A29676:125
Apples of gold for young men and women, and a crown of glory for…Apples of gold for young men and vvomen, and a crown of glory for…
Apples of gold for young men and women, and a crown of glory for old men and women. Or, The happiness of being good betimes, and the honour of being an old disciple Clearly and fully discovered, and closely, and faithfully applied. Also the young mans objections answered, and the old mans doubts resolved. By Thomas Brooks preacher of the gospel at Margarets new Fishstreet-hill.Apples of gold for young men and vvomen, and a crown of glory for old men and women. Or, The happiness of being good betimes, and the honour of being an old disciple Clearly and fully discovered, and closely, and faithfully applyed. Also the young mans objections answered, and the old mans doubts resolved. By Thomas Brooks preacher of the gospel at Margarets new Fishstreet-hill.
London: printed by R.I. for John Hancock, 1657
THE Young-Mans Duty AND EXCELLENCY. › The Young mans Duty and Excellency.
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.
Secondly, 1He is dead in respect of honour, he is dead to all privileges, he is not fit to inherit mercy, who will set the crown of life upon a dead man. The crown of life is only for living Christians, Rev. 2.10. The young Prodigal was dead, till he begun to be good, till he begun to remember his fathers house, and to resolve to return home. My ⟨p. 35⟩Son was dead, but is alive, 2and the Widow that liveth in pleasure, is dead while she liveth. 3When Jehoshaphat asked Barlaam, how old he was, he answered five and forty years old, to whom Jehoshaphat replied, thou seemest to be seventy, true saith he, if you reckon ever since I was born; but I count not those years which were spent in vanity: Ah! Sirs you never begin to live, till you begin to be good in good earnest. There is the life of vegetation, and that is the life of plants; secondly, there is the life of sense, and that is the life of beasts; Thirdly, there is the life of reason, and that is the life of man; Fourthly, there is the life of grace, and that is the life of Saints; and this life you do not begin to live, till you begin to be good; if a living Dog is better than a dead Lyon, as the wise man speaks, 4and if a Fly is more excellent than the heavens, because the Fly ⟨p. 36⟩hath life which the heavens hath not, as the Philosopher saith, what a sad dead poor nothing is that person that is a stranger to the life of grace and goodness, that is dead, even whilst he is alive.
Secondly, 1Hee is dead in respect of honour, hee is dead to all priviledges, hee is not fit to inherit mercy, who will set the crown of life upon a dead man. The crown of life is only for living Christians,