A29687:524
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.
Object. But the prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, Pro. 15.8. Chap. 28.9. and he casts their sacrifices as dung in their faces, Isa. 1.11.—16. Ch. 58.1.—7. their very prayers are sinful, and therefore they were better neglect prayer till God shall work graciously and savingly upon them, then to pray, and so to sin as often as they pray, &c. To this I answer.
Object. But the prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, Pro. 15.8. Chap. 28.9. and he casts their sacrifices as dung in their faces, Isa. 1.11.—16. Ch. 58.1.—7. their very prayers are sinfull, and therefore they were better neglect prayer till God shall worke graciously and savingly upon them, then to pray, and so to sin as often as they pray, &c. To this I answer.
First, The prayers of the wicked may be materially good, when they are not formally good, yea when they are Theologically evil, 2 Chron. 25.2. Amaziah did that which was perfect in the sight of the Lord (as to the matter) but not with a perfect or sincere heart; he failed not in the matter, but in the manner; he did not do that good he did from principles of faith, love, &c. nor to a right end, divine glory; many unsanctified persons may have the gift of prayer, that have not the spirit of prayer,1 nor the grace of prayer, Math. 7.21. Ch. 23.14. Now certainly where God gives such a gift, he requires the use of it; the gift of prayer is from the Spirit, as well as the grace of prayer; and who can tell but that upon the use of the gift of prayer, the Spirit may give the grace of prayer; however, 'tis dangerous to neglect a gift; the slothful servant was not cast into utter darkness for rioting out his Talent, but for not improving of his Talent.