A41668:57
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 2: Containeth the grand proposition, with the Reasons thereof.
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.
Reas. 3. Another reason may be taken from the momentary shortness, and mutable uncertainty of thy life. So short it is, that the whole of it, from first to last, is little enough for thy necessary work: To get an interest in Christ, to mortify thy Lusts, to furnish thy self with Grace, to fill up thy fruits of righteousness, and thereby to make sure to thy self a bet-ter life; believe it, these are not the works of a few days or hours.
Reas. 3. Another reason may be taken from the momentary shortness, and mu•able uncertainty of thy life. So short it is, that the whole of it, from first to last, is little enough for thy necessary work: To get an interest in Christ, to mortifie thy Lusts, to furnish thy self with Grace, to fill up thy fruits of righteousness, and thereby to make sure to thy self a bet-ter life; believe it, these are not the works of a few days or hours.
And so uncertain is thy life, that thou hast no assurance of living one day longer. We are all but Tenants at will, and may be turned out of our Earthly Tabernacles whensoever our great Landlord pleaseth, even at a quarters, yea at a minutes warning. And therefore as thou hast any regard to the Eternal welfare and Salvation of thy precious Soul, it behoveth thee now, even now to set to thy work, to abandon thy sins, to close with the tenders and offers of Jesus Christ, to give up thy self to the service of God; for ⟨p. 7⟩thou knowest not what a day-or an hour may bring forth.
A man that hath a work of great consequence to be done, and but one day for the doing it, had need rise early in the morning, and with all possible speed to fall upon it. This is thy case, thou hast a great work to be done, even the Salvation of thy precious and immortal Soul; and but a little time allowed thee for the doing of it, and that very uncertain. Doth it not then concern thee speedily, without any further delay, to set about it, and to improve thy precious time to the best advantage?