A29676:212
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 again, whatsoever the Saints do, though never so small and mean, it is great and glorious, because they do all in faith, and by the word, saith the same Author. To prevent mistakes you must remember that the works that Jesus Christ will reward at last, are supernatural works; they are 1 Works of God, 2 Wrought from God, 3 For God, 4 In God, 5 According to God; they are works that flow from supernatural principles; and ⟨p. 129⟩they are directed to supernatural ends, and performed in a supernatural way; now the sooner a man begins to be good, the more he will abound in these good works, and the more doubtless any man abounds in such good works on earth; the greater reward he shall have in heaven; yet it must not be forgotten, that the best actions; the best works of Hypocrites, and all men out of Christ, are but (splendida peccata) fair and shining sins, beautiful abominations. And as the Phoenix in Arabia gathers sweet odoriferous sticks together, and then blows them with her wings, 1and burns her self with them; so many a carnal professor, burns himself with his own good works, that is, by his expecting and trusting to receive that by his works, that is only to be received and expected from Jesus Christ. Though all that man can do towards the meriting of Heaven, is no more than the lifting up ⟨p. 130⟩of a festraw towards the meriting of a Kingdom; yet such a proud piece man is, that he is ready enough to say with proud Vega (Coelum gratis non accipiam) I will not have Heaven of free cost. 2A proud heart would fain have that of debt, which is merely of grace, and desires that to be of purchase, which God hath intended to be of free mercy; which made one to lay, that he would swim through a Sea of Brimstone, that he might come to Heaven at last; but he that swims not thither through the Sea of Christs blood, shall never come there; man must swim thither, not through brimstone, but through blood, or he miscarries for ever.
And again, whatsoever the Saints do, though never so small and mean, it is great and glorious, because they do all in faith, and by the word, saith the same Author. To prevent mistakes you must remember that the works that Jesus Christ will reward at last, are supernatural works; they are 1 Works of God, 2 Wrought from God, 3 For God, 4 In God, 5 According to God; they are works that flow from supernatural principles; and