and wll be so nor will I follow these Rules to become more perswadeable If thou hast the impudence to do thus I have God's warrant to tell thee Thou shalt suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Prov. 29. 1. 4. Young People are subject to Anger and violent Passions Children are apt to be peevish and cross Young Men to be full of rage the Verse before the Text may be rendred Oh young man put away anger from thy heart How soon is the fire kindled how fervently doth it blaze Young Persons are oft angry with their best Friends even for what they should be thankful they are incensed too freqneutly without a cause and are so hasty as not to search the reason Sleighty Matters are with them great provocations and moderation in their resentments they disdain And no wonder for thy Reason is darkened from seeing the fatal consequences of thy Fury Lasting Enmities Quarrels Murthers are too frequently the effects of this inordinate fervour Young Man is this a thing allowable Consider with thy self anger is a short madness Thou losest the management of thy own Soul whence our Lord Commands in patience possess your Soul Luke 21. 19. An overheated Spirit is void of Prudence and sure to procure bitterness to its self God saith he that is soon angry dealeth foolishly and truly he that is very angry is next to mad he looks he speaks he acts too near a Lunatick A Passionate Man is at the mercy of any designing Foe and by indulging his Anger becomes his own Tormentor how uneasie to his Family how dangerous to himself how unfit for Counsel how troublesome to his Friends how ensnaring and infecting to Society is a Passionate Man May not I hope you young Ones will be out of love with Anger it unmans you though it seems brave It makes you contemptible with the wise 1 Tim. 6. 11. but above all argue with your selves This my God forbids me Let all bitterness wrath and anger be put away Eph. 4. 31. This will unfit me for the visits of the Spirit who loves a calm Temper 1 Tim. 2. 8. and therefore appoints meekness Jam. 1. 21. as a qualification for communion with him in his Ordinances How lovely is patience it 's the height of fortitude Yea God saith He that rules his Spirit is better than he that takes a City and he that is slow to anger than the mighty Prov. 16. 32. In a word a meek and quiet Spirit is an Ornament and describes one Blessed Mat. 5. 5. How amiable is a patient Child he is more beloved by all than a froward one How excellent is that Young Man who is Master of his passion He is armed against sudden assaults he is fit for great services and sufferings he is fit to use the knowledge he hath attained in the most dangerous passages of his Life Quest. What shall a Young Person do to be healed of Anger and unruly passions Answ. 1. In general get the Grace of patience and delightfully accustome thy self to the exercise of it as thy Glory and no way a Reproach But more particularly 2. Get thy Heart filled with Love to God and Man Love to God will encline thee to imitate him who is long-suffering slow to anger full of Love and good to all Luke 16. 35. Love to Man will encline thee to interpret all to the best afraid to hurt him willing to benefit and forgive him and not prone to those dislikes which are unsuitable to thy fellow Creature especially if the Image of Christ be enstamped on him as you see 1 Cor. 13. 45 7. 3. Often present to thy Soul the Example of thy Saviour and strive to imitate him he was humble meek lowly and patient under the greatest provocations He calls thee to learn of him Mat. 11 29. If thou hast any part in him he hath formed thy Soul to some degree of imitation and to endeavour after more 1 Ioh. 4. 17. 4. Reckon on provocations and be still armed against them Thy own Carriage is not so inoffensive nor are thy Acquaintance so innocent but that thou oughtest to expect some Trials to expect them and be unguarded is Folly neither is it possible to prevent anger when wholly unprepared Therefore awe thy Soul against Passion and accustome thy Mind to such Considerations as are fit to restrain thy Spirit 5. Be humbly convinced how mean sinful and ill-deserving a Creature thou art Contention is from Pride Prov. 13. 10. and he is fondly conceited of himself who thinks he ought to bear nothing whereas a due sence of thy own nothingness and offensiveness to God will make thee fit to endure much especially considering thy provocations from Men may be the humbling rebukes of thy God who must forgive thee great things if he cast thee not into Hell it self yet whose Decree it is if you do not forgive neither will he forgive your trespasses Mar. 11. 26. 6. Allow not thy froward Spirit a liberty even where thou hast most power and freedom He that is not pettish at home will not be passionate abroad whereas anger indulged among Servants and in trifles will expose thee to its power when more dangerous and indecent 7. When thou feelest Anger begin to kindle forbear to do or say any thing till thou hast well considered The cause of thy resentments if just will abide the thoughts of a Calm Temper and the wayes of thy vindication are far likelier to be due whereas if the Cause in it self is too sleighty or thy sudden purposes are too severe to be approved how darest thou take blind passion for thy Guide Thou must believe that the discretion of a man deferreth his anger Pro. 19. 11. 5. Young People are subject to Idleness and waste of time It 's a while before you are fit ro learn or do any thing but when you are capable how commonly are you remiss and sloathful Were you left to your selves what would you do besides eating drinking sleeping and playing Thou art put to learn and thou art idle at thy Book not learning in a week what thou mightest learn in a day if diligent Thou art a Servant or Apprentice having work to do but art thou not a Waster of that time which is thy Masters and not thy own and loath to do the business incumbent on thee How little do most of our Youth for this World or for Eternity Sports and Idleness eat up that season which is the best opportunity of Life and the character of most young People is to spend their time in doing nothing or next to nothing or worse than nothing You are idle in the Duties of Religion and waste that time you pretend to employ with God You are idle in your particular Callings as if you had no business as Inhabitants of this lower World Oh Young People how precious is that time you do mispend and how sad an account are you able to give of those hours that are
made it easie the Current of sin running has made the Channel wider and the opposition less O therefore for the Lords sake begin this day to consider the Devil is grown more impetuous by thy Consent And I can tell thee to day and let the youngest of you observe it That if thou continuest wicked thou wilt be yet more and more so And thou wouldst now blush to think what Wickedness thou wilt hereafter come to As Hazael when it was foretold him by the Prophet what Cruelties he should commit cries out Is thy Servant a Dog 2 King 8. 13. c. Thus I have finished what I intended in the Explication I now come to the Use. First by way of Inference the Lord set it home Some own'd great good on this day twelve-month may more receive good to day The Inferences then are these Inf. 1. How dismal a sight doth this Truth afford us of this World Childhood and Youth is Vanity Ah Lord how true then is it that even the whole World lies in Wickedness 1 Joh. 5. 19. the greater part doth so for Young People are many more than old ones The chief part of Age is Vanity the best part of Time is Vanity Childhood is the time fittest to learn in Youth is the time fittest to act in and yet both these are Vanity Oh how little are heavenly Designs carried on by Young Ones Oh how little is God worshipp'd and serv'd by Young ones How few of them are engag'd in their own true Concerns Dreadful that in Youth we will do nothing and in Age we can do nothing Oh who loves God and is not grieved who loves Souls and is not melted All men come sick into the World and most men grow more diseased by their stay there All come miserable and most help on each others Ruine and encrease their own Oh how many go off the Stage and have reason to wish would to God I had perish'd before I saw the light So like Hell is this present State that i'ts a wonder we are able to take any Delight therein God is serious with pleople in their younger Years and they heed it not Ministers are earnest with young People and they regard it not Ah poor Wretches they think we have nothing to do with them Oh Young Ones help us to mourn to day for I am calling on Men to mourn for you who in your Youth yield your selves up to your Lusts and thereby are injurious to Christ and cruel to your own Souls and will you be unmoved Inf. 2. What Care is incumbent on Parents and Masters in the managing of Young Persons Youth is vain and that bespeaks a suitable carriage O Parents you don't beget Angels but sinful Children you breed up corrupt ones and not perfect ones Few are sanctified in the Womb and therefore you should deal with Children as with deprav'd and corrupt Persons as with them whose Childhood and Youth is Vanity The very Distemper directs Parents and Masters in their duty and carriage towards their Children I shall especially name Parents in my Directions 1. Children are Ignorant Oh therefore take you occasion to instruct them Alas canst thou let thy Children be unacquainted with God and insensible of their own Misery or the way of their escape What must thy Child be inspir'd or it must perish for want of knowledge If it must know pray who is fittest to teach it Upon whom does it lye in point of Duty as it does upon you And who has the Advantage of doing it as thou hast Who is so like to prevail with thy Child as thy self None faithfully dedicates his Child to God in Infancy that will not carefully instruct him when of age to learn 2. Youth have unruly Appetites and therefore don't indulge them Oh that every Parent here had but his Heart open to what I say and I speak it out of pity to the Souls of Young ones 'T is an ill practice in Parents to feed their Child by the cravings of i'ts Lust and not by their own Judgment I will tell you the Mischief of it besides the laying a foundation of distemper in Age it gives the Appetite an ungovernable force Children being alwayes indulg'd in what they crave they cannot deny themselves any thing they desire and by the same rule that they must now eat what and when and drink what and when they will while they are under thy care they will be drunk and Whore c. when they grow in years their Reason cannot bridle it then as thine which ought to guide them neglects to do it now Oh dreadful thing that any Childrens Appetites should come from under their Parents tuition unbridled I look on nothing a greater Reproach to Parents And what 's the ground of all Wickedness in the World more than an Inordinate Appetite yet how few Parents do help to cure it while cureable whereas an Appetite curbed in Childhood would endure a denial in Age. 3. Youth have violent Humours and Selfishness and therefore don 't foolishly gratifie them A Child left to himself brings his Mother to shame Pr. 29. 15. Oh what a Devilish Sight how pleasing to Satan to see Children cocquer'd and Youth indulg'd It 's peevish then all must be done to please it it 's obstinate and it must have it's will it 's revengeful and it must not be check'd this is the way of most Parents And 't is just with God that Child should break your Hearts whose Will you never broke How many poor Creatures will have cause in Hell to curse their Parents Dreadful that they prove the worst Enemies to their Children under a pretence of fondness 4. Youth have many Lusts and are prone to sin therefore be afraid for them and prevent all Occasions Iob knew this Iob 1. 5. He went and offer'd Sacrifice lest his Children should have sin'd and cursed God in their hearts Oh that Parents would consider what brittle Vessels Children be what dry'd tinder Youth is Occasions though small over-rule Young Persons What then Oh then be perswaded to choose the Company of your Children for them see that it be of their own Sex and Virtuous Put them to Trades and such Trades as have the least Snares set them in Families where most Good is to be got and least evil to be catch'd Find them business and fulness of Employ and cut out their time for them Parents learn this Wisdom that your Children have no time for Idleness Marry them as soon as convenient if so be you are not very certain of their Sobriety 5. The Vanity of Youth is deeply rooted therefore be importunate pleaders and sharp Correctors If advice prevail not 't is not an easie thing to cure a Child of it's Vanity or Youth of it's Folly Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a Child the Rod of Correction will drive it far from him Prov. 22. 15. And withhold not correction from thy Child and he shall not dye Prov. 23.
government of Fear as old Folks be Oh my Friends what but Grace can win thy Consent to Christ now when the Devil and the World are strongly bidding for it You are like to reap the largest Harvest because you have the longest Seed-time You young ones that do fear the Lord betimes you are like to be the more remarkable in the Heavens All the Blessings that belong to the oldest Saint belong to you and Christ as truly loves you The youngest Believer in this place may rejoyce in all the fulness of Christ as his Store-house and Security he may read over all the greatest Promises of the Gospel with Comfort as his own We bless God for you bless God for your selves that hath adopted you for his so soon and thereby prevented much Sin and made you early Blessings for your sake we hope the Gospel will not be removed from England how happy are each of you your Parents can die comfortably now that you are in Christ Your Friends look with joy upon you as secure in your better part Oh the comfortable Aspect that every such Soul affords I will give you a few words of Advice Directions to such as are Converted in Youth 1. Be watchful over your selves because some Vanity remains in the best while here Satan would more gladly overcome you than others and he knows there 's matter for temptation to work on in thee Youthful years are subject to youthful Lusts Young Timothy himself was warned of them by wise Paul 2 Tim. 2. 22. Therefore don't venture on Occasions of Vanity don't venture into temptations to sin Nothing but perfect Grace perfectly heals the Sin of your Constitution Young ones you don't think you are perfect you are not thoroughly clean therefore walk carefully walk watchfully take care of Voluptuousness for there is some unruliness in thy Appetite still Take care of wanton Dalliance for there is some Disposition to Uncleanness 1 Tim. 5. 2. Still take care of evil Company Youth may be ensnared tho they are good Avoid all frothy Society for Youth is apt to be perswaded to loss of Time and Levity Therefore walk with watchfulness in whatever you are doing You are not in Heaven tho in a State of Grace you are not perfect tho upright therefore keep a jealous Eye while your green years continue 2. Keep humble and modest as to your Opinions for Truth admits the Disquisitions of Age and a long Study Young People think every Notion they have gotten is infallible and every plausible Reason is with them unanswerable But let me tell you you will change your judgments it may be before you dye And too much confidence in Youth leads a Man to Scepticism in Age Be not wise in your own conceits Prov. 3. 7. You are subject to error in deep things your knowledge can be but superficial if you live long you will blush at your present confidence And therefore don 't presently take up Notions determine not hastily difficult points make no noise about singular Opinions and do not rashly censure men that are wise and aged whose deep thoughts are preferrable to a voluble Tongue or luxuriant Fancy 3. Design and furnish your selves for great service for God in the World I would earnestly bespeak a mercy for the next Age resolve an eminency in Holiness I would have every young Convert here resolve to be one of the highest Saints Resolve to do much for God's Name and Gospel and if you have hopeful Abilities resolve to be great Blessings to your Countrey Side with the best Cause and best Men. You may live to have greater Opportunities to serve God than we have had you may do so and I hope you will do so The Lord furnish our Youth with Abilities transcendant to ours as their work is like to be above ours O my Friends I would have you therefore prepare your selves get your Heads well enlightened get your Hearts well enflam'd with Love to God and Men. Labour to be industrious in your Calling that you may have Estates to do good withal for Idleness and waste make Persons too poor to do great Service whence they live as Shrubs though planted young Study good Catechisms as a guard against Errors Lay up rules of Prudence for your Conversation but beware of crastiness and little base designs Observe your Constitution that sickliness may not prevent your Use. Get such an Elocution as may advantage what you speak c. 4. Admit the helps and put your selves under all the instituted Engagements of Christs Members Admit the helps Sirs we have good Books carefully peruse them Read the Scriptures Ay and labour to be well furnisht and skilld in them from your Youth 2 Tim. 3. 15. Set your selves to hear Sermons especially put your selves under the Labours and Conduct of the best Ministers Contrive every one of you to sit under that Ministry that truly understands and plainly and powerfully urges the great things of the Gospel viz. The Mysteries Promises and Laws of our Redeemer I tell you why I say this Young ones are apt to like the Preacher that has Fancy rather then Weight strong Affections rather than Judgment that has vain Gingles rather than solid Truth and that is earnest for small matters above essentials Oh take it from me to Day all Hearers savour of their Pastor Give me therefore a Pastor that 's likest to ripen for a Heavenly Life and not to amuse me with little fine-spun Notions where light carries not it's Evidence Preferr moderate Pastors above others Men who are more intent on the great things of the Gospel than lesser matters Men who allow for different Conceptions in others knowing themselves are imperfect Men who insist on no terms of or bars to Communion but what Christ hath made If God do not deliver the growing Age from a Contentious Dividing Uncharitable Temper I shall say the next fiery struggles will hazard the Life of Religion and sacrifice Love the very Heart of Religion to every trifle and disputable Notions which hath sorely wounded us Value Moderate Men wise Men are always such Your furious dividing Bigott is unacquainted with himself incapable of taking up the body of Divine Truths as they stand in their order and place Hence one thing fills his mind and that commonly the least and all his Zeal is laid out in that while he confounds Truth and Error Few Men have heads clear enough to distinguish Truth Truth and Error lye oft so near that the Man that has not the clearest judgment and the conduct of the Spirit will easily fail much more such whose parts are low and whose uncharitable Temper exclude the assistances of the Spirit Further I call you Young ones to attend to the Lords Supper You are dedicated to God by Baptism in the right of your Parents that was not thy act but theirs for thee that was not in thy own right but in thy Parents right The first solemnizing of thy own Profession is
at the Lords Table or in order to it therefore I call you to make Conscience of that Young People I say make conscience of it I tremble to think how we differ from the Church in former Ages that People now should be so backward to attend the Lords Supper Obj. But some may object Pray how old must we be that come to the Table of the Lord. Answ. I answer He is old enough that can give evidence of his consent to be the Lords and when he can act the Graces that belong to a Sacrament and improve the matter contained therein whenever they can do this age is no obstacle I would not scruple one of fourteen no more than I would one of fifty where there 's a credible Profession of Grace and a competent knowledge of the great Essentials of Religion and a Conversation suited to it Therefore my Friends make Conscience of this great Duty for I am afraid our young Professors remain giddy for want of this and of Pastoral Conduct I fear you want strength for want of this and comfort for want of this and Satan has great advantage against our young Professors because they are not more established and steady than they be Therefore if thon hast given up thy self to be the Lords and if God has enlighten'd thy Mind to understand the great things of the Covenant thou hast a claim and thou oughtest to make it sure thou art old enough to consent to be Christs when thou art fit to give thy self in Marriage 5. Dispose of your selves to the greatest Safety and most Usefulness You that are Servants chuse no Family where God is not worship'd for a curse and a snare is there besides the want of those daily helps which you stand in need of You that are changing your dwellings go to no place where the Gospel is not live not in a Countrey where Christ is a Stranger as to his Institutions You young ones that are about Marrying be sure that Grace be the first thing that you provide for 1 Cor. 7. 39. for God kuows how much easier it is to stifle good beginnings than to conquer riveted custom and it 's much easier to be overcome by a bad Wife than a bad Wife to be converted by a good Husband Know this my Friends he that does not wisely contrive for his Soul as a Man in Danger will rue it sooner or later God is not bound to help us when we run out of his way 6. Reckon upon a world of Troubles and Snares and be still preparing for them Oh young People be every day arming your selves for you may be every day attacqued don 't promise too serene a State on this side Heaven In the world you shall have trouble John 16. 33. Thy Work is a Warfare and holds for Life temptations will assault disappointments and scandals will try the best Men may be a stumbling-block Be fit for every thing and resolved to hold on thy way it 's hard work but Christ hath undertaken to assist thee and Heaven is worth thy labour Oh don't think and act as if you were to have your resting place here where Satan hath so much power and Sin so great an interest 7. Still grow in Grace and usefulness with age Though thou art good for thy time thou art not so good as thou mayst be nor oughtest to be much less so good as you should resolve to be Oh let not age's dulness be reproached by the vigour of your espousals Jer. 2. 2. Take care that time adds to thy Light to thy Love to thy strength and Fruit. Move Heaven-ward as days are prolonged 8. Familiarize the Word as your Instructor and Monitor Which way should a Young Man cleanse his way but by taking heed to the Word Psal. 119. 9. Let the Word be the Man of thy Councel take the Scripture for thy Rule and resolve to live by it Oh Servants look what God makes your Duty in Scripture will that allow you to be idle insolent or wastefull Col. 3. 22. Children see what God makes your Duty to your Parents Eph. 6. 1. and to your other Relations may you be rebellious unkind c the Word is the true measure and light Alas the oldest of us are sure to stumble without the Word what then can young ones do Therefore study the Scriptures more search them and labour in every thing to manage your selves by them Sirs I would have no one here ignorant of a rule proper to most of the Exigences of his Life and let that be still before thy eyes I will give you Young People one Advice that may do you good all your dayes and that 's this I would have you all consider what Temptations you are like to meet with and what are the Duties you are like to be call'd to alwayes have an apt Scripture lodg'd in thy Mind suitable to each of these and resolve to do nothing nor to purpose nothing before thou hast first consulted that Scripture in thy Mind this would be a stated way of avoiding much sin Young people you that are in Christ labour to live to these Rules I shall now conclude I have been plainly telling all of you Childhood and Youth is Vanity You all come such into the World c. are you altered or are you not do you still grow more vain or more serious should God come this day and divide this Assembly and set the Vain on the right hand and the Serious on the left O Child O Young Man on which side wouldst thou be found O put it to your selves what answer canst thou return wilt thou go away and resolve to be as Vain as ever after all that has been said If that be thy resolve would to God thou hadst not been here this Sermon will be a Thorn in thy side for ever But if from what has been said you go away resolving through Grace to be faithful in the practice of all these Directions given you for the Cure of your Vanity If so then thou wilt have cause for ever to bless God for the 25th of December 1690. FINIS A Youths Catechism Quest. WHat art thou Answ. I am a Child endued with Reason who must be in Heaven or in Hell for ever Rom. 2. 9 10. Q. Who made thee A. God made me by whose Power every Creature was made Is. 45. 12. Q. What is the God that made thee A. God is a Spirit perfectly good great wise holy present every where and without beginning or ending Q. How many Gods be there A. There is but one true God Father Son and Spirit 1 Cor. 8. 6. 1 Ioh. 5. 7. Q. What did God make thee for A. God made me to bring him Glory and to be happy in him Rom. 11. 3. Q. Where may you know how to bring Glory to God and to be happy in him A. In my Bible where he declares his Nature and his Will 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. Q. What Condition was Mankind