its particular proper Lusts this appropriation cuts off young ones from all vain Excuses that ordinarily are made when they sin O such a one provoked me or Satan tempted me Alas these Lusts are from thy self they are inherent in thee if it be enquired Whence are all these heaps of filthy Lusts in young ones the Answer is easie Out of the Heart proceed evil Thoughts Murders Adulteries Fornication Theft false Witness Blasphemies 15. Matth. 19. This is that Dunghil in which the whole Serpentine blood of all actual Sins is conceived and brought forth here is that hoâ— Aetna which is within you young ones that never ceaseth from sending forth continual steams and fumes of vile Lusts It true the Devil and the World are greaâ— enticers to Sin but not like your inherenâ— Lusts 1 James 14. 15. But every man â— tempted when he is drawn away of his owâ— Lust and enticed That when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth Sin and Sin when iâ— is finished brings forth Death Satan and thâ— World can only tempt and entice you Objectively and Externally but your youthful Lust tempts internally and thereforâ— more dangerous Now see the strength â—â— this 1st Reason viz. that that gives me moâ—â— danger that must put me on more labouâ— and diligence to shun and escape Besides whatever any of our spiritual Enemies shoulâ— attempt to draw you to Sin it would be altogether ineffectual were it not for these Lusts within These most endanger the Soul and according to your mortifying and fleeing these you may estimate the true estate of your Soul to be a state of Grace 18. Psalm 23. I was also upright before him and have kept my self from mine Iniquity Alas young ones the propriety and inherence of your Lusts is such as necessitates your continual Watchings Strivings in Prayer at the Throne of Grace if a man had a Thief in his House a Fire in his Chamber he had need to bestir himself or he will be rob'd and burn'd Young man thou carriest Gunpowder about thy very Nature O had thou not need to flee them or that which carries Fire It 's dangerous yielding to thy youthful lust It 's like putting Fire to the Powder It was the saying of a German Divine when his Friends were commending him recounting his usefulness and serviceableness Auferte ignem adhuc enim paleas habeo Take away the Fire for there is yet Chaff in me O what Guards do you young ones need to keep you from being ruin'd by so near domestick an Enemy What sharp Winters of Frost and Snow i. e. Fasting Weeping or Suffering dost thou need to kill these rank Weeds i. e. thy youthful Lusts in the Garden of thy Soul the consideration of this Inherency of thy Lust young man calls for both inward and outward Exercises Assistance internal as Checks of Conscience solicitousness of Thoughts earnestness of Desires actings of Faith in Christ the strivings teachings strengthenings quicknings of the blessed Spirit External as denying your Senses that dangerous tho' extreamly delightful Flesh and Blood liberty of a guardless careless and needless converse with the world's Trinity Honours Pleasures Profits and allowing your sinful and needy Soul a due proportion of time in constant attendance upon God in all outward Ordinances both publick and private which he hath appointed and instituted for thy help and assistance to mortifie and abandon thy youthful lusts It 's upon this account and consideration namely that propriety of Sins inherence in thee that renders this duty of fleeing thy youthful Sins so very difficult hence it 's called 18. Matth. 9. a cutting off a righâ— Hand a plucking out a right Eye hence it is that the Gate of entrance into Life iâ— by our blessed Saviour called a strait Gate hence it is that if there were no Devil in the world to tempt you or wicked Instruments to entice you yet would you be carried out to commit all Evil with greediness iâ— you close not with the Counsel here given you Were it not for this propriety of your Lusts inherence you might no more feaâ— that roaring Lyon that goeth about seeking whom he may devour than the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah who said The Prince of this World cometh unto me and finds nothing in me 14. John 30. But alas your Lusts are within you as the Canaanite in the Land of Israel and they easily beset you there is a naturality of Sin now since the Fall as blackness to the Aethiopian and like a fretting Leprosie adheres to our Natures with so much pertinacy that even after conversion Sin remains while on this side the Grave which truth is verified by the sad experience of all believers in the world that so they may never put off their Christian Armour till they put off this earthly Tabernacle but be continually kept watching fighting runing wrestling praying c. after millions of Tears and Prayers still they are fain to send up their Cries and Groans to Heaven for the abating and destroying the remains of Pride Atheism Unbelief c. And what hope can be left O young ones that ever you will obtain a Victory when your Enemy is so near you nay dwells in you if you lie idle nay how sure is it that you will be carried a miserable Captive by your Lusts to Hell if you take not this Advice to flee your youthful Lusts especially if you consider how the Devil night and day is watching to set Fire to thy Lusts thou hast a combustible Nature and Constitution and he is cunning and filled with Malice and with all sorts of Wiles Depths Baits Snares for all tempers and above all he desires to have young ones so that to be secure and indifferent here is in a sense equivalent to yield your Souls to Sin and Satan which brings me to the second Reason of this Doctrine Second Reason That therefore it is a duty of special concernment to Youth to flee youthful Lusts because of the malignity of their influence this I shall evidence to you more generally and then more particularly 1. More generally Your youthful Lusts so far as they prevail they destroy your Souls 8. Rom. 13. If you live after the Flesh you shall dye Mark it I pray upon what unalterable terms it runs O the malignity of these Lusts 7. Rom. 21. and the 23. What Fruit had you then in those things whereof yoâ— are now ashamed for the end of those things is Death v. 23. The wages of Sin is Death But to be more particular there is a threefold evil influence these youthful Lusts if noâ— abandon'd will certainly have upon you 1. They will hinder your Conversion oâ— render it exceeding difficult 2. They will hurry you into most grievous Temptations and Perplexiâ—ies 3. They will hasten your utter Ruin anâ— Destruction 1. They will hinder your Conversion or render it exceeding difficult and this they will do these two ways 1. As they wofully indispose the Soul
last place in that they hasten your destruction as you may read in these following Scriptures Rom. 6. 21. What fruit had ye then in those things for the enâ— of them is Death And in verse 23. The Wages of Sin is Death 1 Pet. 1. 11. Abstain from Fleshly Lusts which war against the Soul Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the Flesh ye shall dye Matth. 18. 8 9. If thy right Hand offend thee cut it off c. or no entring into Life eternal Isa 3. 10. Now in vain were all these Revelations of the determined and immutable Will of God in his Word if continuance in your Lusts could stand with impunity and escaping destruction I know that the vain hopes of escaping is a mighty encouragement to the voluptuous Youth whose Heart stands bent upon his Lusts but if once his Conscience comes to be throughly convinced that his lusts will most surely find him out that his Damnation lingreth not slumbreth not but is hastening a pace towards him so that he may as well hope not to dye as not to be thrown into Hell when he dyes oh then what trembling surpriseth the guilty Sinner Now in order to the awakening the Conscience of wild and wanton Youth to flee their youthful Lusts let them but weigh this Argument taken out of God's Word who hath peremptorily declared that he will by no means clear the Guilty but is angry with them every day and hath revealed his Wrath from Heaven against all that persist in their Lusts let them steep their thoughts in such terrible tremendous Scriptures as Deut. 29. 18 19 20. Lest there should be any among you whose Heart turneth away from the Lord and it cometh to pass that when he heareth or readeth the Words of this Curse that he bless himself in his Heart saying I shall have Peace though I walk in the imagination of mine Heart to add sin to sin What then O pray mind and lay to heart what followeth in the 20. vers The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the Curses that are written in this Book shall lie upon him Also in Job 5. 3 4. Eliphaz saith I have seen the Foolish taking root but suddenly I cursed his Habitation and in the 27. Chap. and 13. you read this is the Portion of a wicked man with God and in 17. Chap. 5. Their triumphing is but short and their joy but for a moment So that as soon should God cease to be God as the Sinner that goeth on in his Trespasses should go unpunished the certainty of whose destruction depends upon the irrevocable Will of God God hath said it the Lord hath spoken it and it shall come to pass Alas we that dwell at ease and enjoy our health are not able fully to conceive what the power of the Lord's anger and wrath is which he hath revealed against Sin and Sinners Some indeed as they have been drawing near and launching out into the Ocean of Eternity have had such sights and views of it as hath scar'd and affrighted them with such amazements that they have cryed out inducias usque ad mane truce but till the Morning Others O that I had never been born call time again Others O Lord let me live on Earth though it be but the life of a Toad I have also read of one who saw Hell but in a Dream or Vision and the terror was so great that he would have chosen ten times to dye rather than see and feel so great horror again But as to our Youth that look at a Death-Bed many years off they can scarce imagine what an aspect this will have at a dying hour Now at present it shews its fairest side but when all Masks are pulled off it will be quite another thing you may see its stinging efficacy in the 33. Isa and 14. Now in the days of your vanity and pleasure this Argument and Reason is wrapt up like a Flag about the Staff Hell and Damnation are but as it were in semine and your persisting in Siâ— is called a treasuring up of Wrath againsâ— that great and terrible Day of Wrath that is approaching and hence you are secure careless and all quiet But oh that young people would but think what a dreadfuâ— sight it will have when they come to lie down with their Bones full of the Sins oâ— their youth and their Souls brought dowâ— to the sides of the Pit as low as Hell by their youthful lusts O with what unexpressible rage and fury will their Consciences then reflect on their fore-past Sins You read in James that when Lust is consummate it bringeth forth Death and the sting of Death is Sin unmortified unpardoned this brings to a terrible Bar Judge and Sentence Depart ye cursed c. So that here in the final issue of your youthful lusts they will if you flee them not cast you into the Fire of Hell with an utter destructioâ— from the presence of the Lord. See here how God hath hedged up your sinâ—ul waâ— with thorns to stop you and restrain yoâ— from yielding to your filthy and forbiddeâ— Lusts and also to spur you on to bâ—eaâ— through all the difficulties and objectioâ— that lie in your way to Repenâ—ance and Conversion that so when the Devil oâ— the Lusts of the Flesh object against the Severities pains and labour oâ—â—bâ—ndoning and forsaking your Dalilah-corruptions 〈◊〉 might have it in readiness to answer Avoid Satan what tell you me of pains in parting with or departing from Sin do not you see here in the Scripture is it not written that Eternal Pains will be my Portion if I flee not my youthful lusts and what are the pains of parting with my lusts now compared with the pains of parting with God Christ and Heaven and the undergoing the pains of Hell's torments the Fire that is never quenched the Worm that never dyes O Devil that wouldst tempt me to sin O vile Lust that wouldst entice me and draw me to fulfil your unreasonable request is it easie to dwell with everlasting Burning If I dwell with you and hearken to you if I flee you not I must dwell and lodge for ever and ever in Tophet Is it not better to dwell with Lyons Bears Serpents Adders here in a Wilderness all my Life on Earth than abide with you an hour longer seeing that I run the hazard of an Eternity of Torments in that hour and the only way to provoke God to shorâ—en my Life on Earth is to yield to my lusts What if I should gain a little beastly pleasure or perishing earthly treasure by obeying my youthful lust what then when God takes away my Soul Job 27. 7 8. and in Matth. 16. 25 26. What is a man profited though he should gain the whole World and lose his own Soul What can a man give in exchange for his Soul Wherefore as Moses
c. The truth is your youthful Lusts in Prayer do render you most abominable and odious in the sight of God for they do as it were challenge and bid defiance to God whence else are those thunders of his provoked Majesty in 1. Mala. 14. 7. Jer. 9 15 16. 33. Ezek. 31 32 33. Chap. 14. from the 1 st verse to the 9. To go and Pray with the Idol of my Lust in my heart is a mocking God and God won't be mocked nay let me tell you God's anger is increased by such Prayers and then I appeal to you what Good can be looked for from such Prayers alas rather Confusion than Conversion O young People pray remember it your Lusts will not only blunt and take off the edge of Prayer that it shall never do any execution but they turn thy very Prayers into sin and how likely that is to turn thy heart God wards judge ye Thus I have shewed you how your youthful Lusts hinder Conversion as they oppose the means of it Were there a demand made why Consideration and Prayer and otheâ— Godly means should be so irksome and buâ— densom Is God so undelightful an objeâ—â— to approach unto that you cannot enduâ—â— his presence or are so soon weary in holâ— Exercises like a man under a heavy loaâ— Oh no to draw nigh to God in Prayer is thâ— joy of holy Souls but they are those Luâ—â— within that make it to our corrupt Nature so unpleasant and tedious And thus have shewed you how they oppose thâ— means of Conversion on our part and therâ—fore it is a duty of such special concern meâ— for young men to flee youthful Lusts becauâ—â— of the malignity of their influence expresse first in that they hinder Conversion Noâ— I come to the second Head to shew yoâ— the malignity of their influence as they huâ—ry Youth into grievous Temptations 2. A second particular of the maligniâ—â— of youthful Lusts inflence lieth in this viâ— In that they hurry Youth into grievoâ—â— Temptations There are two sorts of Temptations thâ—â— we read of in Scripture the Apostle Jamâ—â— treats of both in the 1. chap. ver 2. and â—â— 14. The former sort are no other than Afflâ—ctions which are for the probation anâ— tryal of the Christian's Faith and Patience and with respect to these the Apostle saith My Brethren count it all Joy when you fâ—â— into divers Temptations ver 2. And Mosâ—â— saith that God tempted Abraham 22. Gen. 1. That is God proved and tryed his Servant Abraham's Faith But now the other sort of Temptations are no other than solicitations and seducements to Sin and with respect to these the Apostle saith in the 13. and 14. verses Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with Evil neither tempteth he any man But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lust and enticed then when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth Sin and Sin when it is finished bringeth forth Death And hence our blessed Lord teacheth us to watch and pray that we enter not into Temptation that is to sin for in this sense is the word used in Scripture as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or to try is the proper word for the other temptation so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the proper word for temptation to sin And of this sort of temptation it is that youthful Lusts are both the Fons and Fomes the breeder and feeder the food and fuel the mother and nurse they do both by force and fraud violently hale and hurry and cunningly entice and draw young ones to sin The Devil may flatter you but he cannot force you it 's your Lust that opens the Door or temptation could never enter It hath been an old practice of Sinners when they fall into sin to accuse and lay all the blame either upon the Devil or the instrument that provoked them Oh saâ— they the Devil owed them a spight and noâ— he hath paid it not considering that thâ— true procreating cause of Sin is a mans owâ— Lust It must be own'd that this World full of Snares and Temptations to with draw Youth from God's house to the Alâ— houses and there provoke them to Intempâ—rance and to Gaming houses and theâ— provoke them to consume their Estates anâ— precious time and to filthy houses anâ— there provoke them to destroy themselvâ—â— for the sake of brutish pleasures In this senâ—â— it is true homo homini daemon One is a Devil to another i. e. tempters to Sin But a these are but external movers the principâ—â— Agent is thy own Lust within As one saith Temptation is a Siege Satan is the Enemâ— without the Walls labouring to force aâ— entrance our Lusts are the Traytors with in that hold correspondency with tâ—â— Enemy without and open the Gate of thâ— Soul to receive him They are our owâ— Lusts that go over to Satan in the day â—â— battel and fight against our Souls 1 Pet. 2. O young men your Lusts are like the meâ—â— of Keilah to David in the day of temptation 1 Sam. 23. 11. Poor David was hateâ— and hunted up and down by Saul who soughâ— his Life at length he cometh to Keilah presently it was told Saul that David wâ—â— come to Keilah David enquireth of the Lorâ— Whether the men of Keilah would deliver him up into the hands of his Enemy Saul And the Lord said They will deliver thee up Whereupon David presently fled and so escaped Thus if you follow not this counsel to flee your youthful lusts they will certainly deliver you up in the hour of temptation that you will not be able to deliver your own Soul they will betray you as Dalilah did Sampson and let in the uncircumcised Philistines upon you When Judas his heart was set upon the lust of Covetousness how miserably was he overcome with many desperate Temptations he will betray the precious Life and Blood of the Son of God for thirty pieces of Silver and afterward you know what became of him so true is that in the 1 Tim. 6. 9 10. They that will be rich saith the Apostle whose Hearts run after their Covetousness fall into Temptation and a Snare into many foolish and hurtful Lusts So when Balaam's Heart was set upon this Lust he will rise early run and ride till he is weary that he might Curse Israel at length he becomes through his Lust more desperate and senseless of God's fury than the dumb Ass he dissembles his Conscience coins cunning Evasions O the malignity of lusts influence Suppose it be the Lust of Uncleanness what pernicious temptation doth this cast many young men upon frequenting Satan's Seminaries those Chappels of Hell Stews and Plays wherâ— oftentimes are Challenges Stabs Combaâ—â— Blood and Murder thus have many ventured as deep as Hell to gratifie their filthy Lusts Hence they are said to draw Iniquiâ—â— as with Cart-ropes Isa 5. 8. and that the wearied themselves
to commit Iniquity Jer. 9. â— and compared to fed Horses every one neigâ—ed after his Neighbours Wife Jer. 5. 8. anâ— carried on with a bruitish rage against aâ— reason without any counsel or consideration this is that which the Apostle callet◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eagerness of Lust noteth a raging eagerness 1 Thes 4. 5. â— that where it is consented to it carrieth aâ— before it breaks all sorts of Bonds the Laâ— of God the Law of Nature all are but as thâ— new Cords wherewith Sampson was bounâ— as soon as he awoke from Sleep he braâ—â— all like so many twine Threads An iâ—stance hereof holy Providence while I aâ— writing affords me of a young man thâ— through yielding to the Lust of Concupâ—scence hath plunged himself into such dreaâ—ful Temptations and consuming Miserie that he moves like a Shadow and pinâ— away under the malignity of his Lusts iâ—fluence to the grief of them that beholâ— him The holy Apostle telleth us Thâ—â— when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth Sâ—â— that is the outward act of Sin and when Sâ— is finished it bringeth forth Death The Metaphor there used is taken from a teeming Mother now a Mother conceiveth first inwardly and after the revolution of so many Months bringeth forth the Fruit of her Womb visibly to others thus here according to that noted place Matth. 15. 19. Out of the Heart proceed evil Thoughts Murders Adulteries Fornications Thefts false Witness Blasphemies So in 2 Peter 1. 4. all the actual Corruptions and Abominations that are in the world are through Lust Oh there is a vast difference between our Lord Jesus his being tempted and ours when Satan came to tempt him he found nothing in him John 14. 13. nothing to comply with him there was no internal temper no indwelling lust no corrupt matter to fasten on but it is otherwise with us A man's Enemies saith Christ are they of his own House O remember it young man the principal Cause of all thy misery is the Lust of thy own Heart if all outward obstacles were removed thou mayst yet be an Adulterer a Thief c. in the sight and account of God as one hath it Omnia si claudas intus adulter erit Moreover consider the malignity of these Lusts as they have a sly subtile enticing property you will see a necessity of fleeing them O young man thy Lusts are as deceitful to betray you with Smiles and Kisses as they are violent and desperate to stab you with temptations to bold and bloody perpetrations of sin Your Lusts not only tempt by haling and hurrying you oâ— to sin in an imperuous manner but they also tempt you by flattery and putting Tricks and Cheats upon you insomuch that it is next to impossible that you should ever flee and avoid the Cheats except you flee your Lusts that are the cheaters Ah how many thousand of young ones hath Lust slain this way fitly may that be applied here that is spoken of the Harlot in Prov. 7. 26. She hath cast down many wounded Solomon was a wise man yet Lust made a fool of him Lust hath much of the subtilty of the old Serpent in its blinding Sinners minds iâ— draweth young men to sin by drawing a vail over their Consciences thus enticing them on with fair flattering Promises one while pleading the sweetness and pleasure of yielding and giving way to its desires and solicitations at other times arguing ab utili the profit and gain the honour and preferment Hence the voluptuous and unwary Youth are ensnared as you read frequently in the Proverbs 1. Chap. and the 7. Chap. promising themselves abundance of satisfaction in yielding to their Lusts 18. ver of that 7. of the Prov. Come let â—â— take our fill and solace our selves with Loves Stolen Waters are sweet and Bread eaten in secret is pleasant Prov. 9. 17. Doth Ahab sell himself to his Lusts to work wickedness what gratis Oh no his lusts promise him a brave Vineyard So Gehazi what will he frame and utter a Lye for nothing Oh no he should have Sheep and Oxen and change of Rayment c. So Achan what will he sin for nothing Oh no there 's a Wedge of Gold So Judas what will he betray innocent Blood for nothing Oh no he shall have thirty Pieces of Silver Thus doth Lust tempt by flattery fraud and all is a meer Cheat for pray what got Ahab by his Vineyard was it not the ruin of him and his oh it brought forth Grapes of Gall. And what got Gehazi by his Lye but a Leprosie entailed upon him and his Heirs for ever And what got Achan by his Wedge It is the notion of one upon it That it was a wedge to cleave asunder his Soul from God And I may add to cleave asunder his Soul from his Body too So Judas his thirty pieces purchased him an Halter Thus for a lusts pleasure multitudes of Youth are tempted into it by meer flattery as you may see in the 20. Job 12. 14. Though Wickedness be sweet in the Mouth yet the Meat thereof will turn to the Gall of Asps within And in Prov. 9. 17. Stolen Waters are sweet c. but they consider not that the Dead are there and that her Guests are in the Depths of Hell I have read a Story â— a Roman Soldier who was by a Couâ—â— Marshal condemned to dye for breaking hiâ— rank to steal a Bunch of Grapes and â—â— he was going to execution some of thâ— Soldiers envied him that he had Grapes and they had none saith he Do ye emâ— me my Grapes I must pay dear for them Sâ— may we say of all the pleasure of your Lustâ— its last act is always Tragical it serveth thâ— young man as Absolom did Amnon wheâ— his Heart was merry with Wine then hâ— killed him 2 Sum. 13. 28. Or as Jael â—â— enticed him into her Tent and gave hiâ— Milk and layeth him to sleep and then Sâ—â— put her Hand to the Nail and with the Hamme she smote Sisera she smote off his Head whâ—â— she had pierced and stricken through hâ— Temples Judg. 5. 26. O young men fleâ— your Lusts yield not to their enticement when they would draw and tempt yoâ— with the bait of pleasure remember theâ— is no truth in all its promises Oh practisâ— that 3 Heb. 13. O venture not upon the forbidden Cup when it sparkleth with pleasure Your Lusts will promise you a Paradise and pay you with a bryary and thoâ—ny Wilderness where if you have a minâ— to be torn with Bushes fed with Asheâ— stung with Serpents scorch'd with Burning and that everlasting you may credit theiâ— youthful Lusts And this brings me to thâ— third and last Particular expressive of the malignity of youthful Lusts influence viz. That they hasten your Destruction 3. Flee youthful Lusts because of the malignity of their influence in that they not only hinder your Conversion hurry you into Temptation but in the
lusts of Malice and Envy against â—im that most pure peaceable meek and â—eavenly Doctrine of the Gospel which Christ had taught among them could have â—o entertainment in nor government over â—heir Hearts to win them to him because â—â—eir hearts were engaged to their Lusts So â—â— is here when God calls and Ministers â—ll and the dangers and miseries of thy neeâ—â—y Soul calls O young man consider thy â—ays remember thy Creator know that â— will bring thee to Judgment alas theâ—e â—usts deasen and drown all O wretched â—very tho' Life and Death be set before thee tho' thou art allured with all the glorious promises of pardon and Eternal Lifâ— on the one hand and tho' thou art constrained with all the Terrors of the Lord thâ— Curses of the Law and the everlasting Flame of Hell on the other hand yet these Lusâ— slight make nothing of all these amazinâ— and tremendous Truths as if they were nâ— worthy of one quarter of an hours serioâ—â— Consideration they do so haunt aâ— shackle poor Sinners as that they hold theâ— Prisoners arctâ custodiâ in close bondagâ— and will not allow them the liberty of coâ—sideration and bethinking themselvâ—â— Hence these Lusts are stiled Snares Neâ— Bonds Eccles 7. 28. 2 Tim. 2. 26. and this respect are Sinners compared to Caâ—tives and Prisoners kept up Isa 61. 1. aâ— Chap. 42. 7. Hence Simon Magus by reâ—son of his being under the dominion of thâ— lust of Covetousness tho' he was also undâ—â— a Christian profession and had been but jâ— before Baptized yet you read Acts 8. 23. see saith Peter that thou art in the Gallâ— Bitterness and in the Bond of Iniquity Aâ— so that young man of whom you read the 19. Matth. he seemed to be near to â—â— Kingdom of Heaven but he was chaiâ—â— fast by the Love of Riches and that set hiâ— quite back again O young men yoâ— Lusts if you give way to them will â—â— come so ravenous outragious and tyraâ—â— noâ— lusts malign Influences what cause have you to Flee these Lusts Another means on our part of Conversion is Prayer thus we read in Jer. 31. 18 19. of Ephraim when he was about turning he prayeth to the God of all Grace Turn thou me and I shall be turned In this respect Peter counsels Simon Magus Acts 822. Repent saith he of this thy Wickedness and Pray to God if perhaps the Thought of thine Heart may be forgiven thee Pray mind this Scripture q. d. though thou art in the very Gall of Bitterness and in the Bond of Iniquity yet supposing there remains only a possibility a perhaps of Pardon and Salvation yet thou art bound to Pray I know there are many deboist lewd Youngsters in this Age that imitate those prophane Wretches of whose hellish Language you read in the 21. Job 14 15. They say to the Almighty Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy Ways And what is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit is it if we Pray to him But there is little hopes of their Conversion However this is most certain that Prayer is an Institution of God's in order to Conversion as you may see in those two Scriptures Hosea 14. 1 2 3. O Israel return unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine Iniquities In that Verse you have God's Invitation to Conversion and then in the second Verse you have his Direction how to go about it Take with you words and turn unto the Lord say unto him Take away all Iniquity and receive uâ— graciously And then if you read thaâ— 36. Ezek. 26 27. where you have God promising the Grace of Conversion in those words A new Heart will I give unto you and presently enjoyning Prayer as a means on our part ver 27. Thus saith the Lord I will yet for this be sought by the House oâ— Israel to do it for them If you ask What Prayer is I answer Prayer is the offering up of ouâ— Desires to God for things agreeable to hiâ— Will in the name of Christ These Desire must proceed from an Heart touched with the sense of our sin and misery and the apprehension of God's mercy in Christ anâ— they must be servent and constant like thâ— Publican God be merciful or propitious â—â— me a Sinner Luke 18. and Gen. 32. 25. I will not let thee go except thou bless me Luk. 18. 1. to this end our Saviour spake that Parable to instruct us that we ought to Pray and not faint like that important Woman of Canaan who would know no discouragements being once entred and engaged in this heavenly Exercise It is not meet saith our Lord to take Childrens Bread and give it to Dogs she owneth it Truth Lord saith she Matth. 15. 26. yet the Dogs may eat of the Crumbs that fall from their Masters Table O when a poor Sinner cometh to God by Christ and knocketh for converting Grace out of a sense of its damned undone condition if he prevail not and cryeth out O thou most patient tho' provoked God it 's matter of admiration that thou sufferest such a Viper as I am to live and breath in thy common Air O pity me a Hell-deserving Sinner for the sake of thy dear Son who made satisfaction by his bitter Death and Passion to thy Justice and grant me this favour in thy sight the forgiveness of my Sins and the Spirit of Grace to subdue the power of my lusts and to renew me in Soul and Body O Father of Mercies if thou do not shew me this favour and mercy I shall live thine enemy and shall I know not how soon dye miserably to mine own eternal undoing O draw me into Union with thy blessed Son unto whom none can come except thou draw O let me never rest till it be out of doubt that I am converted and that God in Christ is mine let my Tears be my Meat night and day while I have a being till I obtain Grace and Mercy to help my needy miserable Soul After this manner is this Exercise to be performed and it brings God's Institution it is under a promised Blessing and many can set to their seals that their labour herein hath not been in vain with reference to Repentance and Conversion Now giving way to youthful lust directly opposeth Conversion both as it withdraws you from it and withereth your Soul in the performance of it Alas when your Lusts grow clamorous and you obsequious to them they will breed in you an aversation opposition to Prayer you will not find a Heart inclined to but wretchedly dis-inclined from God which is a sad case indeed and to have a hard Heart that cannot Pray was the note of an Eminent Saint and Servant of God now ascended compleateth a Soul's misery it pulls down fury and destruction upon the Heads of such as you may see in the 10. Jer. 25. O what care should you take to preserve your comfortable access
one of thy Titles God who cannot lye hath promised And thou never yet didst break thy Word with any poor Sinner nor suffer the Word that has gone out of thy Mouth to fail but art the same to day yesterday and for ever in whom there is no variableness nor shadow of turning O remember thy Word wherein and whereon thou hast made me to hope and remember me a poor Sinner now at thy Feet laden with Iniquity groaning and labouring under a burthen too heavy for me to bear and O remember thy Son's Blood and if that be not sufficient to discharge all I owe and procure all I want then let Justice seize me Tell God He will be better paid with Christ's Blood than thy own and that his Justice will have more Glory in saving thee for the sake of Christ's Obedience than in damning thee for the sake of thy own disobedience that if he throw thee into the Prison of Hell to pay what thou owest he will never have a full satisfaction but if the save thee and take thee up to Heaven upon the account of Christ's Blood he will have all paid at one sum and receive a plenary satisfaction And tell him That thou art resolved never to leave him to the last gasp until he Bless thee with the Grace and Mercy thou needest till it be out of doubt that thou art in Christ and throughly converted say This I must have there is no enduring of it I will mourn and be in bitterness while I have a being till I find this Grace in thy sight O I will never depart from thy Door whither should I go thou alone hast the Words of Eternal Life And know for thy Comfort that when once it cometh to this never question it thou shalt have an answer of Grace to thy comfort and content God's bowels will yern towards you as they did to Ephraim and the Prodigal Son at his return And thus now I have done and I know that e're long God will bring me and you by Death to Judgment but whether ever he will bring me to this place to speak more or you to hear more I know not I have endeavoured to warn you and wooe you and win you to Christ I have told you again and again this can never be except you flee your youthful Lusts I have described them to you and laid down Directions how to Flee these Lusts excepting the five last Atheism and Ridiculing serious Godliness Swearing Time-wasting Vncleanness and which is last a Woful giddiness and greediness of temper to drink down Errours But having not in publick as yet insisted on these at large I forbear the Printing of them Wherefore in the conclusion I demand of you Young People what is your resolution Dare any of you maintain a league and friendship with your Lusts in rebellion against the express Command and Call of God to flee them if so O remember these Truths once Preached and now Printed as despised as they are now will be a swift and fearful Witness against you another day and confound you like as the appearance of the Fingers of a man's Hand on the Wall did that stout Sinner Belshazar For who ever hardened himself against God and prospered Well once more and may be no more for ever I ask you in the Name of him that made you and will judge you will you flee your Lusts or no Will you lay down these Weapons and take Jesus and be ruled by him or no O let thy Voice be with the Prodigal I will arise and go to my Father and say I have sinned Or with Ephraim What have I any more to do with Idols Behold thou art the Lord our God we come we come O that God would make me the happy Instrument of converting Grace this day while it 's called to day O who can endure to see Satan get Souls to Hell from under our Pulpit O awake awake up and be doing it may be the last knock Christ by me will give I am wounded to think of leaving any of you in Hell's way The Lord give you understanding in all things FINIS