acknowledge the wrong he hath done If satisfaction cannot be made by Restitution then it must be by Humiliation 3. He must shew himself willing to restore whatsoever he hath unjustly and fraudulently gotten and promise satisfaction whensoever God shall inable him thereunto Q. What if the Party wronged be dead A. Then restitution ought to be made to his Executors ' or Administrators or Heirs and if they cannot be found then to the poor making them his Heirs and thereby thou wilt turn thy Debt into an Alms and in shewing thy self just do a work of Mercy What thou dost herein let it be done speedily As thy Repentance must be speedy without delay so must thy Restitution For what true Repentance can there be without Restitution Zacheus we read upon his Conversion made present Restitution Luk. 19. 8. knowing his Repentance without it was but counterfeit and vain It is not sufficient to purpose and promise Restitution but it must be presently done For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth thou mayst either be taken from thy riches or thy riches may be taken from thee and thou thereby be altogether disinabled to restore according to thy purpose Though for the present thou mayst please thy self with thine ill-gotten goods yet if ever thy Conscience be enlightened and made sensible of the evil of sin thou wilt find no quiet therein till thou hast made restitution Ill-gotten goods will be to thy Conscience as the Canaanites were to that good Land It is said the Land groaned till it had spewed them out So thy Conscience will travel with grief till it be delivered of thine ill-gotten goods Seneca tells us of a Philosopher at Athens who having bought a pair of Shooes upon trust and afterwards hearing that the Shoo-maker was dead flattered himself for a while with a conceit that the Money due for the Shooes was his own and that he should never be called upon for the same But his Conscience being afterwards awakened he was so terrified with the thought of his injustice that as one affrighted he ran with all speed to the mans Shop and finding the door shut he flung the Money in at the Window saying Though the good man be dead yet the Money is due from me If an Heathen made such conscience of restoring what was anothers and not his own how much more shouldst thou who art a Christian make Conscience of restoring whatsoever thou hast stoln or fraudulently gotten from another and doth not properly belong unto thee Obj. Happily thou wilt say I am willing to make restitution but unwilling to have the thing known because thereby my Credit and Reputation will be exceedingly blasted A. For the preservation of thy Reputation thou mayst make choice of some honest faithful friend who will deliver the Money or Goods and conceal thy name Be sure restitution be made one way or other of thine ill-gotten goods 1. Because otherwise they will prove a Moth to consume the rest of thine estate 2. It is the only way and means whereby thou canst make recompence and satisfaction for the wrong thou hast done unto thy Neighbour 3. Common Justice and Equity requireth restitution so far as thou art able Cicero and divers others amongst the Heathens by the Light of Nature acknowledged as much What a shame then must it needs be for Christians who have the light of the Gospel added to the light of Nature not to acknowledge and practise this necessary duty 4. This is the fruit worthy of repentance which we are commanded to bring forth Mat. 3. 8. And which will evidence the truth thereof Hereby Zacheus testified the truth of his repentance Luk. 19. 8. It is not thy confession unto God of the wrong done to thy Neighbour nor thy mourning and sorrowing for the same that will obtain the pardon of the sin without restitution so far as thou art able where that is wanting all thy sorrow and repentance will do thee little good This was the Judgment of S. Austin confirmed by all Divines to this day that Non remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur oblatum No remission of sin without restitution of goods or money so far as the party is able Hast thou therefore O Young Man in the time of thine Apprenticeship been unfaithful to thy Master and stoln any thing from him or any other as thou expectest to find mercy from God and to obtain the pardon of thy sin resolve forth with to restore the same otherwise it will prove not only a Moth in thine estate but the ruine of thy Soul If thou part not speedily with thine ill-gotten goods thy Soul is like to go for them And what will it profit thee to save thy goods and lose thy Soul CHAP. XXX Sheweth the necessity of performing Relative Duties VII HAve special regard to the Duties thou owest to thy Relations wherein consisteth a great part of a Christians work If God hath blessed thee with a Family let thy care be that God may be honoured therein by a constant conscionable performance of holy and religious duties Relative Duties do more demonstrate Piety and true Godliness than General Duties The work of Grace in mens Conversations doth appear much in the Duties of their Relations If therefore thou profess Godliness manifest the truth and power of it in performing the Duties of thy Relations Whatsoever men may talk of Godliness except it appear in a conscionable discharge of the duties of their Relations all their talk and profession of Religion is 〈◊〉 no purpose Except a Servant be diligent and faithful to his Master a Child dutiful to his Parent a Wife loving and obedient to her Husband all their profession of Religion is in vain So unless Masters Parents and Husbands be careful and conscionable in the discharge of the duties of their Relations all their talk of Godliness is to no purpose Therefore O Young Man have special regard to thy Relative Duties if thou be not good therein thou art not good at all what shew of goodness soever thou makest A good man but a careless Master careless of the Souls of his Servants A good man but an harsh unkind Husband these cannot well stand together Men are really what they are relatively except thou art relatively good thou art not really good Be therefore exactly conscionable in the duties of thy Relations If thou beest a Master a Governour of a Family be just and merciful to thy servants careful for the saving of their Souls If thou beest an Husband be kind and loving to thy Wife let all thy Commands be in love then will they be more chearfully obeyed If thou beest a Father be careful in the education of thy Children bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord As God hath made them thy Children by Natural Generation do thou endeavour to make them his Children by a Religious Education Know that relative duties and graces do very much grace Religion Q. What are those
THE YOUNG MAN'S GUIDE THROUGH THE VVilderness of this VVorld TO THE HEAVENLY CANAAN Shewing him how to carry himself Christian-like in the whole course of his Life By Tho. Gouge Minister of the Gospel Wherewithal shall a Young Man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy Word Psalm 119. 9. LONDON Printed by S. and B. G. for Nevil Simmons at the Princes Arms in S. Paul's Church yard 1676. The Epistle Dedicatory to the Youth of England especially to those who are in or about the City of LONDON SIRS THough I fear you are not all of you in so good a condition for your Souls as that I may apply those words to you without exception which are in 1 Ioh. 2. 14. I have written unto you Young Men because you are strong and the Word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one yet the Searcher of all hearts knoweth that I have written this Preface and the ensuing Treatise to you out of an earnest desire that it might be so with you My self and others that stand upon the Brink of Eternity by reason of Age can see better than your selves because we have had experience of it that your Youthful time is a dangerous time wherein however you may now rejoyce yet if you take not heed you may contract such guilt to your Souls as may make you to mourn hereafter yea for ever Prov. 5. 11 12 13. You are apt to put by Convictions and the Calls of Grace in hope of longer life and so to be unwilling yet to repent because you are too confident that yeâ—… you shall not die as if Holiness were not a thing in season for such as you are But doth God put off doing good to you till you are Old Is he not Now preserving of you and providing for you while you are Young Why then will you put off the doing service to him till you are Old What horrible unthankfulness is this to God What ground have you to think that you shall live so long or that you shall without fail die Gods Servants if you live Slaves to Sin and Satan But because I intend to be brief in the way of an Epistle for the Porch must not be too great where the House it self is but little therefore I will say somewhat briefly to you as you may be considered under a twofold distinction then to you all in general 1. Some of you are the Children of godly Parents others are not 2. Some of you are yet in your Apprenticeships and Service and with others of you that time is expired You that are the Children of godly Parents Oh if you should not be good what can you have to plead for your selves I take it for granted that you have had the advantages of your Parents gracious instructions holy examples and fervent prayers Have you forgotten what charge they laid upon you to fear the Lord much like to that of David to Solomon 1 Chron. 28. 9. And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts if thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever Why will you let the Pains the Prayers the Tears the Desires the Hopes of your Fathers that begot you and your Mothers that bare you to be lost and frustrated If your Parents be yet alive would it not be the Joy of their hearts to see that God had Circumcised yours And if they be dead will you not be afraid to meet them at the Tribunal of Jesus Christ in an Unregenerate condition It was no small mercy to you that God should make you to be the Seed of the Righteous and it will be no small aggravation of your sin if you should not be a Righteous Seed Perhaps besides your immediate Parents your Forefathers and Ancestors were such as walked with God in their several Generations and so godliness hath through Free Grace been as it were intailed upon your House from one Age to another Now what a dreadful thing would it be if any of you should cut off the intail of Godliness or that you should go to Hell whose Parents are going or gone to Heaven As for you whose Parents are not godly that must not keep you from labouring to be so because if they are not such yet they should be such And as I said before to those whose Parents were gracious that it would be a dreadful thing for them to cut off the intail of Godliness so now I say to you whose Parents are wicked that it would be a blessed thing for you to cut off the intail of sin which if you shall do will also cut off the intail of those Judgments which otherwise might come upon you for your Fathers iniquities Read to this purpose Ezek. 18. 14 15 16 17. And oh what an honour will this be to you if you shall do that which is right in the sight of the Lord when those out of whose bowels you came did that which was evil Mark what notice is taken by way of commendation of Young Abijah the Son of wicked Ieroboam because in him was found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam 1 King 14. 13. It is matter of great thankfulness and rejoycing to any beholder that good Children should come even out of a good Family but that the Branches should be holy where the Root was not is matter of greater admiration and praise And yet such wonderful mercy doth the Lord sometimes shew to some Children who neither by the Fathers nor Mothers side can plead any right to the Covenant of Grace Be not discouraged therefore from looking after the Promise because you are not according to the Natural Birth the Seed of true Believers but repent and believe the Gospel and then instead of that and which is more than that you will according to the Spiritual Birth be the Sons of Abraham yea the Sons of God Now in order to the second distinction Some of you are yet in your Apprenticeship and Service in which you ought to behave your selves with that obedience to your Governours with that diligence and faithfulness in the duties of your Places that you may be blessings to the Families into which God by his Providence hath called you Take heed of pride stubbornness idleness evil company and of wronging your Masters in the least kind Be much in the consideration and imitation of Iacob and Ioseph The first of which served Laban with all his power Gen. 31. 6. And the other was so careful and conscientious in his Masters business that he made him Overseer of his House and put all that he had into his hands Gen. 39. 4. I would advise you to get such Scriptures by heart which instruct Servants in
special relative duties which are incumbent upon Masters and Governours of Families in reference to those under their charge A. 1. Let your houses be daily perfumed by a Morning and Evening Sacrifice of Prayer and Praise unto God Both which were appointed under the Law Exod. 29. 38 39. and this shadowed what was to be performed under the Gospel God renews his mercies to you every Morning and protects you every night from manifold dangers whereunto you are subject and can you be so ungrateful and unmindful of him who is every moment so mindful of you as not to offer up unto him a Morning and an Evening Sacrifice 2. Let the Word of God be frequently read in your Families which is not only the Foundation of Faith and the Well-spring of Saving Wisdom but also the ground of Godliness and the Guide of Practice able to make you wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. We cry out against the Pope and Popish Clergy for locking up the Scriptures in an unknown Tongue from the Laity not suffering them to have a Bible in their Mother-tongue whereas many Masters amongst us deal much alike with those under their charge who if they do not lock up the Scriptures from them yet neither do they unlock them to them by causing them to be read among them Certainly did you seriously consider the benefit that might redound to your servants by a frequent hearing the Word read you could not but be more frequent therein Are any of them addicted to Drunkenness Lying or Swearing who knows but upon hearing the threaâ—…nings in Gods Word denounced against those sins they mâ—…y for the â—…ime to come abhor and avoid the same Or are any of thy servants unprofitable and disobedient unto thee who knows but upon hearing the duties of servants read out of the Word of God where they are commanded to be obedient to their Masters in all things and to serve them not with eye-service as men-pleasers but as the servants of Christ with singleness of heart as Ephes. 5. 5 6. they may become more obedient and profitable unto thee So that methinks for thine own good as well as theirs thou shouldst cause the Word to be frequently read in thy Family 3. Set some time apart in every Week to Catechize those under thy charge teaching them the chief Principles of Religion than which there is no better means to keep them from the errours of the times If he be worse than an Infidel who provides not for the bodies of those in his Family what then is he who takes no care of their Souls neglecting to instruct them in the Principles of the Oracles of God Content not thy self with a dead distracted manner of serving God but stir up thy self to a lively spiritual performing those holy duties thou takest in hand To draw near unto God with our bodies and honour him with our lips when our hearts and spirits are removed from him is no better than a mocking of God which he abhors and detests V. As a means and help for the constant performing these Family-duties have special care of the choice of thy Yoke-sellow that thou marry a Vertuous woman one who is related to Christ at least one that liketh and approveth the best things If thy Wife be not a promoter of Godliness in the Family she will be a hinderer thereof The Scripture in setting forth the wickedness of Iehoram renders this as the reason thereof that he had the Daughter of Ahab to Wife 2 Chron. 21. 6. Therefore O Young Man in seeking after a Wife it will be thy wisdom 1. To look more after righteousness than after riches to inquire more after her Piety than after her Portion to know rather with what Religion she is indued than with what Estate she is indowed Alas what is the richest Portion the most exquisite Beauty and the rarest parts in comparison of a mind inobled with Grace and Verâ—…ue A Wife as well as an Husband is the greatest outward comfort or cross in the world So that to err once in the choice of a Wife is in a manner to be undone for ever Therefore O Young Man be sure thou seek unto God by Prayer for his direction and assistance in this great work upon which much of thy future happiness or misery doth depend 2. Next to Piety Prudence and Discretion is to be looked at in a Wife For wisdom exceeds solly as much as light exceeds darkness Eccles. 2. 13. And indeed what is Beauty without discretion but as a Iewel of Gold in a Swines snout Prov. 11. 22. And Solomon by way of commendation setteth forth a prudent Wife to be a special gift and principal blessing of God such as excelleth all other temporal blessings whatsoever 3. Marriage-affection requires some external amiableness that she be a pleasing person in whom thou mayst delight Though as the Wise Man speaketh Prov. 31. 30. favour be deceitful and beauty vain because they are subject many ways to decay and vanish away yet favour and beauty may serve for the rooting and settling of affection at the first 4. In regard that Marriage is the Foundation of a Family and Posterity a Portion is not to be contemned though not chiefly to be desired Therefore in seeking a Wife let not wealth and riches be chiefly in thine eye as if thou wert going about a Purchase and wert to Wed not the Woman but her Wealth but look more to her inward goodness than to her worldly goods Lastly For a conclusion of the whole In the careful observation of all these directions give diligence to make thy Calling and Election sure It will not suffice me to press thee to do something that so thou mayst have hope I would perswade thee to thy whole duty that so thou mayst have assurance that it shall be well with thee And less than I have here advised thee to will not suffice thee to make sure for everlasting He must be an Universal Christian that will be an assured Christian there is as much required to assurance as is required in the whole Scripture Well what sayst thou wilt thou henceforth adventure thy Soul on conjectural and deceitful hopes or wilt thou set to it to make sure for Heaven What shall I say more to perswade thee Give me leave e're I dismiss thee to urge upon thee an argument or two Whatever thou hast to do here make sure for hereafter For. 1. Nothing temporal can be made sure 2. If things eternal be made sure it 's no great matter though things temporal remain at the greatest uncertainties 1. Nothing temporal can be made sure This World is a World of uncertainties The riches of it are uncertain riches 2 Tim. 6. 17. The pleasures of it are uncertain pleasures worldly Friends are uncertain Friends The Wheel of Providence is ever turning Now one 's at the top of the Wheel and then another and another and he that was just now at the top by
their duties especially these Ephes. 6. 5 6 7 8. Col. 3. 22 23 24 25. 1 Tim. 6. 12. Tit. 2. 9 10. 1 Pet. 2. 18 19. c. Take your Bibles and turn to these places read remember and practise them And because there is a sort of wicked Young Ones who not being contented with being vile themselves do desire to draw others into the Fellowship of their works of darkness therefore let not that word depart from you in Prov. 1. 10 My Son if sinners intice thee consent thou not And verse 15. My Son walk not thou in the way with them refrain thy foot from their path See also Prov. 4. 14 15. c. And now for you Young Men whose years of Apprenticeship are expired and who are no longer Servants because you are free from your Masters You have a wide World before you take heed that you be not lost in it by wandring from the Paths of Gods Commandments either 1. In the abusing of your Liberty or 2. In the using of your Trades As for your Liberty Remember that though the Yoke of your Masters be off yet you must keep the Yoke of Christ on or you must take it upon you if yet you have not As you had a Master on earth whose Servants you were to be for a certain time so you have a Master in Heaven whose servants you must bâ—… for ever And this will be no unwelcom news to you if you do but understand what a good Master the Lord is to all that serve him in sincerity and with all their heart Though therefore you have obtained freedom from man yet you must not take any freedom to sin against God and though you are in that respect at your own dispose yet you must not live as if you were your own I think that Young Men at the coming out of their time had need count it one of the special times of their life wherein they should be most watchful For it may be easily observed in too many that there is such prophaneness then manifested as if Hell were broken loose In the using of your Trades and Callings you must manage all things as those that do not make mens practises but Gods Precepts the Rule of your Buying and Selling. Beware of the love of Money which is the root of all evil and be sure you go not out of Gods way to get an Estate That will be sad gain at last which brings the loss of the Soul It is mens horrible unbelief and ignorance and distrustfulness of Gods All-sufficiency that makes them think they shall not get enough for themselves and theirs to live comfortable upon unless they should stretch their Consciences beyond the due bounds And know that what is unjustly gotten will be followed with a Blasting when that which is honestly come by will be followed with a Blessing And now for a Conclusion to all of you What hath hitherto been spoken is but as it were to prepare you a little for that great Duty of Remembring NOW your Creatour in the days of your YOUTH Be sure you never well remember your selves if you forget the Lord. When the Prodigal Son came to himself he presently thought of returning to his Father Luk. 15. 17 18 19. Notwithstanding all your sins against God his Bowels of Love will receive you if you do not refuse the mercy that is offered to you He knows as well how to pardon the Penitent as to punish the Impenitent It is his infinite goodness to your Souls that you should have some to warn you before it be too late In the number of which I have desired to be one out of an hearty well-wishing to your Eternal good Read and consider what follows and the Lord give you understanding and add his own blessing teaching you faithfully to improve all the helps and furtherances he is pleased to vouchsafe unto you for your Souls advantage T. G. THE CONTENTS OF THIS TREATISE THe Text opened and explained Page 1 The Doctrine That it is a Duty incumbent upon all Young Men to consecrate the prime and strength of their days to the service of God 4 The Reasons of the Point 5 1 Use. Reproof of those who devote the Flower of their Age to the service of Satan and their sinful Lusts and reserve their decayed strength for God and his service 13 2 Use. Exhortation unto all Young Men to offer unto God the First-fruits of their lives 15 Several Objections of many Young Men against their early seeking and serving of God answered 17 Several Directions suitable to Young Men. 36 1. That they labour to be well rooted and grounded in the Principles of Religion 36 2. That they return to the Lord. The Nature of Conversion opened with some Arguments thereunto 37 3. That at their first setting up they content not themselves with a competent Stock of Money to begin the World withal but that they likewise get a good Stock of Grace 46 Helps thereunto 48 4. That they live godly and gracious lives with Directions thereunto 53 I. At thy first awaking in the Morning lift up thine heart to God in a thankful acknowledgment of his mercy to thee in the night past 53 II. So soon as thou art ready before thou goest about the works of thy Calling withdraw thy self into some private place and there pour out thy Soul unto God by Fervent Prayer 54 III. Having begun the day with Prayer then betake thy self to the duties of thy particular Calling 57 In following whereof special regard ought to be had to the ENDS and MANNER of performing them 57 For the Manner of following thy Calling these Rules are to be observed 58 I. Be diligent therein but with these two Cautions 58 1. Beware of laying out the strength of thy heart and spirit upon thy worldly businesses which ought to be reserved for Communion with God 58 2. Beware that thy worldly businesses and imployments do not ingross thy whole time but allow thy Religious Duties their proper and sufficient season 59 II. Follow thy worldly businesses with an heavenly mind 60 1. By raising matter of Heavenly Meditations from the same 60 2. By oft lifting up thine heart to God in short Ejaculatory Prayers for his direction assistance and blessing on thy pains and endeavours 61 III. Be Iust and Honest in thy dealing with men avoiding all guile and deceit 62 The Heads of several frauds and deceits to frequently acted in matters of Commerce and Trading 63 For the preventing of which several Rules are given 66 Motives and Arguments to Iust and Honest dealing 67 The hâ—…inousness of sundry Vices whereunto Young Men are addicted is set forth with several preservatives against them The Vices mentioned are 1. Rash and hasty Anger 70 2. Drunkenness 75 3. Wantonness and Uncleanness 83 4. Prophane and rash Swearing 91 5. Lying 95 6. Back-biting and Tale-bearing 100 IV. Another Direction for the leading a godly and gracious life is
to keep a strict watch over thy self in those things which concern thine own person For help therein several Rules are given 1. Be careful of thy thoughts in well ordering them 103 Helps thereunto 103 2. Be careful of thy words that they be well governed 107 3. Be careful of thy actions concerning which are given 111 1. Some General 112 2. Some Particular Directions General Directions are these 1. Ingage thy self in a deep design for Eternity 112 2. Let thy whole life be a prosecuting and serving thy godly design 113 That thou mayst the more effectually proseeute it and prosper in it 1. Let Faith and Love be the root of thy life and the several actions of it 113 2. Let the Word and Will of God be the Rule of thy actions 115 3. Let the glorifying and enjoying of God be the end of thy life and of all the duties of it 116 Particular Directions for ordering our lives and actions according to Godliness are these 1. Beware of living in the wilful omission of any known Duty 117 2. Live not in the practice of any known sin 119 3. If thou hast been overtaken with any sin and thereby made a wound in thy Conscience seek an healing Plaister by sound Repentance and Faith in the Blood of Christ. 121 4. When through Grace thou art recovered take heed of falling back again 122 5. Be moderate in all things more particularly 1. In the use of Meats and Drinks 123 2. In Sports and Recreations 125 3. In the pursuit of Worldly Wealth and seeking after riches 128 V. Directions in reference to your Carriage towards oothers 1. Be peaceable towards all men 138 2. Be affable and courteous to others 142 3. Be humble towards all men 143 4. Be as serviceable to others as thou canst 144 5. Be merciful towards such as are in misery 146 6. Be careful to restore what thou hast stoln or unjustly got 150 7. Have special regard to thy Relative Duties 153 The special Relative Duties incumbent on Governonrs and Masters of Families are these 1. Let your Houses be daily perfumed by a Morning and Evening Sacrifice of Prayer and Praise unto God 154 2. Let the Word of God be frequently read in your Families 155 3. Set some time apart in every Week to Catechise those under your Charge teaching them the chief Principles of Religion 156 4. Be careful that thy self and Family keep the Lords Day holy 156 For a Conclusion of the whole In a careful observation of all these Directions give diligence to make thy Calling and Election sure 158 THE Young Man's Guide CHAP. I. The Exposition of the Words Eccl. 12. 1. Remember now thy Creatour in the dayes of thy Youth while the evil dayes come not nor the years draw night when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them THE Royal Preacher King Solomon in the latter part of the foregoing Chapter doth by an emphatical Irony disswade young men from those youthful lusts and sensual pleasures whereunto they are naturally addicted and that by the consideration of that dreadful account they are to give unto God at the great day as vers 4. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and walk in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into Iudgement As if he had said since thou art so set upon it to have thy will and thy way to suck the sweet and make the best of what is before thee take thy course take thy fill of thy pleasure ease and hearts-content whilest thou livest but remember what comes after and know that for all thy sweet morsels and pleasant draughts for all thy pleasant sins and youthful liberties and those vain and wicked courses wherein thou now takest such content and delight God will bring thee into judgement die thou must thou knowest not how soon and after death thou shalt be brought before Gods Tribunal there to answer for all that thou hast done and receive a just recompence of reward Remember this O young man and then go on thy way at thy peril A serious consideration of the judgement of God would be an excellent means to abate the heat of lust and take off young men from those sensual delights wherein they are commonly so drench'd and drown'd Solomon having thus disswaded young men from their youthful lusts and pleasures In the beginning of this Chapter he perswades them to the seeking of God and that from their youth and younger years by several arguments The first is couched in the four first verses of this twelfth Chapter taken from the unfitness of old men to set themselves to the service of God which they have neglected all the former part of their lives Remember now thy Creatour in the dayes of thy yeuth while the evil dayes come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them Briefly to clear the words Remember Young men of all others in this case have but short memories are apt to forget God his wayes and Judgements and to leave the care and minding hereof to their old age Therefore the Wise man knowing how unfit and unseasonable that would be to enter upon so great a work adviseth them to begin betimes and early to fix their thoughts on God and to consecrate their strength from the very first to him For this remembrance in the text doth not only import an Act of memory but such a calling to mind as works upon the affection and practice so as to set us a doing of what we know and remember To remember God is the same as to know God to love and fear and serve him 'T is the same counsel which Solomon here gives which once he received from his aged Father 1 Chron. 28. 9. And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind As God is said to remember man when he thinks upon him to do him good So man doth then remember God when he thinks upon him to do him service Thy Creatour From whom thou hadst thy being and well-being thy Creation and Preservation and therefore owest thy self and service unto him As thou art from God so thou oughtest to love and live unto him he made thee this living soul after his own image and thereby as thou art more capable so art thou the more obliged unto him and that Now in the dayes of thy Youth Which is the prime of thy time the flowre of thine age the strength of thy life when thou art able to do him the best service God will be served with the best of all thy strength and will not be put off till thy strength be gone therefore now in the flowre of thy youth give up thy self unto him While the evil dayes come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them That is
to Christ be the main Spring that sets all thy Wheels a going this will both give vigour and a sweet relish to all thou dost and according to this according to what love there is in thy duties so will thy acceptance be with God 2. Let the Word and Will of God be the Rule of thy life Psal. 119. 9. Wherewithal shall a Young Man cleanse his way The question may be inlarged wherewâ—…thal shall a Young or Old Man cleanse and order his way And the Answer will be the same By taking heed thereto according to thy Word This Word is a Light to the feet and a Lanthorn to the steps it sheweth thee what is good and that good must be done it sheweth thee what is evil and what evil is to be avoided it sheweth thee what good is to be done and how what evils are to be eschewed and how thou mayst avoid them Young Man do not as the most of thine Age use to do be unruly live not according to thy unruly head or heart according to thy unruly lusts and passions but live by rule live not by the rule of Custom or by the rule of example after the course of this World but let God be thy Ruler and his Law be thy Rule As many as walk according to this rule peace shall be on them and mercy Gal. 6. 16. Enquire diligently what would God have me do How would God have me live Would God have me live an idle life Would God have me to swear or to lye or to covet Is not this it that the Lord would have me do to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live righteously and soberly and godly in this present world Tit. 2. 12. And if this be it that the Lord would have go and live accordingly 3. Let the glorifying and enjoying of God be the end of thy life and of all the duties and actions of it Let this be the scope of thy life the mark at which thou aimest that thou mayst honour God and be happy in him And that thou mayst eye and pursue both these in one let this be the aim and intent of thine heart in thy whole course To work out thine own Salvation Phil. 2. 12. In this one work is included all that thou hast to do or mind In this thou wilt best glorifie God and secure his everlasting love to thine own Soul Therefore upon this set thine eye and thine heart in all thy ways So that if the question be put wherefore livest thou wherefore livest thou thus thus holily thus humbly thus watchfully thus self-denyingly that thou mayst be able to answer Why I live thus that herein I may work out my Salvation Resolve to set thy self about nothing nor to allow thy self in any thing concerning which thou art not able to say I am herein working out my Salvation I am herein serving the Lord and endeavouring the saving mine own Soul Young Man dost thou live to this end what goest thou so often to the Alehouse or the Tavern for Is that to serve God and save thy Soul what is the intent of thy greediness upon the world of thy sensual licentious life of thy scoffing at the strictness of Religion dost thou all this also for the pleasing of God and working out thine own Salvation Canst thou say when thou art Drinking and Revelling when thou art swearing and Lying or when thou art loytering and playing away thy time canst thou then say Now I am serving of God herein I am working out my Salvation Or when thou art playing the Hypocrite and Formalist professing and praying and hearing and talking of God and the matters of Religion deceitfully out of pride or for ostentation or so coldly and negligently as thou ordinarily dost canst thou then say I am now praying for my life bearing for my life Will thy pride and thy hypocrisie bring thee to Heaven Are these false Duties that have nothing but a Lye at the bottom that are the Covert of a rotten heart are these they on which thou meanest to adventure thy Salvation Young Man if thou wouldst in earnest make this thine aim indeed the serving of God and saving thy Soul and have thine eye and thine heart much upon it this would both discover to thee whether thy way were right or wrong and also fetch thee off from all thy vain and wicked ways and quicken thee on in and hold thee close to that righteousness sobriety and godliness of life which is indeed the way to blessedness Thus much for General Directions CHAP. XXI Containeth particular Directions for the ordering our lives and actions according to Godliness IN the next place I shall give thee some particular Directions I. Beware of living in the wilful omission of any known duty The omission of good maketh us as liable to eternal vengeance as the committing of evil The unprofitable servant we read was â—…ast into outer darkness where was nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth not for mispending his Talent but for not improving it to his Masters advantage Matth. 25. 24 30. And Luk. 16. 20 25. We read how Dives was tormented in Hell not for taking away from Lazarus but for not relieving him in his wants And at the day of Judgment the Reprobate are condemned not for oppressing the Poor but for not feeding them not for stripping them of their Apparel but for not cloathing the naked Mat. 25. 42 43. And no marvel considering the omitting of a known Duty ariseth from a wicked heart and from a mind averse from God and unwilling to his service Besides sins of Omission are always accompanied with sins of Commission when we cease to do good immediately we begin to do evil Bless not then thy self O Young Man in thine harmless condition thinking thou art as good a Christian as the best because thou art not as bad as the worst but canst thank God with the Pharisee thou art neither Adulterer nor Drunkard nor Extortioner it were to be wished that some could say so much but know that this is not sufficient A man may truly say this I am not as bad as others and yet suffer with them in the same Lake of fire Thy Omissions may be thy undoing Yea not only a total omission of all that 's good but an ordinary and wilful and allowed omission of any one thing thou knowest to be thy Duty This cannot stand with sincerity which however it may be at some time will in ordinary certainly have respect to all the Commandments of God Psal. 116. 9. O how sadly doth this speak to thee thou halting and trifling Soul Many things thou dost and therein thou comfortest thy self but are there not many things also which thou knowest thou shouldst do but wilt not Thou knowest it is thy duty to pray to pray in thy Family in secret in thy Closet to be constant to be instant in prayer Dost thou so Thou knowest it to be thy duty to