The Young Mans Warning-Piece, Title page 1 – Letter
THE YOVNG-MANS Warning-peece: OR, A Sermon preached at the buriall of WILLIAM ROGERS Apothecary.
With an Hiſtory of his ſinfull Life, and wofull Death.
Together with a Poſt-ſcript of the uſe of Examples.
Dedicated to the Young-men of the Pariſh, eſpecially to his Companions.
By Robert Abbot, Vicar of Cranebrooke in KENT.
Prov. 7.23.
The young Foole, as a Bird, haſteneth to the ſnare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
LONDON, Printed by R. B. for P. Stephens and C Meredith, and are to be ſold at their Shop at the ſigne of the Golden Lion in Pauls Church Yard. 1639
To all the Young-men of my Pariſh, eſpecially to late Companions of William Rogers, Apothecary, Grace, Mercy, and Peace.
DEerely beloved Young-men, that this Sermon (in effect) was preached by mee, among you, you know, and the occaſion you know too When I preachd it, it cam to your eares, & it wrought ſomething in ſome of your eyes, but I little thought to have preſented it to your eyes againe. Importunities from abroad, and at home, have preſſed mee to make this adventure. And now it is come, to whom ſhould it come, but unto you? It is true, my love to that dead Young-man, made me willing to ſatisfie his deſire: and your deſires to have it, have not made mee willing thus to ſend it unto you. Yet your courſes being the occaſion of it, and your welfare being the end of it; you may juſtly chalenge it, and ſhall not by mee bee robbed of your right. Who knowes whether God may leave a bleſſing behind? I cannot bee aſſured, that, for the word of God handled in it, or for me the poore inſtrument that is uſed in it, ye will make much uſe of it for your good; becauſe (I feare) ye ſo often prefer an ale-houſe before the houſe of God. It may be, ye had rather be without it, than have it; becauſe the ſight of it, to you, will be a ſting; the ſight of it, to others, will bee but a remembrancer to them, to call upon you ſtill to forſake thoſe courſes which ye love. Yet herein have I hope, that you will love to ſee the picture of him being dead, whom yee loved and followed as your Doctor while he lived. If it be not drawne to life, my eyes, eares, and underſtanding much faile me, beſides, many witneſſes will not faile to ſay, that all is true. I am ſure, it is ſo for ſubſtance: and if it be coloured otherwiſe, even at the firſt it was rudely drawne, it is for your ſakes, that you may ſtill ſee him the more perfectly, and know your owne eſtate.
You have had (in your daies) many examples, teaching, that there is no bargaine to be had in a wicked way; it is folly to lay out your ſilver, and not for bread. But to have two in one yeere, layes the axe to the root of the trees of the Wood, and preacheth, that except ye amend, yee ſhall likewiſe periſh. Not onelyonly as they but worſe.Yee have ſeene two Apothecaries different in their courſe. The one ſo many wayes looking home-ward,So he was accounted of all about us ſome years before he dyed. that he died miſerably rich; the other ſo laſhing outward, that hee dyed miſerably poore. Both of ſweet and mild natures, and of different waies in life:So may a good man have, by ſome diſtemper or over-powring temptation, to laſh ſome ſin for the example of others. yet both of uncomfortable paſſages out of the world. The one having firſt the devill preſenting himſelfe unto him to be his Phyſitian: and next CHRIST ſitting on the Throne, condemning his unprofitable life, and bidding him ſhift for himſelfe, for he would have nothing to do with him. The other, as if hee would prevent Chriſt, condemning himſelfe to hell for ever, and ever. The one (being very rich, and having no children) was preſſed by me, while hee was in peace, and before his laſt Will was ſettled, of his thouſands to give but one hundred pounds, for the repairing of the Church, or other pious workes. But if hee were worth ten thouſand (as he ſaid) he would not give a penny, beſide what he had given by will; that is, twenty Marks to the poor, ten pounds to me, and ſome other petty Legacies.I meane an uncomfortable death, not judging his eternall eſtate. If I were rich, I ſhould be loth to pay ſo deare for ſuch a denyall, as he did in the end, full of horror to the laſt. The other (being very poore) was preſſed by me againe and againe, but to beleeve in Chriſt for ſalvation. But I could not (for ought I ſaw) prevaile neither. The one had lived well, except his miſery: the other had lived ill, and ſo in miſery worſe. I know you feare not the danger of …he firſt example: for you are out of the way of being too rich. If you have enough to goe like gallant Blades, it is all you deſire: yet if you have not, your credite muſt bee good till the quarter day, or the good market comes. But may you not feare the danger of the ſecond? Him ye loved enough, his courſes yee love too well. The Ale-houſe muſt bee your Chappell, Kitchin, Workhouſe: the firſt draught is your prayer, the next your breakfaſt, and the laſt your worke. Yet if ye had but a Prieſt that would prophecy of Wine and ſtrong drinke, and ſay, Come let us fill our ſelves with Wine and ſtrong drinke, to morrow ſhall be as this d…y, and much more aboundant, hee were the only man, and you the only people of the world I know you think yourſelv's very familiar with Chriſt, as if hee would paſſe by theſe ſlips of youth, and imbrace you in the armes of his mercy upon the leaſt call. But you forget that Chriſt hath now taken ſtate upon him. He was an Infant crying in the Cratch, and then he was circumciſed by wicked Prieſts, carried by an Aſſe into Ieruſalem, Hee was a Preacher in Iſrael, and then he was preſſed upon by all, and ſought to be intangled by his enemies. Hee was a worker of miracles here, and then ſicke ſoules and bodies troubled him▪ He was under arreſts and executions▪ and then Iudas did kiſſe, Souldiers buffeted and ſpit upon him, and Iewes and Gentiles killed him. But now the caſe is altered, his preſent ſtate admits no ſuch neere approach. Will you ſay hee is my ſweet Saviour ſtill? Go then and tell him ſo: ſay; Lord, I am idle, unprofitable, and luxurio…s, but thou art my ſweet Saviour ſtill. Say yee to your fathers and mothers, I am drunken, idle, warton, rebellious, but ye are my father and mother ſtill, and I expect your bleſſing, and your p…rſe. Surely ſuch proud and diſſolute carriage ſhall a thouſand times ſooner pleaſe men on earth, than it ſhall pleaſe Chriſt in heaven. He hath redeemd you that ye might ſerve him in righteouſneſſe and holines all the daies of your life. He hath bought you with a price, that yee might glorifie God in body and ſoule, and (by the grace of God) ſave your ſelves from the midſt of this wicked generation wherein ye live. Perhaps you may think your ſinnes not to be ſo great, but that you may keep your fellowſhip in the ſalvation of Chriſt too. But they are not worthy of pitty who wilfully deceive their own ſoules: For in foure caſes your leaſt ſins prove damnable in the iſſue. If they be committed againſt your conſciences. Conſcience is in Gods roome to guard you, and if that be affronted, it is given to God, and ſo you build downeward to hell. Then if they bee committed with pleaſure and delight; there is no ſin ſo ſmall, which ſmels not unſavorily if it pleaſeth. It pleaſed the man to gather ſticks, and he died for it. It pleaſed Lots Wife to look backe, and ſhe was turned into a pillar of Salt. Next, if ſmall ſins diſpoſe you to greater. For he that hath avoided the great Rockes, may be ſwallow'd up in the ſand: and he that can keep out great Theeves, may have his houſe opened by a little Boy who creeps in at the window. Laſtly, if the ſmalleſt ſinnes have a progreſſe, and go on. A little ball of ſnow, rowled, is increaſed, and many drops make a floud. Can you ſay that you ſin not when conſcience checks, and ſaith, Doe it not? Or that you have not taken pleaſure in what you have done? Or that you have not bin diſpoſed by your houres of error, to ſcandalize others, and neglect God and his worſhip? Or that your little ſins have not multiplyed ſo long, as that they may (for any thing you are ſure to the contrary) become an Ocean to drowne your ſoules in eternall horror? What now is to bee done, but that you ſee your wickedneſſe, and amend all? I am ſure it would bring comfort to your friends, to ſee you in the way to Heaven. I am more ſure it would bring glory to God, and honour to the Goſpell, to have his creatures and the profeſſors of it from your youth, to live in the obedience of faith. And I know aſſuredly too, that it ſhall adde to my crowne of rejoycing, to ſee all, Chriſts Lambs, Babes, and Children to walke in that truth which is according to godlineſſe. Vp and be doing, and the God of Heaven be with you. There is no delay muſt have place now. It is enough (yea …oo much) that yee have ſpent the time paſt after the courſe of the wicked world. God hath held his peace, and not unſheathed his ſword, and you have lived as if God were a favourer of ſinne. But hath he not now begun to ſtrik? Hath hee not let you ſee that there is no peace to the wicked? If ye yet goe on, yee kicke againſt the pricks. If ye come in with bleeding ſoules: behold your bleſſed Saviour hanged on the croſſe; he bowed his head, as if he meant to kiſſe you; he ſtretched out his armes, as if hee meant to imbrace you; and his bleſſed ſide was broached, as if he meant that even you ſhould drinke his bloud, to pacifie your ſouls againſt conſcience of wrath, and his water to purifie your bodies and ſoules from the dominion of all uncleanneſſe. Will you yet neglect ſo great ſalvation? My ſoule ſhall weepe for you in ſecret. Yet that there may not be a cauſe, I hope that you will reade this that I p…eſent unto you, and ſo make a ſtand. I hope you will pray to God that the cauſe may have acceſſe unto your hearts, and ſo make an entrance into the good way. And I hope that being entred, you will continue to the end; and then as Saint Paul of his Theſſalonians, ſo I of you; Now I live if ye ſtand faſt in the Lord. Even I, who have bin often grieved by you, and have often prayed for you with groanes and ſighs, but now hope to be comforted in my bowels over you, upon your amendment; and ever after to continue.
Your Paſtour rejoycing in the converſion of ſuch ſinners, Robert Abbot.