N00597:26
Solemn advice to young men, not to walk in the ways of their heart,…Solemn advice to young men, not to walk in the wayes of their heart,…
Solemn advice to young men, not to walk in the ways of their heart, and in the sight of their eyes; but to remember the Day of Judgment. / By Increase Mather, president of Harvard College in Cambridge, & preacher of the Gospel at Boston, in New-England. ; [Five lines of Scripture texts]Solemn advice to young men, not to walk in the wayes of their heart, and in the sight of their eyes; but to remember the Day of Judgment. / By Increase Mather, praesident of Harvard Colledge in Cambridge, & preacher of the Gospel at Boston, in New-England. ; [Five lines of Scripture texts]
printed by Bartholomew Green. Sold by Samuel Phillips, 1695
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. Unruly Unmortified Passions, are the ways of a mans own heart. As for those Graces of Meekness, and Patience, and a forbearing forgiving spirit, they do not grow in natures garden: They are Supernatural fruits produced and planted in the heart by the holy Spirit of God: but for men to be Passionate and Revengeful is natural: We see it in little Children who if any one cross them, will presently strike again and revenge themselves. The carnal Unregenerate hearts of men esteem those holy Commandments which require the Mortification of Passions to be severe and unreasonable. Julian the Apostate would scoff and deride the Christian Religion because of those holy precepts which our Saviour Christ ha's taughts His Disciples, in Math. 5. 39, 40. Resist ye not evil, but whosoever shall smite you on the right cheek, […] to him the other also. &c. The Philosophers amongst the Gentiles have taught that in great injuries men ought to revenge themselves, ⟨p. 23⟩which is directly contrary to the express word of God. Prov. 24. 29. Say not I will do to him as he has done to me, I will render to him according to his work. Nothing is more natural for men then to say so, and to do so. I'll be even with him (saith the Unregenerate heart) I'll give him as good as he brings. They think it a disgrace for them to put up an affront, or to pass by an injury without revenge or satisfaction, notwithstanding the Lord chargeth them to forgive those that have done them wrong as ever they desire pardoning mercy at the hands of God. And thus it is with Young men until the Grace of God ha's made a mighty change in them: they are ruled not by the word of God, but by their own passions; when once they are provoked because they have not Grace in their hearts, they cannot command their own spirits. Hence it is usual with Young men in their anger to speak rashly and wickedly. There are Young men so devoid of all fear of God and the Judgment to come, as that in their mad wrath and rage, they will Curse and Swear, and wish Damnation to themselves and others. Ungodly Young men are apt to proceed from wrathful words to revengeful blows: in their passion they'll make bloody work of it. ⟨p. 24⟩There were a number of Young men (above Twenty of them) that every one thrust his Sword in his fellows side until they fell down together.