A41668:141
The young man's guide through the wilderness of this world to the heavenly Canaan…
The young man's guide through the wilderness of this world to the heavenly Canaan showing him how to carry himself Christian-like in the whole course of his life / by Tho. Gouge ...The young man's guide through the wilderness of this world to the heavenly Canaan shewing him how to carry himself Christian-like in the whole course of his life / by Tho. Gouge ...
London: printed by S. and B.G. for Nevil Simmons, 1676
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.
4. It is a mercy that sinners can never enough admire, that upon repentance they may be received into favour: but it is a wicked perverting this mercy of God, if instead of leading us to repentance, it should encourage us to defer the same from day to day. Because God is merciful, shall we be so ungrateful, as thereupon to run on in a course of sinning against him, presuming on his mercy to the last? Because God is gracious, shall we thereupon prove the more ungracious and rebellious against him, and his Commandments? That be far from us. Yea rather, seeing the Lord is merciful and gracious, let us be the more ashamed to sin against so good and gracious a God. Let not the mercy of God occasion us to take any encouragement to sin against him; but rather ⟨p. 34⟩let the consideration thereof be an effectual argument to prevail with us speedily to turn from our sins unto him, and to walk in the ways of holiness. Surely if there were any ingenuity in us, his love to us would constrain us to love him again: His mercy to us would work in us, both a care to please him, and a fear to offend him.
4. It is a mercy that sinners can never enough admire, that upon repentance they may be received into favour: but it is a wicked perverting this mercy of God, if instead of leading us to repentance, it should incourage us to defer the same from day to day. Because God is merciful, shall we be so ungrateful, as thereupon to run on in a course of sinning against him, presuming on his mercy to the last? Because God is gracious, shall we thereupon prove the more ungracious and rebellious against him, and his Commandments? That be far from us. Yea rather, seeing the Lord is merciful and gracious, let us be the more ashamed to sin against so good and gracious a God. Let not the mercy of God occasion us to take any incouragement to sin against him; but rather ⟨p. 34⟩let the consideration thereof be an effectual argument to prevail with us speedily to turn from our sins unto him, and to walk in the ways of holiness. Surely if there were any ingenuity in us, his love to us would constrain us to love him again: His mercy to us would work in us, both a care to please him, and a fear to offend him.