wherein every creature so justly oweth it self to glorifie that God which gave you your life and breaâ—h You came hither as the sick man unâ—o change of air for recovery and cure You came hither to imploy an immortal soul in the study of Eternity and in a spirit of enlargement and nobleness to look after those future things which shortly shall come to pass In plainest terms You came hither to settle the great case of your Souls heaven-ward on such solid terms that neither the troubles of life nor the very stroke of death should ever hereafter be able to amaze you You came hither to seek the Lord and his face reconciliation and communion with him whom you must enjoy or dye and fall for ever Oh dear Youths these are the great ends of life if you can apply your tender minds too tender I fear to close far with such ponderous matters yet these and no less than these are the sacred ends of life and your just duty if you can receive it And who indeed can have the heart to refuse or wave the righteous pleasure of the Lord herein Is it worth the time to design so earnestly as most do such inferiour things as Honours Estates and Friends here And shall it not much more become us to rouze up our minds to nobler things things worth the thoughts worthy of the cares of an immortal Soul How we may most silially and fully serve the glory of our great Creator How we may most surely escape the snares of death And in the end inherit the long long'd for crown of life If others can find no better imployment than with Claudius Souldiers to gather Cockles or with the poysonous Spider to make sorry traps to catch silly worthless Flies in If they will needs as too too many daily do with the Serpent go upon their belly and lick the dust unworthily chaining down an heaven-born spirit to poor unsutable and earthly things Yet let them be no Presidents unto you Call you upon your souls as that holy man did to remember their Country and Kindred above God hath given you the wings of nobler desires heavenward oh clip not those golden wings but make your flight as thâ— Dove unto the Arke Walk you in Gods name in the way that is most excellent and covet you the best things Thirdly You have now understood both where you are and what you have to do It â—ests still thirdly that you carefully consider by what true means these great ends are to be at length attained and enjoyed The glory of God the glory of God it is most mens language few mens care The persecutor in Isaiah could say Let God be glorified when he for his part went about whatever he could by his bitterness against Gods people to dishonour him Heaven and happiness are easily pretended to but not so easily enjoyed Neglect and slightiness in the means of our salvation is the Epidemical disease here we commonly stumble and fall Most men could soon be perswaded to like of the end but they can fearce away with the means Well the câ—se is however stated unalterably to our hands whether we like or like it not Our way of coming to the blessed favour of God and oh that our hearts may be solemn indeed in these solemn things our way I say again is that new and living way by Christ and the Covenant of free grace He is the way the truth and the life no man cometh to the Father but by him Our way unto any sweet communion with the Lord or consequently glory in the end for our own dear souls is by the real renewing of our inner man and sound conversion toward God For what communion thinks any man is light likely to have with darkness Or what fellowship if we will needs remain in our sins can Christ have with Belial We are now come to the great knot that sore difficulty wherein your present thoughts should be so justly taken up whereupon the Crisis and decision of your future state so certainly will depend Oh! that the Lord may please to bring you under the bond of his Covenant and make you partakers of this great this blessed and honourable change from nature to grace from the power of Satan to the Kingdom of God Knowledge and education may make an external Professor But it is only Regeneration that makes a true Christian. Conversion we may all with blushing confess with many it is plainly despised with most it is secreâ—ly disregarded as a matter of great and deep thoughts of heart and so we set up the exteriour profâ—ssion of the name of God without any serious travel in it But this will serve no mans turn it is a truth shall live when we are dead No Regeneration no Salvation Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God This is that ingrafting of the wild branch into the good Olive that it may bring forth better fruit This is as the first Resurrection unto life which must forerun any ascension unto glory This is that fresh and lively drawing of the glorious Image of God upon those dark hearts which lay before as the Earth in its first Chaos void and without form or beauty Oh! that men would forbear their hard thoughts and censures of God and the sweet workings of his grace There may be many weaknesses even in gracious hearts according to the frailty of humane nature while they are under the hand of God in the transacting of this great and unusual work There may and will be sore throwes and pangs accompanying of it whereever it is truly wrought But still these things need not be matter of reviling matter of distaste or discouragement unto any What God himself sowes is here sown in weakness And as for the thing it self this new birth this new life this renewing of the inward man must indispensably and certainly be if we desire any part or place in that new Ierusalem which is above This is the very posture of things before you these are those ancient Land-marks which none may remove What oh what manner of persons then ought you to be What continual and serious care are you obliged henceforth to take lest you should do the work of the Lord and your own souls slightly CHAP. III. Counsel and Advice propounded for the right Guidance and Improvement of the Young Mans present Condition to his Own and Others Solid Comfort YOu cannot now account as too many do gracious Counsel in the Lord either needless or burdensom No no it is as an excellent Oyle that needs break no mans head The needful and happy Clue to carry us through all our present Labyrinths The true Index of a sweet and hopeful disposicion So saies the Historian shall any man become surely eminent and prosperous if he be deliberate and willing to steer his course by the compass of Good Counsel It is the neglect of this that
your tender body the more necessity of Garments of salvation for your soul. Few Friends and no Inheritance that you are ever like to possess on Earth Oh! what cause have you to entreat the Lord to be your God and to give you an inheritance amongst his Saints in light Little or no Education here for accomplishing or polishing of nature How great an Enoblement would it now be unto you to be made partakers of that Spirit and Grace of God which makes the righteous more excellent than his Neighbour Such grace will be truly more to you than all riches It will preserve you from contempt for who dares despise him whose goings are with God It will make you welcome to all good men for the grace of your lips every man shall be a friend unto you It will procure you an â—rgh testimonial of honour from the Lord. I know thy poverty but thou art rich It will truly prefer you before those who upon all other accounts are far your Superiours The odds indeed is great but the decision and determination of the case God hath for your encouragement made it very clear Better is a poor and wise Child than an old and foolish King who will be no more admonished In a word it will cause your faces to shine it will fill your hearts with comfort it will be the forerunner of endless glory You may here modestly smile and tell any man as once Antisthenes answered Socrates when Socrates asked him What makes thee oh Antisthenes so chearful when it is known thou hast so little He candidly replies Because I plainly see true riches and poverty lodge not in our houses and coffers but in our souls and minds There he enjoyed inwardly what men had thought he wanted outwardly The destruction of the poor Solomon tells us is their poverty And so indeed too commonly it proves But it needs not be so with you See dear Children oh see what a sweet relief you might have to your mean Condition Accept it I pray you and seek it carefully that in the day of your accounts it may be said to your honour This is that poor child that in much poverty and affliction received the Gospel Let him now enter into the joy of his Lord. Secondly Hath the Lord by your Friends provided for you a larger measure in the good things of this life You had need now take all care that your mind for its part be as rich as your Estate You are like to inherit Israels blessing Houses that you buildeâ— not and Vineyards that you planted not You cannot now refuse Israels duty Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth You can do no less in thankfulness to him from whom you have received all You can do no less in the sense of your own accounts whose reckoning will be not like the poor mans for one Talent but for ten Where much is given it is but righteous and we must not take it ill if much be required Riches without Grace Estate without Wisdom alas what are theyâ— As the Indians Gold which they know not what use or improvement to make of it You might say as he Here is the â—re and here is the wood but where is â—he Sacrifice for the Lord An house â—ull of these as the Oratour wittily â—aid will never make a rich man It is the prefixing of the Figure â—hat makes the following Ciphers significant It is the stamp upon the Silver that makes it current Coin And we may more truly say It is the grace of God that is the figure of account it is the Image of God that is this â—oyal stamp whereby our enjoyments become so valuable and blessings unâ—o us Without this they will be but as â—ewel to our lusts and as the glass of seeming honey wherein the wasp dies To the ungracious his Estate is a curse his enjoyments a snare like Dives his barns where their Master â—he and his heart too lodge day and night A price is put into his hand and he hath no heart to make use thereof No understanding to dispose and order it to the praise of God It is Grace when all is done that is as salt and keeps these things from putrifying Oh! for your very estates sake be ye gracious And while the Lord in much goodness thus brings and leaves them with you Say you as Manoah once did Oh! let my Lord come again and shew me how I shal order them and make friends for my souâ— out of the Mammon of this world Thirdly Hath the Lord given you comeliness of person Should you now harbour a profane ungodly heart under that fair and amiable complexion it were as rotten bones under a fair Tomb or as the Apples of Sodom beautiful and fresh afar off but nothing save dust and smoâ—k nearer hand too like Apelles his rare Picture of Cherries so curiously drawn that Historians tell us the Birds came flying to it but returned empty they quickly found it was no Cherries but a sorry painted cloath And such will your beauty be if it be but an outward one whose verdure be we never so loath must soon decay All flesh is grass and the goodliness thereof be it never so lovely as the flower of the field which may blow pleasantly with the morning but must as certainly to its funeral and with the Evening hang down its head and die The Lord make you comely with a truer and more lasting comliness the beauties of holiness which abide for ever We read of one Alcibiades Socrates his Schollar that he was the beauty of all Athens another Absalom for comliness of person outwardly but the reproach of mankind another Nero for all viciousness and odiousness of nature inwardly Oh! take heed a second Alcibiades be found in none of you Play not the hypocrite if thy body which is but the Cabinet be so richly enamelled so curiously wrought by the hand of the Lord Oh! beg of God that thy soul the jewel within may be somewhat sutable adorned with the blessed graces of his spirit Fourthly Is thy body as course clay walls but plain and homely to look upon Yet be not discouraged It is no dishonour to be as the Tents of Kedar outwardly so thou beest as the Curtains of Solomon inwardly Caesars Garland of Laurel was enough to compensate the blemish of his baldness Crates his learning rendred him dear and honourable to all notwithstanding the crookedness oâ— his back And you may reckon beyond them both and say The ornaments of grace it is they that are â— greatest price in the sight of God And these may lodge as the Pearl in a for ry shell A withered arm a lame leg a pooâ— crooked body no form no comliness that thou shouldst be desired Whaâ— then Hath God given thee a wise and understanding mind to know him A faithful and willing heart to wal uprightly before
your evil waies for why why indeed will ye die oh house of Israel Such are the Fathers bowels toward us too too regardless of our selves What answer as the Father piously said can ever be solidly made if such bowels of love such dear such free salvation as this should be ungratefully slighted Oh let your hearts even melt and your very souls be dissolved within you If the Lord be willing be not you unwilling neither let these tender arms of mercy be spread forth all the day long in vain Behold the Lord Jesus Christ at the Fathers right hand making continual intercession and the poor of the flock are his care the weary and broken in spirit the Objects of his pity It is their names he bears on his breast-plate and commends with such endearing arguments unto the Father Suppose your selves hearing him calling to you and arguing with your trembling thoughtful hearts on this wise Wherefore thinkest thou poor soul was I numbred amongst the transgressors and made a man of sorrows Wherefore was my Side pierced with the Spear my Head with Thorns and my dearest Bloud poured forth What dost thou conceive should move me to take upon me Humane Nature and become so near akin unto thee if it had not been to perform the office of a Kinsman and take the right of thy Redemtion upon me What could have perswaded me to sustain the bitter the accursed death of the Cross if it had not been to save such as thou art from thy sins Hast thou no need of my Righteousness What shall I do for thee What dost thou want What is it thy thirsty affections most pant after for thy souls good Speak freely and forbear not I am now ascended to my Fathers right hand and able to relieve thee Where are thy Prayers and I my Self will present them to my Father as from me perfumed with the sweet incense of my righteousness and he will shew favour unto thee Oh blessed encouragement here is the Golden Scepter held sorth indeeâ— What answer wilt thou now return to all this such overflowing love of so dear a Saviour Sit down with thy self poor Heart Advise by meditation what to aske and then send forth Faith and Prayer as the trusty and successful Messengers to fetch in supply Go thy waies take thy life in thy hands as once Hester did present thy Petition and say as she still did If I have found favour in thine eyes oh Lord let my life the life of my soul be given me at my request Do thou cry and he will hear He will graciously wash thy leprous soul in his own bloud and send his blessed Spirit as the Chariots and Horsemen of Israel to prepare and bring thee safely to glory Behold also the holy Angels of God waiting ready to rejoyce in your even in your Conversion There is not the meanest the poorest of you but your Repentance might become an occasion of much joy in Heaven It is a fresh feast to those noble Creatures to see the least encrease of the Kingdom of God To see though but one single sheep added to the flock of Christ. So precious is Grace so dearly is the recovery of a lost soul esteemed on high I might further tell you the damned themselves even groan unto you saying as in the Parable Oh! take warning by us and come not into this place of torments There is not one no throughout the whole Creation there is not so much as one that can heartily say unto you Go on in evil waies and prosper I charge you before the elect Angels and as you tender their comfort I charge you by the flaming pâ—ins and cries of the damned and as you would be loath to share with them iâ— all their Mâ—series take heed take serious heed to the saving of your souls All the divine threatnings of God stand naked and open before you as the hand-writing upon the wall that stand not there for nought They sound as so many shrill Trumpets from Mount Ebal and they also charge you to break off your sins by repentance Or else as sure as God is in Heaven iniquity will one day become your ruine All the sweet Promises are lastly appointed to attend your encouragement and furtherance in your Salvation They are sent forth in Gods name to invite you to his blessed kingdom and to assure you from him whatever pains you faithfully take heavenward your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. These are the Christians choice Feast and Banquet the Promises that you so joyfully should study that speak so comfortablie and withall as truly to the wearie soul. God himself hath made them and he will fulfil them It is the Concern of his glorie to make good the word that is gone out of his lips his faithfulness lies at stake therein Whosoever cometh unto him thus filiallie quoting and relying upon hiâ— Fathers word he will in no wise cast him out Come you and welcome Your work is good your wages will be great your fellow Servants the Excellent of the Earth your Master you are to go unto the lovingest the â—blest the Faithfullest the justest the kâ—ndest that ever was served Whaâ— can you possibly scruple Or where can you mend your selves Speak your hearts and spare not What danger think you can come of being safely reconciled unto the Lord What hinderance shall this be to any to be made an Heir of the Crown of life What wrong to others to save our selves What discredit to become a Child of the most High What Embasement of spirit to be renewed in our minds to the blessed Image of God Or what sadness can this ever occasion to be intituled to everlasting joyes We must even blush and holily fall out with our selves in the language of the Father saying as he Whence oh my soul whence is this horrid this strange and unreasonable thing that thou wilt be under no Command accept of no mercy heavenward Men may revile and our own wretched hearts may suspect the holy Counsels of God but the waies of the Lord are right and happy is that man that chooseth to walk therein He shall be able to lift up his face with Comfort not ashamed of his God nor disappointed of his hope â—hen the greatest pâ—rt of the World â—n the very depths of all distress and horrour shall call but alas in vâ—in 〈◊〉 Rocks and Mountains to fall upon them Awake then I beseech you for the Lords sâ—ke while it is yet the morning of your life the flower of your yeâ—rs Let your life be what indeed â—ll our lives ought to be a living Epistle a fair exemplification of the Gospel thâ—t men may see in you what in Primitive times the very Heathen saw so legible in Christians then The true portraiture of your Saviours life the just account of his Doctrine in the answerableness of your deportment and conversation Awake and arise
The Young Mans Monitor OR A modest Offer toward the Pious and Vertuous Composure of Life FROM Youth to Riper Years By Samuel Crossman B.D. Wherewithal shall a Yoâ—ng man cleâ—nse his way By taking heed thâ—reto according to thy Word Psal. 11 99. Verecundo Adolescence quid amabilius Pera Gratum est quod patriae civem populoque dedisti Si facis ut Patriae sit idoneus c. Iuvenal Loâ—doâ— Printed by I.H. and are to be sold by S. Thompson at the Bishops head in St. Pauls Church-yard and T. Parkhurst at the three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside near the Conduit 1664. The Epistle to the Reader More particularly to Parents Courteous Reader YOu are here presented with these ensuing Pages intended for the endearing of God and the bringing up a good report upon Piety and Vertue in the hearts and hearing of Young Persons if by any means the Generation now rising up might become what we are all so justly desirous they should be a real blessing to the next Age. Wisely taken off from the Follies and Vices of Youth timely and truly perswaded to the love of all goodness and in conclusion as Origen to his Father the dear joy of Parents the happy revival of their fading life the praise and beauty of the Land The Paper such as it is was first sent as a more private Letter to the Children and Servants of some Friends for their encouragement and direction in the good waies of God though since thus far enlarged as you now receive it The truth is the season under which it was drawn up both then and now was unto flesh and bloud sadning enough and too disadvantagious to the competent rendring a work of this nature as the words of the wise had need be acceptable and set in some good order for the gaining of the shie affections of Youth to any good resentment or acceptance of their own welfare But what God in his high wisdom appoints we must not sinistrously charge with harshness or folly What he is pleased inwardly to sweeten we may not ungratefully call bitter nor unadvisedly open our lips with uncomely complaints thereof It is of his free and dear mercies must we all say and that chearfully too that we are not consumed Reader you are not neither shall you here be challenged into the fields of Contention Nature indeed is very forward as the Disciple in the Gospel to draw its Sword but we scarce any of us well know though we are all too favourable interpreters of our selves what spirits we are of So easie is it to mistake carnal passion for that which is far higher and more divine a truly gracious composure in Religion We might all too truly confess with the Father We can easily arm on almost all sides under those golden names of God and his Church and yet as readily turn the Cannons mouths in conclusion against them both It may justly become the sore lamentation which we may all mournfully take up for these last daies That Peace the sweetest of mercies the sum and scaling up of all other blessings as the Iewes so chearfully delight to call it is through our great unworthiness judicially taken away from amongst the Sons of men Love the rich and precious perfume of life the peculiar character of the true Disciple the pathetical recommendation of a dying Saviour how is it as the beauty of Israel fallen in the streets Nobleness and Sweetness of spirit are put away as strangers that have no form nor comliness in them A common good the great and just concernment of all how oh how is it unknown unregarded of most It may lie like him in the Gospel wounded upon the rode and yet scarce any that turns aside to comfort it or to shew any friendly kindness to it A Catiline saies the Saâ—yrist a troubler of mankind grows as the weed almost every where But a Brutus a worthy Patriot that bears the welfare of others the true prosperity of his native Land upon his heart and sets his eyes perpetually thereon for good such an one is a rare Iewel worthy of all honour and embraces wherever he is found Such enobled Spirits saies the great Orator in his affectionate language they are the dear off-spring the delight and care of God A divine race it is from the Heavens they come down to us and to the Heavens again when ever they take their leaves of us shall they triumphantly return But oh that our heads were Fountains and our eyes Rivers of tears For amongst all the children that Nature hath brought forth they are few that take her by the hand and wisely lead her Amongst the numerous Family that are registred unto Religion few that are willing to be true to God or kind to each other Therefore must the pious mourn and the lover of his Country go with the Prophet into his secret places and weep bitterly crying out with that holy man Who would not be willing with the price of his very life to redress and heal that endless strife and variance so unkindly sprung up amongst us These are as the Poet sadly sung the wars that can never be crowned with any triumph The amazing prospect our hearts must even tremble at the very uttering of it where Bibles against Bibles are the known Ensigns on both sides As if Religion had sounded a Martial Alarum calling her Children like those Young men before Abner and Joab to arise and slay each other Thus with the foolish Bees instead of gathering true honey we quarrel and sling each other Till death comes in and parts all by throwing its dust upon our cold herse And then shall these combats will we nill we break up and be no more In the mean time this Spirit we must all confess it is not of God The banner of Christ is a banner of love And our best Character will be meekness and Gentleness as becomes us in the Lord. It were no betraying of the Sacred Principles of Religion for all the true Professors of it to conclude as Alexander well answered one that importuned him to sharpness Rigour may please you but mildness and sweetness will best become me They are indeed daies of great agitation wherein we live Great thoughts of heart on the right hand and on the left And there is doubtless much of the truth of God in Concernment upon the Stage which in its time shall safely rest as the Arke upon a quiet Mountain We may adventure it as David against the greatest Giants in fighting the Lords Battels With its own bare arm as the Ancients are wont proverbially to say shall it win it self the victory But there is withal too much of the wrath and frowardness of man as dross immixed with this Gold both Pro and Con. So that the gracious heart could almoct conclude It is safer being a sorrowful mourner for both then a
that great and common one so incident both to Writer and Reader A practical neglect after all of any good counsel how usefully soeâ—er given how affectionately soever for present received To the Children and Servants of my dear Neighbours at c. My Christian love with desires of your real welfare in this life and that which is to come Ingenuous Youths UPon whom the eyes of all are justly set observing your present carriage and further waiting what your following years will prove Even a Child though but a child is known by his doings whether his work be pure and whether it be right So early doth nature put forth its inclinations and discover it self May your youth be as the Spring for loveliness your riper years as the Summer for real fruitfulness CHAPTER I. The Introduction or previous Entrance into the ensuing Discourse YOu are now entring a troublesom sinful world and are therein to be pitied You are now upon your great preparations for Eâ—ernity and therein had need be seriously counselled and advised Me thinks I see you just setting forth in your great journey your long journey whence you shall not return a journey which will prove either Heaven or Hell to every one of you in the end How much depends upon this moment it may be you scarce believe you little consider for the present though afterwards your selves shall plainly see this Life hath been but a restless Voyage the World a tempestuous Sea your Bodies the frail Vessels wherein you sail and Time the Charon the Boatman to wast you over these Waters and set you upon another shore delivering you up there as the Souldiers in the Acts presented Paul before your Judge the Supream Judge of all Flesh in order to your final and solemn Trial. It is on this great Errand of God and of your Souls that these present Lines are sent unto you You will I hope both willingly and seriously peruse them A wise Son heareth Instruction but the scorner causeth shame It is a kindness to shew the wandring Child the way to his Fathers house and truly I have greatly desired amongst many other cares justly incumbent upon me as I am able to further you heaven-ward and to prepare your hearts while you are yet young as a generation for the Lord. Your natures are too easily disposed to receive evil impressions Satan sees it and wâ—tches be times to forestall your tender minds therewithall It must be our care early to recommend and your duty readily to comply with better things that as the yielding â—ax you may now receive those impressions of God and goodness upon your spirits which may become some step toward your happy sealing up to the day of redemption Accept then I pray you of this plain Paper it is the best Token I have to send And Oh! that through the blessing of the Lord it may prove a good Token for you to receive It is sadly evident that many too many losing their tender their first years in conclusion lose their souls also And it is as undoubtedly certain that gracious Counsel however hardly thought of by most might be â—o the young man the best Guide of his Youth to preserve him from the paths of the Destroyer Consider what is laid before you and the Lord give you understanding in all things Our own true welfare we may freely grant is and justly ought to be the desire of all the right way to it iâ— known or understood of very few Iâ— was the sad observation of the wiseâ— of men The labour of the foolish wearieth him as well it may because he knoweth not how to go to the City Mercy is not miss'd because it is not sought but because men will not be perswaded to seek it where alone it may be found Most men spend their choice and precious daies in a vain shaddow and go down in the end thereof to everlasting sorrows You have the world now before you your own mercy or misery yet to choose and be you sure as you now choose so shall you speed hereafter Oh! be your own true friends and choose ye that which is good while it may be obtained and that good part shall never be taken from you You are now Flowers in their bloom Your Friends delight your Countries hope It lieth very much in your Sphere to be either a crown of rejoycing to them or to bring down their gray hairs with sorrow to the grave You are those first Fruits those green ears of corn which should be offered to the Lord. For his sake for your own sakes for your Parents â—nd Counâ—â—iâ—s sikes embrace your own mercies your own true good before your Sun be set and your hopes cut off for ever Others have been sometimes young as you now are and cannot be altogether strangers to the young mans heart the young mans thoughts and waies It is very likely your vain minds will be easily now taken with vain things But observe if they be not still secretly afraid meditating terrour and crying out I shall one day be called to a strict account for all this In this suspence it may be you may stick long not able to joy much in the waies of sin nor yet fully willing to leave them and seek the Lord. Sometimes faintly praying and yet inwardly shrinking back and still loth to receive indeed the grace that you seem to 1 pray for As the Father freely confessed the prayers of his youth had also been I said indeed with my lips Lord I give and yet in my heart I was too willing to give longer day and could have said Lord pray not yet I was even afraid lest thou shouldst hear me too soon and too soon heal and subdue my corruption for me Thus is the mind for a time like the wavering scales rising and falling going and coming ere it can settle with the true poize and weight If Satan in this conflict prevails your slavish fears will wretchedly degenerate and grow worse turning into an inward hatred of God and his good waies a disdainful loathing of Gods people a continual backwardness to your own duty Which God of his mercy prevent But if through grace you be enabled to overcome you will find your fears clearing up unto more kindliness and a willingness on your part to retain them still you will find gracious desires springing up by them Oh! that God would pardon my sin Lord give me Christ or else I dye From thence by tender steps which I have not time now to express will God lead you and will not forsake you or despise the dâ—y of your small things And oh that you may be thus led by the hand of the Lord till you both see and receive the blessed reward of the righteous the salvation of your souls Think not that your present condition your present pleasures will last long No no as Adonijahs feast these banquets will soon be
as that which quencheth the subordinate sweetness of life as that which overthrows what were otherwaies lovely in nature Nor yet on the other hand content your selves with bare nature without the true grace of God which is ten thousand times more worth and better indeed than life it self Be ye in Gods name frugal of all the just comforts of this life slight them not waste them not they are the dear gifts of God the God of all our mercies the portion that is given us outwardly under the Sun But if the Lord be willing to sanctifie these and bestow yet greater then them upon us let us not neglect let us not despise our own advantages but accept it with all humble thankfulness that our water may thus be turned into wine Now therefore that you may the more understandingly comport with these great Concerns and the better see what lies before you it will be very necessary for you what you can solidly to inform and satisfie your selves very particularly in these three things 1. The world into which you are now come and for a time to live what that is 2. The great ends for which you are thus set on shore and now sent hither what they are 3. The true way and means whereby these righteous and desirable ends might be at length happily attained He that once understands where he is what he hath indeed to do and how he may fairly and safely compass his work needs not stand idle in the Market-place he hath enough to take up both his hands and heart withall God grant that you may go ingenuously into your Lords Vineyard and willingly work the work for which you were sent into the world First Then be contented to sit down and consider what kind of world this is into which you are now come It may availe you in the sequel of your life to have throughly known it ere you be further involved in it It is a world that too much encumbers most but solidly contenteth none Our Stage indeed whereon to act but not our Bed whereon to rest The Ancients who observed and enquired very studiously after it have plainly told us what we shall â—lso find it A true Enemy in the disguised cloaths and habit of a Friend The Young man by mistake fondly calls it Naomi and saies it is pleâ—sant The Elder by deâ—r-bought experience finds it Marah and cries out oh it is bitter Such is this world as the Tents of Kedar which you are now for a season come to take up your quarters in It was once indeed a beautiful Palace the glory of God shining without any clouds in its full brightness upon it The furniture of it when God took the first Inventory thereof all exceeding good But now sin hath marred it like that girdle by the river Euphrates as a Vesture it is changed and its former beauty is departed from it Satan is now by the permission of God become the Prince and God of this world The furniture of it now joyless enough All that is in the world and that All both scant and sad enough is the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life The Favorites of it Gods Foes Whosoever will be the friend of this world maketh himself the enemy of God Sweet Children slatter not your selves with vain hopes this is not your resting place arise it will deceive you it will destroy you Here may we too truly soe the course of nature dayly set on fire The children of men whom God hath made all of one blood that we might unsainedly seek the good each of other almost every man breathing strife hunting his brother with a net lying in wait to revile to supplant and to destroy Here may we as sad spectators behold before our eyes the righteous ends of Creation almost every where perverted and the good Creatures of God vilely abused and made subject to bondage to serve the lusts the beastly lusts of sinful men Such I may once more inform you is the world that you are now as strangers and pilgrims come into If afterwards you meet with rough waters and mâ—nifold troubles scarce now it may be so much as expected or lookt for by you you must not marvel as if some strange thing befell you remember this only word it is the World a raging Sea which cannot rest whereon you sail If temptations hereafter on all sides endanger your souls you are also forewarned of it This is that wilderness where so many fiery Serpents will be stinging of us Trust not oh trust not to that which hath undone so many Though it appear as the plains of Sodom once to Lot like the garden of God for sensual pleasantness choose it not it must as Sodom be destroyed This no better is the world into which we may now sadly welcom you You may write upon these doors and safely conclude as the Hebrews piously do in their similiar Proverb One hours sweet refreshment in that world which is to come is far to be preferred before an whole life in this 2. But now secondly being come as God once said to Elijah so may I to you What makes you here What have you â—ere to do Enquire humbly at the Word of God weigh things as you are able in your own consciences and judge impartially what you think God sent you into the world for The end in any action though it be the last thing that is actually attained and reached unto yet must it be the first thing that is espoused and thought upon Before we let the Arrow go we had need take heed our eye be first upon the White You are as Servants going to Market upon your Masters business Dear Children be willing to take your Errand carefully and God Almighty grant that when you go home in the Evening of your Life to stand before your Master you may be able truly to say Father I have glorified thy name on earth I have truly though but weakly finished the work thou gavest me to do You came not hither to trisle away your precious hours in vain pastimes No no time is of it self withouâ— these too nimble and hâ—stens too fast from us You came not hither to treâ—sure up further wrath against the day of wrath our danger is too great already You came not hither upon a sensual errand to make provision for the lusts of the flesh as if the Soul had nothing to do but to become as many would have it a Cook or Cup-bearer or some Kitchin-servant to the body You came not hither Gehazi like to run after the Chariot wheel of a foolish sickle world for change oâ— Raiment or peeces of Silver Take heed you embase not your selves to any of these things they are far below you as Men much more below you as Christians You came hither upon business of more consequence On that great Errand
casts so many sad shipwracks upon the shore Headiness rusheth on and is confident but never prospereth There are and will be those heart breaking grones in another world which may justly endear good Counsel to us while we have a day to live How have I will the poor damned one day say how have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof Dear Youths stop not your ear as the deaf Adder to the instructions of wisdom let them be unto you as the weights to the Clock that set it into an orderly motion of going As the welcome friendly gales of wind which carry the ship that might otherwaies have lain becalmed the fairer the faster and straiter toward its desired haven It is a spur to quicken our pace a guide to direct our way which the wise in heart will esteem as the Poet of old A sacred thing of great safety and usefulness to all The Counsels and requests I have now more particularly to lay before you for the guidance of your youth are of a twofold nature 1. The first relating more immediately to Religion between God and your own souls 2. The other to your relative condition and converse which you are entring into here with men Though therein also Religion is still greatly concerned In both I shall endeavour all plainess and practicalness and not to cast in matters of doubt and division Such things are at any time more ready to humour the wrath of man than to work the righteousness of God The Temple is then best built when there is the least noise of knocking oâ— hammers heard about it It will be your part and that which God himself will look for at your hands not barely to read or to rest your selves in the verbal commendation of pious truths which nature is very desirous to sit down upon as they on this side Iordan and go no farther toward the Holy Land you are to compose your selves forthwith to enter upon the real practice of the good will of God concerning you And oh that the Lord who alone teacheth to profit would please to give these sorry Lines any place of abode in your hearts to your souls just furtherance and edification in the Lord. In the great Concernments of Religion as Man is far the noblest Creature in the world So is Religion still the highest enoblement that he is possibly capable of A right understanding in it a wise and cordial consistency with it that we may not in effect dishonour what we seem to respect by an undue professing of it these are mercies of an high nature and come only from the Father of lights The heart that is thus upright with God carries alwaies a great presence and blessing with it The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth and he will shew himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are thus perfect toward him We may here safely sing with the Psalmist Blessed is every one be he never so mean otherwaies that feareth the Lord and thus walketh in his waies The Heathen though wandring in too much darkness have yet usually had so high a sense of this as ascribe all their welfare to their fidelity and care in their Religion Thus the great Orator even boasteth of his Romans that it was neither their Policy nor their Strength but their Piety which became the advancement of their Nation Lo here how they who had not the Law became yet a Law to themselves oh let us be provoked to a better emulation by them But I shall endeavour to be yet more particular with you that you may not on either hand as too many in these perillous daies are sadly sound to do miscarry in these tremendous matters of Religion First then Entertain from your youth up pious and reverent thoughts of God live in the constant acknowledgement of him in â—ll your waies let your hearts dwell in the religious sense of his Deity his Holiness and Omnisciency and they shall lay a divine weight upon both heart and life It is a fundamental principle which God himself stands much upon He that cometh to God must believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him In the Old Testament we read The fool and never any but the fool hath said in heart there is no God And in the New Testament the Apostle tels us of some that were without God in the world Not that God intends to let them so escape and pass away No no though they would have nothing â—o do with God God hath yet something to do with them but the Scripture thus records them for practical Atheists against God because they care not to know or interest themselves by true grace in him But as for you see that you set the Lord alwaies at your right hand lest at â—ny time you offend agâ—inst him Live continually as in his sight for the truth is you and all your waies are naked and open before him Harbour not that thought in your mind venture not upon that action though never so seemingly secret in your life which you would be ashamed to own or avouch as yours before the Lord. Still meditate the Omnisciency and greatness of the presence in which we alwaies all of us are and how all our present waies will we â—ill we must one â—ay abide the touchstone of â— publick â—id at the Bar of God Choose him in your Youth and he shall be a God â—ll-sufficient unto you through your wâ—oâ—e life Yet rest not your selves too much on this general reverence toward God but modestly press after the most particular and filial knowledge of him You may freely 〈◊〉 as Moses without offence I beseech thee shew me thy glory He is that God in whom you live and have your being the God of all your mercies and good things with whom if ever you become happy you are to live to all Eternity You cannot sure you cannot but holily desire the utmost acquaintance before hand with him How earnestly how affectionately was this pious study recommended in the Primitive times Their Language me thinks might even enflâ—me us I testifie saies Lactantius I proclaim it as far as ever I can make this voice of mine to be heard I declare to all the world that this is our great Maxime and Principle the true Knowledge and Worship of God it is the just sum of all Wisdom This this is that the Philosophers so anxiously sought afâ—er but poor men they groped in the dark and could never find it Dear Youths you are willing to learn and gain acquaintance with men Oh! be ye not strangers unto God I commend and leave it with you under this great assurance It would most certainly become life eternal to any of you thus to know the only true God and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ. Secondly Let
lamentations over him He that converses but the least with their Wâ—itings will soon understand what sorry titles of honour what mean and sad descriptions they bestowed upon their own nature and its present condition in the World The pattern of frailty the spoile of time the sport of fortune the very picture of sickleness silthiness from the birth too too much a least all his life no better than a feast for worms in death This was the Language they generally gave of Man and they thought they miscalled him not Poor men they were eye witnesses indeed of the sickness they saw things were ill but they scarce understood the rise and cause of the disease They could only cry out in the generall as one of them bitterly did Woe woe is me and yet what is it that I cry out so mournfully of Oh! it is the manifold miseries we lie exposed unto Dear Youths you must be perswaded to sit down and apply the Story The case is naturally yours the case is too truly every mans Oh! smite upon your breasts in a due sense of these things and say with David I Lord I am the man It is I who have thus sinned against heaven and am no more worthy to be called thy Son Fourthly This being your wound where shall we now find any balm or healing for it We are not likely you see to stay long here on earth â—nd without pardon of sin we can never expect to come at heaven The love the dear love of God through sin is already lost the life of grace extinguished a debt and guilt the saddest the greatest that ever were conâ—racted the comforts of this present life decayed the strength and sting of death exceedingly encreased We may now too truly name our selves Magor-Missabib fear and terrour round about Yet be not too much dismaied there is hope in Israel concerning our case And I may and must though not without much trembling invite you this day to Iesus Christ. Oh! hunger and thirst after him and his righteousness that in him your sins may be covered and your souls cloathed with the garments of salvation It is not Musick it is not Wine that a condemned person desires but a Pardon Go you and do likewise I told you even now a saddening story I may now bring you tidings of a more welcome one Oh! receive it as becomes you in the Lord. The Father of mercies hath from his Sanctuary looked down upon our low estate He saw we were sold for bond-men and for bond-women falling into the hands of Satan and misery for ever There was no eye to pity us Our own strength and righteousness departed from us The redemption of our souls likely to cease for ever In these great streights his bowels were moved to have compassion on us His own arm undeserved undesired brought salvation to us The work was great and he trusts no meaner Person than his own Son with it Him the Father sends and seals Him he gives to death and raises up to life and all for this sweet end that he might be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to such poor Creatures as You and I are Behold the love wherewith the Father hath loved us The Son accepts it As it was written in the Volume of Gods Book he is content to come If his Death will procure our Life he goes willingly to it He submitteth himself by imputation to be made sin who yet actually knew no sin that we worthless we might be made the righteousness of God in him In pursuance of this unsearchable and unutterable love it is that the Spirit of God so often knocks at our hearts That the Ambassadors of Christ are sent in such earnestness unto us to beseech us to be reconciled unto God That the Word of the Lord is left as his Agent alwaies Resident in our houses to treat with us that we might receive the pardon of sin and live This is that rich grace which the Prophets so long ago enquired after and prophesied of And this in the Lords name I humbly encourage and exhort you in Pardon of sin may verily be had only seek it aâ—ight Turn not the grace of God I charge you into wantonness Boast not you as if your condition were therefore out of danger because there are it may be some soveraign Antidotes in the shop or a rich Cordial in the glass The sick man may nevertheless languish and die if he makes not a real use of them Oh! go humbly to the Lord go by Prayer go by Faith go with a full purpose of heart that if the Lord shall please to speak peace you will no more return to folly Prostrate your selves spread your case before him tell him it is not Corn or Wine or Oyl that you come for but the light of his Countenance Tell him oh tell him it is the pardon of your sins and justification in the bloud of his Son that is to you the mercy of all mercies which you above all things stand in most need of and that if he would please to give you leave this is all your desire and humble boldness by the hand of faith to touch his golden Scepter to take hold of his tender mercies in Christ and live It may be he will say as in the Gospel Son arise Daughter arise be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee I could even bitterly mourn that this sacred mercy this fundamental mercy is no more in all our thoughts Men may weary themselves in wide discourses to find out wherein their chief happiness consists and who is at length the happy man But alas the wise man needs not glory in his wisdom the rich man may forbear boasting in his riches We may once for all once for ever conclude with David It is he and none but he whose sins are pardoned whose iniquities in Christ are covered who is the truly blessed man before the Lord. Fifthly If God shall shew this great mercy in the fifth place be you careful to return the answer of a good conscience and give up your selves intirely and unfâ—inedly to the Lord in a truly gracious life Therefore indeed hath the dear grace of God appeared in the world to enoble our conversations above the principles or course of nature to an higher life the life of grace And if any shall ask more narrowly what Christianity means We may answer in the language of that holy man This is the sum of the Christians Religion to live free from sin and wickedness in the world It is manifestly the highest testimony and commendation that we poor creatures are ever able to give to Religion when we do not barely complement it Ephraim-like with goodly words but practically offer our selves such as we are to the service of it endeavouring to acquit our selves in the just performance of great and gracious things The
Christian saies the Father then and then only shews himself worthy of his Christian name when he walks in his Conversation Christianly By this shall men know that we like our Religion indeed that we account the Lord faithful and his righteous waies worth our careful walking in The Gospel deserves it men expect it we should fulfil it All people are ready enough and will walk every one in the name of his God and let us also though upon better grounds walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever But alas herein Christianity covers its face sits down with tears upon its cheeks and bewailes it self as one neglected too much neglected on all hands Me thinks I hear its groanes as in the Lamentations Is it nothing to you oh all you that pass by You that are called Christians and which is yet more you that have come forth as Protestants from the Corruptions of former Ages that ye might as Israel going out of the Land of Egypt the better serve the Lord when oh when shall wisdom be practically justified of these her children The profane man doth the Devils work with all his might he runs violently to the utmost excess of riot The worldly man his heart taketh not its rest in the night he is drudge enough and enough to the world for the recompence he is ever like to have from it These spare no pains but act like themselves too true to their principles such as they are where-ever they come But oh the professors of the everlasting Gospel how do they faint in the head of the Streets How cold and weak are they How sparing and slow to adorn the Doctrine of God and our Saviour With Ananias and Saphira we keep backpart of the price We offer the form but too often withhold the power Oh Sirs if we have judged Religion worth professing let us also judge it worth the practizing It may be our care and labour of love may one day be found as a sweet memorial before the Lord. Dear Youths You will meet with many it may be possing a Iehu's pace in the Opinions and Traditions of men for indeed a carnal forwardness in such things whether on the right hand or on the left costs us not much it is self-grown nature can afford it But oh Lord how rare a thing doth it still remain to find an Hezechiah that can testifie upon his death-bed in what uprightness he hath walked before the Lord all his life Israel may be as the sand by the Sea-shore for common profession but these will still be too near the Lords reckoning One of a City and two of a Tribe that is very few Wherefore I will even entreat you to revive that sweet Inscription which was once engraven upon Aarons breast-plate oh Copy it out fair in your lives and be ye Holiness to the Lord. Let this be your kindness to that sacred Name of God by which you are called not to leave it as too many do subject to everyones reproach by the carelesness of your carriage but by the cleanness and vertuousness of your deportment whatever you can to make it a praise in the Earth Sixthly When at any time your tender hearts shall be desirous to refresh and ease themselves from the sorrows of this life Evermore go to God and the sweet comforts of Religion This was the solemn counsel and farewel the Jews were wont to leave with their dearest Friends when most overwhâ—lmed with sadness We wish you as the best Cordial the comforts of heaven We might herein not without just indignation say as Elijah once did Is it because there is no God in Israel that men send to Baal-Zebub the God of Ekron Is it because the All-sufficient God is become as an empty Vine that there is such hurrying after the world and its fading comforts The provocation and indignity that is herein offered to the Lord is exceeding high it is in effect a denying of that God that is above Oh that men would not deal so dishonourably by Religion That whereunto we appeal for our future salvation in the name of God let us therewith consist for our present consolation It was from hence the Martyrs drew all their joyes They justly might and did thank the Lord for it that their Prisons were to them as Palaces their chains as so many bracelets of Gold It was Religion that feasted them in their dungeons that enabled them to write so cheerfully to their Friends as many of them did I am in the esteem of men in hell for outward misery But I am in my own sense as in heaven for all inward comfort in the Lord. And it is from hence that we also if we be not wanting to our selves may as well draw waters of joy for our souls out of the Wells of salvation Dear Children be perswaded whenever you have occasion in the day of your sadness to make use of Religion it may be you may find it your best comforter in the whole world Cheerfulness is indeed that Mannah which nature is so desirous as oft as may be to taste of and God is as freely willing that we should have it He hath provided that for us Ioy is sown for the righteous And he hath invited us to that Rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart You may soon find in the Lord all apposite and sutable comforts for every condition There is an estate for the poor strength for the weak a Father for the Fatherless pardon for the bleeding sinner healing for the broken in heart a better world for those that are graciously weary of this immortality and blessedness for all that choose and love it Heaven and happiness so transcendent so glorious that we may modestly say the heavens which we here behold are but as earth without form and beauty in comparison of that Heaven of heavens which God hath appointed for the everlasting rest the true home and habitation of his people Such a God and such comforts are enough when ever we are to walk through the valley of the shadow of death we need fear no evil these joyes of the Lord may be an everlasting strength unto us There can be no affliction so sad but you may arise and lead your captivity captive You may make the proudest of them as Adonibezek serve under your Table Or as Tamberlane did by his conquered foes make them draw at your Chariot wheels and serve to the encrease of your triumph Let the fiercest Lion come against you when it will you as Sampson may overcome it and may propose it as your Christian Riddle that out of the eater the most devouring affliction can you fetch meat Religion allows all its true followers to rejoyce in the very face of tribulations knowing that they how unlikely soever yet work for us a far more exceeding eternal weight of
several winds to fill her sails to serve her in her voyage for the dispatch of her work 1. It will be the work and care of true Prudence to look back upon time past by way of reflection that the former Errata's and miscarriages of life may be henceforth corrected prevented and seen no more Who so is wise his own failings shall become his teachers and charge him that he return no more to folly 2. It will be the further task of Prudence to look circumspectly to the present It is all the time we have any certain hold of we may well be choice of it Prudence is herein very sollicitous 1. That nothing be now done in vain but for good and weighty ends Ends so righteous that they may be fairly vindicated So lovely that they may be worthy to be embraced So useful that they cannot be refused The wise man is able at any time to answer in all his actions as once David to his brethren There is just cause for what I have done 2. That nothing be done by uncomly means but such as may be truly righteous in their nature best serviceable to the end and honourable for us to make use of Alexander how desirable soever it might have been unto him would by no means unhandsomly steal a victory and the vertuous heart scorns and refuses to debase it self to do evil that good may come of it 3. That nothing be done rashly but upon well digested thoughts concocted by just deliberation The understanding as the living Spirit in the Prophets vision moves the wheels whither that is to go the wheels go and without that they stir not 4. That nothing be done boisterously but calmly not with much noise but rather with good effect Our minds may run much upon the thunder and earthquake but the Prophet tells us it was in the still small voice that the presence of God was rather found Soft words and hard arguments we usually say make the best â—isputation and we may as safely conclude meekly but surely is the honourablest character in almost any prosecution 5. That nothing be done unseasonably but as Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver being humbly studious to approve our selves in this followers of God that our works might also for their measure have somewhat of beauty in their season 6. That nothing be done excentrically which lies not so properly within our sphaere but a studious adorning of our own Province a careful attending to that which is incumbent upon us The Creatures beneath us are not so senseless but they hearken to God in this and strictly confine themselves to their peculiar task It shall be our honour also before the Lord to preserve our selves from that arraignment Who required these things at your hands Duely to watch our own vineyard and to make our station a praise to all that shall behold it 7. And lastly That nothing be done negligently but with a due strength and industry Faint offers of action are but poor insignificant Ciphers with Prudence she allows them no place in her Ethicks She is very desirous fairly to finish whatever she undertakes And wishes that all would take it as their memorial sentence Whatsoever their band findeth to do that they would do it with all their strength since there is no work nor invention in the grave whither we shortly are going 3. The work of Prudence is not yet finished in the last place it openeth its eye also upon time to come Folly indeed scarce stirs much out of its own doors takes no great delight in going much forth But it is the proper nature of an enlarged mind to make as the Eagle toward Heaven to desire as it can to look over the wall and see toward Eternity To go out as Isaac into the fields and meet with its future condition by previous meditation Herein it is still the task and office of Prudence to stand in the watch-tower and found the Trumpet To foresee the evil and hide it self and as those that feared the Lord amongst Pharaohs servants to get out of the way of harm and danger against the hail and storm comes Thus doth it belong to Prudence to espy opportunity while it is yet at a distance and to get it self in a posture before-hand whether it be for avoiding of misery or for the attaining of mercy that it be not taken as the foolish Virgins slumbring and ar unawares These are the cares that Prudence takes in this wariness doth she proceed in all her waies So circumspect that she cannot be deceived by others and yet still so vertuous that she scorns to have any deceived by her Her whole carriage is full of beauty and her works shall soon praise her in the gates It is true such Wisdom is high and very few attain it but it is nevertheless our standing duty and could we reach it our conversations would be no longer like the ordinary rate of the ex tempore every-day carriage of the world without form or comliness but like Moses in the Mount shining with the very raies of the glory of God upon it Dear Youths be you willing to apply your hearts to all this wisdom and to endeavour henceforth to begin to walk thus wisely in a perfect way Light cannot more excell Darkness than Wisdom excelleth Folly The Lord grant whatever others do that Wisdom may be practically thus justified in you as her children This is the second thing so importantly needful for you a spirit of wisdom as eyes in the wilderness to guide you in all your way Thirdly You will have great need of much Humanity for your better converse with all persons that there may be no violating of the laws of Civil Society the dear and common Interest of Mankind We are none of us born to live Stoically in a Coll alone by our selves but in a more open air conversive with others useful to many loving and just to all Prudence without this degenerates into a vicious subtilty and crastiness Fortitude without this into a savage cruelty and violence Diligence without this may fill its barns with Dives but it hides its eyes from its own flesh and starves the poor Lazarus at the door And at length Nature it self without this becomes like Nebuchadnezzar fit to be driven from among men remaining a stupid barbarous thing its heart as the heart of a beast too brutish within it Civil and loving Society it is the great Exchange of Nature where we should all meet not for ostentation and complements but for real mutual accommodation It is Natures Table of Ordinary where the several Lodgers may come and take their diet with the greater refreshment together It is its County-feast where strangers become fairly acquainted and readily imbrace each other upon the welcome account of a common relation It is the universal Character intelligible with all It is the travelling Language which alone frees us
Divulge not their infirmities though many lest the Curse of Cham overtake you for adding to their weakness your wickedness These things it may be the Lord may thus order for your trial for the more kindly and genuine expression of your duty Hearken unto thy Father that begat thee and despise not thy Mother when she is old Where the hedge is lowest God repairs it strongest that our duty might still remain inviolable If they be as Iacob in any straights be you as Ioseph their staff or like the pious Stork the nourisher of their Age. If God shall hereafter shine upon you and raise your future condition to an honour amongst men Hide not your eyes from your meaner Parents Acknowledge them chearfully Honour them willingly Behave your selves in their presence very respectfully Say still as that King of France Though I be now Superiour to many others I am still Inferiour to my Parents The glory of the Aged is their experience and their wisdom The glory of the young man is his modesty and submission And we may truly say as the Apostle in a case not altogether unlike He that honoureth not his natural Parents whom he hath seen how shall he honour his heavenly Father whom he hath not seen Your Parents have hitherto cared for you with an exceeding great care and what shall now be done for them Oh! requite their affectionate tenderness toward you with a filial Ingenuity and Respectfulness toward them He were hard-hearted indeed and unnatural beyond expression who could requite his Parents evil for all their good Secondly As Servants in relation to your Masters Be ye indeed their Servants to whom you yield your selves to obey Your very relation speaks you not your own but theirs If you receive their wages do not your own much less Satans work Be you to your several Masters as Eleazar once to Abraham religious prudent industrious and faithful in all your Masters business Interesting the Lord as he by humble prayer in all your undertakings Careful as he also was though at the greatest distance from your Masters eye Speaking as he likewise did becomingly of the Family in the hearing of strangers and very desirous as he still shewed himself that your Masters affairs might prosper under your hands Such a Servant the heart of his Master shall rejoyce and easily trust in him Such a Servant we may truly say is already preferred to an higher place The Apostle plainly tels us that such serve the Lord Christ and shall of him receive the reward of inheritance Faithful Servants whatever others do God will take a particular care of them and will see that their wages shall not be abridged or detained from them Their Masters may account with them for their outward service but when they have so done God will assuredly yet further requite them an hundred fold because they have done this thing in the singleness of their hearts serving their Masters as in the sight of God and for his sake You are ready it may be sometimes too dejectedly to sit down and complain That the Orbe and Sphaere in which you are placed is low and mean and so indeed comparatively it is but still it is such that the Lord reckons his very Gospel stands capable of receiving great lustre much honour from you and your gracious carriage It is you that in so particular a manner may adorn the doctrine of God and our Saviour To be saved by the Gospel is much but to be an ornament to the Gospel seems more yet this may the meanest the poorest Servant be And oh what praise like the widows mite above the stately gifts of richer ones doth it offer to the name of the Lord when a Child of God intituled to heaven can bring down his heart willingly to stoop and serve him in the meanest capacity which he shall please to set him in here on earth Blessed are those Servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall sind so doing Be ye then satisfied rest your selves contented in the condition wherein the Lord hath called you Service may seem some Eclipse but still as the Eclipse it needs noâ—â—e total Your nobler part your soul without the least injury to your service may nevertheless fairly enjoy a divine liberty Service and freedom the Lord himself tells us are sweetly compatible You may be servants to others accordin to the flesh and yet as truly the Lords freemen walking in much liberty of Spirit Cast not away your encouragements Let not the comforts that are so peculiarly suâ—ed to your condition seem mean in your eyes A vertuous Epiâ—letus may at any time live sâ— better and more honourably upon his poor service than a vicious Nero upon a whole Empire Your service in your several places for the present it is not your Mâ—sters advantage only but your own alsâ— it is your preparation and making ready for your selves against the 〈◊〉 wherein we may all too â—ruly conclude â—vil courses under anothers roof are rarely mended very selâ—om redressed when we come to live under our own Be â—â—â—eful to serve the Families wherein you â—â—r preâ—en◠〈◊〉 diligently cherfully and 〈◊〉 now and in that sweet habituâ—l â—â—â—â—sition you shall grâ—w up and becoâ—e a blessing to yours whenever God shall make you 〈◊〉 by your selves CHAP. VI. Characters of the truly vertuous Young Man First Negative I Have thus far exhorted you I shall now endeavour once more to write the Vision before you and make it what I can as in the Prophet plain upon the Tables that you may see as in a glass what manner of young persons I have been recommending and am still setting before you for your imitation 1. I shall first describe them by their negative Characters what they are not That you may therein understand what you also ought to keep your selves free from 2. I shall describe them by their affirmative Characters what they plainly are That you may therein see what you likewise ought to be First Negatively the Young Person of vertue or hopefulness he is 1. Not one that â—ver râ—viles Religion or religious people Oh! no Though as yet he hath not much understanding in these things yet he sees Religion it is sacred The preserver of a most divine Correspondency between Heaven and Earth Our Prerogative above the Beasts The sweet means of our Converse with the Lord The greatest appeal that can be made The highest claim that man can possibly say toward Eternity Contempt herein he finds it so odious hat all Ages have even trembled at it and the very Heathen would never bear it against their sorry Idols much less dares â—e contumeliously offer it against the true God This is Crimen laesae Majestatis High Treason against the throne and dignity of Heaven Vengeance in these cases is very particularly the Lords And he will surely and soon enough see to the repaying of
God and the rare glory that is visible and transparent in them At other times of History and the pleasing Records so serviceable to the enlarging and setling of wisdom that are found therein But above all he delights to fix most upon his own duty and the Lords mercies in Christ that he may be a frequent remembrancer to himself in them He hath heard that his speech it is his peculiar Excellency above the beasts of the field and he dares not imbase it to things so unbecoming so far below him He is modestly silent while the Ancient are before him waiting for their words as for the dew And when at any time he hath just occasion to speak his Motto and Maxime is Not how much but how well His words are alwaies free from Assentation he flatters no man Free from Moroseness he causelesly offendeth no man Free from Affectation he brings them not forth for vain glory but for use The care that he bestows upon his speech is plainly this That it may be truly accented with Discretion uttered with Modesty seasoned with Grace continually shedding and sending forth a sweet odour wherever he becomes He easily perswades himself That Tongue would scarce be fit to praise God in heaven which hath been used to filthy and light words here on earth 5. Not one that is ever found in a lie Oh! no Truth is alwaies lovely falshood odious Where the tongue is false to the heart the heart is surely false to it selfe false to God The Lord accepts it as a letter in that sacred name whereby he is pleased to be known to the Sons of men That he is A God of Truth And a Lie whatever excuses and pretensions it may have as it is never wanting that way yet we know its kindred and whence it comes It is the base born of Satan He is a Lyar and the Father of it Oh! that we may all take heed how we nurse his brats in our bosomes The way of lying It is a short-lived cheat where the deceit when all is done will quickly put forth its blushing face and to our shame appear The Liar say the Learned among the Jews he may vapour a while but he hath no legs whereon to travel long It is a very low kind of policy when to save our selves we stab the truth When to gain á little repute which yet is never solidly got by lying we hazard our very souls When we are so desirous of some shelter for sin that rather than fail we make up an hedge for it as the Prophet saies of briars and thorns set up against the Lord. In this case the Lyar too truly fulfils the old Proverb And shews himself by his pleading not guilty fearful of men but by his inward falseness a wretched contemner of the all-seeing the heart-searching God In lower things the Clock is prized by its true going The Money is valued when it is no Counterfeit And that Young Man shall be accounted a branch of hope indeed whose tongue is as choice Silver and his words words of ingenuity and truth The fault that is yet but one he will not make it two by denial He may have many weaknesses but still takes care that he may be believed in what he speaketh and therefore resolves the whole world shall not justly charge him with a lye 6. Not one that takes the name of God in vain Oh! no he knows God over-hears and will not hold him guiltless that dares do it He is thankful that he may have leave to use it in Prayer he delights to meet with it in reading the Scriptures but he loves it too well to abuse it irreverently in his lips It was a good Counsel once well given by a Royal Parent to his Son Let the name of God be more sparingly in your mouth but more abundantly in your heart The Jews of old accounted the name Iehovah so sacred that they durst not utter it The High Priest alone and that in the Temple only but once in the year at their solemn Feast while he blessed the people might have leave to mention it For others it was death And I have read of a poor begging Jew in these later and modern times that had a great Alms offered him on these terms but to pronounce that Word who yet refused it They wound up the string too high and became superstitious The Christian abates that but continues truly reverent and willingly fears this glorious and fearful name The Lord his God Dear Children be you admonished in this weighty matter and I hope you will take great heed that you offend not with your tongue He that must needs at almost every word cry oh Lord doth not so much say oh Lord help but rather oh Lord come and punish my sin 7. Not one that profanes that sacred name of God by wretched swearing by horrid Oaths Oh! no an Oath was never allowed but in ponderous and weighty Cases And the holy Language still tells us by the Conjugation wherein the word is only used we should be rather passive than active No further acquainted with an Oath than when we are solemnly called upon by Authority not to be denied There is a curse from God a flying Rowl which how unwelcome soever shall yet enter into the house of the swearer and shall remain there though sore against his will till it hath recovered the glory of Gods name which he had wronged There is but little gained by sin men do but provoke the Lord to their own confusion The nations which knew not God were yet a Law to themselves and a great example to all Posterity in the condemning of this odious sin With the Scythians the Swearers punishment was loss of his Estate With the Persians servitude and bondage With the Grecians the cutting off their ears as those that had infected the ears of others With the Romans it was throwing down from a steep high Rock Thus have they born their testimony before us that we might receive instruction from a foolish people and learn in them our own duty Me thinks Dear Children you should be every one saying to your selves I see now indeed the Lord hath severely charged me as once the Emperour Augustus to the Praetors of Rome that his name should not be vilely trodden under foot or abused by wretched Oaths in my lips He that will not so much as forbear these for Gods sake bears but very little respect to God or his commands Other sins have their several excuses such as they are though but sorry ones This is that hath nothing to say for it self No cause for it no sweetness no pleasure no profit in it no credit no advantage by it neither believed nor trusted one grain the more for it Others are weary of it the Offender himself hath not the face to plead for it Of all men the Swearer sins upon
the hardest terms And he that ventures upon so hainous a sin while he is young oh what a monster may he become ere he die 8. Not one that abuses himself or the good Creatures of God unto drunkenness Oh! no It is not for young men to drink wine nor for the lovers of vertue to mingle strong drink He hath heard the most holy men in Religion the most renowned amongst the Nations the most Honourable in their several Ages were all of them men of great abstinence He fears sacrificing to Bacchus would be a breaking off with Apollo and falling into drunkenness a drowning of those rare jewels Understanding Memory and Senses And therefore for their sakes whether he eats or drinks that Golden Rule of Solomons is still his memorial In due season for strength and not for drunkenness The Grave that undesired thing how is it visited by thousands and ten thousands before its time and what Bill of mortality can be made of it but only this It was their cups which were the bearers and brought the dropsie corpse so soon thither Oh! what mean we to complain so unkindly of the shortness of life when it is our own hand our own intemperance that cuts the thread and hastens death But thus as a great Writer observes The Drunkard will needs have his lust though it costs him his very life Men may through softness flatter and with words too smooth tell us the drunkard is no mans soe but his own but the Lord hath other Language wherewith to salute him Woe to the drunkards of Ephraim Woe to him that dares thus deface the Image of God upon him that being born a man yet chooses to make himself a beast Woe to him that saies to Conscience bow thou down and Sense shall stamp upon thee that plucks reason from the chair and sets up a Phaeton there madness and fury to overthrow the Chariot and proclaim his own shame before all Woe to him that fills every Table with vomits that selleth his heart to work wickedness and becomes the Devils Dequoy to draw others to all excess of riot and at last to drown them with himself inperdition Woe to him that by one sin makes way for others for legions to follow that by Drunkenness makes way for Contentions for Murders and for Uncleanness Woe to him that hath forsaken the Lord the Fountain of living waters and makes his belly his God that mans end will be destruction Yea lastly Woe once more to him that makes so many weeping eyes so many aking hearts in his sad Family at home The Children cry there is no bread The dear Mother sighs and replies Whence my Babes can I satisfie you My Husband alas is no longer my praise in the gates but goes from me to sit with vain persons till the wine and strong drink inflame him foolishly talking all the day there as the Sons of Belial of matters not convenient for them while we poor we are left to naked walls to raggs and hunger at home Oh Drunkard Drunkard What hast thou done Thou hast even consulted shame to thine House reproach to Religion poverty to thy Estate diseases to thy Body everlasting danger to thy precious Soul infection to all that shall ever keep thy company sorrow of heart to thy tender Family which thou oughtest to have been a crown of rejoycing unto Therefore hear thou the Word of the Lord thou that hast so often enlarged thy desires as hell after other cups Thus faith the Lord Thou shalt surely drink of a cup of bitterness and trembling from the fury of the Lord. Thou shalt be drunk but not with wine thou shalt be overcome but not with strong drink Then mayest thou fall and rise no more Thus even thus shall Adonijahs feasts break up with amazement and Belshazzars cups with trembling You are it may be almost wearied with this long Relation but from such considerations should we gather up instruction and warning for our own Souls The Spartans were wont when at any time their Servants were drunk to bring them in presence before their Children that the odiousness of their carriage might breed the deeper hatred of the vice You have also now seen the Drunkard in some part of his vileness though in modesty much hath been forborn of that filth and leudness wherewith he might too truly be charged Oh that you may never commit such folly in Israel Let who will live in revelings and excess drown not you a noble mind in slouds of drunkenness Let the counsel which Cyrus once gave his Souldiers be your measure what is truly convenient for you and not what would overcharge nature unto drowziness nor inflame it unto madness The drunkard may jovially call for much now but this he may and cannot but know the score runs dayly on and his reckoning will be very sore in the great day 9. Not one that is profuse or riotous in any of his expences Oh! no where Frugality is not our Steward and Treasurer we shall have but little imployment for Liberality as our Almoner He that will needs be lavish in his superfluities will soon find himself though but little to his own comfort unavoidably straightned in his very necessities It was the sharp yet just observation of the Satyrist when Rome had once parted with their former vertuous Frugality they became forthwith a sad spectacle of all manner of vice and debauchery Their fall must be our Young Mans and indeed all mens caution and warning It may be thought too inferiour for a vertuous mind an heart aiming at heaven to stoop so low as the regard and looking after these pecuniary matters But it is no dishonour to be faithful and wise in that which is least as well as that which is greatest The Sun takes care to cherish the sorry Hyssop by the wall as well as the lofty Cedar in Lebanon And he that hath an earthly indigent Body as his Souls poor kindred lying upon his hand to be dayly provided for must not disdain to take some thoughts for those due accommodations that are fit for it The evils are very sore which are under the Sun on both sides There is that neither regards what he hath nor what he needeth but sensually Epicurus-like rusheth forth into all excess There is also that possesseth much and yet Tantalus-like he even famisheth in the midst of his abundance and hath not an heart to allow himself to taste in the least measure of the good thereof So rare is the true use of present things It is left to our care and wisdom to sail warily between both these rocks The truly prudent and gracious person takes himself allowed on the one hand to eat his bread with gladness and to rejoyce before the Lord in all that he putteth his hand unto What God hath given him he wisely partakes of it and keeps his enjoyments from rust by
ye ambitious of his Honour but I must say Be ye imitatâ—rs of his Industry Accounting with yourselves as the Father piously of old that labour is the honourable Schoole of Vertue wherein your proficiency would soon appear to all Such an one Solomon at a great distance foresees what advancement he would soon come to Seest thou a man diligent in his business he shall stand before Kings he shall not stand before mean persons These things are and most justly may be the Young Mans Lecture they walk with him they talk with him Wherever he goes he is still pondering of them He considers his outward man and observes godly diligence inherits a blessing while negligence goes cloathed in rags He considers his inward man and fears if time be carelesly lost here Eternity of happiness will very hardly be found hereafter He that labours not painfully in hiâ— Calling both Spiritual and Civil here on Earth his heart is not right in the sight of God his own Conscience will tell him he hath no lot nor parâ— in that rest which remains for the people of God in Heâ—ven CHAP. VII Affirmative Characters what the vertuous Young Man is and ought to be YOu have now received some Negative Characters and description of the Young Person that is worthy of commendation and love indeed That we might plainly understand what he is not what he ought not to be And oh that you likewise may cordially hate the work of them that thus turn aside and for your parts unfainedly meditate a better course of life We will now look to the right hand Affirmatively and consider what the vertuous Young Person is and ought to be in whole heart are the waies of God We might almost make our boâ—st here and say in some measure as in the Psalms Grace is poured into his lips and he is much fairer than the common Race of the Children of men He is one whose mind is richly inlayed like the Kings Daughter all glorious within curiously wrought by the hand of the Spirit There may you find the Prophets Vision Ierusalem pourtraied upon a tyle Much of the very glory of Heaven it self drawn upon his tender soul His heart is as a living Temple for the Holy Ghost His thoughts and affections as perfumed Odours aspiring and ascending continually as pillars of Incense heaven-ward He cometh forth out of the purple morning of his youth as the Bridegroom out of his Chamber as the Sun out of the dawning East and rejoyceth to run the Godly Race More particularly 1. He is one that chooseth the fear of the Lord with his whole heart For he knoweth it is to God he stands or it is to God he falls Others are vain others are profane but so dares not he because of the fear of the Lord. He believes the Scripture and accounts it no burden no sadning but a Jewel well worth his carefullest preserving and laying up The fear of the Lord is his treasure Wherever this is wanting he reckons that place an habitation of Dragons undesirable unsafe for any man to live in And Abraham said Surely the fear of God is not in this place and they will stay me He hath heard all true wisdome wherever it is may be found out and known by this This is its first and great principle The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom This is to him as the due ballast to the Ship which makes the Vessel indeed loome somewhat deeper but keeps it from tossing too lightly upon the uncertain waters It composeth his whole Conversation to great sobriety and stedfastness There is a sleighty sort of profession too frequently up and down the world in these last daies without much mixture of this weighty grace in it But he easily concludes that mans Religion will soon prove as salt that hath lost its savour and quickly go out into some stinch Oh! what shipwrack of faith and all good conscience must needs follow there where the heart stands in no awe of God The Father long ago gave over that man as an hopeless Patient He will soon be out of his way in point of conversation that sets light by the true fear of God in point of affection It is a sad note but it is a true one That man that will not fear God willingly shall be made though little to his comfort to do it by force What most would seem to refuse none shall be able to exclude That dread of God which they flee from shall pursue them and overtake them between the straits God will be we never so loath be feared of all But woe be to that man who having refused filial feâ—re as a grace is constrained to lie under the scourgings of a judicial trembling as his torment for ever and ever The Lord preserve you from it But now it is still a note as comfortable on the other hand to every true Child of God that accepts his gracious fear chearfully the Lord will himself become their shelter and City of refuge that their hearts may quietly return to their rest and need no more be amazed at any terrour outwardly God would not have his dear people fear the fears of others Only let us sanctifie the Lord of Hosts iâ— our hearts and he shall be for a Sanctuary unto us The case is truly weighty on both sides The serious Young Person takes it up goes with it into the Sanctuary and there weighs it before the Lord and at length comes forth cordially contented that the just fear of God should be to him as to the Patriarks of old the great Badge and Cognizance of his Religion 2. He is one to whom the Lord Iesus Christ is exceeding precious He loves his Father he loves his Mother but still saies Jesus Christ alone he and none but he can be my Saviour He could herein even break forth into an holy triumph and begin with the Father to sing the Songs of the Lamb The Saviour is born oh glorifie the Lord. He hath appeared on Earth be ye henceforth lift up ye everlasting Gates The Bridegroom is shortly returning again oh light your Lamps and go out to meet him Sing to the Lord in the joy of this salvation Oh! let all the earth praise the Lord. The Iron though senseless willingly moves toward the Loadstone and is loth to part any more from it Christ is his Load-stone and his heart is even constrained and drawn out with great affection after him If the presence of the Sun be that which alone makes day to the dark world The enjoyment of Christ is more to him the light of life that makes a day of grace the chief of his comforts his heaven his all He could say wiâ—h pious Suenes in the midst of the greatest discouragements I will follow my Saviour in liberty and bondage in prosperity and adversity in life and death Whilest the smallest thread of life
eye that it should not rove after vanity He knows the heart is weak and too prone to be drawn away by it He hears of some that have eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin the sad character of too many but he desires to feast his on the good Word of God and then without rowling to or fro to look straight forward and to ponder the path of his feet He sets the like guard upon all his other Senses remembring the sage â—though almost Paradoxal counsel of the Ancients Shut up those five windows that the house may shine the clearer and the noble Inhabitant the soul may rest the safer He then wisely withholds making provision â—or the flesh Lest giving lust its baits it should become as the Sons of Zervia too hard for him Fulness of bread and idleness were Sodoms sins and all unnatural leudness was by and by Sodoms shame Strange and light attire it is to him a thing needless to provide it burdensome to mind it and when all this is done disgraceful to wear it He hath heard the Ancients much condemn it and he doth not desire it But above all he chargeth his heart that it should not dare to dally with any lustful thoughts though never so secretly Sin is sin in the root as well as in the fruit in the thoughts as truly as in the actions and Sâ—tan will soon grow bolder If he once gets footing so far as the heart he will scâ—rce be so modest as to stay long there The fire once kindled there will quickly break out further Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak the hands will act and will noâ— be restrained Or however his danger is still the same where sin seeks most for shelter in the secret chambers of the heart there even there Gods searchers come most God will have the secretest Cabinet opened Where his sins burn most the eye of God shall find him out The unclean person may take it as a Mene Tekel written upon the wall for him I the Lord search the heart and try the reins to give unto every man according to his waies and according to the fruit of his doings Finally He concludes as we all likewise justly may that our bodie ought to bâ— the Temples of the Holy Ghost If he could break away from other considerations and set light by them yet the dread of God comes in and curbs him with this tremendous warning in his ear If any man shall deâ—ile the Temple of God that man shall God destroy Oh Sirs it is no deceiving our selves or dallying with sin God cannot be mocked 9. One that wisely laies up all the memorable experiences and observations of his Youth for the better instruction of his riper years These are that good Treasure so well worth our gathering the safest and trusty guides of life The Eleazars the faithful servants with which the most tender mind as Rebeccah is very inclinable to go along It is by them that so many Arts and honourable Attainments have been hatched up and brought by degrees to any maturity Books and bare reading may render us nicely witty and ingenuous for airy discourse but it is still left to further experience to settle and furnish us out more solidly for real affairs We may reckon and not misreckon neither as Affranius the old Poet in hiâ— famous Inscription upon the doors where the Roman Senators so frequently met If Wisdom be the Child Experience seems the Parent that brought it forth and Memory the Mother in whose bosome it rests and still lies It runs much in all our minds naturally to say as he in the Gospel Except I see I will not believe Knowledge it seems must come in by the broad gates of the Senses ere it can have its access to the mind or any private audience in those inward Chambers The ingenuous Young Man hears all this And what Historians tell us was ingraven of old upon Plato's Seal he is freely willing it should be the sententious Motto of his Arms Experience when all is done is the great Governess that beareth the best rule in all things And therefore that he might not lose the surest means for his good information or live upon trembling uncertainties all his daies he agrees heartily with himself to get the best and â—ullest satisfaction that he can as an eye-witnâ—ss in all things And therein resolves more particularly 1. To keep a Diary and just account of all the sore judgments of God upon wicked men in his time For they are indeed as the severity of God upon Shiloe as devouring flames upon our neighbours house and may well be a near warning to us They are as the stroke upon the two first Captains and their Fifties that we might fall upon our faces and say Oh my Lord let my life be precious in thy sight I will henceforth fear and not dare to do thus presumptuously 2. Of all the Lords tender mercies toward his faithful servants The hidden Mannah wherewith he inwardly so often feasts them The manifold sweet outward deliverances wherein he so remarkably in their greatest straights owns them Which makes him cry out as the Queen of Sheba Blessed are these thy servants oh Lord Happy are they that are in such a case whose God is the Lord. Oh! that I may be also as one of those upon whom thine eyes are thus for good continually 3. He is as desirous to preserve the Register of all the Lords dealings by him in particular and whatever befals him from his Youth Herein the Lord plainly chargeth him as Moses of old adjured the Israelites Thou shalt well consider in thine heart and remember all the way that I have hitherto led thee to try thee and to prove thee that thou mightst in the following part of thy life know and acknowledge the God of all thy mercies Dear Children these things I commend unto you with the utmost Cordialness that I am able He is a Scholar indeed that is Gods Scholar and he learns indeed that meditates in the Works as well as in the Word of God Here you may see all things as in a glass before you Here you may gather every one of you a little History of your own wiâ—h great delight and profit Be oh I pray be you truly careful herein and it shall be a sweet means to make you wise in your Generation as men to establish you in a great composure of Spirit in all your profession as Christians 10. One that willingly bears in mind that great Memonto which the Lord hath so particularly given in charge to Young People Rejoyce oh Young Man â— if so thou darest and thine heart can serve thee to sport securely in thine own ruine but know that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement This is that day that shall come as a snare
and destruction from the Almighty upon the Children of Men. A day that all are enough warned of a day that few duly provide for This is that day that shall decide that great Case which hath so long depended that shall resolve that Question of all Questions which to this hour hovers and passes to and â—ro so thoughtfully in all mens minds Then shall the Lord shew who is holy and who are his This is that day wherein the World to its utter astonishment as Iosephs Brethren troubled at the unexpected â—ight of one so little looked for so little delighted in shall yet once again hear and see more of Christ That the residue oâ— the great work of Redemption might be finished and the Kingdom delivered up according to the earnest longing of the whole Creation in the fulness of its glory to the Father This is once more that day wherein grace and grace alone shall find favour in the eyes of God Hypocrisie shall then shelter none Estates shall then buy off none It is the just Judge of the whole Earth who sitteth then upon our trials and a righteous judgement according as every mans Case shall then be sound he will impartially pass None can here plead ignorance oâ— say they heard not of it Enoch the seventh from Adam so long ago prophesied of this so openly that who would might understand it Behold he cometh with ten thousand of his Saints We cannot make our selves strangers to it The blind and the deaf both heard and saw it The poor Heathen awaked as amazed men and said one to another This World will one day have a tragick end and we shall all be certainly judged for what we now do Their Philosophers they freely yielded it Their Sybils and Poets dayly sung of it And all flesh may now without further thought or doubt sit down and confess with the Apostle 〈◊〉 We know we must all none excepâ—ted appear before the judgement seat of Christ in the solemnest case that ever was tried to receive of him according to the things done in the body whether they be good or whether they be evil 2 Cor. 5.10 Oh Young Man Young Man how often hast thou seriously thought of this day A day wherein these eyes of thine shall see Christ himself coming in the clouds with great power and glory from the brightness of whose presence Heaven and Earth shall be ready to flee away Then shalt thou see thâ—se Royal Officers of State the Angels of Heaven so numerously up and down amongst us attending their Masters business summoning the Graves of the Earth calling to the Waters of the Sea to deliver up their dead almost now forgotten that have been so long since committed to them Then shalt thou hear the shrill voice of the last Trumpet sounding that solemn Call to all Flesh Arise ye dead and come unto judgement Oh how loth will the Sinner be to rise at the ringing of this Watch-bell How little heart will he have to put on his old cloaths of sinful Flesh and appear in them before the Lord How loth to meet with his body in so sad a place upon so sad an occasion that they may now together as joyless Companions receive the bitter wages of all their former sins Then shall you see the Prophets Vision dry bones live indeed then shall the dead awake from their Long sleep the Father with the Son the Poor with the Rich and go to receive every one their several Sentence from the Lord. Then must the Sun be content to be darkned and the Moon to the amazement of all beholders shall become as bloud Then must the Stars like withered leaves fall from their places The Flouds roaring the Earth flaming the Elements melting the Heavens like a Scrowl of Parchment passing away and almost all Flesh shreeking and crying out In vain have we flattered our selves in vain have we put far from us the evil day Notwithstanding all our lothness it is come even the day of his wrath and who can stand before him Then comes forth the definitive Sentence from the Judge's own lips to the godly on the right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared so long by me desired so affectionately by you Enter ye now at length once for ever into the joy of your Lord. Then also comes forth that heart-wounding Condemnation on the left hand Depart from me ye Cursed go go cursed ye are and shall now to your own everlasting smart feel it far from any rayes of blessedness shining upon you shall your place henceforth be and your condition as far from rest or ease Depart from me ye Cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Then shall that slighted word Eternity trampled so much under foot now be found and felt a ponderous thing indeed This oh this shall make the night of Sinners sorrow so doleful to him there shall never never never more arise or shine any day upon him Never so many aking hearts never so many pale faces seen together since the World began Then shall the stout hearted be spoiled and he that knew not how to brook the feâ—r of the Almighty here on earth his spirits shall then fail him apace his heart shall thenceforth meditate terrour and his own tongue confess his punishment is now become greater than he knows either how to avoid or how possibly to bear This great day is to the pious young man the Memorial of all Memorials a cogent and constraining argument to bring him into Gods Vineyard As the Apostle calls it the terrour of the Lord and he is willing it should perswade him He goes up to his Watch-tower he concludes with himself what ever lies neglected this day must be timely provided for and he prepareth unfainedly as he is able for it 1. He first spreadeth his hands toward heaven and draweth with much humility toward God Having been so exceeding sinful hitherto he is loth to be false or further dilingenuous now He freely confesses guilty And what could easily enough be proved against him if he should go about to deny it he filially acknowledgeth passing sentence upon himself as one whom God for his manifold and hainous sins most righteously might condemn Yet still hoping the Lord will give him the benefit of his reading and the blessed favour of that sweet Scripture He that judgeth himself shall not be judged of the Lord. 2. He then beforehand entreats the Judge himself for the Lord in his stupendious mercy allows it to become his Advocate He dares not indeed trust his Case in any meaner hands He now putteth the very hopes of his life in his Saviours righteousness saying That and that alone is the righteousness that can answer for him in times to come 3. He lastly resolves to set the straightest steps to take the greatest heed to his whole Conversation doing those things
only now which may be fairly responsible and abound to his good account then And so he waits till the Lord shall please to call for him In this posture he watches day and night left the spirit of slumber which is faln upon these last daies should at any time overtake him And wishes that all men had also the ear of the Learned to hear as the Father of old the voice of the last Trumpet sounding continually from heaven unto them He sadly sees indeed what is doing or rather every where misdoing in the World Some contending too unkindly too unnaturally too unbecoming Christians each with other as if Christ were now divided and Religion contrary to its own sweet nature setting up a fiery standard and the Professors of it to the amazement of all beholders transported into a spirit of inhumane fury every man against his Neighbour Which makes him cry out with the Poet Oh Friends is it possible that heavenly minds should harbour such earthly passions He sees others panting as eagerly after the very dust of the earth to the apparent hazard of what is infinitely more worth Heaven and Everlasting happiness So that the very Child might too justly upbraid them in the words of the Philosopher See see how they grasp after Earth to the loss the utter loss of Heaven it self He sees in conclusion almost all men too near the words of the Psalmist Walking in a vain shaddow But he for his part thinks himself highly calleâ— of God to another temper of heart a far better course of life And therefore pitcheth upon this one request as that which of all other most concerns him Oh let me be found of thee my Lord at that day in peace 11. He is onee that aims to make his every-day Conversation a just Copy and Pattern of his whole life He considers how â—itly the day resembles life seeming indeed but an Epitomy 〈◊〉 Abridgement and lesser Map of it And therefore he awakes in the Morning with the chearful remembrance of God He delights also to rise as early â— that he might gain some fresh persumed and previous thoughts before oâ— her affairs crowd in upon him â— accounting it very unbecoming and the open Symptom of an ignoble hopeless disposition To fold the arms to any longer sleep when God brings in so fair so bright a Lamp as the rayes of the Sun for us to rise by He enters the day with Prayer and Reading seeking to interest the Lord and take fresh counsel from his Word for all the following occasions of the day He goes forth from chance to his Calling endeavouring painfully and patiently to undergo the service and evils of the day with an unbroken mind He sets down in the Evening and Pythagoras-like makes up the accounts of the day now past He commends his Soul to God at night as one ready to take his leave of the World to whom it would be no surprize though his bidding good night should be his parting with his Friends indeed his undressing his putting off all things here his Bed his Grave his sleep a sleeping with his Fathers till the sweet Morning of the Resurrection when he might awake satisfied in Gods likeness and see the Sun of righteousness shining upon him indeed Thus with the Rose he lifts up his face toward the Sun in the Morning perfumes the ambient air with a fragrant odour all the day And still with the Rose vails up his head at night with a fresh dew from heaven resting and lodging upon him So sweet a life so dayly a death oh how familiar how welcome and easie would they make death it self as a friend of long acquaintance and before-hand provided for when ever iâ— comes indeed 13. Lastly and more comprehensively He is one whose growth is an intire growth of the minâ— within as well as of the body without In Vertue as well as in Stature It is his dayly care and prayer that he may grow in wisdom and savour with God and Man He esteems it the beauty of his Youth to be truly respectful to the Aged Nature presented it as â— matter of high concern to the blind Heathens and the Lord himself hatâ— more expresly required it at our hands Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head and honour the face of the old man and fear thy God I am the Lord. God scarce takes himself to be duly feared where this is neglected He is one who foresees his Parents shortly giving up their places and leaving him as the branch of their hope to succeed therein He takes it to be his just debt both to them and to himself to be what his Name in the holy Language well suggesteth to him The wise builder up of the Family when they are gone The strength the stay and ornament of it that it may live and become a Famimily of some praise and honour amongst the thousands of Israel He is one that takes care to naturalize himself betimes to vertuous habits of diligence and goodness watching and declining the very occasions and first entertainments of Vice Left Nature should be wooed and too easily carried away by such had Suiters and evil courses like the Sons of Zervia in a little process of time become too hard for him He is one that walketh chearfully in his station is merry and sinneth not pleasant but not frothy Serious but not melancholy One that by sweetness of nature and disposition one that by meekness of carriage and conversation renders himself lovely to all His Parents shall look upon him with comfort and say My Child my heart rejoyceth even mine because thou hast chosen the waies of Wisdom His Neighbours shall enquire after him and propounding him as an example to their own Families shall even bless the breasts which gave him suck and account that Parent happy who hath such Arrows in his Quiver he may speak with his adversary in the gate And now such oh such for Piety and Vertue are you desired to be Whom all that know you may esteem and Sirname according to that old yet honourable phrase The love and delight of mankind CHAP. VIII The Necessity and great Advantagiousness of true Grace in any Condition whatsoever PUt the Case as impartially as you can yet nearer your selves and see what great what real advantages the grace of God might yield unto you in whatever capacity or condition God shall set you First If you be born of mean Parents and poor The meanness of your condition will plainly need and the grace of God will readily yield you much refreshment The Ancients have long ago justly concluded whatever verdict men may piss There is no man properly poor dishonourably poor but he that is pior in Grace and Knowledge You have it may be no house on Earth You have the more need of a Mansion in Heaven Scarce so much as Cloaths for
him The amends is made a thousand times over Thâ— crazy body now so frail now so shapeless shall be one day fashioned like unâ— the glorious body of Christ himself and all thy present deformities shalâ— then be done away In the meanâ— time thy soul is as a Diamond though in a craggy shapeless rock Thou halâ— wherein humbly to rejoyce Satisfie thy self though thou hast not the beauty of the Lilly thou art inwardly adorned and hast that which is far greater the beauty of a Child of God Thus might grace supply the heart-sadning defects of nature Seek â—ou the Lord and all these comforts â—hall be yours Fifthly Some of you it may be God hath endued with much sweetness of naâ—ural disposition He that looks upon you is ready to love you and say as Christ in the Gospel Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God You are already as the Ring of Gold for choiceness of temper and metal Oh! â—hat God would now set his grace which is the Jewel of all Jewels as the Diamond in this Ring and you are then happy for ever This is that orient Pearl that Cyâ—iu in his time so highly delighted in professing to his Friend Gobrias That â—he thought it rather became him and he â—as sure far more pleased him to attend the study of a due Philanthropia for that was his own very word toward all then to gird up his mind to the conquest of Nations and discipline of War Cyrus his candor in this may we be ours And methinks the veâ— dust of good nature deserves to finâ— much favour in all mens hearts Leâ— us in Gods name dearly cherish â— Let it be as Abigail once modesâ—â— offered An handmaid to wash the feeâ— of the Servants of our Lord. But still we must freely say To bâ— loving to men and stubborn to God of a sweet nature toward them at hard hearted against him kind â— others and unkind to our own souls this is an hard character oh â— that â— may be none of yours We may saâ— to such a one as Christ One thing yet lacking and it is ten thousand pities thou shouldst go to thy grave without it Oh â— make thy peace witâ— God in the bloud of Christ and all is well Sixthly and lastly To others of you it may be God hath given choice parâ— enlarged capacities a measure of understanding above many Oh! be not now liâ—e that Image in Daniel having you head an head of Gold for knowledge but your heart of courser metal and your feet feet of clay and earth as to your conversation It was said of Galba in respect of his crooked body his rare wit took up very inferiour Lodgings and resided far beneath it self in an exceeding mean Cottage But the Story is far sadder where a good head hath the ill neighbourhood of a bad heart where understanding is called for as an Achitophel to contrive evil and becomes a Pander to all wickedness If God hath given such intellectual endowments to any of you canst thou satisfie thy self to debase these sweet parts to serve sin with them Shall they be put to grind in that Mill How is the beauty of Israel faln And the light within thee led captive to the works of darkness Canst thou find in thine heart to carry these golden Vessels of the Temple down to Babylon to profane them there Oh! no they are for an high er and more honourable use to minister before the Lord of the whole earth in them He that is wise let him be wise for God and not like that sad character too often verified Wise to do evil but having no knowledge to do good If thou beest as Daniel skilful in â—ll the learning and knowledge of the Chaldeans be also as he of an excellent spirit that it may be said of thee as of him The spirit of wisdom and knowledge even the spirit of God above is found in thee If thou beest as Moses learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians What thinkest thou in the most serious thoughts of thine heart Canst thou look with much affection toward the Israel of God Canst thou esteem reproach with them greate ricnes than all the treasures of Egypt Canst thou deal freely canst thou look away from the things that are seen to an invisible God and the recompence of a future reward It was not Moses his Egyptian learning it was not Daniels Chaldean knowledge but the grace of God which made them both so justly renowned to Posterity Here may we piously say with that holy man a few grains of this Gold how doth it excell many pounds of Lead the least measure of sanctified knowledge oh Lord how unspeakably to be preferred before our supercilious pride in other things This oh that we could heartily read those words after God this is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent It is a sore lamentation and sight sad enough and yet oh Lord too common in Israel to see choice parts spending their strength as some rich soil in nursing hone but noisome weeds Oh let not the complaint of former Ages be revived in any of you The illiterate arise and press apace in at the Kingdom of Heaven while we with all our unsanctified Learning are thrust down to hell The strength of your judgement is able in some measure to present unto you the waies of God in their true amiableness it is able to rescue you from the follies and mistakes that the weaker are intangled in Your discerning is clearer and more piercing able to see the shortness and emptiness of what others in their ignorance so highly admire it is able in some measure to determine your will which in the foolish is more stubborn it is able to perswade and beat some sway with the affections which are all inclinable to be ruled by it I even entreat and beseech you for the Lords sake you that have known thus distinctly to do well do not you dare do not you adventure to do ill Oifer your selves and your parts such as they are Araunah-like chearfully faithfully and ingenuously to the Lord and his service in your generation None so well deserves them it was he that gave them who can also at his pleasure take them away again at any time and turn your wisdome into foolishness if you be found abusing of it as a weapon unto unrighteousness Be you then of all men you and your hopeful parts for God and not for another I am I confess very desirous to perswade you in the Lord. Oh! that I could more affectionately travel with you till Christ be formed in you To me the strife of men is wearisome their threatnings their flatteries their applause their revilings are all of them wisely meekly and silently to be over-looked by him that truly meaneth peace on earth or glory in heaven He were yet to seek saies
a worthy man how to live that knows not how to digest and put up such trials as these Contend who will let me serve the Lord in the Converting of any lost soul from the errour of its evil waies to the Kingdom of our God Fulfil ye I pray you my joy both mine and yours So shall this present Letter in future times become a comfortable Memorial to me a comfortable Memorial to you CHAP. IX Caveats against several more obvious dangers whereat so many Young Persons stumble and fall for ever I Have still some serious Caveats of great concernment unto you which I must needs desire you to take careful notice of without which my writing and your reading would both be in vain My Pen I perceive hastily out-runs the measure of a Letter but I will say as sometimes the Apostle did To me thus to write is not grievous but for you it may be profitable As ever therefore you desire to be your own true Friends First Take Heed of yielding to the least known sin By lesser sins at first doth the Devil draw to the greatest wickedness at last Is thy Servant a dog saies he and it may be he spake as he then thought that I should do this thing But in process of time we find for all that he did it Evil hath too much of a cursed fruitfulness going along with it This Serpent if sustered will soon encrease to a great brood The Poet could even challenge the World upon this score Tell me the man if you can any where find such a one that was ever content with one single sin Our promises may be as usually they are in such cases it shall be but once but these promises will soon lie broken at our feet and the sin iterated it may be an hundred times over So hard is it to recover out of Satans snares or to make any retreat when once engaged in evil He that hateth sin as sin hath Iosephs ingenuous answer in readiness against every temptation How shall I commit this great wickedness and sin against God Conscience once embased the heart once prostituted to vicious courses is not easily recovered to the true fear of the Lord. Afflâ—ctions may seem as Gall for bitterness but sin is alwaies as Poison for real danger and deadliness Oh! pledge not the Devil in this Cup oh take not the least drop of it at his hands There is no sin so small but it is able to weigh down the soul for ever into Hell Secondly Take heed likewise oh take great heed of falling into bad Company Better by far â—aies the Proverb of the Ancients to be altogether alone than troubled with what is much worse bad Company With such you expose your tender natures your most hopeful dispositions to be easily corrupted with such the filth of your company how odious soever secretly cleaveth unto you and will insensibly become yours He that goeth in and sitteth with them seems as it were offering to take and desirous to get acquaintance with Hell before his time Say you as Jacob Oh my soul come not thou into their secret unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united These are seeming Friends but real Foes To whom we might too justly say as he Is this your kindness to your Friend to become my sâ—ares and enticements unto evil Or with the Philosopher Oh Friends amongst hundreds of such companions scarce one real vertuous Friend to be found Thousands have died and perished for ever of the infection they have catcht from sinful company Leaving this sad Epitaph upon their Grave stone for the warning of others after them Bad Company in life is too ready a way to worse Company in death The honest Traveller will scarce willingly ride much in the Thieves Company if he can avoid it And we may all say of the profane Companion he steals at least our good name and time if not all vertuous inclinations also from us Men that see not your hearts inwardly will not stick to esteem and judge both of you and them according to the company you keep outwardly It became even proverbial with the Jews If you can first tell me what kind of Company he keeps I can then safely tell you such he also is himself Despise none you may anâ— should shew your selves meek and truly courteous toward all but still choose the ingenuous only the vertuous and the harmless for your companions The Dove flocks not with Ravens Be you as David Companions of alâ— them that fear the Lord. Or as Solomoâ— after him Walking in the way of good men keeping the paths of the righteous And it shall turn to you for a testimony and blessing It shall become as the Oratour well observed A sweâ—â— specimen of a good nature inclining 〈◊〉 self very apparently toward Wisdom and Vertue Do you indeed love your heavenly Father You cannot then consoâ—â— with those who tear and blaspheme that worthy name of his by profane oaths Is Iesus Christ truly precious to you You cannot then possibly delight your selves in them who â—reaâ— under foot the Son of God and account the bloud of the Covenant an unholy thing Oh I deliver your own souls Pray them to leave their sâ—iâ—ing or tell them plainly you must for the future leave their Company Thirdly Take heed in the next place of the sins of youth Satan fishes with one bait for the Old man with another for the Young but death is still in both Present vanities will soon grow stale and unpleasing Satan will be forced to change these for other that the mind may be carried on and delayed with foolish hopes of better contentment in them The delightful pleasures of Youth will give way to the anxious cares of riper years Thus Sin runs its round but still retains its interest suiting it self with much variety to our several Ages and tempers as we pass through them But in the mean time we may truly enough observe as Youth hath its peculiar diseases its violent burning Feavers to which it is naturally subject So hath it its peculiar corruptions levity wantonness and hâ—adiness whereto it is spiritually a much exposed These are the Young mans dangers which need as the Father well observed the streightâ— rein and bridle Oh keep your selves as Daviâ— from your iniquity and lye not dowâ— in the dust with your bones full of thâ— sins of your Youth There are many sins it is no thankâ— to us we commit them not we are scarce so much as tempted to them To refuse a dear a pleasing sin whâ—â— it is fairly offered this oh thâ— shews the uprightness and nobleneâ— of the heart He that can find in his heart tâ— deny his own longing nature he thâ— in the fear of the Lord restrains hiâ— own disposition that he might noâ— offend he that in a spirit of Christian resolution
and nobleness cuts off â—iâ— right hand and plucks out his right eye for Christs sake this oh â— this is the true Disciple indeed We may say here as God once said of Abraham By this we know that he feareth God seeing he hath not withheld his dearest his darling Isaac from him Oh! be you perswaded to turn â—way your eyes from bosome vanities Set your greatest watch where you â—ie in greatest danger Flee youthful â—usts but follow after righteousness Fourthly Take heed yet further â—hat you neglect not your day of grace Let Esaus loss be your warning Time was when he carelesly slighted that which afterwards he sought with tears with bitter tears but sound no place for repentance Such tears you will see dropping from many eyes another day There are two Rocks whereat most miscarry in this matter 1. By slumâ—ering and taking no notice of Gods call 2. By faint promises which never ripen to performance Take you great heed of both Concerning the first There are those golden opportunities of mercy wherein the Lord seeks to save that which is lost I gave her saies God a space to repent This great gift it may be the Lord in much mercy sets before you And your selves are best privy to those choice seasons wherein the Lord comes upon this great occasion and knocks at your door Sometimes by Sickness sometimes by Parental Counsel sometimes by more publick Ordinances sometimes by his more remarkable divine judgments upon sinners While the Lord is thus speaking to you your hearts as those Disciples even burn within you your very Souls telling you it is the voice of Christ graciously calling you to repentance Oh! seek the Lord while he may be found True opportunity in most cases is a rare thing and comes but seldom but had need be imbraced with both hands when it comes It will be too late said the Ancients to tender our Sacrifice when the appointed time is past and gone Behold this is the day of your visitation oh that it may prove the day of your regeneration and true acquaintance with the things of your everlasting peace Your Father your Master calls you in the Morning and you arise and go about his work Well Sirs let me also counsel you as Eli once counselled Samuel listen diligently and it shall come to pass if the Lord thy God shall thus call thee thou shalt answer Speak Lord for thy servant heareth Concerning the second our evasions and procrastinations with the Lord we must all freely confess delaies and faint promises for the future they are but the artificial excuses of an unwilling mind for the present Like the goodly words of the Son in the Parable that saies but never goes into the Fathers Vineyard How piously did St. Austine bemoan the treachery of his own heart for a due warning to all posterity in this matter I begged saies he longer day promising presently Lord By and by have but a little patience with me and I will come But oh saies he that Presently lingred beyond all bounds of modesty and this By and by proved a long day and loth to come Dear Youths if these vows of the Lord be upon you defer not to pay them And cast not your selves by delaies upon that sad Dilemma That your own Promises should be as your hand-writing to the Obligation and yet your Conversation render you guilty of non-payment Fifthly Take heed yet again of the sins of the Times wherein you live All Ages all Places have their peculiar reigning sins And most men will needs vainly follow the present fashion in sins as well as cloaths though they lose their very souls by it These last daies are the sad receptacle of almost all precedent corruptions The Lord himself hath told us they are and will be very perillous daies Daies wherein that undesirable thing Sin will every where too much abound Nature the Satyrist could long ago observe grows now in its old age very degenerous we had need watch to the utmost and keep our garments The Boat usually goes full of Passengers and carries multitudes down the stream with it And who so in the fear of God or love of righteousness departeth from the iniquity of the times that man maketh himself a prey in the gate Aristides his justice costs him his life and Socrates his fidelity to one only as the true and living God in the rage of a giddy multitude procured his death So dangerous alwaies is it to dissent from present times be they never so vicious But as for you my Friendsâ— be ye careful indeed you oppose no man wilfully but be ye still as careful that you follow no man in evil courseâ—s wickedly It was not without cause told us The whole world as now it is lieth in wickedness And if any man will be the friend of this world he enters that friendship upon very hard terms he must thereupon become the enemy of God So difficult and even impossible is it for any man to serve two Masters In these sore straights Young Man what wilt thou do Before thou resolvest to sin with the world now seriously ask thine heart this one question Canst thou be content to fare as the world fares to be condemned and suffer with it hereafter Ungodly men will wonder it will be a piece of strange and amazing news that others run not with them to the same excess of riot that others are not vile and vain as well as they but you are Travellers whatever others do on the right hand or on the left you must not turn aside but mind your journey The Nations might do as they would by their Idolls but Moses plainly tells Israel The Lord their God had not suffered them to deal so by him Not durst Ioshah soon after judge the Iews strange uncertainty his sufficient excuse or security If saies he it seems evil in your eyes and the case is there hard indeed where the righteous service of the Lord seems evil to any yet saies Ioshuah however I and mine are bound to serve the Lord. Noah had perished in the waters if times had carried him Lot had burnt in Sodom if the Multitude had swayed with him The sins of times Gods people may alwaies be pious mourners for them but never profane practicers of them Be ye whatever others are righteous in your generation before the Lord. Sixthly Take heed yet further that you enter not upon Religion at first superficially slightily or carnally Religion is solemn and had need be solemnly and reverently approached unto Mistakes here are very easily run into but more hardly redressed the forest mistakes in the whole world And yet saies the Father there is scarce any thing more common then for men to deceive their own souls and go as the Prophet expresseth it with a lie in their right hand all their daies Their Religion they judge is good and they
are willing as others also â—re to be of it and so they conclude without further troubling themselves that all will be well I write not this to upbraid any but may and must freely say thus much to all The truest Religion falsely taken up will be but as the Arke to the Philistims it may encrease our torments but will never save our souls If we shall climb up to Religion some other way and not by the true door if we shall crowd into profession without a wedding garment the time is coming we shall be found out and our own conscience which have thus lied to the Holy Ghost shall even fail within us and leave us speechless at the Bar of God as those that have not the least excuse for themselves There is a time Dear Youths your own consciences cannot but tell you so wherein Religion must be first embraced on Earth if ever you desire glory or happiness in Heaven Now he that begins amiss is like to make but very bad work ever after Things once mislearned are exceeding hardly unlearnt And truly where one takes up the profession of the Name of God sincerely and upon Gospel terms it may be feared there are too many who receive it unworthily and to their own condemnation Some lose their souls while they seek with the blinded Iews to establish their own righteousness Other hearing Religion much commended and seeing somewhat of amiableness and beauty in it they hastily catch up some flashy heady ceremonial or remote opinion as best pleaseth them and think they have enough and so never regard to know what sound conversion and true communion with God meaneth all their daies Others again and herein I am more particularly speaking to your caso the Lord grant you may truly lay it to heart others I say as Children and Servants to satisfie the desires and counsel of their religious Parents and Friends yield and do those things outwardly which they bear no true affection unto inwardly Oh wretched hypocrisie at the same time seemingly to stand in some fear of Man but none of God Well whosoever can deceive men no man can mock the Lord. His eyes are eyes of fire and all men shall know that he searcheth the heart and trieth the reins Where Spiritual things are Carnally undertaken the evils that too necessarily ensue thereupon are exceeding many The fruit of the whole undertaking is inevitably lost The Duty that seems offered is not at all discharged The Comforts the dear comforts of Godliness are all lockt up as mercies peculiarly reserved for sincere and better hearts The Profession that is thus made will quickly decay and die in disgrace The heart can never hold out long in that which is but personated and so little delighted in Only the evil and guilt of the miscarriage that will still remain and must be elsewhere answered for So little shall any maâ— gain that goes to build upon the sands The further he goes the more he wanders and will sadly find at last He that begins not duly with Christ as the Author can scarce expect to find him in the end the Finisher or â—â—owner of his faith Yet notwithstanding all this what just cause of sorrow may it be to all sober hearts to consider What harâ— and unkind usage what disingenuous and careless handling that sacred thinâ— Religion in most Ages meets withal from the hands of a froward carnaâ— World Well take you this Item with you all your daies whatever you do in the matters of Religion do it heartily reverently Gospelly and humbly as in the sight of God the all-seeing the jealous God Where God sees he cannot be cordially believed or feared take outward shews who will they are of little value in the account of God These saies the Father are but worthless leaves we must still demand and call for real Fruits If the Lord asks or accepts any thing it must justly be the best we have Give me thine heart my Son Now the Lord himself direct you and give you a right entrance into his right waies with that kindliness of Repentance that truth of Faith that soundness of Conversation that you may not run in vain losing the things you seem to have wrought but may in the end happily obtain the crown of life Happy is that man that can truly say the Foundation stone is thus laid the Top stone shall also in Gods good time be as certainly vouchsafed with those gladsome shoutings to the God of such great and unexpected mercies Grace Grace Seventhly Take heed yet once more in the last place if God hath enkindled any heavenly affections in you now that you lose not your first love afterward The kindness of your youth it is dear it is lovely in the sight of God Christ looked upon the young man in the Gospel and loved him God sees and takes it well that it is in your hearts while you are young to enquire after him These first ripe grapes I might reverently say as in the Prophet they are the fruits that his righteous soul desireth Oh! let not your present convictions your present willingness your present delight in the good Word of God in the sweet Sabbaths of God in the dear people of God Oh! let not all this verdant hopefulness of your youth vanish as a morning cloud or like the early dew I give you this particular warning because miscarriages are so sadly frequent in all Ages of this nature And because I further know Satan will come to winnow you With this temptation if you live you may assure your selves he will assault you with it I have been too forward too zealous too careful for Religion while I was young I will even spare my self now Thus are the first daies of many Professors sadly clouded with lukewarmness formality wordly policy and earthly mindedness ere they die But I hope you will not dare so to do True motion is alwaies most intense the nearer it comes unto its Center And if you be truly aiming for Heaven you will dayly renew your strength and be loth to slacken your pace when it groweth nearest night Relapses in nature Physitians tell us are very sore Relapses in Profession are still far sorer How oh how shall such be ever renewed again unto repentance Dear Youths your thoughts are yet green your years hitherto but little experienced You have scarce yet known how bitter and evil a thing it is to forsake the fountain of living waters and God grant you never may But are you willing to believe what God shall testifie in this matter Then may you soon understand the Backslider though but in heart shall quickly have gall and wormwood enough in his Cup He shall be filled saies the Lord with his own waies Or are you further desirous to hear what Experience hath also to testifie in this weighty case Then may the horrour of Iudas the despairing groans of Spira become your warning They
wretchedly departed from the Profession they had sometimes made in their former yeares and poor men never joyed good hour after I cannot but even beseech you in the Language of the Ancients Oh! spare for Gods sake spare your sweet Youth take some pity upon it and give not that lovely flesh of yours for food to everlasting burnings Gods Children should be as those Hebrew Servants staying with him for the love they bear unto him He hath the words of Eternal life and whether else can they find in their hearts to go If any man draw back this is the sad message must be sent after him the Lord shall have no pleasure in him Men shall also scorn him and say this is salt which hath lost its savour tread it henceforth under foot Ah poor man it had been better for him a sad Better God knows but it had been better for him saied the Apostle never to have know the way of righteousness than after he hath known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto him Be you then as Iosiah gracious in your Youth but be ye also even to Gray-hairs as aged Israel waiting for the salvation of God when you come to dye CHAP. X. The Objections that usually ensnare and detain young people answered I Have now counselled you but shall I say I have also perswaded you It is likely you have your discouragements I know you cannot be without some recoylings of nature Trifles and vanities will hang it may be about your mind as being loth to be now shaken off An holy man found it so which made him complain as we also too truly may My former customes though worse were plainly too strong and trod down things far better because they had been as yet but little used The most righteous waies of God they are indeed blessed they are safe they are honourable but still they are scarce pleasing to flesh and blood Our wretched hearts are too like distempered stomacks that are easily distasted and find no relish in the most wholsome food I am sensible also how busie Satan stands at your right hand ready to resist you continually incensing and prejudicing your thoughts all that ever he can against your own mercies He that makes it his wicked trade to pervert the right waies of God will be forward enough to tell you as once he did Eve You may eat of the forbidden fruit and yet not die You may forbear this serious care and yet speed well at last But oh believe him not his Crocodile flatteries have undone thousands at his feet He that was a liar and a murderer from the beginning will scarce be either true or kind to you He may seem now a smooth and pleasing Tempter but he will soon become as open and forward an Accuser Those very sins he now enticeth to when time shall serve in the presence of God of Angels and of Men will he be ready with all their aggravations to charge you with As you love your souls resist him and account it an essential Principle in true Religion to give a constant Nay to all his temptations Let Men and Devils say what they will sin is sin still An evil saies the very Heathen that must not be pleaded for that cannot be excused An unexcusable breach of a righteous Law the utmost endangering of a precious and immortal soul a wretched and ungrateful flying in the face of a most tender and loving Father This is that Rabshekah that blasphemes the God of Heaven that Achan that troubles the whole Creation this oh this is that Accursed thing that brings evil upon our selves that Needle that too surely draws a thread of divine vengeance after it Let Men and Devils say what they will there must be sowing to the Spirit here if we expect to reap a blessed harvest hereafter Nature tells us so Experience tells us so all the World knows it is so No running the Race now saies the Father and there can be no Crown in the end No fighting the good fight in the Valley and there can be no triumph of victory or honour upon the Everlasting Hills There must be striving to the utmost if we desire to enter in at the straight Gate The Kingdom of Heaven should even suffer violence and the violent are to take it by an holy force Up then in the name of God and be a doing let nothing hinder you Consider call your thoughts to a solemn and impartial debate lay your case in the ballances of the Sanctuary See oh see how Eternity lies at stake your Candle is shortly going out tomorrow it may be will not serve for that which may be done to day You have had your time of Childhood wherein according to the infant feebleness of your minds You spake as Children you understood as Children you thought as Children but now it is time it is high time to out-grow those daies of Vanity What the Lord in much mercy winckt at then would very ill become you now As you become men it will be expected and it will be your honour to put away Childish things These Years and this Age call upon you to converse with more serious things the things that belong to your souls everlasting peace First Say not any of you within your selves in way of objection I am too young for those things He that is old enough to sin cannot think himself too young to repent Doth God say To day while it is called to day and darest thou speak of to Morrow Thou wouldst not adventure to answer thy Natural Parents with such delaies how can God take them well at thine hands Let the pious expostulation of the Father with his soul be rather the language of thine heart also within thee How long oh my Soul how long must this be all thy note to Morrow to Morrow And why not now Why not this very hour a period to all thy former filthiness For how indeed canst thou content thy selfe to venture so much as a day longer in thy present condition without the pardon of sin without the favour of God without any solid provisions for another world The hazard is verily great that thou arâ— running Oh! consider seriously what thou dost If thy soul and the saving of it be unto thee as certainly it is more than all the world besides take thy best time for thy best work Arise as Abraham while it is yet early in the morning of thy life and go about it Fear not it shall be no injury to thy following life that thou hast acquainted thy self with God that thou hast imbraced his good waies while thou art young The Sun in the Spring when it ariseth soonest all men observe the daies are then far the sweetest far the chearliest Secondly Say not Such a strict religious care I see but few of my equalls that undertake it It hath been indeed the sad
complaint of all Ages that goodness is too rare and vertuous men exceeding few But it shall be the more lovely the more honourable that good things are found in you as in that Child of Ieroboam toward the Lord God of Israel The disobedience of others how evil soever in them may serve the more highly to commend your obedience in the sight of God and men It is praise-worthy indeed to shine as the Lilly among the Thornes to be sound as the Proverb of the Ancient adviseth like the fruitful Olive in the midst of Thistles Be you an example in Gods good waie unto all let none be snareâ— in evil unto you Corrupt examples ' may sway with weak minds but the wise in heart will rather regard and consider what is their duty If most shall vilely câ—st away their dear immortal souls as if no mercy no salvation were tendred unto them be you so much the more careful to â—ave yours Though you should travel somewhat solitary here on Earth yet comfort your selves you shall meet with good company in Heaven What Themistocles once wrote setting up a Bill upon an house he had to be lett adding for encouragement sake to them that should hire it this commendation There are good neighbours about it This oh this is indeed the happiness of heaven The Saints and Angels of God the Prophets the Apostles and blessed Martyrs with all your godly friends are all there There may you meet with Daniel who purposed while he was young that he would not defile himself There may you see the three Children whom the very slâ—mes could not affright from choosing to trust and serve the Lord in their tender years Be you also whatever others are like the vision of the Almond-tree holily ambitious to blossome with the first Thirdly Say not it is hard and truly though I dare not altogether deny it yet I scarce know how to like or love it Canst thou love sin and canst thou not love grace Is it an easie thing to serve Satan and hard to serve the Lord These are strange objections â—e never thus learned Christ. It hath been wont to be said by holy men that were before us Those are of all other to be reckoned the hard things which injure the precious soul and hazard Eternity But canst thou be indeed against the true feâ—r of God and the making of thine own Calling and Election sure Oh! tremble and know it is hard entring such unrighteous dissents and standing out with God we are not any of us stronger than he It wâ—s once indeed the Fathers case I was saies he both willing and unwilling my Conscience frâ—ely gave its Yea but my Affections were so shameless as to return their Nay But I arose and contended with my self till my backward heart became at length better perswaded Dear Youths you â—re it seems too far involved in the same conflict oh come forth as honourably in the like gracious resolution Our stubborn and humorous wills left câ—relesly to themselves Lord what utter woe and distress will they soon bring upon the whole man Thou that canlt not fare with thy duty how wilt thou ever be able to fare with thy misery and that for ever If duty may be disingenuously put off now yet will not that be so answered or sent away then And should there be any neglect or miscarrying in this great matter it is thy self thy dear self that is like to be the sufferer and bear the smart of it Come come be not unwilling with thine own duty be not averse toward that which would in conclusion prove thy greatest mercy The painful Countryman is never more in his Element never better pleased then when he is laboriously at work in his Calling And if we be indeed the Servants and Children of the Lord it must and well mâ—y be our meat and drink to do the will of our heavenly Father Fourthly Say not The pleasures of sin are sweet and I would fain have my time and share in them God grant you betâ—er Sweets than they will ever prove More lawful more real Of these we must all say with the Poet They have more of the Aloes than of the Honey in them Young Palates indeed are usually taken with any green raw fruits but their end is bitter Satan hath learnt how to bait the sharp hook how to guild the bitter pill artificially enough He easily over-reaches our credulous minds but his deceit and our disappointment will too soon appear What Nature is now so fond of Grace would even in an holy scorn trample under its feet saying as once St. Austine The pleasures I was sometimes afraid to part with it is now my greatest joy to be clearest from them Theâ—e are those at this day in Hell that are sick enough sick at heart of those very pleasures which they themselves when time was so violently lusted after and could now wish they had never known or called of them Oh! that you would tender your souls health and be perswaded to forbeâ—r them Pleâ—sures you may have only foâ—her sinful ones God would have none be duil though he bids all be innocent Heaven it self shall be 1 Paradise of divine delights for the People of God A vertuous heart me thinks should scorn Sin for its pastime and should not think so well of transgression as to dare to take it for its recreation but modestly chooses things harmeless and ingenuous and gracious and therein only takes delight There are more noble and peculiar entertainments for the mind as well as carnal surfettings for the body The soul hath also its delights more divine more enduring And oh how well would it become us to bethink our selves and choose as the Angels to feast on such heavenly food rather than with bruit beasts to immerse our selves in the fordid lusts of the slesh Oh! how did the Heathen both chide and grieve to see Nature abused under sensual pleasures Canst thou saies one of them after God hath given thee a mind then which there is nothing in the whole world more noble or divine Caust thou so prostitute and debase thy self that there shall scarce remain any longer difference between thee and the sorry beasts Let us take the words as spoken to our selves and life up your inclinations Dear Youths toward those cleaner pleasures which may best answer their own name which may best become you and your nature If others shall please themselves in wanton plaies the whole Creation may be your Theater where you may dayly see a lively Scene all variety upon the Stage every Creaâ—urâ— acting us part and the Glory of God to the just admiration of all Spectâ—tors â—isâ—lâ—ied in the whole If others delight themselves in idle book you may rejoyce in the Lâ—w of the Lorâ— and say wiâ—h David My meditatiâ—â— of him shall be sweet unto me Religion wants nor its true delights
let iâ— no wanâ— its due pâ—ofessors Fifâ—hly Say not Alas I know nâ—â— what to do far wiser than I the pâ—udâ—m the ancient are at great câ—ntâ—oversie aboâ—â— Religion who can tell where to pitch It is true it is too sadly true There are many pious men that may and doubtless have much sweet communion with the Lord who yet through the straightness and frowardness of their own hearts will have but little each with other Thus men wrangle themselves into a life too joyless to themselves too dishonourable to the Lord. Cadmus Teeth of strife seem every where sown and coming up very thick We might justly renew Erasmus his sad complaint of the former Age Contention lives while love and sweetness dies Tenets of faith are usually multiplied while sincerity goes as palpably down the wind Such is our wound oh that God would drop into it the balsom of love oh that he would bind it up and become our healer But because men can or rather will agree no better refer thy self and thy thoughtful heart to God and his Word Give credence in the strength of his grace to what he is there pleased to express or promise to thee Depend upon him according to all that he hath there allowed thee And compose thy self to be intirely at his command Aiming that whenever thou comest to die thou mayest resign thy self to God with these few words unfainedly breathed forth I have in my weak measure kept the word of thy patience on earth And now oh Lord be thou pleased to remember thy Servant according to this word of thine wherein thou hast caused me and I upon thy invitation have taken boldness for to hope Religion however pulled several waies is of it self a quiet and striseless thing Holy indeed but harmless Divine but still shining forth in much plainess and simplicity And be you as near as you can of that Religion which gives Glory to God on high on earth peace and good will toward men Oh! that the Lord would hasten such sweet times of refreshment from his own presence amongst us In the mean season if you see somewhat of inferiour diversity in gracious hearts a peculiar feature as it were upon several faces who have yet somewhat of true life and beauty shining in each be not too much amazed Remember Solymans great delight at the variety of flowers in his Garden professing himself highly pleased in this Though they were various they were still sweet and comely flowers Or rather call to remembrance the Fathers pious and ingenious Allusion Iosephs Coat may be of several colours so it be without a rent If you also see uncomely contentions even unto Paroxysm's and the utmost bitterness as once between the Apostles themselves it sadly was step in and tell them they are brethren desire them to be kinder to each other The Master is at hand If you shall lastly see and hear great controversies and little agreement yet know there is a true and plain way that leadeth unto life The way fating upon though a fool needs not erre therein Go 〈◊〉 to God and he will shew thee 〈◊〉 â—â—w and living way which conducteth unto himself There are many oh that they were not so many that quarrel themselves carnally to Hell be thou cordial with God laborious in the profession of his name so shall hearty Faith and unfained obedience become thy safe and honourable convoy unto Heaven Whoever quarrel in other things no man shall blame thee no man shall charge thee with folly for these Sixthly Say not lastly I have a greater discouragement yet behind then I almost dare make known some of my Friends are not so willing to have me mind such things or meddle much with Religion It is a sore temptation where the Complaint is true What shall that poor Child do whom God hath spoken to as once to the children of Israel in the Land of Egypt and his very heart even melts within him opening it self day and night as Daniels window toward Ierusalem and yet all the countenance he hath from the Family is like that churlish speech of Pharaoh He is idle he is idle encrease his burden and let him not go to â—erve the Lord This is indeed the â—rial of all trials wherever it falls A 〈◊〉 straight which needs tears rather â—han words Oh that none would lay this stone â—f stumbling before young people â—est it unhappily revives that undesired â—â—gh used by some in the Primitive 〈◊〉 Our Parents are become unto us 〈◊〉 the Ostrich in the wilderness and almost the murderers of our souls It 〈◊〉 hard for any to be an hindrance â—here they ought rather to be a furâ—erance To be found a real offence 〈◊〉 discouragement to the least of Christs little ones Here have we cause to renew the â—mentation in the Prophet and say â—he children are once more come to the â—â—rth and there wants strength to bring 〈◊〉 Here will be need of much wisâ—ome and choiceness of spirit more â—â—an such tender years commonly atâ—â—in unâ—o to cut the tread aright so 〈◊〉 obey the Lord as to shew the utâ—ost tenderness of disobeying or disâ—â—easing Friends and yet so to fulâ—â—ll our respect to them as not to forget we still owe as the Father well states it a far greater unto God The Lord himself put the everlasting arms underneath and bear up those discouraged children whose hard lot this is till he hath brought them with joy to his own bosome But this case blessed be God is rare the case of very few and I hope none of yours Be you modest I charge you Cast not the blame upon others to excuse your selves God easily sees through such pretences and understands right well where the fault still chiefly lies You know not the heart of a Parent It is natural to them though evil and too regardless of themselves to desire the welfare of their Children Your Parents have been often instilling good things have been previously laying in ponderous memorials upon your tender minds They have with much câ—re brought you up to reading They have procured you that treasure of all treasures the Bible they have recommended it to you as your Saviours Legacy where you may find the words of eternal life your safest guide your best Friend when they are gone So that you may justly confess as St. Austine concerning his Mother Monica with how great solicitousness of heart they have often admonished you in the Lord. Whose Counsels you ought to receive as Iunius the instructions of his Father Scarce ever without tears So greatly might the weight of the Argument so greatly might the authority of the Speaker affect and move you And must it now be objected or dare you now say your Friends are unwilling with your souls good It is likely they would not have you pretend Religion to be stubborn against them It is very likely they would not have
you Factious they are it may be loâ—h you should be Superstitious but still they would have you Pious See then Sweet Youths I how little of real discouragement lies before you Your nearest Friends are ready to say unto you as once Cyrus to the trembling and willing Iews Go up and the Lord your God be with you Be ye then I pray you toward God Children of great willingness toward your Parents blameless and without rebuke drawing the love of all unto you in the Families wherin you dwell CHAP. XI The Conclusion of the whole by way of Exhortation ANd now what hinders but that all this might be willingly imbraced faithfully practised the life of grace cordially espoused and your Souls for ever saved Your Friends they desire it Your own everlasting welfare is bound up in it And God himself from Heaven calls unto you for it What answer can you now tender but as Christ in the Psalms Loe I come to do thy will oh God! Concluding with the Father He were justly worthy to be cut off by death that should refuse on such sweet terms to close with a gracious life Oh! require not the Lord and your own Souls so unkindly Give not your years to vanity nor your precious time to that which will not comfort in the end Sins in Youth will most certainly become sorrows in Age. It is usually said Youth laies in and Age lives upon it The one sows the other reaps Oh! sow that now which may be worth the reaping afterwards How loth would you be to have your own life now become your death hereafter To have the foolish sins of your Youth to stand between you and your everlasting real happiness Your present vain pleasures made your arraignment your condemnation your utter undoing in the day of Judgement This would prove like the Roman Souldiers Grapes short pleasures sorry pleasures joyless pleasures dearly bought and dearly paid for Thus might you feather the Arrow that wounds you from your own wing and in the end sit down with that sad number who all the year long sigh over this doleful note For a few short pleasures have we purchased to our selves innumerable and everlasting torments Well however I pray know you cannot be so slighty so careless now but you shall be as solemn and perplexed then Sin cannot please so much in the commission but it will torment far more when it comes to be suffered for and the Sinner to be brought forth to execution Go Christless before the Lord and there shall be no Parent there able or willing to countenance you no excuse there to be made for you no hope no comfort left in your own consciences to relieve you Oh! treasure not up to your selves wrath against that day that dreadful day of wrath How tremendous and heart-piercing are the Examples which God hath set as so many flaming swords before you that you might take timely warning and not rush upon your own destruction Ishmael scoffs at Religion and is cast out of his Fathers house and the house of God for ever Absalom proves rebellious against his Parents and shortens his own life untimely by it The Children mock the Prophet and die under the fierce anger of the Lord while they are doing of it I tell you Sirs God will be avenged of Children as well as Elder people of poor of rich of any if they shall dare to sin against him Let not the Devil deceive you oh slatter not your selves These things hath God written for the particular admonition of young people and will expect that you should bear them in mind Oh! lay such memorials upon your hearts and receive instruction from them But if after all any of you should be secretly unwilling and all this counsel from the Lord should be a burden and weariness unto you you must then once more go with me to the door of the Tabernacle that I may there reason further with you before the Lord. And truly I must now even heartily chide with you Oh Sirs do but consider what you do How unreareasonable how unrighteous it is How unanswerable how unsafe it is like to prove Will you have Bibles and will you not believe them Will you be called Christians and will you live like Heathens Have you immortal souls shining with such bright raies of the sacred Image of God upon them and will you needs wilfully damn them Hath God given you religious Parents tender of you as of the apple of their own eye and will you not be counselled by them Are you resolved to be a shame to your Friends in Life and a terrour to your selves in Death Can it possibly enter into your minds to think that ever any good will come of sinful courses Or that ever you should have cause to repent your selves of any thing heartily done in obedience to the Commands of God for the good of your Souls Hath God solemnly sworn The soul that sinneth be he who he will that soul shall die and can you suppose he will break his word for you Can you so much as imagine that the most holy God who is a God of pure eyes and hateth iniquity can you any way encourage your selves to hope that he will open Heaven Gates at the last day to the impenitent to the ungodly who scorn their duty who slight their mercy Do you expect a new day of Grace when this is gone that you make such waste of your present time Do you think everlasting burnings are so easily undergone that you make such slow haste to flee from the wrath that is to come Is it not enough that you were born in iniquity but you will stubbournly die in your sins also Nay then Ichabod Ichabod your glory and our hopes are both departed Sons of Belial against all the sweet counsels of God to the contrary will you needs wretchedly make your selves Children as the word too sadly imports that have broken the yoke becoming henceforth altogether unprofitable both to your selves and others never likely to emerge or rise more to any glory Then may Satan justly enough take up his taunt and triumph as the Father represents it He a Servant of thine No Lord It is my work that he all the day does it is my sinful motions he chiefly delights in There can be no plea made for him He is whatever he may vainly think of himself not thine but mine Yea then your Parents though loth such words should ever come from them will be enforced to cry out How have we brought forth to the grave and our breasts given suck to the Destroyer Then may Davids mourning be heard again in their Tents Oh Absalom my Son my Son how art thou fallen and dying as the sinful dieth in the crimson guilt the bloudy gore of all thy sins At these sad rates are the righteous counsels of the Lord rejected and set at nought But ere we thus part I
shâ—ke your selves frâ—m the dust and vanities of Youth Bring a blessing with you into your Generation the Woâ—ld in these lâ—st declining Times greatly needs it Carry a blessing hence with you when ere you die your selves shall reap the sweet and everlasting comfort of it Your work is great your day is shâ—â—t the Master imporâ—â—â—te and your promise is alreadie passed To recoile now were as the Father well said to keep back part of the price and even to lie to the Holy Ghost To make our selves guiltie of the greatest perjury before the Lord. Oh â— hasten and put on the garments of your Elder Brother Gird up the loyns of your mind and run your Race Hasten and linger not lest night overtake you and you sit for ever mourning under the region and shadow of death See that ye covet earnestlie the best things Set your hearts unmoveablie upon heaven and â—ll the glorie of it Say humblie to the Lord as Luther You neither can nor dare take these soâ—â—y earthly things for your portion Strive as Ionathan to climbe up the Rock Love and Fear the Lord. Honour and obey your Parents Be careful and redeem your own time Design as becomes youâ— an ingenuous â—ife on Earth Design above all a gloâ—ious life in heâ—ven and God your God shall be with you I might now leave your Parents â—nd neâ—râ—â—t Friends to pleâ—d this righteous câ—use of the Lord yet further with you You cannot be strangers to all their affectionate and dayly prayers on your behalf their ardent and even restless desires of your welfare You are to them their dear Ascanius's on whom their hearts so much are set in whom as Iacob in Benjamin their life is almost bound up and their Parental cares night and day longing and waiting scarce desirous of any greater joy than this To see their Children walking wisely in the truth as we have all received a Commandment from the Father Me thinks both I and you cannot but hear them speâ—king to you in the very language of their hearts as once Cicero so Father-like to his Son Know my Child thou art already exceeding dear unto me but shalt yet become far dearer if thou shalt hearken to wise Counsel and thine own welfare What words can I further use I charge you by all the sparks of filial good nature that are yet alive in any of your bosoms oh quench not these affections Oh! frustrate not these so righteous expectations of your indulgent Parents Let me oh let me perswade you and rely upon you that you will not be wanting to your selves whatever in you lieth to greaten their dearest love and affection toward you In which hopes I take my leave and part at present with you Oh! let me rejoyce in the day of Christ that this Letter hath not been in vain unto you Let no man â—â—spise your Youth though young in years be ye as the Iews were wont proverbially to say as the Aged in all gravity and wisdom of carriage Fare ye well The Lord himself make you branches of righteousness bringing forth every one of you fruits unto holiness that God the Lord may be glorified Amen Amen My Son be wise and make my heart glad that I may answer him that râ—proacheâ—h me Pro. 27.11 FINIS THE Young Mans MEDITATION OR Some few Sacred POEMS UPON Select Subjects and Scriptures By Samuel Crossman B.D. Noâ— modo divina contemplantur sed Cantica Hymnos ad Deum Sacratioribus omnis generis melâ—orum carminum rhythmis gâ—aâ—iter conâ—â—runâ—t Philo de Religios in Aegypt apud Eusâ—b A Verse may find hâ—m whom a Sermon flâ—es And turn delâ—ght into a Sacrifice Mr. Herberts Temple Loâ—don Prâ—nted by I. H. and are to be sold by S. Tâ—ompson at the Bishops head in St. Pauls Church-yard and T. Parkhurst at the three Crowâ—s at the lower end of Cheapside near the Conduit 1664. The Gift If thou knowest the gift of God c. Joh. 4.10 1. THis is the Gift thy Gift oh Lord The token of thy dearest love The orient jewel of thy word Sent down my thankfulness to prove 2. Great is his gift in all mens eyes Who gives himself his Friend to save My Lord does more for Foes he dies This Gift no parallel may have 3. Great is the Gift the Giver great Both justly to a wonder rise Thou giv'st thy Lamb to thine for meat And for their Sins a Sacrifice 4. But Lord whil'st thou thus giv'st to thine Others arose to vie with thee The World and Satan did combine And they would needs a giving be 5. Satan sins pleasures offered And almost forc'd them upon me But while they bloom'd they withered And Lord thy Gift my choice shall be 6. Then did the World its gayes present And still alluring cri'd see see Here 's that may rather give content But Lord thy Gift my choice shall be 7. These cannot give they 'd sâ—eal away From me my Heâ—v'n my heart from thee What e'r they offer I 'll say nay Still Lord thy Gift my choice shall be All flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof as the flower of the field The grass withereth the flower sâ—deth but the Word of our God shall stand for ever Isa. 40.6 8. 1. VVElcom sweet words is 't is most meet We will you in our bosomes hide Sweet words for present but most sweet Because for ever you abide 2. All flesh is as the fading grass The voice from Heav'n to Earth thus cri'd The whole Worlds glory away doth pass But Lord thy words they still abide 3. Man speaks but all his words are wind They ebb and flow with time and tide Fit Emblems of his fickle mind But Lord thy words they still abide 4. Our selves sometimes stand promising Great things while we by thee are tri'd Our blossoms fall no fruit they bring But Lord thy words they still abide 5. Bless'd words Dear Lord no words like thine In darkness light through them is spi'd Till death and after death they shine Then Lord even then thy words abide 6. These words the Lamb's sweet writings be Of love and dowry to his Bride Here may his Saints their portions see Portions which ever shall abide 7. Welcome sweet words sweet words indeed Heaven's Agent here to Heav'n our Guide What e'r is needless these we need Lord let these words with us abide Upon the Fifth of November The Archers have sorely grieved him and shot at him and hated him But his Bow abode in strength Gen. 49.23 24. 1. THe day allows thy praises Lord Our grateful hearts to thee shall sing Our thankful lips they shall record Thine ancient loves Eternal King 2. Our Land shall boast the holy One My great preserver is become My Friend my Foes hath overthrown And made the pit they digg'd their â—oome 3. With Parthian bows the Archers came Romes poisonous oyl on the Arrows shone Thy Turtle was the Archers aime
Shoot shoot saies Satan all 's our owne 4. Fond foolish Rome how dat'st oppose Whom God in his safe bosome laies Thy malice may it self disclose But frustrate still shall turn to praise 5. The Crozier staff thy Triple Crown Those ensigns of deceit and pride Thy Purple Robe thy blaz'd Renown The dust shall ever ever hide 6. Thy Merchants shall thy fall lament Thy Lovers all in sackcloath mourn While Heav'n and Earth in one consent Shall sing Amen let Babylon burn 7. Then Lord thy Spouse whose dropping eyes Whose sighs whose sufferings prove her thine Shall from her pensive sorrows rise And as the Lamb 's fair Bride shall shine 8. Sweet day sweet day when shall it be Why staies my Lord Dear Saviour come Thy mourning Spouse cries after thee Stay with me here or take me home He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed Isa. 53.5 1. THus died the Prince of life thus he That could not die even died for me My thoughtful heart Lord shall arise And ponder these deep mysteries 2. What means his death who knew no sin Or what my life who live therein Mine was the debt and death my due Though thou wast pleas'd thy Son to sue 3. Thou Lord I wast pleas'd on him to lay The debt and he the price to pay Thy Gospell feasts though sweet to me Are th' Emblems of his Agony 4. And oh how great his sufferings were Who th' wrath of God and man did bear The Father then forsakes the Son And Creatures 'gainst their Maker run 5. Iudas betraies Disciples flee Whil'st Jews and Romans crucifie Hereat the Sun furls up his light And cloaths the Earth in sable night 6. The joyless Stars even seem'd to say Israel had quench'd the Lamp of day The stubbourn Mountains they lament The Rocks they are asunder rent 7. The Graves their sealed doors unclose The Dead awakened also rose Th' amaz'd Centurion mourning cries Oh! 't is the Son of God that dies 8. Thus these all labour to consels Thy Deity thy righteousness Enough dear Lord these offer me Supports for th' utmost faith in thee God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Iesus Christ Gal. 6.14 1. MY Song is love unknown My Saviours love to me Love to the loveless shown That they might lovely be Oh who am I That for my sake My Lord should take Frail flesh and die 2. He came from his bless'd Throne Salvation to bestow But men made strange and none The long'd-for Christ would know But oh my Friend My Friend indeed Who at my need His life did spend 3. Sometimes they strow his way And his sweet praises sing Resounding all the day Hosannah's to their King Then Crucifie Is all their breath And for his death They thirst and crie 4. Why what hath my Lord done What makes this rage and spite He made the Lame to run He gave the Blind their sight Sweet injuries Yet they at these Themselves displease And 'gainst him rise 5. They rise and needs will have My dear Lord made away A Murderer they save The Prince of life they slay Yet cheerful he To suff'ring goes That he his Foes From thence might free 6. In life no house no home My Lord on earth might have In death no friendly tombe But what a Stranger gave What may I say Heav'n was his home But mine the tombe Wherein he lay 7. Here might I stay and sing No story so divine Never was love dear King Never was grief like thine This is my Friend In whose sweet praise I all my daies Could gladly spend The Pilgrims Farewell to the World For we have here no continuing City but we seek one to come Heb. 13.14 1. FArewel poor World I must be gone Thou art no home no rest for me I 'll take my staff and travel on Till I a better World may see 2. Why art thou loth my heart oh why Do'st thus recoil within my breast Grieve not but say farewel and fly Unto the Arke my Dove there 's rest 3. I come my Lord a Pilgrims pace Weary and weak I slowly move Longing but can't yet reach the place The gladsom place of rest above 4. I come my Lord the slouds here rise These troubled Seas foam nought but mire My Dove back to my bosom Flies Farewel poor World Heav'n's my desire 5. Stay stay said Earth whither fond one Here 's a fair World what wouldst thou have Fair World oh no thy beautie 's gone An heav'nly Canaan Lord I crave 6. Thus th' ancient Travellers thus they Weary of Earth sigh'd after thee They are gone before I may not stay Till I both thee and them may see 7. Put on my Soul put on with speed Though th' way belong the end is sweet Once more poor World Farewel indeed In leaving thee my Lord I meet Christs future coming to Judgment the Christians present Meditation Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him Rev. 1.7 1. BEhold he comes comes from on high Like lightning through the flaming skie The Saint's desire the Sinner's fear Behold that solemn day draws near 2. He comes who unto Judgment shall All flesh to his Tribunal call Me thinks I see the burnish'd Throne Whereon my Saviour sits alone 3. Me thinks I see at his right hand His smiling Saints in triumph stand Me thinks I hear condemned ones Howling their never-dying groans 4. Me thinks I see even Time expire The Heav'ns and Earth on flaming fire Think not my Soul thy self to hide Thou canst not 'scape but shalt be tri'd 5. Loe here the Book whence Justice reads Sentence on Sinners sinful deeds Loe here the Mercy Psalm wherein My Judge speaks pardon to my sin 6. I tremble Lord yet must I say This is my long'd-for wedding day My Bridegroom is my Soveraign Lord My Joynture drawn in his fair Woâ—d 7. My Mansion built by him on High Where I may rest eternally Then come my Lord dear Saviour come And when thou pleasest take me home Amen Even so come Lord Iesuâ— come quickly The Resurrection Though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God Job 19.26 1. MY Life 's a shade my daies Apace to death decline My Lord is life he 'l raise My dust again even mine Sweet truth to me I shall arise And with these eyes My Saviour see 2. My peaceful grave shall keep My bones till that sweet day I wake from my long sleep And leave my bed of Clay Sweet truth to me I shall arise And with these eyes My Saviour see 3. My Lord his Angels shall Their Golden Trumpets sound At whose most welcome call My grave shall be unbound Sweet truth to me c. 4. I said sometimes with tears Ah me I 'm loth to die Lord silence thou those fears My life 's with thee on high
Sweet truth to me c. 5. What means my trembling heart To be thus shie of death My life and I sha'nt part Though I resign my breath Sweet truth to me c. 6. Then welcome harmless grave By thee to Heaven I 'll go My Lord his Death shall save Me from the flames below Sweet truth to me I shall arise And with these eyes My Saviour see Heaven When shall I come and appear before God Psalm 42.2 First Part. 1. SWeet place sweet place alone The Court of God Most High The Heav'n of Heav'ns the Throne Of spotless Majesty Oh happy place When shall I be My God! with thee To see thy face 2. The stranger homeward bends And sigheth for his rest Heav'n is my home my Friends Lodge there in Abrahams breast Oh happy place When shall I be My God! with thee To see thy face 3. Earth's but a sorry Tent Pitch'd for a few frail daies A short-leas'd Tenement Heav'n's still my song my praise Oh happy place c. 4. These lower rooms these here Thou dost with Roses pave And 〈◊〉 with Chrystal clear But Heav'n oh Heav'n I crave Oh happy place c. 5. No tears from any eyes Drop in that holy Quire But death it self there dies And sighs themselves expire Oh happy place c. 6. There should temptations cease My frailties there should end There should I rest in peace In th' arms of my best Friend Oh happy place When shall I be My God! with thee To see thy face Second Part. 1. Ierusalem on high My Song and City is My home when ere I die The Center of my bliss Oh happy place c. 2. Thy Walls sweet City thine With Pearls are garnished Thy Gates with praises shine Thy Streets with Gold are spred Oh happy place c. 3. No Sun by day thines there Nor Moon by silent night Oh! no these needless are The Lamb 's the Cities light Oh happy place c. 4. There dwels my Lord my King Judg'd here unfit to live There Angels to him sing And lowly homage give Oh happy place When shall I be My God! with thee To see thy face 5. The Patriarchs of old There from their travels ' cease The Prophets there behold Their long'd-for Prince of peace Oh happy place c. 6. The Lamb's Apostles there I might with joy behold The Harpers I might hear Harping on Harps of Gold Oh happy place c. 7. The bleeding Martyrs they Within those Courts are found Cloathed in pure array Their seats with glory crown'd Oh happy place c. 8. Ah me ah me that I In Kedars Tents here stay No place like this on high Thither Lord guide my way Oh happy place When shall I be My God! with theâ— To see thy face FINIS * 〈◊〉 Sâ—gâ—s Buling †Pâ—eâ—itia citra puâ—â—ilitatem ad 〈◊〉 is â—◠〈◊〉 habituâ— sequaâ— Eâ—asm Câ—ne de pu les * Euâ—â—ciâ— felix proâ—eâ—ies in qua Parentes renovati ut quasi secundo vivere incipiant qui alioqui statim desicerâ—nt Calvin Lam. 3.22 * Ecclesiâ—e nomine armamini contra Eâ—clesiam dimicatis Aug. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pax omaâ—um benedictionum sigillum obsigâ—atio est Abaib * Catilinam quocuâ—que in populo videas quocuâ—quâ— sub aâ—e sâ—d aec Brutus crit Bruti nec aâ—â—culus usquam Juv. * Omnes qui patriâ—m coâ—serva â—at aâ—â—uveriâ—t auxerint certus â—is iâ— coelo ac definitus locus ubi beâ—ti 〈◊〉 sempiterno fraâ—â—ntur hiac pâ—oâ—eci huc reveituntur Cicero in Somn. Scip. * Quis non vita etiam suâ redimeret sub motum istud infinitum dissidiâ— scandalum Mart. Bue. †Bella geri placuit mullos babitura triumphos Pares aquilae pila nâ—â—antia pilis Luc. * Hi wotus 〈◊〉 atque iâ—â—c certamina 〈◊〉 pulveris exiguâ—â—acta compressa quiescant V. â— Gâ—â— * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nar. de Alex. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Veritas potens superabit †Cognori per gratiam D. i quid sit habere pro certá normá salutis verbum Dei quid sit humana somma placitaque sequi Cyrillus nupeâ—us Const. Patriar vide Hottinger in vita ejus * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. Eph. 4.15 * Quid facit â—s pectors Christianoruis lupovum sâ—ritas Cyp. * Paâ— optima vâ—rum quas nobis na 〈◊〉 dedi Sâ—llius * Verior cujusque fama e domo emanat Bacon fidel Ser. †Ego te non Catilinae genui sed patriae Fulvius â—â—lio suo * Lubens jam morior quandequidem talem reliquero filium Anto. dict * Theodosius Impe. necessiâ— a â—obis taâ—â—us sed 〈◊〉 totus elquit â—nim libeos suos in â—uibus d◠〈…〉 igâ—osâ—re Hist vitae Theod. â—mper Pro. 20.11 Sit virilis â—etas jure fructiosior erit tamen juveâ—tus iâ—terim amaâ—ilio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Muâ—idus hic est via vadâ—m ad mundum suturum Majemonides * Ulâ—m mode lâ—â—tuâ— es nunc inâ—â—c properandas acri singendus â—ine siâ—e rota Persius * 〈◊〉 10.15 * Primiti◠〈…〉 primitie â—oetatis Dâ—o sâ—â—rae * Direvam da 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 modo Timeâ—â—â—â—niâ— re me cito exaâ—dires â—ito sanâ—ss Aug. Câ—n †Transibit volupt as manebit reatus momentanâ—um quod delectat aeternâ—m quod cruciat * Pro. 14.13 * Festinat eâ—im decurrere veloâ— slosculus agustae â—â—â—seraeque breâ—â—ssirea 〈◊〉 fortie Juven * Quicquid moves a principio move Hip. †Aegre reprehendas quod sinis coâ—suescere Hier. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 juvenus a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selegit quasi ad oâ—â—â—s operas selectâ—s Buxtâ—â—f 1 The world into which we are come what that is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inimicus veste amici tectus Buxtorf Flo. Heb. * 1 Joh. 2.16 Ambitiosus hoâ—os opes saeda voluptas Haec tria 〈◊〉 trino numine mundus hâ—bet Mantuan †Qua terra 〈◊〉 sera regnat Eviâ—nys In factâ—us jurasse 〈◊〉 Ovid. Melior â—st hora una refrigerit in mundo futuro quam tota â—ita mundi hujus Pirke Abhoth * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 〈◊〉 â—nd for which wâ—â—r they are †〈…〉 â—gnimur â—ersius * John 17.4 * Hi quibus in solo vâ—vendâ— causa palato 〈…〉 †Exciâ—mur â—a melioâ— magniâ—â—dine rerum Salust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 †Atque assigâ—t humi divinae particulam aurae Horat. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mens â—ominis est eâ—us ala Chrysost 3. The way and means by which to attain those ends * Isa. 66.5 †Joh. 14.6 Ambulare vis Ego sum via â—alli noâ— viz Ego sum veritas moâ—i non vis Ego sum vita Aug. * 2 Cor. 6.14 15. * Joh. 3.3 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Herod †Vis consilâ—â— expers 〈…〉 Horat * Prov. 5.12 †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menander Counsel propounded twofold 1 More principal in reference to