A64835:121
Things worth thinking on, or, Helps to piety being remains of some meditations, experiences,…
Things worth thinking on, or, Helps to piety being remains of some meditations, experiences, and sentences &c. never published till now : and now are as an addition to them which were formerly made public: together with a sermon entitled The beauty of holiness / by Ralph Venning ...Things worth thinking on, or, Helps to piety being remains of some meditations, experiences, and sentences &c. never published till now : and now are as an addition to them which were formerly made publick: together with a sermon entituled The beauty of holines / by Ralph Venning ...
London: printed for Robert Duncombe, 1664
THINGS Worth thinking on; OR, HELPS to PIETY. › Century 2: THE Second Century.
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.
2 All our attendances upon, and our addresses to God, speak not any need he hath of us; for he that giveth all things, needeth nothing, Acts 17.25. but they speak the need we stand in of God, of his mercy and grace, Heb. 4.16. And surely if God need not our services, he doth not need our sins. Wilt thou lie for God? Job 13.7. The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God, James 1.20. No evil is to be done for any good, Rom. 3.8. and they who sin under the pretence ⟨p. 40⟩of service, and dishonour God under the Name of honouring, will have no thanks for honouring, but severe judgement for sinning, 1 Sam. 15.20, — 23. Isa. 66.5. John 16.2.
3 We are forward to hear and pray, which are cheap and easy things; but when self is to be denied, and lusts to be subdued, what we pray for, is to be practised, and what we hear is to be done, (which is the Spirit, Power, and Life of Religion) ah how backward are we! alas, how many exercise themselves unto Godliness (use the means) who do not exercise themselves in Godliness, which is the end of means: Thus Religion dwindles away in, and persons content (though they cheat) themselves by mere externals: but how sad will it be to go as I may say religiously (i. e. hearing and praying) to Hell!