The instruction of youth in Christian piety taken out of the sacred Scriptures, and Holy Fathers; divided into five parts. With a very profitable instruction for meditation, or mental prayer. By Charles Gobinet, Doctor of Divinity, of the House and Society of Sorbon, principal of the College of Plessis-Sorbon. The last edition in French, now render'd into English.

ADVICE V.

That young People ought to have a care of a∣voiding three ordinary Causes of their Ruin at that time, Play, Wine, and Impu∣rity.

These are the three great Rocks on which at this time young People split, and to which Idleness and Company bring them, and cause their Shipwreck. Some are lost by the irregular love of Gaming, which occasions an excessive loss of Time, prodigality of their Means, Vexation and Despair, and casts them frequently into Extremities. Others by the excess of Wine and good Cheer, which they seek then as their chiefest Happiness, and which be∣sides the ruin of their Health and Fortunes, is frequently the cause of sad Mischiefs. Others, and the greatest part, by the de∣testable Sin of Impurity, which so univer∣sally possesses young People, and princi∣pally at that time, and often by all these together.

I beseech you, dear Theotime, in the Name of God, to observe attentively these three Evils, as the three Precipices you are to avoid at that time. See what we have said

above of each of these in Part 3. Chap. 8. and in Part 4. Chap. 20. Use all possible Endeavors to fly them, and be confident, that upon this Flight depends all your Good and Salvation.