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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
THE Young Man's Guide. › Chapter 20: Of the well-ordering our Actions.
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.
1. Engage thy self deeply in a design for Eternity. Resolve for Heaven, and the way that leads to it. Be not longer a man for this world, but for the Everlasting Kingdom; and study out with plainness of heart, what is the surest way to the blessedness to come; and what ever thou findest it to be, what ever Objections thou ⟨p. 113⟩meetest with against it, let that be thy way. Studiously consider how thou mayst get into that way, and contrive and cast about how thou mayst effectually make progress in it.
1. Ingage thy self deeply in a design for Eternity. Resolve for Heaven, and the way that leads to it. Be not longer a man for this world, but for the Everlasting Kingdom; and study out with plainness of heart, what is the surest way to the blessedness to come; and what ever thou findest it to be, what ever Objections thou ⟨p. 113⟩meetest with against it, let that be thy way. Studiously consider how thou mayst get into that way, and contrive and cast about how thou mayst effectually make progress in it.
Godliness is the way to blessedness; and therefore let that be thy great study, how thou mayst live godly. Till thou hast in good earnest taken up a godly design, thou wilt never do any thing to purpose in it. The most of men are so far from living a godly life, that they have not yet designed any such thing. Some good may be done at times by them, but it is only as it falls in their way, by accident, rather than upon any serious good intent. This God regards not at all, nothing is acceptable to him, no nor like to be profitable to us, but what is done upon design, upon this godly design. When the series or course of our actions do, as the several Links in a Chain, all hang together, and draw all one way, then there's like to be something done to purpose. When there is only some little good scattered up and down, here a Link of the Chain, and there another, but not joined in a Chain together, they will not help us on our way. Let that therefore be your first care, take up an heavenly design, and therein let all your particular acts of Religion hang together.