doth the Psalmist return an answer sutable to these mens conceits when the question is moved Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way but quite contrary By taking heed thereto according to thy word Where ye see both the Rule by which and the manner how they are to frame their Courses requireth a special strictness The very Word of God that pure and holy Rule of Righteousness and not the customs of the time nor the ordinary practice nor lusts of youth must guide them and this Rule they must heed with much attention and watchfulness having one eye upon their ways another upon the word taking heed thereto according to the word ever marking the steps they tread and observing how it suiteth with the precious truth of God This is the wisdom of the Antient of daies and whatsoever is contrary to it gray hairs cannot exempt from folly CHAP. IV. SECT I. II. THis should perswade the younger sort not to make those daies evil which God hath made good Oh do not abuse your choycest daies to the basest employments Think the spring of your age too good for Satan too pretious for Lust for Drunkenness for Vanity too good to be so spent that in old age ye shall not be able to remember it without shame without a sting Ye know what the Lord spake long since to Israel If ye walk contrary unto me I also will walk contrary unto you How can ye walk more contrary unto God than to make those the worst daies which he hath made the best To have abused any of God's good Creatures under the Law had been sin to have profaned the first fruits a double sin to give any of our time to the service of sin is unworthy of a Christian but to abase the prime of Youth and the crown of our years the choicest of our daies to this slavery what is it but to set our selves to cross the Lord in the wisdom of his wayes and to make these daies evil because he hath made them good Regard not those who scoff in their carnal folly at the uniting of these two together Youth and Holiness as at an unequal match as if a young man and an old woman were joyned together in marriage Assure thy self that nothng can so well become the best daies as the best affections and the best conversation that nothing is more seemly for a vessel of honour than to be seasoned with true grace and sanctification even while it is now in the daies of Youth 1 Joh. 2. 13 14. I write unto you young men because ye have overcome the wicked one Again I have written unto you young men because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one Here is the excellency of young men not that they have so much strength oâ— body or daring Spirits to challenge or lay others on the ground as that they have strength of grace and power of the Spirit to wrestle with Satan in all his temptationâ— and tread them under their feet when theâ— have the word of God abiding in them anâ— powerfully enabling them to wrestle witâ— Principalities and Powers and so to wrestlâ— as to overcome These are young men to whom the beloved Apostle of Christ vouchsafeth to write in a peculiar manner aâ— indeed such are young men whose Youthâ— man ought to despise SECT II. TAke heed then of making these goâ—â— daies of Youth to be evil daies whiâ—â— God hath made good daies Quest. But some will say perhaps hoâ— are they made evil daies Sol. I. I answer in general The daies of Youth good in themselves are made evil when they are spent in unregeneration spent in a state of impenitency without sound conversion to God without holy communion with him Every young man who is not brought home to God by unfeigned repentance in his Youth maketh the daies of his Youth to be evil daies Rom. 6. 20 21. When ye were the servants of Sin ye were free from righteousness what fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those things is death Whiles a man is an unregenerate person he is a servant of Sin and all that while he maketh his daies evil daies his life an evil life for he is not able to shew any fruit that he hath reaped of all his works and wayes no true benefit no sound comfort ariseth out of all his courses So it is with old men that live in the service of sin without true regeneration In like manner it is in young men that are unregenerate let them do what they will or can let them fill themselves with all manner of earthly pleasures let them please themselves every way and do what they can to enjoy these dayes of Youth walking in the wayes of their own Heart and in the sight of their Eyes please their Senses of all sorts c. Nay let them spend their daies of Youth better than so even in Wars in Study and Learning in getting some useful commendable Trade yet so long as they are unregenerate and do not seriously remember turn to their Creator now in these daies of their Youth they have no true fruit worth the having of all their endeavours of all their daies of Youth Now doth not a man make his daies evil daies when he spendeth them so that no true good cometh of them when they bring forth more evil than good so much evil as that the good that might come of them is not good unto them for the end of these things is death When a man is still hastening to his destruction running oâ— towards his death as every one unconverteâ— is what fruit can there come of any thing he goeth about All ye that are young who put off repentance and are not regenerate nor labour to be so ye make the daies of your Youth which ye so rejoyce in evil daies cursed daies ye walk under the wrath and curse of God and are not freed from the sentence of condemnation Whiles ye are merry and jocund whiles your Hearts cheer you ye do but sport your selves in the midst of your own misery and dangers Canst thou enjoy one good day whiles thou hast no assurance for an hour to be free from the fire that never goeth out whiles thou standest accursed and hast the sentence of condemnation written upon thy conscience and not washed off by the blood of Christ spinkled by faith oh these are evil bitter daies if thou couldest discern them rightly wherein Heaven frowneth upon thee God is angry with thee and all thy sins remain unpardoned Therefore repent and make thy peace with God that so the daies of thy Youth may be good daies daies wherein thou maist be assured that God is appeased with thee daies wherein thou maist walk in the bright Sun-shine and light of his countenance daies wherein thou maist have thy fruit in holiness for the present and be
upon this improvidence when changes happen which are grievous in themselves they become more grievous to us for want of preparation That which in its own nature is a misery is made a double misery to us when we are not prepared for it What discomfort will sickness bring when it cometh unlook'd for and when we have not prepared for it by searching our hearts casting up our accounts getting assured pardon of our sins at the hands of God when a sick body and a guilty conscience meet together there is a woful condition when a man shall lie down in his death bed with the guilt of all his sins lying upon him and pressing upon his Soul there is a grievous burthen and especially when death cometh and findeth him not regenerate findeth in him no other life but that which floweth from the union between the Soul and Body no new spiritual life issuing from an inseparable communion between Christ and him Oh how wiâ—l death insult over such a one how will the name the thought the visage of death dismay him when it meeteth him alone not joyned to Christ and entreth into a single combat with him not strengthened by an happy union with the Lord of life will it not tear him in pieces as a Lion might do a little Dog It is a double misery not to be aforehand with death not to be provided for this change 4. on the other side much ease much good much comfort followeth upon a timely foresight and wise preparation for such changes When a sad and sudden change was brought upon Hezekiah a sharp fit of sickness supposed to have been the Plague and a peremptory message from the Lord by the Prophet Set thine House in order for thou shalt die and not live Did it not wonderfully ease his burthen that he was so well prepared for this change and able to say his conscience bearing him witness 2 Kings 20. 3. I beseech thee O Lord remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and havâ— done that which is good in thy sight What a comfort will it be when thy health is turned into sickness thy strength into weakness when thou art fastened to thy bed and hast received in thy self the sentence of death if then thou findest thy self provided for this change A sweet comfort it shall be in old age when the Grashopper is a burden even the lightest thing it shall then ease that burden of years that makes thee stoop if thou didst in time foresee and provide for it turning to the Lord aforehand that so thy gray hairs may be found in the way of righteousness CHAP. III. Use 1. 1. THis may serve to reprove the great sensuality and security that is naturally among us that we look at things present and do not seriously take to heart such changes as may befall us A Comment upon Psal. 49. would be a fit enlargement of this use where the Psalmist discourseth excellently of this point both shewing the folly of men trusting to outward things as to certainties and declaring his own spiritual wisdom which God had taught him in preparing for any changes that might befall him First he calleth for attention for all sorts of men throughout the world Hear this all ye people give ear all ye Inhabitants of the world both low and high rich and poor together It concerneth all sorts nearly and all sorts are faulty therein and need to be stirred up by way of remembrance Then he doth very effectually seek to win attention by the excellency of the things which he is about to deliver My mouth shall speak of wisdom and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding such wisdom as many worldly wise men never learned yea he sheweth in the next verse that it is an hidden wisdom and as a parable to natural men for the most part Then he entreth upon his discourse and in the first place beginneth with himself ver 5. Wherefore should I fear in the daies of evil when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about as if he had said I do foresee changes and afflictions I look for assaults from Satan but I am armed against them through the mercy of God who hath pardoned my sins and therefore when such evils come and Satan shall seek to entangle my Conscience as in a snare as if these were sure arguments of God's hatred against me I will not fear I am prepared for these things Then on the other side in the next verse unto the fifteenth he goeth on at large declaring the folly and blindness of worldly-minded men c secure sinners in this case They that trust in their Wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their Riches none of them can by any means redeem his Brother nor give to God a ransom for him They trust in outward things as if they were enduring substance and their hearts are lifted up with thoughts of their Wealth and Riches they think not seriously of changes to come they trust in their strength and healthy tempers in their Youth they rest their hearts in their present carnal contentments sinful pleasures c. as if these things should alwayes continue whereas they can neither rescue or ransom themselves or dearest friends from the power of death that he should live for ever and not see corruption For he seeth that wise men die likewise the fâ—ol and the brutish person shall perish and leave their wealth to others This sheweth their great sensuality and sottishnes that though they have daily experience of divorces separations made by death between men and their wealth their honours their pleasures and that they are forced to leave all and go naked out of the world yet they do not apply this and make it their own case but they go on even like to the brute beasts which when they see one of their own herd led away to the slaughter-house regard it not but delight as much as before in their fat pastures sitting themselves daily more and more for the same end So these though they see those that were framed of the same clay with themselves drop away and return to their dust yet they mind it not unless it be for a short fit but set their hearts upon these things as much as if they had never heard of any that had been taken away by death For their inward thought is that their Houses shall continue for ever c. The Spirit of God here looketh into the inside and rippeth open the bosomes of these earthly-minded persons and sheweth what thoughts and hopes they have even of perpetuities here on earth and so they love and strive for these things as if there were eternity in them as if they were everlasting things Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not he is like the beasts that perish Let him enjoy never so much of these things yet he abideth not there shall come a change
which threatnings took effect accordingly The Philistines and Arabians brake into his Kingdom entred his Place took away his Goods his Wives his Sons all save 〈◊〉 youngest Ver. 16 17. Then also the Lord smote him with an incurable Disease in his Bowels and after two years torment as it seemeth his Body rotted and his Bowels fell out so that he died of sore Diseases and had not that honour at his Funeral which was usually done unto Kings See how his life out-lasted the comforts of his life and yet his life was short he died when he was about forty years old and reigned eight years Now ye may see by these examples that there are two wayes in general by which it cometh to pass that the comforts of this life are shorter than life it self and that this life out-lasteth them all and that is 1. By reason of old age 2. By reason of crosses afflictions 1. In respect of old age so it was with David and Barzillai So it is expressed at large in this last Chapter of Ecclesiastes where he sheweth how the daies of old age are such many times that a man hath no pleasure in them and sheweth at large how the several parts of the body decay and the powers of nature fail The Grashopper shall be a burthen that is every little thing shall trouble them And desire shal fail They shall have no mind to any thing Therefore also it must needs be that delights should fail they should joy in nothing all the pleasures of Youth and the delights of Life are gone Moses saith Psal. 90. 10. The daies of our years are threescore years and ten and if by reason of strength they be fourscore yet is their strength but labour and sorrow Yea and some ere they be threescore do feel the burthen of Old Age as much as others do at fourscore 2. In respect of sufferings and afflictions some do out-live the comforts and pleasures of this life So did Job but that afterwards the Lord restored his prosperity to him in an extraordinary manner So Saul it seemeth in respect of age might have enjoyed many a fair year but all was blasted and his Kingdom did him little good The Lord declared himself against him So ye see in the example of Jehoram the Lord may take away those comforts from a man that the loss of them may drown all the pleasures of this life embitter all those sweets that this world can afford to us CHAP. II. THe Reason in general is the sin of man that hath shortned life made it mortal which had it not been for sin should have been imortal That hath made the comforts of life shorter than life it self which should have been everlasting as life it self should have been immortal had not sin given a deadly wound both to the life of man and to the comforts of this life Man should have had no thorns nor thistles to have vexed him in Paradise if he had not let Sin into the Garden but Sin being let in cast him out into a thorny world ful of miseries whereby his short life was made bitter to him and the pleasures of life not so long-lived as life it self Many times the special sins of men are the cause of this and that both of God's Children and of the wicked The special sins of the Godly as in David his sins into which he fell made the latter part of his life full of bitterness and had not he been able to comfort himself in God and to have refreshed his heart with his saving love and mercy how could he have been able to bear up his Spirit under such grievous burthens So the Lord doth many times change the outward condition of his Children and causeth them in stead of many outward comforts formerly enjoyed to eat the bread and drink the water of afflictions and causeth sad times to pass over them insomuch that all the comforts of this life do no way yield them so much content as their outward afflictions do bring bitterness upon them On the other side the special sins of the wicked do sometimes move the Lord to turn their laughter into mourning and to bring a a dark Cloud on all the Sun-shine of their outward comforts so that all things in the world shall look sad upon them and this he seemeth to do for two causes 1. To bring them home to himself that being taken off from carnal contentment in outward delights and brought to deal seriously with their own hearts and to consider their wayes and finding nothing in the world for their hearts to rest upon they may be made to turn to the Lord and to seek peace with him and comfort in his love Thus it was with Manasseh whiles he flourished in his Kingly dignity and had what his heart could wish how did he exceed in wickedness But when the Lord gave him that blow by the hand of the King of Babylon which struck him down from his Throne and â—aid him in fetters then in his affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers and prayed unto him and he was entreated of him c. 2 Chron. 33 11 12 13. 2. The Lord seemeth to do this many times to manifest his Justice and to let the wicked know what they are to look for in another world Thus he seemeth to have dealt with Pharaoh Saul and many others This I am perswaded the Lord doth often aim at even in those changes which are brought with Old Age. Many which have been flourishing in their daies and abused their prosperity their bodies decay with old age and their outward means wither together with them and they are set before the world for spectacles wherein men may read the vanity of all things under the Sun together with the fading and uncertain condition of all the comforts of this life I mean of such who after Youth and riper years spent in sin and impenitency do afterwards go creeping under the burden of Old Age and have no heart to seek the Lord in sincerity but their hearts die within them and become like Nabals having lost the content which they took before in the pleasures of sin and wanting grace to raise their hearts to the Lord that they might delight their Souls in him Many such examples may be observed in the world 3. Sometimes the Lord doth this to exercise the graces of his Children and to make them examples unto others of patience and stedfastness in his ways as it was with Job who continued in his integrity after that those great changes were brought upon him CHAP. III. Use. I. HEnce we may be brought to a consideration of the shortness and uncertainty of all the contentments of this present life How short is life it self And yet the pleasures of life are shorter than life Psal. 39. 5. Behold thou hast made my daies as an hand-breadth saith David There is the life of
A MEMENTO TO Young and Old OR The Young Man's REMEMBRANCER AND The Old Man's MONITOR By that Eminent and Judicious Divine Mr. John Maynard late of Mayfield in Sussex Published by William Gearing Minister of the Gospel Quis integram vocet aetatem cui multum deest quantulum sit quod restat incertum est Petrarc de remed utr fort dial 1. LONDON Printed for Thomas Parkhurst living at the Sign of the Bible upon London Bridg. 1669. Unto the Right Worshipful SIR Thomas Wilbraham of Woodhey in the County of Chester Baronet and to the vertuous Ladies The Lady Elizabeth Wilbraham the Elder and the Lady Elizabeth Wilbraham the Younger To the Lady Meredith of Leeds in Kent ' and to Mrs. Elizabeth Baker of Mayfield in the County of Sussex William Gearing humbly Dedicateth these ensuing Treatises Entituled A Memento to Young and Old c. And Pious Fathers the Glory of Children c. To the Reader THE outward ornaments of Youth are Beauty Tallness and Strength of the Body but Grace and Wisdom are the ornaments of the Soul and Mind But Beauty without Grace is but like a fair sign that hangeth at the door of a foul house and Witt without Grace is but like meat that tasteth sweet in the mouth and breedeth ill blood in the Veins and bodily strength and comliness of Stature without Grace it is but like so much Moss upon the body of a Tree when there is no fruit upon the boughs Absalom had a fair body and a defiled Conscience St. Augustin receiving a witty Epistle from Licentius a young Noble Man and perceiving he had abused it too loosely returneth this answer to him If thou hadst found a Golden Cup wouldst thou not have given it to some Publick use God hath given thee a Golden Witt a Soul of Gold and yet thou usest it an Instrument of Sensuality take heed of making it a vessel of abomination and of presenting thy Soul as a Sacrifice to Satan Diabolus cupit a te ornari the Devil desireth to make thee an ornament to him and thy witt and parts the credit of his Court and Cause Young Men many times have sharp Witts but as the fire in green wood is smothered by the vapours that it cannot shine brightly so holy Wisdom in youth is often smothered by Temptations and Concupisences Naturalists say That the Butterfly spendeth the most part of her Life in painting of her Wings so do many young men in guilding of their Brains Youth is as the Hebrew word signifieth the choice age of a Mans Life and a young Man is called a choice or chosen one 1. Because a Young man was rather chosen than an Old chosen to most employments of action and Youth is the time which a man would chose to live in 2. Because youth is a time wherein a Man is to chuse what course to take and it is the choicest time for the service of God Remember thy Creatour in the daies of thy youth or of thy choice saith Solomon That is in such daies as either thou wouldest chuse or else such daies wherein thou art best able to make thy choice then are we called upon to remember God Take it in that double variation 1. In such daies as a man would chuse whilst things yet go well with him before the evil daies come c. Flourishing Youth and true Devotion are seldom companions Youth unless sanctified is full of vanity serious in trifles and trifling in serious things Or 2. In such dayes as we are yet able to make our choice Death bed Devotion proveth but little worth then do we rather dream of God than indeed do remember him Good reason it is that the Young Man should remember his Creatous 1. Because uncertain of the future of his own life uncertain whether he shall ever live to old age a Soul should not be hazarded upon such uncertainties 2. Because the young man commonly forgetteth God is most tempted by Satan most violently hurried away with Passions Youth is full of folly falsehood frowardness of high conceits of their own worth and sufficiency full of inordinate and excessive love of liberty full of wantonness it is carried with strong affections upon weak grounds it is stubborn impatient of counsels and just reproofs Jerem. 31. 18 19. It is given to Prodigallity Luke 15. 12 13. It is impudent and shameless addicted to sensuality It is the Emblem of a Young Man to have a wing on one Arm as if he had a desire to fly up to Heaven but a clog on the other arm to shew how the vanities and pleasures of the World do clog his desires of Heaven 3. Or it may be Young Menare called upon to remember God because riper age is furnished with most abilities a strong body a pliable mind a riper judgment affections free Religion is not of so easie a performance but it will ask a man his best Or 4. it may be what is gotten in Youth sticks fastest by us as a Vessel retaineth a long time that odour whereâ—with at first it was seasoned God's service should never be given over and therefore learned betimes Nebuchadnezzar would have young Men stand before him the King of Heaven much more Thy Creatour will not highly value thee unless thou hast been bred up in his presence even from thy youth It is a most commendable thing for Young Men to be couragious and resolute in resisting Sin Some Heathens and Infidels have been not able in this kind Sâ— Augustin bringeth in Polemon thus speaking concerning himself I was an Infidel a young Man deprived of the Knowledg of the True God resigned over to all sorts of Intemperance Wine Love Play Rashness were the Chariot which drew my Youth to downfal I was no sooner entred into the School of an Heathen Philosopher But behâ—ld I was wholly changed He upon the Words of a man layeth down his flowery Crowns which he bare on his head his Riots and Drunkenness How unseemly then is it for Young Men that are called Christians to go on in Riot and Wantonness after so many enlightnings so many forcible instructions and so many powerful convictions and inspirations St. Ambrose likewise brings in one Spurinâ— thus speaking I was a Gentile saith she bred in the corruption of an age where vertue was declining and vice on the top of the Wheel I was endowed with an excellent Beauty which by right of natural force gave me the key of Hearts and I seeing it was too much affected courted by wanton eyes and served for a stumbling-block to chastity I purposely made scars in my face extinguishing with my Blood the flames of those that sought me for I loved better to seal my innocence as with the seal of voluntary deformity than to possess a Beauty that served only as a bait for anothers Lust. How may this give a check to the vanity of those women among us who in their youth paint themselves
the old the starveling the blind the lame c. That man could never obey the Commandment so when the Lord biddeth us to remember to give up our youth to him if we spend this and our strength in sin we can never obey this Commandment for that time and strength is gone and our importent time crazy drowsy old age is left 4. From this Word Creatour God made all things for his glory and the more excellent any Creature is either in regard of its specifical nature or kind or in regard of its particular qualities and excellencies the more is it tyed to glorify God that made it such So among all earthly Creatures Man being made of the most excellent nature is most straitly tyed to glorify God the Creatour And among Men such as are in their youth and strength being endowed with the most excellent abilities ought more especially to remember him 5. Consider these Words Thy Creatour God is the Creatour of young Men as young Men. He did nor only give thee the being of a Man but the years the life the health the strength the vigour of a young Man He is the Author of thy youth the Creatour of thy strength he is thy Creatour in special he hath now Created that strength and ability in thee which he hath not yet Created in Children that which he hath taken from old Men. Thou hast that work of his now wrought upon and sheâ—ing it self in thee which is not in others and therefore Remember thy Creatour that hath Created that hot Blood that warmeth thy heart that quickness of apprehension and those lively Spirits that are within thee 6. Consider these Words In the dayes of thy youth daies and not years daies and not nights Thy youth is but a few May-daies it will presently be gone and therefore in those few daies that short time thou shouldest give up thy self to thy Creatour Could not ye Watch with me one hour a just reproof of our Saviour to his sleepy Disciples Could ye not afford me a few daies a just reproof of all silly souls who are not wise unto Salvation and think their youth too good too much to be given up to God It is not three hundred years that the Lord asketh at thy hands as at Henoch's nor Nine hundred and upwards as he required of other Patriaches but a few daies of youth Daiâ—s and not Nights The times of youth consist of Daies then is the Sun-shine the Night follow dark times of old age aches weakness sickness sleepiness Now because these are Daies they must be given up to God who is Light and not to the Devil who is the Prince of Darkness not to sins which are works of Darkness This is gross folly to give the Days of youth to Satan and to leave the dimme evening of our old declining age to God to give the good the best daies to Satan and the evil daies as they are called afterwards yea the worst to God CHAP. III. Vse 1. THis sheweth the great folly of young Men who think of all others in a Congregation that they have least reason to give any special heed and yield obedience unto the Word Preached Old Men they think had need to look about them they smell of the Winding-sheet the Grave groaneth for them an earthy cold benumeth their Limbs the beginnings of death are already upon them and have taken deep possession of them but as for themselves they are full of Life and feel no messengers of Death Life aboundeth in their Blood in their Spirits it is strongly seated in their Bones it beateth in their pulses it looketh out at their eyes and shineth in their faces there is no sign no shew of Death Alass poor souls Death doth not alwayes give any long time of warning it maketh many sudden surprizals as well as tedious and lingring seiges It hangeth up young Absalom invironed with his Warlike troops it sheddeth young Amnon's blood in the midst of his Cups while Jobs Sons and his Daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest Brothers house there came a great wind from the Wilderness and smote the four corners of the house and fâ—ll upon the young Men and they dyed Job 1. 18 19. In one night Death slâ—yeth the Sons and Heirs of Pharaoh and of all the Egyptians so that there was scarce one house where there was not one young Man dead How often hath the supream Lord of Life and Death taught us by evident examples that no age is privâ—ledged no years are exempted that the youngest cannot promise himself another year another day or hour ye that sit here old and young who knoweth when or where the next blow will light Sin hath perverted the order of Nature and put it out of course and therefore ye must not look that the same order should be kept in passing out which was in coming into the World and that those who came first should alwaies leave those behind them which were born after them The Son dyeth before the Father the Nephew before the Grand-father the Young before the Old the Heir before him that is in possession Sin hath let in Death into the World and that cometh in as an Enemy not upon parly and conditions bâ—â— as a Conqueror by a forcible entry and 〈◊〉 sacketh this City of the World and maketh no difference of Sex or Age but killeâ— and striketh on the right hanâ— and on thâ— left It hearkneth to no such plea Theâ—â— is an elder man There is a Woman that 〈◊〉 old when I was a Child let me alone I am content to yield when mine Auntients aâ—â— gone before me No if I will that he 〈◊〉 what is that to thee follow thou mâ— Some daies in the year are not near so loâ—â— as some others Some mens lives will bâ— reach the middle of some others their 〈◊〉 setteth at noon and the night is come upoâ— them before they have begun their daâ—â—â— work Therefore let young men learn wiâ—dom from the wise man yea from the Spâ—rit speaking in this Text Remembering the Creatour in the daies of their Youth And 〈◊〉 thou O young Man whatsoever thou heaâ—â—est concerning the wayes of God thinâ— that whatsoever remembrances are deliveâ—ed from the Word to put thee in mind of 〈◊〉 Creatour that they concern thee in especial 〈◊〉 there were none but young Men in a Parist that place should have special need of thâ— Word of God If there were no gray-heâ—â— in a Congregation yet there is need of spâ—cial Exhortations from the Word to mind such of their Creatour If thou hearest of present Repentance conceive that it is spoken to thee If the danger of continuing in sin and delaying conversion be set forâ—h in the Ministry of the Word know that this belongeth to thee in special manner who art in the daies of thy youth If thou hearest the charge of our Saviour Watch therefore left at any time your hearts be overcome with Surfeiting
the heart is in the liveliest temper then the spirits are freshest and quickest and natural cheerfulness being Sanctified is a furtherance of spiritual joy The quickness of the natural temper which is in youth most vigorous is a good servant to quickning grace Think not that God is best pleased with the lumpish old age which many times is little more than a dead piece of Earth with a little portion a small remainder of life abiding in it God is the living God and he requireth living Sacrifices Rom. 12. 1. Now thy youth hath more life in it than thine old age There is as it were a close union between the Soul and Body in youth The Soul imparteth a more plentiful â—nfluence of Life unto the Body in youâ—h than â—n old age by the quickness and plenty of the Spirits which in youth are more abundent than in age Give up therefore this most living part of thy life thy young daies unto God and not only that part of life which partaketh more of Death than of life thâ—ne old decrepit and disabled age The hoary head is a Crown of Glory if it be found in a way of Righteousness Prov. 16. 31. Found He doth not say if it enter into the way of Righteousness but if it be Found there If a Man hath turned to God in his youth and persevered in upright walking before him until gray haires come upon him that Man needeth no Crown of Gold to adorn his head his hoary head is a Crown of Glory to him If under the Law a Man did burn the prime of his Beast in Sacrifice it was accepted yea when it was almost consumed even the remainders that were half burnt did yield a sweet savour to the Lord because the best was burnt also upon the Altar of the Lord. So let a Man consecrate the prime of his daies his youth to the Lord offer up this as a living Sacrifice and then even his worn old age which is like a Sacrifice half burnt and spent shall be exceeding sweet and pleasing to the Lord because the best was given up unto him whereas on the other side should any of the Priests have burned a Sacrifice upon the Altar of Baal and then when it was half burnt should have brought the gleanings and laid them upon the Altar of the Lord this would have been a grievous abomination in the sight of the Lord. So in this case c. Oh then Remember thy Creatour in thy youth lest he forget or despise thee in thine age Remember him in thy youth that thy hoar head may be found in the way of Righteousness and so may be a Crown of Glory and not a Spectacle of Reproach and Contempt unto thee 3. Consider especially the unspeakable danger of Sin confirmed and rooted with time wrought and wreathed into the heart and clasped in the affections by long custom in sin Oh when sin hath been thirty or forty years in growing and taking root it cleaveth like the skin to the bones like the Leprosy that was rooted in a wall which could not be taken away untill the wall were pulled down That sin which is in growing the whole time of a Mans youth during the best of his strength it is even a Wonder if it doth not accompany that Man to his Death-bed yea to the Judgment-seat of God I know the mercy of God is infinite and he calleth at the Eleventh hour but I am perswaded those are very few which are so called and especially very few if any of those who have had the means of Grace in their youth and regarded them not Oh this willful hardning of the heart is dreadful This continuing in sin against knowledge this with-holding the truth in unrighteousness moveth the Lord to give men over to a Reprobate sence Rom. 1. 21 24 25 28. Into such a state that he becometh uncapable unteachable that neither blessings nor crosses neither the Rod nor the Word neither sickness nor health neither gray haris nor the approach of Death can work him to to sound Conversion Ah poor forsaken Soul such a one may come to say with Saul God hath forsaken me A speech that might rend a render heart to hear it I speak not this to bring you to despair but to stirr you up to speedy Repentance that ye may prevent this desperate and woful condition CHAP. I. IN the last place let me speak a few words to Parents and old People 1. To Parents Ye that are Parents labour ye to season the very Child-hood of your Sons and Daughters with the true knowledg and fear of God pray over them daily instruct exhort rebuke and use all good means that the prime of their daies may be given up to God Teach them to Remember their Creatour in their Childhood that they may neither forget him in their youth nor forsake him in their old age I fear that most Parents among us by neglecting their Duty herein are guilty of their Childrens Destruction 2. To the Aged Ye that are grown old and have not remembred your Creatour in your younger daies whose bones are full of the sins of your youth Oh know that your case is exceeding dangerous therefore bewaile your lives whereby ye have so much dishonoured your Maker humble and judge your selves in the bitterness of your Souls cry continually and importunately in the ears of the Lord that if it be possible the sins of your youth and the long continued wickedness of your Lives may be forgiven you that the often resistance which ye have made against the spirit of God may be pardoned if it be possible that the frequent casting of the Word of God behind thy back may be forgiven Oh how odious and contemptible is the hoary head found in the way of wickedness in a state of impenitency What is an old Drunkard or Adulterer a gray-headed Swearer an old Covetous Worldling an hoary headed impenitent person but even a monster among Men What dost thou not yet remember thy Creatour not in old age not at fifty at sixty or seventy years Oh wreched security Awake awake unto Righteousness unto Repentance ye old ones that sleep in sin lest ye sleep the sleep of everlasting Death and never behold the face of God in Righteousness SERMON III. Eccles. 12. 1. Remember now thy Creatour in the daies of thy Youth c. CHAP. I. BEsides what hath been already observed something yet may be further noted Viz. Observ. That Grace and Holiness are exceeding fit and no way unseemly for the younger sort Man's Life hath in some regards been compared to a Comedy or Enterlude Acted upon the Theatre or Sage of this World and the truth is many a Mans life is but a Play and many in their courses do but act other mens parts not in sincerity express their own inward dispositions And therefore that decorum which they suppose may grace them in the eyes of Men is the thing they most of all affect and aim
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
But this answer is not sufficient for those places of Jerem. 31. and Ezek. 18. speak not of a civil but of a divine punishment III Others again answer it thus that God punisheth the sins of Fathers on their Children if they do such like sins as their Father He will punish the Children for their Fathers Idolatry if their Children are Idolaters also and punish them that hate God as their Fathers did before them If this were true then those places in Jeremiah and Ezekiel were answered with this exception The Son shall not bear the iniquity of his Father unless the Son be wicked too the Childrens teeth shall not be set on edge unless they eat sowre grapes as their Fathers did before them But this answer is not to the purpose neither 1. Because Children have been punished for their Fathers sins which they never imitated as the Children of the Sodomites were destroyed with the same destruction their Fathers were 2. Sometimes the Children who have repented have been outwardly miserable because their Fathers were exceeding sinful 3. Because then God did not punish the sins of their Fathers on them so much as their own personal sins not punish their Fathers Idolatry but their own Idolatry nor their Fathers Adultery but their own 4. The force of the threatning is taken away for God brings that threatning of visiting their Idolatry upon their Children to make Fathers to take heed of Idolatry Then this would be the sense of it according to their interpretation Take heed ye Fathers of Idolatry for I will punish your third and fourth generation if they be Idolaters By these reasons it is evident that this answer that God punisheth Children for their Fathers sins because Children follow their Fathers in their sins is not sufficient IV. This answer may give full satisfaction There is a three-fold evil of punishment with which God visits sinners 1. There is eternal damnation so no Child is punished for his Fathers sins but the Soul that sinneth that shall die Every man is damned for his own proper sins only such as eat the sowre grapes of sin they shall gnash their teeth in Hell 2. There is malum morale a moral evil God his giving up the Children to follow their Fathers steps is a punishment for their Fathers sins But this God doth not inflict upon them as they are sins but by denying grace to the Children of wicked Parents upon which denial they fall into the like sins their Fathers did before them God denying grace to the posterity of Idolaters they commit Idolatry also 3. There is malum naurae evils of nature as Losses Crosses Afflictions Famine Sword Plague temporal death God oftentimes punisheth the Children for their Fathers sins with these temporal punishments For Gehazi's Covetousness his posterity shall be leprous and for the mutiny of Dathan and Abiram their Children perished with them For David's Adultery the Sword shall never depart from his house to all successions So oftentimes it falls out that for the riot adulteries or oppressions of Progenitors Children are brought to a morsel of bread The reason is because God in punishing the Children punisheth the Fathers also Qui◠Filii quaedam pars parentum because Children are part of their Fathers as branches are part of the tree therefore the good that is bestowed on the Child or the evil inflicted on him is the good and evil of the Father Quest. But how can the evils which Children suffer when their Fathers are dead be a punishment to him that is deid how can the evil which the fourth generation suffereth be the evil of the Father dead it may be many years before Resp. 1. I answer yes they are evils to them because God threatens them as punishments to them Shall we think that God would threaten this as an evil if it were not look as other evils threatned which follow the wicked after they are dead are a punishment as the name of the wicked shall rot shall stink when they are dead They that pass by their graves shall say Here lieth a beastly drunkard here lieth a profane swearer a cruel oppressour These are curses though they are not sensible of them So when God shall ruine the posterity of wicked men it is a sore punishment to them As now it is a mercy to just men that their memory when they are dead shall be blessed and that the seed of the Righteous shall be blessed on earth Then on the contrary if the seed of a man be cursed it is a punishment to the Fathers 2. We are not to judge of punishment only by our sense and feeling as if it were no punishment because dead men are not sensible of the miseries of their Children but we are also to judge of punishment by the evil which is in it Now it is a sore evil when God shall for the sins of our Fathers bring ruine upon our estates miseries upon our bodies Plagues Sword or Famine upon us 3. It is a punishment to the Fathers though dead because it is directly contrary to their wills and intentions Fathers would have their Children rich and happy after their death and would have their Houses and Names to contiue for ever but God in justice ruinates their Families and cloatheth their Children or Childrens Children with misery as with a garment Object But put the case the posterity of wicked men are converted and become godly doth God punish such for the sins of 〈◊〉 Fathers Sol. I answer yes God sometimes may and doth deprive such of their honours and estates and takes them away with temporal death for the sins of their Fathers But then the evils which such Children endure are only parentum poenae their Fathers punishment and are filiorum probationes medicinae exercitia the Childrens tryals medicines exercises God in mercy turneth their afflictions into their spiritual advantage God makes their death a passage to glory and life eternal And these afflictions though they are the punishments of their Fathers yer shall work out for them a greater weight of glory Here let me add these things 1. We must hold this as an undeniable truth that God is alwayes righteous in all his administrations of Judgements whether in punishing Parents or Children for Parents sake Though the Judgements of God are sometime hidden yet they are never unjust There is no iniquity in the wayes of God though we cannot see the equity of them 2. There is a matter of condemnation in all Children though God sometimes in punishing doth not punish them with an immediate relation to their own sins 3. When God visits Nations and Kingdoms then usually he doth it for the sins of the present generation as for the sins of our Fathers Our sins and the iniquities of our Fathers do joyn forces to bring down Plagues and devastations upon the Kingdom The Jews were led into Captivity for their own sins and their Fathers also So Daniel in his Confession of sins