A29676:209
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. › Encouragements to Young men
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.
And this I shall make clear by that which follows.
First, The sooner any man begins to be really good, the ⟨p. 126⟩more good he will do in this world. Now the more good any man doth on earth, the more glory he shall have in Heaven. Therefore my beloved Brethren, 1be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know, that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Mans wages, mans reward shall be according to his works; he that doth most work here, shall have most reward hereafter. God will at last proportion the one to the other, 2the reward to the work. He which soweth sparingly, shall reap sparingly, and he which soweth bountifully, shall reap bountifully. Though no man shall be rewarded for his works; yet God will at last measure out happiness, and blessedness to his people, 3according to their service, faithfulness, diligence, and work in this world. Grace is glory in the bud, and glory is grace at the full; glory is nothing else but a bright constellation of graces, ⟨p. 127⟩happiness, nothing but the quintessence of holiness. Grace and glory differ (non specie, sed gradu) in degree, not kind, as the learned speak. Grace and glory differ very little, the one is the seed, the other is the flower; grace is glory militant, and glory is grace triumphant; and a man may as well plead for equal degrees of grace in this world, as he may plead for equal degrees of glory in the other world. Surely the more grace here, the more glory hereafter; and the more work Christians do on earth, the more glory they shall have in Heaven; and the sooner men begin to be good, the more good they will do in this world, and the more they do here, the more they shall have hereafter. Philosophers seem to weigh our virtues with our vices, and according to the preponderation of either, denominate us good, or bad, and so deliver us up to reward or punishment.