Words of advice to young men delivered in two sermons at two conventions of…

1. That i• is very irrational to conclude, that all Professors of the Gospel are hypocrites, because some are so. I believe you will not be kept from taking money, because some have proved to be brass, silvered over: Though all be not gold that glistereth, yet all gold glistereth: The counterfeit of sincerity i• an argument that there is sincerity; and if the falling away of some doth evidence hypocrisy, the standing ⟨p. 67⟩and perseverance of others in the ways of God to their lives end, doth evidence that they are sincere.

1. That i• is very irrational to conclude, that all Professors of the Gospel are hypocrites, because some are so. I believe you will not be kept from taking money, because some have proved to be brass, silvered over: Though all be not gold that glistereth, yet all gold glistereth: The counterfeit of sincerity i• an argument that there is sincerity; and if the falling away of some doth evidence hypocrisie, the standing ⟨p. 67⟩and perseverance of others in the waies of God to their lives end, doth evidence that they are sincere.

2. If some that are sincere have fallen grossly, yet let me tell you, that there are but few sincere ones, whom God doth suffer all their days to fall into such sins. Young Joseph had opportunity, enticements, secrecy to commit adultery wi•h his Mistress, and yet he stood; he did not dare to do that great wickedness and sin against God: And I believe there are thousands of sincere and humble Christians; that would choose rather to be torn to a thousand pieces, than to commit that, or any other gross sin: It was a noble Christian spirit in that young man, who when enticed by a Harlot to commit adultery, and he could not defend himself with his hands, they being tied, bit off his tongue, that the pain thereof might quench all natural desires after the pleasure which she most obscenely provoked him unto.