and Vertuous Yea whence is it that all Men do not Naturally delight in God above all other Objects since He is undeniably the Best and most Excellent of Beings These are Demonstrations of the Corruption of Man and of the Necessity of Spiritual Regeneration by the Spirit of God bringing him to love and delight in God in the sincerity of his Soul e're he can be fit for Heaven and the nearer Presence of God Our Blessed Saviour hath delivered this with a double Asseveration John 3. 5. Verily Verily I say unto you Except a Man be born again of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God The Spirit of Wisdom must clear up his Understanding and the Spirit of Holiness must mortifie his vile Affections and Passions and turn the Bent and Vigor of his Heart towards God as his Chiefest Good or he will not be fit for the Divine State and Work of Heaven but will be barr'd out of it by the Nature and Constitution of that All Pure and God-like State AND this our Natural State of Spiritual Ignorance is too gross and too deep to be removed and remedied by the best Light that Natural Philosophy and Humane Art and Study can supply us withal We need a Light from Heaven and Wisdom from Above to make us Wise unto Salvation For When in the Wisdom of God saith St. Paul concerning the conceited Greek Learning which was then in great Vogue and Esteem the World by Wisdom knew not God That is I conceive when God in his Infinite Wisdom saw that all the Humane Wisdom and Learning in the World would never bring them to the just and saving Knowledge of himself as a Righteous God yet pardoning and justifying a penitent Sinner It then pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching or by that plain but powerful Preaching of the Gospel which the Philosophers and Orators of those times accounted foolish to save them that believe MEN have indeed by the Light of Nature some Knowledge That there is a God and a Life to come But how imperfect this Knowledge is we see by the many absurd Opinions and barbarous Customs of all those Heathen Countries which are not bless'd with the Knowledge of the Gospel They frame to themselves most unworthy notions of God they know not how to worship or serve him aright they have no Apprehension of the only way of being reconciled to God by the Blood of his Son nor of becoming Good through the Sanctification of this Spirit Yea we find some of them profess'd Votaries to the Devil and doing Sacrifice to their worst Enemy by the most unnatural Murders and Barbarities Hence the Apostle concludes concerning the unregenerate Part of Mankind that they Walk in the Vanity of their Minds having their Vnderstanding darkened being alienated from the Life of God thro' the Ignorance that is in them Eph. 4. 18. WE may from all this assuredly discern what sort of Lives such Children are like to live who are not well Instructed Catechized and Govern'd in their Youth That which is born of the Flesh is flesh saith our Blessed Saviour John 3. 6. Carnal Principles will produce nothing better than a Carnal Life So then since Children have none but bad Principles and Inclinations of themselves what can we expect from them but the greatest Lewdness and the blackest Impieties except thro' the Grace of God and the Care of others they are better principled Especially if we consider How busie and crafty the Devil will always be to prompt them to all Wickedness whilst alas the poor Child is utterly Ignorant of his Devices So that a Youth without Instruction will be like a benighted Traveller walking alone in the midst of unknown Pits and Precipices 't is a Thousand to one but he falls into some of them to his utter Ruine BUT it is God's Will that it should be otherwise and it should be the Care of all that love and fear God to bring up their Children in the Knowledge and Service of their Creator in the Days of their Youth that they may shun the dreadful Case of the Text which leads me to the Second Observation viz. II. THAT good Instruction in Youth is God's appointed Means to bring People to the Saving Knowledge of Himself and the Attainment of Eternal Life God is pleased to call to Young People in the beginning of this Chapter to bow their Ear to Good Instruction that they come not to the Dreadful End foreshewn in the End of the Chapter INDEED the Time of Youth is the most proper Time in Nature for good Instruction Children are apt to catch at every Thing they hear and to retain it and repeat it Their Faculties are fresh and vigorous and they perceive themselves void of Knowledge and are greedy to take Information and soft and capable of any Impression They are also void of those Prejudices against Truth and Virtue which they are afterwards likely to take up And they are not now capable of such bodily Labour as is apt to hinder their Learning in their more Adult Years On all these Accounts the Time of Youth is the fittest of any for good Instruction and the properest Season to plant the Principles of Religion And that chiefly because 't is God's Time and must therefore of Necessity be the fittest and best The Commandments of God do often bind this Duty very awfully on the Consciences both of Parents to teach their Children and upon Children to mind the Instruction of their Parents and Tutors Parents are required to Train up their Children in the Way that they should go Prov. 22. 6. and Children are required to Obey their Parents in the Lord. Eph. 6. 1. Parents are to Bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. Eph. 6. 4. And Children are commanded to Keep the Commandment of their Father and not to forsake the Law of their Mother Prov. 6. 20. AND these Injunctions are enforced by the highest Promises and Threatnings The Apostle tells us that the Fifth Commandment is the First Commandment with Promise That it may be well with thee and that thou mayst live long on the Earth Eph. 6. 2 3. And on the contrary it is threatned That The Eye that mocketh his Father or despiseth to obey his Mother the Ravens of the Vallies shall pick it out and the young Eagles shall cat it Prov. 30. 17. And suitably to all this we find the Mother and Grandmother of Timothy commended by the Spirit of God for instructing their Child in the Scriptures and Timothy is commended for his Proficiency suitable to his Education As we read in St. Paul's Epistles to him AND be it here Observed That if any one is not taught to Read and to know his Catechism in his Youth 't is a Thousand to One whether ever he learns either of these afterwards The Sensless Pride of an Ignorant Person is apt to disdain Instruction in these Things afterwards and they are utterly
The Great Charity of Instructing Poor Children A SERMON PREACHED At St. Botolph Aldgate UPON LORD'S-DAY Mar. 24. 1700. On the Occasion of A Charity-School Newly Erected in that Parish By JOSIAH WOODWARD Minister of Popler LONDON Printed by K. Astwood for Ra. Sympson at the Harp in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1700. TO The Right Honourable Francis Lord Guilford My LORD THAT Noble Delight and Industry wherewith your Lordship advances the Knowledge and Service of God demonstrates the Honour that Almighty God does You in making You Eminent in that Work for which He sent his Son into the World And on this Account those Schools of Charity which your Lordship together with Other Persons of great Worth and Quality have studiously Advanced in this City and other Parts those Good Books which are by these Means distributed into poor Families and those Catechetical Libraries which are about to be compiled in this Nation and our Plantations abroad will be acknowledged with sensible Respect and Gratitude by all but such as have slight Thoughts of the Benefits of God manifest in the Flesh to destroy the Works of the Devil Which is such a Pitch of Gross and Odious Insensibleness as one would hope could never have appear'd in a Christian Land but yet alas we have too many Notorious Instances of it thro' the desperate Depravity of Men in their Minds and Manners I KNOW I need not mind your Lordship tho' some others cannot be call'd upon too often to Consider it That our Adored Lord and Saviour arose as a Sun of Righteousness and Truth to give Light and Warmth to this Dark and Degenerate World And that the Splendid Beams of his Glorious Gospel excel the * Prov. 20. 27. Candles of Humane Reason and those Tapers which the best Philosophers held forth to Men as much as the Glorious Sun exceeds those Twinkling Lamps and Torches wherewith we endeavour to supply its absent Light Yet alas thro' the Depravity of Humane Understanding and Men's condemning Love of Darkness more than Light We find some like the Moles and Bats declining the Splendor of Divine Revelation and doting on the Dimness of Humane Reason Saying with Philostratus Porphirie and the Antient Humanists or rather with Julian and former Apostates Let my Soul take its Risque with Philosophers and the Followers of Natural Reason rather than with the Disciples of a Revealed Religion and the Admirers of the Book which God sent from Heaven Like the wayward Jews who were for deserting the Pillar of Heavenly Fire which led them into Canaan and conspired to make a Captain of their own who might lead them back into Egyptian Darkness again An amazing Choice and what cannot otherwise be accounted for but by what the Apostle hath told us * 2 Cor. 4. 4. Namely That If the Gospel be hid 't is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this World hath blinded the Minds of them that believe not lest the Light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine into them WE see indeed with sorrowful Hearts that it pleases God to permit the Legions of the Prince of Darkness to oppose the Kingdom of his Dear Son And in this great and general Contest all Men upon Earth are engaged on one side or other For our Saviour has declared * Mat. 12. 30. that none can be considered as Neuters but that Such as are not with him are against him And tho' there be but few of the Devil 's Confederates that are hardy enough to own the side they take but call it the Defence of Humane Reason or Humane Liberty or some such Thing yet alas they busily do the Devil's Work they sap the very Foundations of the Christian Religion which is the only true and subvert the Authority of its Sacred Author IT is therefore My Lord to the great Honour of God and the great Comfort of devout Minds that we find some Persons of Eminent Rank Piety and Honour who in the Vigor of Youth in the Height of Worldly Blandishments and in the Crowds of Corrupt Examples bravely Trampling on All that the Usurping God of this World can offer to draw them to his Party and who in Christian Zeal for the Prince of Light oppose the pernicious Encroachments of the Spirits of Darkness and are daily instrumental in discovering to ignorant Souls the certain Paths which lead to Eternal Light and Bliss In which Glorious Work Your Lordship and the Worthy Gentlemen with You are very happily engag'd and will certainly find the Blessed Account of it in the Accomplishment of those Great and Precious Promises which are made to such as glorifie their Creator and administer to the Salvation of Men which are Things most truly Great and Noble for which a Wise Man would chiefly wish to Live and a Good Man would not grudge to Die And that your Lordship may long be successful in these Divine Enterprizes and at last reap the Immortal Glory of them Is the Earnest Desire and Incessant Prayer of My LORD Your Honour 's Most Respectful AND Obedient Humble Servant Josiah Woodward A SERMON c. PROV V. 23. He shall die without Instruction and in the greatness of his Folly He shall go astray SOLOMON Who had a very Virtuous Education and was Honour'd with Singular Communion with God in his Youth was inspired by the Holy Ghost in his Infinite Love to the Souls of Men to write this Book of Proverbs for the Instruction of Youth as he tells us in the beginning of the Book Prov. 1. 4. To teach the Young Man Knowledge and Discretion That is to shew them how blessed it is to be Religious betimes and to Embrace those Principles of Wisdom and Virtue which all that despise them in their Youth come to lament in their Age crying out in the Bitterness of their Spirit at last How have I hated Instruction and my Heart despised Reproof Prov. 5. 12. WE are therefore to Consider this Wise Prince as a Tutor to Youth in this Chapter and we see he begins it like a Grave Catechist to his Children My Son attend unto my Wisdom and bow thine Ear to my Vnderstanding Ver. 1. In which he intimates That since he spake to them from the Bowels of a Father and in the Wisdom of God all Young Persons however conceited of their own Wit and addicted to their own Will as Youth is apt to be ought to submit and bow their Minds and Hearts to his Divine and Fatherly Instructions And knowing the Unsteadiness of Youth in Virtuous Purposes to Engage them more firmly herein he shews them in the Sequel of the Chapter to what a Deplorable Condition such Young Persons usually come who slight the Counsels of their Parents and Friends and run into those Excesses to which their Youthful Lusts prompt them He instances in the Lust of Vncleanness and insists upon it throughout the greatest part of this Chapter disswading young People
from it with all the Argument and Earnestness that the Matter can be prest Shewing that it is a Deep Pit in which People bury their All at once It being a Vice that blinds the Mind oppresses the Conscience hardens the Heart and gives such an Arbitrary Power to the Sensual Faculties as over-bears all that's Good And he tells them that tho' the beginning of such sinful Ways seems Smooth as Oyl and Sweet as Honey which is all that can be said for them yet they appear in the End as bitter as Wormwood and sharp as a two edged Sword being the direct Road to Hell and to Eternal Weeping and Wailing For as the poor wandring Youth hates Instruction and will not bear Restraint but counts those his Enemies who shew him his Danger and admonish him to do better he comes at last to that dreadful Case foretold in the Text viz. to be abandoned of God and in a great measure forsaken of the Spirit of Light and Vnderstanding and so he dies without Instruction and in the greatness of his Folly he goes astray The Holy Ghost says here it shall be so with him intimating that this is the usual End of such a Vicious and Profligate Youth he comes most commonly to this Tragical Exit and Conclusion Namely to dye as wretchedly as he lived and to go off his Stage of Vice and Vanity in Horror and Confusion THIS is the dreadfulest Thing under the Sun To die without the Knowledge of God and his Son Jesus Christ which is Life Eternal to be given up to the Spirits of Darkness and to be led Captive in their Chains and hoodwink'd by their Delusions 'till he comes to be involv'd and immers'd in their Torments This is the Depth of the Misery of Man WHAT Parent will not find their Bowels pained to consider this as the Case of any of their Children You could not bear it to see a Lion or a Bear snatch up a Child of yours in its Devouring Mouth and carry it off as its Prey You cannot bear the very Thoughts of the Devil's Appearance in some Horrible Shape and carrying away your Child in a Visible Manner before your Eyes Yet alas how many Parents permit the Devil that Roaring and Devouring Lion as St. Peter calls him to seize their Chilin a way as certain and as terrible tho not so Visible THEY hear their Children blaspheming God and offending him daily grosly and familiarly by the suggestion of the Devil which demonstrates them to be under his Power and Management yet some laugh at all this and there are but few that are duely concern'd about it How few are effectually awaken'd to teach their Children their Catechism and the Holy Scriptures that they may gird them with that Sword of the Spirit whereby they may defend themselves from the malicious Fury of Apostate Spirits How few are concern'd to teach their Children the Way to Eternal Bliss thro' a Converting Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ that they may not thro' the Greatness of their Folly and Grossness of their Ignorance go astray and plunge themselves into the Pit of Eternal Misery WHERE there is this pernicious Neglect of Catechizing in Parents and such as have the Over-sight of Youth it is an Error which is seldom corrected by Sermons afterwards because they know not the very Terms and Language of the Holy Scriptures nor the first Rudiments and Principles of Christian Doctrine And thus alas the Text comes to be dreadfully exemplified They die without Instruction They knew not the Lord and Saviour of Men in his saving Offices and are ignorant of their own sinful and perishing Condition and of the Terms on which Salvation is offer'd them and so they live and die in destructive Ignorance and go astray from the Fold of the True Shepherd and fall a Prey into the Mouth of Him that lies in wait to devour THIS is methinks one of the most moving Cases that one can think of and calls the loudest for Christian Compassion and therefore I shall further Explain it in the Following Observations 1. ALL Persons are born in a State of Ignorance and Darkness as to Spiritual Things being without the due Knowledge of God and having no suitable Concernment about the Things which belong to their Everlasting Happiness The Text supposes that all Young Persons need Instruction and that 't is the Dreadfulest Thing in the World to die without it 2. Good Instruction in Youth is God's appointed Means to bring People to the saving Knowledge of himself and the Attainment of Salvation The whole Design of this Book verifies this and 't is exprest in a multitude of places throughout it 3. The Neglect of Early Instruction and good Education is the Ruine of many a Person in both Worlds They live viciously and die desperately they pass from the Errors and Works of Darkness to the place of Utter and Eternal Darkness They die without Instruction and go astray and perish in their Ignorance and Folly I. LET us in the first place Consider that which I first Observed Namely That all Persons are born in a State of Ignorance and Darkness as to Spiritual Things being without the due Knowledge of God and the Way of Salvation The Text supposes that all Young Persons need Instruction and that it is the dreadfulest Thing in the World to dye without it And consequently that Pious Instruction is the most seasonable Blessing that can come to any one in his Youth 'T IS well Observ'd by Zophar one of Job's Friends Job 11. 12. that Man is born as the Wild Ass's Colt utterly Rude and Unuseful except it be brought up to Hand by a very Early and Careful Management and then it is of great Use and Advantage to us And we see it plainly so in our Children If they are left to themselves they are rude froward stubborn wanton undutiful and unmannerly Like a neglected Garden which brings forth Weeds of it self but needs great Care and Pains to store it with useful Plants THERE is Alas a general Corruption of Humane Nature ever since the Apostacy of our first Parents We our selves also saith the Apostle were sometime foolish disobedient deceived serving divers Lusts and Pleasures Tit. 3. 3. 'till the Love of God his Saviour appear'd to him by Divine Illumination And so it is with us all 'till the Grace of God makes us better For God is the Father of Lights and the Author of every good and perfect Gift Jam. 1. 17. and we are directed to Ask spiritual Wisdom and Vnderstanding of him Ver. 5. IF any doubt of this Let him Consider whence it is that such a Reasonable Creature as Man should delight in Things so Unfit and Improper as all the Ways of Vice are Whence is it that Children need no Teacher to lead them to Lying Pride and Stubbornness Whereas they need much Instruction and Correction too mingl'd with many Promises and Allurements to bring them to that which is Good