cordially tendred I hope none of you into whose hands it may fall will say as once Antipater King of Macedonia did when one presented him with a book treating of happinesse his answer was Ou Scholazo I have no leisure Ah! Young men and women young men and virgins as you tender the everlasting welfare of your souls as you would escape hell and come to heaven as you would have an interest in Christ a pardon in your bosomes as you would be blessed here glorious hereafter find time find leasure to read over and over the following treatise which is purposely calculated for your eternal good But before I go further I think it needful in some respects to give the world some further account of other reasons or motives that hath prevailed with mee once more to appear in print and they are these First Having preached a Sermon occasionally upon those words on which this following discourse is built I was earnestly importun'd to print the Sermon by some worthy friends I did as long as in modesty I could withst and their desires judging it not worthy of them but being at last overcome and setting about the work the breathings and comings in of God were such as hath occasioned that one Sermon to multiply into many Luther tells us that when hee first began to turn his back upon Popery hee intended no more but to withstand Popish pardons and selling indulgencies yet neither would God or his enemies let him alone till hee resolved with Moses not to leave a hoof of Popery unopposed c. God many times in the things of the Gospel carries forth his servants beyond their intentions beyond their resolutions But Secondly The kinde acceptance and good quarter that my other peeces have found in the world and those signal and multiplyed blessings that have followed them to the winning of many over to Christ and to the building up of others in Christ hath incouraged mee to present this Treatise to the World hoping that the Lord hath a blessing in store for this also Gracious experiences are beyond notions and impressions they are very quickening and encouraging Thirdly That I might in some measure make up others neglects whose age whose parts whose experiences whose graces hath long called upon them to do something considerable this way and that they may bee provoked by my weak assay to do better and to make up what is wanting through my invincible infirmities and spiritual wants and weaknesses which are so many as may well make a sufficient Apology for all the defects and weaknesses that in this Treatise shall appear to a serious judicious eye But Fourthly The love of Christ and souls hath constrained mee to it 2 Cor. 5.14 2 Cor. 12.15 Solus amor nesci◠difficultates Love knows no difficulties as there is an attractive so there is a compulsive vertue in divine love Love to Christ and souls will make a man willing to spend and bee spent hee that praies himself to death that preaches himself to death that studies himself to death that sweats himself to death for the honour of Christ and good of souls shall bee no looser in the end divine love is like a rod of Myrtle which as Pliny reports makes the traveller that carries it in his hand that hee shall never bee faint or weary Divine love is very operative si non operatur non est if it do not work it is an argument it is not at all divine love like fire is not idle but active hee that loves cannot bee barren love will make the soul constant and abundant in well doing God admits none to heaven saith Justin Martyr but such as can perswade him by their works that they love him The very heathen hath observed Seneca that God doth not love his children with a weak womanish affection but with a strong masculine love and certainly they that love the Lord strongly that love him with a Masculine love they cannot but lay out their little all for him and his glory But Fifthly I observe that Satan and his instruments are exceeding busy and unwearied in their designs attempts and indeavours in these dayes to corrupt and poyson It is said of Marcellus the Roman General that he could not bee quiet Nec victor nec victus neither Conquered nor Conquerer such a one is Satan to defile and destroy the young the tender the most hopeful and most flourishing plants among us Latimer told the Clergy in his time that if they would not learn diligence and vigilance of the Prophets and Apostles they should learn it of the Devil who goes up and down his Dioceses and acts by an untired Power seeking whom hee may destroy when the wolves are abroad the Shepheard should not sleep but watch yea double his watch remembring that hee were better have all the bloud of all the men in the world upon him than the bloud of one soul upon him by his negligence or otherwise Satan is a Lyon not a Lamb a roaring Lyon not a sleepy Lyon not a Lyon standing still but a Lyon going up and down as not being contented with the Prey the many millions of souls hee hath got he seeks whom he may sip up at a draught as that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 1 Pet. 5.8 imports his greatest design is to fill hell with souls which should awaken every one to bee active and to do all that may bee done to prevent his design and to help forward the salvation of souls Chrysostome compares good pastors Chrys in Mat. Ho. 15. to fountains that ever send forth waters or Conduits that are alwayes running though no pail bee put under But Sixthly and Lastly 1 Cor. 15. ult I know the whole life of man is but an hour to work in and the more work any man doth for Christ on earth the better pay he shall have when hee comes to Heaven 2 Cor. 9.6 Every man shall at last reap as he sows Opportunities of doing service for Christ and souls are more worth than a world therefore I was willing to takehold on this not knowing how soon I may put off this earthly Tabernacle 2 Pet. 1.13 14 and remembring that as there is no beleeving nor repenting in the grave Eccl. 9.10 So there is no praying preaching writing nor Printing in the grave we had need to be up and doing to put both hands to it and to do all wee do with all our might John 9.4 knowing that the night draws on upon us wherein no man can work A Christians dying day is the Lords pay day that is a time to receive wages not to do work And thus I have given the World a true account of the Reasons that moved me to print the following discourse before I close up I desire to speak a word to young persons and another to aged persons and then I shall take leave of both My request to you who are in
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
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
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
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
his word as you may see by comparing these scriptures together Deut. 29.18 19 20. Psal 78.36 Psal 36.1.2 Job 17.5 Ezek. 12.24 Dan. 11.21 32 34. Ps 12.2 3. They speak vanity every one with his neighbour with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak Karath signifies any cutting off either by death or banishment c. The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaketh proud things And as God declares sadly against them in his word so hee hath declared terribly against them in his works as you may runne and read in his judgements executed upon Ahabs flattering Prophets and upon Haman and upon Daniels Princely false accusers c. And why then will not you stop your ears against those wretches that the hand and heart of God is so much against Again A preacher in Constantines time presumed to call the Emperour Saint to his face but he went away with a check Euseb de vit Const l. 4.4 As God declares against them so good men detest them and declare against them as you may see by comparing these Scriptures together Psal 5.8 9 10. Prov. 2.16 Prov. 7.21 Prov. 28.23 Job 32.21 22. 1 Thess 2.5.20 Prov. 20.19 Meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips Why so why because a man that flattereth his Neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet Prov. 29.5 The Hebrew word Mahhalik from hhalak that is here rendred flatterer signifies a smooth boots a soft butter-spoken man because flatterers useth smooth soft speeches Also the word signifies to divide because a Flatterers tongue is divided from his heart Flatterers have their nets and those that give ear to them will bee taken to their ruine A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it The Hebrew word and a flattering mouth worketh ruine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 26. ult A flattering mouth ruines name Dahbah signifies such aviolent forceing of one as he cannot stand it signifies to throw down to drive on forwards till a man fall into destruction same estate body soul life Valerian the Roman Emperour used to say Non acerba sed blanda not bitter but flattering words do all the mischeif When Alexander the Great was hit with an Arrow in the siege of an Indian City which would not heal hee said to his Parasites you say that I am Jupiters son but this wound cryes that I am but a man Now shall good men detest them and abhor them as they are the pest of pests the plague of plagues and will you own them will you take pleasure in them to your ruine here and hereafter the Lord forbid Oh say to all flatterers as hee to his Idols Hos 14.8 Get you hence for what have I more to do with you Nay once more consider that not onely the good but the bad not onely the best but some of the worst of men have manifested their detestation of Flatterers and flattery Leo the Emperour used to say occulti inimici pessimi a close enemy is farre worse than an open When a Court Parasite praised Sigismund the Emperour above measure the Emperour gave him a sound box on the ear When Aristobulus the Historian presented to Alexander the Great book that hee had written of his glorious acts wherein hee had flatteringly made him greater than he was Alexander after he had read the book threw it into the River Hydaspes and said to the Author it were a good deed to throw thee after it When the Flatterers flattered Antigonus hee cryed out mentiris mentiris in gutture Hae virtutes non laetent in me thou liest thou liest in thy throat these vertues that thou speakest of I have not in me but I am like a Leopard that have ten black spots to one white Augustus Caesar and Tiberius Caesar were deadly enemies to flatterers insomuch that they would not bee called Lords by their own children A good Symbole is attributed to Trebonianus Gallus viz. Nemo amicus idem et adulator no Flatterer can be a true friend Aristippus the Philosopher seeing Diogenes washing of herbs for his dinner said if Diogenes knew how to make use of Kings hee need not live upon raw herbs as he doth to which Diogenes replyed that if Aristippus could content himself with herbs hee need not to turn Spaniel or to flatter King Di nysius for a meals meat Ah! Young men Young men shall God shall good men shall bad men detest and declare against Flatterers and flattery and will not you turn a deaf ear upon them yea fly from them as from a Serpent and shun them as you would shun hell it self if you do not the very Heathens but now cited will rise in judgement against you Flatterers are the very worst of sinners The Flatterers told Caesar that his freckles in his face were like the starres in the Firmament they bought and sold Aurelius the Emperour at pleasure And Augustus complained when Varrus was dead that hee had none now left that would deal plainly and faithfully with him So men may gain by Flattery they will bee like Harpaelus who said Quod Regi placet mihi placet that which pleaseth the King pleaseth mee When Astyages set his own Sonne before him to feed upon him O but let every young man say into whose hands this treatise shall fall Quod Deo placet mihi placet that which pleaseth God pleaseth mee I have been the longer upon this out of love to young mens souls Whilest an Asse is stroaked under the belly you may lay on his back what burden you please who are so apt to bee insnared in the Flatterers net if ever you would bee good in good earnest you must abhor Flatterers as the first born of the Devil and as such that are most pernitious to mens happinesse both here and hereafter It is reported of one Oramazes that hee had an enchanted Egg in which as hee boasted himself hee had inclosed all the happiness of the World but being broken nothing was found in it but Wind. Flatterers are the greatest cheaters the greatest deceivers in the world They say of the Crocodile that when hee hath killed a man he will weep over him as if hee were sorry and did repent for what he had done the Application is easy Fourthly If you would bee good betimes if you would seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of your dayes then take heed of engageed affections to the things of the World The Young man in the Gospel took many a step towards heaven Mat. 19 16-24 All these things have I kept from my Youth up what lack I yet Christ makes a very fair offer to him in the next words Jesus said unto him if thou wilt be perfect go and sell that thou hast and give to the Poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come and follow mee thou shalt have heaven for earth a Sea for a drop a
treasure for a mite a crown for a crum I but the young mans affections were strongly engaged to the things of the world Multi amando res noxias sunt miseri babendâ— miseriores August in Psal 26. and therefore he turns his back upon Christ and goes away sorrowful because he had great possessions O the madness the folly of this young man who to enjoy a little temporal felicity hath bid an everlasting farewell to Christ and Glory in that Gen. 13.2 it is said that Abraham was very rich in Cattel in silver and in gold the Hebrew word Cabedh that is here rendred rich signifies heavy it signifies a burden to shew us that riches are a heavy burden and a hinderance many times to heaven and happinesse and this young man in the Gospel found it so to his eternal undoing Though the Load-stone cannot draw the Iron when the Diamond is in presence yet earthly possessions did draw this young mans soul away when Christ the Pearl of price was present the World is a silken net and this young man found it so the world is like Golden fetters and this young man found it so the world is like sweet poyson and this young man found it so They are dulce venenum a sweet poyson Bern. for hee had drunk so large a draught of it that there was no room in his soul for Christ or heaven for grace or glory Some say that when the Serpent Scytale cannot overtake the flying Passengers shee doth with her beautiful colours so astonish and amaze them that they have no power to pass away till she have stung them such a Serpent the World proved to the young man in the Gospel it did so affect him and take him so amaze him and amuze him that hee could not stir till it stung him to death When the Moon is fullest it is furthest from the Sun so the more men have of the World the further commonly they are from God and this the young man in the Gospel made good Many have ventured life and limb If money were thrown to the dogs they would not so much as smell at it the greater is their folly and madnesse that will go to hells gates for it and many a better thing to gain the things of this World and yet after all they have got nothing at all Achans golden wedge proved a wedge to cleave him and his garment a garment to shrow'd him The whole world is circular the heart of man is triangular and wee know a circle cannot fill a triangle yea if it be not filled with the three persons in Trinity it will bee filled with the world the Flesh and the Devil The World may be resembled to the fruit that undid us all which was fair to the sight smooth in handling sweet in taste but deadly in effect and operation Ah! Young men young men have none of you found it so The World in all its bravery is no better than the Cities which Solomon gave to Hiram 1 King 9.13 which hee called Cabul that it to say displeasing or dirty the World will afford nothing but trivial Flowers surrounded with many bryers O the Vanity the uncertainty the imperfection of all things below if a man should weigh his pay and his pains together his miseries and his pleasures together his joys and his sorrows together his mercies and his crosses together his good daies and his bad dayes together will he not conclude vanity of Vanity and all is Vanity It was a wise and Christian Speech of Charles the fift In my other Trearises you may read more of the vanity insufficiency impotency mutability uncertainty and inconstancy of the World and to them I refer you to the Duke of Venice who when hee had shew'd him the glory of his Princely Palace and earthly Paradise instead of admiring it or him for it onely returned him this grave and serious memento Haec sunt quae faciunt invitos mori these are the things which make us unwilling to dye it was a good saying of one to a great Lord upon his shewing him his stately house and pleasant Gardens Sir you had need make sure of heaven or else when you dye you will bee a very great looser Ah! Young men Young men t is onely heaven that is above all winds stormes and tempests nor hath God cast man out of Paradise for him to think to finde out another Paradise in this world the main reason why many young men dote upon the world is because they are not acquainted with a greater glory men ate Acorns till they were acquainted with the use of Wheat Rev. 12.1 The woman had the Moon under her feet when shee was cloathed with the Sun and had a Crown of twelve stars upon her head Ah! Young men were you but cloathed with the Sunne of Righteousness and had you a crown set upon your heads by the hand of faith you would have all the things of this world which are as low Heb. 11.24 25 26 27 35. ch 10.34 bespotted and mutable as the Moon under your feet well young men as ever you would be good betimes sit loose from the things of this world be no longer worshippers of this Golden calf and never let the World that should bee but your Servant become your Lord O Oh let not the Devil and the World have more service for an ounce of gold than Christ shall have for the Kingdome of Heaven Ah young men the world and you must part or Christ and you will never meet you cannot serve God and Mammon Mat. 6.24 The two poles shall sooner meet than the love of Christ and the love of the world Fifthly if you would be good betimes if you would know seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of your youth then take heed betimes of carnal reason Gal. 1.15 16. take heed of consulting with flesh and blood many a hopeful young man hath been undone temporally and undone eternally by hearkening to those evil counsellors Cicero a Heathen could say that man would not bee so wicked and do so wickedly were it not for his reason Carnal reason is an enemy yea an utter enemy nay it is not only an utter enemy but it is enmity yea enmities Rom. 8.7 An enemy may bee reconciled but enmity can never bee reconciled Carnal Reason is not only averse but it is utterly averse to all goodnesse it builds strong holds and syllogisms against the most glorious Gospel-truths and accounts the precious things of Christ as a strange thing carnal Reason will make God and Gospel do homage to it when carnal Reason is in the Throne Christ and his truths must all bow or bee judged before its bar Ah young men young men as ever you would bee good betimes stop your ears against all carnal Reasonings within you carnal Reason judges the choicest things of the Gospel to bee meer foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1.23
It is very observeable that in the Law the Nazarite was not only commanded to abstain from wine and strong drink Quid est vitare peccata nifi vitare occasiones peccatorum Melanct. but also hee might not eat Grapes whether moist or drie nor any thing that is made of the Vine tree What is it to avoid sin but to avoid the occasions of sins from the kernels even to the husk but why not these small things in which there could bee no danger of drunkenness surely least by the contentment of these hee might bee drawn to desire the wine and so bee brought on to sin to break his vow and so make work for Hell or for the Physitian of souls God here by forbidding the most remote occasions shews how wary and exactly careful men should bee to shun and avoid all occasions provocations and appearances of evil and indeed wee had need to keep off from slippery places who can hardly stand fast on dry ground hee that ventures upon the occasion of sin and then prayes Lord lead mee not into temptation is like him that thrusts his finger into the fire and then prayes that it may not bee burnt or like him that is resolved to quench the fire with oil which instead of quenching it is as fuel to feed it and increase it It was a notable saying of one Bernard in Cant. Serm. 65. Majus est miraculum inter vehementes occasiones non cadere quam mortuos suscitare it is a greater miracle not to fall being among strong occasions than it is to raise up the dead hee that would not bee defiled must not touch pitch hee that would not bee burnt must not carry fire in his bosome Prov 6.27 28 29. hee that would not cat the Meat Nondiu intus est periculo pronimus Cypr. Hee is not long safe that is near to danger must not meddle with the broth hee that would not fall into the pit must not dance upon the brink hee that would not feel the blow must keep off from the train keep thee far from a false matter Exod. 23.7 Hee that will not flye from the occasions and allurements of sin though they may seem never so pleasant to the eye or sweet to the taste shall finde them in the end to bee more sharp than Vinegar more bitter than Worm-wood more deadly than poison There is a great truth in that saying of the son of Syrach Hee that loveth danger Eccles 3 26 27. shall perish therein hee that will not decline danger shall not bee able to decline destruction Socrates speaks of two young men that flung away their belts when being in an Idol Temple the lustrating water fell upon them detesting saith the Historian the Garment spotted by the flesh and will you O young men play and toy with the occasions of sin the Lord forbid There are stories of several Heathens that have shun'd and avoided the occasions of sin and will you dare to venture upon the occasions of sin Alexander would not see the woman after whom hee might have lusted Scipio Africanus warring in Spain took new Carthage by storm at which time a beautiful and noble Virgin fled to him for succour to preserve her chastity hee being but four and twenty years old and so in the heat of youth hearing of it Aure victor would not suffer her to come into his sight Dio. in vita for fear of a temptation but caused her to bee restored in safety to her Father Livia counselled her Husband Augustus not only not to do wrong but not to seem to do so c. Caesar would not search Pompeyes Cabinet least hee should finde new matters of revenge Plato mounted upon his horse and judging himself a little moved with pride did presently light from his horse least hee should bee overtaken with loftiness in riding Thesius is said to cut off his golden locks least his enemies should take advantage by taking hold of them Ah young men young men shall the very Heathen thus shun and flye from the occasions of sin and will not you will not you who sit under the Sun-shine of the Gospel these will in the great day of account bee sad and sore witnesses against those that dally and play with the occasions of sin To prevent carnal carefulness Christ sends his Disciples to school to the irrational Creatures Mat. 6.26 32. And to prevent your closing with the occasions of sin let mee send you to school to the like Creatures that you may learn by them to shun and avoid the occasions of sin The Sepiae a certain kind of fish perceiving themselves in danger of taking by an instinct which they have they do darken the water and so many times escape the net which is laid for them Geese they say when they flye over Taurus they keep stones in their mouthes lest by gagling they should discover themselves to the Eagles which are amongst the mountains waiting for them now if all these considerations put together will not work you to decline the occasions of sin I know not what will There is a truth in that old saying Hee that will no evil do Must do nothing that belongs thereto The Israelites must have no leaven in their houses Exod. 22.19 till the passeover bee done lest they should bee tempted to eat of it Thirdly If you would bee good betimes then you must remember the eve of God betimes if you would seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of your daies then you must study Gods omnipresence betimes Psal 139.2.14 Doth not hee see my wayes Job 31.4 ch 34.21 12 c. and count all my steps for his eyes are upon the wayes of man and hee seeth all his goings There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves I have read that Paphnutius converted two famous young strumpets Thais and Ephron Non se putent adulteri noctis tenebris vel parietum obtegi Beda from uncleanness only with this argument that God seeth all things in the dark when the doors are fast the windows shut and the curtains drawn By this very Argument Solomon labours to take off his young man from carnal and sinful courses Pro. 5.20 21. Noli peccare Deus videt angeli aâ—ant c Take heed what thou doest God beholds thee Angels observe thee And why wilt thou my Son bee ravish't with a strange woman and embrace the bosome of a stranger for the wayes of man are before the eyes of the Lord and hee pondereth all his goings Thou mayest deceive all the World like that counterfit Alexander in Josephus his story but Augustus will not bee deceived hee hath quicker and sharper eyes Ah young men young men you may deceive this man and that and as easily deceive your selves but you cannot deceive him who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 totus oculus all-eye As
the primerose of your dayes is this if ever the Lord shall be pleased so to own and Crown so to bless and follow this following discourse as to make it an effectuall means of turning you to the Lord of winning you to Christ of changing your natures and converting your souls for such a thing as that I pray hope and beleeve that then you would do two things for me First That you would never cease bearing of me upon your hearts when you are in the mount that I may bee very much under the pourings out of the Spirit that I may be clear high and full in my communion with God and that I may bee alwayes close holy humble harmless and blamelesse in my walkings with God And that his work may more and more prosper in my hand Secondly Psal 66.16 1 Pet. 3.15 That you would by word of mouth letter or some other way acquaint mee with what the Lord hath done for your souls if he shall make mee a spiritual father to you do not hide his grace from mee but acquaint mee how hee hath made the seed that was sown in weakness to rise in power upon you and that First That I may do what I can to help on that work begun upon you that your penny may become a pound your mite a million your drop an ocean Secondly That I may the better English some impressions that have been upon my own spirit since I begun this work Thirdly 1 Thes 2 19 20 2 Cor. 9.2 That my joy and thankfulness may bee increased and my soul more abundantly engaged to that God who hath blest the day of small things to you ponder these scriptures 2 Cor. 7.3 4 13. Phil. 2.2 ch 4.1 Philemon ver 7. 2 John 3.4 And then be ashamed to declare what the Lord hath done for you if you can Fourthly Mat. 25.23 Dan. 12.3 Prov. 11.30 it is better to convert one than to civilize a thousand and will turn more at last to a Ministers account in that day wherein he shall say Loe here am I and the children that thou hast given mee Isa 8.18 such a man with his spiritual children about him shall look on God with more comfort and boldness than those that are onely able to say Loe here am I and the many Benefices here am I and the many Ecclesiastical dignities and glories here am I and the many hundreds a year that man had given and I have gotten But Fifthly Act. 9.3 Isa 6.5 Mal. 2.5 6 7. c. and Lastly The conversion of others is a secondary and more remote evidence of a mans own renovation and conversion Paul was converted himself before God made him instrumental for others Conversion Gods usuall method is to convert by them who are converted I do not remember any one instance in all the scripture of Gods converting any by such who have not been converted first themselves yet I know his grace is free and the wind blows where it lists when it lists and as it lists To aged persons I have a word and then I have done First To Gray-headed Saints Ah Friends ah Fathers would you see your honour your happiness your blessedness then look into this Treatise and there you will finde what an unspeakable honour it is to bee an Old disciple what a glory it is to be good betimes and to continue so to Old age Secondly To white-headed Sinners whose spring is past whose summer is overpast and who are arrived at the fall of the leaf and yet have a hell to escape a Christ to beleeve in sins to pardon hearts to change souls to save and heaven to make sure would such be incouraged from scripture grounds to repent beleeve and hope that yet there is mercy for such let them seriously peruse this Treatise especially the latter part of it and there they may finde enough to keep them from despairing and to incourage them to adventure their souls upon him that is mighty to save There are many things in this Treatise that are of use to all and several things of moment that are not every day Preach't nor read I have made it as pleasureable as time would permit that so it might be the more profitable to the reader and that I might the better take the young man by a holy craft 2 Cor. 12. ch 15.2 Prov. 11.30 which is a high point of heavenly wisdome there being no wisdome to that of winning of souls I shall now follow this poor peice with my weak prayers that it may be soblest from heaven as that it may bring in some and build up others and do good to all and so rest Your friend and Servant in the Gospel of Christ THOMAS BROOKS The Contents THe explication of the words from page 1. to page 10. Doct. That it is a very desirable and commendable thing for young men to be really good betimes this truth proved p. 10 11 12 Twelve Reasons of this point 1 Because he commands it whose Commands are not to be disputed but obeyed from p. 12. to 16 2 Because they have means and opportunities of being good betimes from p. 16. to 20 3 Because then they will have fewer sins to answer for and repent of p. 20 21. 4 Because time is a precious talent that Young men must be accountable for from p. 21. to 26 5 Because then they will have the greater comfort and joy when they come to bee old from p. 26. to 28 6 Because an eternity of felicity and glory hangs upon those few moments that are allotted to them from p. 28. to 33. 7 Because they do not begin to live till they begin to be really good from p. 33. to 36 8 Because the promise of finding God of enjoying God is made over to an early seeking of God c. from p. 36. to 44 9 Because the time of Youth is the choicest and fittest time for service from p. 44. to 47 10 Because death may suddenly and unexpectedly seize on youth youth being as fickle as old age from p. 47. to 52 11 Because it is ten to one nay a hundred to ten if ever they are converted if they are not converted when they are young from p. 52. to 55 12 Because else they will never attain to the honour of being an Old Disciple p. 55.56 The honour of an Old Disciple shew'd in seven particulars 1 All men will honour an Old Disciple from p. 56. to 58 2 God usually reveals himself most to old Disciples to old Saints p. 58. to 62 3 An old Christian an old Disciple hath got the art of serving God p. 62. to 63 4 An old Disciple an old Christian is rich in spirituall experiences from 63 to 67 5 An old Disciple is firm and fixt in his resolutions from 67 to 70 6 An old Disciple is prepared for death from 70. to 73 7 An old Disciple shall have a great reward in heaven from 73. to 79 Use of
Reproof from 79. to 84 The several evils that most properly attends youth as 1 Pride from 84. to 87 2 Sensual pleasures and delights from 87. to 93 3 Rashnesse from 93. to 96 4 Mocking and Scoffing at Religious men and religious things from p. 96. to 98 5 Wantonnesse from p. 98. to 101 Use of Exhortation to exhort young persons to be good betimes and motives moving thereunto as 1 It is a high honour to be good betimes from p. 102. to 106 2 Christ gave himself for sinners when he was in the primerose of his age from p. 106. to 111 3 It is the best way in the world to bee rich in spiritual experiences from p. 111. to 116. 4 The present time is the only time that you are sure of from p. 116. to 122 5 It is just with God to reserve the dregs of his wrath for them who reserve the dregs of their dayes for him from p. 122. to 125 6 The sooner you are good on earth the greater will be your reward in heaven from p. 125. to 134 7 The Lord is very much affected and taken with your seeking of him and following after him in the spring and morning of your youth from p. 134. to 136 8 It will prevent many sad and black temptations from p. 136. to 140 9 Consider the worth and excellency of souls from p. 140. to 144 10 God will at last bring young men to a reckoning from p. 144. to 155 Quest Whether in the great day of account the sins of the Saints shall bee brought into the judgement of Discussion and discovery or no the negative proved by divers arguments from p. 155 to 171 Directions to such as would bee good betimes as would know and love seek and serve the Lord in the primrose of their dayes as 1 Take heed of putting the day of death a far off from p. 171. to 177 2 If you would bee good betimes take heed of leaning to your own understanding from p. 177. to 182 3 If you would be good betimes take heed of flatterers and flattery from p. 182. to 191 4 If you would seek the Lord in the spring and morning of your dayes then take heed of engaged affections to the things of the World from p. 191. to 197 5 If you would be good betimes then you must take heed betimes of carnal reason c. from p. 197. to 201. 6 Take heed of comparing your selves with those that are worse than your selves from p. 201. to 207 Secondly As those six things must be declined so several other things must be practised if you would be good betimes as 1 If you would be good betimes then you must labour to be acquainted with four things betimes as 1 You must labor to acquaint your selves with the scripture betimes p. 207. to 219 2 You must acquaint your selves with your selves betimes from p. 219. to 226 3 If you would be good betimes then you must acquaint your selves with Jesus Christ betimes from p. 226. to 228 Now there are six things which you should be thorowly acquainted with concerning Jesus Christ As 1 If you would be good betimes then you must know that there is every thing in Christ that may incourage you to seek him and serve him p. 228. to 230 2 If you would be good betimes then you must know betimes that Jesus Christ is mighty to save p. 230 to 234 3 Then you must know betimes that there is a marvellous readinesse and willingness in Christ to imbrace and entertain returning sinners c. p. 234. to 236 4 If you would be good betimes then you must know betimes that Jesus Christ is designed sealed and appointed by the father to the office of a Mediatour from p. 236. to 240 5 If you would be good betimes then you must know betimes that there is no way to salvation but by Jesus Christ p. 240. to 246 6 If you would be good betimes then you must know betimes that the heart of Jesus Christ is as much set upon sinners now hee is in heaven as ever it was when he was on earth p. 246. to 249 4 If you would bee good betimes then you must acquaint your selves with those that are good betimes 249. to 254 2 If you would be good betimes then you must shun the occasions of sin betimes from p. 254. to 262 3 If you would be good betimes then you must remember the eye of God betimes from p. 262. to 265 4 If you would be good betimes then you must hearken to the voice of conscience betimes from p. 265. to 269 5 If you would be good betimes then you must know wherein true happiness lyes betimes from p. 269. to 272 6 Lastly If you would be good betimes then you must break your covenant with sin betimes Now to work you to that you must alwaies look upon sin under these six notions 1 You must look upon sin under the notion of an enemy from p. 272. to 277 2 Vnder the notion of bonds c. from p. 277. to 279 3 Vnder the notion of fire six resemblarces between sin and fire from p. 279. to 289 4 Under the notion of a Theif c. from p. 289. to 292 5 Vnder the notion of a burden c. from p. 292. to 296 6 Vnder the notion of a Tyrant c. from p. 296. to 299 1 Object It may be time enough hereafter to seek and serve the Lord c. This Objection answered four waies from p. 299. to 304 2 Object If I should seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of my daies I should loose the love and favor of such and such friends and Relations Four Answers to this Objection c. from p. 304. to 311 3 Obj. I shall meet with many reproaches Eight answers to this Objection from p. 311. to 326 4 Object Most men give liberty to themselves and walk in waies more pleasing to the flesh This Objection answered five waies from p. 326. to 339 5 Ob. The last I shall mention is that God is a God of mercy in him are bowels of mercy yea a sea an Ocean of mercy he delights in mercy c. Five answers to this Objection from p. 339. to 349 Lastly The Old mans doubts resolved in eight several answers from p. 349 to the end FINIS ERRATA PAge 12. line 22. Alarm for Atome p. 54. l. 5 it for that p. 55. l. 20. were for was p. 70. l. 21. add to p. 86. l. 7. Sybian for Lybian Reader What other defects thou meetest with thou art desired in love to pass over by reason of the Authors absence from the Press THE Young-Mans Duty AND EXCELLENCY 1 KING 14. ch 13. v. And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him for hee only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam The Young mans
Duty and Excellency ISHAL only stand upon the latter part of this Verse because that affords me matter most sutable to my designe Because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam These words are a commendation of Abijahs life in him was found some good thing toward the Lord c. when Abijah was a Child vers 3.12 when hee was in his young and tender years hee had the seeds of grace in him he had the Image of God upon him hee could discern between good and evill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hee did that which pleased the Lord. Is used for a young man or stripling Gen. 22.5 and often for a servant though he be a man of tipe years Estâ—er 2.2 Such as one Evangelist â—alleth young 〈◊〉 Luk. 12. 〈…〉 other 〈…〉 fellow 〈…〉 The Hebrew word Nagnar translated Child vers 3. is very often applied to such as wee call youth or young men Exod. 24.5 Numb 6.11 1 Sam. 2.17 c. Of such age and prudence was Abijah as that he could chuse good and refuse evill hee was a Lot in Sodom hee was good among the bad the bent and frame of his heart was towards that which was good when the heart both of his Father and Mother was set upon evill Abijah beganne to bee good betimes hee crost that pestilent proverb a young Saint and an old Devill T is the glory and goodness of God that hee will take notice of the least good that is in any of his 1 Pet. 3.6 There was but one good word in Sarahs speech to Abraham and that was this shee called him Lord and this God mentions for her honour and commendations shee called him Lord God looks more upon one grain of Wheat than upon a heap of Chaff upon one shining Pearl than upon a heap of rubbish God findes a Pearl in Abijah and hee puts it into his Crown to his eternal commendation There was found in him some good thing towards the Lord c. for the words There was found in him the Hebrew word Matsa sometimes signifies finding without seeking Isa 65.1 I am found of them that sought mee not so Psal 116. v. 3. The sorrows of death compassed mee and the pains of hell got hold upon mee I found trouble and sorrow I found trouble which I lookt not for I was not searching after sorrow but I found it There 's an elegancy in the Originall The pains of hell gat hold upon mee So wee read but the Hebrew is The pains of hell found me one word signifies both they found mee I did not find them There was found in Abijah some good thing towards the Lord i.e. there was found in him without searching or seeking some good thing towards the Lord it was plain and visible enough men might see and observe it without inquiring or seeking they might runne and read some good thing in him towards the Lord. Secondly The word sometimes signifies Finding by seeking or enquiry Isa 55.6 Seek yee the Lord while hee may bee found c. So upon search and enquiry there was found in Abijah though young some good thing toward the Lord. Thirdly Sometimes the word notes the obtaining of that which is sufficient Josh 17.16 Numb 11.22 Judg. 21.14 in Abijah there was that good in him toward the Lord that was sufficient to evidence the work of grace upon him sufficient to satisfy himself and others of the goodness and happinesse of his condition though hee died in the prime and flower of his days c. And in him was found some good thing the Hebrew word Tob that is here rendered good Signifies First That which is right and just 2 Sam. 15.3 See thy matters are good and right i.e. just and right Secondly that which is profitable Deut. 6.11 Houses full of all good things i. e. houses full of all profitable things Thirdly That which is pleasing 2 Sam. 19.27 Do what is good in thine eyes i.e. do what is pleasing in thine eyes Fourthly That which is full and compleat Gen. 15.15 Thou shalt bee buried in a good old age i.e. thou shalt bee buried when thine age is full and compleat Fifthly That which is joyfull and delightful 1 Sam. 25.8 wee come in a good day i. e. wee come in a joyful and delightfull day now put all together and you may see that there was found in Abijah when hee was young that which was right and just that which was pleasing and profitable and that which was matter of joy and delight In the words you have two things that are most considerable First That this young mans goodnesse was towards the Lord God of Israel many there are that are good nay very good towards men who yet are bad ya very bad towards God This age affords many such hypocrites such Monsters c. Some there are who are very kind to the creature and yet very unkind to their Creator many mens goodnesse towards the creature is like the rising Sun but their goodness towards the Lord is like a morning cloud Hos 6.4 or as the early dew which is soon dried up by the Sun-beams but Abijahs goodnesse was towards the Lord his goodnesse faced the Lord it look't toward the glory of God Two things makes a good Christian good actions and good aimes And though a good aim doth not make a bad action good There may bee Malum opus in bona materia as in Jehues zeal as in Vzzah yet a bad aime makes a good action bad as in Jehu whose justice was approved but his policy punished the first Chapter of Hosea and the fourth verse doubtless Abijahs actions were good and his aims good and this was indeed his glory that his goodness was towards the Lord. It s recorded of the Catanenses that they made a stately monument of Kingly magnificence in remembrance of two Sons who took their aged parents upon their backs and carried them through the fire when their fathers house was al in a flame these young men were good towards their Parents but what is this to Abijahs goodnesse towards the Lord c. A man cannot bee good towards the Lord but he will bee good towards others but a man may be good towards others that is not good towards the Lord Oh that mens practises did not give too loud a Testimony every day to this assertion c. Secondly Hee was good among the bad Happy are those souls that with the Sturgion or Crab-fish can swim against the stream of custome and example and that with Atticus can cleave to the right though loosing side he was good in the house of Jeroboam t is in fashion to seem at least to bee good among the good but to bee really good among those that are bad that are eminently bad argues not onely a truth of goodness but a great degree of goodness this young man was good in the house of Jeroboam who
made all Israel to sin who was naught who was very naught who was stark naught and yet Abijah as the fishes which live in the salt Sea are fresh so though hee lived in a sink a sea of wickedness yet hee retained his goodnesse towards the Lord. They say Roses grows the sweeter when they are planted by Garlick they are sweet and rare Christians indeed who hold their goodness and grow in goodnesse where wickedness sits on the throne and such a one the Young man in the text was To bee Wheat among Tares Corn among Chaffe Pearls among Cockles and Roses among Thorns is excellent To bee a Jonathan in Sauls Court to be an Obadiah in Ahabs Court to be an Abedmelech in Zedechias Court and to bee an Abijah in Jeroboams Court is a wonder a miracle To bee a Lot in Sodome to bee an Abraham in Chaldaea to bee a Daniel in Babylon to bee a Nehemiah in Damasco and to bee a Job in the land of Husse is to be a Saint among Devils and such a one the young man in the Text was The Poets affirm that Venus never appeared so beautious as whē shee sate by black Vnlcans side Gracious souls shine most clear when they bee set by black conditioned persons Stephens face never shin'd so Angelically so gloriously in the Church where all were vertuous as before the Councill where all were vitious and malicious So Abijah was a bright Star a shining Sun in Jeroboams Court which for prophanness and wickedness was a very hell The words that I have chosen to insist upon will afford us several observations but I shall onely name one which I intend to prosecute at this time and that is this viz. Doct. That t is a very desirable and commendable thing for young men to bee really good betimes Other Scriptures speak out this to be a truth Job 32.4 5 6 7. besides what you have in the Text to confirm it as that of the second of Chronicles Chap. 34.1 2 3. verses Josiah was eight years old when hee beganne to reign and hee reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years And hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and walked in the wayes of David his father and declined neither to the right hand nor to the left for in the eighth year of his reign while hee was yet young hee beganne to seek after the God of David his father and in the twelfth year he beganne to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places and the Groves and the carved Images and the molten Images T was Obadiahs honor that hee feared the Lord from his youth 1 King 18.12 2 Tim. 3.15 And Tymothys crown that he knew the Scripture from a child and Johns joy 2 Epist 4. v. that hee found Children walking in the truth this revived his good old heart and made it dance for joy in his bosome to spend further time in the proving of this truth would bee but to light candles to see the Sunne at noon The grounds and Reasons of this point viz. That it is a very desirable and commendable thing for young men to bee really good betimes are these that follow First Because the Lord commands it and divine commands are not to bee disputed but obeyed Deut. 6.5 ch 11.13 v. Augustine beginneth one of his Sermons thus Ad vos mibi Sermo O juvenes flos etatis periculum mentis August de tempore Ser. 246 to you is my speech O young men the flower of age the danger of the mind In the 12 Chapter of Ecclesiastes and the 1 verse Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth while the evil days come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them Remember now I say now now is an Alarm it will puzzle the wisdome of a Philosopher the skill of an Angel to divide Now is a Monosyllable in all learned Languages Remember now thy Creator Remember him presently instantly for thou dost not know what a day what an hour may bring forth thou canst not tell what deadly sin what deadly temptation what deadly Judgement may over-take thee if thou dost not now even now remember thy Creator Remember now thy Creator Remember to know him remember to love him remember to desire him remember to delight in him remember to depend upon him remember to get an interest in him remember to live to him and remember to walk with him Remember now thy Creator the Hebrew is Creatours Father Son and Spirit To the making of man a Council was called in Heaven in the 1. of Genesis and 29 vers Remember thy Creatours remember the Father so as to know him so as to bee inwardly acquainted with him Remember the Son so as to beleeve in him so as to rest upon him so as to imbrace him and so as to make a compleat resignation of thy self to him Remember the Spirit so as to hear his voice so as to obey his voice so as to feel his presence and so as to experience his influence c. Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth hee doth not say in the time of thy youth but in the dayes of thy youth to note that our life is but as a few dayes t is but a vapour a span a flower a shadow a dream and therefore Seneca saith well that though death bee before the old mans face yet hee may bee as near the young mans back c. Mans life is the shadow of smoak Aug. l. 1. Confess the dream of a shadow one doubteth whether to call it a dying life or a living death ah young men God commands you to bee good betimes Remember young men that it is a dangerous thing to neglect one of his commands who by another is able to command you into nothing or into Hell To act or run crosse to Gods expresse command though under pretence of Revelation from God is as much as a mans life is worth as you may see in that sad story 1 King 13. ch 24. verse c. Let young men put all their carnal reasons though never so many and weighty into one scale and Gods absolute command in the other and then write Tekel upon all their reasons They are weighed in the ballance and found too light Ah sirs what God commands must bee put in speedy execution Obedientia non discutis Dei mandata sed facit Prosper without denying or delaying or disputing the difficulties that attend it Most young men in these dayes do as the Heathens when their gods called for a man they offered a candle or as Hercules offered up a painted man in stead of a living When God calls upon young men to serve him with the Primrose of their youth they usually put him off till they are overtaken with trembling joynts dazled eyes fainting hearts failing hands and feeble knees but this will bee bitternesse in the end
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
and value of many peeces of silver is to bee found in one peece of gold So all the petty excellencies that are scattered abroad in the Creatures are to bee found in God yea all the whole volum of perfections which is spread through Heaven and Earth is epitomized in him No good below him that is the greatest good can satisfie the soul a good wife a good child a good name a good estate a good friend cannot satisfie the soul these may please but they cannot satisfie Omnis copia quae non est Deus meus mihi egestas est Aug. Soliloq c. 13. All abundance if it bee not my God is to mee nothing but poverty and want said one Ah that young men and women would but in the morning of their youth seek yea seek early seek earnestly seek affectionately seek diligently seek primarily and seek unweariedly this God who is the greatest good the best good the most desirable good who is a sutable good a pure good a satisfying good a total good and an eternal good The ninth Reason why young persons should be really good betimes and that is because the time of youth is the choicest and fittest time for service Now your parts are lively senses fresh The dayes of youth are called aetas bona in Cicero and aetas optima in Seneca memory strong and nature vigorous the dayes of your youth are the spring and morning of your time they are the first-born of your strength therefore God requires your nonage as well as your dotage the wine of your times as well as the lees Exod. 13.2 Exod. 22.9 as you may see typified to you in the first fruits which were dedicated to the Lord And the first-born The time of youth is the time of salvation it is the acceptable time it is thy summer thy harvest time O young man therefore do not sleep but up and bee doing awaken thy heart rouse up thy soul and improve all thou hast put out thy reason thy strength thy all to the treasuring up of heavenly graces precious promises divine experiences and spiritual comforts against the winter of old age and then old age will not bee to thee an evil age Gen. 25.28 but as it was to Abraham a good old age do not put off God with fair promises and large pretences till your last sands are running and the dayes of dotage hath overtaken you Mal. 1.14 That 's a sad word of the Prophet cursed bee the deceiver which hath in his flock a male and yet offereth to the Lord a corrupt thing Jer. 1.11 The Almond tree blossomes in January while it is yet Winter and the fruit is ripe in March Ah young men and women who are like the Almond tree you have many males in the flock your strength is a male in your flock your time is a male in the flock your reason is a male in the flock your parts are a male in the flock and your gifts are a male in the flock now if hee bee curst that hath but one male in his flock and shall offer to God a corrupt thing a thing of no worth of no value how will you bee curst and curst curst at home and curst abroad curst temporally curst spiritually and curst eternally who have many males in your flock and yet deal so unworthily so fraudulently and false heartedly with God as to put him off with the dreggs of your time and strength while you spend the Prime-rose of your youth in the service of the world Mat. 21.20 the Flesh and the Devil The Fig-tree in the Gospel that did not bring forth fruit timely and seasonably was curst to admiration the time of youth is the time and season for bringing forth the fruits of righteousness and holiness and if these fruits bee not brought forth in their season you may justly fear that the curses of heaven will secretly and insensibly soak and sink into your souls and then woe wo to you that ever you were born the best way to prevent this hell of hels is to give God the cream and Flower of your youth your strength your time your Talents vessels that are betimes seasoned with the savour of life never loose it Pro. 22.6 The Tenth Reason Why young persons should bee really good in good earnest betimes and that is because Death may suddenly and unexpectedly seize upon you Pares nascuntur pares moriuntur in the womb and in the Tomb they are all alike you have no lease of your lives Youth is as fickle as old age the young man may finde Graves enough of his length in buriall places as green wood and old logs meet in one fire so young Sinners and old Sinners meet in one hell and burn together when the young man is in his spring Job 21.23 24 and prime then hee is cut off and dies one dieth in his full strength or in the strength of his perfection T is an Allegorical description of the highest prosperity as the Hebrew hath it being wholly at ease and quiet His breasts are full of milk and his bones are moistened with marrow Davids children dies when young so did Jobs and Jeroboams c. Every days experience tell us that the young mans life is as much a vapour as the old mans is I have read of an Italian Poet who brings in a propper young man rich and potent discoursing with Death in the habit of a mower with his Sythe in his hand cutting down the life of man For all flesh is grass Isa 40.6 and wilt thou not spare any mans person saith the young man I spare none saith death Deaths motto is Nulli Cedo I yeild to none mans life is but a day a short day a winters day oft-times the Sun goes down upon a man before it be wel up your day is short your work is great your journey long and therefore you should rise early and set forward towards heaven betimes as that man does that hath a long journey to go in a winters day The life of man is absolutely short Psal 39.5 Behold thou hast made my days as a hands breadth The life of man is comparatively short and that if you compare mans life now to what hee might have reacht had hee continued in innocency Sinne brought in death death is a fall that came in by a fall or if you compare mans life now to what they did reach to before the Flood then several lived Gen. 9 six seven eight nine hundred years or if you compare mans dayes with the days of God Mine age is as nothing before thee Psal 39.5 or if you compare the dayes of man to the dayes of eternity Ah! The Heathen could say that the whole life of man should be nothing else but meditatio mortis a meditation of death Young men young men can you seriously consider of the brevity of mans life and trifle away
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
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
but a shaddow of that pleasure I finde in this book having a good book in her hand Augustin before his conversion could not tell how to live without those pleasures which he delighted much in but when his nature was changed and his heart graciously turned to the Lord O how sweet saith hee is it to bee without those former sweet delights Ah! Young men when once you come to experience the goodnesse and sweetness that is in the Lord and in his word and wayes you will then sit down and grieve that you have spent more Wine in the Cup than Oil in the Lamp There are no pleasures so delighting so satisfying so ravishing so engaging and sâ— abiding as those that springs from union and communion with God as those that flows from a sense of interest in God and from an humble and a holy walking with God The third sin of youth is rashnesse they many times know little and fear lesse and so are apt rashly to run on and run out often to their hurt Aristot Polit. but more often to their hazzard Tit. 2.6 Exhort young men to be sober-minded or discreet They are apt to bee rash to bee hot spurs As you may see in Rehoboams young Counsellers who counselled him to tell the people that groaned under their burthens that his little finger should bee thicker than his Fathers loins 1 King 12.8 9 10 11. and that hee would adde to their yoak and that whereas his Father had chastized them with whips hee would chastize them with Scorpions this rash counsel proved Rehoboams ruine yea David himself though a good man yet being in his warm blood and young how sadly was hee overtaken with rashness As the Lord God of Israel liveth 1 Sam. 25.34 35. Diis proximus ille est quem ratio non ira movet Sen. Hee is next to God whom reason not anger moveth saith hee except thou hadst hastened and come to meet mee surely there had not been left unto Nabal by to morrow light any that pisseth against the wall And this hee bindes with an oath because the Master was foolishly wilful the innocent servants must all bee woful And because Nabal had been niggardly of his bread David would bee prodigal of his blood Ah how unlike a Christian yea how below a man doth David carry it when his blood is up and hee a captive to rashness and passion Rashnesse will admit of naught for reason but what unreasonable self shall dictate for reason as sloath seldome bringeth actions to good birth so rashnesse makes them alwayes abortive ere well formed A rash spirit is an ungodlike spirit a rash spirit is a weak spirit it is an effeminate spirit A man of understanding is of an excellent spirit Prov. 17.27 or as the Hebrew will bear is of a cool spirit not rash and hot ready at every turn to put out his soul in wrath Rashnesse unmans a man it will put a man upon things below man-hood Herostratus a hot spur an obscure base fellow did in one night by fire destroy the Temple of Diana at Ephesus which was two hundred and twenty years in building of all Asia at the cost of so many Princes and beautified with the labours and cunning of so many excellent workmen the truth is there would bee no end should I discover the many sad and great evils that are ushered into the world by that one evil Rashnesse which usually attends youth c. and therefore young men decline it and arm your selves against it c. The fourth sin that ordinarily attends on youth is mocking and scoffing at Religious men and Religious things they were young ones that scoffingly and scornfully said to the Prophet Go up thou bald-head 2 King 2.23 24. Job 30.1.12 13 14 15. go up thou bald-head And the young men derided and mocked Job But now they that are younger than I have mee in derision whose Fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock Upon my right hand rise the youth they push away my feet and they raise up against mee the wayes of their destruction c. And Oh that this age did not afford many such Monsters who are notable who are infamous in this black Art of scoffing and deriding the people of God and the wayes of God The Athenians once scoffed at Sylla's wife and it had well nigh cost the razing of their City hee was so provoked with the indigninitie and will you think it safe to scoff at the people of God who are the Spouse of Christ Rev. 21. Zach. 2.5 Deut. 32.9 Isa 19.25 Joel 2.17 Psal 33.12 Isa 62.3 who are as the apple of his eye who are the signet on his right hand his portion his pleasant portion his inheritance his Jewels his royal Diadem Ah young men young men will you seriously consider how sadly and sorely hee hath punished other scoffers and mockers and by his Judgements on them be warned never to scoff at the people of God or his wayes more Julian the Emperor was a great scoffer of Christians but at last hee was struck with an arrow from Heaven that made him cry out vicisti Galilee thou Galilean meaning our Saviour Christ hast overcome mee Felix for one malicious scoff did nothing day and night but vomit blood till his unhappy soul was separated from his wretched body Pherecydes was consumed by Worms alive for giving Religion but a nickname Lucian for barking against Religion like a dog was by the just Judgments of God devoured of dogs Remember these dreadful judgements of God on scoffers and if you like them then mock on scoff on but know that justice will at last bee even with you nay above you The fifth and last evil that I shall mention that attends and waits on youth is lustfulnesse wantonnesse which occasioned aged Paul to caution his young Timothy 2 Tim. 2.22 to flee youthful lusts Timothy was a chaste and chastened peece hee was much sanctified and mortified his graces were high and corruptions low hee walked up and down this world with dying thoughts and with a weak distempered declining dying body his heart was in Heaven and his foot in the grave and yet youth is such a slippery age that Paul commands him to flye to post from youthful lusts though Timothy was a good man a weak sickly man a marvellous temperate man drinking Water rather than Wine yet hee was but a man yea a young man and therefore Pauls counsel and command is that he flees youthful lusts And Solomon who had sadly experienced the slipperinesse of youth gives this counsel Put away the evils of thy flesh Eccles 11.10 for childhood and youth are vanity He was a young man that followed the Harlot to her house Prov. 7.7 8 9 10 11 c. hee was young in years and young in knowledge Salazer upon the words saith that was a happy age that afforded but one
simple young man among many whereas late times afford greater store Ah! too many of the youths of this age in stead of flying from youthful lusts they post and pursue after youthful lusts Chrysostome speaking of youth saith it is difficilem jactabilem Chrysost Homil. 1. Ad populum fallibilem vehementissimisque egentem fraenis hard to bee ruled easy to bee drawn away apt to bee deceived and standing in need of very violent reines The Ancients did picture youth like a young man naked Lapide with a vail over his face his right hand bound behinde him his left hand loose and Time behinde him pulling one thread out of his vail every day intimating that young men are void of knowledge and blinde unfit to do good ready to do evil till Time by little and little make them wiser Well young man remember this that the least sparklings and kindlings of lusts will first or last cost thee groans and griefs tears and terrors enough These five are the sins that usually are waiting and attending on youth but from these the young man in the text was by grace preserved and secured which is more than I dare affirm of all into whose hands this treatise shall fall But though these five are the sins of youth yet they are not all the sins of youth for youth is capable of Other sins attends youth as 1 Ignorance 1 Cor. 14 20. 2 Falshood Psal 58.3 3 Excessive love of liberty 4 Impatience of councils and reproofs Jer. 31.18 19. 5 Impudency Isa 3.5 6 A trifling spirit Eccles 11.10 7 Prodigality Use and subject to all other sins whatsoever but these are the special sins that most usually waits and attends on young men when they are in the spring and morning of their youth I shall now hasten to the main use that I intend to stand upon and that is an use of Exhortation to all young persons Ah sirs as you tender the glory of God the good of your bodies the joy of your Christian friends and the salvation of your own souls bee exhorted and perswaded to bee really good betimes It was the praise and honour of Abijah that there was found in him some good thing towards the Lord in the Primrose of his child-hood Oh that it might bee your honour and happinesse to bee really good betimes that it might bee to you a praise and a name that in the morning of your youth you have begun to seek the Lord and to know and love the Lord and to get an interest and propriety in the Lord now that this Exhortation may stick and take Encouragements to Young men I beseech you seriously to weigh and ponder these following motives or considerations First 1. Motive consider It is an honour to bee good betimes A young Saint is like the morning star hee is like a pearl in a gold Ring It is mentioned as a singular honour to the beleeving Jews that they first trusted in Christ that wee should bee to the praise of his glory Ephes 1.12 who first trusted in Christ this was their praise their crown that they were first converted and turned to Christ and Christianity So Paul mentioning Andronicus and Junia doth not omit this circumstance of praise and honour Rom. 16.7 that they were in Christ before him Salute Andronicus and Junia my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners who are of note among the Apostles who also were in Christ before me And so it was the honor of the house of Stephanas 1 Cor. 16.15 that they were the first fruits of Achaia it was their glory that they were the first that received and wellcomed the Gospell in Achaia T is a greater honor for a young man to out-wrastle sinne Satan temptation the world and lusts than ever Alexander the Great could attain unto 2 Sam. 19.15 It was Judah his praise and honor that they were first in fetching home David their King Ah! Young men and women it will bee your eternal praise and honor if you shall before others if you shall bee the first among many who shall know the Lord and seek the Lord who shall receive the Lord and imbrace him who shall cleave to the Lord and serve him who shall honor the Lord and obey him who shall delight in the Lord and walk with him The Romans built Vertues and Honours Temple close together to shew that the way to honor was by vertue and indeed there is no crown to that which goodness sets upon a mans head all other honour is fading and withering Adonibezeck a mighty Prince Judg. 1.7 is suddenly made fellow commoner with the Dogs Dan. 4.28 And Nebuchadnezzar a mighty conqueror turned a grazing among the oxen And Herod reduced from a conceited God Act. 12.23 to bee the most loathsome of men living carrion arrested by the vilest of creatures upon the suit of his affronted Creatour Est 7.10 And Haman feasted with the King one day and made a feast for Crows the next I might tell you of Bajazet and Belisarius two of the greatest Commanders in the world and many others who have suddenly fallen from the top of worldly honor and felicity into the greatest contempt and misery but I shall not at this time But that honour that arises from mens being gracious betimes is such honour that the world can neither give nor take it is honour it is a Crown that will still bee green and flourishing it is honour that will bed and board with a man that will abide with a man under all tryals and changes that will to the grave that will to heaven with a man Ah Sirs It is no small honour to you who are in the spring and morning of your days that the Lord hath left upon record several instances of his Love and delight in young men 1 Sam. 16.11 12 13 hee chose David a younger brother and passes by his elder brothers hee frowns upon Esau Rom. 9.12 13 and passes by his door and sets his love and delight upon Jacob the younger brother he kindly and lovingly accepts of Abels person and sacrifice Gen. 4.3 4 5 6 and rejects both Cains person and sacrifice though hee was the elder brother Among all the Disciples John 13.23 John was the youngest and the most and best beloved There was but one young man that came to Christ Mar. 10.19 20 21. and hee came not aright and all the good that was in him was but some moral good and yet Christ loved him with a love of pitty and compassion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek word signifies to speak friendly and deal gently with one and so did Christ with him all which should exceedingly encourage young men to be good betimes to be gracious in the morning of their youth no way to true honour like this but Secondly The sacrifices in the Law were young Lambs and young Kids to shew that Christ our
plenae sunt there he will store up mercies new and old there hee will treasure up all plenty rariety and variety there he will lay up all that heart can wish or need require O the many drops of myrrhe that falls from Christs fingers upon their hearts O the many secrets that Christ reveals in their ears O the many love letters that Christ sends to these O the many visits that hee gives to these O the turns the walks that hee hath in Paradise with these there are none in the World for experience and intelligence to these Ah! Young men young men as you would be rich in the best riches beginne to be good betimes as there is no riches to spiritual riches so there is no way to be rich in these riches but by beginning to be good in good earnest betimes As for worldly riches If there were any happiness in riches the Gods would not want them saith Seneca Philosophers have contemn'd them and prefer'd a contemplative life above them and shall not Christians much more the Prophet calls them thick clay which will fooner break the back than lighten the heart they cannot better the soul they cannot enrich the soul Ah! how many thred-bare souls are to be found under silken cloaks and gowns how often are worldly riches like hang-men they hide mens faces with a covering that they may not see their own end and then they hang them And if they do not hang you they will shortly leave you they make themselves wings and fly away when one was a commending the riches and wealth of Merchants I do not love that wealth said a Heathen that hangs upon ropes if they break the ship miscarrieth and all is lost He is rich enough saith Jerom that lacketh not bread and high enough in dignity that is not forced to serve This worlds wealth that men so much desire May well be likened to a burning fire Whereof a little can do little harm But profit much our bodies wel to warm But take too much and surely thou shalt burn So too much wealth to too much woe do's turn It was an excellent saying of Lewis of Bauyer Emperour of Germany hujusmodi comparandae sunt opes quae cum naufragio simul enatent such goods are worth getting and owning as will not sink or wash away if a shipwrack happen but will wade and swim out with us we see such are the spiritual riches that will attend those who in the spring and morning of their youth shall know the Lord and serve the Lord and get an interest in the Lord and thus much for the third motive The fourth motive to provoke young ones to be really good betimes is to consider that the present time the present day is the onely season that you are sure of time past cannot be recalled and time to come cannot be ascertained Heb. 3.15 To day if you hear his voice harden not your hearts Behold now is the acceptable time 2 Cor. 6.2 The whole Earth hangs on a point so doth heaven and eternity on an inch of opportunity now is the day of Salvation some there bee that trifle away their time and fool away their souls and their salvation to prevent this the Apostle beats upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the present opportunity because if that be once past there is no recovering of it therefore as the Marriner takes the first fair wind to sail and as the Merchant takes his first opportunity of buying and selling and as the Husbandman takes the first opportunity of sowing and reaping So should young men take the present season the present day which is their day to be good towards the Lord to seek him and serve him and not to post off the present season for they know not what another day another hour another moment may bring forth that door of grace that is open to day may be shut to morrow that golden Scepter of mercy that is held forth in the Gospel this day may be taken in the next day that love that this hour is upon the bare knee intreating and beseeching young men to break off their Sinnes by repentance to return to the Lord Isa 27.4 5 to lay hold on his strength and be at peace with him may the next hour be turned into wrath Ah! the noble motions that have been lost the good purposes that have withered the immortal souls that have miscarried by putting off the present season the present day Paul discoursing before Felix of righteousnesse Act. 24.25 temperance and judgment to come and in this discourse striking at two special vices that Felix was particularly guilty of he falls a trembling and being upon the wrack to hear such doctrin he bids Paul depart for that time and he would call for him at a convenient season here Felix neglects his present season and we never read that ever after this he found a convenient time or season to hear Paul make an end of the subject he had begun So Christ made a very fair offer to the Young man in the Gospell Go and sell that thou hast Mat. 21 22 23 24 and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven here Christ offers heavenly treasures for earthly treasures unmixt treasures for mixt treasures perfect treasures for imperfect trealures satisfying treasures for unsatisfying treasures lasting treasures for fading treasures but the young man slips his opportunity his season and goes away sorrowfull and we never read more of him Ah! Young men young men do not put off the present season Often consider what the damned would give were it in their hands for one season of grace for one opportunity of mercy do not neglect the present day there is no time yours but the present time no day yours but the present day and therefore do not please your selves and feed your selves with hopes of time to come and that you will repent but not yet and lay hold on mercy but not yet and give up your selves to the Lord next week next mouth or next year for that God that hath promised you mercy and favour upon the day of your return he hath not promised to prolong your lives till that day comes when a Souldier was brought before Lamacus a Commander for a mis-behaviour and pleaded he would do so no more Lamacus answered non licet in bello his peccare no man must offend twice in War So God especially in these Gospel days wherein the motions of Divine justice are more smart and quick than in former days happily will not suffer men twice to neglect the day of grace Heb. 3.2 and let slip the seasons of mercy Ah young men young men you say you will bee good towards the Lord before you die but if you are not good towards the Lord to day you may dye to morrow nay justice may leave him to bee his own executioner to morrow who will not repent nor
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
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
men remember this the frequent the serious thoughts of death will prevent many a sin 2 Pet. 1. 13 14. Eccles 9.10 it will arm you against many temptations it will secure you from many afflictions it will keep you from doting on the World it will make you do much in a little time it will make death easy when it comes and it will make you look out betimes for a Kingdome that shakes not for riches that corrupt not and for glory that fadeth not away Therefore do not O do not put the day of death farre from you Take heed of crying Cras Cras to morrow to morrow saith Luther for a man lives forty years before hee knows himself to bee a fool and by that time hee sees his folly his life is finished so men dye before they begin to live Secondly If you would bee good betimes then take heed of leaning to your own understanding This Counsell wise Solomon gives to his son or the young men in his time My sonne forget not my Law Prov. 3.1.5 Lean not is a Metaphor from an old or sick man leaning on his staff c. but let thy heart keep my Commandements Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not to thy own understanding Youth is the age of folly of vain-hopes and over-grown confidence Ah! how wise might many have been had they not been too early wise in their own opinion Rehoboams young Counsellors proved the overthrow of his Kingdome T is brave for youth in all things to bee discreet and sober minded Three vertues they say are prime ornaments of youth modesty silence and obedience Ah! Young men keep close in every action to this one principle viz. in every action resolve to bee discreet and wise rather than affectionate and singular I Remember that a young Gentleman of Athens being to answer for his life hired an Orator to make his defence and it pleased him well at his first reading but when the young man by often reading it that hee might recite it publikely by heart begunne to grow weary and displeased with it the Orator bid him consider that the Jâ—dges and the People were to hâ—ar it but once and then it was lâ—kely that they at the first instant might bee as well pleased as he Ah! Young men your leaning upon your selves or upon others will in the end bee bitternesse and vexation of spirit Young men are very apt to lean on their own Wit Wisdome Arts parts as old men are to lean on a staffe to support them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Hebrew word signifies that is rendered lean Shagnan in that of Prov. 3.5 this hath been the bane of many a choice Wit the loss of many a brave head the ruine of many a subtile pate Ajax thought it was for cowards and weaklings to lean upon the Lord for succour not for him whence hee was foiled lean not to great parts lean not to natural or acquired accomplishments least you loose them and your selves too Leaning to natural or moral excellencies is the ready way to bee stript oâ— all Babylon that bore her selâ— bold upon her high Towers thick walls and twenty yearâ— provision laid in for a siege waâ— surprized by Cyrus T was said of Caesar that hee received not his wounds from the swords of enemies but from the hands of friends that is from trusting in them Ah! How many young men have been wounded yea slain by trusting to their own understanding their own abilities T was an excellent saying of Austin in te stas et non stas he that stands upon his own strength shall never stand A Creature if like a single drop left to it self it spends and wastes it self presently but if like a drop in the fountain and Ocean of being it hath abundance of security Ah! Young men Young men 2 Pet. 1.4 Psal 27.1 if you will needs be leaning then lean upon precious Promises lean upon the rock that is higher than your selves lean upon the Lord Jesus Christ as John did who was the youngest of all the Disciples and the most beloved of all the Disciples John 21.20 ch 13.23 John leaned much and Christ loved him much O lean upon Christs wisdome for direction lean upon his power for protection Can. 8.5 lean upon his Purse his fulness for Provision lean upon his eye for approbation lean upon his righteousness for justification lean upon his blood for remission lean upon his merits for salvation As the young Vine without her wall to support her will fall and sink So will you young men without Christ puts under his everlasting armes to support you and uphold you therefore above all leanings lean upon him by leaning on him you will engage him by leaning on him you will gain more honor than you can give by leaning on him you may even command him and make him eternally yours c. Thirdly If you would bee good betimes if you would seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of your dayes then take heed of flatterers and flatterie Ah! how many Young men might have been very good who are now exceeding bad by hearkning to flatterers and affecting flattery Flattery undid young Rehoboam 1 Kin. 12. and ch 22. Act. 12.22.23 24. Ahab Herod Nero Alexander c. Flatterers are soul-murderers they are soul-undoers they are like evil Chyrurgions that skin over the wound but never heal it Anastatius the Emperours motto was mellitum venenum blanda oratio smooth talk proves often sweet Poyson Flattery is the very spring and mother of all impiety it blows the Trumpet and draws poor souls into rebellion against God as Sheba drew Israel to rebel against David it put our first Parents upon tasting the forbidden fruit it put Absolou upon dethroning of his father it put Haman upon plotting the ruine of the Jews it put Corah Dathan and Abiram upon rebelling against Moses it makes men call evil good and good evil darknesse light and light darkness c. it puts persons upon neglecting the means of Grace upon undervaluing the means of Grace and upon contemning the means of Grace it puts men upon abasing God slighting Christ and vexing the spirit it unmans a man it makes him call black white and white black it makes a man change Pearls for Pebles and Gold for Counters The Flatterers told Dionysius that his spittle was as sweet as honey Rev. 3.17 18 it makes a man judge himself wise when hee is foolish knowing when hee is ignorant holy when hee is Prophane free when hee is a Prisoner rich when hee is Poor high when hee is low full when hee is empty happy when he is miserable Ah! Young men young men take heed of Flatterers they are the very worst of sinners they are left of God blinded by Satan hardned in sin and ripened for hel God declares sadly against them and that in his word and in his works in
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
a means to preserve thee from lying in those everlasting Flames Bellarmine tells us of a certain advocate of the Court of Rome that being at the point of death Bellar. de arte moriendi l. 2. c. 10. was stirred up by them that stood by to repent and call upon God for mercy hee with a constant countenance and without signe of fear turned his speech to God and said Lord I have a desire to speak unto thee not for my self but for my wife and Children for I am hastening to hell neither is there any thing that thou shouldest do for mee and this he spake saith Bellarmine who was present and heard it as if hee had spoke of a journey to some Village or Town and was no more affrighted Sir Francis Bacon also in his History of Henry the Seventh relates how it was a common by-word of the Lord Cordes that hee would bee content to lye seven years in hell so hee might win Calice from the English but if thou O young man art given up to such desperate Atheisme and carnal Apprehensions of Hell I am affraid God will confute thee one day by fire and brimstone but I would willingly hope better things of all those young persons into whose hands this Treatise shall fall and thus you see what things must bee declined and avoided if ever you would be good betimes if ever you would seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of your daies But in the second place as those things must bee declined so other things must carefully and diligently bee practised if ever you would be good betimes I shall instance onely in those that are most considerable and weighty as First if ever you would bee good betimes c. then you must labour to bee acquainted with four things betimes First You must labour to acquaint your selves with the Scripture betimes you must study the Word betimes David studied the Word in the morning of his dayes in the primrose of his youth Psal 119.97 98 99 100 101 102 103 and this made him wiser than his enemies yea than his teachers this made him as much excel the Ancients as the Sunne excels the Moon or as the Moon excels the twinkling stars Timothy was good betimes and no wonder for in the prime-rose of his dayes 2 Tim. 3.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from a suckling hee was acquainted with the Scripture hee was inured to the Word from his child-hood yea from his infancy as the word properly signifies so in that 119 Psalm the 9. Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed according to thy Word there is no way to a holy heart and a clean life but by acquainting of your selves with the Word betimes one hath long since observed Aug. that God hath bowed down the Scriptures to the capacity even of babes and sucklings that all excuse may be taken away and that young men may bee encouraged to study the Scripture betimes Ah! Adoro Plenitudinem Scripturarum Tertullian Young men no Histories are comparable to the Histories of the Scriptures 1 for Antiquity 2 Rarity 3 Variety 4 Brevity 5 Perspicuity 6 Harmony 7 Verity All other books cannot equal Gods either in age or authority in dignity or excellency in sufficiency or glory Moses is found more ancient and more honourable than all those whom the Grecians make most ancient and honourable as Homer Hesiod and Jupiter himself whom the Greeks have seated in the top of their divinity The whole Scripture is but one intire love letter Gregory calls the Scripture Cor animam Dei the heart and soul of God dispatcht from the Lord Christ to his beloved Spouse and who then but would still be a reading in this love letter Like Caecilia a Roman maiden of Noble Parentage who carried alwaies about her the New-Testament that shee might still be a reading in Christs love letter and behold the sweet workings of his love and heart towards his dear and precious ones Luther found so much sweetnesse in the Word in Christs love letter that made him say he would not live in Paradise if he might without the word at cum verbo etiam in inferno facile est vivere but with the Word hee could live in hell it self The Word is like the stone Garamantides that hath drops of Gold in it self enriching of the beleeving soul This the Martyrs found which made them willing to give a load of hay for a few leaves of the Bible in English Augustine professeth that the Sacred Scriptures were his holy delight Hier. Epistola ad Heliod in Epitaphium Nepotiani And Hierom tells us of one Nepotianus who by long and assiduous meditation on the holy Scriptures had made his breast the library of Jesus Christ And Rabbi Chiia in the Jerusalem Talmud saith that in his account all the World is not of equal value with one word out of the Law That which a Papist reports lyingly of their Sacrament of the Mass viz. that there are as many mysteries in it as there bee drops in the Sea dust on the earth Angels in heaven stars in the skye Atomes in the Sun-beams or sand on the Sea-shore c. may be truly asserted of the holy Scriptures Oh the mysteries the excellencies the glories that are in the Word Ah no book to this book none so useful none so needful none so delightful none so necessary to make you happy and to keep you happy as this It is said of Caesar major fuit cura Caesari libellorum quam purpurae that he had greater care of his books than of his Royal Robes for swimming thorow the waters to escape his enemies hee carried his books in his hand above the waters but lost his Robe now what are Caesars books to Gods books Ah! Ps 119 Young men young men the Word of the Lord is a light to guide you a Counsellor to counsel you a comforter to comfort you a staffe to support you a sword to defend you and a Physitian to cure you the word is a Mine to enrich you a Robe to cloath you and a Crown to crown you it is bread to strengthen you and wine to cheere you and a honey-comb to feast you and musick to delight you and a Paradise to entertain you Oh! The Jewish Rabbins were wont to say that upon every letter of the saw there hangs mountains of profitable matter Therefore before all and above all search the Scripture study the Scripture dwell on the Scripture delight in the Scripture treasure up the Scripture no wisdome to scripture Wisdome no knowledge to Scripture knowledge no experience to Scripture experience no comforts to Scripture comforts no delights to Scripture delights no convictions to Scripture convictions nor no conversion to scripture conversion Augustin hearing a voice from heaven Tolle lege that bad him take and read whereupon turning open the new-Testament hee fell upon that place
Rom. 13.13 14 Let us walk honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse not in strife and envying But put yee on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof This Scripture so sunk into his heart as that it proved the means of his conversion as himself reports Lib. 8. conf cap. 12. this Augustin as hee was once Preaching his memory failing of him contrary to his purpose he fell upon reproving the Manicheans and by a scripture or two not before thought of Poffidon de vita Augustin to confute their heresies he converted Firmus a Manichaean as he after acknowledged to Augustin blessing God for that sermon It is reported of one Adrianus who seeing the Martyrs suffer such grievous things in the cause of God hee asked what was that which caused them to suffer such things and one of them named that text Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love him and this text was set home with such a power upon him as that it converted him and made him to profess Religion and not onely to profess it but to dye a martyr for it Cyprian was converted by reading the Prophecy of Jonah Junius was converted by reading the 1 Chapter of John the Evangelist I have read of a scandalous Minister that was struck at the heart and converted in reading that scripture Rom. 2.21 Thou which teachest another teachest thou not thy self c Wee read that Paphnutius converted Thais and Ephron two famous strumpets from uncleannesse only with this Scripture Argument That God seeth all things in the dark Heb. 4.13 when the doors are fast the windows shut the Curtains drawn c. I have read of a poor man who perswaded a young Scholler to leave reading of Poetry c. and fall upon reading of the Scripture which accordingly hee did and it pleased the Lord before hee had read out Genesis to change his heart and to turn him to the Lord in the Primrose of his daies hee being then but twenty years of age I have read of a young Lady Origen was her Schoolmaster called Potamia of a very illustrious family who endured very much in her Martyrdome by the extream cruelty of Basilides her executioner yet after her death hee bethinking himself of the holy words and Scripture expressions that were uttered by her during her cruel torments became a Christian and within few daies after was himself likewise crowned with Martyrdome James Andreas a godly Minister hearing of a Jew that for theft was hanged by the heels with his head downward having not seen that kinde of punishment hee went to the place where hee was hanging between two Dogs that were alwaies snatching at him to eat his flesh the poor wretch repeated in Hebrew some verses of the Psalms wherein hee cryed to God for mercy whereupon Andreas went near to him and instructed him in the Principles of Christian Religion about Christ the Messiah c. Exhorting him to beleeve in him A miracle of mercy and it pleased God so to blesse his Scripture exhortations to him that the Dogs gave over tearing of his flesh and the poor Jew desired him to procure that hee might bee taken down and baptized and hung by the neck for the quicker dispatch which was done accordingly I might produce other instances but let these suffice to provoke all young persons to a speedy serious diligent and constant study of the Scripture Much in the word is wrap't up in a little It is more to bee admired than to have Homers Iliads comprized in a nut shel Heb. 9.4 Ah sirs you do not know how soon your blinde mindes may bee enlightened your hard hearts softened your proud spirits humbled your sinful natures changed your defiled consciences purged your distempered affections regulated and your poor souls saved by searching into the Scriptures by reading the Scripture and by pondering upon the Scripture you should lay up the Manna of Gods word in your hearts as Moses laid up the Manna in the golden pot And as Tamar did with the staff and signet that shee received from Judah Gen. 38.18 36. shee laid them up till shee came to save her life and did save her life by it as you may see in holy story The laying up of the word now may bee the saving of your souls another day I have read of little Bees that when they go out in stormy weather they will carry a little of their comb or gravel with them that they may bee ballanced and not carried away with the winde Ah young men young men you had need to have your thoughts and hearts ballanced with the precious word that you may not bee carried away with every winde of Doctrin as many have been in these daies to their destruction and confusion Narcissus a beautiful youth though hee would not love them that loved him yet afterwards fell in love with his own shadow Ah! how may young men in these daies 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. who were once lovely and hopeful are now fallen in love with their own and others shadows with high empty aiery notions and with strange monstrous speculations to their own damnation Holy Melancthon being newly converted thought it impossible for his hearers to withstand the evidence of the Gospel but soon after hee complained that old Adam was too hard for young Melancthon Ah young men young men if you do not in good earnest give up your selves to the reading to the studying to the pondering to the beleeving to the affecting to the applying and to the living up to the Scripture Satan will bee too hard for you the world will bee too hard for you your lusts will bee too hard for you temptations will bee too hard for you and deceivers will bee too hard for you and in the end you will bee miserable and thus much for the first thing c. Secondly if you would bee good betimes then you must acquaint your selves with your selves betimes if you would bee gracious in the spring and morning of your daies then you must see betimes how bad you are how vile how sinful how wretched you are no man begins to bee good till hee sees himself to bee bad the young Prodigal never began to mend Luk. 15.12 â—â— 22. hee never thought of returning to his Father till hee came to himself till hee began to return into his own soul and saw himself in an undone condition Ah! Young men Young men you must see your selves to bee children of Wrath Ephes 2.1 2 3.12 13. Rom. 6.16 John 8.44 2 Tim. 2.26 to bee Enemies to bee Strangers to bee afar off from God from Christ from the Covenant from heaven to bee Sinnes servants and Satans bond slaves the ready way to
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.
them as that it wrings many bitter tears from their eyes and many sad and grievous sighs and groans from their hearts Again As Sin is a burden to Christians so it is a burden to heaven Judâ— 6 it made heaven weary to bear the Angels that fell no sooner had they sinned but heaven groans to be eased of them and it never left groaning till justice had turned them a groaning to hell Again Numb 16.26.35 as Sin is a burden to Heaven so it is a burden to the earth witness her swallowing up Korah Dathan and Abiram their Wives children Goods servants c. Ah! Sinners your sins makes the very earth to groan they make the earth weary of bearing you Oh! How doth the earth groan and long to swallow up those earthly wretches whose hopes whose hearts are buried in the earth these shall have little of heaven but enough of earth when they come to dye Cornelius Alapide tells a story that he heard of a famous Preacher Rom. 8.19 20 21 22 23 who shewing the bondage of the Creature brings in the Creature complaining thus Oh! that wee could serve such as are Godly Oh! that our substance and our flesh might bee incorporated into godly people that so wee might rise into glory with them Oh! that our flesh might not bee incorporated into the flesh of sinners for if it bee we shall go to hell and would any creatures go to hell Oh! we are weary of bearing sinners wee are weary of serving of sinners thus the creatures groan thus the creatures complain the Sinners sins forcing them to it c. Again Sin is a burden to God Behold I am pressed under you Amos. 2.13 as a cart is pressed that is full of shcaves by this plain pithy countrey comparison God shews how sadly hee is pressed and oppressed how sorely hee is wearied and tired with those peoples Sins Divine patience is even worn out Justice hath lift up her hand and will bear with them no longer God seems to groan under the pressure of their Sinnes as a Cart seems to do under a heavy load of this God complains by the Prophet Isaiah Isa 43.24 Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied mee with thine iniquities I am as weary of your Sins as a Travelling woman is weary of her pains saith God Sin was such a burden to God that he sweeps it off with a sweeping Floud Gen. 7. c. Again Luk. 22.44 A strange watering of a garden Bern. 1 Pet. 2.24 Sin is a burden to Christ it made him sweat as never man sweat it made him sweat great drops of clotted or congealed bloud Sin put Christs whole body into a bloudy sweat it made him groan pittiously when he bare our Sins in his body on the Tree Sin made his soul heavy even to the death and had he not been one that was mighty Isa 6.6 yea that was all-mighty he had fainted and failed under his burthen And thus you see what a burthen Sin is to man to the Creatures to heaven to earth to God to Christ and therefore as you would break with Sin betimes look alwayes upon it as a burden yea as the greatest and heaviest burden in all the world c. Sixthly and Lastly If you would break Covenant with Sin and arm and fence your selves against it betimes then you must look upon it betimes under the notion of a Tyrant Tit. 3.3 and indeed Sin is the worst and greatest Tyrant in the world Other Tyrants can but Tyranize over our bodies but Sin is a Tyrant that tyranizes over both body and soul as you may see in the sixth and seventh of the Romans Sin is a Tyrant that hath a kinde of jurisdiction in most mens hearts it sets up the Law of Pride the Law of Passion the Law of Oppression the Law of Formality the Law of Hypocrisy the Law of Carnality the Law of Self-love the Law of Carnal-Reason the Law of unbeleef and strictly Commands Subjection to them and proclaims fire and sword to all that stand out this Saints and sinners good men and bad do sufficiently experience Sin is a Tyrant of many thousand years standing Thales one of the seven Sages used to say that few Tyrants lived to be old but it is far otherwise with this Tyrant Sin Prov. 4.16 and though it hath had many a wound and many a foil and received much opposition yet still it playes the Tyrant all the World over O! the hearts that this Tyrant makes to ake the souls that this Tyrant makes to bleed Pharoahs Tyranny was nothing to Sins Tyranny this Tyrant will not so much as suffer his slaves to sleep They sleep not except they have done mischief their sleep is taken away unless they cause some to fall The wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt Isa 57.20 21. There is no peace to the wicked saith my God Other Tyrants have been brought down and brought under by a humane power but this cannot but by a divine the power of man hath brought down many of the Tyrants of this World but it is onely the power of Christ that can bring down this Tyrant that can cast down his strong holds 2 Cor. 10.3 4 5 6 c. therefore ingage Christ in the conflict draw him into the battle and in the end the conquest will be yours Vitellius who had been Emperor of all the World yet was driven thorow the streets of Rome stark naked and thrown into the River Tyber c. Andronicus the Emperor for his cruelty towards his People was by them at last shamefully deposed and after many contumelies hanged up by his heels Ptolomy was put on a Cross Bajazet in an iron Cage Phoras broken on the Wheel Lycam cast to the Dogs as well as Jezabel Attales thrust into a Forge King Gath into a Beer-barrel c. But none of these that have tameed these Tyrants that have brought down these mighty Nimrods have been able to tame to bring under the Tyrants the sins the lusts that hath been in their own bosomes many a man hath had a hand in bringing down of worldly Tyrants who notwithstanding have dyed for ever by the hand of a Tyrant within c. And thus much for the directions that young men must follow if they would bee good betimes if they would seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of their dayes The Young mans objections Answered I shall now give some brief Answers to the Young mans Objections and the Old mans scruples and so close up this discourse Ob. But some young men may object and say you would have us to bee good betimes and to seek and serve the Lord in the Prime-rose of our dayes but it may be time enough hereafter to follow this Counsel wee are young and it may bee time enough for us to minde these
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
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
things hereafter when wee have satisfied the flesh so and so or when wee have got enough of the world and laid up something that will stand us instead and that may oil our joynts when wee are old Now To this Objection I answer First That it is the greatest folly and madnesse in the world to put off God and the great things of eternity with may-bees what Trades-man what Merchant what Marriner so mad so foolish so blockish as to put off a present season a present opportunity of profit and advantage upon the account of a may-bee It may bee I may have as good a season it may bee I shall have as golden an opportunity to get and to inrich my self as this is and therefore farewell to this No men that are in their right minds will argue thus and why then should you especially in the things that are of an everlasting concernment to you I have read of one Monarcho a frantick Italian who thought that all the Kings of the Earth were his Vassals and as frantick are they who wilfully neglect present seasons of grace upon the account of a future may-bee c. Secondly I answer it may bee if thou neglectest this present season and opportunity of grace thou mayest never have another Young men if you will but go into burial places you shall finde graves exactly of your length it may bee mercy may never knock more if thou dost not now open it may bee Christ shall never bee offered to thee more if now thou dost not close with him and accept of him it may bee the Spirit will never strive more with thee if now thou dost resist him and withstand him it may bee a pardon shall never bee offered to thee more if now thou wilt not take it it may bee the Gospel shall never sound more in thy ears if now thou wilt not hear it now set one may-bee against another may-bee set Gods may-bee against thine own may-bee but Thirdly Doubtlesse there are many thousand thousands now in Hell who have pleased themselves and put off God and the seasons of grace with a may-bee hereafter may bee time enough It may bee when I have gratified such a lust It was an unspeakable vexation to King Lysamachus that his staying to drink one draught of water lost him his Kingdome and when I have treasured up so much of the world I will return and seek and serve the Lord but before ever this season or opportunity came justice hath cut the threed of their lives and they are now miserable for ever and now they are still a cursing themselves because they have slipt their golden opportunities upon the account of a may-bee c. But Fourthly and lastly This putting off of God and the present seasons of grace with a may-bee is very provoking to God as you may see if you will but read from the 20. verse to the 33. of the first of Proverbs Nothing stirs and provokes a Master more than his servants putting off his service or his commands with a may-bee it may bee I will it may bee I may do this and that nothing puts a Master sooner into a heat a flame than this nor nothing puts God more into a flame than this as you may see by comparing Psal 95. ver 6. to the end with that 3. of the Hebrews and the 7 8 9 10 11 15 16 17 18 19. read the words and tremble at the thought of a may-bee at the thoughts of putting off of God and the seasons of grace I have read of two who cut off their right hand one for another and then made it an excuse a put off they were lame and so could not serve in the Gallies of Francis the first King of France but this practise of theirs did so insense and provoke the King that hee sent them both to the Gallows I suppose the reader is not so young but knows how to apply it Object If I should begin to bee good betimes and to seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of my daies I should lose my friends I should lose their favour for they are carnal and worldly and had rather I should seek after gold than God the Creature than Christ Earth than Heaven c. Now to this I answer Surely you are out for First This is the high way the ready way to gain the best the surest and the soundest friends Prov. 16.7 When a mans waâ—es please the Lord hee maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him Job â—â— 23 â—,28 When a man falls in with God God will work the Creatures to fall in with him Joseph found it so and Jacob found it so and Job found it so the three Children found it so and Daniel found it so as you all know that have but read the Scripture And many in this age as bad as it is have found that the best way to make friends is first to make God our friend Ah young men young men you shall not lose your friends by seeking and serving of the Lord in the spring and morning of your daies but only exchange bad ones for good ones the worst for the best hee that gives up himself betimes to the Lord shall have God for his friend and Christ for his friend and the Angels for his friends and the Saints for his friends Christ will bee to such First An omnipotent friend Secondly An omniscient friend Thirdly An omnipresent friend Fourthly An indeficient friend Fifthly Luk. 15.7.10 Isa 6.7 8 9. Heb. 4 13. Isa 59.16 17 Isa 44.24 Mal. 3.6 Psa 121.4 â— An independant friend Sixthly An immutable friend Seventhly A watchful friend Eighthly A loving friend Ninethly A faithful friend Tenthly 1 John 4.16 Tit 1.2 Isa 63.9 A compassionate friend Eleventhly A close friend There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother Prov. 18.24 such a friend is Christ and such a friend is as ones own soul a rare happiness hardly to bee matcht Twelfthly An universal friend a friend in all cases and a friend in all places Christ is so a friend to every one of his as if he were a friend to none besides hence it is that they say not onely our Lord our God but my Lord and my God Luk. 1.43 John 20.28 Phil. 4.19 Christ is such an universal friend as that he supplies the place and acts the part of every friend Thirteenthly He is our first friend Psal 90.1 before we had a friend in all the World he was our friend John 13.1 Alexander the Great cannot cut that knot of friendship that is tyed betwixt Christ and his Prov. 8.21 Lastly He is a constant friend whom he loves hee loves to the end Augustus Caesar would not suddenly entertain a league of friendship with any but was a constant friend to those hee loved Amare nec cito desisto nec temere incipio late ere I love as long ere I