the last Verse of that Chapter the latter in the fiâ—st Verse of this in the words of the Text Both which he is backing wiâ—h the former Argument the breviâ—y of Life and the certainty of approaching Death The first Inference or Duty exhorted to in the last Verse of the former Chapter is Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart and put away evil from thy flâ—sh so I do may the young man think while I rejoyce in my youth and my heart chears me while I walk in the wayes of my heaâ—t and in the sight of mine eyes if this be not to remove sorrow from my hâ—art and put away evil from my flesh what is Such indeed is the opinion of the flesh touching sensual pleasures but sure the judgement of the Spirit of God is quite contrary hereunto and it is quite another thing that is here intended viz. the putting away sorrow by the putting away sin the removing of the Effect the evil of afflictâ—on and suffering by removing the Cause the evil of concupiscence and inordinate affâ—ctâ—â—n according to the truth of that which he is elswhere speaking Prov 14.13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful and the end of that mirth is heaviness A holy heart and a merry heart go together and a sinful heart and a sorrowful heart cannot will not be long asunder be that puts not away the evil of sin from his flesh cannot long put away the evil of smart and suffering whatever vain sensual men may imagine the winding up will prove that of the Wise-man true Prov. 11.29 As righteousness tendeth to life so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death and the Reason backing it is bottomed upon the same main Argument the flittingness brevity and uncertainty of Life even in the young and lusty for Childhood and Youth is vanity i.e. are fading passing uncertain soon spent Young men may bear and behave themselves as if imagining their hot blood lusty bodies activity beauty would last alwayes and their youthful pleasures never be at an end but Childhood and Youth are vanity Death may not wait till they be gray-headed or however the earliest Morning hastens apace to Noon and then to Night The second Inference or Duty exhorted to you have in the words of the Text Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth As in the former he was calling off from sin vanity the empty pursuance of the Creature so in this he is calling to and putting upon the remembrance of the Creator q.d. relinquish your vanities and your sensual pleasures and contentments which will be bitterness in the latter end and set your hearts seriously God-ward turn your thoughts toward the minding him And this Exhortation of young men to the now remembring of their Creator is urged upon them by the same main Argument still The flittingness and vanity of Life and the approaching certainty and the evil and dark dayes of old Age and Death While the evil dayes come not c. as in this and the following Verses q.d. old Age and Death are hastening upon you and will certainly and soon overtake you It is the former part of the Verse Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth that I shall insist upon taking no further notice of the latter but as it may be an Argument to enforce this And here because I study expedition and the Explication will necessarily take up some room and time as also that the Reason of the duty here required of us is couched in the expressions wherein it is commended to us We shall first lay down the Conclusion or Point of Doctrine from the words and then open it to you and fetch the Reasons out of its own bowels The Observation then according to the terms of the Text which we shall after more fully unfold is this Doct. That it is every mans Duty every young mans Duty now in the dayes of his youth to Remember his Creator Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth It is every mans duty to remember God it is every young mans duty to do it now in the dayes of his youth For the clearing up of the Doctrine and making way for the Application and Improvement of it we have three things to handle and unfold 1. What this Remembring our Creator he duty which the Text and Doctrine calls for is importing 2. The Reasons of our so doing which the term of Creator is implying 3. Why the Younger may not put it off but it must be now done now in the dayes of their youth I. What this remembring God remembring our Creator is importing Remembring commonly in Scripture acceptation is not strictly taken for the simple act of memory the meer retaining a thing in our heads nor is so here to be taken for any one simple act of the Soul nor yet divers and continued acts of one and the same Faculty but it is taken for the compleat entire motion of the whole Soul the whole man towards God It is the common saying of Divines That words of knowledge of sense in Scripture imply affection and action cogitation and practice take in both the head and heart include the whole Soul by one word of knowing remembring and the like is included the compleat entire motion of the whole Soul the whole man towards God Such is the combination and concatenation of all the Faculties of the Soul as of Links in a Chain that draw one and draw all break one and break all upon this account any one act or the act of any one single Faculty as knowing remembring c. is usually in Scripture put for the compleat entire motion of the whole Soul The term of our remembring God so of his remembring us is used ordinarily not strictly but in such a latitude as we have been speaking if you consult Neh. 4.14 Judg. 8.34 Lev. 26.42 Luke 23.42 and a number of Texts more that might be named and recited but I fear to be tedious you will finde the sense of the phrase to run according to the breadth which we have been saying In a word we then remember God not when we barely think of him but when as such we affectionately and practically acknowledge him when we really own and bear our selves toward him as our Creator in sum when the whole entirâ— motion of the whole Soul is Godward Thus briefly and in general But because the burthen of the Duty of the Text hangs upon this word Remember we shall yet a little further unfold it and shew you yet somewhat more fully distinctly and particularly what the remembring God is implying and inferring briefly 1. Remembring God is implying and inferring converting turning unto God Psal 22.27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord All men naturally are forgetting God and turning from him and men then remember God when they convert and turn unto him men naturally too earnestly remember the Creature and
clothed with such Considerations presented under such Notions and Titles as may carry with them the ground and reason of and motive to the duty called for as in Isa 8.13 14. Jer. 5.22 and elswhere So here there is Reason Ground Motive enough in the Notion and Title of our Creator that God is set forth by to put us upon the duty required the remembring of him O come say they Psal 95 6. let us worship and bow down and kneel before the Lord our Maker And this is their Motive Psal 100.1 2 3. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye lands serve the Lord with gladness and come before his presence with singing Know ye that the Lord he is God it is he that hath made us and not we our selves we are his people and the sheep of his pasture At that day saith the Prophet Isa 17.7 a man shall look to his Maker and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel To whom should the Creature have a respectful eye whiche should he look but to his Maker whom should man remember but his Creator But that we may more fully see this we must know that the term of Creator here used sets forth God as the Author of our Being out of nothing so of all our Being and well bring our bringing into Being our continuance in Being our preservation our well-being all the administrations of God about us as to this are wrapped up in his being set forth as our Creator nor onely so but consequently the Right that he hath in us the Regiment and Dominion that he hath over us and the Disposure that he hath of us are here included These things considered Why we should Remember our Creator is most evident and the Reason runneth very strong But to touch some things 1. Because God being our Creator the Author and Fountain of our Being is the End of our Being the first Cause must needs be the last End he that made all of himself made all for himself Prov. 16.4 The Lord made all things for himself Rom. 11.36 For of him and through him and to him are all things Of whom and through whom are all things to him are all things he that primarily made all things of himself made all things ultimately for himself 2. Because God is not onely bringing us into but continuing us in Being preserving and administring to our well-being we must all of us bespeak God in Job's language Job 10.12 Thou hast granted me life and favour and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit i.e. Being and well-being and continuation of both He is styled The preserver of men Job 7.20 He holdeth our soul in life Psal 66.9 In him we live and move and have our being Acts 17.18 He maintaineth and bloweth up the spark of his own kindling He giveth to us life and breath and all things ver 25. of the same Chapter It is from his careful Providence that is continually exercised about us that such frail needy creatures are supported and supplied having a subsistence and a comfortable one God is not like the Carpenter or Mason that buildeth the House and then leaveth it to it self or the care of others but he keepeth up what he setteth up we should quickly lose all and sink into our nothing again did not the same hand that brought us out of nothing keep us where we are And to whom then do we owe our service whose are we whom should we remember to whom should we be but his to him from whom we have our maintenance and preservation who is not our Maker onely but our continual Upholder and most bountiful Benefactor 3. Because God being our Creator is our Proprietor Possessor Owner Lord Governour As the Lord builds the house and keepeth it in repair so he holdeth it himself as he built it for himself so he continueth to be the Proprietor Owner Lord Governour Possessor of it as he putteth not man out of his own hands in respect of preservation so neither in respect of possession and dominion Isa 43.1 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee O Jacob and that formed thee O Israel thou art mine To whom God saith I have created I have formed thee he saith also Thou art mine It is most probable indeed that the Prophet here speaks rather of spiritual then natural formation of Gods making them in Grace then in Nature but the reason holdeth the same and alike good in both God is said to possess us upon a Creating account his forming is phrased his possessing of us Psal 139.13 Thou hast possessed my reins thou hast covered me in my Mothers womb so he possesseth us upon a Creation account as he possesseth us in making so he possesseth us having made us God then challengeth us and layeth claim to us in the most Absolute Right for it is beyond us to imagine nor indeed can there be a more full and undoubted Right and Title then Creation giveth he being our Creator then is in the most unquestionable Right our Possessor Proprietor Lord Owner Disposer and we are his possession for his use at his dispose bound thereunto in the highest and most unquestionable Right More might be added from the knowledge God hath of us as being our Maker and intimately acquainted with us He that made man knoweth what is in man he that formed the heart soundeth it John 2.25 Psal 33.15 Heb. 4.13 Acts 15.18 Psal 139.1 and the following Verses and from the power that he hath over us being easily able to reach us and punish us at pleasure for all our forgetfulness of him and neglects of duty towards himself the same hand that made can break us he that built can easily pull us down 2 Kings 5 7. Jâ—b 10 8. Psal 104.29 30. but I may not further amplifie these things Let what hath been said suffice as to the Grounds and Reasons of the Duty which the term of Creator is implying III. The third and last thing to be spoken to for the clearing up of the Doctrine is Why the youngest may not put it off but they are now to remember their Creator now in the dayes of their youth We shall fetch the Reasons of this also out of the Text it self and they are but to name them as it were 1. Because young men now in the dayes of their youth owe thâ—iâ— Creator this present debt of remembrance this debt of duty and acknowledgement is due from man to his Maker as and as soon as years of discretion render him capable of it This debt doth not come to be due in Sickness at Death or in old Age but it groweth upon us with our capacity from our very Cradles it is from first to last Gods due and our duty according to our capability it is as well our duty that we remember him in our youth as in our age it is as well his due that we remember him now as hereafter every man is deeply
it is then so as by fire as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 3.15 or as it is Jude ver 22.23 And of some have compassion making a difference and others save with fear pulling them out of the fire so God acts such a difference he makes in seasoning some with his grace in their young and tender years and more easily workâ—ng them to himself whilest others that run on are saved with fear and pulled as brands out of the fire many fears heart-misgiving despairing thoughts such are ordinarily attended with God commonly makes those that long put off a Magar-missabib if ever he shew them mercy such are more seldome humbled converted saved and when they are it is not without much ado 3 The sins of youth which such have deeply run into and long run on in though God do at last recover them by a sound and soaking Repentance and save them through much fear and terrour remain many times a Corrosive gnawing upon their Spirits all their dayes the sting of such and such a sweet sin that they have been deeply in sticks with them to a dying day it is made the hypocrites portion to have his bones full of the sins of his youth Job 20.11 but it is many times the lot of such whom God hath brought home to himself by a sound Repentanâ—â— to be made to possess the iniquities of their youth as is evident from Jobs complaint Job 13.26 and Davids prayer Psal 25 7. Upon this account by remembring and turning to God now thou mayest haply prevent such sins which should God give thee hereafter Repentance may stick with thee to a dying day and bring down as Jacob speaks thy gray hairs with sorrow to the grave See then this advantage in a present early turning unto God it will prevent many sorrows a great deal of sad work O therefore take the Wise-mans counsel in the last Verse of the foregoing Chapter Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart and put away evil from thy flesh do not put it upon thy self but take the course the onely wise way to remedy and prevent it which he prescribes in the Text Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth 2. As hereby much sin and sorrow will be prevented so hereby thou shalt abundantly provide for thy own good comfort benefit in after-time if God take thee sooner hence it will be well thou art ready if not thou wilt abundantly reap in thy Age the benefit and advantage the good and comfort of thy early remembring and turning to God Youth or Spring as one saith is the Seed-time of grace and goâ—liness if in the Spring no Seed be sown or none but Cockle or Darnel or such Weeds what hope of Harvest or what a Harvest may be expected Forgetfulness of God in time of youth causeth old Age to perish to be good for nothing so some carry the sense of that Job 30.2 In whom old age was perished i.e. their old Age was good for nothing but an early Seeds-time is a good presage of and preparatory to a plentiful Harvest of grace joy and comfort in after-times Consider more particularly a few things here but to touch them 1. To remember and turn to God to be good take a right course betimes is the way to be seâ—â—edly good to be setled and established in the way of God and godliness in Age the sooner thou art seasoned with right principles pâ—ous principles in youth the more deeply and indelibly will they be rivertâ—d into thee in Age Prov. 22.6 Train up a childe in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it The Proverb is A young â—â—intâ— and an old Devil but the Spirit of God knows better and tells us A Saint in youth and an established Saint in Age that which is suckedâ—in in youth and a person is then seasoned with becomes well rooted and setled in him in Age. As it is a dreadfull thing to grow Aged in sin because such are hardly removed so is it a happy thing to grow Aged in Grace and Godlinesse because such are most firmly estabâ—â—shed but the onely way to this is to begin betimes 2. To remember turn to God betimes to begin to be indeed good early is the ready way to be good indeed to be eminently good a forward Spring and Seeds-time is here the forerunner of a plentifull Harvest as he that begins betimes and long continues to drive a gainfull trade is long in taking in and treasuring up must needs be well stored and furnished so it is with the early Christian in his age he is rich in grace in spiritual experiences c. Those ordinarily are most fat and flourishing and bring forth most fruit in their age that begin betimes Oh think how rich in knowledge practicall saving knowledge how strong in faith how intimately acquainted with God how humble holy and heavenly minded how abounding in every grace and rich in all manner of good works mightest thou be wouldst thou be perswaded now in the dayes of thy youth to remember thy Creator O be indeed good godly now this is the way to be good indeed eminently good and godly 3. The last advantage that I shall name as to this that thou shalt have by an early turning unto God is this It will greaten thy reward in heaven none shall serve God for nought begin quickly and hold on carefully and cheerfully thou shalt lose nothing by it 1 Cor. 15.58 indeed the reward is not of work it is of grace but yet it is according to work 2 Cor. 9.6 begin ever so soon and follow it ever so diligently and continue ever so long thou shalt then receive a full reward for every moments service 3. And lastly Hereby thy own good and comfort shall be as most abundantly so most certainly provided for Do it now and then thou wilt be sure to do it but neglect it new and thou art not certain of a future time to attend it Were there nothing in all that hath been already said yet one would think there were enough in this one Consideration were it seriously thought upon to put an issue to all thought of delaying and putting off and put thee upon a now present remembring God without more ado or whiling it off any longer Childhood and Youth are vanity it is the Argument in the last words of the former Chapter by which the Exhortation in the Text to a timely remembrâ—ng God is as it were ushered in and were it laid to heart sure it would make thee lay by all delayes Thy flourishing Youth man O think of it is fickle flitting frail subject to Death as well as old Age Jam. 4.14 For what is your life it is even a vapour Man's life in general is so the young man's life is even a vapour as well as the old man's as we see in continual experience Death's Motto is Nulli Caedo I give place to I spare none We are like
Venice-glasses not those that are first made are first broke but those that are first knockt Death is often sudden and unexpected in its approaches the evil day is very nigh sometimes when men are putting it furthest off The fool in the Gospel-Parable lessons us how prone we are to cast up our Accounts for many years when it may be we have not one night to live The notion of Death is too apt to look to all men especially to young men like Ezekiel's Vision Chap. 42.27 The Vision that he seeth it for many dayes and he prophecieth of times that are afar off Young men look it may be on the gray-headed as well on their way to the Grave and haply think it is time for old men to think of dying but from themselves they put it at a great distance but most true it is that Senibus Mors in januis adolescentibus in insidiis Death is oftentimes as near the young mans back as it is the old mans face even while he saith of Death as the unfaithful Servant in the Gospel of his Lord He delayeth his coming it cometh in a day when he looketh not for it and in an hour when he is not aware of and calleth him off and sendeth him unprepared as he is to the Land of Darkness whence there is no redemption O think man hath not death surprized many a poor unprovided sinner that put the evil day far off as confidently and upon as good grounds as thy self Hath nor Death prevented many a careless inconsiderate Loyterer who looked as little for his coming as thou doest and whose purposes for the future were as hopeful as thine now are Hast thou not followed maâ—y a one to the Grave that had as probable Arguments for a longer â—â—â—e as any thou canst have Continual experience tells thee it is not thy Youth or Health and Strength that can save thee or so much as a little while Reprieve the Arrest of Death how dost thou dare then to put off one day when thou knowest not but it may be thy putting by for ever Do but suppose a dreadful yet probable supposition while thou art putting off and delaying a little and yet a little longer Death should step in and prevent thee O me-thinks this Argument if nothing else will should effectually deterre thee from loytering and throughly awaken thee to a now remembring thy Creator I have said what I shall say upon this Text beseeching you that it may be thought upon and beseeching God to give his blessing But I have another Subject that I must crave a few minutes time and a grain or two of patience more to say something of and that is the Young man lately deceased at whose Request and as whose Bequest you have had this Sermon and it is not the Commendation of the dead that is the thing intended he needs it not but the Instruction of the living As his Death in the time and manner of it was a real Sermon upon the Text of which we have been speaking so in other respect was his Life also in some good degree and I have two sayings to young men especially upon this Subject 1. In some things observable in him as to his Life he was a Patern for your Imitation 2. In some things observable about him as to his Death he was an Example for your Admonition First In some things observable in him as to his Life he was a Patern for your Imitation but to intimate some few things of special remark 1. He was a young man of an innocent Conversation of a civil sober Behaviour he was not of a debauched dissolute life nor did he run with others to that excess of riot which with sad hearts we see many young men do his Conversation was not spotted with such marks of deboistness as are too visible upon too many of his Age. Now though Civility Sobriety Morality are not Grace yet they are Jewels of price that have an amiableness and loveliness both in the eyes of God and good men it is said of the young man in the Gospel-story in Mark 10.21 that when Christ had heard from him what he had done how he had lived that he was a civil sober moral man though evident it is by the story that he was a stranger to the power of godliness that Jesus beholding him loved him Not but that I am perswaded better things of the young mâ—â— of whom we are speaking and things that have accompanied salvation though I thus speak but to shew you that a meer Civil Sober Moral man is otherwise by God looked upon then others are that are Scandalous and Profane Christ hath a common love even to the better sort of ungodly men moâ—e then to the worst a civil sober outwardly conformâ—ble life hath its account with God not that I would have you rest here I hope his Example led you hâ—gher 2. He was a young man of a serious Spirit he had som◠〈◊〉 weight with him and worth in him It is said of him by thâ—◠〈◊〉 â—he Family where he formerly sojourned amongst us for some time 〈◊〉 now lately died and took his leave of this world That they never hâ—â—â—d a vain misbecoming word come out of his mouth and his Conversation was according he was not vainly given nor spent his time in Drinking Gaming Company-keeping as many do but was much in Reading and took delight when his other business afforded him any leisure to be amongst his Books and Papers and very ready he was upon occasion for the help of others upon such accounts Alas a young man of a serious Spirit that is of some weight and worth that is something besides meer froth and vanity that mindes something worthy a man is too rare a sight amongst us Oh the exceeding vanity of the younger sort and too many of the elder too Alas what a meer Bubble of Vanity wrapped up in a bundle of fine Clothes is many a young Man many a Maid their clothing may be costly but their hearts their mindes as the Wise-man speaks Prov. 10.20 are little worth O how empty are they of all that is of worth that good is but running over with meer vanity and superfluity of naughtiness as the Apostle speaks Jam. 1.21 Mens mindes and mouthes run over with very froth and vanity scarce a serious thought in the one or a sober savoury word in the other not a Bible or a good Book in hand the week long it may be you had a better Example in him then this comes to 3. This young man as is credibly testified of him was a dutifull Childe to his Parents he was inured to bear the yoke from his youth He could almost say as the Son in the Parable to his Father Luke 15.29 Neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment Never but once as himself was saying to an intimate Friend of his not long before his death was he unseasonably absent from his Fathers
Family in all his life Young men I am afraid it is not once nor twice nor thrice nor ten times that will excuse some of you 'T is the complaint of Parents of Masters and a sad complaint it is that they cannot keep their Children their Servants in but that they will be out at all hours and if you observâ—â—t the bottom-Argument is Others do so and they must and will O that you would be perswaded to follow his better Example 4. To adde no more He was a young man that seemed to savour of and affect the best things What is said of young Abijah 1 King 14.13 appeared very hopeful concerning him that in him there was found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel I do not doubt but that it may be truly said of him That he had more Sermons by him of his own hand-writing not onely then the most of the young men in Fair-field but then most of his Age have His writing Sermons at Meeting was commendable and imitable as also the after-improvement that he made of them his Notes were not laid by as useless or served to put under Pies but they were overlook'd and repeated by himself and to others as occasion offered The Sermons that he took here the last Winter as I am informed have been since called over in his Fathers Family That he was ready and forward upon such accounts is the account that such give of him that best knew him and as to this there is one thing more that would not be omitted That when he came now lately out of the Bay a little before his last Sickness that being at Sea upon the Sabbath and seeing the Morning well spent and nothing going forward of a Sabbath dayes work he began to minde them though the youngest of the Company of the Day and Duty thereunto belonging desiring they might go to Prayer and he would repeat a Sermon to them which accordingly he did both Forenoon and Afternoon Young men let I beseech you his Example upon these accounts Provoke your Imitation Secondly As in these things observable in him as to his Life he was a Patern for your Imitation so in some things observable about him as to his Death he was an Example for your Admonition Very briefly but to touch upon two or three things lest I utterly tire you 1. The Time of his Death being in the flower of his Age little more then Eighteen is for your Admonition to Remember now your Creator in the dayes of your youth who are now in your bloss me he was not arrived at the strength of his Age he was but newly come as it were to years of discretion Art thou past a Childe dost thou begin to understand thy self it is dangerous for thee to put off God the remembring thy Creator not for a longer but for any time Art thou Fifteen Sixt en Eighteen years old it is too great an adventure to put it off till thou art Twenty or One and twenty Thou art young and strong and lusty and thinkest thou mayest more boldly adventure measuring thy Life by thy Age and Constitution but are these certain Evidences as to adventure thy Soul upon are these such infallible Probabilities as to run the hazard of thy hopes for Heaven upon The Example that is before thee in this young man whom Death scarce suffered to be called a man may convince thee of the contrary O who would not be alwayes ready when his Summons are so exceeding uncertain 2. The Manner of his Sickness is Admonitory also and may lesson you this That it is good doing your great Work before the evil dayes of Sickness come Alas there is little time room opportunity or ability then A pained Body a distempered Brain a disturbed Spirit disability of Speech necessary Rest and these and those Attendances incapacitate divert take up the time and leave men commonly but a sorry opportunity of doing any thing to purpose for their Souls I was with him divers times in his Sickness yet had opportunity but once to say any thing to purpose to him one while flumbeâ—ing another while distempered in his Head or busily taken up by his bodily necessities and attendances O man Death may snatch thee away suddenly it doth not give every one a weeâ— or ten dayes warning but if not a leisurely Sickness may afford thee little leisure for thy Soul 3. How it was with him in his Sickness too how his Spirit wrought may admonish you to make thorow work of your great Work It was difficult to him to speak from an obstruction in his Throat and somewhat difficult to understand him when he did speak and so the less can be said but so much in substance might be gathered from him That he looked upon himself an undone man without an interest in Jesus Christ yet he was not without some hope that he was at peace with God in him yet not without fears bemoaning himself in respect of his hardness of heart and blindness of minde and that he had been no more throughly wrought upon by the Means that he had formerly enjoyed O Sirs Dying times are Trying times to die causlesly confidently I am afraid is too common but to die groundedly comfortably is a great work O do do throughly what thou hast to do man when Death comes thou wilt not finde it is too well done FINIS