and value of many peeces of silver is to bee found in one peece of gold So all the petty excellencies that are scattered abroad in the Creatures are to bee found in God yea all the whole volum of perfections which is spread through Heaven and Earth is epitomized in him No good below him that is the greatest good can satisfie the soul a good wife a good child a good name a good estate a good friend cannot satisfie the soul these may please but they cannot satisfie Omnis copia quae non est Deus meus mihi egestas est Aug. Soliloq c. 13. All abundance if it bee not my God is to mee nothing but poverty and want said one Ah that young men and women would but in the morning of their youth seek yea seek early seek earnestly seek affectionately seek diligently seek primarily and seek unweariedly this God who is the greatest good the best good the most desirable good who is a sutable good a pure good a satisfying good a total good and an eternal good The ninth Reason why young persons should be really good betimes and that is because the time of youth is the choicest and fittest time for service Now your parts are lively senses fresh The dayes of youth are called aetas bona in Cicero and aetas optima in Seneca memory strong and nature vigorous the dayes of your youth are the spring and morning of your time they are the first-born of your strength therefore God requires your nonage as well as your dotage the wine of your times as well as the lees Exod. 13.2 Exod. 22.9 as you may see typified to you in the first fruits which were dedicated to the Lord And the first-born The time of youth is the time of salvation it is the acceptable time it is thy summer thy harvest time O young man therefore do not sleep but up and bee doing awaken thy heart rouse up thy soul and improve all thou hast put out thy reason thy strength thy all to the treasuring up of heavenly graces precious promises divine experiences and spiritual comforts against the winter of old age and then old age will not bee to thee an evil age Gen. 25.28 but as it was to Abraham a good old age do not put off God with fair promises and large pretences till your last sands are running and the dayes of dotage hath overtaken you Mal. 1.14 That 's a sad word of the Prophet cursed bee the deceiver which hath in his flock a male and yet offereth to the Lord a corrupt thing Jer. 1.11 The Almond tree blossomes in January while it is yet Winter and the fruit is ripe in March Ah young men and women who are like the Almond tree you have many males in the flock your strength is a male in your flock your time is a male in the flock your reason is a male in the flock your parts are a male in the flock and your gifts are a male in the flock now if hee bee curst that hath but one male in his flock and shall offer to God a corrupt thing a thing of no worth of no value how will you bee curst and curst curst at home and curst abroad curst temporally curst spiritually and curst eternally who have many males in your flock and yet deal so unworthily so fraudulently and false heartedly with God as to put him off with the dreggs of your time and strength while you spend the Prime-rose of your youth in the service of the world Mat. 21.20 the Flesh and the Devil The Fig-tree in the Gospel that did not bring forth fruit timely and seasonably was curst to admiration the time of youth is the time and season for bringing forth the fruits of righteousness and holiness and if these fruits bee not brought forth in their season you may justly fear that the curses of heaven will secretly and insensibly soak and sink into your souls and then woe wo to you that ever you were born the best way to prevent this hell of hels is to give God the cream and Flower of your youth your strength your time your Talents vessels that are betimes seasoned with the savour of life never loose it Pro. 22.6 The Tenth Reason Why young persons should bee really good in good earnest betimes and that is because Death may suddenly and unexpectedly seize upon you Pares nascuntur pares moriuntur in the womb and in the Tomb they are all alike you have no lease of your lives Youth is as fickle as old age the young man may finde Graves enough of his length in buriall places as green wood and old logs meet in one fire so young Sinners and old Sinners meet in one hell and burn together when the young man is in his spring Job 21.23 24 and prime then hee is cut off and dies one dieth in his full strength or in the strength of his perfection T is an Allegorical description of the highest prosperity as the Hebrew hath it being wholly at ease and quiet His breasts are full of milk and his bones are moistened with marrow Davids children dies when young so did Jobs and Jeroboams c. Every days experience tell us that the young mans life is as much a vapour as the old mans is I have read of an Italian Poet who brings in a propper young man rich and potent discoursing with Death in the habit of a mower with his Sythe in his hand cutting down the life of man For all flesh is grass Isa 40.6 and wilt thou not spare any mans person saith the young man I spare none saith death Deaths motto is Nulli Cedo I yeild to none mans life is but a day a short day a winters day oft-times the Sun goes down upon a man before it be wel up your day is short your work is great your journey long and therefore you should rise early and set forward towards heaven betimes as that man does that hath a long journey to go in a winters day The life of man is absolutely short Psal 39.5 Behold thou hast made my days as a hands breadth The life of man is comparatively short and that if you compare mans life now to what hee might have reacht had hee continued in innocency Sinne brought in death death is a fall that came in by a fall or if you compare mans life now to what they did reach to before the Flood then several lived Gen. 9 six seven eight nine hundred years or if you compare mans dayes with the days of God Mine age is as nothing before thee Psal 39.5 or if you compare the dayes of man to the dayes of eternity Ah! The Heathen could say that the whole life of man should be nothing else but meditatio mortis a meditation of death Young men young men can you seriously consider of the brevity of mans life and trifle away
the primerose of your dayes is this if ever the Lord shall be pleased so to own and Crown so to bless and follow this following discourse as to make it an effectuall means of turning you to the Lord of winning you to Christ of changing your natures and converting your souls for such a thing as that I pray hope and beleeve that then you would do two things for me First That you would never cease bearing of me upon your hearts when you are in the mount that I may bee very much under the pourings out of the Spirit that I may be clear high and full in my communion with God and that I may bee alwayes close holy humble harmless and blamelesse in my walkings with God And that his work may more and more prosper in my hand Secondly Psal 66.16 1 Pet. 3.15 That you would by word of mouth letter or some other way acquaint mee with what the Lord hath done for your souls if he shall make mee a spiritual father to you do not hide his grace from mee but acquaint mee how hee hath made the seed that was sown in weakness to rise in power upon you and that First That I may do what I can to help on that work begun upon you that your penny may become a pound your mite a million your drop an ocean Secondly That I may the better English some impressions that have been upon my own spirit since I begun this work Thirdly 1 Thes 2 19 20 2 Cor. 9.2 That my joy and thankfulness may bee increased and my soul more abundantly engaged to that God who hath blest the day of small things to you ponder these scriptures 2 Cor. 7.3 4 13. Phil. 2.2 ch 4.1 Philemon ver 7. 2 John 3.4 And then be ashamed to declare what the Lord hath done for you if you can Fourthly Mat. 25.23 Dan. 12.3 Prov. 11.30 it is better to convert one than to civilize a thousand and will turn more at last to a Ministers account in that day wherein he shall say Loe here am I and the children that thou hast given mee Isa 8.18 such a man with his spiritual children about him shall look on God with more comfort and boldness than those that are onely able to say Loe here am I and the many Benefices here am I and the many Ecclesiastical dignities and glories here am I and the many hundreds a year that man had given and I have gotten But Fifthly Act. 9.3 Isa 6.5 Mal. 2.5 6 7. c. and Lastly The conversion of others is a secondary and more remote evidence of a mans own renovation and conversion Paul was converted himself before God made him instrumental for others Conversion Gods usuall method is to convert by them who are converted I do not remember any one instance in all the scripture of Gods converting any by such who have not been converted first themselves yet I know his grace is free and the wind blows where it lists when it lists and as it lists To aged persons I have a word and then I have done First To Gray-headed Saints Ah Friends ah Fathers would you see your honour your happiness your blessedness then look into this Treatise and there you will finde what an unspeakable honour it is to bee an Old disciple what a glory it is to be good betimes and to continue so to Old age Secondly To white-headed Sinners whose spring is past whose summer is overpast and who are arrived at the fall of the leaf and yet have a hell to escape a Christ to beleeve in sins to pardon hearts to change souls to save and heaven to make sure would such be incouraged from scripture grounds to repent beleeve and hope that yet there is mercy for such let them seriously peruse this Treatise especially the latter part of it and there they may finde enough to keep them from despairing and to incourage them to adventure their souls upon him that is mighty to save There are many things in this Treatise that are of use to all and several things of moment that are not every day Preach't nor read I have made it as pleasureable as time would permit that so it might be the more profitable to the reader and that I might the better take the young man by a holy craft 2 Cor. 12. ch 15.2 Prov. 11.30 which is a high point of heavenly wisdome there being no wisdome to that of winning of souls I shall now follow this poor peice with my weak prayers that it may be soblest from heaven as that it may bring in some and build up others and do good to all and so rest Your friend and Servant in the Gospel of Christ THOMAS BROOKS The Contents THe explication of the words from page 1. to page 10. Doct. That it is a very desirable and commendable thing for young men to be really good betimes this truth proved p. 10 11 12 Twelve Reasons of this point 1 Because he commands it whose Commands are not to be disputed but obeyed from p. 12. to 16 2 Because they have means and opportunities of being good betimes from p. 16. to 20 3 Because then they will have fewer sins to answer for and repent of p. 20 21. 4 Because time is a precious talent that Young men must be accountable for from p. 21. to 26 5 Because then they will have the greater comfort and joy when they come to bee old from p. 26. to 28 6 Because an eternity of felicity and glory hangs upon those few moments that are allotted to them from p. 28. to 33. 7 Because they do not begin to live till they begin to be really good from p. 33. to 36 8 Because the promise of finding God of enjoying God is made over to an early seeking of God c. from p. 36. to 44 9 Because the time of Youth is the choicest and fittest time for service from p. 44. to 47 10 Because death may suddenly and unexpectedly seize on youth youth being as fickle as old age from p. 47. to 52 11 Because it is ten to one nay a hundred to ten if ever they are converted if they are not converted when they are young from p. 52. to 55 12 Because else they will never attain to the honour of being an Old Disciple p. 55.56 The honour of an Old Disciple shew'd in seven particulars 1 All men will honour an Old Disciple from p. 56. to 58 2 God usually reveals himself most to old Disciples to old Saints p. 58. to 62 3 An old Christian an old Disciple hath got the art of serving God p. 62. to 63 4 An old Disciple an old Christian is rich in spirituall experiences from 63 to 67 5 An old Disciple is firm and fixt in his resolutions from 67 to 70 6 An old Disciple is prepared for death from 70. to 73 7 An old Disciple shall have a great reward in heaven from 73. to 79 Use of
a dream can you seriously consider of this young men and not begin to bee good betimes surely you cannot Sirs if the whole earth whereupon wee tread were turned into a lump of gold it were not able to purchase one minute of time Oh the regreetings of the damned for mis-spending precious time Who is there among us that knows how to value time and prize a day at a due rate Sen. Epist Oh what would they not give to bee free and to injoy the means of grace one hour Ah with what attention with what intention with what trembling and melting of heart with what hungring and thirsting would they hear the Word Time saith Bernard were a good commodity in hell and the traffick of it most gainful where for one day a man would give ten thousand worlds if he had them young men can you in good earnest beleeve this and not begin to be good betimes Ah! young men and women as you love your precious immortal souls A heathen said hee lived no day without a line that is he did something remarkable every day as you would escape hell and come to heaven as you would bee happy in life and blessed in death and glorious after death don't spend any more of your precious time in drinking and drabing in carding dicing and dancing don't trifle away your time don't swear away your time don't whore away your time don't lye away your time but beginne to bee good betimes because Time is a Talent that God will reckon with you for Ah! young men and women you may reckon upon years many years yet to come when possibly you have not so many hours to make ready your accompts it may bee this night you may have a summons and then if your time bee done and your work to be begunne in what a sad case will you bee will you not wish that you had never been born Seneca was wont to jeer the Jews for their ill husbandry in that they lost one day in seven meaning their Sabbath O that it were not too true of the most of professors both young and old that they loose not onely one day in seven but several days in seven Sirs Time let slip cannot bee recal'd the foolish Virgins found it so and Saul found it so and Herod found it so Mat. 25.5 Judg. 3.23 Heb. 3.17 18 19. and Nero found it so the Israelites found it so yea and Jacob and Josiah and David though good men yet they found it so to their cost The Egyptians draw the picture of Time with three heads the first of a greedy Wolf gaping for time past because it hath ravenously devoured the memory of so many things past recalling The Second of a crowned Lyon roaring for time present because it hath the principallity of all actions for which it calls loud The Third of a deceitfull Dogg fawning for time to come because it feeds some men with many flattering hopes to their eternal undoing Ah! young men and women as you would give up your accounts at last with joy concerning this Talent of time with which God hath trusted you begin to be good betimes c. The fifth Reason Why young men should bee really good betimes and that is because they will have the greater comfort and joy when they come to bee old Seneca though a Heathen could say beleeve me true joy is no light thing the 71 Psalm 5. 17 18. compapared Thou art my hope O Lord God thou art my trust from my youth O God thou hast taught me from my youth and hitherto I have declared thy wondrous works Now also when I am old and gray headed O God forsake mee not untill I have shewed thy strength unto this Generation and thy power unto every one that is to come Polycarpus could say when old thus many years have I served my Master Christ and hitherto hath hee dealt well with mee if early converts live to bee old no joy to their joy their joy will bee the greatest joy a joy like to the joy of harvest Isa 9.3 a joy like to their joy that divide the spoil their joy will bee the soundest joy the weightiest joy the holiest joy the purest joy the strongest joy and the most lasting joy the carnal joy of the wicked the glistering golden joy of the world-ling and the flashing joy of the hypocrite is but as the crackling of thorns under a pot to the joy and comfort of such who when old can say with good Obadiah that they feared the Lord from their youth If when you are young your eyes shall bee full of tears for Sinne when you are old your hearts shall bee full of joys Such shal have the best wine at last Oh! that young men would beginne to bee good betimes that so they may have the greater harvest of joy when they come to be old c. t is sad to be sowing your seed when you should be reaping your harvest t is best to gather in the summer of youth against the winter of old age The Sixth Reason Why young men should bee really good betimes and that is because an eternity of felicity and glory hangs upon those few moments that are allotted to them it was a good question the young man propoposed Luk. 10.25 what shall I do to inherit eternal life I know I shall bee eternally happy or eternally miserable eternally blest or eternally cur'st eternally sav'd or eternally damn'd c. O what shall I do to inherit eternal life my cares my fears Aeteruitas est semper et immutabile esse The old Romans were our that thought Eternity dwelt in Statues and in Marble monuments my troubles are all about eternity no time can reach eternity no age can extend to eternity no tongue can express eternity Eternity is that unum perpetuum hodie one perpetual day which shall never have end what shall I do what shall I not do that I may bee happy to all eternity I am now young and in the flower of my days but who knows what a day may bring forth the greatest weight hangs upon the smallest wyers an eternity depends upon those few hours I am to breath in this world O what cause have I therefore to bee good betimes to know God betimes to beleeve betimes to repent betimes to get my peace made and my pardon seal'd betimes to get my nature changed my conscience purged and my interest in Christ cleared betimes before eternity overtakes mee before my glass bee out my Sun set my race run least the dark night of eternity should overtake mee and I made miserable for ever I have read of one Myrogenes who when great gifts were sent unto him hee sent them all back again saying I onely desire this one thing at your Masters hand to pray for mee that I may be saved for eternity O that all young men and women who make earth their heaven Luk. 15.19 20 pleasures
come to cast away the Idols of your souls to repent and bee converted in the Prim-rose of your youth that your sins may bee blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord Act. 3.19 or else woe woe to you that ever you were born I have read a story of one who being risen from the dead and being asked in what condition hee was hee made answer no man doth beleeve no man doth beleeve no man doth beleeve And being further asked what he meant by that repetition hee answered no man doth beleeve how exactly God examineth how strictly God judgeth how severely hee punisheth Oh that the waies of most young persons did not declare to all the world that they do not and that they will not beleeve the dead and terrour of that day that will admit of no plea nor place for Apology or appeal The Turks have a tradition and frantick opinion that wicked men shall at the great day carry their sins in latchels after their Captain Caine but well would it bee for them if this should bee all their punishment in that great day the highest and last Tribunal can never bee appealed from or repealed Now if for all that hath been said you are resolved to spend the flower of your daies and the prime of your strength in the service of sin and the world then know that no tongue can express no heart can conceive that trouble of mind that terrour of soul that horror of conscience that fear and amazement that weeping and wailing that crying and roaring that sighing and groaning that cursing and banning that stamping and tearing that wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth that shall certainly attend you when God shall bring you into judgement for all your loosnesse and lightnesse for all your wickednesse and wantonnesse for all your prophaneness and basenesse for all your neglect of God your grieving the comforter your trampling under foot the blood of a Saviour for your dispising of the means for your prizing Earth above Heaven and the pleasures of this world above the pleasures that bee at Gods right hand Chrysosteme speaking of this day saith for Christ at this day to say depart from mee is a thing more terrible than a thousand hells Chrysost Hom ad Pop. Antioch Oh how will you wish in that day when your sins shall bee charged on you when justice shall bee armed against you when conscience shall bee gnawing within you when the world shall bee a flaming fire about you when the gates of Heaven shall bee shut against you and the flame of Hell ready to take hold of you when Angels and Saints shall sit in judgement upon you and for ever turn their faces from you when evil spirits shall be terrifying of you and Jesus Christ for ever disowning of you how will you I say wish in that day that you had never been born or that you might now bee unborn or that your mothers wombs had proved your Tombs O how will you then wish to bee turned into a bird a beast a stock a stone a Toad a Tree O that our immortal souls were mortal O that wee were nothing Joan Damasc et Author Anonym de quat Noviss Imprâ—ss Daven Anno. 1494. O that we were any thing but what we are I have read a remarkable story of a King that was heavy and sad and wept which when his brother saw hee asked him why hee was so pensive because saith hee I have judged others and now I must bee judged my self And why saith his brother do you so take on for this it will hapily bee a long time ere that day come and besides that it is but a flight matter The King said little to it for the present Now it was a custome in that Countrey when any had committed Treason there was a Trumpet sounded at his door in the night time and hee was next day brought out to bee executed now the King commanded a Trumpet to bee sounded at his brothers door in the night time who awakening out of his Sleep when hee heard it arose and came quaking and trembling to the King How now saith the King what 's the matter you are so affrighted I am saith hee attached of Treason and next morning I shall bee executed why saith the King to him again are you so troubled at that knowing that you shall bee judged by your Brother and for a matter that your Conscience tells you you are clear off How much more therefore may I bee afraid seeing that God shall judge mee and not in a matter that my conscience frees mee off but of that whereof I am guilty and beside this if the worst come is but a temporary death you shall dy but I am liable to death eternal both of body and soul I will leave the Application to those young persons that put this day afar off and whom no arguments will move to bee good betimes and to acquaint themselves with the Lord in the morning of their youth But now to those young men and women who beginne to seek serve and love the Lord in the Primerose of their days the day of judgement will be to them melodia in aure ubilum in corde like musick in the ear and a jubilee in the heart Act. 3.19 20 21 22. Mic. 7.7 8 9 10 11. Rev. 19.6 7 8 9 10. Mat. 25.34 to v. 41. this day will be to them a day of refreshing a day of redemption a day of vindication a day of coronation a day of Consolation a day of Salvation it will bee to them a marriage day a harvest day a pay day now the Lord will pay them for all the Prayers they have made for all the Sermons they have heard for all the tears they have shed in this great day Christ will remember all the individual offices of love and friendship shewed to any of his now hee will mention many things for their honor and comfort that they never minded now the least and lowest acts of love and pity towards his shall bee interpreted as a special kindnesse shewed to himself Now the Crown shall bee set upon their heads 2 Tim. 4.8 Mal. 3.17 18 and the Royall Robe put upon their backs now all the World shall see that they have not served the Lord for naught Now Christ will pass over all their weaknesses and make honorable mention of all the services they have performed of all the mercyes they have improved and of all the great things that for his name and glory they have suffered Quest But here an apt question may be moved viz. Whether at this great day the sinnes of the Saints shall bee brought into the judgement of Discussion and discovery or no whether the Lord will in this day publikely manifest proclaim and make mention of the sins of his people or no I humbly judge according to my present light that he will not and my
reasons for it are these viz. The first is drawn from Christs judicial proceedings in the last day set down largely and clearly in the 25 of Matthew where hee inumerateth only the good works they had done but takes no notice of the spots and blots Deut. 3.2 4 5 6 of the staines and blemishes of the infirmities and innormities of the weaknesses and wickednesses of his people My Second Reason is taken from Christs vehement protestations that they shall not come into judgement Vide Aquin. 87. Suppl Est in l. 4. Sendist 47. John 5.24 Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my Word and beleeveth on him that sent mee hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life Those words shall not come into condemnation are not rightly translated the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not come into judgement not into damnation as you read it in all your English books I will not say what should put men upon this exposition rather than a true Translation of the Original word further it is very observable that no Evangelist useth this double asseveration but John and hee never useth it but in matters of greatest weight and importance John 1.51 ch 3.3.11 ch 6.20.32.47.53 c. and to shew the earnestness of his spirit and to stirre us up to better attention and to put the thing asserted out of all question and beyond all contradiction as when wee would put a thing for ever out of all question wee do it by a double asseveration verily verily t is so c. Thirdly Because his not bringing their sinnes into judgement doth most and best agree with many precious and glorious expressions that wee finde scattered as so many shining sparkling Pearls up and down in Scripture as First With those of Gods blotting out the sinnes of his People Isa 43.25 I even I am hee that blotteth out thy transgressions for my own sake Isa 44.22 and will not remember thy sinnes I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins Who is this that blots out transgressions hee that hath the keyes of heaven and hell at his Girdle that opens and no man shuts that shuts and no man opens he that hath the Power of life and death of condemning and absolving of killing and of making alive hee it is that blots out transgressions if an under officer should blot out an inditement that perhaps might do a man no good a man might for all that bee at last cast by the Judge but when the Judge or King shall blot out the indictment with their own hand then the indictment cannot return now this is every beleevers case and happiness Secondly to those glorious expressions of Gods not remembring of their sinnes any more Isa 43.25 And I will not remember thy sins And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour Jer. 31.34 and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know mee from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sinne no more So the Apostle Heb. 8.12 for I will bee merciful to their unrighteousnesse and their sinnes and their iniquities will I remember no more And again the same Apostle saith This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days saith the Lord Heb. 1◠17 That which Cicero said flatteringly of Caesar is truly affirmed of God Nihil oblivisci solet praeter injurias he forgetteth nothing but the wrongs that daily are done him by his I will put my laws into their hearts and in their minds will I write them and their sinnes and iniquities will I remember no more The meaning is their iniquities shall quite bee forgotten I will never mention them more I will never take notice of them more they shall never hear more of them from mee though God hath an iron memory to remember the sinnes of the wicked yet he hath no memory to remember the sins of the righteous Thirdly His not bringing their sinnes into judgement doth most and best agree with those blessed expressions of his casting their sinnes into the depth of the Sea and of his casting them behind his back Mich. 7.19 Hee will turn again hee will have compassion upon us hee will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the depths of the Sea where sinne is once pardoned the remission stands never to be repeated pardoned sinnes shall never come in account against the pardoned man before God any more for so much doth this borrowed speech import if a thing were cast into a River it might bee brought up again or if it were cast upon the sea it might be discerned and taken up again but when it is cast into the depths the bottome of the Sea it can never bee boyed up again By the Metaphor in the Text the Lord would have us to know that sinnes pardoned shall rise no more they shall never be seen more they shall never come on the account more hee will so drown their sinnes that they shall never come up before him the second time And so much that other Scripture imports Isa 38.17 Behold for peace I had great bitterness but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behinde thy back these last words are a borrowed speech taken from the manner of men who are wont to cast behinde their backs such things as they have no minde to see regard or remember A gracious soul hath alwayes his sins before his face I acknowledge my transgressions Psal 51.3 and my sin is ever before mee and therefore no wonder if the Lord cast them behinde his back The Father soon forgets and casts behinde his back those faults that the child remembers and hath alwaies in his eyes so doth the Father of spirits Fourthly His not bringing their sins into judgement doth best agree with that sweet and choice expression of Gods pardoning the sins of his people And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity Jer. 33.8 whereby they have sinned against mee and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned and whereby they have transgressed against mee So Micha Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage as though hee would not see it Mic. 7.18 but wink at it hee retaineth not his anger for ever because hee delighteth in Mercy The Hebrew word Nose from Nasa that is here rendred pardoneth signifies a taking away when God pardons sin hee takes it sheere away that if it should bee sought for yet it could not bee found as the Prophet speaks In those daies and in that time Jer. 50.20 saith the Lord the iniquity of Israel
it is purblinde and cannot see how to make a right judgement of Christ his word his waies and yet will controule all If you are resolved to bee still scholars to this Master then you must resolve to bee unhappy here and miserable hereafter But It is safer and better for you to imitate those young men who in the morning of their daies have graciously wisely and resolutely withstood those evil Counsellors carnal Reason flesh and blood Joseph and Moses Daniel Gen. 39.7 8 9 10 11 c. Heb. 11.24 25 26. Dan. 1. Shadrach Meshach and Abednego all these in the Prim-rose of their youth were good at turning the deaf ear to carnal counsel and carnal counsellors Cassianus reports of a young man that had given himself up to a Christian life and his Parents mis-liking that way they wrote letters to him to perswade him from it and when hee knew there were letters come from them hee would not open them but threw them into the fire this example is worth a following Another famous example you have in the story of King Edward the sixth when Cranmer and Ridly came to him and were very earnest to have him give way to his Sister the Lady Mary to have Masse hee stood out and pleaded the case with them that it was a sin against God and provoking to the eyes of his glory c. but they still continued to use many carnal arguments to perswade the King who was but a child about fifteen years of age but hee withstood them a great while but at length when hee saw hee could not prevail with all his pleading against those grave men but that they still continued their suit hee burst out into bitter weeping and sobing desiring them to desist the motioners seeing his zeal and constancy wept as fast as hee and being overcome they went away and told one that the King had more divinity in his little finger than they had in all their bodies Ah young men it will bee your safety and your glory to write after this princely coppy when you are surrounded with carnal reason and carnal counsellors c. Sixthly and lastly If you would bee good betimes then take heed of comparing your selves with those that are worse than your selves Joh. 9.39 40. Young men are very apt to compare themselves with those that are worse than themselves and this proves a snare unto them yea oftentimes their bane their ruine As it did the young Pharisee in the Gospel Luk. 18.11 12 13 14. Thales one of the seven sages being asked what was the easiest thing in the world to do answered to know other mens faults and none of our own who pleaded his negative Righteousnesse hee was not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers and stood on his comparative goodnesse nor as this Publican hee stands not only upon his comparisons but upon his disparisons being blind at home and too quick-sighted abroad hee contemneth and condemneth the poor Publican who was better than himself making good that saying of Seneca the nature of man saith hee is very apt utimur perspicillis magis quam speculis to use spectacles to behold other mens faults rather than looking-glasses to behold our own such Pharisees do justly incur the censure which that sowre Philosopher past upon Grammarians Diogenes apud Lâ—â—ium l. 6. that they were better acquainted with the evil of Ulysses than with their own Ah young men young men you know hee that drinks poison though hee drinks not so much as another and hee that commits treason though not so great so high treason as another shall yet as certainly bee poisoned and hanged as hee that hath drunk a greater quantity of poison and committed higher acts of treason Sirs do not delude and befool your own souls if you are not as wicked as others Mat. 11.22 23 24 25. As in Heaven one is more glorious than another so in Hell one shall bee more miserable than another Aug. you shall not bee as much tormented as others but yet you shall bee as certainly damned as others you shall as certain to hell as others you shall as sure bee shut out for ever from God Christ Saints Angels and all the treasures pleasures and glories of Heaven as others except it bee prevented by timely repentance on your side and pardoning mercy on Gods Wilt thou count it madnesse Oh young man in him that is sick to reason thus I am not so sick as such and such and therefore I will not send to the Physitian and in the wounded man to say I am not so desperately wounded as such and such and therefore I will not send to the Surgeon and in the traitor to say I am not guilty of so many foul and hainous treasons as such and such and therefore I will not look after a pardon and in the necessitous man to say I am not so hard put to it as such and such and therefore I will not welcome a hand of charity and wilt thou not count it the greatest madnesse in the world for thee to put off thy repentance and thy returning to the Lord in the spring and morning of thy youth because that thou art not as sinful as wicked as such and such if to have a softer bed a milder punishment in hell than others will satisfy thee then go on but if thou art afraid of the worm that never dyes and of the fire that never goes out being like that stone in Arcadia which being once kindled could not be quenched O then begin to bee good betimes O seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of your dayes Chrysost Hom. 44. in Matth. To think often of Hell is the way to be preserv'd from falling into hell Ah! Young men Young men that you would often consider of the bitterness of the damneds torments and of the pittilesness of their torments and of the diversity of their torments and of the easelesnes of their torments and of the remedilesness of their torments Momentaneum est quod delectat Aeternum quod cruciat The sinners delight here is momentany that which torments hereafter is perpetual when a Sinner is in hell dost thou think Oh young man that another Christ shall be found to dye for him or that the same Christ will bee crucifyed again for him or that another Gospel should bee preached to him Surely no. Ah Why then wilt thou not betimes return and seek out after the things that belong to thy everlasting Peace Jac. Rev. hist Pontif. Rom. 199. I have read of Pope Clement the fifth that when a young Nephew of his dyed hee sent his Chaplain to a Necromancer to know of him how it fared with him in the other World the Conjurer shewed him to the Chaplain lying in a fiery bed in hell which when the Pope understood hee never joyed more c. Ah! Young man that these occasional hints of hell may bee
upon examples now will finde that a stinging terrifying question when put home by God or conscience who hath required these things at your hands Isa 1 12. But Fourthly I answer company and allurements to sin will bee found no sufficient excuse for sin If Eve lay her fault on the Serpent Gen. 3. and Adam lay his on Eve God will take it off and lay the curse on both Sauls provocation by the people and by Samuels long stay to offer Sacrifice would not bear him out 1 Sam. 15.14 15 26 27. but for his disobedience hee must lose both his Crown and life The young man in the Proverbs Pro. 7.14 15 21. though tempted and solicited by the Harlot yet hath a dart struck thorough his heart though Jonah did plead Gods gracious inclinations to shew mercy and his fear of being disproved yea and though hee might have pleaded his fear of cruel and savage usage from the Ninevites whose hearts were desperately set upon wickednesse And his despair of ever doing good upon a people so blinded and hardened and that they were Gentiles and hee a Jew and why should hee then be sent with so strange so terrible a message to such a people nothing being more hateful and distasteful to a Jewish Palate but all these pleas and excuses will not bear off the blow Jonah must into the Sea for all this Oculos quos peccatum claudit paena apperit Gre. The eyes that sin shuts affliction opens and Jonab found it so yea hee must to the bottom of hell as himself phrases it it is in vain for the bird to complaine that it saw the corn but not the pitfall or for a fish to plead it saw the bait but not the hook So it will bee in vain for sinners at last when they are taken in an infernal pit-fall to plead company and allurements by which they have been intised to undo their souls for ever Dionysius the Sicilian King to excuse himself from the present delivery of the golden garment hee took from his God Apollo answered that such a robe as that was could not bee at any season of the year useful to his god for it would not keep him warm in the winter and it was too heavy for the summer and so put off his Idol god but the God of spirits the God of all flesh will not bee put off with any excuses or pretences when hee shall try and judge the children of men But Fifthly and lastly Mat. 18.7 I answer that it is a very great judgement to bee given up to follow evil examples a man given up to evil examples is a man sadly left of God wofully blinded by Satan and desperately hardened in sin it speaks a man ripe for wrath for ruine for hell Jer. 6.21 * This particle Behold is sometimes a note of derision Gen. 3.22 2 A Note of Attention often Isa 28.6 Mal. 1.1 Luk. 1.20 3 A Note of Admiration often 4 A Note of Asseveration 5 A Note of Castigation in all these senses we may take it here Behold I will lay stumbling blocks before this people and the Fathers and the Sons together shall fall upon them the neighbour and his friend shall perish Oh! it is a dreadful thing when God shall make the sinful examples of others to bee stumbling blocks to a people at which they shall stumble and fall and perish for ever good had it been for such persons that they had never been born as Christ once spake concerning Judas The Rhodians and Lydians enacted several Laws that those sons which followed not their Fathers in their vertues Varro but followed vicious examples should bee dis-inherited and their lands given to the most vertuous of that race not admitting any impious heir whatsoever to inherit and do you think that God will not disinherit all those of Heaven and happinesse who follow vicious examples doubtlesse hee will 1 Cor. 10.5 12. The fifth and last Objection I shall mention is this God is a God of mercy in him are bowels of mercy yea a Sea an Ocean of mercy hee loves mercy hee delights in mercy and hee is ready to shew mercy to poor sinners when they are even at the last cast when there is but a short stride between them and the grave between them and eternity as wee see in his extending mercy to the Theef and in his giving a pardon into his hand and the assurance of Paradise into his bosome when hee was ready to be turned off the Ladder of life and therefore I may spend the Prim-rose of my daies in following sin and the delights profits vanities and contents of this world and at last cast I may have mercy as well as the Theef God is a God made up of mercy and surely hee will not deny some crums of mercy to a poor sinner in misery c. Now to this Objection I shall give these following answers First God is as just as hee is merciful witnesse his casting the Angels out of Heaven and Adam out of Paradise God is as well all hand to punish as hee is all grace to pardon witnesse all the threatnings the curses the woes that the Bible is filled with from one end to the other witnesse the hell the horrour the terrour and amazement that hee raises in the consciences of sinners witnesse the devastations that hee hath made of the most stately flourishing Towns Cities Countries and Kingdomes that have been in all the world witnesse the variety of diseases calamities miseries dangers deaths and hells that alwaies attends the inhabitants of the world but above all witness Christs treading the Wine-press of his fathers wrath witness his hiding his face from him and the pouring out of all his displeasure and vengeance upon him Zaleucus the Locrensian Lawgiver Valerius lib. 6. cap. 5 thrust out one of his own sons eyes for his transgressing of a wholesome Law which hee had enacted but God the father thrust out both Christs eys for our transgressing of his royal Law Oh! the justice severity of God But Secondly I Answer that there is not a greater evidence of blindness prophanenesse hard-heartedness spiritual madness and hellish desperateness in all the World than to make that an Argument an incouragement to sin viz. the mercy of God which should be the greatest Argument under heaven to keep a man from Sin as all know that have but read the scripture neither are there any Sinners in the World that God delights to rain Hell out of Heaven upon Read Isa 22 12 13 14 15 and Ezek. 24.11 12 13 14 as upon such who by their abuse of mercy turns the God of mercy into a God of clâ—â—ts and goes on out-daring justice it self Deut. 29.19 20. And it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse that he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have Peace God is a God of mercy though I walk in the imagination of
Reproof from 79. to 84 The several evils that most properly attends youth as 1 Pride from 84. to 87 2 Sensual pleasures and delights from 87. to 93 3 Rashnesse from 93. to 96 4 Mocking and Scoffing at Religious men and religious things from p. 96. to 98 5 Wantonnesse from p. 98. to 101 Use of Exhortation to exhort young persons to be good betimes and motives moving thereunto as 1 It is a high honour to be good betimes from p. 102. to 106 2 Christ gave himself for sinners when he was in the primerose of his age from p. 106. to 111 3 It is the best way in the world to bee rich in spiritual experiences from p. 111. to 116. 4 The present time is the only time that you are sure of from p. 116. to 122 5 It is just with God to reserve the dregs of his wrath for them who reserve the dregs of their dayes for him from p. 122. to 125 6 The sooner you are good on earth the greater will be your reward in heaven from p. 125. to 134 7 The Lord is very much affected and taken with your seeking of him and following after him in the spring and morning of your youth from p. 134. to 136 8 It will prevent many sad and black temptations from p. 136. to 140 9 Consider the worth and excellency of souls from p. 140. to 144 10 God will at last bring young men to a reckoning from p. 144. to 155 Quest Whether in the great day of account the sins of the Saints shall bee brought into the judgement of Discussion and discovery or no the negative proved by divers arguments from p. 155 to 171 Directions to such as would bee good betimes as would know and love seek and serve the Lord in the primrose of their dayes as 1 Take heed of putting the day of death a far off from p. 171. to 177 2 If you would bee good betimes take heed of leaning to your own understanding from p. 177. to 182 3 If you would be good betimes take heed of flatterers and flattery from p. 182. to 191 4 If you would seek the Lord in the spring and morning of your dayes then take heed of engaged affections to the things of the World from p. 191. to 197 5 If you would be good betimes then you must take heed betimes of carnal reason c. from p. 197. to 201. 6 Take heed of comparing your selves with those that are worse than your selves from p. 201. to 207 Secondly As those six things must be declined so several other things must be practised if you would be good betimes as 1 If you would be good betimes then you must labour to be acquainted with four things betimes as 1 You must labor to acquaint your selves with the scripture betimes p. 207. to 219 2 You must acquaint your selves with your selves betimes from p. 219. to 226 3 If you would be good betimes then you must acquaint your selves with Jesus Christ betimes from p. 226. to 228 Now there are six things which you should be thorowly acquainted with concerning Jesus Christ As 1 If you would be good betimes then you must know that there is every thing in Christ that may incourage you to seek him and serve him p. 228. to 230 2 If you would be good betimes then you must know betimes that Jesus Christ is mighty to save p. 230 to 234 3 Then you must know betimes that there is a marvellous readinesse and willingness in Christ to imbrace and entertain returning sinners c. p. 234. to 236 4 If you would be good betimes then you must know betimes that Jesus Christ is designed sealed and appointed by the father to the office of a Mediatour from p. 236. to 240 5 If you would be good betimes then you must know betimes that there is no way to salvation but by Jesus Christ p. 240. to 246 6 If you would be good betimes then you must know betimes that the heart of Jesus Christ is as much set upon sinners now hee is in heaven as ever it was when he was on earth p. 246. to 249 4 If you would bee good betimes then you must acquaint your selves with those that are good betimes 249. to 254 2 If you would be good betimes then you must shun the occasions of sin betimes from p. 254. to 262 3 If you would be good betimes then you must remember the eye of God betimes from p. 262. to 265 4 If you would be good betimes then you must hearken to the voice of conscience betimes from p. 265. to 269 5 If you would be good betimes then you must know wherein true happiness lyes betimes from p. 269. to 272 6 Lastly If you would be good betimes then you must break your covenant with sin betimes Now to work you to that you must alwaies look upon sin under these six notions 1 You must look upon sin under the notion of an enemy from p. 272. to 277 2 Vnder the notion of bonds c. from p. 277. to 279 3 Vnder the notion of fire six resemblarces between sin and fire from p. 279. to 289 4 Under the notion of a Theif c. from p. 289. to 292 5 Vnder the notion of a burden c. from p. 292. to 296 6 Vnder the notion of a Tyrant c. from p. 296. to 299 1 Object It may be time enough hereafter to seek and serve the Lord c. This Objection answered four waies from p. 299. to 304 2 Object If I should seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of my daies I should loose the love and favor of such and such friends and Relations Four Answers to this Objection c. from p. 304. to 311 3 Obj. I shall meet with many reproaches Eight answers to this Objection from p. 311. to 326 4 Object Most men give liberty to themselves and walk in waies more pleasing to the flesh This Objection answered five waies from p. 326. to 339 5 Ob. The last I shall mention is that God is a God of mercy in him are bowels of mercy yea a sea an Ocean of mercy he delights in mercy c. Five answers to this Objection from p. 339. to 349 Lastly The Old mans doubts resolved in eight several answers from p. 349 to the end FINIS ERRATA PAge 12. line 22. Alarm for Atome p. 54. l. 5 it for that p. 55. l. 20. were for was p. 70. l. 21. add to p. 86. l. 7. Sybian for Lybian Reader What other defects thou meetest with thou art desired in love to pass over by reason of the Authors absence from the Press THE Young-Mans Duty AND EXCELLENCY 1 KING 14. ch 13. v. And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him for hee only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam The Young mans
a means to preserve thee from lying in those everlasting Flames Bellarmine tells us of a certain advocate of the Court of Rome that being at the point of death Bellar. de arte moriendi l. 2. c. 10. was stirred up by them that stood by to repent and call upon God for mercy hee with a constant countenance and without signe of fear turned his speech to God and said Lord I have a desire to speak unto thee not for my self but for my wife and Children for I am hastening to hell neither is there any thing that thou shouldest do for mee and this he spake saith Bellarmine who was present and heard it as if hee had spoke of a journey to some Village or Town and was no more affrighted Sir Francis Bacon also in his History of Henry the Seventh relates how it was a common by-word of the Lord Cordes that hee would bee content to lye seven years in hell so hee might win Calice from the English but if thou O young man art given up to such desperate Atheisme and carnal Apprehensions of Hell I am affraid God will confute thee one day by fire and brimstone but I would willingly hope better things of all those young persons into whose hands this Treatise shall fall and thus you see what things must bee declined and avoided if ever you would be good betimes if ever you would seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of your daies But in the second place as those things must bee declined so other things must carefully and diligently bee practised if ever you would be good betimes I shall instance onely in those that are most considerable and weighty as First if ever you would bee good betimes c. then you must labour to bee acquainted with four things betimes First You must labour to acquaint your selves with the Scripture betimes you must study the Word betimes David studied the Word in the morning of his dayes in the primrose of his youth Psal 119.97 98 99 100 101 102 103 and this made him wiser than his enemies yea than his teachers this made him as much excel the Ancients as the Sunne excels the Moon or as the Moon excels the twinkling stars Timothy was good betimes and no wonder for in the prime-rose of his dayes 2 Tim. 3.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from a suckling hee was acquainted with the Scripture hee was inured to the Word from his child-hood yea from his infancy as the word properly signifies so in that 119 Psalm the 9. Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed according to thy Word there is no way to a holy heart and a clean life but by acquainting of your selves with the Word betimes one hath long since observed Aug. that God hath bowed down the Scriptures to the capacity even of babes and sucklings that all excuse may be taken away and that young men may bee encouraged to study the Scripture betimes Ah! Adoro Plenitudinem Scripturarum Tertullian Young men no Histories are comparable to the Histories of the Scriptures 1 for Antiquity 2 Rarity 3 Variety 4 Brevity 5 Perspicuity 6 Harmony 7 Verity All other books cannot equal Gods either in age or authority in dignity or excellency in sufficiency or glory Moses is found more ancient and more honourable than all those whom the Grecians make most ancient and honourable as Homer Hesiod and Jupiter himself whom the Greeks have seated in the top of their divinity The whole Scripture is but one intire love letter Gregory calls the Scripture Cor animam Dei the heart and soul of God dispatcht from the Lord Christ to his beloved Spouse and who then but would still be a reading in this love letter Like Caecilia a Roman maiden of Noble Parentage who carried alwaies about her the New-Testament that shee might still be a reading in Christs love letter and behold the sweet workings of his love and heart towards his dear and precious ones Luther found so much sweetnesse in the Word in Christs love letter that made him say he would not live in Paradise if he might without the word at cum verbo etiam in inferno facile est vivere but with the Word hee could live in hell it self The Word is like the stone Garamantides that hath drops of Gold in it self enriching of the beleeving soul This the Martyrs found which made them willing to give a load of hay for a few leaves of the Bible in English Augustine professeth that the Sacred Scriptures were his holy delight Hier. Epistola ad Heliod in Epitaphium Nepotiani And Hierom tells us of one Nepotianus who by long and assiduous meditation on the holy Scriptures had made his breast the library of Jesus Christ And Rabbi Chiia in the Jerusalem Talmud saith that in his account all the World is not of equal value with one word out of the Law That which a Papist reports lyingly of their Sacrament of the Mass viz. that there are as many mysteries in it as there bee drops in the Sea dust on the earth Angels in heaven stars in the skye Atomes in the Sun-beams or sand on the Sea-shore c. may be truly asserted of the holy Scriptures Oh the mysteries the excellencies the glories that are in the Word Ah no book to this book none so useful none so needful none so delightful none so necessary to make you happy and to keep you happy as this It is said of Caesar major fuit cura Caesari libellorum quam purpurae that he had greater care of his books than of his Royal Robes for swimming thorow the waters to escape his enemies hee carried his books in his hand above the waters but lost his Robe now what are Caesars books to Gods books Ah! Ps 119 Young men young men the Word of the Lord is a light to guide you a Counsellor to counsel you a comforter to comfort you a staffe to support you a sword to defend you and a Physitian to cure you the word is a Mine to enrich you a Robe to cloath you and a Crown to crown you it is bread to strengthen you and wine to cheere you and a honey-comb to feast you and musick to delight you and a Paradise to entertain you Oh! The Jewish Rabbins were wont to say that upon every letter of the saw there hangs mountains of profitable matter Therefore before all and above all search the Scripture study the Scripture dwell on the Scripture delight in the Scripture treasure up the Scripture no wisdome to scripture Wisdome no knowledge to Scripture knowledge no experience to Scripture experience no comforts to Scripture comforts no delights to Scripture delights no convictions to Scripture convictions nor no conversion to scripture conversion Augustin hearing a voice from heaven Tolle lege that bad him take and read whereupon turning open the new-Testament hee fell upon that place