all other things he can compass: heavenly graces, are incomparably more excellent than earthly riches, therefore, is he most blessed that obtaineth them.  
[The merchandise] you that are Merchants cannot but know the english of this word, it being a metaphor borrowed by God from your own business. In religion no such word can be natural, or found in his proper sense and signification, inasmuch as it jmporteth necessarily, that which is an absolute, and utter jmpossibility, in the things that pass between the Lord and us. In merchandise men give to each other, the full worth & value of the things received by bargain or contract, both parties are contented, and rest satisfied with that, which interchangeably passeth from the one to the other, and either challengeth his own by right.  
In this merchandise, and our dealings with God we are so fare from any such proceed, that we cannot render to him one farthing of our own, for the infinite good he conferreth upon us, and casteth most kindly unto us, we can give nothing to him, nor (by any right of our own) claim any thing from him, we do not buy at all, but we beg all.  
And yet the Lord is pleased to make use of such words as are assumed (as was said) from our civil conversation, 
Reasons why we are said to buy wisdom.  and jmployments; the better to show us the best things, by that light wherewith we may most easily discern them. Neither is this done (as I conceive) without all respect of some good reason, which may be rendered hereof; among many others that might be produced; I propound these few, to serious consideration.  
First, Reason. 1 to tell us, that (now) grace, and goodness are not natural to us, as (once) they were in the first Adam, who (as we noted even now) had this wisdom and understanding created in him, and conferred upon him with his being.  
He had it without any ado on his part, he was no sooner a man, than he was wise, & gracious, & had this blessed understanding in him. It is nothing so, but much otherwise, now, we must get that, which was given him, he had it with wonderful facility, our attainment willbe with some difficulty. It is two things (now) to be a man, and to be holy, it is 

not nature  
but endeavour   that must bring us to grace, if we ever have it: it is become an art, to be excellent, there is a mystery in it, we must be bound to it, and serve for it, before we can be free of their corporation who enjoy it, namely those alone that are incorporated (by grace) into Christ jesus.  
No man is borne a natural merchant, neither can any be naturally religious, it must be sought, it must be bought, we must be trained up in this trade of heaven, this cunning comes not by kind, it will cost time, and pains, to be well seen into this science. We must be heavenly merchants, if we will hope to be happy men.  
Secondly to show us some semblance, Reason 2 between your civil and his spiritual, his true, and your temporary merchandise.  
Some semblance I say, for some there is, (yet not very much) and some is enough to God's purpose, and sufficient to teach us some blessed lessons, out of our own book. Indeed the only reason why there is no more currant consimilitnde between them, is the better being of God's merchandise above man's, the one doth so wonderfully overgo the other, that in many particulars, earthly merchandise is neither able, nor worthy, to become a shadow, or representation, of the heavenly.  
That correspondence that is, must be conceived in the true, strict, and wife sense, of this, and other such words as are in use among merchants, to these civil ends, which we will so fare apply to spiritual purposes, as any warrantable, and sound concurrence will go with us in the analogy of faith, without any vain or fruitless fancy, of our own.  
Would we then see in what sense heavenly things may be called a merchandise, and in what sense not; this is easy to him that will understand.  
In one main thing it holdeth not, for (as we heard a little before) in all merchandising there is muination, and change of one good thing, for another, commodity for commodity, or money for ware, to the just and estimated value, of the rate, and worth of the things bought, or bartared: but (thus) cannot we merchandise, or trade with the most high, we can neither buy, nor bartar with him, because we want what to give him, not only to the full worth, but we can give him nothing of any worth to purchase those most worthy favours, and advantages, whereof all his people are free partakers. It were intolerable pride, and presumption not to be put up, or endured, at our hands, that we that are vile, and worthless by sin, having all evil, and no good thing in us at all, should once conceit or harbour one thought, of trading with God upon any such terms of satisfying him for the least favour we have either in whole or in part, with any thing that is ours. So that (herein) the merchandise (on our part) is marred, because we have nothing to trade with.  
Yet (in diverse other regards) it holdeth good, and is very justifiable if we take good notice  
First that God doth call and, encourage us to this celestial commerce, and bids us come and buy of him. 

So saith Solomon. Pro. 23.23. buy the truth  
So saith Isaiah: Cap. 55.1. come buy without silver] So saith Christ Reu. 3.18. I counsel thee to buy of me]    
Behold, he will account us buyers and will have us come to buy, who knows we have nothing at all to pay:  
And so much the more strange, may this seem to be if withal we remember, that it cannot be found in any place, that God is said to be a seller, or to sell us any thing which he would have us buy: these two words (in all men's reason) are proper relatives one to another yet the Lord will part, and make a rent betwixt them, saying we shall buy, that which he no where saith he will sell: it is not read in all God's book, that ever he sold any goodness to any man, but that which we have from him, is every where called his free and must gracious gift unto us.  
Now & then, the Lord is said to sell his people into their enemy's hands, as in the books of judges, and in the Psalm, the church thus complaineth. 
Ps. 44.12.  [Thou sellest thy people for nought and takest no money for them] but this kind of sale, is no such selling as is opposite to the buying before spoken off, nor doth it any way match, the merchandise. Quest. But how then (will some say) can we be said to buy of God, whenas he cannot be said to sell to us? why thus it may be, Answ. and it may be the Lord would teach us out of his kind of selling, (though it be of another kind) what he himself doth intent, and would have us to understand by our buying, thus. His selling of his people for nought, did note the small respect, the base esteem he had of them, when their notorious naughtiness they had deserved his neglect, and provoked the eyes of his glory against them, to cast them out of their good land, and send them captives among Pagans. We ourselves when we have a jade of ill qualities, will put him off to any man for little or nothing. Now our buying may be smelled by the contrary hereunto, and by it, must needs be meant our great care, regard, and estimate, of the graces which the Lord is pleased (in his grace) to bestow upon us, that we have them in singular respect, and most gracious account, as we would do: that plate or those jewels, which cost us more dear.  
So then God sold his people without money, when he did disrespect, and reject them: we buy without money, when we prise, and repute highly of his graces. It is not (we see) any money matter, to manage this merchandise, whatsoever we buy, there is nothing to pay,, but something to perform; the driving of this trade consists in action. He is a good dealer, that is a good doer. All that we give for heavens inestimable excellencyes, is our truest valuation, our highest estimate, and the dearest account of them, we are able to express, when we have once known, and felt their worth within our souls: 
phil.  if we prise them preciously, our purchase is made; So did Paul, who accounted all things (even the things which otherwise, were advantage to him) loss, & dung, and exceeding vile, 
mat. 13.  as the basest excrements, in regard of the excellent knowledge of Christ. So did he in he parable, that sold all, to buy that one pea●le, which he found. 
pro. 2.3.4.5.  And our Solomon tell's us that we should all do so, and that if we do, it willbe well with us, we shall surely gain that, whereof we have so good respect. And if we would be tried by a well exprerienced man, one that knew how blessed it was to be posest of wisdom and understanding, take David for the party, and his speech for your practice, herein he prosesse's these things were to him, more dear than all things, 

better than thousands of gold and silver 
Psal. 119.72.103.   
sweeter than the honey, & the honey comb    
With many more the like sayings, showing his rare account of these graces, wherewith he was abundantly enriched. So then to buy wisdom, or to merchandise for it, is no more, then to repute it precious, & to think it worth buying, keeping it with all care, as we do the best things we can buy, and making much of it, yea the most we can make; both in opinion, and practise.  
Secondly our attainment of wisdom, may be called a merchandise properly, in respect of Christ, for he (on our behalf) was indeed the purchaser of his father's mercy to us, and the paymaster of his father's justice, for us.  
The apostle Paul tell's us, 
2 cor. 6. 2. pet. 2. ●.  that we are bought with a price, and the same doth Peter avouch also, and so do others, & well, and warrantably they may, considering how dear we are paid for, by him, who redeemed us at a high rate, (I had almost said too high a rate) considering what base, debaushed, and worthless creatures we were; nothing, worse than nothing; vanity, lighter than vanity: a whole world of such vile contemptible vermin, cannot be esteemed worth a drop of his blood, Noah nor a hair of his head: had it not been that 

the justice of God was to be satisfied  
the favour of God to be procured  
his law to be fulfilled  
his love to be confirmed    
And all righteousness to be wrought and accomplished: how had we (unworthy wretches) been (of ourselves) worth redeeming or respecting? noe, these infinite, most excellent, and inconceivable things of God, were worthy of the life, and death of lesus Christ, to work and bring them to that pass, that we might be interressed into them, through his purchase of them, Now our Lord & redeemer having bought us, & paid an alsufficient satisfaction for us, & enabled us (by his power) to attain some saving grace, hence are we (in him) said to buy grace, through grace. For merchandise, or buying spiritually, is [A word of Grace] when it is attributed to us; whereof we may be the better persuaded, if we remember that God is pleased to call the beginnings of his graces in us his earnest pennies, once, and again, 
2. Cor. 1.22. Eph. 1.13  by the apostle; thereby intimating (as it were) a bargain between him & us, because he would hearten & cheer us, i● our holy course, as a father who hath an inheritance for his son, takes the money that any friends give him, & to make him the more willing to part with that, which he cannot employ, he tell's him, well, this you shall give me for this house and land; & it shallbe yours, one day.  
But to pass this, let us labour to be wise, and wary beware, that in any wise we bind not the Lord to any words, he is free to choose and use what he pleaseth, is it not great reason that he should have liberty, of speaking who is infinitely wise, in every word he speaks? and therefore when soever the Lord takes any word of ours, wherein we cannot discern a clear concurrence of his mind let us sift the more narrowly for his intendment therein and blame our blindness, that we cannot see it, as we should. It is not for nothing at all, though it may be but for some one, or very few things) that he makes choice of these civil terms, to teach us the knowledge and skill of celestial truth thereby.  
Let us not therefore slight off these words, or look with a shallow, or superficial eye, upon them, but take them into our most serious consideration to search out the meaning of God in them:  
Thirdly, Reason. 3 it is possible, the Lord alludes to this word, both here and elsewhere, to illustrate our best being, in the best things and calls his greatest mercies, and our chiefest graces, [Merchandise] because he would magnify and commend the course of a merchant's life, to be lawful, honest, and good, and a calling of his own institution and allowance, in as much as he makes this employment, the honourable emblem, of these admirable excellencyes, in whose enjoyment we are truly blessed before him. If every christian that would be blessed must merchandise, can any christian conceit basely of merchandiseing? the scriptures attestations of the honour and excellency of this practice, trade and state of life, are many; I thought good to mention this among the rest, the better to muzzle and bung up the malignant tongve of any foul mouth, that shall ever bark against it so currishly, and unchristianly, as diverse have done. And thus we see how and wherefore, these things are called merchandise, The next word followeth.  
Thereof] that is, of the wisdom and understanding spoken of in the 13, verse, whereby all graces are meant. It is a common thing through out the scripture, to notify all good, or evil, under some one grace, or vice of either sort; but it is more proper to this book, than any other to propound 

all graces, under the name of wisdom  
all vices, under the name of Folly.    
Throughout the Proverbs; Solom●n [wise man] is a complete christian, furnished with all saving grace: and he that is called [a fool] here, is the man, that is full of all impiety, and prophants.  
But let us come a little nearer to this word [thereof] and we shall find it to be added out of inspeakable wisdom in God, and that not only to evidence the excellency of wisdom above wealth, but also, todifference, and distinguish this merchandise, from another, which is obtruded upon millions of men and pretended yea pressed to be true, & spiritual, when as upon due trial, it will prove to be no better then carnal, and diabolical, to cousin, to gull, and to delude, all such as deal in it, or meddle with it, who not knowing a Pedlar from a merchant, do take these trifling vanit yes, for rich commodities.  
I mean the merchandise of the [Great wheere] of whom, and of her merchants and the things the buy'es & sell's, Saint Peter says some thing, and Saint john says more in his Revelation. In which book, (and in diverse places thereof), the Lord jesus, doth at large lay her and her doings open, that all men may see how, with whom and wherein, she tradeth.  
How she tradeth, let Peter tell us, (even that Peter, whom they brag to be their Patron) he hath evidently deciphered her vile dealing, 
2. pet. 1. ver. 1. ver. 3.  to be privy, and close; covetous and catching; counterfeit and fawning: so saith ye text: [who shall privily bring in damnable heresies] and through covetousness make merchandise of you]: all whore's qualities, as right as ean be.  
With whom, 
Re. 1●. 3.9.22.  she tradeth, Saint john tell's us, who are her merchants, no mean men, no base fellows, but kings, and great ones and that of all nations too, Wherein she tradeth: to wit, in any thing that may bring her in silver and gold, & pomp and pelf, to gain which, she sells merits indulgences, masses, dispensations, trent all's dirges, the fardel of all her fopperies is opened, & set to sale, yea to enrich herself, she cares not to make prize of the souls of men too; causing them to sell their souls to her, for such toys as she tell's them, are good for them both living and dead, that she may sell them to the devil, for such things, as she knows are good for herself, to purchase more honour, wealth, and pewer to her king doom:  
These are her wares, and none but she may sell them, no monepoly is like this; the Devil is sole owner, he will trust none but her to be his factor: she, none but her own bats to be her breakers: & so this trade of hellish trash, is driven between them, and with it they couny-catch men's consciences, and catch money out of men's purses, and for this double damage, give them some jdle puppet, or foolish vanity, that shall treble it; all they sell, hath this seal of a hellish, and infernal in vention, that all the profit comes to the seller, he willbe sure of money; the buyer hath nothing but fruitless vanity. And so they (silly souls) are gulled to lay out their silver, and gold, and not for bread, or rather but for bread, even then, when they hope, and believe they have bought A GOD.  
Now [the merchandise thereof] is as much worse than the merchandise of gold, and silver, as this in our text is better then both, and no man endued of God with any understanding, will once intermeddle here, the only traders, are these infatuated fools, whom 

God hath given over to strong delusion:  
the Devil hath gotten into his dominion:    
And these mystical sots do suffer (nay joy to see) themselves miserably abused by these Catholic Inglers of whom they think they do receive, the ernaments of Christ, whenas they have nothing but Antichristian excrements, and so in steed of adorneing and beautifying their souls, they do defile & abase them out of measure.  
For this cause, even because [hereof], doth the holy Ghost insert most wisely, this word [thereof] that wise men might be able to discern between the merchandise of God, which evermore brings great advantage, and that of the man of sin, which is never, more than mere cozenage. Now put we forward to the next [is better] that is to say, every way beyond it, in all kind of benefits and advantages. I cannot conceive the word [better] to bear any worse sense here, than the best it hath any where, because (as we shall show when we come unto it) these divine graces, do so fare exceed all worldly riches, as no man can completely comprehend and discover. There is no comparison between them, the one is not worthy to be named with the other; wealth is scarce good enough to wait upon wisàome. But this is easy: we proceed.  
[Then Silver: gold, yea, fine gold, etc.] the Lord is not sparing (we see) to magnify wisdom, in that he doth it in so many words, which words do import most precious things: and that (as was remembered before) by a gradation, or rising, from one good thing, to another that is better than it, and from that to another yet better: as we all know 

Silver to exceed all commodities,  
Gold to exceed silver.  
Precious stanes to exceed Gold.    
And that no place might at all be left in man's hart, for any thought of a thing, that might seem better, he putt in all that man's hart can desire, or Wish to enjoy, affirming, that to have saving grace, is a more happy thing, then to have all things else, that the soul of an earthly minded man could desire to have.  
So that now we see what these words do contain, to wit, in the general, a confirmation of that commendation of wisdom and understanding, which is given us by the holy ghost, in the verse going before.  
This confirmation (if we descend into particulars) is comparative & riseth from one good thing to another and from that to a better, to show that wisdom is the hest of all good things, and exceeding fare surmounreth all temporary commodities.  
The parts are three. 

1. the things compared, to wit, wisdom & wealth.  
2. the wealth wherewith wisdom is compared: which is partly expressed: silver, gold, prectous stones, partly included: all that then caused desire.  
3. the disproportion between them, which showeth not only, that wisdom is something better than wealth, but also that it doth incomparablely surpass and exceed it.    
Thus, being now come to the sense, and parts of the words, let us put forward toward the matter that is contained in them: which that we may the better come to understand, be it all ways, well and carefully remembered and considered of us, that inasmuch as it pleaseth the Lord to speak unto us of these mystical things in such manifest english, as he doth, in calling it [A Merchandise] it shall well become us to scan, and search, that we may see, how fare, and Wherein, the metaphor doth maintain this truth; and make it appear, that the odds and excellency lieth here. And the more to enlighten us herein, let us proportion THIS, merchandise, and MAN'S together, comparing the one with the other, in such particulars, as wherein the correspondence will hold currant, and sound, by warrant from God.  
To run through all passages, would be an endless race, and a fruitless endeavour, taking up more time, then may be conveniently spared thereunto; we will not therefore go that course, but strive to that way which may be nearest, and clearest to the truth here intended, meddling only with such as are most familiar to our notice, and most material to our purpose, and in opening these, we will do our best to shun all extreamityes, both of incenes, and of negligence, because, as it is not good, to be curious, so is it naught to be careless, the one is jale, the other is evil, both are reproovable, especially in matters of religion. It shallbe safest for us to go that beaten way wherein, we may look for God's light to guide us, and to avoid all, corners, and bypaths. The evidence of his Word, to comfirme all we speak, the assurance of his spirit, to comfort and quicken us in all that is spoken, are the things we should seek for, the one makes it sound to our conscience, the other makes it sweet to our experience, let us therefore labour for both these, that so our instructions may become sensible to you, and you the more happy by them.  
Well then, let us approach to the main point; which we will first propound, & then prove. And this it is.  
GOD'S MERCHANDISE IS BETTER THAN MAN'S]: Doct. it is better being a Trader for wisdom then for wealth, for Grace, then for Goods, His commerce with us, doth fare exceed ours with one another, and willbe found (every way) infinitely more beneficial.  
Who can doubt of this, that here's the Lord himself both speak it, and urge it, as he doth? especially if withal he remember, what infinite knowledge, and wisdom is in the Lord, that he is not as man, that he should be partially over-affected to any thing he see's, or weakly over seen in any thing he says. 

either touching his own graces:  
or touching our commodities:    
To set the one at too high a rate, or to undervalue the other, but most uprightly to estimate both, in all equality, as they are, in their own rank, and quality. So that his word which never failed, were enough to work any man's hart to a full assurance of the truth hereof: howbeit, because, we may meet with such faithless and unbelieving hearts as Thomas had, who must see and feel before they will consent and confess; let us come nearer, and take better notice of this truth, and we hope that in handling the point, we shall have our hearts fully confirmed therein:  
Let us look then, and pry into every particular, and (as it were) feel, and put our fingers into them, and we shall find the proofs of this doctrine as undeniable to evince us, as the prints in Christ's body were to convince him: and so from propounding what we say, we come now to prove the same.  
That which we say is no more but this; that this merchandise with God, is better than all merchandise with men. God himself saith as much, and will bear us out in that we say, by commission from heaven. But let us see (will some say) wherein it surpasseth? nay (say we) see if you can, wherein it surpasseth not: come along, & let us view some few things of many, that we might look upon, and you will easily assent, that this is a true saying: and that we may not be carried into any confusion in our jnquiry, and confirmation, let us range those things into some order, which we produce for evidence in the point, and in every of them the verity of what we speak, will appear unto us abundantly.  
Let it then be carefully noted, and considered of us, that in three special respects this trading hath pre-eminence beyond yours, and every respect may be in steed of a most apparent and incontroleable reason, to settle us in the assured persuasion of the superabundant benefit of this heavenly and blessed traffic.  
Know then, that to the better being of this merebandise, these things do concur.  

1. that it hath not some things that yours hath.  
2. that it bathe some things that yours hath also.  
3. that it bathe somethings that yours bathe not.   
Some things are proper to your merchandise, alone, to wit, all that are bad, as having any damage, or danger in them.  
Some things are common to this with yours, to wit, all things that bring any benefit.  
Some things are proper to this alone, and not common, or any way communicable to yours, to wit, all those most rare, excellent, and extraordinary prerogatives (which may truly be entitled royal) because they are not incident to terrenall trade, or temporary dealings, the things that are below cannot be capable of those high advantages, which this doth afford.  
Now every of these willbe most willing witnesses of our proposition, and support it against all cavil and contradiction. And if in the prosecution of them (considering I must make use of your words) I shall not be so neat, and exact in your artificial terms of trade, as the nature of God's Metapher, and the allusions thereof, to your merchandise doth require, I hope you will remember; that your words are out of our element, yet we will aim as near as we can, for the illumination of your minds in this matter, and if we speak jmproperly, pardon us, because we affect, rather evidence of proving, then are of speaking, in God's matters. Our drift and main scope is divine, (so should or hearts, and angues be too) we care not to be so complete, and accurate in terms, as some are, who have more show of Rhetoric in one sermon, than substance of religion in ten. And so we come to show the odds and excellency of this trade in each of these three ranks before remembered.  
First, this merchandise must needs be better than all other, because whatsoever is bad in yours, is not to be found in this at all, it hath nothing that is any way evil, or jncommodions: and in yours there are many things (of this kind) much complained off: as namely. 

Great, Adventures:  
Bad, debts.  
Bad, commodities.  
Bad, servants.    
Here is a fourfold danger, the hazard at sea is much, trusting of it in sale is as much, many times your goods are ill conditioned, and some servants are dishonestly minded: these are the means of many a merchant's miscarriage, and undoing.  
But behold, this merchandise hath none, (no not one) of these, let us sift every one by itself, and we shall see it to be so. And first for Adventure, we may be assured here is none at all, nor none there can be. Heavenly things are subject to no hazzarde.  
For your earthly, you must either abide the adventure, or buy the insurance: here need's neither. All tradeing under heaven, in to all climates, in all commodities, is more or less unceartaine, and dangerous, & in the richest, and rarest, there is most fear, because they are in places farthest remote, But in this trade which is from heaven, it is nothing so.  
God himself tell's us that wealth hath wings and can, and will, fly from us: that riches are unceartaine: 
pro. 23.5. 1. Tim. 6.17. 1. Joh. 2.17. jonah. 1. ●  that they are things that perish: yea, that they perish in their using: nay, that they perish, before they come to be used, even while they are in transportation.  
And some of his saints can say it by experience, who have fallen from a mighty estate, to miserable poverty, & some (again) risen from a mean condition, to wonderful wealth.  
Yea some wicked men will witness it too, who tell us, 
Dan. 4.17.  that he that is great, God is able to abase; as it did well appear in the fool in the Gospel, who let himself a long lease of many years, of all the land and revenue he had, &, it was cancelled, & expired the same night, within few hours after he had sealed it, unto himself.  
And if none of these had spoken it, yourselves in that which some have felt, and more have seen, would say it were as true as the Gospel, inasmuch as daily news comes of shipwrecks from one coast, of bankrupts from another, what between felonious Pirates, unskilful Pilots, unfaithful servants, ill wares, ill weathers, naughty times, jmprovidence in buying, oversight in selling, & a multitude more such miserable & mournful instances, millions of men sink in their states, and are dro●●n'd in these snares of the world, what heavy catalogues of decayed men, come continually, who were thought great, and prove worth little or nothing? what uncomfortable accounts doth many a merchant overlook? that looked for advantage, and hath lost of his principal, (yea it may be his, whole principal) & that by those land pirates [I mean, not those Bankrupts whom the Lord doth humble, by casualties, incident to the most honest among men, whose hearts are broken, more than their states, and more (it may be) for other men's states, than their own, whose souls are more woeful for want, wherewith to satisfy others, then for the wants they feel themselves; these have both God's commiseration, and man's] But the Bankrupts I mean are those which break, with God and men both at once, who 

not necessarily  
but villainously   make a rapture where none is, to jnjure others, and to enrich themselves, building their own states upon the rujnes of many other men's, and in one act, committing a four folae felony, in robbing 

God of his goodness.  
Men of their goods.  
Themselves of their honesty,  
Many of their money.    
My soul hath a quarrel against these accursed cormorants, who devour multitudes, and draw them into wonderful misery, to make up their own mouths, not caring to overturn all trade, to raze the foundation, & pillars of a common wealth, for the support of themselves; those are the vipers of mankind, and the bane of the body civil that bred them; living, and gaining, as the devil doth, only by the undoing of every body they deal with. The thief by the high way, the pirate at sea, the combination of all robbers, of all roavers, are fare short of these felons: they profess stealing, and take as much as they find, and a man knows what he lose's: these mystical, and monstrous villains, deceive and cousin us, in the use of our love to them, confidence in them, commerce with them, that when we think we lend to do them good, trust them with our goods, or trade with them to do ourselves good; behold, their fidelity is become felony, our kindness is our damage, all is lost we let them have they grow fat with other men's flesh, and line themselves with the skins, which they tear from all such, as they have traded withal.  
All and every of these (with more that might be reckoned up,) you know and acknowledge to be as miserable, as they are manifest declarations of the dangerous and unceirtaine state of your merchandise, among men, and to that ill pass, are the times, and the truth of men, now come, that you often tell us (and too truly) you know not who to trust, how to be sure of your own, whom to deal withal, without fear; of loss.  
But in this trade and commerce whereof we treat, there is no such matter, nay, there can be no such miscarriage, in one kind or other: all is secure, stable, str●e, and infallible, you need not fear, or doubt any thing in the least. When we deal for our souls, we deal upon sure terms, and that we might (as the Lord would have us) know this, we find him very plentifully ensuring our spiritual estate unto us, by all kind of consirmation that can be, 
2. Cor. 20.21 Ps. ●9. 35 Heb. 6.17.18.  

by his promise.  
by his each.  
by both together,    
Yea by his whole self, who being wholly infinite, yet doth ongage his whole infinite essence (& all the unspeakable excellencyes, their in enclosed) that nothing shall fail either of his goodness, to us, or of our good, from him. What hath I●sus Christ said in this case? hath he not assured us that h●ll cannot prevail, Noah not the g●●es, that is, the greatest power of hell? hath he not said that heaven must fail, before one jot or ●ittle of that which is written for our soul's comfort, shallbe unfulfilled? Did he not tell Martha, that that better part, which Mary had chosen, should never be taken from her? Hath he not bidden us to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, and assured us against all perils, that no thief can reach it, no r●●t, no meath, corrupt or wrong it? all this, and much more hath he said (of purpose) to establish our hearts against all fear of any danger.  
And as he hath said thus much, so hath he done much more. He hath actually undertaken to give us all security, that can be desired in this case. He hath secured us by his life, by his death, by all his obedience, both active, and passive, what he did, what he endured, his rising from the grave, his ascending into glory, and his perpetual intercession for us, at the right hand of his father; all is for us, all this did he undergo (as it were) to under set and prop up our hearts, that we might be fully confirmed in the sound assurance of all heavenly happiness. These were all the dangers that might mischief us: and he hath endured, and gone through them, that we might be free from all fear of them, and having spoilt these powers, that opposed our best comforts, 
joh. 10.28.29.  he hath assured us that we cannot perish, nor be taken out of his hand, and bids us be of good cheer, because he hath overcome that world of our enemies, that withstood us, and made utterly void all the venom of the most pernicious adversaries we had, that they cannot at all endanger, nor any way impair, these precious benefits. Satan our grand-enemy, he is trodden under our feet: The world, and our own flesh; (his two main, and most hurtful instruments of our evil) they are vanquished also: Nothing is left unconquered, all is nullified, that might trouble us, in this our infallible affiance, touching these things.  
And hereupon, have the saints of God, been bold, and borne up themselves, with all undaunted resolution of spirit. 
job. 1925. Ps 116. co 2. pe. 1.19.  [I am sure my redeemer liveth, & that I shall see him] saith job. [Ibeleeved therefore I spoke] saith David [I know whom I have believed] saith Paul. we have a most sure word] saith Peter. And we may all say, we have a most sure God, to our father, who changeth not: a sure rock to our redeemer, who moveth not: a sure spirit to our comforter, who departeth not, but abideth by us for ever. Hear is sure work of all sides (we see), on God's part, who would have us settle our hearts, to make our election sure to ourselves, for our own parts. Never did any man, miscarry that was a true trader in this merchandise, but every soul who hath dealt sound herein, was as ceartaine of his spiritual benefit, as of his natural being.  
Howbeit, not withstanding all that is said, yea, or that can be said, the Devil (who is a mighty loser, by the manifestation hereof) doth all he can, to weaken, and infringe the faith of Gods elect, in this point of the faithfulness of God, that they may (like his vassals) fear where no fear is; he doth daily fill their hearts, with this & that difficulty, thrusting, these, & those jmposibilityes into their thoughts, presenting a world of jmpediments unto them, to breed doubtfulness, and distrust (yea, and despair too) in them, if by any means he may draw them thereunto, and affright them from that affiance, wherewith they may most boldly, safely, and courageously repose themselves, with joy upon the Lord.  
But let us see what it is he opposeth, & upbraideth us withal? Nay, (will some say) what is it not, or wherewith doth he not terrify us? he sett's heaven, earth, & hell against us, he persuaded us, that all things are enemies to us.  

God's justice and severity.  
Our own sin and impiety.  
His own malice and cruelty.   
How are we able to witstand any one, much less, every one of these; they being all fare above our power.  
Well, we confess they are too heavy for us to undergo; and would not only endanger, but overturn, and drown all, if any one of them should be laid upon us: but as the case stands, there is no discomfort in them at all, though they be put all together.  
True it is, that God hath much against, us, but it is as true that there is absolute satisfaction made (on our behalf,) and so no fear now, because his anger is appeased towards us, his favour purchased for us, his love promised to us, all reconciliation, all compassion eternally, and jrrevokeablely, assured, and estated upon us.  
It it also as true, that our own sins are many, and mighty, and simply insupportable, and would sink us into the bottomless pit, if their least weight did lie upon us, but it is as true, that they are freely and fully forgiven, and we reputed as guiltless, and accounted as jnnocent, as if we had never committed any one of them: the Lord hath laid strength upon one that is mighty: and (even the strength of our sin, the whole law) and the curse thereof he that is mighty hath done great things for us, in carrying the iniquities of us all, and in being made sin, and made a curse for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God, 
2. Cor. 5.21. Gal. 3.13 14.  and so become (through grace,) to be everlastingly blessed with him, as the Apostle speaketh to the churches, of Corinth and Galatta.  
And as for Satan's malice, howsoever it be much, yet it need to trouble but little, nay, not at all, for he is a conquered, and a captivated enemy, killed to our hand, & thrown under our feet, (as we heard before) well he may hate, but he cannot hurt us, he may malice, but mischief us he cannot: What is his power, to the power of God that keep's us? what is his subtlety, to the wisdom of God that directs us? hath it not most happily appeared that he hath been confounded in all his devises against us, and we comforted more steadfastly; by that course, whereby he sought our rujne eternally? I think if we look well into it, it is better with us now, than it was, before he began to bring evil upon us. And what is (now) left of him, but the bare shadow, or outside of an adversary, in regard of that he was, when he had power not only to tempt, but to overturn us; but now he can only tempt us, we (in our Christ) can overturn him.  
Let us not then (like fools) fear, or discomfort ourselves, or suffer others to disquiet us with things of no consequence, in this our commerce with our God. Say, our ships, be brittle, suppose our passage be boysterious; admit what we carry, be corrupt, what is all this; when we further consider, that we have an omnipotent Pilot, that can make our vessel thyte, the sea quiet, and change our commodities into better condition. The living God both can do, and hath promised that he will do, all this: & the more to assure us of so much, it pleaseth him to utter and express his consolations unto us, in seafaring men's terms, speaking to us, as unto men in sea dangers, 
Isai. 54.11 cap. 43.2.  saying [Oh thou afflicted & tossed with tempest etc.] & again, [When thou passeth through the water I will be with thee, that the floods shall not drown thee]; & by the apostle, he further tells us what good ground-t●kle we have, to wit, an anchor, 
Heb. 6.19  sure and steadfast] that cannot fail us: though therefore some seeming danger may show itself, yet assured danger there is none: something may appear very perilous to our flesh and blood, to our frailty, ignorance, and infidelity, as the grown sea, and the great billow, doth to fresh water soldiers, who start and shrink at every wa●e: but to our faith, and that power of grace given us of God, nothing can prone terrible, howsoever it appear. We have a God that can do whatsoever he will, 
Psa. 115.3.  and hath power at his pleasure, to jmploy for our best good, and will do by that power, according to his pleasure, whatsoever may any way redound to the happiness of their hearts, who unfeignedly desire to deal with him. Upon him, and upon his power and favour we depend, fearing no present, or future peril, in any thing appertaining to his kingdom, and those affairs that concern the same. And in this resolution let all God's saints set up their rest for ever,  
For there is a crew of upstart TRADERS, or rather INTRUDERS, I mean Papists, & Arminians (I join them together, though the one be much younger than the other, yet are both, late ●●vices in respect of the ancient truth of God) who meddle, (or rather Peddle) in God's merchandise, and tell men, that there is great hazard, and adventure borne in this blessed trade, and no such manifest, and undoubted security, as we plead, but danger of being ●a●k●●●pt, & failing in Grace, in falling finally from it, and no certainty of being blessed in Glory, or assurance of being received into it.  
Concerning these, I am persuaded verily, they speak as they think, and (I think,) they find themselves, as they speak to others, for not being made free of the fellowship of God's faithful ones, the truth not having yet made them free of the communion and corporation of the true saints; I can see no reason, (seeing they willbe, INTERLOPING, in Error) but they should mistrust danger, and meet with it too, and not enjoy the gracious previledgiss, and these most beneficial jmmunityes of that society, whereof they are not. And seeing they are not members united, but monsters annexed thereunto, why should they go upon as sure grounds as Gods own do. Especially seeing they will not make God, so good a master, or his factors, so good merchants, as they grant the Devil to be, for they confess that all that deal for him, are sure enough of damnation, but of those that are agents for the Lord, it may be doubted of their salvation, yea it is presumption, to rest infallibly upon it; which if they spoke, & intended only of themselves, I could soon put it into my creed, but being (as they mean it) universally true of the very elect, what man (having the faith of Gods elect, in him) can believe it?  
Some also there are among the multitude of our ignorant & vulgar Protestants, who being neither well persuaded, nor at all experienced, in the light, and power of this truth, think it something with the most, for any man to secure his own soul of his eternal salvation: oh, say they, you must not presume, but have a good hope, that all shallbe well, it is too much to say more. And is it so indeed? why then there is no more safer, or faster holt; of heavens everlasting treasures, then of the temporary vanities of the world, for a man may say so much of them; it is not sin, to hope that such a ship shall come safely to her port; and may no more be said of the jmmutable things of God, then of the world's ●●oneab●es, which have so many ways, and means, to miscarry? Are your conceits so gross, & confused, that they can put no difference (nor understand the difference, Christ himself hath put) between the things that perish, and those that cannot perish? is it all one, to trade with God, and man, in heaven, and in earth? in fadeing, corruptible, and transitory trash, and in that enduring substance, which will outlast, both heaven and earth? How prejudicial are these foolish sayings to his wisdom, who evermore makes it a property incommunicable, a prerogative royal, to spiritual things to be firm and not fadeing; and labours (hereupon) to win our hearts unto them, upon this consideration, that they are so certain, & sure; & to wean, us from all things here below, because they are so brittle, and unsound? How apparently, opposite is this speech to that of the Apostle, who tell's us, that he was persuaded (and that throughly) that Neither life, nor death, 
Rom. ●. 38.36.  nor, angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor beight, nor depth, nor any other creature, (if any other could be conceited) could separate him from the love of the Lord jesus, in whom he saith, (not only of himself) but of all the elect of God, that we are made more than conquerors, 
ver. 37.  through him that loved us, and in this especially showed his love unto us, that he underwent, the brunt (& that most willingly) of whatsoever was indeed dangerous, and by so doing, brought us from under the mutable freedom of the first Adam, to be free from mutability, and miscarriage any more, uniting us to himself, that (in the second Adam) we might be safe, and sound, for ever.  
Let this be remembered of us, and magnifyed by us, in him our Lord who hath done so great things for us, as to make us (in this thing) to be more happy, than he, who was created in absolute happiness: he was without sin, Note yet not sure, we are sure, though not without sin: his perfection (without Christ) made him not free from mutability, & we (by Christ) are jmmatable, notwithstanding all our jmperfections. So, now we trade upon better, (that is upon surer) terms than he did, we cannot be so jnnocent, of evil, but we are more absolute in good, than he was: he no sooner began to deal with God, but he broke strait; we are secured from the first instant of our beginning, that we shall never fimally fail.  
Thus we see, this is the first privilege of the first sort, which your merchandese hath, & Gods hath not. ADVENTURES are EVILS, and therefore they are not incident to this trade, though to yours they be.  
But this is but the first, and the beginning of the benefit of this trade, let us look further for more encouragement to this celestial commerce, and the further we go, the more good shall we still be sure to see. Set we then towards a second, and that is this.  
That as there is no hazard in this heavenly trade, Priveledg. 2 but all comes safe to hand, so neither is it possible to make a bad debt, in all that we deal for.  
No BAD DEBTS can be made in this business, nay, no debts can be, made which are not exceeding good, yea better, than all the ready money in the world, if it were all have to one man.  
And this help's on the happiness of the former, for it all should come well, arrive safely, and we should (when it hath passed all sea dangers) endanger it ourselves, in selling it, to untrusty buyers, who should not pay currently, where were the comfort of the former safety? where were the future benefit of the commodity?  
But if a man have it in sure possession, and sell it to such as will make sure payment, then is he happy, and hath his heart's desire.  
And here it is so, and it cannot be otherwise; for why? who do we trust in all we trade for? even HE alone is trusted, whose payment cannot be mistrusted: we trust none but GOD, to whom we should be guilty of fearful blaspemy, if we should harbour in our hearts, one jealous, or suspicious thought of inconstancy, he being one [whose compassions cannot fail], 
Lam. 3.22  None but the Lord is our Debtor in the managing of this business: he who is rich in mercy, Lord over all, rich unto all, able enough to pay; and as willing as he is able, to give us content, nay (beyond that) more than we can ask, nay (beyond that too;) more than we can receive.  
We heard what alsufficiens security he hath given us, by himself, by his son, by his spirit, by his word, by his oath, by all, (& more than all) that we could demand, or desire, to satisfy us. We all know, there can be no bad debt, if the debtor be good, how then is there a possibility of any to be found here, seeing we trust nothing upon any, but upon him, upon whom (we say) we put all our trust: who although he by not (be any right that we can claim, or challeagne) a debtor to any man, as owing any thing (by due) to his creature, but (contrariwise) that all the world are debtors to him, and own him infinite dues, which are simply unpayable (on our part) unto him, if he should ask his own: Yet it pleaseth him to make himself, and to manifest himself, to be our debtor, and of his own mere grace, and love, he willbe see, assuring us that we shall be paid to the full, yea, & that with unspeakable overplus; and advantage.  
He is content it should be said we lend unto him, 
Pr. 16.17  [He that is merciful to the poor, dareth unto the Lord] and that he willbe our paymaster, [and the Lord shall repay unto him whatsoever he layeth out] And the payment he makes, the satisfaction and contentment he gives, is such, and so excellent, as would (if we well understood it) make us ever more desire to have him more, and more, in our debt; happy is that man that hath, or can have, most debts standing out with God; the more, the better, he that is deope●● in, is undoubtedly most happy: and that for one special, and remarkable reason, worthy of everlasting remembrance and observation, and that is this. That to whom soever he once makes payment, Note those men are made for ever. They shall never need to trade more, who once are satisfied by this debtor, and the debt is as sure as himself is, who is the debtor: it is not more ceartaine that he is in heaven, then, that all (to whom he makes himself judebead) shall receive, plenary and perfect payment, beyond all that can be either demanded, desired, or received: his satisfaction is so super abundant, that we are not capable of the fullness thereof.  
All bad debts come by trusting the world, or the Devil, or ourselves, either overmuch, or at all; for not one of them is worthy of any confidence; they are all three, so fare from infallibylity, that they who most depend upon them, shall find nothing but vanity & deceit in them. But he that relieth upon the living Lord, as sure as the Lord line's, that man shallbe satisfied. There, Note are few men to whom he is debtor, but he pays them double,  
Something they have in hand, they are presently paid in part, even in this world, and in such a time as he knows may do them most good, and with such either jnward, or outward comforts (or it may be, some of both sorts,) as they are most fit to receive, and shallbe most happy to have  
Something is still resting to them, and remaineth to be received in heaven; and that is the infinite glory, bliss, and felicity, which Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, & the blessed Patriarches, Prophets, and Apostles, and those jnnumerable spirits of just and perfect men, do enjoy, with all whom we shall fit down in that kingdom; and behold the Lord of life, and king of glory, face to face, and partake those incomprehensible happinesses, which are reserved for us (with them) there.  
The least the Lord doth ronder to us, (even of these base blessings is more satisfaction than we have, (or can have) right unto; but the best, (whether it be of grace or of glory) doth exceed not only our right, but even our thought also, And hence it is, that we are (with so good reason) so often invited, and incited by the holy Ghost, to Trust in the Lord] yea, [to trust perfectly in him] to cast all our cares upon him: to, [commit both, our ways and ourselves, to him] and we are also told that [it is better to trust him then princes] and yet we would think our debt good, and our money sure, if a Prince were to be our paymaster; well, saith David, it is better to trust in the Lord, them in Princes he speaks it twice, that we may know he is well advised, in it, and well assured of it, and to hearten us here unto, he vndertake's we shall never be confounded, or a shamed of our affiance in the Lord, who never faileth, 
Heb. 13.5  nor forsaketh any one that truly reposeth his trust in him, 
Heb. 10.  and therefore would not have us cast away our confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. And none could speak this better than they that have tried it, as both David, and Paul, & other of God's saints have done, & in like manner shall all saints do: if they can find occasion to do so, they shallbe sure to have occasion to say so.  
With men, it is good (yea, be the men never so good, and sufficient) to get in debts, because their state is mutable, their wealth, or their will, mooveable, and it may quickly come to pass that they cannot, or will not pay, but with the Lord, it is good to get him into our debt; for the longer it runs, the larger shall our reward be, (if not before) yet at the resurrection of the just, we shallbe sure to have it to the full, yea, (as was noted before) infinitely, fare beyond all fullness.  
Again (which is yet more, Note and therefore to be more marked of us) his payment, shall not rest only in ourselves, the whole benefit of it shall not be ours alone, but it shall extend itself, and reach to our posterity also; and this is much more than any man will do at any time, but no more than God will do at all times, having protested his favour & respect to a thousand generations of them that love him, & told us (many a time) how well many have fared for their father's sakes [The righteous is merciful &c (saith David) & his seed enjoyeth the blessig] and again [Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord] &c [his seed shall be mighty upon earth, the generation of the just shallbe blessed].  
It is enough with men, and as much as either law, or conscience, doth require and command, that a man pay to one, if the debt be due to the father, (and duly discharged) the credditor need not confer any thing upon the child, being no way bound to pay one debt, to more than one party, but God willbe superabondant in what he doth, no man shallbe such a paymaestr as he is, for beside the full, yea infinite comfort, & contentment that the father shall receive, or hath received, the child shall also reap some good thing from God, because he was debtor to his father. The Lord was never in debted to any one, but he paid more than one; as the scriptures do most abundantly testify.  
Again, whereas among men there can be no possibility of a bad debt to be made, but the same must arise, either out of the ability, or honesty, of the debtor, that decayeth in either, or both, we may be the more ceartainly assured, that as in this merchandise there is none, so, neither can there be any, because this God whom we only and wholly trust, who is to be blessed for ever, cannot fail in either of these. God is the only debtor here, he makes himself so; what hart of any man (unless of an jufidell, 〈◊〉 or pagan) can conceit, in the Lord, a possibility 〈…〉 in power or truth, or that he should be any way incident to fail, in favour, or in faithfulness? Can it enter into the soul of any man, or may a thought hereof have any place, and entertayment with a Christian, that he that is aboue, should bankrupt, either by necessity, or any other means? It were a most jmpious, & prodigious apprehension. How should he want ability, in whom is all infinite fullness, yea and all full infiniteness also? How should he want truth or faithfulness, to keep touch with us, whose honour it is, (and ever hath been) to hold with all, who ever dealt with him, whose testimonies are very sure, yea most sure, and never failing, Noah not in any one, to whom (in the least thing) he was ever pleased to engage himself.  
Is he not [God all sufficient] as he told Abraham? yea, he who hath all, 
Gen. 17.  alsufficientnesses, in him? the whole world can witness this (most truly) as they are treatures: and millions of men (more comfortably) as they are Christians. He never did, as many men do, run more in debt, than they are worth, or have where with to pay: his debts are not of any necessity, as (most men's are), but he willbe a debtor only to whom he pleaseth, and none else; and those to whom he is so, shall well see he doth not, nor cannot disappoint them.  
For why? (comsider I pray you) most men have power to make bebts, and to get in with many, but what man can make money to get out, & give satisfaction withal: if that were also in every man's power, who would be arrested, jmprisoned, discreddited, and troubled for nonpayment? he were a man worthy of no pity, but of all extremity, that having a mine, & a mint, would yet lie by it, for debt: why the Lord our God, he hath all this, he hath as much power to get out of debt, as pleasure to get in, rather than any shall fail, he can create new comforts, and mint new mercies, if the fullness of those (already being) should fail: it is easy with him to make as many worlds, as there are creatures in the world that is made: no, no, the Lord hath tied himself by such an jndissoluble band, that there can be no cause, (nay no colour) of suspicion of any fear hereof saying [Once have I sworwe that I will not fail] The heavens must want their fullness: 
Psa. 89.35  the earth, the air, the sea, their abundance; all worlds must be emptied,  the least of those that rely upon him shall go away disappointed: He hath speken, 
Ps. 132.11  & will not departed from it] (saith David), he never went from his word yet: all his words are faithful, and true, for he is amen, the true & faithful witness] he is God who cannot lie, as we have heard enough before: his word being most true, himself more, even truth itself, what place is left for any probability, of doubtfullnecistrust, or fear, in our hearts?  
Now then, seeing all ill debts, come some of these ways, and none of these, are any way incident to the Lord, they that trade here, may well, and truly say, (even out of happy experience) that this merchandise is (in this respect) fare better than the merchandise of Gold or silver, because here is no occasion of discomfort to any credditor, in any debt be hath made, but t●●● same is good, and currant, he is sure to have it, with wonderful advantage & benefit. God is capable of no necessity: nor culpable of any fraudulency, he cannot over-trade himself, or be overseen in any thing he dealeth with us for; how then should any thing be unsure? Who here among men that mourneth not to see the is tlamentable catalogues that come daily both of bad debts, and debtors? I say of both, for every bad debt, doth not argue a bad debtor; the Lord may lay his hand upon some, and disable them to satisfy, where they have received, which thing they would most willingly do, were it in their power, and it doth not a little perplex them that it is not. The debt (in this case) may be bad, but so is not the debtor, who not being any whit less honest in hart, but more poor in estate, (and that by the hand of God) cannot be said to be bad, unless it be in the construction of those base earthworms, who make the world their chiefest good, hating poverty, as men do thievery. These (as we said before) are the true objects of God's compassion, & man's commiseration, and he hath no Christian hart, who dareth not a hand (so fare as he may) to left up such, as the Lord hath thus humbled, But for others, who are truly called Bad debtors, from whom, God hath not taken sufficitency of means, but the Devil hath robbed them of honesty of mind, to retain that money to enrich themselves, which others ought, (by undeniable right) to receive from them; what should I say, but what the Apostle once said, [Their money perish with them], & they with their money, who thus gain it, & retain it: yea, without repentance to God, and restitution to men, they shall both surely perish, for the curse, (even the consuming curse) of God, cleaveth both to it, and them.  
The catalogue of these caitiffs increaseth daily, it is long enoug (I think) to reach from hence to hell, whereinto they shall all be cast, and be accursed for ever, who upon pretended poverty of their own, do really rob, & jmpoverish many. The Devil himself was never so bad as to make himself worse than he is, as he hath taught these vile varlets to do: it is his manner many times, to make himself better than he is, (for his advantage) but never worse; but these wretches, will fain to be poor, and penurious, even in despite of God, and his good providence, who hath take nothing from them, but given them enough to give men their own, which because they will not do; he hath pleaseth to give them over to this newfound, & most notorious villainy, that their tail should be like the dragons, to draw so many down, as must fall by their rising.  
But of all those that ever had to do with God in this merahandise, can one be named (in the whole world, or any age, or time thereof) whom he failed fully to satisfy according to promise, and kindness too. All the Dinolls in hell cannot instance any one, so exact & most absolute, hath the faithfulness of God ever been to all his, in all things. Sooner shall the sun fail to give us light, and the day to follow the night, than our God (seeing he willbe our debtor) will fail us one jot: God himself hath said it, we may therefore safely believe it, and with joy settle our hearts upon it.  
If we should, (nay if we could), survey the receipts of God's servants, and take knowledge, what they themselves have freely confessed, freely to have received, it would soon appear, that they have had more than they can fully acknowledge, and been made partakers of more than they could ask, or think, 
Eph 3.20.  and that not a little, but abundantly, yea exceeding abundantly too, as the Apostle witnesseth. Nay if we enter seriously, and search narrowly, into ourselves, we could not but confess our receipts of kindness, and comfort from God, to be many more than we can number, or account.  
But we take so little notice (which is our great sin) of what God doth cast upon us, that we are not able (as we ought) to cast it up, & feelingly to confess it, either unto the Lord, for the landing of his name, or to men, to lead them on, to the sound comfort, and benefit of this confidence.  
And this is the second evil, incident to your merchandise, but exempted from this. Let us come to inquire ter a third.  
Thirdly, in this merchandise, Proveledg 3 there are NO BAD COMMODITIES: nothing ill conditioned, nothing that is counterfeited, or sophisticated, or that will shrink in any measure, but all that comes to this Mart, is currant, merchantable, and as it ought to be, in every respect.  
No man need fear, either cloth, or colour, lengths or breadths, matter or making, all is true, sufficient and without any fault, or exception.  
And this you may well, and willingly believe, if you do but remember what is the only commodity in request here, even [GRACE.] so saith our text, the merchandise [THEREOF] that is, of wisdom and understanding, (named before,) and comprehending all graces under them. This, and this alone, is saleable here, this (of itself) takes up the whole trade, all the doings, is for this one thing, even for Grace, a commodity which is originally, and infinitely seated in God himself, and graciously dispensed unto us, according to that measure thereof, whereof we are most capable, and wherein we may be most meet and able to honour him, who is the fountain of the same.  
And how is it possible, that any of this should not be exceeding good, when it flows from the Lord himself, & by him, is derived, & communicated to us, through the purchase of Christ, by the power of the holy ghost: shall we think that 

either, this fountain can yield any thing that is corrupt,  
or, that Chrst would buy that for us which were naught.  
or that the holy ghost would convey any thing, to us which is not good?    
Fare be all such jmpious, and unholy apprehensions from us, as (at once) to blame, yea to shame, the blessed trinity, & to lay any jmputation, of falhood upon God the father, or of foolishness upon God the son, or of venity upon the holy ghost: all which (yet) were most true, if any Grace that came from God were unsound. So that in this trade there is no trash, or ill conditioned commodity, offered to any.  
But in yours is much, yea, (if yours, and all men's general complaints be true) too much, he must be somebody that most so fare see into a thing that he may not be deeceived now days, inasmuch as many are grown from being CRAFT MASTERS, to be MASTERS OF CRAFT and to live, and gain more by their wits, in making a false commodity, than ever they did by the worth of a true, studying how they may, yet denying that they do, deceive. For that is the manner of all Satan's artsmen, that their practice goes before their profession in evil, but in good, their profession goes not only before practise, but without it also, because practise never folowe's. In diabolical dealings they ever practice, seldom profess; in divine affairs, they ever profess, seldom, nay never practise.  
And, as much of your bad ware is so cunningly, & artificially handled, that it is not, nor cannot be easily discerned, but is taken, (or rather mistaken) for good; So is it in this merchandise, (by Satan's subtlety, and men's simplcity) come to pass, that many are deceived with the appearance of grace, where the substance is not. The apostle tell's us that [Great is the mystery of Godliness] and so indeed it is, & too great for us to know & learn as we ought: and as true it is, that great is the mystery of Ungodliness (though nothing so great, as the other) yet too great, for us to know, and shun as we should. Hyprocrisy is spun with a fine thread, and made as fair as is possible, to deceive the simple: and it doth indeed delude the greatest part of the christian world, misleading most men, and making them to think they have saving, whenas (intruth) they have naught but deceiving Grace; that is, that which they they thought was true grace, but were deceived by it.  
Howbeit you most know that, this is not the merchandise meant here in our text, all bad wares come out of the Devil's warehouse, and his they are. Now because they are so deceivably made, as that such multitudes are guled with them, it shallbe good for us, and it willbe well worth our labour, and learning, to endeavour (as every man doth in his own element) to get some skill to discern between true and false Grace, that you may be able to put a difference between, that which is sound, and that which is only seeming. And so much the more doth it stand us upon, so to do; because if we be deceived in this one thing, we are utterly undone for ever, and if we be not, we are made for ever, and ever.  
Let us fall to it then, and look well about us, for though here be more difficulty, then in the most cunning collusion of any temporal commodity, yet is it no j●possibility to try it out most manifestly upon good advice, and diligent search. Some few things we will note therefore wherein 

Gods true commodities, and  
Satan's sophisticated vanities   may be well known one from another, though they seem to be both alike, both in matter and colour. Among others, note these three.  

1. Difference 1 Seeming grace comes not from the same fountain that sound grace doth,  
They have not one father, nor one author: that which only seemeth is from below, and it is carnal, sensual & devilish, 
jam. 3.15  as the Apostle speaketh: but that which is substantial, cometh down from abo●e, from the father of lights, from whom cometh every good and perfect gift, 
cap. 1.16.  as the same Apostle doth also witness.  
But, it may be, (some will say unto us) this is most true that you say, yet are we not the wiser, for we know not how to know, which is from abo●e, which is from below. Yea, but you may if you do carefully mark, whither it tendeth, how it worketh in man. For as natural things do tend their own centre, so (in like manner) do supernatural things evermore incline to their own author, whence they came originally. That saving grace which is from above, will carry a man upward in all respects, it will make him 

heavenly minded towards God.  
heavenly tongued towards men.  
heavenly ly●ed before God and men.    
The affection, the communication, the conversation of that man who hath it, willbe all of things that are above: do but mark well how kindly, holy speeches fall from him, what occasions he takes, nay, (rather than fail) what occasions he makes, to vent his graces, that he may employ them to the glory of the giver, & the good of every hearer, all that flowe's from him will fly upwards as the sparks do, that is naturally, freely, and of it own accord: that which is sound and came from God, will to God again, from whom it first came.  
But that which is from below, (though it have some show as if it were from above) hath not this property, to ascend freely of itself. Indeed Satan force's the hypocrite many times to seem very pious, and exceeding zealous, and the hypocrite, forces himself to the uttermost, that he may appear unto men, so to be, & by them be apprehended, & taken, for a true Jsralite. And to this end he arm's's them with all infernal subtlety, & cunning, to counterfeit the carriage & demeavour of the dearest, and most conscionable saints of God. But wise, and wary observation, will soon detect this wicked, and diabolical juggling.  
For why? they cannot but bewrayed, if we note, 

either, the time of the continance  
or, the manner of utterance, of these things    
For all that is done by this seeming grace, being but strained, and forced, we know that [What soever is violent, cannot be permanent] for some time it may hold, to delude others: but it cannot hold out, to discharge themselves, either in the sight of God, whose pure eyes do pierce into the depth of their consenage; or before the face of such men, as keep a wakeful and jealous eye, upon their daily carriage, especially in matters of religion.  
Or put case, it make some sorry shift to shuffle out a little longer than ordinary, yet during the term it abideth, this outside grace, hath not that free, frequent, & native operation, neither doth it work so kindly, or flow from the hypocrite with that facility at any time, that it doth from the faithful at all times, There is always as much odds (to the eye of an experienced, and understanding christian) as between the water that falleth from heaven, or floweth out of the earth of itself, without man's endeavour, and that, which is drawn out of the earth, & sprinkled upon it, by great pains & labour. The dissembler knows this to be undeniable, inasmuch as his borrowed Grace doth not, nor cannot, bear up his hart to heaven, or call him in secret before the searcher of all hearts, without, and beyond, any notice of man, to humble & abase him before the higest majesty, and to raise him again with those jnward and vnknowe consosations, which only they that are intimate with their God, do find and feel. No, his Grace (like a ●arcase) must have some other jmpulsive cause to move it, for of itself, it cannot find work for itself. But that which the Lord giveth unto any, he doth ever draw it again to himself; and his spirit from whence (as from a fountain) it issued, is ever causing the stream to run from whence it came, and the same spirit will still be pressing and provoking that gracious hart, towards those blessed things that are above, by the secret and silent motions of the same; and upward will the mind mount, with all alacrity. From God it came and to God it will go.   

2. Seeming grace, difference. 2 as it comes not from the same spring, so neither doth in run through the same channel that sound grace doth.  
It is not wrought in any man, by the same means that true grace is: and the careful search of this, will soon show whence it is: Do but ask and inquire diligently whence he had his grace? how he came by it? and when? when was the time? what was the means? who was the instrument of that which he hath. The Lord doth work no grace in the hearts of men, but by the ordinary means he hath assigned and sanctified thereunto, to wit by his word, in the ministrey thereof. And the work of his spirit with his word for the begetting of grace, he doth compare and assimilate (in the scriptures) to such things as whereof, it is an utter jmpossibility to be insensible, or to let them slip, out of mind, and memory.  
Among many other, we may note that the coversion of a sinner to sanctification, is likened to two observable things, that leave everlasting jmpression in the soul of man during all his days: namely, to a man's marriage: and a woman's Travail: and that because in the first moment of true grace received, we are espoused to the Lord, & borneanew unto holiness. And who is he or she that can let go the memory of either of these remarkable things? Can we be united to the Lord jesus, and not know how it came? Can we be disburdened of so many mighty jmpietyes as must out, when grace gett's in, and be ignorant of their departure? in both, can sanctity be entertained and Satan abandoned, without feeling? did the one ever come in, or the other go out, so quietly? can there be such a supernatural and divine change, and nothing a do, or (at least) so little, as that we cannot tell how it came about? Nay, those many & mighty sins will not part from us, nor those celestial graces come so peaceably to us: our separation from them, & union to Christ, will cost more than so; yea they will make us cry for very grief of hart, with Rebecca, why am I so pained? it is no friendly, or kind combat, that is fought between corruption and holiness, when they come to dispossess each other: Noah, it is the devil's manner when he must out to rend and tear when he goes. Now the converance of grace being resembled to these things, to our marriage to Christ, when he, & we are made one; and to the misery of her that travaileth when she, and her infant become two; let any hypocrite, show how he came by that he hath, & discourse, of the means, and manner, how men are united to Christ, and parted from sin, and if he affirm he hath found both these, press him in the particulars, and ask him touching the nature, and order of Gods working in these cases, and put him to it, and ask him if it be possible that a man should have the sun in his bosom and not have extraordinary, and unspeakable light, and heat; or be a posessor of jesus Christ the sun of righteousness and not express it by rare and powerful operations, in matters of piety and religion.  
Who, (in nature) hath ever lived so long, as to forget either the time of his traivaile, or day of her marriage?  
I think the earth can hardly yield an instance of any one that hath done so. Neither is it easy (if possible) among all the true converts in the world, to find one that hath forgotten that he was purged from his sins, and possessed of grace; and who hath wholly let slip the remembrance of the time, places & means, wherein, and whereby, this eminent, & mighty, work of God, was wrought in him. Yea though it were not by any man's public preaching or ministrey, but by some private passage of reading, conference, or prayer, of another, or by some affliction of our selves, or some of ours, or some other hand of God, by which he (some times, yet much more seldom) draweth some few unto himself. The work of God in the transfiguration of a man, from sin to holiness, and translation of a man from Satan, to himself, is marvellous, and must, & will, (where it is throughly wrought) leave an everlasting, and judelible jmpression in the party who is partaker of it. Should a Prince raise a man from beggary and baseness, to honour & greatness; or bring a traitor from the gallows, to the court, were it possible either should be unremembered? and can this greater, and fare more glorious work of God be blotted out, and forgotten?  
Now if being thus pressed, & put to particulars, the hypocrite should be (as generally they are) forward to answer, that such a minister, at such a sermon, treating on such a text, discovering such a point, did touch & work upon him; then put that party to it throughly in that particular, be earnest upon him, to discourse of that point, and to signify in what manner, and order it wrought upon him? where it began, upon what corruption it wrought, how it proceeded? what grace it first effected? & then what followed in the order, & course of that celestial working? and if he be any thing free of discourse (as many are, and any may be, out of some general jllumination in such passages) then, for further, & surer trial & satisfaction, provoke him, & cease not till you have prevailed with him to pray, & pour out some request to God to the same effect, which he avouched, he once thus felt in himself. And either in the former, or in the latter, or in both, this pretended grace, will be taken tripping, it being but coined, (though he may make the best of it, who forged it) it cannot go currant with others, who are truly experienced in the power of both: no, no, it will fumble, and fownder, & fail, in these practices, which must have more than shadows, to perform them, as they ought; and as they are enabled to do, who indeed, have felt them.   

3. Seeming grace, as it neither comes from the same spring, nor goes through the same channel, that substantial grace doth: foe neither can it (by any means) perform that, which saving grace can do.  
It is jmpotent, and wholly unable to kill any corruption, any, it can well away to dwell with it, yea, and to cherish and foster it also, and (to say as the truth is) it is given of Satan, to be the nurse of all gross wickedness, which is the better conveyed, under the cloak of this bastard goodness. 
Gal. 5.17.  But the grace that is given from God, by his spirit, lusteth against our flesh, and is jmpatient of the communion of any corruption, but doth continually combat, and skirmish with it, and conquer's, and gett's ground of it more and more, not ceasing to make a daily, and a deadly war, against the same, without any terms of truce, prosecuting it with a perpetual, and an unappeasable enmity, without all admission of parley for the least reconciliation.  
It is also of as little power unto good, as unto evil, for why? it cannot grow, or increase therein: and no wonder; for it is but the perewigg, or picture, of that grace which is true; and you never heard that the picture of any man's body, or the perewigg on any man's head did grow, or augment (in any respect) as the living man did, though it might be never so like him in many respects; Noah, they stand at a stay, (as painted trees do), without any mutation, or addition.  
Now, do but note these two in any man whom you may have cause to mistrust, take heedful notice how sin dies, how grace grows, mark carefully if you can observe any corruption to consume, any fruit of the spirit to come on, and you shall not easily miscarry, or be deceived, in the discerning of him, at whom your Christian observation doth aim. For all the power of men, or policy of devils, is not able to give augmentation to any counterfeit; that which is not true, cannot grow, all the wit, and art, in the world is not able to effect it; and therefore, though, through the infernal and deceivable working of Satan, there may be very much, (yea, so much) consimilitude in this appearing grace, that it cannot (in other respects) be very quickly, or lightly discerned from that which is powerful, yet, when the hypocrite, & the devil have used their utwost skill and cunning, to deceive; and combined together, how they may most cunningly hide that dissimulation, wherewith they delude men, this one thing they can never attain, to add unto their pretended grace, that any power of proceeding may be perceived in them, by him who hath a piercing eye of understanding, and looks therewith, and not with spectacles, (as men of weak sight do) to whom small letters seem to grow greater, and greater, than they are, or can be made to be.  
Painted fire grows not more hot, neither doth pictured water, become more cold; the one flameth not, the other floweth not, more than at the first painting: the artificial and well wrought periwig, (before mentioned) though it be indeed the hair of a man, and may be so exactly closed to his head, who wears it for a cover to his baldness, that it cannot be known, by colour, or closure, but to be the natural hair of his head that hath it, yet it is not his own, he must (if by any accident, 
2. King. 6.5.  it fall off) cry, as the poor man did, of his hatchet that fell into the water, [Alas it was but borrowed] and howbeit it may be hard, by any other external appearance to know it to be so, yet by observation that it is ever of one length, (seeing there is no possibility of lengthening it) it is most easy to know it to be, but as it is, not native, but adventiciall, no work of God for the body's necessity, but made by man to cover an accidental deformity: and so being still at a stand, and ever of one and the same size, eyery one that observeth, can soon see, it to be that which indeed it is, and not that, which it did (in some nice semblance) seem to be.  
And the hypocite knows well enough that thus it is, and that no good thing doth, or can thrine, within him for want of that root, and moisture, that must give life unto it. If one should appeal to the soul & ask the conscience of the most notorious among them, whether he found any feeling work of God in himself, and had now, stronger and more powerful operations in his hart, that his zeal should be more fervent, his loan more affectionate, his whole jnward man more inflamed after all good, more enraged against all evil, & that he perceived a daily addition of a greater measure of sanctification, he could not but condemn himself with his own mouth; or, though his jmpious hart could abett, and embolden his jmpdent mouth, to belly himself, yet his life would bewray his grace to be linelesse, inasmuch as the power of his progress is palpably wanting, in their eyes, who doth precisely observe the same.  
And thus we have (by the way) a taste of some few of those many differences, that are between true & false grace, among which I have (on this occasion) observed these three, for the present, reserving the more full discovery hereof, to a further time, and treatise,  
In the mean time, now we see, that this our heavenly traffic is free, from all bad, or base, or ill-conditioned commodities, and that none are saleable here but what are sound, and currant, all other, (whatsoever it may appear to be) is prohibited, and not vendible in this merchandizing, whereof we now speak.  
It is sound, and substantial grace, that passeth here; it is as jmpossible God should deceive us, as that, we should deceive him, with any other; no, no, he hath no trash, all we trade with him for, is absolute and of the best.  

his gold is [tried by the fire.]  
his silver is [purified seven times.]  
his [bread is bread indeed.]  
his [flesh is meat indeed.]   
To be free of the heavenly corporation of these happy merchants, (whereof Christ is the only head, & governor) is to be free indeed: every thing is real, the earth cannot yield any one commodity so universally currant, and staple, as every one is, that we trade for here.  
And this is the third eminent advantage of this merchandihing, above man's, and such an advantage it is, as might, and aught much to animate and inflame men to be dealers herein, rather than in the richest society under heaven; who would not be willing, and free, to buy and fell, where he knows he cannot be deceived, but shallbe sure of the best?  
We now proceed to a fourth previledge, Priviled. 4 wherein yet further this merchandise doth excel yours, and that is this. That in this trade there neither is, nor can be, any BAD SERVANTS, any untrusty factors, no broker, or agent, can deceive or abuse us in this heavenly business; which yet in civil and earthmerchandise is most usual all places do swarm with deceivers, men make daily, & doleful complaints that they know not who to trust, or how to be secured of that which the put into others hands,  
But in this commerce, it is a mere jmpossibility that any one such should be found, among all that ever did intermeddle in these divine affairs. And lest this should seem strange or incredible, you may be assured of the truth hereof sufficiently, if you do but consider the reason of the same which (in a word) you may understand to be thus much. That in the managing of this merchandise, no man is, or may be permitted to have his affairs ordered by any other, but every man is for himself, none else, can be for him. No deputation, or assignation of any, is allowable, by the terms of this tradeing, what we do must be done in our own persons, and not put, or entrusted on any creature, either man, or Angel.  
The Lord (the most wise disposer of these divine affairs) never gave liberty to any freeman of this society to take avother, to do, or deal for him, in any part of these passages, every particular whereof, require's our own personal presence and practice, because all others are jncapable of this employment on our behalf, and cannot do us any good, or stand us in any stead, though we should presume to put them in our places.  
undeniable evidence of scripture, and jnvincible reason do concur, in one consent for the justification hereof, that no man, in the managing of this divine commerce, may justle in another, and shuffle out himself, in any thing that is here to be done; for he who put's in another, put's out himself.  
The current of the scripture runs strong this way, let us look upon the stream, and we shall see it will overbear all opposition, by the voice of God, who by all his holy ones, hath left his mind written touching this matter. 

By Solomon, who saith: [If thou be wise, 
Pro. 9 12. Hos. 10. ●●  thou art wise for thy self.]  
By Hosea, who adviseth all people to [Sow to themselves in righteousness.]  
By Christ, who exhorts us to [Lay up treasures for ourselves.]  
By Paul, who tells us that [Every man must give account to God for himself.]    
And many more whose testimonies it is needles now to multiply unto you, by jnnumerable instances, which might be produced, if there were any reason to doubt, or demur of this: but so fare is it from that, that all reason doth assent unto it also. God thinks it unreasonable that any man should drive this trade, do this business, by another, or by any but ourselves; and we cannot but be of the same mind, (and think it good reason) if we mind well, these few considerations that follow.   

1. These things are too high, excellent, and precious, too heavenly in their nature, too heavy in their neglect, to be committed to the care of any, but our selves, upon any terms.  
The least of those things that belongs to this bufines lies upon our life, yea it concerns our eternal life, (which is infinitely more than our natural) the happy gain, or woeful loss, of our everlasting bliss, and being with God in the inconceivable foelicityes of heaven, for ever and ever, stands upon our well, or ill looking to our estate in these passages. If we look well to it, it cannot but be well with us; but if we fail herein, we are undone in body & soul for ever, heaven is lost, we are lost, there is no prison, or punishment for such as break in this trade, but hell, from whence it is gross folly, to have one hopeful thought of any recovery.  
Now, what man is there (among men) so slight, and careless, that in matters of this weight, and jmportance, wherein, and whereupon, all happiness, or misery doth consist, and willbe assuredly consequent; will repose must in another, and cast the care of his present, and future state, upon any agent whatsoever? we would deem it no discretion to do it in temporal things, whether natural, or civil, if either did touch our lives: and is it not monstrous dotage, to offer it in these spiritual things, the meanest whereof, carrieth greater consequence than the whole world and all things therein, can do.  
Things of common and ordinary rate, which reach not to our making, or marking, we dare cast upon other men, but of the main, we willbe respective, and look to that ourselves, not trusting to others eyes, (save in petty things) but our own shallbe jealous, and vigilant. But in this merchandise, of grace nothing is mean, or unworthy, of our most serious care and consideration not a commodity we meddle withal but all lies upon it, & the least of these, doth as fare exceed the greatest of the earth, 

as the soul doth the body:  
or, eternal life, doth our natural:  
or heaven, the earth, in happiness.  
or hell, our temporary crosses and losses, in unhappiness.    
There is not, neither can be, any proportion or comparison conceited between these, the one being foe incomparably beyond the other in all excellency, commodity, and whatsoever else may be apprehended to make a thing unspeakably happy.  
Who then can, or will, rest upon others in these things, which are of so high a nature, so absolute necessity, so excellent in advantage, so miserable in damage? surely none that hath reason in himself can see reason, to do thus.   

2. As the things are too high to be trusted upon others, so is God (with whom alone we have to do, herein,) too good, to be served by any underlings of ours.  
He is most worthy that we should ourselves, in our own person, (and that in all the powers of our souls) serve him in these affairs: and we are most unworthy (at our best) to deal with him; how then can it be tolerable, that we should set others about it? we ourselves are but servants, in this negociation (he only that is in heaven is a Master) and shall we appoint him other servants of ours, and set them a work in this so worthy an employment, wherein the best of us is too bad, and unworthy to intermeddle. Dare any subject offer this to his Prince, to send another in his place, at what time our own presence and attendance is required, and that then, when the honour of his crown, and safety of his person, is to be preserved, The majesty of a mortal man cannot endure any such deputation, as to be served at second hand, by their inferiors, who are his jmmediate officers. And do we dream that the highest majesty of the jmmortall God (who is so high and excellent) can brook to be thus basely abused of us, that we should turn those that serve us, to serve him for us.  
Every where, we are called upon in our own persons, [Thou shalt do this, or that] no where, is it allowed that, [Thou shalt do it by another, or another shall do it for thee.] The Lord hath not dealt so with us, as by any other, either in heaven or earth, to redeem us, but by himself, yet all men know, he might, and could, (had he so pleased) have done us all good, by other means, than his own jmmediate working, yet he would not, but did it himself to give us an ensample, and by this blessed work of his own, to upbraid (most righteously) all such as should dare thus jmpiously to idegenerate from so dealing with him, in their bounden duty, as he hath done with them in his marvellous and most abundant mercy.   

3. The advantage of another man's industry, cannot (by any means) be made ours, in this merchandise.  
There can be no kind of conveyance made, that is good in law (I mean in God's law,) whereby the grace that another getteth, may become or be made over to us: that which he is, and that which he does, is for himself, and it is his own, no other man is capable of the comfort, or commodity of it, inasmuch as in all God's courts of justice, there is no Office of alienation, from one's self, and of assignation to another, our own graces remain for ever inseparable, to ourselves, or, (as I may say) incommunicable from ourselves; if we have faith, it is our own, we have it to ourselves, and we live by it, it fareth with our spirituals, as with our naturals, that as we cannot breathe, or eat, or evacuate, or live, for another, but the bensfit of all these is our own only; so neither can we believe, or hope, or be humble, or zealous for any but ourselves alone: these treasures admit no transtation to any, they cannot be conferred upon others, we are most sure to enjoy all the happiness of our graces, in our own hearts only, without sharing any jot, or whit thereof, with others.  
Our Romish merchants, the cheaters, and coney-catchers both ofmens' consciences, and purses, tell us that the works of supererogation which some have done, may be cast upon others; they have a tricken, to give one man a good little, to another's good works, and know which way to put this man's overplus, to that man's penury: wherein, they are grown so honest, and such true men of late days, that they tell us but, two lies at once to wit, 

1. That some men have superfluity of good works.  
2. That they may be made over, to others who want.    
Both which how abominable, and blasphemons they are, were easy to declare, if it were mere to digress into a discourse of that kind. But we need not make use of much wit to refute such senseless assertions; we will only (for this present) send them with their fellow fools, 
Mat 25.9  to be answered by the wise virgins, of whom, when they begged some of their oil [Give us of your oil etc.] they were told, that there was no such matter, [not so] say they, it cannot, it may not be, we cannot give away our grace, we cannot (noe though we would) part with any of that anointing which we have received from God: you must even go where we had ours, [and buy for yourselves] as we have done.  
Now had these fools been but so wise, as to have gone to Rome to buy, they had been surely sped, (but indeed there is none to be begged there:) yet before any fool ever go, I wish him to be wise in one thing, and that is this, that, if he go to buy, he make as sure work for the others piety, as the priest will make for his money: I hope they may be taught (at least) so much wit, as not 

to give something.  
to get nothing.   and so to verify the proverb, that [a fool and his money, are soon parted.]  
But we may not dwell upon the condemnation of such dotage; this one thing is most true, that it was never the Lords purpose, to alter the property of any man's graces, that there should be any possibility 

either, to get them for another.  
or to give them to another.    
This merchandise doth not consist of any such movables, as may be shipped from one port to another, or transported from one person, to another: no man hath any power 

either buy from another  
or, to sell to another,   in this trade, wherein all our dealing (touching the attaining of any thing, or parting with it) is only, and wholly with GOD himself, from whom, (and not from any other) we receive every grace we have, and to whom, (and not to any other) the fruit of it must return, for the greater furtherance of his glory by us, and the better assurance of our glory, in heaven with him.  
So now, sum up these three Items, and see what utall will rise up on it: namely this, 

that if God be too good to be honoured by any, but our selves.  
that if these things, be too great to be trusted upon others.  
that if there be no communicating of any man's grace, to another.    
Then must every man in his own person, be an actual trader in this commerce, here the proverb hath good place, [Every man for himself,] in these best things, no man is for another.  
And if thus it must needs be, that every man must be his own agent, what fear, is there of 〈◊〉 servants, when a man must be untrue, and untrusty to his own hart, and state, himself, or he cannot be badly dealt withal, and if any man should be so, who could pity or commiserate him that cannot be his own friend, but willbe unfaithful to his own soul.  
It is memorable that the Lord saith on either part by his holy Prophet: 

the righteousness of the righteous shallbe upon himself that.  
the wickedness of the wicked shallbe upon himself: and that.    
What we do, for evil, or for good, it returns, and rests upon our selves.  
Seeing then we need not fear others, let us care for our selves to make our election sure, to work out our own salvation; and seeing others cannot deal for us, and that we cannot say (as in too many civil occurrents we can) that others have undone us, let it never be said we have undone our selves. Yea, let us think it a happiness, and heartily thank our God for it, that he hath pleased thus to appoint, that none but our selves shallbe trusted to do for us in these best blessings: we are so much the more sure, and free of that fear, & care, which oppresseth the hearts of many in the matters of the world, lest they should be deceived, and overthrown by those, in whose hands, their business lies.  
And this is the fourth thing, which is proper to this heavenly, but not to your earthly, tradeing.  
And all these four, flowing from the first rank of those inconveniences, evils, and damages, which are ordinary in your trade, but not incident to this, yours being full of them all, this being free from every one of them: hence it is, most apparent that in these regards, this commerce doth exceedingly surpass yours, inasmuch as nothing is to be found in it, which may put a man in any fear, of loss, or the least disadvantage whatsoever.  

For why? we see.  
All is safe at sea, there is no adventure,  
All is sure a shore, there is no Bad Debts.  
All is currant, there is no Bad Commodities.  
Nothing can miscarry, there are no Bad Servants.   
These four are the diseases of temporal dealings all trade is subject to them all, & sick of some of them, yea any one of them alone, is able to decay, nay to destroy, all merchandising: how many, have sunk under the loss of Adventures? and others by bad Debts? and have not bad wares, and bad Servants broke the backs of others?  
Behold, our merchandise is sound in all respects, and free from every of these miserable maladies, here is nothing adventured; nothing endangered; nothing ill conditioned; nothing deceivable: all we send arive's safely, all we sell is paid for honestly, all we deal for, is good commodity, all we deal with, may be trusted for their fidelity.  
Thus having freed this our celestial tradeing from all evils, in the manifest and eminent exemption it hath, from all and every of those inconveniences; mustered in this first rank, wherein it partaketh not with yours.  
We are now (by due order) to set forward toward the second rank, and therein to show, that as it hath none of the evils yours hath, so also, that it hath all the good things that yours can have; and further, that it exceedeth yours in the goodness of every one of them. Look what is good in yours, is fare better in this: you have nothing that is any way beneficial, but the same benefit doth exceed, and superabound in this business.  
And for our better evidence touching the full assurance of this truth, let us take a view of all things that you account gainful and commodious, and see if this trade do not exceedingly outgo yours, in every one of those particulars which you repute any way advantageous.  
There are but three ways, or means, (known to me) whereby your profit and benefit comes in, namely, 

Sales: of commodity for money.  
Bartars: of commodity, for commodity.  
Exchanges: of money, for money.    
And in all these three, and in each of them, it is most easy to manifest how this spiritual trade doth over-match your terrenall,  
Let us begin with SALES, (and then with the other two in their order) and in them, you shall soon perceive the peerless advantages, that these traders have, beyond all that sell the richest merchandise under heaven: Your selling comes nothing near this, and that you yourselves would say, if you knew all.  
Nay, if we instance but in a few, of many particulars, it will soon be seen, where the odds doth lie, even in every particular incident to your Sales, in any respect. For why? it is not in your power to sell.  

either, when you will.  
or, what you will.  
or, to whom you will.  
or, for what price you will.   
You are free in no one of these, for, your time is stinted when you shall sell; and the buyer will stint you what you shall sell; you cannot choose your merchant to whom you will sell, nor pitch price at your own pleasure, how much you will have.  
But the celestial merchant is his own man in every one of these particulars, he is admitted to make the best benefit he can of them all, and barred of none,  
Let us ponder and take notice of them apart.   

1. Advantage. 1 For time of selling, we are to know, that all time, every opportunity, is both most free, (and which is more) most fit, to buy and sell the best things.  
none is exempted as not free, none is selected as not fit, it is mart-time (in this merchandise) all the year long, yea, and every day of our life, is shew-day; no man need be out of doings an hour to an end, no nor a moment, but by his own default, either in want of providence to foresee his affairs, or of diligence to follow and go through with them.  
It pleaseth almighty God to bid us come and buy at all times, and all the times of his calling us to buy, are also our seasons and opportunities of sale; for we can buy nothing of him, but we must sell something to him. Now that his buying times are perpetual, without the least limitation, or intermission, is a thing abundantly witnessed in the book of God, both by Solomon, 
Pro. 23.  who speaketh indefinitely without determination of any time, and therein, bids us [Buy the truth] at all times: 
Js. 55.1.  and by the Prophet Isaiah; who makes open proclamrtion to all persons [Ho every one that thirsteth &c: come buy etc.] and can we think that to be restrained to any one time, which is open to all comers? And these proclamations being jndefinite, and unlimited in the letter, cannot be bounded in their sense to any particular opportunity, or set season, because it is a mere jmpossibility to conceive, that all can come at once: he that hath made it open for all traders, hath also made it open for all times, wherein any shall come to buy of him, according to his prescription; to wit, while he doth sell, and offer's himself to be graciously found, of those by whom he is faithfully sought.  
His warehouse is never empty, his shop-windows never down, he keeps no holy-days, (I mean for play-days) nay, the holiest times, are ever the happiest for this commerce, and when least business of the earth is to be done, (nay when none at all, [out of the case of most urgent necessity] may be meddled withal) then is the only gainful season, of enriching ourselves, with these divine, and rare advantages. You have some dead times when there is nothing at all to do; and some not very quick, when there is but little to do, and you very often, (and too truly) complain of both; but here is none of either, unless our dead and unquickened hearts do make them such unto ourselves; he, (even our God) with whom we deal, hath nothing which he doth invite us to buy, but the same will ever vent, and is vendible day by day: nothing of his is subject to be either out of request, or out of fashion, or to lie unproffitably upon any man's hands that hath the same.  
Thus universal, & perpetual, are these times wherein the Lord would have us buy; and the same are our times, and seasons of selling, unto the Lord. And so regardful is he of our good, that he set's us no time to begin, because, the first day, and hour we can take, is not, nor can be too soon to set upon this blessed and most beneficial business, wherein whatsoever doth prosper with us, doth abide for ever by us.  
He that hath found this pearl, 
Mat. 13.44.  went incontinently to sell all he had (out of hand) to buy the field wherein it was hid, he knew it to be of such worth, that he part's with all he is worth, to purchase it; and he was a true Merchant; 
cap. 19.12  for unto such a one is the kingdom of heaven compared. The young man (in the same Gospel) was willed to do the same, but being not willing thereunto, he kept his base earthly trash, and for want of the true treasure, he soon became bankrupt, and lost the wealth of heaven, to gain the pelf of the world. Yea our Saviour Christ, 
Luk. 12.33.  who knows how to enrich us absolutely, persuades all men to this practice, to sell all, and provide them bags of such treasure as cannot fail.  
According to which counsel of Christ, 
Act. 2.45  the new-converted Christians, began instantly in their temporalities, to put them away, for the purchase of these celestial riches, and were content (and that willingly and of their own accord) to let all go, 
cap. 4.34.  laying down their whole estates (made into money) at the Apostles feet to dispose as they pleased, for the common good. And as it was with these new, so will it be with all true, Converts, they will never deem any thing too dear, to obtain these incomparable commodities, but let all go and that with all expedition that may possibly be made, knowing that delays are most dangerous in these dealings, & that many a man hath been utterly undone for ever, by careless neglect of the time he might have taken.  
Most true it is, that while this time lasteth, no part thereof is inhibited, but we may make use of every moment; howbeit, it is as true, that this time will not last ever, and therefore, if we lose and let slip our opportunity, and tarry till the Lord hath shut up, we shallbe sure to be shut out, and have no entrance, and then we may go to buy with those fools, 
Mat. 15.10.  who came as wise as they went, and having once overstood this market, could never after get admission to come where these happy things were to be had. But during the days and means of grace, while the Lord offer's opportunity, (and that is for an cleaven of twelve hours in the day) we may buy and sell with him freely, without any such intermissions as men use to make; who (as was said before) 

sometimes may not sell by order:  
sometimes will not, hoping the time willbe better.  
sometimes cannot sell, wanting a good customer.    
But here is no authority to bar us, no bad time to hinder us, we cannot want any thing to procure our eternal wealth, if we be watchful of our time, to take it while it may be had. And let us take very special heed, that we do not let it slip, because in the loss of it, we lose ourselves. Seeing then, no such casualties of time are incident to this trade, let us add this unto the rest, and esteem it so much better, then that, whose seasons and intermissions are in men's discretion and determination; and by how much the times hereof are better, let us be more industrious to bestow them to the best. And this is the first advantage in Sales,   

2. As yond cannot sell when you will, Advantage. 2 so neither can you sell what you will, neither all times, nor, all things are common in your trade. For why?  
Some commodities you must want, as not being within the limits of your merchandising; Some you may want of those that are: it is unlawful to have any of the former; and it is unusual to have all of the latter. Besides, all that you have to sell must be good currant, and well-conditioned, else it will not sell, or if it do, (through your collusion) you do but deceive them that buy, and show a mind that is naught, in putting that upon any man, which you know, is not Good.  
But our sales are fare otherwise, for the greatest and best, are of the things that are worst; he is the best merchant, who sell's the worst ware.  
This (you will say) seems exceeding strange, Note & may well be wondered at, as a most prodigious paradox; yet is it, as really true, as it is seemingly incredible, and that we shall soon be persuaded of, if we remember ourselves well, and consider, that we cannot buy any thing that is Gods, but we must sell something of our own, and what have we of our own, but that which is is stark naught, even our sin and corruption.  
To sell that which is not our own is no honesty, (besides, in this trade it is an jmpossibility) and if we cannot, or may not sell aught else but what is ours, naughtiness is all we can do away. And this we sell, nought but this, is in our power to part with.  
The first father of us all, old Adam, sold, and jmbezeled away all our good, even all the glorious (though mutable) graces, that he (and we in him) had from God, and left both himself, and us, stripped bare and naked of those admirable excellencyes, wherewith we were clothed in our creation; since that day, and hour, we have had nothing of our own but evil, this only we possess, and this is that alone we sell.  
Now lest any man should think thus within himself, if this be all you have to sell, who may be, or who willbe our merchant buyer, to bargain with us for any such base stuff? we are to know, and understand, that 

the devil was not more willing to bereave us of the best grace we had, in our blessed estate, than  
the Lord is, to receive at our hands, (yea and to reward too, us for,) the worst evil we have, if we will departed with it and do it away, with honest hearts.    
Did ever any evil person overly him yet? can any man bring too much to him? was he at any time clogged with the overabundance of any jmpious person? or hath he turned away or refused, one, of all that came to unlade themselves of the heaviest burdens of their most hellish jmpietyes, yea though they were 

never so many in number,  
never so notorious, or monstrous in nature,    
The power of the devil could never infuse that abomination into us, but the most egregious, and grossest of all those evils, that ever inhabited our flesh and blood, being brought before the Lord, and by us, unfeignedly bewailed in his sight, was taken from us: the records of holy writ do tell us of some, that were as bad as any might be, among those who might ever come to be good, who were disburdened of all their heinous jmpietyes, and endued with many most heavenly graces: if I should do more than name the parties, and begin tell you (at large) their stories, it would be too tedious for this time; they that have any accquaintance with the things that are first, & last written of Manasses, of Mary Magdalen, of Paul, (and some others that might be instanced) can tell you that this is an undoubted truth which we now avouch. The last of the three, (even Paul) for his part did jngenuously confess himself the foulest sinner of all those that Christ came to save, and therefore give's us a most special Item, both of the general proposition, that [Christ came into the world to save sinners] and also, of the particular aggravation and application of it, in, and to himself [Of whom, I am the chief] that is, among all sinners that ever found grace at the hands of God, I am the greatest, and grossest, as I myself, do judge of myself.  
The man that bring's most corruption, is most welcome to this mart, and sure to have a customer for it all, the Lord will take from him all he doth, or can bring, if he have an upright purpose of hart to part with it; yea let him come as oft as he can, and bring with him every time as much as he can, he shall carry none back with him for want of vent, in case he do intend indeed to leave it all behind him.  
The forenamed Merchant who is so magnifyed in the gospel, is said to sell all to buy that Pearl: lo, he sold all; what all? even all that he had; why, what had he to sell of his own, (being a sinner) but sin? who bought it? why, even he of whom he had the Pearl; and so with the sale of all his sins (how many, or, how monstrous soever) he parted with them, and made purchase of this invaluable gem, and compassed it into his own posesion, to the everlasting enriching of himself both in soul and body for ever.  
Go thou and do likewise, carry all thy corruption to jesus Christ, if thou come unto him, he will not put thee away; take thy whole load with thee, and cast all thy burden upon him, he hath promised to ease and lighten thee, thou shalt neither be rejected, nor vpbrayded, for bringing so much.  
No man is truly miserable, but he only hath so much as he cannot bring it, he who hath a hart so sinful, that it will not suffer him to go to the Lord Jesus to be unladen of his transgressions; his case is heavy; his state is hellish, and lamentable. If once a man's sin be grown to that desperate power, and measure; that it will overule his foul, that it shall not go to seek means of freedom and release, from the bondage thereof, he is in woeful taking, for why? the Devil who is so predominant in him, as to keep him from coming to Christ; doth keep such a sinner (whom he can so withhold) for himself, and by making him incapable of the purchase of Christ, it is apparent he purposeth to make prey of him for himself.  
But he that can come let him come, he shall return unladen of all his evils, and carry sheaves for his weeds (even all good, for all his evil) with him.  
And is not this a singular benefit of this trade above yours, that whereas you must bring commodities to fell, we may sell our jmpietyes; and whereas you often receive bad for good, we are sure to ever receive good (yea the best) for our bad.   

3. As you can neither sell, when you will, Advantage. 3 nor what you will, so neither is it in your power to sell to whom you will.  
You must take, and (sometimes trust too,) such as come, it is no way possible for the merchant-seller to please himself, and make choice of every merchantbuyer, to have only such as he would have: Noah, sometimes good men come not to buy, sometimes they are taken up by others,  they come to us; and you trade with such, now and then, as you take no such content in, but you could even as willingly they should leave, as take your commodity.  
But in the sales of this merchandise we have one who is in constant and perpetual custom with us, who deale's most currently, in taking of all we bring, upon terms of admirable advantage: we cannot cloy him with often coming, or with too much, as oft as we come to fallen; there is no need we should fear, or care, to find sale, for he will have all that we have at all times.  
And that is our good God, he, and he alone it is, who is our buyer, we fell to him, and to none but him, who is God to be blessed for ever, who will carry away all that comes, and buy all that is brought to him.  
And he that would wish any other to deal with, it were pity but he should keep to himself, that, which he might fallen to the Lord, and by retaining that, (the sale whereof would so enrich him,) sell himself under the eternal curse of this God, which is denounced as most due, to seize upon all such, as will not departed from their jniquityes.  
But most vain it were to wish for any other customer for our corruption; for none but he will take it from us, if he ease us not of it, we must be for ever burdened with it, and abide the misery, and mischief of it.  
For why? who do we think, we can deal with all, or who can we think, will deal with us, in this case for our corruption?  
The Devil will not buy any sin of us, he fells it to us, and is so fare from diminishing any we have, that he endeavoureth to add more unto it, and to increase that we have, if we have any good, he is ready to rob us of that, or to truck with us (by some satanical sleight or other) that we may be deprived thereof: but for sin, he is the sole founder and Author thereof, all we have comes from him, & having, once fastened it upon us, he will none of it again, upon any terms.  
The world cannot take any evil from us (unless by pollution, and that makes it more ours, though it become, in some sort, theirs,) if we deal with men, it is easy to get more, but in no wise to lessen that we have already.  
It is the almighty only, who is our merchant, to him we may go, and be sure of sale for all we can bring: no other but he, none better than he, to deal withal in this merchandise; he that knows not this, is miserably blindefolded of the devil; and he that (knowing it,) doth it not, is woefully bewitched by him, to keep that within him, which will for ever destroy him, before that God, who would, (had he unfeignedly sought it,) have eased him of all his evil, and enriched him with all good in steed thereof.   

4. You cannot sell for what you will, Advantage. 4 no man can force a market, and make it as his list, but must be content to take as the time will afford.  
Sometimes good profit; sometimes little, it may be none, now and then, but some loss, such is the unceartainty of your trading. All times do not yield advantage.  
But behold, the trade we now treat, and talk of, is more than a little better, for all the bargains we make therein, are exceeding beneficial unto us: and that will be easy to conceive, and believe, if we take notice of two or three things.  
1. It is impossible we should be absolute loser's, and have nothing at all, for that we fell.  
And that, because we have to do with him, who is the fullness and infiniteness of all things; from whom (he being so) it is simply impossible that nothing should come.  
2. If we had nothing for what we put off, and part withal, yet could we lose nothing.  
And that, because our sin and corruption is less, and worse than nothing; it is a happiness to be rid of that which is evil, though nothing should come in place thereof.  
3. That which we have for it (be it much, or little) it cannot but be good.  
And that because it comes from God, from whom as nothing cannot come, so nothing but good can come from him, he being Goodness itself.  
And so all we have is clear gain; no man that ever dealt with the Lord, ever made, either a losing bargain, or but a saving, neither of these can be, (for the causes and considerations aforesaid:) the least that ever was, was great advantage; who can think it to be otherwise, that see's what he does, or understands, that he 

sell's his sin, and  
save's his soul.    
And what gain, yea, what unspeakable gain this is, he only can manifest that feels the happiness of it in his own hart.  
In this particular then of Sales, this trade is evermore a gainful trade; and it cannot but be so, for (if you mark it) our text, makes merchandising, and gaining all one thing, and takes it for granted that if a man trade he gains without question, do not the words jmply it, when they run thus [For the merchandise thereof is better, etc. and the gain thereof etc.] lo, here is nothing but merchandising and gaining, not a word of any (no not the least) loss, to any trader. They who entertain this course of spiritual commerce may safely resolve on that which others presumptuously made account of; to wit, of [going to such a place, and tarrying there, such a time, and buying & selling & getting gain,] these reckoned (I say not without their host, but I am sure I may say) without the Lord of hosts, whose sufferance, and assistance, was never entertained into their thought as a condition, or consideration needful to be taken with them: and therefore they were sherpely taken up, and reprehended, 
Jam. 4.  because they did not, (as they ought) say, [if the Lord will.]  
But to us, the Lord hath revealed his will in this thing, & to encourage us with the assurance of that in this heavenly traffic, which the best earthly tradeing can have but in hope, he hath told us, that if we do buy and sell, we shall ceartainely get, and gain: for tradeing and gaining, are inseparable companions in this business.  
We never read of any in all God's book but he gained; 
Psal. 119.  they that were the greatest doers do tell us that their advantages were better than [thousands of Gold and Silver] yea and beyond all treasure. And they who have been happily experienced in these affairs have found that work of God to be true in themselves, which his word hath affirmed of others.  
Thus we see in the first of these passages that we find in this second rank, (to wit, our spiritual sales) how well we speed, that all we sell is for gain, and for no small gain neither.  
The which that we may the better understand, let us set upon the second beneficial advantage in this commerce and that is that, which you call BARTERING, when one commodity is done away for another.  
And in this particular we are as fare before you as in any other before named; nay further benefit and greater riches doth this way arise, then by any of those which we have (hitherto) discovered.  
And the apparent truth thereof, may plentifully appear unto all men, in the due ponderation of one thing, which if it be well weighed, will sway with us, & persuade us fully of the same. And that (in a word) is this.  
That whereas in all civil barters which are made between man and man, one good thing is set against another, and one commodity is exchanged for another: In this blessed tradeing it is not so, but in the bartars between God and man, the Lord give's us good for evil, and putt his graces upon us, for the jmpietyes we put of to him.  
The world doth not yield such traffic, it is not to be had among men, if any merchant should do away a currant, staple, and well-conditioned commodity, for some baggage stuff, that were base, and not vendible, it would be jmputed to him either for egregious folly, or gross injury, or both: all that should come to know it, would account him exceeding sottish that should do it.  
But behold, that which were wonderful folly or injury, with us to do, from man to man; is the Lords doing between himself and us, and may most worthily be accounted an admirable favour, and mercy, in his majesty, towards us miserable transgressors; who (above all things) are bound to magnify his most glorious name in this thing which is (and aught to be, according as it doth well deserve to be) marvellous in our eyes, and to be sought out, considered of, and sought after, of all that love the Lord, especially, of all those, whom he hath loved in this kind.  
For of this manner of merchandising, and of such a kind of commerce as this is, it may well be said (as the Jews spoke of that mighty miracle of opening the man's eyes who was borne blind) [Since the world began, 
Joh. 9  it was never heard] that any man hath done such a thing, to give away good for evil, yea, the best, for for the worst.  
It is the Lord alone, who bring's 

all things out of nothing, in creation.  
all good things out of evil, in regeneration.  
all light out of darkness.  
all mercy out of misery: yea  
all grace and piety, out of sin and jmpurity.   it is his goodness, and his glory thus to do, and all that are good, cannot but glorify him for thus doing.  
When the Lord jesus had reproved, yea, and upbraided the Laodiceans for all the evils that were in them, as their pride, presumption, selfe-conceitednes, and luke warmness in religion, he persuades them to part with these things, and to work them to a greater willingness and forwardness thereunto, he tell's them what they may have of him, in lein of them; to wit, many and sundry excellent things; eyesalve to anoint their eyes: gold tried and refined by the fire, &c: even all things that might make them truly, and throughly happy  
And upon the same ground, did our saviour advise the young man that came so forwardly to him, to inquire the next and nearest way to heaven; why (saith Christ) sell all, & give to the poor, (and because thou shalt not think it a losing bargain, know, that instead of that thou puttest away here) thou shalt have treasure in heaven: lo here is treasure for trash, yea, heavenly treasure for earthly trash.  
Who but God would, (yea or could) give this, and make such blessed battars with us? as to let us have and enjoy, gold for dross, yea the finest gold, for the foulest dross; precious rubies, for base rubbish, things excellent and jnvaluable, for those that are vile and exeecrable? It is he that doth it, it is we that receive it; we leave what is loath some, and have what is lovely; he whose mercy is above the heavens hath done thus unto us, and holy is his name, who for his own names sake doth endue us with holiness, yea, [he makes us partakers of his own holiness] so soon as we surcease our hellishnes, if we let go our dung, he let's us enjoy and possess; those blessed and dearest advantages, which Christ jesus hath bought with his blood.  
Who can praise the Lord enough for this, or sufficiently advance his name, who hath wrought thus for the happiness of our hearts? who having nothing worse (then that which is best) to give, for the worst we have; doth not therefore refuse to trade, and intermeddle with us; and so send us away empty, without any thing; but is graciously pleased to entertain commerce with us, and to bestow upon us his blessed graces, for our cursed jmpietyes, his sons robes, for our own rags; the righteousness of Christ for this wretchedness of ours.  
Oh dear, and well-beloved Christians, would God that we could spend some hours in the heavenly meditation of this thing, and think of this happy merchandise in this one respect added to all the rest. Did we but enter the serious consideration hereof, what evil could be beloved of us? what sin would be dear unto us? were it possible that any Jmpiety should have the least place in our affections, if this were well pondered of us? who would give houseroom to dirt, that might have as much money as his house would hold, if he would but cast the dirt out of doors? were we persuaded of this, and possessed with it, as we should be every evil would be abhorred of us, abominable to us, and well worthy our greatest excecration, seeing so long as we keep it, it keeps out those singular, and surpassing excellencyes aforesaid, and as soon as it is voided, we are presently filled with them.  
Can any merchant, be excusable among men, that should refuse such a beneficial bartar as this, as to have some rare commodity, for some ordinary drug: he who should do it, would be thought a fool and a dolt, if he dealt for himself, and no less, but (it may be a knave, which is more) if he were entrusted to trade for some other: would any man think him fit, or worthy, for any merchant's business, that should neglect, and let go such a market, wherein so much benefit might be made, by bartaring away a mean commodity, against a good?  
And are we not then condemned of ourselves, (beloved) even out of our own mouths, nay consciences, if in this heavenly trading we let slip such singular advantage? and is not our condemnation so much the more just, by how much, these kind of most commodious bartars are ordinary and common between God and us, whenas among men, they are rare, and unusual, and not every day to be found.  
Common did I say? nay, they are continual, in this traffic, for there is no other, neither (indeed) can be, for how should there? whenas it is undeniable, and past all question, in all that have to do with the Lord in this blessed business, that it is not more ceartaine, that he hath nothing but good to confer upon us, than it is, that we have nothing but evil to put away in steed of the good, wherewith he doth possess us.  
If there be any dealing between the Lord of heaven and us, it is, it must be, it cannot but be, of good on his part to us, for evil on our part, toward him: inasmuch as nothing else is to be had of neither.  
They who have brought the worst, have carried away the best, as might be most manifest in those forenamed examples of Manasses, of Mary Magdalen, of Paul, and such others: which I speak not to encourage any man to be naught, [A good hart will never make such bad use of any thing] but to comfort those who have been so; and now, from their souls do desire to be better, that Satan may not keep them away, and quash them with their conceit of being too vile, seeing they who have come to the Lord, and with whom it hath pleased his holy majesty to entertain this gracious commerce, if they have brought with them the grossest vices, they have borne away, the greatest graces.  
And this is not only to barter evil for good, but the worst evil for the best good. So that the more wretched we come, the more rich we go: he who was most , goeth away most gracious.  
So that if in respect of things that are evil, any man shall say as sometimes Peter did touching things temporary and civil, [We have left all & followed thee, what shall we have?] it may be truly answered to them, as by Christ it was to him; that if he that foregoeth lawful things, shall receive such abundant reward, much more shall they who do relinquish things sinful, find that unspeakable favour and advantage before spoken; yea and (as it is added there) besides, over and above all that can be conferred upon him, here on earth, to make him truly gracious, he shallbe sure, in the life to come to be eternally glorious, with that God, who hath not disdained (out of his special grace) to deal with him, upon the terms whereof we now treat.  
And thus shall it be done to the man whom the Lord will honour, even to that man, (who in thus doing) will honour the Lord, as we have said, in relinquishing all his impiety, to do it away for holiness, Every such trader, shall find abundant benefit on earth, and infinite blessedness in heaven. The end of this course is endless comfort.  
And shall we need to urge any other arguments, or by more powerful evidence to persuade men, or to plead with them, to forsake and surcease all sin, whenas (beforehand) they know they shall thus gain by giving it away. Of this I am sure, an Elect sinner, needeth no more, though it might be had; and (seeing more cannot be enforced) he that is not prevailed upon by this, doth thereby proclaim himself no better no other, than a reprobate. God's evidence are prevailing with his elect; and he that rejecteth them, it is a most sure sign, that God in great justice hath rejected him.  
Let us then rest persuaded, yea resolved herein, that in this business of celestial trading, as we can far no better, so we shall far no worse, but according to these words. It is not more experimentally true toevery man's feeling, that our great & universal grandfather Adam, did undo us all; when he so wretchedly made away his created & perfect grace, & fell into sin, & so became eternally accursed; then it is unquestionably true to every man's faith, that by this bartar (of which we speak) we shallbe made men, again, and that for ever, and ever: his copeing with the Devil was not so ill, as this of ours, with the Lord, is good: believe it, this advantage doth equal, nay wonderfully exceed that damage.  
Let no man fear it then, but every man (in the fear of God) fall to it, for we may be (nay we shallbe) worse offered if we refuse so great goodness as this, than which, it is absolutely jmpossible, to be better offered. He that is wise will ponder these things, and (upon deliberation of them) put himself jmmediately upon their practice.  
A man seeing he might have but a temporal advantage of this kind, (though nothing near so good) yet would he in no wise (for it were no wisdom to) foreslow it, it should be the first match he would make least some other should prevent him of it, or undermine him in it. Why then, by how much better, and happier this heavenly dealingis, by so much let our haste and expedition be the greater, to attain the advantage thereof, that (through Christ) we may purchase to ourselves this rich portion.  
It hath been the manner of all God's children to make great haste, to all good things; to run and not leyter; to force themselves, and not linger, about them: what they have once gone about to do, they have done quickly, and that upon the considerations, whereof we have spoken before, in the time of this tradeing.  
Let it be our care to do in like manner, and we shall find mercy in the same measure, that is, aboue measure, even that which is infinite, and boundless blessedness.  
And thus, in the second thing, of this second rank, to wit, in Bartars, you see we are beyond you, and that so fare, that none of yours, come near any of ours.  
We are now to pass on to the third, and last, of this range: wherein we shall not be more behind, but (as in both the former) much beyond you also, and that is in the point which you call EXCHANGE.  
In which it is well known that you are subject to much unceartainety, and (by reason thereof) to some loss, by the rising of it in one place, and the falling of it in another; as also by the untrustiness of some of them upon whom the money is taken, and who are to discharge the bills at sight, or at time.  
In both those, your damage sometimes may prove double, as (no doubt) but to some it hath done.  
But now, that exchange which is in use in this celestial trading is ever ceartaine, and assuredly gainful. Ceartayne it is and undoubted, for there can be no reason why any man should mistrust his money, never was any one of his bills protested by any under heaven for default of nonpayment; whosoever hath been to receive any thing, he (or whosoever shallbe) is sure to have it discharged in due time. The Lord is not behinde-hand with any man, he is debtor to none, nay, so fare is he from that, that he is much beforehand with every man, and that may all men truly acknowledge, to the honour of his name, and happiness of their own hearts.  
And as it is thus ceartaine, so also is it as ceartainely beneficial, and comodious; never did any receive a bill, but he got by it, and was much benefited in the receipt of the same.  
These two advantages do not evermore attend your exchanges, nay sometimes you have but one of the two, and sometimes (it may be) neither of them. If the exchange be beneficial, the man may prove naught, that should pay the bill; if the man be sure, yet the exchange is variable, and may fall out worse than we accounted; a little time may turn our gain into loss, and bring benefit to damage, and when we reckoned so much was won, it is possible that a few months may turn our figures, into cyphers, and bring all our profit we thought to gain by our commodity, within the price we paid for it. These Bills have been bad weapons to beat down many, some have been so beset with them, that they have been forced to fly. It is jmpossible that any man should so foresee times, as to know how to pass his bills with undoubted benefit and advantage at all times.  
But our traders are most sure, both of good payment, and of good profit also. Who can call either of these two into any question, that consider's that (which in all the particulars before-going hath been so often remembered, to wit) that in this (as in the rest) we deal only, and wholly, with the Board our God, who cannot fail us in any thing.  
If we look upon his own promise, or upon his saints experience, how plentifully will both these appear unto us? what child of God hath ever received by exchange from the Lord, but he hath had both sure payment, and great profit?  
Have they not evermore received good for evil, (graces for gross jmpietyes) at the first exchange they ever made? as we have said more than once already? and when they have come again, have they not brought many wants, and gone back with celestial endowments; and done away their lesser evils (even their infirmities) for more graces added to those they had before? And when yet again they have come the third, fourth, tenth, hundreth, thousandth time, as oft as they would, or could, from time, to time, during all their days of sanctification; have they not received more grace for less, a greater measure for a meaner, and gotten those good things now to abound in them, which before had only a being.  
What may be the meaning of that of David when he saith [they go from strength to strength?] or of that of Solomon, who tell's us that [the righteous shine more & more as the sun to the perfect day?] Or of that which john hath, where he avouches that [of his fullness we all receive grace for grace?] Or of that of Paul, where he tell's the Romans, that, [the righteousness of God is revealed from faith, to faith?] and the Corinthians, that [we are translated from glory to glory?]  
What (I say) may all these gradual speeches intent but to tell us that we have more for less, more strength, more knowledge, more faith, more joy, more grace (of all sorts of graces) than we had before, evermore a greature measure for a smaller; and this not for some once, or so, or but seldom, now and then, but continual, yea, perpetual, till we come to appear before the Lord, at the the great day of his appearance when he shall come to judge the whole world.  
A child of God never comes into the presence of the Lord to employ any grace he hath received, but he receive's more to it: still more, and more, the multiplication is continual, the augmentation ever abiding, more faith to faith, till we come to receive the end of our faith, which is the salvation of our souls: more grace till we pass to the end of grace, which is endless glory with the Lord our God, who is the fountain of grace.  
Thus like a good stoek of money well managed, our graces are still bringing in something upon us, and adding to that which we had attained before, he who is still doing with them, and laying them out wisely, shallbe sure daily to get something by them; if we send them out with uprightines, they will (without question) come home with profit.  
Two talents gain two other talents to them; five talents gain five more; the church of Thiatyra had her happiness in this, that [her works were more at the lost, then at the first.] Thus is it most true, that [too him that hath shallbe given, & he shall have abundance,] as Christ faith.  
In temporal exchanges, a man may fish all night, and forecast all day, too, and catch nothing, nay, it may be, when he hath done his best in both, he may lose something, because of the mutability of times, and diversity of tradeing scarcity or plenty of money, or commodity, may occasion the disappointment of the wifest man's expectation.  
But this business is never bad, much less worse, and worse; nay it is (and willbe) ever better and better; ever more mending and prospering, in all the passages of the same, yielding 

not only better for worse,  
but more good for that which was less.    
He that makes over any thing, is most sure to receive more, it is not possible a man should deal with the Lord, and have nothing added to his spiritual estate, at any time. Nay, whereas exchanges are usually beneficial to you, but at some times, (and those not the most neither,) inasmuch as you often meet with with many miscarriages, the exchange here, is always such as cannot be capable of any danger, of damage. It lieth not in the hands of merchants, or power of any man, to raise it, or pull it down; it is only in the Lord, the most able and liberal paymaster that can be, to dispose and order it, according to the good pleasure, and wisdom of his own will. All times are profitable, all seasons are gainful, to them that have to do with him, it matters not for the time of the year, one part is not more quick, than another, for there is no dead time at all, (no not a moment) in dealing with the living God.  
Neither can one time yield too much, or another too little, to vary it, but it abideth (evermore) most beneficial to every one that doth conscienablely, & wisely bestir himself in it.  
So that now we see, these exchanges do in all respects excel yours.  
And thus in all the three particulars of this second rank, this trade is in better case than yours; and so we have made good two parts, of the three, (whereof we spoke in our first division,) so that it is now without all controversy, that 

both we are free from all the evils yours hath.  
and also, do more abound in good things than yours can do.    
Whatsoever is jncommodious in yours, this hath no part at all with it; whatsoever is profitable in yours, this hath more part in it then yours can have. So that in these two ranks, you are below us, and we above you.  
There now remaineth only the third, and last, and (indeed) the best of all the three, and therewith we are to acquaint you for your more comfortable and resolved encouragement, to betake yourselves to this blessed business, and not to be wholly taken up by that other, which (compared with this) is not once worth a meing.  
The which, as it hath (in some part) appeared to every man of ordinary understanding, by those things that have been spoken in the two former ranks, so will it most plentifully discover itself (for every one's plenary satisfaction in this last, and best property, (or prerogative, rather) which we have of purpose reserved till now.  
And that is this, that this our heavenly merchandise is not only fully void of all evils, and doth overflow with all the good that yours hath, at the best; so now, it is in the third place to be noted, that over and above both the things above mentioned, it hath some things peculiar to itself, and not common to your terrenall trading, or communicable with it in the least.  
And that is in some singular (yea, I may well call them superlative) excellencyes, wherein it infinitely overgoeth all earthly employments, and no commerce among men can receive them. So that this last rank is of such good things as this hath, and yours hath not, but remain and are reserved, as inseparable comforts, and benefits thereof, as being too superlative, for any inferior occurrents of the earth ever to reach unto.  
I may well and truly say they are superlative, and every man may most worthily account them so, who shall observe, and consider (as he ought,) either, that which our text saith in general ver. 15. that [all thou canst desire are not to be COMPARED to her,] to wit, to the things we now treat off: Or, the particulars themselves that do so exceed all degrees of comparison with terrenall tradeing, as that they are the sole excellencyes of this celestial commerce.  
And this their incomparable excellency, in their most royal prerogatives above all terrestrial, trash, will abundantly appear, if we bring them both, to the balance, and so son as they shallbe laid together, it will be seen how heavy these heavenly things are, how light, and slight, those of the world will show themselves to be.  
We have seen already, how short they come in those good things wherein yet, they have some share, and carry some kind of consimilitude, but now they come to be poyzed against those supernatural and most proper prerogatives, whereof they have not only no part but in truth no appearance, we cannot but jmagine they willbe found, as 

as nothing, yea less than nothing.  
as vanity, yea less than vanity.   not worthy to be (comparatively) so much as named with these better things; the least whereof, doth so surpass the best of these.  
And to say as the truth is, what proportion, or nearness can be reasonably conceived between the things of God and the world; of heaven add earth; of corruption and incorruption; what is mortality to life, finite to infinite, momentany to eternal inferior and fadeing, to that which is above, and abideth, for ever?  
Reason cannot parallel these particulars, much less will religion permit it; though our reason should (against all reason) be so presumptuous as to attempt it.  
But let us set ourselves to inquire into the things themselves what they are in particular, that we may show that to be true, which we say. To enter upon all, is none of any purpose (neither indeed is it possible) to treat of them; but some few we will entreat of, so fare as may 

both breed some admiration in us.  
and bring some consolation to us.   that both our consciences may be convinced, of them, and our affestions inflamed after them, and we may with more extraordinary ferver of mind, and spirit soundly follow them, then ever we have fondly pursued the world.   

1. First then, be it universally known, and well considered off, that the whole business of this Merchandise, lieth all in ONE PLACE, and with ONE PARTY, and in ONE COMMODITY?  
What a happiness is this? what a benefit? what a marvellous favour and advantage; may it be matched (in all three respects?) nay, in any one of the three, in all the earthly merchandise under heaven? Can any such place be found, as in which a man may enclose all the hath to do, not needing to stir a broad elsewhere all the days of his life to do any thing?  
If it could; can any such merchandise be found in that place, as would take up a man's whole time, all his days and endeavours, and yield him benefit enough, without intermeddling with any other? Or, if that could be also; can yet the third thing concur (unto both the former) that any one such party should be found, who were so absolutely able to furnish all, that come to trade in this place, with this commodity, that they should not have any cause, or reason, to seek (in the least) to any other person, or persons whatsoever, for any thing we have to do therein?  
Nay we know the contrary in all earthly occurrents that all places, party, climates, and corners of the world, which may be sailed unto by sea, or travailed unto by land, yea, and that all kinds of commodities that can be found any where, whither the four winds can carry a man; as also, that all kinds of nations, peoples, tongues, and languages, as well Pagan, as Christian, as well Savage, as civil, are dealt withal touching the trading that their territoryes doth yield: the places, the parties, the commodities are jnnumerable, which merchants (among men) do hunt after to attain temporal wealth. And what puzzle, perplexity, peril, pains, & expense this is, all experienced men do know.  
But now on the other side, in this celestial business, the benefit is not only so abundant (as we have said) but it hath this one advantage more (which makes it even superabundant) that it is most easy to him that is a trader to manage the same, without any such molestation, and turmoil, as he must be put into, in the ordering of this temporal pelf.  
For why? you may easily apprehend the facility hereof, whenas it appeareth that all that deal in it, have nothing to do with any but 

only with one party, which is God.  
only with one commodity, that is Grace.  
only in one place, that is heaven.   With whom have we to do, but God? for what, but Grace? from whence, but heaven? It were not only vanity and folly, but foul impiety, to go otherwhere, but to to that place; or to any other person; or for any other benefit: for no place, but heaven, no person but God, can afford this one merchandise, whereby all are made men that deal with it.  
Oh what ease is it to a man, to have all his business in one place, and with one party, and in one commodity? who could desire a more comfortable course of commerce, or a more excellent manner of managing of his business, than this?  
This merchandise doth not more exceed mens in all the excellencyes before-spoken off, than it doth in the easiness of the same; which, being addded to all the incomparable qualities it hath already, doth make it much more admirable in excellency than it was before.  
The business of this world, the Mammon of the earth how tedions, and difficult is it to manage in all respects, what running, riding, sailing, posting by sea, and land doth it require? how much time doth it devour and swallow up, to get hither, and thither? no day, nor scarce the night, Noah nor Gods day, but is too often taken up in this business, we eat not sometimes, sometimes, we sleep not, we serve not ourselves, nay (which is the misery, and mischief of all) we scarce serve our God, having so much to do, such multiplicity of business, and diversity of commodities, & parties, as we deal withal; doth even confound us, that we are not our own men.  
Some one man is free of many fellowships, and hath trade in moct parts of the world, & deals in so many particulars, that he hath agents and factors in most mart-townes; and is (like Martha) so encumbered with many things that he knows not which way to turn him: here arive's a ship from the East Indies, there's another outward bound for the West, some are expected from the North-seas, others from the South; he hath to do beyond the strait of Magellan, and in those nearer straits of the Mediterranean; the gulf of Persia, and of Venice, the Grand-Canaryes, and Molluccoes', all have some what of his; no wind blowe's but he hopes for some good, from our place or other; here he is merchant, there owner; and every where an ensurer; and thus, man wraps himself into a labarynth & maze of fadeing merchandise, and becomes a kind of Ubiquitary (as it were) in his business.  
But behold and see, and consider well, here is one thing which is absolutely needful, and infinitely gainful; and you need none of this trouble to partake of the true treasure of the same; neither travail over any sea, or over much land, to compass this commerce, and all the comfort of it, it is but to go 

from our own house, to Gods.  
from our selves, to heaven in affection.  
from our sin to grace by sanctification.   the kingdom of God, (all true & eternal comfort) is near, if it be not in thy hart, and mouth, it is thine own fault, who hast so blocked up both, with the base business of the world, that these best things cannot enter into thee.  
It is no wonder, that the scriptures do still lie at us (as they do) to beat us from many things, to one; even from all other things whatsoever, to this one; of whose excellency we have heard so many things already, and of whose ease to compass it, we cannot doubt with any reason, seeing it is but one thing that we have to look after.  
At what time the Lord meant to make his people fully happy, in tying himself to them in mercy, and them to himself in duty, that he, and they, might mutually enjoy each other, in that [peace, which passeth all understanding,] and in that [joy, which is unspeakable & glorious;] he tell's them by his Prophet, that they shall have [One Hart, and One way.]  
When the Apostle Paul was once resolved to set upon the best way, to most happiness, he tell's the Philippians, what he himself did, and what he would have both them, and all Christians to do. For my own part (saith he) [this one thing I do, I forget that which is behind, & follow hard toward, etc.] And, for your parts, (saith he, again) I would have [you all mind one thing,] and, [walk after one rule;] that you may, [with one mind, & one mouth praise God.]  
When David desired that whereby (if he might obtain it) he accounted himself in most comfortable condition, he saith, [One thing have I desired of the Lord,] not that he desired nothing else, but, because this one thing, comprehended all thing else, which might concur, to his heart's content.  
And to speak as the truth is, all unity is excellent, it flowing from the very nature of God who is indivisibly, infinitely, and inconceiably ONE, in himself, that is to say, in his most pure, and perfect essence and being: and as this unity or onenes is a thing most glorious in him; so (from him) it is a most gracious favour & singular fruit of his love to us, that he hath pleased to free us from that confused multiplicity in spiritual things, wherein men are so miserably en wrapped, entangled, and toiled, in the pursuit of those present things they do, or desire, to enjoy in this earth; they are drowned in many snares &c: saith the Apostle.  
But they who have to deal with this one God, are that one communion of saints; that one body of Christ, that one spouse of his; into whom whosoever is truly interressed, is unspeakeably blessed: incorporation into him, (even into this one Lord) brings eternal blessedness to all, who are incorporated into him: inasmuch as all such have.  

but one God to serve.  
but one heaven to seek.  
but one glory to gain.   
And this consideration as it doth marvellously advance and magnify this trade above all trades in the earth: so doth it (in like manner) most justly shame, all such as are so little (killed & experienced in the same, seeing that by this admirable unity, it becomes so exceeding easy.  
What? hath the Lord made it but one in all respects, and reduced all those infinite, and, innumerable duties, into so narrow a room and compass, and made it so complete in excellency and advantage? and shall we be ignorant and unseen in it, and noebody at it? Is this one thing, our only good, by which we are blessed for ever, and ever, and shall we be such sots, and jdiots, as not to understand our own good therein? Shall either Satan foe seduce us, or the world so be witch us, as that we should neglect this one God, from whom we have all good; and so give him cause, at his great and dreadful day, to upbraid us before his own face, to our confusion, that in a world of variety, and multiplicity, of base, earthy, corruptible, and temporary, trash, (whole worlds whereof, could never bring us any true good) we were so well instructed, and experienced, that we could both say, and do much: and that, to this our best, and most blessed business, wherein the Lord gayne's infinite glory by us, we gain infinite comfort by him,) we should be such strangers; as to have no skill in it, or accquaintaince with it, which might either enable ourselves, or (by us) encourage others, to bend their best endeavours toward the same?  
What flesh can stand under this accusation in the fearful presence of the living God? who can answer it unto him? surely none; and if we let it alone till that day, there is but one way for us, and that is this, that those who are (then) convinced of it, must be sure to be eternally condemned for it.  
Let us then (dear Christians) consider seasonably and seriously of it, even while it is day, and we may work; before that blackness of darkness come, wherein none can work; that we may (while we have time) honour him, who el's (if we overpasse our opportunity) will honour himself in our woe beyond all time. Let us not think it a small kindness that all our comforts are so closely folded together in this one particular.  
What may we jmagine (think ye) was David reason to choose the last of the three miserable and heavy punishments, that were propounded unto him; It was (indeed) a wonderful, and a woeful strait he was put unto; the choice was hard, between famine, sword, and pestilence, (the three lashes of God's whip) with one of those he must smart; and seeing all three cannot be avoided but one must be endured, he resolves upon the pestilence, to undergo that; that one of the three he chooses, why so? note his reason: because in this he should [fall into the hands of God, not of men] this was it, in either of the other two, he was to have to do with to wit, with God, and men too, we may jmagine, in case of famine, how the people of the land would have flowed about him for bread; in the sword, the enemy would have swarmed about him, & the people for blood; he should have had his hands full, had he had to do with either of these, but now, in the Pestilence, (which he did chose) do with none but the Lord alone, all his business lay in one place, with one party, and in one particular, he had nothing to do with any man, but with the Lord of heaven and none but he, in this point; and was not this good husbandry to cast, and contrive his business so near together?  
Is not this written for our instruction and practice, that we should go, and learn to do likewise? and if he did it (as the best) in case of such calamity and bitterness; how much better would it become us, in this particular of our comfort and advantage, to endeavour the same?  
Set we ourselves (then) towards this employment seeing it is so couched to our hands; let us shame, and blame ourselves, that we are so weakly seen into it.  
It would be most gross in our eye, and that which we would not put up, or endure, at our inferiors hands, that if we should (tendering their weakness, and inability,) use all our understanding to contract their business as nearly, and narrowly, as were possible, for their better, and easier dispatch of the same; and so sum it up, and abridge it; that all they had do, were to go but to one place, to speak with one man, and about one thing; and if herein they should be so exceeding careless, as that we should (upon our enquiry) find this our one and only business so neglected that it is 

either, ill done,  
or, not done,   how righteously might we repreove, yea and punish, such insufferable negligence. By themselves in this ease, may all men measure the Lord in the other, how he will deal with those, whose delinquence were so egregious, that his wisdom and love, should be so monstrously abused, that he entrusting us but in this one matter, we should be found guilty of so foul neglect before him. Either this will breed more diligence in us, Note or bring more damnation to us.  
And this is the first peculiar and singular, benefit, of this last rank, which this our heavenly merchandise hath, and yours hath not; that whereas yours requires many things to be done, with many persons, in many places, and cannot be brought into closer bounds; this is thus happily abstracted, into one place, with one party, and all that is to be done, is to gain one commodity.  
Now we are to set forward toward a second favour of the same kind, and it is nothing inferior, but much about the former, and that is this:  
That he with whom we trade, doth GIVE us ALL we TRADE FOR, yea and ALL we TRADE WITH.  
The Stock we trade with; the Merchandise we trade for, yea and the Knowledge, and understanding that any man hath to use this stock, to attain that merchandise, is all freely given us of the Lord.  
He finds us (as it were) money to trade with; and commodity to trade for; and give's us understanding to compass the one with the other, that we may prosper in both.  
It is most true, yea, it is too true, that of ourselves we have nothing: the more shame is it for us to say it, considering how we were once enriched, with all fullness, and fittnes, unto this business, and are now miserable & naked, having 

no wit, to order our trade.  
no stock, to drive it.  
no advantage, to live by it.   none of all this grows in our nature now; we are bereft and become barren of every of these, and cannot furnish ourselves, with one mite of money, or one farthings worth of commodity, to begin withal.  
And as true is it also, that the Lord, who is Lord over all, and rich unto all, that he hath endowed us once again, with all these necessaries, whereby we may recover ourselves in jesus Christ, to be once more enriched (and evermore, more and more increased) in our best estate: ooke what is any way required to make us spiritual merchants, it is cast upon us by him, through that inconceivable kindness wherewith he doth, (in his son) affect us.  
Your temporal trade doth not partake in this prerogative, what man among men, ever furnished any, with all these?  
For stock to begin with all, parents lay up for their children and it is many times given them; but they must serve some years, for their skill, that is not freely conferred upon any; much less are those many, and several things that must be bought and sold; it was never heard, that any merchant had as much given him, both of native commodities as he could export, or of foreign, as he could bring in; he that should have all by gift, that other men pay for, would be the wealthiest, man among the sons of men.  
Well our God doth all this for us, the least whereof (or not much more) is done by man, we are throughly furnished by him, with every thing, that is, or can be required, to make us fully happy herein. His love yeelde's us all things that belong thereunto in any respect.  
What it is we trade for, we have heard before, even for grace, this we cannot do, but by prayer, and endeavour and such other supernatural, and divine assistance, as he is pleased to bestow upon us, these are the only ways, to win spiritual wealth, & to become mighty in the advantage, and abundance, of these celestial affairs.  
Now who can begin the world one whit, (in these things that do belong to the world to come) so much, as to affect, or attempt any spiritual gain, by any of the forenamed means; unless it be given him from above: the doctrine of any inhoerent powers of grace, in our nature, is no better than a dream, dotage, and delusion: we are told enough by Christ, who tell's us that [without him we can do nothing,] no nor think any thing neither, as the Apostle further avoucheth. If our being in nature be of God, and that, [in him (alone) we live & move;] our well-being in grace, and our best-being in glory, (with all that appertaineth unto both) must needs be of him also.  
If we pause a little on the particulars, of Prayer, and Endeavour, it will full well appear in both, that the Lord God, out of the unsearchable riches of his grace, doth give us 

both grace to pray, and practise.  
and the grace, which is gained by both.  
and the glory which is annexed to both.    
For prayer, (which is a special help, in this heavenly business) can we pray of ourselves? is it in our power to put up one acceptable request unto the Lord? he who saith he can, speaketh a lie and the truth is not in him: nay, he makes God, (even the God of truth) a liar, who tell's us all to our teeth, 
Rom. ●. 16.  that [we know not what to pray as we ●ught] but must be enabled by his spirit thereunto. Note, that he saith not simply that we cannot pray, as if we had no possibility of speaking or uttering any desires, or requests before God; for our very faculty and ability of speech, may be employed in words of prayer (read, or said by rote,) as in other words: but this he saith, we cannot pray [as we ought:] 
Mat. 20. jam. 4.  to pray as the mother of James and john, not knowing what we ask; or as they who did ask, but not speed, because they prayed admisse, that we are too prone to do; but to perform the duty of prayer, as God doth command it of us, and will accept it at our hands, that so by it (through Christ) we may obtain what we pray for; this we cannot do but are utterly jmpotent unto it. God that requires us to pray to him for that which he will give us, is pleased to give us (first) ability to prayer unto him. So that, this first special help to our spiritual trading is freely given us from him, with whom we trade.  
Endavor is the second, by it I mean the practical carriage of ourselves, in those duties required to enrich us in this commerce. Duties must be added to desires, performance on our part, toward God; to that, which we pray he would perform to us. Now here unto, we are as fare to seek as we were in the other, nay further, for it being more, to do, then to desire, we who are little able to the former (which is the lesser) are less fitted to perform the latter, which is the greater. Our Lord Christ himself tell's us in plain terms that [without him we can do nothing] and the apostle Paul assenteth hereunto, when he affirmeth [all our sufficiency to be of God] and acknowledgeth that [by the help of Christ he can do all things], but without that his assistance, just nothing, at all: for it is of him that we have to will, and to do, according to his good pleasure, as the same apostle faith other where.  
These two, are the principal, if not the only things that we can trade withal, (as we have heard:) they are neither of them natural to us now, as once, (when time was) they were, before sin seized upon us, and despoiled us of all those noble abilities, wherewith we were fully furnished, to the most ready performance of every gracious act: we must have them from him him again by petition, who once freely gave them in our creation: they do foe necessarily conduce to our welfare and wealth in this jmployment, that we can no more miss them, than he that meane's to be a merchant can be without, m●nny, credit, or skill, in the trade he intendeth to manage.  
And yet are not these things more needfully required to be in us, than they are voluntarily given to us, of our good God, who proclaimeth himself unto us (by his Prophet) to be that God [that teacheth us to profit, and leadeth us in the way which he would have us to g●e] and, when he hath done so, even taught us (as it were) how to get an everlasting living, he give's us all the proffitt we do, or can g●t for ourselves.  
Now consider, and bethink yourselves hereof, whether this kind of kindness, have ever been heard off under heaven? hath any man done thus to man as the Lord doth (in this particular) to all that undertake this heavenly trading? Or if it were possible to produce some one rare, and admirable instance of unwonted, and extraordinary love, liberality and beneficence, which (once) in many ages might pass between some two, who were exceeding entire: yet hath it ever appeared, or doth any record in the whole world, tell us of any that hath thus repaired the state of some wilful bankrupt, and professed adversary, who hath not only robbed us in our state, but done his worst to defame, and abuse us, in our credit, and good name too, and besides both these, hath further done us all the judgnityes, and disgraces, that he could devise in any respect to heap upon us, out of measure?.  
The Lord our God hath done no less, but infinitely more than this, for unto him we have been much more jmpious and jniurious (in every regard) than it is possible for one man to be to another, and yet he hath thrown these admirable mercies thus abundantly, upon us: whenas our deserts were the dreadful and direful fruits of his infinite jndignation and justice. Such love as this hath no man, (nor can any man have it) the like unto it, is not extant in the earth.  
Yet I make no question but some have met with most loving masters, which have been as fathers to them, &, done as mueh as, (it may be much more then) their fathers could do for them, God hath pleased to respect, and reward, the diligence and conscience, of some good servants, with much good from their governor's, But to be so surpassing in all kind of kindness, as. 

first, to teach them their trade freely.  
then to give them stock to trade withal freely:  
and to give them all the benefit, they gain by both.   who among mankind hath done thus?  
Yet with the Lord, this is ordinary, usual, yea perpetual and vinversall, to give us all, we may get withal, and all we get, by all he gives us; he doth not share with us, either for half the profit, or for a third of it, or for any thing at all, but doth cast upon ourselves the complete benefit, comfort, and advantage, of all we gained by that which he gave us,  
And this is the second advantage of this last rank: let us now set forward to a third, which doth as much excel the second, as the second did the first, and that is this.  
In all temporal trading there may be (and often there is) much more evil than good; but in this spiritual: NOTHING is EVIL, ALL is GOOD.  
Note this well, and upon due consideration of it, it will manifestly appear to be as we say, in the point we have in hand, that this is the best and most blessed trading in the world, seeing it is fully free from all manner of evil, and absolutely full of all manner of good.  
The best benefit, and greatest good, of the world's Merchandise cannot go beyond the body, the utmost bounds of it extend themselves but to our civil state; there is nothing therein, that reacheth further than the outside, in things that are outward: and when a man hath filled his purse, and double lined himself with land and money, he hath all that can be enjoyed by it, or expected from it: and admit he have as much of either, as his hart can desire; yet the evils that accompany this abundance, do often equal and sometimes exceed all the benefit that can come by them: and that.  

either, in evil of sin,  
or, evil of punishment,  
or, in both.   
For why? if we look upon the body, or outward man, much business, great dealings, are not managed, nor the profit of them attained, with little molestation, and turmoil, but a man wearies, 
Habak. 2.13.  and wears himself away, and labour's in the very fire (as the Prophet saith) for mere vanity. And having been at much trouble, and pain to get them, his care is not little, how to keep that he hath got, between both, he makes himself inserable, in wilful wanting, sometimes of meat, sometimes of sleep, to obtain, & retain, that, which when he hath his fill thereof, cannot help him to a moment of rest, nor a morsel of bread, For all the wealth in the world, if it were in one man's hands, it could neither fill his belly, nor refresh his brain, but it leave's him, either to grow mad with waking, or dead for huuger.  
But it resteth not here, the body hath all the benefit of whatsoever the earth can yield, but the soul shares with the body in the jncommodity, & discomfort thereof. (Note this: that the evil of it goeth, there, Note where the good of it cannot come near) the soul (I say) must smart with the body, to catch, and to keep these carnal things: the head must be troubled, mind distracted, hart perplexed, with fears, and cares jnnumerable, and indeed jnsufferable; every storm that blows, every knave that breaks, every market that falls, affrights him, & putt him into a bodily (yea, and into a ghostly) fear too, lest some loss shall befall himself. Even the inside, that cannot take part in any of the advantage, must yet be annoyed with the damage of these things. And so they draw misery, both upon soul and body.  
But this misery is not all, (though the least of it be too much for all this pelf): besides misery, these things do pull on impiety, (a thing infinitely worse, than all sorrow can be), yea legions of evils come on with these earthly advantages; as covetousness in most men, jnjustice, in some; profanation of the sabbath, in more than a good many, and jnsidelity (more or less) in all.  
Yea, and when a man has done all this evil, and endured all the former, all cannot keep, that which is got, but it will be gone one way or other, and leave a man (every way) unhappy, 

both in impiety before God.  
and in poverty before men.    
And throwing a thousand deadly darts of distress, into his hart who once enjoyed, but could not keep them in his possession.  
Now if we balance the best good that all earthly things can bring, against the least of these evils, we shall have reason to believe that the benefit will nothing near, defray the damage, no man shall ever be a saver that hath to do therein, for it will not quit cost, or pay for half the charge. And no wise man (I think) would have much to do in such affairs, wherein the proffitt is but small, and momentany, and the loss so great and marvellous, as we have said; nay the truth is, it is more than can be said.  
But now, if on the other side we will compare the merchandise which we have in have with this, in these particulars, it will appear unmatchably to exceed & surpass the same, in both kinds of the things before named; having all excellence, without any jnconunience.  
This trade is good for the body, and the soul too, and it is hard to say for whether of the two, it is better, inasmuch as it is that which brings both into the best case wherein they can be in this world, or shallbe in the world to come: the present, and eternal happiness of both, hangeth hereon.  
Nay, if it seem good to the Lord to afflict us with any evil, (suppose it be the loss of the world's wealth, or of our bodily health, or other calamity of any kind we can conceive) the gain of this trading makes every evil, good, every bitter thing sweet; it hath a feasoning and sanctifying virtue, to bring good out of evil, and more gain out of a little loss, than all losses can countervayle, unto us. And not only is adversity made easier, but our prosperity (which without piety is most pernicious) is made happy to us also; for it will keep us from being puffed up, in the height of our earthly happiness, and so temper us between the two extremes whereupon millions of men are wrac●kt, that we shall ride safely, without any danger on either hand.  
For it will not, suffer us either to fall from the highest and steepest top of abundance, and prosperity, nor yet suffer the deepest gulf of want and penury, to finke and drown us. So that this one good it hath, that it makes all other things good to us.  
And in it there is no evil, either in getting, or in keeping all we can attain: we may most lawfully covet the most of it that can be gotten: and as lawfully may we care how to keep all we can get, there is no sin or evil in either of these. In the former there was, and is, (as we spoke even now,) and [woe to him (saith the Lord) that cove●eth an evil covetousness] but to covet spiritual things is not only not for bidden, but expressly, again, and again commanded; as he may see that peruseth what the Apostle saith to the Corinthians, both in the twelfth, 
1. Cor. 12.31. cap 14.1.  and fourteeneth chapter of his first epistle. In the former wealth, there may be an excess, a man may have too much of the world, and surfeit as soon on riches, as on any thing, and therefore to avoid the peril of this plurisey, we are commanded to be content with what we have, and to satisfy our selves with such a measure of outward things as the wisdom of God shall please to put upon us, be they more or less: but he that can enlarge his desires and endeavours te crave, and to have, the greatest quantity of this wealth, that is attainable; he is the happiest man: no man need once to fear a superfluity, because it is out of all humane possibility to have enough, that is to say so much as we should have, of every grace which we once had in perfection, when we were created, and now (at the best) can have but in jmperfection, since we were corrupted: the most sanctified man is he, who hath the most unsatiable desire, & most unweariable endeavour, after these advantages.  
Again, the most, and best, that can come, by all the confluence and abundance of temporal wealth, is only some reputation and place, among men; to be a man of credit and estimation, whose word, or hill, will pass currently for great sums upon the exchange; to be accounted square dealers, good men, sore paymasters, this is the utmost honour the earth's abundance can yield. And what great good thing is this, when it is apparent to be as common among Pagans, as Christians, and always as much, yea many times more, their honour, then ours. All the riches under heaven cannot make God to give a man one good word, or to entertain a kind thought of him, that hath most. Is it any man's commendation, in all the bible, that he was rich, and had much? diverse good men (who are commended are reported to be so, but no jot nor tittle of their praise doth, or can consistin this particular. And that is most plain to every man's eye, and observation, who will take knowledge how the Lord speaketh of th●se that had nothing but wealth, to grace them before men; and of wealth itself considered, as severed from saving grace before God, wealth hath scarce one good word in all God's book; but I am sure it hath many bad: the odious epithets that are given it of God, are such as should work us to better consideration of the danger of it.  
Is it not called.  

mammon of jniquity?  
treasure of wickedness?  
unceartayne riches.?   
Doth not Christ compare them to thorns? the apostle to snares? are they not said to, be deceitful, and unrighteous? may not the same man be wealthy, and woeful too? is it not said [w●e be to you that are rich?] The Lord jesus doth not speak of many rich men, but of th●se of whom he doth speak, either historically, or parabolically, what heavy things are concluded? Of one (to wit he in the 12 of Luke) in what danger of hell his soul & body were, when his barns were to little to inn his corn: [Thou fool this night shall they take away thy soul]. Of another, (to wit the glutton in the 15 of the same gospel) that not a few great ones are in the belly of that gulf already, and laden with the heaviest damnation? Of a third, (namely the young man, that was so fair for heaven) what extreme difficulty of getting to heaven, doth wealth draw upon a man, nay, an absolute jmpossibility, where riches, and regeneration are severed,  
But now, on the other side, the divine commodities of this celestial commerce, doth get us a glorious name and state with the Lord, and he is glorified by them in us: both we are honoured by him, and so is he by us through these things. Who are magnifyed or esteemed by the Lord, but such as in whom Grace did abound, and who were rich in the endowments of the holy Ghost? as Abraham for faith: Moses for meekness: job for patience: Samuel for integrity: David for faithfulness: and many others for many Graces: they that were rich in these eucellencyes are the only renowned persons; the Lord hath left them a name that shall never dye, fame that cannot rot, all generations to come shall call them blessed, and well they may, because now they are in infinite blessedness with the Lord. This our merchandise is that only thing, which makes a man both.  

truly blessed on earth, and.  
fully blessed in heaven.   
The Lord doth esteem so preciously of these things and of those that have them, that the best words that can be given are not too good: the things are called Gods own, [My grace is sufficient for thee &c] [that we might be partakers of his holiness] yea [of the divine or Godly nature] (not in the incommunicable essence, but in the communicable effects. thereof): And they that are endued with these things, are entitled as most natural, nearest, and dearest to him; they are not only his friends, (as Abraham was both by the Prophet, and by the Apostle said to be) but more, his childien; yea more than that, his spouse: yea and more than that too, (and that which is most of all,) his very members: and to be the least of these, is no mean honour; but to be all these (as every one is, that is any of these) is glory, and happiness unspeakable.  
And this our honour and renown, accrueing to us, is peculiar to us also, and not (as the former) common to the swine of the world, whether carnal christians, or cursed Pagans; all that are without (as the holy Ghost uses the phrase) are without this honour, to be any thing in God's esteem: whether they be such as are without the christian world; and have not so much as the name of a christian; or such as are without Christ, being within it; & have no more but a Christian name.  
Neither of the two, can communicate with us in the comforts of these things; our wealth cannot make them rich, they cannot be partners, or partakers in it at all, it is all our own, both wholly, and solely. Money they may have, silver and gold grows as well in their mines, as ours; and for other rare riches their climates excel ours, we fetch much from them.  
But piety, sincerity, sanctity, heavenly wisdom, saving grace, the true treasure, they cannot have one dram or grain thereof. And the want of this makes them as unhappy, as the abundance of the other: the having of these makes heaven as easy to all saints, as the other made it either hard, or jmpossible to any other.  
Few, not many (saith the apostle) mighty, or rich, are called, (meaning of the other sort) but of these, not any but many, not only many, but all & but every wise, holy righteous, & religious man, is called sanctified, & shallbe also glorified. The former (to wit all graces) they have in present possession, the latter (to wit glory) they have, in most undoubted assured, and unquestionable, reversion.  
Now he that compareth these things in this particular, will he not say, that it is better tradeing where is so much good without any evil; then where is some little good, with much evil? is it not best fishing where nothing but wholesome fish comes to the net, then where a man may meet with many harmful things that will tear and spoil all?  
Well, to conclude, though it cannot be denied but that some good (such as it is) is in the world's wealth, yet this may be avouched, that few have sped well that have had it, because the evil is more than the good, that comes by it. But the benefit of this trade hath redownded to all their happiness, who have had the same: not a man ever sped ill, that had any part of it because there is much good in the least of it, and no evil (no not the least) in all of it,  
And this is the third thing of this last rank: The fourth now follows, which as it is the last, of all in order, so also is it the best of all in nature: yea so good and so great it is, that it will make men wonder exceedingly at it, so soon as they hear it; because though (in itself) it be as menifest, as any of the former, yet it will seem marvellous to us at first sight, yea almost incredible, as being not only diverse, from all the rest before named, but quite contrary to the course of all temporal trading, And it is this.  
That whereas in all manner of commerce among men, a man gett's no longer than he lives and trades: this trade makes a man MOST HAPPY, when he hath DONE TRADING.  
How many benefits come unto us by it, while we follow it, hath been formerly declared at large, in all the particulars that we have (hitherto) prosecuted; but the last, and best, (even the infinite, and everlasting benefit, that comes by it) is found, and felt of us, when we have left it, that is, when our time is come that we cannot live longer, in this present evil world to deal in it.  
The world's merchandise doth not enrich every one that trades, during all the time he doth follow it, many do their best and attain not much, but they whom it doth enrich, must get all they have while they are in trading, if any man during life give it over, or, if it give over any man by death, there is no more profit to be expected, it can yield no benefit when it is not followed;  
But the best of this our trade is brought to a man when he hath done tradeing: our best-being gins then, when we make an end of dealing: for why? after we have done all we can, we shall receive endless glory, bliss, and felicity, with the Lord our God in the highest heavens.  
A man that hath been a merchant among men, and now is none, he cannot but grow worse, and worse, because if he get nothing, he cannot avoid it but he must spend of the stock, & so bring himself to a meaner estate, than he was before: and if he dya a merchant, all is done that wherein he gains no more, the world (in regard of himself) doth also dye with him.  
But this trade, as it is happy to us (in some measure) while we use it, so shall it be most happy to us (beyond measure), when once the time is come that we can use it no more. It doth every way (as we have heard) infinitely out strip the world's affairs, while we are in the world in dealing with it: but after we have done with it in the world, it doth infinitely out strip itself, in those inconceiveable comforts and advantages whereunto it carries us in the world to come.  
All the time we were interessed into it here on earth, was but (as it were) the time of our apprenticeship yet it was a sweet service, both in regard of our good master, we served to wit, God himself, and that good work he set us about, even goodness itself: but now after the end of all our days, and endeavours, we come (as it were) to be made free, and to be set at liberty in perfect freedom peace, and felicity, when we change mortality for life; corruption for incorruption; grace for glory; and that little good which we have done here, for the infinite we shall have there.  
In the world many a man (who hath done his best endeavour) dies without riches: many others die at once 

both rich,  
and wretched.   and have nothing to clog, and cloy their consciences more, than the pelf which they have got, which (like some heavy weight) hath lain so upon them, that they could not mount to heaven unless in Balaams' hopeless & unseasonable desire, to dye well, when they have lived long & done ill. Death itself hath not been more miserably bitter to them, than the things they got in their life.  
But where the benefit of all things else doth leave us, there doth the advantage of this come unto us; much of it abideth with us from the time we began to be traders with the Lord, but the most, & best, goeth with us out of this world, (or rather) stayeth for us in that other world, till we come to possess and enjoy it there. The things we have spoken of, are incomparably beyond those other in temporal tradeing; but these we speak of now, are incomparable in respect of the future comforts for which, we shall exchange those that are present with us.  
I remember, it is said that the merchants of the great WHORE, (that is, those who traded with her for her whorish trash,) were the Kings, and great men of the earth, and it is spoken by the Lord, to the great and just reproach of themselves, that being so potent, they would prostitute themselves so basely unto her: as also for the furtherance of her most righteous overthrow, and final confusion, that she could and would besott, such potentates, with the poisoned cup of her fornications.  
But of these merchants of God, it shallbe said, (yea it is already said, & jrrevocably recorded too) that they shallbe kings in heaven, every merchant of wisdom shallbe called GREAT in the kingdom of heaven, and have glory there with the king of kings, for ever and ever. The Lord jesus hath made it sure already, by his blood; it is not more ceartayne that he is dead shamefully for us, then that we shall live gloriously with his father through him; for by his infamy, our honour was purchased, he died miserably, to the end we might live blessedly, and was content to come much beneath himself, that we might be marveilousy exalted, by his extreme abasement. It is he that hath (of his own goodness) made us, of natural men, gracious merchants: and he it is that will make us, Princes of glory after we have been merchants in grace; proclaiming us, both to ourselves, and others (by the proper and peculiar prerogatives of his spirit) to be heirs apparent unto that kingdom, while we are in this body here below; and afterward putting us into the actual, and eternal possession of the same.  
And what a rare, royal, and surpassing prerogative this is, every man may apprehend: it is 

rare for the world cannot match it.  
royal, for it dignifies a man above the world.  
surpassing, for none (else) can come near it.    
We were (as was said) happy, while we were getting this merchandise by Prayer, and Endeavour, and such other good means as we have specified, but all this was but the first fruits, the beginning and earnest pennies of our comforts now to come, which are full, infinite, everlasting, and incomprehensible, for greatness, for goodness, for durableness, and whatsoever else, may any way conduce, to make a thing inconceivably comfortable both in itself, and unto us.  
While we were here, we were but driving this trade, and during the time wherein we were 

either selling our corruption.  
or, buying sanctification,   we now, and then, met with some adverse and opposite things, our graces could not evermore work kindly, because they were many times encumbered, and interrupted; Satan, the world, and our own corruption, were often in our way, all, or some of these, did ever annoy us, doing daily their worst to make the stream muddy, to embase these excellencyes, and to embitter our sweet proceed in these happy passages.  
But now we shallbe out of the devils, the world, and our own sins reach, all their gunshot shall not come near us, but we shall for ever enjoy most quietly, the fruit of that which we have gotten Christianly: Now shall we be enriched, and honoured by him, by whom we were employed, and set on work: now shall we sit with our fellow Merchants in grace, and posessors of glory; Abraham Isaac, and jacob; all the rest, of the most blessed Patriarches, Prophets, Apostles, and whatsoever other Saints, do concur to make up that numberless number, of those who are said to be, an [jnnumerable multitude of just and perfect men]; and with them all, and all the residue of the mystical members of the most sacred body of Christ, shall we see the face, and enjoy the presence, of our lining God, our loving father, the king of kings and Lord of Lords, and we shall behold him as he is, 

in the perefection of his essence.  
in the glory of all his excellencyes.  
in the mystery of his persons.    
Then, and there, shall we be in such a state, as we cannot now discover; [it appeareth not what we shallbe,] saith John, that is, in particular perfection of that estate, of the boundless and unlimited extent whereof, nature, and mortality, is no way capable.  
There shall we be as kings to reign with the Lord, the king of saints, sitting upon thrones of glory, wearing crowns of jmmortality, with jesus, the purchaser of these perfections for us, who hath given and granted to all saints [to fit upon his throne, as he sitteth upon his father's throne.  
What we have got here, shallbe wholly taken up there, (I mean of those remaining graces that shall abide, for faith, hope, patience, zeal, and such like graces, as had their proper excercise, and principal jmployment, either upon present evil, or good to come, and not yet possessed, shall cease) but all those graces that go into glory with us, shallbe jmployed in a most glorious manner, upon the most glorious things that are there, as our wisdom, and knowledge, and love, upon himself, his son, and spirit, those three blessed and distinct persons, every of which is God to be blessed for ever, not thrice, nor a thousand thousand times, blessed, but infinitely beyond all millions of blessings and blessedness, that the created and finite hart of man comprehend in the uttmost jmaginations thereof.  
That one more glorious essence, of those three most glorious persons, and that Trinall, and most sacred subsistence, shall then be the only objects, of our.  

wisdom. to know them fully.  
love, to affect them perfectly.  
joy, to delight in them everlastingly,   
These while we were here among mists of ignorance, were mysteries unto us, and such secrets unto our clouded understandings as we could not clearly discern, but we had some glimmering light, or weak guests, at them; such as the man had, whose eyes were in part opened, [that saw men walking like trees] which was a seeing very gross, and confused [New we see (saith the apostle) through a glass darkly, and know but in part] But when we shallbe translated from hence, to that celestial state, and station, [than, shall we see face to face, and know us we are known] yea (saith another apostle [we shall see him, (the Lord) as he is] both in the incomprehensible unity of his nature, and inconceivable trinity of the persons: the several excellencyes of the former, and their infinite acts: the distinct acts of the latter, and their divine effects; the FATHER'S eternal generation of the SON; the SONS eternal sonship, or filiation, of the father; and the proceeding of the holy GHOST eternally from the Father; and the Son, shall the shine openly unto us: and so shall the power, the wisdom, the merey, the justice, & all that infinite variety of ineffable goodness, whic hath his residence in the glorious nature of that Being of Being's; these shall we see with open face; yea (as we said even now) face to face, the Lord will no more turn his backeparts to us, but we shall have full sight of all his glory, (unto the brightness whereof, the clearest lustre of the sun, is but as fog, and darkness) our eyes, and understanding shallbe free from feeble jmpotency, and both made absolute, in perfect & jmmutable jmmortality, to behold him, who hath blessed us with these heavenly things in heaven.  
The shadows of these things which we now read with astonishment, in the book of God we shall then and there, receive and feel, with unutterable ravishment, where the Lord is, and where we shall for ever be with him, in the highest happiness that the heaven of heavens, hath reserved for all the holy and elect.  
Our Lord Christ had a transfiguration on earth (upon mount Tabor) wherein his glory was such (compared to his ordinary estate, which was very mean among men) as that Peter, upon sight of the same, so affected with it, that he could not contain the manifestation of his apprehension, but must reveal his overjoyed mind, in desiring to make his abode and dwelling there: yet Peter was no partaker at all in it, but a mere spectator of it, he was graced & chosen, to be one of those that might stand by to behold it, as a witness, but neither he, (nor any of the rest who had the favour to be admitted thither) were more than standers by. Now if the sight of such momentany glory as may be seen upon a mountain here on earth, and wherein one hath hath no part himself, but only beholdeth it in another, who doth wholly enjoy the same, may so take up a man beyond himself to make him so quickly forget, and so willingly forgo, all other things? what shall we conceive that heavenly glory and happiness will be unto us, and how shall we apprehend it, whenas it is greater than can be manifested on the earth, and more glorious upon our whose soul and body, than it was (threre) upon Christ's humanity; we ourselves, not only beholding his glory (which infinitely surpasseth that which was seen here) but the glory of the Father, and of the holy Ghost also, and made glorious partakers of the same glory (not which Christ had here in the world, but of a fare better, even of that which, [he (as himself saith) had with his father before the world was? Our corruption that darkens us now, will not only not suffer us to see, but doth disable us utterly to discern the lease thought of that honour and happiness, which (indeed) is more than can be thought.  
So that we who are true Christians, shall have a more glorious trensfignration in heaven, than Christ himself had on earth, to be raised from merchandising in grace, to be jnvested into matchless glory, with the Lord & king of glory. Such honour have all his faints: even all who do their best endeavours to honour him sincerely, in their bodies and souls, hearts and lives. This endless joy, and, the full fruition of all those pleasures, which are in fullness at his right hand for evermore, shallbe the end of our faith, & such other graces as we have gotten, Here shall we se not Hench, & Elias talking with jesus, but jesus himself talking with us, that is manifesting such gracious familiarity to us, as a father would do to his dearest child: or a bridegroom to his delightful and beloved bride: there shall we hear those most melodious voices, which mort all tongues cannot speak, nor mortal ears hear, unless they be (as it were) jmmortalized for a feason, (as were the apostle Paul's) who heard things not to be uttered here on the earth, when he was wrapped up into the third heaven; and had some taste and appearance of that glory, which he doth now possess in infinite fullness.  
And this is the last, and best thing of this third and last rank, wherein we see, that this heavenly trade bring's us that blessedness, which cannot be brought unto us, by the most gainful business of the whole world.  
Thus we have now (at length) made good that which we promised in the beginning; to wit, the main point we propounded; that GOD'S MERCHANDISE is better than MAN'S ⸪ which I hope hath abundantly appeared in every of those particulars, which we have at large discovered to prove the same So, that now we stand persuaded & convinced thereof, as of a divine and undeniable truth.  
The main evidence, (as you may remember) did consist of three most noble branches, every branch spreading itself into diverse admirable advantages, which it cannot be amiss for us briefly, and in few words to recall to our memory.  
We have heard that the excellency of this trade above yours doth consist as in many, so especially in three things.  
First, that it hath NONE of the EVILS which are usual in your affairs, and therein we have showed, that there is.  

No Adventure.  
No Bad Debts.  
No Bad Wares.  
No Bad Servants.   
Secondly, that it hath all the GOOD THINGS that yours hath, with the advantage of a better measure of them, then can be had in yours: and here we have showed, that there are evermore.  

Good Sales,  
Excellent Exchanges, and  
The Best Barters.   
Thirdly, that it hath some GOOD THINGS PROPER to itself, which are beyond all possibility for your trade to partake in: and here we have showed, that, 

All our business is 

in one place  
with one party.  
about one commodity,    
All we trade with, and all we trade for, is freely given us.  
All is absolutely good, without any evil,  
The best benefit of this trade comes when we have one trading.    
Every of these passages, one by one, (in their due order) have been plainly discovered and handled in our hearing, to the end we might well & throughly know the odds between a heavenly, and an earthly commerce, between a civil, and a celestial course of traffic.  
And now my Christian, beloved, and dear brethren after whose eternal enriching, my soul doth long, from the very hart root in Christ jesus) seeing foe it is, as we have seen, that there is A TRADE so surpassing this of yours A trade that hath.  

No evil in it, whereas yours hath much  
All good in it, that yours hath, and more:  
Yea, some Good things that yours cannot have:   
What say your souls now to these things which we have said? bethink yourselves throughly, and call in all your jnmost thoughts to the most serious & hearty consideration of what you have now heard, that you may make such an answer, as suits with Christanity, and may.  

both have approbation with God.  
and bring consolation to you.   
I say, what say your, souls, consciences, minds, wills affections, & hearts, here unto? summon them all, jointly, and severally to give answer, to that God, who will either presently appose you (in merey) to make you so more than ever you have done: or let you alone till hereafter (at his day of appearance) in justice, to condemn you for ever and ever, for that which you should have done.  
If there be a better trade than that which you are bufied in? if a more, and much more, yea and a so much more, beneficial business may be found, will you not be affected toward it, and fall to it? were there but some odds of advantage between our present temporal employment we follow, and some other, that a friend had given us notice off, it would be censured for egregious sillynes, yea for gross folly, in us, if we did not forthwith betake ourselves unto it, and lay by, that we have, to get better.  
And shall others condemn us in this latter, and not we condemn ourselves in that former case, wherein we may be more happy, than any exchange of earthly business under heaven can make us? when we shall not need wholly to cast aside our civil callings, but abate something of our too quick, & eager edge after them, & take this employment up into the best and sovereign place, setting all other in the second and subordinate, under it. We need not let fall our civil merchandise, to fall to this spiritual, it is enough to keep it down that it be not predominant in us above the celestial, or equal to it, in our estimation, affections, and actions, all earthly things must be much inferior to heavenly, if they have their own places; yet may they sit with these best things, though not near the best place, the merchandise of wisdom, & wealth are not two contraries expelling one another, they are not incompatible with one another, but may dwell together, so that the world will be content to abide, and keep her house, and residence, in the lower room, and not offer to climb into the upper palace of these spiritual treasures; which being heavenly in nature, have most reason, to be highest in their habitation, and the other have as much reason to fit down lower, as being (at their very best) but from below.  
You then who have insight and understanding in the carriage of men's merchandise, and do well know the mystery of this temporal trading; strive to look a little further into this spiritual, which doth full well deserve to be looked after; the mystery whereof, as I have in some measure desired to manifest unto you, so shall the Lord (if once you unfeignedly take it in hand) reveal it more completely than I can do, and acquaint your hearts, with many other excellent advantages & benefits, than those which I have endeavoured to declare. And hereof you may be sure, for Christ jesus hath given his word that [if any man will do the will of God, the same shall know it more entirely than others] the more sincere practice, the more sound knowledge. The Lord thinks knowledge well bestowed, on such as bring it to obedience, and express it therein; for thereby doth arise double advantage, for. 

both he gayne's.  
and we gain also.    
He, glory in our practice; we, good by our knowledge: it is honourable to him, and to us it is happy.  
Begin then (brethren) to gather your thoughts together, and to call yours wits about you, that you may be truly wise in this one thing, let you civil calling be a provocation to this spiritual: endeavour to see that (as it were) through this; make all the good of that, as the glass of this, which is so much better, that the best of the earthly is scarce good enough, to be a shadow, or representation, of the heavenly.  
It was the course of our Lord jesus Christ, to carry the eyes and ears of his hearers, from natural, to divine things, he evermore made spiritual use of all civil occurrents: and as this was Christ's manner of teaching, so will it also be their order of learning, who have well learned Christ: and more especially doth it appertain unto you considering that you are pointed at in particular, and the kingdom of heaven is compared, (among many other things) to your commerce, and merchandise: so that if you should not see this better, through your own meaner estate, your blindness were the more justly .  
Strive then, and endeavour earnestly hereunto, that you may (as wise Christians) answer the worthy expectation jesus Christ hath of you, that you may not be civil merchants alone, (for Pagans can be so) but more especially spiritual ones, which neither any Pagan (no, nor counterfeit Christian) can by any means attain to be.  
And think this trade worthy the following, not only for the foresaid benefits, but for some other sweet considerations ensuing, which I will in few words set down, the more to enamour, and affect your hearts with the same, that nothing may be omitted whereby you may be provoked, and put on, with all alacrity & ex pedition, to entertain traffic with the living God, in this enduring treasure.  
In the first place then, (to woo you to attain this wealth) we must remember, it is every one's Duty to be as rich as he can in this commerce, and the richer he is, the better is it for himself, and for others also, Note what I say, it is every man's duty to be as rich as he can, and the more rich any man is the more doth.  

God gain by him:  
He gain from God:  
Others from him.   
In the world this is not so, no man is bound by any law of God to be rich, (though many break the most of God's laws to make themselves see) every one is to rest fatiffyed with that measure of estate, that the wisdom of God see's mere to cast upon him, whether it be mighty, mean, or whatsoever: and but to desire to be greater than the Lord would have us, is covetensnes, which is a sin heavily accursed of God, as the root of all evil, & the rajne of all them, upon whom the branches thereof do spread themselves.  
But in this business, covetousones is a virtue, a thing commanded to us, required of us, (as we have heard before) if a man can enlarge his hart like hell, after the riches of heaven, and in regard of grace, have an appetite as greedy as the grave, (which still crye's GJVE, GIVE) the more he would have, and doth crave, the happier man is he.  
God would have all men rich that meddle in this business, yea rich in all the particulars of it.  

rich in knowledge.  
rich in faith.  
rich in obedience   
Abounding in all things, which may make them rich in God. To this end how many precepts doth God give that men should be so? how many promises doth he make to hearten those that would be so? how many prayers doth the Apostle Paul, (in all his epistles) put up, that those, Christians to whom he wrought, might be so? there is nothing left (on God's part) unattempted, to persuade men to purchase, and store up these truest treasures. Most happy is he that hath most; for his abundance shall glorify God, further his own glory with God; and help to enrich others with himself. The better any Christian thrives, the better is it for other Christians, in the same communion of saints, because grace is a thing that cannot be engrossed, or made a Monopoly, but it is, & willbe common, and comfortable to others, with ourselves, in the friut of the same, whereof, the more any receiveth from us, the more do we ourselves gain from God, who multiplye's it most, in their hearts who are found faithful distributers of the same. No man can here undermine another, there is no possibility of forestall any man, but very much, of furthering all men with the fruit of that which we ourselves have received from the Lord.  
And which is yet more (and much, to be noted) the very poorest of all those, who are in any measure endued with saving grace, are reputed rich, and that, both because, it is the nature of these things to enrich those that have them: & because also, it is the nature of God (in the riches of his infinite grace) to repute them rich (in his son Christ) who have received of his spirit, and by faith, lay hold on those riches of his son, who therefore became poor, to make us rich before his Father.  
All the graces of God's spirit are fare beyond all pearls, and the most precious things that can be had are but vile in respect of them, even as dung, or trash, as we have heard. Now all men know, that a little portion of that which is of great price, and valuation, will make a man rich, and he may well be esteemed worth much, though he have no great quantity of that which is so highly esteemed, especially, if lo it were, that who soever had any one of those pricelesses pearls, should be interessed into that man's whole estate, which had all the rest that were to be had: so is every Christian into Christ, we having any measure given us of God, are made partakers of his fullness, in whom all the graces are beyond measure. So that (as was said) the nature of these things is rich, inasmuch as the come from the Lord: and the Lord, from whom they come, doth (through his grace) account them rich, who have received them according to his most wise dispensation.  
It is not the quantity, or measure, but the nature, & quality, of Grace, by which our estate spiritual, is measured of the Lord, our God.  
Now then, sum up these passages together, to wit; 

FIRST, that it is most lawful for all men to be as rich as they can:  
SECONDLY, that the richer any man is, the happier he is, both before God, and in himself, and unto others and,  
TIRDLY that every man that is (indeed) endued with any saving grace, is reputed rich:   and then tell me whether these be not enticing considerations, to toll on any man, to take this trade in hand, and to do his best to follow it with his whole hart.  
Add here unto further, that a man, in this merchandise, if he be once a trader, he can never fail, he that is once rich, cannot be beggared; if God do set up a man, he is past falling down, our spiritual stock cannot break.  
You never read in all God's book, nor never heard in the whole world, of any (if you were rightly informed) that was undone, since the days of our first father Adam, since his time, none hath ever broke, of all that were ●ruly free of the body of jesus Christ: this corporation never had one Bankrupt, no not one, of all those that ever traded in these true treasures: for these riches have power to preserve themselves where they are once planted, and also to preserve those in whom they are planted; there is virtue in them to sustain those that have them, that nothing in heaven earth, or hell, no angel, man, or devil, are able to bereave us of them; they are given us by him who gives us (by his Christ) ability, to stand with them, and that against.  

both the feyrcest.  
and the subtlest.   
assaults, wherewith Satan, either jmmediately by himself, or by any m●anes of his, shall attempt, by power, or by policy, to overturn us. The Lord doth arm us 

with strength against his force.  
with wisdom against his fraud.    
That we may be able to stand fast and firm, in the evil day, and to accquit ourselves as men, yea, as men of God, against the Devil, who is God's enemy, and ours.  
They that teach otherwise, and tell the world that men may fall finally from saving grace, are but Satan's jmposiors, to abase the stability of the Graces of the holy Ghost; and to abuse the riches of our souls, making them as mutable, & as mooveable, as those of our body; and concerning all such, as do say they may be lost, I think it may be most safely said, that (of these men) these true & never fading treasures, were never found he that doth persuade others that a man may fall for ever from it, was never yet made a partaker of any whit, of the true preserving power of it.  
Assuredly it is no small mischief the devil doth these men, in telling them thus, and setting them on, to teach others so to believe; because he well knows that (which their sillynes doth not understand;) that, he that believes, all the grace he can get, may be lost (and himself become a lost child after he he hath gotten it) can never so seek after saving grace, as he may obtain it.  
For why? it being not attainable but by.  

both, our most earnest, and affectionate desires.  
and, our most unfeigned, and utmost endeavours   
What man can have any hart, to address himself unto either of these, when he knows before (hand, he shall get nothing, but that, which (when in both kinds he hath done his best) may come to nothing? This is no small jndignity to God, and jnjury to us: jndignity to him, to deny him double honour. 

the honour of his graces, in their just valuation.  
the honour of our services, in their due affection   and jnjury to us it is also, in that it keeps us in-capable of those graces, which should preserve us, inasmuch as we are so meanly peaswaded of them, that they are not able to preserve us. The man that is not persuaded of the power of Grace, shall never be partaker of the power of it: that hart that doth not think it can keep him, is not fit to keep it. God speaks better to us, when he tell's us, that by grace we stand,] and that so strongly, that we can never jrrecoverable fall. It is for the world, & for deceitful riches to yield bankrupts and beggarly companions: it is for vain men in whom is no constancy, or confidence, or conscience, to undo such as they deal withal: it is for mortal and corruptible things, to fail, and leave us in poor estate. The things of God are such as, the world can, 

neither have from him,  
nor take from us.    
We cannot have them from the world, therefore cannot the world have them from us, for what they can● not give, it lieth not in their power to deprive any man off.  
Now who would not meddle in that business, wherein never man did miscarry? who is not in love with that trade, that never yielded one bankrupt, but wherein every man who tradeth prospereth?  
And unto this consideration, cast in yet, one more, and that is the honour that follows these merchants, (of which something was before spoken). In the world many men toil much, and get no wealth; many do attain wealth, which yet attain not honour; but here whosever trades grows rich; and none are enriched, but the same are also honoured, and that of God, who doth prefer us to some spiritual, and divine dignities, while we are on earth, (making us Kings over sin, satan, and the world,) but the most, and best honours, are reserved for us on high, when we shallbe preferred to those heavenly places, & promotions; wherein, we shallbe happy, as long, as the Lord himself doth inhabit in the heaven of heavens. This traffic ever brings riches; these riches ever bring honour, and glory, 

partly, on earth.  
perfectly, in heaven.    
Now all men love wealth: most men love honour: why then come ●ither, all you that love either, and feed on both to your fill, for here you may be, nay, you shallbe, both rich, and honourable; these two are never parted in our heavealy trade, but do ever go together, though in the world's affairs, they are often found a sunder.  
Let us then, (for conclusion) of all collect all these things we have spoken and heard: and upon consent given unto them, be it our care to address ourselves, with all spiritual jndustrey, and diligence hereunto, It were a foul, yea a woeful shame to us, to know there were such a beneficial trade, and to be nobody in it; and so much the rather, because if we be anybody we shallbe rich, and if we be rich, we shallbe honourable.  

both in God's account, while we live.  
and in God's kingdom, when we die.   
They alone shallbe able to stand before the Lord at the last day, who have gotten some of this wealth; all others whether infidels without the church, or unfaithful Christians within it; shall hang down their heads, and be banished from all hope of blessedness; and abandoned unto eternal malediction.  
Among men he that hath little money may have much honest, but with the Lord, it cannot be so; he who hath not this riches, is a wretched, and forlorn creature for ever: and as Princes that are honourable, and mighty, do not, nor will, receive either base vagabonds who have no calling, no business, or, place of abode, or villainous and wilful bankrupts, who might have been more honesty & upright; into their dominions, & make them the Peers, and principal officers of their kingdom; but disdain and drive them away, with contempt, and scorn: so, neither will, or can, the Lord, admit any spiritual beggars or bankrupts, into his kingdom to make them anybody there; but with infinite jndignation, he will send them from himself, into the kingdom of darkness, there to be dammed for ever.  
In the world it is (at the worst) but a CROSS not be rich; but to be void of these riches, is no less than a CURSE; the other cannot be attained by many, do what they can: but these are never wanted, but only in them, by whom they are neglected; which neglect is insufferable in the sight of the living God, who will not endure to let the abuse of his kindness, patience, long suffering & goodness (whereby they might have been enriched) to go unavenged; but will reward them to their face, who are foul in this fearful offence.  
As ever (then), we hope to hold up our heads for ever, and ever, before the God of Gods, and to be happy in his heavenly glory: so let us settle ourselves, (and that in our souls) hereunto, that we may appear before him comfortably, at that day, and live from that time, in glory with him beyond all time.  
Let not this world totally take up our hearts, to rob and bereave us of a better: [Love not the world, nor the things of the world] that is predominantly; it is Gods own counsel, and backed with no small reason, [for if any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him] and it is also Christ's counsel, that we [labour not for the things that perish] that is so instantly, as we should do, for those that perish not: for if we do so love the world, and so labour for it, as we should do for these better things, we cannot so look after these as we ought: neither will the Lord look after us, as we would, But if the best love, and labour, of our hearts, be after these best things; we shall surely attain them, yea we shall attain him, and he will also entertain us, with that most worthy welcome [well done good and faithful servant, enter into thy master's joy] which joy, because it is endless, I will end in the mention of it, desiring, that all that hath been spoken, may affect us, aright towards it.  
Glory be to God on high    

ERRATA.  
Pag. Lin. Error. Correction. 19 29. incenes. niceness. 22. 28. or. our. 24. 19 dronond. drowned. 34. 30. it. if 35. 24. by not be. be not by.  25. challeagne. challenge. 37. 28. them then. 40. 12. bebts. debts. 41. 17. the is those. 49. 14. in it. 69. 26. proydie provide. 75. 7. to ever. ever to. 79. 1. sherply. sharply. 94. 5. of any. of my. 97. 8. our place. one place. 105. 16. admisse. amiss, 111. 20. upon where. whereupon. words to be put in. 47. 6, tend to their.  63. 16. either to buy.  101. 7 chose, he had to do.  words to be put out 110. 31. in have.