complaint of all Ages that goodness is too rare and vertuous men exceeding few But it shall be the more lovely the more honourable that good things are found in you as in that Child of Ieroboam toward the Lord God of Israel The disobedience of others how evil soever in them may serve the more highly to commend your obedience in the sight of God and men It is praise-worthy indeed to shine as the Lilly among the Thornes to be sound as the Proverb of the Ancient adviseth like the fruitful Olive in the midst of Thistles Be you an example in Gods good waie unto all let none be snareâ— in evil unto you Corrupt examples ' may sway with weak minds but the wise in heart will rather regard and consider what is their duty If most shall vilely câ—st away their dear immortal souls as if no mercy no salvation were tendred unto them be you so much the more careful to â—ave yours Though you should travel somewhat solitary here on Earth yet comfort your selves you shall meet with good company in Heaven What Themistocles once wrote setting up a Bill upon an house he had to be lett adding for encouragement sake to them that should hire it this commendation There are good neighbours about it This oh this is indeed the happiness of heaven The Saints and Angels of God the Prophets the Apostles and blessed Martyrs with all your godly friends are all there There may you meet with Daniel who purposed while he was young that he would not defile himself There may you see the three Children whom the very slâ—mes could not affright from choosing to trust and serve the Lord in their tender years Be you also whatever others are like the vision of the Almond-tree holily ambitious to blossome with the first Thirdly Say not it is hard and truly though I dare not altogether deny it yet I scarce know how to like or love it Canst thou love sin and canst thou not love grace Is it an easie thing to serve Satan and hard to serve the Lord These are strange objections â—e never thus learned Christ. It hath been wont to be said by holy men that were before us Those are of all other to be reckoned the hard things which injure the precious soul and hazard Eternity But canst thou be indeed against the true feâ—r of God and the making of thine own Calling and Election sure Oh! tremble and know it is hard entring such unrighteous dissents and standing out with God we are not any of us stronger than he It wâ—s once indeed the Fathers case I was saies he both willing and unwilling my Conscience frâ—ely gave its Yea but my Affections were so shameless as to return their Nay But I arose and contended with my self till my backward heart became at length better perswaded Dear Youths you â—re it seems too far involved in the same conflict oh come forth as honourably in the like gracious resolution Our stubborn and humorous wills left câ—relesly to themselves Lord what utter woe and distress will they soon bring upon the whole man Thou that canlt not fare with thy duty how wilt thou ever be able to fare with thy misery and that for ever If duty may be disingenuously put off now yet will not that be so answered or sent away then And should there be any neglect or miscarrying in this great matter it is thy self thy dear self that is like to be the sufferer and bear the smart of it Come come be not unwilling with thine own duty be not averse toward that which would in conclusion prove thy greatest mercy The painful Countryman is never more in his Element never better pleased then when he is laboriously at work in his Calling And if we be indeed the Servants and Children of the Lord it must and well mâ—y be our meat and drink to do the will of our heavenly Father Fourthly Say not The pleasures of sin are sweet and I would fain have my time and share in them God grant you betâ—er Sweets than they will ever prove More lawful more real Of these we must all say with the Poet They have more of the Aloes than of the Honey in them Young Palates indeed are usually taken with any green raw fruits but their end is bitter Satan hath learnt how to bait the sharp hook how to guild the bitter pill artificially enough He easily over-reaches our credulous minds but his deceit and our disappointment will too soon appear What Nature is now so fond of Grace would even in an holy scorn trample under its feet saying as once St. Austine The pleasures I was sometimes afraid to part with it is now my greatest joy to be clearest from them Theâ—e are those at this day in Hell that are sick enough sick at heart of those very pleasures which they themselves when time was so violently lusted after and could now wish they had never known or called of them Oh! that you would tender your souls health and be perswaded to forbeâ—r them Pleâ—sures you may have only foâ—her sinful ones God would have none be duil though he bids all be innocent Heaven it self shall be 1 Paradise of divine delights for the People of God A vertuous heart me thinks should scorn Sin for its pastime and should not think so well of transgression as to dare to take it for its recreation but modestly chooses things harmeless and ingenuous and gracious and therein only takes delight There are more noble and peculiar entertainments for the mind as well as carnal surfettings for the body The soul hath also its delights more divine more enduring And oh how well would it become us to bethink our selves and choose as the Angels to feast on such heavenly food rather than with bruit beasts to immerse our selves in the fordid lusts of the slesh Oh! how did the Heathen both chide and grieve to see Nature abused under sensual pleasures Canst thou saies one of them after God hath given thee a mind then which there is nothing in the whole world more noble or divine Caust thou so prostitute and debase thy self that there shall scarce remain any longer difference between thee and the sorry beasts Let us take the words as spoken to our selves and life up your inclinations Dear Youths toward those cleaner pleasures which may best answer their own name which may best become you and your nature If others shall please themselves in wanton plaies the whole Creation may be your Theater where you may dayly see a lively Scene all variety upon the Stage every Creaâ—urâ— acting us part and the Glory of God to the just admiration of all Spectâ—tors â—isâ—lâ—ied in the whole If others delight themselves in idle book you may rejoyce in the Lâ—w of the Lorâ— and say wiâ—h David My meditatiâ—â— of him shall be sweet unto me Religion wants nor its true delights
your evil waies for why why indeed will ye die oh house of Israel Such are the Fathers bowels toward us too too regardless of our selves What answer as the Father piously said can ever be solidly made if such bowels of love such dear such free salvation as this should be ungratefully slighted Oh let your hearts even melt and your very souls be dissolved within you If the Lord be willing be not you unwilling neither let these tender arms of mercy be spread forth all the day long in vain Behold the Lord Jesus Christ at the Fathers right hand making continual intercession and the poor of the flock are his care the weary and broken in spirit the Objects of his pity It is their names he bears on his breast-plate and commends with such endearing arguments unto the Father Suppose your selves hearing him calling to you and arguing with your trembling thoughtful hearts on this wise Wherefore thinkest thou poor soul was I numbred amongst the transgressors and made a man of sorrows Wherefore was my Side pierced with the Spear my Head with Thorns and my dearest Bloud poured forth What dost thou conceive should move me to take upon me Humane Nature and become so near akin unto thee if it had not been to perform the office of a Kinsman and take the right of thy Redemtion upon me What could have perswaded me to sustain the bitter the accursed death of the Cross if it had not been to save such as thou art from thy sins Hast thou no need of my Righteousness What shall I do for thee What dost thou want What is it thy thirsty affections most pant after for thy souls good Speak freely and forbear not I am now ascended to my Fathers right hand and able to relieve thee Where are thy Prayers and I my Self will present them to my Father as from me perfumed with the sweet incense of my righteousness and he will shew favour unto thee Oh blessed encouragement here is the Golden Scepter held sorth indeeâ— What answer wilt thou now return to all this such overflowing love of so dear a Saviour Sit down with thy self poor Heart Advise by meditation what to aske and then send forth Faith and Prayer as the trusty and successful Messengers to fetch in supply Go thy waies take thy life in thy hands as once Hester did present thy Petition and say as she still did If I have found favour in thine eyes oh Lord let my life the life of my soul be given me at my request Do thou cry and he will hear He will graciously wash thy leprous soul in his own bloud and send his blessed Spirit as the Chariots and Horsemen of Israel to prepare and bring thee safely to glory Behold also the holy Angels of God waiting ready to rejoyce in your even in your Conversion There is not the meanest the poorest of you but your Repentance might become an occasion of much joy in Heaven It is a fresh feast to those noble Creatures to see the least encrease of the Kingdom of God To see though but one single sheep added to the flock of Christ. So precious is Grace so dearly is the recovery of a lost soul esteemed on high I might further tell you the damned themselves even groan unto you saying as in the Parable Oh! take warning by us and come not into this place of torments There is not one no throughout the whole Creation there is not so much as one that can heartily say unto you Go on in evil waies and prosper I charge you before the elect Angels and as you tender their comfort I charge you by the flaming pâ—ins and cries of the damned and as you would be loath to share with them iâ— all their Mâ—series take heed take serious heed to the saving of your souls All the divine threatnings of God stand naked and open before you as the hand-writing upon the wall that stand not there for nought They sound as so many shrill Trumpets from Mount Ebal and they also charge you to break off your sins by repentance Or else as sure as God is in Heaven iniquity will one day become your ruine All the sweet Promises are lastly appointed to attend your encouragement and furtherance in your Salvation They are sent forth in Gods name to invite you to his blessed kingdom and to assure you from him whatever pains you faithfully take heavenward your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. These are the Christians choice Feast and Banquet the Promises that you so joyfully should study that speak so comfortablie and withall as truly to the wearie soul. God himself hath made them and he will fulfil them It is the Concern of his glorie to make good the word that is gone out of his lips his faithfulness lies at stake therein Whosoever cometh unto him thus filiallie quoting and relying upon hiâ— Fathers word he will in no wise cast him out Come you and welcome Your work is good your wages will be great your fellow Servants the Excellent of the Earth your Master you are to go unto the lovingest the â—blest the Faithfullest the justest the kâ—ndest that ever was served Whaâ— can you possibly scruple Or where can you mend your selves Speak your hearts and spare not What danger think you can come of being safely reconciled unto the Lord What hinderance shall this be to any to be made an Heir of the Crown of life What wrong to others to save our selves What discredit to become a Child of the most High What Embasement of spirit to be renewed in our minds to the blessed Image of God Or what sadness can this ever occasion to be intituled to everlasting joyes We must even blush and holily fall out with our selves in the language of the Father saying as he Whence oh my soul whence is this horrid this strange and unreasonable thing that thou wilt be under no Command accept of no mercy heavenward Men may revile and our own wretched hearts may suspect the holy Counsels of God but the waies of the Lord are right and happy is that man that chooseth to walk therein He shall be able to lift up his face with Comfort not ashamed of his God nor disappointed of his hope â—hen the greatest pâ—rt of the World â—n the very depths of all distress and horrour shall call but alas in vâ—in 〈◊〉 Rocks and Mountains to fall upon them Awake then I beseech you for the Lords sâ—ke while it is yet the morning of your life the flower of your yeâ—rs Let your life be what indeed â—ll our lives ought to be a living Epistle a fair exemplification of the Gospel thâ—t men may see in you what in Primitive times the very Heathen saw so legible in Christians then The true portraiture of your Saviours life the just account of his Doctrine in the answerableness of your deportment and conversation Awake and arise
fiery party in either I confess I think there is no sober Christian but is ready in a mixture between joy and grief to say as that great man great for Piety great for Learning a little before his death to his bosome Friend I have known through the grace of God what it is to have the Word of God for the sure and trusty rule of Salvation unto me and what it is to follow the vâ—in dreams and pleasures of men The Concerns of Religion are exceeding great and ponderous God and Man will expect God and Man will allow that all be cordial and upright in them Only the pleasure of our Father still is that we graciously temper and carry Moses his meekness with Moses his zeal Deporting our selves in the profession of his name as the Sun in the Spring which so shines as not to scorch Retaining all due candor as men while we further profess to honour and serve holiness and peace in a higher capacity as Christians And oh that we might see those Magnalia Dei those great things of God and of Religion the very ornamenâ—s and beauties of holiness revived and espoused amongst us Repentance from dead works to serve the living God Faith unfained Faith without Complements thinking so well of God as to repose our selves and dearest Concerns chearfully upon him his power and faithfulness in Christ. An holy care to lead a right godly course of life placing Religion where of right it justly and only centers not in formal or contentious words but in a willing and faithful practice Putting off what none indeed can be very willing to keep on the old man with all the odious lusts thereof Walking as the ransomed of the Lord in newness of spirit newness of life Pressing heartily after the mark Rejoycing day by day in all the sweet hopes that are set before us till the seed time shall reach the harvest and the sheaf of glory be reapt and seen with joy in the Believers bosome This oh this was the Religion so many righteous men have wished so well unto and longed so much to see such Gospel such gracious daies of the Son of Man Thus might we also honourably answer as Nehemiah we are doing a great work the work of God and of our Souls and have neither desire nor leave to come down suffering that to cease while we wear out our precious time and gain no more than what may well be wept out again the distempering of our weak and tender minds into high Feavers and passions by the angry strife of Tongues God Almighty grant we may at length reach the Apostles great charge and follow the truth in love Tender of the truth that it be not changed into a lye Cordial toward love that it sustain no wrong while we seem in the pursuit of truth Remembring with our selves as the Father how unnatural and even Prodigious it would be to have the Wolfs savage heart found in the Lambs bosome Oh! thou the God of so great forbearance and tenderness towards us all give unto us also of that sweet spirit of thine bowels of mercies kindness and humbleness of mind each toward other Pity thy weak and froward Children Rowle away our reproach and let our eyes yet see that dear and sacred thing the Iewel of Nature the Honour of Religion the Promise of God the great Desire of all gracious hearts Peace thy Peace upon this thine Israel Reader I had purposed some further instructions here to the Elder To have intreated you respectfully as Fathers That you might as David walk with a perfect heart where indeed the integrity of the heart is most tried in the midst of your house And with Abraham bring up your children how mean soever outwardly yet each one as the Child of a Prince for God and the praise of his Name For your Country and the welfare thereof to minister before both in the lovely services of righteousness all their daies But a weighty providence from the Lord intervening takes off my hand for the present Let it be accepted oh Lord that it was in mine heart to have served thee therein This only shall I abruptly now say you have given in your Pledges to Posterity and are leaving your Children as Absaloms Pillar in the Valley to preserve your names when you are gone Oh! let your care be such concerning them your carriage so Exemplary before them that your selves may become true Benefactors and your Children a real Treasure to the next Age rendring your names thereby as sweet odours to all So might you welcome your death with pleasant smiles when ere it comes Assuring your dearest Friends as that pious Emperour upon his death-bed so chearfully said to his I am now willing indeed to die since I shall leave a living Monument a Child of mine to hold up the Lamp in my stead to serve unto Vertue when I am gone So might it be further acknowledged by others at your Funeral when your dust shall lye silent before them as was said of Theodosius to his just and deserved honour A great man a good man is this day taken from us He is gone but not wholly He hath left part of himself his hopeful Children here behind him In them may we see the fair Fruits of a pious Education in them we freely acknowledge much of the Fathers worth and goodness still surviving By them as Abel though dead he yet liveth and dayly renews a vertuous example before us The Lord thus blesse the arising Generation amongst us vouchsafing this sweet and pleasing mercy as his choice favour till it become the joy and beauty of our dear and native Land The Lord thus shine with his Lamp upon your Tabernacles and your Childrens Children unto many Generations after you In the affectionate desires whereof I rest Your Friend and Servant in the just obligements of Nature and Grace Samuel Crossman Errata Reader YOu are much desired candidly to excuse and with your Pen to correct the many Errata's which in the Authors absence have unawares slâ—pt through the Press Amongst divers others these at first sight appeared in a Cursory view of some few Pages Page 4. in the quot read Persius p. 21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 55. line 5. r. astliction 9.80 l. 19. r. regret â— 142. quo â— ovis twice p. 147 quot r. humilitas p. 155. quo â— coâ—vexaque p. 184. quoâ— r. candidissim e. p. 193. l. 15. r. con â—â—s p. 219. l. 8. r. ingenious p. 221. l. 25. r. thread p. 17. l. 19. in the Poems for circl'st r ceil'st You will easily find several other mistakes of the like nature As also mispointings and mispellings Especially in the Marginal Notes Wherein the Hebrew initial Letters are often set for final and Accents some omitted others misplaced in the Greek But these Errata's are far the least and little danger in them if we carefully prevent
as that which quencheth the subordinate sweetness of life as that which overthrows what were otherwaies lovely in nature Nor yet on the other hand content your selves with bare nature without the true grace of God which is ten thousand times more worth and better indeed than life it self Be ye in Gods name frugal of all the just comforts of this life slight them not waste them not they are the dear gifts of God the God of all our mercies the portion that is given us outwardly under the Sun But if the Lord be willing to sanctifie these and bestow yet greater then them upon us let us not neglect let us not despise our own advantages but accept it with all humble thankfulness that our water may thus be turned into wine Now therefore that you may the more understandingly comport with these great Concerns and the better see what lies before you it will be very necessary for you what you can solidly to inform and satisfie your selves very particularly in these three things 1. The world into which you are now come and for a time to live what that is 2. The great ends for which you are thus set on shore and now sent hither what they are 3. The true way and means whereby these righteous and desirable ends might be at length happily attained He that once understands where he is what he hath indeed to do and how he may fairly and safely compass his work needs not stand idle in the Market-place he hath enough to take up both his hands and heart withall God grant that you may go ingenuously into your Lords Vineyard and willingly work the work for which you were sent into the world First Then be contented to sit down and consider what kind of world this is into which you are now come It may availe you in the sequel of your life to have throughly known it ere you be further involved in it It is a world that too much encumbers most but solidly contenteth none Our Stage indeed whereon to act but not our Bed whereon to rest The Ancients who observed and enquired very studiously after it have plainly told us what we shall â—lso find it A true Enemy in the disguised cloaths and habit of a Friend The Young man by mistake fondly calls it Naomi and saies it is pleâ—sant The Elder by deâ—r-bought experience finds it Marah and cries out oh it is bitter Such is this world as the Tents of Kedar which you are now for a season come to take up your quarters in It was once indeed a beautiful Palace the glory of God shining without any clouds in its full brightness upon it The furniture of it when God took the first Inventory thereof all exceeding good But now sin hath marred it like that girdle by the river Euphrates as a Vesture it is changed and its former beauty is departed from it Satan is now by the permission of God become the Prince and God of this world The furniture of it now joyless enough All that is in the world and that All both scant and sad enough is the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life The Favorites of it Gods Foes Whosoever will be the friend of this world maketh himself the enemy of God Sweet Children slatter not your selves with vain hopes this is not your resting place arise it will deceive you it will destroy you Here may we too truly soe the course of nature dayly set on fire The children of men whom God hath made all of one blood that we might unsainedly seek the good each of other almost every man breathing strife hunting his brother with a net lying in wait to revile to supplant and to destroy Here may we as sad spectators behold before our eyes the righteous ends of Creation almost every where perverted and the good Creatures of God vilely abused and made subject to bondage to serve the lusts the beastly lusts of sinful men Such I may once more inform you is the world that you are now as strangers and pilgrims come into If afterwards you meet with rough waters and mâ—nifold troubles scarce now it may be so much as expected or lookt for by you you must not marvel as if some strange thing befell you remember this only word it is the World a raging Sea which cannot rest whereon you sail If temptations hereafter on all sides endanger your souls you are also forewarned of it This is that wilderness where so many fiery Serpents will be stinging of us Trust not oh trust not to that which hath undone so many Though it appear as the plains of Sodom once to Lot like the garden of God for sensual pleasantness choose it not it must as Sodom be destroyed This no better is the world into which we may now sadly welcom you You may write upon these doors and safely conclude as the Hebrews piously do in their similiar Proverb One hours sweet refreshment in that world which is to come is far to be preferred before an whole life in this 2. But now secondly being come as God once said to Elijah so may I to you What makes you here What have you â—ere to do Enquire humbly at the Word of God weigh things as you are able in your own consciences and judge impartially what you think God sent you into the world for The end in any action though it be the last thing that is actually attained and reached unto yet must it be the first thing that is espoused and thought upon Before we let the Arrow go we had need take heed our eye be first upon the White You are as Servants going to Market upon your Masters business Dear Children be willing to take your Errand carefully and God Almighty grant that when you go home in the Evening of your Life to stand before your Master you may be able truly to say Father I have glorified thy name on earth I have truly though but weakly finished the work thou gavest me to do You came not hither to trisle away your precious hours in vain pastimes No no time is of it self withouâ— these too nimble and hâ—stens too fast from us You came not hither to treâ—sure up further wrath against the day of wrath our danger is too great already You came not hither upon a sensual errand to make provision for the lusts of the flesh as if the Soul had nothing to do but to become as many would have it a Cook or Cup-bearer or some Kitchin-servant to the body You came not hither Gehazi like to run after the Chariot wheel of a foolish sickle world for change oâ— Raiment or peeces of Silver Take heed you embase not your selves to any of these things they are far below you as Men much more below you as Christians You came hither upon business of more consequence On that great Errand
eye that it should not rove after vanity He knows the heart is weak and too prone to be drawn away by it He hears of some that have eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin the sad character of too many but he desires to feast his on the good Word of God and then without rowling to or fro to look straight forward and to ponder the path of his feet He sets the like guard upon all his other Senses remembring the sage â—though almost Paradoxal counsel of the Ancients Shut up those five windows that the house may shine the clearer and the noble Inhabitant the soul may rest the safer He then wisely withholds making provision â—or the flesh Lest giving lust its baits it should become as the Sons of Zervia too hard for him Fulness of bread and idleness were Sodoms sins and all unnatural leudness was by and by Sodoms shame Strange and light attire it is to him a thing needless to provide it burdensome to mind it and when all this is done disgraceful to wear it He hath heard the Ancients much condemn it and he doth not desire it But above all he chargeth his heart that it should not dare to dally with any lustful thoughts though never so secretly Sin is sin in the root as well as in the fruit in the thoughts as truly as in the actions and Sâ—tan will soon grow bolder If he once gets footing so far as the heart he will scâ—rce be so modest as to stay long there The fire once kindled there will quickly break out further Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak the hands will act and will noâ— be restrained Or however his danger is still the same where sin seeks most for shelter in the secret chambers of the heart there even there Gods searchers come most God will have the secretest Cabinet opened Where his sins burn most the eye of God shall find him out The unclean person may take it as a Mene Tekel written upon the wall for him I the Lord search the heart and try the reins to give unto every man according to his waies and according to the fruit of his doings Finally He concludes as we all likewise justly may that our bodie ought to bâ— the Temples of the Holy Ghost If he could break away from other considerations and set light by them yet the dread of God comes in and curbs him with this tremendous warning in his ear If any man shall deâ—ile the Temple of God that man shall God destroy Oh Sirs it is no deceiving our selves or dallying with sin God cannot be mocked 9. One that wisely laies up all the memorable experiences and observations of his Youth for the better instruction of his riper years These are that good Treasure so well worth our gathering the safest and trusty guides of life The Eleazars the faithful servants with which the most tender mind as Rebeccah is very inclinable to go along It is by them that so many Arts and honourable Attainments have been hatched up and brought by degrees to any maturity Books and bare reading may render us nicely witty and ingenuous for airy discourse but it is still left to further experience to settle and furnish us out more solidly for real affairs We may reckon and not misreckon neither as Affranius the old Poet in hiâ— famous Inscription upon the doors where the Roman Senators so frequently met If Wisdom be the Child Experience seems the Parent that brought it forth and Memory the Mother in whose bosome it rests and still lies It runs much in all our minds naturally to say as he in the Gospel Except I see I will not believe Knowledge it seems must come in by the broad gates of the Senses ere it can have its access to the mind or any private audience in those inward Chambers The ingenuous Young Man hears all this And what Historians tell us was ingraven of old upon Plato's Seal he is freely willing it should be the sententious Motto of his Arms Experience when all is done is the great Governess that beareth the best rule in all things And therefore that he might not lose the surest means for his good information or live upon trembling uncertainties all his daies he agrees heartily with himself to get the best and â—ullest satisfaction that he can as an eye-witnâ—ss in all things And therein resolves more particularly 1. To keep a Diary and just account of all the sore judgments of God upon wicked men in his time For they are indeed as the severity of God upon Shiloe as devouring flames upon our neighbours house and may well be a near warning to us They are as the stroke upon the two first Captains and their Fifties that we might fall upon our faces and say Oh my Lord let my life be precious in thy sight I will henceforth fear and not dare to do thus presumptuously 2. Of all the Lords tender mercies toward his faithful servants The hidden Mannah wherewith he inwardly so often feasts them The manifold sweet outward deliverances wherein he so remarkably in their greatest straights owns them Which makes him cry out as the Queen of Sheba Blessed are these thy servants oh Lord Happy are they that are in such a case whose God is the Lord. Oh! that I may be also as one of those upon whom thine eyes are thus for good continually 3. He is as desirous to preserve the Register of all the Lords dealings by him in particular and whatever befals him from his Youth Herein the Lord plainly chargeth him as Moses of old adjured the Israelites Thou shalt well consider in thine heart and remember all the way that I have hitherto led thee to try thee and to prove thee that thou mightst in the following part of thy life know and acknowledge the God of all thy mercies Dear Children these things I commend unto you with the utmost Cordialness that I am able He is a Scholar indeed that is Gods Scholar and he learns indeed that meditates in the Works as well as in the Word of God Here you may see all things as in a glass before you Here you may gather every one of you a little History of your own wiâ—h great delight and profit Be oh I pray be you truly careful herein and it shall be a sweet means to make you wise in your Generation as men to establish you in a great composure of Spirit in all your profession as Christians 10. One that willingly bears in mind that great Memonto which the Lord hath so particularly given in charge to Young People Rejoyce oh Young Man â— if so thou darest and thine heart can serve thee to sport securely in thine own ruine but know that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement This is that day that shall come as a snare
pray know It is no less than Life or Death that now stands before you waiting for your Yea or Nay It is so small or inferiour matter of little moment of light consequence that you are now to give your answer in It is Heaven it is Eternal life I need say no more it is your own happiness for ever and ever how can you turn your backs upon it Yea further know there have been those among the poor Heathens that never durst think thus lightly of sin as you do They alwaies held it the greatest evil and the sorrows of it the heaviest sorrows in the whole world There have been tender hearted Ninevites that have come to God at one call and gladly closed with their own mercy And there yet are at this day how backward soever you may be thousands filially returning as the Prodigal with tears of joy to their Fathers house longing for him and welcome to him going where there is what they and you likewise want Bread of life and change of Rayment that you might be cloathed Oh why should you stand out against such sweet mercy and harden your selves so unnaturally to your own destruction You might yet further know though it will be sad enough to know it there is never a Companion of yours with whom you have now sinned but shall be ready to witness against you Never a leaf in all your Bible but shall be enough to condemn you Ministers Parents Friends and Foes shall all come forth against you And oh how cutting will it be to be made a spectacle of scorn to God to Angels and to Men How wounding to thy astonished heart to become an everlasting By word upbraided of all pitied of none It is the condition will they say that he hath long ago deserved and let him bear it This as an holy man rightly observed will make thy load and burden heavy indeed Yea God himself who here hath wooed and so often so long even waited to be gracious shall then set every sin in order before you and make your guilty Consciences with everlasting blushings to own them Then saies the Father shall it be said in the audience of Heaven and Earth Behold the man and all that ever he did let it be had in everlasting remembrance whether it be good or whether it be evil Then shall your selves also look back upon that dear Salvation that you have negligently lost that wretched misery that you have wilfully brought upon your selves and sinke down with heart-breaking sighs and horrour at the Bar of Christ. Then may you be ready to take your last leave of all comfort and say Farewell my day of Grace which is now gone and never more to shine upon such a wretch as I am Come in all ye my hainous sins and the bitter remembrance of you The Lord hath sent you to stand as adversaries of terrour round about me Sting as so many fiery Serpents in this bosome of mine and spare not Oh! that you might have leave to make an utter end and rid me out of all my pain Oh how will the tears trickle down to see the Lord so gracious so loving to others and yet so justly severe and full of indignation towards you To see those that prayed while you slept that so willingly kept the Lords Sabbaths while you as constantly profaned them to see those that â—â—isely redeemed that time which you so lavishly wasted to see those very persons so well known to you it may be your near acquaintance in the Kingdom of God and your selves shut out Then though never till then will the heart that hath held out as long as ever it could begin to falter and fail Then shall the lips break forth with that righteous acknowledgment I am undone undone for ever and my destruction is of my self Oh my dear Friends my bowels even yearn for you Hast thou but one blessing oh my Father bless our Young People even them also that they may turn to thee and live But I cannot thus leave you My Errand I confess is now even done but your duty henceforth to be taken up and still carefully carried on I may justly say of this whole Letter as once the Roman Oratour well said to his Son It will be of more or less service to you as you make it truly practicable in the sequel of your life Counsel stored by us in Books and neglected in life it is like the coâ— vetous mans bags of Gold which lie wholly dead and no good use made of them Suffer me then once more for greater sureness sake to rehearse my Message again unto you It is you Dear Youths to whom I am as the Father affectionately said in this Paper to apply my self It is you who have yet seen but the third hour of the day with whom the Message whether it lives or whether it dies must now be finally left You are desired in the higest Name that can be used in the Name of the great and most glorious God who made the Heavens and the Earth and gave you that breath you breathe between your Nostrils You are desired in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ who freely shed his precious bloud in a readiness to redeem and cleanse you from all your sins You are desired in this great and dreadful Name and by all the respect you bear unto it to remember your Creator in the daies of your Youth You are desired to strive to enter in at the straight Gate You â—â—e desired to accept the richest the greâ—â—est gift that God himself ever bâ—stows upon any his own dear Son You are desired to be kind to your own Souls and to lay up a good foundation agâ—inst times to come You are desired to come and live with God for ever Dear Youths what do you purpose to do in this great matter These are not Requests to be slighted these are not Requests to be denied Such a capacity for mercy how would the damned prize it oh let not the living set light by iâ— This short moment how meanly soever you may think of it once wretchedly lost and an Age will not recover Eternity it self as long as it is will never restore the like advantages to your souls again And now are you oh are you at length willing to go about this blessed work and become happy for ever if there may be yet any hope in Israel concerning your case Behold the arms of Mercy are open ready to imbrace you whatever is past how unkind how hainous soever God is ready to forgive willing to forget it He calls Heaven and Earth to record if you miscarry let the blame lie where it ought it shall not be his As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that he turn from his wicked way and live Turn ye oh now unweariedly doth the Lord renew his call turn ye from
that great and common one so incident both to Writer and Reader A practical neglect after all of any good counsel how usefully soeâ—er given how affectionately soever for present received To the Children and Servants of my dear Neighbours at c. My Christian love with desires of your real welfare in this life and that which is to come Ingenuous Youths UPon whom the eyes of all are justly set observing your present carriage and further waiting what your following years will prove Even a Child though but a child is known by his doings whether his work be pure and whether it be right So early doth nature put forth its inclinations and discover it self May your youth be as the Spring for loveliness your riper years as the Summer for real fruitfulness CHAPTER I. The Introduction or previous Entrance into the ensuing Discourse YOu are now entring a troublesom sinful world and are therein to be pitied You are now upon your great preparations for Eâ—ernity and therein had need be seriously counselled and advised Me thinks I see you just setting forth in your great journey your long journey whence you shall not return a journey which will prove either Heaven or Hell to every one of you in the end How much depends upon this moment it may be you scarce believe you little consider for the present though afterwards your selves shall plainly see this Life hath been but a restless Voyage the World a tempestuous Sea your Bodies the frail Vessels wherein you sail and Time the Charon the Boatman to wast you over these Waters and set you upon another shore delivering you up there as the Souldiers in the Acts presented Paul before your Judge the Supream Judge of all Flesh in order to your final and solemn Trial. It is on this great Errand of God and of your Souls that these present Lines are sent unto you You will I hope both willingly and seriously peruse them A wise Son heareth Instruction but the scorner causeth shame It is a kindness to shew the wandring Child the way to his Fathers house and truly I have greatly desired amongst many other cares justly incumbent upon me as I am able to further you heaven-ward and to prepare your hearts while you are yet young as a generation for the Lord. Your natures are too easily disposed to receive evil impressions Satan sees it and wâ—tches be times to forestall your tender minds therewithall It must be our care early to recommend and your duty readily to comply with better things that as the yielding â—ax you may now receive those impressions of God and goodness upon your spirits which may become some step toward your happy sealing up to the day of redemption Accept then I pray you of this plain Paper it is the best Token I have to send And Oh! that through the blessing of the Lord it may prove a good Token for you to receive It is sadly evident that many too many losing their tender their first years in conclusion lose their souls also And it is as undoubtedly certain that gracious Counsel however hardly thought of by most might be â—o the young man the best Guide of his Youth to preserve him from the paths of the Destroyer Consider what is laid before you and the Lord give you understanding in all things Our own true welfare we may freely grant is and justly ought to be the desire of all the right way to it iâ— known or understood of very few Iâ— was the sad observation of the wiseâ— of men The labour of the foolish wearieth him as well it may because he knoweth not how to go to the City Mercy is not miss'd because it is not sought but because men will not be perswaded to seek it where alone it may be found Most men spend their choice and precious daies in a vain shaddow and go down in the end thereof to everlasting sorrows You have the world now before you your own mercy or misery yet to choose and be you sure as you now choose so shall you speed hereafter Oh! be your own true friends and choose ye that which is good while it may be obtained and that good part shall never be taken from you You are now Flowers in their bloom Your Friends delight your Countries hope It lieth very much in your Sphere to be either a crown of rejoycing to them or to bring down their gray hairs with sorrow to the grave You are those first Fruits those green ears of corn which should be offered to the Lord. For his sake for your own sakes for your Parents â—nd Counâ—â—iâ—s sikes embrace your own mercies your own true good before your Sun be set and your hopes cut off for ever Others have been sometimes young as you now are and cannot be altogether strangers to the young mans heart the young mans thoughts and waies It is very likely your vain minds will be easily now taken with vain things But observe if they be not still secretly afraid meditating terrour and crying out I shall one day be called to a strict account for all this In this suspence it may be you may stick long not able to joy much in the waies of sin nor yet fully willing to leave them and seek the Lord. Sometimes faintly praying and yet inwardly shrinking back and still loth to receive indeed the grace that you seem to 1 pray for As the Father freely confessed the prayers of his youth had also been I said indeed with my lips Lord I give and yet in my heart I was too willing to give longer day and could have said Lord pray not yet I was even afraid lest thou shouldst hear me too soon and too soon heal and subdue my corruption for me Thus is the mind for a time like the wavering scales rising and falling going and coming ere it can settle with the true poize and weight If Satan in this conflict prevails your slavish fears will wretchedly degenerate and grow worse turning into an inward hatred of God and his good waies a disdainful loathing of Gods people a continual backwardness to your own duty Which God of his mercy prevent But if through grace you be enabled to overcome you will find your fears clearing up unto more kindliness and a willingness on your part to retain them still you will find gracious desires springing up by them Oh! that God would pardon my sin Lord give me Christ or else I dye From thence by tender steps which I have not time now to express will God lead you and will not forsake you or despise the dâ—y of your small things And oh that you may be thus led by the hand of the Lord till you both see and receive the blessed reward of the righteous the salvation of your souls Think not that your present condition your present pleasures will last long No no as Adonijahs feast these banquets will soon be
casts so many sad shipwracks upon the shore Headiness rusheth on and is confident but never prospereth There are and will be those heart breaking grones in another world which may justly endear good Counsel to us while we have a day to live How have I will the poor damned one day say how have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof Dear Youths stop not your ear as the deaf Adder to the instructions of wisdom let them be unto you as the weights to the Clock that set it into an orderly motion of going As the welcome friendly gales of wind which carry the ship that might otherwaies have lain becalmed the fairer the faster and straiter toward its desired haven It is a spur to quicken our pace a guide to direct our way which the wise in heart will esteem as the Poet of old A sacred thing of great safety and usefulness to all The Counsels and requests I have now more particularly to lay before you for the guidance of your youth are of a twofold nature 1. The first relating more immediately to Religion between God and your own souls 2. The other to your relative condition and converse which you are entring into here with men Though therein also Religion is still greatly concerned In both I shall endeavour all plainess and practicalness and not to cast in matters of doubt and division Such things are at any time more ready to humour the wrath of man than to work the righteousness of God The Temple is then best built when there is the least noise of knocking oâ— hammers heard about it It will be your part and that which God himself will look for at your hands not barely to read or to rest your selves in the verbal commendation of pious truths which nature is very desirous to sit down upon as they on this side Iordan and go no farther toward the Holy Land you are to compose your selves forthwith to enter upon the real practice of the good will of God concerning you And oh that the Lord who alone teacheth to profit would please to give these sorry Lines any place of abode in your hearts to your souls just furtherance and edification in the Lord. In the great Concernments of Religion as Man is far the noblest Creature in the world So is Religion still the highest enoblement that he is possibly capable of A right understanding in it a wise and cordial consistency with it that we may not in effect dishonour what we seem to respect by an undue professing of it these are mercies of an high nature and come only from the Father of lights The heart that is thus upright with God carries alwaies a great presence and blessing with it The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth and he will shew himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are thus perfect toward him We may here safely sing with the Psalmist Blessed is every one be he never so mean otherwaies that feareth the Lord and thus walketh in his waies The Heathen though wandring in too much darkness have yet usually had so high a sense of this as ascribe all their welfare to their fidelity and care in their Religion Thus the great Orator even boasteth of his Romans that it was neither their Policy nor their Strength but their Piety which became the advancement of their Nation Lo here how they who had not the Law became yet a Law to themselves oh let us be provoked to a better emulation by them But I shall endeavour to be yet more particular with you that you may not on either hand as too many in these perillous daies are sadly sound to do miscarry in these tremendous matters of Religion First then Entertain from your youth up pious and reverent thoughts of God live in the constant acknowledgement of him in â—ll your waies let your hearts dwell in the religious sense of his Deity his Holiness and Omnisciency and they shall lay a divine weight upon both heart and life It is a fundamental principle which God himself stands much upon He that cometh to God must believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him In the Old Testament we read The fool and never any but the fool hath said in heart there is no God And in the New Testament the Apostle tels us of some that were without God in the world Not that God intends to let them so escape and pass away No no though they would have nothing â—o do with God God hath yet something to do with them but the Scripture thus records them for practical Atheists against God because they care not to know or interest themselves by true grace in him But as for you see that you set the Lord alwaies at your right hand lest at â—ny time you offend agâ—inst him Live continually as in his sight for the truth is you and all your waies are naked and open before him Harbour not that thought in your mind venture not upon that action though never so seemingly secret in your life which you would be ashamed to own or avouch as yours before the Lord. Still meditate the Omnisciency and greatness of the presence in which we alwaies all of us are and how all our present waies will we â—ill we must one â—ay abide the touchstone of â— publick â—id at the Bar of God Choose him in your Youth and he shall be a God â—ll-sufficient unto you through your wâ—oâ—e life Yet rest not your selves too much on this general reverence toward God but modestly press after the most particular and filial knowledge of him You may freely 〈◊〉 as Moses without offence I beseech thee shew me thy glory He is that God in whom you live and have your being the God of all your mercies and good things with whom if ever you become happy you are to live to all Eternity You cannot sure you cannot but holily desire the utmost acquaintance before hand with him How earnestly how affectionately was this pious study recommended in the Primitive times Their Language me thinks might even enflâ—me us I testifie saies Lactantius I proclaim it as far as ever I can make this voice of mine to be heard I declare to all the world that this is our great Maxime and Principle the true Knowledge and Worship of God it is the just sum of all Wisdom This this is that the Philosophers so anxiously sought afâ—er but poor men they groped in the dark and could never find it Dear Youths you are willing to learn and gain acquaintance with men Oh! be ye not strangers unto God I commend and leave it with you under this great assurance It would most certainly become life eternal to any of you thus to know the only true God and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ. Secondly Let
lamentations over him He that converses but the least with their Wâ—itings will soon understand what sorry titles of honour what mean and sad descriptions they bestowed upon their own nature and its present condition in the World The pattern of frailty the spoile of time the sport of fortune the very picture of sickleness silthiness from the birth too too much a least all his life no better than a feast for worms in death This was the Language they generally gave of Man and they thought they miscalled him not Poor men they were eye witnesses indeed of the sickness they saw things were ill but they scarce understood the rise and cause of the disease They could only cry out in the generall as one of them bitterly did Woe woe is me and yet what is it that I cry out so mournfully of Oh! it is the manifold miseries we lie exposed unto Dear Youths you must be perswaded to sit down and apply the Story The case is naturally yours the case is too truly every mans Oh! smite upon your breasts in a due sense of these things and say with David I Lord I am the man It is I who have thus sinned against heaven and am no more worthy to be called thy Son Fourthly This being your wound where shall we now find any balm or healing for it We are not likely you see to stay long here on earth â—nd without pardon of sin we can never expect to come at heaven The love the dear love of God through sin is already lost the life of grace extinguished a debt and guilt the saddest the greatest that ever were conâ—racted the comforts of this present life decayed the strength and sting of death exceedingly encreased We may now too truly name our selves Magor-Missabib fear and terrour round about Yet be not too much dismaied there is hope in Israel concerning our case And I may and must though not without much trembling invite you this day to Iesus Christ. Oh! hunger and thirst after him and his righteousness that in him your sins may be covered and your souls cloathed with the garments of salvation It is not Musick it is not Wine that a condemned person desires but a Pardon Go you and do likewise I told you even now a saddening story I may now bring you tidings of a more welcome one Oh! receive it as becomes you in the Lord. The Father of mercies hath from his Sanctuary looked down upon our low estate He saw we were sold for bond-men and for bond-women falling into the hands of Satan and misery for ever There was no eye to pity us Our own strength and righteousness departed from us The redemption of our souls likely to cease for ever In these great streights his bowels were moved to have compassion on us His own arm undeserved undesired brought salvation to us The work was great and he trusts no meaner Person than his own Son with it Him the Father sends and seals Him he gives to death and raises up to life and all for this sweet end that he might be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to such poor Creatures as You and I are Behold the love wherewith the Father hath loved us The Son accepts it As it was written in the Volume of Gods Book he is content to come If his Death will procure our Life he goes willingly to it He submitteth himself by imputation to be made sin who yet actually knew no sin that we worthless we might be made the righteousness of God in him In pursuance of this unsearchable and unutterable love it is that the Spirit of God so often knocks at our hearts That the Ambassadors of Christ are sent in such earnestness unto us to beseech us to be reconciled unto God That the Word of the Lord is left as his Agent alwaies Resident in our houses to treat with us that we might receive the pardon of sin and live This is that rich grace which the Prophets so long ago enquired after and prophesied of And this in the Lords name I humbly encourage and exhort you in Pardon of sin may verily be had only seek it aâ—ight Turn not the grace of God I charge you into wantonness Boast not you as if your condition were therefore out of danger because there are it may be some soveraign Antidotes in the shop or a rich Cordial in the glass The sick man may nevertheless languish and die if he makes not a real use of them Oh! go humbly to the Lord go by Prayer go by Faith go with a full purpose of heart that if the Lord shall please to speak peace you will no more return to folly Prostrate your selves spread your case before him tell him it is not Corn or Wine or Oyl that you come for but the light of his Countenance Tell him oh tell him it is the pardon of your sins and justification in the bloud of his Son that is to you the mercy of all mercies which you above all things stand in most need of and that if he would please to give you leave this is all your desire and humble boldness by the hand of faith to touch his golden Scepter to take hold of his tender mercies in Christ and live It may be he will say as in the Gospel Son arise Daughter arise be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee I could even bitterly mourn that this sacred mercy this fundamental mercy is no more in all our thoughts Men may weary themselves in wide discourses to find out wherein their chief happiness consists and who is at length the happy man But alas the wise man needs not glory in his wisdom the rich man may forbear boasting in his riches We may once for all once for ever conclude with David It is he and none but he whose sins are pardoned whose iniquities in Christ are covered who is the truly blessed man before the Lord. Fifthly If God shall shew this great mercy in the fifth place be you careful to return the answer of a good conscience and give up your selves intirely and unfâ—inedly to the Lord in a truly gracious life Therefore indeed hath the dear grace of God appeared in the world to enoble our conversations above the principles or course of nature to an higher life the life of grace And if any shall ask more narrowly what Christianity means We may answer in the language of that holy man This is the sum of the Christians Religion to live free from sin and wickedness in the world It is manifestly the highest testimony and commendation that we poor creatures are ever able to give to Religion when we do not barely complement it Ephraim-like with goodly words but practically offer our selves such as we are to the service of it endeavouring to acquit our selves in the just performance of great and gracious things The
and nobleness cuts off â—iâ— right hand and plucks out his right eye for Christs sake this oh â— this is the true Disciple indeed We may say here as God once said of Abraham By this we know that he feareth God seeing he hath not withheld his dearest his darling Isaac from him Oh! be you perswaded to turn â—way your eyes from bosome vanities Set your greatest watch where you â—ie in greatest danger Flee youthful â—usts but follow after righteousness Fourthly Take heed yet further â—hat you neglect not your day of grace Let Esaus loss be your warning Time was when he carelesly slighted that which afterwards he sought with tears with bitter tears but sound no place for repentance Such tears you will see dropping from many eyes another day There are two Rocks whereat most miscarry in this matter 1. By slumâ—ering and taking no notice of Gods call 2. By faint promises which never ripen to performance Take you great heed of both Concerning the first There are those golden opportunities of mercy wherein the Lord seeks to save that which is lost I gave her saies God a space to repent This great gift it may be the Lord in much mercy sets before you And your selves are best privy to those choice seasons wherein the Lord comes upon this great occasion and knocks at your door Sometimes by Sickness sometimes by Parental Counsel sometimes by more publick Ordinances sometimes by his more remarkable divine judgments upon sinners While the Lord is thus speaking to you your hearts as those Disciples even burn within you your very Souls telling you it is the voice of Christ graciously calling you to repentance Oh! seek the Lord while he may be found True opportunity in most cases is a rare thing and comes but seldom but had need be imbraced with both hands when it comes It will be too late said the Ancients to tender our Sacrifice when the appointed time is past and gone Behold this is the day of your visitation oh that it may prove the day of your regeneration and true acquaintance with the things of your everlasting peace Your Father your Master calls you in the Morning and you arise and go about his work Well Sirs let me also counsel you as Eli once counselled Samuel listen diligently and it shall come to pass if the Lord thy God shall thus call thee thou shalt answer Speak Lord for thy servant heareth Concerning the second our evasions and procrastinations with the Lord we must all freely confess delaies and faint promises for the future they are but the artificial excuses of an unwilling mind for the present Like the goodly words of the Son in the Parable that saies but never goes into the Fathers Vineyard How piously did St. Austine bemoan the treachery of his own heart for a due warning to all posterity in this matter I begged saies he longer day promising presently Lord By and by have but a little patience with me and I will come But oh saies he that Presently lingred beyond all bounds of modesty and this By and by proved a long day and loth to come Dear Youths if these vows of the Lord be upon you defer not to pay them And cast not your selves by delaies upon that sad Dilemma That your own Promises should be as your hand-writing to the Obligation and yet your Conversation render you guilty of non-payment Fifthly Take heed yet again of the sins of the Times wherein you live All Ages all Places have their peculiar reigning sins And most men will needs vainly follow the present fashion in sins as well as cloaths though they lose their very souls by it These last daies are the sad receptacle of almost all precedent corruptions The Lord himself hath told us they are and will be very perillous daies Daies wherein that undesirable thing Sin will every where too much abound Nature the Satyrist could long ago observe grows now in its old age very degenerous we had need watch to the utmost and keep our garments The Boat usually goes full of Passengers and carries multitudes down the stream with it And who so in the fear of God or love of righteousness departeth from the iniquity of the times that man maketh himself a prey in the gate Aristides his justice costs him his life and Socrates his fidelity to one only as the true and living God in the rage of a giddy multitude procured his death So dangerous alwaies is it to dissent from present times be they never so vicious But as for you my Friendsâ— be ye careful indeed you oppose no man wilfully but be ye still as careful that you follow no man in evil courseâ—s wickedly It was not without cause told us The whole world as now it is lieth in wickedness And if any man will be the friend of this world he enters that friendship upon very hard terms he must thereupon become the enemy of God So difficult and even impossible is it for any man to serve two Masters In these sore straights Young Man what wilt thou do Before thou resolvest to sin with the world now seriously ask thine heart this one question Canst thou be content to fare as the world fares to be condemned and suffer with it hereafter Ungodly men will wonder it will be a piece of strange and amazing news that others run not with them to the same excess of riot that others are not vile and vain as well as they but you are Travellers whatever others do on the right hand or on the left you must not turn aside but mind your journey The Nations might do as they would by their Idolls but Moses plainly tells Israel The Lord their God had not suffered them to deal so by him Not durst Ioshah soon after judge the Iews strange uncertainty his sufficient excuse or security If saies he it seems evil in your eyes and the case is there hard indeed where the righteous service of the Lord seems evil to any yet saies Ioshuah however I and mine are bound to serve the Lord. Noah had perished in the waters if times had carried him Lot had burnt in Sodom if the Multitude had swayed with him The sins of times Gods people may alwaies be pious mourners for them but never profane practicers of them Be ye whatever others are righteous in your generation before the Lord. Sixthly Take heed yet further that you enter not upon Religion at first superficially slightily or carnally Religion is solemn and had need be solemnly and reverently approached unto Mistakes here are very easily run into but more hardly redressed the forest mistakes in the whole world And yet saies the Father there is scarce any thing more common then for men to deceive their own souls and go as the Prophet expresseth it with a lie in their right hand all their daies Their Religion they judge is good and they
are willing as others also â—re to be of it and so they conclude without further troubling themselves that all will be well I write not this to upbraid any but may and must freely say thus much to all The truest Religion falsely taken up will be but as the Arke to the Philistims it may encrease our torments but will never save our souls If we shall climb up to Religion some other way and not by the true door if we shall crowd into profession without a wedding garment the time is coming we shall be found out and our own conscience which have thus lied to the Holy Ghost shall even fail within us and leave us speechless at the Bar of God as those that have not the least excuse for themselves There is a time Dear Youths your own consciences cannot but tell you so wherein Religion must be first embraced on Earth if ever you desire glory or happiness in Heaven Now he that begins amiss is like to make but very bad work ever after Things once mislearned are exceeding hardly unlearnt And truly where one takes up the profession of the Name of God sincerely and upon Gospel terms it may be feared there are too many who receive it unworthily and to their own condemnation Some lose their souls while they seek with the blinded Iews to establish their own righteousness Other hearing Religion much commended and seeing somewhat of amiableness and beauty in it they hastily catch up some flashy heady ceremonial or remote opinion as best pleaseth them and think they have enough and so never regard to know what sound conversion and true communion with God meaneth all their daies Others again and herein I am more particularly speaking to your caso the Lord grant you may truly lay it to heart others I say as Children and Servants to satisfie the desires and counsel of their religious Parents and Friends yield and do those things outwardly which they bear no true affection unto inwardly Oh wretched hypocrisie at the same time seemingly to stand in some fear of Man but none of God Well whosoever can deceive men no man can mock the Lord. His eyes are eyes of fire and all men shall know that he searcheth the heart and trieth the reins Where Spiritual things are Carnally undertaken the evils that too necessarily ensue thereupon are exceeding many The fruit of the whole undertaking is inevitably lost The Duty that seems offered is not at all discharged The Comforts the dear comforts of Godliness are all lockt up as mercies peculiarly reserved for sincere and better hearts The Profession that is thus made will quickly decay and die in disgrace The heart can never hold out long in that which is but personated and so little delighted in Only the evil and guilt of the miscarriage that will still remain and must be elsewhere answered for So little shall any maâ— gain that goes to build upon the sands The further he goes the more he wanders and will sadly find at last He that begins not duly with Christ as the Author can scarce expect to find him in the end the Finisher or â—â—owner of his faith Yet notwithstanding all this what just cause of sorrow may it be to all sober hearts to consider What harâ— and unkind usage what disingenuous and careless handling that sacred thinâ— Religion in most Ages meets withal from the hands of a froward carnaâ— World Well take you this Item with you all your daies whatever you do in the matters of Religion do it heartily reverently Gospelly and humbly as in the sight of God the all-seeing the jealous God Where God sees he cannot be cordially believed or feared take outward shews who will they are of little value in the account of God These saies the Father are but worthless leaves we must still demand and call for real Fruits If the Lord asks or accepts any thing it must justly be the best we have Give me thine heart my Son Now the Lord himself direct you and give you a right entrance into his right waies with that kindliness of Repentance that truth of Faith that soundness of Conversation that you may not run in vain losing the things you seem to have wrought but may in the end happily obtain the crown of life Happy is that man that can truly say the Foundation stone is thus laid the Top stone shall also in Gods good time be as certainly vouchsafed with those gladsome shoutings to the God of such great and unexpected mercies Grace Grace Seventhly Take heed yet once more in the last place if God hath enkindled any heavenly affections in you now that you lose not your first love afterward The kindness of your youth it is dear it is lovely in the sight of God Christ looked upon the young man in the Gospel and loved him God sees and takes it well that it is in your hearts while you are young to enquire after him These first ripe grapes I might reverently say as in the Prophet they are the fruits that his righteous soul desireth Oh! let not your present convictions your present willingness your present delight in the good Word of God in the sweet Sabbaths of God in the dear people of God Oh! let not all this verdant hopefulness of your youth vanish as a morning cloud or like the early dew I give you this particular warning because miscarriages are so sadly frequent in all Ages of this nature And because I further know Satan will come to winnow you With this temptation if you live you may assure your selves he will assault you with it I have been too forward too zealous too careful for Religion while I was young I will even spare my self now Thus are the first daies of many Professors sadly clouded with lukewarmness formality wordly policy and earthly mindedness ere they die But I hope you will not dare so to do True motion is alwaies most intense the nearer it comes unto its Center And if you be truly aiming for Heaven you will dayly renew your strength and be loth to slacken your pace when it groweth nearest night Relapses in nature Physitians tell us are very sore Relapses in Profession are still far sorer How oh how shall such be ever renewed again unto repentance Dear Youths your thoughts are yet green your years hitherto but little experienced You have scarce yet known how bitter and evil a thing it is to forsake the fountain of living waters and God grant you never may But are you willing to believe what God shall testifie in this matter Then may you soon understand the Backslider though but in heart shall quickly have gall and wormwood enough in his Cup He shall be filled saies the Lord with his own waies Or are you further desirous to hear what Experience hath also to testifie in this weighty case Then may the horrour of Iudas the despairing groans of Spira become your warning They
wretchedly departed from the Profession they had sometimes made in their former yeares and poor men never joyed good hour after I cannot but even beseech you in the Language of the Ancients Oh! spare for Gods sake spare your sweet Youth take some pity upon it and give not that lovely flesh of yours for food to everlasting burnings Gods Children should be as those Hebrew Servants staying with him for the love they bear unto him He hath the words of Eternal life and whether else can they find in their hearts to go If any man draw back this is the sad message must be sent after him the Lord shall have no pleasure in him Men shall also scorn him and say this is salt which hath lost its savour tread it henceforth under foot Ah poor man it had been better for him a sad Better God knows but it had been better for him saied the Apostle never to have know the way of righteousness than after he hath known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto him Be you then as Iosiah gracious in your Youth but be ye also even to Gray-hairs as aged Israel waiting for the salvation of God when you come to dye CHAP. X. The Objections that usually ensnare and detain young people answered I Have now counselled you but shall I say I have also perswaded you It is likely you have your discouragements I know you cannot be without some recoylings of nature Trifles and vanities will hang it may be about your mind as being loth to be now shaken off An holy man found it so which made him complain as we also too truly may My former customes though worse were plainly too strong and trod down things far better because they had been as yet but little used The most righteous waies of God they are indeed blessed they are safe they are honourable but still they are scarce pleasing to flesh and blood Our wretched hearts are too like distempered stomacks that are easily distasted and find no relish in the most wholsome food I am sensible also how busie Satan stands at your right hand ready to resist you continually incensing and prejudicing your thoughts all that ever he can against your own mercies He that makes it his wicked trade to pervert the right waies of God will be forward enough to tell you as once he did Eve You may eat of the forbidden fruit and yet not die You may forbear this serious care and yet speed well at last But oh believe him not his Crocodile flatteries have undone thousands at his feet He that was a liar and a murderer from the beginning will scarce be either true or kind to you He may seem now a smooth and pleasing Tempter but he will soon become as open and forward an Accuser Those very sins he now enticeth to when time shall serve in the presence of God of Angels and of Men will he be ready with all their aggravations to charge you with As you love your souls resist him and account it an essential Principle in true Religion to give a constant Nay to all his temptations Let Men and Devils say what they will sin is sin still An evil saies the very Heathen that must not be pleaded for that cannot be excused An unexcusable breach of a righteous Law the utmost endangering of a precious and immortal soul a wretched and ungrateful flying in the face of a most tender and loving Father This is that Rabshekah that blasphemes the God of Heaven that Achan that troubles the whole Creation this oh this is that Accursed thing that brings evil upon our selves that Needle that too surely draws a thread of divine vengeance after it Let Men and Devils say what they will there must be sowing to the Spirit here if we expect to reap a blessed harvest hereafter Nature tells us so Experience tells us so all the World knows it is so No running the Race now saies the Father and there can be no Crown in the end No fighting the good fight in the Valley and there can be no triumph of victory or honour upon the Everlasting Hills There must be striving to the utmost if we desire to enter in at the straight Gate The Kingdom of Heaven should even suffer violence and the violent are to take it by an holy force Up then in the name of God and be a doing let nothing hinder you Consider call your thoughts to a solemn and impartial debate lay your case in the ballances of the Sanctuary See oh see how Eternity lies at stake your Candle is shortly going out tomorrow it may be will not serve for that which may be done to day You have had your time of Childhood wherein according to the infant feebleness of your minds You spake as Children you understood as Children you thought as Children but now it is time it is high time to out-grow those daies of Vanity What the Lord in much mercy winckt at then would very ill become you now As you become men it will be expected and it will be your honour to put away Childish things These Years and this Age call upon you to converse with more serious things the things that belong to your souls everlasting peace First Say not any of you within your selves in way of objection I am too young for those things He that is old enough to sin cannot think himself too young to repent Doth God say To day while it is called to day and darest thou speak of to Morrow Thou wouldst not adventure to answer thy Natural Parents with such delaies how can God take them well at thine hands Let the pious expostulation of the Father with his soul be rather the language of thine heart also within thee How long oh my Soul how long must this be all thy note to Morrow to Morrow And why not now Why not this very hour a period to all thy former filthiness For how indeed canst thou content thy selfe to venture so much as a day longer in thy present condition without the pardon of sin without the favour of God without any solid provisions for another world The hazard is verily great that thou arâ— running Oh! consider seriously what thou dost If thy soul and the saving of it be unto thee as certainly it is more than all the world besides take thy best time for thy best work Arise as Abraham while it is yet early in the morning of thy life and go about it Fear not it shall be no injury to thy following life that thou hast acquainted thy self with God that thou hast imbraced his good waies while thou art young The Sun in the Spring when it ariseth soonest all men observe the daies are then far the sweetest far the chearliest Secondly Say not Such a strict religious care I see but few of my equalls that undertake it It hath been indeed the sad
Shoot shoot saies Satan all 's our owne 4. Fond foolish Rome how dat'st oppose Whom God in his safe bosome laies Thy malice may it self disclose But frustrate still shall turn to praise 5. The Crozier staff thy Triple Crown Those ensigns of deceit and pride Thy Purple Robe thy blaz'd Renown The dust shall ever ever hide 6. Thy Merchants shall thy fall lament Thy Lovers all in sackcloath mourn While Heav'n and Earth in one consent Shall sing Amen let Babylon burn 7. Then Lord thy Spouse whose dropping eyes Whose sighs whose sufferings prove her thine Shall from her pensive sorrows rise And as the Lamb 's fair Bride shall shine 8. Sweet day sweet day when shall it be Why staies my Lord Dear Saviour come Thy mourning Spouse cries after thee Stay with me here or take me home He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed Isa. 53.5 1. THus died the Prince of life thus he That could not die even died for me My thoughtful heart Lord shall arise And ponder these deep mysteries 2. What means his death who knew no sin Or what my life who live therein Mine was the debt and death my due Though thou wast pleas'd thy Son to sue 3. Thou Lord I wast pleas'd on him to lay The debt and he the price to pay Thy Gospell feasts though sweet to me Are th' Emblems of his Agony 4. And oh how great his sufferings were Who th' wrath of God and man did bear The Father then forsakes the Son And Creatures 'gainst their Maker run 5. Iudas betraies Disciples flee Whil'st Jews and Romans crucifie Hereat the Sun furls up his light And cloaths the Earth in sable night 6. The joyless Stars even seem'd to say Israel had quench'd the Lamp of day The stubbourn Mountains they lament The Rocks they are asunder rent 7. The Graves their sealed doors unclose The Dead awakened also rose Th' amaz'd Centurion mourning cries Oh! 't is the Son of God that dies 8. Thus these all labour to consels Thy Deity thy righteousness Enough dear Lord these offer me Supports for th' utmost faith in thee God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Iesus Christ Gal. 6.14 1. MY Song is love unknown My Saviours love to me Love to the loveless shown That they might lovely be Oh who am I That for my sake My Lord should take Frail flesh and die 2. He came from his bless'd Throne Salvation to bestow But men made strange and none The long'd-for Christ would know But oh my Friend My Friend indeed Who at my need His life did spend 3. Sometimes they strow his way And his sweet praises sing Resounding all the day Hosannah's to their King Then Crucifie Is all their breath And for his death They thirst and crie 4. Why what hath my Lord done What makes this rage and spite He made the Lame to run He gave the Blind their sight Sweet injuries Yet they at these Themselves displease And 'gainst him rise 5. They rise and needs will have My dear Lord made away A Murderer they save The Prince of life they slay Yet cheerful he To suff'ring goes That he his Foes From thence might free 6. In life no house no home My Lord on earth might have In death no friendly tombe But what a Stranger gave What may I say Heav'n was his home But mine the tombe Wherein he lay 7. Here might I stay and sing No story so divine Never was love dear King Never was grief like thine This is my Friend In whose sweet praise I all my daies Could gladly spend The Pilgrims Farewell to the World For we have here no continuing City but we seek one to come Heb. 13.14 1. FArewel poor World I must be gone Thou art no home no rest for me I 'll take my staff and travel on Till I a better World may see 2. Why art thou loth my heart oh why Do'st thus recoil within my breast Grieve not but say farewel and fly Unto the Arke my Dove there 's rest 3. I come my Lord a Pilgrims pace Weary and weak I slowly move Longing but can't yet reach the place The gladsom place of rest above 4. I come my Lord the slouds here rise These troubled Seas foam nought but mire My Dove back to my bosom Flies Farewel poor World Heav'n's my desire 5. Stay stay said Earth whither fond one Here 's a fair World what wouldst thou have Fair World oh no thy beautie 's gone An heav'nly Canaan Lord I crave 6. Thus th' ancient Travellers thus they Weary of Earth sigh'd after thee They are gone before I may not stay Till I both thee and them may see 7. Put on my Soul put on with speed Though th' way belong the end is sweet Once more poor World Farewel indeed In leaving thee my Lord I meet Christs future coming to Judgment the Christians present Meditation Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him Rev. 1.7 1. BEhold he comes comes from on high Like lightning through the flaming skie The Saint's desire the Sinner's fear Behold that solemn day draws near 2. He comes who unto Judgment shall All flesh to his Tribunal call Me thinks I see the burnish'd Throne Whereon my Saviour sits alone 3. Me thinks I see at his right hand His smiling Saints in triumph stand Me thinks I hear condemned ones Howling their never-dying groans 4. Me thinks I see even Time expire The Heav'ns and Earth on flaming fire Think not my Soul thy self to hide Thou canst not 'scape but shalt be tri'd 5. Loe here the Book whence Justice reads Sentence on Sinners sinful deeds Loe here the Mercy Psalm wherein My Judge speaks pardon to my sin 6. I tremble Lord yet must I say This is my long'd-for wedding day My Bridegroom is my Soveraign Lord My Joynture drawn in his fair Woâ—d 7. My Mansion built by him on High Where I may rest eternally Then come my Lord dear Saviour come And when thou pleasest take me home Amen Even so come Lord Iesuâ— come quickly The Resurrection Though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God Job 19.26 1. MY Life 's a shade my daies Apace to death decline My Lord is life he 'l raise My dust again even mine Sweet truth to me I shall arise And with these eyes My Saviour see 2. My peaceful grave shall keep My bones till that sweet day I wake from my long sleep And leave my bed of Clay Sweet truth to me I shall arise And with these eyes My Saviour see 3. My Lord his Angels shall Their Golden Trumpets sound At whose most welcome call My grave shall be unbound Sweet truth to me c. 4. I said sometimes with tears Ah me I 'm loth to die Lord silence thou those fears My life 's with thee on high