A29676:132
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.
Again, to seek early, is to seek chiefly, primarily, after this or that thing; what we first seek, we seek as chief. Now to seek the Lord early, is to seek him primarily, chiefly, In the 63. Psal. and the 1. vers. Thou art my God, early will I seek thee; that is, 1I will seek thee as my choicest and my chiefest good. God is Alpha, ⟨p. 42⟩the fountain from whence all grace springs; and Omega, the Sea to which all glory runs; and therefore early and primarily to be sought. God is a perfect good, a solid good (id bonum perfectum dicitur, cui nil accedere, solidum cui ••l decedere potest. Lactantius) that is a perfect good to which nothing can be added, that a solid, from which nothing can be spared such a good God is, and therefore early and chiefly to be sought. 2God is a pure and simple good, he is a light in whom there is no darkness, a good, in whom there is no evil. The goodness of the Creature is mixed, yea that little goodness that is in the Creature is mixed with much evil, but God is an immixt good, 3he is good, he is a pure good, he is all over good, he is nothing but good. God is an Al-sufficient good, walk before me, and be upright, I am God Al-sufficient, in the 17. of Genesis and the 1. vers. Habet omnia, qui ⟨p. 43⟩habet habentem omnia, Aug. Hee hath all, that hath the haver of all. God hath in himself all power to defend you, all wisdom to direct you, all mercy to pardon you, all grace to enrich you, all Righteousness to clothe you, all goodness to supply you, and all happiness to crown you. 4God is a satisfying good, a good that fills the heart, and quiets the soul, in the 33. of Genesis and the 11. vers. I have enough, saith good Jacob, I have all, saith Jacob, for so the Hebrew hath it (Cholli) I have all, I have all comforts, all delights, all contents, &c. In having nothing, I have all things, because I have Christ, having therefore all things in him. I seek no other reward, for he is the universal reward, saith one. As the worth and value of many pieces of silver is to be found in one piece of gold. So all the petty excellencies that are scattered abroad in the Creatures are to be found