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A53925 A New-Years gift for youth being the substance of a sermon, preached at the funeral of Mrs. Elizabeth Bell, (aged sixteen years, odd months) at St. M. Overies, in Southwark, Decemb. 1. 1686. upon those words (chosen by her) of Solomons / by Samuel Peck ... Peck, Samuel. 1687 (1687) Wing P1036; ESTC R40070 7,661 12

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young-men if you forget God and neglect your Duty towards God now you can't imagine what an hard matter you will find it to buckle to the Yoke and sustain the burthen of a Gospel-Obedience and to frame your lives to godliness hereafter If Christs Yoke be easie and his burthen light it is so to them who bear it in their Youth If you are Satan's Scholars young you will be his Souldiers when you are old if you follow him now you will fight for him then For tho' you now think it an easie matter to repent that 't is in your own power and you can forsake your Sins change your Course and become new Creatures at your pleasure yet let me tell you this is only a Diabolical Delusion you will when you come to 't find it very difficult and next to impossible oft Read that of the Prophet Can the Aethiopian change his Skin or the Leopard his Spots Then may you who are accustomed to do Evil learn to do well Jer. 13.23 Here God sufficiently declares the difficulty of it as easie as the Tempter makes it And whom will you believe God or the Devil the Author of all Truth or the Father of all Lyes Again 3. The time of Youth is the most acceptable time the Service you now do for God is the most pleasing What the Apostle saith of the day of Grace in respect to God that may I say of the day of Youth Behold now is the accepted time The Evening or Noon-tide of thine Age may be but to be sure the Morning will be accepted Now to seek the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness before Satan and the World have captivated your affections ravished away your hearts to Sin and Vanity now to dedicate them to God by an Early Piety and the Power of godliness will be as a reasonable so an acceptable Sacrifice or Service Rom. 12.1 2. And this you may be sure of the rather because God calls for and commands it in the Text saying Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth O then Sirs if God requires and expects Service from you 't is high Disobedience in you to deny it yea and prodigious Folly in you to refuse or delay it God commands his Spirit strives and his Ministers intreat but young Ones will not hearken they will not obey they will not learn to fear an Oath to flee the impurities excesses and follies of a wanton Age and youthful inclinations Certainly Friends you must needs see the folly of this if you would give your selves so much time do your souls so much right as to consider after this manner 1. That all the time you spend in Sin or out of Gods Service is utterly lost or spent to no purpose nothing of the great Work done which you came into this World for which is to glorifie your Maker and make your Eternal Salvation sure Now what folly is it to lose that time which well improved and employed may be as much worth to you as Heaven and endless Happiness 2. The longer you defer your Repentance and turning to God the longer do you put off true Peace Joy Happiness from your selves Peace Joy and Happiness are very desirable and you think you have more of these in the ways of Sin than you ever expect to find in Gods Service This is also your Folly for The Service of God is perfect freedom and his Wayes are pleasantness and his Paths peace O what is the enjoyment of a vile and beastly Lust to the fruition of the Chiefest Good GOD blessed for ever What is carnal Peace and Joy with the World to the Joy and Peace of the Holy Ghost which Joy is unspeakable and glorious and the Peace such as passeth all understanding Or What are the pleasures of Sin for a moment to the pleasures at God's Right Hand for evermore What the Smiles of the World to the Light of God's Countenance the Sense of his Love better than Life it self All which Spiritual Joy Peace Happiness and Pleasure you put off from your souls so long as you forget your Creator and decline his Service and like the prodigal Son are eating Husks when you might be feeding on the fatted Calf and are gathering of Onions while you might be gathering Heavenly Manna And Is not this Folly 3. If ever you do intend to serve God or become Religious 't is great Folly not to begin betimes because there is no reason can be given for doing this hereafter which is not a reason for doing it now As for instance 1. Will this be the way to please God hereafter So 't is the way to please Him now 2. Must you perish if you do it not hereafter So you must now if you dye in your Sins without Repentance And what Assurance have you of your life for a day longer 3. Will the assurance of Heaven and the hoped-for Glory be desirable and comfortable to thy Soul hereafter So it will now it will put more Joy into thine heart than when thy Corn Wine Oyl or Riches encrease So that whatever may be an Argument or Motive to Repentance and Holiness hereafter is and ought to be an Argument and Motive to it now Lastly 4. Consider the Motive in the Text The evil days will come and the years draw nigh wherein you shall say I find no pleasure Come they will Sickness Death and Judgment that is certain these are unavoidable And whether in thy Youth Manhood or Old Age is altogether uncertain And you do but gratifie your Enemy by putting these evil Days far from you You harden your hearts more and render this Work if ever it be done as done it must be or you can never be saved much more hard and difficult Satan no doubt will tell you You have time enough for you are young and shall not dye yet all which he would do if he knew you should dye to morrow or this night before the next morning for he is the Father of Lyes and his Work is to go about Like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour as St. Peter tells you and bids you Resist him stedfast in the Faith 1 Pet. 5.8 9 That is by believing the written Word of God which adviseth you That whatever your hand finds to do to do it with all your might for there is no Wisdom nor Knowledge nor Working in the Grave whither we are all a going Eccles 9.10 For Man knoweth not his time as the Fishes taken in an evil Net and as Birds that are caught in the snare so are the Sons of Men snared in an evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them Ec. 9.12 Therefore let me intreat you and O that I might prevail with some of the Youth who hear me this Evening to take the Wiseman's counsel to be wise for your Souls betimes to Remember now your Creator before the Evil days come wherein the Silver Cord shall be loosed the golden Bowl broken the Keepers of the House tremble the strong men bow themselves the Almond-Tree flourish and those that look out at the Windows be darkned O! before these evil days come wherein you shall find no pleasure Remember your Creator By doing those things by walking in those waies which shall prevent much sin and sorrow to your selves promote the glory of God and peace of your own souls here and secure to them a Blessed and happy Eternity hereafter To which Eternal Felicity God of His mercy in His due time bring us All through the merits of Jesus Christ To whom with the Father and Holy Spirit be praise honour and glory World without end Amen FINIS