plenae sunt there he will store up mercies new and old there hee will treasure up all plenty rariety and variety there he will lay up all that heart can wish or need require O the many drops of myrrhe that falls from Christs fingers upon their hearts O the many secrets that Christ reveals in their ears O the many love letters that Christ sends to these O the many visits that hee gives to these O the turns the walks that hee hath in Paradise with these there are none in the World for experience and intelligence to these Ah! Young men young men as you would be rich in the best riches beginne to be good betimes as there is no riches to spiritual riches so there is no way to be rich in these riches but by beginning to be good in good earnest betimes As for worldly riches If there were any happiness in riches the Gods would not want them saith Seneca Philosophers have contemn'd them and prefer'd a contemplative life above them and shall not Christians much more the Prophet calls them thick clay which will fooner break the back than lighten the heart they cannot better the soul they cannot enrich the soul Ah! how many thred-bare souls are to be found under silken cloaks and gowns how often are worldly riches like hang-men they hide mens faces with a covering that they may not see their own end and then they hang them And if they do not hang you they will shortly leave you they make themselves wings and fly away when one was a commending the riches and wealth of Merchants I do not love that wealth said a Heathen that hangs upon ropes if they break the ship miscarrieth and all is lost He is rich enough saith Jerom that lacketh not bread and high enough in dignity that is not forced to serve This worlds wealth that men so much desire May well be likened to a burning fire Whereof a little can do little harm But profit much our bodies wel to warm But take too much and surely thou shalt burn So too much wealth to too much woe do's turn It was an excellent saying of Lewis of Bauyer Emperour of Germany hujusmodi comparandae sunt opes quae cum naufragio simul enatent such goods are worth getting and owning as will not sink or wash away if a shipwrack happen but will wade and swim out with us we see such are the spiritual riches that will attend those who in the spring and morning of their youth shall know the Lord and serve the Lord and get an interest in the Lord and thus much for the third motive The fourth motive to provoke young ones to be really good betimes is to consider that the present time the present day is the onely season that you are sure of time past cannot be recalled and time to come cannot be ascertained Heb. 3.15 To day if you hear his voice harden not your hearts Behold now is the acceptable time 2 Cor. 6.2 The whole Earth hangs on a point so doth heaven and eternity on an inch of opportunity now is the day of Salvation some there bee that trifle away their time and fool away their souls and their salvation to prevent this the Apostle beats upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the present opportunity because if that be once past there is no recovering of it therefore as the Marriner takes the first fair wind to sail and as the Merchant takes his first opportunity of buying and selling and as the Husbandman takes the first opportunity of sowing and reaping So should young men take the present season the present day which is their day to be good towards the Lord to seek him and serve him and not to post off the present season for they know not what another day another hour another moment may bring forth that door of grace that is open to day may be shut to morrow that golden Scepter of mercy that is held forth in the Gospel this day may be taken in the next day that love that this hour is upon the bare knee intreating and beseeching young men to break off their Sinnes by repentance to return to the Lord Isa 27.4 5 to lay hold on his strength and be at peace with him may the next hour be turned into wrath Ah! the noble motions that have been lost the good purposes that have withered the immortal souls that have miscarried by putting off the present season the present day Paul discoursing before Felix of righteousnesse Act. 24.25 temperance and judgment to come and in this discourse striking at two special vices that Felix was particularly guilty of he falls a trembling and being upon the wrack to hear such doctrin he bids Paul depart for that time and he would call for him at a convenient season here Felix neglects his present season and we never read that ever after this he found a convenient time or season to hear Paul make an end of the subject he had begun So Christ made a very fair offer to the Young man in the Gospell Go and sell that thou hast Mat. 21 22 23 24 and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven here Christ offers heavenly treasures for earthly treasures unmixt treasures for mixt treasures perfect treasures for imperfect trealures satisfying treasures for unsatisfying treasures lasting treasures for fading treasures but the young man slips his opportunity his season and goes away sorrowfull and we never read more of him Ah! Young men young men do not put off the present season Often consider what the damned would give were it in their hands for one season of grace for one opportunity of mercy do not neglect the present day there is no time yours but the present time no day yours but the present day and therefore do not please your selves and feed your selves with hopes of time to come and that you will repent but not yet and lay hold on mercy but not yet and give up your selves to the Lord next week next mouth or next year for that God that hath promised you mercy and favour upon the day of your return he hath not promised to prolong your lives till that day comes when a Souldier was brought before Lamacus a Commander for a mis-behaviour and pleaded he would do so no more Lamacus answered non licet in bello his peccare no man must offend twice in War So God especially in these Gospel days wherein the motions of Divine justice are more smart and quick than in former days happily will not suffer men twice to neglect the day of grace Heb. 3.2 and let slip the seasons of mercy Ah young men young men you say you will bee good towards the Lord before you die but if you are not good towards the Lord to day you may dye to morrow nay justice may leave him to bee his own executioner to morrow who will not repent nor
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
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
reasons for it are these viz. The first is drawn from Christs judicial proceedings in the last day set down largely and clearly in the 25 of Matthew where hee inumerateth only the good works they had done but takes no notice of the spots and blots Deut. 3.2 4 5 6 of the staines and blemishes of the infirmities and innormities of the weaknesses and wickednesses of his people My Second Reason is taken from Christs vehement protestations that they shall not come into judgement Vide Aquin. 87. Suppl Est in l. 4. Sendist 47. John 5.24 Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my Word and beleeveth on him that sent mee hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life Those words shall not come into condemnation are not rightly translated the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not come into judgement not into damnation as you read it in all your English books I will not say what should put men upon this exposition rather than a true Translation of the Original word further it is very observable that no Evangelist useth this double asseveration but John and hee never useth it but in matters of greatest weight and importance John 1.51 ch 3.3.11 ch 6.20.32.47.53 c. and to shew the earnestness of his spirit and to stirre us up to better attention and to put the thing asserted out of all question and beyond all contradiction as when wee would put a thing for ever out of all question wee do it by a double asseveration verily verily t is so c. Thirdly Because his not bringing their sinnes into judgement doth most and best agree with many precious and glorious expressions that wee finde scattered as so many shining sparkling Pearls up and down in Scripture as First With those of Gods blotting out the sinnes of his People Isa 43.25 I even I am hee that blotteth out thy transgressions for my own sake Isa 44.22 and will not remember thy sinnes I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins Who is this that blots out transgressions hee that hath the keyes of heaven and hell at his Girdle that opens and no man shuts that shuts and no man opens he that hath the Power of life and death of condemning and absolving of killing and of making alive hee it is that blots out transgressions if an under officer should blot out an inditement that perhaps might do a man no good a man might for all that bee at last cast by the Judge but when the Judge or King shall blot out the indictment with their own hand then the indictment cannot return now this is every beleevers case and happiness Secondly to those glorious expressions of Gods not remembring of their sinnes any more Isa 43.25 And I will not remember thy sins And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour Jer. 31.34 and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know mee from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sinne no more So the Apostle Heb. 8.12 for I will bee merciful to their unrighteousnesse and their sinnes and their iniquities will I remember no more And again the same Apostle saith This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days saith the Lord Heb. 1◠17 That which Cicero said flatteringly of Caesar is truly affirmed of God Nihil oblivisci solet praeter injurias he forgetteth nothing but the wrongs that daily are done him by his I will put my laws into their hearts and in their minds will I write them and their sinnes and iniquities will I remember no more The meaning is their iniquities shall quite bee forgotten I will never mention them more I will never take notice of them more they shall never hear more of them from mee though God hath an iron memory to remember the sinnes of the wicked yet he hath no memory to remember the sins of the righteous Thirdly His not bringing their sinnes into judgement doth most and best agree with those blessed expressions of his casting their sinnes into the depth of the Sea and of his casting them behind his back Mich. 7.19 Hee will turn again hee will have compassion upon us hee will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the depths of the Sea where sinne is once pardoned the remission stands never to be repeated pardoned sinnes shall never come in account against the pardoned man before God any more for so much doth this borrowed speech import if a thing were cast into a River it might bee brought up again or if it were cast upon the sea it might be discerned and taken up again but when it is cast into the depths the bottome of the Sea it can never bee boyed up again By the Metaphor in the Text the Lord would have us to know that sinnes pardoned shall rise no more they shall never be seen more they shall never come on the account more hee will so drown their sinnes that they shall never come up before him the second time And so much that other Scripture imports Isa 38.17 Behold for peace I had great bitterness but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behinde thy back these last words are a borrowed speech taken from the manner of men who are wont to cast behinde their backs such things as they have no minde to see regard or remember A gracious soul hath alwayes his sins before his face I acknowledge my transgressions Psal 51.3 and my sin is ever before mee and therefore no wonder if the Lord cast them behinde his back The Father soon forgets and casts behinde his back those faults that the child remembers and hath alwaies in his eyes so doth the Father of spirits Fourthly His not bringing their sins into judgement doth best agree with that sweet and choice expression of Gods pardoning the sins of his people And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity Jer. 33.8 whereby they have sinned against mee and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned and whereby they have transgressed against mee So Micha Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage as though hee would not see it Mic. 7.18 but wink at it hee retaineth not his anger for ever because hee delighteth in Mercy The Hebrew word Nose from Nasa that is here rendred pardoneth signifies a taking away when God pardons sin hee takes it sheere away that if it should bee sought for yet it could not bee found as the Prophet speaks In those daies and in that time Jer. 50.20 saith the Lord the iniquity of Israel
it Non amo quenquam nisi offendam said a Heathen as wee do by persons or things wee know not or would take no notice of Now is it the glory of a man to passe over a transgression and will it not much more bee the glory of Christ silently to passe over the transgressions of his people in that great day The greater the treasons and rebellions are that a Prince passes over and takes no notice of the more is it his honour and glory and so doubtlesse it will be Christs in that great day To pass over all the treasons and rebellions of his people to take no notice of them to forget them as well as forgive them The Heathens have long since observed that in nothing man came nearer to the glory and perfection of God himself than in goodness and clemency Surely if it bee such an honour to man to passe over a transgression it cannot bee a dishonour to Christ to pass over the transgressions of his people hee having already buried them in the Sea of his blood Again saith Solomon It is the glory of God to conceal a thing Pro. 25.2 And why it should not make for the glory of divine love to conceal the sins of the Saints in that great day I know not and whether the concealing the sins of the Saints in that great day will not make most for their joy and wicked mens sorrow for their comfort and wicked mens terrour and torment I will leave you to judge and time and experience to decide And thus much for the resolution of that great question Having done with the Motives that may incourage and provoke young men to bee good betimes to know love seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of their dayes I shall now come to those directions and helps that must by assistance from Heaven bee put in practice if ever you would bee good betimes and serve the Lord in the Prim-rose of your dayes Now all that I shall say will fall under these two heads First Some things you must carefully and warily decline and arm your selves against and secondly there are other things that you must prosecute and follow First there are some things that you must warily decline and they are these First If ever you would bee good betimes if you would bee gracious in the spring and morning of your youth Oh then take heed of putting the day of death far from you Amos 6.3 Young men are very prone to look upon death afar off to put it at a great distance from them they are apt to say to death Exod. 10.28 as Pharaoh said to Moses Get thee from mee and let mee see thy face no more if old men discourse to them of death they are ready to answer as the High-Priest did Judas in a different case what is that to us Mat. 27.4 look you unto it wee know sicknesse will come and death is a debt that wee must all pay but surely these guests are a great way from us for doth not David say Psal 90.10 The daies of a man are threescore years and ten wee have calculated our nativities and wee cannot abate a day a minute a moment of threescore and ten and therefore it is even a death to us to think of death there being so great a distance between our birth-day and our dying-day as wee have cast up the account Ah young men it is sad it is very say when you are so wittily wicked as to say with those in Ezekiel Behold they of the house of Israel say Ezek. 12.27 the vision that hee seeth is for many dayes to come and hee prophecyeth of the times that are afar off Ah young men young men by putting far away this day you gratifie Satan you strengthen sin you provoke the Lord you make the work of faith and repentance more hard and difficult you lay a sad foundation for the greatest fears and doubts Ah! how soon may that sad word bee fulfilled upon you The Lord of that servant that saith Mat. 24.48 49 50 51. his Lord delayeth his coming shall come in a day when hee looketh not for him and in an hour that hee is not aware of and shall cut him asunder or cut him off and appoint him his portion with Hypocrites there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth When Sodom when Pharaoh when Agag when Amalek when Haman when Herod when Nebuchadnezzar when Belshazzar when Dives when the fool in the Gospel were all in their prime their pride when they were all in a flourishing state and upon the very top of their glory how strangely how suddenly how sadly how fearfully how wonderfully were they brought down to the grave to Hell Good Couns to Young men Ah young man who art thou and what is thy name or fame what is thy power or place what is thy dignity or glory that thou darest promise thy self an exemption from sharing in as sad a portion as ever Justice gave to those who were once very high who were seated among the stars but are now brought down to the sides of the pit â—sa 13.10 11 â—2 13 14 15 16 17. I have read a story of one that gave a young Prodigal a Ring with a deaths head on this condition that hee should one hour daily for seven daies together look and think upon it which bred a great change in his life Ah young men the serious thoughts of death may do that for you that neither friends counsel examples prayers Sermons tears hath not done to this very day Well remember this to labour not to die is labour in vain and to put this day far from you Senibus mors in januis adolescentibus in insidiis Bernard De convers ad Cler. c. 14. and to live without fear of death is to die living Death seizeth on old men and laies wait for the youngest Death is oftentimes as near the young mans back as it is to the old mans face It is storied of Charles the fourth King of France that being one time affected with the sense of his many and great sins hee fetcht a deep sigh and said to his wife by the help of God I will now so carry my self all my life long that I will never offend him more which words hee had no sooner uttered but hee fell down dead and died Do not young men put this day far from you least you are suddenly surprized and then you cry out when too late a Kingdome for a Christ a Kingdome for a Christ as once Crookt-back Richard the third in his distresse a Kingdome for a horse a Kingdome for a horse Ah young men did you never hear of a young man that cryed out Oh! I am so sick that I cannot live and yet woful wretch that I am so sinful that I dare not die Oh that I might live Oh that I might die Oh that I might do neither Well young
22.11 ch 19. v. 19 God commands them not to wear a Garment of diverse sorts as of woollen and linnen together Neither shall a garment mingled of Linnen and woollen come upon thee This Law was figurative and shews us that in the case of our justification acceptation and salvation wee are not to joyn our works our services with the righteousness of Christ Phil. 3.9 10 Rev. 19.8 Gal. 3.28 c. 2.16 God abhors a linsy-woolsy righteousnesse And as by the Letter of this Law in the Hebrews account one threed of wool in a Linnen garment or one Linnen threed in a Woollen garment made it unlawful So the least manner of mixture in the business of justification makes all null and void And if by grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace Rom. 11.6 Eph. 2.5 Rom 5.15 16 8 But if it bee of works then it is no more grace otherwise work is no more work hee that shall mix his Righteousness with Christs hee that shall mix his puddle with Christs purple bloud his rags with Christs royal Robes his copper with Christs Gold his water with Christs wine c. is in the ready way to perish for ever On earth Kings love no consorts power is impatient of participation Christ will bee Alexander or Nemo no body hee will bee all in all in the businesse of Justification 1 Cor. 1.30 Rom. 5.19 20 or hee will bee nothing at all wee must say of Christ as it was once said of Caesar socium habet neminem hee may have a companion c. but hee must not have a competitor Let us say of Christ as the Heathen once said of his Petty gods contemne minutulos istos Deos modo Jovem propitium habeam so long as hee had his Jupiter to friend hee regarded them not So so long as wee have our Jesus to friend Eph. 3.9 10 Psal 71.15 16 19 compared and his righteousness and bloud to friend we should contemn all other things and abhor the bringing of any thing into competition with him a real Christian cares not for any thing that hath not aliquid Christi Something of Christ in it Hee that holds not wholly with Christ doth very shamefully neglect Christ Aut totum mecum tene aut totum omitte saith Gregory Nazienzen There is no other name no other nature no other blood no other merits no other person to bee justified and saved by but Jesus Christ Isa 55.2 Rom. 10.3 you may run from Creature to Creature and from duty to duty and from Ordinance to Ordinance and when you have wearied and tyred out your selves in seeking ease and rest satisfaction and remission justification and salvation in one way and another you will bee forc'd after all to come to Christ and to cry out Ah! none but Christ none but Christ Ah! none to Christ none to Christ no works to Christ no duties no services to Christ no prayers no tears to Christ no righteousnesse no holiness to Christ Well friends remember this that all the tears in the world cannot wipe off meritoriously one sin nor all the grace and holiness that is in Angels and men buy out the pardon of the least transgression All remission is only by the blood of Christ Sixthly and lastly If you would bee 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 hee was upon earth Christ is not lesse loving lesse mindful less desirous of sinners eternal welfare now hee is in Heaven in a far Country than hee was when hee lived on earth 2 Cor. 5.20 witnesse his continuing the Ministery of Reconciliation among poor sinners in all ages witnesse the constant Treatise that by his Embassadors and Spirit hee still hath with poor sinners about the things of their peace the things of eternity Rev. 3.20 Isa 16.4 Isa 27.5 witnesse his continual knocking 's his continual callings upon poor sinners by his word Rod Spirit to open to repent to lay hold on mercy and to be at peace with him witness his continual wooing of poor sinners in the face of all neglects Cant 1.2 3. Luk 14. and put offs in the face of all delaies and denials Pro. 6.9 Mat. 22.4.23 37. in the face of all harsh entertainment and churlish answers in the face of all gain-sayings and carnal reasonings in the face of all the scorn and contempt that wretched sinners put upon him and witnesse that plain word Jesus Christ the same yesterday Heb. 13.8 and to day and for ever Christ is the same aforetime in time and after time hee is unchangeable in his essence in his promises and in his affections I am Alpha and Omega Re. 1.8 11. ch 21.6 ch 22.13 the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come The phrase is taken from the Greek letters whereof Alpha is the first and Omega the last It was a custome among the Turks to cry out every morning from an high Tower God alwaies was and alwaies will bee and so salute their Mahomet the first and last letter of the Greek Alphabet is a description of mee saith Christ who am before all and after all who am above all and in all who am unchangeable in my self and in my thoughts and good-will to poor sinners therefore do not poor souls entertain any hard thoughts concerning Jesus Christ as if hee was lesse mindful lesse pittiful and lesse merciful to poor souls now hee is in Heaven than hee was when his abode was in this world And thus I have gone over those six things that you must know concerning Christ betimes if ever you would bee good betimes When Pope Leo lay upon his death bed Cardinal Bembus citing a text of Scripture to comfort him hee replied Apage has nug as de Christo away with these bawbles concerning Christ but I hope better things of you and do desire that you will say of all things below this knowledge of Christ that I have opened to you as that devout Pilgrim who travelling to Jerusalem and by the way visiting many brave Cities with their rare monuments and meeting with many friendly entertainments would often say I must not stay here this is not Jerusalem Ah! so do you young men and women in the midst of all your worldly delights and contents cry out Oh wee must not stay here this is not Jerusalem this is not that knowledge of Christ that I must have if ever I am happy here and blessed hereafter Fourthly and lastly If you would bee good betimes then you must acquaint your selves with those that are good betimes if you would bee gracious in the spring and morning of your youth then you must begin betimes to bee much in with them who are much in with Christ who lye near his heart and knows much of his mind
cordially tendred I hope none of you into whose hands it may fall will say as once Antipater King of Macedonia did when one presented him with a book treating of happinesse his answer was Ou Scholazo I have no leisure Ah! Young men and women young men and virgins as you tender the everlasting welfare of your souls as you would escape hell and come to heaven as you would have an interest in Christ a pardon in your bosomes as you would be blessed here glorious hereafter find time find leasure to read over and over the following treatise which is purposely calculated for your eternal good But before I go further I think it needful in some respects to give the world some further account of other reasons or motives that hath prevailed with mee once more to appear in print and they are these First Having preached a Sermon occasionally upon those words on which this following discourse is built I was earnestly importun'd to print the Sermon by some worthy friends I did as long as in modesty I could withst and their desires judging it not worthy of them but being at last overcome and setting about the work the breathings and comings in of God were such as hath occasioned that one Sermon to multiply into many Luther tells us that when hee first began to turn his back upon Popery hee intended no more but to withstand Popish pardons and selling indulgencies yet neither would God or his enemies let him alone till hee resolved with Moses not to leave a hoof of Popery unopposed c. God many times in the things of the Gospel carries forth his servants beyond their intentions beyond their resolutions But Secondly The kinde acceptance and good quarter that my other peeces have found in the world and those signal and multiplyed blessings that have followed them to the winning of many over to Christ and to the building up of others in Christ hath incouraged mee to present this Treatise to the World hoping that the Lord hath a blessing in store for this also Gracious experiences are beyond notions and impressions they are very quickening and encouraging Thirdly That I might in some measure make up others neglects whose age whose parts whose experiences whose graces hath long called upon them to do something considerable this way and that they may bee provoked by my weak assay to do better and to make up what is wanting through my invincible infirmities and spiritual wants and weaknesses which are so many as may well make a sufficient Apology for all the defects and weaknesses that in this Treatise shall appear to a serious judicious eye But Fourthly The love of Christ and souls hath constrained mee to it 2 Cor. 5.14 2 Cor. 12.15 Solus amor nesci◠difficultates Love knows no difficulties as there is an attractive so there is a compulsive vertue in divine love Love to Christ and souls will make a man willing to spend and bee spent hee that praies himself to death that preaches himself to death that studies himself to death that sweats himself to death for the honour of Christ and good of souls shall bee no looser in the end divine love is like a rod of Myrtle which as Pliny reports makes the traveller that carries it in his hand that hee shall never bee faint or weary Divine love is very operative si non operatur non est if it do not work it is an argument it is not at all divine love like fire is not idle but active hee that loves cannot bee barren love will make the soul constant and abundant in well doing God admits none to heaven saith Justin Martyr but such as can perswade him by their works that they love him The very heathen hath observed Seneca that God doth not love his children with a weak womanish affection but with a strong masculine love and certainly they that love the Lord strongly that love him with a Masculine love they cannot but lay out their little all for him and his glory But Fifthly I observe that Satan and his instruments are exceeding busy and unwearied in their designs attempts and indeavours in these dayes to corrupt and poyson It is said of Marcellus the Roman General that he could not bee quiet Nec victor nec victus neither Conquered nor Conquerer such a one is Satan to defile and destroy the young the tender the most hopeful and most flourishing plants among us Latimer told the Clergy in his time that if they would not learn diligence and vigilance of the Prophets and Apostles they should learn it of the Devil who goes up and down his Dioceses and acts by an untired Power seeking whom hee may destroy when the wolves are abroad the Shepheard should not sleep but watch yea double his watch remembring that hee were better have all the bloud of all the men in the world upon him than the bloud of one soul upon him by his negligence or otherwise Satan is a Lyon not a Lamb a roaring Lyon not a sleepy Lyon not a Lyon standing still but a Lyon going up and down as not being contented with the Prey the many millions of souls hee hath got he seeks whom he may sip up at a draught as that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 1 Pet. 5.8 imports his greatest design is to fill hell with souls which should awaken every one to bee active and to do all that may bee done to prevent his design and to help forward the salvation of souls Chrysostome compares good pastors Chrys in Mat. Ho. 15. to fountains that ever send forth waters or Conduits that are alwayes running though no pail bee put under But Sixthly and Lastly 1 Cor. 15. ult I know the whole life of man is but an hour to work in and the more work any man doth for Christ on earth the better pay he shall have when hee comes to Heaven 2 Cor. 9.6 Every man shall at last reap as he sows Opportunities of doing service for Christ and souls are more worth than a world therefore I was willing to takehold on this not knowing how soon I may put off this earthly Tabernacle 2 Pet. 1.13 14 and remembring that as there is no beleeving nor repenting in the grave Eccl. 9.10 So there is no praying preaching writing nor Printing in the grave we had need to be up and doing to put both hands to it and to do all wee do with all our might John 9.4 knowing that the night draws on upon us wherein no man can work A Christians dying day is the Lords pay day that is a time to receive wages not to do work And thus I have given the World a true account of the Reasons that moved me to print the following discourse before I close up I desire to speak a word to young persons and another to aged persons and then I shall take leave of both My request to you who are in
the primerose of your dayes is this if ever the Lord shall be pleased so to own and Crown so to bless and follow this following discourse as to make it an effectuall means of turning you to the Lord of winning you to Christ of changing your natures and converting your souls for such a thing as that I pray hope and beleeve that then you would do two things for me First That you would never cease bearing of me upon your hearts when you are in the mount that I may bee very much under the pourings out of the Spirit that I may be clear high and full in my communion with God and that I may bee alwayes close holy humble harmless and blamelesse in my walkings with God And that his work may more and more prosper in my hand Secondly Psal 66.16 1 Pet. 3.15 That you would by word of mouth letter or some other way acquaint mee with what the Lord hath done for your souls if he shall make mee a spiritual father to you do not hide his grace from mee but acquaint mee how hee hath made the seed that was sown in weakness to rise in power upon you and that First That I may do what I can to help on that work begun upon you that your penny may become a pound your mite a million your drop an ocean Secondly That I may the better English some impressions that have been upon my own spirit since I begun this work Thirdly 1 Thes 2 19 20 2 Cor. 9.2 That my joy and thankfulness may bee increased and my soul more abundantly engaged to that God who hath blest the day of small things to you ponder these scriptures 2 Cor. 7.3 4 13. Phil. 2.2 ch 4.1 Philemon ver 7. 2 John 3.4 And then be ashamed to declare what the Lord hath done for you if you can Fourthly Mat. 25.23 Dan. 12.3 Prov. 11.30 it is better to convert one than to civilize a thousand and will turn more at last to a Ministers account in that day wherein he shall say Loe here am I and the children that thou hast given mee Isa 8.18 such a man with his spiritual children about him shall look on God with more comfort and boldness than those that are onely able to say Loe here am I and the many Benefices here am I and the many Ecclesiastical dignities and glories here am I and the many hundreds a year that man had given and I have gotten But Fifthly Act. 9.3 Isa 6.5 Mal. 2.5 6 7. c. and Lastly The conversion of others is a secondary and more remote evidence of a mans own renovation and conversion Paul was converted himself before God made him instrumental for others Conversion Gods usuall method is to convert by them who are converted I do not remember any one instance in all the scripture of Gods converting any by such who have not been converted first themselves yet I know his grace is free and the wind blows where it lists when it lists and as it lists To aged persons I have a word and then I have done First To Gray-headed Saints Ah Friends ah Fathers would you see your honour your happiness your blessedness then look into this Treatise and there you will finde what an unspeakable honour it is to bee an Old disciple what a glory it is to be good betimes and to continue so to Old age Secondly To white-headed Sinners whose spring is past whose summer is overpast and who are arrived at the fall of the leaf and yet have a hell to escape a Christ to beleeve in sins to pardon hearts to change souls to save and heaven to make sure would such be incouraged from scripture grounds to repent beleeve and hope that yet there is mercy for such let them seriously peruse this Treatise especially the latter part of it and there they may finde enough to keep them from despairing and to incourage them to adventure their souls upon him that is mighty to save There are many things in this Treatise that are of use to all and several things of moment that are not every day Preach't nor read I have made it as pleasureable as time would permit that so it might be the more profitable to the reader and that I might the better take the young man by a holy craft 2 Cor. 12. ch 15.2 Prov. 11.30 which is a high point of heavenly wisdome there being no wisdome to that of winning of souls I shall now follow this poor peice with my weak prayers that it may be soblest from heaven as that it may bring in some and build up others and do good to all and so rest Your friend and Servant in the Gospel of Christ THOMAS BROOKS The Contents THe explication of the words from page 1. to page 10. Doct. That it is a very desirable and commendable thing for young men to be really good betimes this truth proved p. 10 11 12 Twelve Reasons of this point 1 Because he commands it whose Commands are not to be disputed but obeyed from p. 12. to 16 2 Because they have means and opportunities of being good betimes from p. 16. to 20 3 Because then they will have fewer sins to answer for and repent of p. 20 21. 4 Because time is a precious talent that Young men must be accountable for from p. 21. to 26 5 Because then they will have the greater comfort and joy when they come to bee old from p. 26. to 28 6 Because an eternity of felicity and glory hangs upon those few moments that are allotted to them from p. 28. to 33. 7 Because they do not begin to live till they begin to be really good from p. 33. to 36 8 Because the promise of finding God of enjoying God is made over to an early seeking of God c. from p. 36. to 44 9 Because the time of Youth is the choicest and fittest time for service from p. 44. to 47 10 Because death may suddenly and unexpectedly seize on youth youth being as fickle as old age from p. 47. to 52 11 Because it is ten to one nay a hundred to ten if ever they are converted if they are not converted when they are young from p. 52. to 55 12 Because else they will never attain to the honour of being an Old Disciple p. 55.56 The honour of an Old Disciple shew'd in seven particulars 1 All men will honour an Old Disciple from p. 56. to 58 2 God usually reveals himself most to old Disciples to old Saints p. 58. to 62 3 An old Christian an old Disciple hath got the art of serving God p. 62. to 63 4 An old Disciple an old Christian is rich in spirituall experiences from 63 to 67 5 An old Disciple is firm and fixt in his resolutions from 67 to 70 6 An old Disciple is prepared for death from 70. to 73 7 An old Disciple shall have a great reward in heaven from 73. to 79 Use of
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
Christ the offices of Christ the merits of Christ the righteousness of Christ the graces of Christ and the influence of Christ O the stories that an old Disciple can tell you of the indwellings of the spirit of the operations of the spirit of the teachings of the spirit of the leadings of the spirit of the sealings of the spirit of the witnessings of the spirit and of the comforts and joyes of the spirit O the stories that an old Christian can tell you of the evil of Sinne the bitterness of Sinne the deceitfulness of Sinne the prevalency of Sin and the happiness of conquest over Sinne. O the stories that hee can tell you of the snares of Satan the devices of Satan the temptations of Satan the rage of Satan the malice of Satan the watchfulness of Satan and the wayes of triumphing over Satan As an old Souldier can tell you of many battels many scarres many wounds many losses and many victories even to admiration So an old Saint is able to tell you many divine stories even to admiration Pliny writes of the Crocodile that shee grows to her last day So aged Saints Hos 14.5 6 7 they grow rich in spirituall experiences to the last An old Christian being once asked if he grew in goodness Answered yea doubtless I do for God hath said Psal 92.12 13 14. The Righteous shall flourish like the Palm-tree now the Palm-tree never looseth his leaf or fruit saith Pliny hee shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God They shall still bring forth fruit in old age they shall bee fat and flourishing Isa 46.3 4 A fellow to this promise Isaiah mentions Hearken unto me O house of Jacob and all the remnant of the house of Israel which are born by mee from the belly which are carried from the womb and even to your old age I am hee and even to hoary hairs will I carry you I have made and I will bear even I will carry and will deliver you There is nothing more commendable in fulness of age Dan. 7.9 13 22 than fulness of knowledge and experience nor nothing more honourable than to see ancient Christians very much acquainted with the Ancient of dayes It is a brave sight to see ancient Christians like the Almond-Tree Now the Almond-tree doth flourish and is full of blossomes in the winter of old age for as Pliny tells us the Almond-Tree doth blossome in the month of January experiments in religion are beyond notions and impressions a sanctified heart is better than a silver tongue no man so rich so honourable so happy as the old Disciple that is rich in spirituall experiences and yet there is no Christian so rich in his experiences but hee would be richer The Lawyer As Julianius said that when hee had one foot in the grave hee would have the other in the School So though an old Disciple hath one foot in the grave yet hee will have the other in Christs School that he may still bee treasuring up more and more divine experiments and by this also you see what an honour it is to bee an old Disciple c. Fifthly An old Disciple is very stout couragious firm and fixt in his resolutions Psa 44.9 ult an old Christian is like a pillar a rock nothing can move him nothing can shake him what is suckt in in youth will abide in old age old souldiers are stout and couragious nothing can daunt nor discourage them When Joshua was an hundred and ten years old Josh 24.15.29 O how couragious and resolute was hee And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord chuse you this day whom you will serve whether the Gods that your Fathers served that were on the other side of the flood or the gods of the Amorites in whose land yee dwell but as for mee and my house wee will serve the Lord. And it came to passe after these things that Joshua the Son of Nun the servant of the Lord dyed being an hundred and ten years old Confidius a Senator of Rome told Caesar boldly that the Senators durst not come to council for fear of his souldiers hee replyed why then dost thou go to the Senate hee answered because my age takes away my fear Ah! none so couragious none so divinely fearlesse none so carelesse in evil dayes as ancient Christians An old Christian knows that that good will do him no good which is not made good by perseverance his resolution is like that of Gonsalvo who protested to his souldiers shewing them Naples that hee had rather die one foot forwards than to have his life secured for long by one foot of retreat Shall such a man as I am flee said undaunted Nehemia Neh. 6.11 he will couragiously venture life and limb rather than by one foot of retreat credit profession with the reproach of fearfulness Aristotle though a heathen could say that in some cases a man had better lose his life than bee cowardly Arist Ethie 3. cap. 1. It was a brave magnanimous speech of Luther when dangers from opposers did threaten him and his associates come saith hee let us sing the forty sixth Psalm and then let them do their worst When Polycarpus was fourscore and six years old hee suffered Martyrdome couragiously resolutely and undauntedly When one of the ancient Martyrs was very much threatned by his persecutors hee replyed there is nothing of things visible nothing of things invisible that I fear I will stand to my profession of the name of Christ and contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints come on it what will Old Disciples old Souldiers of Christ 2 Sam. 23.11 12. they have the heart and courage of Shammah one of Davids worthies who stood and defended the field when all the rest fled The Hebrews call a young man Nagnar which springs from a root that signifies to shake off Mat. 19.20.21 22. or to bee tossed to and fro to note how fickle and how constant in inconstancy young men are they usually are persons either of no resolution for good or of weak resolution they are too often wonn with a Nut and lost with an Apple but now aged Christians in all Earthquakes they stand fast like Mount-Zion that cannot bee removed And by this also you may see what an honour it is to bee an old Disciple an old Christian Sixthly An old Disciple an old Christian is prepared for death hee hath been long a dying to sin Rom. 6 6. Gal. 5.24 ch 6.14 to the world to friends to self to relations all and no man so prepared to dye as he that thus daily dyes An old Disciple hath lived sincerely to Christ hee hath lived eminently to Christ hee hath lived in all conditions Rom. 14.7 8. Phil. 1.21 22 23. and under all changes to Christ he hath lived
exemplarily to Christ hee hath lived long to Christ and therefore the more prepared to dye and bee with Christ An old Disciple hath a crown in his eye a pardon in his bosome and a Christ in his arms and therefore may sweetly sing it out with old Simeon Lord now let thy servant depart in peace As Hillary said to his soul soul thou hast served Christ this seventy years Zeno a wise heathen said I have no fear but of old age and art thou afraid of death go out soul go out Many a day said old Cowper have I sought death with tears not out of impatience distrust or perturbation but because I am weary of sin and fearful to fall into it Nazianzen calls upon the King of terrors devour mee devoure mee And Austin when old could say shall I dye ever Cyprian could receive the cruellest sentence of death with a Deo gratias God I thank thee yes or shall I die at all yes why then Lord if ever why not now why not now so when Modestus the Emperors Lieutenant threatned to kill Bazil he answered if that be all I fear not yea your Master cannot more pleasure mee than in sending mee unto my heavenly Father to whom I now live and to whom I desire to hasten I cannot say as hee said old Mr. Stephen Martial a little before his death I have not so lived that I should now bee afraid to dye but this I can say I have so learned Christ that I am not afraid to dy Old Christians have made no more to dye than to dine Isa 57.1 2 It is nothing to dye when the Comforter stands by Old Disciples know that to dye is but to lye down in their beds they know that their dying day is better than their birth day Eccl. 7.1 and this made Solomon to prefer his Coffin before his Crown the day of his dissolution before the day of his coronation The Ancients were wont to call the dayes of their death Natalia not dying days but birth days The Jews to this day stick-not to call their Golgotha's Batte Caiim the houses or places of the Living old Christians know that death is but an entrance into life t is but a passeover a jubile t is but the Lords Gentleman-usher to conduct them to heaven and this prepares them to dye and makes death more desirable than life and by this you may see that it is an honour to bee an old Disciple Seventhly An Old Disciple an old Christian 1 Cor. 15 ult 2 Cor. 9.6 Mat. 5.10 11 12 God will reward his Servants Secundum laborem according to their labour though not Secundum proventum according to the successe of their labour shall have a great reward in heaven Old Christians have done much and suffered much for Christ and the more any man doth or suffers for Christ here the more glory hee shall have hereafter T was the saying of an old Disciple upon his dying bed hee is come hee is come meaning the Lord with a great reward for a little work Agrippa having suffered imprisonment for wishing Cajus Emperor the first thing Cajus did when hee came to the Empire was to prefer Agrippa to a Kingdome hee gave him also a chain of Gold as heavy as the chain of Iron that was upon him in prison And will not Christ richly reward all his suffering Saints Surely hee will Christ will at last pay a Christian for every prayer hee hath made for every Sermon hee hath heard for every tear hee hath shed for every morsell hee hath given for every burden hee hath born for every battel hee hath fought for every enemy hee hath flain and for every temptation that he hath overcome Cyrus in a great expedition against his enemies the better to incourage his souldiers to fight in an oration that he made at the head of his Army promised upon the victory to make every foot souldier an horsman and every horseman a Commander and that no Officer that did valiantly should be unrewarded Mat. 19.28 Luke 22.30 Mat. 5.12 but what are Cyrus his rewards to the rewards that Christ our General promises to his Rev. 3.21 To him that overcommeth will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my father in his throne As the King in Plutarch said of a groat it is no kingly gift and of a Talent it is no base bribe As there is no Lord to Christ so there is no rewards to Christs his rewards are the greatest rewards hee gives Kingdomes Crowns Thrones hee gives grace and glory Psal 84.11 It is said of Araunah that noble Jebusite renowned for his bounty that he had but a subjects purse but a Kings heart but Jesus Christ hath a Kings purse as well as a Kings heart and accordingly hee gives And as Christs rewards are the greatest rewards so his rewards are the surest rewards he is faithfull that hath promised 1 Thes 5.24 Antiochus promised often but seldome gave upon which hee was called in way of derision a great promiser but Jesus Christ never made any promise but hee hath or will perform it 2 Cor. 1.20 nay he is often better than his word 1 Cor. 2.9 hee gives many times more than wee ask The sick man of the Palsy asked but health Mat. 9.2 and Christ gave him health and a pardon to boot Solomon desired but wisdome 2 Chron. 1.10.11 12 13 14 15. and the Lord gave him wisdome and honour and riches and the favour of creatures as paper and pack-thred into the bargain Jacob asked him but cloaths to wear Gen. 28.20 Compared with Gen. 32.10 and bread to eat and the Lord gave him these things and riches and other mercies into the bargain Christ doth not measure his gifts by our Petitions but by his own riches and mercies Gracious souls many times receive many gifts and favours from God that they never dreamt off nor durst presume to begge which others exstreamly strive after and go without Archelaus being much importuned by a covetous courtier for a cup of gold wherein hee drank gave it unto Euripides that stood by saying thou art worthy to ask and be denyed but Euripides is worthy of gifts although hee ask not Luk. 15.19 â—â—,25 The Prodigall craves no more but the place of an hyred Servant but hee is entertained as a Sonne he is clad with the best robe and fed with the fatted calf he hath a ring for his hand and shooes for his feet rich supplies more than hee desired Gen. 42. Jacobs sons in a time of famine desired only corn and they return with corn and money in their sacks and with good news too Joseph is alive and governour of all Egypt And as his Rewards are greater and surer than others rewards Heb. 12.28 Mat. 6.19 20 1 Pet. 1.4 so they are more durable and lasting than others rewards the Kingdome that hee
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
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
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 means to preserve thee from lying in those everlasting Flames Bellarmine tells us of a certain advocate of the Court of Rome that being at the point of death Bellar. de arte moriendi l. 2. c. 10. was stirred up by them that stood by to repent and call upon God for mercy hee with a constant countenance and without signe of fear turned his speech to God and said Lord I have a desire to speak unto thee not for my self but for my wife and Children for I am hastening to hell neither is there any thing that thou shouldest do for mee and this he spake saith Bellarmine who was present and heard it as if hee had spoke of a journey to some Village or Town and was no more affrighted Sir Francis Bacon also in his History of Henry the Seventh relates how it was a common by-word of the Lord Cordes that hee would bee content to lye seven years in hell so hee might win Calice from the English but if thou O young man art given up to such desperate Atheisme and carnal Apprehensions of Hell I am affraid God will confute thee one day by fire and brimstone but I would willingly hope better things of all those young persons into whose hands this Treatise shall fall and thus you see what things must bee declined and avoided if ever you would be good betimes if ever you would seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of your daies But in the second place as those things must bee declined so other things must carefully and diligently bee practised if ever you would be good betimes I shall instance onely in those that are most considerable and weighty as First if ever you would bee good betimes c. then you must labour to bee acquainted with four things betimes First You must labour to acquaint your selves with the Scripture betimes you must study the Word betimes David studied the Word in the morning of his dayes in the primrose of his youth Psal 119.97 98 99 100 101 102 103 and this made him wiser than his enemies yea than his teachers this made him as much excel the Ancients as the Sunne excels the Moon or as the Moon excels the twinkling stars Timothy was good betimes and no wonder for in the prime-rose of his dayes 2 Tim. 3.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from a suckling hee was acquainted with the Scripture hee was inured to the Word from his child-hood yea from his infancy as the word properly signifies so in that 119 Psalm the 9. Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed according to thy Word there is no way to a holy heart and a clean life but by acquainting of your selves with the Word betimes one hath long since observed Aug. that God hath bowed down the Scriptures to the capacity even of babes and sucklings that all excuse may be taken away and that young men may bee encouraged to study the Scripture betimes Ah! Adoro Plenitudinem Scripturarum Tertullian Young men no Histories are comparable to the Histories of the Scriptures 1 for Antiquity 2 Rarity 3 Variety 4 Brevity 5 Perspicuity 6 Harmony 7 Verity All other books cannot equal Gods either in age or authority in dignity or excellency in sufficiency or glory Moses is found more ancient and more honourable than all those whom the Grecians make most ancient and honourable as Homer Hesiod and Jupiter himself whom the Greeks have seated in the top of their divinity The whole Scripture is but one intire love letter Gregory calls the Scripture Cor animam Dei the heart and soul of God dispatcht from the Lord Christ to his beloved Spouse and who then but would still be a reading in this love letter Like Caecilia a Roman maiden of Noble Parentage who carried alwaies about her the New-Testament that shee might still be a reading in Christs love letter and behold the sweet workings of his love and heart towards his dear and precious ones Luther found so much sweetnesse in the Word in Christs love letter that made him say he would not live in Paradise if he might without the word at cum verbo etiam in inferno facile est vivere but with the Word hee could live in hell it self The Word is like the stone Garamantides that hath drops of Gold in it self enriching of the beleeving soul This the Martyrs found which made them willing to give a load of hay for a few leaves of the Bible in English Augustine professeth that the Sacred Scriptures were his holy delight Hier. Epistola ad Heliod in Epitaphium Nepotiani And Hierom tells us of one Nepotianus who by long and assiduous meditation on the holy Scriptures had made his breast the library of Jesus Christ And Rabbi Chiia in the Jerusalem Talmud saith that in his account all the World is not of equal value with one word out of the Law That which a Papist reports lyingly of their Sacrament of the Mass viz. that there are as many mysteries in it as there bee drops in the Sea dust on the earth Angels in heaven stars in the skye Atomes in the Sun-beams or sand on the Sea-shore c. may be truly asserted of the holy Scriptures Oh the mysteries the excellencies the glories that are in the Word Ah no book to this book none so useful none so needful none so delightful none so necessary to make you happy and to keep you happy as this It is said of Caesar major fuit cura Caesari libellorum quam purpurae that he had greater care of his books than of his Royal Robes for swimming thorow the waters to escape his enemies hee carried his books in his hand above the waters but lost his Robe now what are Caesars books to Gods books Ah! Ps 119 Young men young men the Word of the Lord is a light to guide you a Counsellor to counsel you a comforter to comfort you a staffe to support you a sword to defend you and a Physitian to cure you the word is a Mine to enrich you a Robe to cloath you and a Crown to crown you it is bread to strengthen you and wine to cheere you and a honey-comb to feast you and musick to delight you and a Paradise to entertain you Oh! The Jewish Rabbins were wont to say that upon every letter of the saw there hangs mountains of profitable matter Therefore before all and above all search the Scripture study the Scripture dwell on the Scripture delight in the Scripture treasure up the Scripture no wisdome to scripture Wisdome no knowledge to Scripture knowledge no experience to Scripture experience no comforts to Scripture comforts no delights to Scripture delights no convictions to Scripture convictions nor no conversion to scripture conversion Augustin hearing a voice from heaven Tolle lege that bad him take and read whereupon turning open the new-Testament hee fell upon that place
Rom. 13.13 14 Let us walk honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse not in strife and envying But put yee on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof This Scripture so sunk into his heart as that it proved the means of his conversion as himself reports Lib. 8. conf cap. 12. this Augustin as hee was once Preaching his memory failing of him contrary to his purpose he fell upon reproving the Manicheans and by a scripture or two not before thought of Poffidon de vita Augustin to confute their heresies he converted Firmus a Manichaean as he after acknowledged to Augustin blessing God for that sermon It is reported of one Adrianus who seeing the Martyrs suffer such grievous things in the cause of God hee asked what was that which caused them to suffer such things and one of them named that text Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love him and this text was set home with such a power upon him as that it converted him and made him to profess Religion and not onely to profess it but to dye a martyr for it Cyprian was converted by reading the Prophecy of Jonah Junius was converted by reading the 1 Chapter of John the Evangelist I have read of a scandalous Minister that was struck at the heart and converted in reading that scripture Rom. 2.21 Thou which teachest another teachest thou not thy self c Wee read that Paphnutius converted Thais and Ephron two famous strumpets from uncleannesse only with this Scripture Argument That God seeth all things in the dark Heb. 4.13 when the doors are fast the windows shut the Curtains drawn c. I have read of a poor man who perswaded a young Scholler to leave reading of Poetry c. and fall upon reading of the Scripture which accordingly hee did and it pleased the Lord before hee had read out Genesis to change his heart and to turn him to the Lord in the Primrose of his daies hee being then but twenty years of age I have read of a young Lady Origen was her Schoolmaster called Potamia of a very illustrious family who endured very much in her Martyrdome by the extream cruelty of Basilides her executioner yet after her death hee bethinking himself of the holy words and Scripture expressions that were uttered by her during her cruel torments became a Christian and within few daies after was himself likewise crowned with Martyrdome James Andreas a godly Minister hearing of a Jew that for theft was hanged by the heels with his head downward having not seen that kinde of punishment hee went to the place where hee was hanging between two Dogs that were alwaies snatching at him to eat his flesh the poor wretch repeated in Hebrew some verses of the Psalms wherein hee cryed to God for mercy whereupon Andreas went near to him and instructed him in the Principles of Christian Religion about Christ the Messiah c. Exhorting him to beleeve in him A miracle of mercy and it pleased God so to blesse his Scripture exhortations to him that the Dogs gave over tearing of his flesh and the poor Jew desired him to procure that hee might bee taken down and baptized and hung by the neck for the quicker dispatch which was done accordingly I might produce other instances but let these suffice to provoke all young persons to a speedy serious diligent and constant study of the Scripture Much in the word is wrap't up in a little It is more to bee admired than to have Homers Iliads comprized in a nut shel Heb. 9.4 Ah sirs you do not know how soon your blinde mindes may bee enlightened your hard hearts softened your proud spirits humbled your sinful natures changed your defiled consciences purged your distempered affections regulated and your poor souls saved by searching into the Scriptures by reading the Scripture and by pondering upon the Scripture you should lay up the Manna of Gods word in your hearts as Moses laid up the Manna in the golden pot And as Tamar did with the staff and signet that shee received from Judah Gen. 38.18 36. shee laid them up till shee came to save her life and did save her life by it as you may see in holy story The laying up of the word now may bee the saving of your souls another day I have read of little Bees that when they go out in stormy weather they will carry a little of their comb or gravel with them that they may bee ballanced and not carried away with the winde Ah young men young men you had need to have your thoughts and hearts ballanced with the precious word that you may not bee carried away with every winde of Doctrin as many have been in these daies to their destruction and confusion Narcissus a beautiful youth though hee would not love them that loved him yet afterwards fell in love with his own shadow Ah! how may young men in these daies 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. who were once lovely and hopeful are now fallen in love with their own and others shadows with high empty aiery notions and with strange monstrous speculations to their own damnation Holy Melancthon being newly converted thought it impossible for his hearers to withstand the evidence of the Gospel but soon after hee complained that old Adam was too hard for young Melancthon Ah young men young men if you do not in good earnest give up your selves to the reading to the studying to the pondering to the beleeving to the affecting to the applying and to the living up to the Scripture Satan will bee too hard for you the world will bee too hard for you your lusts will bee too hard for you temptations will bee too hard for you and deceivers will bee too hard for you and in the end you will bee miserable and thus much for the first thing c. Secondly if you would bee good betimes then you must acquaint your selves with your selves betimes if you would bee gracious in the spring and morning of your daies then you must see betimes how bad you are how vile how sinful how wretched you are no man begins to bee good till hee sees himself to bee bad the young Prodigal never began to mend Luk. 15.12 â—â— 22. hee never thought of returning to his Father till hee came to himself till hee began to return into his own soul and saw himself in an undone condition Ah! Young men Young men you must see your selves to bee children of Wrath Ephes 2.1 2 3.12 13. Rom. 6.16 John 8.44 2 Tim. 2.26 to bee Enemies to bee Strangers to bee afar off from God from Christ from the Covenant from heaven to bee Sinnes servants and Satans bond slaves the ready way to
things hereafter when wee have satisfied the flesh so and so or when wee have got enough of the world and laid up something that will stand us instead and that may oil our joynts when wee are old Now To this Objection I answer First That it is the greatest folly and madnesse in the world to put off God and the great things of eternity with may-bees what Trades-man what Merchant what Marriner so mad so foolish so blockish as to put off a present season a present opportunity of profit and advantage upon the account of a may-bee It may bee I may have as good a season it may bee I shall have as golden an opportunity to get and to inrich my self as this is and therefore farewell to this No men that are in their right minds will argue thus and why then should you especially in the things that are of an everlasting concernment to you I have read of one Monarcho a frantick Italian who thought that all the Kings of the Earth were his Vassals and as frantick are they who wilfully neglect present seasons of grace upon the account of a future may-bee c. Secondly I answer it may bee if thou neglectest this present season and opportunity of grace thou mayest never have another Young men if you will but go into burial places you shall finde graves exactly of your length it may bee mercy may never knock more if thou dost not now open it may bee Christ shall never bee offered to thee more if now thou dost not close with him and accept of him it may bee the Spirit will never strive more with thee if now thou dost resist him and withstand him it may bee a pardon shall never bee offered to thee more if now thou wilt not take it it may bee the Gospel shall never sound more in thy ears if now thou wilt not hear it now set one may-bee against another may-bee set Gods may-bee against thine own may-bee but Thirdly Doubtlesse there are many thousand thousands now in Hell who have pleased themselves and put off God and the seasons of grace with a may-bee hereafter may bee time enough It may bee when I have gratified such a lust It was an unspeakable vexation to King Lysamachus that his staying to drink one draught of water lost him his Kingdome and when I have treasured up so much of the world I will return and seek and serve the Lord but before ever this season or opportunity came justice hath cut the threed of their lives and they are now miserable for ever and now they are still a cursing themselves because they have slipt their golden opportunities upon the account of a may-bee c. But Fourthly and lastly This putting off of God and the present seasons of grace with a may-bee is very provoking to God as you may see if you will but read from the 20. verse to the 33. of the first of Proverbs Nothing stirs and provokes a Master more than his servants putting off his service or his commands with a may-bee it may bee I will it may bee I may do this and that nothing puts a Master sooner into a heat a flame than this nor nothing puts God more into a flame than this as you may see by comparing Psal 95. ver 6. to the end with that 3. of the Hebrews and the 7 8 9 10 11 15 16 17 18 19. read the words and tremble at the thought of a may-bee at the thoughts of putting off of God and the seasons of grace I have read of two who cut off their right hand one for another and then made it an excuse a put off they were lame and so could not serve in the Gallies of Francis the first King of France but this practise of theirs did so insense and provoke the King that hee sent them both to the Gallows I suppose the reader is not so young but knows how to apply it Object If I should begin to bee good betimes and to seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of my daies I should lose my friends I should lose their favour for they are carnal and worldly and had rather I should seek after gold than God the Creature than Christ Earth than Heaven c. Now to this I answer Surely you are out for First This is the high way the ready way to gain the best the surest and the soundest friends Prov. 16.7 When a mans waâ—es please the Lord hee maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him Job â—â— 23 â—,28 When a man falls in with God God will work the Creatures to fall in with him Joseph found it so and Jacob found it so and Job found it so the three Children found it so and Daniel found it so as you all know that have but read the Scripture And many in this age as bad as it is have found that the best way to make friends is first to make God our friend Ah young men young men you shall not lose your friends by seeking and serving of the Lord in the spring and morning of your daies but only exchange bad ones for good ones the worst for the best hee that gives up himself betimes to the Lord shall have God for his friend and Christ for his friend and the Angels for his friends and the Saints for his friends Christ will bee to such First An omnipotent friend Secondly An omniscient friend Thirdly An omnipresent friend Fourthly An indeficient friend Fifthly Luk. 15.7.10 Isa 6.7 8 9. Heb. 4 13. Isa 59.16 17 Isa 44.24 Mal. 3.6 Psa 121.4 â— An independant friend Sixthly An immutable friend Seventhly A watchful friend Eighthly A loving friend Ninethly A faithful friend Tenthly 1 John 4.16 Tit 1.2 Isa 63.9 A compassionate friend Eleventhly A close friend There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother Prov. 18.24 such a friend is Christ and such a friend is as ones own soul a rare happiness hardly to bee matcht Twelfthly An universal friend a friend in all cases and a friend in all places Christ is so a friend to every one of his as if he were a friend to none besides hence it is that they say not onely our Lord our God but my Lord and my God Luk. 1.43 John 20.28 Phil. 4.19 Christ is such an universal friend as that he supplies the place and acts the part of every friend Thirteenthly He is our first friend Psal 90.1 before we had a friend in all the World he was our friend John 13.1 Alexander the Great cannot cut that knot of friendship that is tyed betwixt Christ and his Prov. 8.21 Lastly He is a constant friend whom he loves hee loves to the end Augustus Caesar would not suddenly entertain a league of friendship with any but was a constant friend to those hee loved Amare nec cito desisto nec temere incipio late ere I love as long ere I
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