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A60149 Seasonable advice to youth A funeral sermon on Psal. 119. 9. Preach'd upon the death of Mr. Richard Walter, jun. In the eighteenth year of his age. January 13th, 1691/2. By John Shower. Shower, John, 1657-1715. 1692 (1692) Wing S3685; ESTC R220294 25,103 44

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of Damnation Never was inward Purity so pressed by any Law before or the universal Sanctification of our Nature advanced to such a pitch No other Law pretends to reach to the inward Thoughts of the Heart as those in the Word which forbids us to Covet to Lust or hate our Brother in our Heart This ransacks every filthy Corner and pierceth into the Secrets and Recesses of every Man's Breast speaking with absolute Authority to the very Grounds Principles and Ends of every Action dissecting the whole Body of Sin uncovering the inward Ulcers of the Soul manifesting that a Lustful Desire impure Mouth or an unclean Hand will make a Man polluted before God and stand guilty of the Breach of his Commandment This Law is exceeding Broad it forbids not only the sinful Acts but the Instruments of 'em what would begin or promote 'em or is chosen for the Sin 's sake with relation or in order to it This shews us whence our Infection did first arise tracing it unto its Spring-head the first Apostacy from God manifesting the spotless Holiness of the Divine Majesty and his perfect abhorrence of every Sin so as to judge and condemn the invisible risings of Disobedience and Contrariety to it in our very Thoughts Yea by the measures of the Gospel we are unclean unless we have active Purities If we are not crucified to the World we are covetous we are malicious and hate our Brother if we do him not all the Good we can tho he have treated us injuriously we dishonour the Name of Christ if we do not to our utmost advance his Glory Eph. 5.13 This is that Light which maketh manifest discovering that Deformity in Sin which we never saw before and so much of it in the Heart as we never before believed with the aggravating Spots of many plausible Duties and the provoking circumstances of our particular Faults For when we thought our selves very Absolons for Beauty by looking into this Glass we appear as vile and loathsom as Lepers and all our Secret Sins which are always in the Light of God's Countenance are by the Word set in order before us What is said of the Sun in the Heavens is true of this Word its Circuit is to the Ends of the Earth and there is nothing hid from the Light and Heat thereof Psal 19.6 2. This may be also consider'd as the ordinary Means which God hath appointed for the cleansing of our Hearts and Ways And therefore the Sanctification of the Spirit 1 Pet 1.22 2 Thess 2.13 Acts 15.9 and believing of the Truth are joyned together The Sense of some particular more notorious Sin is commonly the first means to humble the Soul When the Charge is brought home by the Word to this or that Person Thou art the Man or Thou art the Woman who hast scorned and slighted the Authority of thy Maker in this or the other Instance Thou art the Fool-hardy Rebellious Creature who hast affronted thy Sovereign who hast despised that Goodness which should have led thee to Repentance abused that Patience which hath a tendency to thy Salvation rejected that Grace that would have helped thee and contemned that Redeemer who shed his Blood for thee This Voice of the Lord is powerful to shake the stoutest Cedars and make a Felix on the Bench to tremble when preached but by a Prisoner at the Bar. They that Crucified the Redeemer and scorned his Doctrin were pierced to the Heart and cry out Men and Brethren 1 Cor. 14.26 2 Acts. what shall we do be saved By this the Chains of the Devil are knock'd off and his Captives recovered into the Liberty of God's Service You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free John 8.32 In this Jordan the most polluted Creatures have been washed and Hearts full of loathsom Filth have been changed into Vessels of Purity Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are justified but ye are sanctified 1 Cor. 6.9 3. This therefore is the most likely fit and proper Means For besides the Encouragement of these Examples to seek for cleansing we have others propounded as our Patterns to imitate Sometimes the Blessed God himself and our Lord Jesus Christ that we may not rest in low Attainments and sometimes the Examples of the Saints that we might not despair of being healed For the same powerful Grace that hath sanctified others is able to do the like for us Therefore while our Impotency and Impurity is declared in this Word we are directed by it to a Fountain open for sin and for uncleanness We have Promises and Precepts most graciously connected What God commands us in one Place as our Duty he promiseth to do for us by his Spirit or enable us to do in another or at least gives us ground to hope he will Let us then consider the exceeding great and precious Promises which are the Motives and Means of our being cleansed from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit 2. Cor. 7.1 For by them we are made Partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 It 's by this means Divine Impressions are made upon the Soul Mr. Howe 's Blessedness of the Righteous p. 268. the obdurate Heart of a Sinner melted and overcome and transform'd into the Image of God Compare this Means God works by with the Subject to be wrought upon and the Effect to be wrought and none can be conceived fitter It is the Office of the Word by Precepts Promises and Rewards to inform the Judgment and awaken Conscience and persuade the Will It is some Encouragement to expect the Influence of the Spirit in the use of this means because it is so excellently fitted to this End to heal our Impotency which is not Natural but Moral And God would not appoint us Means which should be altogether in vain Dr. O. of the Dominion of Sin and Grace p. 14. Grace is tender'd unto Men in the preaching of the Gospel to enable them to perform and comply with that which God requires For altho we know not the Way and Means of the effectual Communications of Grace unto the Souls of Men This is certain That Grace is so tender'd in the Preaching of the Gospel that none go without it none are destitute of its Aids and Assistance but those alone who by a Free Act of their own Wills See to the like purpose Mr. Howe 's Blessedness of the Righteous ch 17. do refuse and reject it Ye will not come unto me that you may have Life And all Unbelievers have or may have Experience of this in themselves that they do voluntarily refuse the Assistance of Grace which is offer'd for their Deliverance Therefore is their Destruction of themselves The common Grace * Redeemers Tears p. 53. Append p. 192. which is generally afforded to them who live under the Gospel extends so far as that they have thereby a Day allow'd them to provide for their
Seasonable Advice to Youth A Funeral Sermon On Psal 119.9 Preach'd upon the DEATH OF Mr. Richard Walter Jun. In the Eighteenth Year of his Age. January 13th 1691 2. By JOHN SHOWER LONDON Printed for Samuel Crouch at the Corner of Pope's Head-Alley over against the Royal-Exchange 1692. TO Mr. JOHN WALTER Sir IF the following Sermon upon the Death of your Brother may be of any Vse and Advantage unto others the Obligation will be very much owing to you with whose Desire I complied in the Preaching of it and now in the making of it Publick The chief of my Design therein being the Instruction of the Younger sort I could not so fitly prefix any other Name as yours I hope your tender Affection to your Brother will make you read this Memorial of of him with great Seriousness and assist your good Improvement of those Counsels which are so needful for Persons of your Age to consider and obey I shall only add my Hearty Prayer to God for the Early Impressions of his Grace to Sanctifie you betimes and make you to know and love the Holy Scriptures and so preserve you from the Snares of the World the Flesh and the Devil and particularly from Youthful Lusts If this Sermon may any way contribute to such a desirable effect on you and others of your Age I shall bless God London Feb. 25. 1691 2. I am Yours in the best Services John Shower A Funeral SERMON On the DEATH of Mr. Richard Walter Psalm 119.9 Wherewithal shall a Young Man cleanse his way By taking Heed thereto according to thy Word A Practical Discourse to Young Persons would not be unfit at any Time in this Age and in this City if there were no special Occasion leading to it But it is most fit when there is one such as the Providence of God hath now given me by the Death and Funeral of a Young Gentleman What I shall say on that Subject I reserve for the Close to inforce the Improvement of the other contained in this Text Which will admit to be considered two ways Either First As the rectifying and cleansing the way of Youth is a necessary Means in order to the obeying God's Word and the keeping his Commandments Dr. Hammond The Original will bear this Interpretation And some Ancient Versions do countenance it The Sense then is this How shall Young Men be purged and purified by Divine Grace so as thereby to be qualified for Obedience to God It is a kind of Prayer in a Poetick strain for that Grace which is necessary to Holy Walking But Secondly I chuse rather to consider those Words as an Answer to the Enquiry by what means we may be sanctified betimes and enabled to please and obey God in our whole Course And that we are told is by carefully observing and taking heed to the Word of God The Blessed Influence whereof to that purpose is here Asserted and Amplified Partly from the Subject with respect to whom it hath this Effect A Young Man Partly from the special Object about which this purifying Influence of the Divine Word is employed in such an one i. e. The Cleansing of his way This extends to all that needs to be rectified either in Heart or Life in Spirit or Practice Not only as to his external Behaviour but his inward Principles and Temper For we read of the Young Man's walking in the way of his own Heart and in the sight of his own Eyes Eccl. xi 9. Neither are we to over-look the Form and Manner of Expression by way of Question Wherewithal shall a Young Man cleanse his way The Psalmist had before declared the Desire of his Soul that his Life might be ordered according to God's Word Ver. 5. Oh that my ways were directed to keep thy Statutes He had professed the Purpose and Resolution of his Heart to endeavour it Ver. 8. I will keep thy Statutes O forsake me not utterly Upon which follows the Interrogation in the Text Wherewithal c. i. e. But how shall one so Young as I am under the Guidance of a Deceived Mind and the Biass of Corrupt and Vicious Inclinations assisted with very little Experience surrounded with many dangerous Examples and suitable Temptations c. How or wherewithal shall such a One be Cleansed and Reformed and Enabled to please and obey God The Answer is by attending to the Instructions of his Word by observing the Orders and Directions he hath there given us by applying that Word for our Sanctification and by following the Holy Counsels and Conduct of it The Question it self how this may be done doth suppose the Necessity and imply the Difficulty of it There is great need it should be done but how shall it be effected Were it not a matter of some Difficulty there would be no ground for such a Question by what means it may be brought about But because it is not a slight and easie though most needful matter the proper means must be diligently sought for and minded viz. by taking heed unto the Word of God For the opening of this Passage there are Four things to be considered First The sinful ways of Youth that need to be Rectified and Cleansed Secondly The Difficulty that is supposed by the Interrogation to Purifie and Reform them Thirdly The sufficient and only means how this may be done i. e. by the Word of God Fourthly The Necessity of careful Attendance unto this Word and particular Application of it to an effectual Cure First Concerning the sinful impure ways of Youth which need to be Rectified and Cleansed The Corruption of Human Nature upon the the First Apostacy is not more plainly expressed in the Divine Revelation than manifest in the effects of it unto the experience of all who are any ways acquainted with themselves We need but compare what we find in our selves with the Holy Image Nature and Law of God unto which at first there was a just Conformity and Agreement in the Nature of Man But now we are alienated from God and disaffected to him The inward and deep depravation of the Vnderstanding and Will the Two Superior Powers of the Soul that command the rest may easily be discerned if we will but examine and reflect upon our selves Tit. 3.3 That our Judgments are deceived and our Minds blinded and our Wills fetter'd by Sensual Lusts and that we are pleased with our Slavery and unwilling to be delivered The Rectitude of our Nature being lost by the First Transgression an Hereditary Corruption is transmitted from our First Parents to all their Posterity We are shapen in Iniquity and conceived in Sin And that which is born of the Flesh is Flesh Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean This discovers it self very early in Children and with more violence in the various Lusts of Youth according to the several circumstances of their Conditions in the World and the different Channel that is formed for it by