Compassionate counsel to all young men especially I. London apprentices, II. students of divinity,…

Qu. 12. Do you think in your hearts that you have more pleasure, and sound content, and peace with your Whores, and in your Sports, and Drink, or Riches, than true Believers have in God, in Christ, in a holy life, and the hopes of everlasting Glory? Judge but by the cause: Is not the Love of that God that is the Lord of Life, and Death, and all, and the pleasure of pleasing him, and the sense of pardon and mercy through Christ, and the firm expectation of endless joy, by a promise of God, sealed by his Son, his Sacraments, ⟨p. 74⟩and his Spirit; I say, is not all this matter more worthy to rejoice a Soul, than Money, and Meat, and Drink, and Lust? Have not you those secret gripes of Conscience, when you think how short the sport will be, and that for all these things you must come to judgment, which much abateth the pleasure of your sin? Had you spent that time in seeking first the Kingdom of God and its Righteousness, and in honest, obedient labouring in your callings, you need not have looked back on it with the gripes of an accusing Conscience. If you see a true Believer sorrowful, it is not for serving and obeying God, or being holy and hating sin; but for serving God no better, and hating sin no more.

Qu. 12. Do you think in your hearts that you have more pleasure, and sound content, and peace with your Whores, and in your Sports, and Drink, or Riches, than true Believers have in God, in Christ, in a holy life, and the hopes of everlasting Glory? Judge but by the cause: Is not the Love of that God that is the Lord of Life, and Death, and all, and the pleasure of pleasing him, and the sense of pardon and mercy through Christ, and the firm expectation of endless joy, by a promise of God, sealed by his Son, his Sacraments, ⟨p. 74⟩and his Spirit; I say, is not all this matter more worthy to rejoyce a Soul, than Money, and Meat, and Drink, and Lust? Have not you those secret gripes of Conscience, when you think how short the sport will be, and that for all these things you must come to judgment, which much abateth the pleasure of your sin? Had you spent that time in seeking first the Kingdom of God and its Righteousness, and in honest, obedient labouring in your callings, you need not have lookt back on it with the gripes of an accusing Conscience. If you see a true Believer sorrowful, it is not for serving and obeying God, or being holy and hating sin; but for serving God no better, and hating sin no more.