Q. Why do you mock us, to bid us go on in our sins? you had need pray for us that God would save us.—A. I do not mock you, but as the wise man doth; and besides, I pray for you and wish your salvation.
Q. How doth the wise man mock us?—A. Thus; '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 thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment' (Eccl 11:9).
Q. What a kind of mocking is this?—A. Such an one as is mixed with the greatest seriousness; as if he should say, Ay, do, sinners, go on in your sins if you dare; do, live in your vanities, but God will have a time to judge you for them.
Q. Is not this just as when my father bids me be naught if I will: but if I be naught he will beat me for it?—A. Yes; or like that saying of Joshua, 'If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve'; serve your sins at your peril (Josh 24:15).
Q. Is it not best then for me to serve God?—A. Yes; for they that serve the devil must be where he is, and they that serve God and Christ, must be where they are (John 12:26; Matt 25:41).
Q. But when had I best begin to serve God?—A. Just now: 'Remember NOW thy Creator,' NOW thou hast the gospel before thee, NOW thy heart is tender and will be soonest broken.
Q. But if I follow my play and sports a little longer, may I not come time enough?—A. I cannot promise thee that, for there be little graves in the churchyard; and who can tell but that thy young life is short; or if thou dost live, perhaps thy day of grace may be as short as was Ishmael's of old: read also Proverbs 1:24-26.
Q. But if I stay a little longer before I turn, I may have more wit to serve God than now I have, may I not?—A. If thou stayest longer, thou wilt have more sin, and perhaps less wit: for the bigger sinner, the bigger fool (Prov 1:22).
Q. If I serve God sometimes, and my sin sometimes, how then?—A. 'No man can serve two masters.' Thou canst not serve God and thy sins (Matt 6:24). God saith, 'My Son, give me thine heart' (Prov 23:26). Also thy soul and body are his; but the double-minded man is forbidden to think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord (1 Cor 6:20; James 1:7,8).
Q. Do you find many such little children as I am, serve God?—A. Not many; yet some I do, Samuel served him being a child (1 Sam 3:1). When Josiah was young he began to seek after the God of his father David (2 Chron 34:3). And how kindly did our Lord Jesus take it, to see the little children run tripping before him, and crying, Hosannah to the Son of David? (Matt 21:15,16).