estate afterwards repents himself but rather looks back upon his diligence with delight So did you ever hear of any when they were to dye that ever cryed out O that I had not spent so many dayes in the service of God! O that I had never taken such pains in seeking after Christ But you have heard of many on the contrary that have cryed O that I were to live over my dayes and time again would I ever be so careless of an immortal Soul would I ever indulge my carnal sloth at that rate I have done would I miss so many precious seasons of Grace for my Soul as I have done 1. Poor Soul do not many strive and never win into the harbour had not thou need cast off thy sloth then 2. Work out thy salvation with fear and trembling who then would give way to flesh 3. It is a business of eternal consequence who would be slothful in a business of such great concernment 4. All our diligence is little enough therefore God calls for violence in the case to take heaven by violence this is honourable 5. The fruit of diligence will be peace upon a death bed 2 Pet. 3.14 Be diligent is Peters exhortation but what motive doth he use That you may be found of him in peace 5. Fifth hinderance to young Seekers after Christ is hope of a longer lease of their lives they hope there is no such hast Some years hence when they have gotten an estate in the world then they will look after these things but why should they be so early with Christ will not two seven years hence serve and thus they delay their seeking after Christ 1. It is worth considering what if thou do live longer and be hardened in sin While Plants are tender they may be dealt with but when they are grown they are too sturdy Alas poor Sinner thou mayst be hereafter a sturdy sinner an hardned sinner an Atheist a Scoffer a Persecutor what if God shall give thee up after thou hast refused to hearken unto him and say of thee Psal 81.11 12. as of Israel of old But Israel would have none of me so I gave them up to their own hearts lusts 2. Is it not worth considering whether the motions of the Spirit be not irrecoverably forfeited by such Souls as delay seeking after Christ upon hope of a longer day There have been Souls that have irrecoverably forfeited the Spirits gales and then what a sad condition would thy poor Soul be in God hath said his Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man 3. What if while thou art hoping for a longer day God should send thee a summons by the black Serjeant Death to tell thee this night shall thy Soul be taken away It was so with him while he was saying Soul take thine ease thou hast goods laid up for many years 4. What if thy day of Grace should be over and Christ wooe no more tender himself no more but his abused love turn into incensed wrath 5. Consider how thy puts off and delayes have grieved Christ Hast not thou wearied out the Lord Jesus while he hath stretched his arm all the day long 6. Consider how your delays will sting you upon a death bed or in another world O how often was I called and yet delayed The remembrance of every delay will go to your hearts like a dagger and bleed in your conscience for ever 6. Sixth Hinderance to morning Seekers after Jesus Christ is perswasions of Christs unwillingness to receive them or be found of them because of their unworthiness This very case discourages many a poor Soul from seeking after Christ they have taken in hard thoughts of God and Christ And O how doth Satan now haunt the Soul taking all opportunities to blow up their unbelieving jealousies against Christ 1. Poor Soul would Jesus Christ wooe thee if he were not willing to be found of thee Would he knock if he were not willing to come in upon thy opening Would he hold out his Golden Scepter for thee to kiss if he were not willing to be reconciled to thee 2. Poor Soul would he wait if he were not willing What speaks his great patience and long suffering towards thee but his willingness to be found of thee Why doth he not only knock but stand and knock Behold I stand at the door and knock Rev. 3.20 He is not yet gone from your doors which notes his willingness to be in 3. Poor Soul would he complain of poor Sinners unwillingness to receive him if he were not willing If it stick not on the sinners side there then is no ground for complaining on Christs side O the sad complaints and groans that have proceeded from Christ upon this account You will not come unto me that ye might have life He was grieved because of their unbelief and hardness of their hearts 4. Poor Soul would the Lord Jesus Christ send his voice behind thee so often prompting thee on to seek after Christ if he were not willing O how doth the voice still keep behind thee in Ordinances in Afflictions whispering to thee thy duty We read of the Spirit saying Come as well as the Bride saying Come it is the Spirit of God is the great maker up of the match betwixt the Soul and Christ and this argues Christ is willing because he sends his messenger so often to thee upon the errand 5. Poor Soul would the Lord Jesus Christ have been so willing to come a Salvation-errand into the world if he were not willing to be found of Sinners What was Christs errand from Heaven unto Earth He came to seek Souls to seek and to save that which was lost He came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to repentance Would he seek you if not willing to save you O let not Christ lose his pains by your harbouring unbelieving jealousies of his love 7. Seventh hinderance to morning Seekers after Jesus Christ is they hope they may repent upon a death bed or sick bed after they have spent their youthful time in sin and vanity this is very incident to all but especially to young persons 1. Poor Soul what if the grim Serjeant Death serve a Writ on thee unawares If thou be struck on a suddain where then will be thy repentance Dost thou know the manner of thy death any more than the time of death What if thou poor young man who hast slighted so many warnings shouldst have none given thee when the great stroak comes What if the Lord come upon thee in an hour thou lookedst not for him 2. What if thou be given up to a seared conscience on a sick bed or death bed A seared conscience at any time is sad but most sad on a sick bed have not many died seared and hardned in sin yea in their very youth But as they lived so they died without sense or feeling of their sad and sinful state 3. Poor Souls what if
set and watered that they might become Trees of Righteousness Therefore he hath his Nurseries to debauch and corrupt them like Herod he is all for killing Christ in the cradle O this puts him upon that rage and wrath in pursuing poor Souls as soon as their Convictions begin to stir in them As Pharaoh pursued Israel when he saw them attempting an escape so doth Satan follow poor Young Ones as soon as ever they look out of their miserable Captivity under which they are in their natural estates and conditions 11. I have observed that the Lords effectual working upon the hearts of Young Ones is and hath been a token of some approaching appearance of God on the behalf of a People or a Nation It argues God hath still some work there some thing to do there that he would not leave that place and people He doth not beget Children for the murtherer he doth not use to beget Children and send away the breasts from them And on the contrary when Conversion-work ceases O then some heavy blow comes Some National stroak is at the door When the Harvest is inn'd then the labourers are called home and this portends a storm Ambassadours calling home looks like a War 12. I have observed the sad and doleful heart-breaking lamentations of many Godly Parents over the Souls of their dear and dead Children many Families mourning over their dead There was a great cry throughout the Land of Aegypt when the First-born was dead Exod. 11.6 O what a cry hath gone through the Land for the Souls of poor dead Children One Family crying Lord this dear Child is dead his Soul is dead while he lives 1 Tim. 5.5 as is said of some while they live in pleasures are dead and that which cuts poor Parents to the heart is this they fear they shall ere long hear such a cry for their Childrens Souls as was in the night time in the great Plague some times Cast out your dead cast out your dead O then sayes one Family LORD how many have we to cast out So many Children and so few of them made alive to God so few that have Christ formed in their precious Souls O you Young Ones that are the Seed of Godly Parents if you miscarry to all Eternity your Parents Tears and Frayers I must tell you will be as so much oyl to make Hell flames burn so much the more vehemently upon you If you that are Children of the Kingdome by Education be shut out this will aggravate your condemnation dreadfully 13. I have observed that the wandring of such Young Ones in the by-wayes of Sin as have sprung from and have been nursed up in Godly Families have rolled much reproach upon Gods Covenant If the reproach was only upon their Persons it would not be so laid to heart though for a Son to be an occasion of reproach to his Father and Family is sad but that which goes deeper is the Covenant of God is reproached The world say they see no difference betwixt the posterity of the Godly and the Vngodly and this is an over-whelming consideration to them And O Young Ones is neither the Name of God nor the Name of your tender Parents nor your Families nor your immortal Souls precious in your eyes How may that Endictment be drawn up against you Mic. 7.6 The Son dishonoureth the Father and the Daughter riseth up against her Mother Lastly I have sadly observed a spirit of stubbornness and rebellion hath taken possession of many Young Ones towards their dear and tender Parents 2 Tim. 3.2 which indeed is a sin of the highest rank Rom. 1.30 therefore reckoned among ihe sins of the later times and so on the contrary obedience to Parents is reckoned among the most Religious Duties Lev. 19. ◠You shall fear every man his Mother and his Father and keep my Sabbaths I am the Lord your God Yea in the punishment of this sin we may read the heinousness of it the Rebellious Son was to be stoned to death under the Law Deut. 21.18 19 20 21. and sure the sin is not less now in Gospel-times than it was then Now Young Men these were some of those Observations I have made that tendered my heart towards the everlasting good of your immortal Souls and prevailed with me to put these papers into your hands hoping the Lord may in some measure succeed them with his blessing which is and shall be the hearty Prayer of Your unfeigned Souls Friend and Servant in the Ministry of the Gospel J. R. Decem. 9. 1672. Advertisement to the Reader There is published by the same Author a Book Entituled A Plat for Mariners or the Sea-mans Preacher in several Sermons upon Jonah's Voyage In 8 vo Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me and they that seek me early shall find me THat young Inquirers after the Lord Jesus Christ may be encouraged in their following on to know him notwithstanding the temptations they meet with without them and within them this Text of Scripture is very considerable The Words are the Promise of Christ to young Seekers by way of encouragement to continue and hold on in seeking him 1. We have the Persons to whom the Promise is made They that seek me early they that seek me in the morning so the word because that which is done in the morning is always done most vigorously the Spirits being more raised and lively Therefore we read of the morning as an especial praying time as a time of worship I direct my prayer unto thee in the morning Prov. 15.14 The word is uused Psal 130.6 and will look up and at another time says he my soul waits for thee more than they which wait for the morning Psal 130.6 viz. than the Watchmen that give notice of the morning Tempus matutinum Hebraeis dicitur Boker à Bokkar Est quaerere magis conatu studio Pro. 15.14 It signisies to seek by suing and praying by asking direction and counsel of them that are able to give it that they may offer up their Sacrifice says Mr. Ainsworth These are the Persons under the Promise that seek him in the morning of their time in their youth 2. We have the Person that makes this Promise They that seek me viz. Jesus Christ It is apparent all over the Chapter that is meant of Christ who is here called Wisdom who indeed is the Wisdom of the Father I need not take up time in proving this the very Text carries its own Evidence in it O Poor Soul Christ himself is your Encourager what ever Discouragements you meet withall and this he doth by his own Promise 3. Here is the Promise it self they shall find me They are poor mourning Seekers early Seekers and young Seekers but they shall be sure and certain finders They shall not seek as God threatned them in the Prophet they shall seek me with their Herds and their Flocks Hosea 5.6
to an account for all your especial times of finding Christ 2. These especial times of finding Christ are not all persons priviledges He hath not dealt with all people as with you How many parts of the world that never were enriched with the tenders of Gospel-grace as you have been but lie in the rubbish of ignorance and ungodliness Nay how many that have lived under the sound of the Gospel and yet the Gospel is hid to them 2 Cor. 4.3 and such souls are lost And shall your Souls be priviledged above others in the being under these especial seasons and you not improve them 3. These especial times if you let slip you will be hardned and rivetted in your sins After men have sinned away the day of Grace O then they grow worse and worse Then their poor Souls do swim down the stream of all manner of prophaneness Have you not often observed it that after sinners have worn off their Convictions they have been more careless more prophane more resolute in their course of sin 4. These especial times if you let them slip it may be you shall never have such times again My Spirit shall no more strive with man His bowels will be shut up in displeasure against you You may out-live the breathings of the Lord upon your Souls And O if God should awaken you and cause you to reflect upon what hath past betwixt God and your Souls O then it may be you will cry out O that it were with me as in months past O for one of the Motions of the Spirit of God I have sleighted O for one of the Convictions I have murdered 5. These especial times will exceedingly aggravate your sin in standing out against Christ A woe was written upon the head of Capernaum and Bethsaida O when Christ shall say what have you to say for your selves was not I tendred unto you was not I offered with all the benefits of my death but you would none of me O now how will such poor Souls run to the rocks yea be fit to creep into the holes of the ragged rocks for the Majesty of the Lord 2. Word is a word of direction What shall we do by way of improvement of these especial times or how shall we improve them 1. Would you improve these especial finding times Then 1. Lament sensibly over your lost time Lapsed time goes to the heart of a poor convinced sinner nothing doth cut so deep as the consideration of trifling away golden seasons of Grace It was the charge the Lord brought in against Jezabel I gave her space to repent but she repented not O for a poor soul to reflect upon the time that is past then it will cry as Job did in that case O that it were with me as in months that are past O that I might enjoy one of the dayes of the Son of Man that I have so slighted The Apostle tells us of some who for the time might have been Teachers of others but alas they had lost their time If you lose but a tide-time you can fret at that and be impatient O how many tide-times have you lost for Eternity Every appointment of Christ in which the Spirit of Christ breaths is a tide-time O how many market-dayes for Heaven have your Souls lost And can you remember them and not lament over them 2. Would you improve these especial finding times Consider then you cannot mis-improve neglect these but you put a sleight upon Christ O how dangerous is this to put a sleight upon the Lord Jesus when he is willing to be found of you What a sleight was that they put upon Christ when they made all their excuses they could not come when Christ tenders himself and is refused Therefore he complained but my people would have none of me For the Lord Jesus Christ to leave the bosome of his Father the Glory of Heaven and be clothed in and married to our nature and be made a curse for us and after all this to be slighted by a company of poor sinners O what monstrous ingratitude is this Would we slight a Relation a Friend an Acquaintance thus Is not this to be highly uncivil to Jesus Christ O how do poor sinners put their incivilities upon Christ 3. Would you not mis-improve these especial finding times then consider how this grieves Christ When he came nigh the City he wept over it what was the matter this was the consideration that did draw tears from Christs eyes that they had enjoyed an especial time and day of Grace in which Christ was willing to have been found of them O that thou hadst known in this thy day c. We read also of those that refused the tenders of Christ the master of the house was angry at them O take heed of angring Christ poor sinners in this respect Kiss the Sun lest he be angry What if he be Ps 2. ult and you perish from the way When his wrath is kindled but a little Blessed are they that trust in him O who can stand before the wrath of the Lamb Yea what can cover us from the wrath of the Lamb O what ingratitude is this to grieve him for loving you to requite him evil for good Is this your kindness to your friend Will you thus requite the Lord O you foolish Souls Do you thus answer his love in coming from heaven upon your errand It is said the Lord Jesus Christ was grieved because of their unbelief and the hardness of their hearts You would not willingly grieve a Relation a Father a Mother and will you grieve Christ 4. Direction Would you not mis-improve these especial finding times then live in the consideration of what depends upon them Upon these times depend your eternal conditions upon on these monosyllables depends eternity upon these Nows these present gales and seasons of Grace We say of some business that we are very solicitous about there is much depends upon it It is a matter of grand importance This is the case thy laying hold of these special times is a business of great moment as much as your immortal Souls are worth O that every time you prayed you might say this is for eternity and every time you heard a Sermon O poor Soul this is for eternity As that great Painter said propter aeternitatem pingo So should every poor sinner say of his duties Write Eternity upon the head of them I have read of one that lived many years in a Cave under the earth among multitudes of Gnats to the wonder of many he was insensible of their disturbances and the reason given is this he was come thither to contemplate eternity So do I say the consideration and contemplation of eternity would make you forget the world and the comforts of it when you make your approaches to God 5. Would you not mis-improve these especial finding times O then live much in the consideration of the worth of your