draw young men to the commission of sin is by the hopes of future repentance You may allow your selves a little longer in the practice of sin you may rejoyce and take pleasure in the dayes of your youth it is time enough hereafter to think of growing serious and religious to think of repenting and turning and making your peace with God That you may overcome this temptation remember what hath been said already concerning the uncertainty of your Life the uncertainty of the Means of grace the uncertainty of Gods working by the Means Thus much for the first particular concerning the most ordinary and prevailing Temptations whereby the wicked one doth draw young men to sin SECT VII 2. THE Second thing is to caution you against some particular sins of Youth which the wicked one would draw you unto Now there are these 20 sins of Youth which I shall caution you against 1. Uncleanness 2. Drunkenness 3. Gluttony 4. Gaming 5. Quarrelling 6. Swearing 7. Lying 8. Unfaithfulness 9. Disobedience 10. Idleness 11. Sabbath-breaking 12. A Frothy spirit 13. Scoffing 14. Pride 15. Censoriousness 16. Procrastination of Repentance 17. Carnal Security 18. Carnal Confidence 19. Rashness 20. Unsteadfastness 1. Young men take heed of uncleanness The wicked one will be busie to tempt you and your hearts in these years will be most ready to encline you youthfull lusts are now apt to stir within you especially in such a City as this where there are so many objects to entice your eye and heart but for your Life take heed that you be not drawn to this sin Flee fornication and adultery other sins are without the body but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body 1 Cor. 6. 18. Not to speak any thing of mens weakening and consuming their bodies by their frequency in this sin he that committeth fornication desâ—…leth his body it is a filthy nasty sinâ—… hereby the body is more defiled in the eyes of God than if the body were drenched in a Jakes it is just with God that such as venture upon this sin should as many do get the soul disease hereby and that their members should â—…ot and putrifie whilest they are alive He that committeth fornication or adultery sinneth against his own soul he defileth his soul he woundeth his soul and he destroyeth his soul his heart which should be God Temple is hereby defiled and he loaths such an habitation his Conscience which whilest whole is a continual Feast is hereby wounded his spirit which whilâ—…st chaste and clean is safe is hereby exposed unto inevitable ruine and destruction Therefore it is a foolish sottish thing to commit this sins see Prov. 6. 32 33. Whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding he that doth it destroyeth his own soul a wound and dishonour shall he get and his reproach shall not be wiped away Such as commit this sin blot their Name as well as defile their Spirit wound their Reputation as well as wound their Conscience but chiefly they lack understanding because hereby they dâ—…stroy their own Soul Young men look into two or three Scriptures which methinks should be sufficient to deterr you from this sin where you may perceive whatever sweetness and pleasure this sin may promise and yield that bitterness and destruction is at the end and in the conclusion See Prov. 5. 3 4 5. The lips of a strange woman drop as an hony-comb and her mouth is smoother than Oyl But her end is bitter as worntwood sharp as a two-edged sword her feet go down to death her steps take hold on hell See also Prov. 7. from vers 6. to the end of the chapter where Solomon speaketh of the young man void of understanding whom he took notice of out of his window meeting with an Harlot who enticed him and perswaded him to accompany her to the bed of lust and he telleth you that he went after her as an Oxe to the slaughter and a sool to the correction of the stocks as a bird to the snare till an arrow struck thorow his liver not perceiving the danger he was in of his life Therefore he calleth upon young men to hearken and take warning and to turn away their feet from her paths and that because her house goeth down to Hell and chap. 2. 19. he telleth you that none that go unto her return again neither take they hold of the paths of Life This sin doth so stupifie men that it is ten thousand to one but you go to Hell without ever thinking of returning if you commit it for he that commiteth-fornication or adultery sinneth against God and he severely threatneth all such Heb. 13. 4. Marriage is honourable in all and the bed undefiled but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge And it is a fearfull thing to fall into the bands of the living God Heb. 10. 31. Hereafter you will be repayed with ten thousand times more pain and hearts-grief in Hell than ever you found delight in this sin Young men take heed of Uncleanness as you ever hope for salvation and to escape future wrath refrain this sin take heed of actual adultery avoid occasions come not neer the places where Harlots live shun the company of such as are light and wanton entice not any by speech or look or behaviour neither be enticed your selves take heed of going to Stage-playes where a dart may strike your heart where you may have incentives to the sin by the immodest actions of actors or the immodest garb of spectators Comé not neer the flame lest a fire be enkindled in your bosomes before you are aware be not found in the Devils School lest he catch you in his snare and binde you and lead you captive If the wicked one assault you in your place and you be tempted by any that converse with you flee the place as Joseph when his Mistress enticed him say How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God And young Virgins yield not to this sin if you be inticed encourage not any by your carriage to make an attempt rush out of the hands of the temptation with speed and indignation proclaim the shame of any that shall twice move you keep your selves chaste and pure it is your ornament it is your glory Young men take heed of actual uncleanness with others and take heed of self-pollutions which are Murder and Adultery before God do not dishonour your own bodies by your selves Take heed of speculative uncleanness do not look upon a woman to lust after her Make a Covenant with your eyes that you may not think upon a Maid suppress the first rising of lust in your minde get this evil concupisâ—…ence mortified by vertue drawn from Christs death and the operation of the Spirit beat down your flesh with labour and abstinence if you finde your selves very prone to this sin and if no other course will do to quench the burning God hath appointed a remedy by Marrying
are cast to the bottom of the waters but they must be cast upwards into Heaven into that within the Vail whither the Lord Jesus Christ the fore-runner is for us entred to prepare Mansions for us Let your hope of Heaven be strong and lively 5. Young men labour for strong Joy if your hopes be strong and well grounded you may thence have strong consolation Heb. 6. 18 That which discourageth many young men and women from putting their feet into the waies of God is the apprehensions which they have that should they engage in this way they must bid farewell to all mirth and chearfulness to all delights and pleasures and make tears and sorrows their companions which they are loth to do at least too soon whatever necessity they see there is of being religious Whereas although grief and sorrow be needful to sinners at their first engagement in the waies of God to imbitter sin and prepare them for the more ready closure with Jesus Christ and a mixture of sorrow is needful after because of the mixture of sin in their lives and the better to ballance and temper the spirit yet the Lord doth call his people to higher delights and pleasures in his waies than can be found in the waies of sin God doth not require that his people should lay aside all delights but change their sinful delights for those that are spiritual and heavenly God giveth them leave to rejoyce and he commandeth them to rejoyce not in waies of sin he forbiddeth the pleasures of sin which are but for a season not excessively in the creature though moderately and subordinately they may but they may and ought to rejoyce in himself Read what Solomon saith to young men Eccles. 11. 9. Rejâ—…yce O young man in thy youth and let thine heart cheer thee in the daies of thy youth and walk in the waies of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement Young men you may rejoyce and be cheerful in your youthful daies but if your joyes be in the waies of your heart and in the sight of your eyes if your joyes be in the waies of sin in the lust of the flesh and lust of the eyes if it be in satisfying the desires of your flesh and pleasing your senses unto the dishonour and displeasing of God know that God will bring you into judgement and then all your sinful sensual delights wil be turned into bitterness and terrour but you may be cheerful in the waies of God and if you are reconciled unto God through his Son and have an interest in his favour if you are renewed after his Image and have a Title to his Kingdom you have reason to rejoyce more than any wicked persons in their greatest outward prosperity Shall the slaves of Satan rejoyce and have not the children of God more grounds Shall the wicked rejoyce that are dancing upon the brink of Hell and are ready every moment to tumble into the burning lake and should not you rejoyce that are come to the borders of the heavenly Canaan and live in hopes of the glory of the New Jerusalem Rejoyce in the Lord continually Phil. 4. 4. Rejoyce in the Lord alwaies and again I say rejoyce And rejoyce in the Lord greatly Strong joy will be your strength it will be a means to quicken all your affections towards God and make you shine brightly in the sphere where the Lord hath placed you Thus I have shewed in what you should be strong SECT II. 2. THE second thing is to shew To what you should be strong There are four things unto which you should labour to be strong 1. To do 2. To suffer 3. To fight 4. To die 1. Young men labour for strength to do you have many things to do great things to do necessary things to do and difficult things to do I am not now speaking of the works of your particular callings which require strength of body but I am speaking of the works of your general calling as Christians which do more immediately concern Gods glory and your own salvation such as treasuring up a stock of saving truths making your peace with God getting your hearts broken for sin closing with and living by faith upon Jesus Christ getting your hearts furnished with every grace living in the powerful exercise of it denying your selves mortifying the deeds of the body laying out your selves time and talents for the glory of your Master standing daily upon your watch improving the means of grace worshipping God and seeking him diligently in publick family closet making it your business to be religious laying up your treasure in Heaven and labouring to get your heart more loosened from â—…hings below and raised and fixed upon things above â—…hese and the like things are the works which the Lord requireth of you all all other employments are of an inferiour nature These things you must do â—…ere or you will not have opportunity for them â—…ereafter These things you must do or you are unone for ever and since they are hard works to â—…esh and blood therefore you had need to get much â—…rength to enable you hereunto I do not mean â—…xternal strength but internal spiritual strength â—…eak sickly men cannot endure hard labour you must â—…e strong that you may work for the Lord that you â—…ay work for eternity 2. Young Men labour for strength to suffer I mean to suffer for the sake of Jesus Christ. If you would be Christs Disciples you must take up his Cross and follow him Math. 10. 24. and sometimes his Cross is very weighty It is not a weak shoulder that can bear an heavy burden and it is not a weak Christian that can bear an heavy Cross that can endure weighty and pressing afflictions You must therefore get much strength great strength that you may suffer great things for the sake of Christ otherwise you will shrink when you are put upon the tryall you will be offended when sore persecutions do arise for the Word The Apostle prayeth for the Colossians chap. 1. 11. that the Lord would strengthen them with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness Young ones look for sufferings reckon upon them and make full account of them before-hand and prepare for sufferings get on winter Garments against winter seasons I mean suffering graces against suffering times Get strength for sufferings labour to be strengthened with all might according to Gods glorious power unto all patiencâ—… and long-suffering with joyfulness Get strength to endure much and to endure long and to endurâ—… not only with patience but also with chearfulness looking upon it not only as your duty when called to suffer for Christ but as the greatest honour thaâ—… can be conferred upon you in this life and as thaâ—… which will work for you an exceeding and eternâ—… weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. 3.
depend upon your application of Christs righteousness study your need get conviction of sin consider your danger whilesâ—… under guilt understand the intent of Christs sufferings acquaint your self with the tenour of the Covenant of Grace And. Câ—…rist being held forth to you lay hold on him by faith his righteousness being intended for you and proffered unto you make application of it cloathe your selves with it by faith and therein appear with confidence before God pleading for pardon and acceptation 2. Seek imparted righteousness Imputed righteousness is necessary to entitle you to Gods Kingdom imparted righteousness is necessary to qualifie and prepare you for Gods Kingdom This righteousness here is imperfect and cannot be the causa regnandi the cause of reigning yet it is via ad regnum the way to the Kingdom This righteousness is begun in Regeneration and further increased in Sanctification as hath been said 1. You must be regenerate born again if ever you would see the Kingdom of God John 3. 3. Old things must pass away and all things must become new 2 Cor. 5. 17. As a man must be born before he can possess an Earthly Inheritance so a man must be new-born before he can possess the Heavenly Inheritance First you must be Children before you can be Heirs of God you must be Children by adoption and you must be Children by regeneration Labour then after a gracious change in your heart see your need of it apply your selves to God for it beg earnestly that he would by his Spirit be pleased to effect it put your selves under the influence of the Word be ready to yield to the movings and strivings of the Spirit 2. Having shot the Gulph passed thorow the strait gate of Regeneration and obtained the beginning of the work of grace you must endeavour after Sanctification that you may grow up in holiness You must by the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body and cleanse your selves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God and hereby you will be made meet to be made partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in light and an entrance will be administred unto you most assuredly into the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 7. 1. Col. 1. 12. 2 Pet. 1. 11. SECT V. HAving thus given you advice as to the thing to seek the Kingdom and righteousness of God I shall now further advise and exhort you to seek First this Kingdom and Righteousness 1. Seek First that is Timely and before other things 2. Seek First that is Chiefly and above other things 1. Seek First the Kingdom and Righteousness of God that is Timely and before other things Do it now in the time of your Youth in the Morning of your Life so soon as Reason doth begin to dâ—…wn Here I shall give you three motives to stirre you up to do this in the time of your Youth Consider that the time of Youth is 1. The most Acceptable time 2. The most Seasonable time 3. The most Safe time 1. The time of Youth is the most acceptable time 2 Cor. 6. 2. The Apostle speaketh of the day of the Gospel and I may speak it of the day of Youth Behold now is the acceptable time behold now is the day of salvation Any part of the day may be acceptable be sure the beginning of the day is most acceptable God is best pleased with young ones who seek the things which belong to his Kingdom and their salvation that dedicate themselves to his service betimes before Sathan and the World have ravished their Virgin-affections Under the Law God required the First-fruits and First-born for Sacrifice and under the Gospel God requireth the first-fruits and first-born of our time and thoughts and affections The first-fruits under the Law were to be mingled with Oyl and Frankincense which gave forth a sweet savour Lev. 2. 15. when you devote the first of your time and parts and strength to God this is a sweet savour to him God taketh especial notice of and is exceedingly pleased with ea ly seekers and timely services Jer. 2. 2. I remember the kindness of thy youth and the love of thy espousals and Cant. 6. 11. we read of Christ going down into the garden of the Church to see if the Pomegranates budded the buddings and blossoms of Youth are sweet and pleasing to Chrâ—…st the youngest Disciple was Christs beloved Disciple It is recorded for the commendation of Josiah that he did that which was right in the sight of God when he was but eight years old 1 King 22. 1. and of Timothy that from a Childe he had known the Holy Scriptures whereby he became wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. None are like to bring so much glory to God as those that sâ—…ek his Kingdom and Righteousness in their youth and therefore this time is the most acceptable time 1. The grace of young persons is most conspicuous it is like the Morning-blush like the first opening of the Rose like a Diamond set in a Ring of gold early grace hath a sweet fragrancy and glorious lustre in it The beauty of it doth then most shine and the power of it doth then most appear when young ones do deny themselves and take up the Cross and bear the yoak in their youth when young ones do deafen their ears against all enticements unto pleasing sins and break thorow the temptatious they meet withall and with full purpose of heart stick close unto God This doth shew the power of grace and tendeth much to Gods glory 2. The time of young ones is longest which they have to glorifie God when they seek and serve God betimes they may not only escape many pollutions in the World wherewith other youths are defiled to the dishonour of God and the wounding of their own Consciences but they may bring much glory to God in their generations God hath work enough to employ them in all tending to his glory and their good thorowout the whole day of their lives though they should begin in the Morning so soon as they can see and work a whole and long Summers day untill the night and darkness of old decrepid years I might instance in some of the works they are to be employed in they have a pardon to sue out evidences to clear corruptions to mortifie graces to get and improve a treasure to lay up temptations to resist relations to fill so many duties to perform to God to Man They may finde more work than time Eternity-work is begun in this life Now look as a Master who driveth a great trade is best pleased with those servants who rise most early and are most diligent in his business so God who hath so much work for his people is best pleased with young persons who seek him early and diligently 3. The Strength of young persons to serve God with is the greatest 1 Joh. 2. 14. I have written unto you young men because you
But diligently and faithfully use all other means first if other considerations do not move you to that Relation This Treatise would swell into too great a bulk should I speak thus largely concerning every sin therefore I shall be more brief in the rest 2. Young men take heed of Drunkenness You are strong in body be not strong to drink unto excess This sin will distemper your body intoxicate your spirit and destroy your soul take heed of it it is one of the fruits of the flesh Gal. 5. 21. and such as commit it cannot have any Inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven 1 Cor. 6. 10. think of the bitter cup of Gods wrath hereafter which you must drink of if you exceed the measure in your sweet cups here Take heed of frequenting those places I mean Taverns and Alehouses where the temptation doth chiefly lye neither go into those places often neither stay in those places longer than need doth require Take heed of the company of drunkards turn away from them if they tempt you shake them off if they hang upon you choose sober persons for your associates and familiars Take heed of the ungodly practice of drinking Healths a heathenish custom too much in use amongst some loose Christians I might say a hellish custom which the Devil doth put men upon that it might be a shooing-horn to drunkenness You are halt perswaded to be drunk when you are perswaded to drink a health forbear it it is an occasion of much sin 3. Young men take heed of Gluttony especially in these leasure dayes wherein so much time and cost is layed out in Feasts This Gluttony is called by our Saviour sursetting which he warneth his Disciples against Luk. 21. 34. Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness and that day overtake you at unawares Here Gluttony and Drunkenness are coupled together as being much of the same nature the one is drinking to excess the other is eating to excess then our Saviour biddeth take heed of overcharging their hearts when the body is overcharged with meat the heart is overcharged the Soul is overcharged as well as the Body and therefore unfit for the service either of God or Man Then he commandeth them to take heed lest at any time they overcharge themselves with such excesses it is not lawfull at any time neither on ordinary dayes neither on extraordinary dayes not on Feasting dayes God alloweth his people to feast but not to gluttonize they may eat for necessity and something for delight but they must never eat unto excess to distemper and discompose themselves for action And lastly he subjoyns an awakening Consideration lest that day overtake them at unawares lest the day of Judgement overtake them if not of the generall Judgement yet of their particular Judgement lest Death should surprize them and the wrath of God should surprize them at unawares and they should be taken away in the act of this sin as Psal. 78. 30 31. Whilest the meat was in their mouths the wrath of God came upon them and slew the fattest of them 4. Young men take heed of Gaming Some sports are lawfull and innocent and needfull at some times for the health of the body but take heed your affections be not set upon any Sports and than you spend not more time in them than is needfull But there are other Games that are useless and hurtfull that are thieves of money and time and unlawfull such as Carding and Dicing which being pure Lottery and Lottery being a sacred thing should not be made use of in Games as I conceive no more than Oaths in common discourse Cards may well be termed the Devils Books and Dice the Devils Game look not into those books though they have no sense in them yet they will strangely bewitch you to spend hours and nights together in turning them over Throw not away your time with the Dye you can never recover what you lose I mean your precious time not to say any thing of the danger you will be in of spending all you have as some who have been worth many thousand pounds at night have not been worth a thousand pence by the morning There is no exercise of the body in thâ—…se Games and I am sure there is a corrupting of the Minde and a loss of the precious time and what plea can you have for such Games Have you no employment for your time Is it not pity that so many golden hours should run waste Be not enticed to this sin by Friends be not perswaded to it by custome if you will do as the most do you must go where the most goe and that is to Hell Think if you lay upon your death bed whether this sin of Gaming would not trouble you and whether those will not have more peace that our of Conscience have forborn to touch a Card or Dye all their life-time 5. Young men take heâ—…d of Quarrelling forbear gaming and you will be out of the occasion of many quarrels Take heed of a contentious spirit In your young blood and strength of body you are apt to have that which the world falsly terms a high spirit and may be ready to offer affronts and injuries to others and be able to bear none but let me tell you that such a spirit is a low base spirit a mean ignoble spirit The high spirit indeed is such a spirit as is most like the Spirit of Christ he who had the most noble soul that ever God created and his Spirit was humble and meek who did injury to none but bore all injuries patiently who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not when he was smitten he did not return blow for blow This was noble Young ones labour to be like unto Jesus Christ in meekness and patient bearing injuries and reproaches Strife and contention comes from beneath and is termed James 3. devilish but meekness and patience cometh down from above and will truly ennoble you a meek and quiet spirit not onâ—…y in women but also in young men is their ornament and before God of great price 1 Pâ—…t 3. 4. 6. Young men take heed of Swearing It is the express command of our Saviour Matth. 5. 34 37. I say unto you Swear not at all c. that is in your ordinary discourse but let your communication be yea yea nay nay for whatever is more than these cometh of evil If you will be Christs Disciples you must obey him What advantage can you get by this sin What honour is it to swear What pleasure can you finde in it be sure it will bring damage it provoketh God to punish he hath threatned to curse swearers We read Zach. 5. 2 3. of a flying Roll the length twenty cubits the breadth ten cubits which is interpreted to be the curse that goeth over the face of the Earth to cut off him that stealeth on