the Cross for souls he trode the Wine-Press of his fathers wrath for souls he dyed for souls hee rose again from death for souls Ioh. 14.1 2 3 he ascended for souls he intercedes for souls and all the glorious preparations that he hath been a making in heaven this sixteen hundred years is for souls Ah! young men young men do not play the Courtier with your precious souls the Courtier doth all things late hee rises late dines late sups late goes to bed late repents late Ah Sirs the good of your souls is before all and above all other things in the World to be first regarded and provided for ' and that partly because O anima Dei in signita imagine desponsata fide donata spiritu Bern. it is the best and more noble part of man and partly because therein mostly and properly is the Image of God stampt and partly because it is the first converted and partly because it shall be the first and most glorified Ah! Young men Young men if they bee worse than Infidels 1 Tim. 5.8 that make not provision for their families what monsters are they that make not provision for their own souls this will bee bitterness in the end Caesar Borgias being sick to death lamentingly said when I lived I provided for every thing but death now I must dye and am unprovided to dye this was a dart at his heart and it will at last be a dagger at yours who feast your bodies but starve your souls who make liberal provision for your ignoble part but no provision for your more noble part If they deserve a hanging who feast their slaves and starve their Wives that make provision for their enemies but none for their friends James 4.2 3 Hos 7.13 14 how will you escape hanging in hell who make provision for every thing yea for your very lusts but make no provision for your immortal souls Wee hate the Turks for selling Christians for Slaves and what shall we think then of those who sell themselves their precious souls for toyes and trifles that cannot profit who practically say Callenuceus relates this story what once a prophane Noble man of Naples verbally said viz. that hee had two souls in his body one for God and another for whosoever would buy it Ah young men young meâ— do not pawn your souls do not sell your souls do not exchange away your souls do not trifle and fool away your precious souls they are Jewels more worth than a thousand worlds yea than Heaven and earth if they are safe all is safe but if they are lost all is lost God lost and Christ lost and the society of glorious Angels and blessed Saints lost and Heaven lost and that for ever Grandensis tells of a woman that was so affected with souls miscarryings that shee besought God to stop up the passage into Hell with her soul and body that none might have entrance Ah! that all young persons were so affected with the worth and excellency of their souls and so allarmed with the hazzard and danger of loosing their souls as that they may in the spring and morning of their dayes enquire after the Lord and seek him and serve him with all their might that so their precious and immortal souls may bee safe and happy for ever but if all this will not do then in the last place Tenthly Consider young men that God will at last bring you to a reckoning hee will at last bring you to judgement Rejoyce O young man in thy youth Eccles 11.9 and let thy heart chear thee in the dayes of thy youth and walk in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee unto judgement In these words you have two things 1 An ironical concession hee bids him rejoyce c. hee yeelds him what hee would have by an irony by way of mockage and bitter scoff Now thou art young and strong lively and lusty and thy bones are full of marrow thou art resolved to bee proud and scornful to indulge the flesh and to follow thy delights and pleasure well take thy course if thou darest or if thou hast a minde to it Hierom still thought that that noise was in his ears surgite mortâ—i venite ad judicium arise you dead and come to judgement if thy heart bee so set upon it Rejoyce in thy youth c. The second is a commination or a sad and severe praemonition But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement will bring thee these words import two things first the unwillingnesse of youth to come to judgement secondly the unavoidableness that youth must come to judgement but how soon you shall bee brought to judgement is only known to God Augustine confesses in one of his books that as long as his conscience was gnawed with the guilt of some youthful lust hee was once insnared with the very hearing of a day of judgement was even a Hell to him Histories tell us of a young man who being for some capital offence condemned to dye grew gray in one nights space and was therefore pittied and spared Ah young men young men that the serious thoughts of this great day might put you upon breaking off the sins of your youth and the dedicating of your selves to the knowledge love and service of the Lord in the spring and flower of your dayes An young men consider the errours of your lives the wickednesse of your hearts the sinfulnesse of your wayes and that strickt account that ere long you must bee brought to before the Judge of all the World The Heathens themselves had some kinde of dread and expectation of such a day and therefore when Paul spake of judgement to come Felix trembled though a Heathen The bringing into judgement is a thing which is known by reason Act. 24.25 The Philosophers had some dreames of a severe day of accounts as appeareth by Plato's Gorgi as many passages in Tully c. and is clear by the light of nature wherefore in Austria one of the Nobles dying who had lived fourscore and thirteen years and had spent all his life in pleasures and delights never being troubled with any infirmity and this being told to Frederick the Emperour from hence saith hee wee may conclude the souls immortality for if there bee a God that ruleth this world as Divines and Philosophers do teach and that hee is just no one denyeth surely there are other places to which souls aster death do go Eneas Sylvius and do receive for their deeds either reward or punishment for here wee see that neither rewards are given to the good nor punishments to the evil Ah young men 2 Cor. 5.9 10 11. knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord and the terrour of this day Oh that you would bee perswaded to flee from the wrath to
a dream can you seriously consider of this young men and not begin to bee good betimes surely you cannot Sirs if the whole earth whereupon wee tread were turned into a lump of gold it were not able to purchase one minute of time Oh the regreetings of the damned for mis-spending precious time Who is there among us that knows how to value time and prize a day at a due rate Sen. Epist Oh what would they not give to bee free and to injoy the means of grace one hour Ah with what attention with what intention with what trembling and melting of heart with what hungring and thirsting would they hear the Word Time saith Bernard were a good commodity in hell and the traffick of it most gainful where for one day a man would give ten thousand worlds if he had them young men can you in good earnest beleeve this and not begin to be good betimes Ah! young men and women as you love your precious immortal souls A heathen said hee lived no day without a line that is he did something remarkable every day as you would escape hell and come to heaven as you would bee happy in life and blessed in death and glorious after death don't spend any more of your precious time in drinking and drabing in carding dicing and dancing don't trifle away your time don't swear away your time don't whore away your time don't lye away your time but beginne to bee good betimes because Time is a Talent that God will reckon with you for Ah! young men and women you may reckon upon years many years yet to come when possibly you have not so many hours to make ready your accompts it may bee this night you may have a summons and then if your time bee done and your work to be begunne in what a sad case will you bee will you not wish that you had never been born Seneca was wont to jeer the Jews for their ill husbandry in that they lost one day in seven meaning their Sabbath O that it were not too true of the most of professors both young and old that they loose not onely one day in seven but several days in seven Sirs Time let slip cannot bee recal'd the foolish Virgins found it so and Saul found it so and Herod found it so Mat. 25.5 Judg. 3.23 Heb. 3.17 18 19. and Nero found it so the Israelites found it so yea and Jacob and Josiah and David though good men yet they found it so to their cost The Egyptians draw the picture of Time with three heads the first of a greedy Wolf gaping for time past because it hath ravenously devoured the memory of so many things past recalling The Second of a crowned Lyon roaring for time present because it hath the principallity of all actions for which it calls loud The Third of a deceitfull Dogg fawning for time to come because it feeds some men with many flattering hopes to their eternal undoing Ah! young men and women as you would give up your accounts at last with joy concerning this Talent of time with which God hath trusted you begin to be good betimes c. The fifth Reason Why young men should bee really good betimes and that is because they will have the greater comfort and joy when they come to bee old Seneca though a Heathen could say beleeve me true joy is no light thing the 71 Psalm 5. 17 18. compapared Thou art my hope O Lord God thou art my trust from my youth O God thou hast taught me from my youth and hitherto I have declared thy wondrous works Now also when I am old and gray headed O God forsake mee not untill I have shewed thy strength unto this Generation and thy power unto every one that is to come Polycarpus could say when old thus many years have I served my Master Christ and hitherto hath hee dealt well with mee if early converts live to bee old no joy to their joy their joy will bee the greatest joy a joy like to the joy of harvest Isa 9.3 a joy like to their joy that divide the spoil their joy will bee the soundest joy the weightiest joy the holiest joy the purest joy the strongest joy and the most lasting joy the carnal joy of the wicked the glistering golden joy of the world-ling and the flashing joy of the hypocrite is but as the crackling of thorns under a pot to the joy and comfort of such who when old can say with good Obadiah that they feared the Lord from their youth If when you are young your eyes shall bee full of tears for Sinne when you are old your hearts shall bee full of joys Such shal have the best wine at last Oh! that young men would beginne to bee good betimes that so they may have the greater harvest of joy when they come to be old c. t is sad to be sowing your seed when you should be reaping your harvest t is best to gather in the summer of youth against the winter of old age The Sixth Reason Why young men should bee really good betimes and that is because an eternity of felicity and glory hangs upon those few moments that are allotted to them it was a good question the young man propoposed Luk. 10.25 what shall I do to inherit eternal life I know I shall bee eternally happy or eternally miserable eternally blest or eternally cur'st eternally sav'd or eternally damn'd c. O what shall I do to inherit eternal life my cares my fears Aeteruitas est semper et immutabile esse The old Romans were our that thought Eternity dwelt in Statues and in Marble monuments my troubles are all about eternity no time can reach eternity no age can extend to eternity no tongue can express eternity Eternity is that unum perpetuum hodie one perpetual day which shall never have end what shall I do what shall I not do that I may bee happy to all eternity I am now young and in the flower of my days but who knows what a day may bring forth the greatest weight hangs upon the smallest wyers an eternity depends upon those few hours I am to breath in this world O what cause have I therefore to bee good betimes to know God betimes to beleeve betimes to repent betimes to get my peace made and my pardon seal'd betimes to get my nature changed my conscience purged and my interest in Christ cleared betimes before eternity overtakes mee before my glass bee out my Sun set my race run least the dark night of eternity should overtake mee and I made miserable for ever I have read of one Myrogenes who when great gifts were sent unto him hee sent them all back again saying I onely desire this one thing at your Masters hand to pray for mee that I may be saved for eternity O that all young men and women who make earth their heaven Luk. 15.19 20 pleasures
and value of many peeces of silver is to bee found in one peece of gold So all the petty excellencies that are scattered abroad in the Creatures are to bee found in God yea all the whole volum of perfections which is spread through Heaven and Earth is epitomized in him No good below him that is the greatest good can satisfie the soul a good wife a good child a good name a good estate a good friend cannot satisfie the soul these may please but they cannot satisfie Omnis copia quae non est Deus meus mihi egestas est Aug. Soliloq c. 13. All abundance if it bee not my God is to mee nothing but poverty and want said one Ah that young men and women would but in the morning of their youth seek yea seek early seek earnestly seek affectionately seek diligently seek primarily and seek unweariedly this God who is the greatest good the best good the most desirable good who is a sutable good a pure good a satisfying good a total good and an eternal good The ninth Reason why young persons should be really good betimes and that is because the time of youth is the choicest and fittest time for service Now your parts are lively senses fresh The dayes of youth are called aetas bona in Cicero and aetas optima in Seneca memory strong and nature vigorous the dayes of your youth are the spring and morning of your time they are the first-born of your strength therefore God requires your nonage as well as your dotage the wine of your times as well as the lees Exod. 13.2 Exod. 22.9 as you may see typified to you in the first fruits which were dedicated to the Lord And the first-born The time of youth is the time of salvation it is the acceptable time it is thy summer thy harvest time O young man therefore do not sleep but up and bee doing awaken thy heart rouse up thy soul and improve all thou hast put out thy reason thy strength thy all to the treasuring up of heavenly graces precious promises divine experiences and spiritual comforts against the winter of old age and then old age will not bee to thee an evil age Gen. 25.28 but as it was to Abraham a good old age do not put off God with fair promises and large pretences till your last sands are running and the dayes of dotage hath overtaken you Mal. 1.14 That 's a sad word of the Prophet cursed bee the deceiver which hath in his flock a male and yet offereth to the Lord a corrupt thing Jer. 1.11 The Almond tree blossomes in January while it is yet Winter and the fruit is ripe in March Ah young men and women who are like the Almond tree you have many males in the flock your strength is a male in your flock your time is a male in the flock your reason is a male in the flock your parts are a male in the flock and your gifts are a male in the flock now if hee bee curst that hath but one male in his flock and shall offer to God a corrupt thing a thing of no worth of no value how will you bee curst and curst curst at home and curst abroad curst temporally curst spiritually and curst eternally who have many males in your flock and yet deal so unworthily so fraudulently and false heartedly with God as to put him off with the dreggs of your time and strength while you spend the Prime-rose of your youth in the service of the world Mat. 21.20 the Flesh and the Devil The Fig-tree in the Gospel that did not bring forth fruit timely and seasonably was curst to admiration the time of youth is the time and season for bringing forth the fruits of righteousness and holiness and if these fruits bee not brought forth in their season you may justly fear that the curses of heaven will secretly and insensibly soak and sink into your souls and then woe wo to you that ever you were born the best way to prevent this hell of hels is to give God the cream and Flower of your youth your strength your time your Talents vessels that are betimes seasoned with the savour of life never loose it Pro. 22.6 The Tenth Reason Why young persons should bee really good in good earnest betimes and that is because Death may suddenly and unexpectedly seize upon you Pares nascuntur pares moriuntur in the womb and in the Tomb they are all alike you have no lease of your lives Youth is as fickle as old age the young man may finde Graves enough of his length in buriall places as green wood and old logs meet in one fire so young Sinners and old Sinners meet in one hell and burn together when the young man is in his spring Job 21.23 24 and prime then hee is cut off and dies one dieth in his full strength or in the strength of his perfection T is an Allegorical description of the highest prosperity as the Hebrew hath it being wholly at ease and quiet His breasts are full of milk and his bones are moistened with marrow Davids children dies when young so did Jobs and Jeroboams c. Every days experience tell us that the young mans life is as much a vapour as the old mans is I have read of an Italian Poet who brings in a propper young man rich and potent discoursing with Death in the habit of a mower with his Sythe in his hand cutting down the life of man For all flesh is grass Isa 40.6 and wilt thou not spare any mans person saith the young man I spare none saith death Deaths motto is Nulli Cedo I yeild to none mans life is but a day a short day a winters day oft-times the Sun goes down upon a man before it be wel up your day is short your work is great your journey long and therefore you should rise early and set forward towards heaven betimes as that man does that hath a long journey to go in a winters day The life of man is absolutely short Psal 39.5 Behold thou hast made my days as a hands breadth The life of man is comparatively short and that if you compare mans life now to what hee might have reacht had hee continued in innocency Sinne brought in death death is a fall that came in by a fall or if you compare mans life now to what they did reach to before the Flood then several lived Gen. 9 six seven eight nine hundred years or if you compare mans dayes with the days of God Mine age is as nothing before thee Psal 39.5 or if you compare the dayes of man to the dayes of eternity Ah! The Heathen could say that the whole life of man should be nothing else but meditatio mortis a meditation of death Young men young men can you seriously consider of the brevity of mans life and trifle away
gives is a Kingdome that shakes not the treasures that he gives are treasures that corrupt not and the glory that hee gives is glory that fadeth not away but the rewards that men give are like themselves fickle and unconstant they are withering and fading Xerxes crowned his steers-man in the morning and beheaded him in the evening of the same day And Andronicus the Greek Emperor crowned his admiral in the morning and then took off his head in the afternoon Rofensis had a Cardinals hat sent him but his head was cut off before it came to him most may say of their Crowns as that King said of his O Crown more noble than happy It was a just complaint which long ago was made against the Heathen gods O faciles dare summa deos eademque tueri difficiles they could give their favourits great gifts but they could not maintain them in the possession of them the World may give you great things but the World cannot maintain you in the possession of them but the great things the great rewards that Christ gives his hee will for ever maintain them in the possession of them otherwise heaven would not bee heaven Glory would not bee glory Now by all these things you see that it is a very great honour to bee an Old Disciple an old Christian and this honour you will never attain to except you beginne to bee really good betimes except in the morning of your youth you return to the Lord and get an interest in him I shall now come to make some Use and Application of this weighty truth to our selves You see beloved that it is the great Duty and concernment of Young men To be really good betimes if this be so Then The Vanity of Youth Vse 1. First This truth looks sowerly and sadly upon such Young men that are only seemingly good that makes some shews of goodnesse but are not right towards God at the root As Joash when hee was young 2 Chron. 24.1 2 3 4 5 6 13 14 15 16. hee seemed to have good things in him towards the Lord whilst good Jehoiada liv'd but when Jehoiada was dead Neroes first five years are famous but afterwards who more cruel Joash his goodness was buried with him Ah how many in these dayes that have been seemingly good have turned to bee naught very naught yea stark naught It is said of Tiberius that whilst Augustus ruled hee was no wayes tainted in his reputation and that whilst Drusus and Germanicus were alive hee feigned those vertues which hee had not to maintain a good opinion of himself in the hearts of the people but after hee had got himself out of the reach of contradiction and controulment There are some that write that after Demas had forsaken Paul hee became a Priest in an Idol Temple there was no fact in which hee was not faulty no crime to which hee was not accessary Oh that this were not applicable to many young persons in these dayes who have made great shews and taken upon them a great name who have begun to outshine the stars but are now gone out like so many snuffs to the dishonour of God the reproach of the Gospel the grief of others and the hazzard of their own souls It was a custome of old when any was baptized the Minister delivered a white garment to bee put on saying take thou this white vestment and see thou bring it forth without spot at the Judgement seat of Jesus Christ whereupon one Maritta baptizing one Elpidophorus who when hee was grown up proved a prophane wretch hee brings forth the white garment and holding it up Crabs that go backward are reakoned among the unclean creatures Levit. 11.10 shakes it against him saying this linnen garment Elpidophorus shall accuse thee at the comming of Christ which I have kept by mee as a witnesse of thy Apostacy Ah young men and women your former professions will bee a sad witnesse against you in the great day of our Lord Jesus except you repent and return in good earnest to the Lord. Pro. 14.14 Oh it had been better that you had never made profession that you had never set your faces towards Heaven that you had never pretended to God and Christ that you had never known the way of Righteousnesse 2 Pet. 2.21 than after you have known it to turn from the holy commandement Cyprian in his Sermon de lapsis reporteth of divers who forsaking the Faith were given over to evil spirits and dyed fearfully Oh the delusions and the Christ-dethroning conscience-wasting and soul-undoing opinions and principles that many young ones who once were hopeful ones are given up to That dreadful Scripture seems to bee made good in power upon them Jer. 17.13 All you that forsake the Lord shall come to bee ashamed and they that depart from him shall bee written upon the dust to begin well and not to proceed is but to aspire to a higher pitch that the fall may bee the more desperate Hos 14.4 Backsliding is a wounding sin Eph. 6.11 18 You read of no arms for the back though you do for the breast Hee that is but seemingly good will prove at last exceeding bad 2 Tim. 3.13 they wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived The Wolf though hee often dissembles and closely hides his nature yet hee will one time or other shew himself to bee a Wolf Commers make a greater blaze than fixed stars In the dayes of Hadrian the Emperour there was one Bencosby who gathering a multitude of Jews together called himself Ben-cocuba the son of a star applying that prophesie to himself Num. 23.17 but his mask was taken off his Hypocrisy discovered and he found to bee Burchosaba the son of a lye this age hath afforded many such monsters but their folly is discovered and their practises ahborred This was the young mans commendation in the text That there was found in him some real good towards the Lord. Vse 2. 2 This truth looks sowerly and sadly upon such young men who are so far from having good things in them towards the Lord that they give themselves up to those youthful lusts and vanities that are â—â—monouring provoking and displeasing to the Lord who roar and revel and gad and game and dice and drink and drab and what 〈◊〉 these make work with a witness for repentance or Hell or the Physitian of souls I shall but touch upon the evils of youth and then come to that which is mostly intended 1 The first evil that most properly attends youth 〈◊〉 3.6 is pride pride of heart pride of apparrel pride of parts young men are apt to â—e proud of health strength friends relations wit wealth wisdome two things are very rare the one is to see a young man humble and watchful and the other is to see an old man contented and chearful Bernard saith that pride is the rich mans couzen and
shall cease from breathing on earth and therefore young men as you would bee high in heaven as you would have a great reward a full reward a massie weighty Crown O labour to be good betimes labour to get acquaintance with the Lord and an interest in the Lord in the spring and morning of your days The seventh Motive or consideration to provoke and incite you to bee good betimes is to consider that the Lord is very much affected and taken with your seeking of him and following after him in the spring and morning of your youth Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem saying I remember thee Jer. 2.2 the kindness of thy Youth the love of thine esspousals when thou wentest after mee in the wildernesse in a land that was not sown Ah! how kindly how sweetly did the Lord take this at their hands that they followed him in their youth while their bones were full of marrow while they were strong and fit for service while nature was fresh lively and vigorous In the Law God called for the first of all things Exod. 23.19 hee required not only the first fruits but the very first of the first The first of the first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy God God is the first being the first good and therefore deserves the first of the first and the best of the best T is truely said of God that he is Omnia su per omnia the first and the best is not too good for him who is goodness it self God in that of Leviticus 2.14 is so passionately set upon having the first of the first that he will not stay till the green ears of Corn be ripe but will have the green ears of corn dryed in the fire least he should loose his longing As many young women and sickly children cannot stay till the fruit be ripe but must have it while it is green even so saith God my heart my desires are so vehemently set upon the first fruits the first things that I cannot stay I cannot satisfie my self without them and what would God teach us by all this but to serve him with the first-fruits of our age the prim-rose of our child-hood the morning of our youth God hath given you of the best do not put him off with the worst with the worst of your time the worst of your days the worst of your strength least he swear in his wrath that you shall never enter into his rest The eighth Motive or Consideration to provoke you to bee good betimes to seek and serve the Lord in the morning of your youth is Early Converts will never have cause to say as that despairing Pope said the Cross could do him no good because he had so often sold it away to consider that this may bee a special means to prevent many black temptations and an encouragement to withstand all temptations that you may meet with from a tempting Devil and a tempting World an early turning to the Lord will prevent many temptations to despair many temptations to neglect the means openly to despise the means secretly many temptations about the being of God the goodnesse faithfulnesse truth and justice of God temptations to despair temptations to lay violent hands on a mans self temptations to question all that God hath said and that Christ hath suffered arises many times from mens delaying and putting off of God to the last all which with many others are prevented by a mans seeking and serving of the Lord in the spring and morning of his youth It is reported of the Harts of Scythia that they teach their young ones to leap from bank to bank from rock to rock from one turfe to another by leaping before them by which means when they are hunted no beast of prey can ever take them so when persons exercise themselves in godliness when they are young when they leap from one measure of holiness to another when they are in the morning of their days Satan that mighty hunter after souls may pursue them with his temptations Heb. 11 Gen. 39 Dan. 31. ult but hee shall not overtake them he shall not prevail over them As you see in Moses Joseph Daniel and the three children these knew the Lord and gave up themselves to the Lord in the prime and Prime-rose of their Youth and these were all temptation-proof Satan and the World pursued them but could not overtake them when the Devill and the World had done their worst the young mens bows abode in strength Gen. 49.23 24 and their hands to resist were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob Ego non sum ego said that young convert when tempted I am not the man that I was Luther tells of a young Virgin that used to resist all temptations with this Christianus sum I am a Christian Early Converts may say when tempted as hee tell mee not Satan what I have been but what I am and will bee or as hee in the like case whatsoever I was Bernard Beza I am now in Christ a new creature and that is it which troubleth thee or as hee Augustin Such as thou art now I was once but such as I am now thou wilt never be said Diogenes to a base fellow that told him he had once been a forger of money the more desperate my disease was the more I admire the Physitian Yea thou mayest yet strain it a peg higher and say the greater my sins were the greater is my honor As the Devils which once Mary Magdalen had are mentioned for her glory when Pyrrhus tempted Fabritius the first day with an Elephant so huge and monstrous a beast as before hee had not seen the next day with money and promises of honour hee answered I fear not thy force I am too wise for thy fraud Ah! Young men Young men as you would be free from the saddest and darkest temptations and as you would be armed against all temptations O labour as for life to be good betimes seek and serve the Lord in the morning of your Youth no way like this for the preventing earthquakes heart-quakes stormy days and winter nights c. The ninth Motive or Consideration to stir up young men to be good betimes to seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of their youth is to consider the worth and excellency of souls A soul is a spiritual immortal substance Luk. 23.43 Mat. 10.28 Act. 7. ult it is capable of the knowledge of God it is capable of union with God of communion with God Phil. 1.23 and of a blessed and happy fruition of God Christ left his fathers bosome for the good of souls Heb. 2.13 14 15 16 he assumed mans nature for the salvatition of mans soul Christ prayed for souls he sweat for souls he wept for souls hee bled for souls Isa 63.3 4 he hung on
come to cast away the Idols of your souls to repent and bee converted in the Prim-rose of your youth that your sins may bee blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord Act. 3.19 or else woe woe to you that ever you were born I have read a story of one who being risen from the dead and being asked in what condition hee was hee made answer no man doth beleeve no man doth beleeve no man doth beleeve And being further asked what he meant by that repetition hee answered no man doth beleeve how exactly God examineth how strictly God judgeth how severely hee punisheth Oh that the waies of most young persons did not declare to all the world that they do not and that they will not beleeve the dead and terrour of that day that will admit of no plea nor place for Apology or appeal The Turks have a tradition and frantick opinion that wicked men shall at the great day carry their sins in latchels after their Captain Caine but well would it bee for them if this should bee all their punishment in that great day the highest and last Tribunal can never bee appealed from or repealed Now if for all that hath been said you are resolved to spend the flower of your daies and the prime of your strength in the service of sin and the world then know that no tongue can express no heart can conceive that trouble of mind that terrour of soul that horror of conscience that fear and amazement that weeping and wailing that crying and roaring that sighing and groaning that cursing and banning that stamping and tearing that wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth that shall certainly attend you when God shall bring you into judgement for all your loosnesse and lightnesse for all your wickednesse and wantonnesse for all your prophaneness and basenesse for all your neglect of God your grieving the comforter your trampling under foot the blood of a Saviour for your dispising of the means for your prizing Earth above Heaven and the pleasures of this world above the pleasures that bee at Gods right hand Chrysosteme speaking of this day saith for Christ at this day to say depart from mee is a thing more terrible than a thousand hells Chrysost Hom ad Pop. Antioch Oh how will you wish in that day when your sins shall bee charged on you when justice shall bee armed against you when conscience shall bee gnawing within you when the world shall bee a flaming fire about you when the gates of Heaven shall bee shut against you and the flame of Hell ready to take hold of you when Angels and Saints shall sit in judgement upon you and for ever turn their faces from you when evil spirits shall be terrifying of you and Jesus Christ for ever disowning of you how will you I say wish in that day that you had never been born or that you might now bee unborn or that your mothers wombs had proved your Tombs O how will you then wish to bee turned into a bird a beast a stock a stone a Toad a Tree O that our immortal souls were mortal O that wee were nothing Joan Damasc et Author Anonym de quat Noviss Imprâ—ss Daven Anno. 1494. O that we were any thing but what we are I have read a remarkable story of a King that was heavy and sad and wept which when his brother saw hee asked him why hee was so pensive because saith hee I have judged others and now I must bee judged my self And why saith his brother do you so take on for this it will hapily bee a long time ere that day come and besides that it is but a flight matter The King said little to it for the present Now it was a custome in that Countrey when any had committed Treason there was a Trumpet sounded at his door in the night time and hee was next day brought out to bee executed now the King commanded a Trumpet to bee sounded at his brothers door in the night time who awakening out of his Sleep when hee heard it arose and came quaking and trembling to the King How now saith the King what 's the matter you are so affrighted I am saith hee attached of Treason and next morning I shall bee executed why saith the King to him again are you so troubled at that knowing that you shall bee judged by your Brother and for a matter that your Conscience tells you you are clear off How much more therefore may I bee afraid seeing that God shall judge mee and not in a matter that my conscience frees mee off but of that whereof I am guilty and beside this if the worst come is but a temporary death you shall dy but I am liable to death eternal both of body and soul I will leave the Application to those young persons that put this day afar off and whom no arguments will move to bee good betimes and to acquaint themselves with the Lord in the morning of their youth But now to those young men and women who beginne to seek serve and love the Lord in the Primerose of their days the day of judgement will be to them melodia in aure ubilum in corde like musick in the ear and a jubilee in the heart Act. 3.19 20 21 22. Mic. 7.7 8 9 10 11. Rev. 19.6 7 8 9 10. Mat. 25.34 to v. 41. this day will be to them a day of refreshing a day of redemption a day of vindication a day of coronation a day of Consolation a day of Salvation it will bee to them a marriage day a harvest day a pay day now the Lord will pay them for all the Prayers they have made for all the Sermons they have heard for all the tears they have shed in this great day Christ will remember all the individual offices of love and friendship shewed to any of his now hee will mention many things for their honor and comfort that they never minded now the least and lowest acts of love and pity towards his shall bee interpreted as a special kindnesse shewed to himself Now the Crown shall bee set upon their heads 2 Tim. 4.8 Mal. 3.17 18 and the Royall Robe put upon their backs now all the World shall see that they have not served the Lord for naught Now Christ will pass over all their weaknesses and make honorable mention of all the services they have performed of all the mercyes they have improved and of all the great things that for his name and glory they have suffered Quest But here an apt question may be moved viz. Whether at this great day the sinnes of the Saints shall bee brought into the judgement of Discussion and discovery or no whether the Lord will in this day publikely manifest proclaim and make mention of the sins of his people or no I humbly judge according to my present light that he will not and my
men remember this the frequent the serious thoughts of death will prevent many a sin 2 Pet. 1. 13 14. Eccles 9.10 it will arm you against many temptations it will secure you from many afflictions it will keep you from doting on the World it will make you do much in a little time it will make death easy when it comes and it will make you look out betimes for a Kingdome that shakes not for riches that corrupt not and for glory that fadeth not away Therefore do not O do not put the day of death farre from you Take heed of crying Cras Cras to morrow to morrow saith Luther for a man lives forty years before hee knows himself to bee a fool and by that time hee sees his folly his life is finished so men dye before they begin to live Secondly If you would bee good betimes then take heed of leaning to your own understanding This Counsell wise Solomon gives to his son or the young men in his time My sonne forget not my Law Prov. 3.1.5 Lean not is a Metaphor from an old or sick man leaning on his staff c. but let thy heart keep my Commandements Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not to thy own understanding Youth is the age of folly of vain-hopes and over-grown confidence Ah! how wise might many have been had they not been too early wise in their own opinion Rehoboams young Counsellors proved the overthrow of his Kingdome T is brave for youth in all things to bee discreet and sober minded Three vertues they say are prime ornaments of youth modesty silence and obedience Ah! Young men keep close in every action to this one principle viz. in every action resolve to bee discreet and wise rather than affectionate and singular I Remember that a young Gentleman of Athens being to answer for his life hired an Orator to make his defence and it pleased him well at his first reading but when the young man by often reading it that hee might recite it publikely by heart begunne to grow weary and displeased with it the Orator bid him consider that the Jâ—dges and the People were to hâ—ar it but once and then it was lâ—kely that they at the first instant might bee as well pleased as he Ah! Young men your leaning upon your selves or upon others will in the end bee bitternesse and vexation of spirit Young men are very apt to lean on their own Wit Wisdome Arts parts as old men are to lean on a staffe to support them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Hebrew word signifies that is rendered lean Shagnan in that of Prov. 3.5 this hath been the bane of many a choice Wit the loss of many a brave head the ruine of many a subtile pate Ajax thought it was for cowards and weaklings to lean upon the Lord for succour not for him whence hee was foiled lean not to great parts lean not to natural or acquired accomplishments least you loose them and your selves too Leaning to natural or moral excellencies is the ready way to bee stript oâ— all Babylon that bore her selâ— bold upon her high Towers thick walls and twenty yearâ— provision laid in for a siege waâ— surprized by Cyrus T was said of Caesar that hee received not his wounds from the swords of enemies but from the hands of friends that is from trusting in them Ah! How many young men have been wounded yea slain by trusting to their own understanding their own abilities T was an excellent saying of Austin in te stas et non stas he that stands upon his own strength shall never stand A Creature if like a single drop left to it self it spends and wastes it self presently but if like a drop in the fountain and Ocean of being it hath abundance of security Ah! Young men Young men 2 Pet. 1.4 Psal 27.1 if you will needs be leaning then lean upon precious Promises lean upon the rock that is higher than your selves lean upon the Lord Jesus Christ as John did who was the youngest of all the Disciples and the most beloved of all the Disciples John 21.20 ch 13.23 John leaned much and Christ loved him much O lean upon Christs wisdome for direction lean upon his power for protection Can. 8.5 lean upon his Purse his fulness for Provision lean upon his eye for approbation lean upon his righteousness for justification lean upon his blood for remission lean upon his merits for salvation As the young Vine without her wall to support her will fall and sink So will you young men without Christ puts under his everlasting armes to support you and uphold you therefore above all leanings lean upon him by leaning on him you will engage him by leaning on him you will gain more honor than you can give by leaning on him you may even command him and make him eternally yours c. Thirdly If you would bee good betimes if you would seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of your dayes then take heed of flatterers and flatterie Ah! how many Young men might have been very good who are now exceeding bad by hearkning to flatterers and affecting flattery Flattery undid young Rehoboam 1 Kin. 12. and ch 22. Act. 12.22.23 24. Ahab Herod Nero Alexander c. Flatterers are soul-murderers they are soul-undoers they are like evil Chyrurgions that skin over the wound but never heal it Anastatius the Emperours motto was mellitum venenum blanda oratio smooth talk proves often sweet Poyson Flattery is the very spring and mother of all impiety it blows the Trumpet and draws poor souls into rebellion against God as Sheba drew Israel to rebel against David it put our first Parents upon tasting the forbidden fruit it put Absolou upon dethroning of his father it put Haman upon plotting the ruine of the Jews it put Corah Dathan and Abiram upon rebelling against Moses it makes men call evil good and good evil darknesse light and light darkness c. it puts persons upon neglecting the means of Grace upon undervaluing the means of Grace and upon contemning the means of Grace it puts men upon abasing God slighting Christ and vexing the spirit it unmans a man it makes him call black white and white black it makes a man change Pearls for Pebles and Gold for Counters The Flatterers told Dionysius that his spittle was as sweet as honey Rev. 3.17 18 it makes a man judge himself wise when hee is foolish knowing when hee is ignorant holy when hee is Prophane free when hee is a Prisoner rich when hee is Poor high when hee is low full when hee is empty happy when he is miserable Ah! Young men young men take heed of Flatterers they are the very worst of sinners they are left of God blinded by Satan hardned in sin and ripened for hel God declares sadly against them and that in his word and in his works in
his word as you may see by comparing these scriptures together Deut. 29.18 19 20. Psal 78.36 Psal 36.1.2 Job 17.5 Ezek. 12.24 Dan. 11.21 32 34. Ps 12.2 3. They speak vanity every one with his neighbour with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak Karath signifies any cutting off either by death or banishment c. The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaketh proud things And as God declares sadly against them in his word so hee hath declared terribly against them in his works as you may runne and read in his judgements executed upon Ahabs flattering Prophets and upon Haman and upon Daniels Princely false accusers c. And why then will not you stop your ears against those wretches that the hand and heart of God is so much against Again A preacher in Constantines time presumed to call the Emperour Saint to his face but he went away with a check Euseb de vit Const l. 4.4 As God declares against them so good men detest them and declare against them as you may see by comparing these Scriptures together Psal 5.8 9 10. Prov. 2.16 Prov. 7.21 Prov. 28.23 Job 32.21 22. 1 Thess 2.5.20 Prov. 20.19 Meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips Why so why because a man that flattereth his Neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet Prov. 29.5 The Hebrew word Mahhalik from hhalak that is here rendred flatterer signifies a smooth boots a soft butter-spoken man because flatterers useth smooth soft speeches Also the word signifies to divide because a Flatterers tongue is divided from his heart Flatterers have their nets and those that give ear to them will bee taken to their ruine A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it The Hebrew word and a flattering mouth worketh ruine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 26. ult A flattering mouth ruines name Dahbah signifies such aviolent forceing of one as he cannot stand it signifies to throw down to drive on forwards till a man fall into destruction same estate body soul life Valerian the Roman Emperour used to say Non acerba sed blanda not bitter but flattering words do all the mischeif When Alexander the Great was hit with an Arrow in the siege of an Indian City which would not heal hee said to his Parasites you say that I am Jupiters son but this wound cryes that I am but a man Now shall good men detest them and abhor them as they are the pest of pests the plague of plagues and will you own them will you take pleasure in them to your ruine here and hereafter the Lord forbid Oh say to all flatterers as hee to his Idols Hos 14.8 Get you hence for what have I more to do with you Nay once more consider that not onely the good but the bad not onely the best but some of the worst of men have manifested their detestation of Flatterers and flattery Leo the Emperour used to say occulti inimici pessimi a close enemy is farre worse than an open When a Court Parasite praised Sigismund the Emperour above measure the Emperour gave him a sound box on the ear When Aristobulus the Historian presented to Alexander the Great book that hee had written of his glorious acts wherein hee had flatteringly made him greater than he was Alexander after he had read the book threw it into the River Hydaspes and said to the Author it were a good deed to throw thee after it When the Flatterers flattered Antigonus hee cryed out mentiris mentiris in gutture Hae virtutes non laetent in me thou liest thou liest in thy throat these vertues that thou speakest of I have not in me but I am like a Leopard that have ten black spots to one white Augustus Caesar and Tiberius Caesar were deadly enemies to flatterers insomuch that they would not bee called Lords by their own children A good Symbole is attributed to Trebonianus Gallus viz. Nemo amicus idem et adulator no Flatterer can be a true friend Aristippus the Philosopher seeing Diogenes washing of herbs for his dinner said if Diogenes knew how to make use of Kings hee need not live upon raw herbs as he doth to which Diogenes replyed that if Aristippus could content himself with herbs hee need not to turn Spaniel or to flatter King Di nysius for a meals meat Ah! Young men Young men shall God shall good men shall bad men detest and declare against Flatterers and flattery and will not you turn a deaf ear upon them yea fly from them as from a Serpent and shun them as you would shun hell it self if you do not the very Heathens but now cited will rise in judgement against you Flatterers are the very worst of sinners The Flatterers told Caesar that his freckles in his face were like the starres in the Firmament they bought and sold Aurelius the Emperour at pleasure And Augustus complained when Varrus was dead that hee had none now left that would deal plainly and faithfully with him So men may gain by Flattery they will bee like Harpaelus who said Quod Regi placet mihi placet that which pleaseth the King pleaseth mee When Astyages set his own Sonne before him to feed upon him O but let every young man say into whose hands this treatise shall fall Quod Deo placet mihi placet that which pleaseth God pleaseth mee I have been the longer upon this out of love to young mens souls Whilest an Asse is stroaked under the belly you may lay on his back what burden you please who are so apt to bee insnared in the Flatterers net if ever you would bee good in good earnest you must abhor Flatterers as the first born of the Devil and as such that are most pernitious to mens happinesse both here and hereafter It is reported of one Oramazes that hee had an enchanted Egg in which as hee boasted himself hee had inclosed all the happiness of the World but being broken nothing was found in it but Wind. Flatterers are the greatest cheaters the greatest deceivers in the world They say of the Crocodile that when hee hath killed a man he will weep over him as if hee were sorry and did repent for what he had done the Application is easy Fourthly If you would bee good betimes if you would seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of your dayes then take heed of engageed affections to the things of the World The Young man in the Gospel took many a step towards heaven Mat. 19 16-24 All these things have I kept from my Youth up what lack I yet Christ makes a very fair offer to him in the next words Jesus said unto him if thou wilt be perfect go and sell that thou hast and give to the Poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come and follow mee thou shalt have heaven for earth a Sea for a drop a
treasure for a mite a crown for a crum I but the young mans affections were strongly engaged to the things of the world Multi amando res noxias sunt miseri babendâ— miseriores August in Psal 26. and therefore he turns his back upon Christ and goes away sorrowful because he had great possessions O the madness the folly of this young man who to enjoy a little temporal felicity hath bid an everlasting farewell to Christ and Glory in that Gen. 13.2 it is said that Abraham was very rich in Cattel in silver and in gold the Hebrew word Cabedh that is here rendred rich signifies heavy it signifies a burden to shew us that riches are a heavy burden and a hinderance many times to heaven and happinesse and this young man in the Gospel found it so to his eternal undoing Though the Load-stone cannot draw the Iron when the Diamond is in presence yet earthly possessions did draw this young mans soul away when Christ the Pearl of price was present the World is a silken net and this young man found it so the world is like Golden fetters and this young man found it so the world is like sweet poyson and this young man found it so They are dulce venenum a sweet poyson Bern. for hee had drunk so large a draught of it that there was no room in his soul for Christ or heaven for grace or glory Some say that when the Serpent Scytale cannot overtake the flying Passengers shee doth with her beautiful colours so astonish and amaze them that they have no power to pass away till she have stung them such a Serpent the World proved to the young man in the Gospel it did so affect him and take him so amaze him and amuze him that hee could not stir till it stung him to death When the Moon is fullest it is furthest from the Sun so the more men have of the World the further commonly they are from God and this the young man in the Gospel made good Many have ventured life and limb If money were thrown to the dogs they would not so much as smell at it the greater is their folly and madnesse that will go to hells gates for it and many a better thing to gain the things of this World and yet after all they have got nothing at all Achans golden wedge proved a wedge to cleave him and his garment a garment to shrow'd him The whole world is circular the heart of man is triangular and wee know a circle cannot fill a triangle yea if it be not filled with the three persons in Trinity it will bee filled with the world the Flesh and the Devil The World may be resembled to the fruit that undid us all which was fair to the sight smooth in handling sweet in taste but deadly in effect and operation Ah! Young men young men have none of you found it so The World in all its bravery is no better than the Cities which Solomon gave to Hiram 1 King 9.13 which hee called Cabul that it to say displeasing or dirty the World will afford nothing but trivial Flowers surrounded with many bryers O the Vanity the uncertainty the imperfection of all things below if a man should weigh his pay and his pains together his miseries and his pleasures together his joys and his sorrows together his mercies and his crosses together his good daies and his bad dayes together will he not conclude vanity of Vanity and all is Vanity It was a wise and Christian Speech of Charles the fift In my other Trearises you may read more of the vanity insufficiency impotency mutability uncertainty and inconstancy of the World and to them I refer you to the Duke of Venice who when hee had shew'd him the glory of his Princely Palace and earthly Paradise instead of admiring it or him for it onely returned him this grave and serious memento Haec sunt quae faciunt invitos mori these are the things which make us unwilling to dye it was a good saying of one to a great Lord upon his shewing him his stately house and pleasant Gardens Sir you had need make sure of heaven or else when you dye you will bee a very great looser Ah! Young men Young men t is onely heaven that is above all winds stormes and tempests nor hath God cast man out of Paradise for him to think to finde out another Paradise in this world the main reason why many young men dote upon the world is because they are not acquainted with a greater glory men ate Acorns till they were acquainted with the use of Wheat Rev. 12.1 The woman had the Moon under her feet when shee was cloathed with the Sun and had a Crown of twelve stars upon her head Ah! Young men were you but cloathed with the Sunne of Righteousness and had you a crown set upon your heads by the hand of faith you would have all the things of this world which are as low Heb. 11.24 25 26 27 35. ch 10.34 bespotted and mutable as the Moon under your feet well young men as ever you would be good betimes sit loose from the things of this world be no longer worshippers of this Golden calf and never let the World that should bee but your Servant become your Lord O Oh let not the Devil and the World have more service for an ounce of gold than Christ shall have for the Kingdome of Heaven Ah young men the world and you must part or Christ and you will never meet you cannot serve God and Mammon Mat. 6.24 The two poles shall sooner meet than the love of Christ and the love of the world Fifthly if you would be good betimes if you would know seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of your youth then take heed betimes of carnal reason Gal. 1.15 16. take heed of consulting with flesh and blood many a hopeful young man hath been undone temporally and undone eternally by hearkening to those evil counsellors Cicero a Heathen could say that man would not bee so wicked and do so wickedly were it not for his reason Carnal reason is an enemy yea an utter enemy nay it is not only an utter enemy but it is enmity yea enmities Rom. 8.7 An enemy may bee reconciled but enmity can never bee reconciled Carnal Reason is not only averse but it is utterly averse to all goodnesse it builds strong holds and syllogisms against the most glorious Gospel-truths and accounts the precious things of Christ as a strange thing carnal Reason will make God and Gospel do homage to it when carnal Reason is in the Throne Christ and his truths must all bow or bee judged before its bar Ah young men young men as ever you would bee good betimes stop your ears against all carnal Reasonings within you carnal Reason judges the choicest things of the Gospel to bee meer foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1.23
Apples of Gold FOR Young Men and VVomen AND A Crown of Glory for Old Men and women OR The happiness of being good betimes And the honor of being an Old Disciple Clearly and fully discovered and closely and faithfully applyed ALSO The Young Mans Objections answered And the Old Mans doubts resolved By THOMAS BROOKS Preacher of the Gospel at Margarets new Fishstreet-hill But I thy Servant fear the Lord from my Youth 1 King 18.12 The hoary head is a crown of Glory if it bee found in a way of righteousness Prov. 16.31 LONDON Printed by R. I. for John Hancock to be sold at the first Shop in Popeshead-Alley next to Corn-hill neer the Exchange 1657. To all Young Persons throughout the Nations especially those of both Sexes who begin to turn their faces towards Zion Prov. 15.23.25 c. 11 A word spoken gnalophnau upon his Wheels that is with a due concurrence and observation of all circumstances of time place person all which are as the wheels upon which our words and speeches should run such a word is like apples of gold in pictures of silver Dear Hearts A Word spoken in due season how good is it it is often like apples of Gold in pictures of silver many times such a word is sweet precious pleasing delectable and strong in its operation A company of near friends dining together one Sabbath day one that was at Table to prevent impertinent discourse said That it was a question whether they should all go to Heaven or no which struck them all into a dump and caused every one to enter into a serious consideration with themselves one thought if any of this company go to bell it must bee I and so thought another and another and indeed so thought almost every one then present as well servants that waited as those that sate at Table as it was afterwards acknowledged and thorow the mercy and blessing of God this speech so wrought upon the spirits of most of them that it proved the first instrumentall means of their conversion I have my hopes through grace that this Treatise though it be sown in weakness yet by the blessing of the most high upon it it may rise in power and bee an instrumental means of the winning of souls to Christ which is my highest ambition in this world and therefore I have broke thorow all difficulties and carnal reasonings that might otherwise have stifled this babe in the womb and kept it from ever seeing of the light I have read of an Emperour that delighted in no undertaking so much as those which in the esteem of his Counsellors and Captains were deemed most difficult and impossible if they said such or such an enterprize would never be accomplished it was argument enough to him to make the adventure and he usually prospered he seldom miscarried I have never found greater and choycer blessings to attend any of my poor weak Labours than those that have been brought forth into the world thorow the greatest straits and difficulties Valerius Maximus reports that one telling a souldier Valerius Maximus lib. 3. c. de fiducia going to war against the Persians that they would hide the Sun with their arrows hee answered we shall fight best in the shade nothing should discourage nor dis-hearten a souldier of Christ 2 Tim. 2.3 4. Christ saith to all his souldiers as the black Prince his father said to him Hist of France p. 196. fighting as it were in bloud to the knees and in great distress either vanquish or dye Men of no resolution or of weak resolution will bee but little serviceable to the good of souls Such watch-men as will bee free from the bloud of souls and be serviceable to the interest of Christ in turning sinners from darknesse to light must bee men of spirit and resolution I remember Austin beginneth one of his Sermons thus Ad vos mihi Sermo August de tempore serm 246 O juvenes flos aetatis periculum mentis To you is my speech O young men the flower of age the danger of the mind So say I to you O Young men do I dedicate the ensuing Treaetise and that first because the matter contained therein doth primarily and eminently concern you And Secondly Because of an earnest desire that I have of your internal and eternal welfare And Thirdly Because of some late impulses that have been upon my spirit to leave this Treatise in your hands as a Legacy of my Love and as a testimony and witness of my great ambition to help forward your everlasting salvation And Fourthly Because there is most hope of doing good amongst you as I evidence more at large in the following Treatise And fifthly To countermine the great underminer of your souls whose great design is to poyson you and possess you in the morning of your dayes Sixthly To provoke others that are more able and worthy to bee more serviceable to you in declaring themselves fully on this very subject which none yet have done that I know of though it be a point of as great concernment to young persons especially as any I know in all the scriptures Seventhly and Lastly because there are very many that do lye in wait to deceive corrupt Eph. 4 14 A blind eye is werse then a lame foor he that had the leprosy in his head was to be pronounced utterly unclean and Poyson young persons with God-dishonoring Christ denying conscience wasting and soul damning opinions Principles and Blasphemies I have read of one who boasted and gloried in this that he had spent thirty years in corrupting and Poysoning of youth doubtlesse many wretches many monsters there be among us who make it their businesse their glory their all to delude and draw young Persons to those dangerous errours and Blasphemies that leads to destruction Error and folly saith one very well be the knots of Satan wherewith hee tyes children to the stake to be burnt in hell There is a truth in what the Tragaedian said long since Venenum in auro bibitur Poyson is commonly drunk out of a cup of gold So is an error or by-notion soonest taken into the judgement and conscience from persons of the fairest carriage smoothest conversations Error is so foul an Hagge that if it should come in its own shape a man would loath it and fly from it as from hell If Jezabel had not painted her face shee had not gotten so many young doteing Adulterers to have followed her to their own ruine Ah! Young men young men the blessing of the Lord upon your serious and diligent perusal of this Treatise may bee a happy means to preserve you from being ensnared and deluded by those monsters Mar. 23.15 who compasse Sea and Land to make proselytes for bell And thus I have given you the reasons of my dedicating this Treatise to the service of your souls I would willingly presume that it will be as kindly taken as it is
Reproof from 79. to 84 The several evils that most properly attends youth as 1 Pride from 84. to 87 2 Sensual pleasures and delights from 87. to 93 3 Rashnesse from 93. to 96 4 Mocking and Scoffing at Religious men and religious things from p. 96. to 98 5 Wantonnesse from p. 98. to 101 Use of Exhortation to exhort young persons to be good betimes and motives moving thereunto as 1 It is a high honour to be good betimes from p. 102. to 106 2 Christ gave himself for sinners when he was in the primerose of his age from p. 106. to 111 3 It is the best way in the world to bee rich in spiritual experiences from p. 111. to 116. 4 The present time is the only time that you are sure of from p. 116. to 122 5 It is just with God to reserve the dregs of his wrath for them who reserve the dregs of their dayes for him from p. 122. to 125 6 The sooner you are good on earth the greater will be your reward in heaven from p. 125. to 134 7 The Lord is very much affected and taken with your seeking of him and following after him in the spring and morning of your youth from p. 134. to 136 8 It will prevent many sad and black temptations from p. 136. to 140 9 Consider the worth and excellency of souls from p. 140. to 144 10 God will at last bring young men to a reckoning from p. 144. to 155 Quest Whether in the great day of account the sins of the Saints shall bee brought into the judgement of Discussion and discovery or no the negative proved by divers arguments from p. 155 to 171 Directions to such as would bee good betimes as would know and love seek and serve the Lord in the primrose of their dayes as 1 Take heed of putting the day of death a far off from p. 171. to 177 2 If you would bee good betimes take heed of leaning to your own understanding from p. 177. to 182 3 If you would be good betimes take heed of flatterers and flattery from p. 182. to 191 4 If you would seek the Lord in the spring and morning of your dayes then take heed of engaged affections to the things of the World from p. 191. to 197 5 If you would be good betimes then you must take heed betimes of carnal reason c. from p. 197. to 201. 6 Take heed of comparing your selves with those that are worse than your selves from p. 201. to 207 Secondly As those six things must be declined so several other things must be practised if you would be good betimes as 1 If you would be good betimes then you must labour to be acquainted with four things betimes as 1 You must labor to acquaint your selves with the scripture betimes p. 207. to 219 2 You must acquaint your selves with your selves betimes from p. 219. to 226 3 If you would be good betimes then you must acquaint your selves with Jesus Christ betimes from p. 226. to 228 Now there are six things which you should be thorowly acquainted with concerning Jesus Christ As 1 If you would be good betimes then you must know that there is every thing in Christ that may incourage you to seek him and serve him p. 228. to 230 2 If you would be good betimes then you must know betimes that Jesus Christ is mighty to save p. 230 to 234 3 Then you must know betimes that there is a marvellous readinesse and willingness in Christ to imbrace and entertain returning sinners c. p. 234. to 236 4 If you would be good betimes then you must know betimes that Jesus Christ is designed sealed and appointed by the father to the office of a Mediatour from p. 236. to 240 5 If you would be good betimes then you must know betimes that there is no way to salvation but by Jesus Christ p. 240. to 246 6 If you would be good betimes then you must know betimes that the heart of Jesus Christ is as much set upon sinners now hee is in heaven as ever it was when he was on earth p. 246. to 249 4 If you would bee good betimes then you must acquaint your selves with those that are good betimes 249. to 254 2 If you would be good betimes then you must shun the occasions of sin betimes from p. 254. to 262 3 If you would be good betimes then you must remember the eye of God betimes from p. 262. to 265 4 If you would be good betimes then you must hearken to the voice of conscience betimes from p. 265. to 269 5 If you would be good betimes then you must know wherein true happiness lyes betimes from p. 269. to 272 6 Lastly If you would be good betimes then you must break your covenant with sin betimes Now to work you to that you must alwaies look upon sin under these six notions 1 You must look upon sin under the notion of an enemy from p. 272. to 277 2 Vnder the notion of bonds c. from p. 277. to 279 3 Vnder the notion of fire six resemblarces between sin and fire from p. 279. to 289 4 Under the notion of a Theif c. from p. 289. to 292 5 Vnder the notion of a burden c. from p. 292. to 296 6 Vnder the notion of a Tyrant c. from p. 296. to 299 1 Object It may be time enough hereafter to seek and serve the Lord c. This Objection answered four waies from p. 299. to 304 2 Object If I should seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of my daies I should loose the love and favor of such and such friends and Relations Four Answers to this Objection c. from p. 304. to 311 3 Obj. I shall meet with many reproaches Eight answers to this Objection from p. 311. to 326 4 Object Most men give liberty to themselves and walk in waies more pleasing to the flesh This Objection answered five waies from p. 326. to 339 5 Ob. The last I shall mention is that God is a God of mercy in him are bowels of mercy yea a sea an Ocean of mercy he delights in mercy c. Five answers to this Objection from p. 339. to 349 Lastly The Old mans doubts resolved in eight several answers from p. 349 to the end FINIS ERRATA PAge 12. line 22. Alarm for Atome p. 54. l. 5 it for that p. 55. l. 20. were for was p. 70. l. 21. add to p. 86. l. 7. Sybian for Lybian Reader What other defects thou meetest with thou art desired in love to pass over by reason of the Authors absence from the Press THE Young-Mans Duty AND EXCELLENCY 1 KING 14. ch 13. v. And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him for hee only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam The Young mans
made all Israel to sin who was naught who was very naught who was stark naught and yet Abijah as the fishes which live in the salt Sea are fresh so though hee lived in a sink a sea of wickedness yet hee retained his goodnesse towards the Lord. They say Roses grows the sweeter when they are planted by Garlick they are sweet and rare Christians indeed who hold their goodness and grow in goodnesse where wickedness sits on the throne and such a one the Young man in the text was To bee Wheat among Tares Corn among Chaffe Pearls among Cockles and Roses among Thorns is excellent To bee a Jonathan in Sauls Court to be an Obadiah in Ahabs Court to be an Abedmelech in Zedechias Court and to bee an Abijah in Jeroboams Court is a wonder a miracle To bee a Lot in Sodome to bee an Abraham in Chaldaea to bee a Daniel in Babylon to bee a Nehemiah in Damasco and to bee a Job in the land of Husse is to be a Saint among Devils and such a one the young man in the Text was The Poets affirm that Venus never appeared so beautious as whē shee sate by black Vnlcans side Gracious souls shine most clear when they bee set by black conditioned persons Stephens face never shin'd so Angelically so gloriously in the Church where all were vertuous as before the Councill where all were vitious and malicious So Abijah was a bright Star a shining Sun in Jeroboams Court which for prophanness and wickedness was a very hell The words that I have chosen to insist upon will afford us several observations but I shall onely name one which I intend to prosecute at this time and that is this viz. Doct. That t is a very desirable and commendable thing for young men to bee really good betimes Other Scriptures speak out this to be a truth Job 32.4 5 6 7. besides what you have in the Text to confirm it as that of the second of Chronicles Chap. 34.1 2 3. verses Josiah was eight years old when hee beganne to reign and hee reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years And hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and walked in the wayes of David his father and declined neither to the right hand nor to the left for in the eighth year of his reign while hee was yet young hee beganne to seek after the God of David his father and in the twelfth year he beganne to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places and the Groves and the carved Images and the molten Images T was Obadiahs honor that hee feared the Lord from his youth 1 King 18.12 2 Tim. 3.15 And Tymothys crown that he knew the Scripture from a child and Johns joy 2 Epist 4. v. that hee found Children walking in the truth this revived his good old heart and made it dance for joy in his bosome to spend further time in the proving of this truth would bee but to light candles to see the Sunne at noon The grounds and Reasons of this point viz. That it is a very desirable and commendable thing for young men to bee really good betimes are these that follow First Because the Lord commands it and divine commands are not to bee disputed but obeyed Deut. 6.5 ch 11.13 v. Augustine beginneth one of his Sermons thus Ad vos mibi Sermo O juvenes flos etatis periculum mentis August de tempore Ser. 246 to you is my speech O young men the flower of age the danger of the mind In the 12 Chapter of Ecclesiastes and the 1 verse Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth while the evil days come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them Remember now I say now now is an Alarm it will puzzle the wisdome of a Philosopher the skill of an Angel to divide Now is a Monosyllable in all learned Languages Remember now thy Creator Remember him presently instantly for thou dost not know what a day what an hour may bring forth thou canst not tell what deadly sin what deadly temptation what deadly Judgement may over-take thee if thou dost not now even now remember thy Creator Remember now thy Creator Remember to know him remember to love him remember to desire him remember to delight in him remember to depend upon him remember to get an interest in him remember to live to him and remember to walk with him Remember now thy Creator the Hebrew is Creatours Father Son and Spirit To the making of man a Council was called in Heaven in the 1. of Genesis and 29 vers Remember thy Creatours remember the Father so as to know him so as to bee inwardly acquainted with him Remember the Son so as to beleeve in him so as to rest upon him so as to imbrace him and so as to make a compleat resignation of thy self to him Remember the Spirit so as to hear his voice so as to obey his voice so as to feel his presence and so as to experience his influence c. Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth hee doth not say in the time of thy youth but in the dayes of thy youth to note that our life is but as a few dayes t is but a vapour a span a flower a shadow a dream and therefore Seneca saith well that though death bee before the old mans face yet hee may bee as near the young mans back c. Mans life is the shadow of smoak Aug. l. 1. Confess the dream of a shadow one doubteth whether to call it a dying life or a living death ah young men God commands you to bee good betimes Remember young men that it is a dangerous thing to neglect one of his commands who by another is able to command you into nothing or into Hell To act or run crosse to Gods expresse command though under pretence of Revelation from God is as much as a mans life is worth as you may see in that sad story 1 King 13. ch 24. verse c. Let young men put all their carnal reasons though never so many and weighty into one scale and Gods absolute command in the other and then write Tekel upon all their reasons They are weighed in the ballance and found too light Ah sirs what God commands must bee put in speedy execution Obedientia non discutis Dei mandata sed facit Prosper without denying or delaying or disputing the difficulties that attend it Most young men in these dayes do as the Heathens when their gods called for a man they offered a candle or as Hercules offered up a painted man in stead of a living When God calls upon young men to serve him with the Primrose of their youth they usually put him off till they are overtaken with trembling joynts dazled eyes fainting hearts failing hands and feeble knees but this will bee bitternesse in the end
your time the offers of Grace your precious souls and eternity c. surely you cannot surely you dare not if you do but in good earnest ponder upon the shortness of mans life It is recorded of Philip King of Macedon that he gave a pension to one to come to him every day at dinner and to cry to him memento te esse mortalem Remember thou art but mortal Ah! Young men and old had need bee often put in mind of their mortality they are too apt to forget that day yea to put farre from them the thoughts of that day I have read of three that could not endure to hear that bitter word death mentioned in their ears and surely this age is full of such monsters And as the life of man is very short so it is very uncertain now well now sick alive this hour and dead the next Death doth not always give warning before hand sometimes hee gives the mortal blow suddenly hee comes behind with his dart and strikes a man at the heart before hee saith have I found thee O my enemy Eutichus fell down dead suddenly Act. 20.19 Death suddenly arested Davids Sons and Jobs Sons Petrach telleth of one who being invited to dinner the next day enswered Ego a multis annis crastinum non habui I have not had a morrow for this many years Augustus dyed in a complement Galba with a sentence Vespasian with a jest Zeuxes dyed laughing at the picture of an old woman which hee drew with his own hand Sophocles was choaked with the stone in a Grape Dâ—odorus the Logician dyed for shame that hee could not answer a joculary question propounded at the Table by Stilpo Joannes Measius preaching upon the raising of the woman of Naims sonne from the dead within three houres after dyed himself Ah! Young men and women have you not cause great cause to bee good betimes for death is sudden in his approaches nothing more sure than death and nothing more uncertain than life therefore know the Lord betimes turn from your sinnes betimes lay hold on the Lord and make peace with him betimes that you may never say as Caesar Borgias said when hee was sick to death when I lived said hee I provided for every thing but death now I must dye and am unprovided to dye c. The Eleventh Reason Why young persons should bee really good betimes and that is because t is ten to one nay a hundred to ten if ever they are converted if they are not converted when they are young God usually begins with such betimes Hos 11.1 When Israel was a child then I loved him c. that hee hath had thoughts of love and mercy towards from everlasting the instances cited to prove the Doctrin confirms this argument and if you look abroad in the world you shall hardly finde one Saint among a thousand but dates his conversion from the time of his youth 'T was the young ones that got through the wilderness into Canaan If the Tree do not bud and blossome and bring forth fruit in the Spring Numb 26.64 it is commonly dead all the year after An Hebrew Doctor observes that of those six hundred thousand that went out of Egypt there were but two persons that entered Canaan if in the spring and morning of your daies you do not bring forth fruit to God it is a hundred to one that ever you bring forth fruit to him when the evil dayes of old age shall overtake you wherein you shall say you have no pleasure For as the Son of Syrach observes if thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth Eccles 25.5 what canst thou finde in thy age t is rare very rare that God sows and reaps in old age usually God sows the seed of grace in youth it yeelds the harvest of joy in age Though true repentance be never too late yet late repentance is seldome true Millions are now in Hell who have pleased themselves with the thoughts of after repentance The Lord hath made a promise to late repentance but where hath he made a promise of late repentance yea what can bee more just and equal Pro. 1.24 32. that such should seek and not finde who might have found but would not seek and that hee should shut his ears against their late prayers who have stopt their ears against his early calls The Ancient warriours would not accept an old man into their army as being unfit for service and dost thou think that God will accept of thy dry bones when Satan hath suckt out all the marrow What Lord what Master will take such into their service who have all their dayes served their enemies and will God will God The Circassians a kinde of Mongrel Christians are said to divide their life betwixt sin and devotion Breerw Enqui dedicating their youth to rapine and their old age to repentance if this bee thy case I would not bee in thy case for ten thousand worlds I have read of a certain great man Beda hath this story that was admonished in his sickness to repent who answered that hee would not repent yet for if hee should recover his companions would laugh at him but growing sicker and sicker his friends pressed him again to repent but then hee told them that it were too late Quia jam judicatus sum condemnatus for now said hee I am judged and condemned The twelfth and last Reason why young men should bee really good betimes and that is because else they will never attain to the honour of being old disciples It is a very great honour to bee an old Disciple Now this honour none reach to but such as are converted betimes but such as turn to the Lord in the spring and morning of their youth It is no honour for an old man to bee in coats What more ridiculous than puer contum annorum a child of an hundred years old nor for an old man to bee a babe in grace An A. B. C. old man is a sad and shameful sight O but it is a mighty honour to a man when hee is old that hee can date his conversion from the morning of his youth Now that it is an honour to bee an old Disciple I shall prove by an induction of particulars As It is an honour to bee an old Disciple First All men will honour an old Disciple A Crown is a very glorious thing but there are but few of them Prov. 16.31 The hoary head is a Crown of glory if it bee found in the way of Righteousness God requires that the aged should bee honoured Levit. 19.32 Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head and honour the face of the old man the old man here is by some expounded the wise man and fear thy God I am the Lord. Hoariness is only honourable when found in a way of Righteousness a white head accompanied with a holy heart makes a man
simple young man among many whereas late times afford greater store Ah! too many of the youths of this age in stead of flying from youthful lusts they post and pursue after youthful lusts Chrysostome speaking of youth saith it is difficilem jactabilem Chrysost Homil. 1. Ad populum fallibilem vehementissimisque egentem fraenis hard to bee ruled easy to bee drawn away apt to bee deceived and standing in need of very violent reines The Ancients did picture youth like a young man naked Lapide with a vail over his face his right hand bound behinde him his left hand loose and Time behinde him pulling one thread out of his vail every day intimating that young men are void of knowledge and blinde unfit to do good ready to do evil till Time by little and little make them wiser Well young man remember this that the least sparklings and kindlings of lusts will first or last cost thee groans and griefs tears and terrors enough These five are the sins that usually are waiting and attending on youth but from these the young man in the text was by grace preserved and secured which is more than I dare affirm of all into whose hands this treatise shall fall But though these five are the sins of youth yet they are not all the sins of youth for youth is capable of Other sins attends youth as 1 Ignorance 1 Cor. 14 20. 2 Falshood Psal 58.3 3 Excessive love of liberty 4 Impatience of councils and reproofs Jer. 31.18 19. 5 Impudency Isa 3.5 6 A trifling spirit Eccles 11.10 7 Prodigality Use and subject to all other sins whatsoever but these are the special sins that most usually waits and attends on young men when they are in the spring and morning of their youth I shall now hasten to the main use that I intend to stand upon and that is an use of Exhortation to all young persons Ah sirs as you tender the glory of God the good of your bodies the joy of your Christian friends and the salvation of your own souls bee exhorted and perswaded to bee really good betimes It was the praise and honour of Abijah that there was found in him some good thing towards the Lord in the Primrose of his child-hood Oh that it might bee your honour and happinesse to bee really good betimes that it might bee to you a praise and a name that in the morning of your youth you have begun to seek the Lord and to know and love the Lord and to get an interest and propriety in the Lord now that this Exhortation may stick and take Encouragements to Young men I beseech you seriously to weigh and ponder these following motives or considerations First 1. Motive consider It is an honour to bee good betimes A young Saint is like the morning star hee is like a pearl in a gold Ring It is mentioned as a singular honour to the beleeving Jews that they first trusted in Christ that wee should bee to the praise of his glory Ephes 1.12 who first trusted in Christ this was their praise their crown that they were first converted and turned to Christ and Christianity So Paul mentioning Andronicus and Junia doth not omit this circumstance of praise and honour Rom. 16.7 that they were in Christ before him Salute Andronicus and Junia my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners who are of note among the Apostles who also were in Christ before me And so it was the honor of the house of Stephanas 1 Cor. 16.15 that they were the first fruits of Achaia it was their glory that they were the first that received and wellcomed the Gospell in Achaia T is a greater honor for a young man to out-wrastle sinne Satan temptation the world and lusts than ever Alexander the Great could attain unto 2 Sam. 19.15 It was Judah his praise and honor that they were first in fetching home David their King Ah! Young men and women it will bee your eternal praise and honor if you shall before others if you shall bee the first among many who shall know the Lord and seek the Lord who shall receive the Lord and imbrace him who shall cleave to the Lord and serve him who shall honor the Lord and obey him who shall delight in the Lord and walk with him The Romans built Vertues and Honours Temple close together to shew that the way to honor was by vertue and indeed there is no crown to that which goodness sets upon a mans head all other honour is fading and withering Adonibezeck a mighty Prince Judg. 1.7 is suddenly made fellow commoner with the Dogs Dan. 4.28 And Nebuchadnezzar a mighty conqueror turned a grazing among the oxen And Herod reduced from a conceited God Act. 12.23 to bee the most loathsome of men living carrion arrested by the vilest of creatures upon the suit of his affronted Creatour Est 7.10 And Haman feasted with the King one day and made a feast for Crows the next I might tell you of Bajazet and Belisarius two of the greatest Commanders in the world and many others who have suddenly fallen from the top of worldly honor and felicity into the greatest contempt and misery but I shall not at this time But that honour that arises from mens being gracious betimes is such honour that the world can neither give nor take it is honour it is a Crown that will still bee green and flourishing it is honour that will bed and board with a man that will abide with a man under all tryals and changes that will to the grave that will to heaven with a man Ah Sirs It is no small honour to you who are in the spring and morning of your days that the Lord hath left upon record several instances of his Love and delight in young men 1 Sam. 16.11 12 13 hee chose David a younger brother and passes by his elder brothers hee frowns upon Esau Rom. 9.12 13 and passes by his door and sets his love and delight upon Jacob the younger brother he kindly and lovingly accepts of Abels person and sacrifice Gen. 4.3 4 5 6 and rejects both Cains person and sacrifice though hee was the elder brother Among all the Disciples John 13.23 John was the youngest and the most and best beloved There was but one young man that came to Christ Mar. 10.19 20 21. and hee came not aright and all the good that was in him was but some moral good and yet Christ loved him with a love of pitty and compassion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek word signifies to speak friendly and deal gently with one and so did Christ with him all which should exceedingly encourage young men to be good betimes to be gracious in the morning of their youth no way to true honour like this but Secondly The sacrifices in the Law were young Lambs and young Kids to shew that Christ our
seek the Lord to day Otho the Emperor slew himself with his own hands but slept so soundly the night before Plutarch reporteth the like of Cato that the grooms of his Chamber heard him snort Young men I will suppose you to be good accountants now if you please to count the number and mark the age of the Sacrifices in the old Testament you shall finde more Kids and Lambs offered than Goats and old Sheep You have no lease of your lives you are not sure that you shall live to Isaacks age Gen. 27.1 to live till your eyes wax dim you are not sure that you shall live to Jacobs years and die Heb. 11.21 leaning upon the top of a staff Job 36.14 You read of them who die in their youth and whose lives are among the unclean Slip not the present season neglect not this day of grace let not Satan keep your souls and Christ any longer asunder by telling of you As out of the boughs of a tree are taken wedges to cleave it in peeces so out of our own lusts Satan works Engines to destroy us that you are too young that hereafter will bee time enough Austin tells us that by this very temptation the Devil kept him off from receiving of Christ from closing with Christ Seven years together hee could no sooner think of inquiring after Christ of getting an interest in Christ of leaving off his sinful courses c. but Satan would bee still a suggesting thou art too young to leave thy drunkenness thou art too young to leave thy Dalilahs to leave thy Harlots till at last hee cryed out how long shall I say it is too soon why may I not repent to day and lay hold on Jesus Christ to day c. Ah young men this is your day this is your season if you will not now hearken and obey you may perish for ever Caesar had a letter given him by Artemidorus that morning hee went to the Senate wherein notice was given him of all the conspiracy of his murtherers so that with ease hee might have prevented his death but neglecting the reading of it was slain hee slipt his season and dyes for it Ah! how many for sliping gracious seasons and opportunities have died for ever Soul-opportunities are more worth than a thousand worlds mercy is in them grace and glory is in them heaven and eternity is in them Fifthly To provoke you to bee good betimes consider how just it is with God to reserve the dregs of his wrath for them who reserve the dregs of their dayes for him how can a husband embrace that wife in her old age who hath spent all the time of her youth in following after strangers Will any man receive such into his service who hath all their dayes served his enemies and received such wounds blows and bruses that renders them unfit for his service Ah young men young men Deut. 32.6 do not thus foolishly and unwisely requite the Lord for all his patient waiting his gracious wooing and his merciful dealing with you Ah! do not put off God to old age Multa senem circumveniunt incommoda Horatius Many are the inconveniences that do encompass an old man for old lame and sick Sacrifices rarely reach as high as Heaven Is not old age very unteachable in old age are not men very unapt to take in and as unapt to give out In old age oftentimes men are men and no men they have eyes but see not ears but hear not tongues but speak not feet but walk not An aged man is but a moving Anatomy or a living Mortuary now how unlovely how uncomely how unworthy nay how incensing how provoking a thing must this needs bee The reproach of the evil of wickednesse is not to bee added to old age Solet enim senectus esse deformis infirma obliviosa edeutula luerosa indocilis molesta saith Plutarch in Apothegm Rom. For old age useth to be deformed weak forgetful toothlesse covetous unteachable unquiet when men will dally with God and put him off till their doting dayes have overtaken them till their spring is past their Summer overpast and they arrived at the fall of the leaf yea till winter colour have stained their heads with gray and hoary hairs How provoking this is you may see in those sad words of Jeremiah Jer. 22.21 22. I spake unto thee in thy proserity but thou said'st I will not hear this hath been thy manner from thy youth that thou obeyest not my voice But will God put up this at their hands no therefore it follows in the next verse Surely thou shalt bee ashamed and confounded for all thy wickednesse Oh that young men would let this Scripture lye warm every morning upon their hearts that so they may not dare to put off God and provoke him to their own confusion though you are young and in your strength yet are you stronger than God can you make your party good with him if you will needs bee a provoking provoke them that are your matches and do not contend with him that is mightier than you that can command you into nothing or into Hell at pleasure Sixthly consider that the sooner you are good on earth the greater will bee your reward in Heaven the sooner you are gracious Psal 58.11 Gen. 15.1 Psal 19.11 the more at last you will bee glorious you read in the Scripture of a reward of a great reward Matth. 5.12 Heb. 10.35 John 2.8 and of a full reward now those that are good betimes that know seek serve and love the Lord in the spring and morning of their youth they are in the fairest way of gaining the greatest and the fullest reward And this I shall make clear by that which follows First The sooner any man begins to bee really good the more good hee will do in this world Now the more good any man doth on earth the more glory hee shall have in Heaven Therefore my beloved Brethren 1 Cor. 15.58 bee yee stedfast unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Mans wages mans reward shall bee according to his works hee that doth most work here shall have most reward hereafter God will at last proportion the one to the other 2 Cor. 9.6 the reward to the work Hee which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and hee which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully Though no man shall bee rewarded for his works yet God will at last measure out happinesse and blessednesse to his people Rom. 2.5 6 7. according to their service faithfulnesse diligence and work in this world Grace is glory in the bud and glory is grace at the full glory is nothing else but a bright constellation of graces happinesse nothing but the quintessence of holinesse Grace and glory differ non specie sed gradu in degree not kind as the
it is purblinde and cannot see how to make a right judgement of Christ his word his waies and yet will controule all If you are resolved to bee still scholars to this Master then you must resolve to bee unhappy here and miserable hereafter But It is safer and better for you to imitate those young men who in the morning of their daies have graciously wisely and resolutely withstood those evil Counsellors carnal Reason flesh and blood Joseph and Moses Daniel Gen. 39.7 8 9 10 11 c. Heb. 11.24 25 26. Dan. 1. Shadrach Meshach and Abednego all these in the Prim-rose of their youth were good at turning the deaf ear to carnal counsel and carnal counsellors Cassianus reports of a young man that had given himself up to a Christian life and his Parents mis-liking that way they wrote letters to him to perswade him from it and when hee knew there were letters come from them hee would not open them but threw them into the fire this example is worth a following Another famous example you have in the story of King Edward the sixth when Cranmer and Ridly came to him and were very earnest to have him give way to his Sister the Lady Mary to have Masse hee stood out and pleaded the case with them that it was a sin against God and provoking to the eyes of his glory c. but they still continued to use many carnal arguments to perswade the King who was but a child about fifteen years of age but hee withstood them a great while but at length when hee saw hee could not prevail with all his pleading against those grave men but that they still continued their suit hee burst out into bitter weeping and sobing desiring them to desist the motioners seeing his zeal and constancy wept as fast as hee and being overcome they went away and told one that the King had more divinity in his little finger than they had in all their bodies Ah young men it will bee your safety and your glory to write after this princely coppy when you are surrounded with carnal reason and carnal counsellors c. Sixthly and lastly If you would bee good betimes then take heed of comparing your selves with those that are worse than your selves Joh. 9.39 40. Young men are very apt to compare themselves with those that are worse than themselves and this proves a snare unto them yea oftentimes their bane their ruine As it did the young Pharisee in the Gospel Luk. 18.11 12 13 14. Thales one of the seven sages being asked what was the easiest thing in the world to do answered to know other mens faults and none of our own who pleaded his negative Righteousnesse hee was not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers and stood on his comparative goodnesse nor as this Publican hee stands not only upon his comparisons but upon his disparisons being blind at home and too quick-sighted abroad hee contemneth and condemneth the poor Publican who was better than himself making good that saying of Seneca the nature of man saith hee is very apt utimur perspicillis magis quam speculis to use spectacles to behold other mens faults rather than looking-glasses to behold our own such Pharisees do justly incur the censure which that sowre Philosopher past upon Grammarians Diogenes apud Lâ—â—ium l. 6. that they were better acquainted with the evil of Ulysses than with their own Ah young men young men you know hee that drinks poison though hee drinks not so much as another and hee that commits treason though not so great so high treason as another shall yet as certainly bee poisoned and hanged as hee that hath drunk a greater quantity of poison and committed higher acts of treason Sirs do not delude and befool your own souls if you are not as wicked as others Mat. 11.22 23 24 25. As in Heaven one is more glorious than another so in Hell one shall bee more miserable than another Aug. you shall not bee as much tormented as others but yet you shall bee as certainly damned as others you shall as certain to hell as others you shall as sure bee shut out for ever from God Christ Saints Angels and all the treasures pleasures and glories of Heaven as others except it bee prevented by timely repentance on your side and pardoning mercy on Gods Wilt thou count it madnesse Oh young man in him that is sick to reason thus I am not so sick as such and such and therefore I will not send to the Physitian and in the wounded man to say I am not so desperately wounded as such and such and therefore I will not send to the Surgeon and in the traitor to say I am not guilty of so many foul and hainous treasons as such and such and therefore I will not look after a pardon and in the necessitous man to say I am not so hard put to it as such and such and therefore I will not welcome a hand of charity and wilt thou not count it the greatest madnesse in the world for thee to put off thy repentance and thy returning to the Lord in the spring and morning of thy youth because that thou art not as sinful as wicked as such and such if to have a softer bed a milder punishment in hell than others will satisfy thee then go on but if thou art afraid of the worm that never dyes and of the fire that never goes out being like that stone in Arcadia which being once kindled could not be quenched O then begin to bee good betimes O seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of your dayes Chrysost Hom. 44. in Matth. To think often of Hell is the way to be preserv'd from falling into hell Ah! Young men Young men that you would often consider of the bitterness of the damneds torments and of the pittilesness of their torments and of the diversity of their torments and of the easelesnes of their torments and of the remedilesness of their torments Momentaneum est quod delectat Aeternum quod cruciat The sinners delight here is momentany that which torments hereafter is perpetual when a Sinner is in hell dost thou think Oh young man that another Christ shall be found to dye for him or that the same Christ will bee crucifyed again for him or that another Gospel should bee preached to him Surely no. Ah Why then wilt thou not betimes return and seek out after the things that belong to thy everlasting Peace Jac. Rev. hist Pontif. Rom. 199. I have read of Pope Clement the fifth that when a young Nephew of his dyed hee sent his Chaplain to a Necromancer to know of him how it fared with him in the other World the Conjurer shewed him to the Chaplain lying in a fiery bed in hell which when the Pope understood hee never joyed more c. Ah! Young man that these occasional hints of hell may bee
leave Where Christ beginnes to love he always loves Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love Now who would not venture the loss of all friends in the world to gain such a friend as this is Ah! Young men and women let mee say to you what Seneca said to his friend Polibius Fas tibi non est de fortuna conqueri salvo Caesare never complain of thy hard fortune as long as Caesar is thy friend so say I never complain of your loss of Friends so long as by loosing of them you gain Christ to be your friend Secondly Thou were 't better be without their friendship and favour than to enjoy it upon any sinful and unworthy accounts thou were 't better run the hazard of loosing thy friends and their favour by seeking and serving the Lord in the Primerose of thy dayes then to run the hazard of losing God Christ heaven Mat. 16.26 Mark 8.36 eternity and thy soul for ever by neglecting the things of thy peace It was a gallant return which the noble Rutilius made his friend requesting of him an unlawfull favour in such language as this I had as good bee without such a friend as with him who will not let mee speed in what I ask to whom hee replyed I can want such a friend as you if for your sake I must do that which is not honest The application is easy Well Young man remember this the torments of a thousand hells were there so many comes far short of this one vice to bee turned out of Gods presence with a Non novi vos I know you not Mat. 7.23 Ah! Young man Young man thou wer 't better ten thousand thousand times to bee cast out of the thoughts and hearts of thy carnal friends and relations than to bee cast out of Gods presence with cursed Cain for ever Gen. 4 than to be excommunicated out of the general Assembly of the Saints Heb. 12.23 and Congregation of the first-born which are writen in heaven and therefore away with this objection but Thirdly The favour and friendship of such carnal persons is very fickle and inconstant it is very fading and withering Now they stroak and anon they strike now they lift up and anon they cast down now they smile and anon they frown now they kiss and anon they kill now they cry Hosanna Hosana anon they cry Crucify him crucify him Haman is one day feasted with the King and the next day made a feast for Crows Esth 7. The Princes of Babylon were highly in King Darius his favour one day Dan. 6 and cast into the Lyons den the next The Scribes and Pharisees that cryed up Judas one day did in effect bid him go and hang himself the next day Mat. 27.3 4.5 Such mens favour and friendship Valerian Valens Belisareus Bajâ—zet Pythias Dionysius Pompey William the Conqueror and many other have found it so are as Venice Glasses quickly broken and therefore not much to bee prized or minded Histories abounds with instances of this nature but I must hasten onely remember this that every dayes experience tells us that wicked men can soon turn Tables and cross their books their favour and friendship is usually like to a morning cloud or like to Jonahs Gourd one hour flourishing and the next hour withering and why then shouldest thou set thy heart upon that which is more changeable than the moon Glaucus who changed his Armour of Gold with Diomedes for his Armour of Brass stands upon record for a fool c. But Fourthly and Lastly who but a mad man would adventure the loss of the Kings favour to gain the favour of his Page who but a stark Bedlam would run the hazard of loosing the Judges favour upon the Bench to purchase the good will of the Prisoner at the Barre Socrates preferred the Kings countenance before his Coyn and so must you prefer the favour of God Psal 4.6 7 the countenance of Christ and the things of eternity above all the favour and friendship of all the men in the World when your nearest friends and dearest relations stands in competition Psal 45.10 Mat. 10.37 Luk. 14.26 27 with Christ or the things above you must shake them off you must turn your backs upon them and welcome Christ and the things of your Peace hee that forsakes all relations for Christ shall certainly finde all relations in Christ hee will bee father friend husband Child hee will bee every thing to thee who takest him for thy great all Object 3. I but I shall meet with many reproaches from one and other if I should labour to bee good betimes if I should seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of my youth now to this I answer First What are reproaches to the great things that others have suffered for Christ his Gospel Hebâ—ews ch 10. â—â— read the ten persecutions and the maintaining of a good conscience what is a prick of a pin to a stab at the heart what is a chiding to a hanging a whipping to a burning no more are all the reproaches thou canst meet with to the great things that others have suffered for Christs sake Ah! Young men you should be like the Scythian that went naked in the Snow and when Alexander wondred how hee could endure it Answered I am not ashamed for I am all forehead So should you in the cause and way of Christ you should not bee ashamed you should be all forehead you should bee stout and bold Colonus the dutch Martyr under all his reproaches called to the judge that had sentenced him to death and desired him to lay his hand upon his heart and then asked him whose heart did most beat his or the Judges All the reproaches in the world should not so much as make a Christians heart beat they should not in the least trouble him nor disturb him but Secondly I Answer That all the reproaches thou meetest with in the way of Christ and for the sake of Christ they do but adde Pearls to thy Crown they are all additions to thy happiness and blessedness 1 Pet. 4.14 If yee be reproached for the name of Christ happy are yee for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you on their part hee is evil spoken of but on your part hee is glorified the more you are reproached for Christs sake on earth Mat. 5.11 12 the greater shall bee your reward in heaven they that are most loaded with reproaches here shall bee most laden with glory hereafter Christ hath written their names in golden letters in his book of life that are written in black letters of reproach for his sake on earth T was a good saying of one Chrysostom a Reproacher saith hee is beneath a man but the reproached that bear it well are equal to Angells of all Crowns the reproached mans Crown will weigh heaviest in heaven But Thirdly
matter of joy and rejoycing to him shall hee look upon reproaches as a Crown of honor and will you look upon reproaches as a Crown of thorns Oh Look upon reproach as a royal-Diadem Sufferings are the ensigns of heavenly Nobility saith Calvin look upon it as Christs livery and count it your highest ambition in this World to wear this Livery for his sake who once wore a Crown of Thorns for your sakes When Babylas was to dye hee required this favour to have his chains buried with him as the ensigns of his honour But Seventhly I Answer It was an Observation of Mr. John Lindsay that the very smoak of Mr. Hamilton converted as many as it blew upon That by a wise and gracious behaviour under the reproaches thou meetest with for Christs sake thou maiest be instrumentall to win others to Christ It was a notable saying of Luther Ecclesia totum mundum convertit sanguine et oratione the Church converted the whole world by bloud and prayer Divers have been won to Christ by beholding the gracious carriages of Christians under their sufferings and reproaches for Christ Wee read of Cicilia a poor Virgin who by her gracious behaviour under all her sufferings and reproaches for Christ was the means of converting four hundred to Christ Adrianus beholding the gracious cheerful carriages of the Martyrs under all their sufferings and reproaches was converted to Christ and afterwards suffered Martyrdom for Christ Justin Martyr was also converted by observing the holy and cheerful behaviour of the Saints under all their sufferings and reproaches for Christ See also the Hist of the Councill of Trent p. 418.2 Edit During the cruel persecutions of the Heathen Emperours the Christian faith was spread thorow all places of the Empire because the oftner they were mown down saith Tertullian the more they grew And Austin observed that though there were many thousands put to death for professing Christ yet they were never the fewer for being slain Ah! Young men you may by a wise and gracious bearing of reproaches for Christ be instrumental to win others to Christ and therefore never plead there is a Lyon in the way but I must hasten and therefore in the eighth and Last place Consider How bravely several of the very Heathen have bore Reproaches and let that provoke you in the face of all Reproaches to seek and serve the Lord in the morning of your youth c. When Demosthenes was Reproached by one I will not saith hee strive with thee in this kind of fight in which he that is overcome is the better man When one came and Reproached Xenophon sayes hee you have learned how to reproach and I have learned how to bear Reproach And Aristippus the Philosopher said you are fit to cast Reproaches and I am fit to bear Reproaches Demochares an Athenian Oratour was sent to King Philip as Embassadour Philip asked him how hee might pleasure the Athenians for-sooth said he if you will hang your self the Prince patiently sent him home again and bid him ask whether were more Noble the patient hearer or venter of such unseemly language When one wondered at the patience of Socrates towards one who reviled and reproached him if we should meet one saith hee whose body were more unsound then ours should we be angry with him and not rather pitty him why then should we not do the like to him whose soul is more diseased than ours Augustus Caesar in whose time Christ was born bid Catullus the railing Poet to Supper to shew that he had forgiven him It is a notable example that wee finde of one Pericles Plutarch in vita peric who as he was sitting with others in a great meeting a foul mouthed fellow bitterly Reproached him and railed all the day long upon him and at night when it was dark and the meeting up the fellow followed him and railed at him even to his door and he took no notice of him but when he came at home Themistocles professed that if two wayes were shewed him one to hell and the other to the bar he would chuse that which went to hell and forsake the other this is all he said friend it is dark I pray let my man light you home Josephus reports of that Herod that is made mention of in that Act. 12.23 that when one Simon a Lawyer had grievously Reproached and scandalized him before the people he sent for him and caused him to sit down next to him and in a kinâ—e manner hee spake thus to him Tell mee I pray thee what thing thou seest fault worthy or contrary to the Law in mee Simon not having any thing to answer besought him to pardon him which the King did and was friends with him and dismissed him bestowing gifts on him Ah young men young men shall the very Heathen make nothing of reproaches shall they bear up so prudently and bravely under the greatest loads of reproaches and will not you will not you who in your light in your mercies and in all Gospel engagements are so highly advanced above them Oh that none of them may bee called to the Bar in the great day to witnesse against any of you into whose hands this Treatise shall fall and so much by way of answer to the third Objection But Fourthly The young man objects and saies you presse us to bee good betimes and to seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of our daies but wee observe that most men minde not these things but rather give liberty to themselves to walk in waies that are most pleasing to the flesh and why then should wee bee singular and nice wee were better do as the most do c. Now to this I answer 1 That though bad examples are dangerous to all yet usually they prove most dangerous and pernicious to young persons who are more easily drawn to follow examples than precepts especially those examples that tends most to undo them Praecepta docent exempla movent Precepts may instruct but examples do perswade 2 King 15.9 It is said of Zacharia the King of Israel that hee did evil in the sight of the Lord as his Fathers had done hee departed not from the sins of Jeroboam hee would bee as his Father was and do as his Father did whatever came on it So the Samaritans of whom it is said 2 King 17.41 These Nations feared the Lord that is they made some kinde of profession of the true Religion as the ten tribes had done and served their graven Images too both their Children and their Childrens Children did thus as did their Fathers so do they unto this day By evil examples they were both drawn to Idolatry and rooted and confirmed in it so the main reason why the Kingdome and Church of Judah were so setled in their Idolatry that there was no hope of reclaiming them was this that their Children remembred their Altars and their groves by the
my heart to adde drunkenness to thirst The Lord will not spare him but then the Anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoak against that man and all the Curses that are written in this book shall lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven In these words you may observe that God is absolute in threatning to shew that he will bee resolute in punishing Psal 11.5 A lover of Iniquity is a liver in Iniquity upon choice 6. The wicked and him that loveth iniquity doth his soul hate Upon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup. Ah! That all poor sinners would make these two Scriptures their companions their constant bed-fellows till they are got above that sad temptation of turning the mercy of God into an incouragement to sin Whilst Milo Crotoniates was tearing a sunder the stock of an Oake his strength failing him the clift suddenly closing was held so fast by the hands that he became a prey to the beasts of the field All the abusers of mercy will certainly and suddenly become a prey to the justice of God that will rent and tear them in peices as the Psalmist speaks Psal 50.22 Wo wo to that soul that fights against God with his own mercies that will bee bad because hee is good that will be sinful because he is merciful that will turn all the kindnesses of God that should bee as so many silver cords to tye him to love and obedience into arrows and so shoot them back into the heart of God Abused mercy will at last turn into a Lyon a fierce Lyon and then wo to the abusers and despisers of it But Thirdly In Answer to that part of the Objection concerning the Thief on the Cross I offer these things briefly to your thoughts First Exemplum latronis servati est admirandum non imitandum That as one was saved to teach Sinners not to despair so another was damned to teach them not to presume A pardon is sometimes given to one upon the Gallows but who so trusts to that the rope may be his hire it is not good saith one to put it upon the Psalm of miserere and the neck verse for sometimes hee proves no Clerk and so hangs for it Secondly It is an example without a promise here is an example of late repentance but where is there a promise of late repentance Oh! Let not his late and sudden conversion be to thee a temptation till thou hast found a promise for late and sudden conversion it is not examples but promises that are foundations for faith to rest on he that walks by an example of mercy without a precept to guide him and a promise to support him walks but by a dark Lanthorn that will deceive him well young man remember this examples of mercy increase wrath when the heart is not bettered by them But Thirdly This was a rare miracle of mercy with the glory wherof Christ did honour the ignominy of his Cross and therfore wee may as well look for another crucifying of Christ as look for a sinners conversion when he hath scarce time enough to reckon up all those particular duties which make up the integrity of its constitution But Fourthly I Answer This Theif knew not Christ before he had not refused neglected nor slighted Christ before the Sermon on the Cross was the first Sermon that ever he heard Christ preach and Christs prayer on the Cross was the first prayer that ever he heard Christ make he knew not Christ till hee met him on the Cross which proved to him a happy meeting his case was as if a Turk or Heathen should now be converted to the faith and therefore thou hast little reason O young man to plead this example to keep Christ and thy soul asunder who art every day under the call the intreaties and wooings of Christ But Fifthly and Lastly I Answer The circumstances of time and place are rightly to be considered Now when Christ was triumphing on the Cross over sin satan and the world when he had made the devils a publik spectacle of scorn and derision when hee was taking his leave of the world and entering into his glory Now hee puts a pardon into the Theifs hand and crouds other favours and kindnesses upon him As in the Roman Triumphs the Victor being ascended up to the Capitol in a Chariot of state used to cast certain peeces of coyn among the people for them to pick up which hee used not to do at other times So our Lord Jesus Christ in the day of his Triumph and solemn inauguration into his heavenly kingdome scatters some heavenly jewels that this Theif might pick up which he doth not nor will not do every day Or as in these days it is usual with Princes to save some notorious malefactors at their coronation when they enter upon their kingdomes in Triumph which they do not use to do afterwards So did Jesus Christ carry it toward this Thief but this is not his ordinary way of saving and bringing souls to glory and therefore do not O young man let not the Thiefs late conversion prove a temptation or an occasion of thy delaying thy repentance and trifling away the primerose of thy dayes in vanity and folly And thus much may suffice to have spoken by way of Answer to the Young mans Objections The old mans Doubts Resolved I shall now speak a few words to Old men and so close up Now Is it so commendable so desirable and so necessary for young men to be good betimes to seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of their Youth as hath been sufficiently demonstrated in this Treatise Oh then that I could so wooe aged persons as to win them who yet have put off this great work to seek and serve the Lord before their glass be out their Sun set and their souls lost for ever Oh that that counsil of the Prophet might take hold upon your hearts Jer. 13.16 Give glory to the Lord your God before hee cause darknesse and before your feet stumble thorow age upon the dark mountains and while yee look for light he turn it into the shadow of death and make it gross darkness I but aged Sinners may reply is there any hope any help for us is there any probability is there any possibility that ever such as we are should return and finde mercy and favour with the Lord wee who have lived so long without him we that have sinned so much against him we that to this day are strangers to him yea in arms against him Is there any hope that we white-headed sinners who have withstood so many thousand offers of grace and so many thousand motions of the spirit and so many thousand checks of conscience and so many thousand tenders of Christ and heaven that ever we should obtain mercy that