To pneuma ksopyrén, or Sparkes of the spirit, being, motives to sacred theorems, and divine meditations. / By a reverend father of the Church of England.

Sect. XCVI. The Merchant's gaine.

SAint Paul, the vessell of honour, doth teach that Godliness is great and true

gaine: Let us therefore seek and search, hunger and thirst for this gain. Let the love of godlinesse (not of money) break our sleep, possesse our thoughts in the night; let us minde it first in the morning, and medi∣tate on it most in the day time. And as the Merchants for his gaines, maketh long voyages, hazards life and health, sequesters himself from his wife and children: So let us for the Kingdom of God indure troubles without, & terrours with∣in, leave wife and children, and with a valourous mind passe all the seas and storms of this world: and as the covetous Merchant, the el∣der he waxeth the more greedy he is to gather; so

the elder we are, let us make the more carefull provision of faith and good works. If we be Merchants, let us ex∣change our commodities for better; let us leave our avarice, that we may receive content; refuse sin that we may receive our Saviour. One soul is more precious than the whole world, let us then sell the world to save our soules. The Kingdome of Heaven is a Pearl that can∣not be purchased except we part with all we have. If we be merchants, let us ven∣ture for it. Who would not with the poor fisher-men leave an old net to follow Christ?* 1.1 Who would not with the woman of Samaria change a cup of well water for the water of the foun∣tain

of life?* 1.2 Who would not with Zacheus do away half his goods to obtain a King∣dom? Who would not with the penitent thief bestow a broken heart, and a short prayer for a Crown of glo∣ry?* 1.3 Who would not with the poor widow forgoe a mite to receive a million? Who would not with Christ and his holy Martyrs endure the Crosse, that he may enjoy the Crown? Who would not with the wise men exchange gold, frankincense and myrrhe to obtaine Grace, truth, and mercy?

Spark 96.

O God, thou art my God, my goods are nothing unto

thee. Whom have I in heaven but thee, and whom shall I de∣sire on earth in comparison of thee? O Lord, thou did'st with thy bloud arrest hea∣ven for me, when thou wast circumcised, thou hast paid the whole, when thou wast crucified? then didst thou take our sins, and ga∣vest us thy salvation. I am a poor banquerupt; I can offer thee nothing that is of worth, accept of my mite of devotion, my cold wa∣ter of almes, my grain of faith, my desire of sorrow, my sighes of satisfaction, and my purpose to praise thee. Alas, sweet Jesus, I cannot give thee thy own goods to gain my own glo∣ry. I have nothing left me but the name of Merchant:

Satan, the man of War, hath taken away the gold of my faith: I have exchanged thy graces for the worlds vanity, and I have so long listened to the sirens of my own con∣cupiscence, that I have made a shipwrack of all thy bles∣sings. Sweet Jesus, pardon my doings, and pay thou my debts: Give me that life which thou hast pur∣chased for me, and for∣give me that death which I have purchased for my self by my sins, Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Math. 4.
• * 1.2

  Luk. 19.
• * 1.3

  Luk. 21.