The Young Mans Guide, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Containeth an Use of Exhortation unto all young men, to offer unto God the First-fruits of their lives.
Use 2. OF Exhortation unto all Young Men to offer unto God the First-fruits of their lives, to give themselves to him betimes, and forthwith to have done with the service of their sins, and in earnest to betake themselves to holiness and righteousness of life. Though the Devil, the World, and the Flesh have been aforehand with Christ, and have gotten possession of thine heart, yet now, without further delay, give a Bill of Divorce to them all, cast out the Bond-woman, and her Children, and open unto Jesus Christ, who stands knocking at the door of thine heart for entrance, who by the admonitions of his Ministers, the motions of his Spirit, and checks of thine own Conscience doth call out unto thee, Open to me, I pray thee, let me come in. Oh let not thy love to thy Lust so far prevail with thee, as to put off Christ to another time; but this day open to him, imbrace him for thy Prince and Saviour, resign up thy self unto him, to serve and obey him, before thou art too far ingaged in the service of sin and Satan: say with David, That God shall be thy God, and thou wilt seek him early, Psal. 63. 1. Even now in the spring of thy life, while the day of health, and the day of Grace, hath dawned upon thee.
Consider, O Young Man, how unfit old age is either to grapple with thy Lusts, or thy duties, to resist the tyranny of sin, or to bear the difficulties of Religion. We find by experience, that the soul acting by and through the body, acts according to the disposition thereof. When the body is dull and heavy through age, or infirmity, the soul acts thereafter. Is thy dulness and coldness all that thou wilt spare to the God of thy spirits? How will he take it at thy hands? when the Devil hath rode thee off thy legs, and so lamed and cripled thee that now thou canst do no more, then thou wilt be for God: think how well this will please thy Maker. Ye shall not see my face, said Ioseph to his Brethren, except you bring your younger Brother with you, Gen. 43. 2. And how canst thou look to behold the face of the Lord Jesus with comfort, if thou bring not unto him thy Youth and strength?
Now therefore, O Young Man, in the morning of thy life, while the faculties of thy soul, and parts of thy body are fresh and quick, set thy face Heavenward; especially considering how great thy work, as a Christian, is like to be, even greater than thou canst dispatch in an Age. Those evil customs and habits, which have been long growing, cannot easily be cut off. Those strong corruptions which have taken root in thine heart, cannot readily be removed: That knowledge, grace, peace, comfort and assurance which thou needest, cannot be attained without great labour and industry. The work of Religion requires time, it concerns thee to set upon it presently, and not to be so very a Fool as to say, It's time enough yet. Though thou hast foolishly mis-spent so much of thy Oyl already in vanity and pleasure, in sin and wickedness, yet now be ashamed of thy folly, and bewail thy former misspent time, and manifold miscarriages, resolving with the assistance of Gods grace to abandon thy lusts, and to give up thine heart unto God with all speed. Thou hast a price yet in thy hands, be so wise as carefully to imbrace, and faithfully to improve the same.
Young Man, if thou mind not now in the days of thy Youth the things of thine eternal welfare, it is a question whether ever thou wilt do it. It is rarely found, that such as have run out their Youth and strength in the service of the Devil, do ever prove the true Servants of God in their age: For an old sinner to be converted, is no ordinary nor easie thing. Can a man be born when he is old? was Nicodemus his wonder. And truly for an old sinner to be Regenerated, and born anew, may be the wonder of us all. Examples of this kind are so rare, that if it were considered, it would make old sinners tremble. How few do we find among all the Disciples of Christ, that came in at the last hour? Besides canst thou imagine that such a sinner deserveth favour, who cometh in to serve God at last, when he can serve his Lust no longer?
Now, O Young Man, what is thy purpose and resolution? Art thou yet for thine old ways, and sensual delights? Or dost thou intend to give a present adieu to them, together with all thy lewd Companions? And to give up thy self to God, to devote thy self to his fear and service? For ought thou knowest, this may be the very day and time of thy last choise. Oh be not so foolish and unwise, as to chuse the pleasures of sin here for a season (which, without unfeigned Repentance, will assutedly end in everlasting torments) before the Path of Life, which certainly leads unto eternal bliss and happiness. Why wilt thou not now be wise to Eternity? Why wilt thou not speedily renounce thy former wicked courses, and lewd Companions, and imbrace the ways of godliness? The Lord perswade thine heart thereunto. Better thou hadst never been born, than that thou shouldst at last be found in the case and way that now thou art in. What not yet enough of thy folly and vanity? When wilt thou return, O when shall it once be?