A29676:451
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. › Good Couns 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.
Ah friends! You should never look upon your sins, but you should look upon them as your bonds; yea as the worst bonds that ever were; all other chains are golden chains, chains of Pearl, compared to those chains of Iron and Brass; those chains of lusts with which you are bound. Ah! who can thus look upon his chains, his sins, and not loathe them, and not labour for freedom from them? Justinus the Emperors Motto was (Libert as res inestimabilis) liberty is unvaluable; if civil liberty be, surely spiritual liberty is much more; if you ask souls that were once in a state of bondage, but ⟨p. 279⟩are now Christs free-men, they will tell you so.
Ah friends! You should never look upon your sins, but you should look upon them as your bonds; yea as the worst bonds that ever were; all other chains are golden chains, chains of Pearl, compared to those chains of Iron and Brasse; those chains of lusts with which you are bound. Ah! who can thus look upon his chains, his sins, and not loathe them, and not labour for freedome from them? Justinus the Emperours Motto was (Libert as res inestimabilis) liberty is unvaluable; if civil liberty bee, surely spiritual liberty is much more; if you ask souls that were once in a state of bondage, but ⟨p. 279⟩are now Christs free-men, they will tell you so.
It was a good observation of Chrysostom, 1that Joseph was the free-man, and his Mistress was the servant, when she was at the beck of her own lusts, when she tempted, and he refused. Such as live most above sin and temptation are the greatest freemen, others that live under the power of their lusts, are but slaves, and in bonds, though they dream and talk of freedom, Tit. 3.3.