A29687:392
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.
The very remembering ⟨p. 207⟩of the just shall bring a blessing upon them that remember them. Whilst the just, the holy man lived, he was a blessing to those amongst whom he lived, and when he is dead, his memory is a blessing to posterity. But the name of the wicked shall not: whilst a wicked man lives, he lays his name under disdain and disgrace, and when he dies, he leaves it under an odious stink. Wickedness corrupts not only the heart but the name: And look as wickedness makes a mans soul stink in the nostrils of God, so wickedness makes a mans name stink in the nostrils of men. Look as a wicked mans body (when he is dead) stinks under ground, so his name stinks above ground. His very name casts forth so stinking a savour, that all the perfumes in the world, and all the spicery of hell can never sweeten it. Well, once more remember, that these words, The name of the wicked shall rot, are a Metaphorical speech taken from a tree, which though for a time it grows green and flourishes, yet at length it grows rotten; so though wicked men may flourish and be green and glorious for a time, yet at last they shall rot, their names shall rot on earth, their bodies shall rot in the grave, and their souls shall rot in hell: but the memory of the just shall be blessed. Next to a holy mans soul, there is nothing so near and dear to him as his name: and this God will so perfume, as that the fragrancy of it shall last for ever. The name of a holy man shall be always as an ointment poured forth: but the name of a wicked man shall be always as a stinking Jakes. O Sirs! what a deal of stir do many men make to get a name, to get a name to be wise, a name to be knowing,1 a name to be learned, a name to be skilful, a name to be rich, a name to be great, a name to be mighty, and a name to be valiant, &c. And why then should you not labour after holiness, that so you may get a good name, which is rather to be chosen then riches, Prov. 22.1. and which is better then precious ointment! Eccles. 7.1. O Sirs, shall many Romans and others run the hazard of damning their souls to immortalize their names, and will not you labour after holiness to eternalize yours? There is no way to a good name, to a good report, but by getting of holiness.