to Heavenly Merchantmen

When describing the pilgrims passing through Vanity Fair, Mr. Bunyan says:—

“That which did not a little amuse the merchandisers was, that these pilgrims set very light by all their wares; they cared not so much as to look upon them; and if they called upon them to buy, they would put their fingers in their ears and cry, ‘Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity;’ and look upwards, signifying that their traffic was in Heaven.

“One chanced, mockingly, beholding the carriage of the men, to say unto them, ‘What will you buy?’ But they, looking gravely upon him, said, ‘We buy the truth.’ ”

The true Christian is like the merchantman who sought goodly pearls: he sought them to buy them; he bought them with all that he had.

Let us carefully consider

I. THE COMMODITY: “the truth.”

1. Doctrinal Truth. The Gospel. The three R’s—Ruin, Redemption, and Regeneration. The doctrines of grace.

   • These are the genuine articles; but counterfeits are in the market.
   • A gospel buyer must learn to discriminate, so as to reject
   • Salvation without Christ as God.
   • Pardon without an atoning sacrifice.
   • Life without the new birth.
   • Regeneration without faith.
   • Faith without works.
   • Safety without perseverance in holiness.

2. Experimental Truth. The new birth and the heavenly life are real gems. But of these there are base imitations.

   • Discriminate between true religion and
   • Faith without repentance.
   • Talk without feeling.
   • Life without struggles.
   • Confidence without examination.
   • Perfection without humility.

3. Practical Truth. Truth as a matter of act and deed.

   • Take care not to seem what you are not.
   • Never do what you are ashamed of.
   • Never be willfully ignorant of what you should know.

II. THE PURCHASE: “buy the truth.” Here let us at once

1. Correct an Error. Strictly speaking, truth and grace cannot be either bought or sold. Yet Scripture says: “buy wine and milk without money and without price.”

2. Expound the word. It is fitly chosen; for in order to be saved we should be ready to buy truth if it were to be bought:

   • To give up every sin, fulfill all righteousness, and give that we have, if such were the price.
   • To be right with God by earnest watchfulness as much as if everything depended upon ourselves.
   • To be ready to endure every test, make every search, etc.
   • To run every risk, bear every cross, give up every worldly pleasure in order to be true to Jesus.
   • 3 Paraphrase the Sentence.
   • Buy what is truly the Truth.
   • Buy all the Truth.
   • Buy only the Truth.
   • Buy the Truth at any price.
   • Buy now the Truth.

3. Give reasons for the Purchase.

   • It is in itself most precious.
   • You need it at this moment for a thousand useful purposes.
   • You will need it in time and in eternity.

4. Direct you to the Market.

   • “Buy of Me,” says Christ.
   • The Market-day is now on, “Come, buy.”

5. Repeat the Text: “Buy the Truth.”

   • Not merely hear about it.
   • Nor rest content with commending it to others.
   • Nor satisfied just to know about it.
   • Nor content with heartily wishing for it.
   • Nor be content with intending to buy it.
   • But, “Buy the Truth”: down with the cash, conclude the bargain, secure the estate.

III. THE PROHIBITION: “Sell it not” Purchase it as a permanent investment, not to be parted with

Some sell it for a livelihood; for respectability; for repute of being scientific and thoughtful; to gratify a friend; for the pleasure of sin; for nothing at all but mere wantonness; but you must hold to it as for life itself.

Buy it at any price and sell it at no price.

You still need it.

It has well repaid you hitherto.

You cannot better yourself by bartering it for the whole world.

You are lost without it. Sell it not!

Hints To Buyers

Solomon bids us “buy the truth,” but does not tell, us what it must cost, because we must get it though it be never so dear. We must love it both shining and scorching. Every parcel of truth is precious as the filings of gold; we must either live with it, or die for it. As Ruth said to Naomi, “Where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge, and nothing but death shall part you and me” (Ruth 1:16, 17); so must gracious spirits say, Where truth goes I will go, and where truth lodges I will lodge, and nothing but death shall part me and truth. A man may lawfully sell his house, land, and jewels, but truth is a jewel that exceeds all price, and must not be sold; it is our heritage: “Your testimonies have I taken as an heritage forever”: Psalm 119:111. It is a legacy which our forefathers have bought with their blood, which should make us willing to lay down anything, and to lay out anything, that we may, with the wise merchant in the gospel (Matthew 13:45) purchase the precious pearl, which is more worth than Heaven and earth, and which will make a man live happy, die comfortably, and reign eternally.—Thomas Brooks.

“Now, as I said, the way to the Celestial City lies just through this town where this lusty fair is kept; and he who would go to the City, and yet not go through this town, must needs go out of the world. The Prince of princes himself, when here, went through this town to His own country, and that upon a Fair-day too. Yes, and as I think, it was Beelzebub, the chief Lord of this Fair, that invited Him to buy of its vanities: yes, would have made Him Lord of the Fair, would he but have done him reverence as He went through the town; yes, because He was such a person of honor, Beelzebub had Him from street to street, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a little time, that he might, if possible, allure that blessed One to cheapen and buy some of his vanities; but he had no mind to the merchandise, and therefore left the town, without laying out so much as one farthing upon these vanities. This Fair, therefore, is an ancient thing, of long standing, and a very great Fair.”—Bunyan.