The young man's guide through the wilderness of this world to the heavenly Canaan…

Hast thou fallen into sin? do not say it is but one, or but a little one. 'Tis sin (be it great or little, one or more) tis sin, and that's enough to destroy thee for ever, unless thou repent. Go speedily and make up the breach, repent and seek thy pardon, and thy peace.

But what shall I say to you, O rude and wicked Young men, whose whole life is a continued course of iniquity, who have so black a cloud of witnesses to testify against you, who are so sunk, and drowned in Lust and sensuality, whose hand is never out, but is always engaged in one wickedness or other, whose whole life hath been an Apprenticeship to the Devil. What, O what shall I say to you? Is this a state to take your rest in? Is this a state to laugh and be so merry in? How is it that you are not all upon your knees, or fallen upon your faces? that you are not all in tears, and in tremblings? Do you sit at the Wine, and cheer your selves with strong Drink? Vinegar, and Gall, and Worm-wood is more proper for you, sorrow and bitterness of soul. What, friends, do you mean to outdare the Almighty? Do not you fear the wrath of the Lamb? Are you death-proof, and hell-proof? Is the judgement to come but a bugbear? Dare you to meet the Judge of all the earth, and to stand before his Bar with all your loads of guilt upon you? How will your courage come down, and your brisk and wanton looks be appalled? How will ⟨p. 122⟩these stout hearts quake, and these bold spirits of yours shiver and fall, and hide themselves if it were possible, from that terror of the Lord in his dreadful and terrible day?

But what shall I say to you, O rude and wicked Young men, whose whole life is a continued course of iniquity, who have so black a cloud of witnesses to testifie against you, who are so sunk, and drown'd in Lust and sensuality, whose hand is never out, but is alwayes ingaged in one wickedness or other, whose whole life hath been an Apprenticeship to the Devil. What, O what shall I say to you? Is this a state to take your rest in? Is this a state to laugh and be so merry in? How is it that you are not all upon your knees, or fallen upon your faces? that you are not all in tears, and in tremblings? Do you sit at the Wine, and chear your selves with strong Drink? Vinegar, and Gall, and Worm-wood is more proper for you, sorrow and bitterness of soul. What, friends, do you mean to outdare the Almighty? Do not you fear the wrath of the Lamb? Are you deathproof, and hell-proof? Is the judgement to come but abugbear? Dare you to meet the Judge of all the earth, and to stand before his Bar with all your loads of guilt upon you? How will your courage come down, and your brisk and wanton looks be appaled? How will