The Christians Guide to Devotion, Part 3 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. That young People have no Priviledge to uſe ſenſual Pleaſures, nor to diſpence themſelves from Devotion.
ONE Reflection is ſtill behind, which we are obliged to make before we leave this Important Subject; we having done nothing yet in regard to young People. They perſuade 'emſelves, it may be, that whatever hath bin ſay'd does not concern them: it is almoſt impoſſible to deliver them from this Errour, That Pleaſure is peculiarly their ſhare, and that, without Tyranny, we cannot deny it them. To them Indevotion is natural, and they reckon it a particular Honour. We ſhould make fine work of it (ſay they) to … Bigots at theſe years, they fancy that Modeſty, Wiſdom, Sobriety, and Temperance, are not proper for them; 'tis the buſineſs of old Men, ſay they, we muſt not make our ſelves ridiculous by turning Cato's and Seneca's. And indeed if any one of them has more happy Inclinations, he is aſham'd, he diſſembles 'em, he follows the Crowd. They tell him, to every thing under the Heaven there is a time. In conſidering old and young men, we can never believe, ſay they, that Perſons ſo different are deſtin'd to the ſame Actions: The wrinkled forehead of old Age, the paleneſs of it's Complexion, hollow Eyes, chap-fallen Mouth, and Limbs all trembling, have a correſpondence with the Duties of Repentance, and it's fit that they pour forth Tears and give themſelves up to Mortification. But the good diſpoſition and plumpneſs of Youth, that flouriſh of Blood, that diſplays it's ſelf upon the Complexion, lively and ſparkling Eyes, Se…ſes eager and capable to be toucht by their Objects very manifeſtly ſhew, that this age is born for pleaſures and all manner of Joy. Thus it is, they flatter and hug themſelves in their ſecurity. Not only young People talk at this rate, but moſt part of mankind agree with them in it. I cannot deny, but that the extravagancies and diſorders of conduct in the life of an old man impreſs much greater marks of infamy, than the debauches of the younger ſort. I muſt confeſs alſo, that the diſorders of old age diſcover a greater depth of Corruption. It cannot caſt it's faults upon the firſt boylings of the Blood, which hath much filth and ſcum: It cannot take the default of Experience for excuſe, and, in ſhort, it breaks the barriers of a ſhame much greater than that which follows the crimes of Youth. But nevertheleſs, God will not judge men according to humane Rules and the Sentiments of the World: there is no Age, that has receiv'd a diſpenſation from obeying God. All the violaters of his Law ſhall be puniſht, ſince his Commandments are given to all; and if ſo be the difference of Age put a diverſity in ſins in reſpect of Puniſhment, this would only in the upſhot go upon the More and the Leſs: But what will that reſult to; ſeeing, in a word, even the leſs unhappy muſt have their ſhare in Eternal fires, and the Worm that never dyeth?
Why ſhould young people be leſs obliged to Devotion? Has God given them leſs? On the contrary, they, as well as old men, have received of God their Being and Reaſon: but farther, they have vigour of Body, force of Wit, Health, Youth, and the flower of Age. Aſſuredly, theſe are particular Obligations to devote themſelves to God All theſe advantages they have not receiv'd to conſecrate them to the Devil of Luſt and Voluptuouſneſs. Is any thing too good for God? They deſign for him a tatter'd body, 'putrified Lungs, gloomy Eyes, and dry Members. In truth, God will be mightily oblig'd to them: they would give him the bottom Lees of their years, and conſecrate to him that Age which is the ſink of Life, and the Center of all Miſeries: that is to ſay, they would give him, what the World has caſt off: they act like covetous men, who are only liberal when they are dying: they give what they can retain no more. Believe me, all the very beſt we have is not goo good for our God. Heretofore he would not have Victimes that had any fault, that were ill or in no good caſe, or that had loſt any part of the Body. Do we believe he will be pleas'd to accept the Sacrifices of a ſpent and waſted heart, and a man, who is only the ſhadow of what he was once? …exhort you, that ye preſent your Bodies a living Sacrifice. But young People, that take up the reſolution of being devout, when they can be no longer ſinners, promiſe God their dead and (as it were corrupted) Bodies: for in old age, Bodies are like Phantoms, and come near to the nature of Carkaſſes. God has thought nothing too good for us; he has given himſelf for us; he who is the ſovereign good, has given us his Son: he devoted him to death for us in the flower of his age; and it is juſt that we be devoted to his ſervice in all our Ages.
God is not ſatisfied with theſe promiſes of futurity, I will give thee. He would have us ſpeak in the preſent tenſe, I do give thee; as he does himſelf in ſpeaking to us, I give you my Peace. He is called, He who is, was, and is to come: So that to him appertain all the differences of time, the paſt, preſent, future: but among theſe he loves the preſent time, and he ſays, I am what I am, or, he who is, and not, he who ſhall be. He that would be like God, and pleaſe him, muſt ſpeak as he does: I am he that is righteous, holy, ſeparate from ſinners, devoted to God, conſecrated to his Service.
Heretofore God required our firſt-ſruits, and the firſt born of our Herds, and likewiſe of our Children. Abraham roſe betimes in the morning to go and ſacrifice his Son, and God commanded that an immortal Fire ſhould burn in his Temple for the perpetual Sacrifice of Morning as well as Evening. This ſignifies, God would be ſerved firſt, and our Firſts are to be conſecrated to him; he wills not we ſhould ſay to him, Come and follow me, if the World leaves any thing remaining thou ſhalt have it. He loves not thoſe People that ſay unto him, Let us firſt do ſuch a thing, or go to ſuch a place, &c. He anſwers them, Let the dead bury their dead, come ye and follow me. For having put your hands to the Plough, if ye look back ye are not fit for the Kingdom of God.
Few perſons there are but confeſs, That one time or other in ones Life it is neceſſary to think on God; They only diſpute about the time. One ſays, I will become a good Chriſtian when I have finiſh'd my Houſe; another, when I have made my Fortune; and young People ſay, when we are old and have taſted the pleaſures of Life: in a word, All remit this great Affair to Futurity. Since they confeſs that 'tis of abſolute neceſſity to give up themſelves to God, and that without this, Hell and Death eternal are inevitable; is it not the greateſt Fury and Madneſs to deal thus, and to remit an Affair of ſo great Importance to the time to come, whereof we can in no wiſe be aſſured? Young People, you Idolaters of Pleaſure, make uſe of the Example of the rich man, who ſaid in the Evening to his Soul, Eat, drink, and be merry, thou haſt laid up Goods for many years; when that very Night, that Soul to which he had given ſuch bad Counſel, was required of him. Who has given you Aſſurances that you ſhall arrive to old Age? Or have ye made a Treaty with God, that in what Eſtate ſoever Death ſhall ſurpriſe you Heaven ſhall receive you. If Death re'ncounters you, cover'd with Vices, coming from a Comedy at the Theatre, or from a Debauch at the Tipling-houſe, or any place more infamous, Do ye believe ye are in a good Condition to ſay at the Gate of Heaven, Lord, Lord, open unto us? It will be anſwer'd, Go, I know you not, ye Workers of Iniquity: Ye will ſay, without doubt, We have ſinned againſt Heaven and againſt thee, we are not worthy to be called thy Sons; but ſpare us, and impute all our Sins to our Youth. This will do nothing; God cannot in favour of Youth diſannul that irrevocable Edict, Nothing impure can enter into my Holy City.
The Jewiſh Doctors, who frequently happen to ſay very good things, ſay, Remember thy God, and turn to him only one day before thy Death. This is extraordinarily well ſaid: think therefore of thy God to day, for to morrow perhaps thou ſhalt dye. What do we do then when we diſpoſe of the time to come, and ſay, To morrow we will ſet upon ſuch a ſort of Pleaſure, the day after we will act a Debauch, we will live in this manner for fifty or ſixty years, and after that we will think of a Retreat to God? Truly, we imitate thoſe ambitious and viſionary Princes, who, upon the only hope of making Conqueſts, divide before-hand the Provinces, and diſpoſe of the Governments which are none of their own. To whom belongs the time to come? Without doubt, to God only, who holds it as in Store-houſes, and lets it run as pleaſeth him, who ſtops its Source, or prolongs its Current: ſo that when we diſtribute the time to come, we take upon us to beſtow what is Gods and none of our own, and which perhaps never will be; and yet we deſtine and divide it before-hand to ſundry uſes. And this is the utmoſt Folly, even in the opinion of the World, and noted by many Proverbs that are very well known.
Since therefore it is abſolutely neceſſary to devote our ſelves to God, is it not to be done when it is moſt eaſie? And I maintain, it's eaſier to love God and be converted to him when we are young, than in old Age. This ſeems to be a Paradox, becauſe in that Age the Blood boils, the Fleſh is vigorous, and Sin ſticks to the Entrails. We have a peculiar and ſovereign taſte in all worldly Pleaſures. True indeed; when once we have let the Reins looſe to Concupiſcence in our Youth, it is well nigh impoſſible to ſtop its impetuous Paſſion and Fury. It ought to dry up the Springs, that it may put an end to theſe Diſorders. But if in good time we turn our Souls to God, and to Devotion, it is ſure, we ſhall improve therein incomparably much better than in old Age: to what thing oever young Men are carried, they are carried to it with Violence and Ardour. 'Tis the Temper of that Age; if there be a good Conduct made of thoſe firſt F…es, there will thence ariſe an excellent Zeal, and an holy fervour of Devotion, as we ſee in them who know how to make a right uſe, and ſerve themſelves of the Rapidneſs of Torrents and Rivers, to turn Mills and Machines of great advantage to the Life of Mankind. On the contrary, Experience teaches us, that Devotion relents and ſlackens with Age, and old men are more put to it to chaſen and heat their Hearts in pious Duties: their Soul is hard'ned, 'tis not touch'd nor moved with ſo much eaſe, becauſe it is not ſo tender as it was, the fire of Zeal ſeeming to be diminiſh'd by the diminution of natural heat.
Whence come the Difficulties we meet withal in the work of Converſion? Certainly, none of them there are but what augment and encreaſe with Age. This difficulty of thinking on God proceeds from Cuſtom and Habit. Now Cuſtom by Age becomes a Tyrant: it comes from the Devil; and when once it has eſtabliſh'd its Tyranny by a long Poſſeſſion, 'tis almoſt impoſſible to deſtroy it. At firſt it comes alone by it ſelf, but in a little while it is call'd Legion, and ſuch a Devil as cannot be conjur'd out by a Get thee behind me Satan, and cannot be chaſed away but by Prayer and Faſting. Again, our Faculties are us'd to it, and the Soul loſes its ſtrength, it is no longer capable of a Deſign and Enterprize ſo vigorous, as to turn to God and break with Sin. In ſhort, this Difficulty proceeds from that God leaves off calling upon, and inviting and offering his Grace; and his Patience is changed into a juſt Fury and Indignation when it has been a long time abus'd.
But above all, let us conſider how ſtrong the Habits of Luxury and Debauchery do become when we permit them to take Root, and let 'em arrive even to old Age. The young Plant which might be pluck'd up with one hand, is now a trunck of immenſe Greatneſs, which reſiſts the Hatchet and Wedge. This little Monſter, the love of Voluptuouſneſs, which might have been eaſily ſtifled at its Birth, is become ſo great and ſo terrible, as there is now no attacking nor fighting with it. Sins ſimply conſidered, do not become more ſtrong by Age, their number is multiplied. Theſe are Snow-Balls, that wax bigger and bigger in rowling: theſe are Torrents, which ſwell bigger the farther they remove from their Spring-head: 'twas an eaſie matter at firſt to paſs over them on foot, but now one cannot croſs them by ſwimming. Now the number of multiplied Sins augments the difficulty of Devotion and Converſion. We read in the Life of the Holy Fathers, That an Angel made one of thoſe ſolitary Inhabitants of the Deſart to ſee in a Viſion an old Man, that cut Wood in the Foreſt, to get a Burthen for his Back, with deſign to carry them away. When the Fardle was extreamly big he eſſay'd to lift it up upon himſelf; but finding it too heavy, he let it fall to the ground, and fell a cutting new Wood, and added it to his Burthen; whereupon, he endeavoured again to lift it up, but that was more impoſſible for him than before. Nevertheleſs, it tumbling down again he put more Wood to it ſtill: and this he did ſeveral times. The ſolitary Perſon admir'd the Folly of this old Man, till the Angel took up his Speech, and ſaid, Thou ſee'ſt this old Man, he is the Emblem of Worldlings, they heap Sins upon Sins; a deſign of lifting themſelves up to God comes acroſs; preſently they ſink under the burthen of their Sins: They begin again to commit new Crimes, as if this burthen by encreaſing would become much lighter. When they have puſh'd on their Exceſſes a good way, a new deſire of devoting themſelves to God overtakes them, but the burthen of their Sins is become very great, and conſequently the motions of Elevation are the more difficult. This Parable was compoſed for our Subject, and againſt thoſe unhappy People that dedicate their youthful years to the Pleaſures of the World, and remit the practiſe of Devotion, and the lifting up of their Souls to God to another time.
St Auſtin, in expounding the Hiſtory of Lazarus his Reſurrection, asks, why our Lord employs Sighs, Tears, Prayers, and a loud voice to raiſe him again from the dead, which he did not do for the others, whom he reviv'd? as for the young man of Naim, whoſe biere he toucht only, and Jairus's Daughter, to whom he only ſaid, Talitha Cumi, Maid, ariſe. 'Tis ſays he, becauſe Lazarus had been dead four days. Our Lord would give us an Image of the Difficulty to be met withall in a ſmners Converſion, when he is confirm'd in his ſin. The firſt day, ſays that Father, is that of Pleaſure which we taſte in the ſin. The ſecond is that of Conſent. The third is that of Love and Application to the pleaſure of the ſin: and the fourth is mere Cuſtom and Habit. When we are come to this, we cannot be raiſed again, we cannot be converted to God but by Cries and Tears, and the Voice of the Lord fruitfal in Miracles. This, methinks, makes us comprehend well the intereſt we have to think on God in due time, and to conſecrate our Youth to Devotion. … know very well, that the end obtains the Crown, but I know too, that 'tis of the higheſt importance to begin well, that we may end happily. An Arrow which wanders and ſlides from towards the Butt, juſt as it parts from the Bow, will be found at a monſtrous diſtance from the Butt before it comes to its journeys end. One, that in his youth is plung'd into debauchery, and abandons himſelf to ſenſual pleaſures, will find himſelf far remov'd from God in his old age, he muſt take a great deal of trouble to bring himſelf back again from ſuch an Aloof. And therefore, I conclude with the wiſe man, Young man, Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Youth.
Meditation.
WHY doſt thou delay, O my Soul, after theſe Conſiderations? Doſt not thou apprehend the neceſſity there is of conſecrating thy ſelf, without any ſhifting, or lingring, to the ſervice of thy God? Thou evermore ſayeſt, to morrow, to morrow, but this morrow never comes, and the day of thy Separation from the body will come in an hour when thou lookeſt not for it. When thy God calls upon thee, thou telleſt him the Words of a ſlothful and ſleepy Perſon. Preſently, I ſay, preſently, St. Auguſt. Confeſs. l. 8. cap. 5.let me alone a little, but one Moment longer: but this preſently never comes, and this Moment is an everlaſting one. I ſee thou art diſpleas'd at obliging thee to give up thy ſelf ſo ſoon to God. This is too ſoon, ſay'ſt thou, to begin, and will it not be time enough ſome years hence? Wicked and ungrateful, canſt thou think too ſoon on thy God.? It is juſt, thou ſhouldſt think of him aſſoon as thou beginneſt to be, and to know thy ſelf, ſince he thought on thee and thy Salvation from Eternity. His Eſſence had no beginning, and his Love for thee had none too; Both Eternal. What didſt thou do to this great God to engage him to love thee ſo long a while before? He lov'd thee before thou waſt amiable. He ſaw thee in thy Nothing, and in the Abyſſe of thy Corruption, and from all Eternity he prepared means for thee to get out of that Abyſſe, he prepared thee a Redeemer. He did not reſerve one moment in Eternity which he has not given thee; and thou would'ſt retrench from him many years of this ſhort and uncertain Life, whereof thou haſt the uſe here below. Perhaps thou wilt ſay, that it would not be unjuſt if thy time were divided betwixt thy God and thee, and that it is hard to give all one hath, without reſerving any thing to ones ſelf. But doſt not thou conſider, that thy God has given thee all things? He has given thee the Heaven and the Earth, the Fields, Rivers, Fountains, Plants, Trees, and Fruits; hath he reſerv'd any thing to himſelf? Has not he given himſelf too entirely to thee? has he not given thee his only Son; and ſtill, has not he given him up to Death it ſelf for thee? wouldſt not thou then be very ungrateful, O my ſoul, if thou wouldſt divide with God, and rob him of any thing which thou haſt? But alas, when thou thinkeſt and ſpeakeſt thus, thou doſt not well underſtand thy own intereſts. Thou ſuppoſeſt, that thou loſeſt from thy ſelf all the time thou giveſt to thy God, whereas, on the other ſide, thou ſaveſt only thoſe moments from ſhip-wrack, which thou conſecrateſt to him: All the reſt of thy time is l…ſt, being coufounded in that mighty abyſſe of what is paſt: But the Moments, thou giveſt to thy God, are put in reſerve, thou wilt find them, they will come before thee; At the great Judgment they will be put to thy account, and for ſome moments of Devotion thou ſhalt receive eternal Glory. Do not therefore hang in ſuſpence any longer, O my Soul; delay no more to renounce all the pleaſures and all the hopes of the Age, for to follow thy God only. In him is the Well of Life; in his Light thou ſhalt ſee Light: thou ſhalt be fatted with the fat of his Houſe, and quench thy thirſt in the Floud of his Pleaſures. In thy old age thou ſhalt not regret the loſs of thy Youth. Thy days ſhall not riſe up in Judgment againſt thee to condemn thee, when thou ſhalt be old and on the brink of Death: The thought of thy God ſhall not put thee into an affright; Thou wilt not look upon him as a Judge, who comes to demand an account of ſo many years conſumed in vain Pleaſures, but a Deliverer who will come to break thy Irons, and as a Rewarder bringing days of Refreſhment, inſtead of painful and dolorous years which the World would make thee paſs thorough.
Prayer.
O Moſt gracious and merciful Lord, thou Guide of my Youth, thou Light to the blind, thou Inſtructer of the ignorant, who enlighteneſt the ſimple, bringeſt back thoſe that have wandered into the way of Truth, and perfecteſt praiſe out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings, teach me thy ways, and draw me out of the paths of the World: make haſte, that I may do ſo too: leave me not any longer in the World and in Sin. By the effuſion of thy Grace into my Soul, make my Heart to deſire thee, that in deſiring thee it may ſeek thee, and in ſeeking thee it may find thee, in finding thee it may love thee, and in loving thee it may find in that love a ſovereign Joy. It is now too long a time; I have conſumed my ſelf in my vain deſires. I would go to thee, but I find not ſtrength to vanquiſh thoſe Habits wherein I am engaged by Cuſtom. Come therefore and tear me, O my God, out of the arms of Voluptuouſneſs; ſuffer not theſe delays of mine: and if I ſhould ſay, yet a little while, ſtay a little longer, draw me by thy Powerfull Word, and ſay unto me, Awaken thou that ſleepeſt, ariſe from the dead, and Chriſt ſhall give thee Light. If words be not efficacious enough to raiſe me up, touch the biere, ſtrike the Body, wherein the Soul is, as it were, buried: It ſleepeth in its Tomb, or rather it is dead: bodily Pleaſures have overwhelm'd or ſlain it. Smite therefore the Body, that the Soul may awake; for it is better that I enter into Life having but one eye, than having two eyes to be caſt into Hell-fire: It is better that my Fleſh here below ſuffer ſome pains, and that my Soul one day taſte thoſe infinite Pleaſures which thou prepareſt for it on high. I abide in Sodom, and I love my abode: thou ſendeſt thy Angels to draw me thence, thy Word and thy Mniſters to make me depart before the terrible day comes, in which thou wilt tumble down torrents of fire and brimſtone upon this wicked World: but I ever find pretexts to delay. Lay hold then of my hand, and draw me out by the force of thy Grace, that I periſh not among the wicked. Shew me the way of thy holy hill, that I may ſave my ſelf, and thence without danger behold the deluges of Corruption, which overſpread the Country, and the Torrents of thy Wrath and Vengeance, which ſuddenly and amazingly overwhelm the World. Alas! If it would pleaſe thee, O my God, to make me taſte the ſperitual Delights of thy Love, I ſhould not be ſo ſenſible of Earthly Pleaſures, and I ſhould not linger ſo long to ſeek thee, for I moſt ardently wiſh after happineſs: If therefore I knew that my Beatitude lyes in thee, I ſhould flye to find in thee that happineſs which I ſeek. O Lord, ſince Pleaſure is the only Load-ſtone capable of drawing my Soul, make me taſte a little of that Joy which I ought to find in thee; make me to feel thy infinite Goodneſs, that without delay I may run after thee, and conſecrate my ſelf to thy ſervice, walking in Holineſs and Righteouſneſs all the dayes of my Life, and ſetting my Affections on things above, that when Chriſt, who is my Life and Pleaſure, ſhall appear, I may alſo appear with him in Glory.