the Kingdom of Heaven is what the Kingdom of Glory is Is not a Sinless state a Sorrow-less state a Temptationless state a Time-less state worth the hearing worth the having Oh Soul 't is a Heaven to hope it what then is it to have it Now Glory hereafter Happines hereafter a Being with Christ hereafter a Heaven hereafter must needs be a great Concern of the Soul which leads me to the next Head proposed 2. Why those that are Young are to Concern their Souls with their Soul-Concerns in the dayes of their Youth 1. Because 't is their Duty so to do To this my Text speaks Remember thy Creators in the dayes of thy Youth Here is a positive Precept and Prescript now as divine Commands are not to be Dispenced with so they are not to be Disputed but Dispatched Oh you that are young your Lot is cast where ye may seek after the Lord you have the meanes and Opportunities of Grace Oh how many Young Persons laid in everlasting Chains of Darkness would give Ten-thousand Worlds had they so many VVorlds to give for an Opportunity to hear one Sermon more to Read one Chapter more to make one Prayer more to Keep one Lords day more may not I therefore say to you as the Apostle did with a very little Variation How shall ye escape if ye neglect so great Salvation Heb. 2.3 2. Because 't is their Dignity so to do Oh what a rare sight is it to see Nature and Grace Contemporaries to see Grace and Nature Budding together Blossoming together Oh how honourable is it but Beginning to Act Rationally beginning also to Act Spiritually was not this the honour of Aâ—ijah 1 Kings 14 1 12 13. to concern his soul with the concerns of his soul in the days of his youth was not this the honour of Obadiah to fear the Lord in the days of his youth was not this the honour of Josiah 1 Kings 18.12 2 Chro. 34 1 2 3. that precious and promising Prince to seek after the God of David his Father in the days of his youth was not this Timothy's crown that he knew the holy Scriptures from a child which are able to make wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 thorough faith which is in Christ Jesus And was not this the Apostles joy that he found children walking in the truth 2 ep Jo. 4 3. Because 't is their Mercy so to do Hast Mercy in thine eye 't is thy mercy and that in a manifold respect to concern thy soul with the concerns of thy soul in the days of thy youth 1. Because childhood and youth are vanity Solomon speaking to the young man to remove sorrow from his heart Eccl. 11.10 and put away evil from his flesh gives this reason for Childhood and Youth are vanity Young ones in the days of their youth are loytering when they should be labouring playing when they should be praying singing when they should be sighing merry when they should be mourning Childhood and Youth are not only vain but vanity it self 'T is not long after Children have been breathing but they are belching out hideous and horrid Oaths Do not children bring original sin with them into the world Psal 51.5 I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me Now 't is not long before they act sin and the soul that sinneth shall die Are not there many children that have not long began to speak but begin to take the sacred Name of God in vain yea desperately to curse and to swear Is it not now the Childs mercy to concern his soul with the concerns of his soul in the days of his youth 2. Because the truth of Grace is a Childs greatest Ornament This pur-blind Gentry and Age look to the Face but not to the Heart upon beauty in the face but not upon grace in the heart Absalom was a perfect beauty as to his body but a perfect black as to his soul for he was Christless and graceless and Godless Grace is the Image of God stampt upon the soul and such a child is lovely in the eyes of God though it be loathsom in the eyes of man How crooked soever deformed soever poor soever weak soever this child be as to body yet 't is beautiful as to soul having grace stamped upon it 'T is a beauty in the eyes of a God and of a Christ though it be a black in the eyes of a man that is Godless and Christless Thy Renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty for it was perfect thorough my comeliness Ezek. 16 14. which I had put upon thee saith Jehovah God As if God had said thou wert a black but thou art now a beauty Oh Child thou art by nature as black as sin can make thee and art like to be as miserable as hell can make thee Is it not now thy mercy to concern thy soul with the concerns of thy soul in the days of thy youth 3. Because their Glass is running God doth as it were turn up a Glass when we come into the world and this is running running apace and die thou must What man is he that liveth and shall not see death i.e. shall not die Child die thou must yea die thou mayest and that in a little time Thou art in health to day thou mayst be sick tomorrow thou art upon a down-bed to day thou mayest be upon a dying-bed tomorrow thou art upon earth to day thou mayst be in hell tomorrow Is it not now the concern of the child to remember his Creator in the days of his youth We say Time and Tide stay for no man My days are swifter then a Post Job 9.25 they flie away they see no good The Ancients emblem'd time with wings not running but flying Time is like the Sun that never stands still but is ever a running his race The Sun did once stand still yea went back but so Time never did The Shunamites son was short-liv'd and so was Davids that he had by Bathsheba 2 Sam. 12.18 Is it not now a childs mercy to concern his soul with the concerns of his soul in the days of his youth 4. Because children have immortal souls Children have souls as Parents children have souls as well as men And these souls of theirs have a stamp of excellency and a stamp of Immortality They have a stamp of excellency The body that 's the cask the soul that 's the wine the body that 's the cabinet the soul that 's the jewel the body that 's the work of God the soul that 's the Breath of God And as the soul hath a stamp of excellency so of immortality Death can kill bodies but it cannot kill souls The soul lives though the body dies The soul is a blossom of eternity and hath a stamp of immortality Every child hath a soul which death it self despaireth how to kill That opinion of the mortality of
corruption at his heart 'T is mans sin that kills him As Sin infects so it inters the man it infects No scâ—ner do we begin to live but we begin to die Gen. 2.27 In the day thou eaâ—est thereof dying thou shalt die Thou shalt be dying till thou diest as thou art obnoxious to the first so to the second death Gen. 6. ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great and that every imagination of the thought of his heart was only evil and that continually Continually every day so the Hebrew all days so the Greek Not only the frame of a natural he art but whatsoever a natural heart frameth is evil only evil every day evil Was not Stephens Enterment without great lamentation Devout men carried Stephen to the Grave and made great lamentation over him And shall not sin in the heart lie near the heart and be greatly lamented Did David mourn till he could no more mourn for the burning of a Ziklag and shall not the soul mourn for sin in the heart that hath made it so sinful Ch let thine eye be like a Limbeck continually dropping for sin in the heart To this end endeavour thorough Christ to sense thy heart with these Considerations 1. Sin hath a Being still within There are the Remainders of sin within There are Philistines yet in thy Land accursed Inmates yet in thy house Thy Garden is not yet without weeds thy house not yet without rubbish thy heart not yet without leaver If we say that we have not sinned we make him a Liar and his Word is not in us Nay if we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us 1 Joh. 1 There is such a thing as sin yea 1 Joh. 1 sin within the tallest Cedars Paul though cried up for an earthly Angel 〈◊〉 7.20 in respect of his holiness acknowledgeth but sin that dwelleth in me Sin was an Inmate he does not speak of it as a Guest but as an Inhabitant and shall not this siâ— in the heart lie near in the heart and be mourned over Oh mourn over sin for it hath a being yet within 2. Sin had not a being from God Sin is mans own his own Babe Man is Sins Parent Though Sataâ— be the Father of temptation yet the Heart is the Mother of Corruption Sin hath its Conception within 〈◊〉 15. Lust when conceived bringeth forth sin Now as Sin had its conception in man so man had his conception in Sin I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me 〈◊〉 51.5 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 non â—â—care â—â—â—sse non â—â—are â—â—â—sse â—â—care As there is original sin which is an habitual exorbitancy and an universal depravity of mans nature so there is the original of sin which was a possibility for and a potentiality in man to sin There is an impossibility of sinning and that is in a Celestial state there is a possibility for not sinning and that is in an Evangelical state but then there was a possibility for sinning and that was in a Paradisical state Man and that in a Paradisical state had a Potentiality of sinning this is the original of sin Oh Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thine help No wonder thy destruction is of thy self for thy Corruption is of thy self There had been no destruct on had there been no corruption As if God had said Oh Israel thy sin and thy sorrow lay near my heart but thy destruction is of thy self this Calf this Sin which is from thy self therefore is the meritorious cause of thy destruction Seek the cause where thou wilt 't is not in me but in thee Sin had not a being from me though it hath a being in thee Shall not this then be mourned over which had not a being from God 3. Sin cannot have a being with God Nothing shall have a being with God but that which had a being from God but Sâ—â— had not a being from God no sin no sinner â—â—all inherit the Kingdom of God The unrighteous as unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Know ye not that the unrigâ—teous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.9 10. No soul in his sin shall have Heaven for his Mansion Nothing that defileth or worketh abomination or maketh a Liâ— Re. 21 2â— shall enter this â—erusalem yea shall not enter into a lesser and lower Jerusalem then this is even that Jerusalem which cometh down from God out of Heaven Shall not this Sin then be mourned over 4. Sin strikes at the very being of God Ens Hatium Sin doth not only strike at the being of man but at the very Being of God who is the very Being of God who is the Being of Beings Sin would not only un-mâ—n a Man and 〈◊〉 Saint a Saint but un-Christ a Christ but un-God a God Get you out of the way turn aside out of the Path â—â—a 30.11 cause the holy One of Israel to cease from before us This is the Dialect of Sin in a Man and of a Man in his Sin Shall not thine eyes now be like the Rivers in Heshbon 1. Suffer me now to present thee with some Motives Motives and then with some Directions 1. Would ye not be Captives to Constitution-Corruptions Then above all keeping keep your hearts Sam. 22. I was also upright before him and have kept my self from mine iniquity There was some particular sin the Sin of his Nature that he observed and that you may also observe in your selves This is the Sin that doth so easily beset us Aâ— there is the Master-Grace Iâ—â— 12 so there is the Master-sin Indeed this Reason the Spirit of God in the Text gives for keeping the heart above all keeping Above all keeping keep thy heart why for Out of it are the Issues of life Or for out of it the Actions of life proceed 2. Would ye keep your lips then above all keeping keep your hearts If ye would keep a close lip ye must keep a clean heart The Heart is not far situated from the Tongue M. 12 34. Out of the abundance of the heart the Mouth speaketh Out of the abundance or redundance of the heart the Mouth speaketh The Lips they are the out-works and must not be neglected the Heart that is the Citadel and must be chiefly kept The Hand reaches but a small Compass but the Tongue saâ—ls thorough the Vniverse The Tongue hath no mean it s either exceedingly good or excessively evil it knows nothing but extremes The Lips do offend Nâ—gatively as well as Positively as in speaking so in not speaking for Silence somâ—imes is a loud sin Keep thy Tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile is imposed by the Psalmist and transmitted to Posterity 3. Would ye not set up Idols in your hearts Then above all
be to think or speak lightly or spearingly of it if to make a Mock at sin be to sport with it as undoubtedly it is then that fools thus make a mock at sin is evident It is a sport to a fool to do mischiefe but a man of understanding hath wisedom Pro. 10.23 As a mad man that casteth fire-Brands Arrows Pro. 26.18 19 and Death so is the man that deceiveth his Neighbour and saith am not I in sport To make a mock at sin is to sport with sin And to sport with sin is to take pleasure and delight in sin Thus Israel according to the flesh sported themselves with their Whorish Idolatries Gen. 3.4 and this their mocking at sin lay neer the heart of God Against whom do you sport your selves Against whom make ye a wide mouth and draw out the tongue are ye not Children of Transgression Isa 57.4 a seed of falshood Did not this lay neer the heart of God 2. Why Fools make a mock at sin 1. Because 't is possible for these so to do Look upon Adam which was the first man and there was in him under the first Creation an innate potentialit or power unto sinning 'T is true sin never had a being from God though God Created Adam he did not Create sin in him but Adam had in himself a power to sin which is the Original of sin Had there not been a possibility for man to sin and a potentiality in man unto sinning in vain had that Threatning been The day thou eatest thereof dying thou shalt dye Gen. 2.1 That is no sooner shalt thou begin to live but thou shalt begin to dye and continue dying 'till thou beest swallowed up of death This Threatning dying thou shalt dye God gave in Charge and against this threatning the Serpent laid his siege Ye shall not dying dye Now certainly had there not been a possibility and potentiality in man to sin God had not given this in Charge for he cannot without great blasphemy be charged with vanity Besides the Effect which the siege and Temptation from the Serpent Gen 3.12 and the woman had upon Adam sufficiently proves that there was a possibility for man to sin The woman whom thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the Tree and I did eat 2. Because 't is connatural unto these to do so As it was possible for an unfallen man to sin so 't is connatural unto fallen man to sin Look upon man in his Conception I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me Psa 51.5 As there is the Original of sin so there is Original sin Look upon man in his natural Constitution And God saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely evil Jen. 6.5 not onely evil but onely evil and that continually As there is the Original of sin and Original sin so there is actuall sin Look upon men in their Naturals and they are Enemyes to God Col. 1.21 to good to goodness And you who were sometimes alienated and enemyes in your mind by wicked works Or enemies by your mind in wicked works Yet now hath he reconciled The Apostle hath yet a higher strain Because the carnal mind or the minding of the flesh is Enmity against God 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 't is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be 'T is Enmity not an Enemy for an Enemy may be reconciled but Enmity is irreconcileable 3. The Applying of it I shall make onely one use of this Vsus and that 's by way of Counsel If fools make a mock at sin suffer then the words of Exhortation But here I would speak to two sorts of Persons the spiritually wise and sinfully foolish 1. To the wise 1. To those that are spiritually wise 1. Do fools make a mock at sin Mourn then over this sinful mocking Did the suffering of a place lay so near Nihemiah's heart and shall not the sinning of a place or people lay near our hearts The wall of Jerusalem is broken down and the Gates thereof are burnt with fire Neh. 1.3 4. and when I heard these things I wept and mourned certain days and fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven A Jesting with sin makes a man a fool in earnest Lot had an express from the Angels to go out of Sodom and all that he had but Lot Ge. 19.12 upon his intimation of the destruction of that vitious City and his Invitation out of that City Ge 19 14 seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law Let but one man reprove another for his cursing and swearing for his dancing and drinking for his roaring and whoring he is as one that mocketh and is mocked for his Reproof Now shall not this be laid to heart and mourned over Oh how near did the violating and vitiating of the Law of God lay the heart of the Psalmist Rivers of tears run down mine eyes but what 's the matter Ps 119.136 The Psalmist is ready as it were to weep out his eyes and drown himself in his own tears but what 's the matter because they keep not thy Law They that keep not the Law break the Law and they that break the Law keep not the Law and this lay near the Psalmists heart May we not joyn issue with him and make it the matter of our request as he did Oh that mine head were full of water and mine eyes a fountain of tears Why because Fools make a mock at sin Let this then be for a Lamentation 2. Do Fools make a mock at sin Bless God then for the difference Grace hath made Ther 's a vast difference between making a mock at sin and a mourning for sin between a boasting of sin and a being burdened for si between a glorying in sin and a being grieved for sin Now soul dost thou gr eve for sin when and while others glory in sin Art thou burdened for sin when and while others boast of sin Dost thou mourn for sin when and while others make a mock at sin Oh bless God then for the difference that the God of race and the grace of Goâ— hath made between thee and others Oh let that word ring in thine eares and bâ— ready always to avouch the truth of it wee maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou 1 Cor. 4.7 that thou didst not receive 3. Do Fools make a mock at sin Stand then in awe and sin not Believe it a Christiâ—â— cannot sin at a cheap rate sin cost the Saint dear Oh the pains of Body and pangs of soul that sin cost Oh! 't is far better suffering then sinning for a man may suffer and not sin In all this Job sinned not but a man cannot sin but he must suffer
And a so running so run that ye may obtain It is as true Mat. 24.46 1 Co. 9.24 Acts 8.30 there is a so reading Understandest thou what thou readest Now that thou mayst not only read but so read Gods Book and Mans Book if the Book of Man be according to the Book of God take these following Directions Be conscientious in reading Direct 1. 'T is not enough to own Duty but we must be one with the Duty which we own 'T is not cursory but a cordial and conscientious reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 3.23 that 's promising for an advantagiâ—ous issue Whatsoever ye do do it heartily from the heart from the very soul 2. Let not one Duty justle out another There 's hearing as well as reading and praying as well as hearing pray before thoâ— readest and pray over what thou readest Not only reading but also exhortation and doctrine were at the same time anâ— with the same breath imposed by Paul upon Timothy Give thy self to reading to exhortation 1 Tim. 4.13 and to doctrine 3. Engage the Spirits Influence and Impress It will be to little purpose and profiâ— to engage in this work without the Spirit 'T is the Spirit that searcheth all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Co. 2.10 yea the Depths of God so the Greek 4. Let thy heart be a Cabinet for what thou readest Jewels are not onely to bâ— looked upon but also to be locked up Bâ— in a holy imitation of that holy Matronâ— who kept the sayings of her Son Luk. 2.51 yea of heâ— Saviour in her heart 5. Make Faith of what thou readest Therâ— must be believing as well as reading Forâ— as the Precept is a Rule for Obedience 〈◊〉 the Promise is a Ground for faith ' Tâ—â— â—ike to be with Reading as it was with Preaching not profiting Heb. 42. not being mixed with faith 6. Look unto Jesus There 's no going about this work without Christ For without him we can do nothing Look unto him therefore as the Actor as well as the Author of Grace Ioh. 15.7 Now that this Christ may be with Thee and signally bless reading unto Thee cordially prays Reader Thy Friend and Servant for Jesus sake RI. MAYHEW THE CHILD'S DUTY ECCL 12.1 first part thereof Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy Youth THAT Solomon Israels Sage is the Pen-man of this Book of Ecclesiastes or the Preacher appeareth both from the Style thereof and from the Title thereof In this Book ye have the Inscription of it and then 〈◊〉 general Proposition about it 1. An Inscription The Words of the Preacher Eccl. 1.1 Son of David King in Jerusalem Now in this Inscription you have a Description of Solomon in a threefold Relation 1. In his natural Relation the Son of David 2. In his Civil Relation King in Jerusalem And that this is Solomon is evident for David had no other Son King in Jerusalem 3. In his spiritual Relation A Preacher The words of the Preacher Son of David King in Jerusalem 2. A general Proposition This sets forth the utter insufficiency of all things under thâ— Sun to make a man truly happy and blessed together with the extream vanity which is in them in order to such an end Now this is proved two ways 1. From the Mortality of man One Generation passeth away and another Generation cometh Eccl. 1.4 but the Earth abideth for ever 2. From the Instability of all other Creatures 1. In respect of their weakness to minister satisfaction to so noble a creature as man Thâ— Sun ariseth goeth down and hasteth to thâ— place where he arose The wind goeth towarâ— the South Eccl. 1.5 6 7. and turneth about unto the North it whirleth about continually and returneth again to its Cireuits All the Rivers run into the Sea yet the Sea is not full unto the placâ— from whence the Rivers come they return 2. In respect of the restless and fruitlesâ— labour which is taken in seeking satisfaction from such things as only affect the senses All things are full of labour man cannot utter it Eccl. 1.8 the eye is not satisfied with seeing nor thâ— ear filled with hearing 3. In respect of the continued Vicissitudes and Returns of the same things The thing that hath been it is that which shall be and that which is done is that which shall be done and there is no new thing under the Sun Eccl. 1.9 10 11. c. 4. From Solomons own Experience in these â—hings Vauity of vanities saith the Preacher â—â—ll is vanity This also is vanity and vexation â—f spirit Not onely vanity Eccl. 1.2 chap. 2.26 and so unâ—ble to satisfie the soul but also Vexation â—ausing much sorrow of heart to those that â—â—re inordinately conversant about them But to the Text Remember now thy Creâ—tor in the days of thy youth Now rememâ—er now In the Greek and vulgar Latin â—now is and And remember thy Creator in the â—ays of thy youth 'T is well read either way This Text is an Exhortation unto a timely â—nd youthful remembring of God and so â—ook like an Inference drawn from the vanity â—f Childhood Eccl. 11.10 and youth with which the â—ormer Chapter ends for childhood and â—outh are vanity Remember now thy Creaâ—or in the days of thy youth Wherein you â—ave the Object the Act and the Season for that Act upon thee 1. The Object Creator or Creators Father â—on and Spirit the first purposing the second â—urchasing the third Perfecting 2. The Act Remember This word hath vaâ—ious significations but properly it signifies to â—all to mind or keep in mind yea to call to mind â—nd keep in mind Thus Peter remembred the â—ords of the Lord. He reflected what he had â—een a doing and resorded what he had done So then a remembrance is properly a call to mind and keeping in mind Art thou câ—â—â—â— to call my sin to remembrance and to slay son 3. The Season Now or in the days of tâ—â— Youth Here 's the Season for the Act 〈◊〉 on the Object Seaeson in the days of thy Youth 〈◊〉 not said in the Years of thy Youth but in 〈◊〉 days of thy Youth It is not said in the Tâ—â—â— of thy Youth but in the days of thy Youâ—â— to intimate that our life is but a few day it 's but a vapour a span a flower a shadowâ— dream Though Death be before the 〈◊〉 Mans face yet Death may be behind tâ—â— young Mans back In the days thereforâ— of thy youth while thou art yet young veâ—â— young in the beginning of thy days rememâ—â—â— thy Creator yea Creators Father Son aâ—â— Spirit Remember the VVill of the first tâ—â— Worth of the Second the Work of the Thirâ—â— To the making of Man a Council was call in Heaven Gen. 1.26 Come let us make man Remeâ—ber the Father so as to know him and 〈◊〉 inwardly yea intimately acquainted wiâ—â— him
Armed man and like a Mighty Stream threatning to bear down all before it Oh what Generation is the next like to be if this be thus Vpon Pauls healing the impotent man the cry was Gods are come down to us in the likeness of men Act. 14 1â— But may not the cry now be Devils are come up to us in the likeness of men Are there not many men now like so many Incarnate Devils Do they not look upon Oaths as the greatest Rhetorick and upon Adultery as the greatest Pleasure Do they not look upon Murder as a just revenge and upon Polygamy as an Ornament to worldly Grandure If this Generation be thus what is the next Generation like to be I have read of one Father and 't was pity there should be that one to read of who liked his Children the better for resembling him in wickedness I have also read of others who hearing their Ancestors were gone to hell said that they would go thither too Do not many Parents now seem to be unwilling to go to hell without their Children indulging them in all manner of Impiety and Impurity Is it not enough for them to go to hell but must their Children follow them Certainly now these things considered it is incumbent upon Parents to look after the Education of their Children 2. To the Young Now these have Grace or have it not To these therefore distinctly 1. To the Young that have Grace I have two words to these 1. Art Green and yet hast Grace Admire then the Riches of Free-Grace Hath God plucked thee as a brand out of the Fire and left the rest of the Children to dwell with everlasting Burnings Oh infinite mercy Art not only born but born again born of water and of the Spirit Oh Matchless mercy Are not only many young ones but many old ones yet in their blood bleeding to death and 't is to be feared an Eternal death and hath Jehovah God said unto thee Live Oh Admire then the Riches of Free-Grace Oh let this be thy Holy and thy Heavenly boasting in all places 1 Cor. 15.10 and amongst all Persons By the grace of God I am that I am 2. Art Green and yet hast Grace Be joyous then thy Joy may be greatest when thou art Oldest Polycarpus could say when he was old Thus many years have I served my Master Christ and hitherto hath he dealt well with me Those are like to have most Peace when and while they are old that have Grace when and while they are young For thou art my hope Oh Lord God thou art my trust from my youth Psal 71.5 17 18. Oh God thou hast taught me from my youth Now also I am gray-headed for sake me not 2. To the young that have not grace Art young and hast not grace set then upon this work and Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth Oh now begin to concern thy soul with the concerns of thy soul Quest But what Directions may be given to young ones that are graceless ones Solut. 1. Look not upon death at a distance in the days of thy youth Many if not most young persons look upon death at a distance and 't is death to them to think upon death Oh how many young persons are there that greedily swallow down that of the Psalmist Psal 90.10 The days of our years are three score years and ten or according to the Margent As for the days of our years in them are seventy years Oh say not we have Calculated our Nativity and we finde our years to be three score years and ten Is there one of threescore and ten that lives to threescore and ten 2. Shun the Occasions of sin in the days of thy youth If thou wouldest not fall down of â—he Plague keep clear of the Pest house May not I say with that great Doctor of the Gentiles Flee youthful lusts 2 Tim. 23.22 3. Be very conversant with the holy Scriptures of truth in the days of thy youth Be much in reading the Scriptures Oh there 's no book like unto this Book Oh soul this Book is the Book of Books Other Books are called the books of men but the Bible is called the Book of God Oh turn over these leafes and converse these lines On soul in those lines thou mayst read the Love that Christ had to little ones Suffer children yea little children saith Christ to come unto me and forbid them not Mat. 19.14 for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven 4. Wait at Wisdomes Gates and in her Galleries in the days of thy youth Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word Preached Jam. 1.19 May not I say to thee as the Apostle did Be swift to hear slow to speak slow to wrath 5. Look upon thy self as lost in the days of thy youth Suppose Parents gracious yet they cannot entail grace upon their Posterity Oh Child believe me thou canst not go to Heaven by thy Fathers Copy thou must have a Christ of thine own Grace of thine own or dying thou wilt be damned and thaâ— for an eternity Mar. 16.16 He that believeth not shall 〈◊〉 damned not may but shall be daâ—ned Look unto Christ in the days of thy youth Thou art a Sinner Lastly but Christ is a Saviour thou art a great sinner but he is a great Saviour Oh Child Luk. 19.10 thou art lost but Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost Not only to save but also to seek in order to saving that which was lost But to close this Discourse If thou hast any love to thy self love to thy soul concern then thy soul with the concerns of thy soul in the days of thy youth Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 3.11 Heart Keeping the hardest Keeping PROV 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the Issues of life THAT Solomon is the Author of this Book in general is generally acknowledged but he is so the Author of this as David is of the Psalms for as the whole Book of Psalmes is not Davids so the whole Book of Proverbs is not Solomons A Proverb and a Parable differ more in sound then in sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are of very near Affinity for they are are the speeches of wise men yea they are the Extracts and spirits of wisdom I will open my Mouth in a Parable Psal 78.2 I will utter dark sayings of old These are called Aenigmata dark Sentences To understand a Proverb and the Interpretation Prov. 1.6 the words of the wise and their dark sayings So that a Proverb properly signifies a Parable and a Parable properly signifies a Proverb Sed quid moror istis Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life In these words you have a Duty imposed and
Man liveth not by bread only how then but by every word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of God Now the promiss is a full breast Mat. 4.4 and God delights that Faith should draw it 4. In order to the fraughting of the Christian Christ will lade the soul with Experiences and that in a double respect 1 In respect of himself Christ would have every Christian to have something in hand something in store against a rainy day against a winter day Christ would have the Christian to lay up in store a good Foundation for the time to come and to remember the days of Old Agracious reflection of former experiences is a good relief to the soul under future Extremities Oh say the soul I was in the Depths at such a time but Christ kept my head above water VVe had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead 2 Cor 1.9.10 who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us The Apostle argues from former Experience 〈◊〉 future Deliverance 1. In respect of Others There 's a sufficiency of grace in Christ that a Christian may not only have a word for himself but also a word for others VVho comforteth us in all our tribulations Why That we may be able to comfort them that are in any trouble 2 Cor. 1.4 but how By the comforts wherewith we our selves are comforted of God Christian converse often prove thorough the riches of free-grace Christian comfort Now as there is a sufficiency of grace in Christ that we may be comforted For instance so that we may comfort one another Ch saith one I am tempted tempted to curse God and dye Oh saith the other so have I been but then that word was given in Bless and curse not 2. Oh Rom. 12.14 saith another I am under various temptations my temptations are many and mighty too Oh saith the other so have I been but then this word was given in Blessed is the man that endureth temptation Iam. 1.12 3. Oh saith another but I am afflicted afflicted and ready to dye Oh saith the other so have I been but then that word was given in In all their affliction he was afflicted He was affected with their affliction â—sa 63.9 and under their affliction they had his affection 4. Oh saith another I am reproached They lay to my charge things that I know not Oh saith the other so have I been but then that word was given in Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and speak all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake Mat. 5.11 .. 5. Oh saith another but I am persecuted and persecution in plain English is hunting a hunting after the soul to take it Oh saith the other so have I been but then that word was given in persecuted but not forsaken 2 Cor. 4.9 6. Oh saith another but I am hated hated of Neighbors hated of Relations Oh saith the other so have I been but then that word was given in Marvel not my brethren if the World hate you 1 Jo. 3.13 7. Oh saith another but I am impoverished I am reduced to a low Ebbe I have very little Meal in my Barrel and Oyle in my Cruse Oh saith the other so have I been but then that word was given in Mat. 6.36 Take no thought for the morrow for the morrow shâ—ll take thought for the things of it self 8. Oh saith another I am unbelieving and my Faith is at a low Ebbe Oh saith the other so have I been but then that word was given in 2 Ti. 2.13 Though we believe not yet he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself 9. Oh saith another but I have high and hard thoughts brutish and blasphemous thoughts wanton and Worldly thoughts Oh saith the other so have I had but then that word was given in I know the thoughts that I think towards you Jer. 29.11 saith Jehova thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end Or according to the Margent End and Expectation 10. Oh saith another my grace is weak and my Corruption strong yea my corruption is sometimes stronger then my grace Oh saith the other thus it have been with mee but then this good Text and great Truth was given in My grace is sufficient for thee Thus a Christian converse prove a Christian comfort and to this End among others is thâ—re a sufficiency of grace in Christ that we may be comforted and consequentially comfort one another What Vse may be made of this But Fifthly that the grace which is in Christ is sufficient for 〈◊〉 Christian under temptation I have only one Vse to make of this Vse and that 's by way of Counsel If there be in Christ for a Christian a sufficiency of grace under Temptation suffer then the â—ords of Exhortation But here I would speak to two sorts of Persons Those out of Christ those in Christ 1. To those out of Christ 1. Art out of Christ Tremble then for thou art without Grace As no Sun no Light no Fountain no Stream no Fire no Heat So no Christ no grace and no grace no glory Oh who that hath grace in his private Hand and in his publique Head would if he could be in thy condition for a World for a thousand Worlds if there were so many for thou art Christ-less and so Grace-less As the Apostle upon the believing Hebrews imposeth this so he encourageth the believing Hebrews unto this Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy Heb. 4.16 and find grace and help in the time of need But oh soul what wilt thou do when a Storm come when a tempest come what wilt thou do when sickness come when death the King of Terrors come if thou hast not Christ thou hast not grace to help in that time of Need But what shall I do whither shall I go Quest If to be Christ-less be so be Grace-less if to be Grace-less be to be Glory-less what shall I do whither shall I go Go unto Jesus If thou wouldest have grace go unto Jesus for it Did Pharaoh say go unto Joseph may not I then sâ—y unto thee go unto Jesus There is no grace out of a Christ Solu Gen. 41.55 Jo. 1.17 The Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ As Christs grace is sufficient for the supportation of a soul in himself so for the Salvation of a soul out of himself As his grace is sufficient for the Sustentation of a soul in himself so for the Sanctification of a soul out of himself My grace is sufficient for thee Art in Christ Triumph then ther 's grace enough in Christ for thee Secondly to those in Christ under the greatest Trials and Troubles under the