A64999:223
Words of advice to young men delivered in two sermons at two conventions of…
Words of advice to young men delivered in two sermons at two conventions of young men, the one Decemb. 25, 1666, the other Decemb. 25, 1667 / by Thomas Vincent ...
London: printed for Thomas Parkhurst, 1668
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.
3. That you cannot avoid sorrow, if you should continue in the way of sin, pride crossed, the world failing, afflictions unexpected coming upon you, which are born with cheerfulness by the children of God, may be heart-breaking to you; one time or other you will have sorrows in a sinful course; and is it not better to have godly sorrow which worketh repentance unto salvation, than the sorrow of the world and lust which worketh death and destruction?
3. That you cannot avoid sorrow, if you should continue in the way of sin, pride crossed, the world failing, afflictions unexpected coming upon you, which are born with chearfulness by the children of God, may be heart-breaking to you; one time or other you will have sorrows in a sinfull course; and is it not better to have godly sorrow which worketh repentance unto salvation, than the sorrow of the world and lust which worketh death and destruction?
4. That if you can obtain a kindly sorrow for sin, which is a sweet melting of the heart with the sense of Gods love, you will find more pleasure to your inward man than ever you did in all the delights of sin.
5. That you are not required in this way to throw away all your comforts in your creature-enjoyments, but only to deny your selves the excess and inordinacy, which where it is taken, breeds more bitterness in the disappointment, than ever it yielded sweetness unto any: You may take a subordinate comfort in friends, and habitation, and food, and the like, and herein more real comfort through the sweetening of these things with Gods blessing and love, than ever you could find in these things before.
5. That you are not required in this way to throw away all your comforts in your creature-enjoyments, but only to deny your selves the excess and inordinacy, which where it is taken, breeds more bitterness in the disappointment, than ever it yielded sweetness unto any: You may take a subordinate comfort in friends, and habitation, and food, and the like, and herein more reall comfort through the sweetning of these things with Gods blessing and love, than ever you could finde in these things before.