An Earnest Call to Family Religion, Postscript
A POSTCRIPT.
HAVING said so much as I have done in this Book to the graver sort of Persons, your Parents, and Governours, dear young ones, and that not only for their sakes, but yours also. I have judged it fit to accompany that advice and counsel to them, with a few words to you, because you likewise are very nearly and greatly concerned, and all means possible are to be made use of for the preventing your present miscarriage, and eternal ruine.
You are now in the Morning of your Age, and prime of your strength, you have set forth and entred upon that Journey which will certainly bring you to your last home, where you must take up your everlasting abode, from whence there can be no remove, and that will be either Heaven, or Hell, the Glorious Mansions above, or the Bottomless Pit below; where it is absolutely necessary for you to take heed to your ways, and ponder all your goings, to set out right at first, and then to go straight on, without turning either to the right hand, or to the left; otherwise you will be lost, for if the way be not good, the end cannot be peace; as for such as turn aside unto their cro…ked Paths, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity, Psal. 125.5.
It is too evident, that multitudes of young ones, through corrupt inclination, and bad conduct, have gone out of the way of life betimes, and could never find it afterward. Having made an early choice of Sin, they grew harden'd in it, and there being a judicial Tradition of them, to the power thereof, they went on to commit it with greediness, living and dying its Votaries and Vassals; and is it not sad to consider? may it not well be matter of bitter lamentation, that such Excellent Noble Creatures should be spoiled, such precious immortal Souls should be irrecoverably lost, that such sweet and lovely Blossoms should be utterly blasted; that they who once were the hope of their Parents, and might have been the Ornaments and Blessings of their Country, should prove burthens and curses to them both. God forbid that any of you should be so too, for we have too many such already.
Therefore I pray God that you may, and desire that you would be serious betimes; get alone, sit down and consider what you are, where you are, whether you are going? what is for your interest, and what against it? labour to know, and knowing mind those things which belong unto your peace▪ youth will not always last, nor the pleasures of it, which you do now count so very sweet and delicious, and run such desperate ventures for the enjoyment of. A Sickness may quickly be sent of God, and cover your faces with a dismal paleness, pick the Marrow out of your Bones, suck all the Milk out of your Breasts, and convert all your strength into weakness, faintness, and tremblings; your smiles may be turned into frowns, your mirth into mourning, your laughter into heaviness, and your songs into sighs, groans, and shrieks. Your own Consciences may arm against you as your enemy, and God may so appear, as to be your terrour, and you may be then made to possess the iniquities of your youth, when all the honey is spent, and nothing but the sting left, the pleasure is over, and only the guilt remains, whereby you are bound over to the suffering of the judgment written. If you be not wise in this condition, you may live and die, and then you will see cause to wish you had never been born. O! be you, I beseech you, be ye your own friends, provide for your own peace and welfare, and instead of working out your Damnation with joy, jollity, and self-pleasing, chuse to work out your Salvation with fear and trembling, since all the pleasures of Sin are but for a season; do you seek out for, and make sure of those which are at Gods right hand for evermore; and since this life will be but short, when drawn out to its greatest length, do you lay hold upon that which is quite out of the reach of death, that life which came from God, and will be perfected in him.
And know, how great a number soever the Prodigals and Profligate Youths of the present Age do amount to; yet if you will be serious, and truly religious, you will not be alone, there have been many choice and excellent Persons that went before you; the Names of some, together with their Character, you meet with in the Sacred Records, an Isaac who loved Meditation, a Iacob that was set for the blessing, and by a Vow bound himself to have and own the Lord for his God. And Abijah, the Son of Ieroboam, in whom there was found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel. An Obadiah, that fear'd the Lord from his youth, a Iosiah, whose heart was tender, so that he humbled himself, and wept before the Lord; a young Iohn that was the Beloved Disciple of our Lord Jesus, and lay in his Bosom, and a Timothy, who knew the Scriptures of a Child: And this Age, as vile as it is, is not altogether barren, but some such are to be found among us, though too few, the Lord knoweth, too too few, if compared with the rest of the World; do you, dear hearts, add to the number, be you Trees of Righteousness, Plants of Renown.
Two things I do earnestly desire for you, viz. that you may be holy now, and happy for ever; that you may spend your time as you ought, and then have a blessed Eternity; live to purpose, and die in peace, Husband and lay out this life wisely, and make sure of a better. I wish you the good things of this World, full out so far, and so much as will be good for you, but withal, better things too; for really, such is my esteem of you, that however the Sons of the Earth rate them, I look not upon them as good enough to make up a Portion for you, they are too little, and low and fading, they perish in the using; may Iehovah, whose is the Earth and fulness thereof, bestow upon you such a part as will make you serviceable to him, and life comfortable to you, and while you have it, so use and improve it, that when it shall fail you, you may not miss of the delights and glories of Eternity.
To this end, I beseech you begin betimes, do not imbezzle and squander gway your choicest Seasons, your golden hours, lay not out the very best you have upon the World, the Flesh, and the Devil, thinking to reserve for God the dregs and refuse; Oh! how sweet is early Religion! how beautiful a green head found in the way of Righteousness! how pleasant to see tender Plants bringing forth Fruit unto God? Are you descended of good Parents, do not degenerate, let the Faith that was in them be in you also; like precious Faith are your Lines cast in Religious Families, walk worthy of the mercy, and keep peace with them in the way of God. It is your unhappiness to be in wicked Families, do not learn their ways, partake not with them in their Sins, be not tainted by them, nor worse for them, remembring there were Saints in Nero's House; and that it is great indeed, truly noble to be good in the midst of bad examples, of many discouragements, and of great opposition; such I would fain have you to be, and the more such the better. That you may be such, beg of God by Prayer, and consider what I can but hint to you.
Study well your own case, the vileness of your hearts, and the miserableness of your State by Nature, whatever you have to commend you unto Men; there is more than enough to render you odious and abominable unto God. Abhor therefore your selves, bewail your condition, and get out of it as fast as you can, which you can no other way do, but by getting into Christ, who is the only City of Refuge, unto which Sinners may flee for safety, the Rock of Salvation in which they may hide, and upon it build; who died that he might redeem from Sin and Wrath, and lives to receive and embrace all those that come unto him; go then to him, and beg of him, that you may be washed with his blood, and sanctified by his Spirit, that he would please to be a Principle of Spiritual Life in you, and the Author of Eternal Salvation to you. Be thankful for restraints, that you are not so bad as others; but rest not in them, nor in any external performances, or the most lovely form of Godliness, but look after a saving change, that there be in you the root of the matter, an heart sincerely set against sin, and for God. Avoid all loose bad Company, even as you would the Devil, for his Children they are, and the works of the Father they will do, and his designs they will be carrying on in all places where they are. Can a Man touch Pitch, and not be defiled therewith? or familiarly converse with with wicked Men, or lewd vain Women, and not be in danger of learning their manner? walk with wise Men, so you may learn wisdom, delight in them that fear the Lord, and associate with those here, with whom you would chuse to be in the other World. Be not strangers to the necessary and excellent duty of Prayer, but delight to make it your business every day; keep not away from Family-duties, but bless God for them, and be serious and fervent in them, yet think not your selves by them discharged from attendance upon God, and seeking his face in your private retirements; honour your Parents, and other Governours, and study to please them well in all things in the Lord. Open your ear to Doctrine, and be ready to learn and practice all that is good. Hear the instruction of your Father, and forsake not the Law of your Mother, let them not depart from your eyes, but keep them in the midst of your heart, for they are life unto them that find them, and health unto all their Flesh. In your behaviour be sober, modest, and chast, humble and loving to all you have to do with, faithful to your trust, and diligent in your business, mind your Masters interest as much as if it were your own, God will bless you the better for it: when you are removed from all Spectators, so that no body on earth sees you, remember there is one above that doth, and let that awe and preserve you from sin, for he is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. Love all vertue and goodness, hate all vice, all filthiness, both of Flesh and Spirit; govern your selves well, keep your hearts with all diligence, make a Covenant with your eyes, set a watch before the door of your lips, give honour to Superiours, be respective to your equals, courteous to your inferiours, civil and obliging to all; morose and imperious, froward and quarrelsom with none; wise and prudent in looking to your Concerns, and managing all your Affairs; consider every motion that is made to you, before you embrace and close with it; ponder your actions before you do them, that you may not make more work for Repentance than you need, and weigh your words before you speak them. Moses suffer'd greatly for speaking unadvisedly with his lips; keep your selves from Sin, as that which tends to your destruction, and avoid vanity and lightness, as that which will issue in your disparagement.
Sweet youth, let me perswade and prevail with you to remember your Creator in the days of your youth; own him as your great Lord, from whom you had your being, upon whom you have your dependance, and unto whom you must be accountable for your time and talents; and all that you have done in the Body: make God your choice, this is your chusing time, oh! chuse well, chuse God for your sweetest Companion, walk with him as Noah did, and Enoch, and all the Saints in their several Generations. When you awake be still with him, be continually with him, let your fellowship be with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. Eye God as the most perfect pattern, and study imitation, be ye followers of him as dear Children, holy as he is holy, and live to God as your noblest end, do all to his glory, if you make his glory your end, he will make use of your Salvation as a means thereto, so that both means and end shall be secur'd; count his fear your treasure; Hezekiah valued it more than his Royal Exchequer, or his Peoples Purses; be you in it all the day, fear him now as a Father, that you may not at last tremble before him as a Judge, nor be glad to have Rocks and Mountains fall upon you, and hide you from his face, and wrath. Oh! let Jesus Christ be precious to you, as he is to all them that believe, sell all for that Pearl of Price; part with your sins, and your own Righteousness, all confidence in the Flesh, yea, and whatsoever you have in the World, rather than go without him; take him in all his Offices, learn of him as your Prophet, trust in him as your Priest, and submit to him as your King; follow him in all his ways, and be expressive of him in your own; shew forth the vertues, the humility, meekness, patience, holiness, heavenly mindedness of him who hath called you unto his Kingdom, and Glory.
Ask of God that Holy Spirit, which is a Spirit of Love and Power, and a sound mind, that he may convince you of Sin, and Righteousness, and Judgment, lead you into all truth, help your infirmities, strengthen you with all might in the inner-Man, quicken and inlarge you, revive and comfort you, sealing you up to the day of Redemption, and beware of resisting, quenching, or grieving him.
Acquaint your selves well with the Scriptures, read them every day, study them, meditate in them, pray for the opening of your eyes, that you may see the wondrous things of the Law, and the precious things of the Gospel; make them your delight, and your Counsellors, receiveing no Doctrine as true but what they own, nor any practice as good, which they do not allow; eye them as the rule of Faith, and Manners, hide them in your heads and hearts, that you may not sin against God; know the truth, love, and live in it.
Get Consciences rightly inform'd, and consult them, and be ready to hear them, do not cross them, but make it your daily exercise to keep them void of offence both toward God, and toward Man; remembring that Conscience is Gods Deputy, which curiously observes, and carefully records thoughts, words, and actions; is more than a thousand Witnesses, will be a sweet Comforter, or dreadful Tormentor.
In short, set God always before you, live by faith upon him, in obedience to him, and communion with him, frequently and seriously think of Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell. So carry, that you may not be a curse to the World, nor a grief to your Friends while you live, nor a terrour to your selves when you come to die. My hearts desire and Prayer for you is, that God would doth bless you, and make you blessings.
FINIS.
End of the text · Samuel Slater, An Earnest Call to Family Religion (1694)