A Call from Heaven, Directions
By way of Direction.
1. Beware of those sins especially which they that ar… in their Childhood and Youth are most subject unto, and apt to be carried away from God by. 2. Tim. 2. 22. Flee youthfull lusts, h. e. those sins which Youth is mostly exposed sed unto. It is infinite mercy to be kept pure from the corruptions of Youth. If ever you should find grace to repent of the sins of Youth, and so to obtain the pardon of them, yet they will be bitterness and shame to you all your dayes. Those vanityes of Youth, which now thou art so foolish as to dellght in, it may be they be a trouble to thee forty years hence, should'st thou live so long. Doth not Job complain saying, Thou makest me to possess the iniquityes of my youth. Job. 13. 26. And did not holy David pray, as in Psal. 25. 7. Remember not the sins of my youth. And doth not converted Ephraim make an humble confession concerning the sins of Youth, Jer. 31. 19. I was ashamed, yea even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my Youth. So it is, that the remembrance of the sins & vanityes of Youth, are matter of reproach & shame a long time after: yea the very thought of them doth fill the soul that is truly converted, with an holy confusion of face. Beware then of the sins of Youth. To instance in some particulars, Pride is a sin that young ones are very much under the power of: hence we see that young people are strangly addicted to vanity in Apparel: Proud sashions they must and will follow, there's no perswading them to the contrary: but beware of that sin. So for stubborness and disobedience to Superiours, it is an evill that Youth is very subject unto. You that are Servants, young men and maids that are here before the Lord; have not you been guilty of stubborn, disobedient carriage towards your Masters? though God in his word tels you that you ought to be obedient to them with fear and trembling, Eph. 6. 5. And you that are Children, have not you disobeyed your Parents? Thou hast been disobedient to thy Father sometimes, but especially to thy Mother. Thy heart may ake to think what is like to come on thee, if thou repent not speedily, Did you ever know any dye upon the Gallows, but they confessed they had been guilty of this sin, and thereby provoked the Lord to leave them unto those things which have brought them to untimely, unhappy ends? And this is but according to what the Scripture speaketh, Prov. 30. 17. The eye that mocketh at his Father, and despiseth to obey his Mother, the Ravens of the Valley shall pick it out, and the young Eagles shall eat it. Intimating that such Children are like to come unto miserable and shameful deaths at last. Again, lying is a sin, which Childhood and Youth is for the most part deeply guilty of, Psal. 58. 3. They go aftray as soon as they be born speaking Lyes. How natural is it for Children to commit a fault, and then to excuse it by telling a Lye? Art thou a lying Child? then the Devil is thy Father, and except thou repent of this sin, and beware of it for the time to come, when once thy Soul is out of thy body, it must be cast into that Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second Death, Joh. 8. 44. Rev, 21. 8. So for breaches of the seventh Commandment, they are Youthful Lusts. Wherefore Solomon faith, that he looked out at the window of his house, and discerned amongst the Youths a young man void understanding, and he was going to an whore house like an Ox to the slaughter, or a fool to the correction of the Stocks, not knowing that it is for his life, nor considering that her house is the way to Hell, going down to the chambers of Death, Prov. 7. 7, &c. Young men whose natures are not changed by the regenerating grace of the Spirit of God, do usually live in some unclean lust or other. Either Pornication, or self-pollution, or in secret wanton pranks of darkness. You young men whose Consciences accuse you of guilt before the Lord in respect of these evils, I charge you in the Name of God, that you humble your selves deeply in his sight for past transgressions, and sin no more, as ever you defire to escape eternal Damnation. Though these cursed Lusts may be as dear to you as life and limbs, yet better to pluck out thy right eye, to cut off thy right hand, then that thy whole body should be cast into Hell fire, where the worm dieth not, and where the fire never shall be quenched.
Again, Sabbath breaking is a sin which Young ones are often found guilty of before the Lord▪ There was a young man gThomas Savage, who was executed …t Ratcliff O…ob. 28. 1668.(whom many of you have heard of) that came to an untimely end, and that sin of Sabbath breaking made way to his ruine: when he should have been hearing the word on the Lords day, he would rather go to wicked houses; that at last, God was so provoked with him, as to leave him to commit a Capital sin upon the Sabbath day, for which he was brought to deserved execution. And when in Prison, he said to some that came to visit him, O Wretch that I was! I studied how I might spend the Lords day in the Devills work: that time which I should have served God in, I did most for Satas in it. O (said he) tell young men from me, that the breaking of the Sabbath is a dangerous and costly sin. And therefore young men beware of that sin. Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy, or you will never Remember your Creator as you ought to doe.
Once more: Sinfull Company keeping is an evill that young men are apt to be drawn away from God their Creator by. Many an hopefull young man, that hath been well instructed, that hath had great convictions upon his spirit, and friends that wished him him well, have been comforted in him; yet hath afterwards fallen in with bad Company, and that hath proved the eternal ruine of his Soul. I have known young men that upon sick-beds, and death-beds, have made lamentable cryes, O my sinfull Company keeping hath undone me for ever! Therefore let young men remember what the Scripture speaketh to them, My Son if sinners intice thee consent thou not Walk not thou in way of them, refrain thy foot from their path, Prov. 1. 10 15. Again, He that walketh with the wise shall be wise; but a Companion of Fools shall be destroyed, Prov. 13. 20 Young man, wouldest thou not be destroyed … then be not a Companion of Fools. Remember also what David saith, and follow his example, Psal. 26. 4, 5, 9. I have not sate with vain persons. I have hated the Congregation of evill doers, and will not sit with the wicked Gather not my Soul with Sinners. When thou dyest, thou would'st not have thy soul to be gathered to the place where sinners must be for ever: then sit not with them, hold not familiarity with them now: For they that are thy Companions and Familiars here, are like to be so to eternity.
2. Hearken to good Instruction. In the holy Scriptures God himself instructs you. And therefore let young ones be diligent in reading the Scripture, that is the way to become like unto Timothy, to whom it was said, from a Child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation, through the Faith that is in Christ Jesus, 2 Tim. 3. 15. And when David had propounded that Question, wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? the Answer given is, by taking h…ed thereto according to thy Word, Psal. 119. 9. For the most part it i… so, that the wayes of young men need much cleansing. Youth is commonly the unclean part of a mans Age, but those young men that will make conscience to order their wayes and walkings according to the Word of God, shall thereby be cleansed. And, the Word preached, and publickly dispensed, is a means appointed by the Lord for the instruction of young ones, that they may learn the …ear of God, Deut. 31▪ 12, 13. Gather the People together, men and women, and Children, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and that their Children which have not known any thing may learn to fear the Lord. And therefore mind seriously what the Ministers of God speak in his Name. Mind it young men, lest you mourn at last, and say, How have I hated Instruction, and have not obeyed the voice of my Teachers, nor inclined mine Ear to them that instructed me! yea, and hearken to the good Instructions which you receive from those whom God hath set over you. Have you not Masters, Fathers, Mothers, that admonish you and give you good counsel from day to day! despise them not. Doth not the Scripture say to you, hear ye Children the Instruction of a Father, Prov. 4. 1 And again, My Son hear the Instruction of thy Father▪ and forsake not the Law of thy Mother, Chap. 1. 18., Eternal woe is like to be the portion of those Children that regard not what Father and Mother say to them. Remember Eli his Sons; they were proud and head-strong; their Father reproved them, and exhorted them to amend their wayes, it is said, Notwithstanding they hearkned not to the voice of their Father because the Lord would slay them. 1. Sam. 2. 25. Art thou the young man that wilt not hearken to the voice of thy Father when he giveth thee good Counsel? This is a sign that the Lord will slay thee: a sad sign that thou art appointed to some terrible destruction at the last.
3. Remember those things which if duly thought on, may cause you to Remember your Creator in the dayes of your youth. e. g. Think sadly of the preciousness of Time, that so you may pass the time of your sojourning here in fear. You Young men, are exceeding apt to mispend precious hours, nay dayes in sin and vanity, but it is because you do not consider how precious time is. Are not some that were once your companions in sin, dead, and (as there is cause to fear) dropped down into Hell? They would give Worlds (were it in their power) to enjoy that precious time, that is lost & can never be regained. Shortly your time to remember your Creator in, will be past and gone forever. Remember also the worth of your own souls, what shall a man give in Exchange for his Soul? If he should gain the whole world, & loose his own Soul, what is he profited? young men & children, do you think of this! As young as you are, you have immortal Souls that must be either saved or damned, that when once you are dead, your Souls must go to be either in Heaven or Hell to all Eternity. And remember Death, which may be on you, ere you be aware of it. Thou knowest not but that this night thy Soul may be taken from thee. It hath been truly said, hAqu… nas.An old man hath death before his face, but a young man hath death behind his back, that may overtake him before he thinks of any such thing. Children may dye as well as others, Rev. 2. 23. I will kill…er Children with Death. I remember I have somewhere read, of a serious godly child, that would not speak vain words like other Children, but was careful to improve his time well, and being asked the Reason of his seriousness, O (saith he) I remember that I must dye. When some replyed to him, you are young, and may live many a fair day, what should you think of Death for? nay (said he) I was in the burying place, & there I saw agrave, that was shorter then I am. So Children, look into the burying place, and there you will see graves that are shorter then you are; there you will see that those that have been as young as you are, and younger too, have dyed and been put into their graves, and therefore it may be so with you. O then Remember your Creator in the dayes of your Youth. And remember the day of Judgement. As Solomon in this Context saith, Know O young man, that God will bring thee to Judgement. Young men are apt to put the thoughts of death and Judgement far away, and therefore they remember not their Creator. Think with thy self, I must stand before Jesus Christ the Son of God at the great day; and what shall I then say to him? and what will the Lord in that day say unto me? will he say, come thou blessed? or will he not say to me, depart thou cursed.
4. Look unto Jesus Christ. O betake your selves to him. He calls from Heaven unto you young men and children, that are here before the Lord this day, goe to him by Prayer, and to God by him. Some of you, when you are asked that Question, do you pray, Answer, I cannot pray. You would do it, you say, but you know not how to pray. Why, get into a secret place, and there lift up thine Eyes and heart to …he Lord Jesus, and if thou can'st say nothing else, yet say, O thou Son of God have mercy on me! O convert me, and save my poor Soul! who knoweth but the Lord from on high, may look upon thee, since the Lord Jesus himself hath said, They that seek me early shall find m…
Tibi Domine.
End of the text · Increase Mather, A Call from Heaven (1679)