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
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
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
men remember this the frequent the serious thoughts of death will prevent many a sin 2 Pet. 1. 13 14. Eccles 9.10 it will arm you against many temptations it will secure you from many afflictions it will keep you from doting on the World it will make you do much in a little time it will make death easy when it comes and it will make you look out betimes for a Kingdome that shakes not for riches that corrupt not and for glory that fadeth not away Therefore do not O do not put the day of death farre from you Take heed of crying Cras Cras to morrow to morrow saith Luther for a man lives forty years before hee knows himself to bee a fool and by that time hee sees his folly his life is finished so men dye before they begin to live Secondly If you would bee good betimes then take heed of leaning to your own understanding This Counsell wise Solomon gives to his son or the young men in his time My sonne forget not my Law Prov. 3.1.5 Lean not is a Metaphor from an old or sick man leaning on his staff c. but let thy heart keep my Commandements Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not to thy own understanding Youth is the age of folly of vain-hopes and over-grown confidence Ah! how wise might many have been had they not been too early wise in their own opinion Rehoboams young Counsellors proved the overthrow of his Kingdome T is brave for youth in all things to bee discreet and sober minded Three vertues they say are prime ornaments of youth modesty silence and obedience Ah! Young men keep close in every action to this one principle viz. in every action resolve to bee discreet and wise rather than affectionate and singular I Remember that a young Gentleman of Athens being to answer for his life hired an Orator to make his defence and it pleased him well at his first reading but when the young man by often reading it that hee might recite it publikely by heart begunne to grow weary and displeased with it the Orator bid him consider that the Jâ—dges and the People were to hâ—ar it but once and then it was lâ—kely that they at the first instant might bee as well pleased as he Ah! Young men your leaning upon your selves or upon others will in the end bee bitternesse and vexation of spirit Young men are very apt to lean on their own Wit Wisdome Arts parts as old men are to lean on a staffe to support them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Hebrew word signifies that is rendered lean Shagnan in that of Prov. 3.5 this hath been the bane of many a choice Wit the loss of many a brave head the ruine of many a subtile pate Ajax thought it was for cowards and weaklings to lean upon the Lord for succour not for him whence hee was foiled lean not to great parts lean not to natural or acquired accomplishments least you loose them and your selves too Leaning to natural or moral excellencies is the ready way to bee stript oâ— all Babylon that bore her selâ— bold upon her high Towers thick walls and twenty yearâ— provision laid in for a siege waâ— surprized by Cyrus T was said of Caesar that hee received not his wounds from the swords of enemies but from the hands of friends that is from trusting in them Ah! How many young men have been wounded yea slain by trusting to their own understanding their own abilities T was an excellent saying of Austin in te stas et non stas he that stands upon his own strength shall never stand A Creature if like a single drop left to it self it spends and wastes it self presently but if like a drop in the fountain and Ocean of being it hath abundance of security Ah! Young men Young men 2 Pet. 1.4 Psal 27.1 if you will needs be leaning then lean upon precious Promises lean upon the rock that is higher than your selves lean upon the Lord Jesus Christ as John did who was the youngest of all the Disciples and the most beloved of all the Disciples John 21.20 ch 13.23 John leaned much and Christ loved him much O lean upon Christs wisdome for direction lean upon his power for protection Can. 8.5 lean upon his Purse his fulness for Provision lean upon his eye for approbation lean upon his righteousness for justification lean upon his blood for remission lean upon his merits for salvation As the young Vine without her wall to support her will fall and sink So will you young men without Christ puts under his everlasting armes to support you and uphold you therefore above all leanings lean upon him by leaning on him you will engage him by leaning on him you will gain more honor than you can give by leaning on him you may even command him and make him eternally yours c. Thirdly If you would bee good betimes if you would seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of your dayes then take heed of flatterers and flatterie Ah! how many Young men might have been very good who are now exceeding bad by hearkning to flatterers and affecting flattery Flattery undid young Rehoboam 1 Kin. 12. and ch 22. Act. 12.22.23 24. Ahab Herod Nero Alexander c. Flatterers are soul-murderers they are soul-undoers they are like evil Chyrurgions that skin over the wound but never heal it Anastatius the Emperours motto was mellitum venenum blanda oratio smooth talk proves often sweet Poyson Flattery is the very spring and mother of all impiety it blows the Trumpet and draws poor souls into rebellion against God as Sheba drew Israel to rebel against David it put our first Parents upon tasting the forbidden fruit it put Absolou upon dethroning of his father it put Haman upon plotting the ruine of the Jews it put Corah Dathan and Abiram upon rebelling against Moses it makes men call evil good and good evil darknesse light and light darkness c. it puts persons upon neglecting the means of Grace upon undervaluing the means of Grace and upon contemning the means of Grace it puts men upon abasing God slighting Christ and vexing the spirit it unmans a man it makes him call black white and white black it makes a man change Pearls for Pebles and Gold for Counters The Flatterers told Dionysius that his spittle was as sweet as honey Rev. 3.17 18 it makes a man judge himself wise when hee is foolish knowing when hee is ignorant holy when hee is Prophane free when hee is a Prisoner rich when hee is Poor high when hee is low full when hee is empty happy when he is miserable Ah! Young men young men take heed of Flatterers they are the very worst of sinners they are left of God blinded by Satan hardned in sin and ripened for hel God declares sadly against them and that in his word and in his works in
his word as you may see by comparing these scriptures together Deut. 29.18 19 20. Psal 78.36 Psal 36.1.2 Job 17.5 Ezek. 12.24 Dan. 11.21 32 34. Ps 12.2 3. They speak vanity every one with his neighbour with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak Karath signifies any cutting off either by death or banishment c. The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaketh proud things And as God declares sadly against them in his word so hee hath declared terribly against them in his works as you may runne and read in his judgements executed upon Ahabs flattering Prophets and upon Haman and upon Daniels Princely false accusers c. And why then will not you stop your ears against those wretches that the hand and heart of God is so much against Again A preacher in Constantines time presumed to call the Emperour Saint to his face but he went away with a check Euseb de vit Const l. 4.4 As God declares against them so good men detest them and declare against them as you may see by comparing these Scriptures together Psal 5.8 9 10. Prov. 2.16 Prov. 7.21 Prov. 28.23 Job 32.21 22. 1 Thess 2.5.20 Prov. 20.19 Meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips Why so why because a man that flattereth his Neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet Prov. 29.5 The Hebrew word Mahhalik from hhalak that is here rendred flatterer signifies a smooth boots a soft butter-spoken man because flatterers useth smooth soft speeches Also the word signifies to divide because a Flatterers tongue is divided from his heart Flatterers have their nets and those that give ear to them will bee taken to their ruine A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it The Hebrew word and a flattering mouth worketh ruine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 26. ult A flattering mouth ruines name Dahbah signifies such aviolent forceing of one as he cannot stand it signifies to throw down to drive on forwards till a man fall into destruction same estate body soul life Valerian the Roman Emperour used to say Non acerba sed blanda not bitter but flattering words do all the mischeif When Alexander the Great was hit with an Arrow in the siege of an Indian City which would not heal hee said to his Parasites you say that I am Jupiters son but this wound cryes that I am but a man Now shall good men detest them and abhor them as they are the pest of pests the plague of plagues and will you own them will you take pleasure in them to your ruine here and hereafter the Lord forbid Oh say to all flatterers as hee to his Idols Hos 14.8 Get you hence for what have I more to do with you Nay once more consider that not onely the good but the bad not onely the best but some of the worst of men have manifested their detestation of Flatterers and flattery Leo the Emperour used to say occulti inimici pessimi a close enemy is farre worse than an open When a Court Parasite praised Sigismund the Emperour above measure the Emperour gave him a sound box on the ear When Aristobulus the Historian presented to Alexander the Great book that hee had written of his glorious acts wherein hee had flatteringly made him greater than he was Alexander after he had read the book threw it into the River Hydaspes and said to the Author it were a good deed to throw thee after it When the Flatterers flattered Antigonus hee cryed out mentiris mentiris in gutture Hae virtutes non laetent in me thou liest thou liest in thy throat these vertues that thou speakest of I have not in me but I am like a Leopard that have ten black spots to one white Augustus Caesar and Tiberius Caesar were deadly enemies to flatterers insomuch that they would not bee called Lords by their own children A good Symbole is attributed to Trebonianus Gallus viz. Nemo amicus idem et adulator no Flatterer can be a true friend Aristippus the Philosopher seeing Diogenes washing of herbs for his dinner said if Diogenes knew how to make use of Kings hee need not live upon raw herbs as he doth to which Diogenes replyed that if Aristippus could content himself with herbs hee need not to turn Spaniel or to flatter King Di nysius for a meals meat Ah! Young men Young men shall God shall good men shall bad men detest and declare against Flatterers and flattery and will not you turn a deaf ear upon them yea fly from them as from a Serpent and shun them as you would shun hell it self if you do not the very Heathens but now cited will rise in judgement against you Flatterers are the very worst of sinners The Flatterers told Caesar that his freckles in his face were like the starres in the Firmament they bought and sold Aurelius the Emperour at pleasure And Augustus complained when Varrus was dead that hee had none now left that would deal plainly and faithfully with him So men may gain by Flattery they will bee like Harpaelus who said Quod Regi placet mihi placet that which pleaseth the King pleaseth mee When Astyages set his own Sonne before him to feed upon him O but let every young man say into whose hands this treatise shall fall Quod Deo placet mihi placet that which pleaseth God pleaseth mee I have been the longer upon this out of love to young mens souls Whilest an Asse is stroaked under the belly you may lay on his back what burden you please who are so apt to bee insnared in the Flatterers net if ever you would bee good in good earnest you must abhor Flatterers as the first born of the Devil and as such that are most pernitious to mens happinesse both here and hereafter It is reported of one Oramazes that hee had an enchanted Egg in which as hee boasted himself hee had inclosed all the happiness of the World but being broken nothing was found in it but Wind. Flatterers are the greatest cheaters the greatest deceivers in the world They say of the Crocodile that when hee hath killed a man he will weep over him as if hee were sorry and did repent for what he had done the Application is easy Fourthly If you would bee good betimes if you would seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of your dayes then take heed of engageed affections to the things of the World The Young man in the Gospel took many a step towards heaven Mat. 19 16-24 All these things have I kept from my Youth up what lack I yet Christ makes a very fair offer to him in the next words Jesus said unto him if thou wilt be perfect go and sell that thou hast and give to the Poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come and follow mee thou shalt have heaven for earth a Sea for a drop a
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
pro. 13.20 Hee that walketh with wise men shall bee wise but a companion of fools shall bee destroyed or as the Hebrew hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall bee broken in peeces Shall be broken or shall be worse from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be naught as when an army is broken and routed by an enemy Holech from Halach walking with the wise hee shall bee wise for so the Original hath it 'T was the saying of one as oft as I have been among wicked men I return home lesse a man than I was before it is not talking with the wise but walking with the wise that will make you wise it is not your commending and praising of the wise but your walking with the wise that will make you wise it is not your taking a few turns with the wise that will make you wise but your walking with the wise that will make you wise there is no getting much good by them that are good but by making them your ordinary and constant companions Ah friends you should do as Joseph in Egypt of whom the Scriptures saith Psal 105.22 according to the Hebrew phrase that hee tied the Princes of Pharaohs Court about his heart If ever you would gain by the Saints you must binde them upon your souls you must labour to have very near close and intimate communion with them The Jews have a Proverb that two drye sticks put to a green one will kindle it the best way to bee in a flame God-ward Christ-ward Heaven-ward and Holinesse-ward is to bee among the dry sticks the kindle-coals the Saints for as live coals kindle those that are dead so lively Christians will heat and enliven those that are dead God-wards Christ-wards Heaven-wards and holinesse-wards As Iron sharpeneth Iron so doth the face of a man his friend Mens wits Prov. 27.17 parts gifts and industry commonly grow more strong vigorous and quick by friendly conference and communion And as hee that comes where sweet spices and ointments are stirring carries away a sweet savour with him so hee that converseth with those that are good shall carry away that goodnesse and sweetnesse with him that shall render him sweet desirable and delectable to others Polemon that Augustine speaks of Arg. Ep. 130. who was all for Wine and play c. became a brave man when hee came acquainted with the Philosophers School So many young men that have been all for Wine and women for playing and toying for vanity and folly have become brave men precious men by the company counsel and example of those who were gracious Doctor Taylor the Martyr rejoyced that ever hee came into prison because hee came thither to have acquaintance with that Angel of God John Bradford as hee calls him So doubtlesse many young persons there bee that have much cause to rejoyce and for ever to blesse the Lord that ever they came acquainted with such and such who fear the Lord and who walk in his waies for the good that they have received by them Algerius an Italian Martyr said hee had rather bee in prison with Cato Moses was of the same mind and mettal Heb. 11.24 25 26 27. than with Caesar in the Senate-house Ah young men young men you were better bee with the people of God when they are in the lowest and most contemptible condition than with the great wicked ones of the world when they are in all their Royalty and glory in the day of account you will finde that they have made the best Market who have rather chosen to keep company with Lazarus though in his raggs then they would with others keep company with Dives though in his purple Robes Well young men remember this cloaths and company do often times tell tales in a mute but significant language Those that keep ill company are like those that walk in the Sun who are tanâ—d insensibly Tell mee with whom thou goest and I will tell thee what thou art saith the Spanish Proverb Cicero though a Heathen had rather to have no companion than a bad one the Lord grant that this Heathen and others among them that were of the same minde with him may never rise up in judgement against any of you into whose hands this Treatise may fall And thus I have dispatcht those four things that you must bee acquainted with betimes viz. the Scripture your own hearts and conditions the Lord Jesus Christ and those that fear him if ever you would bee good betimes Secondly If you would bee good betimes if you would seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of your daies then you must shun the occasions of sin betimes a man will never begin to bee good till bee begin to decline those occasions that have made him bad We must shun quicquid fuerit male coloratum whatsoever looks but ill-favouredly as Bernard hathâ— iâ— 1 Thes 5.22 Abstain from all appearance of evil You must shun and be shie of the very appearance of sin of the very shews and shadows of sin The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is ordinarily rendred appearance signifies kind or sort and so the meaning of the Apostle seems to bee this abstain from all sort or the whole kinde of evil from all that is truly so bee it never so small The least sin is dangerous Caesar was stab'd with Bodkins and many have been eaten up of Mice and Lice The least spark may consume the greatest house the least leak may sink the greatest ship the least sin is enough to undo thy soul and therefore shun all the occasions that leads unto it Job 31.1 Gen. 39.10 Job made a covenant with his eyes Joseph would not bee in the room where his Mistris was Psa 26.3 4 5 6 7. and David when himself would not sit with vain persons As long as there is fuel in our hearts for a temptation wee cannot bee secure hee that hath Gunpowder about him had need keep far enough off from sparkles hee that is either tender of his credit abroad or comfort at home had need shun and bee shie of the very shew and shadow of sin hee that would neither wound conscience nor credit God Jude 23. nor Gospel had need hate the Garment spotted with the flesh The sin and the coat of the sin is to be hated saith Ambrose In the Law God commanded his people not only that they should worship no Idol but that they should demolish all the monuments of them and that they should make no covenant nor affinity with those who worshiped them and all least they should bee drawn by these occasions to commit Idolatry with them Latet anguis in herba Snakes are found among Roses Num. 6.3 4. hee that would not taste of the forbidden fruit must not so much as gaze on it and hee that would not bee bit by the Serpent must not so much as parley with the Serpent
the eyes of a well drawn picture are fastened upon thee which way soever thou turnest so are the eyes of the Lord. I have read of one who being tempted to Adultery said they could not bee private enough and being carried from room to room answered wee are not yet private enough God is here Jer. 12.27 ch 29.23 Ah friends his eyes which are ten thousand times brighter than the Sun compasseth thy words thy waies thy works thy thoughts thy bed thy board thy bench The Egyptian Hieroglyphick for God was an eye on a Scepter shewing that hee sees and rules all things Ah friends all thoughts words hopes and hearts are naked Heb. 4.13 Tetra helismena opened dissected and quartered before that God with whom you have to do God is very curious and exact in marking and observing what is done by men that he may render to every man according to his works Augustin speaks of an old Comaedian Aug. de civ Deâ— l. 6. c. 10 when having no other spectators went usually into the Theatre and acted before the Statues of the Gods Ah! Young men and women the eye of God should bee more to you than all the World besides O that that Scripture might bee written with the pen of a Diamond upon your hearts Hear yee not mee saith the Lord and will you not tremble at my presence Jer. 5.21 22 There is a great truth in that saying of his Magna nobis ex hac indita est probitatis necessitas Boetius de consol l. 5 quia omnia ante oculos judicis facimus cuncta cernentis A great necessity of goodnesse is from hence put into us because wee do all things before the eyes of a judge that sees all things Fourthly If you would bee good betimes then you must hearken to the voice of Conscience 2 Tim. 1.3 betimes a man will never beginne to bee good till hee beginnes to hearken to what Conscience speaks So long as a man turns a deaf ear to Conscience Psal 58.4 Joh. 3.20 21 he is a safe prisoner to Satan and a sure enemy to good Ah how good might many have been had they but begunne betimes to hearken to Conscience Ah Young men do not daily with Conscience do not play do not trifle with Conscience do not stop your ears against Conscience hee that will not in his Youth give Conscience audience Such shall find Conscience to be index judex vindex shall at last bee forced to hear such lectures from conscience as shall make his life a very hell A sleepy Conscience is like a sleepy Lyon when hee awakes hee roars and tears so will conscience Mar. 9.22 Conscience is mille testes a thousand witnesses for or against a man hee that hath long turned the deaf ear to Conscience shall at last finde his Conscience like Prometheus's vulture that lyes ever a gnawing Judas found it so and Spira found it so and Blaer a great Counsellor of Scotland found it so I have read of one John Hofmeister that fell sick in his Inne Jo. Wolf lect memor To. 2. ad an 1547 as hee was travelling towards Auspurge in Germany and grew to that horror of Conscience that they were fain to bind him in his bed with chains where hee cryed out that hee was for ever cast off by God and that the promises that were set before him would do him no good and all because hee had wounded his Conscience and turned a deaf ear to conscience Well young men if you will not betimes hearken to Conscience you shall at last hear Conscience saying to you as the probationer Disciple said to Christ Mat. 8.19 Master I will follow thee whither soever thou goest so saith Conscience Sinner I have called upon thee many a thousand times and told thee that I must by commission bee thy best friend or thy worst enemy but thou wouldest not hear and therefore now I will follow thee whither ever thou goest fast and I will follow thee and fill thee with horrours and terrors feast and I wil follow thee and shew thee such a hand writing upon the wall as shall cause thy countenance to change thy thoughts to bee troubled Dan. 5.5 6 Tolle conscientiam tolle omnia Take away Conscience and take away all said the Heathen the joints of thy loins to bee loosed and thy knees dashed one against another stay at home and I will follow thee from bed to board go abroad and I will follow thee into all places and companies and thou shalt know that it is an evil and a bitter thing that thou hast so often and so long neglected my calls and disobeyed my voice and walkt contrary to me now thou shalt finde a truth in that saying of Luther una guttula malae conscientiae totum mare c. one drop of an evill Conscience swallows up the whole Sea of worldly joy Well Young men There is a day a comming wherein a good Conscience will bee better than a good purse for then the Judge will not bee put off with a suit of Complements or fair words nor drawn aside with hope of reward and therefore as you would be able to hold up your heads in that day make conscience of hearkning to the voice of Conscience in this your day Fifthly if you would be good betimes then you must know betimes wherein true happinesse lyes for a man will never begin to bee good till hee begins to understand wherein his happiness consists The Philosophers speaking of happiness Quot homines tot sententiae so many men so many minds were divided into two hundred eighty eight opinions every one intending something and yet resolving nothing Therefore the man in Plutarch hearing them wrangle about mans Summum bonum chiefest good one placing it in this and another in that hee went to the market and bought up all that was good hoping among all he should not miss of it but he did many look for happiness in sinne Isa 56.12 Job 28.14 others look for it in the Creatures but they must all say it is not in us Nil dat quod non habet nothing can give what it hath not if the Conduit Pipe hath no water it can give no water if a man hath no money he can give no mony if the Creatures have no happiness they can give no happiness Now this jewel this pearl happiness is not to bee found in the breast in the bosome of creatures in a word because I must hasten to a close mans happiness lys First In his communion with God as experience and Scripture demonstrates Happy is that people Psal 144.15 that is in such a case but give mee that word again yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord. A man whose soul is in communion with God shall finde more pleasure in a desert in a dungeon in a den yea in death than in the Palace of a Prince than in
all worldly delights and contents c. Secondly In pardon of Sin Blessed is hee whose transgression is forgiven whose Sinne is covered Psal 32.1 2 Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile It is not blessed is the honourable man but blessed is the pardoned man it is not blessed is the rich man but blessed is the pardoned man it is not blessed is the learned man but blessed is the pardoned man it is not blessed is the politick man but blessed is the pardoned man it is not blessed is the victorious man but blessed is the pardoned man Do with me what thou wilt since thou hast pardoned my sins saith Luther Thirdly In a compleat fruition and enjoyment of God when wee shall be here no more Blessed are the pure in heart Mat. 5.8 for they shall see God Now they see him but darkly 1 Cor. 13.12 but in heaven they shall see him face to face they shall know as they are known but of these things I have spoken largely elsewhere and therefore shall satisfy my self with these hints Lastly If you would be good betimes then you must break your covenant with sin betimes you must fall out with your lusts betimes you must arme and fence your selves against Sin betimes Isa 28 15.18 a man never beginnes to fall in with Christ till hee beginnes to fall out with his Sins till sin and the soul bee two Christ and the soul cannot be one Now to work your hearts to this you should alwayes look upon sin under these notions First If you would have the league dissolved betwixt sin and your souls betimes then look upon sin under the notion of an enemy betimes Dearly beloved 1 Pet. 2.11 Sins especially against knowledge are peccata vulner antia et divastantia wounding and wasting I befeech you as strangers and Pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which warre against the soul As the Viper is killed by the young ones in her belly so are poor Sinners betraied and killed by their own lusts that are nourished in their bosomes Pittacus a Philosopher challenging Phlyon the Athenian Captain in their warres against them to single combate carried a net privily and so caught him and overcame him So doth Sin with poor Sinners the dangerous pernicious malignant nature of Sinne you may see in the story of the Italian who first made his Enemy deny God and then stabbed him to the heart and so at once murdered both body and soul Sin betrayes us into the hand of the Devil as Dalilah did Sampson into the hands of the Philistims Sugred poysons go down pleasantly Oh! But when they are down they gall and gnaw and gripe the very heart-strings asunder it is so with sin Ah! Souls have not you often found it so When Phocas the Murderer thought to secure himself by building high-walls he heard a voice from heaven telling him that though he built his bulwarks ever so high yet Sinne within would soon undermine all Ambrose reports of one Theotimus that having a disease upon his body the Physitian told him that except hee did abstain from intemperance Drunkenness Uncleanness he would loose his eyes his heart was so desperately set upon his Sins that he crys out then vale lumen amicum farewel sweet light Ah! how did his lusts warre both against body and soul The Old man is like a treacherous friend and a friendly Traitour though it be a harder thing to fight with a mans lusts than it is to fight with the Cross yet you must fight or dye if you are not the death of your Sins they will prove the death of your souls The Oracle told the Cirrheans diesque belli gerendum they could not be happy unless they waged warre night and day As one of the Dukes of Venice dyed fighting against the Nauratines with his weapons in his hand no more can wee except wee live and dye fighting against our lusts Ah Young men Can you look upon Sin under the notion of an enemy and not break with it and not arm against it Well remember this the pleasure and sweetness that follows victory over sin is a thousand times beyond that seeming sweetnesse that is in sin and as victory over sin is the sweetest victory so it is the greatest victory there is no conquest to that which is gotten over a mans own corruptions Hee that is slow to anger is better than the mighty and hee that ruleth his spirit than hee that taketh a City It is noble to overcome an enemy without but it is more noble to overcome an enemy within it is honourable to overcome fiery flames but it is far more honourable to overcome fiery lusts When Valentinian the Emperour was upon his dying-bed among all his victories only one comforted him Rom. 7.22 23 2 Cor. 10.3 4 5 6. Gal. 5.17 and that was victory over his worst enemy viz. his own naughty heart Ah young men young men your worst enemies are within you and all their plots designs and assaults are upon your souls your most noble part they know if that fort Royal bee won all is their own and you are undone and shall bee their slaves for ever and therefore it stands you upon to arm your selves against these inbred enemies and if you ingage Christ in the quarrel you will carry the day and when you shall lye upon your dying-beds you will then finde that there is no comfort to that which ariseth from the conquests of your own hearts your own lusts Secondly If you would break covenant with sin if you would arme and fence your selves against sin betimes 2 Pet. 3.6 Gal. 3.10 Joh. 8.34 then look upon sin as the souls bonds for as bonds tie things together so doth sin tie the sinner and the curse together it bindes the sinner and wrath together it links the sinner and hell together I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity iniquity is a chain a bond now bonds and chains gall the body and so do sin the soul and as poor captives are held fast in their chains so are sinners in their sins they cannot redeem themselves by price 2 Tim. 2. uit nor by power Ah young men young men no bondage to soul-bondage no slavery to soul-slavery the Israelites bondage under Pharaoh and the Christians bondage under the Turks Augustine saith of Rome that shee was the great Mistriss of the world and the great drudge of sin is but the bondage of the body of the baser and ignoble part of man but yours is soul-bondage soul-slavery which is the saddest and greatest of all Ah friends You should never look upon your sins but you should look upon them as your bonds yea as the worst bonds that ever were all other chains are golden chains chains of Pearl compared to those chains of Iron and Brasse those chains of lusts with
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
upon examples now will finde that a stinging terrifying question when put home by God or conscience who hath required these things at your hands Isa 1 12. But Fourthly I answer company and allurements to sin will bee found no sufficient excuse for sin If Eve lay her fault on the Serpent Gen. 3. and Adam lay his on Eve God will take it off and lay the curse on both Sauls provocation by the people and by Samuels long stay to offer Sacrifice would not bear him out 1 Sam. 15.14 15 26 27. but for his disobedience hee must lose both his Crown and life The young man in the Proverbs Pro. 7.14 15 21. though tempted and solicited by the Harlot yet hath a dart struck thorough his heart though Jonah did plead Gods gracious inclinations to shew mercy and his fear of being disproved yea and though hee might have pleaded his fear of cruel and savage usage from the Ninevites whose hearts were desperately set upon wickednesse And his despair of ever doing good upon a people so blinded and hardened and that they were Gentiles and hee a Jew and why should hee then be sent with so strange so terrible a message to such a people nothing being more hateful and distasteful to a Jewish Palate but all these pleas and excuses will not bear off the blow Jonah must into the Sea for all this Oculos quos peccatum claudit paena apperit Gre. The eyes that sin shuts affliction opens and Jonab found it so yea hee must to the bottom of hell as himself phrases it it is in vain for the bird to complaine that it saw the corn but not the pitfall or for a fish to plead it saw the bait but not the hook So it will bee in vain for sinners at last when they are taken in an infernal pit-fall to plead company and allurements by which they have been intised to undo their souls for ever Dionysius the Sicilian King to excuse himself from the present delivery of the golden garment hee took from his God Apollo answered that such a robe as that was could not bee at any season of the year useful to his god for it would not keep him warm in the winter and it was too heavy for the summer and so put off his Idol god but the God of spirits the God of all flesh will not bee put off with any excuses or pretences when hee shall try and judge the children of men But Fifthly and lastly Mat. 18.7 I answer that it is a very great judgement to bee given up to follow evil examples a man given up to evil examples is a man sadly left of God wofully blinded by Satan and desperately hardened in sin it speaks a man ripe for wrath for ruine for hell Jer. 6.21 * This particle Behold is sometimes a note of derision Gen. 3.22 2 A Note of Attention often Isa 28.6 Mal. 1.1 Luk. 1.20 3 A Note of Admiration often 4 A Note of Asseveration 5 A Note of Castigation in all these senses we may take it here Behold I will lay stumbling blocks before this people and the Fathers and the Sons together shall fall upon them the neighbour and his friend shall perish Oh! it is a dreadful thing when God shall make the sinful examples of others to bee stumbling blocks to a people at which they shall stumble and fall and perish for ever good had it been for such persons that they had never been born as Christ once spake concerning Judas The Rhodians and Lydians enacted several Laws that those sons which followed not their Fathers in their vertues Varro but followed vicious examples should bee dis-inherited and their lands given to the most vertuous of that race not admitting any impious heir whatsoever to inherit and do you think that God will not disinherit all those of Heaven and happinesse who follow vicious examples doubtlesse hee will 1 Cor. 10.5 12. The fifth and last Objection I shall mention is this God is a God of mercy in him are bowels of mercy yea a Sea an Ocean of mercy hee loves mercy hee delights in mercy and hee is ready to shew mercy to poor sinners when they are even at the last cast when there is but a short stride between them and the grave between them and eternity as wee see in his extending mercy to the Theef and in his giving a pardon into his hand and the assurance of Paradise into his bosome when hee was ready to be turned off the Ladder of life and therefore I may spend the Prim-rose of my daies in following sin and the delights profits vanities and contents of this world and at last cast I may have mercy as well as the Theef God is a God made up of mercy and surely hee will not deny some crums of mercy to a poor sinner in misery c. Now to this Objection I shall give these following answers First God is as just as hee is merciful witnesse his casting the Angels out of Heaven and Adam out of Paradise God is as well all hand to punish as hee is all grace to pardon witnesse all the threatnings the curses the woes that the Bible is filled with from one end to the other witnesse the hell the horrour the terrour and amazement that hee raises in the consciences of sinners witnesse the devastations that hee hath made of the most stately flourishing Towns Cities Countries and Kingdomes that have been in all the world witnesse the variety of diseases calamities miseries dangers deaths and hells that alwaies attends the inhabitants of the world but above all witness Christs treading the Wine-press of his fathers wrath witness his hiding his face from him and the pouring out of all his displeasure and vengeance upon him Zaleucus the Locrensian Lawgiver Valerius lib. 6. cap. 5 thrust out one of his own sons eyes for his transgressing of a wholesome Law which hee had enacted but God the father thrust out both Christs eys for our transgressing of his royal Law Oh! the justice severity of God But Secondly I Answer that there is not a greater evidence of blindness prophanenesse hard-heartedness spiritual madness and hellish desperateness in all the World than to make that an Argument an incouragement to sin viz. the mercy of God which should be the greatest Argument under heaven to keep a man from Sin as all know that have but read the scripture neither are there any Sinners in the World that God delights to rain Hell out of Heaven upon Read Isa 22 12 13 14 15 and Ezek. 24.11 12 13 14 as upon such who by their abuse of mercy turns the God of mercy into a God of clâ—â—ts and goes on out-daring justice it self Deut. 29.19 20. And it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse that he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have Peace God is a God of mercy though I walk in the imagination of