A29687:239
The crown & glory of Christianity, or, Holiness, the only way to happiness discovered…The crovvn & glory of Christianity, or, Holiness, the only way to happiness discovered…
The crown & glory of Christianity, or, Holiness, the only way to happiness discovered in LVIII sermons from Heb. 12. 14, where you have the necessity, excellency, rarity, beauty and glory of holiness set forth, with the resolution of many weighty questions and cases, also motives and means to perfect holiness : with many other things of very high and great importance to all the sons and daughters of men, that had rather be blessed then cursed, saved then damned / by Thomas Brooks ...The crovvn & glory of Christianity, or, Holiness, the only way to happiness discovered in LVIII sermons from Heb. 12. 14, where you have the necessity, excellency, rarity, beauty and glory of holiness set forth, with the resolution of many weighty questions and cases, also motives and means to perfect holiness : with many other things of very high and great importance to all the sons and daughters of men, that had rather be blessed then cursed, saved then damned / by Thomas Brooks ...
London: printed for H. Crips, 1662
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
so a possibility of knowing whether you have this pearl of price, Holiness, should work you to make a diligent search and enquiry after it. Let no man do more upon the account of a possibility for this world, then you will do upon the account of a possibility for another world: Let no man do more upon the account of a possibility for his body, then you will do upon the account of a possibility for your souls: Let no man do more upon the account of a possibility for temporals, then you will do upon the account of a possibility for eternals. It is possible for you to know whether this babe of grace, Holiness, be formed in your souls or no; and therefore search and enquire after it.
Secondly, Consider this, that it is a point of very great §2concernment to you, to know whether you have this real holiness or no; your souls lies upon it; eternity lies upon it;1 your All lies upon it; and an error here, may make a man miserable for ever; it is good for thee to know the state of thy body, the state of thy family, the state of thy flock;2 but it is of infinite more consequence for thee to know the state of thine own soul: No man lives so miserable, nor no man dies so sadly, as he that lives and dies a stranger to his own soul: It is good for thee to set all reckonings even between thy self and others, but it is far better to set all reckonings even between God and thine own soul. Ah how many are there, who are better known to others,3 then they are to themselves! and who are able to give a better account of their Lands and Lordships, of their Treasures and Manors, yea of their Horses, Hawks and Hounds, then they are of the state of their souls! Ah how many are there that are very inquisitive to know things to come,4