N00597:8
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.
Solemn Advice to Young Men.
Ecclesiastes 11. 9. Rejoice O Young man in thy Youth, and let thy Heart cheer thee in the days of thy Youth, and walk in the Ways of thy Heart, and in the sight of thine Eyes; but know thou, that for all these things, God will bring thee into Judgment.
Ecclesiastes 11. 9. Rejoyce O Young man in thy Youth, and let thy Heart cheer thee in the dayes of thy Youth, and walk in the Wayes of thy Heart, and in the sight of thine Eyes; but know thou, that for all these things, God will bring thee into Judgment.
IN these words we have (1.) An Ironical Concession. Do thou (faith Solomon) who art a young man live as Merry as heart can with: Indulge thy self in the most Vicious Courses and see what will come of it, or on thee for […]. He had just before intimated that life in this world is but short, and then a long Eternity followeth. If a man live many years and rejoice in them all, yet let him remember the days of darkness for they shall be […]. The longest […] upon Earth, is here but a very short […] compared with the days which his ⟨p. 6⟩Body must be in the dark Grave, and if he continueth walking in the way of his Heart and in the sight of his Eyes) his Soul in a darker Hell. The use which an Atheist on an Epicure would make of this Doctrine concerning the brevity of mans life, is, Then let us live a short life and a merry, let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die. Do so (saith Solomon) do so Young man, and see what you will bring your self unto at last. He doth not speak in earnest, but in an holy disdain. His words are like those of the Prophet unto Ahab, whose heart was set upon going to fight against the Syrians hoping to come off a Conqueror, Go and prosper (saith he) for the Lord shall deliver thy enemies into thy hands; when as he intended the contrary. Thus doth Solomon by way of Irony and Derision permit young men to do that which the most willingly and commonly practise. Therefore (2.) The Latter part of the words read, contain a sad and serious Admonition unto Young men. Know young man that for all these things, h. e. for all the Sins, Vanities, and Extravagances of thy youth, God will bring thee into Judgment. Thou shalt one […] brought before the Tribunal of the […] God, there to have thy Trial; and […]