A26903:125
Compassionate counsel to all young men especially I. London apprentices, II. students of divinity,…
Compassionate counsel to all young men especially I. London apprentices, II. students of divinity, physic, and law, III. the sons of magistrates and rich men / by Richard Baxter.Compassionate counsel to all young men especially I. London apprentices, II. students of divinity, physick, and law, III. the sons of magistrates and rich men / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by T.S., 1681
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.
I. Set your Understandings seriously, and diligently to the work which they are made for, and consider well what is your Interest and your Duty, till you come to a fixed Resolution, what is for your good, and what is ⟨p. 87⟩for your hurt, and what that good or hurt will be.]
I. Set your Vnderstandings seriously, and diligently to the work which they are made for, and consider well what is your Interest and your Duty, till you come to a fixed Resolution, what is for your good, and what is ⟨p. 87⟩for your hurt, and what that good or hurt will be.]
Should it be a hard thing to persuade a man in his wits to love himself, and to think what is good or hurtful to himself, especially for everlasting? Why are you Men if you will live like Dogs? What do you with Understandings if you will not use them? What will you use them for, if not for your own good, and to avoid misery? What good will you desire, if not everlasting Joy and Glory? and what hurt will you avoid, if not Hell fire? Have you reason, and can you live as if these were not worth the thinking on? Will you bestow your thoughts all the day and year upon you know not what, nor why, and not one hour soberly think of such important things as these? O Sirs! Will you go out of the World before you well think whither you must go? Will you appear before the Judge of Souls, to give up your great account before you think of it, and how it must be done? Is he worthy of the help of Grace, that will not use his natural Reason? I beg it of you as ever you care what becomes of you for ever, that you will some time alone set your selves for one hour seriously to think, [Who made you, and why; what you owe him; ⟨p. 88⟩how much you depend on him; what you have done against him; how you have spent your time; what case your Souls are in; what Christ hath done for you; and what he is or would be to you; whether you are sanctified and forgiven; what Gods Spirit must do for you; and what you must be and do if you will be saved; and if it be otherwise, whither it is that you must go.