A29687:541
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.
Fourthly, In the words you have a promise of peace, v. 19. I create the fruit of the lips, peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; the gemination of the ⟨p. 333⟩word (Shalom, Shalom) peace, peace, imports a large extent of peace, it notes true peace, firm peace, sure peace, great peace, abundance of peace, yea constant & lasting peace; under the name of peace in the Hebrew is denoted all manner of prosperity, and the Geminating of the word always notes a large measure of tranquility, plenty, prosperity, and felicity. Oh sirs, peace with God, and peace with conscience, and peace with the creatures, are all the products of Gods creating power and grace, 2 Eph. 16.17, 18. and so must be referred to the Covenant of Grace.
Secondly, Let us consider the persons to whom these precious §2promises are made; and here set us observe these three things.
First, Their sin, and this you have in vers. 17. For the iniquity §1of his covetousness I was wroth; The sin that is charged upon him is a very great and grievous, 'tis a very vile and heinous sin, 'tis called not only covetousness, but the iniquity of his covetousness, to show the height and transcendency of this their wickedness, for covetousness is a Mother-sin,1 'tis a breeding sin, 'tis a sin that has all sin in the womb of it, 'tis a sin not only against the light and law of grace, but also against the light and law of nature, for it makes the soul terrene which should be celestial; and therefore the Persians, though Heathens, have a law that no man ought to covet what belongs to any other man; And they have another Law, that they ought not to be worldly minded: No sin lays men under greater woes: Woe to him that joineth house to house; and woe to you Scribes, Pharisees and Hypocrites,