man measured by a span it is but an handfull long not an Inch long compared to eternity for so it followeth Mine age is as nothing before thee Compare it to eternity and it is nothing The daies of a man's life are not worth the reckoning not worth numbring Nay compare it not only to the eternity of God who is from everlasting to everlasting but make the comparison between the time of this life and the immortality and everlasting continuance of the Soul of man in another world either in misery or blessedness and it is as nothing What then are all the pleasures and contentments which this life can afford which usually are expired before life it self The year is but short and quickly turned about in its several seasons how soon is the Spring gone How soon the Summer The Autumn is quickly spent and the Winter is not long ere it be ended but the pleasures of the year last not so long as the year it self When once Winter appeareth we may say where are all the flowers and Rose-buds of the Spring They are long since dead and withered yet the year is not ended within a few weeks what will become of all the green leaves that have beautified the Trees they will fall and die Within a few months what will become of all the green grass that cloatheth the Earth It will be dead and lose its beauty and sweetness Now unto the year ye may compare this present life to the flowers blossomes leaves grass you may compare the pleasures delights and contentments of this life The year is short and quickly gone yet the flowers blossoms leaves c. are gone before it So life is short and soon spent yet the pleasures and contentments of this life are spent before it In the eleventh verse of the same Psalm David saith When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth surely every man is vanity Thou makest his beauty and all those delights and that prosperity wherein he flourished and took contentment to consume and wither like corn that is blasted surely every man is vanity At the end of the fifth verse he saith Verily every man at his best estate is altogether vanity Take him at his best estate when he hath the most of those things which belong to this life strength and health wit and understanding wealth worldly honours credit with the world and respect from worldly men yet even then this holy Prophet guided by the spirit of truth doubteth not to pronounce or proclaim him meer vanity an empty thing a bubble a bladder swoln big but filled with wind Take him as he is a meer man not renued by the Spirit of God not having Christ dwelling in him and take him at his best with all those things with which this mortal life is capable of and wherewith this lower world wherein we live can furnish him and he is but vanity there is nothing sound nothing solid nor substantial in him his life and the pleasures of this life are but for a moment and of the two the pleasures of this life usually are the shorter and sooner ended than life it self The Apostle saith 1 Pet. 1. 24. All flesh is grass and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass the grass withereth and the flower thereof fadeth away Man and his mortal life are like the grass the glory and prosperity of man's life is as the flower of the grass The grass it self is not long-lived but the flower of the grass is dead before the grass it self Life is not long but the flower of life the pleasure and prosperity of life is shorter than life it self Jam. 4. 14. What is your life it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away Where the Apostle meeteth with the fond thoughts of our fleshly hearts for when a man is strong and healthy and in prosperity and enjoyeth the pleasures of this life he thinketh he hath gotten a jewel and his heart resteth in these things he thinketh it is well with him Oh this life and that which belongeth to it is a thing which he doth highly prize and setteth a great rate upon it Now saith St. James What is your life Ye think ye have a great treasure of it I pray what is it What is that life which ye do so highly esteem I will tell you saith he it is even a vapour that appeareth it hath rather an appearance than a being It maketh some shew in the eyes of the world but it is nothing in a manner and that shew and appearance which it maketh is but for a time when the time is gone it is as if it had never been it is all lost man is never the better for it for those things which are limited within the compass of time and measured by a term of daies or years both in respect of themselves and their fruit all the good of them weareth out with that time and he that enjoyed them is never the better for them no more than if he had never had them I speak of those things which in themselves and in their fruit are measured by time for some things in respect of themselves and their continuance are but for a time but the fruit of them is everlasting to those that use them in an holy sanctified manner to those who receive the truth in love into honest and good hearts in whom it becometh an immortal seed enlivened and actuated with the Spirit of life and holiness yea there are some principal graces which end with time in respect of themselves but in respect of their fruit are everlasting as Faith and Hope which cease with this life but in their fruit are perpetua and immortal Nay even many outward things in the possession of a Child of God being sanctified to him and improved by him to the glory of God though they are mortal and temporal in themselves yet they have an everlasting fruit so that a Child of God that is rich in good works may be the better for his wealth for ever The Psalmist speaking of him that feareth the Lord and delighteth greatly in his Commandements speaketh of his wealth and riches Psal. 112. 3. and ver 9. of the good use of them He hath dispersed he hath given to the poor and then of the everlasting fruit of wealth so employed with such an heart he saith His righteousness endureth for ever So Matth. 6. 20 saith our Saviour Lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break thorow nor steal But now to an unregenerate man both his life it self and all the good he enjoyeth in this life and all the fruit of that life and that good is temporal and limited by time All his pleasures and prosperity and all the fruit of these end with time and so when the
and Drunkenness and the cares of this life and that day come upon you unawares Luk. 21. 34. Know that this is spoken unto thee and that thou in thy youth must not at any time give way to these things no not when friends meet nor when thou art urged and haled to it When Solomon saith My Son when sinners entice thee consent thou not Prov. 1. 10. Think that he speaketh to thee Whom doth the Compellation My Son better befit than the young Man when St. Paul saith God hath not called us unto uncle anness but unto holiness that every one of us should possess his vessel in sanctification and in honour not in the lust of Concupisence c. 1. These 4. 4 5. Believe 〈◊〉 that he speaketh unto thee who art in thy youth wherein he speaketh most plainly 2 Tim. 2. 22. Fly also youthful Lusts. CHAP. IV. Use 2. THis also sheweth another not able Errour of young Men who think they may freely take that liberty which otherâ— may not and walk more at large than thosâ— of elder years Ye see the holy Ghost crosse this conceit and calleth upon young Meâ— more especially to Remember their Creatouâ— Know therefore That when our Saviour saith Enter in at the strait Gate He speakeâ— unto you that are young and requireth thâ— of you in your youth as well as any otheâ— He directeth both old and young to comâ— this way to Heaven for broad is the way anâ— wide is the Gate that leadeth to Destruction and many there be which go in thereat becauâ—â— strait is the Gate and narrow is the waâ— which leadeth unto Life and few there be thâ— find it Mat. 7. 13 Our Saviour chargeâ— all to leave the broad way that will not 〈◊〉 into Destruction and therefore for younâ— Men to think that they may walk at large anâ— follow their Lusts is to imagine that theâ— have liberty to run into Damnation Therâ— is but one way and that is a narrow one but one Gate and that is a strait one thaâ— leadeth unto Life and they that would livâ— for ever must enter into Life by this straiâ— Gate and narrow way whether young or old If ye would know what allowance ye have in this kind it is no more than that which Solomon giveth in Eccles. 11. 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart chear thee in the daies of thy youth Take thy pleasure but so that thou make sure account for all these vanities and sicentiousness of youth to give a most strict account at the day of Judgment If thou wiâ—t tipple if thou wilt swear if thou wâ—lt â—â—le away thy time c. know for a certain that God will bring thee to Judgment for all these things Was it not to a young Mâ—n that our Saviour spake when he said Go and sell all that thou hast give to the poor and follow me Mar. 19. 21 22. Here was a narrow way and yet this was required of a young Man if he would be saved And though hâ— were young yet could he get no release of our Saviour but he goeth away with a sad and sorrowful heart The like in effect saith our Saviour to every young Man sell all that thou hast do away thy Lusts put away thy Drunkenness cast off Lying Swearing Idleness Pride Vanities and follow me The way of Christ is the strictest 〈◊〉 the narrowest path that ever Man went Now Christ will have young Men follow him and keep their feet in the narrow way which he hath gone before and tread in his steps I hope none will be so Blasphemous as to say that Christ did take this licentious course which young Men think they may take Well then if thou wilt enter into life thou must follow him and go in that narrow path wherein he walked It is to be observed that Christ was young and dyed young therefore if ye that are young look for Salvation by him ye must follow him in those waies of his youth All those good works all that holâ—ness whereby he fulfilled all righteousness these were the practises of his youth if then ye will have him for your Saviour who walked thus in his youth ye must follow him in your youth Christ went about doing good and thinkest thou that thou maist go about doing evil that thou maist run about hunting after idle meetings and ill company because thou art young and in the flower of thy youth No Christ was young when he went about doing good Act. 10. 38. And therefore if thou takest liberty to go about doing evil because thou art young thou art no Disciple of Christ. CHAP. V. Use 3. LEt me exhort you that are young That ye would effectually lay to heart these words of the holy-Ghost Remember now thy Creatour in the daies of thy youth Oh that you would now enter into a Covenant with the Lord and bind your selves resolvedly to seek your Creatour To you that are young the Spirit of God here speaketh Oh take heed of despising him that speaketh from heaven because of your youth but hear him so much the rather because he speaks to young Men and for this end let me urge you with some Motives 1. Consider what wrong it is to God to give Satan the best of thy time Under the Law the first-Fruits were to be given to God Levit. 23. 10. 14. And they might eat no bread until the Lord had the First-Fruits offered unto him So that he who should presume to eat any of his Corn before the Lord had his portion even a sheaf of the first-fruits he was no better than a Sacrilegious intruder upon the Lord's Possession So the Lord requireth of thee O young Man the first-Fruits of thy Life even thy youth and strength and if thou dost not offer and consecrate thy young years to the Lord thou dealest Sacrilegiously thou dost â—lienate the Lord's Portion thou deliverest Possessiâ—n unto Satan of that which God hath committed to thy trust to reserve wholly for him sike some unfaithful Tennant yielding up the possession to him that hath but apâ—â—tended Tirle to the prejudiâ—â— of the right owner Oh do not give thâ— first-Fruits unto the Devâ—l and think that God will be pleased with the Gleanings the refuse and scattered ears the dreggs of old age Offer it now to thy Prince see if he will accepâ— thee Malac. 1. 8. As if he had said Serve thy Princes Enemy in thy youth and strength and then come to the Courtâ— in thine old age limping with thy stilts aâ—â— crutches and say Mine old Master hath cast me off and now I will serve thee see then if he will entertain thee So it is in this case 2. Consider that God loveth cheerfulness in his services so many places of Scripture shew Rejoyce in the Lord c. I will run the wayes of thy Commandments saith David Quicken me O Lord c. Now youth is the most cheerful part of a mans Life then
Are they full of courage and valiant as well as strong They can never with so much honour follow any other Captain as they may fight under the Banner of Jesus Christ the Prince and Captain of their Salvation No Victory so honourable for a young Man as to kill pride and lust in himself and to get the old red Dragon under his feet To shed an enemies blood is no way so honourable as to Triumph over Satans malice One Mastiff can tear out another's Throat one Bull can goar another's side one desperate person can shed another's Blood but where is that glorious valour in a young Man that like Josuah's followers setteth his feet on the necks of five Kings of Canaan at once that subdueth his five Senses and overcometh all Temptations that enter in at these He that can strongly guard these Cinque-ports and stands out against all approaches in his youth he is an honourable Souldier of Jesus Christ. And if he go on and overcome He shall sit down with him in his Throne as he overcame and sate down with his Father in his Throne Rev. 3. 21. They that fight this good Fight may assure themselves that 〈◊〉 Crown of Glory is laid up for them which they shall wear when many renowned Captains of the World who have been Triumphant over their Enemies Shall lye down in sorrow and confusion But as the Apostle saith concerning Marriage If any man thinketh that he behaveth himself uncomely towardâ— his Virgin if she passe the flower of her age and need so require let him do what he will he sinneth not let them Marry 1 Cor. 7. 36. So if any man thinketh that he behaveth himself unseemly toward the courage strength and valour of his Body and Mind if he wear out his youth in Peace and do not shew himself in the Field let him know that Religion doth not disarme him if the Cause be good and the Warr necessary otherwise to fight in Publick Warrs is no more honourable than it is to assault men on the high-wayes side And when a Christian hath a just Call to fight the Lords Battles Religion doth not daunt but double his courage True it is Religion takes from him the Sword of Revenge and commandeth him to put it up into its place it alloweth him not to answer every desperate Ruffians Challenge which is as uncomely for a wise young man as it is to fight with every Dog that barketh at him VII Is youth accompanied many times with health what is more seemly for him that is well than to do well and to serve him faithfully who giveth him every hour of health which he enjoyeth The sickness and craziness of old age is many times a great distraction and discouragement to the Service of God therefore they are much deceived who make Repentance the work of the Sick-bed and think that the fittest time for that work VIII Is youth enclined to love Christ commandeth nothing but love and that which love supposeth and inferreth only it requireth a more noble divine and excellent kind of love and turneth it upon a more excellent object upon which it is better bestowed than upon the common objects of natural love Viz. upon God the chiefest good and upon such things as are subordinate to him IX Is youth disposed to Mirth Grace is so farr from depriving it of this that he which never felt true Grace never came where sound joy was The heart is filled with peace and joy in Believing and the peace of God passeth understanding Yea the Word of God calleth for joy Rejoyce in the Lord again I say rejoyce It bettereth and encreaseth our mirth it doth not take it from us X. Consider the young man in Relation to others and you shall find nothing so seemly for him as grace and holiness and a conformity to the Word of God Nothing more comely for a young man than so to carry himself toward his Superiours as the word of God directeth him What more seemly for the younger sort than to give that honour reverence respect to Parents Masters Aged People which the word enjoyneth them A proud undutiful contemptuous carriage in the younger sort towards their betters doth worse become them than any deformity or blemish in the body A young man is never more out of fashion than when he is careless of his duty in this behalf and again never more comely than when he adorneth his life with that modesty and dutiful respect to which true grace directeth younger years It is a singular ornament to a young man to be one of those few which find out and constantly walk in the narrow way in their youthful daies CHAP. III. Vse 1. THis may shew that nothing doth worse become the younger sort than sin A licentious ungodly a loose unbridled conversation is a young man's greatest blemish weakness of natural parts shallowness of capacity blemishes of the body are not so unseemly in a young Man as prophaness and want of true holiness Nothing can worse become such an one than to forget or disobey him that made him No blemish in the face is so unseemly as an unruly tongue full of vain and idle oathes full of prophane swearing full of cursing and bitterness full of wanton rotten communication full of raiâ—ing of scoffs against godliness against old Age or as a loose lustful eye which is roveing and wandring after vanity or an ear listening after idle tales and greedily taking in false reports such as tend to the undeserved disgrace of others A violent hand a stragling foot they are the blemishes and reproaches of the younger sort And what is Drunkenness but the shame and stain of that green and flourishing age when the witt in its prime and best time shall be besotted and brought to a brutish dotage by the abuse of Gods good Creatures and excess of drink what is more unnatural and unseemly The stupifying of the senses the faultring of the feet are they not the symptoms of old age yes What then is more unseemly for youth than to over-burthen it self so with drink as to lose for the time its witts and leggs Oh do not count this a matter of credit thus to keep company this is your shame The sin of Whoredom which is the young Man's Zoar he counts it a little one and hither he would fly for contentment when the Word threatneth Fire and Brimstone against this sin from Heaven It is his Dalilah in the lap of which sinful pleasure he thinketh he may sleep securely by the priviledge of youth But the Scripture saith It is a deep ditch Prov. 23. 27. And therefore most dangerous And as it is dangerous so most shameful and unseemly It is the defilement the blasting of the flower of youth it is the very snare of the Devil whereby many young ones are held Captive by him at his will The sin of stubbornness and contemptuous carriage towards Superiours in years or otherwise it is most
that are young and yet enjoy the good daies of your life do not ye make them evil Remember your Creator in the daies of your Youth take heed to your ways according to the word of God so shall these daies indeed be good daies to you and you shall prepare your selves either for an honourable Old Age or for a blessed end and an happy death preventing the evils of Old Age and putting you in possession of everlasting life which never seeleth the decays of Age. Finally let me in a word beseech those who have already out-lived their best daies to look back seriously and speedily upon the times and courses of their Youth and see how those daies have been spent observing what matter of joy and thanksgiving or what causes of grief and humiliation they may find and accordingly to be affected If you have made them evil daies how should you mourn for this How should you seek God now that it draweth towards the eleventh hour before the night cometh when no man can work which burieth all secure loiterers and unprepared ones in an everlasting night of utter darkness where is weeping and gnâ—shing of teeth The night cometh the darkness is coming yet before it cometh do ye that great work that your Soul may live and not die eternally CHAP. V. Eccles. 12. 1 before the evil days come OF the next point I shall speak very briefly and that is this Observ. That the daies of Old Age are evil daies So the Spirit of God here calleth them This the Holy Ghost here and in other Verses of this Chapter sheweth in divers circumstances Here he saith They are daies wherein there is no pleasure daies wherein there is much matter of grief and vexation little contentment when a man's life is like gloomy daies such as St. Paul met with in his Sea-voyage when neither Sun nor Starrs for many daies appeared to such daies Old Age is here compared daies of darkness wherein Sun Moon and Starrs have their light hidden and darkened and the Clouds return after the Rain Though the showres fall yet it doth not clear up but the Clouds grow up and gather together again so it is in Old Age the end of one trouble is but the begnning of another affliction like to that In the words following these evils of Old Age are more particularly expressed and numbred up The keepers of the house do tremble the arms which are to guard and defend the body shake with the Palsey the strong men the Leggs which are the pillars to bear up this house of clay begin to fail with weakness and to double under their burthen like posts worn and weakened with age The Grinders the Teeth cease because they are few and the Windows shall be darkned c. In a word we may summe up the evils of these Aged daies in these two heads Evils of Loss and Evils of Sense The loss of Contentments in God's good blessings the loss of ability for many good Offices on the other side the suffering of many inconveniences in body and mind which maketh a man a burthen to himself being burthened with such an heap of years CHAP. VI. Use. THe use of this is to renew the former Exhortation to the younger sort that they may prevent these evil daies and remove the evil of them by timely repentance and sincere obedience in their Youth Impenitency and ungodliness makes the good daies of Youth to become evil daies repentance and an holy conversation make the evil daies of Old Age to be good Godliness is profitable to all things saith the Apostle and so it is profitable for all times for times of Youth as well as times of Old Age for health for sickness for life for death it shall do thee good and not evil all thy daies If Old Age bring so many inconveniences with it how careful shouldest thou be to remove the guilt of thy sins before the burthen of Old Age cometh upon thee If these wounds of thy conscience be truly healed by the blood of Christ aforehand sprinkled on by the hand of faith then shall thy Spirit be enabled to bear the infirmities of Old Age yea thou shalt be able to do all things through the Spirit of Christ strengthening and supporting thee Oh how miserably is that poor Soul burthened that hath an heap of years and an heap of sins unpardoned lying upon it but how blessed how honourable is the gray hoary head found in the way of righteousness whose unrighteousness is forgiven whose sin is covered Such shall be Trees planted in the house of the Lord which in their Old Age shall be more and more far and flourishing and their last works as it is said of the Church of Thyatira Revel 2 19. shall be more than the first their last daies better than the first Such a good old age they shall have as divers of the Saints are said to have had Labour then so to live now that the evils of your Age may be mitigated and removed But on the other side how evil and wretched must those daies of Old Age be which are accompanied with the guilt of many sins when years encrease and wickedness encreaseth when a man will not be admonished but as he hath been rebellious in his Youth so he will be obstinate in his Old Age Oh take heed of this if these evil daies have overtaken thee before thou hast put away thy sins before thou hast sought the Lord with all thy heart repent now in the anguish and bitterness of thy soul. SERMON V. Eccles. 12. 1. before the evil days come c. CHAP. I. THus ye have heard how Old Age is said to consist of evil daies now here we see how the Holy Ghost doth call away the thoughts of young men from the pleasures and vanities of Youth wherein they are usually drowned and over-whelmed and giveth them a foresight of a change letteth them know that it will not alwayes be thus with them they must look for other times hereafter to pass over them now they have their good daies their daies of Youth but they must perswade themselves there be other daies coming these good daies will not last alwayes Hence I observe Observ. That it is Christian wisdom to foresee and provide for changes ere they come it is a brutish and sensual folly to have the Heart so possessed and taken up with present prosperity and earthly contentments of any kind as not to have any serious and effectual regard of such changes as may be brought upon us Therefore the Spirit of God having to do with young men in this place who did please themselves in themselves and in their present youthful wayes delights and contentments he setteth before their eyes a lively image of Old Age with the many evils grievances and blemishes of it yea he leadeth them along to the death-bed and hangeth out their winding-sheet before their eyes and by the way presenteth them with many objects unpleasing
are secure and content themselves with present things they foresee not dangers miseries death destruction marching furiously towards them untill it be too late the poisoned shafts of death piercing through their hearts and cleaving the body and soul asunder But a Christian must be a watchman and still stand upon his watch-tower that he may descry changes and dangers afar off that he may see death riding post towards him on his paâ—e horse Revel 6. 8. and Hell following that he may betimes provide against it and may escape the sting of death laying hold on Christ and may escape the damnation of Hell Death hath many thousands by the throat ere ever they see it coming and arm themselves against it They use to say of such who when they first â—ell sick had the symptomes of death upon them that they were taken with death Beloved every one that death surpriseth before he be provided for it may well be said to be taken with death Death hath taken hold of all such and hath them within it's power But he that is aforehand with death and is a partaker of life in Christ cannot be taken with it but he hath death rather in his power and is a conquerour over death by the power of Christ. Others are taken unprovided they are taken sleeping in their sins when death driveth it's nail into their heads as Jael did into the head of Sisera Oh then be watchfull to foresee and provide for changes to come Sickness may be coming poverty may be coming general calamities may be at hand Wars may be marching furiously towards a Land the Angel may be coming with his destroying Sword The Arrows of Pestilence may 〈◊〉 now laid to the Bow and drawn to the heâ—â— and ready to fly abroad among us Darkneâ— may be coming the loss of the glorious Gospel of Christ may be at hand Anti-Christ may be coming Howsoever these things may fall out it is most certain that Death is a coming not many daies journey from each of our doors and perhaps even now ready 〈◊〉 knock at some of our gates None of 〈◊〉 know who shall be first visited by it and they that are not provided for it aforehand may assure themselves that Hell will follow Death close at the heels Oh then learn to 〈◊〉 daily that death may become familiar to you and not come as a stranger or an enemy or an Executioner when it doth come but rather as a friend to let your Souls out of this prison of the flesh that ye may enter into glory and blessedness SERMON VI. Eccles. â—2 1. nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them CHAP. I. IN this last Clause of the Verse the daies of Old Age are opposed unto the daies of Youth in these terms The years wherein 〈◊〉 shalt say I have no pleasure in them Hence I note Observ. That this short and mortal life may outlast the pleasures and all the contentments of this life This life is short yet as short as it is it many times is longer than the comforts of this life longer than the delights and pleasures of this world There 〈◊〉 be years within the compass of this shor◠〈◊〉 wherein a man shall find no pleasure 〈◊〉 shall be weary of himself Man is buâ— of short continuance the longest liver among men shall quickly go hence and yeâ— many a man and woman may and do out-live the comforts of their lives survive alâ— the pleasure and contentment that ever they had here below And if something remain wherein they can take delight yet it is so little in comparison of those things which they have lost that they think their good daies be gone and past They have lived to see the pleasures of life vanish away life smoak and do often look back with 〈◊〉 hearts upon the times wherein they enjoyed such and such things wherein it was thus and thus with them So it was with David he had been a victorious King and prosperâ—â— exceedingly in his wayes but in the latâ—â— part of his life his Daughter was deflowâ—â—â— by his Son and that Son killed by another Son when he was feasting the same Son rebelled against his Father defiled his Concubines sought his life and was slain in rebellion Then Sheba rebelleth and not long after David lieth bed-rid and no clothes could keep him warm 1 Kings 1. Wheâ—â— were now the pleasures of life might 〈◊〉 he very well have said of these last years 〈◊〉 his life I have no pleasure in them It is true he did comfort himself in God and in 〈◊〉 assured expectation of a better life but the pleasures of this life were gone and past and if he had been one of those that have hope only in this life what good had all the former pleasures of this life done him That which was verified of this good King was true also of one of his best Subjects viz. Barzillai the Gileadite who had so liberally supplied King David when he was forced to flee from Absalom The King would now have him to be his Guest at the Court and to live with him at Jerusalem But thus he answereth David 1 Kings 19. 35. I am this day fourscore years old and can I discern between good and evil Can I taste what I eat or what I drink Can I hear any more the voyce of singing men and singing women Wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burthen to my Lord the King The pleasures of this life are gone with me saith Barzillai I was wont I could relish my Meat and Drink now I cannot Musick now is no Musick to me I have out-lived the delights of this world Now if these men did out live the outward comforts and contentments of this life how much more do many wicked persons How was it with Saul He was preferred beyond his expectation before all the men of Israel He overcame the Ammonites and Philistines and was in a flourishing estate But for his sin the Lord blasted all the comforts of his life took away those gifts of his Spirit from him whereby he had fitted him for the Kingdom suffered an evil Spirit to vex and torment him gave him over to torment himself with envy and bitterness of spirit to vex himself with Davids success answereth him not in his distress leaveth him to consult with a Witch and thereupon to receive a sad answer and to hear his dooâ— which soon after was executed upon him Thus ye see in these examples how this shoâ— mortal life lasteth beyond the pleasures and comforts of this life We have also a notable example in this kind in King Jehoraâ— a wicked Son of a good Father He had a flourishing Kingdom left by his Father but after that he had slain his Brethren and wrought much wickedness the Kingdom of Edom revolted from him Ver. 9. 10. So did the City of Libnah He was severely threatned from Heaven Ver. 12 13 14 15.
time is past and these do him no good he is never the better for them no more than if he had â—ever possessed them Take two natural men living and dying in that estate the one â—ich and the other a stark beggar the rich man's case is not a jot better when the time of this life is worn out than the others it may be worse because of his unthankfulness and the abuse of his wealth So take a natural man that hath enjoyed abundance of pleasures and another that hath scarce seen any good daies all his life long if both of them live and die in their natural estate they are both alike the pleasures that the one hath had do him no more good than if he had never had any more than the other It may be they have encreased his condemnation exceedingly Now St. James saith that life is but for a time or rather it appeareth but for a time so the pleasures of life are but for a time nay it followeth there life appeareth but for a little time and the pleasures of life are shorter than life and therefore their time is less than life and theâ— saith he life vanisheth away and the pleasures of life must needs vanish with it 〈◊〉 they be gone before it as many times 〈◊〉 are for as ye see in the Text a man may lâ—ve such years whereof he may say and think I have no pleasure in them wherein he may say in his heart Alas I breath yet I keep above ground I yet live but I have out-lived all the comforts of my life they are as it were dead and buried I shall never enâ—oy them any more so that he can look back upon his former comforts and prosperity with a sad heart and weeping-eye comparing it with his present sorrows as 〈◊〉 did as ye may read at large in the 29th and 30th Chapters of that Book In the 29th he expresseth his former prosperity in the 30th his present affliction In Chap. 29. 2. 〈◊〉 saith Oh that I were as in moneths past as 〈◊〉 the daies wherein God preserved me 〈◊〉 his candle shined upon mine head and when by his light I walked through darkness So he goeth on Even so man liveth to that day when he can reckon up a great many comforts as so many losâ—es things once enjoyed now gone and can compare them with many crosses now lying upon them for sometimes the Lord taketh away mens wealth so that those who have lived plentifully are brought to a poor and hard condition sometimes their health that men are afflicted with languishing or painful diseases that their wealth doth them little good they cannot enjoy it Sometimes he leaveth them health and wealth but taketh away those friends that are dearer to them than either the loss of whom embitteâ—eth all those things that are left them Sometimes he depriveth them of liberty and these things come alike to all sometimes he prolongeth their lives unto old age and burtheneth their old age with so many infirmities and grievances that their life is but a lingâ—ing death unto them Sometimes he taketh away their sight sometimes their hearing c. and sometimes he leaveth them to the gâ—awings and gripings of a guilty conscience not cleansed and washed by the blood of Christ. Thus many wayes and in many respects ye see that the pleasures and prosperity of life may be made shorter than this short life it self CHAP. IV. II. IN the second place this should serve to wean us from the love of this world and the things of this life whether it be wealth or pleasure or wordly credit or health or strength or friends or children that we set our hearts upon or take content in how soon may all or any of these be taken from us or how soon may some such heavy blow from the hand of the Lord fall upon us as may strike dead all the delight and comfort which we took in these Therefore as the Prophet saith Isai. 2. 22. Cease ye from man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of Cease to put your trust or place your content in man whether men of high degree or of low degree for he is a mortal creature soon gone When that fading fleeâ—ing breath that issueth in and out at his nostrils is stopped by death he is gone and wherein is he to be accounted of What reckoning should be made of so frail a creature So in this case I say cease ye from the things of this life for they have their breath in their nostrils as it were they are frail short-lived comforts and wherein are they to be accounted of Here then is Christian wisdom to have the heart crucified to these things when they are at best and when a man hath most of them then to die to the world and to look upon the best things of the world and the greatest outward comforts of this life as upon so many dead things to affect them and make account of them as so many shadows and empty vanities to use them as dying things I am crucified to the world saith the Apostle and the world is crucified to me This is Christian wisdom when a man can so carry his affections towards the greatest comforts of this life as he would to a thing that is crucified to a thing already nailed to the cross and dying It were a vain thing to take a few flowers and blossoms in the Spring and to lock them up safe in a Cabinet like so many precious Stones or Pearls of great value meaning to keep them many years whereas if he look upon them the next week he shall find them dead and withered their beauty is gone And is it not yet a far greater â—olly to lock up the fading comforts of this life in that precious Cabinet of thy Heart and Soul as as if they were everlasting treasures as if they were some enduring substance such a heart is poorly furnished For an immortal Soul that must live for ever to be stuffed and filled with perishing trash it is as if a rich Cabinet of Gold beset with Pearls should be fill'd with dust and dross yea it is far worse such a soul is miserably furnished when the Soul wherein Christ should dwell the Sould which should be a Temple of the Holy Ghost the Soul that should be stored and furnished with heavenly graces shall be stuffed and filled with such rubbish and â—rash as men gather from the dunghill of this world with the things of this life that are shorter than life it self So St. Paul 1 Cor. 7. 29 3â— 31. This I say Brethren the time is short it remaineth that both they that have Wives be as though they had none and they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy aâ— though they possessed not and they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this
Parents that labour more for temporal riches for their Children than for grace and godliness God usually crosseth such Parents in their plots and purposes their Children after them usually do prodigally spend that wealth which the Parents wickedly scraped together and the Parents are tormented in Hell whiles their prodigal Children are merry and jovial upon earth Graceless Children are drinking and gaming and drabbing spending their daies in mirth and pleasure whiles the wretched covetous Father is houling roaring and tormented in Hell Now if thy everlasting confusion be either thine or thy Childrens glory much good may it do thee Such Parents are the most deadly enemies their to own Children Many wicked men like Ahab kill and take possession of the Vineyards and Inheritances of poor Innocents and settle them upon their Children as firm as firm as Law can make them to them and to their Heris for ever But after all this if such Parents would but cast up their Bargains they would see they had damned themselves to enrich their Children and enriched their Children to undo them they had brought the curse of God upon their own Souls to leave their Children that which should undo them and theirs How politick was Jeroboam to entail the Kingdom of Israel to his own line and therefore sets up two golden Calves the one at Dan the other at Bethel to hinder the people from going up to Jerusalem to worship where King Rehoboham was But that very course of his by making Israel to sin was the ruine of him and his house The Lord swept away the remnant of his house as a man sweepeth away dung till all be gone 1 Kings 14. 16. Ye that are Parents ye can love your selves in your own persons and in the images of your nature and in those that are the supports of your families the Children which God hath given you Therefore when you commit great sins or leave great estates to your Children wickedly gotten what do ye but represent the future estate of your Children and as it were slay them with your own inhumane and barbarous hands Oh how vile a person is that Father or Mother who for a little money gotten by usury extortion or oppression will leave an Estate to their Children and the curse of God with it and become parricides and embrue their hands in the blood and ruine of their own Children Many men think no course amiss so they may set their nests on high and make their seed great on earth Habbak 2. 9. But in this they are utterly deceived for this is the very next way to bring the curse of God upon their Children How often is that snatch'd away by others which men provided for their own Children and that of Solomon is verified The Riches of the sinner is laid up for the just Prov. 13. 22. Thus the Estate of Haman was given unto Mordecai Solomon speaking of an oppressour saith That he begets a Son in whose hand is nothing Eccles. 5. 14. Wo be to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house There hangs a judgement over the heads of the Children for the Fathers covetousness as rain in the clouds which perhaps in their Sons or in their Grand-childs dayes may come down as a mighty flood upon their House Habak 2. 9. Thou hast consulted shame to thine own house by cutting off many people and hast sinned against thy Soul for the stone shall cry out of the wall and the beam out of the Timber shall answer thee ver 10. Such Parents are no glory of their Children CHAP. VII Use II. LEt this serve therefore for exhortation to Parents when they have ridings that a Child is born unto them Take the mercy but remember your duty lest this or that Child be not one day thy greatest shame and reproach which is at present thy joy and comfort for according to thy fatherly duties so will thy comfort or thy sorrows be Do ye desire your Children may be your joy and not your sorrows your glory and crown and not your reproach and shame then walk wisely towards them and before them be thou a glory to them so may they prove thy glory and crown Now that you and they may be crowns and honours to each other consider these following duties I. Give a good example of an holy life to your Children be frequent in the exercise of holy duties and graces before them Thus David did Psal. 101. 2. He would walk within his house with a perfect heart and behave himself wisely in a perfect way that iâ— godly in a perfect way of godliness before his Children and Servants Examples of Parents have a strong influence into the manners of their Children Personal sins are usually derived from Parents to Children by their bad lives for a Father to lie to swear to be drunk to neglect holy duties this hath a great influence upon the Children A Son may inherit the Father's sin by imitation by following his example and doing the same sin and the proverb is The young birds will do as they see the old ones do before them We read that more than forty Children were destroyed by two she-bears for mocking the Prophet Elisha 2 Kings 2. 23 24. One hath this Query upon it Why did the Prophet call for revenge upon the Children who scarce understood what they did much less did act any thing upon design He answereth Though we might suppose that they were of such a tender age that they were ignorant of the evil of this action yet having learn'd this from their Parents God sent this judgement upon them to punish the Children and the Parents at once for doubtless they had learn'd that mocking Language from their Parents at least by hearing them say so to the Prophet Elisha Go up thou bald-head go up thou bald-head if they had not taught them to say so Which scoff they cast upon Elisha in allusion to the rapture or carrying up of Elijah to Heaven As if they had said Go thou up also to Heaven as Elijah did that we may be rid of thee as we are of him Children are apt to imitate their Parents iâ— every thing and are best at imitating them in the worst It is written of Jeroboam that he caused Israel to sin so it may be spoken of wicked Parents that they cause their Children to sin It is said of Abijan the Son of Rehoboam that he walked in all the sins of his Father which he had done before him 1 Kings 15. 3. Ye that give ill examples to your Children you shall answer both for your own sins and the sins of yoâ—â— Children occasioned by your bad example II. Ye that are Parentâ— be often dehoâ—â—ing your Children from sin and vain company The Book of the Proverbs is full of susâ—pious dehortations My Son saith Solomn enter not into the path of the wicked and gâ— not inot the way of evil men avoid it pass 〈◊〉 by it turn from it