A95855:91
The way to true happiness, or, the way to heaven opened. In a sermon…The way to true happinesse, or, the way to heaven open'd. In a sermon…
The way to true happiness, or, the way to heaven opened. In a sermon before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London, Jan. 28. 1654/5 / By Ralph Venning.The way to true happinesse, or, the way to heaven open'd. In a sermon before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London, Jan. 28. 1654/5 / By Ralph Venning.
London: printed by T.R. and E.M. for John Rothwel, 1655
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
There are these two provoking Arguments from the text. 1 It is for no less then a Kingdom, yea, for no less then the Kingdom of Heaven, and is that worth nothing? The Gospel is called the Gospel of the Kingdom, Matth. 4.23. And the Word of the Kingdom, Matth. 13.19. For by it we are called to his Kingdom and glory. Shall not a Kingdom? shall not of all Kingdoms this Kingdom be glorious in our eyes, which is the Kingdom of glory? The devil offered Christ (as his greatest argument of hope to prevail by,) the Kingdoms of this world and their glory; but what's that to this? what's time to eternity? what's earth to Heaven? what are visibles to invisibles? what the things of sense to things of saith? what this glory to that which is to be revealed?
There are these two provoking Arguments from the text. 1 It is for no lesse then a Kingdome, yea, for no lesse then the Kingdome of Heaven, and is that worth nothing? The Gospel is called the Gospel of the Kingdom, Matth. 4.23. And the Word of the Kingdome, Matth. 13.19. For by it we are called to his Kingdome and glory. Shall not a Kingdome? shall not of all Kingdomes this Kingdome be glorious in our eyes, which is the Kingdome of glory? The devil offered Christ (as his greatest argument of hope to prevaile by,) the Kingdomes of this world and their glory; but what's that to this? what's time to eternity? what's earth to Heaven? what are visibles to invisibles? what the things of sense to things of saith? what this glory to that which is to be revealed?
We all naturally love greatness and glory, and can there be greater glory, or more glorious greatness then this? to be Kings to God here, Kings with God hereafter, and to reign with him more then a thousand years? You see what a do there is in the world (and I wish there be no evil done in the world) for Crowns, Sceptres and Kingdoms; do all the Kingdoms of the earth suffer violence, and do the violent take them by force, and shall