before old age seiseth on thee which will be full of pains and sorrows so that thou canst take no delight in any thing neither canst thou find any desire or strength for service Here the dayes of old age are called evil because men are then subject to manifold infirmities and afflictions as if he had said seeing the Elder dayes are like to be evil dayes full of pains and griefs be sure thou do not add thereunto the bitterness of thy youthful lusts and pleasures and the butthen of those duties which should have been the business of thy youth Shall the sins and the works of an whole age be laid upon thiâ—…e aged Shoulders what an intolerable burthen will that be to thee who wilt find it hard enough for thee to bear up under thy diseases and infirmities Be doing rather now in the dayes of thy youth lay up against the time to come be aforehand with thy necessary work get to be rich in greace abundant in good works serving the Lord in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of thy life which may comfort thine heart against the evils of thine old age that so it may not be unto thee an evil but as it was to Abraham a good old age Gen. 25. 8. The drift of the Wise man in these words is to stir up young men to consecrate their youth and younger years especially to the remembring and serving of God because old age being full of weaknesses and infirmities is very unfit then to begin to serve God or to mind the great work of Repentance and Reformation CHAP. II. Containeth the grand proposition with the Reasons thereof FRom the drift and scope of Solomon in these words may be raised this point of Doctrine Doct. It is a duty incumbent upon all young men to consecrate the prime and strength of their dayes to the service of God So to remember God as to devote themselvs to him This was Typified under the Law where the Lord required the first-fruits to be dedicated unto him the first-born to be sanctified unto him and the young Bullocks and Lambs to be offered in Sacrifice unto him Which was written for our learning to teach and instruct us to offer unto God the service of our youth as well as of our old age And is it not most equal that as the first-fruits of other things so the first-fruits of man of his ripened understanding and affections should be given unto God Was the Lord greatly offended when as men reserved the best of the flock to themselves and offered the old the blind and the lame unto him And will he be well-pleased that we devote our youth and younger years to the service of Satan and the satisfying our own lusts and reserve for him only our decrepit old age This is likewise commended to us in the example of divers young men recorded in Scripture We read of Isaac that while he was young he accustomed himself to prayer and meditation Gen. 24. 63. Of Iosiah that when he was eight years old he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord And in the eighth year of his reign while he was yet young he began to seek after the God of David his Father 2 Chron. 34. 1 3. Of Obadiah that he feared the Lord from his youth 1 King 18. 12. And of Timothy that from a Child he had known the holy Scriptures which were able to make him wise unto salvation 2. Tim. 3. 15. If any shall ask wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way Surely by following the example of such rare young men as these were The Reasons of the point Reas. 1. Youth is the fittest time that can he given unto God as being the Spring time and excellentest part of thy life In the grave there is no serving God in thine old age it is bad serving him by reason of the manifold weaknesses and infirmities which do accompany the same therefore thy Youth must needs be the fittest time for his service For 1. Youth is most active and vigorous quick and lively being not at all clogged with the infirmities of age Then is thy body strongest thy wit sharpest and thy memory most capable and retentive How unworthy then is it for thee to Sacrifice thy youth to Bacchus and Venus to ungodly sensuality and luxury and at last to lay thine old bones upon Gods Altar O what Pity is it that the Devil the world and the flesh should have thy cream and flour And how shameful that God to whom thy whole life is due should have only thy bran and dreggs 2. Youth is the time of strength and the service of God being no easie work calls for thine utmost strength the strength of thy body as well as the strength of thy mind Our Saviour requires strive to enter in at the strait gate The word in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a striving with our utmost skill strength and activity as wrestlers do for mastery And saith the Apostle work out your salvation where the word in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to work with the greatest industry Old men whose strength is wasted are like to make but poor wrestlers and as poor workers And therefore what fitter time can there be in earnest to set upon the difficulties of Religion and Godliness and the mighty and weighty works thereof than in the strength of our days Reas. 2. The service of thy Youth is the most acceptable service unto God When Abraham manifested his willingness to sacrifice his young Son Isaac upon the Command of God oh how kindly did the Lord take it and thereupon promised yea swore unto him saying Because thou hast done this thing that in blessing I will bless thee Gen. 22. 16. In like manner if thou shalt consecrate thy younger years unto God which is as it were to sacrifice thy Isaac he will take it kindly at thy hands and thou shalt be remembred with a blessing in thine age for with such sacrifices God is well pleased When our Saviour heard the rich man in the Gospel say All these Commandments have I kept from my Youth the Evangelist noâ—…eth that beholding him he loved him to shew possibly how he loveth the service of young men how pleasing and acceptable it is to him And it is questionable whether God who calls for the first fruits of thy life if thou deny him that will accept the gleanings of thine age Reas. 3. Another reason may be taken from the momentary shortness and muâ—…able uncertainty of thy life So short it is that the whole of it from first to last is little enough for thy necessary work To get an interest in Christ to mortifie thy Lusts to furnish thy self with Grace to fill up thy fruits of righteousness and thereby to make sure to thy self a bet-ter life believe it these are not the works of a few days or hours And so uncertain is thy life that thou hast no
their duties especially these Ephes. 6. 5 6 7 8. Col. 3. 22 23 24 25. 1 Tim. 6. 12. Tit. 2. 9 10. 1 Pet. 2. 18 19. c. Take your Bibles and turn to these places read remember and practise them And because there is a sort of wicked Young Ones who not being contented with being vile themselves do desire to draw others into the Fellowship of their works of darkness therefore let not that word depart from you in Prov. 1. 10 My Son if sinners intice thee consent thou not And verse 15. My Son walk not thou in the way with them refrain thy foot from their path See also Prov. 4. 14 15. c. And now for you Young Men whose years of Apprenticeship are expired and who are no longer Servants because you are free from your Masters You have a wide World before you take heed that you be not lost in it by wandring from the Paths of Gods Commandments either 1. In the abusing of your Liberty or 2. In the using of your Trades As for your Liberty Remember that though the Yoke of your Masters be off yet you must keep the Yoke of Christ on or you must take it upon you if yet you have not As you had a Master on earth whose Servants you were to be for a certain time so you have a Master in Heaven whose servants you must bâ—… for ever And this will be no unwelcom news to you if you do but understand what a good Master the Lord is to all that serve him in sincerity and with all their heart Though therefore you have obtained freedom from man yet you must not take any freedom to sin against God and though you are in that respect at your own dispose yet you must not live as if you were your own I think that Young Men at the coming out of their time had need count it one of the special times of their life wherein they should be most watchful For it may be easily observed in too many that there is such prophaneness then manifested as if Hell were broken loose In the using of your Trades and Callings you must manage all things as those that do not make mens practises but Gods Precepts the Rule of your Buying and Selling. Beware of the love of Money which is the root of all evil and be sure you go not out of Gods way to get an Estate That will be sad gain at last which brings the loss of the Soul It is mens horrible unbelief and ignorance and distrustfulness of Gods All-sufficiency that makes them think they shall not get enough for themselves and theirs to live comfortable upon unless they should stretch their Consciences beyond the due bounds And know that what is unjustly gotten will be followed with a Blasting when that which is honestly come by will be followed with a Blessing And now for a Conclusion to all of you What hath hitherto been spoken is but as it were to prepare you a little for that great Duty of Remembring NOW your Creatour in the days of your YOUTH Be sure you never well remember your selves if you forget the Lord. When the Prodigal Son came to himself he presently thought of returning to his Father Luk. 15. 17 18 19. Notwithstanding all your sins against God his Bowels of Love will receive you if you do not refuse the mercy that is offered to you He knows as well how to pardon the Penitent as to punish the Impenitent It is his infinite goodness to your Souls that you should have some to warn you before it be too late In the number of which I have desired to be one out of an hearty well-wishing to your Eternal good Read and consider what follows and the Lord give you understanding and add his own blessing teaching you faithfully to improve all the helps and furtherances he is pleased to vouchsafe unto you for your Souls advantage T. G. THE CONTENTS OF THIS TREATISE THe Text opened and explained Page 1 The Doctrine That it is a Duty incumbent upon all Young Men to consecrate the prime and strength of their days to the service of God 4 The Reasons of the Point 5 1 Use. Reproof of those who devote the Flower of their Age to the service of Satan and their sinful Lusts and reserve their decayed strength for God and his service 13 2 Use. Exhortation unto all Young Men to offer unto God the First-fruits of their lives 15 Several Objections of many Young Men against their early seeking and serving of God answered 17 Several Directions suitable to Young Men. 36 1. That they labour to be well rooted and grounded in the Principles of Religion 36 2. That they return to the Lord. The Nature of Conversion opened with some Arguments thereunto 37 3. That at their first setting up they content not themselves with a competent Stock of Money to begin the World withal but that they likewise get a good Stock of Grace 46 Helps thereunto 48 4. That they live godly and gracious lives with Directions thereunto 53 I. At thy first awaking in the Morning lift up thine heart to God in a thankful acknowledgment of his mercy to thee in the night past 53 II. So soon as thou art ready before thou goest about the works of thy Calling withdraw thy self into some private place and there pour out thy Soul unto God by Fervent Prayer 54 III. Having begun the day with Prayer then betake thy self to the duties of thy particular Calling 57 In following whereof special regard ought to be had to the ENDS and MANNER of performing them 57 For the Manner of following thy Calling these Rules are to be observed 58 I. Be diligent therein but with these two Cautions 58 1. Beware of laying out the strength of thy heart and spirit upon thy worldly businesses which ought to be reserved for Communion with God 58 2. Beware that thy worldly businesses and imployments do not ingross thy whole time but allow thy Religious Duties their proper and sufficient season 59 II. Follow thy worldly businesses with an heavenly mind 60 1. By raising matter of Heavenly Meditations from the same 60 2. By oft lifting up thine heart to God in short Ejaculatory Prayers for his direction assistance and blessing on thy pains and endeavours 61 III. Be Iust and Honest in thy dealing with men avoiding all guile and deceit 62 The Heads of several frauds and deceits to frequently acted in matters of Commerce and Trading 63 For the preventing of which several Rules are given 66 Motives and Arguments to Iust and Honest dealing 67 The hâ—…inousness of sundry Vices whereunto Young Men are addicted is set forth with several preservatives against them The Vices mentioned are 1. Rash and hasty Anger 70 2. Drunkenness 75 3. Wantonness and Uncleanness 83 4. Prophane and rash Swearing 91 5. Lying 95 6. Back-biting and Tale-bearing 100 IV. Another Direction for the leading a godly and gracious life is
to keep a strict watch over thy self in those things which concern thine own person For help therein several Rules are given 1. Be careful of thy thoughts in well ordering them 103 Helps thereunto 103 2. Be careful of thy words that they be well governed 107 3. Be careful of thy actions concerning which are given 111 1. Some General 112 2. Some Particular Directions General Directions are these 1. Ingage thy self in a deep design for Eternity 112 2. Let thy whole life be a prosecuting and serving thy godly design 113 That thou mayst the more effectually proseeute it and prosper in it 1. Let Faith and Love be the root of thy life and the several actions of it 113 2. Let the Word and Will of God be the Rule of thy actions 115 3. Let the glorifying and enjoying of God be the end of thy life and of all the duties of it 116 Particular Directions for ordering our lives and actions according to Godliness are these 1. Beware of living in the wilful omission of any known Duty 117 2. Live not in the practice of any known sin 119 3. If thou hast been overtaken with any sin and thereby made a wound in thy Conscience seek an healing Plaister by sound Repentance and Faith in the Blood of Christ. 121 4. When through Grace thou art recovered take heed of falling back again 122 5. Be moderate in all things more particularly 1. In the use of Meats and Drinks 123 2. In Sports and Recreations 125 3. In the pursuit of Worldly Wealth and seeking after riches 128 V. Directions in reference to your Carriage towards oothers 1. Be peaceable towards all men 138 2. Be affable and courteous to others 142 3. Be humble towards all men 143 4. Be as serviceable to others as thou canst 144 5. Be merciful towards such as are in misery 146 6. Be careful to restore what thou hast stoln or unjustly got 150 7. Have special regard to thy Relative Duties 153 The special Relative Duties incumbent on Governonrs and Masters of Families are these 1. Let your Houses be daily perfumed by a Morning and Evening Sacrifice of Prayer and Praise unto God 154 2. Let the Word of God be frequently read in your Families 155 3. Set some time apart in every Week to Catechise those under your Charge teaching them the chief Principles of Religion 156 4. Be careful that thy self and Family keep the Lords Day holy 156 For a Conclusion of the whole In a careful observation of all these Directions give diligence to make thy Calling and Election sure 158 THE Young Man's Guide CHAP. I. The Exposition of the Words Eccl. 12. 1. Remember now thy Creatour in the dayes of thy Youth while the evil dayes come not nor the years draw night when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them THE Royal Preacher King Solomon in the latter part of the foregoing Chapter doth by an emphatical Irony disswade young men from those youthful lusts and sensual pleasures whereunto they are naturally addicted and that by the consideration of that dreadful account they are to give unto God at the great day as vers 4. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and walk in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into Iudgement As if he had said since thou art so set upon it to have thy will and thy way to suck the sweet and make the best of what is before thee take thy course take thy fill of thy pleasure ease and hearts-content whilest thou livest but remember what comes after and know that for all thy sweet morsels and pleasant draughts for all thy pleasant sins and youthful liberties and those vain and wicked courses wherein thou now takest such content and delight God will bring thee into judgement die thou must thou knowest not how soon and after death thou shalt be brought before Gods Tribunal there to answer for all that thou hast done and receive a just recompence of reward Remember this O young man and then go on thy way at thy peril A serious consideration of the judgement of God would be an excellent means to abate the heat of lust and take off young men from those sensual delights wherein they are commonly so drench'd and drown'd Solomon having thus disswaded young men from their youthful lusts and pleasures In the beginning of this Chapter he perswades them to the seeking of God and that from their youth and younger years by several arguments The first is couched in the four first verses of this twelfth Chapter taken from the unfitness of old men to set themselves to the service of God which they have neglected all the former part of their lives Remember now thy Creatour in the dayes of thy yeuth while the evil dayes come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them Briefly to clear the words Remember Young men of all others in this case have but short memories are apt to forget God his wayes and Judgements and to leave the care and minding hereof to their old age Therefore the Wise man knowing how unfit and unseasonable that would be to enter upon so great a work adviseth them to begin betimes and early to fix their thoughts on God and to consecrate their strength from the very first to him For this remembrance in the text doth not only import an Act of memory but such a calling to mind as works upon the affection and practice so as to set us a doing of what we know and remember To remember God is the same as to know God to love and fear and serve him 'T is the same counsel which Solomon here gives which once he received from his aged Father 1 Chron. 28. 9. And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind As God is said to remember man when he thinks upon him to do him good So man doth then remember God when he thinks upon him to do him service Thy Creatour From whom thou hadst thy being and well-being thy Creation and Preservation and therefore owest thy self and service unto him As thou art from God so thou oughtest to love and live unto him he made thee this living soul after his own image and thereby as thou art more capable so art thou the more obliged unto him and that Now in the dayes of thy Youth Which is the prime of thy time the flowre of thine age the strength of thy life when thou art able to do him the best service God will be served with the best of all thy strength and will not be put off till thy strength be gone therefore now in the flowre of thy youth give up thy self unto him While the evil dayes come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them That is
assurance of living one day longer We are all but Tenants at will and may be turned out of our Earthly Tabernacles whensoever our great Landlord pleaseth even at a quarters yea at a minutes warning And therefore as thou hast any regard to the Eternal welfare and Salvation of thy precious Soul it behoveth thee now even now to set to thy work to abandon thy sins to close with the tenders and offers of Jesus Christ to give up thy self to the service of God for thou knowest not what a day-or an hour may bring forth A man that hath a work of great consequence to be done and but one day for the doing it had need rise early in the morning and with all possible speed to fall upon it This is thy case thou hast a great work to be done even the Salvation of thy precious and immortal Soul and but a little time allowed thee for the doing of it and that very uncertain Doth it not then concern thee speedily without any further delay to set about it and to improve thy precious time to the best advantage Reas. 4. May be taken from the uncertainty of Conversion in thine old age Though thou wert sure to live long even to old age and thereupon shouldst give up thy self to thy sensual liberties and incourage thy self therein by the hopes of an after-repentance yet how canst thou be sure that then at last thou shalt repent Conversion is not in mans power it is the work of God which he is pleased to work on whom and when he will God is merciful to offer grace but he is just also to punish the neglect thereof I have read a story of a prophane Fellow who was often wont to say he doubted not but that he should repent at last if he had but time to say three words Domine miserere mei Lord have mercy on me Not long after riding over a crazy Bridge both Horse and Man fell into the River but instead of saying the former words he cryed out in these three words Capiat omnia Daemon the Devil take all Young men let this be a warning to you all venture not on to morrow but to day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Psal. 95 7. Now God calleth and inviteth thee to turn from thy sins unto him and in good earnest to set upon the practice of an holy life He now knocketh at the door of thine heart offering to enter that he may dwell in thee but if thou refuse to let him in how knowest thou whether ever he will knock again and what if he should not O what if he that knocks at thy door to day should if thou now open noâ—… never knock or look after thee again for ever O where must thine everlasting dwelling then be Reas. 5. May he taken from the manifold mischiefs which will follow upon thy continuing in thy sinful course of life without turning unto God 1. The longer thou continuest in any sin the stronger it will grow and the more hardly be subdued The longer a Tree is suffered to grow the deeper rooting it taketh and the more hardly will it be plucked up In like manner the longer thou continuest in sin the deeper rooting will it take in thee and with the greater difficulty be removed As therefore we would condemn him of extream folly who essaying to pluck up a young Plant and finding some difficulty therein should let it stand till it had taken deeper rooting in the ground and then attempt to pull it up So alike nay much more foolish is that man who in his Youth and younger years finding some difficulty in turning from his sins unto God should put it off till his sins had taken faster hold in him supposing that then he should more easily do it The truth is 't is rarely seen that such who give up themselves to the service of sin and Satan in their Youth do serve God in their Old Age. How seldom do we hear of an old sinner converted Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good who are accustomed to do evil Ier. 13. 23. As if it were a thing impossible for one that hath continued long in a course of sinning to leave and forsake it and to give up himself to the service of God Surely with man it is impossible though not with God unto whom all things are possible It will be therefore thy wisdom betimes even in thy Youth to set thy self against the power of thy corruptions lest they grow too strong in thee to be mastered and subdued 2. Continuance in a course of sinning will so insensibly harden the heart that thou wilt find the work more difficult Though thou mayst flatter thy self with a conceit that thou wilt cast off thy sins and become a new man hereafter yet thou wilt find by sad experience that the longer thou detainest them the harder it will be to part with them for every sin doth not only bring a guilt upon the Soul but likewise a stronger inclination to the practise thereof How many be there who in their Youth and younger years were wont often to say it is too soon to part with our beloved sins there is time enough for that hereafter but when their hereafter hath been come then have they said it is too late our hearts are so hardened that now we cannot repent 3. The longer thou deferrest thy Reformation and amendment the greater indisposition and disability wilt thou find in thy self thereunto Thine understanding will be more and more darkned with the mist of ignorance they will through custom in sinning be more stubborn and refractory to the Will of God revealed in his Word Thy Conscience will be more and more seared yea all the powers of thy Soul will be more and more distracted with Earthly cares and businesses What folly then must it needs be to put off thy serving of God from thy younger to thine elder years 4. By continuing in a course of sinning we come to a custom and habit in sinning which will be hardly left or broken off For custom in sin takes away all conscience of sin and hardeneth the heart more and more against God and godliness yea Custom is another nature and that which is natural is not easily changed It is found by experience that such who have been long accustomed to drinking swearing or any other vices are very hardly reclaimed from the same What egregious folly then must it needs be in any who now finding it somewhat difficult to break off his course of sinning and betake himself to a strict course of life should defer it longer till the corruption of nature through custom of sinning grow stronger and stronger in him If ever therefore thou intendest to give over thy sinning Trade and to devote thy self to the service of God it will be thy wisdom speedily to set upon it before thy sins be confirmed by
vanity and pleasure in sin and wickedness yet now be ashamed of thy folly and bewail thy former mis-spent time and manifold miscarriages resolving with the assistance of Gods grace to abandon thy lusts and to give up thine heart unto God with all speed Thou hast a price yet in thy hands be so wise as carefully to imbrace and faithfully to improve the same Young Man if thou mind not now in the days of thy Youth the things of thine eternal welfare it is a question whether ever thou wilt do it It is rarely found that such as have run out their Youth and strength in the service of the Devil do ever prove the true Servants of God in their age For an old sinner to be converted is no ordinary nor easie thing Can a man be born when he is old was Nicodemus his wonder And truly for an old sinner to be Regenerated and born anew may be the wonder of us all Examples of this kind are so rare that if it were considered it would make old sinners tremble How few do we find among all the Disciples of Christ that came in at the last hour Besides canst thou imagine that such a sinner deserveth favour who cometh in to serve God at last when he can serve his Lust no longer Now O Young Man what is thy purpose and resolution Art thou yet for thine old ways and sensual delights Or dost thou intend to give a present adieu to them together with all thy lewd Companions And to give up thy self to God to devote thy self to his fear and service For ought thou knowest this may be the very day and time of thy last choise Oh be not so foolish and unwise as to chuse the pleasures of sin here for a season which without unfeigned Repentance will assutedly end in everlasting torments before the Path of Life which certainly leads unto eternal bliss and happiness Why wilt thou not now be wise to Eternity Why wilt thou not speedily renounce thy former wicked courses and lewd Companions and imbrace the ways of godliness The Lord perswade thine heart thereunto Better thou hadst never been born than that thou shouldst at last be found in the case and way that now thou art in What not yet enough of thy folly and vanity When wilt thou return O when shall it once be CHAP. V. Containeth several Objections of many Young Men against their early seeking and serving of God I Know there are several Objections which Young Men are apt to make for themselves against their early seeking and serving of God which I shall endeavour to answer Obj. 1. Should I now in my Youth set upon the practice and walk in the ways of godliness I must look for nothing but jeers and scoffs from my Companions and Acquaintance Answ. 1 True it is none are more evil spoken of and traduced than such as walk in the ways of Holiness but the ground of it springs not from their just deservings but from the worlds malice and enmity to God which is derived to them for his sake 2. Those jeers and scoffs which are cast upon thee by thy Carnal Friends should be an incouragement rather than a discouragement in the ways of Godliness in that they may prove a blessing unto thee For saith our Saviour Matth. 5. 11. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven Therefore the Primitive Saints rejoyced that they were accounted worthy to suffer scorn and reproaches yea any thing for the Name of Christ. Scoffs and disgraces do oft-times increase as the Graces of Gods people so likewise their glory He that takes from a Saints credit doth add to his Crown 3. Though thy Neighbours and Companions may outwardly scoff at thy holy walking yet know that at the same time they may inwardly reverence and honour thee for there sits a kind of Majesty in the face of holiness which draws even from carnal men fear and reverence Obj. 2. Should I now in my Youth bid adieu to my fleshly and betake my self to a godly life I shall lose my Friends and make them mine Enemies Answ. If thou shouldst lose thy carnal friends upon such an occasion thy loss will prove thy gain Thou shalt gain Christ for thy Friend who will be better to thee than all thy Relations Can they obtain the pardon of thy sins procure thy peace and reconciliation with God quiet thy troubled Conscience support thy fainting Soul and chear up thy drooping Spirit Miserable helps and miserable Comforters will they all be to thee Whereas Christ is both able and willing to do all this and much more for thee Mark that notable promise in Matth. 19. 29. Every man that hath forsaken Brethren or Sisters Father or Mother Wife or Children or any near and dear Relation for my sake shall receive an hundred fold Christ will be instead of all Relations unto him who is infinitely more than all worldly comforts whatsoever Yea such shall be rewarded with everlasting happiness according to that of our Saviour Luk. 6. 22 23. Blessed are ye when men shall hate you and when they shall separate you from their company Rejoyce ye in that day and leap for joy for behold your reward is great in Heaven Obj. 3. If I should now in my Youth set my self to the seeking and serving of God I must look to be low and poor in the world for who ever grew rich by a strict and holy walking Yea have not the rich men of the World raised their Families to such Greatness and Grandeure by wicked practices and unconscionable dealing Ans. I. True it is the wicked for the most part thrive and prosper in the World God giving them their portion in this World to make them the more inexcusable II. It is not Godliness but rather the want thereof that often occasioneth poverty The Wise Man saith expresly Prov. 23. 21. The Drunkard and the Glutton shall come to poverty And speaking of the sin of Whoredom saith Prov. 6. 26. By the means of a Whorish Woman a man is brought to a piece of Bread that is to such extream poverty that he hath scarce a piece of bread to eat but is forced to beg from door to door for a morsel of bread So that it is Wickedness and not Holiness that brings beggery and ruine There is I know a Devilish Proverb frequent in the mouths of wicked and prophane men That Piety and Plain Dealing is a Iewel but he that useth it shall die a Beggar But much good may it do the unrighteous with all their gettings the godly shall never be so poor but that they shall have riches enough 1. First the Lord hath in his Word made many gracious promises to bless the Righteous as in their Bodies and Souls so in their Goods and Estates as Deut. 28. 1 2. 〈◊〉 shâ—…ll come
cloaths I must have money I am sure these things are necessary for me for I must not starve I but is there not an higher necessity here whether I have bread or no whether I starve or no I must look to it that I be be not damned for ever Skin for skin and all that a man hath will a man give for his life Job 2. 4. I but skin and flesh and bone and life and all must go rather than lose my soul. If I can live and maintain my self here in an honest way it must be done If I can be a rich man and a good Christian a wealthy man and a godly man 't is well enough But whether I be rich or poor I must have Christ and Life and Christ I cannot have without turning from my sins to him What O my soul art thou such an enemy to Godliness that thou wilt rather die than become a Godly man Art thou so in love with a carnal and earthly life that thou wilt sell thy life to the Devil rather than change thy course will thy necessity prevail nothing with thee Thou art in necessity O my soul in necessity of Christ in necessity of pardon in necessity of Grace and holiness Thou art ready to perish a slave to Lust a slave to the Devil these Tyrants are thrusting thee down to the eternal prison thou art in necessity of Christ there 's no hope of escaping but by getting thee into Christ. 2. Would it not be for my profit to turn How can I spend my time to better advantage than by making the everlasting Kingdom sure to me Whom dost thou O my Soul account to have been wise men and the best husbands in the World whose care and whose labour have best turned to account either those who have gotten oyle into their Lamps that have been sowing to themselves in righteousness that have been laying up to themselves treasure in Heaven or they that have had their occupation wholly about this earth or else loytered their time in mirth and idleness which of these two sorts dost thou think are best provided for whose Harvest or Vintage is like to be the most plentiful and blessed However thou judgest now in this sowing day yet when the reaping-day comes then in which of the two cases wouldst thou be either of those who had sown in Righteousness and reap in mercy or else in case of those which have sown in the flesh and reap Corruption which have sown in Iniquity and must reap in wrath and fire would it not be more to thy profit to reap with the righteous and the godly than with the wicked and ungodly Why does the case stand thus Is it both necessary and profitable for me to be a sincere Convert to the Lord Come my Soul away with all excuses away with all delayes come in this day and yield thy self to the Lord come give thy self come joyn thy self to him in a perpetual Covenant that shall never be forgotten CHAP. VIII Containeth a direction unto Young men how to get a stock of Grace III. AT thy first setting up content not thy self with a competent stock of mony to begin the World withal but be sure likewise to get a good stock of Grace Thou art to drive two Trades together a trade for thy body and a trade for thy soul and each trade must have its distinct stock to be maintained upon 'T is like to be but poor trading where there is no stock to begin upon Thou maist as well drive a Trade for thy body without a stock of mony as a Trade for thy soul without a stock of Grace Get a stock of saving Grate a stock of Faith and Love and habitual holiness upon the wise improvement of this thou wilt grow rich unto God This is the true riches the best riches a little of it is more worth than all the world For 1. Riches oft prove hurtful to the owners of them Eccl. 5. 13. There is a sore evil which I have seen under the Sun namely riches kept for the Owners thereof to their hurt proving oftentimes occasions of sin unto them being the bellows of pride and the fuel of Lust. But Grace always proveth an exceeding great advantage to the Owners thereof Never any man suffered by having too much grace It s good upon all accounts For it sanctifies mens earthly riches teaching them how to use and improve them to the glory of God the good of others and comfort of their own Souls Yea grace sanctifies not onely blessings but likewise crosses and afflictions turning them to their good For all things shall work together for the good of every gracious Soul of every one that loves and fears God Rom. 8. 28. Whereupon saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 17. Our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 2. Worldly riches are uncertain they make to themselves wings and fly away Prov. 23. 5. Sure it is that within a short time either they will be taken from us or we from them either they will leave us or we must leave them Yea they are such slippery ware that the harder we graspe them the sooner they will slip out of our hands Whereas Grace is a blossome of Eternity which will abide with us for ever It doth not only continue with us so long as we live here but it endureth with us to all Eternity therefore called durable riches Prov. 8. 18. I know some tell us of falling away from Grace True it is a Christian may lose 1. The comfortable sense and feeling of Grace so that in his own apprehension it may be utterly lost 2. He may lose some degree of saving Grace for Faith is sometimes more lively and strong and sometimes more dull and weak Yea all Graces have their full and wane their ebbings and flowings 3. He may lose the powerful operation of Grace I mean the acts of Faith and other Graces may be intermitted and suspended when as the Graces themselves are not abolished but continue with us for ever In which respects you may discern the transcendent excellency of Grace above riches How should the consideration thereof prevail with you to labour in the use of all means God hath sanctified for the attainment thereof To help you therein take these Directions 1. Mourn and weep if possibly for thy graceless condition take up a lamentation and say Woe and alas that ever I was born especially that I have lived thus long in a graceless condition without God and without Christ in the World O what will become of me if I die in this estate Surely hell and damnation must needs be my portion to all Eternity Thus make thy closet an House of mourning and know that the mourning of thy Soul will cause the earnings of God's bowels towards thee so that he will not deny grace to a mourning Soul 2. As thou wouldst have grace
frequent the means of grace I mean the Ministry of the word that being the ordinary instrument whereby the Spirit of God who is the principal Author of grace doth convey grace into the hearts of sinners Whereupon the Apostle Peter affirmeth 1 Pet. 1. 23 That we are born a new not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God Where by being born a new is meant such a thorow change in us whereby we are brought out of the state of nature into the state of grace and so are made new Creatures having an infusion of new and holy habits or supernatural graces put into our hearts which blessing is ordinarily wrought in us through the Ministry of the Word Acts 2. 41. We read of three thousand sinners who had grace wrought in their souls by one Sermon Yea Acts 10. 44. It is said Whilest Peter was preaching the Holy Ghoss fell on all them that heard the Word And therefore O Young man as thou desirest true saving grace frequent the Ministry of the word take all occasions of hearing the same hoth in season and out of season And for thine incouragement know that as graceless and prophane hearts as thine have been sanctified by the Spirit of God as they have been attending upon the Ministry of the Word And who knoweth but thou maist find the same effect of the Word upon thy soul whilst thou art waiting upon it 3. Beware thou neglect not the day of grace There are certain seasons of Grace when the Lord makes tenders and offers of grace to the Souls of poor sinners Yea there is no man that lives in the bosome of the Church but probably he hath his critical day a certain time for grace which if he neglect it is a question whether ever it will be offered to him again Happy therefore and thrice happy are they who observe those seasons of grace and know in their day the things that concern their everlasting peace Now it may he God speaks home to thy Conscience now he warms thine heart and puts thereinto good purposes and resolutions It will be therefore thy wisedome carefully to observe and improve the same to thy Souls advantage not suffering them carelesly to pass away lest if thou lose the benefit of those blessed motions thou lose life and salvation for ever Luke 19. 41 42. Our Saviour tells the Jews they had a day of grace which because they slighted and neglected they should never enjoy it again the means of grace and salvation should be no more offered unto them God being a just God is it not just that he should reject them for ever who have for a long time rejected him that he should turn a deaf ear unto them crying unto him on their death beds for grace and mercy who would not hearken unto him calling upon them in the day of his merciful visitation Whilest therefore the day of grace lasteth whilest God stands knocking at the door of thine heart by the motions of his Spirit and admonitions of his Ministers speedily open to him embrace his motions be willing to follow the dictates of his Spirit in ways of obedience Thou knowest not when thy day of graee will end Though some mens day continueth to their old age some to the day of their death yet some mens day of grace may end in their youth and younger years Thy first day may be thine only day for Heaven loyter out that and thence forth it may be night with thee for ever Therefore O young man how doth it concern thee to take the first and present season Now hearken now accept and submit to mercy now give thy self unto God be his faithful servant to obey and serve him with all thy heart and strength or the day may be lost and thy soul lost for ever Behold now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation Thou knowest not what a day may bring forth thou maist suddenly be taken from the means of grace or the means of grace may be suddenly taken from thee The Sun of heavenly light which now shineth may set and thou be left in darkness The gate of mercy now opened to thee may be shut against thee The things belonging to thy peace may be hid from thee There is a time coming and we know not how near it is in which as Christ saith many shall seek to enter in and shall not be able Luke 13. 24. Oh what woful yelling what pitiful crying and earnest knocking will there be then at the gate with Lord Lord open to us But all in vain having slighted and neglected their day of grace when they should have got Oyle into their Lamps and grace into their hearts 4. Be earnest with God in prayer who is the God of all grace that be would be pleased to vouchsafe unto thee his holy sanctifying Spirit which may quicken thy dead soul infuse the grace of life and make thee partaker of his holiness whereby thou maist become a new Creature Beg of God that he would not put thee off with the things of this world but together with his outward blessings or whether thou have them or not that he would bless thee with spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus and that he would inrich thee in the Inner man with his saving and sanctifying graces What the Apostle Iames saith of Wisdom is true of all grace If any one lack it let him asâ—… of God that giveth to all men liberally and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not and it shall be given him Jam. 1. 5. O young man may grace be had for asking Ask and ask again never keep silence nor let fall thy suit till thou hast obtained And in thy Prayers plead that gracious promise Isa. 44. 3. I will pour Water upon him that is thirsty and flouds upon the dry ground That is where there is no sap of grace nor moisture of goodness upon such saith the Lord will I pour out my water my living water my grace shall flow down upon him and his soul shall be as a well watered garden Go therefore thou poor sinful soul who never yet to this day hadst one drop of grace within thee go thou to the Throne of Grace go to the Fountain of Grace lament thy sinful barren heart before God and plead his promise of pouring the spiritual water of grace upon the barren thirsty soul say unto him Lord make good this good promise unto me behold the dry and barren heart upon which no dew or rain from above hath ever fallen pity this hard and parched soul a drop Lord a drop from the fountain of living water God of grace give grace unto me and effectually work it in me And know for thy comfort that if God hath given thee a sense of the want of grace and an heart to pray for it it is an hopeful sign that he intends to bestow it on thee 5. Stir up in thy soul an earnest longing desire after grace To that
hypocrisie to gain the applause and commendation of men But he that maketh Conscience of praying in secret and that in obedience to the Command of God with a desire to approve himself unto him hath some good evidence of the truth and sincerity of his heart 2. It is in our secret prayers that God doth ordinarily give the greatest discoveries of his love Iacob met with the blessing when he wrestled with God in secret As Cornelius was praying by himself alone a Man in bright cloathing or an Angel appeared to him and said Cornelius thy prayer is heard Act. 10. 30 31. When Peter was praying alone upon the House he saw a Vision and heard a Voice from Heaven speaking unto him Act. 10. 9 10 c. The secrets of the Lord are usually revealed unto his people when they are seeking him in secret Christ giveth his sweetest kisses and dearest imbraces to his Spouse when she is alone Yet how is this duty of secret prayer generally omitted especially by the younger sort of Citizens whose heads and hearts and time are so taken up with sensual pleasures and worldly businesses that they can scarce allow themselves any time to spend with God in secret Surely such do plainly demonstrate that they love the World and the pleasures thereof more than God himself Nay how can such say that they love God at all in truth and sincerity when they delight not in communion with him nor love to have any intercourse with him in secret Oh young men that I might prevail with you for the time to come to be more constant in this duty that you would not go into your Shops till you have been with God in private and there offered up your morning Sacrifice of Prayer and Thanksgiving I beseech you for the sake of your precious souls plead no excuse from worldly businesses The Devil and your own corrupt hearts will find many occasions to divert you from the duty but say to them as Abraham to his servants Stay you here while I go and worship the Lord yonder Shouldst thou omit thy Morning Devotions for any worldly businesses thou wouldst thereby hazard the loss of thy precious Soul for the gaining of a little worldly wealth which can yield thee no true comfort And what will it avail thee to gain the whole world and lose thine own Soul Mark 8. 36. Friend let this my Counsel be accepted of thee and prevail with thee set upon a constant course of serious secret prayer or else never talk of Christianity or Religion in thee thou hast nothing of it A Christian without prayer is a man without breath Prayer is the very breathing of a Christian soul. In the performing thy secret devotions observe these Rules 1. Beware of doing them in a cursory careless and formal way He who serves God carelesly is like to bring a curse upon himself instead of a blessing For cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently Jer. 48. 10. So it is in the letter of the Hebrew though the new Translators of our Bible render it Deceitfully Which two words may very well interpret one another For he that doth a work negligently doth it deceitfully he doth as if he would deceive God but at last he deceiveth his own Soul Such prayers as are performed coldly and negligently they are as if they had not been done in Gods account and a man is never the better for them yea he is the worse for such prayers for they leave the Heart more worldly and covetous more hard and obdurate than it was before and more guilty before God 2. Let thy prayers be fervent performed with earnestness of Spirit and affection Set thy self in good earnest to seek the Lord which is the only means to prevail with him for it is the fervent prayer only that is effectual Jam. 5. 16. To this end be sure thou give not way either to drowsiness of body or distractions of mind unto which we are all naturally too too prone but stir up thy self to the duty putting forth all the strength thou canst therein Though thy strength be but weakness yet if thy strength be in the work God will accept thereof As when a Father sets his Child about such or such a work though the Child be very weak and insufficient for the same yet if it put forth its strength therein to do it as well as it can the Father will accept thereof as if it were done after the best manner So it is between God and us though we are very weak and insufficient for the performance of any spiritual duty yet if we put forth our strength therein God will accept thereof Among other directions which might be given to drive away wandring thoughts in prayer and to raise up thine affections therein take notice of these two 1. Make choice of such a place for the performance thereof where thou mayst use thy voice and not be heard of others The Voice in prayer will be found very effectual both to keep thine heart close to the duty and to quicken thine affections therein 2. If notwithstanding thou findest thy mind hath been wandring in prayer after worldly matters it will be a good course in thy Closet Devotions to pray those heads over again which thou deliveredst without any Observation labouring as to keep thine heart closer to the duty so to perform it with more fervency and earnestness of affection CHAP. X. Containeth Directions for the manner of following thy particular Calling HAving thus begun the day with Prayer thou must then betake thy self to the duties of thy particular Calling for particular Callings are of Gods appointment as for our own good and the good of our Family so for the benefit of others In following whereof have special regard both to thy Ends and Manner of performing them 1. For thy Ends Follow not thy worldly businesses meerly for gain and advantage thereby to get an Estate but chiefly in obedience to the Command of God who requireth every one to labour in some honest Calling that thereby thou mayst serve and follow his Providence in the use of those means he hath appointed for the getting a comfortable subsistance for thy self and family and that thou mayst in some measure be profitable in thy Generation and serviceable to the Publick Good minding above all things the glory of God in what thou dost who is glorified not only by the practice of holy and Religious duties but also by a conscionable performance of the duties of thy particular Place and Calling 2. For the manner of following thy Calling observe these Rules 1. Be diligent therein To live without a Calling or not to labour therein are both sinful and unwarrantable Every Son of Adam ought to mind some particular Calling by vertue of that Command which God laid upon Man immediately after his Fall Gen. 3. 19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return unto the ground Which
out of every Creature which they behold and every Providence that they meet with By which blessed Art of Heavenly Chymistry thou mayst both please thy fancy and profit thine own heart 2. In the midst of thy Worldly businesses and imployments often lift up thine heart to God in some short Ejaculatory Prayer as for his direction assistance and blessing on thy pains and endeavours so to keep thee from the pollutions and defilements of this World and that he would sanctifie every Dispensation of his Providence unto thee whereby thou wilt carry on the interest of thy Soul with the concernment of thine Estate These kind of Prayers thou mayst send up unto God at all times in all places and company yea whilest thou art conversing with others about worldly matters thou mayst by these converse with God and hold communion with him and that without any prejudice to thine outward businesses The Lord hath manifested his great approbation of these Ejaculatory Prayers by his gracious Answers and Returns thereunto How graciously did God answer that Ejaculatory Prayer of David against Achitophels Counsel by defeating the same and turning it into Foolishness 2 Sam. 15. 31. How graciously did God answer that ejaculatory Prayer of Nehemiah by enclining the heart of the King to send him to Ierusalem Neh. 2. 4 6 As also that ejaculatory Prayer of the penitent thief Lordre member me when thou comest into thy Kingdom whereupon Christ said unto him This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Luk. 23. 42 43. Yea that ejaculatory Apostraphe of Moses to God Exod. 5. 22. Wherefore hast thou so evil entreâ—…ted this people had it s gracious answer and return Chap. 6. 1. Then said the Lord now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh Ejaculatory Prayers though they are short and sudden yet pâ—…oceeding from the heart may be as fervent and prevalent as solemn Prayers And indeed these frequently used argue an heavenly mind and an holy familiarity with God But still beware that these short and occasional Prayers be not made to serve thee instead of and to shut out thy set and solemn duties These will be of use to help thee in thy fixed duties and may not excuse thee from them III. Direction To young men touching the manner of following their Callings Be just and honest in thy dealing with men avoiding as all guile and deceit so all subtile equivocations and mental reservations tending to the wronging thy Neighbour that thou maist be able to say with the Apostle Heb. 13. 18. I trust I have a good Conscience in all things willing to live honestly It is very observable how plentiful the Scripture is in pressing men to deal Justly and Honestly with all men even in Weights and Measures and that both in the Old and New Testament In the Old Testament saith the Lord to his People Levit. 19. 35 36. Iust Ballances and just Weights a just Epha and a just Hin shall you have The Epha was a dry Measure or a measure for dry things as our Bushel is And the Hin was a measure for liquid things as our Pottle-pots or Gallon Under these two names all other measures are comprehended which God requireth should be just and true without all falshood and deceit And Deut. 25. 13 14 15 16. Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers Weights of one kind he meaneth a great and a small Thou shalt not have in thy house divers Measures a great and a small one to buy with another to sell with or a greater to be shewn to the Magistrate or Officers when they come to view thâ—… weights and measures and a less to sell with And vers 15. But thou shalt have a perfect and a just weight a perfect and a just measure shalt thou have and vers 16. All that do such things and all that do unrighteously in what kind soever are an abomination to the Lord thy God In the New Testament the Apostles in their exhortations doe much press upon Gods people just and honest dealing one with another as Rom. 12. 17. Provide things honest in the sight of all men The word in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very emphatical and implyeth a forecasting care that they did nothing that was dishonest in the sight of men Phil. 4. 8. Whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are of good report thinks on these things As if he had said Be sure you mind such things And 1 Thes. 4. 6. Let no man go beyond or defraud his Brother in any matter because that the Lord is the avenger of all such Theâ—… Apostle seemeth to anticipate the secure thoughts of the fraudulent promising themselves impunity telling them that the Lord is the avenger of all those who shall by any deceit defraud their Brethen Yet what abominable frauds and deceits are daily acted in matters of commerce and trading between neighbour and neighbour CHAP. XI Setteth forth several frauds and deceits too frequently acted in matters of Commerce and Trading between Neighbour and Neighbour with some general Rules for the preventing of them 1. HOw many do use all the art they can to make their Wares look better and fairer than indeed they are that so they may get more for their commodities than in truth they deserve which is one kind of deceit 2. How many by lying and equivocating do put off their â—…ad wares at the highest prices commending that for the best of the kind which they know to be stark naught and so sell their Consciences with their commodities for a very inconsiderable advantage Surely those are sad gains that make a man lose peace of Conscience and Heaven at last 3. How many are apt to work upon the unskilfulness and ignorance or the necessity of the buyer If they find him unskilful in the commodity he is buying how are they apt to work upon it and to demand an unreasonable price of him far above the worth of it Or if the buyer hath more than ordinary need of such a commodity how apt is the seller to take advantage of his urgent necessity making him to pay more for the same than it is really worth which is cruel injustice Or when poor people expose their Wares to sale which they have wrought up to buy Bread for themselves and Family How many are there who take advantage of their necessity offering them little more for the same than their goods cost them before they were wrought up which is an high degree of oppression forcing them to sell their tears sighs and groans with their wares because they are necessitated to part with them at such low rates Thus many sell their souls for the gaining a few pence and then bless themselves in their good bargain 'T is an evil rule which some men propose to themselves and take to be warrantable enough To buy as cheap and sell as dear as they can that is to wrong and over-reach if they
which makes me think that Poyson 〈◊〉 with their Wine Whereas indeed it was the abundance of Wine which they had drunk that had 〈◊〉 them of their senses 5. Drunkenness weakneth mens Estates He that loveth Wine shall not be rich Prov. 21. 17. The Drunkard and the Glutton shall come to poverty Prov. 23. 21. Experience hath verified the truth of this for how many poor men have oftentimes spent more in an Evening at an Alehouse than they have earned all the day before at their work And how many rich men who have had fair Revenues left them by their Fathers have in a short time bezel'd all away by Drinking and so robb'd not only their Wives and Children but likewise God and the Poor of what belonged unto them How sad will it be with many when they shall see how many pounds they have spent in Drink and how little for Gods honour 6. Drunkenness robs men of their precious time No sort of men usually mis-spend so much precious time as Drunkards for they use to sit long at the Wine as the Prophet Isaiah describeth them Chapt. 5. 11. They rise up early to follow Drunkenness and continue unto the night till the Wine do inflame them And when the Wine hath once inflamed them then are they a while after unfit for any thing but sleep 7. Another effect of Drunkenness is That it makes a man unfit as to all good duties so especially to that of Christian watchfulness which our blessed Saviour and his Apostles often call for whereby he should be always prepared to appear before Christ whensoever he shall come to Judgment Therefore Christ forewarns all his to take heed that their hearts be not overcome with surfeiting and drunkenness lest that day come on them unawares Luk. 21. 34. O Wretch what if that day of the Lord should come upon thee in thy drunken fit The day of the Lord will so come as a Thief in the night The Drunkards life is all Night a drowsie sleeping season 't is often Night with him at Noon His Cups do darken as to him the brightest Sun and serve for Clouds or Curtains to cover him up to sleep Arise Sleeper the Lord is coming thy day is near the next fit of Drunkenness may be the night wherein the Judge will come Do not put it off thus I do not think so I believe he will not come yet he is the more like to come for that that thou thinkest he will not That wicked servant Luk. 12. 45. that said My Lord delayeth his coming and did eat and drink and was Drunken The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and at an hour when he is not aware Thou thinkest not that Death will meet thee that Judgment will meet thee the next time thou art Drunken But what if it should be so if thou shouldst be snatch'd from the Ale-bench and brought to Judgment how wouldst thou give an account of thy self to God when thou hast not reason enough left thee to give an answer to a man Watch therefore but that can never be unless thou wilt first awake from thy Drunkenness Having shewed the Nature and Heinousness of the sin of Drunkenness come we now to the Remedies for avoiding the same 1. Often meditate of the fearful Woes denounced against Drunkards and the dreadful Iudgments threatned against them Woe to the Drunkards of Ephraim Isa. 28. 1. Woe to them that rise up early in the Morning that they may follow strong drink and continue until night till Wine inflame them Isa. 5. 22. Note this O Young Men who count it a glory to be able to bear much drink a glory more fit for a Draw-horse than a man yet such men or rather such Beasts there are which glory in drinking others under-board as they use to speak If this be not what is it for men to glory in their shame And besides thus bring they on their Souls their own and others blood No marvel therefore that the Apostle putteth Drunkards into the Catalogue of them that shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven 1 Cor. 6. 10. and Gal. 5. 21. And the Prophet avoucheth that Hell hath inlarged her self and opened her mouth without measure for them Isa. 5. 14. Instance Drunken Dives whose Soul immediately passed from Earth to Hell where he could not get one drop of Water to cool his Tongue in that tormenting flame Luk. 16. 24. 2. Consider that Drunkenness is the Mother of most abominations Rom. 13. 13. saith the Apostle Let us walk honestly as in the day not in Rioting and Drunkenness not in Chambering and Wantonness Where mark the course of the Apostles words after Gluttony and Drunkenness follows Chambering and Wantonness Thus Lot in his Drunkenness committed Incest with his two Daughters Therefore doth the Apostle exhort the Ephesians Chap. 5. 18. not to be filled with Wine because therein is excess He that is full of Wine his wickedness runs over the stream of Lust swells so high that it overfloweth all its banks Alexander we read in a Drunken Fit killed his dear Friend Clitus for which when he was sober he attempted to kill himself Famous is the Story of one who once craved the Devils help to accomplish his desire But the Devil would first have one thing done at his appointment What 's that quoth the man Kill thy Father saith the Devil That 's too horrible a fact replies the man Then lie with thy Mother saith the Devil That 's most unnatural quoth the man Wilt thou then be Drunk saith the Devil That I will quoth the Man And being Drunk defiled his Mother and murthered his Father The Moral of this Parabolical story is this A Drunkard makes bones of no sin 3. Be diligent and industrious in thy Calling Whilest Israel was working in Aegypt they had no leisure to sit long at their Cups but while they lay still in the Wilderness they sate down to eat and drink and then rose up to plâ—…y Exod. 32. 6. Thou wicked and slothful servant saith our Saviour Matth. 25. 26. If slothful certainly wicked for the slothful and idle servant is the Devils Captive whom he carries about with him and leads into every Tavern and Alehouse 4. Consider Gods All-seeing presence about thee wheresoever thou art Couldst thou sit long over thy Cups 〈◊〉 away thy precious time in vain and fruitless discourses didst thou but seriously consider Gods All-seeing presence about thee to whom â—…hou must one day give an account as of thy sinful actions so of thy idle words and mis-spent time 5. Avoid the Society and Company of Drunkards Prov. 23. 20. Be not amongst Wine-bibbers that is frequent not the company of such as are given to drinking and tipling For though they do not find thee like unto themselves yet if thou consort with them they will make thee such For as he that walketh with wise men shall be wise so a Companion of Fools
shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 20. As associating thy self with wise men is an excellent means of getting Knowledge and Wisdom So contrariwise associating thy self with Drunkards is the high way to drunkenness and folly their company is no less contagious to such as adjoyn themselves to them than such as are infected with the Plague or Leprosie There are two Arguments which are very prevalent with many Young Men to perswade them to go on in this so heynous and dangerous a sin but being weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary they will be found very light 1 Arg. Taken from the hope of Repentance they flatter themselves with a conceit that they can repent when they list and that Heaven-gate will open to them at the first knock A. 1. Repentance is the gift of God from whom every good and perfect gift cometh Jam. 1. 17. And therefore ought to be accepted by us when it is offered to us and not to be delayed and put off from time to time For as God is merciful to offer Grace so he is just to punish the neglect thereof 2. How many are there who though they have fully resolved to repent and turn from their sins unto God in their old age or in the time of sickness yet have been prevented and cut off by some sudden death One drunken fit may cut off that hope How many instances have there been in the world of men that have died Drunken Some Drunkards have been twice dead at once dead drunk and drunken unto death carried away from the Ale-bench to their Graves and thence to the Judgment And what if it should be so with thee where is then thine after-repentance And how many that have over-lived their drunken fits have been deprived of the use of their senses and understanding in the time of their sickness and so have died sensless And how many who though they have lived to old age yet have been more hardened against Repentance than in their Youth which cometh to pass through the just Judgment of God For what can be more righteous than that they should be left to forget God when they are old who would not remember him in their Youth And this the Lord himself threatneth Prov. 1. 24. c. 2 Arg. Is taken from their present impunity They flatter themselves with a conceit that because God doth not presently execute vengeance upon them for their Drunkenness therefore they shall not be punished and thereupon take heart to go on in their sins according to that of the Wise Man Eccles. 8. 11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the Sons of men is fully set in them to do evil implying that impunity increases impiety and makes sinners the more obstinate because the Judgments of God threatned against them are not presently executed therefore they go on in their wickedness But let such know that though God is slow in executing his Judgments on wicked and ungodly men thereby to lead them to Repentance yet will he be sure in the execution at last and the longer he is fetching his stroak the sorer will be his blow and the deeper will he wound when he strikes In which respect Gods wrath may be compared to a great Bell which is long in raising but being up it gives the greater sound CHAP. XIV Of Wantonness and Uncleanness which is another Vice whereunto Young Men are addicted III. ANother sin whereunto Young Men are addicted is Wantonness and Uncleanness Prov. 7. 7. It was a Young Man that followed the Harlot to her house Young Men are generally apt to this Beastly sin and to make light of it when they have done accounting it but a trick of Youth and a Venial transgression as if their Youthful propensity thereto and the commonness thereof in men of that age might be their sufficient Apology and excuse Therefore I shall shew you 1. The Kinds and Degrees of this sin 2. The Heynousness of it 3. The Danger thereof 4. Some Remedies against the same I. For the Kinds and Degrees of this sin it is Either Contemplative or Practical Contemplative Uncleanness is when the mind pleaseth it self with lascivious and wanton thoughts delighting the sensual appetite And thus there may be a world of wickedness in a mans heart though the act of pollution be refrained There 's many a Whorish heart where there have not been Whorish acts And I am perswaded that the outward act of Fornication and Adultery is not more heynous among men than the lustful and unclean thoughts of the heart are to God An Adulterous heart an Adulterous eye an Adulterous tongue are all an abomination to the Lord. Of Practical uncleanness there are many degrees 1. Fornication Which is when the sin of Uncleanness is committed by single and unmarried persons 2. Adultery When both or one of the Parties delinquent are Married as the Notation of the word intimates Adulterium quasi ad alterius torum the going to anothers Bed And this is so much the more heynous as it is a wilful shipwrack abroad when it hath an Harbour and safe remedy provided at home 3. Incest Which is committed by persons that are within the prohibited degrees of Consanguinity or Affinity 4. Polygamy The having of many Wives at once 5. Rape or Ravishment Which is a violent deflowring of a Woman who never consented thereunto Such was Amnon's sin in deflowring his Sister Thamar II. The Heynousness of this sin appeareth 1. From the Titles given to it in Scripture The Prophet Ieremy calls it Villany Jer. 29. 23. Because they have committed Villany in Israel and have committed Adultery with their Neighbours Wives Where the latter branch is Exegetical shewing what that Villany was which they committed even Adultery with their Neighbours Wives This sin is likewise termed lewdness filthiness and uncleanness But most commonly it is called folly and the Actors thereof Fools Gen. 34. 7. 2 Sam. 13. 13. And Prov. 7. 7. Solomon calleth the young Fornicator a simple one void of understanding For what greater folly than for the satisfying thy filthy lusts to cast thy self head-long into innumerable evils here and into eternal torments hereafter 2. The heynousness of this sin appeareth from the manifold threatnings in Gods Word against it 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Adulterers nor Effeminate c. shall inherit the Kingdom of God As if he had said I know many of you are apt to flatter your selves with a conceit that God who is the Father of mercy will not be so severe as for this sin which is so natural to cast you into Hell or shut you out of Heaven But saith he Deceive not your selves neither Fornicators nor Adulterers nor Effeminate shall inherit the Kingdom of God that is except they truly repent and leave off those sins And Eph. 5. 5. This ye know that no Whoremonger nor unclean person hath any inheritance in the Kingdom