An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters…

This Note is as full in the words as any other. God takes it exceeding ill, it is a part of treachery against God for any to be a means to corrupt young ones. Take heed what you do in corrupting of young ones. Those young people that ⟨p. 431⟩are coming on and beginning to enquire after godliness, take heed what you do, that you hinder them not; Especially parents and governors; Oh let your consciences fly in your faces when you begin to curb them for their forwardness: Many times your consciences cannot but misgive you when you think, I have been wicked and naught most part of my days, I spent God knows many of my years in vanity and profaneness, here are young ones that begin betime to enquire after God, and yet wretch that I am my heart riseth against them.

This Note is as full in the words as any other. God takes it exceeding ill, it is a part of treachery against God for any to be a means to corrupt young ones. Take heed what you do in corrupting of young ones. Those young people that ⟨p. 431⟩are coming on and beginning to enquire after godliness, take heed what you do, that you hinder them not; Especially parents and governors; Oh let your consciences flie in your faces when you begin to curb them for their forwardness: Many times your consciences cannot but misgive you when you think, I have been wicked and naught most part of my daies, I spent God knows many of my yeers in vanity and profaness, here are young ones that begin betime to enquire after God, and yet wretch that I am my heart riseth against them.

And as these people that hinder young ones are to be rebuked, so such as seek to corrupt them by false opinions. Certainly it is that by which God is much provoked at this day; and as on the one side there is hope of mercy in regard so many young ones begin to enquire after God, so I know no such dreadful argument of Gods displeasure against this Nation as this, That as soon as young ones begin to come to know Jesus Christ, there are presently corrupt erro infused into them, and that under the notion of honouring Christ and free grace and the Gospel so much the more; whereas indeed they do no other than infuse principles of libertinism and looseness and such as will even eat out the heart of godliness. Certainly the Lord hath a quarrel against such as corrupt young ones by their false principles: for there are none so ready to drink in false principles as young ones, especially young converts, who begin to enquire after the ways of God: and these men that are their corrupters, they have this advantage, they come not to them to persuade them to profaneness, but they come to them with seeming pretences of giving honour unto Christ and of magnifying free grace, and in the mean time sow seeds in them that will eat out the power of godliness. Oh to corrupt children and young ones and when they begin to enquire after God and to know him, for you to do that which may estrange them from God, this is that which God will have a quarrel against you for! And it is a greater argument of Gods displeasure against us,