THE Young-man's Duty OR Good Council for Young-Men Shewing the Happiness of being good betimes â—ith an Alarm from the Eternal God to Drowsie Saints and secure Sinners 〈◊〉 also the Young-Mans Objections answered and the Old-mans doubts resolved By Roger Hough King 18.12 But I thy Servant fear the Lord from my youth â—â—overbs 16.31 The Hoary Head is a crown of Glory if it be found in the way of righteousness LONDON â—â—â—nted by W. L. and T. J. for Phillip Brooksby next door to the Ball in West-smithfield near the Hos-pital-Gate 1677. THE Young Man's Duty Eccles 11 Chap. 9 Verse Rejoyce O Young-man in thy Youth and let thy heart chear 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 to Judgement SOlomon in the Conclusion of this Chapter is Exhorting the Sons of Men to true Religion and the better to and in order to the same he mindeth them of Death and Iudgement without which there cannot be planted in us a right Care and Fear of God From the Seventh Verse to the latter end he hath to do with Two Sorts of Men. First With those that were glued to this life and to the delights and pleasures thereof of And thus he brings them in speaking thus Truly the light is sweet and it is a pleasant thing to behold the Sun verse 7. By light there we are to understand the light of the Sun shining on us while we enjoy this Mortal Life This many men suppose to be a very pleasant thing and they overmuch content themselves in the same These Solomon verse 8. refuteth by three Arguments The First is this that though a Man live many years yet let him remember the days of darkness That is That a time of death will come a time when our Sun will set and our light will turn to darkness though we live never so long never so sweetly never so pleasantly though we enjoy the light of the Sun yet we should carefully remember that darkness abideth in us Secondly saith Solomon These days are His Argument is thus much Let a man consider with himself though he live many years yet notwithstanding the days and years of his life cannot be compared with the days and years of his death Now in the Word we have read we have to deal with Young-men and he is altogether given to jollity and Merriment He forgeteth God and the days of darkness and his later end Rejoyce O Young man in thy Youth and let thy Heart cheer thee in the day of thy youth and walk in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know this there is a cooling Card that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement In the Word we will consider two parts First What Young-men do Secondly The Medicine of God to heal young-men of their default that young-men do is this They give themselves over to an inordinate Carnal joy This joy is set out from the time of it the days of thy youth from the cause of it their hearts cheer them from the kinds of it they walk in the ways of their hearts and in the sight of their eyes Thirdly The Medicine with which Solomon would heal young-men of this inordinate carnal joy is this Know saith he that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement that is It is a most Divine and infallible truth that every one should know and acknowledge that whatsoever sins they commit in their Youth without repentance they must undergo the dreadful judgement of God beeause of them Doct. That it is a Sin of Young-men to Rejoyce inordinately and carnally in the days of their youth to walk after their hearts and in the sight of their eys We Read concerning the Old World that were Eating and Drinking and Marrying and giving in Marriage altogether sottish and sensual till the Wrath of God came in the Flood and swept them away Isa 22.14 Let us eat and drink for too morrow we shall die It is thought this was not so much the Language of Age as of the Youth in Israel Hence Solomon giveth a Caveat to Young-men Eccles 12.1 To Bridle and restrain from this jollity and carnal Mirth Remember now the Creator in the days of thy youth while the evil days come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them And the Apostle St. Paul 1 Tim. 2.22 Instructeth Timothy to slye youthful lusts Tit. 2.6 Exhort young-men that they be sober minded Let us a little consider the reasons of the Doctrine whence it is that Young-men should be so much misguided in their youth The first cause is Natural Corruption that they have drawn by Propagation from their Parents a Spiritual Leprosie and Malady and a Disease which as it prevaileth for the most part upon age by covetousness so it geteth ground of youth by sensuallity and voluptuousness this dams up the ear against reproof this hardens the heart against instruction and makes many young men the Souldiers of Satan in sin Again in the second place Men in their youth forget the day of their Reckoning and Iudgement they are not mindful of their later end Deut. 32.22 Oh that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end this precept is neglected both by youth and age but especially by those of younger years for they think it is time enough to repent and turn to God when they are old and so they put off God from time to time till at last justice cuts them down and throws them into everlasting burning where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Again in the third place Young-men are not broken down by afflictions the Fallow ground is not Plowed up by afflictions which through the grace of God are great means to fame Nature and to subdue Pride and to bring the Soul to a right frame and temper Before I was afflicted saith David I went astray And Ephraim saith Jâ—r 31. I was as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoâ—k houâ— chastised me and I was chastisedst I wâ—s ash medâ— because bore the reproach of my youth But young-men are free from aches and pains and sickness and sorrow much more then old age and this is the reason why they are more Licentious Lastly Young-men want true Ioy in God therefore they betake themselves to Carnal joy for sure it is a man cannot live without joy and contentment if he hath it not from the Wells of Salvation Now because men in their Youth cannot take in the Spiritual Ioy of that clear Fountain therefore they drink in the muddy waters of carnal joy The use of this point is in the first place an admonition to all Young-men to take notice of those Maladies and spiritual Diseases in themselves The first degree of our healing is to see
to judgement Secondly What manner of judgement this will be For the First What is the reason that God will bring all these things to judgement The First reason is Decrée Heb. 9.27 It is appointed for all men once to dye and after Death to Judgement Even as it must needs be that men must dye because God hath appointed it so it must needs be that men must come to iudgement in regard of the purpose and decree of God Secondly God will do this in regard of his righteousness He is a holy God a hater of iniquity But many times in this World it is well with the Wicked and ill with the Godly Lazarus he is in woful misery and Dives is in abundance of prosperity Now God will shew his love to the Righteous and his hatred to the Wicked in this judgement Lastly the consciences of men may prove that there shall be a judgement For let a Man commit secret sins that none knoweth of but God and he yet many times he feeleth hellish horror which is a manifest proof That Conscience seeth and apprehendeth God as the Supream judge That will call all men to account for their sins Thus you hear the reasons why there must be a judgement 1. It will be the last judgement which declareth the terribleness of it In this there is hope Let the wicked forsake his ways and turn to the Lord and he will be gracious to him Again It shall be a general judgement which is the second thing 2 Cor. 10. We must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ 3. It shall be a Manifest Iudgement Sometimes the Lord judgeth men secretly by raising up in them fears and horrors in their hearts causing his Curse in them as Water in their Bowels and Oyl in their Bones but then God shall open his wrath against the Children of wrath before all the world of men and no eye shall pitty them 4. It shall be a sudden judgement even as the flood came upon the old world when they were sporting themselves and deriding Noah that preached to them of the flood this day shall come as a Snare upon all that dwell upon the earth it shall come as a thief in the night 5. It shall be a Righteous Iudgement Rom. 2. God will tender to every man according to his deeds Lastly It shall be an eternal judgement So saith the Apostle Heb. 6.2 It is not meant that God will fit for ever but it is so called from the effects for the conclusion shall be this the eternal weal and happyness of the Godly and the eternal woe and misery of the wicked that shall be plunged by the Iustice of God into the severest torments The Use of this Doctrine Will God bring both Old and Young great and small to judgement then let this be for instruction to all to haste to repentance Beloved this is one of the last things that God will do and this is the greatest thing that the Minister can say God will iudge you for your sins Acts 17 31. God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the World in Righteousness Surely if this doth not awaken us nothing will nothing can Art thou able to stand before God when he is angry with us oh the hardness of Mans heart that will not be awakened though he hears that the Iudge is at the door but still goes on treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath In the third place this Doctrine that God will judge the world should make us Preserve in our selves a good conscience Act. 24.16 The Apostle had hope that there should be a Resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust therefore he did exercise himself to have always a good conscience void of offence towards God and towards man Lastly This Doctrine should teach us to fear God and give Glory to him As St. John speaks in his Revelation The Day of his Judgement is a coming therefore fear him and give glory to him and the Lord give you understanding in all things FINIS
choak the Word of God that it cannot bring forth grateful fruit to God Fourthly If Young-men delight in Riches and rejoyce in the Estates that God hath given them this lightness is a vain thing For First Many times wealth is gotten by deceit and then God bloweth on it Jer. 5.27 As a Cage full of Birds so are their Houses full of deceit therefore they are become great and waxen rich shall not I visit for these things saith the Lord and shall not my soul be revenged on such a People as this saith the Lord. Again Wealth is kept with sorrow and vexation Eccel 5.12 The sleep of the labouring man is sweet whether he eat liâ—tle or much but the abundance of the Rich will not suffer them to sleep Thirdly Wealth is left with a great deal of sorrow and vexation Rev. 18.18 When â—he smoak of Babylon ascended up to Heaven Oh what Lamentation there was they cryed out What City is like this great City and they cast â—he dust on their heads and cryed weeping and wailing saying Alas alas that great City wherein were made rich all that had ships on the Sea by reason of her constliness for in one hour 〈◊〉 she made desolate But suppose farther â—hat a man should get and keep his wealth in â—he fear of God yet these these things are most uncertain riches Lastly these riches cannot preserve your life so saith Christ himself Luke 12.25 Psal 62.9 and 49.78 Thus I have shewed the several things that Young-men rejoyce in and shewed â—ou likewise that their joy is founded upon vanity and this is the second means to heal young-men of their inordinateness of their joy to meditate with themselves how vain and frivoâ—ous all things are they delight in The third means is to betake themselves to seek spiritual joy the well-head of this joy is in God the grounds of this joy are 2 fold First The good things Exhibited Secondly The good things Promised The good things Exhibited That God hath written our names in the Book of Life Here is a Fountain of Spiritual Iâ—n to a true Christian To rejoyce saith Christ not that the Devils are fallen before you but that your names are written in the Book of Life Secondly The other ground of Spiritual joy is The good things promised us and those may be reduced to two Heads God hath promised 1. That our afflictions shall be for our Edification And God hath promised deliverance from affliction all in the best season Again For the defects of Grace in us which indeed is a thing grievous to a true Christian here we may rejoyce First In the promise of preserving of Grace Sâ—condly In the promise of augmentation anâ— growth in Grace Thirdly In the promise of bringing the weakest grace to perfection Here you haue the Well-head of joy Oâ— that young men would know God and Iesus Christ and the Word of God and the Promises that they may leave this sinful sottish joy whereunto they are solicited this is the means to be rid of it by getting into their Souls the sense and feeling of the true joy of the Children of God Again In the second place Young men should be exhorted not to walk after their own hearts which is the next thing that Solomon noteth as a fault in them The heart saith Jeremiah is deceitful above measure and desperately wicked who would follow a false guide and a desperate Wicked guide so is the heart of man Lastly They should not walk after the fight of their Eyes David Prayed Turn away mine eyes that I regard not vanity and quicken me in thy Law And again Open mine eyes that I may see the Wondrous things of thy Law There is much danger in following our eyes Eve was mis-led by her eye She looked upon the forbidden-fruit and saw it beautiful and lusted after it And when I saw saith Achan among the spoils a goodly Babilonish Garment and a wedge of gold then I coveted them and took them Josh 7.21 David was defiled with the glance of his eye he saw Bathsheba from the roof of his house washing her self and then he lusted 2 Samuel 11.1 Holy Men have prayed to God that he would kéep their eyes in a right frame and temper These are the particulars that Solomon giveth to young men in direction to take heed of Carnal joy to take heed of walking after their Hearts these things Brethren I have committed in direction to you The last part of this Doctrine I have reserved for Old-men for if young-men may not rejoyce carnally much less may Old-men youth may plead for it self in want of Wisdome and Gravity and Experience better then those of Age. If young-men may not have evil hearts and eyes much less old men Look to it you that hear me this day that are stricken in age as the Scriptures saith that are smitten in your limbs with age that you cannot walk with activity and nimbleness and are smitten in your senses with age that you cannot well see and hear and faste Oh that your hearts would smite you for your sins Oh would to God you did bethink your selves before it be too late May not young men rejoyce in Pleasures in Friends in Honour in Wealth much less may old age must young men be careful to chase away all Carnal joy and get Spiritual joy that beginneth in godly Sorrow much more must old men It is no time for those that are Old to rejoyce in carnal things a few days will make an end of them and lay them in the Grave Oh theâ— you that are of years break off your Sins by Repentance and your iniquities by Mercy Rejoyce ye in being good and in doing good this joy will continue with you But know thou that for all this God will bring thee to judgement Doct. 2. That the Lord God will certainly bring men to Judgment for all the Sins they have committed But know thou must know it you should always remember it and whatsoever thou takest in hand consider with thy self whether it will stand with thee at that great day of judgement Mal. 3.18 A Book of Remembrance was written before God for those that fear the Lord and thought upon his Name So the Lord hath a Book of Remembrance wherein he writeth down the sins of the Sons of men and this shall be opened Eccles 12.14 God will bring every Work unto Judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil 2 Cor. 5.10 We must all appear before the Judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 1 Thes 4.16 The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with a voice of the Arch-Angel and with the Trump of God Jude 14. For the opening of this Point I will briefly shew you these two things First What is the reason that God will bring all these things