N00597:41
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.
INFOR. I. Hence we may assuredly Conclude that God will certainly Bless those Young men that do not walk in the way of their own hearts. Isaac said concerning his Son Jacob, I have Blessed him, yea, and he shall be blessed. Thus may we say of Young men whose hearts are changed and mortified to sin, self, and ⟨p. 44⟩the World, God ha's Blessed them, yea, and they shall be Blessed. Indeed such a Young man is a rare sight. The Philosopher of old laid it down for a Maxim, that Wisdom was incompatible to Youth, That a Young man could not be a Wise man, because Wisdom requires experience and experience requires time and age. This notwithstanding, the Grace of God may and it will make a Young man Wise. The Scripture speaks of a wise Child. Eccl. 4. 13. And of a Child that is an hundred years old, Isai. 65. 20. And of Young men that have the Spirit of God poured on them Joel 2. 28. The Young man that ha's saving Grace in his Soul will attend diligently to the Word of God; and whoever do's so will be blessed with that Wisdom, which will make him Eternally happy. David was a Young man when he wrote the 119 Psalm. But hear how he speaks in Verse 98, 99. Thou through thy Commandments, ha's made me wiser then mine Enemies; for they are ever with me, I have more Understanding then all my Teachers, for thy Testimonies are my Meditation: I understand more then the Ancients, because •, keep thy Precepts. Here now was a blessed Young man. The God of Heaven takes a singular delight in Young persons who truly •ear and serve Him. If men see young trees in their Orchards ⟨p. 45⟩