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CHAP. IV.

The Ufe and Application of the Doctrine.

SECTION I

Firft Ufe of Reproof..

Is Trading with Chrift the way to be Rich, then we have reprovable.

1. The Papift, who Trade with Angels & Saints departed, which is a difparagement to Our Lord Je; fus, in whole Hand alone is lodged the intire Mono, polie of Heavens Wares, to be diftributed and dif pofed of as He fees fit. Col. 1, 19. It pleafed the Fa ther that in Him should all Fullnefs dwell, & of His Fallnels have all we received and Grace for Grace, John 1. 16. Hence fays Chrift plainlie in our Text, I Counsel thee to buy of Me; He fends them not to Angels or anie other; neither can we be the better to tranfact with them, for they are not capable to bave commerce with us, there being no ordina rie means of Gods appointment for this purpose, The fame Papists are further reprovable for Traf ficking in Malles, Pardons, Difpenfations, Indulgens ces, and fuch like prohibite Wares & idle trumperie, that never had Christs Mark set upon them, but ra ther are a part of the Mark of the Beast, & therefore deferve to be made a Seizure, and fent to Hell, & the owners thereof fhould be feverely fined & punished.

2. They are reprovable who make a Trade of fin indeed this is the forbidden Trade that the meft

Part

part of men drive, to whom Ababs black brand may be atcribed, who did fell bioflf to work wickedness in the fight of the Lord, 1 Kings 11, 25. the like is faid of the Ifraelites, 2 Kings 19. 17. they fold them. Jelves to do evil in the fight of the Lord, i. e. fhaking of all fentiments of a Deity, and quite abandoning the fear of God, they devoted and licencioufly gave themselves over to all impiety, they caft loofe the reins upon the necks of their lufts, and greedily gratified all the appetites of their debauched spirits: Such propbane Traffickers are these who do evil with both their hands earnestly, Micab 7.3. and of whom the Apoftle fays, being paft feeling, give themselves over unto all lafciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greedinefs, Eph. 4. 19.

And O is it not fad that even within the vilible Church, where Heavens Wares are openly expofed to Sale, and we are loudly called to Trade with Chrift; yet there hould be fo many who (flighting His Wares) unadvifedly turn and run fome to their Farmes of iniqui ty, and others to their Merchandize of wickednels; yea it is to be obferved to the fcandal & reproach of the Chriftian Faith (tell it not in Gath &c.) that there are as many execrable impieties, and grofs, vile immoralities to be found among baptized profeffing Chriftians, as among Turk, and Pages: Tie. 1. 16. They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient, and to every good work reprobate: do not thefe facri legionfly break their Chriftian Charter-party, and impioufly contraveen their facred Baptifmal vows and Covenant Orange! that fuch profeffed

of debaucherie, should lay claim to the Religion of Chrift, who are fe much uncbriftiae, yea Antichriftian in their Practices, and we fear may jufllie be reckoned Chriftless Chriftians: Ah is it not a fad Trade to Whore, Drink, Caronfe, Curse, Swear, Blafpheme, Lye, Murder, Opprels Sc, what can thir Merchants expect as the returns of this Trade? for Satan is their Correfpondent and Fader with whom they deal, and everlasting Loffes & Miferies will be all they can gain, Remi. 6. 2. the end of thofe things is Death, and because of these things cometh the Wrath of God, upon the Children of Difobedience, Eph. 5.6.

3. They are reprovable who having been often in the Mercat place and as often counselled to buy, yet fill following their own vain and crooked counfels, have either hitherto delayed to buy, or flatly fay they will not buy.

4. They are reprovable who Trade both with Chrif and Mammon; there are many double minded men, who have a heart and a heart one heart in pretence for Chrift, but the other in reality for the world, or if at any time they be for Chrift,it is only when their being fo, will probably make for advan cing their worldlie interefts; are there not manie who rather make a gain of Gadliness, than count Godliness their gain. Belasm would fain have been in the ftead of the righteous, yet his predominant choice ran upon the wages of unrighteoufaels. Ju das did traffick for Christ to save Souls, but he alfe trafficked for the thirty pieces of Silver, to deftroy Saviour of Souls'; Simon Magus effayed to

Trade

Trade with Chrift, but he was for a money bargain, to make money by the bargain; for no doubt he des figned to make a Lucrative trade of working mira= culous Cures, and conferring the gifts of the Holy Ghoft; and bence we may ftrongly fufpe&t,that all Simoniacale Minifters, are alfo Mammonical Minifters, teaching & preaching for filthy lucres fake, Ta,1,11,

5.They are reprovable who though they are eng gaged in a courfe of trading with Chrift, & perhaps have gotten a flock of Graces among their hands, yet are not induftrious or exercised to improve their Rock to daily increafe; are there not many low fpirited Chriftians, who if they have bat as much grace as they think will fave them, care not for grace (uf ficient to ferve God, but forelie fuch are unworthie of the grace of God, and are inadvertent to the Call of God, 2 Pet, 3, 18, But grow in grace &c.

6. They are reprovable who dailie leffen their Trade with Chrift, falling more flack and remifs or lefs frequent and fervent in duties, than they were wont to be, Rev. 2.4. I have fomewhat again thee because thou baft left thy firft love; they may al fo be put in the fame Categorie, who give up trading with Chrift, Gal. 5. 7. Ye did run well who did bin der you, that ye should not obey the Trath. But more of this anone.

SECTION II

The second Use of Exhortation.

My dear Friends, be exhorted and advised to
Trade with Chrift, to Buy from Chrift,

buy and get Chrift, and his precious benefits; la me tell you Sirs, you may clole this Bargain in a word onlie fay to God Who calls you to take Chrill even fo I take Him, and in the Lords Name I affure you that if with fincere Faith you thus Embrace Chrift, it is a faft bargain to eternitie; and if ye will, not be counfelled by a Mortal like your felves for Chrilts fake, take Chrifts own Counfel, I Counfel thee to buy of Me Gold tried in the fire that tho mayft be rich, Sc. O Sirs, what is the matter with you, that ye are fo hard of bearing so dull of under flanding, & fo flow of moving that ye will not come when called upon, I fay arife for the Mafter calleth: O had I the Rhetorick of Men & Angels, and the elo quent Tongue of the Learned, I would employ all my Faculties and Skill to gain your Confent to fall a Trading with Chrift: But that I may the more pro bably prevail. I offer to your Confideration thele following Merives, which I divide into two diftin& Claffes.

The fift Class we fubdivide into two feveral Branch's, viz. 1. Of the excellencie of Trading with Chrift 2. Of the tranfcendent Properties of

Chrifts Wares.

As to the firft Branch, viz. Of the excellencie of Trading with Chrift, fürelie it is the best of all Trades, for the evincement and illuftration whereof, take thefe enfuing Confiderations,

1. Confid. Trading with Chrift is the most advan gious and enriching trade; all the little pedling trade we can have in worldlie things, is but in trifles and that appertain to back and bellie, and this

momen

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