in Christs strength to obey your Youthful Lusts no more 14. Hosea 8. Ephraim shall say what have I any more to do with Idols 34. Job 32. Lord what I know not teach thou me and wherein I have done iniquity I will do so no more 5. Lively acting of faith on a crucified Christ and the precious promises 6. Rom. 6. Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that hence forth we should not serve sin 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit 6. Daily watchings against all occasions of drawing out your youthful Lust and Corruption 31. Job 1. I have made a Covenant with my eyes that I will not look upon a Maid 18. Psal 23. I have kept my self from mine own iniquity and you may rank under this head that in 13. Rom. 13. of making no provision for the flesh to fulfil it in its lusts 7. And Lastly Willingness to receive a Christian and Friendly reproof for your youthful sins and follies 141. Psal 5. Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindness and let him reprove me it shall be an excellent oyle which shall not break my head Now when you carefully use these and such like-means which God in his holy word hath appointed then you comport with this exeellent Rule Flee Youthful Lusts and so you have the import of that Phrase Flee which will further receive an accession of light if you read with it those other Scriptures where the word Flee is used in a good sense I shall only allude to them Flee youthful lusts as Lot fled out of Sodom 19. Gen. 17. Flee for thy life look not behind thee stay not thou in the plain escape to the mountain least thou be consumed Flee Young man thy Lusts as Joseph fled from his tempting Mistress 39. Gen. 12. And she caught him by his garment saying lye with me and he left his garment in her hand and fled and got him out Flee as Jaocb fled from the face of his bloody Brother Esau 35. Gen. 1. Flee as the poor distressed Manslayer fled from the avenger of Blood to the City of refuge 19. Deut. 5. And thus I have endeavoured the Resolution of the first Question what the import of the word Flee is Q. 2. What are those youthful lusts that you are so concerned to Flee Ans In the Division of our lives there are peculiar and predominant lusts incident to each division Now in the general Youth is obnoxious to most sins yet some more than others Youth hath its proper sins that hange about that haunt and dog that season of life some whereof respect the temper of their minds and others the frame of their lives which I shall give you in these following Heads 1. Aireness of Spirit levity of Mind vanity of thoughts 2. Blind Boldness in adventuring on desperately in dangerous ways 3. Careless incogitancy and inconsiderateness about the most awful important matters of their Souls 4. Delaying Repentance and turning to God foolishly thinking it's time enough they are yet young 5. Eager pursuits after sensual Pleasures Games c. Loving these more then God 6. Flexibility to temptations as dry Tinder to receive the least sparke easily enticed 7. Going down the Stream and following a multitude to do Evil saying I do but as other young people do 8. Hating lustructions Admonition and Reproof 9. Intemperance in meats and Drinks 10. Keeping of ill Company that Soul runining snare of Hell 11. Lying and inventing Excuses 12. Making little or no Conscience of relative Duties 13. Nourishing vain hopes and flattering themselves with the thoughts of long Life and puting far away the evil Day 14. Omitting the holy Observation of the Sabbath 15. Pride of their parts Beauty Strength 16. Quenching the motions of the Holy Spirit 17. Ridiculing serious Religion as too strict and more than needs 18. Time-wasting 19. Uncleanness 20. Woful giddiness of Spirit ready to imbibe any kinde of error To begin with the first of these 1. Aireness of Spirit c. It is observable what name the Hebrews give a young Man viz. Nagnar which cometh from a root that signifieth to be tossed to and fro Thereby setting forth the Levity and Vanity of a young Man's mind Solomon tells us in the 10. Eccl. 11. that Childhood and Youth are Vanity light Spirited and Frothy O how rare a sight is it to see young people serious and staid in their minds Ballasted and Ballanced in the matters of Religion Most are as the Apostle saith of them tossed easily to and fro with every Wind tho they are born with sinful corrupted Natures and are every moment liable to Death and Damnation while they continue in a natural condition yet they are like the wild Ass in the Wilderness that snuffeth up the Wind at her pleasure as the Prophet Jeremiah speaks 2. Jer. 24. They are become vain in their imagination their minds are like that of the Poets full of vain fancies and fictions the Eye of their minds like that of their Body looks all outward as if they had no Soul to mind Hence it is that so many thousands of Prayers Tears and Instructions of faithful Ministers and Relations are defeated and rendred unsuccessful through the Instability and Vanity of young peoples spirits B. Boistrous and Bold adventuring upon sinful and pernicious Courses of a Jehu like temper 2 Kings 9. 10. Furious and Desperate This is that young people are prone to in the heat of their Youth to be venturous as the Horse that rusheth into the Battle Now if you would see how the Horse rusheth into the Battle compare with that 8. Jer. 6. the 39. Job 19. and there you have it Now most elegantly and lively expressed by God himself Hast thou given the Horse strength hast thou cloathed his neck with thunder Canst thou make him afraid as a Grashopper his nostrils are terrible He paweth in the valley and rejoyceth in his strength he goeth on to meet the armed men He mocketh at fear and is not affrighted neither turneth he back from the Sword The quiver ratleth against him he swalloweth the ground with firceness he saith among the Trumpets ha ha in which discription you may see how furiously and dangerously he rusheth into the Battle for he rusheth upon the Pikes and deadly 〈◊〉 prepared for destruction and oftimes is suddenly slain Thus young people are apt to rush on in sinful ways Furiosus juvenibus animi habitus Tho God hedge in their way with Thorns they break through all as Balaam would on tho there was a drawn Sword in the way So Youth is prone to this mad fury in venturing on tho God hath laid many bars in sins way as Majestracy Ministry Conscience and the occular demonstrations of his Judgments upon other impenitent sinners these are all bars in their way yet how rare is
of the Spirit in manifold Convictions I say what do you think will become of you who obey not the Gospel you may read in 2 Thess 1. 7 8. what your Portion will be without a speedy fleeing your youthful Lusts Did God give up the Heathens O be afraid young ones that have the Light of Scripture before your Eyes in this Text flee youthfuâ— lusts lest you by yielding to them provoke God to say as once to Ephraim He is joyneâ— to Idols let him alone q. d. Such a one knoweth better but he hateth the Light he must have his Lusts let him have them leâ— his Heart be made fat that he never convert and turn O fearful sign of Reprobation You will find your Soul like Bowle down hill rowling to Hell amain For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the Knowledge of the Truth there remains no more Sacrifice for Sin but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fieâ— Indignation which shall devour the Sinner 10. Heb. 26 27. My Spirit saith God shalâ— not always strive with man 6. Gen. 3. young People did you never find the Spiriâ— of God in this Text or others tending â—â— the same thing to abandon your Lusts striving with you Have you had no Motion excited have you had no Thoughts cast in that have had this aspect and tendency which you have represt and resisted through the indulgence of your youthful Lusts Know it young man that herein you havâ— provoked God to take away his holy Spiriâ— and it is a righteous thing that the Spirit of God should retire and desist as to further influences and operations which should make you with awful thoughts retire into your own Soul and smite upon the Thigh and say What have I done I have provoked the Most High God to withdraw his Spirit and can that Sin be small that hazards the favour of God and the life of my Soul for ever If once the abused Spirit of God depart and leave thee to thy youthful Lust thou wilt be like Sampson when his Locks wherein his strength lay were cut Judges 16. 20. It was told Sampson that the Philistines were upon him and he awoke out of sleep and said I will go out as at other times before and shake my self and he wist not that the Lord was departed from him Or like Esau Heb. 12. 17. who afterward would have inherited the Blessing but was rejected for he found no place for Repentance tho' he sought it carefully with Tears Or like those Mountains of Gilboa upon which neither the Rain nor Dew falls They say that nastiness in a Dove-house will cause the Dove to leave that House Sure I am that your youthful unclean Lusts will in time drive away that mystical Dove the holy Ghost from thy Soul and then who shall quicken thy dead Soul Alas if that great Master of Assemblies leave thee never more to strive with thee what can poor Ministers do Suppose there were a vast Assembly oâ— Godly able Divines met to consult abouâ— thy Cure they must all return re infecta iâ— vain and say as the King of Israel did iâ— another case to the poor Woman that crieâ— to him in time of Famine Help my Lorâ— O King And he said If the Lord do â—â— help thee whence shall I help thee out of thâ— Barn-floor or out of the Wine-press 2 King â— 26 27. So here if the Lord have doâ—â— with thee and will not pity and help whence should we out of our barren Soâ—â— and earthen Vessels your case is dreadfuâ— and we can give you our Tears but we caâ— not give you any Oyl not a drop of savinâ— Grace If God have given you the Spirâ—â— of Slumber and a deep Sleep Isa 29. â— 11. Rom. 8. Can we open the Heart God shut it up Can we plow up the Grounâ— if God lay it Fallow here 's a judgment iâ— deed If a man sin against God saith Eli wâ— shall intreat for him So if God set himâ—eâ—â— against a Soul who can recover that Soâ—â— Thus you see the malignity of that inflâ—ence youthful Lusts have in hindring of Coversion as those lusts do oppose the meaâ— of it on God's part provoking him to tâ—â— judicial penal act of withdrawing his Gracâ— and delivering up to their own hearts lust And therefore it is a duty of special conceâ—â— to young ones to flee their youthful luâ—â— But then in the second place it will furth appear if you consider that these youthful lusts do oppose the means of Conversion on the Soul's part 2. Youthful Lusts oppose the means of Conversion on our own part such as Consideration Prayer and attendance upon God in his holy Word Resolution and Reformation But here perhaps you may object and say That Conversion is not in your power it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God who giveth Grace and sheweth Mercy to whom he pleaseth ex mero motu suo beneplacito and who can move him or command it from it A. This is a point which very many young ones through Satan's subtilty are greatly puzled about but the chief fault is themselves let us endeavour to set you to rights and all these matters in clear light that so much stumble you as to the use of means on your own part And first pray remember by way of Concession that there is no man without the mighty power of God and his effectual Grace can convert and change his own corrupt Nature this is granted But then I say moreover that where ever the Gospel cometh and is preached as it is now blessed be God among us there is none that I know of so much as question it but that all those who enjoy it and to whom it is preached have such a sufficiency of means and aids for Conversion and Salvation granted to them a is abundantly sufficient to convict condemn and leave wholly inexcusable all those that are disobedient to it and remain unconverted under it that it was not so much their cannot as their will not and obstinate refusal that is the proximate and immediate cause of their non-conversion and unbelief John 3. 19. This is the condemnation Light iâ— come into the World and men love Darknesâ— rather than Light because their Deeds are evil John 5. 4. And ye will not come untâ— me that you might have Life Jer. 8. 5. They refuse to return And it is upon this Hypothesis that all those melting moving Expostulations and pleadings with Sinners in the Word of God are raised and built as for instance Turn turn ye why will you dyeâ— as I live saith the Lord I desire not the Death of a Sinner Ezek. 33. 11. Chap. 18. 23. Cease to do evil learn to do well wash you make ye clean come now let us reason together saith the Lord though your Sins be as Scarlet they shall be white as Snow though they be red like Crimson they shall
Leprosie as shall be matter of just shame and humiliation before the Lord so long as he liveth Sure I am the success Satan hath had in poysoning the Youth of this City with this sordid and beasily Sin deserves to be lamented were it possible with Tears of Blood O how desirable a Mercy would it be if the Lord would please to touch the Hearts of those who are fearfully guilty of this base Sin among us and bring them to cry out with the â—eper 13. Lev. 45. I am unclean I am unclean and to make that Confession as the Prophet doth in 1. Isaiah 6. From the Sole of the Foot to the Head nothing but putrifying Sores and then to put up that Petition of David's in 51. Psalm 10. Create in me a Clean Heart O God And that of Peter's in the 13. John 9. Wash me Lord not my Feet only but my Hands and Head yea my whole Body and my whole Soul also as Paul prayed for the Thessalonians 1 chap. 5. 23. That God would sanctifie them wholly in Body Soul and Spirit 21. The next and last Sin of Youth that I shall mention is A woful giddiness of Spirit to imbibe and receive any kind of loose and wild Errors that are spread abroad Indeed the Ringleaders and Broachers of Error oftentimes are persons who have passed the flower of their Age but usually they that run after them and are proselyted by them they are our raw and unexperienced Youth and more especially such of them as have not been catechised nor by the care and endeavours of Parents and Masters been well grounded in the Principles of Religion for want of which they have easily been seduced and led into Errours by such as lie in wait to deceive And wo to us are we not miserably over-run at this day with pernicious Errours contending most unchristianly for our own Devices and Parties crying out Lo here is Christ and there is Christ when more truly it may be said Lo here is Satan and there is Satan transforming himself into an Angel of Light and through his subtilty corrupting the minds of many among us from that simplicity which is in Christ 2 Cor. 11. 3. Hence the Apostle was fill'd with a Godly jealousie and fear lest the Corinthians should be removed and carried away from Christ The good Lord humble us for our swervings from the end of the Commandment which is Love out of a pure Heart and of a good Conscience and Faith unseigned and for our turning aside so much to vain Janglings Errour has got the Ascendant in the Cockloft of some mens Brains and there it so inebriates and infatuates them that like the Gnosticks of old who under the pretence of New Light and Revelation fansied themselves admirably Holier than others so these conceit themselves to be more Evangelical and refined because more airy and notional and then they are strongly inclined to spend all their Zeal in a violent obtruding their own starving and sleepy Opinions upon others which indeed serve for no other end but to devour all the Life and Substance of Religion as the lean Kine in Pharaoh's dream did eat up the Fat How audaciously have some by their loose and lewd Pens and Tongues argued against the merit and Deity of the Son of God derided the Spirit of Prayer advanc'd Morality and the works of the Law in the room of Christ boasting of the sufficiency of man's power to save himself and then on the other hand how industrious have some been to contrive a smooth and easie way for corrupt Nature to come to Heaven without the toilsome labour of subduing our Lusts and Sinful Affections as if now under the Gospel the holy Law of God was no Rule for us to walk by but laid flat like an old Hedge that Sinners may at their pleasure trample on it and walk over it and that to be solicitous about Sanctification and Inherent Holiness is but a legal business and not influential to a Christian's Peace nor Evidential of his Pardon but that now the main design of the Gospel at the first flight is to mount Sinners so high as to possess them with a gallant triumphant Confidence and strong gigantick Perswasion of the Everlasting Decrees of God that he hath Elected and loved them and that their Sins are pardoned so that they need not trouble themselves about Repentance and the Law of God written or copied out on the Table of their Hearts and the Inhabitation of the Spirit of Grace in their Souls as a Principle of Spiritual Life O how sad a sight is it to see the Field of the Church thus over-run with Tares and the House of God filled with Smoke it's enough to fill us with fear that the Fire of God's Judgment is beginning there Now this being the sad genius of our Times there are none more apt to take in the infection than Youth upon the account of that levity and curiosity that usually possesseth that Age. Young people have itching Ears and are very credulous being rather willing to take what they hear on trust than to trouble themselves and take pains to try what conformity such and such Notions have to the unerring Rule the Scriptures Unstable Youth is given to change and like a Reed is soon shaken or like young and fresh Meat in hot weather which is most in danger of being Fly-blown And Satan he is that old Serpent that is most busie to blast and poyson their hopeful Spring he is that mystical Fox that is evermore endeavouring to spoil our Vine oâ— its tender Grapes yea when they begin to bud Now when these two meet aâ— subtil Devil and a simple Youth what danger is there of an impure copulation between the young man's Mind and Errour especially when in the one there is a pleasing Vagrancy and Vanity like Dinah gadding abroad and in the other a poysoning Energy And alas how is this abundantly verified by woful experience at this day shoals have been perverted insomuch that our Land is like a Lazar-House or Hospital the Plague is begun among O that there were some Aaron among us to take a Censer and put on Incense and go in quickly and make an atonement to allude to that 16 Numb 46. And thus I have finished the second Query proposed viz. What those Sins are that Youth is here admonished to flee 3d. Qu. Why is it a Duty of such special concernment for Youth to flee these Sins A. In the resolution of this I shall give you these two Reasons 1. It is a duty of special concernment for Youth to flee these Sins 1st Because of the propriety of their Inherence And 2 d. Because of the malignity of their Influence 1. Because of the Propriety of their Inherence The roots of all these Youthful Lusts are deeply fixed in thy corrupt Nature Hence they are here stiled Youthful Lusts indeed Original Lust is one and the same specifically in all 〈◊〉 yet every Age hath
with horror wheâ— you find not your affections strongly beâ—â— and inclined to him how much more then should you loath your selves when your Affections are sullenly averse to him Is not this a fearful pitch of malignity wouldst thou not think him a vile Miscreant and reckon the Earth too good to bear him that should hate the presence of his own Father and abhor all converse with him and canst thou so accuse and condemn such a one and not thy self for much greater degrees of wickedness better thy affections were disinclined to thy nearest Relations yea to thy self than to the blessed God who is the spring of thy life and being and yet thus it is while thy Lusts are obeyed instead of loving God thou lovest thy Pleasures more than God instead of hating Sin thou hatest God more than Sin O then possess thy Soul throughly with a due and deep sense of this great Evil that thy youthful Lusts do thy poor Soul in depraving thy Affections so that they seem to be in you what the Devils were in the Herd of Swine violently carrying you from God the fountain of living Waters to lying Vanities And thus I have shewed you how these youthful Lusts do hinder Conversion as they indispose the Soul in all its parts and faculties to Conversion Which brings me to the second thing namely to shew how these Lusts do hinder Conversion as they directly oppose the means of it and that both on God's part and yours 1. On God's part These youthful Lusts provoke God to withdraw his Spirit and Grace and leave you to your own Hearts Lusts and then what hope of Conversion remains It is God alone that can take away that Stony Heart and give a Heart of Flesh that quickens the dead Soul In Conversion we are said to be his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto gooâ— Works 2. Ephes 10. And St. John saith 1. John 13. We are born again not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will â—â— man that is not by any natural power vertue or strength inherent in them Bâ—â— of the Will God it 's he that worketh both â—â— will and to do and his people are said tâ— be a willing People in the day of his Power Psal 110. 3. The Metaphors that the holy Ghost useth in Scripture to set forth thâ—â— work of Conversion by do plainly poiâ—â— out this That no less power than that Omnipotent Power of God is required to thâ— Conversion of a Sinner as for instance 1. That of the Resurrection from the dead 6. Rom. 4. to raise the Dead is the effect â—â— an Almighty Power 2. That of Creation 2. Ephes 10. And who can create bâ— God no Creature can the mightiest Aâ—gâ— cannot create the meanest Worm Thâ— Conversion is set forth in Scripture to be the Lord 's own workmanship Hence you read 2. Ephes 1. You hath he quickned who were dead in Sins and Trespasses And in 36. Ezek. 27. A new Spirit also will I put within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall do them And in 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou didst not receive And it was God that opened Lydia's Heart It is true that the Lord of Heaven the God of all Grace who could work of himself and without any means is pleased to make use of means to wit his Word as in the 1. James 18. By the Word of Truth of his own Will begat he us that we should be a kind of First Fruits of his Creatures Hence the Word is called the Incorruptible Seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. and the Gospel is called the ministration of the Spirit Hence the Lord hath appointed and instituted the great and honourable Office of the Ministry and bestows Gifts on his Ministers to preach the everlasting Gospel to the World to open Sinners Eyes and turn them from Darkness to Light Hence Ministers are called Spiritual Fathers not that there is any inherent power in either the Word it self or him that preacheth it but from the Spirit of God whose Instruments we are 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. The Weapons of our Warfare saith the Apostle are mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds c. And in 2 Cor. 4. 7. We have this Treasure in Earthen Vessels that the Excellency of the Power may be of God So then saith the same Apostle 1 Cor. 3. 7. Neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giveth the increase Not any thing in a way of efficiency only instrumentally as a Pen is the Instrument but it 's the Hand that writes so the Word preached and the dispenseâ— of it are Instruments of Conversion but it 's the Spirit of God is the quickning Agent for it must needs surpass the strength of a Creature to change the Nature and to cause a return from so miserable a privation and death as by Nature we are in unto so glorious and excellent a participation of the divine Nature and Life as every converted Soul is put into when transformed into the Image of God Now then to raise the Argument and build upon this Foundation that I have laid if the principal efficient Cause and means oâ— Conversion on God's part be his own Almighty Arm revealed and made bare hiâ— Spirit poured out and putting forth a quickning vital Energy then there 's little hope of Conversion where this Almighty Agent is provoked so far forth as to with-hold his Spirit and to leave a Sinner to his own Hearts Lust But youthful lusts yielded to and served do most certainly thus provoke God to withdraw his Spirit and Grace and therefore obstruct their Conversion in a direct opposing the means of it on God's part That they do thus provoke God is evident from these Scriptures 81. Psal 11 12. But my People would not hearken to my Voice and Israel would none of me So I gave them up unto their own Hearts Lusts and they walked in their own Counsels 1. Rom. 26. For this cause saith the Apostle God gave them up to vile Affections This Text it 's true speaketh of the Heathens of whom the Apostle had been speaking before in ver 19 20. he had been shewing what means they had to know God they had not the Light of the Gospel as we have only the Light of Nature then he sheweth us ver 21. how they had abused this Light wherefore saith he For this cause God gave them up You see here what may befall poor Heathens that have no more than a Natural Light yet even they for not improving and living up to that may so far provoke God as to give them up O what do you think young people that are within the Pale of the Church you have what the Heathen had and you have superadded a further and more excellent Light the Light of Scripture and many of you have the enlightenings
be as Wool Jer. 13. 27. O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean â—â— when shall it once be Thus having cleared what lay in our way as matter of Objection and discouragement touching the means of Conversion on our part I shall proceed to consider more particularly those instituted means of Conversion and then shew you how your Lusts oppose those means and thereby hinder your Conversion For the Means I shall begin with that of Consideration and that because I find the Holy Ghost in Scripture beginning here with unconverted Sinners commanding and commending this as an excellent means of Conversion in the 1 Kings 8. 47. If they shall bethink themselves and repent then hear thou their Prayer c. where you see plainly that retiring into our own hearts by serious thoughtfulness and consideration is a singular means to Repentance and Conversion Again in Hag. 1. 5. Now therefore thus saith the Lord Consider your ways Psal 119. 59. I thought on my ways and turned my Feet unto thy Testimonies He first considered and then he converted So the prodigal Son came first to himself by consideration and then he came home to his Father by sound Conversion Luke 15. 17. Here the Lord complains of that People's impenitence in Jer. 8. 6. No man repented him And in the next words relateth the Cause of it to be want of consideration No man said What have I done O would but young men retire from the Noise and foolish Vanities of this world and allow their Souls leisure for the serious exercise of this important Duty to consider their sinful and woful estate by Nature in what posture they stand God-wards with their apostate Natures and how the Wrath of God that is revealed from Heaven against all Unrighteousness this wrath abideth on them every moment during their unconverted state and how fearful a thing it is to carry ones doom in ones own bosom to go up and down the world in a state of enmity to the most high Jehovah under his Curâ—e and Wrath as they most certainly do iâ— their state of Nature and there to consider of their manifold Omissions and Commissions how many thousand ways they have offended God how many checks of Conscience they have stifled what Motions of the Spirit they have resisted what preciouâ— seasons of Grace they have neglected whaâ— Light Love Mercies Engagements Vowâ— they have sinned against what pains they have taken to satisfie their Lusts stopping their Ears at the holy Instructions Counsels Exhortations intreaties of Parents Ministers what estrangedness and separation theiâ— Sins have made between God and their Souls and then to consider how short their time oâ— Earth will be how sure it is that their youthful Sins will sooner or later find them out â— how certain that God will bring them â—â— Judgment for all thy Pleasures in the Flesh all thy Thoughts Words and Deeds Thuâ— I say would but young men take time â—â— commune with their own Souls about theâ—â— tremendous matters it would surely awakeâ— and call them to fear and enquire What mâ—â—â— I do to be saved And so prepare them foâ— that other Head of Consideration nameâ—â— the rich soveraign and free Grace of God in Christ laid open in the Gospel how God hath so loved the World as to give his only Son to dye for us when enemies that whosoever believeth and repenteth shall not perish but have everlasting Life how able and willing Christ is to save and receive all heavy laden weary Souls that see themselves lost and â—aste the bitterness and feel the burden of their Sin that come to him how lovingly he invites all such to come to him and assureth them of a gracious reception and a full remission of all their Sins and eternal Salvation c. and that it is not all the aggravations of their Sins however they have been multiplied and commited against the Light of Natural Conscience or the Light of Supernatural Grace revealed in the Scriptures that shall be an impediment or bar to their acceptance and pardon upon their return If the Wicked forsake his Way and the Vnrighteous man his Thoughts and turn unto the Lord he will have mercy and to our God and he will abundantly pardon Isa 55. 7. or multiply to pardon Again there is nothing but an unbelieving impenitent Heart resisting this Grace can or shall ever deprive you of so great Salvation as is offered to you in the Gospel and tho' you have refused in past seasons when he hath called yet for all that he won't refuse you If you flee from your lusts to him the only refuge for lost Souls the match shall not break on his part and if you perish and miss Salvation at last it shall not be long of him So that this is undeniable viz. that Consideration on our part is a most fit and apposite means of Conversion I have some time read of a Religious Father that had rebellious wicked Son that was a great grieâ— to him when the Father was on his deaâ—â— bed he called his Son to him and laid hiâ— under a solemn engagement and promise That he would every day retire alone aâ—â— spend one quarter of an Hour in seriouâ— thinking After the pious Father was deaâ— the wild Son began to consider of his promise to his Father and accordingly once day retires at first he began to think of thâ— Honours and Pleasures of this World buâ— after a while he began to consider what hâ—â— Father's design was in obliging him theâ— once a day to retiredness and thoughtfulness and then he began to call to mind his Sinâ— and wicked Life that he had lived and thâ— good Spirit of God concurring with thosâ— thoughts he became a new man So thaâ— Consideration is a means of Conversion Now I come in the next place to shew yoâ— how youthful lusts directly oppose this meaâ— of Conversion and that will appear it yoâ— consider the rage of these Lusts they wiâ—â— not give the judgment leave or leisure â—â— animadvert and consider they are impâ—ruous and tyrannical hurrying poor Siâ—ners Hell wards this is obvious to our oâ—servation every day how many young people do we see by one base pleasure or other always led captive from the time they awake in the Morning till they lie down at Night and never take time to consider or ask themselves What have I done What must I do to be saved Where must I abide for ever If a man rides through a Country full speed he can never draw a true Map of that Country If you â—oile and ruffle the Waters you can never see your face in them Thus if a Soul be hurried with its Lusts it can never retire and soberly debate matters in its own breast Consideration can find no place in such a Soul as Christ told the malicious Jews in the â— John 36 37. My words can find no place in â—ou because they were so enraged and blindâ—d with the
like the Man in the Gospel Mat. 12 43 44 45. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest but findeth none Then he saith I will return into my house from whence I came out and when he is come he findeth it empty sweâ—â— and garnished Then goeth he and taketh wâ—â— himself seven other spirits more wicked thâ—â— himself and they enter in and dwell there anâ— the last state of that man is worse than the fâ—â—mer So in Hebr. 6. 4. and 10. 26. aâ—â— 2 Pet. 2. 20. O then above all Youâ—â— Ones see to this that there be a sound Conversion as the ground-work of all for upon this the very hinges of your Souls salvâ—tion turn Hence our blessed Saviour iâ— John 3. 3. pronounceth Except a man be boâ—â— again he cannot see the kingdom of Goâ— Wherefore again and again I advise Young Ones to see to their Foundation it were â— conceive much better for a Man to be deceived in thinking himself unregenerate when he is regenerate than on the otheâ— hand to deem himself regenerate when hâ— is not The former mistake indeed is afflicting but the last is damning If a condemned Malefactor conceit he hath a Pardon anâ— has none he may go pleasantly to the Gallows but he won't be able to hold it wheâ— he comes there The Lord open your eyeâ— and hearts and cause you to see and feel the truth and power of this first general Rule oâ— Means in order to the fleeing your youthful Lusts Now I shall proceed to lay down thâ—se distinct Remedies suitable to each particular Lust that young People stand bent unto And here again I must entreat you as you have any regard to the glory of God and your own Salvation and would not be condemned with ungodly and impenitent Sinners at last that you do not refuse to put in practice what shall be taught you in the following Rules how to flee each particular Sin that you are so prone to and now I shall begin with that which so early appeareth even in your very Childhood and wofully groweth up with you to riper years Namely that airiness vain rashness and carelessness of spirit and conversation all which I at large and distinctly treated on under the first Enquiry viz. What were those Sins that might be more especially called youthful Sins Now forasmuch as these three border so near and close upon each other I shall for the Cure of these prescribe this Remedy Remedy or Means against youthful Vanity Rashness and Inconsiderateness The First Remedy ENdeavor to get and keep an awful impression upon thy heart all day long of God's Omnipresence and Omniscience that you cannot flie from him because he is every where and that you cannot hide or conceal any thing from him because all things are naked and open to his All-seeing Eye At what time thou art ready to pour out thy heart in Vanity and Froth catechize and chastise thy feathery and light spirit after this manner Dost thou now remember thy Creator Art thou aware of his holy Eye and Presence Canst thou blear and blinâ— the pure piercing flaming Eye of Heaven What wilt thou dare to pilfer steal be undutiful and lie while the jealous sin-revenging God stands by Thus would but Young Men presentiate the Majesty Prescience and Omniscience of God to themselves in the midst of their juvenile Extravagancies how would it a we and fill their Souls with trembling one Aspect of this Eye of God â—â— able to make the whole Earth tremble Psal 104. 32. He looketh on the Earth and it trembleth And Job speaketh of some Sinnerâ— the Murtherer the Thief the Adultereâ— that to be seen in their Sins is to them the greatest terror imaginable Job 24. 17. â—â— a man saith he see them they are in thâ— terrors of the Shadow of Death Now then young People I appeal to you what fear and holy seriousness would this work iâ— you did you always thus set the Lord before you as David speaketh in the 16. Psal 8. and at your right hand then would you could you durst you be so vain fickle unstable tossed up and down with every puff of windy pleasures Oh no and here let me add this viz. represent to thy Soul what an Eye it is that seeth thee It may be you may fancy that God sees as man sees Scripture speaks of Sinners thinking that God is such a one as themselves in 50. Psal 22. Alas man may see and not see as we say i. e. wink and connive at thy youthful Sins and not be at all displeased with thee But God's Eye is 1. an holy pure strict observing Eye there is nothing can escape his knowledge wheresoever you are whatsoever you are doing you are still under his observation Psal 11. 4. His Eyes behold his Eye-lids try the Children of men Hab. 1. 13. Thou art saith the Prophet of purer Eyes than to behold Evil and canst not look upon Iniquity That is canst not with the least approbation nay canst not without great indignation look upon evil O vain Youth remember that an angry holy Eye is upon thee in all thy irreligious and vitious Courses in all thy furious and precipitate Evil Ways And then 2. consider it is an infinite Eye comprehending all things past present and to come at once uno intuitu Many things confound us we can be intent upon nothing but in a successive way things done many years ago elapse and slip our remembrance but it 's not so with God with whom a thousand years are but as one day See that 139. Psal v. Thou compassest my Path saith David and oâ— lying down and art acquainted with my Way v. 7. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit whither shall I flee from thy Presence If ascend up to Heaven thou art there If make my Bed in Hell behold thou art there If I take the Wings of the Morning and dweâ—â— in the uttermost parts of the Sea even thâ— shall thy Hand lead me c. Sure youâ— men this would call in your vain anâ— stragling thoughts and unite your careleâ—â— Spirits to the fear of God's holy name diâ— you believe and remember God's infiâ—â— Presence There is a Story of a pious man have met with who being desirous to reclaiâ— an unchaste Woman from her lewd aâ— vile Conversation took this course wiâ—â— her he came to her pretending to haâ— some wanton dalliances with her provide it might be done with all privacy she theâ— upon led him from Room to Room â—â— he still made many scruples lest at thâ— Window or that Key-hole this crevis â—â— that cranny some or other might chance â—â— peep in and espy them together at lengâ—â— she brought him to the inwardest Room â—â— the House where saith she I am confideâ—â— that none can possibly pry in to discoveâ— what we do Whereupon he told her wiâ—â— weeping Eyes No bolts not bars can keeâ— out God no walls
longer upon this because it will be of use through all the rest which I hope I may dispatch with a quicker hand Means or Remedies against that Epidemical Sin of youthful delaying Repentance and Conversion c. YOung People are as you have heard exceedingly prone to put off God and their Souls with saying in themselves I aâ— young enough and have time enough to repent hereafter c. these are the usual pleas that young people make for delaying their Conversion and this is indeed the usual anâ— beaten Road to Hell and the commoâ— Snare in which Satan entangles multitudes of unwary Youth perswading theâ— that it 's too soon to repent that it 's too eaâ—ly to fully and sadden the briskness anâ— beauty of their Youth with the melancholy apprehensions of Religion but alaâ— while silly Youth listens to these charmâ— the fatal hour of death often steals on anâ— cuts them down e're they are aware oâ— awake Wherefore for the Cure and Remedy hereof I shall offer these following Coâ—siderations First Consider the danger of Delays Young People make little or nothing oâ— putting off the important matters of thâ—â— Souls a day a week a month a year not considering what an infinite prejudice it may be to their everlasting Happiness to neglect the looking after these matters though it were no more than for one hour or one day and that will appear 1. In regard of the utter uncertainty of their time and that both of their time of Life and time of Grace Alas you know not what a day an hour may bring forth the very next hour may find thee alive and leave thee dead This is that which Youth are not easily perswaded of they foolishly dream of years and then they entertain so good an opinion of the truth of their Dream that they grow as peremptory in it as if they had an Inheritance settled upon them for perpetuity But O vain Youth where ever dwelt the man whâ—t was his Name that could ever assure thee of another day nay that thou shalt see the end of this day Is not thy Flesh grass as well as others view the weekly Bills of Mortality and see there whether young ones are priviledg'd above others from Sickness and Death Let it therefore be seriously thought upon by young people that their time of Life is utterly uncertain that they are but one breaths distance from Death and Eternity and though it is possible that they may live till to morrow or next Year yet it 's equally possible that they may dye before others have been surprized who have had the same reason to hope for a longer time aâ— themselves and therefore they cannot delay and put off their Conversion and turning to God without notorious or manifest danger O be not deceived you whose consultations have wont to be with Flesh and Blood and whose conclusions use to be that you are young and healthy and have many Yearâ— to come and therefore it 's time enough hereafter to repent Piety is too grave for your green head the caput mortuum of your old Age will serve well enough to serve God with I say be not deceived a sudden death may snatch you hence and send youâ— guilty Soul to Hell before your Body be carried to the dust for the great God is the sole and soveraign Lord of your life and time and pray see how he rebukes the presumption of such Sparks who boast of their years to come 12. Luke 19 20. I will say tâ— my Soul Soul thou hast much Goods laid up for many Years take thine ease eat drink and be merry This Prodigal was neither sick nor possessed with any fears of Sickneâ—â— and Death yet see what follows v. 20. But God said unto him Thou fool this Night thy Soul shall be required of thee then whose shall these things be So in the 28. Isa 18. you read of some Desperadoes that had made â— Covenant with Death and were at an agreement with Hell But what saith the Lord why he telleth them that the one should be disannulled the other should not stand nay he calleth them a refuge of Lyes and that the overflowing Scourge and Storm of his wrath should rend down all their lying refuges And in the 58. Psal 9. you read that such as are taken away living and in his wrath before the Pots can feel the Thorns i. e. suddenly and in so short a breath that elsewhere they are said to go down into the Pit in a moment and that these rebukes may particularly intend young ones you may see in the 36. of Job 14. They dye in Youth c. Hence the Holy Ghost often makes use of that Metaphor Grass in the 40. Isa 6. and 90. Psal 6. In the Morning it flourisheth and groweth up in the Evening it is cut down and withereth The grass is growing in the field and as our Saviour noteth to morrow cast into the Oven Matth. 6. 30. Such is the condition of Youth you may be in good health in a flourishing condition in mirth and jollity one day and be burning in Hell the next Therefore flee this Sin of delaying your Repentance c. it was the counsel of Solomon who was inspited 27. Prov. 1. Boast not thy self of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth q. d. This day God in mercy affords thee to repent in c. but trust not upon a to morrow that is utterly uncertain whether it come or no or if it do whether thy Conversion or thy Condemnation in it shall be brought forth or no If it was thy own and thou couldst certainly knoâ— it would be in thy possession c. theâ— might be some little pretence for thy presenâ— delaying but when it is another's and â—â— is utterly hid and concealed from thee whether thou shalt live to it or no how can yoâ— without certain danger delay till anotheâ— day He that will adventure to build oâ— Ground that is none of his own must looâ— to have all undone or overturn'd at thâ— pleasure or displeasure of another Tâ—us you delay and profusely waste the preseâ— season and space of Repentance which merciful God indulgeth you with aâ— boldly entrench upon the future which Goâ— has reserv'd in his own power how hazaâ—dous an adventure do you run for it 's a ruâ—â— in the civil Law no Person can promiâ—â— that which is anothers Now the owne and proprietor of your time is God and â—â— hath concealed the day the hour the mâ—ment of Death's arrest from us that so yoâ— should never delay but work out your Salvation to day while it 's called to day thâ— command of God takes hold of you at thâ— present the counsel of God concerning thâ— future is kept hid from you alas for a tâ— morrow whose is it Seneca the Heatheâ— could see this and say solum tempus praeseâ— nostrum No time is ours but the present to count upon a to
very few that are saved pray examine carefully what such a Repentance is made up of usually it consists in the passionate awakenings of natural Conscience upon the Sinner's Alarm to appear before that God to whom he has been a long time estranged and against whom he has maintain'd a long and old Enmity hereupon there springs up in his Breast a servile fear and dread of this holy and just God hence the Sinner being stript of all Creature comforts and help flies and cryes to God for pardon of his Sins and deliverance from Hell in great affrightment of Spirit and O if God will spare what manner of person he will be and the like Now pray judge righteous Judgment and make a true estimate herein many ignorant Wretches call this true Repentance whereas all this is but nature in misery crying for ease which the veriest Reprobate in the World may do nay can't but do if Conscience be awakened here is no change of their hearts from darkness to light and the power and love of sin to God and holiness Alas let but these Men be put into their former state of health and temptation again and they would be the very same a Balaam may come thus far to cry out O that I might dye the death of the Righteous and my last end be like his There is the same love of Sin and hatred of strict Godliness within as ever which would soon appear if they might but still enjoy their former Vanities but alas all is under a force they are launching out into the eternal World and judgment seems to them just at hand now they cry aloud for mercy and desire pardon bewail their abuse of time make large offers of Reformation and yet all this is but as an Iron in the Fire or a Mariner in a Storm Well said * Quale bonum hoc â—st quod melius est poenâ c. Tertull. Tertullian What a mean sort of good is this that only excels punishment It is good to repent and be saved because who can dwell with everlasting burning All this is good just when a Man 's a dying O young man is this consistent with Reason to venture thy All to all Eternity upon so rotten a foundation thou wouldst not venture to put out to Sea in a leakâ— Vessel and wilt thou be so mad as to venture thy Soul upon such a bold Presumption as this What if O Youth after your mad and long Rambles in the ways of Sin after thou hast try'd these desperate Conclusions and thou at last begins to come to thy self and attempts to come to Christ what if he should remand thee and send thee back again to find Relief among the Husks and Swine thou so lately left if when you in your distress and calamity supplicate with the most mournful Note his mercy and compassion he shall return you back with this greeting and ungrateful answer It is now too late thou shouldst have remembred me in the days of thy youth depart my patience and compassions are at an end because you refused when I called I will now reject you O what if God should conclude his day of grace and mercy just as thy time of Religion commenceth If he end his Patience as thou beginnest thy Repentance If his Ear be stop'd just as thy cry for mercy is opening pray what then will you do what say you young ones will you enquire return and come now or no to allude to that of the Prophet Isa 21. 11 12. Watchman what of the night what of the night if you will enquire enquire return and come How many expressions are here to shew the vehemency of the Call What say you Youth wilt thou dare to run the venture of the loss of God's acceptance of Heaven and eternal glory for a year a month a week a day shall the blessed Trinity stay till your Lust will release you Why then be it known to you and remember hereafter that I this day give you notice of it that as you sowe so you shall reap If you sowe a deaf Ear to God's call to day while it 's called to day you shall reap a deaf Ear to your calls and cryes for mercy when your calamity and desolation cometh as a whirlwind upon you O young Men I beseech you and O that God would persuade you by his Spirit this day to practise this advice here exhibited to you Flee this youthful Sin of delaying The sooner you come in the more acceptable it will be to God the more comfortable to your own Souls and the more useful and beneficial to others I might enlarge upon all these but I have been long already in other Considerations against this Sin of delaying and therefore I shall only tell you That no Tongue can relate no Pen can describe all the advantages of an early Conversion One days sweet communion that you will have with a reconciled God in a state of grace will be more comfortable than a thousand years of impenitent Sinners who are or may be in continual fears of death and judgment But O the blessed state of an early Convert that is aâ— peace with God his Soul may dwell at ease let what will come that can in life or death Sin is pardoned the sting of all is removed Christ's yoke is easie there is no condemnation to such an one O the sweet peace and tranquility of such a Life what should trouble or disturb him that hath good grounds to believe That he shall be for ever with the Lord when he shall go bence and be seen no more Young People are apt to thâ—nk that there is no contentment in the ways of God but they must lead sad and uncomfortable Lives whereas it 's most manifest that there is nothing tends to free them from discontent and uncomfortableness like an early conversion to God The Kingdom of God consists in joy and peace and there is a day at hand when the proudest despiser of an holy life shall be convinc'd of it O therefore make a tryal of it and if you do not find it so take your own course I have no more to say but to pray that God would circumcise your hearts and give you wisdom to take the present opportunity and to admire his mercy that it is not too late The next Sin that I shall direct Young Ones to flee is An eager pursuit of sensual and sinful Pleasures their loving these more than God c. I Have shewed you already how strongly Youth is bent upon Pleasures Sports Games Feasts Pastimes O! Young Men love these as their Lives and some will as soon part with their Lives as with their youthful Pleasures they have had Threatnings Promises Commands Intreaties Mercies Afflictions yet nothing to this day could prevail with them What Solomon saith of the Fool Prov. 27. 22. Tho' thou bray a Fool in a Mortar yet will not his foolishness depart from him may be applied here to
the 4. Jam. 4. What is then friendship with the Lusts of the Flesh O young men think of it seriously when you are tempted to Riot and Excess this is direct enmity to God and therefore most hateful to him and can your seeble Hands grasp and make your part good with Omnipotency Iâ—â— a terrible thing to renounce the Heaven of God's love and favour for the pleasing of my Throat but directly to run into the Hell of his hatred O what madness is this It were much better a thousand â—imes that thou shouldst never eat bit or â—rink drop more than do so And then â—â— it is thus hateful to God so it is hurtful â—o your selves and others 1. To your â—elves and that both as to your Bodies and â—ouls Intemperance is the bane of the Body as it fills it with Diseases and oppresseth Nature consuming its animal and â—ital Spirits and so is a degree of self murâ—er Who hath Wo who hath Sorrow but â—he Glutton and Drunkard Prov. 23. 29. Hence are those proverbial Sayings Meat â—â—lls as many as the Musquet and the Board as â—â—e Sword and much Meat much Malady Plures pereunt crapulâ quam capula c. It â—rings ruin to a man's Estate Prov. 23. 21. â—he Drunkard and the Glutton shall come to Poverty Many a man hath become by â—ntemperance worse than an Infidel in waâ—ing that Provision that he was bound to preserve for Wife and Children Thus Intemperance is hurtful to the Body And then it is hurtful to the Soul as it wages War against it 1 Pet. 2. 11. Dearly beloved â—l beseech you abstain from fleshly â—usts which â—ar against the Soul Fulness breeds forgetfulness of God Deut. 6. 11 12. When thou â—halt have eaten and art full then beware 〈◊〉 thou forget the Lord. So Prov. 30. 9. Feed me with Food convenient for me lest I be full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord It unfits the Soul for all holy Exercises a full Belly and a lean Soul usually go together When the great enquiry is What shall we eat what shall we drink There is a deep silence about the Soul no such voice heard as What shall I do to be saved A full Belly saith one neither studies well nor prays well and St. Paul saith in Rom. 16. 10. That they serve not the Lord Christ that serve their own Bellies In a word Intemperance is so hurtful to your selves as that without timely repentance and fleeing it it will most certainly exclude Soul and Body out of Heaven and plunge both into Hell for evermore 1 Cor. 6. 9. Know ye not saith the Apostle that the Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God be not deceived neither Drunkards c. Gal. 5. 19 20 21. Now the works of the Flesh are manifest Drunkenness Revellings and such like of which I have told you before as I have also told you in time past that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God And in the 12. of Luke 45. If that Servant shall begin to eat and drunk â—nd be druâ—kâ—n the Lord of that Servant will out him â—sunder and will appoint him his pâ—rt on with the Vnbeliever And that is Hell And then this Sin of Intemperance is hurtful to others its injurious to the Poor coathing and feeding them Many have â—ot Mony for such uses because they have â—ast it away and prodigally consumed it â—pon their Lusts of Gluttony and Drunkenâ—ess And it 's a Sin highly aggravated by â—he Miseries and Afflictions of the Church of God at this day wherein God calls for mourning Now at such a time to say with them in Isa 56. 12. We will fetch Wine and â—e will fill our selves with strong Drink and tomorrow shall be as this day and much more â—bundant O what an aggravation is this And would to God that I could not apply â—his Text to our present times the Lord be merciful to us What an incongruity is it â—o hear and see some Christians ready to â—tarve and cry out for a bit of Bread in one place and others Jesuran like waxing fat and kicking for Wantonness some rowling in Blood and others in Vomit some feeding on Ashes and drinking of Tears while others fare deliciously every day some like Dives other like Lazarus O young men study the hainous nature of this Sin of Intemperance as it is hateful to God and hurtful to your selves and others And then Thirdly Study thy self both the state of thy Soul and Body enquire and commune with your own Hearts about it whether thy Soul be in a state of Grace and Peace with God or of Sin and Enmity be sure one of them it is O labour after a true sight of it which it is if a state of Sin and Enmity then fasting and abstinence become one in thy condition much more than eating and drinking Alas a poor Sinner unreconciled to God ready to drop into Hell and hanker after dainties and delicacies of Meats and Drinks how absurd But if it be a state of Grace and Peace why then Grace will be content with less than Nature and Nature will be content with little It is Lust that is so outragious but they that are Christ's have crucified the Flesh with its Affections and Lusts And then study the state of thy Body too is it not mortal must it not be e're long Worms meat and then do but soberly judge how far such a thing should be pampered and at what rates O methinks a sight of your state should make you abhor Gluttony and Epicurism O youth attend hereunto remember Esau was called prophane for parting with his Birth right for one Morsel of Meat and when ever you feel your Appetite eager and craving remember these three directions I have now given you to flee this Sin which brings me to lay down Rules and Remedies against the next youthful Lust Remedies against that Youthful Sin of Lying THis is a Sin I have shewed that Youth are especially prone to I shall very briefly lay down some Directions to flee it 1. Awaken thy Soul young man to consider the danger of this Sin of Lying and that in these two particulars 1. It s a Badge of a graceless Child And 2. it 's a Bar to endless glory It 's a badge of one that 's graceless pray ponder on these Scriptures Isa 63. 8. For he said Surely they â—re my People Children that will not lye And so he was their Saviour And John â— 44. when our Saviour told the wicked Jews they were of their Father the Devil who was a Lâ—ar and the Father of it And then 2. it is a Bar to Life eternal Rev. 21. 27. ver And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever maketh a Lye But in the 8. ver of that Chap. it is affirmed That all Lyars shall have their part in that Lake that burneth with Fire for evermore O this Sin
seldom of all Acts of Disobedience â—uffer that of marrying against the consent of Parents go off the stage of this Life unpunished And then for Servants that are under the Yoke who are in great danger of miscarryâ—ng in that Relation let me prevail with â—hem to treasure up these following Scriâ—â—ures Eph. 6. 5 6 7 8. Col. 3. 22 23 24 â—5 1 Tim. 6. 1 2. And especially study that Titus 2. 9 10. and 1 Pet. 2. 18. Exhort Servants to be obedient to their own Masters â—nd to please them well in all things not answering again not purloining but shewing all â—ood fidelity that they may adorn the Doctrine â—f God our Saviour in all things O remember that in serving your Masters after the flesh in singleness of Spirit you herein serve the Lord Christ Remedies against that Youthful Sin of Sabbath-breaking I Have shewed you how prone Youth is to this Sin and those that are afraid of pilfering from Man and robbing their Masters of their Goods yet make no Conscience of pilfering and robbing God of his time O what multitudes of Youth make this day to be the day of finding their carnal pleasures and recreating themselves wherefore to direct you how you may flee this Sin 1. Consider God hath sanctified and blessed this day not only as a day for his own Worship but for his own Workmanship in a new creating us in Christ Jesus it 's a special day for dispensing of Grace and Pardon to undone condemned Sinners and should we not then sanctify it and keep it holy On this day the golden Scepter of Grace and Mercy is held forth and Proclamation is made of an Act of Oblivion to all rebellious Sinners that shall throw down their Weapons of Enmity and come in and subject themselves to the Lord Jesus that their Sins and Iniquities however aggravated shall be pardoned and be remembred no more for ever and not only so but a Marriage Feast is on this day instituted to be celebrated a Feast of fat things wherein the returning Prodigal is crowned with all the expressions of joy and honour Bring forth the fatted Calf the best Robe the Ring let Heaven rejoyce and make merry c. O Youth what are thy Esau-like morsels abroad in the Field but as the husks that Swine do eat to the dainties of a Father's house O the time is at hand when the crumbs that fall from the Lord's Table will be more desirable than all the sweet meats of Sin and the Flesh that thou meetest with in thy rambles on God's Holy day Thou gainest a little fleshly content and merriment but losest the blessednesses promised in Isa 56. 2. Blessed Ashre there is the plural number is the man that doth this that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it The blessedness of gracious communion and fellowship with the Father and with his Son Christ Jesus c. And who can express the heavenly comfort of that O would you ever be drunk with Wine or bewitched with the sordid pleasures of the Flesh If you had once drank of this high Country Wine the Wine of Heaven's consolations Heark Young Man to those that have tryed it Psal 84. How amiable are thy Tabernacles c. And so the Psalm runs on One day in thy Courts is better than a thousand elsewhere I sat down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste 2 Cant. 3. But I must not enlarge 2. Meditate upon this how woful a Sin-Sabbath-breaking is and how woful a condition Sabbath-breakers are in To profane the Sabbath is a Sin of an high nature it is a vile despising the Riches of God's goodness Alas You could not have a Sabbath but from his astonishing mercy Be sure then to profane a Sabbath is a surpassing Provocation beyond the Sin of the Devil who never had the mercy of one day of the Son of Man 's afforded him Moreover it indicates and sheweth that you have no delight in God in his Service who have no delight in his day and is thy want of Love to God a small Sin When it is as one saith the very heart of the old Man the badge of Devils and damned Spirits And then consider how woful the condition of Sabbath-breakers is they carry about them the mark of Death and Hell as 't were in their Foreheads wherever they go for it 's past all doubt that Sabbath-breakers are under the wrath of God and in a state of alienation to him and will certainly perish if they continue in that state O Young Man strongly impress this on thy heart and say Is this a tolerable condition Is it wisdom to continue it an hour longer O think with your selves what if I had dyed in this Case what had become of me how exceedingly thou art beholden to the patience of God that he hath not cast thee into Hell The Lord open your eyes and imprint this Meditation upon your hearts then you would admire the mercy of a Sabbath and the provisions of grace in the Ordinances and you would loath and detest the Tempter that would entice you to waste a Moment of so blessed a Day Wherefore to close this I shall recite the Testimony of a wise and learned Person * J. Hales of this Nation who was as is noted of him natus ad exemplar born to be an Example to others This Excellent Person writing to his Children of whom he travail'd in Birth that Christ might be formed in them he freely opens his mind in these following Words I now write something to you says he touching the Observation of the Lord's day because I find in the World much Looseness and Apostacy from this Duty People begin to be cold and careless in it allowing themselves Sports and Recreations and secular Imployments in it without any necessity which is an ill presage and a sad Spectacle He there makes this profession and declaration to them I have found says he by a strict diligent observation that a due observation of the Duties of this Day has ever had joyned to it a Blessing upon the â—est of my time and the Week that has been so begun has been blessed and prosperous to me And on the other side when I have been negligent in and of the Duties of this Day the rest of the Week has been unsuccesful and unhappy to my own secular Imployment and this I do not write lightly or inconsiderately but upon long and sound Experience Here I thought to have given you a quotation of many Instances very remarkable of God's punishing the breakers of this Holy Day but it would swell this Treatise too big for the Poor to purchase it and there are indeed few Months that pass but you have sad memorials hereof at â—yburn of Malefactors crying out of this Sin as introductory to all others and the source and spring of all their Miseries The next Sin that Youth is addicted to is Pride Remedies against
that Youthful Sin of Pride THat Youth is apt to admire themselves for their supposed Excellences as Beauty Parts Wit Strength c. I have shewed before Man is a proud piece of Dust and a little thing will puff him up a Râ—bbon a Feather a Wire a black spot a bag full of Dirt a Shop full of Goods or the Excrements of Beasts this is that old Leaven of Corruption that hath leavened the whole humane nature hence young Absalon swells O that I might be Judge of Israel Wherefore I shall lay down some directions in order to your fleeing this Sin 1. Represent to thy self how odious and abominable this Sin is to God as will evidently appear if thou study these Scriptures 1 Peter 5. God resisteth the Pruod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word signifieth Sets himself in battle array against such a person Proverbs 6. 16 17. it is there placed in the front of those six things the Lord hates A proud look c. Proverbs 16. 5. Every one that is Proud in Heart is abomination to the Lord and though Hand joyn in Hand yet shall he not go unpunished Isaiah 23. 8. Surely the Lord of Hosts hath purposed to stain the Pride of all Glory And in Isaiah 2. 11. The Day of the Lord shall be upon every one that is Proud whose Heart is lifted up O young People when ever you are affecting a Glory and a kind of Supremacy to your selves consider these Scriptures and remember what a God he is that hath thus expressed his hatred of this Sin he is a God of infinite Greatness and Majesty that might in his Soveraignty have left thee in the Womb of Nothing had he pleased or might have crush'd thee into nothing in the Cradle When he did but let out of his Glory a little to Job and Isaiah one crys ouâ— Wo is me I am an undone man I have seen the Lord Isaiah 6. The other breaks forth Behold I am vile I abhor my self in Dust and Ashes for mine Eyes have seen the Lord of Host And in Heaven where he fully shineth forth in his Glory the Elders fall down and cast down their Crowns before him that sitteth on the Throne O proud Dust one glimpse of the high and lofty One would make thee quake and tremble Secondly Get thy Heart well seasoned with deep Convictions of what a poor sinful mortal Creature thou art it is ignorance of your selvâ—s that makes you proud Hence you read Rev. 3. 17. Thou sayest I am rich and increased with Goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Here you see the different judgment of God and man Whence is it but from man's ignorance of himself O proud Youth were you brought but once to understand what a leprous deformed diseased Soul lodgeth in thy dunghil Body let Conscience answer whether thou couldst be Proud or no a Soul so ignorant of and averse unto the blessed God so unbelieving unholy universally miserable and wretched so like to the Devil and yet be proud a Soul so unreconciled to God so unready for the coming of Christ in such danger of the damnation of Hell one would thiâ—k here should be no more room for Pride than there is reason for it and that 's none at all but the quite contrary namely lying in Tears and abasement before the Lord and begging of Mercy better becometh such a Soul And then for thy Body wherein this miserable Soul lodgeth for a few days one would think thou shouldst have little mind to be proud of that were it only for the sake of so wretched a Tenant that dwells within but as wisely consider it and see whether there be any thing in it or no to be proud of first then O young man dost thou not know it to be a poor vain frail perishing thing the Heathen can tell you this without the Book of Scripture hast thou now a juvenile verdure and freshness of Complexion or briskness of Spirits or quickness of Parts or strength of Body and art thou tempted to Pride by any or all of these Alas let but a Feaver or an Apoplexy seize you as they may within the space of an hour and then where are all these Indeed if thou couldst by thy youthful strength and ability hinder any of these and wert so considerable a Creature as to beat back Sickness and Death when they come thou mightest have some pretence for thy boasting but if thy young Flesh be but as Grass that can no ways defend it self from the Sythe then be ashamed and abased in the Dust Have you noâ— seen or at least have you not heard â—â—w suddenly many of your Age have dâ—â—p'd into the Pâ—â— go to the Church-yard â—nd look among the Graves and see it there be not shorter Graves than would fit you and learn humility Thirdly Sâ—udy an humbled Christ and abhor Pride for ever Mat. 11. 29. Learn of me saith Christ for I am meek anâ— lowly And will you be proud and haughty Psal 22. 6. I am a Worm and no Man it is spoken of Christ O when you are tempted to be high-minded and to over-valuing conceits of your selves to think I am some body and deserve respect and esteem then look an humbled Christ in the face and loath thy self and say O proud heart dost thou stand upon thy Pantofles and Terms and thy Saviour stoop and step down into the form of a Servant Dismount dismount proud Dust and come down and let the same mind be in you as was in Christ 2 Phil. 6. The next Sin Youth is prone unto is quenching the Spirit Remedies against that Youthful Sin of Quenching the Spirit I Have shewed you how prone Youth is to quench the Motions of the Spirit of God stifling those inward Convictions that are wrought in them of their lost and undone estate by Nature of the necessity of Conversion and the New Birth and of their indispensible Duty to use the means both publick and private that God hath appointed in order to their Conversion there are not a few of London's Youth that are guilty in a high degree of this Sin Wherefore to prevent it for time to come attend to these following directions First Understand wherein this Sin of Quenching the Spirit stands and that 's the first step to Reformation in this point Quenching is a metaphorical part of Speech it is borrowed from a Fire or Lamp that useth to give light and heat now this applied to the Spirit it must follow that the Spirit is a Fire heating and Light enlightning the Soul and therefore in reference hereunto the Apostle in the 1. Thes 5. 19. saith Quench not the Spirit how that is done may be gathered from the metaphor thus a Fire or Light is two manner of ways quenched 1. By withdrawing of Fuel from it 2. By casting of Water upon it So it is here with this heavenly Fire 1.
nor doors can bindeâ— his piercing Eye and what will it profit us to shun the Eye of man when the Eye of God is still upon us Methinks this consideration should change thy youthful froth and fury into a serious gravity and sobriety that God's Eye upon thee is never shut the most waking Eye among men is at times closed but the Lord never slumbereth nor sleepeth Psal 121. 4. It was excellent advice that a Rabbi gave to one of his young Pupils Three things saith he I would have thee remember all day long an Eye that sees thee an Ear that hears thee an Hand that regâ—sters all thy Actions So would I commend this to you young people to cure that natural Levity and Precipitancy that your age is so incident unto O remember and often repeat it to your self that God is in all places and not only without you but in your very Breasts and Bosom viewing all your vain Thoughts and Imaginations and all your vile Lusts and Inclinations So that if you have a mind to be merry and jolly for the space of an hour or two with that Mirth which the Wise Man calleth Madness I beseech you before you adventure upon it first try if you can find out such an hour wherein God's Eye is not on you and then you have my consent to take that hour for that mirth But sure I am no such hour can be found out And then 3. consider that this Eye of God that is thus holy pure observing and infinite is also an Eye of jealousie and justice If a Husband have a jealous Eye over a Wife or a Master over his Servant what a curb and bridle is it to restrain the one from filthiness and the other from falseness and if so how much more should the consideration of his Eye who hath stiled himself in the 20. Exod. 5. the Jealous God abate and tame the wild fierceness anâ— wantonness of Youth especially if yoâ— possess your Soul with the deep apprehensions that his Eye is an Eye of Justicâ— too that is to bring you to Judgment foâ— all your youthful Vanities and Follies Iâ— this sense the Prophet Jeremiah explainetâ— it Jer. 32. 19. Thine Eyes are upon all thâ— Ways of the Sons of men to give every oâ—â— according to his Ways and according to thâ— Fruit of his dâ—ings For God now observe you in order to bring forth all into the laâ— Judgment the serious thoughts of which made such deep impressions on the Heart â—â— Augustine that in his 8th Sermon concerning the coming of Christ to Judgment hâ— saith Ecce in quo periculo incessanter consideâ— c. Behold in what danger I stand continually though I do not continually thinâ— of it and the more wretched I that I caâ— forget it for God always seeth me and aâ—â— my Sins a strict sentence always awaiâ— me in this condition I am when I wake and when I sleep when I laugh and when I am sad when I am proud and passionate sic semper ubique thus I am always and every where O would but young people when they are in their brisk and careless moods with this holy man represent it to themselves that they are thus in the presence and under the Eye of God who hath appointed a day wherein he will judge both quâ—ck and dead surely it would create a trembling in them Wherefore in the close of this Rule let me present you with a collection of choice Scriptures that may be as a continual guide for youth to direct their Paths in the good Old way how they may be all the day long in the fear of the Lord and also that may be as an Angel with a drawn Sword in their evil ways to restrain their steps therein Job 13. 27. Thou lookest narrowly to all my Paths thou settest a print upon the Heels of my Feet Job 24. 21 22. For his Eyes are upon the ways of man and he seeth all his goings there is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of Iniquity may hide themselves Job 31. 41. Doth he not see my Ways and count all my Steps Psal 11. 14. The Lord's Throne is in the Heavens his Eyes behold his Eye lids try the Children of men and the 139. Psalm throughout Prov. 5. 21. The ways of man are before the Lord and he pondereth all his goings Prov. 15. 3. The Eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the Eviâ— and the Good And in the 11. v. Hell anâ— Destruction are before the Lord how much more then the hearts of the Sons of men Jer. 23. 24. Can any man hide himself â—â— secret places that I shall not see him saiâ—â— the Lord Do not I fill Heaven and Eartâ— saith the Lord Darkness hideth not froâ— him but the Night shineth as the Day And in the 27. vers I have seen thine Adulteries and thy Neighings wo unto thee wilt thou not â—â— made clean when shall it once be Heb. 4. â— But all things are naked and open unto â—â— Eyes of him with whom we have to do Thâ— you see what abundance of Scriptures theâ— are of this kind and there are multitude more tâ—nding to the same purpose sureâ—â— it intimates to us that we are not easiâ— perswaded of this truth that God is alwaâ— present with us and beholding of us suâ—â—ly the Lord would never urge this maâ—â— so often upon the Children of men â—â— that he knoweth how prone we are to quâ—stion it O there is a world of Arheism aâ— unbelief in our Heart about it Hence yâ—â—â—â—ad Psal 50. 22. Thou thoughtest I was such one as thy self Job 22. 13. How doth Gâ— know can he judge through the dark Cloâ—â— so Psal 64. 7. They say the Lord shall not sâ— And Ezek. 9. 9. The Lord hath for saken â—â— Earth he seeth not And they say to â—â— Almighty Depart from us c. O the hoâ—rible hellish Atheism that reigns in the hearts of thousands Else whence is it that a Servant shall be afraid of his Master's eye a Sinner of his Minister's a Child of his Father's and a man of his Child's eye and presence more than of the great Jehovah's O how many declare their Sin as Sodom neither are they ashamed I appeal to you can you believe that these consider that the most high God hath a piercing Eye to espy and a powerful Hand to punish the workers of Iniquity Would Achan have stole the Wedge of Gold or Gehazi took the Reward or Annanias and Saphira contrived and told the â—ye to the Apostle had they seen the Eye of God that saw them O young men durst you leave and neglect your sinful and miserable Souls to perish for ever at that rate you do did you but live always as in the presence of God and as under his all seeing jealous Eye Wherefore I beseech you practise this Rule if ever you would be delivered from a vain Spirit and Conversation I have been the