God the Guide of Youth, Title page – Preface
God, the Guide of Youth.
Briefly Open'd and Urg'd IN A SERMON Preached with a special Relation to Young Persons, January 1st. 1694/5.
And at the earnest Intreaty of several of the Hearers Published.
By T. CRƲSO.
Prov. 4.10, 11.
Hear, Oh my Son, and receive my Sayings, and the years of thy Life shall be many.
I have taught thee in the way of Wisdom, I have led thee in right paths.
London, Printed for T. Cockerill, at the Three Leggs in the Poultrey, 1695.
THE PREFACE.
AS the Conception and Birth of the following Discourse was truly owing to the pious Motion and Request of some Young Persons, from a Principle (I hope) of unfeigned Zeal for God, and the good of Souls; so it is their desire, backt by many others, which hath encourag'd and produc'd it's publick appearance in the World. Whether God will make that use of it, by turning any of the disobedient to the Wisdom of the just, which may answer their Expectation, and my Intention, I am not able to foresee, but am very well assur'd, that it neither will nor can effectually serve such a purpose as that is, any further than He is pleased to direct, and set it home upon the hearts of the Readers.
It is therefore, with an Eye to God'simplored Influence and Blessing, that I have now made this Second particular Address to such as may be reckon'd in the Youthful State and period of Life; the general design both of this and the former, is the same; for as that perswaded and prest a timely Opposition to the Devil, this does in like manner sollicite an early Resignation to God. Some Variety there is in the Seed, (and 'tis fit that there should be, for the avoiding of Vain and needless Repetitions, which may be a fault in Preaching, Matt. 6.7.as well as in Prayer) and there was a Difference also in the Season of Sowing; it having been suggested to me, that probably a New-Years-Day might give some peculiar advantage for the doing of a greater good; which is my only End.
The renewing of such Discourses cannot be condemned as superfluous, as long as the Age hath so manifest need of them; and tho' want of the wished Success from what hath been already done, be apt to fill all well-affected minds with uncomfortable thoughts, yet this should not deter or restrain from future Attempts, for then our whole Ministry might be laid aside, and we might (perhaps with as much reason) say, as the lamenting Prophet did,Jer. 9.20. We will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his Name. Divine Patience andGoodness, not only in bearing, but in dealing long with many refractory Sinners, is most certainly a Pattern to us, and the Servants may very justly be oblig'd to do what their Great Master freely condescends to do. If God speaketh once, Job 33.14.yea twice, to man who perceiveth it not, as it gives us occasion to admire the riches of his Grace, so it intimates how little cause we have to repine at the (Improsperous) performance of our own Duty.
I have nothing further to signifie to the Reader of this plain Sermon, but that he will find it entirely Practical; which I mention not, as if I thought that Doctrinal Subjects were not proper to be handled, or perus'd, (for undoubtedly Clearness of Knowledge, and Soundness in the Faith, have a very useful Tendency to true Holiness of Life) but because it is more becoming my Meanness to leave those Subjects to abler Pens. It is exceeding deplorable, that we are fallen into a time wherein the anciently-acknowledged Fundamentals must be defended, that those mouths of Socinian Blasphemy may be stopt, which have been open'd very wide of late; and that better Instructions than those of the Cracovian Catechism may be provided for our English Youth, among whom the wretched taint seems to be too far spread. But the setting up of corrupted Reason in defiance to Scripture-Revelation, is the Spring of these Evils; and therefore I have here propos'd and recommended a Surer Unerring Guide, who is able to preserve from such Delusions, as well as from all Ʋngodliness.
Jan. 15. 1694/5. T. C.