vain Answ. Childhood and Youth continue vain for want of a due use of means appointed for their healing O young People here are three things in this that are very fit to move you 1. First here 's Comfort that the Vanity of Youth is healable thy case is sad but 't is not desperate there 's hope in Israel concerning the Recovery of Sinners in their Youth The Devils became wicked and never can be recovered they may grow viler but they can never grow better but blessed be God this is not thy case the Wound though sad is yet curable There have been many young Folk made pious and serious Isaac was good betimes Timothy and Iohn were Old Disciples before they could call Man Iosiah's tender years were impress'd with Grace I have known undoubted Evidence of Grace before ten year old Oh then you need not resolve to be vile because 't is in vain to attempt to be good no no No young Persons in this Assembly need to say so or need think so God has not resolved against Young Persons that they shall never be recovered nay he has determined that out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings he will ordain praise Psal. 8. 2. Children Our Lord Jesus has never said he will have nothing to do with such as you I 'll neither wash you nor heal you nor teach you Nay he has said quite otherwise Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not c. Mat. 19. 14. The Spirit of God never resolv'd I will convince no wicked Children I will sanctifie no prophane Youth nay instead of that to you he speaks in Psal. 34. 11. Come ye Children hearken to me and I will teach you the fear of the Lord. The Spirit has a Mind to be the Teacher of Children and the Instructer of Youth he has a mind to train up the Young Generation for Heaven as well as the Old ones So that Young ones may say to Day Why though I am wicked yet there 's hope and though I have a vile Nature yet there 's hope I may be recovered even though my whole frame seems thus set for Villany and appears thus desperately dispos'd There 's the first point and that 's a great matter and under the power of that I preach to Young Ones and under the hopes of that you Young Ones should regard what I say and urge for the case of Youth is healable 2. Secondly Here 's a loud Call to you that God uses means to heal Young Ones of their Vanity This confirms the former Is God at pains with Youth to make them better then there 's hope of Youth for God would not be at this labour if it were wholly useless O my Friends God has sent his Son to dye for young Children as well as old Men even Young ones receive forgiveness by his Blood My little Children to whom I write for your sins are forgiven 1 Ioh. 2. 12. The Spirit of God strives with many Young ones as soon as they can understand any thing he bids early for your compliance I do believe there 's not a Child of six years old under the Gospel Means but the Spirit of God has been striving with This holy One can truly say I have been dealing with this Child to make it happy Pray let 's a little consider Thou Child or Youth hast thou had no sence of Hells misery ever upon thy Heart hast thou never been convinc'd that 't was ill to Lye or Swear Hast thou never found pressing motions to be good and to resolve against evil have no good desires stirr'd in thy Soul Why all these were the workings of the Spirit of God on thy poor Soul God has been labouring with every young Body in this Congregation He has been labouring with thee by the advice of thy Parents when they taught thee to read or taught thee thy Catechism or instructed thee to pray it was God by them taking pains with thee We Preachers preach to you Young Ones as well as to the Old nay we preach to you with more hopes expecting that you are not hardned as old Persons are Young People have not the Mercies of God have not the preservations of God towards you been so many Teachers What has been the Language of every Mercy to thee Child to you young ones but this Oh Children don 't you provoke this God don't make me your Enemy for you see I would fain do you good I would fain be merciful and not a Destroyer of you Nay have not Afflictions been the pains of God with you Is there ever a Young one here that has not been sick at one time or other Why the Lord sent that Sickness to thee and spake in this manner thereby I will warn this Young one to be Religious lest he should dye before he be converted all the Corrections of thy Parents and Master for thy Sin they have all been the Calls of God and his Language in them all has been I would fain imbitter Sin to this poor Young one by something short of Hell I would gladly restrain the Wickedness of this Youth before I must damn him You see you had need look to it for God has used means towards your recovery think not God doth not mean me in his Word don't say God did not intend my cure in the helps I enjoy alas he intendeth thee as well as any other It 's thy enlightening Oh Young Man he intends by all his teachings 'T is thy Conversion O Young Woman that he designs by all his Calls all these have been directed upon this very design and least you should doubt it the Spirit of God does particularly name you O Young Men and Maids praise you the Lord Psal. 148. Young Men be sober Tit. 2. 6. Nay Christ himself tells us in Prov. 1. 4. that his great design there is to give discretion to the simple young ones Therefore I beg that not one young body in this place may forget what I say now that they frustrate God's hopes if they be not Good and disappoint him of all his labour if they be not gracious all the pains that have been taken with them are lost upon them and will God bear this will he always bear this what will become of you if you proceed this way 3. Thirdly Here 's an awful Charge That you young Men continue vain because you don 't rightly use the means for your healing Ah sad Charge the case of young ones is curable but why is it not altered before now Why O Conscience speak Children you have Consciences Young Ones you have Consciences Can you say 't is long of God I am vile still 't is long of the want of means that I am vile still Ah Friend Father Son and Spirit can all say 't is not my Fault that this Child is bad still 't is not my Fault this young Man and Woman is wicked so long 't is not long of me May not
I as young as I am have to do all this hard work in which is the point I am on Young Man if Death overtake thee thou canst not put it off till thou set about the work thou hast neglected all the cryes in the Word will avail nothing Bethink thee then if Ahijah had not been good betimes he must have been eternally undone so it may be thy Case O Child of ten years old if thou dost not get Grace before thou art a Year older or it may be a Month or Week older thou must dye graceless Doth not the Word tell thee of some who dye in youth and their life is among the unclean Job 6. 14. Shall that be thy Case canst thou bear it be perswaded now to fix thy thoughts on such things as these Shall I Lye or Swear now who may be dead within a Month Dare I prophane this Sabbath who may be dead within a Week yea my next sin may be the last act of my Life How can I live without Christ a day longer when I may dye to Night shall I delay to know and love and fear my God who must do it soon or never I am sure if I do not fear God before I dye Hell will be my place and I am not sure of a Week to attain this Fear of God Did the youngest of you know your frailty you would tremble at delays you would not dare to sin you would blush at your slothfulness in any good Work Oh then hear this Sermon as one that may never hear another Pray the next time as one that may never Pray again When thou art next tempted ask thy self Would I yield to this if I were to dye to morrow Will you believe this and walk as them that believe it even Youth is too uncertain for any wise one to venture to sin or neglect his Salvation as if sure of time to repent and repair his neglects 2. Vanity is taken in a moral sense viz. as it regards the minds and manners thus Eph. 4. 17. the Spirit of God warns us against walking in the Vanity of the Mind Vanity is oft put for all sins 2 Kings 17. 15. several sins are expresly called Vanity and this Name is applyed partly with respect to the Nature of some sins but chiefly from the tendency and consequence of every sinful course Every way of sin is vain and sin deserves the Name of Vanity from this consideration that it is committed to no valuable purpose yea it ends in what is destructive and far worse than meerly unprofitable In this sense I shall improve the Text and it includes these things 1. Young people are prone to many sins that are notoriously vain 2. Young People are apt to live to very low and unprofitable purposes which is Vanity 3. Young People are apt to live to evil and destructive purposes which is the heighth of Vanity Before I enter on these things let me ask you young Folk Is not this a true Charge and is it not as awful a description of your State as true Obj. But how comes this to be laid so universally that all young People are thus vain Ans. 1. Because the generality of young People are vain For one that is sober how many are wild for one that is pious there be many prophane A religious Child is become a wonder Godliness in youthful years is very rare The body of your ordinary young People is sottish the generality of witty Youths are atheistical and irreligious When the Disease is so common the charge is proper as against the whole Ans. 2. All young Persons are inclin'd to be vain Vanity is the Temptation of that Age your Constitution and want of Experience do especially expose you to this mischief though Grace may deliver some of you from the power of Vanity yet it hath not cleansed you from all disposition to Vanity it hangs about you and liveth though restrained Your stumbles will be at this stone and your Faults will be under this head of youthful Vanity Young People you see why the Charge is so common Will you then apply what I shall say to your selves When I describe the Disease say This is my Disease When I propose the Remedy speak to thy Soul This is proper for my Case this is necessary to my Condition Thou Child say I am a Child and therefore apt to be vain Thou young Man say I am a young Man and therefore I am apt to be vain I must deny my Age or own this Charge Nay further reason awfully with your selves Most young People are under the power of Vanity The wicked Youths are a hundred to one that 's pious Oh my Soul what is my Condition is not there more danger that I am one of those hundred wicked ones than that I am that One pious young one I shall now return to consider the three particulars under which I included the Moral Vanity of young People 1. Young People are prone to many sins that are notoriously Vain There be some particular sins that in their Nature argue more Vanity than other sins they inferr a very vain mind in the Persons committing them Young ones have many of these sins and Lusts strongly prompting thereto I shall reduce your sins to eight particulars and give you some Directions under each to help you against that particular sin But remember each of these are sins every sin defileth thy Soul and bindeth thee to undergo the Punishment threatned if it be not repented of and mortified Nor canst thou hope that these sins will be put away unless thou follow the Methods which God hath directed for that end He will not Convert thee as a Bruit that regards nothing thô he must consider thy weakness as a Sinner and therefore exert his Power by the Means thou attendest 1. Young People are subject to Folly The Spirit brands our tender years with this Crime Prov. 22. 15. Folly is bound up in the Heart of a Child Is this limited to Children No A young Man void of understanding is too often seen Prov. 7. 7. This fault is not a want of that Wisdom which is unexpected from your Age But it is such Folly as in your Years might have been healed and it 's made up of blindness and mistakes against that light which God hath afforded you God hath given you reason to govern your selves by you are under the Means of Wisdom whereby you may know your true end and the proper means to that end Nevertheless most young Persons are Fools Dost not thou place thy Interest in things which are vain and destructive Dost not thou think Jollity thy only Heaven and the pleasing thy Lusts the only real Paradice What is enjoying God or glorifying God to thee these are things thou art unacquainted with and unconcerned for Obj. Perhaps thou wilt say I desire to be saved and I do something towards it how then do I mistake my end or means Ans. 1.
inwardly speak outwardly with thy Tongue as if two Persons were in talk together What shall I lose my Soul for a Lust Must not I if Gods Word be true rue my present Course It 's Gods charge that you commune with your own hearts Psal. 4. 4. he can neither be true nor profitable to himself who seldom speaks to himself 5. Take fit time and place to debate and apply things of most concern and bring things to a good conclusion Great things must not be determined by a few thoughts for so thou wilt neither pass a right judgment nor yet be duly affected Neither are serious matters becomingly considered in a Crowd or when thou art unfit to think And to consider without coming to a conclusion cannot fix thy Judgment or govern thy Will and Practice Therefore if the matter thought of be a Doubt press it to a resolution if it be a Duty consider all arguments 'till thy Will be fixedly determined to do it if it be a Sin which thou layest to Heart cease not representing the evil and danger of it before thou feelest thy self resolved against it and a strong indignation kindled to support that resolve Will you resolve to follow these Rules will you strive to manage your thoughts and shew your selves willing to be considerate I am sure thou wilt not refuse if thou hast a mind to chuse aright to walk safely or to have the benefit of what God hath afforded by natural Light Revelation or Providence to govern Mankind by Yea Young Man it 's impossible to be truly Religious or to answer the great ends of Religion without considering Oh then ponder the path of thy feet maturely deliberate on things that thy thoughts are due to 3. Young People are subject to be obstinate and heady This is one of your diseases you break through restraints and are regardless of advice intreaties avail little Yea Children though you be compared to tender Twigs do not you discover much stubbornness Parents command but you are disobedient they correct but you remain obstinate they perswade and intreat you to be sober but you are still vain Masters reprove you are still the same Ministers importunately call thee Oh Young Man from thy destructive Course but thou passest on and shuttest thy Ears against the Word Conscience oft speaks and represents thy guilt but thou seemest resolved on thy own ruine Yea God stands in thy way as the Angel with a drawn Sword but thou art fearless and seemest to say I will sin still let come what will of it Iob 15. 26. Let guilt grow let God strike let my Soul perish all these shall not alter me Oh poor Stripling how soon can God undo thee how soon will Hell Torments break thy Stomach and wilt thou still be like the wild Ass which snuffeth up the wind and in her occasion who can turn her away Jer. 2. 24. How canst thou Child endure to hear thy Parents groan I perswade my Child to be good but I cannot prevail I would instruct him but he is unteachable Woe is me I have brought forth for the Destroyer when this my Child was born I see him running Hell-ward and cannot restrain him I tremble to think from his setting out what he is like to come to Oh that the fruit of my Body should dishonour God as he is like to do that he should do the Mischiefs I foresee he will If God change not his Heart he may come to an untimely end and is sure to be damned for ever Oh that I had been written Childless canst thou be unmoved and still perverse Quest. How shall a Young Person be cured of this Obstinateness 1. Get thy Heart possessed of a holy Fear Beg of God a Heart that is in awe of him a Heart that reverenceth thy Parents and Superiours a Heart afraid of Sin and trembling at Hell and all other punishments due to Sin Fearlesness is a great ground of obstinacy Young Man these deserve fear God hath put this Passion into thy Nature to make thee governable What horrid madness is it not to fear a God who is a Consuming Fire Heb. 12. 29. Not to fear Hell and Misery which will force thee to weep and wail and gnash thy teeth for ever Mat. 22. 13. What a confusion and disorder is it among Mankind that Inferiors are wholly fearless of their Superiors especially sinful Worms of a dreadful God 2. Believe the kindness of these against whom thou art obstinate and stir up some grateful returns of love to rhem Thy perverseness implies that thou lovest not thy advisers nor thinkest that they have any love to thee when they advise thee But young Boy I would mind thee to day that it is from Love all these opposed Admonitions do proceed Doth not God love thee who made thee who put such Bowels in thy Parents towards thee Doth he not love thee who gives thee all the good thou enjoyest who spares thee and intreateth thee month after month when he might have sent thee to Hell at first without any loss to himself Doth not Christ love thee Oh Child who gave his Life for thee when thou wert an undone Enemy to him who sent his Spirit to strive with thee his Gospel to offer Mercy to thee his Ministers and others to teach thee as soon as thou couldst understand any thing must not he love thee young Man who pleads with God ready to cut thee down Lord let him alone this year longer Luk. 13. 8. Doth not he love thee that weeps over thee when he finds thee unperswadable and this becaufe he knows the woful anguish thy contempt will end in Do not thy Parents love thee Oh think at what care and pains thy Father is at for thy livelihood Think of the tender bowels of thy Mother what sorrow she hath selt what fears she is in when thou art in danger what tears she poureth forth when thou art sick and how it goeth to her Heart to correct thee I might shew all others love thee who advise thee to be good Well young Body canst thou chuse but think that the reproofs of these must proceed from love and art thou such a Brute as not to love them at all what not love thy God who is so good to thee Not love thy Christ who bled out his Soul in love to thee what not love thy Father and Mother to whom thou art so indebted wouldst thou be so requited when thou hast Children Obj. I hope I do love God Christ and my Parents I am not such a Devil and I think they love me Answ. What love them and be obstinate against their intreaties Love them and be disobedient in things they most insist on God and Christ account them Enemies Luke 19. 27. that are Rebels and puts thee plainly to it If you love me keep my Commandments Joh. 14. 15. As if he should say Never fancy or talk that you love me unless you will obey me
the Lords sake lay these things to heart to day What say you Child to this what say you Young People I hope some of you will be ready to answer O Sir help me give me some counsel for I am weary of this present Condition and would be in a better if so take these few Advices and resolve to follow them in earnest 1. Believe how had thou art by nature and bewail it before God Oh 't is thy Picture I have been drawing as bad as it is Come poor young Folks you that pride your selves when you look in the Glass could you but see your Souls with a right Eye you would abhor your selves Young People will you believe God speaking of you Does not he say you are vain and vile will you believe all the wise People that know you and will they not all agree in this That thou art a sinful wretched Creature Doth not thy own experience convince thee Oh Friend own it and go away mourning and how canst thou but do so when thon consider'st My Heart is filthy my Affections disorder'd the powers of my Soul poor and wounded the Image of God lost Satan's nature is visible upon me what a Reproach doth every title fasten what can be said worse of thee than that thou art thus Is this a Case to be rested in is this a state to be quiet in yet this is thy Case O young Person by Nature thou art full of what 's hateful to God and hurtful to others thou art intent on thy own Ruine Oh Sirs the most innocent young Sinner here is fuller of Poison than a Toad and filthier than a Swine All of you are thus by Nature and yet thou remainest so 2. Consider often how miserable thou art whilst thou continuest thus vain Danger will affright some whom Sin will not But O how unable am I to represent the Horror of this to you Young People you are Children of wrath as well as others Eph. 2. 3. Every Lust is a killing Wound every step is on the brink of Hell there 's not a wicked Child in this Congregation but I can stand over it and say Here 's a Child with whom God's angry every day here 's a young Body for whom God reserves his wrath Nah. 1. 2. and sees his time a coming Young People sure you will be afraid to go home and say I am a Sinner and I am an impenitent Sinner and therefore an unpardon'd Sinner a Sinner for whom everlasting Wrath is reserved Once for all you resolve to be wicked and God cannot but be just You will not be born again and God must keep you out of his Kingdom then Ioh. 3. 3. You will live after the flesh ay and God is as resolved you shall die in your sins Rom. 8. 13. Come Young People God will be as peremptory as you and his Will shall stand therefore tremble to go out of this Congregation unless in a founder Mind than you came 3. Be convinc'd that nothing short of renewing Grace can savingly heal thee Morality may polish thee Fear and Shame may restrain and conceal a Sinner but 't is only Grace can truly alter a Sinner O my Friends it must be a new Heart or it will always be a vain Heart Vain Inclinations will govern till God writes his Law there Heb. 8. 10. The youngest must be a new Creature or natural Corruption will baffle all pretensions Gal. 6. 15. 4. Be assur'd Grace cannot be had but from God through Christ by the Operations of his Spirit Don't think it an easie thing to attain Grace tho it be necessary to have it Young Folks God must open his Treasures anew or thou wilt for ever want it Christ must plead for thee or thy Disease is incurable he must act towards thee as Redeemer and not meerly as Creator unless he pass by thee as one rejected He seeks the lost sheep Mat. 18. 12. he makes the stubborn willing Faith is his Gift Consent is his Purchase as well as the Blessings annex'd to it there is no other Name by which we can be saved Act. 4. 12. there is no other Fountain of Grace or Help Know also it 's the Spirit must give of Christ's fulness Ioh. 16. 14. he must enlighten thee O Child or thou wilt go blind to thy Grave he must renew thee or thou wilt die in thy Uncleanness Christ made the Atonement but the Spirit makes us capable of its Application Christ hath acquired a fulness of Grace and Blessings it 's by the Spirit he imparts thereof to Man Men cannot renew thee means of themselves are too weak to alter thee Oh then look upwards wait on God direct thy Eye to Christ depend on the Holy Spirit as able to conquer thy Reluctancy and ready to work by the means to which his Presence is promised 5. Observe that the more thou sinnest and the longer thou art graceless the more opposition thou layest in the way of Grace think serioully of this the hopes of the Soul are upon the Spirit 's working and the disposedness of the Heart to yield unto them Oh my Friends will you go on in sin then the Spirit of God will leave you he will not always strive Gen. 6. 3. The more you sin the more you quench the Spirit Will you go on in sin then your Heart will be hardned the more Heb. 3. 8. Wilt thou go on delaying then to morrow it will be harder to prevail with thee than to day Oh therefore be allarm'd to day More sin will strengthen your Lusts and further prejudice your Soul against Christ. Is not Conversion difficult enough already is there need to make it next to impossible for the Lords sake consider greater Offences may make God and Men say of thee This Wretch is resolved against Grace he arms himself against Hope 6. Resolve within thy self that thou wilt follow after Christ and throw off thy Vanity without delay Oh that I could but get this Consent from you all this day That all the young People in this Congregation would say O Lord Amen Amen Come poor Sinners put it to your selves this moment Say For this I will pray that I may cease to be vain I will meditate for this I will hear for this O young Folks that are yet in a state of sin you have work enough for your time sometimes you know not how to pass away your time what spiritually blind and not know how to pass away time what dead and graceless and not know how to pass away time a Sinner wild in his frame and have no Work Oh be intreated this day to be earnest with God and never be quiet till he has given thee Wisdom instead of Folly till he has given thee Sobriety instead of Rashness Humility instead of Conceit Calmness instead of Passion Truth instead of Falshood Yea never be satisfied till God has brought thee to live to the best and highest purposes And oh that every
that hangs over it because of the last thirty years too successful Contrivances to debauch the Nation in order to Slavery and Popery might be diverted or at least confined to such as are too far engaged or obstinate to admit a Reformation That every Child and Youth who shall read this Book may as many of you already do thus contribute to my Hopes and Share in the Benefit thereof shall be the Prayer of Your Compassionate Friend Daniel Williams THE CONTENTS THE Context explained to Page 5. Vanity considered as its natural Frailty p. 7 8 9. Vanity in a moral sence in General 10 11 12. Particularly as to eight Sins to which Youth is prone 1. The folly of Youth in the Concerns of Eternity explained and demonstrated from p. 13. to 17. Directions against Folly from p. 18 to 21. 2. The Inconsiderateness of Youth with Directions against it from p. 21. to 24. 3. The Obstinacy of Youth described disswaded from with Directions against it from p. 25 to 33. 4. Anger and violent Passions of youth described disswaded from with Directions from p. 33 to 37. 5. Youths idleness and mispence of time described disswaded from with Directions from p. 37 to 43. 6. The Levity and inordinate Mirth of young people described disswaded from with directions to get Sobriety from pag. 43 to 51. 7. The sin of Lying described disswaded from with Directions against it from p. 51 to 55. 8. Fleshly Lusts viz. Drunkenness Gluttony and Vncleanness described and disswaded from from p. 55 to 57. Directions against Gluttony and Drunkenness from p. 58 to 61. Directions against Vncleanness from p. 61 to 67. The Vanity of Youth as it consists in their living to no valuable purposes demonstrated from p. 68 to 74. The Vanity of Youth as it lives to destructive purposes from p. 74 to 77. An Account how Childhood and Youth became vain where Original Sin is treated of from p. 77 to 82. An Enquiry why Youth continues vain where also the possibility of their healing is spoken to from p. 82 to 90. The Reasons why many young people do grow more vain daily from p. 90 to 92. Inferences from the whole Doctrine 1. The dismal Aspect of the World p. 92 93. 2. Parents and Masters care and pains in the Education of youth urged and directed suitably to the Disease of youth from p. 94 to 97. 3. The reasonableness of youths subjection to the Rebukes and Restraints of Superiours p. 97 98. 4. Attentiveness to Advice needful and fit p. 98 99. Exhortations 1. A serious Examination of the present state of youth whether they are still vain or no urged p. 99 100 2. They are called to admit Directions answerable to their present Condition 1. A Call to young people still vain with Directions and Arguments for their present casting off their Vanity from p. 100 to 110. 2. Advice proper for such young Ones as are serious from p. 110 to 121. A plain youths Catechism from p. 110 to the end Ecclesiast ch 11. v. 10. last clause Childhood and Youth are Vanity THis present Meeting is for the spiritual advantage of you Children and young People Your good we Ministers must intend and it s your Interest and Duty to regard and improve these helps as well as elder Persons for your Souls are are as Immortal as the Aged God hath a right to govern you being you are his Creatures He hath given you a Rule of Life he observeth your Hearts and Carriage with concern Young Ones shall be arraigned at Gods Tribunal and judged by the Rule contained in his Word according to what they have been and done Heaven and Hell are before you one of them will be the eternal dwelling of the youngest in this Assembly and considering that most of Mankind dye when young Heaven and Hell are fuller of Young People than of such as arrived to a greater Age. Do such Considerations affect you ought they not to make me serious and importunate with your Souls And with yours especially because Youth is under great indispositions to all that is serious and saving Oh let us look earnestly for a blessing to him who is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh Numb 16. 23. and therefore is able to impress and manage your Spirits tho' unruly and vain The Author of this Book is Solomon will you regard what a Great Man saith He was King of Israel in its most prosperous State Are a wise Mans dictates to be heeded He was the wisest of meer Men. But above that this Book was the result of great Experience he speaks his feeling as well as his Judgment yea he records these things as a Penitent after great offences and therefore must represent things according to their truth and importance especially since he was inspired by the Infallible Spirit in what he here delivers I shall not look further than the 11th verse to lead you to my Text. 1. There he doth by a sharp Sarcasm reprove the sensual delights of Young People rejoyce O Young Man c. it s such a saying as Christs to his Disciples Sleep on and take your rest Mar. 14. 41. It 's not said by way of approbation but he exposeth the Sensualist by disdain which may affect some People more than a direct Reproof and God for our good condescends to try all ways Surely you that think sensual pleasure the greatest happiness you are capable of will suspect that it is not what it appears to your foolish minds whon God by the Wisest Man doth thus Ironically brand it he loads you with scorn while you fondly please your selves with these poor delights as your only Paradice God keep me from that as my Portion which God accounts my reproach Obj. But may not a Young Man rejoyce Answ. Yes no doubt thou oughtest to delight thy self in the Lord Psal. 37. 4. yea thou mayst delight moderately and holily in Objects of sence but that 's not the rejoycing here exposed The following words explain the nature of this forbidden joy it 's that evil pleasure which thou takest in walking in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes q. d. Oh vile Creature how base art thou become that confinest thy pleasures to and resolvedly wallowest in the delights that come by following the vain imaginations of thy carnal heart and meer gratifying thy sences What a bruit art thou that sportest thy self in a disregard of God and unseen things and valuest the time of Youth only as it fits thee to execute what is sinful and relish what is sensual Is this rejoycing becoming thee as a reasonable Creature made for and suited to things of so far a higher nature Is thy correspondence to the Objects of Faith quite gone art thou so sunk and buried in flesh Is there no spiritual light or love to govern thy desires and pleasures If this be the merry Young Man what an object of contempt is he in all his mirth even in
his jollity he is to be scorned as well as pityed 2. He allarms this brutish Sensualist with a prospect of Judgment God addresseth himself to thee as one stupidly ignorant but know thou it 's what thou art little acquainted with or thoughtful about for all these things he will bring thee into judgment a sore thorn in thy gay Cloaths a great cooler to thy lusts meer gall in thy Cups and a sad disturbance to thy airy conceits God will bring thee into judgment for all these things Thô thou despise his Laws thou shalt not escape his Sentence he will not leave it to thee whether thou shalt be miserable though he referr'd it to thy choice whether thou wouldst be serious hee 'l compell thee to feel his wrath though he would not force thee to refrain thy voluptuousness Yea Oh thou that sportest thy self in thy brutish delights thou shalt account for all thou shalt suffer for each Thy punishment shall be proportioned to thy sins and to thy pleasures thou didst take in sinning and dost thou never consider how great that 's like to be 3. He then annexeth a serious Caution against two evils to which Young Persons are obnoxious v. 10. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart that is anger as the word may be rendred or all those heart lusts which will end in sorrow of heart Thou art afraid of seriousness thou seemest to prevent sorrow by thy carnal mirth but alas thou art making way for the deepest groans by thy seeming cure thou bringest on sorrow by a pretended driving it away But Young Man God seeing thou takest a wrong course condescends to warn thee against the anguish which thou preparest by thy vicious inclination 2. And put away evil from thy flesh that is fleshly pollutions to which Youth is prone or the bodily punishments which vile courses expose to If you take the first sence then as in forbidding heart lusts he stops a course of sin at the Spring-head without which all the attempts for Reformation will be too feeble so in forbidding fleshly pollutions he would restrain the acting of sin q. d. Thô Lust is conceived in the Heart yet let it not break forth in thy practice for abstinence from wicked acts will conduce to change thy temper and abate thy guilt If you take the latter sence then he argues from that misery which brutish Youth is most likely to be affected by q. d. That Body which thou so indulgest that flesh whereof thou art so tender is like to feel the woful effects of thy folly Therefore as thou lovest thy very flesh kindle not the flames which are to devour it in Hell bring not down those Judgments which may torment thy Body on this side the Grave The wise Man introduces these advices by a Motive referring to v. 9. Therefore c. as if he had said because God will bring thee to judgment avoid these sins for which thou shalt certainly be arraigned and prevent the miseries which the sentence will include and which the Judge must execute according to the sanction of that Law whereby thou shalt be judged Then then O Young Man thou shalt know by the punishment felt that thy Lawgivers threatnings were not vain though during temptations they appeared so My Text is a further Motive and as such is here inserted For Childhood and Youth are Vanity q. d. To these sins your young years are prone they have room in your temper and without great care and labour cannot be removed or put away therefore be intent and vigorous to put away evil from your flesh to remove sorrow from thy heart Having thus described the Coherence of the words I shall lay them down for a Doctrine as they be in my Text. Doct. Childhood and Youth are Vanity I shall explain this Doctrine and insist on that sence of the words which will most conduce to the advantage of Young Persons 1. Childhood and Youth may be taken for that time of Humane Life which is short of Manhood If you take it thus then the whole clause may be thus expressed Though you are very apt to boast of these years as most conducive to happiness though now your Spirits are vigorous your Bodies healthy and strong your Sences quick the Cares and Maladies of Old-Age are far from you yet all this will not make you happy This time of Youth it self is vanity it 's insufficient to make thee a Blessed Creature yea though thou didst enjoy all sensible things that can minister to its satisfaction it is but vanity a poor thing a short and empty matter which leaves its admirers deceived yea undone if they have no better provision A serious Old Man disdains those years and would not live them over again yea few live long that wish not much of that time expunged out of their life and remember it with a blush 2. Childhood and Youth note Persons of those Years or age viz. Children and Young People I shall consider these words in this sence and of such of you the Spirit of God proclaimeth vanity as your proper Epithite Quest. What is meant by Vanity as it predicates of these Young People Answ. Vanity is either natural or moral and then it 's the same as to say 1. Young People are frail and mortal All flesh is grass and the goodliness thereof as the flower of the Field Isa. 40. 6. The robust Youth hath his breath in his Nostrils by the Course of Nature he may live longer than Old men yet by the Frailty of Nature he may die before the oldest man Thou reckonest upon long Life but thou mayest dye tomorrow Oh young man thou hast the seeds of Death in thee thou canst not resist any Messenger of Death Heb. 9. 17. the Sentence lies against thee and sin the cause of Death cleaves to thy early Age Rom. 8. 10. What variety of accidents art thou subject to every moment It 's by Gods power you Children are alive till now as well as the Man of eighty Oh young Folk that think of many years before Death and you can meet how many younger than you are already rotten in their graves there may be many Children in this place whose death your Fathers yea Grandfathers may live to mourn for it 's a brittle house your very Souls inhabit Exh. I cannot omit this Exhortation Do and forbear all you ought to do and forbear in order to Eternity as Persons within a step of Death I hope the youngest here are assured that there is no working in the grave Eccl. 9. 10. What is to be done for Eternity must be done while you live the state of trial lasts no longer than Life whatever is beyond the Grave is unchangeable reward or punishment Wilt thou lay to Heart these things 1. I have much to do for Eternity 2. Work for Eternity is hard to do 3. This work as hard as it is must be done or I perish for ever 4. How short a while may
and wll be so nor will I follow these Rules to become more perswadeable If thou hast the impudence to do thus I have God's warrant to tell thee Thou shalt suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Prov. 29. 1. 4. Young People are subject to Anger and violent Passions Children are apt to be peevish and cross Young Men to be full of rage the Verse before the Text may be rendred Oh young man put away anger from thy heart How soon is the fire kindled how fervently doth it blaze Young Persons are oft angry with their best Friends even for what they should be thankful they are incensed too freqneutly without a cause and are so hasty as not to search the reason Sleighty Matters are with them great provocations and moderation in their resentments they disdain And no wonder for thy Reason is darkened from seeing the fatal consequences of thy Fury Lasting Enmities Quarrels Murthers are too frequently the effects of this inordinate fervour Young Man is this a thing allowable Consider with thy self anger is a short madness Thou losest the management of thy own Soul whence our Lord Commands in patience possess your Soul Luke 21. 19. An overheated Spirit is void of Prudence and sure to procure bitterness to its self God saith he that is soon angry dealeth foolishly and truly he that is very angry is next to mad he looks he speaks he acts too near a Lunatick A Passionate Man is at the mercy of any designing Foe and by indulging his Anger becomes his own Tormentor how uneasie to his Family how dangerous to himself how unfit for Counsel how troublesome to his Friends how ensnaring and infecting to Society is a Passionate Man May not I hope you young Ones will be out of love with Anger it unmans you though it seems brave It makes you contemptible with the wise 1 Tim. 6. 11. but above all argue with your selves This my God forbids me Let all bitterness wrath and anger be put away Eph. 4. 31. This will unfit me for the visits of the Spirit who loves a calm Temper 1 Tim. 2. 8. and therefore appoints meekness Jam. 1. 21. as a qualification for communion with him in his Ordinances How lovely is patience it 's the height of fortitude Yea God saith He that rules his Spirit is better than he that takes a City and he that is slow to anger than the mighty Prov. 16. 32. In a word a meek and quiet Spirit is an Ornament and describes one Blessed Mat. 5. 5. How amiable is a patient Child he is more beloved by all than a froward one How excellent is that Young Man who is Master of his passion He is armed against sudden assaults he is fit for great services and sufferings he is fit to use the knowledge he hath attained in the most dangerous passages of his Life Quest. What shall a Young Person do to be healed of Anger and unruly passions Answ. 1. In general get the Grace of patience and delightfully accustome thy self to the exercise of it as thy Glory and no way a Reproach But more particularly 2. Get thy Heart filled with Love to God and Man Love to God will encline thee to imitate him who is long-suffering slow to anger full of Love and good to all Luke 16. 35. Love to Man will encline thee to interpret all to the best afraid to hurt him willing to benefit and forgive him and not prone to those dislikes which are unsuitable to thy fellow Creature especially if the Image of Christ be enstamped on him as you see 1 Cor. 13. 45 7. 3. Often present to thy Soul the Example of thy Saviour and strive to imitate him he was humble meek lowly and patient under the greatest provocations He calls thee to learn of him Mat. 11 29. If thou hast any part in him he hath formed thy Soul to some degree of imitation and to endeavour after more 1 Ioh. 4. 17. 4. Reckon on provocations and be still armed against them Thy own Carriage is not so inoffensive nor are thy Acquaintance so innocent but that thou oughtest to expect some Trials to expect them and be unguarded is Folly neither is it possible to prevent anger when wholly unprepared Therefore awe thy Soul against Passion and accustome thy Mind to such Considerations as are fit to restrain thy Spirit 5. Be humbly convinced how mean sinful and ill-deserving a Creature thou art Contention is from Pride Prov. 13. 10. and he is fondly conceited of himself who thinks he ought to bear nothing whereas a due sence of thy own nothingness and offensiveness to God will make thee fit to endure much especially considering thy provocations from Men may be the humbling rebukes of thy God who must forgive thee great things if he cast thee not into Hell it self yet whose Decree it is if you do not forgive neither will he forgive your trespasses Mar. 11. 26. 6. Allow not thy froward Spirit a liberty even where thou hast most power and freedom He that is not pettish at home will not be passionate abroad whereas anger indulged among Servants and in trifles will expose thee to its power when more dangerous and indecent 7. When thou feelest Anger begin to kindle forbear to do or say any thing till thou hast well considered The cause of thy resentments if just will abide the thoughts of a Calm Temper and the wayes of thy vindication are far likelier to be due whereas if the Cause in it self is too sleighty or thy sudden purposes are too severe to be approved how darest thou take blind passion for thy Guide Thou must believe that the discretion of a man deferreth his anger Pro. 19. 11. 5. Young People are subject to Idleness and waste of time It 's a while before you are fit ro learn or do any thing but when you are capable how commonly are you remiss and sloathful Were you left to your selves what would you do besides eating drinking sleeping and playing Thou art put to learn and thou art idle at thy Book not learning in a week what thou mightest learn in a day if diligent Thou art a Servant or Apprentice having work to do but art thou not a Waster of that time which is thy Masters and not thy own and loath to do the business incumbent on thee How little do most of our Youth for this World or for Eternity Sports and Idleness eat up that season which is the best opportunity of Life and the character of most young People is to spend their time in doing nothing or next to nothing or worse than nothing You are idle in the Duties of Religion and waste that time you pretend to employ with God You are idle in your particular Callings as if you had no business as Inhabitants of this lower World Oh Young People how precious is that time you do mispend and how sad an account are you able to give of those hours that are
all the World Holy Angels are not always strangers to thy Carriage and Discourses and mayst not thou blush at their Remarks Devils do oft impress thy Fancy and put those things into thee which thou thinkest and talkest of these Enemies of thine do gladly behold thee unmanning thy self wounding thy Soul and corrupting others with thy foolish Speeches and Actions Thy silly Companions observe thee and receive the Contagion to which their own Inclinations make them apt And is it nothing with thee that thou conversest with People ready to be diverted from seriousness and forward to be vain by thy Example Alas thou becomest accessory to all the evil they shall propagate and wilt be condemned in their thoughts if God give them Repentance or cursed by them in Hell if they dye impenitent Thy ungrave Deportment sometimes is seen by such as are wise and good those despise thee and pity thy Madness when thou pleasest thy self as being airy and witty 4. Be not an unconcerned Stranger to the State of the World where enough daily occurrs to make thee serious Canst thou be light and altogether vain in a World so full of Sin and Misery how many dismal Objects dost thou see and hear of what Cruelty in one Man to another how oft is the Church oppressed what Judgments and Calamities are thy Neighbours under what dangers is the Land of thy Nativity exposed to Most of the Earth lies in Ignorance Idolatry and subject to the Devil's Empire 1 Ioh. 5. 19. how many Souls are bemoaning their own sins and ready to despond under Doubts and Fears where is there a Family but groaneth under some disaster and canst thou play the Buffoon as if Childish toys diverted thee from all sense of these things 5. Awe thy Soul with the importance of sacred things so as not to dare to entertain a light thought concerning them much less to speak jestingly of them Every Scripture truth is a beam of Divine Light it 's revealed by the eternal Spirit to Mankind for to direct their Faith and Practice 2 Tim. 3. 16. and dare a poor Worm that shall be judged thereby affront Heaven by ridiculing its Discoveries Young Man they cannot be matter of Jest which the holy and wise God is intent on and the Hearts of all devout Persons are deeply exercised with Are such things to be sported with by Man which the very Devils tremble at Canst thou chuse but be seriously affected with the Matters of Religion if thou believe these are the things the Incarnation Sufferings Death and Testimony of the Son of God referr to These are the things which great Miracles have attested These are the things which the various Operations of the Holy Ghost on Souls design and the Ministry of Angels subserve These are the things which the Devil is so industrious to oppose These are the things a Gospel-Ministry is established for and about which all pious Ministers are so intent and importunate These are the things which most affect and govern all such who are freed from the Dominion of their Lusts and can dye with hopes These are the things which if totally disregarded expose Mankind to all bruitish Villanies in this World and endless Tortures in another 6. Abstain the Society of light Persons and observe the danger of excessive Mirth There 's that levity in thy temper which inferrs danger by vain Persons and thou art inconsiderate if the latter doth not force thee to say of Laughter it is mad and of Mirth what doth it Eccl. 2. 2. Yea sorrow is better than laughter for by the sorrow of the Countenance the Heart is made better Eccl. 7. 3. 7. Acquaint thy self with those purer and higher Joys which a serious Temper lead to There be delights of a higher Nature than what thou pursuest they would soon render these unsuituble to thy taste as well as contemptible to thy judgment No holy young Man would exchange the feast of his heavenly Father for thy Swinish husks Luke 15. 16 23. there 's no present emptiness nor following bitterness in Spiritual Delights The sence of Gods Love Peace of Conscience the lively hopes of Glory the satisfaction of well-doing the serenity of a composed Soul the ease of a rectified Nature as far as the Faculties are delivered from Sin and healed by Grace do constitute a delight so real and refined as if thou once taste will make thee reflect on thy past Joys with shame and disdain See Psal. 4. 6. Cant. 2. 3 4. 7. Young People are prone to lye This Sin appeareth in Childhood and then such a habit is contracted as they hardly are delivered from It 's now true of many They go astray as soon as they be born speaking lies Ps. 58. 3. You lye to your Parents to excuse your Faults You lye to God in breaking your Baptismal Vow You lye to your Equals for pleasure or gain You speak falsly to revenge your selves on such as you are angry with Oh how oft do you speak otherwise than you think and contrary to what you know deceiving them to whom you speak Consider thou Child lay to Heart O young Man that Lying is a horrid Sin Herein thou imitatest the Devil who is the Father of a Lye and the first Liar Iohn 8. 44. Thou art contrary to God who is a God of Truth to him lying Lips are an abomination Prov. 12. 22. He is so incensed by this Sin that he allots every Liar his Portion among the worst of Sinners Rev. 22. 15. Oh Child wouldst thou get to Heaven then thou must not lye Art thou afraid of burning in Hell for ever then fear a Lye Wouldst thou be a Child of God He tells thee his Children are such as will not lye Isa. 63. 8. It 's the Charge of God to thee Put away lying and speak the truth Eph. 4. 25. Darest thou say I will not regard what the Lord saith to me Alas he will punish thee for a lie worse than thy Father or Master can punish thee for any Fault Young Men allow not your selves in this Iniquity let no Master force you to lye in your Trade much less do you use it in your Discourse it 's a mean thing it 's destructive to Humane Society and the bane of Conversation What is a greater Reproach than to be a Liar What is esteemed a worse Affront than to say thou lyest Great are the mischiefs to Mens Repute Estates Peace by a false Tongue and in vain be all pretences to Religion if the Tongue be not bridled as to this fault Iam. 1. 26. How hateful is it to debase so noble a thing as Speech in deluding thy Brother in thy Communication with him Quest. How shall a Young Man avoid Lying Answ. 1. Love Truth and despise what would allure thee to quit it in thy Speech It 's the Character of him that shall inhabit God's Temple He speaketh the Truth in his heart Psal. 15. 2. To speak the Truth argues a
the Spirit of God say I have taken more pains with this Child and spoken oftner to this young person than I have done with thousands in the World Alas so it is concerning every one of you Children of Pagans in all their days never had thy helps Consider a little with your selves God may this day say I begin early with this young one I have still pleaded after many a repulse I have followed him and her from day to day and from sin to sin Oh how earnest have I been with this young Stripling that I could propose very little good by yet have I taken pains and labour with him Come young People is it now to begin that God has cry'd to you Turn unto me why will you die Ezek. 33. 11. Is now the first time that he has said unto you When will you be made clean when shall it once be Jer. 13. 27. Has Christ never said unto thee O look to me and be saved Look to me for help for there 's help no where else Thy distress makes me needful and pity makes me willing Lay these things to Heart and I will defie any young body in this place to go away and say I have lived up to what I know I have improved all that God has afforded me but he denied to give me more I am miserable and wicked still because God has refused to help me when I have sought it of him Is there any that can talk at this rate No not one Not one Why then whence is it that we have so many young People bad still Why still so fatal to thy self why a Slave to base Lusts O Friends God knows the cause and thou knowest the cause thou didst not use that knowledge thou hadst thou didst not improve thy opportunity doth not Conscience witness thy Ear has not been opened thy Heart has not been attentive thou didst not frame to turn unto the Lord. Hos. 5. 4. God can say this day this poor Creature might have been in a good case he would have been serious before now if he would but have yielded to my pleadings if he had turned at my Reproofs This young body would have been an eminent Christian before now had all my Impressions been retained and all my Calls complied with he had known me better had he been but teachable in my ways as he was in other things Prov. 2. 15. Oh then young People Consider with your selves what has been your case you have told God plainly I will not come to thee that I might have Life Where 's the young body that has not practically given God a denyal And every time thou wert under Conviction of sin and didst not leave it thou didst tell God Lord I would be thine but I love my sin better I would be happy for ever but I will not unless I may be wicked in this World The youngest here hath the great hand in his own ruine he that is but of ten Years old if he perish he is his own Destroyer I think it 's true of many younger Children you were born vain and you have wilfully chosen to remain so You may be ready to accuse Adam by whom you became wicked but it is your own fault that you continue wicked since God hath provided a Remedy it s your sin that you are no better for Mercies no better for Affliction no better for Means wicked before and wicked still O therefore what will you be able to answer how sad is it that any young body here should be forc'd to say Lord 't is my fault that I am no better for a Christ and no better for the Gospel my Misery is of my own choosing God has taken pains with me but 't is all lost through the obstinacy of my Will These three things are plain under that second Head wherein you see why Young people remain vile and vain 3. Thirdly Youth becomes yet more vain by evil Customs and indulging carnal self vanity unhealed is of an improving nature and there 's no bad Child but grows worse Sin is not a Stream that grows empty or a Root that dies by meer time God knows we have had experience of that Alas how does Villany grow with Years the Child that began with few sins grows up to many sins insomuch that we have some young men before eigthteeen have committed as great sins as the man of eighty Youth enters with lesser sins and proceeds to grosser sins We have many young People that seem to abound in wickedness as they improve in age as if they grew older only that they may grow viler Oh what a mercy would it have been for those to have died in the Womb or any one year before another Now Sirs whence is it how can it be that young people should grow vainer and vainer instead of better and better I tell you one sin brings on another by the lesser thou art fitted for a greater Sinful Habits are strengthned by sinful Acts and fear and shame for sin wear off yea are even extinguished by a course of sin O poor Soul Satan has got the faster hold The Spirit has been provoked and given over striving and it may be thy Parents through Despair have almost given over praying Conscience that warn'd thee is sear'd and silenc'd and so the wicked Creature has his whole Scope 2 Tim. 4. 2. God sayes of him Let this poor Creature alone I 'le strive with him no more Gen. 6. 3. O young Folks you may be harden'd before you grow old Lust may be strongly rooted before old Age and I fear 't is so with abundance of Youth Is it not so with some of you Did not some of you blush at a little sin and now thou canst mock at great ones Are there not some amongst you that once dared not to tell a small Lye and now you can lye all sorts Are there none here that trembled when they swore a little Oath and now can swear at the bloodiest rate and add Blasphemy and Cursing to their Oaths Sirs did not some of you feel a check for a light act and now you can commit Fornication and Uncleanness without any inward Rebuke It was hard to bring thee to pilfer a Peny and now thou canst steal Shillings and Pounds It was much ado that thou couldst endure to be drunk in the Night but now thou canst do it openly and glory in it Thou durst not formerly have neglected a Sermon and thou must pray by thy self but now alas poor Creature thou canst play away a whole Sabbath and spend Weeks without Prayer without one serious Prayer My Friends what 's the matter is sin grown a less evil by no means Is God and Heaven and Hell less certain No no Sirs you will feel it to your Cost Is thy poor Soul less precious and less valuable No this is not it neither but the reason of it is this Wickedness is grown by Wickedness committing sin has
government of Fear as old Folks be Oh my Friends what but Grace can win thy Consent to Christ now when the Devil and the World are strongly bidding for it You are like to reap the largest Harvest because you have the longest Seed-time You young ones that do fear the Lord betimes you are like to be the more remarkable in the Heavens All the Blessings that belong to the oldest Saint belong to you and Christ as truly loves you The youngest Believer in this place may rejoyce in all the fulness of Christ as his Store-house and Security he may read over all the greatest Promises of the Gospel with Comfort as his own We bless God for you bless God for your selves that hath adopted you for his so soon and thereby prevented much Sin and made you early Blessings for your sake we hope the Gospel will not be removed from England how happy are each of you your Parents can die comfortably now that you are in Christ Your Friends look with joy upon you as secure in your better part Oh the comfortable Aspect that every such Soul affords I will give you a few words of Advice Directions to such as are Converted in Youth 1. Be watchful over your selves because some Vanity remains in the best while here Satan would more gladly overcome you than others and he knows there 's matter for temptation to work on in thee Youthful years are subject to youthful Lusts Young Timothy himself was warned of them by wise Paul 2 Tim. 2. 22. Therefore don't venture on Occasions of Vanity don't venture into temptations to sin Nothing but perfect Grace perfectly heals the Sin of your Constitution Young ones you don't think you are perfect you are not thoroughly clean therefore walk carefully walk watchfully take care of Voluptuousness for there is some unruliness in thy Appetite still Take care of wanton Dalliance for there is some Disposition to Uncleanness 1 Tim. 5. 2. Still take care of evil Company Youth may be ensnared tho they are good Avoid all frothy Society for Youth is apt to be perswaded to loss of Time and Levity Therefore walk with watchfulness in whatever you are doing You are not in Heaven tho in a State of Grace you are not perfect tho upright therefore keep a jealous Eye while your green years continue 2. Keep humble and modest as to your Opinions for Truth admits the Disquisitions of Age and a long Study Young People think every Notion they have gotten is infallible and every plausible Reason is with them unanswerable But let me tell you you will change your judgments it may be before you dye And too much confidence in Youth leads a Man to Scepticism in Age Be not wise in your own conceits Prov. 3. 7. You are subject to error in deep things your knowledge can be but superficial if you live long you will blush at your present confidence And therefore don 't presently take up Notions determine not hastily difficult points make no noise about singular Opinions and do not rashly censure men that are wise and aged whose deep thoughts are preferrable to a voluble Tongue or luxuriant Fancy 3. Design and furnish your selves for great service for God in the World I would earnestly bespeak a mercy for the next Age resolve an eminency in Holiness I would have every young Convert here resolve to be one of the highest Saints Resolve to do much for God's Name and Gospel and if you have hopeful Abilities resolve to be great Blessings to your Countrey Side with the best Cause and best Men. You may live to have greater Opportunities to serve God than we have had you may do so and I hope you will do so The Lord furnish our Youth with Abilities transcendant to ours as their work is like to be above ours O my Friends I would have you therefore prepare your selves get your Heads well enlightened get your Hearts well enflam'd with Love to God and Men. Labour to be industrious in your Calling that you may have Estates to do good withal for Idleness and waste make Persons too poor to do great Service whence they live as Shrubs though planted young Study good Catechisms as a guard against Errors Lay up rules of Prudence for your Conversation but beware of crastiness and little base designs Observe your Constitution that sickliness may not prevent your Use. Get such an Elocution as may advantage what you speak c. 4. Admit the helps and put your selves under all the instituted Engagements of Christs Members Admit the helps Sirs we have good Books carefully peruse them Read the Scriptures Ay and labour to be well furnisht and skilld in them from your Youth 2 Tim. 3. 15. Set your selves to hear Sermons especially put your selves under the Labours and Conduct of the best Ministers Contrive every one of you to sit under that Ministry that truly understands and plainly and powerfully urges the great things of the Gospel viz. The Mysteries Promises and Laws of our Redeemer I tell you why I say this Young ones are apt to like the Preacher that has Fancy rather then Weight strong Affections rather than Judgment that has vain Gingles rather than solid Truth and that is earnest for small matters above essentials Oh take it from me to Day all Hearers savour of their Pastor Give me therefore a Pastor that 's likest to ripen for a Heavenly Life and not to amuse me with little fine-spun Notions where light carries not it's Evidence Preferr moderate Pastors above others Men who are more intent on the great things of the Gospel than lesser matters Men who allow for different Conceptions in others knowing themselves are imperfect Men who insist on no terms of or bars to Communion but what Christ hath made If God do not deliver the growing Age from a Contentious Dividing Uncharitable Temper I shall say the next fiery struggles will hazard the Life of Religion and sacrifice Love the very Heart of Religion to every trifle and disputable Notions which hath sorely wounded us Value Moderate Men wise Men are always such Your furious dividing Bigott is unacquainted with himself incapable of taking up the body of Divine Truths as they stand in their order and place Hence one thing fills his mind and that commonly the least and all his Zeal is laid out in that while he confounds Truth and Error Few Men have heads clear enough to distinguish Truth Truth and Error lye oft so near that the Man that has not the clearest judgment and the conduct of the Spirit will easily fail much more such whose parts are low and whose uncharitable Temper exclude the assistances of the Spirit Further I call you Young ones to attend to the Lords Supper You are dedicated to God by Baptism in the right of your Parents that was not thy act but theirs for thee that was not in thy own right but in thy Parents right The first solemnizing of thy own Profession is