Addresses to Old Men Young Men and Little Children, Dedication 2
The Dedication of The YOUNG MANS Glory. To the Praying and Private Meeetings of YOUNG PEOPLE in BOSTON. More especially to two or three such Assemblies, in lhe North-part of the TOWN.
IT was an Observation long since made by a Renowned Ancient, That our Lord Jesus Christ gave the most sensible and pathetick manifestations of his Love to the Youngest of his Disciples; and it is a common temper in the Owner of every Orchard, more particularly to take notice of a few Fruits appearing on a young Tree, than of much larger Quantities on a Tree of longer standing: It becomes me therefore to acknowledge it wi…h a singular Affection, that there are in this poor Town so many scores of young persons, who having taken upon them a more serious profession of Religion do endeavour to quicken & strengthen one another in it, by meeting together for the Exercises of Devotion every week; especially in the Evening after the Sabbath, which is a spot of time too meanly and vainly and impertinently, not to say perniciously, spent by multitudes in the midst of us. I count it not the smallest Happiness of my life that I have been for perhaps more than a dozen years acquainted with some of those useful Meetings; as having in them had more than a little of my Education, and my Preparation, for my public Ministry. The sense of my Obligations to them, has caused me some while ago to ask their Acceptance of a little Book, Entituled, Early Piety Exemplify'd, and intended in a particular manner for their Edification; and for the same cause it is, that I now put into their hands another little Discourse, recommending unto them, A victory over the Wicked One; 'tis because I am desirous that in their Journey Heaven-wards, they may not prove like young Travellers, that at first gallop furiously, but soon tire, and come late or lame home at last; and that while they are upon the Road, they may not be thrown backwards by the Se…pent in the way, the Adder in the path waiting for them.
Brethren, I can from a troublesome Experience tell you, that when once you come to Renounce the Service and (as then you must) oppose the Interest of the Devil, he will quickly persecute you with his unwearied Molestations; and you are yet in too good terms with him, if you do not already find him, Your Adversary going about like a Roaring Lion. When Sampson was entring upon the work of God, it was not long before the Lion Roar'd on him. For my own part, I mourn bitterly to think, that I have done so little towards Destroying and Confounding the Kingdom of the Devil; for which, the writing and spreading of Books is none of the least Expedients; but something I have done; and the Wicked One, has like a Dragon, been spitting Fire at me for it. While I was preparing for the Press, one of those little Books which I have sent abroad, the Devil from the mouth of a possessed person, in the Audience of several standers-by, threatned me with much Disgrace for what I was about. Whereupon presently and ever-since, those great Agents of the Devil, the modern leaders of the poor deluded Quakers, have in one Pamphlet after another been loading of me with most virulent and malicious Reproaches, in hopes, That some will stick; but the dirt they cast happily proves like that of Oysters; it more cleanses than defiles. The same disturbance, that was given to the Devil by that little Book, I am willing should arise unto him from all the rest of my poor composures; and I suppose he will have it from This, which particularly treats him as our Enemy, and professedly pursues a victory over him. This (which was once a) Land of Ʋprightness, now is not without some people in it, than which I believe, the Devil has not more devoted and resolved Vassals in all his Territories; people that have sinned against, until they have sinned away, all the strivings of Gods Holy Spirit, and that are now full of all fraudulence and craftiness, and the Enemies of all Righteousness. I do expect that if their father can have his will, these will quickly be inspired with a rage that will vent it self a thousand ways against all my poor Endeavours to annoy that Wicked One. And since, 'tis especially by Printing of Sermons that I labour to give most provocation to the Devil, 'twill be no more surprise to me, if I find the Devil assaying by the Printing of Slanders to take his Revenges on me; than it was to a man so much better and greater than my self, as Athanasius, to read the Libels of a wicked Generation against him, wherein as the Historian tells it, Caedes, Adulteria, Furta, quicquid Atrox confingi poterat sancto Viro objiciebantur; all manner of Devilism, was by the Devil forged of that good man; but as 'twill be my Honour herein to endure no other Buffetings than what have been bestow'd upon the best of men, so I have already published, in the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth pages of the Discourse which God helped me to make at our last Anniversary Election, all the Answer that I count it worth while to give unto whatever Calumnies a buisy Devil may go to afflict me with.
I mention this rather to alarm you, than to comfort my self, and I advise you that if the Devil now assault you with various Temptations, to divert you and seduce you from the good ways which you are now walking in, you would not think strange of the trial, as though some strange thing happened unto you. My Dear Brethren, go on, hold out, persevere; I would say to you as Austin said unto his, when the Roman Empire became Christian, I pray don't think the Devil is turned Christian yet. And let me never be so unhappy as to see the Lion fetching away out of my Flocks, any of the Lambs which I am to be feeding of. Part of your Food is now laid before you;
by your unworthy Pastor, Cotton Mather.
THE YOUNG MAN'S Glory. OR, A Wreath of Graces for the Head of YOUTH.
1 John II.XIII.
I write unto you, YOUNG MEN, because ye have overcome the Wicked One.
THat we have the Word of God written, is a thing to be with many Thanksgivings ascribed unto the Grace of God; everlasting Praises are due from us to Him, that has written the great things of his Law. And one Expression of our gratitude unto Him for it, would be for us to count our selves therein written unto; to judge our selves as much concerned in the Scripture, as if it were a Letter with our Names in the superscription of it. But that we may not give the least way to a contrary, and a culpable inadvertency, the Holy Spirit of God has particularized in his Addresses, and apply'd himself unto the several Ages of men. 'Tis unto young men, that we now see an inspired Apostle writing; and unto pious, gracious, Christian young men; such young men as all men may behold a pattern in. A very glorious Attainment is here acknowledged in such young men as believe in and belong to, the Lord Jesus Christ; and the Expression is adapted unto that condition which young men are naturally ambitious of. We read in Prov. 20.29. the glory of young men is their strength: 'tis that which they value themselves upon. The age of young men is accomodated unto wrestling, and fighting, and such Athletic Exercises, and their Humour is more than a little delighted in their victories over their Antagonists. Well, there is a cursed Enemy which all young men are to contend withal; which Enemy is the Devil, called here by the name of, the Wicked One; and godly young men are so happy as to have the upper-hand of this wicked Enemy, they prevail and prosper in their Encounters with him. Behold then this Doctrine for our present Meditations.