A29687:679
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.
First, Consider that 'tis not absolutely necessary that you §1should be rich, or high, or great in this world, but 'tis absolutely necessary that you should be holy; the want of riches can only trouble you, but the want of holiness will certainly damn you; you may be happy in another world, though you are not high in this world; many a man has gone to heaven without a penny in his purse, or good clothes on his back;1 and doubtless 'tis infinitely better with ragged naked Lazarus to go to heaven, then 'tis with Dives to go rich and bravely clad to hell; 'tis better to go to heaven poor, and halt, and maimed, then to go to hell sound and rich; poverty and outward misery with salvation, is far better then worldly prosperity and felicity with everlasting perdition: Holiness and not riches is the One thing necessary; if thou hast holiness, nothing can make thee miserable, but if thou wantest holiness, nothing can make thee happy. Outward blessings are no infallible evidences of a blessed estate. Was Abraham rich? so was Abimelech to: Was Jacob rich? so was Laban to: Was David a King? so was Saul to: Was Constantine an Emperor? so was Julian to. 'Tis only holiness that sets the crown of happiness upon a Christians head. But,
First, Consider that 'tis not absolutely necessary that you §1should be rich, or high, or great in this world, but 'tis absolutely necessary that you should be holy; the want of riches can onely trouble you, but the want of holiness will certainly damne you; you may be happy in another world, though you are not high in this world; many a man has gone to heaven without a penny in his purse, or good cloaths on his back;1 and doubtless 'tis infinitely better with ragged naked Lazarus to go to heaven, then 'tis with Dives to go rich and bravely clad to hell; 'tis better to go to heaven poor, and halt, and maimed, then to go to hell sound and rich; poverty and outward misery with salvation, is far better then worldly prosperity and felicity with everlasting perdition: Holiness and not riches is the One thing necessary; if thou hast holiness, nothing can make thee miserable, but if thou wantest holiness, nothing can make thee happy. Outward blessings are no infallible evidences of a blessed estate. Was Abraham rich? so was Abimelech to: Was Jacob rich? so was Laban to: Was David a King? so was Saul to: Was Constantine an Emperor? so was Julian to. 'Tis onely holiness that sets the crown of happiness upon a Christians head. But,