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
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
and cryed if any man thirst let him come to mee and drink So in that Rev. 22.17 Let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely so in that Rev. 3.20 Cant. 2.8 Christ comes leaping upon the Mountains and skipping upon the hills to shew his readinesse and willingness to do good to souls Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will sup with him and hee with mee and so in that Luk. 14.21 The Master of the house said to his Servant go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the City and bring in hither the Poor and the maimed and the halt and the blinde Here is no man of quality of dignity of worldly pomp or glory or of any self-sufficiency that is invited to the feast but a company of poor raged deformed slighted neglected impoverished wounded sinners these are invited to feast with Christ Concerning this willingness of Christ I shall speak more when I come to deal with Old sinners in the close of this discourse and to that I refer you for further and fuller satisfaction concerning the great readiness and willingness of Jesus Christ to entertain returning Sinners Fourthly If you would bee good betimes then you must know betimes that Jesus Christ is designed sealed and appointed by the Father to the office of a Mediatour John 6.27 The father sealed even God so the Greek hath it Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for that meat which endureth to everlasting life which the Son of man shall give unto you for him hath God the father sealed God the father hath made Christs Commission authentical as men do theirs by their Seal It is a metaphor a simile taken from them who give Commissions under hand and seal God the father hath given it under his hand and seal that Jesus Christ is the onely person that he hath appointed and sealed allowed and confirmed to the office of our redemption If Jesus Christ were never so able to save and never so willing and ready to save poor Sinners yet if hee were not appointed designed and sealed for that work the awakened Sinner would never look out after him nor desire union with him nor interest in him and therefore it is of very great consequence to know that God the father hath sent and sealed Christ to be a Saviour to his people him hath God the father sealed sealed by way of destination and sealed by way of qualification sealed by his doctrin sealed by his miracles sealed by his baptism sealed by his Resurrection but above all sealed by his glorious unction Isa 61.1 2 3 Luk. 4.18 Christ was anointed of God 1 By way of designation 2 By way of Qualification 3 By way of Inauguration This annointing was ordinarily used in the installing men to offices of any eminence The spirit of the Lord is upon mee because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tydings unto the meek hee hath sent mee to bind up the broken hearted to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all that mourn to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oyle of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that they might bee called trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord that hee might bee glorified neither Saints nor Angels are sealed and anointed to the great work of redemption but the Lord Jesus is you should always look upon the Lord Jesus as sealed and anointed to the Office of a Mediatour and accordingly plead with him Ah Lord It is thy Office as thou art a sealed and an anointed Saviour and Redeemer to subdue my sinnes to change my nature to sanctify my heart to reform my life and to save my soul and therefore do it for thy names sake O do it for thy Office sake do it for thy glories sake Psal 41.8 Act. 4.27 Thou art anointed with the Oile of gladness above thy fellows thou hast a larger effusion of the spirit upon thee than others thou art anointed with the Holy-Ghost Act. 10.38 and with power after an extraordinary measure and manner thou art indued with all Heroical gifts and excellencies plentifully John 1.16 John 3.34 abundantly transcendently thou art sealed and predestinated thou art invested into this office of Mediatorship under the fathers hand and seal and therefore whether should I go for salvation for remission for redemption for grace for glory but to thee Fiâ—thly If you would bee good betimes then you must know betimes that there is no way to salvation but by Jesus Christ Act. 4.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by or thorow the mediation of any other neither is there salvation in any other speaking of Christ for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved if ever you are saved you must bee saved by him and him onely you must not look for another Saviour nor you must not look for a co-saviour you must be saved wholly by Christ and onely by Christ or you shall never be saved Act. and Mon. you must cry out as Lambert did when hee was in the fire and lifted up his hands and fingers ends flaming none but Christ none but Christ When Augustus Caesar desired the Senate to joyn two Consuls with him for the better government of the State Suetonius the Senate answered that they held it as a diminution of his dignity and a disparagement of their own judgement to joyn any with so incomparable a man as Augustus Ah Friends It is a dimiuntion of Christs dignity sufficiency and glory in the business of your salvation to joyn any thing with the Lord Jesus and it is the greatest disparagement in the World to your own judgments knowledge Prudence and wisdome to yoak any with Christ in the work of Redemption in the business of salvation Augustin saith that Mercellina hung Christs picture and the picture of Pithagoras together many there are not only in Rome but in England yea I am afraid in London who joyn Christ and their works together Christ and their Prayers together Christ and their Teachers together Christ and their mournings together Christ and their hearings together Christ and their Alms together Ah! what a poor what a weak what an impotent what an insufficient Saviour doth these men make Jesus Christ to bee Except these men come off from these things and come up onely to Jesus Christ in the great businesse of salvation they will as certainly and as eternally perish notwithstanding their hearing knowing and talking much of Christ as those that never heard of Jesus Christ In the Old Testament Deut.
my heart to adde drunkenness to thirst The Lord will not spare him but then the Anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoak against that man and all the Curses that are written in this book shall lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven In these words you may observe that God is absolute in threatning to shew that he will bee resolute in punishing Psal 11.5 A lover of Iniquity is a liver in Iniquity upon choice 6. The wicked and him that loveth iniquity doth his soul hate Upon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup. Ah! That all poor sinners would make these two Scriptures their companions their constant bed-fellows till they are got above that sad temptation of turning the mercy of God into an incouragement to sin Whilst Milo Crotoniates was tearing a sunder the stock of an Oake his strength failing him the clift suddenly closing was held so fast by the hands that he became a prey to the beasts of the field All the abusers of mercy will certainly and suddenly become a prey to the justice of God that will rent and tear them in peices as the Psalmist speaks Psal 50.22 Wo wo to that soul that fights against God with his own mercies that will bee bad because hee is good that will be sinful because he is merciful that will turn all the kindnesses of God that should bee as so many silver cords to tye him to love and obedience into arrows and so shoot them back into the heart of God Abused mercy will at last turn into a Lyon a fierce Lyon and then wo to the abusers and despisers of it But Thirdly In Answer to that part of the Objection concerning the Thief on the Cross I offer these things briefly to your thoughts First Exemplum latronis servati est admirandum non imitandum That as one was saved to teach Sinners not to despair so another was damned to teach them not to presume A pardon is sometimes given to one upon the Gallows but who so trusts to that the rope may be his hire it is not good saith one to put it upon the Psalm of miserere and the neck verse for sometimes hee proves no Clerk and so hangs for it Secondly It is an example without a promise here is an example of late repentance but where is there a promise of late repentance Oh! Let not his late and sudden conversion be to thee a temptation till thou hast found a promise for late and sudden conversion it is not examples but promises that are foundations for faith to rest on he that walks by an example of mercy without a precept to guide him and a promise to support him walks but by a dark Lanthorn that will deceive him well young man remember this examples of mercy increase wrath when the heart is not bettered by them But Thirdly This was a rare miracle of mercy with the glory wherof Christ did honour the ignominy of his Cross and therfore wee may as well look for another crucifying of Christ as look for a sinners conversion when he hath scarce time enough to reckon up all those particular duties which make up the integrity of its constitution But Fourthly I Answer This Theif knew not Christ before he had not refused neglected nor slighted Christ before the Sermon on the Cross was the first Sermon that ever he heard Christ preach and Christs prayer on the Cross was the first prayer that ever he heard Christ make he knew not Christ till hee met him on the Cross which proved to him a happy meeting his case was as if a Turk or Heathen should now be converted to the faith and therefore thou hast little reason O young man to plead this example to keep Christ and thy soul asunder who art every day under the call the intreaties and wooings of Christ But Fifthly and Lastly I Answer The circumstances of time and place are rightly to be considered Now when Christ was triumphing on the Cross over sin satan and the world when he had made the devils a publik spectacle of scorn and derision when hee was taking his leave of the world and entering into his glory Now hee puts a pardon into the Theifs hand and crouds other favours and kindnesses upon him As in the Roman Triumphs the Victor being ascended up to the Capitol in a Chariot of state used to cast certain peeces of coyn among the people for them to pick up which hee used not to do at other times So our Lord Jesus Christ in the day of his Triumph and solemn inauguration into his heavenly kingdome scatters some heavenly jewels that this Theif might pick up which he doth not nor will not do every day Or as in these days it is usual with Princes to save some notorious malefactors at their coronation when they enter upon their kingdomes in Triumph which they do not use to do afterwards So did Jesus Christ carry it toward this Thief but this is not his ordinary way of saving and bringing souls to glory and therefore do not O young man let not the Thiefs late conversion prove a temptation or an occasion of thy delaying thy repentance and trifling away the primerose of thy dayes in vanity and folly And thus much may suffice to have spoken by way of Answer to the Young mans Objections The old mans Doubts Resolved I shall now speak a few words to Old men and so close up Now Is it so commendable so desirable and so necessary for young men to be good betimes to seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of their Youth as hath been sufficiently demonstrated in this Treatise Oh then that I could so wooe aged persons as to win them who yet have put off this great work to seek and serve the Lord before their glass be out their Sun set and their souls lost for ever Oh that that counsil of the Prophet might take hold upon your hearts Jer. 13.16 Give glory to the Lord your God before hee cause darknesse and before your feet stumble thorow age upon the dark mountains and while yee look for light he turn it into the shadow of death and make it gross darkness I but aged Sinners may reply is there any hope any help for us is there any probability is there any possibility that ever such as we are should return and finde mercy and favour with the Lord wee who have lived so long without him we that have sinned so much against him we that to this day are strangers to him yea in arms against him Is there any hope that we white-headed sinners who have withstood so many thousand offers of grace and so many thousand motions of the spirit and so many thousand checks of conscience and so many thousand tenders of Christ and heaven that ever we should obtain mercy that
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
c. Secondly Young men must bee really good betimes because they have means and opportunities of being good betimes Never had men better means and greater opportunities of being good of doing good and of receiving good than now Ah Lord how knowing how beleeving how holy how heavenly how humble might young men bee were they not wanting to their own souls Young men might bee good very good yea eminently good would they but improve the means of grace the tenders of mercy and the knocking 's of Christ by his Word Works and Spirit The Ancients painted Opportunity with a hairy forehead Erasmus but bald behinde to signifie that while a man hath opportunity before him hee may lay hold on it but if hee suffer it to slip away hee cannot pull it back again How many young men are now in everlasting chains who would give ten thousand worlds had they so many in their hands to give to injoy but an opportunity to hear one sermon more to make one prayer more to keep one Sabbath more but cannot this is their hell their torment this is the Scorpion that is still biting this is the Worm that is alwayes gnawing Wo wo to us that wee have neglected and trifled away those golden opportunities that once wee had to get our sins pardoned our natures changed our hearts bettered our consciences purged and our souls saved c. * Bellarm. In concione de cruciatibus Gehennae I have read of a King who having no issue to succeed him espying one day a well-favoured youth took him to Court and committed him to Tutors to instruct him providing by his will that if hee proved fit for government hee should bee crowned King if not hee should bee bound in chains and made a Gally-slave Now when hee grew to years the Kings executors perceiving that hee had sadly neglected those means and opportunities whereby hee might have been fit for State government called him before them and declared the Kings will and pleasure concerning him which was accordingly performed for they caused him to bee fettered and committed to the Gallies Now what tongue can expresse how much hee was affected and afflicted with his sad and miserable state especially when hee considered with himself that now hee is chained who might have walked at liberty Now hee is a slave who might have been a King now hee is over-ruled by Turks who might once have ruled over Christians the application is easie Ah young men young men T is storied of Charles King of Sicily and Jerusalem that hee was called Carolus Cunctator Charles the lingerer this age affords many such lingerers c. shall Satan take all opportunities to tempt you shall the world take all opportunities to allure you shall wicked men take all opportunities to ensnare you and to undo you and shall Christian friends take all opportunities to better you and shall Gods faithful Messengers take all opportunities to save you and will you will you neglect so great salvation Plutarch writes of Hannibal that when hee could have taken Rome hee would not and when hee would have taken Rome hee could not Many in their youthful dayes when they might have mercy Christ pardon Heaven they will not and in old age when they would have Christ pardon peace Heaven they cannot they may not God seems to say as Thesius said once go sayes hee and tell Creon Thesius offers thee a gracious offer yet I am pleased to bee friends if thou wilt submit this is my first message but if this offer prevail not look for mee to bee up in arms The third Reason why Young men should bee really good betimes Lord saith Austin I have loved thee late the greater was his sins and the more were his sorrows is because then they will have fewer and lesser sins to answer for and repent of multitudes of sins and sorrows are prevented by being good betimes The more wee number our dayes the fewer sins wee shall have to number As a coppy is then safest from blotting when dust is put upon it so are wee from sinning when in the time of our youth wee remember that wee are but dust The tears of young penitents do more scorch the Devils than all the flames of Hell for hereby all their hopes are blasted and the great underminer countermined and blown up Mane is the Devils Verb hee bids tarry time enough to repent but Mane is Gods Adverb hee bids repent early in the morning of thy youth for then thy sins will bee fewer and lesser Well young men remember this hee that will not at the first hand buy good council cheap shall at the second hand buy repentance over dear Ah young men young men if you do not begin to bee good betimes those sins that are now as Jewels sparkling in your eyes Psal 25.7 Job 13.26 will at last bee milstones about your necks to sink you for ever Among many things that Beza in his last will and Testament gave God thanks for this was the first and chief that hee at the age of sixteen years had called him to the knowledge of the truth and so prevented many sins and sorrows that otherwise would have overtaken him and have made his life lesse happy and more miserable Young Saints often prove old Angels There is nothing puts a more serious frame into a mans spirit than to know the worth of his time but old sinners seldome prove good Saints c. The fourth ground why young men should bee really good betimes is this viz. because time is a precious Talent that young men must be countable for the sooner they begin to bee good the more easy will bee their accounts especially as to that great Talent of time Cato and other heathens held that account must bee given not only of our labour but also of our leisure at the great day it will appear that they that have spent their time in mourning have done better than they that have spent their time in dancing and they that have spent many dayes in humiliation than they that have spent many dayes in idle recreations I have read of a devout man who when hee heard a clock strike hee would say here is one hour more past that I have to answer for Ah young men as time is very precious so it is very short time is very swift it is suddenly gone in the 9. of Job and the 25. vers My dayes are swifter than a Post they flee away they see no good The Hebrew word Kalal translated swifter than a Post signifies any thing that is light because light things are quick in motion The Ancients emblem'd time with wings as it were Sophocles Phocilides not running but flying Time is like the Sun that never stands still but is still a running her race the Sun did once stand still yea went back but so did never Time Time is still running and flying it is a bubble a shadow
a dream can you seriously consider of this young men and not begin to bee good betimes surely you cannot Sirs if the whole earth whereupon wee tread were turned into a lump of gold it were not able to purchase one minute of time Oh the regreetings of the damned for mis-spending precious time Who is there among us that knows how to value time and prize a day at a due rate Sen. Epist Oh what would they not give to bee free and to injoy the means of grace one hour Ah with what attention with what intention with what trembling and melting of heart with what hungring and thirsting would they hear the Word Time saith Bernard were a good commodity in hell and the traffick of it most gainful where for one day a man would give ten thousand worlds if he had them young men can you in good earnest beleeve this and not begin to be good betimes Ah! young men and women as you love your precious immortal souls A heathen said hee lived no day without a line that is he did something remarkable every day as you would escape hell and come to heaven as you would bee happy in life and blessed in death and glorious after death don't spend any more of your precious time in drinking and drabing in carding dicing and dancing don't trifle away your time don't swear away your time don't whore away your time don't lye away your time but beginne to bee good betimes because Time is a Talent that God will reckon with you for Ah! young men and women you may reckon upon years many years yet to come when possibly you have not so many hours to make ready your accompts it may bee this night you may have a summons and then if your time bee done and your work to be begunne in what a sad case will you bee will you not wish that you had never been born Seneca was wont to jeer the Jews for their ill husbandry in that they lost one day in seven meaning their Sabbath O that it were not too true of the most of professors both young and old that they loose not onely one day in seven but several days in seven Sirs Time let slip cannot bee recal'd the foolish Virgins found it so and Saul found it so and Herod found it so Mat. 25.5 Judg. 3.23 Heb. 3.17 18 19. and Nero found it so the Israelites found it so yea and Jacob and Josiah and David though good men yet they found it so to their cost The Egyptians draw the picture of Time with three heads the first of a greedy Wolf gaping for time past because it hath ravenously devoured the memory of so many things past recalling The Second of a crowned Lyon roaring for time present because it hath the principallity of all actions for which it calls loud The Third of a deceitfull Dogg fawning for time to come because it feeds some men with many flattering hopes to their eternal undoing Ah! young men and women as you would give up your accounts at last with joy concerning this Talent of time with which God hath trusted you begin to be good betimes c. The fifth Reason Why young men should bee really good betimes and that is because they will have the greater comfort and joy when they come to bee old Seneca though a Heathen could say beleeve me true joy is no light thing the 71 Psalm 5. 17 18. compapared Thou art my hope O Lord God thou art my trust from my youth O God thou hast taught me from my youth and hitherto I have declared thy wondrous works Now also when I am old and gray headed O God forsake mee not untill I have shewed thy strength unto this Generation and thy power unto every one that is to come Polycarpus could say when old thus many years have I served my Master Christ and hitherto hath hee dealt well with mee if early converts live to bee old no joy to their joy their joy will bee the greatest joy a joy like to the joy of harvest Isa 9.3 a joy like to their joy that divide the spoil their joy will bee the soundest joy the weightiest joy the holiest joy the purest joy the strongest joy and the most lasting joy the carnal joy of the wicked the glistering golden joy of the world-ling and the flashing joy of the hypocrite is but as the crackling of thorns under a pot to the joy and comfort of such who when old can say with good Obadiah that they feared the Lord from their youth If when you are young your eyes shall bee full of tears for Sinne when you are old your hearts shall bee full of joys Such shal have the best wine at last Oh! that young men would beginne to bee good betimes that so they may have the greater harvest of joy when they come to be old c. t is sad to be sowing your seed when you should be reaping your harvest t is best to gather in the summer of youth against the winter of old age The Sixth Reason Why young men should bee really good betimes and that is because an eternity of felicity and glory hangs upon those few moments that are allotted to them it was a good question the young man propoposed Luk. 10.25 what shall I do to inherit eternal life I know I shall bee eternally happy or eternally miserable eternally blest or eternally cur'st eternally sav'd or eternally damn'd c. O what shall I do to inherit eternal life my cares my fears Aeteruitas est semper et immutabile esse The old Romans were our that thought Eternity dwelt in Statues and in Marble monuments my troubles are all about eternity no time can reach eternity no age can extend to eternity no tongue can express eternity Eternity is that unum perpetuum hodie one perpetual day which shall never have end what shall I do what shall I not do that I may bee happy to all eternity I am now young and in the flower of my days but who knows what a day may bring forth the greatest weight hangs upon the smallest wyers an eternity depends upon those few hours I am to breath in this world O what cause have I therefore to bee good betimes to know God betimes to beleeve betimes to repent betimes to get my peace made and my pardon seal'd betimes to get my nature changed my conscience purged and my interest in Christ cleared betimes before eternity overtakes mee before my glass bee out my Sun set my race run least the dark night of eternity should overtake mee and I made miserable for ever I have read of one Myrogenes who when great gifts were sent unto him hee sent them all back again saying I onely desire this one thing at your Masters hand to pray for mee that I may be saved for eternity O that all young men and women who make earth their heaven Luk. 15.19 20 pleasures
your time the offers of Grace your precious souls and eternity c. surely you cannot surely you dare not if you do but in good earnest ponder upon the shortness of mans life It is recorded of Philip King of Macedon that he gave a pension to one to come to him every day at dinner and to cry to him memento te esse mortalem Remember thou art but mortal Ah! Young men and old had need bee often put in mind of their mortality they are too apt to forget that day yea to put farre from them the thoughts of that day I have read of three that could not endure to hear that bitter word death mentioned in their ears and surely this age is full of such monsters And as the life of man is very short so it is very uncertain now well now sick alive this hour and dead the next Death doth not always give warning before hand sometimes hee gives the mortal blow suddenly hee comes behind with his dart and strikes a man at the heart before hee saith have I found thee O my enemy Eutichus fell down dead suddenly Act. 20.19 Death suddenly arested Davids Sons and Jobs Sons Petrach telleth of one who being invited to dinner the next day enswered Ego a multis annis crastinum non habui I have not had a morrow for this many years Augustus dyed in a complement Galba with a sentence Vespasian with a jest Zeuxes dyed laughing at the picture of an old woman which hee drew with his own hand Sophocles was choaked with the stone in a Grape Dâ—odorus the Logician dyed for shame that hee could not answer a joculary question propounded at the Table by Stilpo Joannes Measius preaching upon the raising of the woman of Naims sonne from the dead within three houres after dyed himself Ah! Young men and women have you not cause great cause to bee good betimes for death is sudden in his approaches nothing more sure than death and nothing more uncertain than life therefore know the Lord betimes turn from your sinnes betimes lay hold on the Lord and make peace with him betimes that you may never say as Caesar Borgias said when hee was sick to death when I lived said hee I provided for every thing but death now I must dye and am unprovided to dye c. The Eleventh Reason Why young persons should bee really good betimes and that is because t is ten to one nay a hundred to ten if ever they are converted if they are not converted when they are young God usually begins with such betimes Hos 11.1 When Israel was a child then I loved him c. that hee hath had thoughts of love and mercy towards from everlasting the instances cited to prove the Doctrin confirms this argument and if you look abroad in the world you shall hardly finde one Saint among a thousand but dates his conversion from the time of his youth 'T was the young ones that got through the wilderness into Canaan If the Tree do not bud and blossome and bring forth fruit in the Spring Numb 26.64 it is commonly dead all the year after An Hebrew Doctor observes that of those six hundred thousand that went out of Egypt there were but two persons that entered Canaan if in the spring and morning of your daies you do not bring forth fruit to God it is a hundred to one that ever you bring forth fruit to him when the evil dayes of old age shall overtake you wherein you shall say you have no pleasure For as the Son of Syrach observes if thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth Eccles 25.5 what canst thou finde in thy age t is rare very rare that God sows and reaps in old age usually God sows the seed of grace in youth it yeelds the harvest of joy in age Though true repentance be never too late yet late repentance is seldome true Millions are now in Hell who have pleased themselves with the thoughts of after repentance The Lord hath made a promise to late repentance but where hath he made a promise of late repentance yea what can bee more just and equal Pro. 1.24 32. that such should seek and not finde who might have found but would not seek and that hee should shut his ears against their late prayers who have stopt their ears against his early calls The Ancient warriours would not accept an old man into their army as being unfit for service and dost thou think that God will accept of thy dry bones when Satan hath suckt out all the marrow What Lord what Master will take such into their service who have all their dayes served their enemies and will God will God The Circassians a kinde of Mongrel Christians are said to divide their life betwixt sin and devotion Breerw Enqui dedicating their youth to rapine and their old age to repentance if this bee thy case I would not bee in thy case for ten thousand worlds I have read of a certain great man Beda hath this story that was admonished in his sickness to repent who answered that hee would not repent yet for if hee should recover his companions would laugh at him but growing sicker and sicker his friends pressed him again to repent but then hee told them that it were too late Quia jam judicatus sum condemnatus for now said hee I am judged and condemned The twelfth and last Reason why young men should bee really good betimes and that is because else they will never attain to the honour of being old disciples It is a very great honour to bee an old Disciple Now this honour none reach to but such as are converted betimes but such as turn to the Lord in the spring and morning of their youth It is no honour for an old man to bee in coats What more ridiculous than puer contum annorum a child of an hundred years old nor for an old man to bee a babe in grace An A. B. C. old man is a sad and shameful sight O but it is a mighty honour to a man when hee is old that hee can date his conversion from the morning of his youth Now that it is an honour to bee an old Disciple I shall prove by an induction of particulars As It is an honour to bee an old Disciple First All men will honour an old Disciple A Crown is a very glorious thing but there are but few of them Prov. 16.31 The hoary head is a Crown of glory if it bee found in the way of Righteousness God requires that the aged should bee honoured Levit. 19.32 Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head and honour the face of the old man the old man here is by some expounded the wise man and fear thy God I am the Lord. Hoariness is only honourable when found in a way of Righteousness a white head accompanied with a holy heart makes a man
truly honourable There are two glorious sights in the world the one is a young man walking in his uprightnesse and the other is an old man walking in wayes of Righteousnesse 't was Abrahams honour Gen. 25.8 that hee went to his grave in a good old age or rather as the Hebrew hath it with a good gray head many there bee that goes to their graves with a gray head but this was Abrahams crown that hee went to his grave with a good gray head had Abrahams head been never so gray if it had not been good it would have been no honour to him a hoary head when coupled with an unsanctified heart is rather a curse than a blessing when the head is as white as Snow Isa 65.20 and the soul as black as Hell God usually gives up such to the greatest scorn and contempt Princes are hanged up by their hands Lam. 5.12 the faces of Elders were not honoured and this God had threatned long before Deut. 28.49.50 The Lord shall bring against thee a Nation from far a Nation of fierce countenance which shall not regard the person of the old nor shew favour to the young I have read of Cleanthes who was wont sometimes to chide himself Ariston wondering thereat asked him whom chidest thou Cleanthes laughed and answered I chide an old fellow qui canos quidem habet sed mentem non habet who hath gray hairs indeed but wants understanding and prudence worthy of them The Application I will leave to the gray heads and gray beards of our time who have little else to commend them to the world but their hoary heads and snowy-beards Secondly God usually reveals himself most to old Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Ancient is wisdome to old Saints Job 12.12 With the Ancient is wisdome and in length of dayes understanding God usually manifests most of himself to aged Saints Valentianius the Emperors morto was amicus veterimus optimus an old friend is best they usuall pray most and pay most they labour most and long most after the choicest manifestations of himself and of his grace and therefore he opens his bosome most to them and makes them of his Cabinet-Councel Gen. 18 17 19. And the Lord said shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do for I know him that hee will command his Children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgement that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which hee hath spoken of him Abraham was an old friend and therefore God makes him both of his Court and Councel wee usually open our hearts most freely fully and familiarly to old friends So doth God to his ancient friends Luk. 2.25 26 27 28. Ah what a blessed sight and injoyment of Christ had old Simeon that made his very heart to dance in him Now Lord lettest thou thy servant to depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy salvation c. I have seen him who is my light my life my love my joy my crown my heaven my all therefore now let thy servant depart in peace Vers 36 37 38. So Anna when shee was fourscore and four years old was so filled with the discoveries and injoyments of Christ that shee could not but declare what shee had tasted felt seen heard and received from the Lord Shee was ripe and ready to discover the fulness sweetness goodness excellency and glory of that Christ whom shee had long loved feared and served So. Paul lived in the light Phil. 4.5 7 9. sight and sweet injoyments of Christ when aged in years Rev. 1.7 ult in grace So when had John that glorious vision of Christ among the golden Candlesticks and those discoveries and manifestations of the ruine of Rome the fall of Antichrist the casting the beast and false Prophet into a lake of fire the conquest of the Kingdomes of the world by Christs bow and sword the binding up of Satan and the new Jerusalem comming down from God out of heaven but when he was old when hee was aged in years and in Grace The Lord speaks many a secret in the ears of aged Saints of old Christians which young Christians are not acquainted with as that phrase imports 2 Sam. 7.27 Thou O Lord God of host hath revealed to thy servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Galitha ethozen so you read it in your books but in the Hebrew it is Lord thou hast revealed this to the ear of thy servant Some wonder how that word to the ear comes to bee left out in your books in which indeed the Emphasis lyes wee will tell many things in an old friends ear which wee will not acquaint young ones with So doth God many times whisper an old Disciple in the ear and acquaints him with such things that hee hides from those that are of younger years And by this you may see what an honor it is to be an old Disciple Thirdly Heb. 5.11 12 13 14. Yet as Solon was not ashamed to say that in his old age he was a learner so those that are the greatest Artists in Christianity will confesse that they are still but learners An old Disciple an old Christian hee hath got the art of serving God the art of Religion Got the art of hearing the art of praying the art of meditating the art of repenting the art of beleeving the art of denying his natural self his sinful self his Religious self All Trades have their mystery and difficulty so hath the trade of Christianity young Christians usually bungle in religious work but old Christians acquit themselves like workmen that need not bee ashamed A Young Carpenter gives more blows and makes more chips but an old Artist doth the most and best work a young Christian may make most noise in religious duties but an old Christian makes the best work A young Musitian may play more quick and nimble upon an instrument than an old but an old Musitian hath more skill and judgement than a young the application is easy And by this you may also see what an honour it is to be an old Christian c. Fourthly An old Disciple an old Christian is rich in spiritual experiences 1 John 2.13 O the experiences that hee hath of the ways of God of the workings of God of the word of God of the love of God Ps 119.49 50. Old men love to speak of ancieet things O the divine stories that old Christians can tell of the power of the Word of the sweetness of the Word of the use-fulness of the Word as a light to lead the soul as a staffe to support the soul as a spur to quicken the soul as an anchor to stay the soul and as a cordial to comfort and strengthen the soul O the stories that he can tell you concerning the love of Christ the bloud of
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
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
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
shall bee sought for and there shall bee none and the sins of Judah and they shall not bee found for I will pardon them whom I reserve and those words and passeth by in the aforecited seventh of Micha 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 18. according to the Hebrew Vegnober Gnal is Gnabar hee passed over and passeth over God passeth over the transgression of his heritage that is hee takes no notice of it as a man in a deep muse or as one that hath haste of businesse seeth not things before him his mind being busied about other matters hee neglects all to minde his businesse As David when hee saw in Mephibosheth the feature of his friend Jonathan took no notice of his lamenesse or any other defect or deformity So God beholding in his people the glorious image of his Son winks at all their faults and deformities which made Luther say do with mee what thou wilt since thou hast pardoned my sin and what is it to pardon sin Isa 40.1 2. but not to mention sin Fifthly in his not bringing their sins into the Judgement of discussion and discovery doth best agree to those expressions of forgiving and covering Blessed is hee whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered Psal 32.1 In the original it is in the plural Blessednesses loe here is a plurality of blessings a chain of pearls The like expression you have in the 85. Psalm and the 2. vers Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people thou hast covered all their sin Selah For the understanding of these Scriptures aright take notice that to cover is a Metaphorical expression covering is such an action Sic velantur ut in judicio non revelentur which is opposed to disclosure to bee covered is to bee so hid and closed as not to appear Some make the Metaphor from filthy loathsome objects which are covered from our eyes as dead carkasses are buried under the ground some from garments that are put upon us to cover our nakedness others from the Egyptians that were drowned in the red Sea and so covered with water others from a great gulf in the earth that is filled up and covered with earth injected into it And others make it in the last place an allusive expression to the Mercy-seat over which was a covering now all these Metaphors in the general tend to shew this that the Lord will not look he will not see hee will not take notice of the sins hee hath pardoned to call them any more to a judicial account As when a Prince reads over many treasons and rebellions and meets with such and such which he hath pardoned he reads on he passeth by hee takes no notice of them the pardoned person shall never hear more of them hee will never call him to account for those sins more So here c. When Caesar was painted hee put his finger upon his scar his wart God puts his fingers upon all his peoples scars and warts upon all their weaknesses and infirmities that nothing can bee seen but what is fair and lovely Thou art all fair my Love and there is no spot in thee Can. 4.7 Sixthly it best agrees to that expression of not imputing of sin Psal 32.2 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile So the Apostle in that Rom. 4.6 7 8. now not to impute iniquity is not to charge iniquity not to set iniquity upon his score who is blessed and pardoned c. Seventhly and lastly it best agrees with that expression that you have in the 103. Psalm and the 11 and 12. vers For as the Heaven is high above the Earth so great is his mercy towards them that fear him As far as the East is from the West so far hath hee removed our transgressions from us What a vast distance is there betwixt the East and the West of all visible latitudes this is the greatest and thus much for the third Argument The Fourth Argument that prevails with mee to judge that Jesus Christ will not bring the sins of the Saints into the judgement of discussion and discovery in the great day is because it seems unsutable to three considerable things for Jesus Christ to proclaim the infirmities and miscarriages of his people to all the world First It seems to bee unsutable to the glory and solemnity of that day which to the Saints will bee a day of refreshing a day of restitution a day of redemption a day of coronation as hath been already proved now how sutable to this great day of solemnity the proclamation of the Saints sins will be I leave the Reader to judge Secondly It seems unsutable to all those near and dear relations that Jesus Christ stands in towards his Isa 9 6. Heb. 2.11 12 Ephes 1.21 22 Rev. 19.7 John 15.1 John 2.1 2◠hee stands in therelation of a Father a Brother a head a Husband a Friend an Advocate now are not all these by the law of relations bound rather to hide and keep secret at least from the world the weaknesses and infirmities of their near and dear relations and is not Christ is not Christ much more by how much hee is more a Father a Brother a Head a Husband c. in a spiritual way than any others can bee in a natural way c. Thirdly It seems very unsutable to what the Lord Jesus requires of his in this world the Lord requires that his people should cast a mantle of love of wisdome of silence and secresie over one anothers weaknesses and infirmities Prov. 10.12 1 Pet. 4.8 Hatred stirreth up strifes but love covereth all sins loves mantle is very large love will finde a hand a plaister to clap upon every sore Flavius Vespasianus the Emperour was very ready to conceal his friends vices and as ready to reveal their vertues So is divine love in the hearts of the Saints If thy Brother offend thee Mat. 18.15 go and tell him his fault between him and thee alone if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother As the Pills of reprehension are to bee gilded and sugred over with much gentlenesse and softnesse so they are to bee given in secret tell him between him and thee alone Tale-bearers and Tale-hearers are alike abominable Heaven is too hot and too holy a place for them Psal 15.3 now will Jesus Christ have us carry it thus towards offending Christians and will hee himself act otherwise nay is it an evil in us to lay open the weaknesses and infirmities of the Saints to the world and will it bee an excellency a glory a vertue in Christ to do it in the great day c. A fifth Argument is this it is the glory of a man to passe over a transgression Prov. 19.11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger and it is his glory to passe over a transgression or to passe by
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
treasure for a mite a crown for a crum I but the young mans affections were strongly engaged to the things of the world Multi amando res noxias sunt miseri babendâ— miseriores August in Psal 26. and therefore he turns his back upon Christ and goes away sorrowful because he had great possessions O the madness the folly of this young man who to enjoy a little temporal felicity hath bid an everlasting farewell to Christ and Glory in that Gen. 13.2 it is said that Abraham was very rich in Cattel in silver and in gold the Hebrew word Cabedh that is here rendred rich signifies heavy it signifies a burden to shew us that riches are a heavy burden and a hinderance many times to heaven and happinesse and this young man in the Gospel found it so to his eternal undoing Though the Load-stone cannot draw the Iron when the Diamond is in presence yet earthly possessions did draw this young mans soul away when Christ the Pearl of price was present the World is a silken net and this young man found it so the world is like Golden fetters and this young man found it so the world is like sweet poyson and this young man found it so They are dulce venenum a sweet poyson Bern. for hee had drunk so large a draught of it that there was no room in his soul for Christ or heaven for grace or glory Some say that when the Serpent Scytale cannot overtake the flying Passengers shee doth with her beautiful colours so astonish and amaze them that they have no power to pass away till she have stung them such a Serpent the World proved to the young man in the Gospel it did so affect him and take him so amaze him and amuze him that hee could not stir till it stung him to death When the Moon is fullest it is furthest from the Sun so the more men have of the World the further commonly they are from God and this the young man in the Gospel made good Many have ventured life and limb If money were thrown to the dogs they would not so much as smell at it the greater is their folly and madnesse that will go to hells gates for it and many a better thing to gain the things of this World and yet after all they have got nothing at all Achans golden wedge proved a wedge to cleave him and his garment a garment to shrow'd him The whole world is circular the heart of man is triangular and wee know a circle cannot fill a triangle yea if it be not filled with the three persons in Trinity it will bee filled with the world the Flesh and the Devil The World may be resembled to the fruit that undid us all which was fair to the sight smooth in handling sweet in taste but deadly in effect and operation Ah! Young men young men have none of you found it so The World in all its bravery is no better than the Cities which Solomon gave to Hiram 1 King 9.13 which hee called Cabul that it to say displeasing or dirty the World will afford nothing but trivial Flowers surrounded with many bryers O the Vanity the uncertainty the imperfection of all things below if a man should weigh his pay and his pains together his miseries and his pleasures together his joys and his sorrows together his mercies and his crosses together his good daies and his bad dayes together will he not conclude vanity of Vanity and all is Vanity It was a wise and Christian Speech of Charles the fift In my other Trearises you may read more of the vanity insufficiency impotency mutability uncertainty and inconstancy of the World and to them I refer you to the Duke of Venice who when hee had shew'd him the glory of his Princely Palace and earthly Paradise instead of admiring it or him for it onely returned him this grave and serious memento Haec sunt quae faciunt invitos mori these are the things which make us unwilling to dye it was a good saying of one to a great Lord upon his shewing him his stately house and pleasant Gardens Sir you had need make sure of heaven or else when you dye you will bee a very great looser Ah! Young men Young men t is onely heaven that is above all winds stormes and tempests nor hath God cast man out of Paradise for him to think to finde out another Paradise in this world the main reason why many young men dote upon the world is because they are not acquainted with a greater glory men ate Acorns till they were acquainted with the use of Wheat Rev. 12.1 The woman had the Moon under her feet when shee was cloathed with the Sun and had a Crown of twelve stars upon her head Ah! Young men were you but cloathed with the Sunne of Righteousness and had you a crown set upon your heads by the hand of faith you would have all the things of this world which are as low Heb. 11.24 25 26 27 35. ch 10.34 bespotted and mutable as the Moon under your feet well young men as ever you would be good betimes sit loose from the things of this world be no longer worshippers of this Golden calf and never let the World that should bee but your Servant become your Lord O Oh let not the Devil and the World have more service for an ounce of gold than Christ shall have for the Kingdome of Heaven Ah young men the world and you must part or Christ and you will never meet you cannot serve God and Mammon Mat. 6.24 The two poles shall sooner meet than the love of Christ and the love of the world Fifthly if you would be good betimes if you would know seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of your youth then take heed betimes of carnal reason Gal. 1.15 16. take heed of consulting with flesh and blood many a hopeful young man hath been undone temporally and undone eternally by hearkening to those evil counsellors Cicero a Heathen could say that man would not bee so wicked and do so wickedly were it not for his reason Carnal reason is an enemy yea an utter enemy nay it is not only an utter enemy but it is enmity yea enmities Rom. 8.7 An enemy may bee reconciled but enmity can never bee reconciled Carnal Reason is not only averse but it is utterly averse to all goodnesse it builds strong holds and syllogisms against the most glorious Gospel-truths and accounts the precious things of Christ as a strange thing carnal Reason will make God and Gospel do homage to it when carnal Reason is in the Throne Christ and his truths must all bow or bee judged before its bar Ah young men young men as ever you would bee good betimes stop your ears against all carnal Reasonings within you carnal Reason judges the choicest things of the Gospel to bee meer foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1.23
it is purblinde and cannot see how to make a right judgement of Christ his word his waies and yet will controule all If you are resolved to bee still scholars to this Master then you must resolve to bee unhappy here and miserable hereafter But It is safer and better for you to imitate those young men who in the morning of their daies have graciously wisely and resolutely withstood those evil Counsellors carnal Reason flesh and blood Joseph and Moses Daniel Gen. 39.7 8 9 10 11 c. Heb. 11.24 25 26. Dan. 1. Shadrach Meshach and Abednego all these in the Prim-rose of their youth were good at turning the deaf ear to carnal counsel and carnal counsellors Cassianus reports of a young man that had given himself up to a Christian life and his Parents mis-liking that way they wrote letters to him to perswade him from it and when hee knew there were letters come from them hee would not open them but threw them into the fire this example is worth a following Another famous example you have in the story of King Edward the sixth when Cranmer and Ridly came to him and were very earnest to have him give way to his Sister the Lady Mary to have Masse hee stood out and pleaded the case with them that it was a sin against God and provoking to the eyes of his glory c. but they still continued to use many carnal arguments to perswade the King who was but a child about fifteen years of age but hee withstood them a great while but at length when hee saw hee could not prevail with all his pleading against those grave men but that they still continued their suit hee burst out into bitter weeping and sobing desiring them to desist the motioners seeing his zeal and constancy wept as fast as hee and being overcome they went away and told one that the King had more divinity in his little finger than they had in all their bodies Ah young men it will bee your safety and your glory to write after this princely coppy when you are surrounded with carnal reason and carnal counsellors c. Sixthly and lastly If you would bee good betimes then take heed of comparing your selves with those that are worse than your selves Joh. 9.39 40. Young men are very apt to compare themselves with those that are worse than themselves and this proves a snare unto them yea oftentimes their bane their ruine As it did the young Pharisee in the Gospel Luk. 18.11 12 13 14. Thales one of the seven sages being asked what was the easiest thing in the world to do answered to know other mens faults and none of our own who pleaded his negative Righteousnesse hee was not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers and stood on his comparative goodnesse nor as this Publican hee stands not only upon his comparisons but upon his disparisons being blind at home and too quick-sighted abroad hee contemneth and condemneth the poor Publican who was better than himself making good that saying of Seneca the nature of man saith hee is very apt utimur perspicillis magis quam speculis to use spectacles to behold other mens faults rather than looking-glasses to behold our own such Pharisees do justly incur the censure which that sowre Philosopher past upon Grammarians Diogenes apud Lâ—â—ium l. 6. that they were better acquainted with the evil of Ulysses than with their own Ah young men young men you know hee that drinks poison though hee drinks not so much as another and hee that commits treason though not so great so high treason as another shall yet as certainly bee poisoned and hanged as hee that hath drunk a greater quantity of poison and committed higher acts of treason Sirs do not delude and befool your own souls if you are not as wicked as others Mat. 11.22 23 24 25. As in Heaven one is more glorious than another so in Hell one shall bee more miserable than another Aug. you shall not bee as much tormented as others but yet you shall bee as certainly damned as others you shall as certain to hell as others you shall as sure bee shut out for ever from God Christ Saints Angels and all the treasures pleasures and glories of Heaven as others except it bee prevented by timely repentance on your side and pardoning mercy on Gods Wilt thou count it madnesse Oh young man in him that is sick to reason thus I am not so sick as such and such and therefore I will not send to the Physitian and in the wounded man to say I am not so desperately wounded as such and such and therefore I will not send to the Surgeon and in the traitor to say I am not guilty of so many foul and hainous treasons as such and such and therefore I will not look after a pardon and in the necessitous man to say I am not so hard put to it as such and such and therefore I will not welcome a hand of charity and wilt thou not count it the greatest madnesse in the world for thee to put off thy repentance and thy returning to the Lord in the spring and morning of thy youth because that thou art not as sinful as wicked as such and such if to have a softer bed a milder punishment in hell than others will satisfy thee then go on but if thou art afraid of the worm that never dyes and of the fire that never goes out being like that stone in Arcadia which being once kindled could not be quenched O then begin to bee good betimes O seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of your dayes Chrysost Hom. 44. in Matth. To think often of Hell is the way to be preserv'd from falling into hell Ah! Young men Young men that you would often consider of the bitterness of the damneds torments and of the pittilesness of their torments and of the diversity of their torments and of the easelesnes of their torments and of the remedilesness of their torments Momentaneum est quod delectat Aeternum quod cruciat The sinners delight here is momentany that which torments hereafter is perpetual when a Sinner is in hell dost thou think Oh young man that another Christ shall be found to dye for him or that the same Christ will bee crucifyed again for him or that another Gospel should bee preached to him Surely no. Ah Why then wilt thou not betimes return and seek out after the things that belong to thy everlasting Peace Jac. Rev. hist Pontif. Rom. 199. I have read of Pope Clement the fifth that when a young Nephew of his dyed hee sent his Chaplain to a Necromancer to know of him how it fared with him in the other World the Conjurer shewed him to the Chaplain lying in a fiery bed in hell which when the Pope understood hee never joyed more c. Ah! Young man that these occasional hints of hell may bee
leave Where Christ beginnes to love he always loves Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love Now who would not venture the loss of all friends in the world to gain such a friend as this is Ah! Young men and women let mee say to you what Seneca said to his friend Polibius Fas tibi non est de fortuna conqueri salvo Caesare never complain of thy hard fortune as long as Caesar is thy friend so say I never complain of your loss of Friends so long as by loosing of them you gain Christ to be your friend Secondly Thou were 't better be without their friendship and favour than to enjoy it upon any sinful and unworthy accounts thou were 't better run the hazard of loosing thy friends and their favour by seeking and serving the Lord in the Primerose of thy dayes then to run the hazard of losing God Christ heaven Mat. 16.26 Mark 8.36 eternity and thy soul for ever by neglecting the things of thy peace It was a gallant return which the noble Rutilius made his friend requesting of him an unlawfull favour in such language as this I had as good bee without such a friend as with him who will not let mee speed in what I ask to whom hee replyed I can want such a friend as you if for your sake I must do that which is not honest The application is easy Well Young man remember this the torments of a thousand hells were there so many comes far short of this one vice to bee turned out of Gods presence with a Non novi vos I know you not Mat. 7.23 Ah! Young man Young man thou wer 't better ten thousand thousand times to bee cast out of the thoughts and hearts of thy carnal friends and relations than to bee cast out of Gods presence with cursed Cain for ever Gen. 4 than to be excommunicated out of the general Assembly of the Saints Heb. 12.23 and Congregation of the first-born which are writen in heaven and therefore away with this objection but Thirdly The favour and friendship of such carnal persons is very fickle and inconstant it is very fading and withering Now they stroak and anon they strike now they lift up and anon they cast down now they smile and anon they frown now they kiss and anon they kill now they cry Hosanna Hosana anon they cry Crucify him crucify him Haman is one day feasted with the King and the next day made a feast for Crows Esth 7. The Princes of Babylon were highly in King Darius his favour one day Dan. 6 and cast into the Lyons den the next The Scribes and Pharisees that cryed up Judas one day did in effect bid him go and hang himself the next day Mat. 27.3 4.5 Such mens favour and friendship Valerian Valens Belisareus Bajâ—zet Pythias Dionysius Pompey William the Conqueror and many other have found it so are as Venice Glasses quickly broken and therefore not much to bee prized or minded Histories abounds with instances of this nature but I must hasten onely remember this that every dayes experience tells us that wicked men can soon turn Tables and cross their books their favour and friendship is usually like to a morning cloud or like to Jonahs Gourd one hour flourishing and the next hour withering and why then shouldest thou set thy heart upon that which is more changeable than the moon Glaucus who changed his Armour of Gold with Diomedes for his Armour of Brass stands upon record for a fool c. But Fourthly and Lastly who but a mad man would adventure the loss of the Kings favour to gain the favour of his Page who but a stark Bedlam would run the hazard of loosing the Judges favour upon the Bench to purchase the good will of the Prisoner at the Barre Socrates preferred the Kings countenance before his Coyn and so must you prefer the favour of God Psal 4.6 7 the countenance of Christ and the things of eternity above all the favour and friendship of all the men in the World when your nearest friends and dearest relations stands in competition Psal 45.10 Mat. 10.37 Luk. 14.26 27 with Christ or the things above you must shake them off you must turn your backs upon them and welcome Christ and the things of your Peace hee that forsakes all relations for Christ shall certainly finde all relations in Christ hee will bee father friend husband Child hee will bee every thing to thee who takest him for thy great all Object 3. I but I shall meet with many reproaches from one and other if I should labour to bee good betimes if I should seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of my youth now to this I answer First What are reproaches to the great things that others have suffered for Christ his Gospel Hebâ—ews ch 10. â—â— read the ten persecutions and the maintaining of a good conscience what is a prick of a pin to a stab at the heart what is a chiding to a hanging a whipping to a burning no more are all the reproaches thou canst meet with to the great things that others have suffered for Christs sake Ah! Young men you should be like the Scythian that went naked in the Snow and when Alexander wondred how hee could endure it Answered I am not ashamed for I am all forehead So should you in the cause and way of Christ you should not bee ashamed you should be all forehead you should bee stout and bold Colonus the dutch Martyr under all his reproaches called to the judge that had sentenced him to death and desired him to lay his hand upon his heart and then asked him whose heart did most beat his or the Judges All the reproaches in the world should not so much as make a Christians heart beat they should not in the least trouble him nor disturb him but Secondly I Answer That all the reproaches thou meetest with in the way of Christ and for the sake of Christ they do but adde Pearls to thy Crown they are all additions to thy happiness and blessedness 1 Pet. 4.14 If yee be reproached for the name of Christ happy are yee for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you on their part hee is evil spoken of but on your part hee is glorified the more you are reproached for Christs sake on earth Mat. 5.11 12 the greater shall bee your reward in heaven they that are most loaded with reproaches here shall bee most laden with glory hereafter Christ hath written their names in golden letters in his book of life that are written in black letters of reproach for his sake on earth T was a good saying of one Chrysostom a Reproacher saith hee is beneath a man but the reproached that bear it well are equal to Angells of all Crowns the reproached mans Crown will weigh heaviest in heaven But Thirdly
So was Joseph Mephibosheth Naboth and in latter times Luther whom they said dyed despairing when hee was alive to confute it And that Beza run away with another mans wifâ— And that Calvin was branded on the shoulder for a Rogue but there would be no end of this stuff should I say all that might be said I Answer the best men have been mostly reproached David was Psal 69.7 Psal 89.50 Psal 119.22 Psal 31.11 Psal 109.25 and Job was Job 19 35. ch 20.3 Job 16.10 and Jeremiah was Jer. 20.7.10 Yea this hath been the common portion of the people of God in all ages of the World in Nehemiahs time it was so Neh. 1.3 And they said unto mee the remnant that are left of the captivity are in great affliction and reproach In Davids time it was so Psal 79.4 and Psal 44.13 14. And in Jeremiahs time it was so Lam. 5.1 Remember O Lord what is come upon us Consider and behold our reproach And in Daniels time it was so Dan. 9.16 Thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us and it was so in the Apostles time Rom. 3.8 And not rather as we be slanderously reported as some affirm that wee say let us do evil that good may come whose damnation is just 2 Cor. 6.8 By honour and dishonour by evill report and good report as Deceivers and yet true so in that 1 Tim. 4.10 for therefore wee both labour and suffer reproach because wee trust in the living God c. And it was so in the Primitive times for when the Christians met together before Sun to pray the Heathens reported of them that they worshiped the Sun Tertullian and aspired after Monarchy and committed Adulteries and unnatural uncleannesses Now who is troubled who complains of that which is a common lot as Cold Winter Sickness Death c. No more should any complain of reproaches it being the common lot of the people of God in all ages yea Christ himself was sadly reproached falsly accused and strangely traduced disgraced and scandalized hee was called a Glutton a Drunkard a friend of Publicans and Sinners and judged to use the Black Art casting out Devils by Belzebub the Prince of Devils Mat. 9.34 ch 12.24 Christ hath suffered the greatest and the worst reproaches why then should you be afraid to wear that Crown of Thorns that Christ hath wore before you there is a great truth in what hee said Non potest qui pati timet ejus essâ— qui passus est hee that is afraid to suffer Tertul. de fuga in persecut cannot bee his Disciple who suffered so much if the Master hath been marked with a black coal let not the servant think to go free I am heartily angry saith Luther with those that speak of my sufferings which if compared with that which Christ suffered for me are not once to be mentioned in the same day But Fourthly I Answer that all reproachers shall at last be arraigned at the highest bar of justice for all the reproaches that they have cast upon the people of God They think it strange or they think it a new world that you run not with them to the same excrss of riot 1 Pet. 4.4 Xenizontai Blasphemountes Wonder and Blaspheme speaking evil of you who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead I am in an extasy saith Picus Myrandula to think how prophane men rail upon those now whom one day they will wish they had imitated It was excellent Counsell that the Heathen Oratour gave his hearers ita vivamus Cic. 4. in Verr. ut rationem nobis reddendam arbitremur let us live as those that must give an account of all at last Chrysostome brings in Christ comforting his Disciples against reproaches speaking thus unto them what is the wrong grievous to you that now they call you Seducers and Conjurers it will not be long before they shall openly call you the Saviours and blessings of the whole world that time that shall declare all things that are now hid shall rebuke them for their lying words against you and shall kindle the splendor of your vertue Mal. 3.17 Mic. 7.9 10 11 1 Cor. 6.3 4 So they shall bee found Lyers evil speakers false accusers of others but you shall bee more clear and illustrious than the Sun and you shall have all men witnesses of your glory Such as wisely and humbly bear reproaches now shall judge reproachers at last But Fifthly I answer that God doth many times even in this life bear sad witness and testimony against the reproachers of his people Gen 12.3 2 Sam. 16.11 12 13 I will bless them that bless thee and I will curse them that curse thee Divine Justice is like Vulcans iron net that took the Gods It apprehends and condemns all that are reproachers and enemies to his people God will even in this life curse them with a witness who curse them that he blesseth Pharoah found it so and Saul found it so and Jezabel found it so and Haman found it so and the Princes of Babylon found it so and the Jews find it so to this very day And Oh the dreadful judgements and curses that God hath poured out upon the reproachers of his name of his Son of his spirit of his word of his Ordinanees and of his people in these dayes wherein we live I might give you many sad instances of such in our days whose feet justice hath taken in the snare men of abstracted conceits and sublime speculations and indeed such usually prove the great wise fools who like the larke soareth higher and higher peering and peering till at length they fall into the net of the fowler and no wonder for such persons usually are as censorious as they are curious Sixthly I Answer Paul rejoyced more in his suffering reproaches for Christs sake than he did in his being wrapt up in the third heaven 2 Cor. 12.10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities Crudelitas vestra gloria nostra your cruelty is our glory said they in Tertullian Fire sword prison famine are all delightful to me saith Basil in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake for when I am weak then am I strong And therefore you have him often a singing this Song I Paul a Prisoner of Jesus Christ not I Paul wrapt up in the third Heaven Hee look't upon all his sufferings as Gods love tokens he look't upon all reproaches as pledges and badges of his Son-ship and therefore joyes and glories under all Christ shewed his love to him in wraping him up in the third heaven and he shewed his love to Christ in his joyful bearing of reproaches for his sake Paul rattles his chain which he bears for the Gospel and was proud of it as a woman of her ornaments saith Chrysostome Now why should that bee matter of trouble and discouragement to you that was
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
ever we should have our old hearts turned our millions of Sin pardoned our vile natures changed and poor souls saved c. I Answer that there is hope even for such as you are all the Angels in heaven and all the men on earth cannot tell but that you even you may obtain mercy and favour that your souls dye not with the Lord nothing is impossible and for the grace of the Gospel nothing is too hard now this I shall make evident by an induction of partilars thus First Mat. 20 1â—â—â—17 The Roman penny was seven pence half penny All were not called nor sent to work in the Vineyard at the first-hour some were called at the third-hour others at the sixth others at the ninth and some at the eleventh God hath his several times of calling souls to himself the eleventh hour was about five in the afternoon an hour before Sun-set when it was even time to leave work and yet at this hour some were called imployed and rewarded with the rest Some of the fathers by the several hours mentioned in this Parable do understand the several ages of man viz. Childhood youth middle-age and Old-age wherein poor souls are called and converted to Christ the scope of the Parable is to signify the free-grace of God in the calling of some in the spring and morning of their days and in the calling of others in their Old-age in the evening of their days But Secondly Abraham in the Old Testament Gen. 12.4 Joh. 3.1 2 3 4. ch 7.50 and Nicodemus in the New were called and converted in their old age when there were but a few steps between them and the grave between them and eternity therefore let not the gray-headed sinner despair though his spring be past his summer over past and he arrived at the fall of the leaf But Thirdly Divine promises shall be made good to returning souls to repenting souls to beleeving souls Isa 1.18 Jer. 3.12 Isa 43.22 23 24 25 Isa 57.17 18 Jer. 5â— 5 John 3.16 Mar. 16.16 be they young or old 2 Chron. 30.9 The Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you if you return unto him Joel 2.13 And rent your heart and not your garments and turn unto the Lord your God for he is gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repenteth him of the evil Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for hee will abundantly pardon or hee will multiply to pardon More of this you may see by reading the Scriptures in the margent all sorts of sin shall bee pardoned to all sorts of beleeving and repenting sinners The new Jerusalem hath twelve Gates to shew that there is every way access for all sorts and ranks of Sinners to come to Christ He was born in an Inn to shew that hee receives all comers young and Old poor and rich c. But Fourthly The Lord hath declared by Oath a greater delight in the conversion and salvation of poor sinners whether they are young or old than in the destruction and damnation of such Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes for why will ye dye O ye house of Israell two things make a thing more credible 1 The quality or dignity of the person speaking 2 The manner of the speech Now here you have the great God not onely speaking promising but solemnly swearing that hee had rather poor sinners should live than dye bee happy than miserable therefore despair not Oh aged sinner but return unto the Lord and thou shalt bee happy for ever But Fifthly Vna guttula plus valet quam caelum terra Luther One little drop is more worth than heaven and earth there is vertue enough in the precious blood of Jesus Christ to wash and cleanse away all sin not only to cleanse away the young mans sins but also to cleanse away the old mans sins not only to cleanse a sinner of twenty years old but to cleanse a sinner of fifty sixty yea a hundred years old 1 Joh. 1.7 The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin not simply from sin but from all sin there is such a power and efficacie in the blood of Christ as is sufficient to cleanse all sorts of sinners from all sorts of sins there is vertue in the blood of the Lamb to wash out all the spots that are in the oldest sinners heart and therefore let not old sinners despair let not them say there is no hope there is no help as long as this fountain the blood of Jesus Christ is open for all sorts of sinners to wash in But Sixthly The call and invitations of Christ in the Gospel are general and indefinite excluding no sort of sinners Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man mark the indefinitenesse of personal admittance hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will sup with him and hee with mee let the sinner bee old or young a green head or a gray head if hee will but open the door Christ will come in and have communion and fellowship with him So in that Mat. 11.28 Isa 55.1 John 7.37 Rev. 22.17 turn to these Scriptures and dwell upon them they all clearly evidence the call and gracious invitations of Christ to bee to all sinners to every sinner hee excepts not a man no though never so old nothing shall hinder the sinner any sinner the worst and most aged sinner from obtaining mercy if hee bee willing to open to Christ and to receive him as his Lord and King John 6.37 But Seventhly Christs pathetical lamentation over all sorts and ranks of sinners declares his willingnesse to shew mercy to them O Jerusalem Jerusalem saith Christ Luk. 19.41 42. weaping over it that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace Psal 81.13 c. O that my people had hearkened unto mee Christ weeps over Jerusalem so did Titus and so did Marcellus over Syracuse and so did Scipio over Carthage but they shed tears for them whose blood they were to shed but Christ weeps over the necks of those young and old sinners who were to shed his blood As a tender hearted Father weeps over his rebellious Children when neither smiles nor frowns neither counsels nor intreaties will win them or turn them from their evil waies So doth Jesus Christ over these rebellious Jews upon whom nothing would work But Eighthly and lastly though aged sinners have given Christ many thousand denyals yet he hath not taken them but after all Psal 65.1 2. Rom. 10.21 and in the face of all denyals hee still re-inforces his suit and continues to beseech them by his Spirit 1 Joh. 5.2 3. by his word by his wounds by his blood by his messengers and by his rebukes to turn home to him to embrace him to beleeve in him and to match with him that they may bee saved eternally by him all which bespeaks gray-headed sinners not to despair nor to dispute but to repent return and beleeve that it may go well with them for ever Consider seriously what hath been spoken and the Lord make you wise for eternity There are three other Books lately published by Mr. Brooks 1 Precious remedies against Satans devices or salve for Beleevers and unbeleevers sores being a companion for those that are in Christ or out of Christ that slight or neglect ordinances under a pretence of living above them that are growing in spirituals or decaying that are tempted or deserted afflicted or opposed that have assurance or want it 2 Cor. 2.11 2 Heaven on Earth or a serious discourse touching a well grounded assurance of mens everlasting happiness and blessednesse discovering the nature of assurance the possibility of attaining it the Causes Springs and Degrees of it with the resolution of several weighty questions Rom. 8.32 33 34. 3 The unsearchable Riches of Christ or meat for strong men and milk for babes held forth in two and twenty Sermons from Ephesians 3.8 preached on his lecture nights at Fishstreet-hill All three Printed for and sold by John Hancock at the first shop in Popeshead-Alley next to Cornhill 1657. FINIS