frequent the means of grace I mean the Ministry of the word that being the ordinary instrument whereby the Spirit of God who is the principal Author of grace doth convey grace into the hearts of sinners Whereupon the Apostle Peter affirmeth 1 Pet. 1. 23 That we are born a new not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God Where by being born a new is meant such a thorow change in us whereby we are brought out of the state of nature into the state of grace and so are made new Creatures having an infusion of new and holy habits or supernatural graces put into our hearts which blessing is ordinarily wrought in us through the Ministry of the Word Acts 2. 41. We read of three thousand sinners who had grace wrought in their souls by one Sermon Yea Acts 10. 44. It is said Whilest Peter was preaching the Holy Ghoss fell on all them that heard the Word And therefore O Young man as thou desirest true saving grace frequent the Ministry of the word take all occasions of hearing the same hoth in season and out of season And for thine incouragement know that as graceless and prophane hearts as thine have been sanctified by the Spirit of God as they have been attending upon the Ministry of the Word And who knoweth but thou maist find the same effect of the Word upon thy soul whilst thou art waiting upon it 3. Beware thou neglect not the day of grace There are certain seasons of Grace when the Lord makes tenders and offers of grace to the Souls of poor sinners Yea there is no man that lives in the bosome of the Church but probably he hath his critical day a certain time for grace which if he neglect it is a question whether ever it will be offered to him again Happy therefore and thrice happy are they who observe those seasons of grace and know in their day the things that concern their everlasting peace Now it may he God speaks home to thy Conscience now he warms thine heart and puts thereinto good purposes and resolutions It will be therefore thy wisedome carefully to observe and improve the same to thy Souls advantage not suffering them carelesly to pass away lest if thou lose the benefit of those blessed motions thou lose life and salvation for ever Luke 19. 41 42. Our Saviour tells the Jews they had a day of grace which because they slighted and neglected they should never enjoy it again the means of grace and salvation should be no more offered unto them God being a just God is it not just that he should reject them for ever who have for a long time rejected him that he should turn a deaf ear unto them crying unto him on their death beds for grace and mercy who would not hearken unto him calling upon them in the day of his merciful visitation Whilest therefore the day of grace lasteth whilest God stands knocking at the door of thine heart by the motions of his Spirit and admonitions of his Ministers speedily open to him embrace his motions be willing to follow the dictates of his Spirit in ways of obedience Thou knowest not when thy day of graee will end Though some mens day continueth to their old age some to the day of their death yet some mens day of grace may end in their youth and younger years Thy first day may be thine only day for Heaven loyter out that and thence forth it may be night with thee for ever Therefore O young man how doth it concern thee to take the first and present season Now hearken now accept and submit to mercy now give thy self unto God be his faithful servant to obey and serve him with all thy heart and strength or the day may be lost and thy soul lost for ever Behold now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation Thou knowest not what a day may bring forth thou maist suddenly be taken from the means of grace or the means of grace may be suddenly taken from thee The Sun of heavenly light which now shineth may set and thou be left in darkness The gate of mercy now opened to thee may be shut against thee The things belonging to thy peace may be hid from thee There is a time coming and we know not how near it is in which as Christ saith many shall seek to enter in and shall not be able Luke 13. 24. Oh what woful yelling what pitiful crying and earnest knocking will there be then at the gate with Lord Lord open to us But all in vain having slighted and neglected their day of grace when they should have got Oyle into their Lamps and grace into their hearts 4. Be earnest with God in prayer who is the God of all grace that be would be pleased to vouchsafe unto thee his holy sanctifying Spirit which may quicken thy dead soul infuse the grace of life and make thee partaker of his holiness whereby thou maist become a new Creature Beg of God that he would not put thee off with the things of this world but together with his outward blessings or whether thou have them or not that he would bless thee with spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus and that he would inrich thee in the Inner man with his saving and sanctifying graces What the Apostle Iames saith of Wisdom is true of all grace If any one lack it let him asâ—… of God that giveth to all men liberally and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not and it shall be given him Jam. 1. 5. O young man may grace be had for asking Ask and ask again never keep silence nor let fall thy suit till thou hast obtained And in thy Prayers plead that gracious promise Isa. 44. 3. I will pour Water upon him that is thirsty and flouds upon the dry ground That is where there is no sap of grace nor moisture of goodness upon such saith the Lord will I pour out my water my living water my grace shall flow down upon him and his soul shall be as a well watered garden Go therefore thou poor sinful soul who never yet to this day hadst one drop of grace within thee go thou to the Throne of Grace go to the Fountain of Grace lament thy sinful barren heart before God and plead his promise of pouring the spiritual water of grace upon the barren thirsty soul say unto him Lord make good this good promise unto me behold the dry and barren heart upon which no dew or rain from above hath ever fallen pity this hard and parched soul a drop Lord a drop from the fountain of living water God of grace give grace unto me and effectually work it in me And know for thy comfort that if God hath given thee a sense of the want of grace and an heart to pray for it it is an hopeful sign that he intends to bestow it on thee 5. Stir up in thy soul an earnest longing desire after grace To that
shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 20. As associating thy self with wise men is an excellent means of getting Knowledge and Wisdom So contrariwise associating thy self with Drunkards is the high way to drunkenness and folly their company is no less contagious to such as adjoyn themselves to them than such as are infected with the Plague or Leprosie There are two Arguments which are very prevalent with many Young Men to perswade them to go on in this so heynous and dangerous a sin but being weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary they will be found very light 1 Arg. Taken from the hope of Repentance they flatter themselves with a conceit that they can repent when they list and that Heaven-gate will open to them at the first knock A. 1. Repentance is the gift of God from whom every good and perfect gift cometh Jam. 1. 17. And therefore ought to be accepted by us when it is offered to us and not to be delayed and put off from time to time For as God is merciful to offer Grace so he is just to punish the neglect thereof 2. How many are there who though they have fully resolved to repent and turn from their sins unto God in their old age or in the time of sickness yet have been prevented and cut off by some sudden death One drunken fit may cut off that hope How many instances have there been in the world of men that have died Drunken Some Drunkards have been twice dead at once dead drunk and drunken unto death carried away from the Ale-bench to their Graves and thence to the Judgment And what if it should be so with thee where is then thine after-repentance And how many that have over-lived their drunken fits have been deprived of the use of their senses and understanding in the time of their sickness and so have died sensless And how many who though they have lived to old age yet have been more hardened against Repentance than in their Youth which cometh to pass through the just Judgment of God For what can be more righteous than that they should be left to forget God when they are old who would not remember him in their Youth And this the Lord himself threatneth Prov. 1. 24. c. 2 Arg. Is taken from their present impunity They flatter themselves with a conceit that because God doth not presently execute vengeance upon them for their Drunkenness therefore they shall not be punished and thereupon take heart to go on in their sins according to that of the Wise Man Eccles. 8. 11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the Sons of men is fully set in them to do evil implying that impunity increases impiety and makes sinners the more obstinate because the Judgments of God threatned against them are not presently executed therefore they go on in their wickedness But let such know that though God is slow in executing his Judgments on wicked and ungodly men thereby to lead them to Repentance yet will he be sure in the execution at last and the longer he is fetching his stroak the sorer will be his blow and the deeper will he wound when he strikes In which respect Gods wrath may be compared to a great Bell which is long in raising but being up it gives the greater sound CHAP. XIV Of Wantonness and Uncleanness which is another Vice whereunto Young Men are addicted III. ANother sin whereunto Young Men are addicted is Wantonness and Uncleanness Prov. 7. 7. It was a Young Man that followed the Harlot to her house Young Men are generally apt to this Beastly sin and to make light of it when they have done accounting it but a trick of Youth and a Venial transgression as if their Youthful propensity thereto and the commonness thereof in men of that age might be their sufficient Apology and excuse Therefore I shall shew you 1. The Kinds and Degrees of this sin 2. The Heynousness of it 3. The Danger thereof 4. Some Remedies against the same I. For the Kinds and Degrees of this sin it is Either Contemplative or Practical Contemplative Uncleanness is when the mind pleaseth it self with lascivious and wanton thoughts delighting the sensual appetite And thus there may be a world of wickedness in a mans heart though the act of pollution be refrained There 's many a Whorish heart where there have not been Whorish acts And I am perswaded that the outward act of Fornication and Adultery is not more heynous among men than the lustful and unclean thoughts of the heart are to God An Adulterous heart an Adulterous eye an Adulterous tongue are all an abomination to the Lord. Of Practical uncleanness there are many degrees 1. Fornication Which is when the sin of Uncleanness is committed by single and unmarried persons 2. Adultery When both or one of the Parties delinquent are Married as the Notation of the word intimates Adulterium quasi ad alterius torum the going to anothers Bed And this is so much the more heynous as it is a wilful shipwrack abroad when it hath an Harbour and safe remedy provided at home 3. Incest Which is committed by persons that are within the prohibited degrees of Consanguinity or Affinity 4. Polygamy The having of many Wives at once 5. Rape or Ravishment Which is a violent deflowring of a Woman who never consented thereunto Such was Amnon's sin in deflowring his Sister Thamar II. The Heynousness of this sin appeareth 1. From the Titles given to it in Scripture The Prophet Ieremy calls it Villany Jer. 29. 23. Because they have committed Villany in Israel and have committed Adultery with their Neighbours Wives Where the latter branch is Exegetical shewing what that Villany was which they committed even Adultery with their Neighbours Wives This sin is likewise termed lewdness filthiness and uncleanness But most commonly it is called folly and the Actors thereof Fools Gen. 34. 7. 2 Sam. 13. 13. And Prov. 7. 7. Solomon calleth the young Fornicator a simple one void of understanding For what greater folly than for the satisfying thy filthy lusts to cast thy self head-long into innumerable evils here and into eternal torments hereafter 2. The heynousness of this sin appeareth from the manifold threatnings in Gods Word against it 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Adulterers nor Effeminate c. shall inherit the Kingdom of God As if he had said I know many of you are apt to flatter your selves with a conceit that God who is the Father of mercy will not be so severe as for this sin which is so natural to cast you into Hell or shut you out of Heaven But saith he Deceive not your selves neither Fornicators nor Adulterers nor Effeminate shall inherit the Kingdom of God that is except they truly repent and leave off those sins And Eph. 5. 5. This ye know that no Whoremonger nor unclean person hath any inheritance in the Kingdom
Argument the Apostle Peter useth 1 Pet. 2. 12. Have your conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good works which they shall behold meaning such good works of honesty as they by the light of Nature knew to be good works glorifie God in the day of visitation 3. Nothing doth more wound Religion and dishonour the Gospel than when men professing Godliness are found unfaithful and dishonest in their dealing Surely never did Religion suffer more dishonour and reproach through the unjust and unrighteous actings of the Professors thereof than in these days It cannot but grieve the heart of every good man to hear that which is too truly laid to the charge of many professing godliness amongst us namely That there is more truth and faithfulness more just and honest dealing to be found amongst Turks and Heathens than amongst many Christians who make a great profession of Religion Woe be to those Christians by whom such offences come surely it had been better for them they had never been born than that their lives should be such a scandal to Christianity and dishonour to the Gospel 4. Iust and honest dealing with men will be some evidence of thy Right and Title to Heaven Psal. 15. 1 2. The Psalmist describing who shall ascend the holy hill of Sion a Type of Heaven giveth such Characters which chiefly relate to duties of honesty and righteousness Having propounded this question vers 1. Who shall dwell in Gods holy Hill Maketh this answer in the next verse He that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousness So that he is a Citizen of Heaven who walketh uprightly towards God and worketh righteousness towards men who doth not only talk of righteousness but worketh righteousness who doth not ask much less exact unreasonable prices for his Commodities but observes a due proportion in his buying and selling Q. If you ask what Rule is to be observed for the setting a price upon our Commodities that we may content our selves with reasonable gains A. The best Rule I know is to observe the ordinary price of the Market which valueth things with consideration of all circumstances as scarcity plenty time c. 5. Wealth gotten by unjust and deceitful weights are usually accompanied with a secret curse from the Lord so that they seldom continue long but melt away many times in the same hands that got them according to that of the Prophet Ieremiah 17. 11. As the Partridge sitteth on Eggs and hatcheth them not so he that getteth Riches and not by right shall leave them in the midst of his days and at his end shall be a Fool. That which is gathered by the unrighteousness of man shall be scattered by the Wrath of God Though men should thrive by their unjust and injurious dealing yet their worldly wealth can never recompence their spiritual loss For what will it advantage a man to gain a little Earth with the loss of Heaven Take heed therefore O young man of seeking to inrich thy self by any unwarrantable ways What thou gettest thereby may prove to thee as the Flesh that the Eagle catched from the Altar and carried to her Nest which having a live coal cleaving to it set Nest and young ones on fire The Curse of God is like a secret Moth eating into such an estate as is got by fraud and deceit 6. Without restitution of goods ill got there can be no true repentance nor hope of pardon Restitution is an hard work as necessary as it is the meat that goeth pleasantly down costs some deadly pangs in the vomiting up Whatever unrighteous gains thou swallowest up it must be restored or 't will cost thee thy life Lay not up such an unrighteous Treasure which will certainly put thee to the pain of restitution or damnation If thou be able thou must restore or die if thou be not able to restore thou must repent or die and the pangs of thy repentance may be much more bitter than thy unrighteous gains were ever pleasant to thee Be wise O young man and consider if it be so hard for thee to hold thy hands from unlawful gettings how much harder will it be to shake thy hands of them when thou hast them The few instances that ever we hear of of restitution made in an age of so much unrighteousness do abundantly evidence that 't is hard work to restore O take heed lay not up such a temptation for thee against the time to come which if it prove too strong for thee will be thine everlasting undoing Provide thee better work for the time of thine age than to unravel the wickedness of thy Youth Since thou art like to be so hard to vomit drink not down that which must come up or will be thy death Some there are in the World who by their unrighteous dealings have raised themselves from nothing to great estates their fraudulence in their way hath been it that hath built them Houses and bought them Lands that hath filled their Purses and fed their Families and provided Portions for their Children O 't will be hard service for such to let all go back where it ought to sell their Lands and empty their Purses to pluck off their Childrens fine Cloaths and to cloath them in Russet or in Rags and themselves to come down from their greatness to nothing again and to take up with that little pittance of their estates which they came honestly by Let it be well considered by such whose case this is how hard it is thus to empty themselves And be thou ware O Friend in time how thou puttest thy self upon this hard choice either to strip thy self to the skin of all thou hast dishonestly gotten or to perish everlastingly CHAP. XII Sheweth the Vices whereunto Young Men are addicted One is Rash and hasty Anger VVHereas there are sundry Vices whereunto Young Men are exceedingly prone which are very displeasing unto God let it be thy care and endeavour to shun and avoid the same The Vices of Youth are these I. Rash and hasty Anger Young Men being hot and furious like Tinder and Gun-powder take fire at the least spark of offence and by indulging the violence of their passion grow often outragious I deny not but there is a lawful anger as when a man is angry either at his own or other mens sins for that anger is without sin which is against sin But when one man is angry with another either for no just cause or for a very slight one then is his anger sinful and unlawful to which kind of anger young men are very prone Many I know account Anger even the hottest and most hasty Anger to be but a slight matter a light infirmity therefore I shall 1. Shew you the heinousness of this Sin 2. Lay down some Remedies against it That you may discern the heinousness of it observe these considerations 1. The passion it self is exceeding violent Anger