works are enough to take up thy whole life How then canst thou imagine that the short remaining part thereof should be sufficient for them Ah sinner be convinced that these things must be done by thee or else thou wilt be undone for ever And then judge whether it be not high time for thee to bid adieu to all sinful pleasures and delights and seriously to mind the Concernments of thy precious and Immortal Soul Surely thou canst not be so simple as to flatter thy self with a conceit that all those things may be done either in time of sickness or in old age First For the time of Sickness that must needs be very unfit in regard of the many lets and impediments which then usually fall out to hinder the performance of them as pains of body faintness of spirit dulness and deadness of heart perplexity of mind partly through fear of Gods Judgments and partly with care of disposing thy outward estate for the future maintenance of Wife and Children which will not suffer thee so to collect thy spirits as is requisite for such weighty works Secondly As for Old Age which is scarce able to bear the infirmities of Nature how unfit must that needs be for such hard and difficult services How can it be expected that such who are in a manner past working should go thorow the greatest works that in this world are to be performed Eccl. 12. 1 Solomon calls the days of Old Age evil days not because they are so in themselves but because of the manifold weaknesses and diseases pains and aches which do accompany them whereby they are very much disinabled unto any good work And therefore to put off the main business of our lives the things which concern the Salvation of our Souls to our Old Age must needs be the greatest folly in the world because in so doing we put it to the hazard whether ever it will be done Besides that God who requireth the First-fruits of all we have will not be put off with the Devils leavings If a Souldier should spend the strength of his days in service against his Prince and in his Old Age offer his service to him would he think you accept thereof and not rather reject him and his service Canst thou then imagine that God will accept the service of thine old Age when thou hast spent the strength of thy years in the service of sin and Satan 4. Thou who sayest thou hast time enough before thee and thereupon resolvest hereafter to be for God and Holiness know that thereby thou deceivest thine own Soule For no resolution can be hearty and sincere but what is present He who is willing to indulge his sinful flesh but a Day longer would as willingly do it a Year longer yea to Eternity if he might He who is not willing to cast away his sins and to close with Christ to day would never do it by his good will Thy purposes and resolutions for the time to come are but deceitful and hypocritical O trust not to deceitful purposes 5. Thou who delayest to serve God out of a pretence thou hast time enough before thee I would ask thee what shew of reason thou hast for it Happily thou wilt say Oh the contentment I find in my present course is so sweet and delightful to me that I cannot as yet deny my self therein But is thy Lust sweeter than Christ than pardon of sin than peace and reconciliation with God yea than the joys of Heaven Sure thou art a Bruit if thou say so And if not why dost thou not presently reform and return to the Lord Is it too soon for thee yet to be happy Thou art worthy to die for ever who chusest to lie longer in the estate of the dead when thou mightest presently turn and live 6. Thou who sayest thou hast time enough before thee hast thou not served the Devil and Sin long enough Hast thou not done enough to the damning thine own Soul but thou must go on further in thy wicked and ungodly courses Certainly if thou hadst any of the ingenuity of a Christian within thee thou wouldst rather say I have long enough wallowed in the filth of sin and mire of sinful filthiness I have long enough slighted the free grace of God and rejected the invitations of Jesus Christ 't is a shame I have stood out so long Well I have now done with iniquity from henceforth I will be for Christ and Holiness farewel my former sinful courses and Companions farewel my carnal peace ease and pleasure 't is high time to mind the eternal welfare of my Soul and to give up my self to God 7. Consider Though sound repentance is never too late yet late repentance is seldom sound like untimely fruit it rarely cometh to any perfection as may evidently appear from the usual practise of such as recover of their sickness who in the time of affliction seemed mightily troubled for their wicked lives and outwardly bewailed their sins crying out against them yea made many vows and promises of newness of life and better obedience professing for the time to come utterly to renounce their former lewd courses and to serve God in true holiness and righteousness all the remaining part of their days yet being recovered to their former health again forgetting the vows and promises they made in the time of their sickness with the Dog they have returned to their former Vomit and with the Sow wallowed again in the filth of sin and mire of sinful filthiness imbracing the same sins which they had formerly lamented and so become worse than before It was the observation of that worthy Divine Mr. Robert Bolton that he never knew or heard of any man unwrought upon under conscionable means who after recovery performed the vows and promises of a new life which he made in his sickness and time of extremity which methinks should be a strong Motive to perswade every one of us to turn from our sin and to givup our selves intirely unto God in our health and strength that so we may have some comfortable Evidence of the truth and soundness of our Repentance 8. Consider the desperate hazard thou runnest by delaying to close with Iesus Christ. For what if thy great change should come before the change of thy heart how sad would thy condition be What if Christ who hath long been knocking at the door of thine heart should withdraw himself and never knock again Surely as it was one of the greatest mercies that ever was vouchsafed to thee that Jesus Christ should condescend to stand and knock at the door of thine heart so it will prove in the event the heaviest Judgment that ever befel thee if thou wilt not now open unto him but put him off with delays It will be just with Christ finally to withdraw himself from those who will not hearken unto him in this his merciful day of Visitation Beware that this be not thy case
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
is pleasing unto God 3. There is that delight in the ways of godliness as upholds the heart of a Christian under all the losses crosses and 〈◊〉 he meets withal in this world and which will yield him abundance of comfort upon his Death-bed What was that which comforted King Hezekiah when he lay under the apprehension of death but the testimony of his Conscience that he had walked with much sincerity in the ways of godliness Isa. 38. 3. By all which it appeareth that godliness doth not deprive men of all joy and delight but rather the more godly any are the more joyful at least the better right and title they have thereunto whereupon saith one Wouldst thou live chearfully then live godly The which should be an incouragement unto all Young Men who are yet unresolved speedily without any further delay to consecrate their Youth and younger years unto God and his service betimes to walk in the ways of godliness that so their lives may be the more comfortable and joyful If the Lord shall be pleased to incline any of your hearts thereunto you will have cause to bless God for it not only so long as you live here but even to all Eternity in the highest Heavens For by devoting your selves to God and his service betimes even from your Youth many sins will be prevented which otherwise will be committed by you much more good will be done by you and much greater will be your glory hereafter 5. Obj. I have time enough before me and therefore may for a while longer allow my self my liberty Hereafter may be time enough to turn from my sins unto God and to mind the eternal welfare of my Soul A. 1. Consider as the shortness so the uncertainty of thy life How many have we known in our own experience who when they have promised themselves life for many years have then been suddenly taken away Thou who sayest thou hast time enough before thee canst thou upon good ground assure thy self of another day If not what folly yea what madness must it needs be to live one day longer in such a condition in which if thou shouldst die thou art miserably undone to all Eternity True it is God hath promised pardon and forgiveness to such as in truth and sincerity turn from their sins unto him but he hath not promised the morrow to him that deferreth If thou sayest though I am not sure to live another day yet I am likely being in good health and strength I answer Peradventure thou mayest live another day But what man in his right senses would put his Everlasting Salvation upon a Peradventure Peradvenâ—… thou mayest die the next day even whilst thou art 〈◊〉 in sensual pleasures and delights and then 〈◊〉 sad is thy case like to be to all Eternity The possiâ—… of a sudden and unexpected death should meâ—… be an effectual argument to perswade every man speedily without farther delay to reform and amend his life The Merchant having a fair Wind will not defer to hoise up sail saying we have time enough because it is possible the Wind may turn and he lose his opportunity The Husbandman having a fair day will not defer the carrying home his Corn when it is fit to take it in because it is possible the next day may prove 〈◊〉 In all cases about our worldly affairs a possibility of danger hath the force of an argument for present care And why should it not as well awaken our Souls to a speedy amendment of our ways 2. Thou who still delayest to hearken unto the Call of God in the Ministery of the Word woing and beseeching thee speedily to abandon thy sins and to walk in the ways of holiness know assuredly that he will not always wait on thee his patience will not ever attend thee As there is a time of Grace in which the Gate of Mercy stands open so there is a time of Judgment in which this Gate will be shut and aâ—…l possibility of entry taken away Psal. 32. 6. David speaketh of a time in which God may be found which implieth that there is a time in which God will not be found Though thou cryest out against thy sins and cryest unto God for mercy yet will he not hear thee but turn a deaf ear to all thy prayers So the Lord threatneth Prov. 1. 24 25. Because I have called you to amendment and reformation and ye refused to hearken unto me But have set at nought all my counsels and would none of my reproofs I will also laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me but they shall not find me For the Lord usually punisheth the slighting of his Grace in our younger years with the denying of it in our elder Hence it is that the Apostle S. Paul so much presseth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very now Behold saith he NOW is the accepted time NOW is the day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6. 2. The time present is the only time the time to come is no time but a matter of meer uncertainty And therefore saith he Heb. 3. 7. To day if ye will hear his Voice harden not your hearts Where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to day signifieth the time present and implieth that the present opportunity of Gods offering Grace ought to be imbraced thou must hearken unto him now that he calleth upon thee in the Ministery of his Word and motions of his Spirit to give over thy sinning Trade and give up thy self unto him and his service Now that God hangs forth the White Flag of Mercy and is willing to be gracious to thee Now that Christ is woing and beseeching thee to cast away thy sins and to cast thy self upon him to own him for thy Lord and Saviour Now that the Spirit of God is striving with thee surely it will be thy wisdom speedily to turn from thy sins unto him If thou put him off till hereafter and thereby quench the motions of his Spirit how justly may he for ever reject thee 3. Thou who upon a pretence of having time enough before thee dost procrastinate and delay to look after God and Heaven consider as the weightiness so the multitude of works to be done by thee in order to thy Salvation Hast thou not a dead Soul to be quickned a dark understanding to be enlightned with the knowledge of God and of his Son Jesus Christ an hard heart to be softned a proud heart to be humbled an unclean heart to be purified and cleansed a multitude of head-strong lusts to be mortified and subdued manifold temptations to be resisted and conquered Hast thou all these and many more things to do in reference to thy future happiness and yet wilt thou trifle away thy precious time in vanity and pleasure yea in sin and wickedness saying thou hast time enough before thee Know that the forementioned
the unjust that he might bring us to God But God is angry with thee thou art a guilty Creature and by thy sins hast fallen under his wrath and displeasure how wilt thou do for that why I 'le trust Christ for that he shall be my Propitiation he shall make peace for me and he will do so 1 Iohn 2. 2. O but thou art an unclean and polluted Creature and there 's no unclean thing can enter into that holy Land How wilt thou do for that I 'le trust Christ for that also he shall be my Sanctification and he will be so 1 Cor. 1. 30. 3. Faith comprehends under it the resigning up our selves to the government and guidance of the truth of God our actual living under the power of truth not only our holding the truth but our suffering the truth to take hold of us to rule us and order us in our whole course 'T is the same state that both are in both those that believe not the truth and those that obey not the truth Faith is not only a resting on Christ as our Saviour but a resigning our selves to him as our Lord and King Thou sayst thou dost believe the Gospel but wilt thou obey the Gospel hath it gotten the command and government of thee Is thy life a life of obedience to the Faith If Sin and the Devil have still the Government of thee and thou livest under the power of thy flesh it will no way avail thee to say I believe in Christ. But of this more in the next particular 2. Conversion is our return from our enmity and rebellion against God into friendship and obedience to God our coming in and laying down Arms the ungodly world are all in Arms against God they are Rebels against the Almighty their word is the same with those Heathens words Psal. 2. 3. Let us break his bonds asunder and cast away his cords from us The root of this rebellion is that enmity that is in their hearts against God Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God Sinners are enemies against the Being of God they would be glad if there were no God none above them to restrain or punish them The Fool that said in his heart there is no God Psal. 14. 1. how glad would that Fool be if he were sure his heart had said true if he were sure there were no God indeed They are enemies against the Soveraignty of God against his Rule and Government they all say in their hearts concerning the Father as those Iews said concerning the Son We will not have him to reign over us they are enemies to all the holy ways of God Col. 1. 21. Now in Conversion the enmity is slain and thereby the rebellion subdued You who were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works hath he now reconciled Col. 1. 21. A sincere Convert is a Soul reconciled Reconciliation between God and Man is of both parties The reconciliation of Man to God stands in a cessation from enmity a subduing of his rebellion and his returning into friendship and allegiance Sinners love not God nor any thing that belongs to God their enmity is against him and all his against his Word Worship and all his ways they love neither his Laws nor his Promises neither his works nor his ways God promises and rewards with spiritual and eternal blessings but what is this to a carnal mind he must have money meat and drink and fine Cloaths and pleasures these Locusts he likes but loaths Gods Manna A Convert is so reconciled to God that he loves and likes all that is of God he likes his Crown and his Cross his comforts and his commands all that God gives and whatever he requires he loves to be and to do whatever God will have him a strict holy and obedient life a life of care and labour in all things to please the Lord that 's a life he loves not only the life he commends and praises in others but 't is the life he loves to live There are many that are no Converts that come thus far to be able to say for my part I have nothing to say against Godliness I think well of it 't is an honest way and the safest way I wish well to the power of Religion 't were well if there were more of it found in the world I but as much as thou speakest for it and as well as thou lovest it thou wilt have but little to do with it thy self thou lovest strictness but thou wilt not be strict thy self thou praisest the close and laborious Christian but canst not bear nor endure that labour and care thy self Is this thy reconciliation to God Mistake not thy self every sincere Convert is so reconciled to all the ways of God that these are the ways this is the life which he chuses for himself A life of obedience to the whole will of God this is the life he loves and lives By what hath been said thou mayst understand what Conversion is and so what it is I am now exhorting thee to II. I shall now press thee to be Converted and turn to the Lord. And shall I need to use Arguments to perswade thee I doubt there may be need enough How hardly are sinners perswaded in to God they will after the Devil easily enough but how few are they with whom all the Arguments imaginable will prevail to bring them to God CHAP. VII Containing two main Arguments to Conversion I Shall make use of two great Arguments in this matter 1. Thy Necessity 2. Thy Commodity 1. Thy necessity methinks should prevail with thee A necessity is laid upon thee to turn to the Lord and wo to thee if thou turn not thou must turn or die Matth. 18. 9 Except ye be converted ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Necessity is a mighty Argument to perswade to any thing What is there but necessity will perswade men to Sinners will make use of this argument to perswade themselves to and to excuse and justifie themselves in any wickedness We shall hear them sometimes saying If I have stollen it was for my necessity If I have lyed or sworn falsly it was upon necessity I was forced upon it And when they have said this 't was my necessity that brought me to it they think they have said enough to justifie themselves This argument of Necessity hath great place in the present Case it is of necessity that thou be converted For 1. It 's necessary that thou live that thou secure thine own being and the blessedness thereof that thy soul be so looked to that it be not left to die and perish for ever This is of the highest necessity for every man to look to it that he go not down into the infernal pit It is not necessary to be rich in this world to have great houses and fine cloathes and costly fare and many Friends to be in health to live in
examine thy self to search thy heart and try thy ways that thou mayst know the estate of thy Soul Dost thou this How seldom dost thou spend any pains this way It may be thou hast never done it nor so much as seriously put the question to thy self Whose Child am I or How may I know whether I be the Child of God or the Child of the Devil Thou knowest it is thy duty to watch to watch thine heart and watch thy tongue and watch against corruption and temptation Dost thou do it Thou knowest it is thy duty to sanctifie the Sabbath by forbearing thy Calling thy Recreations and Carnal Pleasures by spending the whole day in the publick and private exercises of Religion not allowing thy self in vain and impertinent talk or idle or worldly thoughts Dost thou so Thou knowest it is thy duty to do good to others to their Souls by exhorting or reproving them to their bodies by feeding or cloathing or otherwise relieving them Dost thou so Is there none of all this nor nothing else which thou allowest thy self in the neglect of If it be so how canst thou think thy self sincere O Young man if thou wouldst please God indeed and have evidence that thou art his resolve on Universal obedience and be ready to every good work Let not Conscience fly upon thee at last and tell thee one thing thou lackest one thing thou wouldst not do Be faithful study to know thy whole duty and rest not till thy heart be willing to follow the Lord in all things whatsoever he commands thee II. Live not in the practice of any known sin For 1. One sin is a Violation of Gods Law as well as many Jam. 2. 10 Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all A wilfull breach of one part of the Law makes thee guilty of the Violation of the whole Law The Law of God is a chain of holy precepts if one link of a chain is broken you may say the chain is broken 2. One sin allowed and delighted in is enough to keep thy soul out of Heaven As Adam by eating one forbidden fruit was cast out of Paradise So maist thou out of Heaven for but one sin that thou hast committed and not repented of 3. The living and delighting in one sin doth evidence a rotten and unsound heart As it is made in the Scripture a note of uprightness to make Conscience of every known sin So it is made a note of Hypocrisie to seem to make Conscience of the forbearance of some sins and yet to live and lye in the practice of others Hereby was Herods Hypocrisie discovered who though upon Iohn Baptists Preaching he reformed much and did many good things yet would not part with his beloved Horodias notwithstanding she was his Brothers Wife 4. One sin never goeth alone but is ever accompanied with more For it is the natural effect of sin especially being wittingly committed to make men apter to sâ—…n Rom. 6. 19 You have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity God in his just judgement oft-times as a punishment for some oâ—…e sin leaves men so to themselves that they break forth into the committing of others 5. For a man to live and lye impenitently in the practice of a known sin is the dreadfullest judgement in the World Better were it for a man to be given up to the Devil than to the power of one sinful Lust. The incestuous person was delivered up to Satan 1 Cor. 5. 5. but he was restored again and the better for it Whereas we seldome read or hear of any who were given up to the Lusts of their own hearts that ever recovered O Young man how doth it then concern thee to withstand every Lust not to indulge thy self in any sin but especially to keep thy self from thine own iniquity I mean thy natures darling sin to which thou art most propense by thy complexion and constitution and of all thy Lusts are lothest to leave Let not that bear rule in thee as formerly but bend thy greatest force against it As the King of Syria commanded his 32. Captains to fight principally against the King of Israel for full well he knew that the King being once slain the whole Army would soon be discomfited So if thy beloved sin that reigns and rules in thee were once subdued thy other sins would soon be vanquished What saist thou now O man wilt thou hearken to this counsel not to allow thy self in any one sin thou knowest to be so Hast thou hearkened to it Thou knowest it is a sin to lye and yet dost thou not lye Thou knowest that defrauding over-reaching defaming backbiting scoffing quarrelling thou knowest that these are all sins are there none of them which thou allowest in thy self Thou knowest 't is a sin unnecessarily to keep company with sinners to be the companion of Drunkards the companion of Swearers and the vile ones of the earth dost thou keep not only from the wayes but from the company of such Are they no company for thee who are no friends to Godliness Dost thou know thine owne iniquities thy special sins that have greatest power over thee and thou hast greatest pleasure in and dost thou keep thy self from these Is there not one Lust that thou wouldst have spared to thee God will not spare thee one sin the Scripture will not allow thee one and if thou wilt approve thy self to him let not thy Conscience allow thee what God allows thee not and let not thine heart love and entertain and practice it whether Conscience allow it or no. If thou wilt be upright keep thee from all but especially from thine own iniquity III. 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. Lie not secure in any known sin into which thou art fallen but rise speedily again make up every breach between God and thy soul betimes What the Apostle saith of wrath Ephes. 4. 26. the same may I say of other sins Let not the Sun go down upon them Do not presume to sleep one night in any sin unrepented of It is dangerous sleeping at the brink of hell Hast thou fallen into sin do not say it is but one or but a little one 'T is sin be it great or little one or more t is sin and that 's enough to destroy thee for ever unless thou repent Go speedily and make up the breach repent and seek thy pardon and thy peace But what shall I say to you O rude and wicked Young men whose whole life is a continued course of iniquity who have so black a cloud of witnesses to testifie against you who are so sunk and drown'd in Lust and sensuality whose hand is never out but is alwayes ingaged in one wickedness or other whose whole life hath been an
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
free gift of God which he seldom bestoweth on those in their old age who have neglected it all the former part of their lives And he that refuseth to turn when God calleth him provoketh God to give him over to the hardness of his own heart so that he cannot turn 11. Another incouragement is taken from the Mercy of God God say they is merciful and gracious yea rich in mercy whose arms are ever open to receive all poor sinners who come unto him and therefore we hope to find mercy at last though we never sought it before A. 1. True it is God is merciful yea abundant in mercy but to whom will he extend his mercy surely to poor penitent sinners who in truth turn from their sins and devote themselves to him and his service but thou who delayest and puttest off thy repentance from time to time must not expect to partake one drop thereof Though the Lord be ready to imbrace all poor penitent sinners in the Arms of his Mercy yet will he wound the head of his Enemies and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses putting off his amendment from day to day Psal. 68. 21. 2. Know that as God is rich in Mercy so likewise abundant in truth and will shew no mercy to sinners in a way derogating from his truth Now as God hath promised in his Word to receive such into his favour who without delay will turn from their sins unto him and keep his Statutes Ezek. 18. 21. so in his Word hath he threatned destruction to such as put off their repentance when he calleth upon them to turn as Pro. 1. 24. Every Word of God will certainly have its accomplishment When therefore thou presumest on the Mercy of God remember withal that he is a God of Truth and as sure as God is true if thou continuest in thine ungodly course of life thou wilt perish for ever notwithstanding God is merciful For all the ways of the Lord are Mercy and Truth unto such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies Psal. 25. 10. 3. Know that God is Iust as well as Merciful and will by no means clear the Guilty As he hath prepared Heaven for some so Hell for others and it is very just that such should be cast into Hell who will not accept of Heaven upon Gods terms by a speedy turning from their sins and giving up themselves unto him Thou therefore who blessest thy self with a false perswasion of Gods Mercy and thereupon runnest on in a course of sin know that thereby thou dost deceive thine own Soul for thou wilt at last find that the Lord is just as well as merciful just in executing his wrath upon obdurate and wilful sinners as well as merciful in receiving your penitent sinners into favour As God to shew the riches of his mercy converteth some in their elder years so to shew the glory of his Justice he leaveth others and those the greatest part to die in their sins 4. It is a mercy that sinners can never enough admire that upon repentance they may be received into favour but it is a wicked perverting this mercy of God if instead of leading us to repentance it should incourage us to defer the same from day to day Because God is merciful shall we be so ungrateful as thereupon to run on in a course of sinning against him presuming on his mercy to the last Because God is gracious shall we thereupon prove the more ungracious and rebellious against him and his Commandments That be far from us Yea rather seeing the Lord is merciful and gracious let us be the more ashamed to sin against so good and gracious a God Let not the mercy of God occasion us to take any incouragement to sin against him but rather let the consideration thereof be an effectual argument to prevail with us speedily to turn from our sins unto him and to walk in the ways of holiness Surely if there were any ingenuity in us his love to us would constrain us to love him again His mercy to us would work in us both a care to please him and a fear to offend him III. Another incouragement is taken by many from the patience and long-suffering of God because he long bears with them in their wicked and ungodly courses not executing his wrath upon them Eccl. 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 Because the Lord is slow in executing vengeance on wicked men therefore are their hearts exceedingly hardened in their sinful ways so that they go on impenitently therein abusing the long-suffering of God unto presumption which should have led them to repentance But know that though the Lord doth bear long with some sinners yet not with all How many have we known in our own experience have been suddenly surprized and cut off in the very act of sin not having so much time and strength as to say Lord have mercy upon me And assuredly the slower God is in striking the heavier will be his stroak tthe Curse and Wrath of God for thy going on still in thy trespasses will be more grievous on thee at the last IV. Another incouragement is taken by many from the example of the converted Thief on the Cross who had spent all the former part of his life in wickedness and profaneness A. 1. It is a single example of extraordinary mercy there being not one more in all the Bible It is the saying of S. Austin Unus misericordiam invenit hora ultima ne quis desperet unicus ne quis praesumat That one man was received to mercy at the last hour that none should despair and but one that none should presume For this one man that repented at the last many thousand instances might be brought of such who putting off their amendment from day to day have at last perished in their sins What folly then must it needs be in any to put himself in a way wherein so many have miscarried 2. Christ wrought this rare Miracle of Mercy upon an extraordinary occasion namely to honour the ignominy of his Cross. When his Humane Nature was lowest then would he manifest the power of his Divine Nature whereby Christ shewed what he could do not what ordinarily he would do And being an extraordinary act of Christs Mercy and Power it can make no general rule What ground of hope then can this afford to thee who wilfully spendest thy Youth and younger years in the service of sin and Satan in hope to find mercy at the last 3. Though the Thiefs repentance was late even at the close of his life yet it was so soon as he heard of Christ. For it doth not appear that he either saw or heard of him before whereas thou hast often heard of Christ in the Ministry of the Word yea been called and invited
to cast away thy sins and to cast thy self upon him to come unto Christ that thou mightst be saved and yet hast slighted and rejected his gracious invitations and quenched the good motions of his Spirit therefore thy case is far different from his 4. Though the Thief continued in his wicked and ungodly course of life to the last and then became a true Convert yet can it not be proved that he purposely put off his repentance to that day But questionless he persisted in his sinful ways till the hour of death through ignorance and not through wilfulness whereas thou designest to follow thy sinful lusts and pleasures all thy life long at least the best and greatest part thereof and then at the last to resign up thy self to God and his service Therefore his late repentance can be no ground of incouragement unto thee who wilfully resolvest to go on in thy wicked courses so long as thou hast time and strength CHAP. VI. Containeth Directions suitable to Young Men. HAving answered the Objections of some Young Men against their early serving of God I come now to give you some Directions suitable to your state and condition 1. Labour to be well rooted and grounded in the principles of Religion otherwise you will soon be carried away with every wind of Doctrine and so made a prey to every seducer Observe who they be that are easiest seduced by Papists Quakers and false Teachers and you will find that they were such who were never well grounded in the Principles of Religion Ephes. 4. 14. They are said to be Children in understanding who are tossed to and fro and carried away with every wind of Doctrine implying that weak and ungrounded Christians are aptest to imbrace every false and erronious Doctrine Whereas the Martyrs being well grounded in the Principles of Religion could not be removed from the Truth by all the Arguments of the most Learned Doctors As therefore thou wouldst be preserved from all erronious Doctrines and damnable Heresies labour in the use of all means God hath sanctified that thou mayst be well rooted and grounded in the truth To that end 1. Learn some good and sound Catechism If thou canst not get it by heart then read it over again and again Thou mayst read and hear much and yet never attain to a well-grounded knowledge in Religion till thou beest well instructed in the Principles of it This the Apostles well knew therefore they delivered to their several Churches a Form of Doctrine which contained the Fundamental Principles of Religion which every Member thereof was perfectly to learn Rom. 6. 17. 2 Tim. 1. 13. Heb. 5. 12. and 6. 1. Whosoever shall think to attain unto any sound knowledge in Religion meerly by hearing the Word preached before he be well grounded in the Principles thereof will find it a hard work and understand by his experience how necessary the laying a good Foundation is to his building up in Faith and Holiness 2. Take all opportunities of reading the writings of godly learned men who by their labours have cleared the main and principal points of Religion And amongst the many Books now extant be sure you rather make choice of such as do soundly inform the judgment and work powerfully upon the heart and affections than of such as containing little but frothy conceits of wit do only please the phantasie with fruitless flashes 3. Especially be frequent in reading the holy Scriptures which contain not only the Principles of Religion but also all necessary truths to be known and practised Yea as David speaketh Psal. 119. 105. Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path It giveth wisdom to the simple and to the young man knowledge and discretion For this Timothy is commended That he had known the Scriptures from his Childhood 2 Tim. 3. 15. II. Return to the Lord Repent and be converted to God Conversion being so great and necessary a duty and so especially included in that remembring of our Creator required in the Text I shall insist a little the more distinctly upon it and shall 1. Open the nature of it 2. Press thee to it 1. For the nature of Conversion it is a turning or coming back to the Lord. Sin is our departing or going away from God Impenitence in sin is our keeping away from him Conversion is our return or coming back to God It is our coming back 1. From unbelief to faith in God 2. From our enmity and rebellion unto friendship and obedience to God 1. It is our coming back from unbelief to faith in God Every Convert is become a Believer The unconverted World are all concluded in unbelief Rom. 11. 32. In Conversion we are fetched out from that wretched multitude of unbelievers Converts and Believers signifie the same persons in Scripture-sense This faith we are converted to comprehends in it three things 1. Our sealing to the truth of God 2. Our adventuring upon the truth of God 3. Our resigning our selves to the government of the truth 1. Faith is our sealing to the truth of God or our belief of the truth of the Word of God Ioh. 3. 33. He that believeth hath set to his Seal that God is true It is our belief of the truth of the Scriptures in general and in special of the truth of the Gospel It is our sealing to Christ or our believing that he is the Messiah of God and the Saviour of the world that this is the Stone that is laid in Sion on whom whosoever believeth shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2. 6. that in him there is Salvation and none other Act. 4. 12. 2. Faith is our adventuring upon the truth of God an adventuring our lives an adventuring our Souls upon the truth of the Word of God and upon that Jesus concerning whom this Word bears witness Faith is an adventuring for the other world The object of Faith are things not seen Heb. 11. 1. that is the invisible world The Scripture tells us of another stare a more blessed and glorious state than that we here are in this blessed state is in the other world which however it cannot now be seen yet Faith hath such evidence that there is such a state that it will adventure for it Believers are Merchants Matth. 13. 45. Merchant-adventurers that will adventure all they have their whole Stock and Patrimony for the riches of that good Land Believers are adventurers for the other world and they trust their whole adventure with Christ he shall be their Pilot yea he shall be their Ark to bring them into the holy Land above Whither art thou bound O believing soul For Canaan for Ierusalem which is above I am bound for Heaven But art thou sure that there is such a place as Heaven and such blessedness there So sure I am that I will adventure all upon it But who is it shall bring thee to Heaven Iesus of Nazareth he who suffered the just for
be able if they be honest 't is because they cannot help it And 't is a poor shift they alledge to save themselves from blame viz. Caveat emptor let the buyer look to himself Wherefore hath he his eyes and understanding If he be deceived he hath deceived himself Is that all thou hast to say Caveat Emptor Why that 's no more but this Let him count me a knave that he hath to do with let him trust his own eyes and not my words or Oaths oâ—… Conscience for there 's no trust to be given to them Is not this it thou sayest and dost thou not herein say well for thy self 4. How many do deceive their neighbours in weights and measures using false weights and false measures and yet take the full price for their commodities which is a plain cheat that is abominable in the sight of God as Prov. 20. 10. Divers weights and divers measures both of them are alike abomination to the Lord. As if he had said Though men may make light of this kind of deceit and haply boast of it yet God abhorrs it and the rather because it is a sin that tends to the overthrow of humane society 5. How many use unjust and uncharitable courses to raise the ordinary price of their commodities as by forestalling the Market or by ingrossing commodities that having them all in their own hands they may sell them at their own rates Which is a branch of uncharitableness raising their gain out of their brothers loss 6. How many buy such goods as they know or have just cause to suspect that they are stollen thereby making themselves accessary to the theft and making thieves if there were fewer Receivers there would be fewer Thieves 7. How many do make a gain by promise breaking who will readily promise to pay ata day but make no Conscience of keeping their word or their time not regarding how much their neighbour suffers by being disappointed at his day Christians should be men of their words should consider before they promise and then make Conscience of punctual performance 8. How many seek to put off all the bad money they can though thy know it to be bad even for good Wares Haply you will say you took it for good money Though you did yet except you can return it to the parties from whom you received it it is a branch of deceit Better it is to suffer wrong than to do wrong in any kind Because one hath wronged thee will that be thy warrant to wrong another whatever palliations or pretences men may have yet the thing is palpably injurious Justice requires that there be an equal and true value betwixt the price and the commodity When thou knowest the commodity thou buyest to be good and the money thou payest for it to be naught where is thy justice Thus you see what mysteries of iniquity there are in most Trades which are too well known and too much practised by many Tradesmen For the preventing of which I shall briefly give you some few general Rules to be observed in your dealing with men 1. Ever observe that Golden Rule of our Saviour Matth. 7. 12. Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them As thou wouldst not have mixt wares sold thee for that which is pure nor that which is sophisticated and naught for that which is perfect and good do not thou offer the like to others As thou wouldst not be wronged nor over-reached by others do not thou go about to wrong or over-reach others But whatsoever thou wouldst that men should do thee do thou even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets that is This is that which every Book of the Law and Prophets require of us this is the summe of that which in the Law and Prophets is delivered concerning our carriage and behaviour towards our Neighbour 2. When at any time thou art summing up thy gains and gettings put all thy unrighteous gains in the one sâ—…ale and thy soul which thou hast by thine unjust and deceitful dealing exposed to sale for them into the other and withal consider how light all those gains and gettings are in comparison of thy soul. And this through Gods blessing may be a means to take thee of from all dishonest dealings For what is the gain of many thousands nay of all the wealth in the World to the loss off thy precious soul Surely all the wealth and riches in the World can no more countervail the loss of one soul than all the dirt of the street can countervail the loss of a rich Jewel Young man thou art now going forth into the World and thine eyes and thine heart are set upon getting an estate and gathering thee substance against the time to come but beware thou lay not up an evil treasure a treasure of lyes and oaths and deceit with thy treasure of money or goods Resolve from thy very first to have none by thee but honest gain if God increase thee bless him for it but resolve rather to be poor than not to be honest and upright For riches profit not at the day of wrath but righteousness delivereth from death Prov. 11. 4. 3. Consider that all the ways and works of unrighteousness though acted never so secretly and cunningly shall one day be made manifest to all the world For God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil Eccles. 12. 14. At the great day of Judgment whereof Solomon had made mention before all the ways and works of wickedness all the deceits of men though never so closely committed shall be discovered to the view of all And therefore the day of Iudgment is called Rom. 2. 5. the day of Revelation because then all the hidden things of dishonesty all frauds and deceits shall be made manifest I shall close this Direction with giving you some few Motives and Arguments unto just and honest dealing in your Commerce with others 1. Honest dealing is the likeliest way to thrive Look into the Scriptures and you shall find that Righteousness as well as Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come promises of things temporal as well as of things spiritual and eternal 1 Tim. 4. 8. Though a righteous man have but a little estate yet that little is better than great Revenues of the wicked and unrighteous Psal. 37. 16. The unrighteous man who hath got an estate by fraud and deceit may fare more deliciously every day but the righteous man may eat his Meals with more true joy and contentation 2. Iust and honest dealing with men will prove an honour and Ornament unto Religion and Profession Yea there is nothing will grace Religion so much in the eyes of all men than for such who make profession thereof to be just and honest true and faithful in their dealing with others This
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
of Christ and of God Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscense for which things sake the wrath of God cometh upon the Children of disobedience Col. 3. 5 6. Where the Apostle assures us that men living and continuing impenitently in filthiness and uncleanness shall not escape the wrath of God whose wrath is a consuming fire which shall burn to the bottom of Hell And Heb. 13. 4. Marriage is honourable in all and the Bed undefiled but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge And Rev. 21. 8. it is said Whoremongers and Adulterers shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Thus you see how sorely this sin is threatned in the Word of God 3. The Iudgments God hath executed upon men for this sin of uncleanness shew the heynousness thereof For this sin the Lord brought a flood of water upon the old World Gen. 6. 2 3. For this sin the Lord rained Fire and Brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah Gen. 19. 5 24. God saw it meet that they who burned with the fire of Lust should be consumed with the fire of Vengeance We read this sin cut off three and twenty thousand of the Israelites in one day 1 Cor. 10. 8. Neither let us commit Fornication as some of them committed and fell in one day three and twenty thousand As there is no resolved sinner but God follows him with his Judgments so he follows Whoremongers and Adulterers with strange punishments Witness that strange loathsom disease so common amongst them which was not heard of till these latter Ages O Young Man let the many threatnings in Gods Word and the various judgments he hath executed upon Whoremongers and Adulterers make thee afraid and turn this filthy pleasure into a dread and terrour to thee Come not near the house of the strange Woman remember that the dead are there and that her Guests are in the depths of Hell Prov. 9. 18. 4. There is no sin that is so directly opposite to holiness and to the holy Spirit of God as this Nor any sin that makes us so like the Devil who is often in the Evangelists called the unclean Spirit Matth. 10. 1. and 12. 43. Both because he very much delighteth in uncleanness and likewise maketh it his chief design to intice and draw men thereunto III. The danger of this sin appeareth from the sad effects and consequents of it some whereof are these 1. It bringeth judgements on the body destroying its health and strength filling it with rotteness it is the seminary of many incurable diseases For the flame of Lust consumeth the Vital moisture and the unnatural fire of burning Concupiscence extinguisheth the natural heat which two are the Fountain of Life and Strength An Incontinent person is the sink of all Corruption a bag of Filth and Rotteness and hath more diseases attending him than an Hospital For the righteous God hath appointed that they who sow to the flesh should of the flesh reap a plentiful Harvest of Corruption 2. As it causeth a Corruption in the body so likewise a Consumption in the goods and estate of a man Who so keepeth company with Harlots spendeth his Substance Prov. 29. 3. Lust not therefore saith Solomon after a strange woman in thine heart for by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread Prov. 6. 26. Thus it was with the Prodigal who no sooner fell into the company of Harlots but presently consumed and wasted all his substance and was reduced to such extream Poverty that his desire was but to be fellow-Commoner with the Swine of all Creatures the most nasty and filthy that he might fill his belly with their husks Wantonness is usually accompanied with want partly because it is a sin which bringeth the curse of God upon a mans estate and partly because it is many wayes a costly sin much being spent in feasting and Revelling besides gifts and rewards When Lais that famous Curtizan of Corinth asked Demosthenes a great sum of money to lye with her one night he answered her wisely that he would not buy repentence at so dear a rate 3. As this sin bringeth a Consumption on the body and goods so likewise doth it bring a rotten reputation on the name and a reproach never to be done away For be his proper name what it will a Whore-master will be his common name Prov. 6. 33. Whoso committeth Adultery lacketh understanding a wound and dishonour shall he get that is He shall be wounded in his name and credit and his reproach shall not be wiped away that is the disgrace which he hath brought upon himself by his filthiness and uncleanness shall abide upon him Though the wound may be cured by repentence and the pouring into it the precious balm of Christ's blood yet the scar in his name and reputation will remain 4. It brings destruction on a mans soul hurrying it into eternal torments in Hell the fire of Lust is fuel for the fire of Hell He that committeth Adultery with a woman destroyeth his own soul saith the Wise man Prov. 6. 22. that is casteth himself headlong both body and soul into that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Sinner that fire below as hot as 't is would if it be well considered be a cooler to this fire of Lust. When thou feelest Lust burn within thee then think of everlasting burnings O young man dost thou love thy self or any thing that thou hast Dost thou love thy body abstain then from Fornication and uncleanness whereby thou sinnest against thine own body and bringest a Consumption and Rottenness upon it Dost thou love thy goods then flee Fornication which is like to leave thee a beggar Dost thou love thy credit abstain for it is a dishonourable sin and will mark thee for one of the fools in Israel and cause thy name to rot and stink above ground Lastly dost thou love thy soul abstain for that it 's carrying down to the depth of hell IV. For the Remedies against this sin the Scripture affordeth many I shall hint some of the most principal 1. Resist those wanton and unclean thoughts which do either arise from thine own wicked heart or are cast in by Satan Do not revolve them in thy mind nor suffer them to lodge within thee but with detestation presently reject them and cast them away If thou canst not prevent them in their conception let it be thy care to destroy them in their birth that so they may prove abortive If thou suffer them to live they will receive growth and strength to thine utter perdition Who having fire cast into his bosome will not so soon as he discerneth it cast it out Quench these sparks at their first kindling lest they break out into such a flame which will not be quenched 2. Be very watchful as over thy outward senses so especially over thine eyes which are the
doors and windows of the soul to let in Lust. Hereupon Iob though an holy man and in Years durst not trust his eyes without a guard but ingaged himself by solemn Promise and Covenant not to stand gazing on the beauty of a woman Iob 31. 1. Alexander refused so much as to see Darius his wife a Lady of incomparable beauty fearing lest he who had Conquered the Husband should be overcome by the Wife Upon this ground it seems Zeleucus imposed that Law upon the Locrenses that the Adulterers eyes should be pulled out because sin entred in at those Casements therefore he would stop up the Windows Hearken O young man hearken to that advice which we find given Ecclesiasticus 9. 8. Turn away thine eyes from beholding a beautiful woman and look not upon anothers Beauty for many have thereby perished 3. Possess thy soul with a serious consideration of Gods all-seeing presence about thee wheresoever thou art It is the very Argument which Solomon useth to disswade the wanton young man from his filthy course of life Prov. 5. 20 21. Why wilt thou my Son be ravished with a strange woman and embrace the bosome of a stranger For the wayes of man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings Though the unclean person commit this sin never so secretly that will avail him little It was the fear of God arising from the consideration of his all-seeing presence that kept Ioseph from hearkening to the Adulterous sollicitations of his Mistris How can I saith he do this great wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39. 9. Art thou out of fear of being espied or discovered by the eye of man yet consider the All-seeing eye of God is upon thee 4. Shun all means occasions and provocations unto Lust and Uncleanness He that will shun any sin must avoid the occasions thereof else he will tempt God to give him up thereunto The occasions and provocations of Lust are divers 1. Fulness of Bread and Drink eating to Gluttony and drinking to Drunkenness As Temperance is the best preserver of Chastity So intemperance in Eating and Drinking is the Nurse of Uncleanness the Oyl wherewith the flame thereof is kindled and increased Ier. 5. 7 8. They were as fed Horses in the Morning every one Neighed after his Neighbours Wife implying that when men are fed to the full like pampered Horses they will Neigh after their Neighbours Wives But take away the fuel and the fire of Lust will soon go out Whereupon Lycurgus to prevent all filthiness and uncleanness in Sparta prohibited all Feasts and Banquetings by a Law for he knew that Gluttony and Drunkenness were the Mothers of Wantonness and Voluptuousness 2. Filthy and obscene talk is another occasion and incentive of Lust. For as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 15. 23. Evil communications corrupt good manners Many I know take too much liberty to themselves herein and make nothing of it but do flatter themselves with a conceit of the purity of their hearts But let such know that filthy and unclean words do argue a filthy and unclean mind Obscene words being but the excrements and overflowings of a carnal and corrupt heart for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Thy stinking breath smells of a foul Stomach 3. Lascivious Pictures wherewith too many do adorn or rather disgrace their houses For what are they indeed but dumb Orators to perswade to Lust and lively Presidents out of which a wanton heart will easily take out a pattern of Uncleanness for its own imitation They are worse than obscene words because they vanish and are gone whereas lascivious Pictures do abide and infect many one after another For it is found by experience that wanton objects do ingender wanton fancies and imaginations which tend to filthy and unclean actions Beware therefore O young man of gazing on lascivious Pictures rather turn away thine eyes from beholding inticing and bewitching vanities 4. Stage-plays Many of which are stuffed with filthy and obscene speeches and set forth with many lascivious gestures by which they are very apt to infect the mind with Effeminate Lust and dispose the heart for unclean and filthy actions The Stage is a decoy for the Stews 5. Undecent and garish attire Men and Womens strange Apparel doth oft stir up Lust both in themselves and others also especially when such parts as ought to be covered are left naked In Prov. 7. 10. a Strumpet is set forth to allure others by her Apparel Aesop said wittily to a Gallant wantonly attired That if he did it to please men he was but a Fool for no wise man would account the better of him And if he did it to please Women he was but a Knave and meant unchastly These are the ordinary occasions of Lust and provocations thereunto which ought carefully to be shunned and avoided 5. Another remedy against fleshly lusts is to busie thy self diligently in thy Calling By this means the body of man is exercised and his mind imployed and so kept from idleness which is a great cause of Lust. Idleness is noted to be one of the causes of Sodom's Uncleanness Ezek. 16. 49. This also is noted to be the cause of David's committing Adultery 2 Sam. 11. 2 3 4. when men are idle they have no business but to sin but when men are busie in their Calling then they have no leisure to sin 6. Flee unto God by earnest and hearty Prayer for power and strength against the power of thy lusts and corruptions Beg of him that he would be pleased to cast the unclean spirit out of thee and indue thee with his holy Spirit which may inable thee to fight against the flesh and to mortifie and subdue all sinful lusts all inordinate affections and evil concupiscence This was the remedy which Paul used in this very case when he felt the thorn in his flesh which some Divines interpret to be lustful motions stirring in him For this saith he I besought the Lord thrice 2 Cor. 12. 8. and though he was not thereupon wholly delivered from them yet he found Grace sufficient for his support so that he was not overcome by them 7. If these means prevail not use the benefit of lawful Marriage To avoid Fornication let every man have his own Wife and let every Woman have her own Husband â—… Cor. 7. 2. And vers 9. Such as cannot contain themselves let them Marry for it is better to Marry than to burn Many there are who give Satan too great advantage against themselves by neglecting this remedy of Marriage The Popes forbidding Priests to Marry though they have not the gift of Continency hath been the cause of most abominable uncleannesses amongst them CHAP. XV. Of Prophane and rash Swearing which is another Vice whereunto Young Men are addicted IV. ANother Vice whereunto Young Men are addicted is prophane and rash Swearing which our Saviour expresly forbiddeth Matth. 5. 34. Swear not at all
is often made use of as a covering for sin When men are faulty a Lie must be contrived to conceal the matter Thy Servant went no whither said Gehazi when he had been taking a Bribe Let his Leprosie speak what advantage his Lye got him Dare to be true nothing can need a Lye A Fault that needs it most grows two thereby Herbert's Divine Poem O Young men I appeal to your Consciences whether you have not many wayes made your selves guilty of this most heinous and odious sin of Lying but especially in your buying selling and trading Have you not oft-times said in selling your commodities It is good yea very good and no better to be had for money when you know it is naught Have you not often said That such a commodity stood you in so much when as indeed it cost you far less and that you were offered such and such a price for the same when as in truth it was not so Motives or Arguments against the sin of Lying 1. It is as expresly against the letter of the Law as any other sin Read Lev. 19. 11. Ye shall not steal neither deal falsly neither lye one to another And Col 3. 9. Lye not one to another 2. Lying is a mark of the Devils Children Joh. 8. 44. Ye are of your Father the Devil he abode not in the truth because there is not truth in him When he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his own for he is a Lyar and the Father of it God is a God of truth and his Children are Children that will not Lye Isa. 63. 8. Satan is said Act. 5. 3. To fill the heart to Lye Why hath Satan filled thine heart to Lye to the Holy Ghost Speak Lyar when thou speakest a Lye whose Language is this 't is the Devils Mother-tongue whenever thou hast a Lye in thy mouth 't is a sign the Devil is in thine heart But whose Child art thou the while none of Gods he is the God of truth 't is sure thou art the Devils Child for he is a Lyar and the Father of it O Friend is it nothing to be the Devils Child and to have thine own tongue proclaiming it It will not be long if thou use this trade ere thou be carryed down to thy Fathers house the place of Lyars Rev. 21. 8. 3. Consider the reward of a Lyar even among men which is not to be believed when he speaks the truth Common experience sheweth that one being once found in a Lye is hardly after believed but is scorned as a man of no credit 4. As this sin is hateful in it self unto God so it makes the practisers thereof to be odious and abominable unto him Prov. 6. 16. These things doth the Lord hate yea they are abomination unto him A proud look a lying tongue c. Though God hates and abhors all sin yet some are more abominable unto him than others amongst which Lying is one And Prov. 12. 22. Lying lips are abomination to the Lord. O Young men how should the consideration of these things effectually prevail with you to keep a strict watch over your selves that you break not forth into this sin of Lying but as the Apostle exhorteth Eph. 4. 25. Putting away lying speak every man truth with his Neighbour Obj. Some object and say There is no living or at least no thriving without lying To tye our selves alwayes to speak the truth must needs be a great hinderance to our profit A. That profit thou gettest by Lying will be little profitable unto thee For thereby thou sellest thy Soul unto the Devil and that is a miserable bargain where the Soul is given in to boot for some trifling gain which cannot be ransomed with the whole world Men commonly think that that gain is sweet and comes easily in that is gotten by lying But alas what sweetness or comfort can there be in that gain that brings Gods Curse with it Will thy gain if it were the gaining of the whole World be able to countervail the loss of Gods favour and thine own Salvation O Young Man think on these things And whatever thy Trade be have nothing to do with the Trade of Lying Now that thou art setting up thy Trade let not Lying which hath a great stock going in almost every Trade have any thing in thine Resolve to be true and honest content thy self with righteous gains But if thou wilt yet be a Lyar never henceforth count that God but the Devil is thy Father and know that though thou lye unto men yet God will not lye unto thee he that is true in his promises will be true in his threatnings God hath said Lyars shall be shut out of his Kingdom and shut up in the lake of fire God will not lye unto thee If this be thy practice Hell will be thy place and thy portion as sure as God is true CHAP. XVII Of Back-biting or Tale-bearing which is another Vice whereunto Young Men are addicted VII ANother sin whereunto Youth is subject is Back-biting or Tale-bearing which is a malicious defaming of a man behind his back an uncharitable blazing abroad his failings and infirmities This we find expresly forbidden by God in his Word Lev. 19. 16. Thou shalt not go up and down as a Tale-bearer among thy People publishing those faults of theirs which ought rather to be concealed The word in the Original signifieth a walking about with Tales as it were a Pedler with Wares For as the Pedler having gathered up several Wares from several persons carrieth them up and down from one place to another and is ready to open his Pack in every place where he comes In like manner Back-biters and Tale-bearers having gathered up an evil Pack the Rags and Scabs the sores and faults of Gods People from several persons carry them up and down from house to house and there uncover and vend them not taking any notice the mean while of their Vertues and good deeds though they are far more than their failings In which respect they may not unfitly be resembled to the Beetle or Horse-fly which when it flieth into a Field full of sweet Flowers if there be but a little filthy dung in it will be sure to light upon that passing over the sweet Flowers Thus is the Tale-bearer apt to pass by all the good things that are in Professors but their slips and infirmities he gladly observes and with delight can speak of them But as our Saviour speaketh Matth. 7. 3. Why beholdest thou the Mote that is in thy Brothers eye why art thou so curious an observer of his smallest infirmities think on thine own Beam the greater evils which thou mayst find in thy self and this would silence thy reproaches of thy Brother Surely if the Lord should so narrowly pry into all the faults of his servants as we who are Fellow-servants do into the infirmities of one another who were able to abide it And should we pry into and so
company welcom and acceptable unto all Yea it will win the hearts of all with whom you have to do and even knit them unto you Davids courteous carriage made all the servants of Saul to respect him Yea it is said All Israel and Judah loved him 1 Sam. 18. 16. On the other side Churlishness Bitterness Testiness and such other Vices which are contrary to this Vertue alienate mens minds from them yea and exasperate them against them But withal take notice that this courtesie and gentleness must neither make thee an Hypocrite and Dissembler nor over-familiar with thy Inferiours especially such as are in subjection under thee For Gods Image which all Superiours carry must be respected of them and accordingly must they carry themselves Nor yet must this make any over-remiss in reproving Offenders for so would this comely Vertue be turned into an hurtful and dangerous Vice indeed it serveth to sweeten reproofs that they may be better accepted Be courteous to all but beware of connivence much more of compliance with evil men in their sins Let not pretence of being courteous draw thee aside to be vicious III. Carry thy self humbly towards all men thinking better of others than of thy self The truth is that man who well knoweth himself knoweth more of himself of his own weakness and vileness than he can know of most others and therefore he may well have a meaner esteem of himself than of others especially such as are of his Rank and betwixt whom there is not too too palpable a difference If he have apparently better gifts than others yet his humble mind will make him think that others may have more true inward grace and sincerity because he knows more of the deceit of his own heart than he can of others This Vertue of Humility though it be primarily seated in the heart yet from thence it extendeth it self to a mans outward conversation and proves a most lovely and adorning Grace which doth adorn our Christian Profession and obtaineth favour both with God and Man whereas a proud haughty spirit is hated both of God and Man Solomon ranketh haughty eyes in the first place among such things as the Lord hateth and his Soul abhorreth Prov. 6. 17. As for man he naturally hateth pride in another though he love and like it in himself which is a great condemnation of the sin of pride But as for the humble and lowly-minded man he doth exceedingly gain the hearts and affections of others unto him Humility is so comely and graceful a Grace that it makes him who is decked therewith amiable and gracious in every mans eye Whereas none are more disdained than the proud none are better respected both by God and Man than the humble for it is abundance of Grace that makes men humble as it is abundance of Fruit that maketh Trees most bow God highly prizeth them and accordingly bestoweth his choicest graces on them Men usually lay up their richest Wines in the lowest Cellars and God lays up his choicest mercies in the lowest hearts Yea God himself delights to dwell in the humble Soul Isa. 57. 15. God hath but two Thrones the highest Heavens and the lowest hearts He overlooks the frame of Heaven and Earth to look on a poor humble heart Isa. 66. 1 2. not with a bare look of intuition but with a look of favour complacency and delight Though the Lord be the most high yet hath he respect to the lowly Psal. 38. 6. They are Gods Iewels in high esteem with him yea they are Gods Glory Isa. 4. 5. They give all glory to God and therefore God loves to exalt them to honour So that Humility is the readiest way to Honour Many make it the chief design and the main business of their lives to contrive how they may be great and honourable in the World and often it is that Honour flies from them as the shadow from him that pursues it But if they would study to be humble and so carry themselves towards all they would find that the speediest way to exaltation For saith Christ himself Mat. 23. 12. Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted even to honour here if God sees it good for him but howsoever to glory hereafter which is the highest and best preferment for Mat. 5. 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven True Humility stands in being low in our own eyes and being content to be low in the eyes of others Get this Heart humility and that will prevent those thoughts which would puff thee up in thy self and those lofty carriages which tend to set thee up in the World Let it be thy care to approve thy self in all good Conscience towards God and let him alone to take care of thy good name among men IV. Be as serviceable to others as thou canst As it was the meat and drink of our blessed Saviour to be doing good unto others So let it be thy meat and drink even thy chief delight to be doing all the good thou canst Let not any opportunity of doing good slip out of thy hands but as the Wise Man adviseth Eccles. 9. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might that is whatsoever ability or opportunity of service God affordeth unto thee either in thy general or particular Calling improve it with all care and diligence endeavour with thy might to do all the good that possibly thou canst in thy Generation This we find was the mind of our Saviour for saith he Joh. 9. 4. I must work the work of him that sent me while it is day Now what was the work of Christ but to do all manner of good as any opportunity was offered whether by word or deed The phrase used by the Evangelist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to work the work is an Hebraism and implieth a thorow acting or doing of a thing a doing it heartily and that with all care and diligence Thus should we make it our chief care and endeavour yea the main and principal work of our lives to do all the good we can in the world accounting that the happiest time in which we can do the most good And surely it is the greatest honour we are capable of here to be any way serviceable to God and his people and that which will bring much peace and comfort to our Souls and Consciences Be not a man for thy self be a common good be willing to serve thy Generation Let it not be said of thee It had been as well for the World if this man had never been born CHAP. XXVIII Of Mercy towards such as are in misery which implieth both a compassionate heart and an helping hand V. BE merciful towards such as are in misery Luk. 6. 36. This mercifulness or mercy is such a compassion of the heart whereby a man is moved to help and succour others in their misery So
and by tumbles down and the Wheel runs over him How often do rich men break and poor men get up in their rooms and then tumble down after them and give place to him that comes next To day thou hast an Estate but who can tell what thou mayst have to morrow Such an uncertain World this is and at such uncertainties are the things thereof and there 's no preventing it It 's good to be sure of something Since Earth can never be made sure thou art the more concerned to make sure of Heaven To have all at uncertainties both here and hereafter this is such a misery as every one that is wise will do what he can to prevent 2. If things Eternal be made sure it 's no great matter though things Temporal be at the greatest uncertainties This world is uncertain a world of changes of disappointments vexations and all kinds of troubles Why let it be so so Heaven be sure no matter for all these lower uncertainties Young Man thou art going forth into the world how thou mayst prosper in it notwithstanding all thy skill and care God only knows who can tell what crosses thou mayst meet with in thy very entrance that may dash all thy hopes And if thou hast never so fair and hopeful a beginning yet who knows what may be thy lot before the end of thy day Why now wouldst thou get above all casualties and crosses and at once be a Conquerour of all the World Wouldst thou have thy quiet and contentment out of the reach of Winds and Storms and be able to live chearfully in every condition make Heaven sure and 't is done Thou mayst then hoise up thy Sails commit thy self to the Wind and Seas make on thy Voyage and never be appall'd at the Storms on the way whilest thou hast this assurance thou shalt come safe to Harbour and not an hair of thy head perish Thus have you dear Youths the desires and breathings of my Soul after your happiness here and blessedness hereafter expressed in some useful directions suitable to your present state and condition shewing you how to deport and carry your selves both in your General and Particular Calling so that you may please God in all things here and live with him in everlasting blessedness Now my hearty request to you is that you will not content your selves with a bare reading of them but resolve with the assistance of Gods Grace to enter upon the real practice of them And oh that the Lord who alone teacheth to profit would please so to set them home upon your hearts that they may tend to your spiritual good here and eternal salvation hereafter O Young Men you are now Flowers in the Bloom you are those First-fruits which should be offered to the Lord Oh that now you would consecrate your selves unto God and his service Oh that while you are Young you would with Isaac give your selves to Prayer and Meditation and with Samuel serve the Lord from your Youths and with young Solomon study to know and serve the God of your Fathers and with Obadiah fear the Lord from your Youths and with young Iosiah do that which is right in the sight of the Lord And to these ends with Timothy from your Youth addict your selves to the reading of the Scriptures which are able to make you wise unto Salvation Oh that you would set these mens lives as Copies for your imitation giving up your selves intirely and unfeignedly to the Lord in a truly gracious life O Young Men you are now in your preparations for Eternity and therefore had need to be very watchful over your selves to see that you walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming the time because the days are evil Ephes. 5. 15. Little do you consider how much dependeth upon this moment of time which God for the present is pleased to vouchsafe unto you even no less than the whole weight of Eternity Upon your well or ill improving of your time and Talents here depends your everlasting condition that Estate which is to be for ever and ever Oh what folly and madness then must it needs be in you to suffer your Lusts or wicked Companions to steal away this Jewel your precious time which is more worth than all the world Oh that for the future you would so live every day as those that live for Eternity It is sadly evident that too too many losing their first and tender years in conclusion lose their Souls also O Dear Youths Behold the Arms of Free Grace are yet open to imbrace you if now you will abandon your Youthful Lusts and cordially turn unto God who is willing to forgive yea willing to forget all former misâ—…arriages upon the reforming your lives Turn ye turn ye therefore from your evil ways for why will ye die Ezek. 33. 11. In this small Treatise I have set before you Life and Death Heaven and Hell Happiness and Misery Know assuredly that as you chuse now so shall you speed hereafter Oh then for the Lord Christ's sake and for the sake of your poor Souls chuse that good part which shall never be taken from you walk in the path which leadeth to life and happiness that you may not perish and be tormented with the Devils in hell fire to all Eternity And now my Friend I bid thee farewel Take these words along with thee let them ever be before thine eyes and upon thine heart and then go on thy way Good Counsel be with thee that thou mayst guide thine affairs with discretion and good success be upon thee that thou mayst eat the fruit of thy good doings I wish first that thy Soul may prosper and then I also wish that thy Body may prosper and thy Family may prosper and thy Estate may prosper as thy Soul prospereth The Lord be with thee in all that thou settest thine hand unto The Almighty bless thee let his blessing be upon thy labours let his blessing be upon all thy substance let him help thee in thy work and increase thy store let his Sun shine upon thy Tabernacle and let the light of his Countenance make glad thine heart let him guide thee with his eye hold thee in his hands carry thee in his bosom till he hath lodged thee safe in the Everlasting Rest. Amen FINIS