A29676:174
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
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.
The second evil that Youth is subject to, is, 1sensual pleasures and delights, Rejoice, O young man in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes. The wise man by an Ironical concession bids him rejoice. &c. Sin, &c. ⟨p. 88⟩thou art wilful, and resolved upon taking thy pleasure, go on, take thy course, this he speaks by way of mockage, and bitter scoff, &c. but know thou that for all these things, God will bring thee into judgement. So Sampson made a feast; 2for so used the Young men to do, the hearts of young men usually are much given up to pleasure. I have read of a young man who was very much given up to pleasures, he standing by St. Ambrose, and seeing his excellent death, turned to other young men by him, and said, Oh! that I might live with you, and dye with him. Sensual pleasures are like to those Locusts, Rev. 9.7 the crowns upon whose heads, are said to be only as it were such, or such in appearance, and like Gold, but vers. 10 it is said, there were (not as it were, 3but) stings in their tails. Sensual pleasures are but seeming, and appearing pleasures, but the pains ⟨p. 89⟩that attend them are true and real; he that delights in sensual pleasures, shall find his greatest pleasures, become his bitterest pains. The Heathens looked upon the back parts of pleasure, and saw it going away from them, and leaving a sling behind. Pleasures pass away as soon as they have wearied out the body, and leave it as a bunch of grapes, whose juice hath been pressed out; which made one to say, (Nulla major voluptas, quam voluptatis fastidium) I see no greater pleasure in this world, than the contempt of pleasure. Julian though an Apostate, yet professed, that the pleasures of the body were far below a great spirit. And Tully saith, he is not worthy of the name of man (qui unum diem velit esse in voluptate,) that would entirely spend one whole day in pleasures, it is better not to desire pleasures than to enjoy them.