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
forget the Creator go off from God disacknowledge disown him which is frequently â—â—â—â—d in Scripture A forg tting G d Deut. 6.12 Job 8 13. Jer. 3.25 Ezek. 23.35 So on the contrary converting turning unto God acknowledgâ—â—g owâ—ing of him is in Scripture sense a remembring of him as you may see Ez k. 6.9 â—â— â—â—d elswhere 2. Remembri g G d. implies and takes in our setting up God as God ouâ— â—â—â—â—ving him as God our remembring God to be our R ck 〈◊〉 high God our Redeemer our remembring God to be and taking and making him as he truly is the object of our esteem love desire delight rest trust and dependance As our converting and turning unto God so our cleaving to him staying and abiding with him upon these accounts highly esteeming of him delighting testing trusting in him relying and depending upon him is our indeed remembring of him we forget God according to Scripture language when we depart from him in these respects God complains Deut. 32.18 Of the Râ—ck that bâ—gat thee thou art unmindful and hast f rgotten God that â—â—med theeâ— how so you may see bâ—fore in ver 15. But Jâ—surun waxed fat and kicked c. thâ—n he forsook God which made him and lightly esteemed the Rock oâ— his salvation they were gone off from God in love and esteem So also God is said to be forgotten when we go off from him as in love and esteem so in trust and dependance Isa 51.12 13. Iâ— even I am â—e that comforteth you who art thou that thou should est be afraid of a man that shalt die and of the son of man that shall be made as grass and forgettest the Lord thy Maker who hath stretched forth the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth 3. Remembring God includeth an actual practical acknowledgement of him in respect of service and obedience to him Deut. 8.11 Beware that thou forgettest not the Lord thy God in not keeping his commandments and his judgements and his statutes which I command thee this day to forget God is to disobey God or not to do the will of God it is said of Israel Judg. 3.7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and forgat the Lord their God So Jer. 3.21 They have perverted their way and have forgotten the Lord their God Ezek. 22.12 In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood thou hast taken usury and increase and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbour by extortion and hast forgotten me saith the Lord God So wicked men in general that disobey God and walk not according to his will and rule and command are said to forget God Psal 9.17 The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God Job 8.13 So are the paths of all that forget God and the hypocrites hope shall perish To remember God then is to obey him to do his will as God is said to forget us when he doth not our will attends not our desires our prayers Isa 49.14 But Sion said The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me so we do indeed forget God when we do not his will answer not his desires and commands And as God is said to remember us when he doth according to what we would when he hearkens to us Gen. 30.22 And God remembred Rachel and God hearkened to her and opened her womb So we remember God when we do according to what he would when we hearken unto him We then indeed remember him when we actually and practically acknowledge him in respect of service and obedience 4. And lastly not to multiply particulars the remembring God comprehends a thankful acknowledgement of and ascribing to him You may see what is spoken as to this Deut. 8.10 and the following Verses When thou hast eaten and art full then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God lest when thou hast eaten and art full and hast built goodly houses and dwelt therein and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied and all that thou hast is multiplied then thine heart be lifted and thou forget the Lord thy God and thou say in thine heart My power and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth So Deut. 6.10 c. God is in like manner cautioning of them thankfully to remember him and to take heed of self-ascribing See Judg. 8.34 Psal 78.35 Rom. 1.21 not thankfully to acknowledge and ascribe unto God is to forget him not to remember him remembring him implies thankful acknowledgement of and ascribing to him To Remember God is then to convert and turn unto him Know and own him To set him up delight rest in and trust and depend upon him To serve and obey him Thankfully to acknowledge and ascribe unto him This and whatsoever else of knowledge acknowledgement esteem homage love delight trust dependance service obedience thankfulness and ascribing is due from the Creature to the Creator is implied and wrapâ— up in this Remember thy Creator We may say of this as the Apostle Rom. 13.8 9. He that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law for this Thou shalt not commit Adultery Thou shalt not Kill Thou shalt not Steal Thou shalt not beâ—â— false Witness Thou shalt not Covet and if there be any other Commandment it is briefly comprehended in this saying namely Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self So He that remembers God fulfils the Law dischargeth the duty of a Creature to his Creator for this Thou shalt know him Thou shalt own him Thou shalt love him Thou shalt trust in him Thou shalt serve him Thou shalt ascribe unto him or if there be any other Commandment if there be ought else that is matter of duty from man to his Maker it is briefly comprehended in this saying namely Remember thy Creator Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum That to remember God is really heartily affectionately practically to own and agâ—ize God for God and to honour and glorifie him as God and this is to be indeed godly to be really religious Religion being nothing else but a Doctrine of remembring God knowing and owning God But so much what this Remembring God is importing II. The second thing to be spoken to is the Reasons and Grounds of our so doing which the very term of Creator is implying It is not unusual in Scripture for men be speaking God in Prayer and Thanksgiving to present God under such sutable Notions such Titles and Attributes as may most fitly set him forth as the Author and Bestower of the desired or obtained good as you may see Gen. 43.14 Jer. 14.8 Psal 28.1 144.1 2. so God speak ng to us and requiring duty from us is
obliged as you may see from the grounds before given to remember his Creator and young men will find if they examine them that those reâ—sons lye as hard upon them as the gray-headed Is God the God of the Jews only saith the Apostle is he not also of the Gentiles Yes of the Gentiles also Is God the Creator Preserver Proprietor of the old man onely is he not also of the young man yes of the young man also Every man is indispensibly presently bound it is the young mans now duty it is Gods now due 2. Because as it is young mens now duty Gods now due that they remember him so God calleth for it now it is Gods due from young men that they remember him now in the dayes of their youth and God gives not day for payment he requireth it out of hand of the Youngest Look through the Scriptures and you will finde I may not stay to instance in particular all the commands of God respecting turning from sin and vanity and the neglect of him and turning to remembring and acknowledging of him to lye upon you in the present tense as what is to be now instantly presently and without delay attended 3. As it is young mens now duty Gods now due that they remember him and God now calleth for his due so now is the fittest time of payment It is Gods now due and God requireth it now and such may best do it and discharge it now in the dayes of youth there is no such season as this now these dayes of youth are affording this reason you have expressed in the text and prosecuted in the following verses Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth while the evil dayes come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them c. I do but meerly touch these things here because as time will gâ—ve leave we shall have occasion to improve them further in the Application of the Doctrine which we now come to And the Uses we shall make of it are onely these two 1. For Conviction and Reprehension 2. For Exhortation Vse I. is for Conviction and Reprehension of mens forgetting God mens forgetfulness of God Is it every mans duty every young mans duty as you have heard now in the dayes of his youth to remember his Creator How is it God is so forgotten as he is Men forget him in their youth and remember him not in their Age of young and old it may be complained as of Israel Hos 8.14 Israel hath forgotten his Maker The charge Ezek. 23.35 Thou hast forgotten me and cast me behinde thy back may be sadly applied to persons of every estate and condition God for the most part is so gotten he is thrown by in the world by all sorts and ranks of men the Vanities of the world take up the mindes of the younger sort and the Cares of it drink up the spirits of the elder When shall we be merry say young men and how shall we be rich say old men but none saith Where is God my Maker as it is complained Job 30.10 If men may but have their Profi s and their Pleasures and the world go well with them God may go where he will for any â—hiâ—g that they regard him Whoso looks upon the present Generation amongst our selves and here and there and every-where and sees how little God is minded by men that are well and warm in the world will finde reason to revive that old complaint Hos 13.6 According to their pasture so were they filled they were filled and their heart was exalted therefore have they forgotten me In Sickness perhaps at the gates of Death under some sore Affliction it may be said of them as of those Psal 78.34 35. When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God and they remembred that God was their Rock and the high God their Redeemer But take men in their ruff and jollity and pride and plenty and self-sufficiency and most true is that of the Psalmist Psal 10 4. The wicked through the pride of his countenance will nâ—â— seek after God God is not in all his thoughts A day of Sickness of distress of want may bring them to some remembrance of God but let them shake off their fears and sorrows recover their health repossess a full estate and how soon are they in their tune Jer. 2.31 We are lords we will come no more unto thee O sad world O sad world how do men having the world live without God in the world live on Earth as if there were no God in Heaven either in regard of any need they have of him or duty that they owe him O how much is God forgotten in the world how little is he remembred amongst men and that man should not remember but forget his Maker what strange impiety what provoking sin is it One would think that whatsoever men forget or were unmindful about it should be rather of any thing rather of everything then his Creator the God that made him the God that is as you have heard the Author and End of his Being that is his Upholder Preserver and gracious visitant every moment that is his Proprietor Owner Possessor Lord Governour that challengeth him in the most Absolute and unquestionable Right that is throughly acquainted with him and as throughly able to reach and punish him for all his neglects of duty towards himself yet alas what doth many a man less remember more forget then his Maker At that day saith the Prophet in the place before-mentioned Isa 17.7 shall a man look to his Maker and his eyes shall have respect to the holy One of Israel but at this day the contrary in sad experience is to be seen and said of most men They look not to their Maker and their eyes have no respect to the holy One of Israel Oh how little God-ward their Maker-ward do most men look how little respect have they for him they have enough and more then enough for the Creature but they have little or none for the Creator Alâ—s how do men gad up and down the world setting their eyes upon things that are not scrabling here as if the dust of the earth would not suffice for every man a handfull but thought-less of God and forgetting their resting-place Oh! to look with an awakened understanding upon rational Creatures men of Gods own making and made for and made able and meet for this end and purpose to remember know acknowledge own him their Creator and then consider how little they do it how mindless regardless forgetful of God they are How astonishing is it and yet alas how common O it is a strange sinful doleful world wherein it is so rare to finde a man seriously mindful of his Maker Alas Sirs men mindless of God are mindless too what it is to be mindless of him but to an enlightened to an awakened