which makes me think that Poyson 〈◊〉 with their Wine Whereas indeed it was the abundance of Wine which they had drunk that had 〈◊〉 them of their senses 5. Drunkenness weakneth mens Estates He that loveth Wine shall not be rich Prov. 21. 17. The Drunkard and the Glutton shall come to poverty Prov. 23. 21. Experience hath verified the truth of this for how many poor men have oftentimes spent more in an Evening at an Alehouse than they have earned all the day before at their work And how many rich men who have had fair Revenues left them by their Fathers have in a short time bezel'd all away by Drinking and so robb'd not only their Wives and Children but likewise God and the Poor of what belonged unto them How sad will it be with many when they shall see how many pounds they have spent in Drink and how little for Gods honour 6. Drunkenness robs men of their precious time No sort of men usually mis-spend so much precious time as Drunkards for they use to sit long at the Wine as the Prophet Isaiah describeth them Chapt. 5. 11. They rise up early to follow Drunkenness and continue unto the night till the Wine do inflame them And when the Wine hath once inflamed them then are they a while after unfit for any thing but sleep 7. Another effect of Drunkenness is That it makes a man unfit as to all good duties so especially to that of Christian watchfulness which our blessed Saviour and his Apostles often call for whereby he should be always prepared to appear before Christ whensoever he shall come to Judgment Therefore Christ forewarns all his to take heed that their hearts be not overcome with surfeiting and drunkenness lest that day come on them unawares Luk. 21. 34. O Wretch what if that day of the Lord should come upon thee in thy drunken fit The day of the Lord will so come as a Thief in the night The Drunkards life is all Night a drowsie sleeping season 't is often Night with him at Noon His Cups do darken as to him the brightest Sun and serve for Clouds or Curtains to cover him up to sleep Arise Sleeper the Lord is coming thy day is near the next fit of Drunkenness may be the night wherein the Judge will come Do not put it off thus I do not think so I believe he will not come yet he is the more like to come for that that thou thinkest he will not That wicked servant Luk. 12. 45. that said My Lord delayeth his coming and did eat and drink and was Drunken The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and at an hour when he is not aware Thou thinkest not that Death will meet thee that Judgment will meet thee the next time thou art Drunken But what if it should be so if thou shouldst be snatch'd from the Ale-bench and brought to Judgment how wouldst thou give an account of thy self to God when thou hast not reason enough left thee to give an answer to a man Watch therefore but that can never be unless thou wilt first awake from thy Drunkenness Having shewed the Nature and Heinousness of the sin of Drunkenness come we now to the Remedies for avoiding the same 1. Often meditate of the fearful Woes denounced against Drunkards and the dreadful Iudgments threatned against them Woe to the Drunkards of Ephraim Isa. 28. 1. Woe to them that rise up early in the Morning that they may follow strong drink and continue until night till Wine inflame them Isa. 5. 22. Note this O Young Men who count it a glory to be able to bear much drink a glory more fit for a Draw-horse than a man yet such men or rather such Beasts there are which glory in drinking others under-board as they use to speak If this be not what is it for men to glory in their shame And besides thus bring they on their Souls their own and others blood No marvel therefore that the Apostle putteth Drunkards into the Catalogue of them that shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven 1 Cor. 6. 10. and Gal. 5. 21. And the Prophet avoucheth that Hell hath inlarged her self and opened her mouth without measure for them Isa. 5. 14. Instance Drunken Dives whose Soul immediately passed from Earth to Hell where he could not get one drop of Water to cool his Tongue in that tormenting flame Luk. 16. 24. 2. Consider that Drunkenness is the Mother of most abominations Rom. 13. 13. saith the Apostle Let us walk honestly as in the day not in Rioting and Drunkenness not in Chambering and Wantonness Where mark the course of the Apostles words after Gluttony and Drunkenness follows Chambering and Wantonness Thus Lot in his Drunkenness committed Incest with his two Daughters Therefore doth the Apostle exhort the Ephesians Chap. 5. 18. not to be filled with Wine because therein is excess He that is full of Wine his wickedness runs over the stream of Lust swells so high that it overfloweth all its banks Alexander we read in a Drunken Fit killed his dear Friend Clitus for which when he was sober he attempted to kill himself Famous is the Story of one who once craved the Devils help to accomplish his desire But the Devil would first have one thing done at his appointment What 's that quoth the man Kill thy Father saith the Devil That 's too horrible a fact replies the man Then lie with thy Mother saith the Devil That 's most unnatural quoth the man Wilt thou then be Drunk saith the Devil That I will quoth the Man And being Drunk defiled his Mother and murthered his Father The Moral of this Parabolical story is this A Drunkard makes bones of no sin 3. Be diligent and industrious in thy Calling Whilest Israel was working in Aegypt they had no leisure to sit long at their Cups but while they lay still in the Wilderness they sate down to eat and drink and then rose up to plâ—…y Exod. 32. 6. Thou wicked and slothful servant saith our Saviour Matth. 25. 26. If slothful certainly wicked for the slothful and idle servant is the Devils Captive whom he carries about with him and leads into every Tavern and Alehouse 4. Consider Gods All-seeing presence about thee wheresoever thou art Couldst thou sit long over thy Cups 〈◊〉 away thy precious time in vain and fruitless discourses didst thou but seriously consider Gods All-seeing presence about thee to whom â—…hou must one day give an account as of thy sinful actions so of thy idle words and mis-spent time 5. Avoid the Society and Company of Drunkards Prov. 23. 20. Be not amongst Wine-bibbers that is frequent not the company of such as are given to drinking and tipling For though they do not find thee like unto themselves yet if thou consort with them they will make thee such For as he that walketh with wise men shall be wise so a Companion of Fools
Apprenticeship to the Devil What O what shall I say to you Is this a state to take your rest in Is this a state to laugh and be so merry in How is it that you are not all upon your knees or fallen upon your faces that you are not all in tears and in tremblings Do you sit at the Wine and chear your selves with strong Drink Vinegar and Gall and Worm-wood is more proper for you sorrow and bitterness of soul. What friends do you mean to outdare the Almighty Do not you fear the wrath of the Lamb Are you death-proof and hell-proof Is the judgement to come but abugbear Dare you to meet the Judge of all the earth and to stand before his Bar with all your loads of guilt upon you How will your courage come down and your brisk and wanton looks be appaled How will these stout hearts quake and these bold spirits of yours shiver and fall and hide themselves if it were possible from that terrour of the Lord in his dreadful and terrible day O how is it that you have no more pity no more bowels for your poor perishing dying souls What will you still be laying on more Irons heavier loads What yet more Oaths and Lyes and Drunkenness and Whoredoms and Obstinacies in them What will you never leave loading till your backs be broken and you be past remedy O repent repent and turn to the living God and he will yet have mercy on you IV. When through Grace thou art recovered take heed of falling back again A relapse is dangerous in bodily diseases much more in spiritual Christ gave this advice to the Woman taken in Adultery and forgiven Go and sin no more John 8 11. As also to the poor lame man whom he healed at the Pool of Bethesda which he back'd with a strong reason Go and sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee lest the rod be turned into a Scorpion Iohn 5. 14. Is the unclean spirit departed from thee beware that he return not lest thou become sevenfold more the Child of Hell in thy latter end than thou wert in the beginning Let thy former sins and the smart they have put thee to be warnings to thee as long as thou livest Hast thou repented Art thou reformed Bless God for so great a mercy Look back upon the mire of the pit out of which thou art delivered and take heed to thy self how thou ever comest there again CHAP. XXII Of Moderation in the Use of Meat and Drink V. BE moderate in all things more Particularly 1. In the use of Meats and Drinks 2. In Sports and Recreations 3. In the pursuit of worldly wealth and seeking after riches I. Be moderate in the use of Meats and Drinks Feed for the satisfying thy hunger and strengthning thy body for the service of God and not meerly for the pleasing thy fleshly appetite I deny not but the Lord sometimes gives us liberty to eat and drink not only for necessity but also for delight And I grant it is a blessing from God promised unto the faithful Joel 2. 26. That they shall eat in plenty and be satisfied but it is that they may take occasion thereby to praise the Name of the Lord for his bounty and goodness But wilt thou therefore eat to Gluttony and allow thy self in such intemperance as will make thee as ready to curse God as to bless and praise him Our Saviour warns his own Disciples Luke 21. 34. Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surseiting and drunkenness It is observable how he adviseth us to be as watchful against Gluttony as Drunkenness Many look upon Drunkenness as an heinous sin but as for Gluttony they make no sin of it at all not considering that a man may offend and make a Beast of himself by excessive Eating as by excessive Drinking The Rich Glutton went to Hell not for any Drunkenness that we read of but for Gluttony Luk. 16. 19. Therefore O Young Man it concerns thee to be watchful over thy self herein Let not thy Table be an Altar to thy Belly lest it become a snare to thine heart Beware of feeding thy Lust instead of refreshing thy Body Eat for service more than for pleasure to preserve Nature rather than to pamper the Body And when thou art feeding thy Body forget not to refresh thy Soul by meditating of Gods goodness and bounty and Christs sweetness who is the Bread of Life That thou mayst be the more watchful against this intemperance consider the manifold mischiefs which usually accompany the same 1. It is exceeding hurtful to the body filling it with crudities noysom humours and dangerous obstructions the Mother of most diseases If thou wouldst enjoy an active healthful body rise always from the Table with an Appetite But oh the folly of many men who for a short delight which lasteth no longer than the meat is swallowing down do endure many hours grievances through the oppression of the Stomach and pain of the Head yea oftentimes dangerous Surfeits which hazard life it self What pity is there to such who will sell their healths and their ease for a few Meals let them smart for it their sickness may cure them of a worse disease 2. It dulletb the Wit infatuateth the Mind emasculateth the Soul and the powers thereof quencheth and devoureth the vigour of the Spirits whereby a man is often made fit for nothing but to be a Sleeper or an idle Drone Is this thy thankfulness for the bounty of the Lord to thee to make such use of it that thou art good for just nothing 3. It is a great incentive to Lust when men 〈◊〉 provision for the flesh they soon fulfil the lusts thereâ—… Rom. 13. 14. Forbear to pamper nature lest it prâ—…ve wanton and impetuous 4. I would ask such as give up themselves to the satisfying their carnal appetite making their Bellies their Gods whether they do not think that they must one day answer for the good Creatures of God which they have vainly consumed If they make any question thereof hearken to what the Wise Man speaketh Eccles. 11. 9. Rejoyce O Young Man in thy Youth and let thine heart chear thee in the days of thy Youth but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into Iudgment As if he had said Take thy course O Young Man give up thy self to thy Lusts and please thy sensual appetite eat drink be merry but know thou shalt one day full dearly answer for the same CHAP. XXIII Of Moderation in Sports and Recreations II. BE moderate in thy Sports and Recreations Spend not too much of thy precious time therein Certainly if thou didst but seriously weigh and consider how much work lieth before thee and how little time remaining for the doing of it thou wouldst not trifle away so much thereof in vanity and pleasure but wouldst rather spend the greatest part of that time thou canst
THE YOUNG MAN'S GUIDE THROUGH THE VVilderness of this VVorld TO THE HEAVENLY CANAAN Shewing him how to carry himself Christian-like in the whole course of his Life By Tho. Gouge Minister of the Gospel Wherewithal shall a Young Man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy Word Psalm 119. 9. LONDON Printed by S. and B. G. for Nevil Simmons at the Princes Arms in S. Paul's Church yard 1676. The Epistle Dedicatory to the Youth of England especially to those who are in or about the City of LONDON SIRS THough I fear you are not all of you in so good a condition for your Souls as that I may apply those words to you without exception which are in 1 Ioh. 2. 14. I have written unto you Young Men because you are strong and the Word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one yet the Searcher of all hearts knoweth that I have written this Preface and the ensuing Treatise to you out of an earnest desire that it might be so with you My self and others that stand upon the Brink of Eternity by reason of Age can see better than your selves because we have had experience of it that your Youthful time is a dangerous time wherein however you may now rejoyce yet if you take not heed you may contract such guilt to your Souls as may make you to mourn hereafter yea for ever Prov. 5. 11 12 13. You are apt to put by Convictions and the Calls of Grace in hope of longer life and so to be unwilling yet to repent because you are too confident that yeâ—… you shall not die as if Holiness were not a thing in season for such as you are But doth God put off doing good to you till you are Old Is he not Now preserving of you and providing for you while you are Young Why then will you put off the doing service to him till you are Old What horrible unthankfulness is this to God What ground have you to think that you shall live so long or that you shall without fail die Gods Servants if you live Slaves to Sin and Satan But because I intend to be brief in the way of an Epistle for the Porch must not be too great where the House it self is but little therefore I will say somewhat briefly to you as you may be considered under a twofold distinction then to you all in general 1. Some of you are the Children of godly Parents others are not 2. Some of you are yet in your Apprenticeships and Service and with others of you that time is expired You that are the Children of godly Parents Oh if you should not be good what can you have to plead for your selves I take it for granted that you have had the advantages of your Parents gracious instructions holy examples and fervent prayers Have you forgotten what charge they laid upon you to fear the Lord much like to that of David to Solomon 1 Chron. 28. 9. And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts if thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever Why will you let the Pains the Prayers the Tears the Desires the Hopes of your Fathers that begot you and your Mothers that bare you to be lost and frustrated If your Parents be yet alive would it not be the Joy of their hearts to see that God had Circumcised yours And if they be dead will you not be afraid to meet them at the Tribunal of Jesus Christ in an Unregenerate condition It was no small mercy to you that God should make you to be the Seed of the Righteous and it will be no small aggravation of your sin if you should not be a Righteous Seed Perhaps besides your immediate Parents your Forefathers and Ancestors were such as walked with God in their several Generations and so godliness hath through Free Grace been as it were intailed upon your House from one Age to another Now what a dreadful thing would it be if any of you should cut off the intail of Godliness or that you should go to Hell whose Parents are going or gone to Heaven As for you whose Parents are not godly that must not keep you from labouring to be so because if they are not such yet they should be such And as I said before to those whose Parents were gracious that it would be a dreadful thing for them to cut off the intail of Godliness so now I say to you whose Parents are wicked that it would be a blessed thing for you to cut off the intail of sin which if you shall do will also cut off the intail of those Judgments which otherwise might come upon you for your Fathers iniquities Read to this purpose Ezek. 18. 14 15 16 17. And oh what an honour will this be to you if you shall do that which is right in the sight of the Lord when those out of whose bowels you came did that which was evil Mark what notice is taken by way of commendation of Young Abijah the Son of wicked Ieroboam because in him was found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam 1 King 14. 13. It is matter of great thankfulness and rejoycing to any beholder that good Children should come even out of a good Family but that the Branches should be holy where the Root was not is matter of greater admiration and praise And yet such wonderful mercy doth the Lord sometimes shew to some Children who neither by the Fathers nor Mothers side can plead any right to the Covenant of Grace Be not discouraged therefore from looking after the Promise because you are not according to the Natural Birth the Seed of true Believers but repent and believe the Gospel and then instead of that and which is more than that you will according to the Spiritual Birth be the Sons of Abraham yea the Sons of God Now in order to the second distinction Some of you are yet in your Apprenticeship and Service in which you ought to behave your selves with that obedience to your Governours with that diligence and faithfulness in the duties of your Places that you may be blessings to the Families into which God by his Providence hath called you Take heed of pride stubbornness idleness evil company and of wronging your Masters in the least kind Be much in the consideration and imitation of Iacob and Ioseph The first of which served Laban with all his power Gen. 31. 6. And the other was so careful and conscientious in his Masters business that he made him Overseer of his House and put all that he had into his hands Gen. 39. 4. I would advise you to get such Scriptures by heart which instruct Servants in
assurance of living one day longer We are all but Tenants at will and may be turned out of our Earthly Tabernacles whensoever our great Landlord pleaseth even at a quarters yea at a minutes warning And therefore as thou hast any regard to the Eternal welfare and Salvation of thy precious Soul it behoveth thee now even now to set to thy work to abandon thy sins to close with the tenders and offers of Jesus Christ to give up thy self to the service of God for thou knowest not what a day-or an hour may bring forth A man that hath a work of great consequence to be done and but one day for the doing it had need rise early in the morning and with all possible speed to fall upon it This is thy case thou hast a great work to be done even the Salvation of thy precious and immortal Soul and but a little time allowed thee for the doing of it and that very uncertain Doth it not then concern thee speedily without any further delay to set about it and to improve thy precious time to the best advantage Reas. 4. May be taken from the uncertainty of Conversion in thine old age Though thou wert sure to live long even to old age and thereupon shouldst give up thy self to thy sensual liberties and incourage thy self therein by the hopes of an after-repentance yet how canst thou be sure that then at last thou shalt repent Conversion is not in mans power it is the work of God which he is pleased to work on whom and when he will God is merciful to offer grace but he is just also to punish the neglect thereof I have read a story of a prophane Fellow who was often wont to say he doubted not but that he should repent at last if he had but time to say three words Domine miserere mei Lord have mercy on me Not long after riding over a crazy Bridge both Horse and Man fell into the River but instead of saying the former words he cryed out in these three words Capiat omnia Daemon the Devil take all Young men let this be a warning to you all venture not on to morrow but to day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Psal. 95 7. Now God calleth and inviteth thee to turn from thy sins unto him and in good earnest to set upon the practice of an holy life He now knocketh at the door of thine heart offering to enter that he may dwell in thee but if thou refuse to let him in how knowest thou whether ever he will knock again and what if he should not O what if he that knocks at thy door to day should if thou now open noâ—… never knock or look after thee again for ever O where must thine everlasting dwelling then be Reas. 5. May he taken from the manifold mischiefs which will follow upon thy continuing in thy sinful course of life without turning unto God 1. The longer thou continuest in any sin the stronger it will grow and the more hardly be subdued The longer a Tree is suffered to grow the deeper rooting it taketh and the more hardly will it be plucked up In like manner the longer thou continuest in sin the deeper rooting will it take in thee and with the greater difficulty be removed As therefore we would condemn him of extream folly who essaying to pluck up a young Plant and finding some difficulty therein should let it stand till it had taken deeper rooting in the ground and then attempt to pull it up So alike nay much more foolish is that man who in his Youth and younger years finding some difficulty in turning from his sins unto God should put it off till his sins had taken faster hold in him supposing that then he should more easily do it The truth is 't is rarely seen that such who give up themselves to the service of sin and Satan in their Youth do serve God in their Old Age. How seldom do we hear of an old sinner converted Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good who are accustomed to do evil Ier. 13. 23. As if it were a thing impossible for one that hath continued long in a course of sinning to leave and forsake it and to give up himself to the service of God Surely with man it is impossible though not with God unto whom all things are possible It will be therefore thy wisdom betimes even in thy Youth to set thy self against the power of thy corruptions lest they grow too strong in thee to be mastered and subdued 2. Continuance in a course of sinning will so insensibly harden the heart that thou wilt find the work more difficult Though thou mayst flatter thy self with a conceit that thou wilt cast off thy sins and become a new man hereafter yet thou wilt find by sad experience that the longer thou detainest them the harder it will be to part with them for every sin doth not only bring a guilt upon the Soul but likewise a stronger inclination to the practise thereof How many be there who in their Youth and younger years were wont often to say it is too soon to part with our beloved sins there is time enough for that hereafter but when their hereafter hath been come then have they said it is too late our hearts are so hardened that now we cannot repent 3. The longer thou deferrest thy Reformation and amendment the greater indisposition and disability wilt thou find in thy self thereunto Thine understanding will be more and more darkned with the mist of ignorance they will through custom in sinning be more stubborn and refractory to the Will of God revealed in his Word Thy Conscience will be more and more seared yea all the powers of thy Soul will be more and more distracted with Earthly cares and businesses What folly then must it needs be to put off thy serving of God from thy younger to thine elder years 4. By continuing in a course of sinning we come to a custom and habit in sinning which will be hardly left or broken off For custom in sin takes away all conscience of sin and hardeneth the heart more and more against God and godliness yea Custom is another nature and that which is natural is not easily changed It is found by experience that such who have been long accustomed to drinking swearing or any other vices are very hardly reclaimed from the same What egregious folly then must it needs be in any who now finding it somewhat difficult to break off his course of sinning and betake himself to a strict course of life should defer it longer till the corruption of nature through custom of sinning grow stronger and stronger in him If ever therefore thou intendest to give over thy sinning Trade and to devote thy self to the service of God it will be thy wisdom speedily to set upon it before thy sins be confirmed by
free gift of God which he seldom bestoweth on those in their old age who have neglected it all the former part of their lives And he that refuseth to turn when God calleth him provoketh God to give him over to the hardness of his own heart so that he cannot turn 11. Another incouragement is taken from the Mercy of God God say they is merciful and gracious yea rich in mercy whose arms are ever open to receive all poor sinners who come unto him and therefore we hope to find mercy at last though we never sought it before A. 1. True it is God is merciful yea abundant in mercy but to whom will he extend his mercy surely to poor penitent sinners who in truth turn from their sins and devote themselves to him and his service but thou who delayest and puttest off thy repentance from time to time must not expect to partake one drop thereof Though the Lord be ready to imbrace all poor penitent sinners in the Arms of his Mercy yet will he wound the head of his Enemies and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses putting off his amendment from day to day Psal. 68. 21. 2. Know that as God is rich in Mercy so likewise abundant in truth and will shew no mercy to sinners in a way derogating from his truth Now as God hath promised in his Word to receive such into his favour who without delay will turn from their sins unto him and keep his Statutes Ezek. 18. 21. so in his Word hath he threatned destruction to such as put off their repentance when he calleth upon them to turn as Pro. 1. 24. Every Word of God will certainly have its accomplishment When therefore thou presumest on the Mercy of God remember withal that he is a God of Truth and as sure as God is true if thou continuest in thine ungodly course of life thou wilt perish for ever notwithstanding God is merciful For all the ways of the Lord are Mercy and Truth unto such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies Psal. 25. 10. 3. Know that God is Iust as well as Merciful and will by no means clear the Guilty As he hath prepared Heaven for some so Hell for others and it is very just that such should be cast into Hell who will not accept of Heaven upon Gods terms by a speedy turning from their sins and giving up themselves unto him Thou therefore who blessest thy self with a false perswasion of Gods Mercy and thereupon runnest on in a course of sin know that thereby thou dost deceive thine own Soul for thou wilt at last find that the Lord is just as well as merciful just in executing his wrath upon obdurate and wilful sinners as well as merciful in receiving your penitent sinners into favour As God to shew the riches of his mercy converteth some in their elder years so to shew the glory of his Justice he leaveth others and those the greatest part to die in their sins 4. It is a mercy that sinners can never enough admire that upon repentance they may be received into favour but it is a wicked perverting this mercy of God if instead of leading us to repentance it should incourage us to defer the same from day to day Because God is merciful shall we be so ungrateful as thereupon to run on in a course of sinning against him presuming on his mercy to the last Because God is gracious shall we thereupon prove the more ungracious and rebellious against him and his Commandments That be far from us Yea rather seeing the Lord is merciful and gracious let us be the more ashamed to sin against so good and gracious a God Let not the mercy of God occasion us to take any incouragement to sin against him but rather let the consideration thereof be an effectual argument to prevail with us speedily to turn from our sins unto him and to walk in the ways of holiness Surely if there were any ingenuity in us his love to us would constrain us to love him again His mercy to us would work in us both a care to please him and a fear to offend him III. Another incouragement is taken by many from the patience and long-suffering of God because he long bears with them in their wicked and ungodly courses not executing his wrath upon them Eccl. 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 Because the Lord is slow in executing vengeance on wicked men therefore are their hearts exceedingly hardened in their sinful ways so that they go on impenitently therein abusing the long-suffering of God unto presumption which should have led them to repentance But know that though the Lord doth bear long with some sinners yet not with all How many have we known in our own experience have been suddenly surprized and cut off in the very act of sin not having so much time and strength as to say Lord have mercy upon me And assuredly the slower God is in striking the heavier will be his stroak tthe Curse and Wrath of God for thy going on still in thy trespasses will be more grievous on thee at the last IV. Another incouragement is taken by many from the example of the converted Thief on the Cross who had spent all the former part of his life in wickedness and profaneness A. 1. It is a single example of extraordinary mercy there being not one more in all the Bible It is the saying of S. Austin Unus misericordiam invenit hora ultima ne quis desperet unicus ne quis praesumat That one man was received to mercy at the last hour that none should despair and but one that none should presume For this one man that repented at the last many thousand instances might be brought of such who putting off their amendment from day to day have at last perished in their sins What folly then must it needs be in any to put himself in a way wherein so many have miscarried 2. Christ wrought this rare Miracle of Mercy upon an extraordinary occasion namely to honour the ignominy of his Cross. When his Humane Nature was lowest then would he manifest the power of his Divine Nature whereby Christ shewed what he could do not what ordinarily he would do And being an extraordinary act of Christs Mercy and Power it can make no general rule What ground of hope then can this afford to thee who wilfully spendest thy Youth and younger years in the service of sin and Satan in hope to find mercy at the last 3. Though the Thiefs repentance was late even at the close of his life yet it was so soon as he heard of Christ. For it doth not appear that he either saw or heard of him before whereas thou hast often heard of Christ in the Ministry of the Word yea been called and invited
words are to be understood not only as a Curse or Judgment but also as a Charge and Command Answerable thereunto is that Precept in the Moral Law Six days shalt thou labour So that no man hath a priviledge to live idly but either by the sweat of his Brow or of his Brain ought to be serviceable in his Generation For thine incouragement unto diligence in thy Calling Solomon tells thee Prov. 10. 4. The â—…and of the diligent maketh rich And Prov. 13. 4. That the Soul of the diligent shall be made sat Whereas Idleness is the root both of Beggery and of all manner of wickedness yea the Devils chiefest opportunity and advantage for tempting men unto sin and therefore may be called the hour of temptation For when the Devil findeth men most idle he will be sure to set them on his work Therefore it was good counsel which Saint Ierom gave to one of his Friends Be thou always about some lawful business that when the Devil comes he may not find thee idle If Satan at any time find thee not about that which is good he will soon set thee about that which is evil Though thou must be diligent in thy Calling yet take these two Cautions 1 Caution Beware of laying out the strength of thy heart and spirit upon thy worldly businesses which ought to be reserved for communion with God Thou must so follow the works of thy Calling as one that hath other matters in thy head businesses of an higher nature lying upon thee even the great things of Eternity the salvation of thy precious and immortal Soul This the Apostle intendeth in 1 Cor. 7. 31. where he adviseth us so to use the World as if we used it not or as not abusing it by such an immoderate loving and inordinate seeking after it as takes off the heart from a due minding the great concernments of our Souls As Esau wasted his strength by overmuch Hunting and by his too greedy desire of Iacob's red Pottage lost his Birth-right Gen. 27. 29. so mayst thou by an over-eager hunting after Wealth waste the strength of thy body and indanger thine Heavenly Inheritance It will be therefore thy wisdom so to mind and follow after things Temporal that thou mayst not lose no nor abate thy care of things Eternal I deny not but the World may and must be minded by thee but still in its place secondarily and subordinately What is the World to thy Soul What is Bread or Cloaths or Money or an House or Lands to the Everlasting Kingdom Let that word be still in thine ears and upon thine heart whatever thou art about First seek the Kingdom of God First that is not only before all things but chiefly and above all things seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness let thine heart be ever more intent upon God than upon all things in the world besides 2 Caution Though thou must be diligent in thy Calling yet beware that thy worldly businesses and imployments do not ingross thy whole time but allow thy Religious Duties their proper and sufficient season Be sure thou observe thy praying and thy reading times yea and thy seasons for meditating on God and communing with thine own heart Oh let not thy Worldly Imployments prove Heavenly Impediments Put not off thy serving God for any earthly advantage whatsoever Happily thou wilt say I must provide necessaries for my Family I must have bread for my self and them True and must thou not have Grace and Christ too Is not thy Soul more than thy Body Is not Christ and Grace more necessary than thy daily bread If thou wilt not raise thy Estate upon the ruines of thy Soul if thou wilt not sell thine hopes for hereafter for thy present commodity and undo thy self for ever for fear thou shouldst be undone here then look to it that whatever wants thy Soul may have its due share of thy time Let not holy duties give place to the world let the world give place to them I know it is the practice of too many upon a pretence of much business either wholly to omit their private devotions or else to run over them so hastily that they are lost in the doing as good do nothing as nothing to purpose God will not be so put off nor can thy Soul subsist upon the Income of hasty duties If thou wilt find no more leisure to pray God will find as little leisure to answer 2 Follow thy Worldly businesses with an Heavenly mind as a Citizen of Heaven and a Pilgrim on Earth Though thou hast thy hand in the Earth yet let thine eye and thine heart be towards Heaven often meditating on heavenly things and setting thy thoughts and affections on things above As S. Paul when he was at Rome in his body yet was at Coloss in his Spirit Col. 2. 5. So though as yet we are absent from Heaven in our bodies yet in our Spirits we may be continually present there and there let us daily be both searching into the blessedness of that better Country and studying our way thither and laying up a treasure for our selves there There is scarce any worldly business which calls for the continual intention of thy thoughts upon it but some spare time may be gained from it for spiritual thoughts and heavenly meditations And great care and watchfulness there should be against such an over-intention of mind upon whatever earthly affairs as does shut the Lord out of doors and throw Heaven under our feet Let our whole life be a walking with God as Enochs was Gen. 5. 22. Let us learn the skill to serve the Lord in our serving the necessities of our bodies and let us often catch at opportunities for more immediate converses with him Learn particularly these two things 1. To spiritualize all outward objects and occurrences by raising matter of heavenly meditations from the same There is no creature in which there are not manifest footsteps of the Power Wisdom and Goodness of God Every flower or spire of grass every worm or fly declare the power of our great Creator How much more the curious Fabrick of mans Body and the glorious Host of Heaven from each of which thou mayst take occasion to think of God with admiration As a Christian seeth all things in God so may he see God in all things and thereby make some spiritual use and improvement of them He may with the Bee suck sweetness out of every flower not only for sensual delight but also for spiritual profit And truly the benefit of the Creature is half lost if there be nothing but an outward use made oâ—… them The bruit Beasts can behold the outward things if man see and learn no more what is his Excellency above the Beasts A wise Physitian can extract some good out of those Herbs that ignorant persons cast away as useless In like manner wise Christians can and ought to extract some spiritual profit to themselves
doors and windows of the soul to let in Lust. Hereupon Iob though an holy man and in Years durst not trust his eyes without a guard but ingaged himself by solemn Promise and Covenant not to stand gazing on the beauty of a woman Iob 31. 1. Alexander refused so much as to see Darius his wife a Lady of incomparable beauty fearing lest he who had Conquered the Husband should be overcome by the Wife Upon this ground it seems Zeleucus imposed that Law upon the Locrenses that the Adulterers eyes should be pulled out because sin entred in at those Casements therefore he would stop up the Windows Hearken O young man hearken to that advice which we find given Ecclesiasticus 9. 8. Turn away thine eyes from beholding a beautiful woman and look not upon anothers Beauty for many have thereby perished 3. Possess thy soul with a serious consideration of Gods all-seeing presence about thee wheresoever thou art It is the very Argument which Solomon useth to disswade the wanton young man from his filthy course of life Prov. 5. 20 21. Why wilt thou my Son be ravished with a strange woman and embrace the bosome of a stranger For the wayes of man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings Though the unclean person commit this sin never so secretly that will avail him little It was the fear of God arising from the consideration of his all-seeing presence that kept Ioseph from hearkening to the Adulterous sollicitations of his Mistris How can I saith he do this great wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39. 9. Art thou out of fear of being espied or discovered by the eye of man yet consider the All-seeing eye of God is upon thee 4. Shun all means occasions and provocations unto Lust and Uncleanness He that will shun any sin must avoid the occasions thereof else he will tempt God to give him up thereunto The occasions and provocations of Lust are divers 1. Fulness of Bread and Drink eating to Gluttony and drinking to Drunkenness As Temperance is the best preserver of Chastity So intemperance in Eating and Drinking is the Nurse of Uncleanness the Oyl wherewith the flame thereof is kindled and increased Ier. 5. 7 8. They were as fed Horses in the Morning every one Neighed after his Neighbours Wife implying that when men are fed to the full like pampered Horses they will Neigh after their Neighbours Wives But take away the fuel and the fire of Lust will soon go out Whereupon Lycurgus to prevent all filthiness and uncleanness in Sparta prohibited all Feasts and Banquetings by a Law for he knew that Gluttony and Drunkenness were the Mothers of Wantonness and Voluptuousness 2. Filthy and obscene talk is another occasion and incentive of Lust. For as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 15. 23. Evil communications corrupt good manners Many I know take too much liberty to themselves herein and make nothing of it but do flatter themselves with a conceit of the purity of their hearts But let such know that filthy and unclean words do argue a filthy and unclean mind Obscene words being but the excrements and overflowings of a carnal and corrupt heart for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Thy stinking breath smells of a foul Stomach 3. Lascivious Pictures wherewith too many do adorn or rather disgrace their houses For what are they indeed but dumb Orators to perswade to Lust and lively Presidents out of which a wanton heart will easily take out a pattern of Uncleanness for its own imitation They are worse than obscene words because they vanish and are gone whereas lascivious Pictures do abide and infect many one after another For it is found by experience that wanton objects do ingender wanton fancies and imaginations which tend to filthy and unclean actions Beware therefore O young man of gazing on lascivious Pictures rather turn away thine eyes from beholding inticing and bewitching vanities 4. Stage-plays Many of which are stuffed with filthy and obscene speeches and set forth with many lascivious gestures by which they are very apt to infect the mind with Effeminate Lust and dispose the heart for unclean and filthy actions The Stage is a decoy for the Stews 5. Undecent and garish attire Men and Womens strange Apparel doth oft stir up Lust both in themselves and others also especially when such parts as ought to be covered are left naked In Prov. 7. 10. a Strumpet is set forth to allure others by her Apparel Aesop said wittily to a Gallant wantonly attired That if he did it to please men he was but a Fool for no wise man would account the better of him And if he did it to please Women he was but a Knave and meant unchastly These are the ordinary occasions of Lust and provocations thereunto which ought carefully to be shunned and avoided 5. Another remedy against fleshly lusts is to busie thy self diligently in thy Calling By this means the body of man is exercised and his mind imployed and so kept from idleness which is a great cause of Lust. Idleness is noted to be one of the causes of Sodom's Uncleanness Ezek. 16. 49. This also is noted to be the cause of David's committing Adultery 2 Sam. 11. 2 3 4. when men are idle they have no business but to sin but when men are busie in their Calling then they have no leisure to sin 6. Flee unto God by earnest and hearty Prayer for power and strength against the power of thy lusts and corruptions Beg of him that he would be pleased to cast the unclean spirit out of thee and indue thee with his holy Spirit which may inable thee to fight against the flesh and to mortifie and subdue all sinful lusts all inordinate affections and evil concupiscence This was the remedy which Paul used in this very case when he felt the thorn in his flesh which some Divines interpret to be lustful motions stirring in him For this saith he I besought the Lord thrice 2 Cor. 12. 8. and though he was not thereupon wholly delivered from them yet he found Grace sufficient for his support so that he was not overcome by them 7. If these means prevail not use the benefit of lawful Marriage To avoid Fornication let every man have his own Wife and let every Woman have her own Husband â—… Cor. 7. 2. And vers 9. Such as cannot contain themselves let them Marry for it is better to Marry than to burn Many there are who give Satan too great advantage against themselves by neglecting this remedy of Marriage The Popes forbidding Priests to Marry though they have not the gift of Continency hath been the cause of most abominable uncleannesses amongst them CHAP. XV. Of Prophane and rash Swearing which is another Vice whereunto Young Men are addicted IV. ANother Vice whereunto Young Men are addicted is prophane and rash Swearing which our Saviour expresly forbiddeth Matth. 5. 34. Swear not at all
to Christ be the main Spring that sets all thy Wheels a going this will both give vigour and a sweet relish to all thou dost and according to this according to what love there is in thy duties so will thy acceptance be with God 2. Let the Word and Will of God be the Rule of thy life Psal. 119. 9. Wherewithal shall a Young Man cleanse his way The question may be inlarged wherewâ—…thal shall a Young or Old Man cleanse and order his way And the Answer will be the same By taking heed thereto according to thy Word This Word is a Light to the feet and a Lanthorn to the steps it sheweth thee what is good and that good must be done it sheweth thee what is evil and what evil is to be avoided it sheweth thee what good is to be done and how what evils are to be eschewed and how thou mayst avoid them Young Man do not as the most of thine Age use to do be unruly live not according to thy unruly head or heart according to thy unruly lusts and passions but live by rule live not by the rule of Custom or by the rule of example after the course of this World but let God be thy Ruler and his Law be thy Rule As many as walk according to this rule peace shall be on them and mercy Gal. 6. 16. Enquire diligently what would God have me do How would God have me live Would God have me live an idle life Would God have me to swear or to lye or to covet Is not this it that the Lord would have me do to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live righteously and soberly and godly in this present world Tit. 2. 12. And if this be it that the Lord would have go and live accordingly 3. Let the glorifying and enjoying of God be the end of thy life and of all the duties and actions of it Let this be the scope of thy life the mark at which thou aimest that thou mayst honour God and be happy in him And that thou mayst eye and pursue both these in one let this be the aim and intent of thine heart in thy whole course To work out thine own Salvation Phil. 2. 12. In this one work is included all that thou hast to do or mind In this thou wilt best glorifie God and secure his everlasting love to thine own Soul Therefore upon this set thine eye and thine heart in all thy ways So that if the question be put wherefore livest thou wherefore livest thou thus thus holily thus humbly thus watchfully thus self-denyingly that thou mayst be able to answer Why I live thus that herein I may work out my Salvation Resolve to set thy self about nothing nor to allow thy self in any thing concerning which thou art not able to say I am herein working out my Salvation I am herein serving the Lord and endeavouring the saving mine own Soul Young Man dost thou live to this end what goest thou so often to the Alehouse or the Tavern for Is that to serve God and save thy Soul what is the intent of thy greediness upon the world of thy sensual licentious life of thy scoffing at the strictness of Religion dost thou all this also for the pleasing of God and working out thine own Salvation Canst thou say when thou art Drinking and Revelling when thou art swearing and Lying or when thou art loytering and playing away thy time canst thou then say Now I am serving of God herein I am working out my Salvation Or when thou art playing the Hypocrite and Formalist professing and praying and hearing and talking of God and the matters of Religion deceitfully out of pride or for ostentation or so coldly and negligently as thou ordinarily dost canst thou then say I am now praying for my life bearing for my life Will thy pride and thy hypocrisie bring thee to Heaven Are these false Duties that have nothing but a Lye at the bottom that are the Covert of a rotten heart are these they on which thou meanest to adventure thy Salvation Young Man if thou wouldst in earnest make this thine aim indeed the serving of God and saving thy Soul and have thine eye and thine heart much upon it this would both discover to thee whether thy way were right or wrong and also fetch thee off from all thy vain and wicked ways and quicken thee on in and hold thee close to that righteousness sobriety and godliness of life which is indeed the way to blessedness Thus much for General Directions CHAP. XXI Containeth particular Directions for the ordering our lives and actions according to Godliness IN the next place I shall give thee some particular Directions I. Beware of living in the wilful omission of any known duty The omission of good maketh us as liable to eternal vengeance as the committing of evil The unprofitable servant we read was â—…ast into outer darkness where was nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth not for mispending his Talent but for not improving it to his Masters advantage Matth. 25. 24 30. And Luk. 16. 20 25. We read how Dives was tormented in Hell not for taking away from Lazarus but for not relieving him in his wants And at the day of Judgment the Reprobate are condemned not for oppressing the Poor but for not feeding them not for stripping them of their Apparel but for not cloathing the naked Mat. 25. 42 43. And no marvel considering the omitting of a known Duty ariseth from a wicked heart and from a mind averse from God and unwilling to his service Besides sins of Omission are always accompanied with sins of Commission when we cease to do good immediately we begin to do evil Bless not then thy self O Young Man in thine harmless condition thinking thou art as good a Christian as the best because thou art not as bad as the worst but canst thank God with the Pharisee thou art neither Adulterer nor Drunkard nor Extortioner it were to be wished that some could say so much but know that this is not sufficient A man may truly say this I am not as bad as others and yet suffer with them in the same Lake of fire Thy Omissions may be thy undoing Yea not only a total omission of all that 's good but an ordinary and wilful and allowed omission of any one thing thou knowest to be thy Duty This cannot stand with sincerity which however it may be at some time will in ordinary certainly have respect to all the Commandments of God Psal. 116. 9. O how sadly doth this speak to thee thou halting and trifling Soul Many things thou dost and therein thou comfortest thy self but are there not many things also which thou knowest thou shouldst do but wilt not Thou knowest it is thy duty to pray to pray in thy Family in secret in thy Closet to be constant to be instant in prayer Dost thou so Thou knowest it to be thy duty to
that true mercy hath in it two things 1. A compassion or laying to heart the miseries of others 2. An inclination and readiness to succour and relieve them according to their misery It comprehends affection and action the former being the Fountain and Foundation of the latter and the latter the Stream and Demonstration of the former So that in the compassion of the heart and in the act of relief consists the true nature of Mercy 1. The former we find often pressed in Scripture as Job 6. 14. To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed to his friend Put on therefore saith the Apostle Col. 3. 12. as the Elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercy Which is a Metonymical form of speech often used in holy Scripture whereby is meant pity and compassion towards them that are in any misery or affliction yea such a measure of pity and compassion as affecteth the heart and bowels and that with as true a touch and feeling as if we our selves were in the same case with them If we consider the nearness of conjunction and communion that one Christian hath with another we may well be convinced of the equity of this duty For we are all Sons of one Father all Members of one Body In respect thereof there should nay there ought to be such a sympathy and compassion in the Members of the Mystical body I mean among Christians as there is in the Members of the Natural Body Now we know that in the Natural Body if one member suffer all the members suffer with it as the Apostle expresseth 1 Cor. 12. 26. which place S. Austin in his tenth Tractate on Iohn explaining excellently sheweth the mutual compassion between the Members of a Natural Body Behold saith he the foot treadeth on a thorn and see how all the members condole it The back bends it self the head stoopeth the tongue complaineth as if it self were pricked the eye searcheth it out the hands do their best to pluck it out yea every member of the body is compassionately affected with it And surely such a sympathy and compassion there ought to be amongst Christians who are all Members of one Body whereof Christ Jesus is the Head II. Thy compassionate heart must have a helping hand For the nature of true mercy consisteth as well in the act of relief as in the compassion of the heart Thou hast not done thy duty in pitying the distressed unless thou likewise relieve them As that Faith which is alone without works doth not justifie us so that pity which is alone without works doth not justifie our Faith In vain therefore dost thou boast of thine inward compassion unless thou likewise afford thine outward contribution which we find joyned together Deut. 15. 7. Thou shalt not harden thine heart nor shut thine hand against thy Brother but thou shalt open thine hand wide to him that is thou shalt give unto him freely and bountifully contrary to the forenamed shutting the hand For thine incouragement unto this kind of Mercy 1. Know that outward works of mercy are sweet smelling Sacrifices wherewith the Lord is well pleased These are the Oblations which he now requireth The Sacrifices of the Old Law are abolished and done away ever since our blessed Saviour gave himself an Offering and a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour unto God The Evangelical Sacrifices which the Lord requireth of us under the Gospel are the Sacrifices of Prayer Praise and Charity So that if we will be offering up Sacrifices acceptable and pleasing unto God they must be either the Calves of our Lips even the Sacrifice of Prayer and Praise or else the Sacrifice of Charity which the Apostle in Phil. 4. 18. termeth An odour of a sweet smell a Sacrifice acceptable and pleasing unto God The Altar on which this Sacrifice is to be offered is the Back of the Poor What greater argument can there be to inforce this Duty of Charity than to consider it is acceptable and pleasing unto God For what ingenuous Christian would not do that which is acceptable unto God 2. We are not so much Lords of our Estates as Stewards and therefore ought not to appropriate all unto our selves but to communicate some part thereof to the Poor unto whom something out of our Estate doth belong 3. All profession of Religion without works of Charity is but hypocritical For this is pure Religion and undefiled before God to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their afflictions 1 Jam. 1. 27. that is the comforting and supporting such as are in want and misery doth evidence the truth of our Religion 4. Consider the benefits which follow and accompany our works of Charity For thereby we bring glory to God adorn our Christian Religion and Profession and not only make glad the hearts of the poor whom we relieve but likewise refresh our own Souls in that our works of Charity will evidence as the truth of our Religion so likewise of our Faith for Faith without works is dead it 's not a living but a dead Faith which manifests not its life by working Therefore O Young Man be perswaded for the time to come to be more charitable knowing it is not so much a mercy to have wherewithal to do good as to do good with what we have And let thy giving out be proportionable to what the Lord hath given unto thee 1 Pet. 4. 11. If any man minister let him do it as of the ability which God giveth They who are rich in this worlds goods ought to be rich in good works the greater thy receits are the greater ought to be their returns CHAP. XXIX Sheweth the necessity of restoring ill-gotten Goods VI. CArefully restore what thou hast stoln or unjustly got It is very sinful to get things wrongfully and no less to keep what is wrongfully gotten therefore the Law requireth restitution of stoln and ill-gotten goods as Exod. 22. 1. Lev. 6. 2 3. c. Restitution is not an arbitrary thing left to our will to do or not to do but an act of Justice to the performance whereof we are bound by the express letter of the Law Whosoever he be that hath wronged another either by detaining what he hath borrowed or by getting by fraud or oppression ought to make satisfaction by restoring either the thing it self or the value and worth of it yea not only the bare value but likewise the damage done to the person wronged by detaining his goods Q. What if the party be not able to make full satisfaction for the wrong he hath done A. If he be not in truth able to make full satisfaction yet he must restore so far as he is able and his Estate will reach and God will accept the will for the deed according to that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 8. 12. If there be a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not 2. He must humbly
and by tumbles down and the Wheel runs over him How often do rich men break and poor men get up in their rooms and then tumble down after them and give place to him that comes next To day thou hast an Estate but who can tell what thou mayst have to morrow Such an uncertain World this is and at such uncertainties are the things thereof and there 's no preventing it It 's good to be sure of something Since Earth can never be made sure thou art the more concerned to make sure of Heaven To have all at uncertainties both here and hereafter this is such a misery as every one that is wise will do what he can to prevent 2. If things Eternal be made sure it 's no great matter though things Temporal be at the greatest uncertainties This world is uncertain a world of changes of disappointments vexations and all kinds of troubles Why let it be so so Heaven be sure no matter for all these lower uncertainties Young Man thou art going forth into the world how thou mayst prosper in it notwithstanding all thy skill and care God only knows who can tell what crosses thou mayst meet with in thy very entrance that may dash all thy hopes And if thou hast never so fair and hopeful a beginning yet who knows what may be thy lot before the end of thy day Why now wouldst thou get above all casualties and crosses and at once be a Conquerour of all the World Wouldst thou have thy quiet and contentment out of the reach of Winds and Storms and be able to live chearfully in every condition make Heaven sure and 't is done Thou mayst then hoise up thy Sails commit thy self to the Wind and Seas make on thy Voyage and never be appall'd at the Storms on the way whilest thou hast this assurance thou shalt come safe to Harbour and not an hair of thy head perish Thus have you dear Youths the desires and breathings of my Soul after your happiness here and blessedness hereafter expressed in some useful directions suitable to your present state and condition shewing you how to deport and carry your selves both in your General and Particular Calling so that you may please God in all things here and live with him in everlasting blessedness Now my hearty request to you is that you will not content your selves with a bare reading of them but resolve with the assistance of Gods Grace to enter upon the real practice of them And oh that the Lord who alone teacheth to profit would please so to set them home upon your hearts that they may tend to your spiritual good here and eternal salvation hereafter O Young Men you are now Flowers in the Bloom you are those First-fruits which should be offered to the Lord Oh that now you would consecrate your selves unto God and his service Oh that while you are Young you would with Isaac give your selves to Prayer and Meditation and with Samuel serve the Lord from your Youths and with young Solomon study to know and serve the God of your Fathers and with Obadiah fear the Lord from your Youths and with young Iosiah do that which is right in the sight of the Lord And to these ends with Timothy from your Youth addict your selves to the reading of the Scriptures which are able to make you wise unto Salvation Oh that you would set these mens lives as Copies for your imitation giving up your selves intirely and unfeignedly to the Lord in a truly gracious life O Young Men you are now in your preparations for Eternity and therefore had need to be very watchful over your selves to see that you walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming the time because the days are evil Ephes. 5. 15. Little do you consider how much dependeth upon this moment of time which God for the present is pleased to vouchsafe unto you even no less than the whole weight of Eternity Upon your well or ill improving of your time and Talents here depends your everlasting condition that Estate which is to be for ever and ever Oh what folly and madness then must it needs be in you to suffer your Lusts or wicked Companions to steal away this Jewel your precious time which is more worth than all the world Oh that for the future you would so live every day as those that live for Eternity It is sadly evident that too too many losing their first and tender years in conclusion lose their Souls also O Dear Youths Behold the Arms of Free Grace are yet open to imbrace you if now you will abandon your Youthful Lusts and cordially turn unto God who is willing to forgive yea willing to forget all former misâ—…arriages upon the reforming your lives Turn ye turn ye therefore from your evil ways for why will ye die Ezek. 33. 11. In this small Treatise I have set before you Life and Death Heaven and Hell Happiness and Misery Know assuredly that as you chuse now so shall you speed hereafter Oh then for the Lord Christ's sake and for the sake of your poor Souls chuse that good part which shall never be taken from you walk in the path which leadeth to life and happiness that you may not perish and be tormented with the Devils in hell fire to all Eternity And now my Friend I bid thee farewel Take these words along with thee let them ever be before thine eyes and upon thine heart and then go on thy way Good Counsel be with thee that thou mayst guide thine affairs with discretion and good success be upon thee that thou mayst eat the fruit of thy good doings I wish first that thy Soul may prosper and then I also wish that thy Body may prosper and thy Family may prosper and thy Estate may prosper as thy Soul prospereth The Lord be with thee in all that thou settest thine hand unto The Almighty bless thee let his blessing be upon thy labours let his blessing be upon all thy substance let him help thee in thy work and increase thy store let his Sun shine upon thy Tabernacle and let the light of his Countenance make glad thine heart let him guide thee with his eye hold thee in his hands carry thee in his bosom till he hath lodged thee safe in the Everlasting Rest. Amen FINIS