A29687:731
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.
All our mercies without holiness, will be but as the waters of Marah, 1bitter; 'tis only holiness that is the Tree that will make every bitter sweet, and every sweet more sweet; and how then canst thou but be thankful for holiness? O remember how far off thou wert from God,2 and Christ, and the promise, and heaven, and happiness, when thou wast without holiness in this world; O remember what a child of wrath, what ⟨p. 459⟩a bond-slave to Satan, what an enemy to God, and what an apparent heir to hell thou wert; when thou wert an opposer of holiness, and a secret despiser of holiness, and then be unthankful for holiness if thou canst; O remember, that now by holiness of a slave thou art made a Son, and of an heir of wrath,3 thou art made an heir of heaven, and in stead of being Satan's bond-man, thou art now made Christs free-man,4 thy Iron-chains are now knocked off (as sometimes Joseph's were) and the Golden chain of holiness is now put upon thee,5 and what do's all this call aloud for, but thankfulness?6 Thales a Heathen gave thanks to God for three things. 1. That he had made him a man, and not a beast. 2. That he had made him a man, and not a woman. 3. That he was borne a Greek, and not a Barbarian: And O then what cause of thankfulness hast thou for thy supernatural being, and for all those noble principles of holiness that the Lord has stamped upon thy soul, &c? Shall the husbandman be thankful for a plentiful Harvest, and the Merchant for quick returns, and the Shop-keeper for a full Trade, and the Mariner for a good voyage, and wilt not thou be much more thankful for holiness? Shall the beggar be thankful for a crust to feed him, and shall the blind be thankful for a dog to lead him, and shall the naked be thankful for rags to cover him,7