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
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
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
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
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
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
leave Where Christ beginnes to love he always loves Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love Now who would not venture the loss of all friends in the world to gain such a friend as this is Ah! Young men and women let mee say to you what Seneca said to his friend Polibius Fas tibi non est de fortuna conqueri salvo Caesare never complain of thy hard fortune as long as Caesar is thy friend so say I never complain of your loss of Friends so long as by loosing of them you gain Christ to be your friend Secondly Thou were 't better be without their friendship and favour than to enjoy it upon any sinful and unworthy accounts thou were 't better run the hazard of loosing thy friends and their favour by seeking and serving the Lord in the Primerose of thy dayes then to run the hazard of losing God Christ heaven Mat. 16.26 Mark 8.36 eternity and thy soul for ever by neglecting the things of thy peace It was a gallant return which the noble Rutilius made his friend requesting of him an unlawfull favour in such language as this I had as good bee without such a friend as with him who will not let mee speed in what I ask to whom hee replyed I can want such a friend as you if for your sake I must do that which is not honest The application is easy Well Young man remember this the torments of a thousand hells were there so many comes far short of this one vice to bee turned out of Gods presence with a Non novi vos I know you not Mat. 7.23 Ah! Young man Young man thou wer 't better ten thousand thousand times to bee cast out of the thoughts and hearts of thy carnal friends and relations than to bee cast out of Gods presence with cursed Cain for ever Gen. 4 than to be excommunicated out of the general Assembly of the Saints Heb. 12.23 and Congregation of the first-born which are writen in heaven and therefore away with this objection but Thirdly The favour and friendship of such carnal persons is very fickle and inconstant it is very fading and withering Now they stroak and anon they strike now they lift up and anon they cast down now they smile and anon they frown now they kiss and anon they kill now they cry Hosanna Hosana anon they cry Crucify him crucify him Haman is one day feasted with the King and the next day made a feast for Crows Esth 7. The Princes of Babylon were highly in King Darius his favour one day Dan. 6 and cast into the Lyons den the next The Scribes and Pharisees that cryed up Judas one day did in effect bid him go and hang himself the next day Mat. 27.3 4.5 Such mens favour and friendship Valerian Valens Belisareus Bajâ—zet Pythias Dionysius Pompey William the Conqueror and many other have found it so are as Venice Glasses quickly broken and therefore not much to bee prized or minded Histories abounds with instances of this nature but I must hasten onely remember this that every dayes experience tells us that wicked men can soon turn Tables and cross their books their favour and friendship is usually like to a morning cloud or like to Jonahs Gourd one hour flourishing and the next hour withering and why then shouldest thou set thy heart upon that which is more changeable than the moon Glaucus who changed his Armour of Gold with Diomedes for his Armour of Brass stands upon record for a fool c. But Fourthly and Lastly who but a mad man would adventure the loss of the Kings favour to gain the favour of his Page who but a stark Bedlam would run the hazard of loosing the Judges favour upon the Bench to purchase the good will of the Prisoner at the Barre Socrates preferred the Kings countenance before his Coyn and so must you prefer the favour of God Psal 4.6 7 the countenance of Christ and the things of eternity above all the favour and friendship of all the men in the World when your nearest friends and dearest relations stands in competition Psal 45.10 Mat. 10.37 Luk. 14.26 27 with Christ or the things above you must shake them off you must turn your backs upon them and welcome Christ and the things of your Peace hee that forsakes all relations for Christ shall certainly finde all relations in Christ hee will bee father friend husband Child hee will bee every thing to thee who takest him for thy great all Object 3. I but I shall meet with many reproaches from one and other if I should labour to bee good betimes if I should seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of my youth now to this I answer First What are reproaches to the great things that others have suffered for Christ his Gospel Hebâ—ews ch 10. â—â— read the ten persecutions and the maintaining of a good conscience what is a prick of a pin to a stab at the heart what is a chiding to a hanging a whipping to a burning no more are all the reproaches thou canst meet with to the great things that others have suffered for Christs sake Ah! Young men you should be like the Scythian that went naked in the Snow and when Alexander wondred how hee could endure it Answered I am not ashamed for I am all forehead So should you in the cause and way of Christ you should not bee ashamed you should be all forehead you should bee stout and bold Colonus the dutch Martyr under all his reproaches called to the judge that had sentenced him to death and desired him to lay his hand upon his heart and then asked him whose heart did most beat his or the Judges All the reproaches in the world should not so much as make a Christians heart beat they should not in the least trouble him nor disturb him but Secondly I Answer That all the reproaches thou meetest with in the way of Christ and for the sake of Christ they do but adde Pearls to thy Crown they are all additions to thy happiness and blessedness 1 Pet. 4.14 If yee be reproached for the name of Christ happy are yee for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you on their part hee is evil spoken of but on your part hee is glorified the more you are reproached for Christs sake on earth Mat. 5.11 12 the greater shall bee your reward in heaven they that are most loaded with reproaches here shall bee most laden with glory hereafter Christ hath written their names in golden letters in his book of life that are written in black letters of reproach for his sake on earth T was a good saying of one Chrysostom a Reproacher saith hee is beneath a man but the reproached that bear it well are equal to Angells of all Crowns the reproached mans Crown will weigh heaviest in heaven But Thirdly
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
their Paradise that eat the fat and drink the sweet that cloth themselves richly and crown their heads with rose-buds that they would seriously consider of eternity so as to hear as for eternity and pray as for eternity and live as for eternity and provide as for eternity That they may say with that famous Painter Zeuxes Aeternitati pingo I paint for eternity we do all for eternity we beleeve for eternity wee repent for eternity wee obey for eternity c. O that you would not make those things eternal for punishment Cur ea quae ad usum diuturna esse non possunt ad supplicium diuturna deposces Ambrose in Lu. 4. T. 5. that cannot bee eternal for use Ah! young men and women God calls and the bloud of Jesus Christ calls and the spirit of Christ in the Gospel calls and the rage of Satan calls and your sad state and condition calls and the happiness and blessedness of glorified Saints calls these all call aloud upon you to make sure a glorious eternity before you sail out into that dreadfull Ocean All your eternall good depends upon the short and uncertain moments of your lives and if the threed of your lives should bee cut before a happy eternity is made sure woe to you that ever you were born Do not say O young man that thou art young and hereafter will bee time enough to provide for eternity for eternity may bee at the door ready to carry thee away for ever Every days experience speaks out eternity to bee as neer the young mans back as t is before the old mans faâ—â— O graspe to day the diadem of a blessed eternity least thou art cut off before the morning comes though there is but one way to come into this world yet there is a thousand thousand ways to bee sent out of this world well young men and women remember this as the motions of the soul are quick so are the motions of divine justice quick also and if you will not hear the voice of God to day if you will not provide for eternity to day God may swear to morrow that you shall never enter into his rest it is a very sad and dangerous thing to trifle and dally with God his word his offers our own souls and eternity therefore let all young People labour to bee good betimes and not to let him that is goodness it self alone till hee hath made them good till hee hath given them those hopes of eternity that will both make them good and keep them good that will make them happy and keep them happy and that for ever if all this will not do then know that ere long those fears of eternity of misery that begets that monster Despair which like Medusa's head astonisheth with its very aspect and strangles hope which is the breath of the soul will certainly overtake you as it is said Dum Spiro Spero so it may bee inverted Dum Spero Spiro other miseries may wound the spirit but despair kills it dead my prayer shall bee that none of you may ever experience this sad truth but that you may all bee good in good earnest betimes which will yeeld you two heavens a heaven on earth and a heaven after death The seventh Reason Why young persons should be really good betimes and that is because they do not beginne to live till they beginne to bee really good till they beginne to bee good they are dead God-wards and Christ-wards and heaven-wards and holiness-wards till a man beginnes to bee really good hee is really dead Phil. 2.1 and that first in respect of working Respectu operis his works are called dead works Heb. 9.14 the most glistering services of unregenerate persons are but dead works because they proceed not from a principle of life and they lead to death Rom. 6.21 and leave a sentence of death upon the soul till it bee wash't off by the bloud of the Lamb. Secondly Respectu honoris Hee is dead in respect of honour hee is dead to all priviledges hee is not fit to inherit mercy who will set the crown of life upon a dead man The crown of life is only for living Christians Rev. 2.10 The young Prodigal was dead till hee begunne to bee good till hee begunne to remember his fathers house and to resolve to return home My Son was dead but is alive Luk. 15.24 and the Widow that liveth in pleasure is dead while shee liveth 1 Tim. 5 6 As t is a reproach to an old man to be in Coats so t is a disgrace to be an old babe i e. to be but a babe in grace when old in years Heb. 5.12 13 14. When Josaphat asked Barlaam how old hee was hee answered five and forty years old to whom Josaphat replyed thou seemest to bee seventy true saith hee if you reckon ever since I was born but I count not those years which were spent in vanity Ah! Sirs you never begin to live till you beginne to be good in good earnest There is the life of vegetation and that is the life of plants secondly there is the life of sense and that is the life of beasts Thirdly there is the life of reason and that is the life of man Fourthly there is the life of grace and that is the life of Saints and this life you do not beginne to live till you beginne to bee good if a living Dogg is better than a dead Lyon as the wise man speaks Eccl. 9.4 and if a Fly is more excellent than the heavens because the Fly hath life which the heavens hath not as the Philosopher saith what a sad dead poor nothing is that person that is a stranger to the life of grace and goodness that is dead even whilst he is alive Most men will bleed sweat vomit Meconas in Seneca had rather live in many diseases than dye And Homer reporteth of his Aâ—hilles that he had rather be a servant to a poor Countrey Clown here than to be a King to all the Souls departed purge part with an estate yea with a limb I limbs yea and many a better thing viz. the honour of God and a good conscience to preserve their natural lives as hee crys out Give mee any deformity any torment any misery so you spare my life and yet how few how very few are to bee found who make it their work their business to attain to a life of goodness or to beginne to bee good betimes or to bee dead to the world and alive to God rather than to bee dead to God and alive to the world this is for a lamentation and shal be for a lamentation that natural life is so highly prized spiritual life so little regarded c The eighth Reason Why young persons should bee really good betimes and that is because the promise of finding God of enjoying God is made over to an early seeking of God Prov. 8.17 I
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
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
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
learned speak Grace and glory differ very little the one is the seed the other is the flower grace is glory militant and glory is grace triumphant and a man may as well plead for equal degrees of grace in this world as hee may plead for equal degrees of glory in the other world Surely the more grace here the more glory hereafter and the more work Christians do on earth the more glory they shall have in Heaven and the sooner men begin to bee good the more good they will do in this world and the more they do here the more they shall have hereafter Philosophers seem to weigh our vertues with our vices and according to the preponderation of either denominate us good or bad and so deliver us up to reward or punishment No man can commend good works magnificently enough saith Luther for one work of a Christian is more precious than Heaven and Earth and therefore all the world cannot sufficiently reward one good work And in another place saith the same Author If I might have my desire I would rather chuse the meanest work of a Country Christian or poor maid than all the victories and triumphs of Alexander the great and of Julius Caesar And again whatsoever the Saints do though never so small and mean it is great and glorious because they do all in faith and by the word saith the same Author To prevent mistakes you must remember that the works that Jesus Christ will reward at last are supernatural works they are 1 Works of God 2 Wrought from God 3 For God 4 In God 5 According to God they are works that flow from supernatural principles and they are directed to supernatural ends and performed in a supernatural way now the sooner a man begins to bee good the more hee will abound in these good works and the more doubtless any man abounds in such good works on earth the greater reward hee shall have in heaven yet it must not bee forgotten that the best actions the best works of Hypocrites and all men out of Christ are but splendida peccata fair and shining sins beautiful abominations And as the Phenix in Arabia gathers sweet odoriferous sticks together and then blows them with her wings David made use of his bow but did not trust to his bow The Dove made use of her wings but did not trust in her wings but in the Ark. and burns her self with them so many a carnal professor burns himself with his own good works that is by his expecting and trusting to receive that by his works that is only to bee received and expected from Jesus Christ Though all that man can do towards the meriting of Heaven is no more than the lifting up of a festraw towards the meriting of a Kingdome yet such a proud peece man is that hee is ready enough to say with proud Vega Coelum gratis non accipiam I wil not have Heaven of free cost Merces non est debita sed gratuita A proud heart would fain have that of debt which is meerly of grace and desires that to bee of purchase which God hath intended to bee of free mercy which made one to lay that hee would swim through a Sea of Brimstome that hee might come to Heaven at last but hee that swims not thither through the Sea of Christs blood shall never come there man must swim thither not through brimstone but through blood or hee miscarries for ever 2 Again the sooner a man begins to bee good the more serviceable hee will bee to others and the more hee will provoke others to good now all the good that you provoke others to by counsel or carriage shall bee put down to your account as all the sins that men provoke others to is put down to their accounts 2 Sam. 12.8.9 Isa 38.3 Neh. 13.14 David did but send a Letter concerning the death of Uriah and the charge commeth thou hast slain Uriah with the Sword the more I stir up others to sow the more at last I shall reap the sooner a man beginnes to bee good the more good hee will do the more serviceable he will bee in the Town or City where hee dwells in the family where he lives among his relations wife children kindred servants c. with whom hee converses The sooner a man beginnes to be gracious Synesius speaks of some who having a treasure of rare abilities in them would as soon part with their hearts as their conceptions but such are rather monsters than men the sooner and the more useful will his arts his parts his gifts his graces his mercies his experiences his life his labours his prayers his counsels his examples be to all that are with him to all that are about him Lilmod Lelammed we therefore learn that we may teach is a Proverb among the Rabbins And I do therefore lay in and lay up saith the Heathen that I may draw forth again and lay out for the good of many Ah! Young men Young men as you would be useful and serviceable to many begin to be good betimes and to lay in and lay up and lay out betimes for the profit and advantage of others Augustin accounted nothing his own that he did not communicate to others The Bee doth store her hive out of all sorts of Flowers for the common benefit T is a base and unworthy spirit for a man to make himself the centre of all his actions The very Heathen man could say that a mans Countrey and his friends and others challenge a great part of him And indeed the best way to do our selves good is to be a doing good to others the best way to gather is to scatter Memorable is the story of Pyrhias a Merchant of Ithaca who at Sea espying an aged man a Captive in a Pyrates ship took compassion of him and redeemed him and bought his Commodities which the Pyrate had taken from him which were certain barrels of pitch The old man perceiving that not for any good service hee could do him nor for the gain of that commodity but meerly out of charity and pitty he had done this discovered a great mass of treasure hidden in the pitch whereby the Merchant in a very short time became very rich at which very time God made that word good Hee that soweth liberally 2 Cor. 9.6 shall reap liberally and that word The liberal soul shall bee made fat Prov. 11.25 and that word The liberal deviseth liberal things Isa 32.8 and by liberal things shall he stand It is fabled of Midas that what ever he touched he turned it into Gold it is certain that a liberal hand a liberal heart turns all into gold into gain as Scripture and experience do abundantly evidence now if you put all these things together nothing is more evident than that those that begin to be good betimes are in the ready way the high way to be high in heaven when they
shall cease from breathing on earth and therefore young men as you would bee high in heaven as you would have a great reward a full reward a massie weighty Crown O labour to be good betimes labour to get acquaintance with the Lord and an interest in the Lord in the spring and morning of your days The seventh Motive or consideration to provoke and incite you to bee good betimes is to consider that the Lord is very much affected and taken with your seeking of him and following after him in the spring and morning of your youth Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem saying I remember thee Jer. 2.2 the kindness of thy Youth the love of thine esspousals when thou wentest after mee in the wildernesse in a land that was not sown Ah! how kindly how sweetly did the Lord take this at their hands that they followed him in their youth while their bones were full of marrow while they were strong and fit for service while nature was fresh lively and vigorous In the Law God called for the first of all things Exod. 23.19 hee required not only the first fruits but the very first of the first The first of the first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy God God is the first being the first good and therefore deserves the first of the first and the best of the best T is truely said of God that he is Omnia su per omnia the first and the best is not too good for him who is goodness it self God in that of Leviticus 2.14 is so passionately set upon having the first of the first that he will not stay till the green ears of Corn be ripe but will have the green ears of corn dryed in the fire least he should loose his longing As many young women and sickly children cannot stay till the fruit be ripe but must have it while it is green even so saith God my heart my desires are so vehemently set upon the first fruits the first things that I cannot stay I cannot satisfie my self without them and what would God teach us by all this but to serve him with the first-fruits of our age the prim-rose of our child-hood the morning of our youth God hath given you of the best do not put him off with the worst with the worst of your time the worst of your days the worst of your strength least he swear in his wrath that you shall never enter into his rest The eighth Motive or Consideration to provoke you to bee good betimes to seek and serve the Lord in the morning of your youth is Early Converts will never have cause to say as that despairing Pope said the Cross could do him no good because he had so often sold it away to consider that this may bee a special means to prevent many black temptations and an encouragement to withstand all temptations that you may meet with from a tempting Devil and a tempting World an early turning to the Lord will prevent many temptations to despair many temptations to neglect the means openly to despise the means secretly many temptations about the being of God the goodnesse faithfulnesse truth and justice of God temptations to despair temptations to lay violent hands on a mans self temptations to question all that God hath said and that Christ hath suffered arises many times from mens delaying and putting off of God to the last all which with many others are prevented by a mans seeking and serving of the Lord in the spring and morning of his youth It is reported of the Harts of Scythia that they teach their young ones to leap from bank to bank from rock to rock from one turfe to another by leaping before them by which means when they are hunted no beast of prey can ever take them so when persons exercise themselves in godliness when they are young when they leap from one measure of holiness to another when they are in the morning of their days Satan that mighty hunter after souls may pursue them with his temptations Heb. 11 Gen. 39 Dan. 31. ult but hee shall not overtake them he shall not prevail over them As you see in Moses Joseph Daniel and the three children these knew the Lord and gave up themselves to the Lord in the prime and Prime-rose of their Youth and these were all temptation-proof Satan and the World pursued them but could not overtake them when the Devill and the World had done their worst the young mens bows abode in strength Gen. 49.23 24 and their hands to resist were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob Ego non sum ego said that young convert when tempted I am not the man that I was Luther tells of a young Virgin that used to resist all temptations with this Christianus sum I am a Christian Early Converts may say when tempted as hee tell mee not Satan what I have been but what I am and will bee or as hee in the like case whatsoever I was Bernard Beza I am now in Christ a new creature and that is it which troubleth thee or as hee Augustin Such as thou art now I was once but such as I am now thou wilt never be said Diogenes to a base fellow that told him he had once been a forger of money the more desperate my disease was the more I admire the Physitian Yea thou mayest yet strain it a peg higher and say the greater my sins were the greater is my honor As the Devils which once Mary Magdalen had are mentioned for her glory when Pyrrhus tempted Fabritius the first day with an Elephant so huge and monstrous a beast as before hee had not seen the next day with money and promises of honour hee answered I fear not thy force I am too wise for thy fraud Ah! Young men Young men as you would be free from the saddest and darkest temptations and as you would be armed against all temptations O labour as for life to be good betimes seek and serve the Lord in the morning of your Youth no way like this for the preventing earthquakes heart-quakes stormy days and winter nights c. The ninth Motive or Consideration to stir up young men to be good betimes to seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of their youth is to consider the worth and excellency of souls A soul is a spiritual immortal substance Luk. 23.43 Mat. 10.28 Act. 7. ult it is capable of the knowledge of God it is capable of union with God of communion with God Phil. 1.23 and of a blessed and happy fruition of God Christ left his fathers bosome for the good of souls Heb. 2.13 14 15 16 he assumed mans nature for the salvatition of mans soul Christ prayed for souls he sweat for souls he wept for souls hee bled for souls Isa 63.3 4 he hung on
come to cast away the Idols of your souls to repent and bee converted in the Prim-rose of your youth that your sins may bee blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord Act. 3.19 or else woe woe to you that ever you were born I have read a story of one who being risen from the dead and being asked in what condition hee was hee made answer no man doth beleeve no man doth beleeve no man doth beleeve And being further asked what he meant by that repetition hee answered no man doth beleeve how exactly God examineth how strictly God judgeth how severely hee punisheth Oh that the waies of most young persons did not declare to all the world that they do not and that they will not beleeve the dead and terrour of that day that will admit of no plea nor place for Apology or appeal The Turks have a tradition and frantick opinion that wicked men shall at the great day carry their sins in latchels after their Captain Caine but well would it bee for them if this should bee all their punishment in that great day the highest and last Tribunal can never bee appealed from or repealed Now if for all that hath been said you are resolved to spend the flower of your daies and the prime of your strength in the service of sin and the world then know that no tongue can express no heart can conceive that trouble of mind that terrour of soul that horror of conscience that fear and amazement that weeping and wailing that crying and roaring that sighing and groaning that cursing and banning that stamping and tearing that wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth that shall certainly attend you when God shall bring you into judgement for all your loosnesse and lightnesse for all your wickednesse and wantonnesse for all your prophaneness and basenesse for all your neglect of God your grieving the comforter your trampling under foot the blood of a Saviour for your dispising of the means for your prizing Earth above Heaven and the pleasures of this world above the pleasures that bee at Gods right hand Chrysosteme speaking of this day saith for Christ at this day to say depart from mee is a thing more terrible than a thousand hells Chrysost Hom ad Pop. Antioch Oh how will you wish in that day when your sins shall bee charged on you when justice shall bee armed against you when conscience shall bee gnawing within you when the world shall bee a flaming fire about you when the gates of Heaven shall bee shut against you and the flame of Hell ready to take hold of you when Angels and Saints shall sit in judgement upon you and for ever turn their faces from you when evil spirits shall be terrifying of you and Jesus Christ for ever disowning of you how will you I say wish in that day that you had never been born or that you might now bee unborn or that your mothers wombs had proved your Tombs O how will you then wish to bee turned into a bird a beast a stock a stone a Toad a Tree O that our immortal souls were mortal O that wee were nothing Joan Damasc et Author Anonym de quat Noviss Imprâ—ss Daven Anno. 1494. O that we were any thing but what we are I have read a remarkable story of a King that was heavy and sad and wept which when his brother saw hee asked him why hee was so pensive because saith hee I have judged others and now I must bee judged my self And why saith his brother do you so take on for this it will hapily bee a long time ere that day come and besides that it is but a flight matter The King said little to it for the present Now it was a custome in that Countrey when any had committed Treason there was a Trumpet sounded at his door in the night time and hee was next day brought out to bee executed now the King commanded a Trumpet to bee sounded at his brothers door in the night time who awakening out of his Sleep when hee heard it arose and came quaking and trembling to the King How now saith the King what 's the matter you are so affrighted I am saith hee attached of Treason and next morning I shall bee executed why saith the King to him again are you so troubled at that knowing that you shall bee judged by your Brother and for a matter that your Conscience tells you you are clear off How much more therefore may I bee afraid seeing that God shall judge mee and not in a matter that my conscience frees mee off but of that whereof I am guilty and beside this if the worst come is but a temporary death you shall dy but I am liable to death eternal both of body and soul I will leave the Application to those young persons that put this day afar off and whom no arguments will move to bee good betimes and to acquaint themselves with the Lord in the morning of their youth But now to those young men and women who beginne to seek serve and love the Lord in the Primerose of their days the day of judgement will be to them melodia in aure ubilum in corde like musick in the ear and a jubilee in the heart Act. 3.19 20 21 22. Mic. 7.7 8 9 10 11. Rev. 19.6 7 8 9 10. Mat. 25.34 to v. 41. this day will be to them a day of refreshing a day of redemption a day of vindication a day of coronation a day of Consolation a day of Salvation it will bee to them a marriage day a harvest day a pay day now the Lord will pay them for all the Prayers they have made for all the Sermons they have heard for all the tears they have shed in this great day Christ will remember all the individual offices of love and friendship shewed to any of his now hee will mention many things for their honor and comfort that they never minded now the least and lowest acts of love and pity towards his shall bee interpreted as a special kindnesse shewed to himself Now the Crown shall bee set upon their heads 2 Tim. 4.8 Mal. 3.17 18 and the Royall Robe put upon their backs now all the World shall see that they have not served the Lord for naught Now Christ will pass over all their weaknesses and make honorable mention of all the services they have performed of all the mercyes they have improved and of all the great things that for his name and glory they have suffered Quest But here an apt question may be moved viz. Whether at this great day the sinnes of the Saints shall bee brought into the judgement of Discussion and discovery or no whether the Lord will in this day publikely manifest proclaim and make mention of the sins of his people or no I humbly judge according to my present light that he will not and my
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
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
bee found is to see your selves lost the first step to mercy is to see your misery the first step towards Heaven is to see yourselves neer to hell you won't look after the Physitian of souls Austin saith he would willingly go thorow hell to Christ so will all that see their need of Christ you won't prize the Physitian of souls you won't desire the Physitian of souls you won't match with the Physitian of souls you won't fall in love in league with the Physitian of souls you won't resign up your selves to the Physitian of souls till you come to see your wounds till you come to feel your disease till you see the tokens the plague sores of divine wrath and displeasure upon you as the whole do not need the Physitian so they do not desire they do not care for the Physitian Ah! Young men Zanche writ a Tractat Quod nihil scitur as you would bee good betimes begin to acquaint your selves with your sinful selves betimes begin to acquaint your selves betimes with your natural and undone condition There is a threefold self 1 There is a natural self as a mans parts wit reason will affections and inclinations c. 2 A Religious self and so a mans duties graces obedience righteousness holiness are called ones self 3 There is a sinful self Luther said that if a man could perfectly see his own faults the sight thereof would be a very hell unto him and so a mans corruptions lusts sinful nature and dispositions are called ones self now if ever you would bee good betimes you must acquaint your selves with your sinful selves betimes Demonicus being asked at what time hee beganne to bee a Philosopher answered when I began to know my self So a man never beginnes to bee a Christian till he begins to know himself And indeed for a man to know himself to acquaint himself with himself is one of the hardest works in all the World For as the eye can see all things but it self so most can discern all faults but their own Henry the Fourth Emperor of Germany his usual speech was Multi multa sciunt se autem nemo many know much but few know themselves The very heathens did admire that saying as an Oracle nosce teipsum know and bee acquainted with thy own self The main exhortation of Chilo one of the seven Sages was know thy self And Plato recordeth that this saying of Chilo know thy self was written in letters of Gold upon the Portal of Apolloes Temple Juvenal saith that this saying know thy self came from heaven Macrobius saith that the Oracle of Apollo being demanded what course should bee taken for attaining to felicity answered onely teach a man to know himself Thus you see that both Divinity and Philosophy doth agree in this that the best and surest way to true felicity is to know our selves to acquaint our selves with our selves This duty the Apostle charges upon the Ephesians Remember that you being in times past Gentiles in the flesh Eph. 2.11.12 Of dull and insensible men one long since thus complained patientius ferre Christi jacturam quam suam that they did more calmly pass by the injuries done to Christ then those that were done unto themselves O the plague of unsensiblenesse that at that time yee were without Christ aliens from the Common-wealth of Israels and strangers from the covenant of Promise having no hope and without God in the world Here are five withouts without Christ without the Church without the Promise without hope and without God in the world man in his natural state is afar off hee is without three manner of wayes 1 In point of opinion and apprehension 2 In point of fellowship and communion 3 In point of grace and conversion As you would be good betimes dwell much upon your corrupt nature betimes Ah! Such is the corruption of our nature that propound any divine good to it it is entertained as fire by water or wet wood with hissing propound any evil then it is like fire to straw it is like the foolish Satyre that made haste to kiss the fire it is like that unctious matter which the naturalists say sucks and snatches the fire to it with which it is consumed till you come to bee sensible of this you will never beginne to be good you will never look to have your hearts changed and your souls saved The Ethiopians paint Angels black and Devils white in favour of their own complexion they say that if the bruite creatures could draw a picture of the divine nature they would make their shape the Copy and thus they flatter and delude themselves take heed young men take heed that you don't put the like cheats upon your own souls take heed that you bee not like those Limners who so as they can make a mans picture gay and gaudy care not to draw it so as to resemble him it is safest and best O young man to know the worst of thy self and to know thy self as thou art in thy self and not as thy own flattering heart or as other flatterers may represent thee to thy self Thirdly If you would bee good betimes then you must acquaint your selves with Jesus Christ betimes you must know him betimes a man never beginnes to bee good till he begins to know him that is the fountain of all goodness John 17.3 This is life eternal to know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent The knowledge of Christ is the beginning of eternal life it is the way to eternal life it is a taste of eternal life it is a sure pledge and pawn to the soul of eternal life The Spaniards say of Aquinas that hee that knows not him knows not any thing but hee that knows him knows all things he that knows Jesus Christ not notionally onely but practically not apprehensively onely but affectively hee knows all things that may make him happy but hee that knows not Jesus Christ knows nothing that will stand him in stead when hee shall lye upon a dying bed and stand before a judgement seat Justin Martyr relates that when in his discourse with Tryphon he mentioned the knowledge of Christ as conducing to our happiness and perfection Tryphons friends laught at it but I hope better things of all those into whose hands this treatise shall fall Sirs the Sunne is not more necessary to the world the eye to the body the Pilate to the ship the General to the army c. then the knowledge of Christ betimes is necessary for all those that would be good betimes Dear hearts as ever you would be good betimes you must labour even as for Life to know and bee thorowly acquainted with these six things concerning Jesus Christ betimes First If you would bee good betimes then you must know betimes that there is every thing in Christ that may incourage you to seek him and serve him to love him Nec
22.11 ch 19. v. 19 God commands them not to wear a Garment of diverse sorts as of woollen and linnen together Neither shall a garment mingled of Linnen and woollen come upon thee This Law was figurative and shews us that in the case of our justification acceptation and salvation wee are not to joyn our works our services with the righteousness of Christ Phil. 3.9 10 Rev. 19.8 Gal. 3.28 c. 2.16 God abhors a linsy-woolsy righteousnesse And as by the Letter of this Law in the Hebrews account one threed of wool in a Linnen garment or one Linnen threed in a Woollen garment made it unlawful So the least manner of mixture in the business of justification makes all null and void And if by grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace Rom. 11.6 Eph. 2.5 Rom 5.15 16 8 But if it bee of works then it is no more grace otherwise work is no more work hee that shall mix his Righteousness with Christs hee that shall mix his puddle with Christs purple bloud his rags with Christs royal Robes his copper with Christs Gold his water with Christs wine c. is in the ready way to perish for ever On earth Kings love no consorts power is impatient of participation Christ will bee Alexander or Nemo no body hee will bee all in all in the businesse of Justification 1 Cor. 1.30 Rom. 5.19 20 or hee will bee nothing at all wee must say of Christ as it was once said of Caesar socium habet neminem hee may have a companion c. but hee must not have a competitor Let us say of Christ as the Heathen once said of his Petty gods contemne minutulos istos Deos modo Jovem propitium habeam so long as hee had his Jupiter to friend hee regarded them not So so long as wee have our Jesus to friend Eph. 3.9 10 Psal 71.15 16 19 compared and his righteousness and bloud to friend we should contemn all other things and abhor the bringing of any thing into competition with him a real Christian cares not for any thing that hath not aliquid Christi Something of Christ in it Hee that holds not wholly with Christ doth very shamefully neglect Christ Aut totum mecum tene aut totum omitte saith Gregory Nazienzen There is no other name no other nature no other blood no other merits no other person to bee justified and saved by but Jesus Christ Isa 55.2 Rom. 10.3 you may run from Creature to Creature and from duty to duty and from Ordinance to Ordinance and when you have wearied and tyred out your selves in seeking ease and rest satisfaction and remission justification and salvation in one way and another you will bee forc'd after all to come to Christ and to cry out Ah! none but Christ none but Christ Ah! none to Christ none to Christ no works to Christ no duties no services to Christ no prayers no tears to Christ no righteousnesse no holiness to Christ Well friends remember this that all the tears in the world cannot wipe off meritoriously one sin nor all the grace and holiness that is in Angels and men buy out the pardon of the least transgression All remission is only by the blood of Christ Sixthly and lastly If you would bee good betimes then you must know betimes that the heart of Jesus Christ is as much set upon sinners now hee is in Heaven as ever it was when hee was upon earth Christ is not lesse loving lesse mindful less desirous of sinners eternal welfare now hee is in Heaven in a far Country than hee was when hee lived on earth 2 Cor. 5.20 witnesse his continuing the Ministery of Reconciliation among poor sinners in all ages witnesse the constant Treatise that by his Embassadors and Spirit hee still hath with poor sinners about the things of their peace the things of eternity Rev. 3.20 Isa 16.4 Isa 27.5 witnesse his continual knocking 's his continual callings upon poor sinners by his word Rod Spirit to open to repent to lay hold on mercy and to be at peace with him witness his continual wooing of poor sinners in the face of all neglects Cant 1.2 3. Luk 14. and put offs in the face of all delaies and denials Pro. 6.9 Mat. 22.4.23 37. in the face of all harsh entertainment and churlish answers in the face of all gain-sayings and carnal reasonings in the face of all the scorn and contempt that wretched sinners put upon him and witnesse that plain word Jesus Christ the same yesterday Heb. 13.8 and to day and for ever Christ is the same aforetime in time and after time hee is unchangeable in his essence in his promises and in his affections I am Alpha and Omega Re. 1.8 11. ch 21.6 ch 22.13 the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come The phrase is taken from the Greek letters whereof Alpha is the first and Omega the last It was a custome among the Turks to cry out every morning from an high Tower God alwaies was and alwaies will bee and so salute their Mahomet the first and last letter of the Greek Alphabet is a description of mee saith Christ who am before all and after all who am above all and in all who am unchangeable in my self and in my thoughts and good-will to poor sinners therefore do not poor souls entertain any hard thoughts concerning Jesus Christ as if hee was lesse mindful lesse pittiful and lesse merciful to poor souls now hee is in Heaven than hee was when his abode was in this world And thus I have gone over those six things that you must know concerning Christ betimes if ever you would bee good betimes When Pope Leo lay upon his death bed Cardinal Bembus citing a text of Scripture to comfort him hee replied Apage has nug as de Christo away with these bawbles concerning Christ but I hope better things of you and do desire that you will say of all things below this knowledge of Christ that I have opened to you as that devout Pilgrim who travelling to Jerusalem and by the way visiting many brave Cities with their rare monuments and meeting with many friendly entertainments would often say I must not stay here this is not Jerusalem Ah! so do you young men and women in the midst of all your worldly delights and contents cry out Oh wee must not stay here this is not Jerusalem this is not that knowledge of Christ that I must have if ever I am happy here and blessed hereafter Fourthly and lastly If you would bee good betimes then you must acquaint your selves with those that are good betimes if you would bee gracious in the spring and morning of your youth then you must begin betimes to bee much in with them who are much in with Christ who lye near his heart and knows much of his mind
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
green trees upon the high hills Jer. 17.1 2. Tinder is not apter to take fire nor Wax the impression of the seal nor Paper the ink than youth is to follow ill examples You may see in Radbod King of Phrisia who coming to the Font to bee baptised asked what was become of his Ancestors answer was made that they dyed in a feareful state unbaptized hee replyed that hee would rather perish with the multitude than go to Heaven with a few I remember the Heathen brings in a young man who hearing of the adulteries and wickednesses of the gods said what Aethiopians lame themselves if their King bee lame saith Diodorus Elian reports that there was a Whore that did boast that shee could eafily get scholers away from Socrates but Socrates could get away no scholers from her do they so and shall I stick at it no I will not Sinful examples are very drawing and very incouraging many have found it so to their eternal undoing those that have no ears to hear what you say have many eyes to see what you do Bad Princes make bad Subjects bad Masters make bad Servants bad Parents make bad Children and bad Husbands make bad Wives it is easier for the bad to corrupt the good than for the good to convert the bad it is easier to rundown the hill with company than to run up the hill alone I would desire all young men often to remember that saying of Lactantius Qui malum imitatur bonus esse non potest hee who imitates the bad cannot bee good Young men in these professing times stand between good and bad examples as Hercules in his dream stood between vertue and vice Solicited by both chuse you must who to follow Oh that you were all so wise as to follow the best as a woman that hath many sutors is very carefull to take the best so should you life Heaven happinesse eternity hangs upon it But before I come to the second answer Sin is bad in the eye worser in the tongue worser in the heart but worst of all in the life and that because it then indangers other mens souls as well as a mans own let mee leave this note or notion with those who make no conscience of undoing others by their examples viz. That a more grievous punishment is reserved for them who cause others to offend than for them which sin by their occasion or example Thus the Serpent was punished more than Eve and Eve more than Adam So Jezabel felt a greater and sorer Judgement than Ahab To sin saith one hath not so much perdition in it as to cause others to sin Friends you have sins enough of your own to make you for ever miserable why should you by giving bad examples to others make your selves far more miserable the lowest the darkest the hottest place in hell will bee for them that have drawn others thither by their example Mar. 23.15 Dives knew that if his Brethren were damn'd hee should bee double damned Luk. 16 28. because hee had largely contributed to the bringing of them to hell by his wicked example and therefore hee desires that they might bee kept out of hell not out of any love or good will to them but because their coming thither would have made his hell more hot his torments more insufferable But Secondly I answer if you sin with others you shall suffer with others if you will partake of other mens sins Rev. 18.4 Non minus ardebit qui cum multis ardebit August Hee burns no lesse that burns with company Gen. 6. Gen. 19. you shall also partake of other mens plagues They that have been like Simeon and Levi brethren in iniquity they shall bee brethren in misery they that have sinned together impenitently shall bee sent to hell jointly they shall perish together eternally If you will needs bee companions with others in their sins you shall bee sure to bee companions with them in their sorrows The old world sin together and are drowned together the Sodomites burning in lusts together were burnt with fire and brimstone together Korah Dathan and Abiram they sin together they murmure and provoke the Lord together Numb 16.26 34. and the earth opens her mouth and swallows them up together Exod. 14. Pharaoh and his hosts pursue Israel together Numb 25. and they are drowned in the Sea together Zimri and Cozbi commit folly uncleanness together and Phineas stabs them both together The Hebrew Doctors have a very pretty parable to this purpose A man planted an Orchard and going from home was careful to leave such watch-men as might both keep it from strangers and not deceive him themselves therefore hee appointed one blinde but strong of his limbs and the other seeing but a cripple These two in their Masters absence conspired together and the blind took the lame on his shoulders and so gathered the fruit their Master returning and finding out their subtilty punished them both together so will Justice deal with you at last who sin with others therefore take heed young men of doing as others do But Thirdly I answer you must not live by examples but by precepts you are not to look so much at what others do Obedientia non discutit Dei mandata sed facit Prosper as at what God requires you to do Exod. 23.2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgement Rom. 12.2 fashion not your selves like unto this world that is do not fashion and conform your selves to the corrupt customes and courses of wretched worldlings who have made gold their God and gain their glory the running crosse to a divine command cost the young Prophet his life though hee did it under pretence of Revelation from God as you may see in that sad story 1 King 13. ch c. Non parentum aut majorum authoritas sed Dei docentis imperium the command of God must out-weigh all authority and example of men Jerome And wee must bee as careful in the keeping of a light commandement as an heavy commandement saith a Rabby Divine commands must bee obeyed against all contrary reasonings wranglings and examples Austin brings in some excusing their complyance with the sinful customes and examples of those times in drinking healths The complaint is antient in Seneca that commonly men live not ad rationem but ad similitudinem Seneca de vita beata c. 1. thus Great personages urged it and it was at the Kings banquet where they judged of loyalty by luxury and put us upon this election drink or die the not drinking of a health had been our death hee gives this answer that God who sees that for love to him and his commands thou wouldest not conform to their drunken customes will give thee favour in their eyes who thus threatneth thee to drink Ah young men you that dote so much
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
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