Hints to Young Men — J. C. Ryle
by J.C. Ryle
“Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see — but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment!” Ecclesiastes 11:9
- Ought not a young man to think?
“My people do not consider.” Isaiah 1:3
“Consider your ways!” Haggai 1:5, 7
Certainly a young man ought to think. Until I can persuade you to do that — I have done nothing. The very first request I make to every reader of this address is this — that he will give his heart the benefit of a little quiet thinking.
Lack of thought is one simple reason why thousands of souls are cast away forever. Men will not consider — they will not look forward — they will not look around them — they will not reflect on the end of their present course, and the sure consequences of their present ways — and they awake at last to find they are damned for lack of thinking!
Young men, none are in more danger of this, than yourselves. Recklessness and thoughtlessness are your greatest snares. You hate the trouble of sober, quiet thinking — and so you form wrong decisions, and run your heads into sorrow. Young Esau must have his brother’s stew, and sells his birthright — he never thought how much he should one day need it. Young Simeon and Levi must avenge their sister Dinah, and slay the Shechemites — they never considered how much trouble they might bring on their father Jacob and his house. It is one of God’s solemn charges against the Jews in Isaiah’s time, “My people do not consider.” (Isaiah 1:3.)
Believe me, this world is not a world in which we can do well without thinking, and least of all do well in the matter of our souls. “Don’t think,” whispers Satan. He knows that an unconverted heart is like a dishonest tradesman’s books — it will not bear close inspection.
“Consider your ways!” says the word of God — stop and think — consider and be wise.
Well says the Spanish proverb, “Hurry comes from the devil.”
Just as men marry in haste, and then repent at leisure — so they make mistakes about their souls in a minute — and then suffer for it forever. Just as a bad servant does wrong, and then says, “I never gave it a thought!” — so young men run into sin, and then say, “I did not think about it — it did not look like sin.” Not look like sin! What would you have? Sin will not come to you, saying “I am sin!” It would do little harm if it did. Sin always seems “good, and pleasant, and desirable,” at the time of commission.
Oh! get wisdom, get discretion. Remember the words of Solomon: “Ponder the paths of your feet, and let all your ways be established.” (Proverbs 4:26.) It is a wise saying of Lord Bacon, “Do nothing rashly. Wait a little while.”
Some, I dare say, will object that I am asking what is unreasonable — that youth is not the time of life when people ought to be grave and thoughtful. I answer, there is little danger of their being too much so in the present day. Foolish talking, and jesting, and joking, and excessive merriment — are only too common.
Doubtless there is a time for all things; but to be always vain and trifling is anything but wise. What says the wisest of men? “It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of feasting — for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter — for by the sadness of the countenance, the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning — but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.” (Ecclesiastes 7:2, 3, 8.)
Matthew Henry tells a story of a great statesman in Queen Elizabeth’s time, who retired from public life in his latter days, and gave himself up to serious thought. His former mirthful companions came to visit him, and told him he was becoming melancholy: “No,” he replied, “I am serious; for all are serious round about me. God is serious in observing us — Christ is serious in interceding for us — the Spirit is serious in striving with us — the truths of God are serious — our spiritual enemies are serious in their endeavors to ruin us — poor lost sinners are serious in Hell! Why then should not you and I be serious too?”
Oh! young men, learn to be thoughtful. Learn to consider what you are doing — and where you are going. Make time for calm reflection. Commune with your own heart — and be still. Do not be lost merely for lack of thought and consideration.
- What are your prospects?
A wise man will always look forward. To think of nothing but time present, is the part of a fool. There are two things to which the young should look forward, as well as the old — and these two are death and judgment.
Young men, it is appointed unto you once to die; and however strong and healthy you may be now, the day of your death is perhaps very near. I see young people sick — as well as old people. I bury youthful corpses — as well as aged corpses. I read the names of persons no older than yourselves in every churchyard. I learn from books that, excepting infancy and old age — more die between thirteen and twenty-three, than at any other season of life. And yet you often live as if you were sure never to die at all!