Lot Haste escape for thy Life cito citius citissime Presently in some â—â—ch plausible manner as this they reply If I never do worse I hope I shall do well enough â—ave not others done the same or as bad I have the Examples of Thousands a multitude on my side both of Superiors Equals and Inferiours O the unspeakable deal of Poyson that is thus conveyed in the hearts of young Persons and the innumerable Souls that go to Hell by Pattern How many Children have learned to Lye Swear break the Sabbath and deride the Godly from their Graceless Fathers and Mothers who have herein been special Factors for the Devil and Hell 8. Hating Instruction and Admonition and Reproof This is another Sin that Youth are guilty of 5 Proverbs 11 12. There you have the Rebellious Youth brought in under strong Impressions of the Terrors of the Lord for this very Sin And thou Mourn at the last and say How have I hated Instruction and would not obey the Voice of my Teachers O how many sad Witnesses have we had of this at Tyburne Hence it is that we find Godly Parents oft times abounding in Tears wringing their Hands smiting their Breasts and crying out O nothing will work upon my Chilâ— Thousands of times have I prayed wept warned and after all as stubborn and disobedient a before Alas there is a secret loathing of gooâ— Councel in Youth Monitoribus Asper Younâ— Men love to consult with Flesh and Blood and to walk after the Imaginations of theiâ— own Hearts but they hate to comply witâ— the Sage and Serious Instructions of Religion 9. Intemperance in Meats and Drinks which stands in a voluntary eating and drinking to excess for the pleasing the Appetite this is not so much the Temptation of old and sickly People as of our youth to pamper and glut their vile Bodies as if God had made them a kind of upright Bruits that need not stoop down to a Trough or in resemblance of a Spring or a Hogshead that are of little use save to contain Liquor Alexandrinus calleth this Sin the Throat-Devil and the Belly-Devil And too true is it that the Devil destroyeth Multitudes of Youth by this Sin who for the pleasing of their Throats will sell him their Souls as Esau his Birth-right for his Belly O this Canine Eager and Insatiable Appetite where it Rules it Ruins all Physicians say That of those who out-live their Childhood scarce one of many that dye in their Prime but by Intemperance for generally in the younger sort â—eligion and Reason are weakest and but underlings to their unruly Appetites and â—hen once this outragious Lust has got the Ascendant and Regal Power a blazing Sâ—â—r burning in the Heavens is not so fatally â—â—â—inous of Ruine as this Seneca saith Eâ—â—lo est Parochianus Diabolo An Epicure is Parishioner to the Devil who then can â—â—â—ciently lament that Innundation of Epicuâ—â—m Gluttony and Drunkenness that hath â—â—er-run the Youth of this Nation Ah who can refrain Tears To see how many born of pious Progenitors and bred up in Religious Families again How many born of Gruth Blood descended from Honourable Ancestors and bred up at the Feet of Gamaliel at the Schools and of pregnant Capacities and who might have been peculiar Blessings to the Land I say to see these as well as others that are brought forth in a lower Station and brought up in a viler and a more irreligious way to Sacrifice their Youthful days to Bacchus the God of Wine and emasculate their Spirits in Taverns and Drunken Societies We read in 1 Pet. 4. 3. of those who walked in Lasciviousness Lusts excess of Wine Revellings Banquetings wherein they think strange that you run noâ— with them to the same excess of Riot speakinâ— evil of you I need not search into the Riotous Practice of other Nations nor lay mâ— Scene abroad to make Application of thiâ— Text Alas it holds too true of us in thâ—â— Nation who reckon that they have noâ— made their Guests welcom if they have noâ— made them Drunk and deem it as a piece incivility and rudeness that deserves a statâ— if you will not go on to pledge them in theiâ— Hellish Health to their Wits end Gooâ— Lord that ever any that breaths within thâ— English Air and that names the name â—â— Christ should commence such Wickednesâ— Oh that our Head were Waters c. 10. Another Sin that youth is prone to is keeping ill Company that Soul ruining snare of Satan's which hath slain its thousands as being the foundation and inlet to all manner of wickedness O how many hopeful young ones have been spoiled in the very bud by the infectious influences of vile Company whence is that advice of the Wise-man's in the 1st of Prov. 10. 11 12 13 14 15 16. My Son if sinners entice thee consent thou not walk not thou in the way with them refrain thy feet from their Path. What Solomon saith elsewhere of the steps of the strange Woman we may say of the steps of wicked company they take hold of Hell it is a new link in the Chain that fasteneth damnation to you it is like tying a Milstone about your necks that will pull you both Soul and Body into the bottom of the Sea of Gods Wrath from whence there is no recovery O young ones you will find it one of the hardest things that is when once you are engag'd in evil Company to disenthral your selves again little do you know where it will lead you it will insensibly harden you and bring you to a reprobate mind it will vastare conscientiam lay wast your Consciences and so seat you in the Chair of the Scorners and then the next step is Hell Ah! how many young ones when first they have engaged in evil company and set out with them have been a little startled and affrighted at their interlocutory Oathes for nemo repente fit turpissimus as Juven speaks yet after a while frequenting such company they find themselves almost irrecoverably ingulfed into those prodigious sins that themselves could not have believed they should ever adventured on such an Emblem of Hell is ill company that without the breach of Charity one may say that none continue in the one while they live but inevitably fall into the other when they dye and so their steps take hold of Hell where the worm dyeth not and fire is not quenched where their fellowshp in sin will be turned into a miserable fellowship of flames where an holy and just God will do that viz. damn them which they in their merry meeting have so often called upon him to do and the Devil will take that viz. their Souls which they have so freely and frequently given him 11. Another sin whereunto youth are much addicted is Lying a sin that seemeth to be contemporary with speech in young Children that as soon as their earthly Parents teach them to speak their hellish father the Devil learns them
lusts of Malice and Envy against â—im that most pure peaceable meek and â—eavenly Doctrine of the Gospel which Christ had taught among them could have â—o entertainment in nor government over â—heir Hearts to win them to him because â—â—eir hearts were engaged to their Lusts So â—â— is here when God calls and Ministers â—ll and the dangers and miseries of thy neeâ—â—y Soul calls O young man consider thy â—ays remember thy Creator know that â— will bring thee to Judgment alas theâ—e â—usts deasen and drown all O wretched â—very tho' Life and Death be set before thee tho' thou art allured with all the glorious promises of pardon and Eternal Lifâ— on the one hand and tho' thou art constrained with all the Terrors of the Lord thâ— Curses of the Law and the everlasting Flame of Hell on the other hand yet these Lusâ— slight make nothing of all these amazinâ— and tremendous Truths as if they were nâ— worthy of one quarter of an hours serioâ—â— Consideration they do so haunt aâ— shackle poor Sinners as that they hold theâ— Prisoners arctâ custodiâ in close bondagâ— and will not allow them the liberty of coâ—sideration and bethinking themselvâ—â— Hence these Lusts are stiled Snares Neâ— Bonds Eccles 7. 28. 2 Tim. 2. 26. and this respect are Sinners compared to Caâ—tives and Prisoners kept up Isa 61. 1. aâ— Chap. 42. 7. Hence Simon Magus by reâ—son of his being under the dominion of thâ— lust of Covetousness tho' he was also undâ—â— a Christian profession and had been but jâ— before Baptized yet you read Acts 8. 23. see saith Peter that thou art in the Gallâ— Bitterness and in the Bond of Iniquity Aâ— so that young man of whom you read the 19. Matth. he seemed to be near to â—â— Kingdom of Heaven but he was chaiâ—â— fast by the Love of Riches and that set hiâ— quite back again O young men yoâ— Lusts if you give way to them will â—â— come so ravenous outragious and tyraâ—â— noâ— lusts malign Influences what cause have you to Flee these Lusts Another means on our part of Conversion is Prayer thus we read in Jer. 31. 18 19. of Ephraim when he was about turning he prayeth to the God of all Grace Turn thou me and I shall be turned In this respect Peter counsels Simon Magus Acts 822. Repent saith he of this thy Wickedness and Pray to God if perhaps the Thought of thine Heart may be forgiven thee Pray mind this Scripture q. d. though thou art in the very Gall of Bitterness and in the Bond of Iniquity yet supposing there remains only a possibility a perhaps of Pardon and Salvation yet thou art bound to Pray I know there are many deboist lewd Youngsters in this Age that imitate those prophane Wretches of whose hellish Language you read in the 21. Job 14 15. They say to the Almighty Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy Ways And what is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit is it if we Pray to him But there is little hopes of their Conversion However this is most certain that Prayer is an Institution of God's in order to Conversion as you may see in those two Scriptures Hosea 14. 1 2 3. O Israel return unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine Iniquities In that Verse you have God's Invitation to Conversion and then in the second Verse you have his Direction how to go about it Take with you words and turn unto the Lord say unto him Take away all Iniquity and receive uâ— graciously And then if you read thaâ— 36. Ezek. 26 27. where you have God promising the Grace of Conversion in those words A new Heart will I give unto you and presently enjoyning Prayer as a means on our part ver 27. Thus saith the Lord I will yet for this be sought by the House oâ— Israel to do it for them If you ask What Prayer is I answer Prayer is the offering up of ouâ— Desires to God for things agreeable to hiâ— Will in the name of Christ These Desire must proceed from an Heart touched with the sense of our sin and misery and the apprehension of God's mercy in Christ anâ— they must be servent and constant like thâ— Publican God be merciful or propitious â—â— me a Sinner Luke 18. and Gen. 32. 25. I will not let thee go except thou bless me Luk. 18. 1. to this end our Saviour spake that Parable to instruct us that we ought to Pray and not faint like that important Woman of Canaan who would know no discouragements being once entred and engaged in this heavenly Exercise It is not meet saith our Lord to take Childrens Bread and give it to Dogs she owneth it Truth Lord saith she Matth. 15. 26. yet the Dogs may eat of the Crumbs that fall from their Masters Table O when a poor Sinner cometh to God by Christ and knocketh for converting Grace out of a sense of its damned undone condition if he prevail not and cryeth out O thou most patient tho' provoked God it 's matter of admiration that thou sufferest such a Viper as I am to live and breath in thy common Air O pity me a Hell-deserving Sinner for the sake of thy dear Son who made satisfaction by his bitter Death and Passion to thy Justice and grant me this favour in thy sight the forgiveness of my Sins and the Spirit of Grace to subdue the power of my lusts and to renew me in Soul and Body O Father of Mercies if thou do not shew me this favour and mercy I shall live thine enemy and shall I know not how soon dye miserably to mine own eternal undoing O draw me into Union with thy blessed Son unto whom none can come except thou draw O let me never rest till it be out of doubt that I am converted and that God in Christ is mine let my Tears be my Meat night and day while I have a being till I obtain Grace and Mercy to help my needy miserable Soul After this manner is this Exercise to be performed and it brings God's Institution it is under a promised Blessing and many can set to their seals that their labour herein hath not been in vain with reference to Repentance and Conversion Now giving way to youthful lust directly opposeth Conversion both as it withdraws you from it and withereth your Soul in the performance of it Alas when your Lusts grow clamorous and you obsequious to them they will breed in you an aversation opposition to Prayer you will not find a Heart inclined to but wretchedly dis-inclined from God which is a sad case indeed and to have a hard Heart that cannot Pray was the note of an Eminent Saint and Servant of God now ascended compleateth a Soul's misery it pulls down fury and destruction upon the Heads of such as you may see in the 10. Jer. 25. O what care should you take to preserve your comfortable access
you thâ— suggests that Corvina Cras as Augustine caâ— it cras cras if you have been ignoraâ—â— hitherto know it from this day for a mâ— certain truth it is no other than that lyer â— Hell the Devil and sure I am he hath â— way so plausible and politick to circumvâ—â— thee as by hanging these weights of delaâ— upon thy Soul and thereby letting and bindering thy present flight from Sin to Christ with an hereafter is time enough so that thou mayst conclude upon this that more perish this way than any other for Satan can prevail upon few to say peremptorily they will not repent but this is the common snare and bait wherein and whereby he taketh multitudes I will turn to God hereafter for these delays provoke the God of Grace to take away his Spirit and then what can the miserable Sinner do It was the saying of an Eminent Person The Spirit of God is a tender thing grieve it once and you may drive it away for ever and then it is not your crying Lord Lord that will fetch him back again Thou mayst intreat to use the words of that blessed Soul-converting Preacher for Mr. Fenner's danger of deferring Repentance one dram of that Mercy that hath been offered but thou hast rejected but it shall never be granted to thee God may clap that fearful sentence upon thee Now henceforth never Fruit grow on thee more never Repentance come into thy Heart more If now thou wilt not repent and be converted the Lord may set it down in his decree that from this day forward thou mayst sumble about thy Sins but shall never get victory over them thou mayst blunder about Repentance but never do the work what is the reason why because I would have purged thee and thou wouldst not therefore thou shalâ— not be purged any more O young men there is a time wherein God will not be found he will not always wait your leisure your pleasure how long or how shoâ—â— your time of Grace will last is hid from you Repentance is God's gift and Giâ—â— are given according to the good pleasure of the giver It is a great mistake to think that it is at your pleasure to call it down from Heaven at your need to convey you to Heaven when you feel your selves falling into Earth bitter Experience hath taught multitudes of shuffling delaying Sinners the delusions of such conceits while it their immoderate pursuit of their Lusts they have endeavovred to stop the mouth oâ— Conscience with promises that e're long they would take time to consider and recollect themselves and return to God in the mean while stifling and slighting the merciful motions of the Spirit of Grace oâ— a sudden e're they are aware a silent and secret decree passes against them Let theâ— alone they are joyned to their Lusts which though it make no noise in their Heads yet it effectually sealeth up their Heart to an incurable obduration and hardness And now I appeal to you upon this consideration viz. the uncertainty of the time of Grace whether Delays are not unspeakably dangerous since no man knows whether the next day will afford him so much as a possibility of Repentance if he put off and defer it this day Wherefore O young man as ever thou wouldst not be forsaken of God and have the things of thy Peace for ever hid from thine Eyes and the dreadful guilt of innumerable Sins seal'd upon thy Soul O flee this youthful Sin of delaying Repentance a moment longer 2. Consider the Impiety and Wickedness of Delaying for it doth in effect speak thus to God The real love and delight of my Soul is in my Lusts I desire thee therefore to stay for my Repentance till hereafter and by no means to punish me while I shall be provoking and dishonouring thee in the tract of my youthful days give me leave to be a faithful Servant to divers Lusts and Pleasures while I have strength and spirits and then when I grow impotent and my Lusts turn me off I pray thee to accept me and grant me Heaven O what monstrous Blasphemy and Impiety is there in such a vile deportment towards the Blessed God and pray is there not something of this in every delay it sheweth evidently that thou preferrest thy Lusts before him yea the Devil's service before his O transcendent horrid Wickedness that ever a reasonable Creature should choose to be employed in the Devil's work and drudgery before that most gracious noble honourable service of God O young man let Conscience speak is the Devil so real a Friend so good a Master or is there so much pleasure in being a slave to thy Lusts as that the Loâ—â— of Heaven and Earth the Author of thy Life and Breath should stand by and stay till they are in the first place served and then when the Devil and thy Lusts will dismiss thee God shall have their leaving I beseech you let Conscience judge in thâ— case whether Hell it self can exceed sucâ— Ungodliness Suppose your dear Fatheâ— that begat you or your tender Mother thaâ— bare you should knock at your Door anâ— intreat an admission and you should say That at present they must excuse you theâ—â— are a company of Thieves Murderers anâ— Adulterers that you must first attend anâ— entertain c. Would not this be condemned as a piece of vile Inhumanity And can it be deemed in the present casâ— a less piece of Impiety to put such an higâ— affront and indignity upon the Great God as when he graciously invites you to breâ—â— off your Sins by Repentance that he mighâ— shew you Mercy to put him off as Feâ—â— did Paul Go thy way for this time herâ— after possibly I may attend but for â—â— present there is the Devil and a train â—â— youthful Lusts stay for me and I must give entertainment to them in the first place This without an Hyperbole may be stiled the Master-piece of Wickedness the Mother of Abominations it is a plain contradiction of and direct opposition to the soveraign command of our Maker who saith Eccles 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the Days of thy Youth before the Evil days come c. God saith To Day while it is called to Day repent And you say No to day while it is called to day I must rejoyce and follow my youthful pleasures and delights And so you put the lye upon God and credit the Devil who is the Father of Lyes O this Sin of Delays hath a world of rebellion in it and Rebellion is as the Sin of Witchcraft Moreover the impiety of this Sin will further appear if you consider what a Scorn it casts upon the admirable Grace of all the three glorious Persons of the Trinity as if not worthy of acceptance the Father's Love and Wisdom to and for a lost World of Sinners in decreeing and revealing of Jesus Christ his blessed Son to seek and to save what was lost opening a
the 4. Jam. 4. What is then friendship with the Lusts of the Flesh O young men think of it seriously when you are tempted to Riot and Excess this is direct enmity to God and therefore most hateful to him and can your seeble Hands grasp and make your part good with Omnipotency Iâ—â— a terrible thing to renounce the Heaven of God's love and favour for the pleasing of my Throat but directly to run into the Hell of his hatred O what madness is this It were much better a thousand â—imes that thou shouldst never eat bit or â—rink drop more than do so And then â—â— it is thus hateful to God so it is hurtful â—o your selves and others 1. To your â—elves and that both as to your Bodies and â—ouls Intemperance is the bane of the Body as it fills it with Diseases and oppresseth Nature consuming its animal and â—ital Spirits and so is a degree of self murâ—er Who hath Wo who hath Sorrow but â—he Glutton and Drunkard Prov. 23. 29. Hence are those proverbial Sayings Meat â—â—lls as many as the Musquet and the Board as â—â—e Sword and much Meat much Malady Plures pereunt crapulâ quam capula c. It â—rings ruin to a man's Estate Prov. 23. 21. â—he Drunkard and the Glutton shall come to Poverty Many a man hath become by â—ntemperance worse than an Infidel in waâ—ing that Provision that he was bound to preserve for Wife and Children Thus Intemperance is hurtful to the Body And then it is hurtful to the Soul as it wages War against it 1 Pet. 2. 11. Dearly beloved â—l beseech you abstain from fleshly â—usts which â—ar against the Soul Fulness breeds forgetfulness of God Deut. 6. 11 12. When thou â—halt have eaten and art full then beware 〈◊〉 thou forget the Lord. So Prov. 30. 9. Feed me with Food convenient for me lest I be full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord It unfits the Soul for all holy Exercises a full Belly and a lean Soul usually go together When the great enquiry is What shall we eat what shall we drink There is a deep silence about the Soul no such voice heard as What shall I do to be saved A full Belly saith one neither studies well nor prays well and St. Paul saith in Rom. 16. 10. That they serve not the Lord Christ that serve their own Bellies In a word Intemperance is so hurtful to your selves as that without timely repentance and fleeing it it will most certainly exclude Soul and Body out of Heaven and plunge both into Hell for evermore 1 Cor. 6. 9. Know ye not saith the Apostle that the Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God be not deceived neither Drunkards c. Gal. 5. 19 20 21. Now the works of the Flesh are manifest Drunkenness Revellings and such like of which I have told you before as I have also told you in time past that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God And in the 12. of Luke 45. If that Servant shall begin to eat and drunk â—nd be druâ—kâ—n the Lord of that Servant will out him â—sunder and will appoint him his pâ—rt on with the Vnbeliever And that is Hell And then this Sin of Intemperance is hurtful to others its injurious to the Poor coathing and feeding them Many have â—ot Mony for such uses because they have â—ast it away and prodigally consumed it â—pon their Lusts of Gluttony and Drunkenâ—ess And it 's a Sin highly aggravated by â—he Miseries and Afflictions of the Church of God at this day wherein God calls for mourning Now at such a time to say with them in Isa 56. 12. We will fetch Wine and â—e will fill our selves with strong Drink and tomorrow shall be as this day and much more â—bundant O what an aggravation is this And would to God that I could not apply â—his Text to our present times the Lord be merciful to us What an incongruity is it â—o hear and see some Christians ready to â—tarve and cry out for a bit of Bread in one place and others Jesuran like waxing fat and kicking for Wantonness some rowling in Blood and others in Vomit some feeding on Ashes and drinking of Tears while others fare deliciously every day some like Dives other like Lazarus O young men study the hainous nature of this Sin of Intemperance as it is hateful to God and hurtful to your selves and others And then Thirdly Study thy self both the state of thy Soul and Body enquire and commune with your own Hearts about it whether thy Soul be in a state of Grace and Peace with God or of Sin and Enmity be sure one of them it is O labour after a true sight of it which it is if a state of Sin and Enmity then fasting and abstinence become one in thy condition much more than eating and drinking Alas a poor Sinner unreconciled to God ready to drop into Hell and hanker after dainties and delicacies of Meats and Drinks how absurd But if it be a state of Grace and Peace why then Grace will be content with less than Nature and Nature will be content with little It is Lust that is so outragious but they that are Christ's have crucified the Flesh with its Affections and Lusts And then study the state of thy Body too is it not mortal must it not be e're long Worms meat and then do but soberly judge how far such a thing should be pampered and at what rates O methinks a sight of your state should make you abhor Gluttony and Epicurism O youth attend hereunto remember Esau was called prophane for parting with his Birth right for one Morsel of Meat and when ever you feel your Appetite eager and craving remember these three directions I have now given you to flee this Sin which brings me to lay down Rules and Remedies against the next youthful Lust Remedies against that Youthful Sin of Lying THis is a Sin I have shewed that Youth are especially prone to I shall very briefly lay down some Directions to flee it 1. Awaken thy Soul young man to consider the danger of this Sin of Lying and that in these two particulars 1. It s a Badge of a graceless Child And 2. it 's a Bar to endless glory It 's a badge of one that 's graceless pray ponder on these Scriptures Isa 63. 8. For he said Surely they â—re my People Children that will not lye And so he was their Saviour And John â— 44. when our Saviour told the wicked Jews they were of their Father the Devil who was a Lâ—ar and the Father of it And then 2. it is a Bar to Life eternal Rev. 21. 27. ver And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever maketh a Lye But in the 8. ver of that Chap. it is affirmed That all Lyars shall have their part in that Lake that burneth with Fire for evermore O this Sin
it to see young ones restrained and kept bâ—ck by any by all of them You have an instance in Ely's Sons 1 Sam. 2. and for this cause in the 12 verse they are called children of Belial because no Yoke would hold them Also you read of two of Jacobs Sons Simeon and Levi of whose miscarriages of this kind the good old man thus expresseth himself in the 49 Gen. 5. 6 7. Simeon and Levi are Brethren instruments of Cruelty are in their Habitations O my Soul come not thou into their Secret unto their Assembly mine Honour be not thou united for in their anger they Slew a man and in their self will they digged down a Wall Cursed be their Anger for it was fierce and their Wrath for it was Cruel It is to be observed that the greater number of those Malefactors that end their miserable lives at Tiburn are the younger sort of people their boisterous lusts consume them that they scares live out half their days C. Careless incogitancy and want of serious consideration and laying to heart the most awful important matters of their Souls There are three things saith a great Writer that are chief ruiners and destroyers of Souls Namely 1. want of consideration and self reflexion 2. Infidelity 3. Earthly mindedness but especially want of consideration The first of these which Youth are exceeding guilty of How seldom do young people retire and soberly inquire what their State and Condition God wards is whether it be a state of Nature or Grace whether God be reconciled and sin pardoned c. Alas young people are generally led by sense extending their thoughts no further than just what is before them though they live and move and have their Being in God are always under his all-seeing Eye yet he is not all their thoughts tho he will bring them to Judgment for all they do yet they think not of it This evidently appears in the advice the Holy Ghost giveth young ones in the 11. of Eccles 9. it s true all men naturally are inconsiderate about these things but young ones are averse to the thoughts of God their Soul Death and Judgment because the remembrance of these things would damp their youthful sensual Delights and Pleasures and administer trouble to their minds against which that age of life hath an irreconcileable enmity and hence it is that the vanities and fooleries of this world out way Christ Heaven and eternal Life O did young ones but seriously consider and bend their thoughts close to those rouzing Doctrines and truth as they are represented in the word of God Their undone state by Nature and the peril of Hell and Damnation they are in each moment whilst they delay Conversion and flying for refuge to a crucified Jesus surely it would render the temptations of fleshly pleasures jejune and vain and prove an excellent means to awaken them to Repentance ere the day of Gods Patience be ended which brings me to the fourth next sin young people are prone to 4. Delaying of Religion saying They are yet young and its time enough though young People are often told how much more dubious and difficult their Repentance and turning to God will be hereafter then now supposing their Lives should be continued to them Yet without the breach of Charity one may say scarce one of many Hundreds but delay and neglect a present complyance with those repeated Calls of God to Conversion when in the mean time their Youthful Lusts their Games and Sports call them and find a quick and ready Attendance and Closure David's great Care was to set about the Work of Religion while he was under the first and early calls thereunto 119 Psal 60 I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments But how rare is it to see young Persons whom the Devil lays Siege to endeavouring to perswade them that it is time enough when they are older to sleep their thoughts in such a melancholly Subject as Religion is to follow his example 5. Eager pursuits after Pleasures Loving them more than God Pleasure is that which strangely carries it with the younger sort of People Modo Pâ—tiar saith the youngster let me have Pleasure now whatever â—â—me on'â— as Esau parts with his Birthâ—â—ght for a mess of red Potage so young ones are ready to part with Heaven for the pleasures of Sin that are but for a season they are joyned to pleasure as Ephraim was to Idols and O how difficult a taske is it to force a divorce between them Shall I be cloistred up and manacled in the days of my Youth by the severities of Repentance and Selfdenial this is to bid me be no more Naomi but Marah Thus the young man pleads like the Figtree and Olivetree you read of in the 9. of Judges and the 9. Should I leave my fatness and my sweetness c. so should I leave my youthful Pleasures to match with Sighs Groans Tears and a strict course of mortification No no I le rather rejoyce in the days of my Youth ere the days come wherein I can have no Pleasure Thus Youth are prone like the Bee that hovers about the Pot of Honey untill at length it is drowned in it to hanker after yea madly to ruâ— full breast upon Pleasure uâ—till like a daâ—â— it strikes into their very Liver Their mind are perpetually drunk with the love of Pleasure till they fall down Dead F. Flexibility to Temptation as dry Tindeâ— to the least spark hence you read in the Prâ—verbs frequently of the young Mans beiâ—â— easily enticed and drawn away Chap. 7. from the 7 Verse to the 23. And I beheld among â—â— simple Ones I discerned among the Youths young Man void of Vnderstanding and he wâ—â— the way to the Harlots House c. Verse 21. With her fair Speech she caused him to yield and he goeth after her straightway as an Ox goeth to the Slaughter c. hence in the 1st Chap. 10. you Read My Son if Sinners entice thee consent thou not c. intimating that impetous or vigorous Inclination Byass that is in Youth to consent to Temptations young ones are easily drawn by the smallest Temptations they are ready to meet it half way yea to out go it Isa 5. 18. We read of some that will Transgress for a piece of Bread 28. Prov. 21. Ahab sold himself to work Wickedness Judas offered himself to sell Christ and Ephraim willingly walked after the Commandment of False Worship 5. Hosea 11. Thus young People are presently perswaded the least Motion is bait and hire enough like soft Wax they readily receive the stamp of a Temptation G. Going down the Stream and following â— Multitude to do Evil excusing all with this Namely That there are Thousands and Millions that steer the Course and tread the Paths that I do ducimur exemptis If Ministers give warning from God to avoid and flee such and such youthful Sins and cry out as the Angel to
to lye that as soon as the one learns them to go on Earth the other learns them to go to Hell hence these two are joyn'd together in that 58. Psal 3. Speaking of young ones they go astray from the Womb telling lies This is a sin that all but especially young ones are exceedingly prone to whereby Satan leads them captive at his will to make them his Vassals Look there young people there are several sins that are as I may say the very off-spring and Progeny of Satan and in acting of them a sinner resembles the Devil as a Child the Father For instance Pride it 's called their condemnation of the Devil 1 Tim. 3. 6. an angry passionate spirit it 's stiled giving place to the Devil 4. Eph. 26 27. the like one may say of this sin of Lying in the 8. John and the close of the 44. v. the Devil is called a lyer and the Father of Lies and in the 5. of the Acts 3. Satan is there said to fill Ananias his heart to lie against God which sheweth that where there is a lie in the Tongue there is the Devil filling of the Heart ruling in Children of disobedience hence James saith 4. chap. and the 6. v. that it sets all on fire of Hell O how great is the power that Satan acquireth in young people by this sin it gives him that which he so earnestly desires namely a spiritual possession of Souls as a man possesseth and dwells in his House and there it is he learneth young ones that master-piece in the Black Art to call Evil Good and Good Evil and to deny the fact when they have committed sin as 2 Kings 5. 25. thy Servant said lying Gehazi went no whether thus Jacobs Sons after they had wickedly sold their Brother come with a plausible Tale tho a palpable lye to their Father we found this bloody Garment in the Field but whose it is we know not 37. Gen. 32. 12. Another Sin young ones are given to is neglect of Relative duties as honouring and obeying their Parents and Masters c. this is a sin peculiar to young people and there are but few that escape the guilt of it Hence have Ministers Ecclesiastical Fathers almost every Lords-day Bills of complaint like Ezekiels Roll filled with lamentation put into our hands begging our earnest Prayers for rebellious and disobedient Children and Servants Though the justice of God is ordinarily manifest in the execution of his threatned Judgments upon Children of Belial even in this Life yet alas how seldom do young people take and improve such awful awakening warnings to hear and fear and do no more so wickedly How common is it for Children yea when grown up and their Parents grown old to set light by them and to speak Sawcily and Contemptuously of them and to them behaving themselves proudly and rudely before them as if they were their equals a practice most vile against the light of Nature and always according to the Scripture entaileth a Curse upon such unnatural Children 27. Deut. 16. Cursed be he that setteth light by his Father or his Mother and all the people shall say Amen The punishment that the Heathens inflicted on such was to few them in a Sack with a Dog Cat Viper and Ape an Emblem of unnaturalness and so drown them together and the punishment that the Law of God in the time of Moses did assign to a rebellious Son was to be stoned to Death 21. Deut. 18. If a man have a stubborn and rebellious Son which will not obey the voice of his Father or the voice of his Mother then shall they lay hold on him and bring him out unto the Elders of the City and all the men of the City shall stone him with stones till he dye And it is observable now under the Gospel how the holy and wise Povidence of God ordinarily sets a mark upon disobedient Children either in imbittering their lives with a succession of miseries and vexations here or suffering them to fall by an untimely Death 13. Another Sin Youth is prone to is Sabbath breaking a day which usually young people meet together upon to walk abroad in the Fields and take their pleasure and run into all excess of Riot Chambering acting their filthy lusts drinking Healths playing at Cards Dancing Swearing and sometimes Quarrelling Fighting Thieving Robbing of Orchards and Gardens and thus inverting that Day which God hath sanctified and appropriated to his own Honour and Service and the saving of souls to the service of the Devil and damning their own souls sure I am the whole Christian world at this day groans under the tragical and bitter effects of this sin and he is nothing worthy of Eyes that weeps not to see whole droves running headlong to Hell through this breach viz. the Breach of the Sabbath Verily the Devil hath more service done on this day than on all the six besides and how deplorable is the serious consideration hereof that the day which should be Christ's is the Devil 's great harvest of Souls and that day which should make joy in Heaven by an addition to the Church of such as shall be saved should ever prove Satans triumph and Hells inlarging it self beyond Measure at the accession of so vast a multitude of Sabbath-breakers into it 14. Another sin that Youth is exceedingly prone to is nourishing of vain hope and flattering themselves with the thought of long life putting far away from them the memorial of the evil Day Young people account it a kind of death to think of Death the meditations or tydings of it are like those of the Judges coming to the Bench to Malefactors entertained with great reluctancy and when they cannot wholly banish the items of it out of their Consciences they will be sure to set it a great way off as those bold sinners did the Prophets Vision in the 12. of Ezek. 27. the Vision that he sees is for many days to come and hence as that evil Servant in the 24. Mat. 48. when he saith in his heart my Lord deâ—ayeth his coming he began to smite his fellow Servant and to eat and drink with the drunken so young people when they once drive off the thoughts of death as far as they can from day to day then they run a whoring from God lay aside Religious duties let loose the reins of their Lusts laugh at the tremendous threatnings of the Almighty It is one of the greatest strengthners of temptations to Luxury Pride and almost every sin in the World when sinners are bold to promise themselves many years to come as you may see in that 12. Luke 17 18 19. where our Saviour brings in that foolish rich man speaking to his soul after this manner Soul take thine ease eat drink be merry thou hast goods laid up for many years O young men as you would escape the rebukes an angry God and an exasperated guilty Conscience promise not your selves long
necessity of a waking working Conscience in order to Conversion for it is the property of Conscience to turn in upon the Soul and debate matters discursively in a kind of silent reasoning with the Soul it hath both a directive and reflexive power iâ— takes that light that lay cold and uselesâ— before in the mind and brings it down in â—way of home application to the Soul 3. Laâ— 40. 119. Psal 59. And now I come â— make good what is proposed namely Thaâ— Youthful Lusts stupefie and beâ—uâ— this faculty of Conscience and so indispoâ—â— the Soul to Conversion Look you Siâ—s although it is not in the power of young oâ— old Sinners to rase out and expunge this Faculty out of their Breasts for it is so esseâ—tial to the Soul as that the Soul can't be Soul wirhout it nothing can be more it separable than this bosom Judge which oâ— calleth sensus praejudicium judicij divinâ— Yet though I say they can't get rid on they may and often do by a love and life â—â— sin gag it muzle and stifle it for the present they cast Conscience into a deep sleep by yielâ—ing to their Lusts One calleth the Love â—â— Sin the Devil's Opium whereby he luâ—â— Conscience asleep Hence it is that you read of its being past feeling and seared as with an hot Iron Ephes 4. 19. and 1 Tim. 4. 2. defiled polluted 1. Tit. 15. not performing their offices being deaf to every holy suggestion of God's Spirit O young people your lusts served and obeyed will make your Consciences to be like Lot when he was made drunk by his Daughters of whom it 's said That in the Morning he knew nothing what he had done in Gen 19. Thy Lusts will breed such sottishness and stupidity in thy Conscience as will most certainly hinder thy Conversion Conscience is a Witness but if that witness be dumb who shall tell thee of thy Sin and danger Conscience is a Schoolmaster to direct and correct but if that Schoolmaster be blind or craz'd or lie like one stark mad or dead who I pray shall admonish you and administer reproof to you alas we speak without you it 's Conscience that is as a thousand Witnesses within you and if that be like an Idol what hope of Conversion Conscience is the Candle of the Lord within thee and if this be put under a Bushel how easily may the Devil hurry thee blind fold to Hell and Damnation Conscience is appointed of God to be that to the Soul as the Pilot is to the Ship amidst Rocks Sands suppose now that the Pilot have either lost his Compass to steer by or has no supernal light to make an Observation by how improbable is it that the Ship should ever come safe to Harbour So if Conscience be stupified how unlikely is it that ever that Soul should be converted It hath been and still is to me just ground of wonder and astonishment that when a Minister comes in the Name and by the Authority of the Great Jehovah Maker of Heaven and Earth to a Congregation of sinful Worms and there preach and prove to them out of the infallible Scriptures that they are born in Sin and that in their natural conditions they are but a few steps off Eternal Damnation and that there is a blessed Jesus come to seek and save what is lost and that he is able and willing to save to the uttermost all that come to him and yet after a Minister hath done alâ— this not one probably of many Scoreâ— in the Auditory that brings the Doctrine preached home to his own Soul saying Thiâ— is my Condition my Soul's portion I am by Nature a Child of wrath God's Law hath found me ouâ— and convinced me oâ— sin that there are none more guilty than I and more worthy of Hell I am the Man the Woman whom it curseth as sure as if my Name was mentioned but the generality detain the Truth in Unrighteousness they go away and live as wickedly aâ— before Now the Lord be merciful to us how could ever Dust and Ashes be thus unconcerned did but Conscience roundly and soundly do its work viz. to bear witness to pass sentence c. But here is the bane of all and the true Cause of mens Impenitency and Unconversion they hearken and yield to their lusts and thereby Conscience is laid asleep O young people see the malignity of Sin 's influence and say Away ye cursed Lusts it 's high time O my Soul to flee these Awake Conscience awake it 's high time to regard thy message 3dly These youthful Lusts they increase that natural rebellion that is in the Will against turning to God and so they indispose the Soul to Conversion the Will is an excellent part or power of the reasonable Soul it is compar'd by some to the Primum Mobile in the Heavens that carrieth all the inferiour Orbs away in its own motion or like a Queen sitting upon its Throne exercising its dominion over the other parts of the Soul And as Conscience hath several offices and acts so hath the Will The Schoolmen marshall up several as Volition and that either absolute and efficacious or more languid and imperfect 2. Fruition 3. Intention 4. Election 5. Resolution and Consent c. but I shall only shew you how impossible a saving and found Conversion of the Soul can ever be except the Will this superiour faculty in the Soul be brought into subjection and obedience to Christ and then shew you how youthful Lusts not only hinder that subjection of the Will to Christ but strengthen its resistance and rebellion against it 1 How impossible a thing Conversion is without the Will be brought into obedience to Christ When God first created Man upon Earth this noble part of the Soul the Will was in a most perfect and holy conformity to the Will of God but since Sin entred the Will is so far fallen from its primitive honour that Bernard saith voluntas tua infernus est tuus that mans Will now is his Hell of a Virgin she is now become like a polluted Whore So that naturally we will not come to Christ John 5. 40. We will not be made clean Jer. 13. 27. We will walk after our own Devices Jer. 18. 12. Now how impossible a thing is it that there should be a through Conversion till this natural Rebellion of the Will is slain and removed for the Will is the man and it 's everlastingly true and will be found so That his you are whom you willingly obey whether it be of Sin unto Death or Obedience unto Righteousness Rom. 6. 16. 2. Youthful Lusts yielded unto strengthen that natural averseness and obstinacy that is in our Will and so it indisposeth the Soul to Conversion We read that Whoredom and Wine take away the Heart in Hosea 4. 11. Why may some say was the Heart set upon God before No not at all but by it is meant that those
deep sleep We may stand amazed to see how Persons adorned with excellent Endowments of Nature that have great ability in natural things men of great Sense as we say when they hear how their unmortified Lusts war against their Souls and expose them to the Wrath of God and Everlasting Burning yet can go on in their lusts without remorse or any akings of Heart nay that which made the Son of God to bleed anâ— brought him to such bitter Agonies and strong Cries and Groans and for which Vengeance is now tearing and tormenting thousand in Hell Alas all is but as a Dream whilâ— sin prevaileth it hardeneth the Heart to â— degree of spiritual Phrensy Hosea 7. 9. 5. Jer. 3. 5. Isa 12. and 1. Chap. 5. likâ— Jonah fast asleep in the sides of the Ship tho' ready to perish Young men remember it yielding to your Lusts will so insensibly harden you that you will be like â— man that is seized with the dead Palsie whoâ— tho' you pinch and strike he feels nothing or like Solomon's besotted Wretch 7. Prâ—â— 14 15. They have stricken and beaten me bâ— I felt it not Or like the Prophet's Aetâ—opian 13. Jer. 23. Can the Aethiopian chanâ—â— his Skin and the Leopard his Spots theâ— may you change your accustomed Eviâ— Bernard describing the malignity of Sin 's iâ—fluence as to its encroaching Nature oâ—serves this Gradation At first saith he Sâ— is importable next time heavy then eaâ—â— then light then sweet at last necessaâ—â— Wherefore flee youthful Lusts as ever yâ—â— would escape these Soul-ruining Evils as blindness of Mind searedness of Conscience incurable hardness of Heart all which indispose the Soul to Conversion nay they expose it to Damnation 5thly These youthful Lusts indispose the Soul to Conversion as they miserably enslave and defile the Affections which are seated in the sensitive apperite of a man and they are such as these Anger Love Joy Fear Sorrow these are planted in us to be subservient to our Souls in glorifying God and working out our own Salvation But through these youthful Lusts they become subservient to Satan and predominant over the Soul bringing it into miserable bondage and vile slavery and so indispose it to Conversion In Prayer thy affections should be fixed on God in Christ as the sole object of thy Love Delight and filial Fear But are they so dost thou draw nigh to God as thy exceeding joy tell me young man where are thy Bethels thy Penuels I doubt upon a serious review it will be found quite otherwise that vain thoughts have lodged in thy mind and that swarms of noisome Lusts have been tumbling up and down the dead Sea of thy Soul in time of Prayer Ah how little of love to God hatred of Sin answerable to their nature have possessed your Souls in duty if any pious stirrings of Affections have been how short a stay have they made how many more ambitious wanton covetous or revengeful Thoughts have been jumbled together with them I appeal to you Is it not enough to change that Prayer into Sin wherein thy God hath been lodged with a crew of viperous Lusts or rather wherein thy Affections have been committing spiritual Fornication with their Idols or have been Dinah like gadding abroad with the Fools Eyes to and fro to the ends of the Earth Now upon enquiry whence this comes about if thou search impartially and cast the lot right it will appear that the Arch-Agent of and in all this is thy minion Lust that Youth is under the power of some complain of continual distractions in Prayer their Minds are like the unquiet Waves of the Sea up and down their Affections unstable rambling up and down Alas the main reason of this woful posture in Duty is their unmortified Lusts and it is very observable that the more provision you make for the Flesh to fulfil it in its lusts the more dominion and tyranny it will have over your Thoughts and Affections in holy Duties and is such a Prayer ever like to issue in thy Conversion wherein thy Affections have been under the vile umpire and influence of thy Lusts It may rather be called a Service done to thy Lusts than to God There was Jehu what ardent and zealous affection did he seem to have in the Service and Cause of God when he cryed out Come see my Zeal for the Lord of Hosts But what was it that influenced and moved his affections it was not the Glory of God but the lust of Vain-glory and Self-advancement Experience confirms this that many in their youth have had shews of great affection in their Profession of Godliness who have after a while fell away and become at last as senseless and stupid about Heavenly things as any prophane one in the world O young People those Lusts you serve will have such an ill influence on your Affections as that they will become like wild Horses to tear your Souls in pieces O cursed Lusts how unspeakable is that thraldom they lay our affectionate part under that when thy Affections should be like Elijah's fiery Chariot to mount thy Soul up to Heaven they should through thy lust be like the Wheels of a Jehu's Chariot furiously to hurry thy Soul to Hell Our affections were planted in us for this end to facilitate and make our access to God to become easie pleasant and delightful to our Soul but O miserable change they now are quite contrary through thy unmortified Lusts they are like Clogs Chains and Fetters to hinder the Soul's approach to God When at any time the Ship of thy Soul should hoise fail for Heaven thy Affections being defiled and led captive by thy Lusts will like a Sheet-Anchor hold it back When thou shouldst be loving the Lord thy God with all thy Heart with all thy Soul and with all thy Mind which our Saviour telleth you is that first and great Commandment on which all depends for saith Christ on this hang all the Law and the Prophets O how deplorable a case is it that instead of this my depraved Affections should terminate upon and cleave to a Cup or a Whore or a dunghil world O monstrous wickedness O young men bethink your selves what a pernicious temper this is ought it noâ— to cut you to the very Heart to find your selves convicted of such enmity and aversion in your affections to the blessed God and whence is it but from your youthfuâ— Lusts O diseased Soul if thy lusts had noâ— corrupted and perverted thy Affections thou wouldst have thought God as suitabâ— an object for thy love as meat to the hungry and drink to the thirsty Is he not thâ— chiefest best most excellent comprehensive purest fullest and most immutable permanent Good Should not an object so admirably fit attract and allure thy superlatiâ—â— love Do you not know do n't your Coâ—sciences tell you that your affections ougâ—â— to be placed on God above all and ougâ—â— it not to fill your Souls
last place in that they hasten your destruction as you may read in these following Scriptures Rom. 6. 21. What fruit had ye then in those things for the enâ— of them is Death And in verse 23. The Wages of Sin is Death 1 Pet. 1. 11. Abstain from Fleshly Lusts which war against the Soul Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the Flesh ye shall dye Matth. 18. 8 9. If thy right Hand offend thee cut it off c. or no entring into Life eternal Isa 3. 10. Now in vain were all these Revelations of the determined and immutable Will of God in his Word if continuance in your Lusts could stand with impunity and escaping destruction I know that the vain hopes of escaping is a mighty encouragement to the voluptuous Youth whose Heart stands bent upon his Lusts but if once his Conscience comes to be throughly convinced that his lusts will most surely find him out that his Damnation lingreth not slumbreth not but is hastening a pace towards him so that he may as well hope not to dye as not to be thrown into Hell when he dyes oh then what trembling surpriseth the guilty Sinner Now in order to the awakening the Conscience of wild and wanton Youth to flee their youthful Lusts let them but weigh this Argument taken out of God's Word who hath peremptorily declared that he will by no means clear the Guilty but is angry with them every day and hath revealed his Wrath from Heaven against all that persist in their Lusts let them steep their thoughts in such terrible tremendous Scriptures as Deut. 29. 18 19 20. Lest there should be any among you whose Heart turneth away from the Lord and it cometh to pass that when he heareth or readeth the Words of this Curse that he bless himself in his Heart saying I shall have Peace though I walk in the imagination of mine Heart to add sin to sin What then O pray mind and lay to heart what followeth in the 20. vers The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the Curses that are written in this Book shall lie upon him Also in Job 5. 3 4. Eliphaz saith I have seen the Foolish taking root but suddenly I cursed his Habitation and in the 27. Chap. and 13. you read this is the Portion of a wicked man with God and in 17. Chap. 5. Their triumphing is but short and their joy but for a moment So that as soon should God cease to be God as the Sinner that goeth on in his Trespasses should go unpunished the certainty of whose destruction depends upon the irrevocable Will of God God hath said it the Lord hath spoken it and it shall come to pass Alas we that dwell at ease and enjoy our health are not able fully to conceive what the power of the Lord's anger and wrath is which he hath revealed against Sin and Sinners Some indeed as they have been drawing near and launching out into the Ocean of Eternity have had such sights and views of it as hath scar'd and affrighted them with such amazements that they have cryed out inducias usque ad mane truce but till the Morning Others O that I had never been born call time again Others O Lord let me live on Earth though it be but the life of a Toad I have also read of one who saw Hell but in a Dream or Vision and the terror was so great that he would have chosen ten times to dye rather than see and feel so great horror again But as to our Youth that look at a Death-Bed many years off they can scarce imagine what an aspect this will have at a dying hour Now at present it shews its fairest side but when all Masks are pulled off it will be quite another thing you may see its stinging efficacy in the 33. Isa and 14. Now in the days of your vanity and pleasure this Argument and Reason is wrapt up like a Flag about the Staff Hell and Damnation are but as it were in semine and your persisting in Siâ— is called a treasuring up of Wrath againsâ— that great and terrible Day of Wrath that is approaching and hence you are secure careless and all quiet But oh that young people would but think what a dreadfuâ— sight it will have when they come to lie down with their Bones full of the Sins oâ— their youth and their Souls brought dowâ— to the sides of the Pit as low as Hell by their youthful lusts O with what unexpressible rage and fury will their Consciences then reflect on their fore-past Sins You read in James that when Lust is consummate it bringeth forth Death and the sting of Death is Sin unmortified unpardoned this brings to a terrible Bar Judge and Sentence Depart ye cursed c. So that here in the final issue of your youthful lusts they will if you flee them not cast you into the Fire of Hell with an utter destructioâ— from the presence of the Lord. See here how God hath hedged up your sinâ—ul waâ— with thorns to stop you and restrain yoâ— from yielding to your filthy and forbiddeâ— Lusts and also to spur you on to bâ—eaâ— through all the difficulties and objectioâ— that lie in your way to Repenâ—ance and Conversion that so when the Devil oâ— the Lusts of the Flesh object against the Severities pains and labour oâ—â—bâ—ndoning and forsaking your Dalilah-corruptions 〈◊〉 might have it in readiness to answer Avoid Satan what tell you me of pains in parting with or departing from Sin do not you see here in the Scripture is it not written that Eternal Pains will be my Portion if I flee not my youthful lusts and what are the pains of parting with my lusts now compared with the pains of parting with God Christ and Heaven and the undergoing the pains of Hell's torments the Fire that is never quenched the Worm that never dyes O Devil that wouldst tempt me to sin O vile Lust that wouldst entice me and draw me to fulfil your unreasonable request is it easie to dwell with everlasting Burning If I dwell with you and hearken to you if I flee you not I must dwell and lodge for ever and ever in Tophet Is it not better to dwell with Lyons Bears Serpents Adders here in a Wilderness all my Life on Earth than abide with you an hour longer seeing that I run the hazard of an Eternity of Torments in that hour and the only way to provoke God to shorâ—en my Life on Earth is to yield to my lusts What if I should gain a little beastly pleasure or perishing earthly treasure by obeying my youthful lust what then when God takes away my Soul Job 27. 7 8. and in Matth. 16. 25 26. What is a man profited though he should gain the whole World and lose his own Soul What can a man give in exchange for his Soul Wherefore as Moses
brutifie and vilifie thy Soul that resemble thee to a Beast and ripen theâ— for the Devil that cannot stand with the infinite Love but hatred of God O flee these And then Sixthly Consider youthful sensual pleasures are not only short of their time and vile in their nature but most bitter and pernicious in their end Stolen Waters are sweet and Bread eaten in secret saith Solomon Prov. 9 17. But in the end it bites like a Serpent Prov. 32. 27. and stâ—ngeth like aâ— Adder O Youth such are all Sin 's pleasure whether you believe it or no yâ—â— shall be sure to feel it after a season for your pleasures are all but for a season and theâ— followeth the Curse of the Law the wrath of God the terrours of Conscience thâ— guilt of Sin and these are enough to drowâ— thy pleasue and distract thy Spirits like to that kind of Honey that Historians teâ—â— us of in Affrica lusciously sweet but affect all that eat of it with a mortal Madness and Frenzâ— and the reason they assign is that the Bees gather it from poysonouâ— Weeds thus sensual sinful Pleasures aâ— Solomon saith Eccles 2. 2. affect with madness Hence in the 7 Eccles 2. he affirmeth that it is better to go to the House of Mourning than Feasting You have a Scripture very full and apposite to this purpose in that in 20. Job 16. where Zophar speaking of the wicked Pleasure-monger saith He shall suck the pâ—ison of Asps There is an old Interpreter * Xantus Pagninus I have met with that reads it He shall suck the Head of Asps The Hebrew word Rosh signifying both câ—put and veneum Head and Poyson Now what is it to suck the Head of Asps Pliny in his Natural History tells us that the Asp or she Viper engendring with the Male takes his Head in her mouth and being overcome with the pleasure of the act bites it off whereby he perisheth after which she conceiving the young within her become impatient of staying their full time and they eat out through her side whereby she perisheth And so it is with the Sensualist that is all for pleasure in Sin as if you loâ—k back to the 12. ver of this 20. of Job you shall find though wickedness be sweet in the mouth yet it is but as the sucking of the Head of Asps they shall perish by it In the close of the 12. ver it is said to be Gall of Asps by which is meant both the bitterness and destructiveness of sinful Pleasures His Wickedness saith Zophar though sweet and delicious in his Mouth that is the act of committing it yet when it s turned in his Bowels that is after the commission of it it is the Gall of Asps O its grievous to him he wisheth he had never done it So Prov. 5. 4. speaking of the end of Sin 's pleasure he tells you its bitter as Wormwood It is like a Pill wrapt up in Sugar which when the Sugar which was over it is melted then the bitterness of the Pill shews it self So when the pleasure of Sin is wasted then the sorrow appears I have read of a most pleasant and luscious sort of Fruit in the West-Indies but withal that these dainties are so sauced with the intollerable scorching heat of the Sun by day and a multitude of stinging Creatures by night that the People that dwell in those parts expose themselves to danger to gather them which made the Spaniards to call them the Comfits of Hell and truly what are the pleasures of Sin but such Comfits of Hell there is some carnal pleasure that delights a rank unhallowed Palate but here is the misery of it they are served in with the scorching fiery wrath of God and the stinging of a guilty restless Conscience so that the fears of the one and the anguish of the other are surely able to melt away that little pleasure they afford O that young ones would seriously consider how bitter Sin 's pleasures will be in the end brevis est voluptas peccati sed perpetua paena peccatoris And Bernard saith momentarium est quod delectat aeternum quod cruciat O commune with thine own Heart enter the Closet within thy own Breast and say What shall I be taken with a little seeming sweetness and pleasure in Sin when within a moment or two this will be turned into the Gall yea Poyson of Asps O young men evermore keep your Eye on the ending of Sin how it goes off at last you may see in Cain and Spira with hideous groans and consuming griefs it comes on like an Harlot very Comically Come let us take our fill of Pleasure but it goes off like Rachel weeping and bitterly lamenting Solomon saith in Prov. 23. 17 18. My Son envy not Sinners for surely there is an end and a sad and woful end too envy them not they are rather objects of Compassion and Pity to see a Sinner merrily for a minute swallowing the bait of pleasure and then to consider his end is to be torn for ever with the hook of Vengeance and after a little gigling and foolish mirth to be cast into a Lake of â—ire and Brimstone for ever O sad end O happy is he that foreseeth the bitter end of Sin at last and shunneth it by forgoing and fleeing the bewitching pleasure of Sin at present and wise is he that takes up out of the Word of God the same thoughts of Sin now amidst all temptations and allurements to it as the worst at last will be forced to take up out of their own experience and feeling amidst all the torments of Hell Sure it is better to go to Heaven with labour than to Hell with pleasure and to be preserved in Brine than to rot in Honey as one saith to be fed upon salt Marshes and short Commons and to live than to be glutted in rank Pastures and so fatted up for destruction Wherefore O youth call not choose not that pleasure now that thousands are suffering the wrath of God for in Hell All you that have adventured and took the sweet Bait my advice to such is let them vomit up their Morsels again and smite on their Breast and lament with penitent remorse that ever they should be such fools as to delight in that which hath grieved God and wounded their own Souls and never any more return with the Dog to the Vomit And then Seventhly Consider youthful sensual Pleasures are deceitful they mock thee and make a Fool of thee and then thou makest a mock and sport of Sin Sin smâ—lâ— with enticing blandishments as Satan on our first Parents Gen 3 5. O Ye shall be as Gods So here Sin promiseth O ye shall be thus and thus advanc'd and advantag'd But were our first Parents as Gods by heaâ—kening to Satan and eating of the forbidden Fruit or were they not cheated and instead of being like God they became like Satan It is observed by the Mythohgists
seldom of all Acts of Disobedience â—uffer that of marrying against the consent of Parents go off the stage of this Life unpunished And then for Servants that are under the Yoke who are in great danger of miscarryâ—ng in that Relation let me prevail with â—hem to treasure up these following Scriâ—â—ures Eph. 6. 5 6 7 8. Col. 3. 22 23 24 â—5 1 Tim. 6. 1 2. And especially study that Titus 2. 9 10. and 1 Pet. 2. 18. Exhort Servants to be obedient to their own Masters â—nd to please them well in all things not answering again not purloining but shewing all â—ood fidelity that they may adorn the Doctrine â—f God our Saviour in all things O remember that in serving your Masters after the flesh in singleness of Spirit you herein serve the Lord Christ Remedies against that Youthful Sin of Sabbath-breaking I Have shewed you how prone Youth is to this Sin and those that are afraid of pilfering from Man and robbing their Masters of their Goods yet make no Conscience of pilfering and robbing God of his time O what multitudes of Youth make this day to be the day of finding their carnal pleasures and recreating themselves wherefore to direct you how you may flee this Sin 1. Consider God hath sanctified and blessed this day not only as a day for his own Worship but for his own Workmanship in a new creating us in Christ Jesus it 's a special day for dispensing of Grace and Pardon to undone condemned Sinners and should we not then sanctify it and keep it holy On this day the golden Scepter of Grace and Mercy is held forth and Proclamation is made of an Act of Oblivion to all rebellious Sinners that shall throw down their Weapons of Enmity and come in and subject themselves to the Lord Jesus that their Sins and Iniquities however aggravated shall be pardoned and be remembred no more for ever and not only so but a Marriage Feast is on this day instituted to be celebrated a Feast of fat things wherein the returning Prodigal is crowned with all the expressions of joy and honour Bring forth the fatted Calf the best Robe the Ring let Heaven rejoyce and make merry c. O Youth what are thy Esau-like morsels abroad in the Field but as the husks that Swine do eat to the dainties of a Father's house O the time is at hand when the crumbs that fall from the Lord's Table will be more desirable than all the sweet meats of Sin and the Flesh that thou meetest with in thy rambles on God's Holy day Thou gainest a little fleshly content and merriment but losest the blessednesses promised in Isa 56. 2. Blessed Ashre there is the plural number is the man that doth this that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it The blessedness of gracious communion and fellowship with the Father and with his Son Christ Jesus c. And who can express the heavenly comfort of that O would you ever be drunk with Wine or bewitched with the sordid pleasures of the Flesh If you had once drank of this high Country Wine the Wine of Heaven's consolations Heark Young Man to those that have tryed it Psal 84. How amiable are thy Tabernacles c. And so the Psalm runs on One day in thy Courts is better than a thousand elsewhere I sat down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste 2 Cant. 3. But I must not enlarge 2. Meditate upon this how woful a Sin-Sabbath-breaking is and how woful a condition Sabbath-breakers are in To profane the Sabbath is a Sin of an high nature it is a vile despising the Riches of God's goodness Alas You could not have a Sabbath but from his astonishing mercy Be sure then to profane a Sabbath is a surpassing Provocation beyond the Sin of the Devil who never had the mercy of one day of the Son of Man 's afforded him Moreover it indicates and sheweth that you have no delight in God in his Service who have no delight in his day and is thy want of Love to God a small Sin When it is as one saith the very heart of the old Man the badge of Devils and damned Spirits And then consider how woful the condition of Sabbath-breakers is they carry about them the mark of Death and Hell as 't were in their Foreheads wherever they go for it 's past all doubt that Sabbath-breakers are under the wrath of God and in a state of alienation to him and will certainly perish if they continue in that state O Young Man strongly impress this on thy heart and say Is this a tolerable condition Is it wisdom to continue it an hour longer O think with your selves what if I had dyed in this Case what had become of me how exceedingly thou art beholden to the patience of God that he hath not cast thee into Hell The Lord open your eyes and imprint this Meditation upon your hearts then you would admire the mercy of a Sabbath and the provisions of grace in the Ordinances and you would loath and detest the Tempter that would entice you to waste a Moment of so blessed a Day Wherefore to close this I shall recite the Testimony of a wise and learned Person * J. Hales of this Nation who was as is noted of him natus ad exemplar born to be an Example to others This Excellent Person writing to his Children of whom he travail'd in Birth that Christ might be formed in them he freely opens his mind in these following Words I now write something to you says he touching the Observation of the Lord's day because I find in the World much Looseness and Apostacy from this Duty People begin to be cold and careless in it allowing themselves Sports and Recreations and secular Imployments in it without any necessity which is an ill presage and a sad Spectacle He there makes this profession and declaration to them I have found says he by a strict diligent observation that a due observation of the Duties of this Day has ever had joyned to it a Blessing upon the â—est of my time and the Week that has been so begun has been blessed and prosperous to me And on the other side when I have been negligent in and of the Duties of this Day the rest of the Week has been unsuccesful and unhappy to my own secular Imployment and this I do not write lightly or inconsiderately but upon long and sound Experience Here I thought to have given you a quotation of many Instances very remarkable of God's punishing the breakers of this Holy Day but it would swell this Treatise too big for the Poor to purchase it and there are indeed few Months that pass but you have sad memorials hereof at â—yburn of Malefactors crying out of this Sin as introductory to all others and the source and spring of all their Miseries The next Sin that Youth is addicted to is Pride Remedies against