Chron. 34.3 It waâ— the commendation of Timothy thaâ— from a child he had known the Holy Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.15 God takes iâ— very kindly when you begin betimes to serve him Cant. 7.12 Christ loves the buds the blossomings of Grace as well as the ripe fruit and the Devil is a great enemy to this age he opposes the bringing young persons to Christ to be dedicated and to be instructed and catechised There are four reasons among others why the Devil labours to corrupt youth 1. Because he knows a vicious youth layes the foundation of a vicious life Reason teaches that if we would alter the disposition of any thing we must do it while it is young Now the Devil acts according to this principle and because youth is an age of fancy and apt to receive impressions therefore he labours to stain and pollute it no colour holds so well as that which is dyed in the wool 2. Because their age being least able to discern between good and evil will soonest bite at his baits and yield to his temptations Young persons are soonest catched in his snare 3. He doth not know how short a time they have to live and therefore he would get them into his clutches as soon as he can 4. Because God loves this age therefore he loves to be cropping early buds indeed God highly values aâ— a Religious Child-hood and youth he hath given us all testimonies how much he accepts it Under the Law the acceptable services were young things young lambs young bullocks young pigeons the first ripe fruits the first born God challenged to be his O how doth God delight in young Samuels young Davids young Daniels young Johns the one was a young Prophet the other a young Apostle Saith God When Israel was a Child then I loved him And can there be a greater honour to you then to say I loved God from my Child-hood I knew Christ from my Child-hood to say as David Psal 71.5 O Lord I have trusted in thee from my youth 4. The word of God doth concern you and Religion is as proper and fit for you as for any persons whatsoever The Scriptures are written for young persons that they may know how to cleanse their wayes Psal 119.9 The word is the best staff for old men to lean on and the best sword for young men to fight withall The Heathens indeed thought that youth might be indulged in sin Cicero in his defence of â—aelius saith something is to be allowed to youth till the heat of that age be abated but I could appeal from him as a Mercenary Oratour pleading for his Fee the Cause of a debauched young man to himself in another place in his sober mind telling us That this age is in a speciall manner to be kept from lust and that they are much mistaken that think way should be given to the licentiousness of young men But it is no great matter what they thought since we know God hath so framd the Scriptures that Religion belongs not only to thosâ— of riper years but to Children also Deut. 29.29 Those words as the learned observe have extraordinary pointâ— in the Hebrew and three times there are mention made of Children in thâ— Decalogue The Scripture teaches therâ— is a duty you owe to God Eccl. 12.1 There is a duty you owe to men Eph. 6.1 and both these are clear because God hath appointed correction as aâ— means to keep them in the way of theiâ— duty Prov. 22.15 and God promises a blessing to it Pr. 23.13 now God promiseâ— not a blessing but as a means appointeâ— by him to an end Nor is there any agâ— more proper for Religion then this is This the learning age now you havâ— leasure now your minds are not so preingaged and prejudiced as they will bâ— hereafter Religion is like water fit to be poured upon tender plants You will never have a fitter time in your lives The time of youth is the fairesâ— flower that grows upon the stalk of Time Now your understandings are quick your memories tenacious your affections soft and pliable If you redeem not this time for God and your souls I dare be bold to say you will repent of it sometime before you dye 5. Conversion after youth proves very difficult and rare I would not be thought so arrogant as to set any bounds to Gods Grace or limit it to any time Possibly some unwary expressions that way have done much harm But this I say sins of youth are hardly left and seldom forsaken as those bones that grow crooked in Childhood are hardly rectified when we become men It is said Mark 11.13 the time of figs was not yet the time of gathering figs was not yet as some expound that place it was a time of bearing figs for that kind of fig tree saith a learned man uses to have fruit on it of the first second and third years growth Now Christ being hungry came to see if he could find any thing upon it Old age iâ— the time of gathering fruit Youth iâ— the time of bearing fruit If you do noâ— bear fruit while you are young how shall Christ gather fruit when you are old and what then can you look foâ— but a curse 6. Good education makes the sins of youth more heynous You therefore that have sprang from Godly Parents that have been the Children of many prayers and tears you that have been brought up in Godly Families that have had many Fathers many Instructors know you cannot sin at so easie a rate as others And here I cannot but take up a sad lamentation over the degenerate children of Godly parents and ancestours Then which there is not a worse symptome among us of Gods utter leaving and forsaking us Many Sons and Daughters are so given over to looseness prodigality scurrility pride uncleanness contempt both of the form and power of Religion that if their Parents and Ancestours were now upon â—arth would they know them to be â—â—eir Posterity Surely it may be said â—f them as in the Prophet Abraham is â—gnorant of them and Israel knows them â—ot Sarah and those Holy Women of â—ld would not know their Daughters Those Squirril-brain'd creatures that â—isk from one fashion to another those â—potted and painted faces of yours do â—ore resemble Jezebel then the Saints of old And know you not that their Children you are whose works you do â—any young men their fathers were â—overs of God and Worshippers of him â—ept the Sabboth prayed in their Families were chast in their minds and body â—ust in their dealings careful of giving offence meek humble lovers of them that were good But look upon their Children do these things live and survive in them are they the inheritours of their Fathers vertues do they walk in the steps of their Godly Ancestours O no it may be said of them as in Judges 2.17 You have turned quickly out oâ— the way wherein your fathers walked obeying the
part with nothing hoard â—p against a rainy day therefore saith God give freely for the merciful shall â—nd mercy Lastly let the present fears alarum â—ee to prepare for sad events go not without thy armour be not secure say â—ot the over-flowing scourge shall not â—ome nigh me But think with thy self â—hough I have been in the rear of â—ther judgements I may be in the â—ront of this Labour to be fitted to enâ—ertain terrible things When thou â—earest the Minister sound the Trumpet and say judgement is at hand the Lord is risen out of his holy place to â—udge the inhabitants of the earth When thou hearest what is done to others when wickedness is advanced and Godliness slighted and opposed then get those Graces that will fit theâ— for an evil day such as 1. Resignation of thy self and all thoâ— hast unto God be content that hâ— should dispose of thee as he pleaseth 2 Sam. 15.26 2. Faith which is a Grace will live iâ— hard times for Faith lays claim to thâ— fulness of Christ as its own Faitâ— hath two hands a working hand anâ— a receiving hand the receiving hanâ— relieves the working hand 3. Apply the promises of perseverance 4. Patience in both its Acts the bearing act and the waiting act and sâ— doing thou mayest be able to stanâ— in the evil day Which none of thesâ— five sorts of men will be able to do 1. They that slight God and Religioâ— in peace and prosperity will neveâ— suffer for God and Religion in adversity â— Those that will not witness for truth with their mouths will never for the truths sake lay down their lives 3. Those that serve God onely for the praise of men will leave the service of God when men disgrace them 4. Those that will not endure the smaller tryals will much less stand in the greater 5. They that will not suffer the power of Gods word to part them and their lusts and vain conversation will not seal the truth of Gods word with their blood §. 13. A few Motives to young persons to be Religious â—here was never more need for Ministers Parents Tutors Masters to season youth with piety and to improve their interest wisdom authority in this Work then in these days wherein there is such a general decay of Godliness that if God do not stir up the hearts of Governours and if they will not stir up themselves and those under their charge the next Generation are like to prove Banquerupts in Religion and to prove either Papists or Atheists To encourage young persons to look to themselves and to call them out of the tentâ— of wickedness I would earnestly intreat them to let these few considerations rest upon their minds 1. O young man or young woman consider the end of thy being Why God made thee and gave thee a reasonablâ— soul capable of eternal happiness why did God bestow upon thee many endowments of mind and body why he hath vouchsafed the cultivation and improvement of thy natural abilities by education and instruction Waâ—â—â— all this that thou mightest glorifie him and be serviceable in thy Generation to the great end of being and living Cansâ— thou imagine that so bright a lamp as aâ— â—mmortal soul was ever put into the â—arthen candlestick of thy body for â—ase and sensual ends meerly to serve â—y fleshly appetite the most deformed â—nd unsatiable monster that is in the â—orld Canst thou upon serious â—oughts conceive thy being is for â—ch poor low ends No remember â—od and men expect better things from â—ee You that are young the good â—d welfare of Church and State deâ—ends on you you are the Seed-plots â—â—d Nurseries of all Religion and Vertue 〈◊〉 Liberty Honour Trade either you â—ust transmit and hand these down to â—osterity or all these must dye and be â—xtinguished in your hands and are â—ou willing to be recorded in future â—istories for prodigals and betrayers of â—hem all Such a man by Religion and â—ertue raised his Family and such an â—eir such a Grand-child ruined it by â—is debauchery Stobeus relates that â—he Ephebi among the Athenians took â—n Oath not to leave their Country in a worse condition then they found iâ— but in a better Oh that it might be â— said of this Generation 2. Consider It is a monstrous thiâ— for young persons to be old sinners Tâ—â— Age in which sin is committed is so fâ— from excusing it that it aggravates it â— is a sad character of a man he was so aâ— so wicked of a Child he was a sweareâ— a lyar a scoffer an enemy to Godlineâ— from his long Coates God himself whâ— he would aggravate mans sin saith tâ— imaginations of mans heart hath beâ— evil from his youth Gen. 8.21 Aâ—gustine in his Confessions bewails hâ— boyish tricks Lord when I was a littâ— Boy I was a great sinner And Daviâ— begs pardon for the sins of his youth Psal 25.7 and mark how God brand the disobedience of Israel Jer. 22 2â— I spake unto thee in thy prosperity bâ— thou saidest I will not hear this has been thy manner from thy youth thaâ— thou obeydst not my voice And in Jerâ— 32.30 God aggravates the sin of Israel and Judah that they had done evil before him from their youth Take heed of calling sin tricks of youth and and thinking your age gives you a dispensation If ever you return to God those sins must be repented of and they will cost you dear as you may see in those Converts Jer. 3.25 We lye down in our shame and our confusion covereth us for we have sinned against the Lord we and our fathers from our Youth even to this day Consider therefore how dear you must pay for your youthful lusts they will prove dear bought pleasures they are but honey licked off from thorns Like that fruit in the West Indies the Spaniards call the Devils sweet meat a fruit very delicious but the place where it grows is so hot in the day and so infested with venemous insects in the night that none care for dwelling near them Your youthful pleasures expose you to the scorchings of Gods wrath to the bitings and stingings of your own conscience Your youthful lusts must be repented of either here or in hell where repentancâ— will do you no good Consider whaâ— these courses are none can prevail witâ— you now to leave and whither they tend they provoke God to hate youâ— good men are grieved for you and ashamed of you nay even wicked meâ— themselves in their cool thoughts would not have their children as bad aâ— themselves But O how few personâ— consider that by youthful lusts theâ— lay a foundation for old age miseries 3. Consider it is the greatest honouâ— to be good betimes It was the praise oâ— that good Courtier Obadiah he feareâ— the Lord from his youth It was the Glory of Josiah that while he was yeâ— young he began to seek after the God oâ— David his father 2
THE Christians DAILY MONITOR To the performance of Personal and Relative Duties With a Resolution of some Cases of CONSCIENCE Published for the benefit of Young Persons By Joseph Church Together with so much of Mr. Samuel Hierons Catechisme as concerns second Table Duties LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the sign of the Bible upon London Bridge 1669. TO Mrs Elizabeth Papilion Eldest Daughter to Mr Thomas Papilion The Authour wishes increase of Grace and Peace THe intent of this Dedication is not to tell the World how hopefull and towardly a Child you are but partly for mine own sake to testifie my sense of those many kindnesses I have received from your Parents which I cannot see any possibility I should ever require and the least I can do is to acknowledg Lowâ— Parents do accept from a poor hand a small kindness that is shewed to their Children Even God himself our Heavenly Father because our goodness extends not to him accepts of what we do to his Children and because my thankfulness cannot ascend I was willing that it should descend ever judging it a true principle If I cannot do the good I would to do what good I can But for your sakes also do I Dedicate this small Book to you 1. To lay an obligation upon you to answer the means you enjoy in a good education that the prayers pains and cost your Parents are at with you may not be lost 2. That you might have a Daily Monitor of your Duty to God and Man You are not sure to have Father or Mother alwayes with you or Ministers but these things if they sink into your heart will abide with you to comfort and counsel you I do therefore exhort you to a frequent and serious râ—â—ding of them with prayer unto God that they may be blessed to you and if no other should gain by them yet if you do I shall not altogether repent my pains But if others should gain by them and you not you and I both shall have cause of grief and shame Pardon my plainness with you I speak not this as distrusting the Grace of God in you which I pray may grow up with you more and more and abound in you but as one I love in the Lord to warn you and admonish you that you may not begin in the spirit and end in the flesh Some of these things you have heard discoursed to you and some of them in publick and there are some that I have collected from others which owe nothing to me but the meer order and form of them of which I have given an account by prefixing the two first letters of their names I know you have many other usefull and spiritual Books by you let not this take you off from them nor them or this make you neglect the reading of the Scriptures and the orderly reading of them according to an example you have daily before your eyes For all other Books are written to give light to the Scripture and to stir us up to the practise of those duties there laid down I shall trouble you no further now but commend you and this Treatise to the blessing of the Almighty And Rest Your Souls and your Faiths Servant in the Lords Work Jos Church TO THE READER Christian Reader IT was not because the World needed Books that I appear in Print or if it did there are blessed be God enough others more able and fit to supply its wants But one great inducemâ—nt to me to Print was the need I stood in of the Press to ease me of the labour of transcribing these things for my own near Relations and Friends and were there not a kind of necessity of multiplying the number of Copies beyond what would have served my particular occasion to any one will make use of that ingenious Invention of Printing I could very well have been contented to have been consined within the limits forementioned I would intreat thee therefore to consider that these things were first written and laid together for the private use and benefit of some young persons And my touching upon so many subjects and with brevity was with respect to that age for variety and brevity do most please them and if any think by brevity I am guilty of obscurity let it put them upon meditation and beating things out in their own thoughts or else enquiry of others what such a thing means before they condemn me But I am not conscious to my self of that crime for though I have endeavoured to speak pertinently and shortly yet I have also done it plainly I have ventured at some cases of conscience which I observed did frequently occur among sober good Christians not that I think my self able for that kind of divinity but if by any means I might provoke some of my able Brethren to travel in that so much wanted and desired work of Casuistical Divinity And if I have not wrote what may give full satisfaction yet I hope I have taken the safe way and said that may stay the violence of the distress if rightly applyed till they meet with that interpreter of a thousand that shall speak a word in season to him that is weary I am very sensible that whosoever doth appear in Print layes himself open to the lash of every mans tongue Some will criticize some will censure others will deride and scorn but all these shall hurt themselves more then me I do not expect better measure then those that were far my betters had before me and have at this day It is vastly more comfortable to have a mans words and name reproached innocently then to censure and wrest proudly and uncharitably what is well meant and upon examination will be found well-spoken if it be but well taken To please all is impossible to please men in their sins is wicked and to please good men in these dayes wherein there is such a consumption of charity is very difficult As for those that are learned if any such should stoop so low as to peruse these things it may be if they find no beams of light they may find some sparks of fire to kindle their affections and to beget some ardour and fervency of desire to add to their knowledge practise as for any other fire of contention and strife I trust they shall find none I should think the worse of my self as long as I live if I should be really guilty of that O that we could all avoid studium partium the espousing particular opinions and interests and labour after an universal charity to all that love our Lord Jesus Christ and silence our own private sentiments which might cause a publick disturbance which we must not expect till we see more piety For the Schooles have long ago told us Rivulus charitatis oritur ex foâ—â—e pietatis That the stream of charity to our Brother comes from the fountain of piety towards God If therefore thou art an â—nâ—my to