The young man's guide through the wilderness of this world to the heavenly Canaan shewing him how to carry himself Christian-like in the whole course of his life / by Tho. Gouge ...

The Epistle Dedicatory to the Youth of England; especially to those who are in or about the City of LONDON.

SIRS;

THough I fear you are not all of you in so good a condition for your Souls, as that I may apply those words to you without ex∣ception, which are in 1 Ioh. 2. 14. I have written unto you, Young Men, because you are strong, and the Word of God abideth in you; and ye have overcome the wicked one: yet the Searcher of all hearts knoweth, that I have written this Preface, and the en∣suing Treatise to you, out of an earnest desire that it might be so with you.

My self, and others, that stand upon the Brink of E∣ternity, by reason of Age, can see better than your selves (because we have had experience of it) that your Youthful time is a dangerous time; wherein, however you may now rejoyce, yet if you take not heed, you may contract such guilt to your Souls, as may make you to mourn hereafter, yea for ever, Prov. 5. 11, 12, 13.

You are apt to put by Convictions, and the Calls of Grace, in hope of longer life; and so to be unwilling yet to repent, because you are too confident that ye•…•… you shall not die; as if Holiness were not a thing in season for such as you are.

But doth God put off doing good to you, till you are Old? Is he not Now preserving of you, and providing for you while you are Young? Why then will you put off the doing service to him till you are Old? What horrible unthankfulness is this to God? What ground have you to think, that you shall live so long? or that you shall without fail die Gods Servants, if you live Slaves to Sin and Satan?

But because I intend to be brief in the way of an E∣pistle, (for the Porch must not be too great, where the House it self is but little) therefore I will say some∣what briefly to you, as you may be considered under a twofold distinction; then to you all in general.

• 1. Some of you are the Children of godly Parents, others are not.
• 2. Some of you are yet in your Apprenticeships and Service; and with others of you that time is ex∣pired.

You that are the Children of godly Parents, Oh if you should not be good, what can you have to plead for your selves? I take it for granted, that you have had the advantages of your Parents gracious instructi∣ons, holy examples, and fervent prayers. Have you forgotten what charge they laid upon you to fear the Lord? much like to that of David to Solomon, 1 Chron. 28. 9. And thou Solomon, my Son, know thou the God of thy Father, and serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind; for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and un∣derstandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee: but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

Why will you let the Pains, the Prayers, the Tears, the Desires, the Hopes of your Fathers that begot you, and your Mothers that bare you, to be lost and frustra∣ted? If your Parents be yet alive, would it not be the Joy of their hearts, to see that God had Circumcised yours? And if they be dead, will you not be afraid to meet them at the Tribunal of Jesus Christ, in an Unre∣generate condition? It was no small mercy to you, that God should make you to be the Seed of the Righteous: and it will be no small aggravation of your sin, if you

should not be a Righteous Seed. Perhaps besides your immediate Parents, your Forefathers and Ancestors were such as walked with God in their several Gene∣rations; and so godliness hath (through Free Grace) been, as it were, intailed upon your House, from one Age to another. Now what a dreadful thing would it be, if any of you should cut off the intail of Godliness! or that you should go to Hell, whose Parents are going, or gone to Heaven!

As for you whose Parents are not godly, that must not keep you from labouring to be so, because if they are not such, yet they should be such.

And, as I said before, to those whose Parents were gracious, that it would be a dreadful thing for them to cut off the intail of Godliness; so now I say to you whose Parents are wicked, that it would be a blessed thing for you to cut off the intail of sin: which if you shall do, will also cut off the intail of those Judgments which otherwise might come upon you for your Fa∣thers iniquities. Read to this purpose Ezek. 18. 14, 15, 16, 17. And oh what an honour will this be to you, if you shall do that which is right in the sight of the Lord, when those out of whose bowels you came, did that which was evil! Mark what notice is taken, by way of commendation, of Young Abijah, the Son of wicked Ieroboam, because in him was found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel, in the house of Je∣roboam, 1 King. 14. 13. It is matter of great thank∣fulness and rejoycing to any beholder, that good Chil∣dren should come even out of a good Family: but that the Branches should be holy where the Root was not, is matter of greater admiration and praise: And yet such wonderful mercy doth the Lord sometimes shew to some Children, who neither by the Fathers, nor Mo∣thers side, can plead any right to the Covenant of Grace. Be not discouraged therefore from looking af∣ter the Promise, because you are not, according to the Natural Birth, the Seed of true Believers: but repent, and believe the Gospel; and then, instead of that, (and which is more than that) you will, according to the Spiritual Birth, be the Sons of Abraham, yea the Sons of God.

Now, in order to the second distinction. Some of you are yet in your Apprenticeship and Service, in which you ought to behave your selves with that obe∣dience to your Governours, with that diligence and faithfulness in the duties of your Places, that you may be blessings to the Families into which God by his Providence hath called you. Take heed of pride, stub∣bornness, idleness, evil company, and of wronging your Masters in the least kind. Be much in the consideration and imitation of Iacob, and Ioseph: The first of which served Laban with all his power, Gen. 31. 6. And the other was so careful and conscientious in his Masters business, that he made him Overseer of his House, and put all that he had into his hands, Gen. 39. 4.

I would advise you to get such Scriptures by heart, which instruct Servants in their duties, especially these, Ephes. 6. 5, 6, 7, 8. Col. 3. 22, 23, 24, 25. 1 Tim. 6. 12. Tit. 2. 9, 10. 1 Pet. 2. 18, 19. &c. Take your Bibles, and turn to these places; read, remember, and practise them.

And because there is a sort of wicked Young Ones, who not being contented with being vile themselves, do desire to draw others into the Fellowship of their works of darkness; therefore let not that word depart from you, in Prov. 1. 10, My Son, if sinners intice thee, consent thou not: And verse 15. My Son, walk not thou in the way with them, refrain thy foot from their path. See also Prov. 4. 14, 15. &c.

And now for you, Young Men, whose years of Ap∣prenticeship are expired, and who are no longer Ser∣vants, because you are free from your Masters. You have a wide World before you, take heed that you be not lost in it, by wandring from the Paths of Gods Commandments, either

• 1. In the abusing of your Liberty; or,
• 2. In the using of your Trades.

As for your Liberty: Remember, that though the Yoke of your Masters be off, yet you must keep the Yoke of Christ on: or you must take it upon you, if yet you have not. As you had a Master on earth, whose Servants you were to be for a certain time, so you

have a Master in Heaven, whose servants you must b•…•… for ever, And this will be no unwelcom news to you, if you do but understand what a good Master the Lord is to all that serve him in sincerity, and with all their heart. Though therefore you have obtained freedom from man, yet you must not take any freedom to sin against God; and though you are, in that respect, at your own dispose, yet you must not live as if you were your own. I think that Young Men, at the coming out of their time, had need count it one of the special times of their life, wherein they should be most watchful. For it may be easily observed in too many, that there is such prophaneness then manifested, as if Hell were bro∣ken loose.

In the using of your Trades and Callings, you must manage all things, as those that do not make mens pra∣ctises, but Gods Precepts the Rule of your Buying and Selling. Beware of the love of Money, which is the root of all evil; and be sure you go not out of Gods way to get an Estate. That will be sad gain at last, which brings the loss of the Soul. It is mens horri∣ble unbelief, and ignorance, and distrustfulness of Gods All-sufficiency, that makes them think they shall not get enough for themselves, and theirs to live com∣fortable upon, unless they should stretch their Con∣sciences beyond the due bounds. And know, that what is unjustly gotten, will be followed with a Blast∣ing; when that which is honestly come by, will be fol∣lowed with a Blessing.

And now for a Conclusion to all of you. What hath hitherto been spoken, is but, as it were, to prepare you a little for that great Duty of Remembring NOW your Creatour in the days of your YOUTH. Be sure you never well remember your selves, if you forget the Lord. When the Prodigal Son came to himself, he presently thought of returning to his Father, Luk. 15. 17, 18, 19. Notwithstanding all your sins against God, his Bowels of Love will receive you, if you do not re∣fuse the mercy that is offered to you. He knows as well how to pardon the Penitent, as to punish the Im∣penitent. It is his infinite goodness to your Souls, that

you should have some to warn you before it be too late. In the number of which I have desired to be one, out of an hearty well-wishing to your Eternal good. Read and consider what follows, and the Lord give you understanding, and add his own blessing; teaching you faithfully to improve all the helps and furtheran∣ces he is pleased to vouchsafe unto you for your Souls advantage.

T. G.