of wrath by continual instruction and godly education may be brought to some good form and fashion that he may understand and imbibe the Principles of Religion And as the Midwise when the child is born setteth the joynts of the child right and swaddleth him that he be not vatius therefore they are called Gnclele tippuchim Lam. 2.20 Infantes palmarum not because they are but a span long but because the Midwise when they are new born setteth the joints with the palms of her hands that they may be the more streigh and strenuous afterwards So should Parents teach their children when they are young and frame and fix their minds aright The Lord accounteth highly of this when the Parents begin to teach their children in their tender years children are the seed-corn of the Church and Commonweal and if they be corrupted or distain'd in the Family what hope is there of them when they come to the Church or Politie The Physician saith that vitium primae concoctionis non corrigitur in secunda the faults of the first digestion are not helped in the second so errors committed in youth can hardly be helped in old age When the Prophet Esay speaketh of Christ he calleth him Pater futuri saeculi the everlasting Father cap. 9.6 Adam was the Father of all the Children of this life and Christ the second Adam is the Father of the life to come when they beget children they beget them only for this life but when they instruct them they may be called Patres futuri saeculi Fathers of the life to come Remember therefore thy Creator betimes for the youngest years are the fittest to teach children Prov. 20.11 A child is known by his doings whether his works be pure or right The boys that mocked Elias were devoured by the Bears 2 Kings 2.24 and the Hebrews say that there be sculls of all sizes in Golgotha The Tree which the Lord made choice of Jer. 1.11 was the Almond Tree and why made he choice of that Tree but because it blossometh first So the Lord made choice of Jeremiah from his Infancy the Lord liketh children when they begin to flourish in their young years he liketh not of these autumnales arbores Jud. 13. which begin to bud about the latter end of Harvest The Church saith Cant. 7.13 Omnes fructus servavi tibi c. it is a happy thing when both the first and the latter fruits are reserved for the Lord. Crates the Philosopher said that he would go up to the highest place of the City and cry in the Audience of the People O men whither go ye Why take ye such pains and toil to scrape riches together for your children and have little or no care at all to train them up who should enjoy them And Plutarch said he would add but this one word that such men as these are like to them who are very careful for the Shoe but have no regard at all for the Foot As Parents should have a care to teach their children so they should make choice of good Masters of able orthodox unbyass'd men to instruct them that may infuse and instill good principles in them Pharoah's Daughter caused Moses to be brought up in all the Sciences of Egypt Acts 7.22 Jehoash had Jehojeda for his Master 2 King 12.2 And we see what care Theodosius had to make choice of good Masters for his Sons Arcadius and Honorius and what care had Constantine of a Tutor for his Son Crispus Amongst the causes of Julian's Apostacy the History sheweth us that this was one if not the greatest that he had two Heathenish Masters who taught him Libanius and Jamblicus from whom he drank in to great Prosaneness and Impiety Atheism and Debauchery Thirdly As Tully spake of Poetry that it was a profession for all times prosperity and adversity for all places at home and abroad for all ages youth and old age so is this a lesson for all times all places all ages for however the center upon whom the lines and prejections of this doctrine do meet are the days of our youth and therefore may savour of impertinence yet strength of consequence will induce that old men and they especially should grow in grace as they do in years and increase in heavenly things as they multiply their days that so they may be like Vespasian in the Poet melior pejore aevo better in their worser age or like the Trees planted in the House of the Lord that still brought forth fruit in their years Psalm 92.14 and herein the supernatural motions of the Spirit resemble the natural which are as the Philosopher spake velociores in fine quam in principio swifter in the end than in the beginning Here the Poet as if his breast had been divinely influenc'd could make this connexion nec pietas morum rugis c. where wither'd old age and inexorable death do follow each the other as the conclusion doth the premises to speak with the Logician But hear it if you please from a tongue divinely toucht and that from a true Cherubim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. behold I am old and I know not the day of my death It 's storied of the Linx that he never looketh back but Homer contrarily describeth a wise man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 looking forward and backward forward to things to come and backward to things past for by remembring what 's past and forecasting things future he ordereth things present let us conclude therefore with the advice of the Apostle redeem the time by our double diligence which we have lost by our careless negligence and be sure to Remember our Creator in the days of our youth before the evil days come c. Consider in time if thou wilt have God to pity and help thee in thy evil days thou must serve him in thy good days the days of old Age are call'd evil days aetas mala in Plautus because they bring many pains and troubles along with them vitae hyems the Winter of our Life as Solon call'd it As the days of youth are called aetas bona in Cicero and aetas optima in Seneca because then nature is strong and vigorous and doth most fully exert and injoy it self Lastly Consider that thine old age will bring evils enough of its own do not thou therefore bring upon it the bitterness and burthen of all thy youthful follies Consider once more that Repentance is a hard work when thy sins are fewer and thy strength greater when infirmities bend thy back do not keep thine iniquities to break it Since the days of old age will be evil days lay up as many Graces as thou canst to sweeten it as many comforts as thou canst to strengthen thy heart against the evils of it gather in Summer against such a Winter as this Prov. 10.5 that old age may not be to thee an evil age but as it was to faithful Abraham a good old age Gen. 25.8 Be faithful therefore unto the death and you shall receive the Crown of Life continue unto the end so shall you be safe The Preacher teacheth that the days will come when we shall say we have no pleasure in them when the Keepers of the House shall tremble that is the hands which safeguard the body from injuries shall shake as in a Palsy the strong men shall bow themselves that is the Legs which bare up the weight of the body shall begin to fail and wax feeble The Grinders shall cease that is the Teeth appointed to chew the meat either wax loose or else are lost They wax dark that look out of the windows that is the Eyes of the body which are as the windows of the house to give light shall decay and grow weaker and weaker that they cannot behold the brightness of the Sun The doors shall be shut without by the base sound of the Grinders that is the Lips which are as two doors or gates shall scarce be able to open themselves being become stiff He shall rise up at the voice of the Bird that is the least noise shall be able to awake him he that while he was young slept soundly and sweetly so that the sound of the Trumpet could hardly move or alarm him is now by the Crowing of the Cock or the Chirping of a Bird raised and disquieted All the Daughters of Singing shall be abased that is the Ears and other instruments of Musick shall be so weakned and dulled that they shall take no pleasure nor delight therein as Barzillai confessed unto David 2 Sam. 19.36 Also they shall be afraid of the high thing that is when once they grow crooked with age every plain way will seem rough and every stone a mountain unto them And the Almond Tree shall flourish that is their head shall be renowned with the comely ornament of white hairs as the beautiful blossoms of an Almond Tree c. Thus doth the Preacher describe the discommodities and difficulties of old age which approacheth unto us all and will in the end overtake us to the end we should learn to remember our Creator in the days of our youth Now unto God the Father Almighty who is the ancient of days to God the Son and God the Holy Ghost three Persons but one God be made all Prayers rendred all Thanks yielded all Honor Adoration and New Obedience henceforth and for ever Amen FINIS
advice then of St. Peter comes seasonably in here 1 Pet. 5.6 Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time the words are not without their strength of Emphasis here is an humili animi crown'd with an ut exaltet humble your selves that he may exalt as if humility was so necessary a disposition to preserment that without it God might not exalt There is no vertue drawn by the Pencil of God in more lively colours with brighter beams of his favour shining on them than humility Jesus Christ the mirror of all perfection setteth it out as his chiefest jewel Learn of me saith he for I am meek and humble in heart Matt 11.29 they must be little that enter these gates little in their own eyes slender in the opinion of themselves whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child he shall not enter therein and so much of the properties The parts are now to be considered and these are four the foundation is Faith one of the sides Patience the other Innocence the roof Charity Faith is the foundation by it we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 access unto God and that with boldness by this we lay hold on the Throne of Grace by this we adhere and close unto God and prostrate our selves at his feet by this we live in Christ and Christ in us by this our hearts are purified our consciences washed with the Blood of Christ and fitted to see God and to enter into the Holy of Holies unto which no unclean thing can be admitted He that hath faith shall enter and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life Again Patience is one of the Pillars Heb. 10.36 Ye have need of patience that when ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise Justin Martyr being asked which was the greatest miracle that our Saviour Christ wrought answered Patientia ejus tanta in laboribus tantis his so great patience in so great troubles Many are the infirmities and troubles to which every man is subject in his body he is subject to diseases in his estate to losses in his name to slanders and false reports but these reach not his Spirit unless himself do lend his hand unto them therefore if sickness do afflict thy body let not this make thy spirit sick and afflicted with impatient sorrow what tho thy estate be diminished by losses let not this thro impatiency diminish thy chearfulness or breed any loss of comfort to thy spirit what tho thy name be wronged by heavy slanders or false reports wrong not thy spirit thro impatiency by heaviness and grief but rather follow our Saviours exhortation Luk. 21.19 In your patience possess your souls i. e. live joyfully blessedly even under the cross that when ye have suffered before the gates ye may enter into the City Innocence is the other Pillar but who can say he hath innocent hands and a simple heart indeed none perfectly in Gods sight yet some had and may have this in part by the witnesses of their own consciences Samuel could challenge the Israelites to accuse him Whose Ox have I taken whom have I defrauded 1 Sam. 12.3 and Job sweetly my heart shall not condemn me for my days if I have lift up my hands against the fatherless let it be broken if I rejoyced at the destruction of him that hated me then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade and my arm be broken from the bone Job 31.21 Triumphus innocentiae est non peccare ubi potest it is the triumph of innocence not to offend when it may for it is true innocence saith Austin quae nec inimico nocet that hurts not our very enemy if my land cry against me or the farrows thereof complain let thistles grow instead of wheat and cockles instead of barley Job 31.38 40. How few among us dare thus plead So David O Lord thou knowest mine innocence In malis sperare bonum nisi innocens nemo potest faith the moral Heathen to hope for good in the midst of evils no man can but the innocent Innocence saith Chrysostom is free in servitude safe in danger joyful in bonds But alas where shall robbers and workers of violence appear What shall become of the cruel griping bowel-less extortioner No creature in heaven or earth shall testifie his innocency but the sighs and cries of many which he hath undone shall witness the contrary Where shall fraud cozenage injury perjury mischief appear You may conceal your craft from the eyes of men defraud your Minister beguile your Neighbor unperceived unpunished but know that the Lord will not hold you guiltless I will wash my hands in innocency so will I compass thine Altar O Lord saith the Royal Prophet Psal 26.6 if innocence must lead us to the Altar on earth sure that must be our gate to the glory of heaven Charity is the roof diligendo perficitur love makes up the building man indeed is naturally a loving creature but doth not always place his love aright his love then is best placed when it is placed upon the best object and that is God If he place it upon Beauty that fadeth if upon Riches they perish if upon Honor that vanisheth if upon Life that wasteth but all these are in God not only in eminency but continuance In him Beauty that never fadeth in him Riches that never perish in him Honor that never vanisheth in him Life that never wasteth and therefore as he is the truest object of love so he should be the dearest object of our Love Quanta est Charitas Austin quaesi desit frustra habentur caetera si adsit rectè habentur omnia How great is love for if it be wanting all other graces lose their grace but if present all are profitable And Theodoret asking wherein consisted the image of God in man answereth in a charitable bounty wherein he imitateth God Yea Tully saith Homines ad Deum nulla re proprius accedunt quam dando men in nothing come nearer to God than in giving It was the folly of the rich Glutton that he wanted Barns to lay his Corn in whereas there was so many empty Bellies of the poor into which he might have put it and where it would have been laid up for ever for him for he that giveth to the poor shall not lack shall not lack that which he hath given shall not lack any thing that is good Perhaps saith Cyprian if thou givest much thou mayst be afraid lest thy self should come to want sed esto hac in parte intrepidus esto securus c. but in this point be without fear be secure that cannot be ended which is expended for the use of Christ He that is a liberal soul indeed and plentifully watereth the dry and thirsty souls of Christ shall himself be watered with the precious blood of Christ and drinking of that spring of
life shall never thirst again The Prophet Isay hath a comparison to the same purpose cap. 58.10 If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul the Lord shall satisfy thy soul continually in drought and withal make fat thy bones and thou shalt be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not Love therefore thy Neighbor as thy self and love the poor for Gods sake and love God above all we are to love God above all 1. Appretiativè setting a higher price upon his glory and command than upon any other thing besides 2. Intensivè with the greatest efforts and intention of our spirits setting no bounds and measure to our love of him 3. Adequatè as the compleat perfect and adequate object of all our love in whom it must begin and in whom it must end But there is a sort of love or lust rather which is condemned and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the passion of concupiscence whereby many lascivious men do wholly devote and dedicate themselves to some vain creature pleasing their fancies to the displeasing of God and to the piercing of their souls one day for it and except it do to the utter ruine both of body and soul Who admires not the wisdom of Demosthenes in the answer he returned to Corinthian Lais Paenitere tanti non emo I will not buy repentance at so dear a rate Certainly had he not known it from a self-experience 't is not possible an Heathen should have spoken so divinely for all our dishonest actions are but earnests laid down for grief sin on the best condition brings repentance but for sin without repentance is provided hell Yea 't is not folly but madness even the highest that makes a man buy his vexation O let us force our selves to want that willingly which we cannot enjoy without future disgust so that the sum is this there is no entrance to the city but by the gates no passage to glory but by grace to those spirits of just men made perfect must be admitted none save they that are justified none are entertained but such as are washed white in the blood of Christ and keep white their own Innocency The Adulterer for a while may flatter Beauty the Swearer grace his words with Oaths the Drunkard kiss his Cups and drink his bodys health till he bring his soul to ruine but do they think to enter this city No the gate is kept as the gate of Paradice with a Flaming Sword of Justice to keep them out The Adulterer shall satisfie his lust when he lies on a Bed of Fire all embrac'd with those Flames the Swearer shall have enough of Wounds and Blood when Devils torture his body and wrack his soul in Hell the Drunkard shall have a plenty of his Cups when scalding Lead shall be poured down his throat and his breath draw Flames of Fire instead of Air as is thy sin so is the nature of thy punishment the just Judge shall give just measure and the ballance of his wrath poise in a just proportion so that those that will not pass thro the gates of holiness in this life shall not enter the city of happiness in the life to come thus have we passed the gates and are now come to the city Now if I had been wrapt up to the third heaven or had the Angels Reed wherewith he measured the Wall Rev. 21.17 I might say something to the description of this City but it is not for us saith Bernard in these earthly bodies to mount into the Clouds and peirce this fulness of light to break into this bottomless depth of glory this is reserved to the last day And yet because God in his word hath given us a taste of heaven by comparing it to the most precious things on earth let us consider in this City three things the Immensity Society Glory And first we may guess at the immeasurable magnitude of this City by those many Mansions spoken of by Christ Jo. 14.2 In my Fathers house are many mansions How many So many saith one as would suffice a thousand worlds of men and tho all men in this world attain not to it it is not for want of room but of will they believe not in him who hath prepared these gates for them Secondly If such be the immensity what think you is the glory Is it not a most glorious City whose Walls are of Jasper whose Building is of Gold whose Gates are of Pearls whose Foundation is of precious Stones Yea when I behold the Pavement of Heaven stuck with Stars as so many sparkling Diamonds how despicable is the stateliest Pallace of the greatest Monarch and if the Pavement be so glorious what shall we think of those better parts yet unseen great and glorious things are spoken of thee thou City of God a glorious City indeed where there is Holiness immaculate Peace inviolate Joy ineffable Pleasure inexpressible no Time but Eternity no Place but immensity But because no tongue can so well express it as his whose eyes did clearly behold it be pleas'd to hear it in St. John's own words Rev. 21.4 and may we not be well contented to serve an Apprenticeship here so we may come to be free of this City hereafter God shall wipe away all tears from all eyes there shall be no more sorrow nor crying nor pain neither any more death The dying life we live here 't is a lamp that must out a shadow that will vanish a grass that will wither in Heaven it is protracted into Eternity beyond the threats of mortality or corruption PART II. Shewing the Happiness of those that mind their Creator betimes ECCLES XII 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy Youth before the evil days come c. THey are the words of the wisest Preacher next our blessed Saviour who vouchsased the honour not to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods own Secretary to pen this holy Tract this heavenly Treatise who spake not quicquid in buccam c. as his own fancy carried him or ideated to him but as the Holy Ghost directed him his tongue being but the pen the blessed spirit the ready writer which therefore ought to be read with reverence felt with passion followed with perseverance and this for the Preacher to wit Solomon Remember therefore thy Creator The Memory of man is indeed a most excellent faculty being that thing whereby we preserve those things which time hath spent and wasted whereby the things that are absent are still present and the things that are gone from us do abide with us Indeed it is that without which the life of man would be most wretched and miserable Seneca therefore saith well he that keeps not in memory the things that are past hath little better than lost his life given him in this world Now if our memory be so excellent a faculty how great
reason have we to remember our Creator by whom it hath been bestowed upon us should not God remember us in his providence and protection over us should not he remember us in troubles and distresses and when we have cast away our selves in our Sins what would become of us but tho God be most graciously mindful of us how little mind have we of him We say of one that he hath a good memory because he keepeth firmly and a long time that which he hath received we say of another that he hath an excellent memory because he can repeat many things as soon as they are proposed unto him But he hath a good memory indeed that remembreth good things carefully he hath an excellent memory that remembreth God who is good above all things Remember therefore thy Creator in the days of thy Youth A chief reason that makes young people not to remember God their Creator is this because they think that they have a long time to live in the world and tho they forget him now yet they will remember him hereafter but to remove this the Preacher saith not in the time but in the days of thy youth to shew both to young and old that our life is but for a few days And Seneca saith well that tho death be before the old mans face yet he may be as near to the young mans back let him therefore while he hath day remember his Creator in the day of his youth indeed the Creator must always he remembred not only in youth but in old age not only in the days of youth but all the days of our Life For as Zachary saith he redeemed us that we might serve him in righteousness and holiness all the days of our life Luk. 1.73 So he hath created us that we might remember him all the days of our life Remember therefore thy Creator c. Now a duty and a date will divide the Preachers Text the duty what Remember thy Creator the date when In the days of thy youth In the former you have a truth approved verily your Creator is to be remembred in the latter a time appointed in the days of thy youth But not to make the Preachers Text like a Mathematical line infinitely divisible in the first observe a word of exhortation tending to a holy life and a godly conversation in the latter a wise prevention of an erroneous conceit of our corrupt nature parallel to him that said da mihi castitatem sed noli modo So here we all intend to remember our Creator but when not yet but hereafter when the Evening of old age cometh or the night of death approacheth no such delay no such delusion observe your season in the days of your youth Oh remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth because it 's uncertain whether ever thou shalt be old there are many old which have been young but many are young which shall never be old Time and Age God as a wise dispencer hath kept in his own hands to the intent and purpose that we might suspect a shorter thread of life but yet not despair of a longer Now to enter the treaty of the duty our Saviours question John 16.18 falls fitly in here Remember thy Creator we know not what he saith remember him why who forgets him Not the good man For Have I not remembred thee in my bed and thought upon thee when I was waking You know whose spech it was Psal 63.6 No nor the wicked neither for no sooner hath a distemper'd passion heated their blood but the very first breath of their Lips is either a Curse or an Oath as if they would swear away sad disasters which every ungracious speech brings on nearer binds on faster so the Psalmist hath sealed their doom As he loved Cursing so let it come unto him and as he delighted not in Blessing so let it be far from him But let us not with our ignorance cast aspersion upon the Preachers knowledge and therefore to give you the sense and cause you to understand the reading observe the Chaldee Pataphrast esto memor Creatoris tui ut glorifices eum let the stream of thy meditations so run upon him that thou mayest glorify him The which we do when we derive all our actions and intentions from his sacred truth which give rules not only to live well and to speak well but even ad bene cogitandum to think well Oh let no purpose pass currant from thine heart till God hath set his seal on it and stamp of approbation let his word give it a fiat whatsoever you do yea or intend to do let both action of hand and thought of heart be all to Gods glory 2. Again let his will be thy law his word thy rule his Sons life thy example his Spirit rather than thine own Soul the guide of thine actions the steer and Cynosure of thine affections 3. To study brevity the faithful are called 1 Pet. 2.9 Kings and Priests the remembrance whereof should work a Kingly and Priestly mind in every one of us to rule over our affections as Leo excellently teacheth nil tam Regium c. nothing is so kingly as when a mind subject to God ruleth the body nothing so Priestly as to vow unto God a pure conscience and to offer up the immaculate sacrifice of piety upon the Altar of the Heart But I shall persue this no further here because I shall meet it again in the next branch expressing the time when we ought to reduce this meditation into practice this doctrine to doing to wit in the days of our Youth As one saith of Psalm 41.1 blessed is he that considereth the poor c. that it is scriptura pauperum the poor mans Scripture so of this it may be rightly said that it is scriptura juvenum the young mans theme which given by divine inspiration is profitable to teach him the Apostles lesson consisting of two counter-points a suge and a fac a disswasive caution fly youthful lusts a perswasive Canon and follow after righteousness faith love and peace which have the promises both of this life and of that which is to come both of blessings temporal and bliss eternal Which observation we may crown with this corrollary or doctrinal proposition that the best time and fittest season to sow the seeds of vertue that it may bring forth fruit in holiness and the end everlasting happiness is the first and flourishing part of our age the strength and vigour of our years or to retain the words of the text the days of our youth For elucidation whereof David's question is here to take place Psal 119.9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word Again it was Gods ordinance that in their Meat-offerings of first fruits they should offer up Levit. 2.14 green ears of corn or corn beaten out of green ears and what was this but alterius
rei aenigma one thing mentioned and another meant to wit that God loves that we should consecrate and dedicate our young and tender years to his service and not put it off as too many do to the very Autumn and fall of their lives Optima quaeque dies c. our best days first run and our worst at the last and shall we offer that indignity to the divine Majesty as to give him the Devils leavings Florem aetatis Diabolo consecrare faecem Deo reservare to consecrate the flower of our age to the Devil the World and the Flesh and to reserve the Lees and bitter Dregs for God and what is this then to offer up Malachi 1.8 13. the blind and the lame for sacrifice which God abhorreth and to break that golden rule laid down by our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seek first c. Mat. 6.33 seek his face always not when but when not so with these few to shut up therest that run in the same current Hear ye now my reasonings to speak in Job's language Job 13.6 and hearken ye unto the arguments of my Lips thereby to give it an edge that so it may make the better expression to you the speedier the deeper impression upon you The first reason may be drawn from the infinite mercy of God which is as the Psalmist speaks Psalm 100.5 From everlasting to everlasting from everlasting election unto everlasting glorification a fit theme for Angels to descant on for what man of art or art of man can describe or decipher it for if God remembred man before he or the world was cannot the simplest Intellect extract the inference shall we not remember him in time betimes Secondly If all examples have an influence on the practice of the beholders then especially the deeds of good men registred in Scripture the Calendar of eternity are most attractive of imitation Pray then cast your eye upon Joseph who withstood the impure and impudent solicitations of his wanton Mistriss in the Flower of his Youth Gen. 39.9 the most slippery time of his age an age as most prone to many others so especially to this sin Josiah the King sought the Lord while he was yet young 2 Chron. 34.2 Obadiah seared the Lord from his youth but to bring my best wine at the last and to trace the Apostle in his own Rhetorick if these prevail not Look to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12.2 not only the author to call us to it and set us in it but the finisher also to help us thro it and reward us for it look to him who at the age of twelve years went about his fathers business Thirdly We ought and 't is our duty to spend the prime of our days in the service of God who being our Creator and exceeding great Rewarder is most worthy of it and that is whilst our sences are sharp our memories quick our wits ripe our capacities ready our understandings deep not knowing how soon these may fail us and how suddenly death may find us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. such is the generation of men as of leaves saith the Heathen Poet Homer for as many leaves are nipped off in the bud so many young men are cut off in their youth for are we not poor mortal creatures brothers to the worms and sisters to the dust do we not carry about with us souls full of corruption and skins full of diseases is not our breath in our nostrils where there is room enough for it to go out and possibility never to come in again Each of these by it self all these laid together will make a weighty argument bearing down and forcing our assent to this assertion that the Spring of Youth is that age which God hath most inabled us to do him best service Now to make some improvement of this doctrine First The word of God hath two edges Heb. 4.12 and if it go one way thus pro primis unquiculis for the timely beginnings of grace and goodness it cuts as deep on the contrary even beyond admiration of many imperious and impetuous youth who have built the frame of their lives upon the foundation of long practised wantonness guiding their lives by pleasure and their reason by lust and being reproved What say they Are we not young and strong As if God had given them their strength to rise up against him and to run with others into all manner of excess of riot or as tho they had learned that language of the unwise Tutor in the Comick non est mihi crede vitium c. it is nothing for a young man to let loose the reins to all licentiousness to drink wine in bowls and to take their fill of pleasure here as if they were resolved with Dives that they should not get a drop of water in Hell If this be no sin why doth David lament him of the sins of his youth why doth Job threaten them with the sins of their youth that shall lie down with them in the grave Job 36.14 he who for one sin punished a world of men how will he plague one man tho a young man for a world of sin Secondly Since our Creator is to be remembred in the days of our youth here is a use for Parents to bring up their Children in the fear of the Lord to catechize initiate and enter them properly to dedicate them as they did their new houses unto the Lord. St. Paul requireth the performance of the same duty saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. bring up your children or as the word in the original insinuates nurse up your children in the fear of the Lord he would have them to suck in religion if not with their Mothers milk yet shortly after assoon as they are capable of it It 's storied of Alexander that he had children born and brought up in military discipline and exercise which made them so victorious and valiant in battle even so let all Parents bring up their children in the fear of the Lord that they may prove constant and couragious Soldiers under their King and Captain Jesus Christ to kill overcome and subdue all the enemies of God and their own souls salvation sin and their corrupt affections Hence it is that David stileth children the Inheritance of the Lord to denote unto us that they should be brought up with such care and sedulity as tho they were not the children of men but of God indeed there is a great necessity of this duty that Parents instruct their children betimes for by nature we are born blind and ignorant of heavenly things therefore Parents should take pains to bring their children to knowledge The Bears as the Naturalist observes when they bring forth their young ones they are an ill favored lump and a mass without shape but by continual licking of them they bring to some shape and form So thy child who is by nature the child