Secondly, 'Tis because the Devil sees a great advantage in prevailing on young men. The gaining of young men thereunto, is a thing most signally useful to the Kingdom of the Devil. It secures the Kingdom of the Devil in their own Souls. If men are converted unto God, it is usually in the morning of their days, if they do not then gather the Manna of Christ and Grace, 'tis a thousand to one but they miss of it for ever. God says in Eccl. 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Youth; and the devil knows, that if the Creator be not then Remembered, it is likely that he I be forgotten for ever. The strong armed one is very studious to get and keep a strong hold in the Soul of a young man; as being sensible, that in Age, it will be harder to cast him out. We read in the Gospel about a very painful Dispossession; but this was the reason of it, Marc. 9. 21. This evil spirit came unto him of a child. If the devil make sure of a wretched sinner, till his youth he over, 'twill not be easy to eject him; every new Act of sin, has given him a new hold of the Soul. The Devil haunts the soul of a young man, giving interruption to all the motions of the blessed Jesus, & howling, What have we to do with thee, Jesus thou Son of God? Art thou come hither to torment us before our time? But Alas, if the Devil been't shaken off, before the time that age grows upon us, he will ⟨p. 59⟩ordinarily defy the holy Spirit upon him; and he will have a confidence that any blind and lame Devils will be strong enough to maintain the Castle, against our glorious David. It also promotes the Kingdom of the Devil among their neighbours Young men have a special fitness for the Devils •••usiness; they lay themselves out with more fervour, and more success; they keep more company, and so they diffuse their poison further, than can be said of other people. When that Nebuchadnezzar had work to be done, we find in Dan. 1. 4. he will have young men brought before him, skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge. Thus the furious Nebuchadnezzar of Hell, singles out young men, that their skill and their wit, and their vigour help to carry on his Affairs, the more effectually. Good old Austin therefore said unto a young Gentleman, Diabolus cupit abs te ornari; the devil would be glad if such Accomplishments as yours might be employed for him.
Secondly, 'Tis because the Devil sees a great advantage in prevailing on young men. The gaining of young men thereunto, is a thing most signally useful to the Kingdom of the Devil. It secures the Kingdom of the Devil in their own Souls. If men are converted unto God, it is usually in the morning of their days, if they do not then gather the Manna of Christ and Grace, 'tis a thousand to one but they miss of it for ever. God says in Eccl. 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Youth; and the devil knows, that if the Creator be not then Remembred, it is likely that he I be forgotten for ever. The strong armed one is very studious to get and keep a strong hold in the Soul of a young man; as being sensible, that in Age, it will be harder to cast him out. We read in the Gospel about a very painful Dispossession; but this was the reason of it, Marc. 9. 21. This evil spirit came unto him of a child. If the devil make sure of a wretched sinner, till his youth he over, 'twill not be easy to eject him; every new Act of sin, has given him a new hold of the Soul. The Devil haunts the soul of a young man, giving interruption to all the motions of the blessed Jesus, & howling, What have we to do with thee, Jesus thou Son of God? Art thou come hither to torment us before our time? But Alas, if the Devil been't shaken off, before the time that age grows upon us, he will ⟨p. 59⟩ordinarily defie the holy Spirit upon him; and he will have a confidence that any blind and lame Devils will be strong enough to maintain the Castle, against our glorious David. It also promotes the Kingdom of the Devil among their neighbours Young men have a special fitness for the Devils •••usiness; they lay themselves out with more ser••our, and more success; they keep more company, and so they diffuse their poison further, than can be said of other people. When that Nebuchadnezzar had work to be done, we find in Dan. 1. 4. he will have young men brought before him, skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge. Thus the furious Nebuchadnezzar of Hell, singles out young men, that their skill and their wit, and their vigour help to carry on his Affairs, the more effectually. Good old Austin therefore said unto a young Gentleman, Diabolus cupit abs te ornari; the devil would be glad if such Accomplishments as yours might be employed for him.