Advice to the young, or, The reasonableness and advantages of an early conversion to God demonstrated, in three discourses on Ecclesiastes xii, I by Joseph Stennett.

Advice to the young, or, The reasonableness and advantages of an early conversion to God demonstrated, in three discourses on Ecclesiastes xii, I by Joseph Stennett.

Table of contents

Title page

TO THE READER.

ERRATA.

THE Reasonableness & Advantages OF AN Early Conversion to God DEMONSTRATED.

SERMON I.

THE Reasonableness & Advantages OF AN Early Conversion to God DEMONSTRATED. SERMON II.

THE Reasonableness & Advantages OF AN Early Conversion to God DEMONSTRATED. SERMON III.

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Advice to the Young: OR, THE REASONABLENESS AND ADVANTAGES OF AN Early Conversion to GOD DEMONSTRATED, In Three DISCOURSES On Ecclesiastes xii. 1.

By JOSEPH STENNETT.

MICAH vii. 1.

—My Soul desired the first-ripe Fruit.

LONDON, Printed by I. D. and to be sold by Andrew Bell at the Cross-Keys in the Poultrey, MDCXCV.

TO THE READER.

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THE following Sermons were preached above a Year ago to a Congregation in London, and since transcrib'd partly from some brief Notes I had reserv'd in my Study, and partly from the Prints of some remaining Ideas not quite worn off my Memory; while new Occurring Meditations (here and there interspers'd) supplied the place of those which Time and other Thoughts had effac'd.

This was done to gratify a worthy Friend, who as he was not displeas'd in hearing them, so was desirous to read 'em too: And after that, would not be denied the Liberty of making 'em publick.

I hope it will not be thought that I have treated on God's Relation to Man as his Creator, in the first Sermon, after a manner too abstracted and Philosophical for a practical Discourse, when 'tis considered that we live in an Age wherein some Men will hearken to no other kind of Arguments; and wherein the Minds of others can't be [Page] too well fortified against the Contagion of Atheism; especially seeing I have taken up but a few Pages in pursuing that Vein of reasoning, the greatest part of which has been added in transcribing.

What is advanc'd in these Discourses I have labour'd to sustain both by Scripture and Reason; and endeavour'd to speak to the Understandings as well as to the Affections of my Auditors, and now of my Readers.

Those who apply themselves with seriousness and attention to the reading of them, (I hope) will not think their Time and Labour entirely lost: I'm sure I shall not repent mine in composing 'em, if it shall please God to make 'em the means of converting one Sinner from the error of his Way; Jam. 5. 20. and so of saving a Soul from Death, and of hiding a multitude of Sins. To which great End that they may succeed, I humbly commit 'em to the Guidance of his Providence, and to the Conduct of his Spirit, with my earnest Wishes and Prayers.

J. S.

ERRATA.

P. 32. l. 1. f. the r. that. p. 67. marg. r. [...]. p. 113. marg. f. wrote r. written. p. 126. l. 8. r. Tabernacles; l. 10. f. it r. them.

THE Reasonableness & Advantages OF AN Early Conversion to God DEMONSTRATED.

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SERMON I.

ECCLES. xii. 1.‘Remember now thy Creator in the Days of thy Youth, while the Evil Days come not, nor the Years draw nigh when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.’

HOW much soever the Thoughts of Youth are busied with the amusing Entertainment of the many sensible Objects that accost 'em, and thereby render'd unapt for [Page] serious Reflections on the Vanity of the World, and on the Excellency and Happiness of a Spiritual and Heavenly Conversation: Yet one would think, when Reason, Experience and Religion, all conspire to bespeak their Attention, (as they do in our Text, and indeed in this whole Book) it might reasonably be expected that many would have the Justice or Prudence, or at least the Curiosity, to give three such Monitors a hearing.

When a Prince excelling all other Men in Wisdom, and other Monarchs in Wealth and Splendor, has so much Charity for Mankind as to turn a Preacher; Eccl. 1. 1. Who would not be ambitions to become his Auditor? The News of his Wisdom and Grandeur drew the Queen of Sheba from the utmost parts of the Earth, 1 King. 10. to become an immediate and admiring Witness of what she had before, at a distance, and but imperfectly heard (Fame it self, which uses so mightily to inhance the Glory of other Princes, having, it seems, detracted from his, which so far exceeded the common Standard, that its Lustre was lessen'd by those Encomiums which might have been justly counted strain'd Hyperboles, when applied to others.) [Page] Who would not then, at least, so far imitate that Generous Princess, as to recollect his roving Thoughts from the ends of the Earth, whither they are prone to wander, to fix them on a Subject, which the Great and Wise Solomon recommends to Youth with the greatest Advantage of Reason, and Strength of Argument? Curiosity (if no other Consideration should) would undoubtedly prompt many to desire, with the Queen of the South, to hear his Wise Speeches, (if he were now alive) and to undergo the Charge and Fatigue of a long Journey to that end. Ought we not then to put a High Value on his Writings, wherein we have that very Sense, which so much astonished his Hearers, when he spake to them; and by which (as 'tis said of Abel) being Dead,Heb. 11. 4.he yet speaks to us? Nor have we need to traverse the Mighty Waters to hear him, or to say (as Moses speaks concerning the Law) Who shall go over the Sea for us,Deu [...]. 30. 13, 14.and bring his Words to us, that we may hear them and do them? seeing they are so very near us in the Divine Treatises he has written.

And as his extraordinary Knowledg promises us much, so his large Experience may justly raise our Expectation still higher. [Page] This makes a Man speak both more feelingly, and with more Demonstration. Besides, 'tis not only the Experience of a Man endow'd with a vast Stock of Wisdom and good Sense, who, consequently, was able to make very curious and exact Remarks on the Event of Things; but of one, who by the Advantage of his elevated Station in the World, and of his Immense Riches, was also capable of furnishing himself with whatever the World could yield,Eccles. 2. 4-10. or his large Curiosity desire. And tho it was his great Unhappiness and Sin to give his Heart to know Madness and Folly, Eccl. 1. 17. after that criminal manner he confesses he did:Chap. 2. 1, 3, &c. Yet even this may make way for his Advice; since he that here decries a loose and sensual, and commends a strict and vertuous course of Life, is one, who had thorowly try'd what Pleasures the World could afford; and upon a just Estimate pronounces them all, not only Vanity, but Vexation of Spirit, at the beginning of this Book; and at the latter end of it,Eccl. 12. 13. from his happier Experience of the Worth and Sweetness of a Religious Life, recommends it as the only way to Happiness. So that since these Thoughts are the Result, not [Page] only of his Speculation, but of his Experience too, and that an Experience so dearly bought, at the Expence of so much Thought and Invention, (unhappily employ'd in making Provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof) of so much Time and Treasure,Rom. 13. 14. and (which is infinitely more) at the Expence of his Innocency and Peace of Conscience, and this with the great and apparent hazard of his Soul; How much does it behove those that are Young to become Wise at his Cost, and to attend to the Testimony of his Experience, as well as to the Evidence of his Reason?

But we have not only the Wisest Man in the World giving us Rules in a matter of the greatest Weight, and confirming them with the Probatum est of a very large and long Experience; for, behold, a Greater than Solomon is here. Mat. 12. 42 The Wisest of Men wrote this Book; but the Spirit of Wisdom inspired it. 2 Tim. 3. 16. If then all the advantageous Characters of Solomon should not much influence the Minds of Young Persons to regard his Admonitions; yet the Authority of the Holy Spirit himself, whose Dictates these originally are, lays a strict Obligation on them to [Page] observe 'em, as his own Divine Counsels, with a Religious Zeal, and to respect 'em as his Precepts, with an awful Reverence.

To form in our Minds a just Idea of the general Drift and Design of this Book, 'tis proper to observe, That as 'tis natural for Man to seek to be Happy, and therefore the Philosophers of all Ages, and of all Nations, have given Rules according to their Sense of Things, for the obtaining this great End; We have Solomon (a very Philosophical Prince, and who of all others deserves best to be term'd the Prince of Philosophers) giving in this Book the History of himself, with respect to the Method he took in the pursuit of Happiness; recounting to us his false Steps for our warning; and at last making both the End and Duty, and Interest of Man, to consist in the Service and Fear of God: All which seems to be compriz'd in the Close of this Book, in those Words,Chap. 12. ver. 13. Let us hear the Conclusion of the whole Matter, Fear God, and keep his Commandments, for this is the whole Duty of Man: (For if we leave out the word [Duty] which is not found in the Original, [Page] more Scope is given to the Words, [This is the whole of Man] q. d. his whole Duty, End and Interest.) And while he is looking back with Regret on the Loss of his own Time, and with a Penitential Sorrow reflects on the Sins of his Youth, he earnestly admonishes others to beware in Time of the Rock on which he split, to be warn'd of taking a wrong Course by his Fall, to be perswaded to take a right one by his Repentance; and, as an excellent Mean conducing to both their present and future Happiness, to devote themselves, as soon as possible, to the Service of God, or (in the Words of our Text) to Remember their Creator in the Days of their Youth.

For our better understanding of which Words, Order directs us to take notice of those in the two last Verses of the foregoing Chapter, on which they have an immediate Dependance; where the Wise Man seems to obviate an Objection, which some, especially those whose youthful Heat prompts 'em to pursue the Pleasures of the World, would raise against his past Discourse, which so much depretiates 'em: If such should say, his Morals are too severe, he answers them, Chap. 11. [Page] v. 9. Rejoice, O Young Man in thy Youth, and let thy Heart chear thee in the Days of thy Youth; and walk in the ways of thy Heart, and in the sight of thine Eyes: Which (according to some) is a Concession of a moderate use of Worldly Pleasures, and may be thus paraphras'd. ‘Imagine not (O Young Man) that I pretend to make it a Crime for thee to be Chearful in the use of the good Things of this Life, which the Providence of God allots thee: No—Gratify the Desires of thy Heart, and entertain thy Eyes and other Senses with variety of pleasant Objects, provided a due Moderation be observ'd in all these Things, so that thou use,1 Cor. [...]. 31.and not abuse 'em; for an Account of thy Management of them must be render'd before the just Tribunal of the Alimighty: I do not bid thee renounce the Joys and Comforts of this Life,’ [But know thou, that for all these Things God will bring thee into Iudgment.] ‘I therefore caution thee of the Danger of being insnar'd by an Inordinate Desire of them.’

Others interpret these Words as an Ironical Permission, whereby the Absurdity [Page] of the wild Maxims, and extravagant Sayings, with which Young Persons are wont to encourage themselves and others to persist in a vicious Course, are expos'd; and a serious Caution thereupon subjoin'd. ‘Youth (say they) is the Time of Life most fitted for Pleasure and Joy, the Senses are then most lively and impressible; and as a multitude of charming Objects are continually inviting us, so our own Inclinations are prompting us to embrace 'em. Now therefore is the Time for us to abandon our Selves to Mirth and Pleasure.’ Well (says Solomon) Rejoice, O Young Man, &c. q. d. ‘Take thy own Course, give up thy self to the Conduct of thy beloved Lusts, take thy fill of Jollity and Pleasure; but mark the Consequence, be assur'd that for this Course of Life (if obstinately persisted in) the Great and Just God will Judg and Condemn thee to Eternal Pains,’ [Know thou, that for all these Things God will bring thee into Iudgment.]

Which last Sense seems to me most Genuine, not only because we have several Examples of this Ironical way of speaking in the Holy Scripture; as that Saying of our Blessed Saviour to his Disciples [Page] [Sleep on now, and take your rest] seems to be,Mat. 26. 45. both from the Reproof for Sleeping,v. 40, 41. and Exhortation to Watchfulness, which he had given 'em just before; and from the Alarm he gives 'em, not to indulge their Drowsiness, but to rise and be going, (for the Reason he assigns) just after those Words:v. 45, 46. And that of the Prophet Micajah to King Ahab, who enquir'd of him,1 Kings 22. 15. whether he should go up against Ramoth-Gilead, [Go and prosper, &c.] whereby he assumes the Language of the false Prophets; but afterwards explains himself in express Terms [If thou return at all in Peace,v. 17, 18.the Lord hath not spoken by me.] See also 1 Kings 18. 27. Not only do such Examples as these (I say) justify this Sense of the Words last given;Ezek. 28. 3, 4. but that which seems especially to make it preferable to the former is, that those Phrases, in the Sentence we are examining, of [Walking in the way of one's Heart, and in the sight of one's Eyes] can't be easily accommodated to a moderate use of Worldly Enjoyments, (as the former Sense supposes) seeing 'tis evident, they are used to quite another purpose in the Scripture, by that Prohibition God gave the Israelites [not to seek after their own Heart,Num. 15. 39.and their own [Page]Eyes] and by the Curse Iob imprecates on himself, [if his Heart had walked after his Eyes] Both which shew,Job 31. 7. that to walk after one's Heart and Eyes, is an Expression more fairly applicable to a Dissolute and Sinful Course of Life, than to a Temperate use of Lawful Pleasures.

After this Ironical Permission of Sinful Pleasures, and the serious Premonition of Judgment subjoin'd to it, follows a Conclusion in these Terms, Therefore remove Sorrow from thy Heart, and put away Evil from thy Flesh;Eccl. 11. 10.for Childhood and Youth are Vanity.

Which some will have to be a Continuation of the Irony, and, if taken in a proper Sense, to speak the Language of those Libertines, who notwithstanding what he had before said, would still devote themselves to the Pleasures of Sin. As if he should say, ‘Cast away (as you resolve to do) all serious Thoughts; Fly the Occasions of Trouble and Sorrow, as much as possible; avoid whatever is ungrateful to Flesh and Blood: for Time is fleeting; Childhood and Youth, those Opportunities of Delight and Pleasure, will soon vanish, therefore the Sweets they afford must be [Page] reap'd in their Season.’ For thus do some Sensualists argue, for the present and earnest pursuit of Worldly Pleasures, from their Vanity in respect of the shortness of their Continuance, which ought rather (when their Eternal Ill Consequences are consider'd) to take off the edg of the Appetite toward 'em. So the Prophet,Isa. 22. 13. 1 Cor. 15. 32. and after him the Apostle introduces them arguing; Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we shall die.

But it seems not so likely that the Irony should be reiterated after so express and serious a warning of Judgment, as that in the former Verse, especially seeing this is join'd to it by a [Therefore], as a Conclusion founded thereupon, [Therefore remove Sorrow from thy Heart, &c.]

I should rather therefore give the Words such a Turn as this, viz. Seeing God will bring thee to Iudgment, therefore, Remove Sorrow, &c. q. d. ‘Mix Innocency with thy Joy; be Merry and Wise; Reform thy Life, and a good Conscience shall be to thee a continual Feast. Prov. 15. 15. [...] The Evil of Sorrow need not possess thy Heart, if the Evil of Sin be extirpated from thy Flesh: Govern thy Body with Temperance [Page] and Chastity, and Joy shall reign in thy Soul.’

Or (as others will have it) Remove Anger from thy Heart, (for so the Word, here translated Sorrow, [...] properly signifies) q. d. ‘Be not angry with them that advise thee well, or, be not displeas'd with God for the strictness of his Precepts, which I recommend to thee, or for the Severity of his Iudgments of which I warn thee.’

Or else the Passion of Anger, because it so violently agitates the Soul, may be put for all the vitious Affections of the Mind, and then the meaning of the Words is; Remove all sinful Passions from thy Mind: And put away Evil from thy Flesh; Rom. 6. 19. q. d. ‘Give not the Members of thy Body to the Service of Sin.’

Which Exhortation is urg'd by this Reason [For Childhood and Youth are Vanity] q. d. ‘These Pleasures, thou art so hotly in chase of now, will vanish and disappear together with thy Youth, which is a Flower that soon fades; and why shouldst thou, for short-liv'd Joys, expose thy Soul to the Hazard of Eternal Misery?’

[Page] Or else the Sense of the Wife Man may be to this purpose; ‘I have reason to admonish those that are Young, of the Evil and Danger of a Sensual Life, because none are so prone to be insnar'd by its Charms as they, whose Imaginations, Words and Actions are generally so vain, that they may be fitly term'd Vanity it self, Vanity in the Abstract; [For Childhood and Youth are Vanity.]’

Upon which he adds a sutable Exhortation to such, in the Words of our Text, which are connected to those above with a Particle, which in our Translation is render'd [Now], but is no Adverb of Time, [...] but commonly signifies [And], and so may be join'd to what he had advis'd before, viz,—Put away Evil from thy Flesh, and Remember thy Creator; putting this Sentence (For Childhood and Youth are Vanity) in a Parenthesis between those two Instructions. Or else it may be render'd [Then] or [Therefore], and so is an Inference from the Premises; q. d. ‘If there is a Time of Iudgment to be expected, and Childhood and Youth are Vanity, then it concerns such to Remember their Creator, &c.’

[Page] In which Words we have Three Things to consider.

First, A Duty enjoin'd or exhorted to.

Secondly, The special Time, of engaging in the performance of this Duty, prescrib'd.

Thirdly, The Reasons of it intimated.

I. The Duty exhorted to, is [Remember thy Creator.]

II. The special Time of engaging in this Duty, is signify'd;

1. In express Terms In the Days of thy Youth.]

2. By an opposite Periphrasis, which contains a Description of Old Age [while the Evil Days come not, not the Years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no Pleasure in them] i. e. before the approach of Old Age.

III. The Reasons hereof are couch'd and insinuated:

1. In the Terms of the Duty set before us, where the Relation we stand in [Page] to God, as he is our Creator, implies the Obligation we are under, to Remember him, and that in our Youth.

2. In the Terms us'd to signify the proper Time of this Duty; where the fitness of the Season of Youth for entering one's Self into the Service of God, and the Disadvantage of deferring it to Old Age, are suggested.

Of these we shall treat severally in their Order.

I. To explain the Duty to which we are exhorted, we shall consider,

First, The Object of it, namely our Creator; and we shall endeavour to shew what is included in that Title here attributed to God.

Secondly, The Act it self, of Remembering, what it imports.

First, We are first to enquire what is included in this Title of Creator, here attributed to God.

1. It plainly and expresly declares, that God is the Author and Original of the Being of Man.

[Page] And may also include,

2. That he is the Vpholder and Preserver of our Being.

3. That he is the Restorer and Reformer of Man.

4. That he is the Sovereign Arbiter and Disposer of our Being.

1. God is our Creator, as he is the Original and Author of our Being: For

(1.) He created the Matter of which we are compos'd, as well as that of all the other Parts of the Universe. All Beings of which the World consists, all that we have any Notices of either from Reason or Scripture, are either Spiritual or Corporeal, and all these are the Works of God. Now Man is a Creature compounded of both these kinds of Being; his Soul is a Spirit, and his Body is a Material Substance: And both these Constituent Parts of Mankind were created by God the Author of the whole Universe.

And here we consider the Term [Create] in its strictest Sense, namely, the giving a Being to that which had none before, the producing of Something out of Nothing, i. e. without any preexistent Matter to work upon.

[Page] Now it must be granted that the Soul and Body of Man, either are from Eternity, or else had a Beginning in Time; and if they had a Beginning, that it must be either from themselves, or from some other Being inferiour to God, or from God himself.

I shall therefore briefly prove, both from Reason and Scripture, that they are not Eternal, but had a Beginning; and this not of themselves, nor of any other Being but God himself; as our Text does import, by stiling him our Creator.

1st, Our Substance is not from Eternity: There is no plausible colour for such a wild Conceit; seeing there are no Characters of Eternity engraven on our Souls, the nobler part of Man; much less are there any Vestiges of it imprinted on that Clay of which our Bodies are composed.

The Memory we have of our own Existence, extends but to a very few Years; therefore we can't pretend, that we remember our selves to have been from Eternity: Nor has any Eternal Being revealed to us that our Substance is Eternal, tho we knew it not, or had forgotten it. And [Page] is it likely that a Being, to which Thinking is essential, should have so excellent a Property as to exist Eternally, and yet labour under so great a defect, as the entire Oblivion of its own Eternal Duration? Is it to be imagin'd that if the Minds of Men had been Eternal, there would have been any room left for those many New and Great Improvements of Arts and Sciences, which have been so often seen in the World? How could past Eternity be so deficient, as to leave any thing to future Invention to discover or cultivate? Is it probable that our Knowledg even of things much inferiour to our selves, would be so inconsiderable as it is, and that the vilest Insect, nay the most despicable portion of Inanimate Matter, should so puzzle the most Speculative and Ingenious Minds, that enquire into their Nature, if those Minds were from Eternity? Is it not much more reasonable to conclude, that We are but of Yesterday,Job 8. 9.because we know nothing? And can it be thought that a Being that wanted no Cause for its Existence, should need a Cause to give it Properties far below that of Eternity? That a Being which can't be measured by [Page] Time, should yet be liable to so many Changes and Troubles, as we see the Souls of Men are continually expos'd to?

And if the Soul can't justly claim this Property, how can the Body, which consists of dull unactive Matter, and wants those lesser Qualities which the Soul possesses, be imagin'd to have that greater Excellency of Eternity, which the Soul her self can't reasonably pretend to?

No—This is the Divine Prerogative, and is not to be attributed to any other Being than the Supreme; who calls himself,Exod. 3. [...]4. I AM, i. e. Being in the Abstract, Being it self, and IEHOVAH, i. e. The Eternal One;1 Tim. 6. 16. who only hath Immortality in this Absolute Sense, and of whom alone it can be said,Psal. 9 [...]. 2. He is from Everlasting to Everlasting. Isa. 63. 16.

For what is Eternal is Infinite and Independent. Infinite in Duration; for that which had no Cause to produce it does necessarily exist; and that which necessarily Exists is infinitely Durable, and Independent by the same Reason: And that which is Independent, and Infinite in Duration, may be justly accounted Infinite [Page] in all other Respects, and so Infinitely Perfect; which is the sole Prerogative of God, and Incommunicable to any Being inferiour to him.

It therefore follows, that we had once no Being; that our Souls and Bodies, as well as all other Beings (except God) had a Beginning.

And if we had a Beginning,

2dly, We could not be the Authors of our own Being; we could not give our selves a Being before we had a Being. Nothing can be thought on more absurd; than that Nothing, which can't act in any sense, should be capable of Creating. That Nothing is made of Nothing, Ex [...]i [...]ilo ribil sit. if taken in this sense, is a true Maxim, viz. That Nothing can make its No-self to Be: But is not to be construed so as to exempt God, whose Power is Infinite, from being able to make a Being, which did not Exist before. And

3dly, No other Being (except God) could make us, or any thing else, out of Nothing: For how can less than an Infinite Power transport any thing from Nullity to Existence, seeing there is an infinite distance betwixt them? As appears, in [Page]that, if you multiply Nothing to Infinity, it will never amount to any real Being; and if you in thought diminish any thing that exists to the lowest degree of Being imaginable, you can never make it appear a mere Nothing? This Distance therefore being Infinite, it must needs be proper only to an Infinite Power, to make that Exist which is not yet in being; as it must needs be only the withdrawment of that Power from supporting the Being of a Creature, that can annihilate it.

Besides, if no Being, that has had a Beginning, could give it self Existence, and all things inferiour to God, had a Beginning, (as we have prov'd) Then no Being inferiour to him could make us Exist; for how should that, which does neither necessarily Exist, nor could give it self a being, be capable of giving being to any thing else, when it wholly depends on God for its own?

And as Being simply consider'd is the most Universal Effect, all Creatures partaking of it in common; it must be owing to the most Universal Cause, which is no other than God himself: Therefore he only can Create, or make that to be which was not before.

[Page] Nor have we only the Light of Reason in this Case; but that of Divine Revelation too,Gen. 1. 1. which assures us, that In the Beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth, i. e. the whole Universe. He made the first Matter, out of which this Curious Fabrick was built;Ver. 2. he made the Earth, which was without form and void; and then raised a beautiful Structure out of it.Heb. 11. 3. Through Faith (as well as Reason) we understand that the Worlds were fram'd by the Word of God, so that things which are seen, were not made of things which do appear.

(2.) As God is the Author of the Matter of which we consist: So is He also of our Form and Composition (as well as of that of the rest of the Universe.) It was a vain Supposition of Aristotle, that this Frame of the World had no Beginning, and consequently that the Species of Mankind has existed from Eternity, This Fancy has been sufficiently disprov'd by the reasons before alledg'd against the Eternity of the first Matter of the World; for if That be not Eternal, much less can the Form of it be so.

Nor is the Epicurean Whimsey less Absurd, which supposes, that from a [Page] fortuitous shuffling of an Infinite Number of self-existent, and self-moving Atoms, this stately Frame of the World did emerge, and that Mankind, and all other Animals, sprung out of the Earth by such a Casual way of Generation as this. As if Dead Matter could move it self, and as if the Collision of Material Particles could produce a Substance capable of Reasoning and Iudging, Willing and Desiring, such as the Soul of Man is. And what can be more absurd than to imagine, that the Accidental Motions of those minute Particles could frame the Curious Structure of a humane Body; nay the whole System of the Universe, and every Species in it? 'Tis less unreasonable to imagine, when one sees a Magnificent Palace, that it was built by the Casual jumbling together of the Materials that compose it; or that the most curious Watch was fram'd after this odd manner; that an elegant Picture may have resulted from the Accidental and unheeded mixture of Colours; or an Elaborate Oration or Poem (as many have observ'd) from a Confus'd shuffling of the Letters of the Alphabet.

[Page] 'Tis evident from the harmonious Combination of the several Parts of the World, and the curious frame of each Species in it, and particularly of Mankind, that all has been dispos'd in Number, Weight and Measure, by the Infinite Wisdom and Power of that God,Isai. 28. 29. who is Wonderful in Counsel, and Excellent in Working.

And this Truth is so very clear, that the Minds of the generality of the Heathens themselves have been penetrated with the Light of it.Act. 17. 28. And therefore the Apostle Paul cites to the Athenians one of their Celebrated Authors, [...]. to prove, (what others of them generally confess'd) that God is the Original Author of Mankind. Aratus. So that 'tis manifest from Reason that God has form'd us.

And this the Sacred Historian of the Creation expresly asserts,—God said,Gen. 1. 26, 27.Let us make Man in our Image, after our Likeness, so God created Man in his own Image; in the Image of God created he him: Male and Female created he them. And again— The LORD God formed Man of the Dust of the Ground,Gen. 2. 7.and breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life,Jer. 10. 16.and Man became a living Soul. Psal. 100. 3. 'Tis God (who is the Former of all things) that hath made us, and not [Page]we our selves. He both made the Matter of which we consist, and moulded it into that Form which we bear, and by which our Species is distinguished from those of other Creatures.

(3.) God is our Creator, or the Author of our Being, in that, as he has fram'd the Species of Mankind in General; so he is the Former of every Individual Humane Creature that comes into the World. The Multiplication of Creatures according to their kind by Natural Propagation, is a Blessing of God pronounc'd on them at their Creation.Gen. 1. But this way ordain'd by God for the Conservation and Increase of each Species is very Mysterious and Wonderful, and is in the Scripture term'd Creation, and attributed to God as such. The Psalmist calls the Generation to come, the People that shall be Created; Psal. 102. 18. And speaking of the successive Dissolution and Propagation of Animals,Psal. 104. 29, 30. he says,—Thou takest away their Breath, they die, and return to their Dust. Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created, and Thou renewest the face of the Earth. Here the Term of Creation is used to signify the Conservation and Multiplication of Animals in the ordinary [Page] Course of Nature; and that (as well as the first formation of each Species) is ascribed to the Spirit of God.Gen. 1. 2. And God threatens the Ammonites by the Prophet Ezekiel, Ezek. 21. 30. to judg them in the Place where they were Created, that is, as he explains it in the next Words, in the Land of their Nativity.

And God is the Creator in this respect, in a sense beyond what is ordinarily imagin'd. For it has in vain been attempted by Men to explain the Formation of Plants and Animals, by the Natural Laws of Motion: And so many insuperable Difficulties meet 'em, when they would shew how their Organs are Mechanically form'd in Natural Generation, that they appear impossible to be solv'd without attributing to an Almighty Power the Formation of every Individual Creature (as well as of every Species) and that in a way more Immediate, at least more Mysterious than is commonly supposed.

Nor does the Conjecture of the Equivocal Generation of some Plants and Insects (tho' it has generally prevailed in the World as an undoubted Truth) seem well founded; since that Supposition [Page] has been of late Years greatly discredited by many Experiments,Malpigh. de Gallis. Swainmerdam de Generat. Insect. Lewe [...]hoeck Epistol. which render it very improbable, that any Plant is rais'd without Seed by a formative Power in the Earth, (as many have pretended) or any Animal spontaneously produc'd without Parents. And these God uses only as Instrumental or Occasional Causes, himself being the Efficient Cause of all Generation; who in this respect (as the Apostle fays in another) worketh All in All; 1 Cor. 12. 6. and tho' he finished the Creation in Six days,John 5. 17. yet may be said to Create still, or (as our Saviour speaks) to Work hitherto.

So that it appears to be a Work proper to the Creator of Man, to form him in the Womb, and that after a Method too mysterious to be trac'd by a humane Understanding; since the Natural Laws of Motion, at least so far as known by Men, are not capable of producing so Curious a Piece as a humane body: And as it is generally supposed that the Souls of Men are Individually form'd, and infus'd into their Bodies by the hand of God, (since no tolerable Account can be otherwise given of their Production) so it must be granted, that the form of each [Page] Individual humane Body is to be attributed to the same Divine Power; which operates after so unsearchable a manner, that every Man may well say (not only as to the Origin of Mankind in general, but as to the Formation of himself in particular) as Iob did,Job. 10. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Thy Hands have made me, and fashioned me round about—Thou hast made me as the Clay:—Hast thou not pour'd me out as Milk, and crudled me like Cheese? Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh; and hast fenced me with bones and sinews: Thou hast granted me Life, &c. And with the Psalmist,Psal. 139. 13, 14, 15, 16.—Thou hast cover'd me in my Mother's Womb. I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvellous are thy Works, and that my Soul knoweth right well. My Substance was not hid from Thee, when I was made in Secret; and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth. Thy Eyes did see my Substance yet being imperfect, and in thy Book all my Members were written, which in Continuance were fashion'd, when as yet there was none of them.

2. It hence follows, that God is the Vpholder and Preserver of our Being. For this is included in the term [Creator]. When God by the Prophet addresses [Page] himself to the Israelites, to encourage them to trust in him for their Preservation, and to dissipate their fears of Danger, he speaks to them under this Title;— Thus saith the Lord,Isai. 43. 1.that created Thee, O Jacob, and he that formed Thee, O Israel, Fear not, &c. And to this Exhortation he adds a Promise to preserve 'em when surrounded with the greatest Difficulties, to be with them in passing through the Water, and through the Fire: And the Psalmist makes the Relation he stood in to God, as his Creature, a plea for his Preservation, when he says in his Prayer—O LORD—forsake not the Works of thy own hands. Psal. 138. 8.

And the Apostle Peter exhorts those that are persecuted,1 Pet. 4. 19. to commit the keeping of their Souls to God, in well doing, as to a faithful Creator: So that from hence 'tis evident, that the Relation God bears to us as our Creator, includes his Providential Care for our Preservation: That God who is our Maker, is also the Preserver of Men. Job 7. 20. As it was impossible that we should give Being to our felves; so 'tis beyond our power to continue our selves in Being: And as we owe not our Existence to any Being Inferiour to God; [Page] so neither does the Duration of our Being depend upon any other than him. It was the Will of God that produc'd us, consequently 'tis the same Will that preserves us. Before he actually will'd our Production, we could not exist; and if he should cease to will the Continuance of our Being, it would immediately discontinue, and be annihilated: 'Tis but for him to withdraw his Hand, to suspend the Influence of his Power, and we sink into Nothing. So that we are kept by the Power of God in regard of our Natural, 1 Pet. 1. 5. as the Apostle affirms we are in respect of our Spiritual State: And since the Divine Will is equally the Cause of our Being, and of the Duration of it; the term of Creator attributed to God in our Text, may be fitly extended to both; our Preservation being a Continuation of God's Creating Work: for in this respect (as well as that mention'd before of the formation of successive Generations of Men) according to the words of Christ, God worketh hitherto. John 5. 17. And as from him our Being is deriv'd; so in him alone we Live, Act. 17. 28. and Move, and have our Being still; who upholds all things by the Word of his Power. And not only We, but all other Creatures [Page] lean on the Almighty Hand for their Preservation, to which they all equally owe their Existence.

3. The Term [Creator] may further include that God is the Restorer and Reformer of Man. 'Tis true it does not necessarily follow, that, because he has made, and preserves us, therefore, after we had undone our selves by Sin, and effac'd the Image of Holiness he impress'd on us in our Original Frame and Constitution, he also must needs actually Reform us: But it does thence follow, that none but God can restore a Degenerate Creature; and that all those, whose Corrupt Nature is reform'd, derive that Blessing from the Almighty Author of their Being. The same Divine Goodness, Wisdom and Power, that at the Creation of the World,Gen. 1. 3. said, Let there be Light, (which Operative Word produc'd Light immediately) is necessary to illuminate the benighted Minds of Men, who are by Sin become the Children of Darkness; 1 Thess. 5. 5. and to call them out of that Darkness into the Marvellous Light of Divine Truth.1 Pet. 2. 9. Therefore the Apostle Paul assures us, that it is that God,2 Cor. 4. 6.who at first commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness, that [Page]shines in the Hearts of such to give the Light of the knowledg of the Glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. He alone, who made all things very Good in their kind at the Creation,Gen. 1. 31. and who then made Man upright, Eccl. 7. 29. is able to rectify the perverseness of his Will, and to purify his Heart from the Pollution it has contracted: To create in him a clean Heart,Psal. 51. 10.and to renew a right Spirit within him. Nothing less than our Creator's own Divine Goodness could move him to restore deprav'd Sinners; nothing less than his own Divine Wisdom could contrive the Method of their Restoration; and nothing less than his Divine Power could put it in Execution, and accomplish it: He contriv'd the Scheme of this Glorious Work, He appointed and prepar'd the Means, and He renders them effectual to the End designed.

Who but our Creator is able to restore us, and reform us from Sin; seeing Sin is a Privation of Sanctity, a Nullity oppos'd to the Being of Holiness? Nay a state of Sin is a state of Rebellion against God, a State of Enmity and Opposition to the Author of our Being; therefore worse than Annihilation it self: because that which [Page] is not, as it can do no Good, so does no Evil; as it is not for God, so is not against Him. But a sinful Creature commits his Sins against him, even against Him, Psal. 5 [...]. 4. (as the Psalmist emphatically repeats it) and does Evil in his sight; actually opposes, and disserves Him, who is the supreme Being, and sole Author of the whole Creation. Therefore tho' the Word of God brought us out of Nullity, Act. 20. 28. and gave us Being; nothing less than the Blood of God could avail to redeem us from that Abyss of Iniquity and Misery we were sunk into by our Apostacy from Him.

Who but He that establish'd the World by his Wisdom,Jer. 10. 12. and 51. 15.and stretched out the Heavens by his Discretion and Vnderstanding, could have form'd the Method of our Restoration, so as to glorify his Holiness and Iustice, as well as his Grace and Mercy by it; so as to make Mercy and Truth meet together,Psal. 85. 10.and Righteousness and Peace to kiss each other, as he hath done by recovering fallen Man by the Sacrifice of his only begotten Son? What Depths of Wisdom appear in this Stupendous Mystery of Godliness,1 Tim. 3. 16.God manifested in the Flesh—That Sin should be punish'd [Page] with the utmost Severity, and yet the Sinner spar'd by Infinite Mercy! That our Saviour, who knew no Sin,2 Cor. 5. 21.should be made Sin for us, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him! And the same Characters of Divine Wisdom, that appear in the Foundation, are seen also in the whole Superstructure of the Church of God, and in every part of this great Work of Restoration.

Nothing can be more astonishing than that Infinite Mercy that appears in this Mighty Work; which can have no other Author than that Infinite Being that hath created us. Who, but He that made us,Isai. 27. 11.would or could have so much Mercy on us? And who, but he that formed us, would shew us so much Favour, as to rescue us from Sin, and the Curses entail'd on it, by so endearing a Ransom, as the precious Blood of his own Son?

And as none but our Maker is capable of Redeeming us; so the frequent use he makes of the Term [Creator] in his Word, to encourage Men to obey him, and to trust in him, may well be suppos'd to intimate the Design he had fram'd to restore Sinners to his Favour: For had he not revealed himself to be Willing, [Page] as well as Able, to be our Creator in this Sense, by taking us into his Hand the second Time to reform us, or create us anew; there would be no room for us, since we have all violated the Laws of our first Creation, to hope to offer any acceptable Service to him, or to expect any Favour from him: There would be no Incouragement to remember him as our Creator in the first Sense exclusive of this latter; because our Guilt would fill us with Terror at every due Remembrance of him, who, as he made us for his Glory, so is able to punish us, and might justly do it, for the Indignities we have offer'd him by our Sins. So that whenever God is pleas'd to press, or encourage us to our Duty in his Word, by stiling Himself our Creator, we are to consider that Title, as tacitely including his being our Redeemer too; that the God that made us, Deut. 32. 15. is also the Rock of our Salvation.

And we find the great Work of the Holy Spirit in Renewing and Regenerating a Sinner is frequently term'd [Creation] in Holy Writ;2 Cor. 5. 17. both to signify the Greatness of the Work,Gal. 6. 15. and the Resemblance this New Creation in several respects [Page] bears to the first; and also to denote, that both those mighty Works are to be ascrib'd to the same Author; and that God may be term'd our Creator, not only in that he gave us a Being, but also in that he often makes Sinners become New Creatures, by Renewing them in knowledg after his own Image;Col. 3. 10.and by Creating them in Righteousness and true Holiness: Eph. 4. 24. Who are therefore call'd his Workmanship Created in Christ Iesus to good Works,Eph. 2. 10.&c.

And 'tis worth remarking, that this Word [Creator] in our Text, [...] is of the Plural Number in the Original [Thy Creators],So Isai. 54. 5. as if design'd to express the great Obligations Men are under to each Person of the Blessed Trinity, [...] for Making, Redeeming, [...] and Sanctifying them; the former of which is eminently ascribed to the Father, the Second to the Son, and the last to the Holy Spirit, (tho' all concur in each of those mighty Works) and to signify that all these Works may be fitly express'd by this common Name of Creation.

4. As God is our Creator, he is the Soveraign Arbiter, and Disposer of our Being. He is the Soveraign Judg of the [Page] World, inflicting Punishments, and dispensing Favours, as he pleases. He that has made us, and preserves us, has power to render us Happy or Miserable: He has the Issues of Life and Death in his Hand. He that hath created us, knows all the Capacity we have of Joy or Sorrow, Pleasure or Pain; and has power to affect us with either of them, as he pleases. He can make his Arrows of Terror stick fast in the Conscience;Psal. 38. 2. or fill the Soul with unspeakable Ioy. He can punish or chear the Mind with his immediate Frowns or Smiles; or he can convey Anguish or Joy into the Soul by the Occasion of different Impressions on the Tabernacle of Flesh and Blood wherein she dwells: He can dispense Punishments or Pleasures by his own Hand immediately, or mediately by any of his Creatures. And—when he giveth Quietness,Job 34. 29.who then can make Trouble? And when he hideth his Face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a Nation or against a Man only. 1 Sam. 2. 6, 7, 8. 'Tis the Lord (as Hannah speaks) that killeth and maketh alive: He bringeth down to the Grave, and bringeth up. The Lord maketh Poor and maketh Rich, he bringeth low and lifteth[Page]up. Which this Holy Prophetess proves by this Argument; For the Pillars of the Earth are the Lord's, and he hath set the World upon them; where his Soveraign Power over Men, to dispose of their State as he pleases, is infer'd from his Relation to them as their Creator. And when the Angel in the Revelation protests there should be Time no longer; He swears by him that created Heaven and Earth,Rev. 10. 6.and Sea, and the things therein; to shew, that God, as Creator of the World, is the Soveraign Arbiter of it, and that the Consummation of Time, and of Temporal Things, belongs to him under that Character. So that 'tis our Maker, that both shews the Path of Life, Psal. 16. 11. and holds in his Hand the Keys of Hell and Death. Rev. 1. 18. And as he has made all things: So he does whatsoever he pleses in Heaven,Psal. 135. 6.and in Earth, in the Sea, and all deep places. Job. 10. 7. And, Who can deliver out of his hand? Seeing he doth according to his Will in the Army of Heaven, Dan. 4. 35. and among the Inhabitants of the Earth; and none can stay his Hand, or say unto him, What dost Thou?

Thus have we endeavoured to shew what is comprehended in God's Title [Page] of [Creator] on which we have taken the greater Liberty to expatiate, because hereby a solid Foundation is laid for some of those Reasons, which we are hereafter to insist on, to enforce the Duty in our Text; in the Division of which we have observ'd, that in the Terms of the Duty (Remember thy Creator) the Reasons of that Duty are in part insinuated.

Having given some Account of the Object of this Duty, viz. God, under the Title of our Creator; We shall now

Secondly, Briefly explain the Act it self of Remembring him, and shew what that imports.

The Memory is that Faculty of the Soul whereby she is capable of recalling the Ideas of things, which have before been present to her.

But here, to Remember does not only signify the exercising of the Understanding on our Creator, by reflecting on what our Senses, Reason, and Divine Revelation may have suggested to our Minds, concerning God under that Character:Psal. 63. 6. It does not here barely import [to meditate on him,Luk. 17. 32. and bear him in mind] but, because the Understanding [Page] directs the Will and Affections, and Men move and act very much according to their Conceptions of things, their Desires following the Conduct of their Thoughts; this Term is applied both to the one, and to the other. Sometimes it signifies to Esteem and Respect, See Eccl. 9. 15. as Psal. 20. 3. The Lord—Remember all thy Offerings, and accept thy burnt Sacrifice. Sometimes to Trust, as Psal. 20. 7. Some Trust in Horses, and some in Chariots;See 1 Chron. 16. ver. 8, 9, 10, 11.but we will Remember the Name of the Lord our God. Sometimes to Worship and Praise, as 1 Chron. 16. 12. where after David had exhorted to sing to God, to glory in him, and seek him, because of his mighty Works, he adds to the same purpose—Remember the marvellous Works that he hath done, &c. q. d. Adore and praise him for them.

And this may be further illustrated by the use of the opposite Term of [Forgetting] which sometimes signifies to disesteem and slight, as Ier. 2. 32. Can a Maid forget her Ornaments, or a Bride her Attire? yet my People have forgotten me days without Number. Sometimes to Distrust, as Psal. 78. 7.—That they might set their Hope in God, and nor forget[Page]the Works of God: And sometimes to neglect to praise and worship God, as Psal. 106. 12, 13.—They sang his Praise; they soon forgot his Works, they waited not for his Counsel. Or to forsake the Service of God, as Deut. 6. 12. Beware lest thou forget the Lord, that is, by going after other Gods, as it is explain'd in ver. 14.

So that, to Remember God does not only import, to think or meditate often on him, but to think worthily and becomingly of him; and to pay him a Respect in some measure sutable to the Idea we have of him. To remember his glorious Perfections so, as to esteem and respect him; deliberately to call to mind the Number and Quality of his Favours, and to recollect, how fit an Object of Trust, and Praise, and of all Worship, he is; so as to engage our Souls to confide in him, to offer him the Sacrifice of Praise, and all the Adoration and Service that we are capable of rendering. In a word, to remember our Creator, is to remember his Omniscience, Power and Justice, so as to reverence and fear him; to remember his Goodness, Mercy and Veracity, so as to love [Page] and praise him; and to remember his Holiness and Purity, so as to imitate and obey him: 'Tis so attentively and seriously to meditate on his Nature, and on his Works,Psal. 39. 3. that while we are musing, the Fire may burn (as the Psalmist speaks) that our Thoughts may kindle a holy Flame of Love in our Hearts towards him, which will break out in becoming Acts of Service, and Obedience to his Glory. 'Tis to serve him both with our Understanding, Will and Affections, to devote our selves entirely to him.

And as our whole Man is to be dedicated to the Service of our Creator; so he also deserves the whole of our Time: and we ought to begin as early as possible to remember him: For this our Text shews,

II. In prescribing the special Time for engaging in this Duty; which now falls under our Consideration.

1. 'Tis prescrib'd in express Terms [in the days of thy Youth].

2. By an opposite Circumlocution, containing a Description of Old Age [while the evil Days come not, nor the Years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have [Page] no pleasure in them]; that is, before the approach of Old Age:

As is evident, both in that these Evil Days, &c. are opposed to the Days of Youth; and in that many elegant Characters are used to decypher the Infirmities and Miseries of Old Age, in the sequel of this Chapter, immediately after the Text.

And in this Description of Old Age, we have

1. The Time it self expressed by [Days and Years].

2. The Character of that Time of Life, those [Days are Evil], and those [Years such as (we shall confess that) we have no pleasure in them.]

1. For the Time it self, it may be call'd [Days and Years];

(1.) Either emphatically to signify one and the same thing; it being an usual Elegancy in the Hebrew Dialect, to express the same thing in various synonymous Terms in two Sentences, immediately succeeding one another, which serve partly for Illustration, and partly to inculcate Truth in the Mind: Of which we have Instances in almost every Verse of the 51st Psalm, as well as in many other [Page] places of Scripture, as 'tis easy to observe. Or else,

(2.) By [Days] to signify the Brevity and Great Vncertainty of the Continuance of that Time; (which is soon swallow'd up by Death, as the fleeting Days of Youth are soon lost in Old Age) and by [Years] the tedious passing of this short Time, by reason of the many Afflictions and Infirmities a Man then labours under: Tho' the Time is very short in it self, 'tis made very long by Misery and Pain, which seem greatly to extend it. For as the Soul, when fill'd with Pleasure and Ioy, during her easy posture, forgets the Time, as it were, and suffers it to slide from her with little Notice; which makes it appear extremely short: So when she is fill'd with Sentiments of Pain and Sorrow, her uneasy Situation, and impatient desire of Change, do so constantly apply her Thoughts to the consideration of that Time, which is the Continuance of her Misery, that it seems very long and irksome to her: So that the Duration of her Sorrow seems always to increase proportionably to the Degree of it; and a Man imagines himself to have been much longer under an [Page] acute than under a slight Pain, when in reality the Time of their Continuance is equal. Thus every Moment of Time becomes an heavy Burden to one in Misery, who (as Moses says the Israelites should do, when under punishment for their Sins) cries out,Deut 28. 67. in the Morning, Would to God it were Evening! and in the Evening, Would to God it were Morning!—And 'tis well known that this is the Language of Old Age.

And therefore,

2. 'Tis express'd by the Character of [Evil] Days, and Years wherein [no pleasure] is to be had; which may be thus explain'd.

(1.) By [Evil Days] may be understood the Decays and Diseases of Old Age:Aetas mala. Plaut. And by [the Years wherein there is no Pleasure] may be signified the Unhappiness and Misery that those Distempers and Infirmities give the Mind, these being a great Occasion of her Sorrow, which is then especially aggravated, when the Guilt of the Soul conspires with the Distempers of the Body, to make the Man compleatly miserable; so that he shall say, that is, he shall confess or complain that, he has no Pleasure in those evil [Page]Days, that he has no Sanctuary of Ease to fly to, no Reflection to make that can allay the Trouble of his Mind, no Medicine to use, that can remove the Distempers of his Body. For this is often the Condition of those,Isai. 51. 13. who forgetting the LORD their Maker in their Youth, grow Old in the service of Sin. Or,

(2.) By [Evil Days] which is a positive Character, the Time of Old Age may be represented, as attended with many positive Afflictions and Pains; and by [the Privation of Pleasure at that Time] which is a Negative Character, may be signified the incapacity of relishing the Joys and Pleasures of this Life, that accompanies those unpleasant Years, wherein the Organs of Sense are very much enfeebled, especially when Old Age has been hastned by the Intemeperance of Youth.

And now, since it appears that God as our Creator (in the comprehensive Sense wherein we have explain'd that Title) requires us to remember him, so as to devote our selves to his Fear and Service, and that in the Time of our Youth, before Old Age, with its many Afflictions [Page] and Sorrows, overtakes us; if one makes but a transient Reflection on these things, 'tis easy to observe that the Wise Man in this Exhortation intimates,

III. The Reasons of the Duty enjoin'd;

1. In representing God, the Object of it, to us, under the August Character of [our Creator]; which evidently entitles him to the Service of our Youth. And

2. In setting Old Age before us, as a Scene of Misery and Horror; as a Time made up of few and evil Days. Gen. 47. 9. And in opposing them to the better Days of Youth; thereby to insinuate, that as Old Age brings with it many great Disadvantages and Impediments to obstruct our Conversion to God; so Youth is attended with many favourable Circumstances, that render it the best and fittest Season to initiate one's self in the ways of Righteousness.

The strength of these Reasons I shall consider at large hereafter: And shall content my self at present with making some few brief Remarks,

(1.) On the Terms used to prescribe the special Time of the Duty enjoin'd in the Text.

[Page] (2.) On the Terms, whereby both the Object and Act of this Duty are expres'd: To shew how fitly they are adapted to the State and Circumstances of those that are Young, who are the Persons to whom this Exhortation is address'd;

With which I shall conclude this Discourse.

1. From the Terms used to shew the Time of remembring our Creator, it may be observ'd;

(1.) That this double Timing of the Duty, first by expresly prescribing it [in Youth] and then [before Old Age, with its Miseries come on] gives the Words a certain Force and Energy, proper to inculcate so important an Admonition: 'Tis a giving Precept upon Precept,Isai. 28. v. 10, 13.and Line upon Line, (as the Prophet Isaiah speaks) which he commends as the proper Course to instruct the Young, or (to use his own Words) to teach them Knowledg,Ver. 9.and to make them understand Doctrine, who are weaned from the Milk, and drawn from the Breasts—to gain the Attention of giddy and unthinking Youth, many of whom,Job 33. 14. tho' God condescends to speak once, yea twice, (as he doth here) are yet [Page] so dull of hearing, as not to perceive the Reasonableness of their Duty, or at least not sufficiently to consider it; and the Danger to which the neglect of it exposes 'em. And

(2.) We may further observe that this Obligation of Remembring our Creator, extends it self equally with the Capacity we have of Reflecting on God, as our Maker; and increases proportionably to the knowledg we may obtain of him. So that none are entirely exempt from it, who are capable of exercising their Thoughts on God: and therefore those may not pretend to be dispens'd with, who have not arriv'd to the full maturity of Youth, if they are in any degree capable of knowing their Creator. As far as they are able to take notice of his Nature, and of his Will, so far are they oblig'd to worship and obey him.

And this is further cleared by the Opposition the Wise Man seems to make, betwixt the Duty in our Text, and the Vanity of Childhood and Youth, mentioned just before: So that if we take [Vanity] here in a Moral Sense, the Exhortation extends it self to Persons that fall under either of those Denominations, that are [Page] either in the state of Childhood or Youth. And if by [Vanity] Natural Frailty and Mortality be intended, the words are not less extensive; for then the frailty of Childhood and Youth, is used as a Consideration to prepare the way for this Admonition; and Children as well as Young Men, are therefore excited to give themselves to the Service of their Creator: Because neither are exempt from the danger of Sickness and of Death.

And this may be further collected from the charge given to Youth in the Text, to remember their Creator, not only before the Evil Days of Old Age are come; but before those Years [draw nigh] while Old Age is yet at a distance▪ Which shews that none that are capable of reflecting on their relation to God as Creator; may excuse themselves as too Young to be concern'd in his Service. For as his being our Creator, is the foundation of this Duty of remembering him: So 'tis evident, that our Obligation to it is to be measured by the Capacity we have of knowing him as such. Therefore he may well require that the tender Buds of Childhood, as well as the maturer [Page] Blossoms of Youth be consecrated to him;Psal. 8. 2. who sometimes perfects his Praise out of the mouths of (such who in comparison of those of riper Years are but) Babes,Mat. 21. 16.and Sucklings; and therefore, by the Psalmist,Psal. 148. 12, 13. calls upon Young Men and Maidens, and Children, as well as Old Men, to praise and worship him.

2. That the Terms of [Remembring their Creator] are wisely adapted to the state of Youth, to engage them early in the Service of God, will appear by the following Remarks on each of those Terms.

1. God under the Title of Creator, is fitly recommended to the Young, as the Object of their Worship and Obedience.

(1.) Because 'tis a Term that easily excites in the Mind a strong and clear Idea of God's infinite Power, Wisdom and Goodness. And the Wise Man having to do with Youth, whose unexperience for want of Years, and whose unattention, for want of a habit of steady thinking, renders them less capable of arriving at the knoledg of the Deep things of God, 1 Cor. 2. [...]. than those who to the advantage of a long observation of things have added that of addicting themselves [Page] to frequent Thoughtfulness and Meditation; he makes use of that Title of God, which might most familiarly suggest a proper Notion of him to their Minds. He exposes to them the Alphabet of the Creation, out of which even Children may easily learn to spell the Being of a Deity. The Ignorant and the Young, even those that run, Hab. 2. 2. (as the Prophet speaks) the heedless and unattentive, may read the Characters of the Divine Attributes, which are plainly engraven on the Pillars even of this Material World. And (as the Apostle observes) may clearly discern the Eternal Power and Godhead of the Creator,Rom. 1. 20, 21. who is Invisible, by the curious Fabrick of this Visible Creation; so as to render them altogether inexcusable, if they neglect to glorisy God according to those sensible notices of him, which they may so easily and constantly receive.

For as the sight of a Magnificent Palace, induces us to consider the Skill and Ability of the Architect that built it: So when we take a serious prospect of the Structure and Frame of the World, or of any part of it, it familiarly raises our Thoughts to its Great Author and [Page] Cause: For as every House is built by some Man; so 'tis natural to conclude (with the Apostle) that he that built all things is God. Heb. 3. 4. And therefore

(2.) This [of Creator] is a Title which God is usually pleas'd to assume in Scripture, to distinguish himself, as the True and Living God, from the Idols of the Heathen; and to convince their Ignorant Votaries, that He is the only proper Object of Religious Worship.— The LORD is the True God (saith the Prophet Ieremiah);Jer. 10. 10. he is the Living God, and an everlasting King.—The Gods that have not made the Heavens and the Earth,Ver. 11.even they shall perish from the Earth, and from under these Heavens. (Then speaking again of the True God,Ver. 12. he says) He hath made the Earth by his Power; he hath established the World by his Wisdom, and hath stretched out the Heavens by his Discretion. And then,V. 14, 15. having spoken of the Vanity of Idols, he adds;Ver. 16. The Portion of Jacob is not like them; for he is the Former of all things. And the Prophet Isaiah introduces the God of Israel, Isai. 45. 12. proving himself to be the True God, under the same Character. I have made the Earth, and created Man upon it: I, even my Hands have stretched [Page]out the Heavens, and all their Host have I commanded. And, a little after, the Prophet insults over the makers of Idols,V. 16, 17. and then adds, Thus saith the LORD,Ver. 18.that Created the Heavens, God himself, that formed the Earth and made it, he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited, I am the L O R D, and there is none else.

All which serves to shew how properly this Title [of Creator] is used in our Text, to direct the Minds of Youth to the true Object of Love and Adoration; who are ready to make as many Gods, as there are pleasing Objects in the World; and to sacrifice themselves, and all they have to those inchanting Idols, that strike their Senses with any agreeable Impression. And

(3.) This is a Relative Title, denoting the Natural Relation God bears to the World: For the Terms [Creator and Creature] mutually suppose one another: And not only his Relation to the World in General; but to Mankind, nay to every Individual Humane Creature in particular in the Word, [Thy Creator] is propos'd as the ground of that Service every one that comes into the World, [Page] is oblig'd to pay to the Almighty, whose Title of [Creator] includes our entire dependance on him. So that the Wise Man prudently makes choice of a Term, expressing every Man's Relation to God as his Creature; because 'tis the First and most Evident Principle, on which to found our Duty of Obedience to him, and most apt to affect the Soul. For, as when I think on God as Creator of the World in General, it raises in my Mind a great Idea of his Majesty and Soveraignty: So when I confider him as MY Creator, that Relative Character gives an endearing force to the reasonable Obligation I find my self under to serve and worship him; because I then look upon him, not only as the living God, but also as the God of MY Life. Psal. 42. 8.

We may also observe,

2. The Propriety of the Term [Remember] to express the Respect and Service those that are Young owe to their Maker.

(1.) [To remember, &c.] signifying the Exercise of the Thoughts on God, is fitly urg'd on the Young; because as the most early Impressions are the most deep and lasting; so a habit of Holy Meditation [Page] is soonest acquir'd in Youth, when the Mind is most at leisure, and not embarrass'd with that multitude of Thoughts and Projects about the Affairs of the World, which riper Years are usually incumber'd with. What fitter Term could be chosen, by which to urge the duty of Young Persons to their Maker, than that of [Remembring] him? seeing the Memory is a Faculty that Young People commonly excel in, and in which they often glory; a Faculty that grows ripe betimes, and easily retains that Tincture, with which it is early and thoroughly imbued. 'Tis as if Solomon had said; You that are Young, ought to season your Memories with the best Impressions betimes, when they are most capable both of receiving 'em, and retaining 'em; and to fill your Minds with the thoughts of God, and of the Service you owe him, before they are crowded with the Concerns and Business of a perplexing World.

(2.) A Caution seems to be wisely insinuated in this Term against forgetting the Worship and Service of God, which heedless Youth too much devoted to Sensual Pleasure, is often guilty of; for tho' [Page] the Young have the most capable Memories, yet they are very prone to forget their Duty to their Maker. And how aptly so ever they remember other things, they often live as if God were not in any of their Thoughts: Psal. 10. 4. For they commonly divert and dissipate their Minds so much with the amusing Pleasures of this present World, that they don't allow themselves time enough, either to look backward, to remember that God who created 'em, and to whom they owe their Preservation; nor forward, to consider, that 'tis only in his power to renew and reform them from their Vices and Errors; and that he will one day judg them; who as he is their Creator, has the Soveraign disposal of their Being, and has Power either to save, or to destroy: In whose Favour is Life, and whose Displeasure is more terrible than Death.

THE Reasonableness & Advantages OF AN Early Conversion to God DEMONSTRATED. SERMON II.

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ECCLES. xii. 1.‘Remember now thy Creator in the Days of thy Youth, while the Evil Days come not, nor the Years draw nigh when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.’

HAVING before explain'd the Exhortation in the Text, which the Wise Man addresses to those that are Young, viz. To Remember their Creator in the Days of their Youth; or to devote [Page] themselves early to the Worship and Service of God:

We are now to consider the Reasons, whereby this Duty is enforc'd, which are plainly enough insinuated in the Text, as we have before observ'd in the Division of it.

First, In the Terms of the Duty, where our Relation to God, as our Creator, implies the Obligations we have to adore and serve him.

Secondly, In the words used to signify the proper Time of engaging in this Duty, viz. [In the Days of Youth, before the Evil Days of Old Age come, &c.] Where the fitness of the time of Youth to enter one's self into the Service of God, and the Disadvantage of deferring it to Old Age, are intimated.

First, Then we shall take a view of the Reasons that oblige us to devote our selves to the Service of God in Youth, which arise from the Relation that is between him and us, as he is our Creator, and we are his Creatures: And this in that large and comprehensive sense we have given of the Term [Creator,] by which we [Page] have laid the Ground-work of our present Reasoning.

1. As God is our Creator and Preserver, we derive from him our Being, and the whole Duration of it; that is, the whole of our Time: Therefore,

(1.) He has an equitable Claim to us as long as we have a Being, and to our Youth by consequence: 'Tis but just that what we receive from his hand, should be again offer'd to him; that since we live by his Good Will, we should live to his Glory. Can we assign any portion of our Time, which we do not equally derive from our Creator with the rest of it? Why then should any of those Moments that are allotted us by his mere Favour, be injuriously substracted from his Service, and abus'd to his Dishonour?

The great God, whose chief End in all he does, is his own Glory, because that is the best and most excellent End of all, made us, and continues our Being for his own Pleasure and Glory. Therefore to alienate any part of our Time from him, is to oppose his Designs, and (as much as in us lies) to endeavour to frustrate his End, and sacrilegiously to rob him of his Honour.

[Page] Nor do we only withhold Divine Honour from him to whom it is due, when we neglect to employ any part of our Time in the Service of our Creator: for Man being a Creature that can never be altogether idle and unactive, that part of our Lives, or portion of our Time which we divert from the proper end for which it is allow'd us, is not only stolen from God, but devoted to the service of Sin. 'Tis to snatch away a Sacrifice from the Altar of the True God, and immediately to offer it to the worst of Idols. How provoking must this needs be to that God who is so jealous of his Glory, that he will not give it to any other? Isa. 42. 8. Much less will he suffer it,ch. 48. 11. with Impunity, to be given to Sin, which is infinitely opposite to his holy Nature, and which he therefore hates with a perfect Hatred.

No wonder then that he requires the whole succession of our Time to be devoted to himself,1 Cor. 10. 31. and that whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, we should do it to his Glory; making that the chief end of all our Actions, which is the end of our Being, and of the Continuation of it. And this seemed so highly reasonable to the Psalmist, that after a long Meditation [Page] on the Works of the great Creator, it influences him to a firm Resolution to honour and worship the Author of his Being throughout the whole course of his Time.Psal. 104. 33.I will sing unto the LORD (says he) as long as I live;Ps. 146. 2.I will sing praise unto my God, while I have my Being.

Now if the whole of our Time be the Propriety of our Creator, not given us to squander away as we please, but lent us to improve to his Honour, then he may justly claim our Youth to be dedicated to his Service: If he is the Proprietor of the whole of our Time (as we have prov'd he is) in that he is our Creator, he has a right to each part of it: If we withhold from him the Service of our Youth, we detain a part of our Time from him, who has a Natural Right to the whole of it. And that part of Time, when once elaps'd, being irrevocable, there remains but a part of the whole to offer; and we can then only render to the great Author of our Being, a defective and mutilous Sacrifice. And,

(2.) As our Youth belongs to our Maker, as a part of that Time, of which the Summe Total is his Due, so it is his Propriety, as it is the First-fruits of that [Page] Time, the succession of which we enjoy by his mere Favour and Bounty. To be serv'd first is considered as a Token of Honour and Respect amongst Men; how reasonably then does the Infinite Dignity of our Creator, joyn'd to the Obligations we owe him as such, claim at our hands an humble and solemn dedication of that part of our Time, especially to himself, which he first bestows, and in which he first renders us capable of offering him Service? The Sacred Historian of the Creation representing the Sanctification of the Sabbath, as immediately succeeding the Creation of Man, (the last of God's Works on the last of his Working-Days) seems to signify the Obligation we are all under to consecrate our Youth, the First-fruits of our Time, to the Service of the Author of our Being; and that as the first Day our first parents liv'd after their Creation, was especially sacred to God as an Oblation of the first-fruits of their Time; so we their Posterity, ought to devote our Youth to our Maker, and to serve him, as soon as we are capable of knowing him. Righteous Abel pay'd an acceptable Homage to his Creator,Gen. 4. 4. by presenting him a Sacrifice of [Page] the Firstlings of his Flock.Exod. 22. 29. And as the first-fruits of the Holy-Land were yearly consecrated to God as the Great Creator and Soveraign Proprietor of it:ch. 23. 19. So his Right over his Creatures was also antiently acknowledg'd,Exod. 13. 2, 1 [...]. by the dedication both of the first-born of Cattle, and of Men to his Service. All which certainly is written for our Instruction, and may fairly enough be apply'd to our present purpose: For if God has a Special Right to the first of all we have, (as these antient Institutions seem to signify) then he may reasonably challenge the first of our Time, as having a peculiar Title to that part, by the dedication of which we acknowledg we are indebted to him for the whole; and the refusal of which is an implicite Assertion of our Independency on him, as if we owed only to our selves our own Being, and our Time, which is the duration of it.

So that they think very preposterously, who count the Time of Youth the most unseasonable of all for the Service of God, when 'tis evident, that if it were allowable to substract any part of our Time from him (as it is not, yet) of all the parts of it, it would be the most indecent [Page] and disrespectful to withhold from him this of Youth, (taken in a large sense, not only to contain Childhood, but all the Flower of our Time) because he not only claims a Right to it, as 'tis a part of our Time, the whole of which is deriv'd from him; but as it is that peculiar part of it, which ought to be dedicated to him as an Homage, whereby we acknowledg the Obligation he has laid us under for the whole he is pleas'd to allow us. Nor has our Creator a more reasonable claim to our Youth, as his peculiar, because 'tis the first part, than he has,

(3.) Because 'tis also the Best part of our Time, wherein the Faculties of the Soul have ordinarily no less Gracefulness and Vigour, than the Members of the Body have Beauty and Strength; wherein we are most capable of engaging in any great Undertaking, and possess suitable Advantages for the accomplishment of it (as we shall have occasion hereafter to shew more at large.) 'Tis then but just, that he that made us what we are, should have the best of what we have. If he has a Right to all our Time in general, because we receive it all from his hand, he has a peculiar Right to the best [Page] of our Time, as that which his own Infinite Excellency, and his great Goodness to us, direct us to consecrate to him, as most proper for an Offering. Why has our Maker ordinarily adorn'd Youth with so many delectable Flowers, with so much Strength and Agility of Body, and Comeliness of Form, such a Capacity of Memory, and Quickness of Fancy, such a Readiness of Perception, and Vivacity of Spirit? Why has he crown'd it with so many advantageous Qualities, but to indicate by these Preparations, that he has design'd it for a Special Sacrifice. [...] à [...] elegit, vel selegit. The word used in our Text and elsewhere for Youth, properly signifies the Choice of our Time, our Select or Chosen Time, and does import not only that our Creator chooses that part of our Time for himself, but that it has several Advantages that render it the most eligible; that 'tis in it self the most fit to be chosen, and set apart for his Service.

'Tis therefore to offer a great Indignity to our Creator, to refuse him the prime of our Time, on pretence that we'll offer him our Decrepid Age, the worst of our Days, and the very dregs of 'em, as if he were unworthy of the best part of [Page] what he has given us, as if we could offer any thing beyond his Deserts, who has given us our All; nay, as if the Devil, the World, and our own corrupt Inclinations, were more worthy Objects of Worship than the ever Blessed God who has made us; as if he were to be postpon'd to the vilest and most detestable of all Idols; As if both the first and best of what we have ought to be devoted to these; and as if the Lame and Blind and Maim'd were the only Sacrifices becoming his Altar.

The Priests under the Law were consecrated in their Youth, Numb. 8. 24, 25. and continued in the Service of the Sanctuary only to that Age wherein 'tis ordinary for Natural Strength visibly to abate; to signify that that part of our Time, wherein we are most capable of serving our Maker ought especially to be devoted to him as the most acceptable Portion of our days. And is it not fit that he that has made us for himself, should have the Best of our Service? That the strength of our Bodies should be dedicated to him that moulded and compos'd 'em? And that the powers of our Souls should, in their most flourishing and vigorous state, be [Page] offer'd to the great Author of all our Faculties? Ought not the most attentive Regards of our Vnderstandings to be employ'd in contemplating him that has made us Rational, and the most sprightly and eager Sallies of our Wills to be directed towards him who has made us desiring Creatures? Certainly as God is our Maker, he deserves as well as requires that we most seriously contemplate, and most intensely love him, on the account both of his own Infinite Perfections, and of the Emanations of his Goodness toward us his Creatures; and consequently that we improve the best of our Time in those Holy Exercises of meditating on him and aspiring after him.

2. As the Notion of [Creator] includes, that upon the Supposition of Man's Fall by Sin, God alone is able to perform this mighty Work of Reforming or New-Creating him; and as the manner of the use of this Term in the Holy Scripture further intimates his Willingness so to do (as we have shewn at large before:) This further shews the reason we have to devote our Youth to his Service. And this Consideration renews [Page] and redoubles the force of the former Reasons: For what is Man (fallen Man) that God should be mindful of him?Psal. 8. 4.And the Son of Man that he should visit him? What great Grace has the great God manifested to us, that when we had forfeited all the Blessings to be expected of him, as our Creator, in rebelliously casting off that Natural Obligation we were under to obey him, he should neither make us cease to be his Creatures, and entirely dissolve that Relation, by forsaking the Work of his hands, or annihilating us; nor vindicate his injur'd Authority, by upholding our Being only to render us miserable, and by treating us as his Enemies rather than as the Objects of his Favour; but on the contrary that he should still shew respect to us as the Works of his hands, by preserving our Being, by exercising Patience and Long-suffering towards us, by encompassing us with many Temporal Favours, and by opening and consecrating a New and Living way, Heb. 10. 20. whereby we might return to him, by proposing to us Terms of Peace and Reconciliation by the Blood of the Cross; Col. 1. 20. and by offering to renew us in the Spirit of our Minds; Eph. 4. 23. in a word, to make [Page] us New Creatures after his own Image; Col. 3. 10. that so we might be not only again intituled to those former lost Blessings, that were naturally suited to obedient Creatures of that order and rank of Being wherein God had plac'd us at the Beginning; but might have our Happiness highly improv'd, as well as effectually secur'd by that new and nearer Relation to God through Jesus Christ, which interesses them that believe in his Name in those unconceivable Joys which he has merited: Upon which account our Creator treats those that are thus reconcil'd to him, not only as his Creatures but as his Children; and since his only begotten Son,Heb. 1. 2. whom he hath appointed Heir of all things,Heb. 2. 11, 12, 13.is not asham'd to call them Brethren, he refuses not to treat 'em as Ioint-Heirs with him, Rom. 8. 15, 16, 17. nor disdains to be call'd their Father.

So that the consideration of God, as the Author of this New and Spiritual Creation, lays on us the strongest Obligation imaginable to serve and obey him, in that it contains both the highest Reason and the strongest Motive of that Obedience: For as it is very reasonable that we should obey him that has Wisdom and [Page] Power enough to change and reform, and render happy such sinful, deprav'd and miserable Creatures as we are, so 'tis the greatest Good that can be done us, and therefore is to be earnestly sought at the hands of the infinitely gracious God: and seeing he is so liberal as to offer to give his holy Spirit, LIuk. 11. 13. the Principle of all Grace and Spiritual Life, to them that sincerely ask and diligently seek it of him; here is the greatest Motive and encouragement to engage us in his Service, since (I say) he is not become inexorable by our Sins,Isa. 30. 18. but still waits to be gracious to us,Jer. 31. 33. offering to write his Law in our Hearts,Heb. 8. 10.and to put his Fear into our inward Parts by the power of his Spirit, and also assuring us,Ps. 19. 11. that in keeping his Commandments there is great Reward.

If therefore the first and best part of our Time is God's peculiar Claim as he has made us, much more ought we to offer the first-fruits of our Time to the Service of him who is become reconcileable to us in Christ Jesus, and is both able and willing to add to the Obligation of the first, that of a second and more Glorious Creation. Surely we owe not only the first and best, but the whole of our Time now [Page] upon a new account to our Creator, since he has made such provision for our Reformation, and so for our Happiness, not only through the course of our Time here, but through an entire Eternity hereafter; which leads me to the last thing I have to urge from the import of the Term [Creator,] viz.

3. As this Title implies that God is the Soveraign Arbiter and Disposer of our Being, because this is a necessary consequence of that Relation of Creator; it carries with it a forcible Argument to engage those that are young in the Service of God.Ps. 31. 15. Our Times are in his hand, who can prolong or contract them as he pleases; and we must be accountable to him for the Days he has lent us, and receive a Sentence according to our Improvement or Abuse of them. How reasonable is it, and how much for our Interest to offer that part of our Time to our Creator which he peculiarly lays claim to; nay, to consecrate the whole of it to his Service, seeing as he is the Author of our Being he has a right to the Soveraign disposal of it; and if we withhold any part of our Time from him, can fill up the Remainder of our days with pain and [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] sorrow, or cut us off in his Displeasure in the midst of our days, and force us into an Eternity of Anguish and Misery? How terrible a thing is it thus to fall into the hands of the Living God, Heb. 10▪ 31. who, as he has made us, knows how to punish our Disobedience with all the kinds and degrees of Torment of which he has made, or can make our Nature capable! And how highly does it concern us to dedicate the Blossoms and early Fruits of our Youth to the Service of him who is able to reward our early Obedience with a long and happy Life here (if he pleases), and to fill up a whole Eternity in communicating various Pleasures to the Soul in another and better World; who knows all the kinds and degrees of Joy and Solace we either are or can be capable of, and how to give us the most ravishing Delights, and to excite in our Souls the most lively sentiments of that Ioy which is unspeakable and full of Glory! 1 Pet. 1. 8.

How much does it concern us to offer to the Author of our Being, the Sacrifice of the prime portion of our Age, seeing he is able either eternally to sustain our Bodies and Souls, by his Almighty Hand, from sinking into Nullity, amidst the [Page] everlasting Torments of Hell, that so our Wo and Misery (ten thousand times worse than Annihilation) may become eternal too! Or can uphold our Being by his everlasting Arms, so as to give us the strength and beauty of an eternal Youth both in Soul and Body, and to entertain us with the uninterrupted Views of his Divine Countenance, and with the constant Emanations of his Infinite Love! Who can entertain the Soul with continual Impressions of the highest Joy, without the dissolution or enfeebling of her Being, or any Faculty that belongs to it! For he that has created us is the Soveraign disposer of what he has made;Exod. 33. 20. and to him 'tis possible to make Men even to see his Face and live. 1 Cor. 13. 12.

Nor is this Duty of dedicating our Youth to the Service of our Creator,1 John 3. 2. as that Character involves his Power to dispose of us as to Happiness or Misery, (as he pleases) barely to be argued from that awful and stupendous Power and Authority; but also from the manifest discovery our Creator has made in this case, as well of his Will and Pleasure, as of his Right and Power. For he has declar'd, That the Wicked shall not live out halfPsal. 55. 23 [Page]their days, and that they shall die before their Time; Eccl. 7. 17. that it shall not be well with the wicked,Eccl. 8. 13.neither shall he prolong his days, because he feareth not before God. And he has added a promise to the fifth Precept of his Law,Exod. 20. 12. (which is the first Command with promise) of a long and happy Life to those that shew an early Piety by their obedience and respect to their Natural Parents, the Instruments of their Production, as an instance of their respect to their Heavenly Father, the original Author of their Being. As the Apostle well expresses it, Children obey your Parents in the Lord,Eph. 6. 1, 2, 3.for this is right. Honour thy Father and Mother, (which is the first Commandment with promise) that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the Earth. And tho God in the Wise and Mysterious way of his Providence, makes some Exceptions from these General Rules of extending or contracting the Time of Men in this World, sometimes suffering an accursed Sinner to live an hundred Years, [...]. 65. 20. and an early Convert to die betimes: Yet if the Vices committed in Youth be impenitently persisted in, that an eternal state of Misery will be the dreadful consequence of [Page] it; as on the other hand, that our Creator not only can, but certainly will reward the early Consecration of our Time to him, with an eternal state of Bliss, cannot be doubted, by such as read and give credit to the Scriptures of Truth. For as a multitude of Threatenings contain'd therein give assurance of the former, so the latter is no less confirmed by variety of great and precious Promises, which, if they ascertain Glory to all the Saints in general, must not only comprehend those that were sanctified betimes, but may reasonably raise their hopes to expect a distinguishing Reward.

And because the Title of [Creator] comprehends that of a Iudg, 'tis probable, that Solomon, after a Caution to Youth against Sin, because of the certainty of the future Judgment of God,Eccl. 11. [...] brings in the words of our Text by way of Argument thereupon, [Therefore remember thy Creator, &c.] (as we have before shewn it might have been translated) i. e. because he that has made thee, has a right to dispose of thy Being, and will judg thee.

[Page] So that how well soever it fares with the wicked in this World, we may conclude with the Wise Man,Eccl. 8. 12.Tho a Sinner do evil an hundred times [q. d. repeat his Sins never so often] and his days be prolonged; yet (says he) surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, that fear before him: and that implies a Wo unto the harden'd sinner, and that (as the Prophet Isaiah speaks) it shall be ill with him;Isai. 3. 11.for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

From the Reasons included in the Term [Creator], wherein our Relation to God, as his Creatures, implies we are under great obligations to remember to love and serve him early; We pass

Secondly, To the Arguments insinuated in those words, which express the proper time of engaging in this Duty, viz. [In the days of Youth before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when we shall say, we have no pleasure in them,] wherein the Advantages that attend the Time of Youth, and the contrary Evils and Impediments that accompany Old Age, which render the former the far more eligible Time in which to begin to devote one's [Page] self to the Service of God, are suggested. Which Advantages on the one hand, and Disadvantages on the other, we are now to consider.

1. Then it behoves us to dedicate our selves betimes to the Service of our Creator, because the Work of Conversion is much more easily perform'd in Youth than in Old Age. And seeing there is a necessity of our turning to God once in our Lives, or else we become irrecoverably miserable; Prudence directs to the choice of the best Time for so weighty a purpose. The Wise Man tells us,Eccl. 3. 11. God has made every thing beautiful in its season, and that there is a fit time for every Purpose under the Heaven; Eccl. 3. 1-10. and if all Wise Men are careful to choose a convenient season for the common Affairs of the World, that relate only to their Temporal Interest, how prodigious a piece of folly must it be for a Man to suffer the fittest season to escape him for the performance of that Work, which is the most difficult of all others to be well done; and upon the due accomplishment of which, both his present and future Happiness depends! For,

[Page] (1.) Youth is the best Time for our Conversion: Because the Soul is not then so much vitiated by evil Habits, as when she has run through the several stages of Life in a continued course of Wickedness. Tho Sin is deeply enough rooted in our Nature, which is all defil'd with the Original Stain: Yet we very much fortify our corrupt Inclinations by producing them into Act; and by multiplying those Sinful Acts, till they become familiar and customary to us, and till we drink down Iniquity like Water: Job 15. 16. So that the difficulty of turning from Sin encreases together with the Time of our continuance in the practice of it. Can the Ethiopian change his Skin, or the Leopard his Spots?Jer. 13. 23.Then may ye also do Good, that are accustomed to do Evil, (says the Prophet.) Is it to be thought that Conversion to God is so slight and easy a matter, that any Time may serve for its Accomplishment? Are not the difficulties that a long habit of Sinning will lay in the way of that great and important Work to be fear'd? Is it not much more easy to bend a Young Twig than an Aged Oak, and to prevent evil Habits than to rectify 'em? A little observation of the World [Page] may suffice to inform us, that long Custom or Habit is so bewitching a thing, that scarce any thing can be imagin'd more ridiculous, absurd, and inconvenient than many things which the long usage of some Persons, nay of some whole Nations, has authoriz'd.

And if Men are so tenacious of any silly and troublesome thing which they have been much addicted to, and sacrifice their Reason, their Honour and their Ease to the Tyranny of Custom; how much more prevalent must a long habit, and course of Sin be, which besides its deep rooting in our Nature, and besides the ordinary force of mere Habit, has both its flattering Promises and Pleasures to tempt us to its Embraces, and its Threats and Terrors too (in suggesting all the mortifying Circumstances of a vertuous course of Life) to raise in our Minds the most frightful Idea of Piety and Religion. So that, if Custom and Habit in general be proverbially stil'd a Second Nature, [...] the habit of Sin may of all others most fitly be so term'd: And the force of its Dominion over our Souls, and the difficulty of its Extirpation out of them, must needs have an increase proportionate [Page] to the Time of its Duration in them. Can any thing then be more evident, than that in the days of our Youth, when Sin has not yet so deeply rooted it self in our Hearts by evil habits, as in Old Age after a long course of Vice, in a multitude of repeated Acts, our Conversion must needs have the most easy and kindly accomplishment?

(2.) This further appears, in that the Minds of the Young are ordinarily the most capable of Instruction. It was a saying of a Philosopher; [...] Di [...]g. [...]ert. [...]ib. 6. that to Cure a Dead Man and Teach an Old Man, were things equally difficult: For (tho in some respects Youth is sufficiently addicted to Pride, yet) there is a kind of Natural Modesty and becoming Humility often discernible in the Young, arising from a Consciousness of their Ignorance, and unexperience of things, which disposes them to a more Docible frame of Mind, than is usually to be found in Elder Persons, whose Maturity of Age often makes 'em unwilling to be inform'd, especially in matters of Religion, either because they imagin they already know what others may pretend to teach 'em, or because they are unwilling to undergo the [Page] shame of being accounted so long ignorant of Religion, and their concern therein, which every body ought to be early acquainted with. And upon this account ('tis likely) our Saviour tells his Disciples, that except they should humble themselves and become as little Children, Mat. 18. 3, 4. they should not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, i. e. unless they should imitate Children in Modesty and lowliness of Mind; that the Sense of their Ignorance might make 'em Teachable.

Besides the Minds of Youth are generally a much fitter Soil for Truth, than those of the Aged, because not usually so over-run with the Briars and Thorns of strong and deeply rooted Prejudices. The Soul of Man will not long remain empty, if it be not early stor'd with Truth, 'twill be gradually stuff'd with Errors; and as 'tis much more troublesome to alter and correct a Writing full of Nonsense and Confusion, by much razing out and interlining, than to write a handsome piece of good Sense on a blank Paper: So it is abundantly harder to instruct or rectify a Mind long prepossess'd with Falshood, than to make deep impressions of Truth on a Soul [Page] more simple and unprejudic'd; which, if empty of Knowledg, yet is not fill'd with Error, which as it has not yet learn'd to judg right of things, so neither has been much us'd to judg wrong; and if not happy enough to be well stock'd with good Notions, yet is not so unhappy as to be crowded with bad ones.

Now seeing to capacitate us to serve God,John 4. 24. who is a Spirit, and therefore will be serv'd with our Spirits, (without which Bodily Exercise profiteth little) there are many great Truths to be learned;Rom. 1. 9. 1 Tim. 4. 8. and tho he has promis'd the help of his Holy Spirit to reveal these to the simple, yet seeing he requires us to be diligent in the investigation of Truth,Prov. 8. Psal. 4. 4. John 5. [...]. and very attentive to the Voice of Reason and Scripture to that End, 'tis easy to see by reflecting on what has been just now said, That the Young, whose Minds are yet unform'd, have a mighty advantage above the Aged for learning the knowledg of the ways of God, and for obtaining a more copious and solid understanding of Truth: So that we may well say with the Prophet, (tho perhaps he speaks in another sense) [Page] Whom shall he teach Knowledg?Isa. 28. 9And whom shall he make to understand Doctrine? Them that are wean'd from the Milk, and drawn from the Breasts.

(3.) Again, there is a certain Tenderness of Spirit attending our first Years, and not ordinarily to be found afterwards, which renders Conversion more feasible. The Heart is more malleable, and more easily receives Impressions from the Promises and Threatnings recorded in the Word of God, and from the Mercies and Judgments distributed in the World by his Providence. Therefore we find few Persons, whose Education has given them any tolerable means of the knowledg of Divine things, who do not remember themselves to have been much affected in their Youth in attending to the Word of God, or in observing some remarkable Passages of his Providence. If deep Conviction is a great step towards Conversion, Experience shews this is most easily wrought on one that is young: How often do we see such a one weep at a transient glance on Death and Iudgment (in a Sermon), or at a general reflection on the Sufferings of Christ for [Page] Sinners, while the cered Consciences of those that have been long harden'd in Sin hold proof against the most pathetick and awakening Discourses of the certainty of Death, the dismal Circumstances that attend a Sinner at the approach of it, and the great consequences that depend on that amazing Change, or against the most lively description of the most Cruel and unexampled Sufferings wherewith our Blessed Saviour was tormented for our Redemption? That makes no impression on the Adamantine Heart of the latter, which is often found to effect a deep compunction of Mind in the former; and the Eyes of the one can hardly be kept open by a Discourse that dissolves those of the other into Tears. The affections of Fear and Hope, Ioy, Sorrow, Compassion, and the like, more easily move the tender Minds of Youth, and consequently make way for lasting impressions of Piety, to the purposes of which these Affections, when guided and regulated by an enlighten'd Mind, do mightily conduce.

(4.) The Zeal and Resolution which the warm Temper of Youth enages them in, for what they embrace, renders [Page] a thorough Conversion to God more easy to them than to the old; who by having either tasted much of the Afflictions of the World themselves, or by having been Witnesses to the Miseries of many others, often retain so terrible an Idea of Worldly Troubles, that the Mortification and Self-denial prescrib'd to the followers of Christ, gives them a strange disgust for a strictly Religious Life: Besides the abatement of their natural heat and vigour, (a good degree of which is useful to any great enterprize) makes 'em with the Sluggard continually complain of a Lion in the way. Prov. 22. 13. But the Young who have not been so baulk'd with Disappointments, nor felt or seen so many Miseries, and who have also a great sense of Honour, and are commonly ambitious of high Atchievements, and disdain to have their Attempts defeated, are hereby dispos'd more readily to take up the Cross of Christ, and to1 Tim. 6. 12. fight the good fight of Faith, that they may lay hold on Eternal Life. Add to this, that that Disease of Covetousness, that so often attends the Aged, who from experience either in themselves or others, of the difficulty of getting and keeping, and the [Page] danger of losing, and the inconveniency of wanting the things of this World, become more tenacious of them then when they are nearest the unavoidable necessity of parting with them; that this Disease (I say) which is the root of all evil,1 Tim. 6. 10.which is Idolatry, Col. 3. 5. and therefore opposite to the true Service of God, and which renders it almost impossible for a rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, Mat. 19. 24, 25, 26. does not so usually reign amongst the Young (who are rather apt to run into the contrary extreme) so that their motion in the ways of God, is not clog'd with this dead weight, which so mightily incumbers those whose Hearts have taken deeper root in the Earth. Thus we see how much more easy the Work of Conversion is likely to be, when we engage in it in our tender Years, than if we defer it to Old Age.

But all this while I would not be thought to make the work of Conversion, consider'd as the Act of God, (who alone can turn a Soul from darkness to light,Act. 26. 18.and from the power of Satan to himself) to be more difficult in one Subject than another, for all things are equally possible to him; but I have hereby made [Page] an Essay to shew that the Heart of an old Sinner is a Subject much more untractable and obstinate in it self, than that of one, who (by reason of his Youth) is yet but a Novice in Vice? That the work of Mortification and Sanctification is commonly begun with less difficulty, and carried on with more ease and speed on the Young than on the Old, and that a greater degree of Grace is necessary to reform the latter than the former; and whether the Almighty will grant such an extraordinary measure of his Grace to one that is grown old in wickedness, may well be doubted (as we shall shew hereafter.)

Since then the work of Conversion is of the greatest consequence, as it is for our truest interest both in this World and that to come, certainly it ought to be perform'd in Youth, seeing that is the most seasonable Time, as will further appear,

2. In that much Good is lost, and much Evil contracted by deferring our Conversion to Old Age; but much Evil (on the contrary) is prevented, and much Good obtain'd, through the Course of our days, by an early turning to God.

[Page] (1.) Much Sin is prevented, and consequently much Spiritual good obtain'd by an early Conversion, which will appear to be no small advantage: For seeing Sin, as it is directly opposite to the pure Nature of God, is the worst of Evils, and seeing the Excellency or Vileness of a Creature is to be measur'd by its likeness or contrariety to God, who possesses absolute perfection in himself; it necessarily follows, that nothing can so deform a Creature, nothing can so defile it, nothing can debase it so much, and set it at so great a distance from Excellency and Perfection, as Sin does. It must then certainly be our Interest to break off our Sins by an early Repentance; since every sinful Act, and much more a continuance in a course of Sin, does so much corrupt, debase, and deform the Soul. And if we desire the meliorating of our Nature, and would become more excellent Creatures than we are, instead of degenerating and becoming worse: It highly concerns us to begin early to extirpate that which has strip'd the Soul of much of her Intellectual and (which is worse) of her Moral Excellency; and will render her, by so much the more [Page] Vile, by how much the longer we indulge it; and to devote our selves betimes to Religion and Holiness, which is the principal Beauty and Glory of a Rational Soul, and that which chiefly makes a Man resemble his Creator.

(2.) Much Sorrow and Trouble is hereby prevented, and much Ioy and Pleasure obtain'd and secur'd. For tho' some Examples may be found of Wicked Men, who in respect of their Temporal prosperity for a little Time, may be said to spread themselves like a Green Bay-Tree;Psal. 37. 35.not to be in Trouble like other Men,Psal. 73. 5, 6, 7, &c.and to have more than Heart could wish: Yet God does not leave himself without witness of his Displeasure against Sin, in that he often wounds the heads of his Enemies, and the hairy Scalps of them that go on still in their Trespasses, Psal. 68. 21. by signal Judgments in this World, as all Places and Ages can testify. Nor has the Divine Providence been wanting to signalize the Righteous by frequent Instances of peculiar Temporal Blessings, which it has conferr'd on them. However, the Anguish of a guilty and self-accusing Conscience, which the Wicked often labour under, together with the common and unavoidable Afflictions [Page] of this World, which make a very deep Impression upon them, whose Appetites are fierce and eager after sensual pleasure (their hope being only in this Life) and whose Passions soon fall into a violent Ferment, because they want the Holy Art of allaying the heat of them by serious Reflections on the Soveraignty, Justice, Wisdom, and Goodness of that God, whose Providence governs the Universe; these things I say occasion them abundance of Grief and Trouble, which one that becomes an early Convert to Holiness avoids; who besides the joyous Testimony of a good Conscience, that gives a Relish to all his Temporal Comforts, and takes away the sting of all his outward Trials, is so mortified to this World, and rais'd so far above the Interests of it, by a lively hope of Eternal Bliss; and is so thoroughly convinc'd of the good Conduct of the Divine Governour of the World, that he finds no such great reluctancy in himself to submit to the Will of God, when he is pleas'd to afflict him. In a word,Jer. 2. 19. if it be both an evil and a bitter thing to go on in a Course of Sin; and if all God's Ways are ways of pleasantness,Prov. 3. [...]7.and all his Paths are Peace; it must [Page] needs be a mighty advantage to enter betimes into so sweet and delightful a Walk.

3. The Evils of Old Age (if we arrive to that) are aggravated by deferring Conversion till then; but alleviated and render'd tolerable by an early Piety. If he that neglects in the Time of his Youth and Strength to make provision for the Time of Age and Sickness, when he has a fair opportunity of doing it, is justly censur'd as inconsiderate and imprudent; because he takes not care to prepare that which might give him some Relief then, when many Infirmities will certainly encompass him, and the neglect of which will inhance his Misery: Then to neglect to turn to God in Youth is a Folly of the grossest kind; because nothing can tend so much to support us under the pressure of the many Evils that attend Old Age; nothing can tend to take off so much of the weight of that Burden, as an early Conversion; and nothing can make those Miseries so grievous, as the neglect of it. For

(1.) By an early Conversion a large stock of Grace, and of Experience, is treasur'd up, which mightily strengthens [Page] the Soul under the burden of Age: A long Habit of Mortification of Sensual Things, Will render Carnal Pleasures insipid;1 Cor. 15. 31. and he that dies daily to the World, in the Time of Youth, when it appears most aimable and charming, will not feel much regret in his Mind, when he finds Old Age has almost quite taken away the relish of those perishing Sweets; since Reason and Religion had long before allay'd the keeness of his Appetite to them. The long and good use he has made of his Spiritual Senses, makes him patient under the decay of his Natural ones. What tho' (as Solomon phrases it) the Keepers of the House tremble,Eccl. 12. 3.and the strong Men bow themselves;V. 5.and fears be in the way? &c. How can this make him unhappy,2 Cor. 4. 16. whose inward Man has been renew'd day by day, even before his outward Man decay'd; Who therefore is become strong in the Lord,Eph. 6. 10.and in the Power of his Might, Isai. 35. 3, 4. which strengthens the weak hands and confirms the feeble knees, and makes them that are of a fearful heart strong? Eccl. 12. 3. What if those that look out at the Windows be darkned? How can Dimness, or even loss of Sight, render him miserable, who through the course [Page] of his Life has endeavour'd to be blind to those Objects that might tempt him to Sin,Job 31. 1. having made a Covenant with his Eyes to guard himself from it; and has constantly pray'd that God would turn them away from beholding Vanity? Psal. 119. 37. How can he be much concern'd at the want of Natural Light, Heb. 11. 1. who has been long accustom'd to see things that are invisible by the piercing Eye of Faith? and v. 27. How can he be much discontented at the decay of the once quick Sensation of his Palate, or at the want of Appetite to his Food;Psal. 34. 8. who has so often tasted, 1 Pet. [...]. 3. and still tastes that the Lord is Gracious? Tho' all the Daughters of Musick be brought low; Eccl. 12. 4. How should Deafness be an intolerable grievance to him; who has often heard, and still hears the still and small Voice of the Spirit of God speaking in his Conscience,1 Kings 19. 12. and testifying with his Spirit that he is one of the Children of God? Rom. 8. 16. How can the Obstructions that the Organs of Speech suffer, which render his Voice weak, and Vnmusical, discourage him, who knows that as his Praises and Prayers have often been Melodious in the Ears of God,Cant. 2. 14. so they still are very pleasant to him,Prov. 15. 8. who chiefly minds the Tuneable [Page] frame of the Heart? Eccl. 12. 2. And tho' the Sun and the Light, and the Moon and the Stars be darken'd, &c. How can the Infirmities that impair the Vnderstanding, and Iudgment, the Fancy and Memory, &c. be insupportable to him, who has long understood the Great Mystery of Godliness, 1 Tim. 3. 16. so as to know the only True God,John 17. 3.and Iesus Christ whom he has sent, which is Life Eternal: 1 John 5. 20. Who has receiv'd an indelible impression of this Knowledg in his Mind;Jer. 31. 33. and has the Law of God deeply engraven on his Heart: And whose long experience of the Divine Goodness; makes him with Holy Confidence still say,2 Tim. 1. 1. with the Apostle, I know whom I have believ'd,—and with the Aged Psalmist;Psal. 71. 5. Thou art my Hope, O LORD God, Thou art my Trust from my Youth? Who (however weak his Memory is as to other things, yet) still remembers his Creator, Psal. 119. 16. and will not forget his Word; Nay tho all the Evils and Infirmities of Old Age, which the wise Man enumerates after our Text, attack him, and threaten a speedy Dissolution of the Frame of his Body:Rom. 7. 24. How can this disspirit him,2 Cor. 5. 1-8. who has long groan'd for deliverance from that Earthly Tabernacle, [Page] that he might be rid of those remains of Sin that lurk in it: And has often wish'd that this Vail of Mortal Flesh were rent asunder, because he knows it hinders him from seeing God Face to Face; who has so familiariz'd the Grave to himself, by frequent Meditations on the Victory his Saviour has obtain'd over it;1 Cor. 15. 54-57. and is so well perswaded of that Blessed Resurrection which his lively hope has long acquainted him with,1 Pet. 1. 3. that he can look into the Gloomy Valley of the shadow of Death without Consternation,Psal. 23. 4. and chearfully commit his Spirit into the hands of God,1 Pet. 4. 19.as his Faithful Creator; Psal. 73. 24. who as he has guided him by his Counsel, so (he knows) will receive him to Glory.

But on the other side; if Conversion be deferr'd to Old Age, these and the like Advantages of a long Exercise of Grace, and of a large Spiritual Experience being wanting, how difficult will it be for a weak Mind and a languishing Body to bear up under those pressing Miseries that will then attend them? And it will be no small Affliction to a late Penitent, even after his Conversion, to think on his Imprudent neglect of early laying up this Spiritual Provision, against those [Page] Evil days of Age, and Weakness, when the Soul stands in so much need of it,

(2.) An early Conversion has greater Characters of Sincerity and Truth than a late One; thereby administers great Ease and Comfort amidst the Infirmities of Age. For, as the true Peace and Comfort of the Soul results from the good and safe posture wherein she finds her self: So according to the Evidence or Obscurity of the proofs a Man finds in himself of the reality of his Conversion to God; the more stable or wavering is his Hope and Comfort. Now those that have been converted in their Youth, have usually much clearer Evidences of the Truth of their Conversion, than they who have been reclaim'd from Sin by a late Repentance: And therefore the Joy of the former commonly far surpasses that of the latter.

How often does the disturb'd and doubtful Mind of a late Penitent, thus commune with her self: I find indeed an unwonted Sorrow in my self on the account of Sin; But how shall I be assur'd that 'tis a Godly Sorrow,2 Cor. 7. [...].that works a Repentance to Salvation not to be repented of? Is it not wholly from a fear of Evil of [Page] Punishment, and not at all from the Sense of the Evil of Sin? Not because I have violated the Law of God, but only because I have render'd my self obnoxious to the Curse of it? Is it not rather because I have weaken'd my Body, and hasten'd Old Age by my Vices; than because I've defil'd my Soul, and enfeebled her Powers by them? I feel in my self some Abhorrence and Aversion from the Sins I formerly took Pleasure in; But is this the Effect of the sickness of my Soul; or of the Distempers of my Body? [...]. 9. Do I really loath my former disorders, and is Temperance my choice? Is it not rather the weakness of my Appetite, and the decay of my Palate, that makes me abstemious? I delight not in sensual Mirth and Jollity as formerly: But may I not justly question, whether this does not more proceed from the weakness of my Fancy, than from the tenderness of my Conscience, and the rectitude of my Will? I seem somewhat mortified to the things of the World: But is not this rather a kind of Natural than a Moral Death? A dying to the World of Necessity and not of Choice? Do I forsake it because 'tis unworthy of my Love; and not rather, [Page] because it has first forsaken me; and is uncapable of affording me its former Pleasures, now the Evil days of Old Age have overtaken me? I find in my Soul an earnest desire after Holiness: Is it because I take delight in pleasing God; or only because I fear to suffer the weight of his Displeasure? Is it because I have a mind to live a Holy Life, now when the best, and almost the whole of my Time is spent;Num. 23. 10. or only that I may die the Death of the Righteous, and that my last end may be like his? I am now willing to devote my self to the Service of God: But why have I not done it long before, when I had Time and Strength, and other Advantages to serve him with? Is it not rather to serve a turn of my own, than to serve him, that I offer my self so late to his Service? Have I not Reason to doubt whether I am sincerely willing to choose my blessed Lord, as my Head and Ruler, as well as my Sanctuary and Saviour? And whether I am willing to be purified as well as redeem'd, to be sanctified by his Grace, as well as justified by his Righteousness? The Heart is deceitful above all things; Jer. 17. 9. And how shall I be assur'd that I do not deceive [Page] my self about the safety of my Soul?

These and such like Thoughts often occasion great Hesitations in the Mind of an Aged Convert, and make him doubt of the sincerity of his Heart, and of the security of his State.

Whereas, on the other hand, He who after an Initiation in the Service of God in Youth, and a Proficiency therein thro' the Time of his Strength, is at last arriv'd to a good Old Age, may greatly solace himself in scanning over the Marks and Proofs of the Truth and Reality of his Conversion, which are Great and Numerous.

He deeply mourn'd for Sin at an Age when Sorrow and Pensiveness seem most unseasonable in the Judgment of the World; and when the warmth of the Imagination and the briskness of the Senses dispose most to Carnal Mirth: He loath'd Sin, when it seem'd most Charming, and deny'd himself its Sensual Pleasures, at an Age when they have the highest Gust; and when their evil Consequences almost quite disappear thro' their great supposed Distance. He forsook the World, when 'twas just spreading [Page] its Charms before him, and making its Court to him after the most obliging Manner. [...]. 5. 6. He hunger'd and thirsted after Righteousness, at a Time when it had the most Affliction and Bitterness attending it; and dedicated himself to God then, when he had a large prospect of hard Services and Sufferings to undergo for his sake.

And accordingly his Life since his Conversion yields a multitude of Instances that prove the sincerity of it. The proof of his Faith in God, and of his Love to him, has been like that of Gold and Silver in the melting Furnace, amidst various temptations. He has had occasion to give ample proofs of his Fidelity to the Captain of his Salvation, Heb. 2. 10 by having long warr'd under his Banner: And has Reason to believe himself to have been truly converted in his Youth; since all the flattering Sweets, and Pleasures of the World could never seduce him; nor all the threatning Frowns, and Troubles of it terrify him into a change of his Resolution for the Service of his God. And his having held out so long, gives him hope that he shall hold out to the end; [...]. 4. and since he finds his [Page] Faith has on it the Character of [unseigned],2 Tim. 1. 5. his Ioy must needs abound; when he considers, that he that is the Author of that Faith,Heb. 12. 2.is the Finisher of it too: That he that long ago began, and hath long cherish'd the Work of Grace in his Soul,Philip. 1. 6. will carry it on until the Day of Iuesus Christ: And that as he has the evident Signs of Faith in the Sanctification of his Heart;1 Pet. 1. 9. so he shall have the end of it too in the Salvation of his Soul. And it hence follows,

(3.) That an early Conversion furnishes Old Age with comfortable Reflections on Time past; and on the contrary the thoughts of an ill-spent Life are then most grievous, when we are near the Close of it. What a dreadful thing must it be for an Old Man,Job 20 11. whose Bones are full of the Sins of his Youth, to look back upon his former course of Life! Suppose him a late Penitent of the Eleventh Hour; Mat. 20. [...]. and that God is pleas'd even then to indulge him a Pardon▪ With what horror will he review his Life! What a loathsome sink of Abominations must he rake into! What innumerable Evils will he see himself encompass'd with! And with what a mighty [Page] weight will they press his Soul! Is it likely that that God whom he has so long wearied with his Iniquities, Mal. 2. 17. and press'd with his Sins,Am. 2. 13. as a Cart is press'd with Sheaves, will shew him Mercy now, without giving him a taste how Bitter as well as how Evil a thing Sin is?Jer. 2. 19. And without shewing him that, if he be sav'd, 1 Cor. 3. 15. it shall be so as by Fire? Is it strange if that God to whose Calls he has been long deaf, and from whose Reproofs and Counsels he has so often turned away, should suffer him to call a while in the Distress and Bitterness of his Soul, before he condescends to give him an answer of Peace?

And seeing it is the ordinary course of the Almighty, when he converts Men, first to impress their Minds with great Horrour from the sense of Sin; as well to make 'em loath and consequently to forsake their Vices, as to make 'em highly value his Favour, and adore his pardoning Grace; it seems necessary in an ordinary way, that an old and harden'd Sinner should undergo the Terror of the Lord to a high degree,2 Cor. 5. 11. because the long time he has spent in the service of Sin, gives him so great an occasion of Remorse, [Page] when his Conscience is once enlighten'd and awaken'd; and because to extirpate these long and deep habits of Sin, there is need of a kind of violent Turn in the Soul.Mark 1. 26. For as the evil Spirit tore the poor Man (in the Gospel) when forc'd to leave him; so 'tis not usual that Sin leaves a Man, of whose Soul it has had a long possession, without occasioning great convulsions of Mind, and as it were, rending the Soul in pieces: And how hard will this be to be endur'd, at a time when the Spirit of a Man can scarce bear the common Infirmities of Age?Prov. 18. 14. Who then can bear a wounded Spirit?

And when these terrors of Mind are over, and these pangs of Conscience that give hope of a new Birth are succeeded with some Peace that follows that happy Change;John 3. 3. yet who knows how far it may be allay'd, and how often interrupted by reiterated Scruples and Fears? And how long the Soul that has been so violently mov'd may retain her doubtful Vibrations, after such astonishing Impressions of Divine Wrath, in a time when even Natural Infirmities render the Mind weak and timorous;Eccl. 12. 5. and when [Page] the King of Terrors, who daily expects the Aged, loudly alarms the tremulous Soul to prepare speedily to pass into Eternity, the near approach of which mighty Change must needs add terror to every Scruple; and when Satan a subtle Adversary (of whose Devices, 2 Cor. 2. 11. for want of experience, he is in a great measure ignorant) shoots his fiery and invenom'd Darts to weaken the Hope,Eph. 6. 16. and to heighten the Fears, and to increase the Troubles of the Soul? Who knows (I say) what gloomy and dark Intervals these things may occasion? 'Tis true, God can surmount all these Difficulties by proportionate effusions of his Grace, and can fill such a Soul (if he pleases) with unspeakable Joy. But is it likely that he should indulge those with the highest and most uncommon Privileges, that hold out longest in Rebellion against him? And may such reasonably expect he will go out of his ordinary Methods to meet them, that have all their Life past gone astray from him? And that he will bestow the sealing Evidences of his Holy Spirit on them to a degree which he does not always allow his early Disciples, and those that have long follow'd [Page] him? May it not rather be thought, That tho God should forgive their Iniquities,Psal. 99. 8▪he'll take Vengeance of their Inventions? That tho they should die in the Lord, Rev. 14. 13 they'll set in a Cloud, and go to the Grave with Hezekiah's Lamentation, when under the sense of the Wrath of God, and under punishment for his Sins. Ireckon'd (says he) till Morning,Isai. 38. 13, 14, 15.that as a Lion he will break all my Bones: From Day even to Night wilt thou make an end of one. Like a Crane or a Swallow; so did Ichatter, I did mourn as a Dove: Mine Eyes fail with looking upward, O LORD, I am oppressed, undertake for me. What shall I say? He hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it; I shall go softly all my Years in the bitterness of my Soul. And with that of Iob;Job 13. 26. Thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my Youth. Is it strange, if, as they have consum'd their Time in Sin, and have grown old in Wickedness,Psal. 6. 7. their Eyes should be consum'd with grief and wax old with Sorrow? And if, as they have wallow'd long in Vice, so they should be made to swim long in Tears, V. 6. and to water their Couches with continual weeping?

[Page] But what a comfortable Review of his Life may an early Convert take in old Age? What joy to look back on that solemn Oblation of the first-fruits of his Time which he made to God, and on the early favour which God express'd to him! To remember the kindness of his Youth, and the love of his Espousals, which even God himself delights to remember!Jer. 2. 2. To turn over the large Volumes of his Experience, to look on past Temptations and Conflicts; these Reflections will give him a pleasure as much beyond that of an antient Sailor, when he thinks on the many Rocks and Sands and Storms he has escap'd, and that of a valiant Soldier, when he recollects how many Dangers he has past, and how many Victories he has obtain'd; as he conceives the interest of the Soul is beyond that of the Body, and that Eternal Life is to be valued above Temporal. With what Admiration mixt with Joy will he be fill'd, when he calls to mind what God has done for him! For tho the failings of his Life (since no Man lives and sins not) give him occasion of Godly Sorrow and Humiliation,2 Chron. 6. 36. Eccl. 7. 20. yet these will not hinder a Religious Ioy from reigning in his Soul, from his happy [Page] experience of the Mercy of his God; which will make him with the Apostle,Rom. 7. 24, 25. 2 Cor. 12. 9, 11. glory in the Grace of God in the midst of his Contrition, and (tho in himself he is nothing) will make him say with the Psalmist,Psa. 18. 29.By my God I have run through a Troop, and by my God I have leaped over a Wall! With what delight will he recollect the signal favours of the Divine Providence that beautify the History of his Life!Psal. 23. 5. How his God has spread his Table, and fill'd his Cup in the presence of his Enemies; V. 4. and has made both his Rod and his Staff co comfort him. With how much pleasure will he turn his Mind to the House of God, to think how often he has gone thither with the voice of Ioy and Praise,Psal. 42. 4.with the Multitude that kept Holiday! Psal. 27. 4. How oft he has beheld the Beauty of the LORD, while he has been enquiring in his Temple! How he has been stay'd with Flagons,Cant. 2. 5.and comforted with Apples, when sick of Love to his Saviour! How he has sat down with great delight under his shadow, V. 3. while his Fruit has been sweet to his Taste: How he has been satiated as with marrow and fatness, Psal. 63. 5. When his Soul has hungred after Righteousness: Mar. 5. 6. How he has often disburden'd his Mind [Page] by pouring out his Complaints into the Bosom of his Heavenly Father; how he has often receiv'd an answer of Peace, sometimes beyond his Hope, nay beyond his Desire,Isai. 65. 24. and sometimes even before his Prayer: What precious Seasons of communion with God he has enjoy'd, when retired into some corner alone to worship him: What fervent desires he has then felt; what earnest aspirations of his Soul after him! What smiles of the Divine Love have on such occasions chear'd his Spirit;2 Cor. 1. 22. what sealings of the Holy Spirit have assur'd his Faith:Eph. 1. 13. What prospect he has had of him that is invisible;Heb. 11. 27.What Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory! 1 Pet. 1. 8.

Such Reflections will even make the Soul forget her temporal Afflictions, and render the burden of Age supportable. These Thoughts will obviate fears and temptations, and inspire the Mind with holy Courage and Resolution, and furnish her with Arguments for Prayer, like that of the Psalmist. I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD;Psal. 71. 16, 17, 18.I will make mention of thy Righteousness, even of thine only. O God, thou hast thought me from my Youth; and hitherto have I declared[Page]thy wondrous Works. Now also when I am old and gray-headed; O God for sake me not, &c.

In a word, Tho every Man has occasion to be humbled for his Sins, and that, in every part of his Life, it must needs be a great, and next to the Light of God's Countenance through the face of Jesus Christ, the greatest occasion of Joy in the World; when a Man can lie down in the Grave in Peace, with the satisfaction of having made Religion the great Business of his Life, of having serv'd his Generation faithfully by the Will of God, Acts 13. 36. having from his Youth exercised himself in this, to have a Conscience always void of offence both toward God and towards Men: When at the shutting up of his Days, he can, by the Grace of God, safely appeal both to him and to Men, as aged Samuel did;1 Sam. 12. 2, 3. Behold—I am old and gray-headed—and I have walk'd before you from my Childhood unto this day: Behold here I am, witness against me before the Lord, and before his Anointed: Whose Ox have I taken? Or whose Ass have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or of whose hand have I received, any Bribe, to blind my Eyes therewith? [Page] &c. And as he that has serv'd God from his Youth can look back with Pleasure, so he may look forward with exceeding Joy. For,

(4.) An early Conversion furnishes old Age with much more comfort than a late one, in that it usually gives a brighter and more glorious prospect of Reward in the other Life.

As this Life is not valuable, but as it may be improv'd in order to a better; so the strong and well-grounded Hope of eternal Bliss in the World to come, is that which sweetens the most bitter Afflictions of a Christian here, and makes him as much more happy as he is more excellent than his Neighbour (whereas if his Hope were only in this Life, Prov. 12. 26. 1 Cor. 15. 19. he would be of all Men the most miserable.) And a Man's true Happiness in this World is therefore to be measur'd by the strength and liveliness of his Faith and Hope for the Blessings of the other; for by these he receives an Earnest of the Heavenly Possession, and has some foretastes of that Glory, with which he expects in a little time to be fully satisfied. For every one knows that there is pleasure in hoping for any thing that we [Page] think will add to our Happiness, especially when that Hope is thought to be well founded, and the things expected of great consequence, and speedily to be obtain'd: With what an extraordinary Joy then must the Hope of everlasting Bliss and Glory inspire him that firmly believes he shall suddenly enjoy it! And that this Hope makes a Saint the most happy Man even in this Life is evident, some of the Enemies of Religion themselves being Iudges. 'Tis worth remarking, that an Eminent Person,The late E. of Roch [...] ster, see his Life wrote by Dr. Burnet, p. 68. (who was one of the greatest Sinners, as well as one of the greatest Penitents of this Age) even while he maintain'd his Atheistical Principles, and led a most flagitious Course of Life, confess'd, That ‘whether the Business of Religion was true or not, he thought those who had the Perswasions of it, and lived so that they had quiet in their Consciences, and believed God govern'd the World, and acquiesced in his Providence, and had the Hope of an endless Blessedness in another State, the happiest Men in the World: And said, He would give all that he was Master of, to be under those [Page] Perswasions, and to have the Supports and Joys that must needs flow from them.’ So Just a Thought had he even then of the Ioy of a Good Conscience, and the Pleasure which the bare Expectation of future Glory in Heaven occasions, that he thought it far out-ballanc'd the pleasures of Sin, which are but for a season; and thus does Religion triumph over her Enemies, extorting from their own Mouths a plain Acknowledgment of what the Psalmist assures, that Happy is the People,Psal. 144. 15.whose God is the LORD.

Now it cannot be expected, that a late Convert should have an equal portion of this Hope and Joy, with one that has fear'd the Lord from his Youth. 1 Kings 18. 12. The former is commonly exercis'd with greater and more frequent Doubts concerning his Interest in eternal Glory than the latter; and the Eye of his Faith is often too weak to read his Evidences for it; because (as we have shewn before) he is apt to question the truth of his Regeneration, John 3. 3, 4, 5. without which, he knows, no Man can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. And this makes him often thus reason with himself:1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye (indeed) hath [Page]not seen, nor Ear heard, neither have enter'd into the Heart of Man the things which God hath prepar'd for them that love him. But I fear I shall fall short of the Glory of God, because I question the sincerity of my Love to him. Is not this fulness of Ioy reserv'd for them that have nauseated the Pleasures of this World,Psa. 16. 11. with which I have glutted my sensual Appetite, even from my Infancy? Are not those Rivers of pleasure at the right hand of God, only to refresh his diligent Servants that have born the burden and heat of the day in labouring and suffering for him? May not I, who have spent my Days in Vanity and Sin,Rom. 13. 13. in Rioting and Drunkenness, in Chambering and Wantonness; and who now am incapacitated either to do or suffer much for God, just at the Period of my Days, justly fear being excluded from the participation of this Bliss? Is it likely that these Joys that are so spiritual and refined, will be poured into such a Soul as mine (when parted from this languishing Body) which has been debauch'd and corrupted for so many Years, with the base and sordid delights of Sin? Or may I presume to deposite this vile and mouldering [Page] Carcase in the Grave, in hope of having it render'd a Glorious Body at the Resurrection of the Iust; Luke 14. 14. when I have through the Best of my time abus'd it to the Vilest purposes of Sensuality and Vice? Shall these Eyes that have so often been full of Adultery be admitted to see the Lord in Glory?2 Pet. 2. 14. And this Tongue be tun'd to praise him with sacred Anthems in Heaven, which has thus long lodg'd in it a World of Iniquity, Jam. 3. 6. and desecrated his Holy Name by prophane Oaths and Blasphemies on Earth? That these Feet that have been swift to attend the Places of Debauchery, and the Assemblies of the Vngodly, Psal. 1. 1. shall stand within the Gates of the Heavenly Ierusalem, Ps. 122. 2. and find a welcome place in the General Assembly and Church of the first-born,Heb. 12. 22, 23.which are written in Heaven? Or that these Hands that have so long been executing Acts of Unrighteousness here, shall be eternally lifted up with Praises, and employ'd in applauding the Name and Works of God there?

May not I more reasonably be afraid, Heb. 10. 31. that my Soul should fall into the hands of the living God, 1 Pet. 4. 19. than chearfully commit it to him, now my Days are near expiring? [Page] And justly apprehend that the expence of my Time in Wickedness will be punished with an eternity of Misery? And that after I have so long walk'd in the ways of Sin,Isa. 50. 11. I must now at last lie down in the Grave in Sorrow? And O how pungent is that Sorrow, while my trembling Soul looks into the consequences of such a Death! For, if I die in my Sins, not only am I depriv'd of all this Happiness, which I have been viewing at a distance, but must sink into that Abyss of Misery, Mark 9. 44. where a never-dying Worm, Rev. 20. 14, 15. and an unquenchable Lake of fire are the just and dreadful Rewards of a sinful Life.

These and such like Jealousies and Fears, carry so specious an appearance of Reason with them, that without a more than common measure of Faith, they must needs give the Soul a great deal of Disquiet. And 'tis no wonder if the Righteous and Holy God suffer the Mind often to labour under these troublesome Thoughts, as a proper method both to embitter Sin to one that has been long accustomed to indulge it, and to testify for the incouragement of Holiness, that he reserves some peculiar Rewards [Page] even in this Life, for them that have serv'd him with a peculiar Zeal and Constancy;Heb. 10. 22. and that full assurance of Faith and Hope,Heb. 6. 11. and a clear prospect of those invisible things which he has laid up for those that love him, Heb. 11. 1. is a Blessing wherewith he seldom crowns any but those who have been for some considerable part of their Lives, gradually raising their Affections, Col. 3. 2. and fixing them on things above, habituating themselves to converse in Heaven,1 Tim. 6. 12. and fighting the good fight of Faith, that they might lay hold on eternal Life. For since God is pleas'd to propose Rewards as motives to his Service, 'tis natural to conclude, That the consolating Hope of these Rewards (which is also a Reward it self) does ordinarily bear proportion to the Time and Degree of our Obedience: And therefore he that has long devoted himself to the Service of God, as he has commonly a clearer prospect of future Bliss, and of the security of his interest in it; so to advance his Joy still to a higher point, he has reason to expect a distinguishing Reward in the Celestial Glory; that if he has serv'd his Lord much in his Church, which is his Kingdom on Earth, he shall [Page] not be the least in the Kingdom of Heaven: Mat. 5. 19. For though he has no ground to hope to be rewarded for his Works on the account of Debt, because when he has done his best he is but an unprofitable Servant; Luke 17. 10. yet, since God himself has promised it, he may believe, that he shall be rewarded according to his Works,Mat. 16. 27. on the account of Grace. Thus as the early Convert looks back upon all the Sufferings he has endur'd for the sake of his Divine Master with Comfort,Job 11. 16. as on Waters that are past away; so the Thoughts of these raise both his Desire and Expectation earnestly to look for a distinguishing Recompence of future Glory.

And how unexpressible is that Joy which a Holy Man feels, when the Eye of Faith can with a great degree of strength penetrate, and with equal steadiness contemplate the unseen Glories of the Heavenly State, as firmly interessed therein! What Joy does the early Convert often taste, especially toward the Close of his Days, when he approaches the Mark of his long Desire and Hope;Philip. 3. 13, 14. when he considers that as he has been long labouring to increase in the Knowledg [Page] of God, he shall suddenly see him as he is; and that as he has been long endeavouring after a Conformity to him,1 John 3. 2 he shall not only see him, but be like him too: That as all the Powers of his Soul have been dedicated to his Service, so they shall be in a little time intirely fill'd with his Glory, and incessantly employ'd in his Praise; Rom. 6. 13 and as the Members of his Body have been fellow-Servants of Righteousness with the Faculties of his Soul,1 Cor. 15. 42, 43, 44. so their refin'd Matter and elegant Form at the Resurrection shall render them fit to become their Partners in Glory.

Thus have we made it evident, that the Time of our Youth is in many respects the best and fittest for the Great Work of remembering our Maker, and of engaging in his Service; and this, even upon the Supposition of our being sure of obtaining an opportunity of repenting in old Age, tho we should not reform before.

But we have further to shew, that as the Time of Youth is the Best; so it may be, and is most likely to be the only Season wherein it will be possible for [Page] us to devote our selves to our Creator, or wherein our Service will be acceptable to him: Which gives us the clearest proof of all, of the Danger and Folly of neglecting to consecrate to him the Morning of our Days. But the Consideration of this we shall refer to another Discourse.

THE Reasonableness & Advantages OF AN Early Conversion to God DEMONSTRATED. SERMON III.

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ECCLES. xii. 1.‘Remember now thy Creator in the Days of thy Youth, while the Evil Days come not, nor the Years draw nigh when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.’

TO the Disadvantages of delaying Conversion till the evil Days of old Age, and the Advantages of devoting one's self to the Service of God in Youth, which we have already insisted [Page] on, we have this one farther Consideration to add, viz. That

4. Our Eternal Interest is extremely hazarded by deferring Conversion to old Age, and best secur'd by an early change▪ For

(1.) We are always uncertain of future Time for the accomplishment of this Important Work. Our Time is at the Disposal of our Maker; and he has not entrusted our lavish hands with the whole stock of this precious Treasure, but only suffers it to run through them by Moments; so that we can recal no past, nor can we command any future Time, 'tis therefore our Business to improve the present; being ignorant how long the Divine Bounty will continue our Time in this World. Upon this account the wise Man instructs us well, not to boast our selves of to Morrow, Prov. 27. 1 seeing we know not what a Day may bring forth: And the Prophet Isaiah reprehends the folly of those that encourage one another to go on in sinful Excesses, by profanely promising themselves,Isa. 56. 12. that to Morrow should be as the present Day, and much more abundant. The Apostle Iames also shews the Vanity of such foolish Presumptions: [Page] Go to now (says he) ye that say,James 4, 13, 14, 15.to day, or to morrow, we will go into such a City, and continue there a Year, and buy and sell, and get Gain; whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow: for what is your Life? It is even a Vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away: For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this or that.

And Experience, as well as Scripture, assures us,Psal. 39. 6. that every Man walks in a vain shew; and that Man (in this respect) even at his best Estate is altogether Vanity: V. 5. That some die in their full strength,Job 21. 23, 24, 25.being wholly at ease and quiet; their Breasts being full of Milk, and their Bones moisten'd with Marrow: As others die in the bitterness of their Souls, and never eat with pleasure: That they lie down alike in the Dust, and the Worms cover 'em. 'Tis evident to every one's observation that Youth does not exempt us from Death, nor ensure to us any farther portion of Time than what we at present enjoy. But on the contrary, that the far greater number of Mankind go early to the Grave; and for one that reaches to old Age a multitude fall short of it.

[Page] Nor is it an uncommon thing for Persons of the most vigorous and hardy Constitution of Body to be suddenly snatch'd away into the other World by some violent Disease, or otherwise: For so many fatal Strokes are we obnoxious to; and so frail is the Texture of our Earthly Tabernacle, that some of the least and most contemptible things in the World are capable of giving it a mortal shock; and the very Pores of the Skin sometimes prove Breaches wide enough for the King of Terrors to enter in at.Job 18. 14.

This is well enough known, and often enough thought upon by the generality of Men, to engage them to use Precautions to secure themselves or their Posterity, as much as they can, from the prejudice their temporal Affairs might otherwise receive from sudden Death. And the Rate an Estate for Life is usually valued at, sufficiently shews, that to such purposes as these Men need not be taught to know their End, Psal. 39. 4. and the measure of their Days what it is, that they may know how frail they are.

[Page] And if there be no comparison between Earth and Heaven, between the uncertain Wealth of this World, and the durable Riches of the other, between this Life and that which is to come: Then 'tis infinitely more imprudent for a Man to neglect but for a moment,2 Pet. 1. 10. to make his Calling and Election sure, (whatever future Time here his Youth and Strength may seem to promise) than for him carelesly to suffer the security of his temporal Estate to depend merely on the uncertain Life of another Man, when he need not put it to that hazard; or to expose his Posterity to Poverty and Misery by omitting to make due provision for them against his own Mortality, when he has a fair opportunity of doing it.

'Tis Folly and Madness to leave that undone to day, which must be done at one time or other, or else we are ruin'd for ever, and which may (for ought we know) be impossible to be perform'd to morrow: To neglect to improve the present Time in doing that on which our eternal Bliss depends; when the precious opportunity of doing it may the next moment by sudden Death or some [Page] stupifying Disease become irreparable.

Even the Impious Atheist, and the Profane Epicure make speedy provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof; Rom. 13. 14. from the consideration of the shortness and uncertainty of their Time in this World, and seek to gratify and indulge their Senses to day, because they are not sure of doing it to morrow.Isa. 22. 13.Let us eat and drink (say they) for to morrow we shall die: 1 Cor. 15. 32. And they have so far reason on their side, in that they act in Conformity to their Principles, because their Hope is only in this Life, and they profess not to expect another. How unaccountably stupid then are they, who tho they believe there is a future State after this Life,Eccl. 9. 5. and tho they know that they shall die, and that they know not how soon, yet in their vain Imaginations put the evil Day of Death afar off, Amos 6. 3. and defer from time to time the great Work of laying up Treasure in Heaven, Ezek. 12. 27. till the Season of doing it is irretrievably lost!Mat. 19. 21. And in vain is so precious a Talent as Time put into the hands of such Fools,Prov. 17. 16.who have no heart to improve it.

[Page] If the wise Man argues rightly when he excites to diligence even in the ordinary Affairs of this Life, because of the speedy approach of Death: This Reason infinitely multiplies its force when apply'd to our present purpose, and may therefore most fitly be used to stir us up to an early and diligent improvement of the Time of Youth in the Service of God,Eccl. 9▪ [...]0. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do (says he) do it with thy Might; for there is no Work, nor Device, nor Knowledg, nor Wisdom in the Grave, whither Thou goest—For Man also knoweth not his Time:Ver. 12.as the Fishes that are taken in an evil Net, and as the Birds that are caught in the Snare; so are the Sons of Men snared in an evil Time, when it falleth suddenly upon them. 'Tis therefore our prudence and interest,John 9. 4. to work while 'tis day, seeing we know not how soon the night may come upon us, wherein no Man can work. But further,

(2.) If our Time were in our own hands,Psa. 31. 15. as it is in the hand of God, so that we could extend it many Years beyond the ordinary Course of Life; or if we had the certain fore-knowledg of the limits which the Almighty has fix'd toJob 7. 1. [Page] our Days,Job 14. 5. if we knew the number of our Months, and any of us could read our selves antient in the Book of the Divine Decrees, this could by no means justify or excuse our Negligence, if we should thereupon presume to delay our Conversion till towards the Close of our Time, because of the uncertainty of the continuance of the Day of God's Patience and Grace. For as the Days of our Lives are uncertain, so is the Day of Grace too; and as those are very short, so this may be much shorter,Luk. 19. 44 and we may soon out-live the Time of our Visitation from Heaven,Ver. 42. and so the things that belong to our Peace may be finally hidden from our Eyes.

'Tis infinite Mercy in the Great and Holy God to give a wretched Sinner one Smile, one single offer of Reconciliation; and 'tis great Ingratitude and Folly in a guilty Creature but once to refuse to hearken to so Gracious a Call. But what words can express the Goodness and Condescension of the Almighty to a miserable Worm, when he importunately repeats the Terms of Peace to invite, 2 Cor. 5. 20. nay to beseech him to be reconciled to him! And how provoking must the [Page] guilt of that Sinner be, who, after all this kindness of God towards him, stops his Ears at his Counsel,Psal. 58. 4, 5. like the deaf Adder that will not hearken to the Voice of Charmers, charming never so wisely! And therefore 'tis not to be wonder'd at, if his abused Patience and Mercy be turn'd into Indignation and Wrath: And thus it often comes to pass,2 Thes. 2. 10, 11, 12. Because Men receive not the love of the Truth, that they might be saved; God sends them strong Delusion, that they should believe a Lie, and that they all may be damned, who believe not the Truth, but have pleasure in Vnrighteousness. 2 Cor. 2. 16. And the Word of God instead of being the savour of Life unto Life, Jer. 44. 10, 11. becomes the savour of Death unto Death to them.2 Chron. 30. 8. Thus the Righteous God sets his Face against them that stiffen their Necks against him,Neh. 9. 16. and hardens their Hearts in Judgment,Rom. 9. 18 who themselves have harden'd them against the offers of Mercy.Exo. 8. 15. If the declining Church of Ephesus was threaten'd with the removal of her Candlestick, Acts 19. 9. in case she refus'd to hearken to the Voice of our Saviour,Rev. 2. 4, 5. when he call'd her to Repentance; how justly may every impenitent Sinner fear the speedy ending of the [Page] Day of Grace to him? And if at one Sermon of the Apostle Paul's,Acts 28. 23—28. as some of the Iews, his Auditors, were converted, so others of them were judicially sealed up in hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, (the most dreadful punishment on this side Hell) and the Gospel, which they had rejected and despis'd, was suddenly snatch'd from them to be carried to the ignorant Heathen: Is it not still to be fear'd, that they that defer to yield themselves to the obedience of Faith, Rom. 1. 5. when the glad Tidings of Salvation have been again and again publish'd to them,Heb. 3. 19. may utterly fall short of Happiness by this their Obstinacy and Vnbelief? Heb. 12. 16, 17. And if profane Esau, who for one morsel of Meat sold his Birth-right, was afterwards rejected, when he would have inherited the Blessing, and found no place of Repentance, tho he sought it carefully with Tears; How justly may God reject them,Acts 7. 51. who have often resisted the Spirit of Grace? Prov. 5. 11 And suffer them to mourn at last without pity in their greatest Distress,Eph. 4. 30. who have often griev'd the Holy Spirit in gratifying their sinful Inclinations? And seeing he has said his Spirit shall not always strive with Men, Gen. 6. 3. who [Page] knows how soon he may shut up his tender Mercies in Displeasure against those that have long rebell'd against him;Psal. 77. 9. and swear in his Wrath,Ps. 95. 11.that they shall never enter into his Rest? Heb. 3. 18. How soon he may accomplish that terrible Threatening he has pronounc'd against the Impenitent, He that hardens his Neck,Prov. 29. 1▪being often reprov'd, shall suddenly be destroy'd, and that without Remedy?

(3.) There is not only a possibility or a bare likelihood of the expiration of the Day of Grace, to those that spend the best of their Time in Rebellion against their Maker, before they arrive at old Age: But on the contrary, there is only a possibility, and no likelihood, that the Holy Spirit should continue to strive with them at the winding up of their Days, who through the greatest part of their Time have resisted his Counsels and Motions. And 'tis not only Reason that furnishes us with proofs of this from the Soveraignty and Justice of God consider'd with the great Aggravations of Impenitency under the means of Grace, or the Threatnings in the Holy Scripture that plainly include this danger, (as appears from the last Head insisted on) but [Page] Experience joins issue in this matter, and evinces that what our Saviour says of Rich Men, may with as much reason and force be applied to old Sinners, namely, That 'tis easier for a Camel to pass through the eye of a Needle,Mar. 19. 24than for such to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. And if this Saying seem severe to any, in respect of these last, as it did to the Disciples of Christ,Ver. 25. in regard of the other, it cannot justly be soften'd with any farther addition than that which our Saviour subjoin'd to qualify his words in the first case,Ver. 26. viz. That nothing is impossible with God. 'Tis a thing possible, because all things are so to God, but very unlikely, and not to be often expected; and when at any time it comes to pass, God may be said to make a step out of the ordinary method of the Dispensation of his Grace, somewhat like that he makes, when he works a Miracle in the Sphere of Nature. In this matter (I say) one may safely appeal to Experience. Let any one that is acquainted with a considerable number of pious and aged Persons, ask each of them from what time he dates his Conversion; and for one that has had that happy Change [Page] wrought on his Soul, since he became Old, he shall find many that turn'd to God in the strength and verdure of their Youth.

And can there be a greater instance given then of the deceitfulness of Sin, Heb. 3. 13. and of the bewitching power it has over the common Sense and Reason of Mankind, than we have in the vain promises of Repentance in old Age, wherewith so many flatter themselves, and by which they seem to hope to render God propitious to them? Is any kind of Folly so great in its Degree, or so dangerous in its Consequences as this? For Mortals to lull themselves asleep in Sin, and sing a stupifying Requiem to their Souls, while they hang on the brink of eternal Perdition, when their vain Hope has merely this uncertain foundation, That there is a bare possibility, that their old Age may be accepted of God, tho they spend their Youth in sinning against him? What an unparallel'd presumption! For a Man to neglect to make provision for his everlasting Bliss at present, only because 'tis not absolutely impossible that he may do it in time to come: To refuse the present improvement of the Time of Grace God [Page] is now pleas'd to allow him, because the Divine Goodness can afford him the like advantage hereafter; tho 'tis very improbable that he will grant it to so presumptuous a Criminal! Will any Man fall without fear upon the point of his Sword, because 'tis possible he may not receive a mortal Wound by it? Is any Man so mad as to poison himself with the most subtile Venom, because he thinks there is some possibility of his obtaining an Antidote? Or will any one in his Wits carelesly suffer his Body to languish under a violent Disease, without seeking for Cure, till his strength is almost quite exhausted, and he's ready to expire, thinking himself secure enough of Recovery, because 'tis not utterly impossible, that a Man may be restor'd to Health when almost reduc'd to the last Gasp by violent Sickness? No, Men are more careful of their Bodies than to hazard 'em at this rate, how careless soever they are of their Souls: They are prudent in the Affairs of this Life, but act after the most absurd and improvident manner, about the great Concerns of the World to come.

[Page] But whether we will act reasonably or no, what has been argu'd does abundantly demonstrate that it is both highly reasonable and advantageous for young Persons to devote themselves to the Service of their Creator in the Days of their Youth; and that 'tis as dangerous as 'tis unreasonable to defer that important Work to the Days of old Age, which are very uncertain, in that we know not whether we shall attain them or not; and, if we do, will prove so evil, if this great Business of our Lives be till then neglected, that we shall have occasion to complain that we have no pleasure in them.

I shall now endeavour to improve the things I have insisted on, by way of Application.

And shall address my self;

1. To those that are advanc'd in Years.

2. To those who have not yet exceeded the Days of Youth.

First, As for you that are advanc'd in Years:

[Page] What has been said must needs offer you an occasion to enquire of your own Consciences, Whether you have dedicated your selves to the Service of God, or not? Whether you have yet remember'd your Creator in the sense of our Text, and are truly converted to him.

If you have not so remember'd him, consider,

(1.) How extremely dangerous your Case is. Can you be secure on the very brink of Destruction? Surely 'tis more than high time for you to awake,Rom. 13. 11.lest you sleep the sleep of Death. It will be a Miracle of Grace,Psal. 13. 3. if ever you be recover'd out of the Snare of the Devil,2 Tim. 2. 26.who have been so long led Captive by him at his Will. It has been your great folly to defer to Lay up in store for your selves a good foundation against the Time to come, 1 Tim. 6. 19. till now; but your folly in deferring it longer will still increase together with your guilt and danger; of which if you are sensible, seek immediately to escape: Fly from the Wrath to come, Mar. 3. 7. which is hastening toward you; for tho you may carelesly slumber,2 Pet. 2, 3. your Damnation slumbers not, but will soon overtake you, if [Page] you don't speedily awake to righteousness, 1 Cor. 15. 34. and to the serious remembrance of your Creator;Psal. 9. 17. for the Wicked shall be turned into Hell, and all the Nations that FORGET God. If any of you have vainly flatter'd your selves all your Days with the presumptuous thoughts of having still time enough before you for the great Work of your Conversion: Let me warn and exhort every such person in the words of the Apostle Peter to Simon Magus;Acts 8. 22, 23.Repent of this thy Wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine Heart may be forgiven thee; For I perceive that thou art in the gall of Bitterness, and in the bond of Iniquity. And to Day, while 'tis call'd to Day, remember your Maker,Heb. 3. 13. lest any of you be further harden'd through the deceitfulness of Sin.

(2.) If you are convinc'd of the folly and sinfulness of your Neglect; Do not absolutely conclude, 'tis now too late to obtain Mercy, nor continue that neglect by Despair, which you have long persisted in by Presumption. As you cannot set limits to the Iustice of God, so neither can you measure his Long-suffering and Goodness: Therefore you ought [Page] not now to say,Psal. 77. 7, 8, 9. His Mercies are quite gone for ever, and he will be favourable no more. Encourage your selves to turn to God, and to rely on his Mercy, at least with the same Argument the famish'd Lepers us'd to engage one another to throw themselves on the Compassion of the Syrian Army.2 Rings 7. 3, 4. Why sit we here (say they) until we Die? If we say we will enter into the City, then the Famine is in the City, and we shall Die there: And if we sit still here, we Die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the Host of the Syrians; if they save us alive, we shall Live, and if they kill us, we shall but Die. Reason with your selves after the like manner. Why sit we still in a state of the greatest danger? If after the sense of our danger, we return to our former Course of Life, we must perish; if we remain in our present posture, and neglect to try the Father of Mercies, whether he will commiserate such inveterate Sinners, we inevitably perish too. Let us cast our selves at his Feet; if he'll save us, we shall live eternally; if he refuse, we can but perish. Say as David did (in another case,)2 Sam. 16. 1 [...]. It may be the LORD will look on our Affliction. Venture to [Page] prostrate your selves at the Throne of Grace,Esth. 4. 16. as Queen Esther did at the Feet of the Persian Monarch, with an (If I perish, I perish): And who knows, but the Scepter of Divine Mercy may yet tender you a Pardon? 'Tis possible that the Prodigal may be accepted, tho he return late to his Father's House;Luk. 15. 20▪ and that God may place you among the rare Instances of his free and soveraign Grace. And if you are deeply sensible of your past Iniquity, and earnestly groan for a Change in your Souls, for a New and Pure Heart and a right Spirit; Ps. 51. 10. 'tis to be hop'd, that God, whose Compassions are infinite, has now at last open'd your Eyes, that you might not sleep the sleep of eternal Death; Psal. 13. 3. has made you hunger and thirst after Righteousness, Mat. 5. 6. with a design to satisfy you, and has wounded your Spirits by a Godly Sorrow, 2 Cor. 7. 10▪ with a purpose to heal them with the Oil of Ioy, Isa. 61. 3. with the Comforts of his Free Spirit. Ps. 51. 1 [...] ▪ You have run a strange Venture to delay a Work of this nature, and of this consequence till now; but if God has given you deep and serious Repentance, he designs you favour; and your Contrition give hope of a Pardon. [Page] Let the wicked forsake his Way,Isa. 55. 7.and the unrighteous Man his Thoughts, and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have Mercy on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. But

2. If you are truly converted, 'tis your Happiness and Honour.Prov. 16. 31. The hoary Head is a Crown of Glory, if it be found in the way of Righteousness.

But did you consecrate to your Creator the Flower of your Youth? Or have you only offer'd him your later Years?

It may be,Mat. 20. 5, 6. you began to work in his Vineyard but at the Tenth or Eleventh Hour, or at least since your Sun has been declining. If so, then

(1.) Admire and adore that Grace of God, which kept back your feet from Destruction, when you were ready to step into eternal Misery, and indulgently pluck'd you out of the way of approaching Ruine,Gen. 19. 16, 17. as the blessed Angels did Lot, to secure him from the impending Shower of Fire and Brimstone, which threaten'd Sodom, when he linger'd in that vicious and accursed City. How can you choose but reflect with astonishment on the Danger you have [Page] escap'd, and bless that Divine Hand that kindly diverted you from that presumptuous Course, that was ready to cast you on a Rock, on which you have seen so many dash themselves in pieces. Praise him (I say) who has sav'd you from so great, 2 Cor. 1. 10. and so near a Death; and remember'd you in Mercy, when you had forgotten him Days without number. Jer. 2. 32.

(2.) Let the sincerity of your Thankfulness, and of your Repentance too appear, by the improvement of that little portion of Time which you have yet remaining. Redeem your Time, Eph. 5. 16. now at least, because the Days are evil. Improve the evil Days of old Age with the utmost Diligence, since the better Days of Youth are past recalling. Evidence both to your selves and to others, that your late Repentance is true, by such an industrious management of your remaining Days, as may convince the World, that 'tis no small grief of Heart to you, that your Repentance was so late. Recover your lost Time as much as possible by your present diligence, and let none of your precious Moments for the future be heedlesly expended,Philip. 2. 12. but husband 'em well in working out your Salvation with [Page]fear and trembling. Let your frequent hours, and acts of Devotion, make up the long want your selves have had of those sacred Privileges that attend the Exercises of Holy Worship, and thereby make restitution (as much as in you lies) to your Creator, for the Sacrilege you have often committed, in robbing him of those pious Offerings, those continual Sacrifices with which you should daily have furnished his Altar. Let your Example be as beneficial to Mankind, as it has been injurious: And as you have tempted others to Sin, strive now to incite them to Piety. If you bear the Character of Parents or Masters, labour to convince those young Persons, who are under the influence of your Counsel, or the awe of your Authority, of the great Advantages of an early Conversion: And let them know you now seriously lament the past Follies of your Youth: That as your ill Counsels, and vicious Patterns have long made you Partakers of other Mens Sins; 1 Tim. 5. 22. so your Religious Exhortations and good Examples, may obtain on your Acquaintance, and those that are under your Conduct, so as to intitle you (in some [Page] sort) to other Mens Vertues. In a word, remember that you are under a special Obligation, that (as the Apostle speaks) you should no longer live the rest of your Time in the Flesh to the Lusts of Men,1 Pet. 4. 2, 3.but to the Will of God. For the Time past of your Life may suffice to have wrought the Will of the gentiles, when ye walked in Lasciviousness, Lusts, excess of Wine, Revellings, Banquetings, and abominable Idolatries.

If your Case be otherwise, and you began early to give your selves up to the Service of your Creator:

(1.) Bless and magnify that God who was the Guide of your Youth; Jer. 3. 4. who wrought that happy Change on your Souls, who were Children of Wrath by Nature as well as others. Eph. 2. 3. What copious Subjects of Praise will your Experience furnish you withal, when you reflect on the long Series of Divine Favours, that have attended you through the various Parts and Changes of Life! And what a pleasant Review may you take of a well-spent Life, directed to the Glory of God, and conducted by his Grace! What matter of thanksgiving may you find in the many Assurances of his Love, and in the Evidences of the Work of his Grace [Page] upon your Souls; and in the frequent and familiar prospect he has given your Faith of that invisible and ineffable Glory you have been so long aspiring after, and are now so near enjoying! You have reason to bless your Creator, as well for preventing your commission of the many Sins you have escap'd, as for forgiving of those you have committed: For preserving your Innocence on many occasions, as well as for pardoning your Guilt on others; for making you happy so soon by an early Conversion, and for giving you the hope of a distinguishing Crown of Glory; for honouring the best of your Time by accepting it in his Service; and for sweetning the worst of it (the evil Days of old Age) with all the Comforts which the Reflection on a Life of Grace, and all the Joys which the prospect of a Life of Glory can inspire.Ps. 149. 6. Surely the high Praises of God should be in your Mouths; for (to use the Words of Christ on that solemn occasion when his Disciples cry'd Hosanna to him) I tell you,Luk. 19. 40if you should hold your Peace, the Stones would immediately cry out.

[Page] (2.) You ought to manifest the truth of your early Conversion by the extent of your Knowledg in Divine Things, and by the warmth of your Affection to them. I write unto you, Fathers, 1 John 2. 13, 14. (says the Apostle Iohn) because you have known him that is from the beginning. Both God and Men expect that your growth both in Knowledg and in Grace, should bear some proportion to the Time you have spent in the School of Christ; that you should be the tallest Cedars in Lebanon, that have been so long planted there; and the most fruitful Vines, that have been so often water'd with the River of God. Seeing you are not Babes, Psal. [...]5. 9. either in regard of the time you have liv'd in the World, or of that you have spent in the Church of God; but Persons of full Age,Heb. 5. 13, 14.who by reason of use ought to have your Senses exercis'd to discern both good and evil: Let it not be said of you,Ver. 12. that when for the Time you ought to be Teachers, you have need that one teach you again which be the first Principles of the Oracles of God, and that you are again become such as have need of Milk and not of strong Meat: Or that you are of the number of those, [Page] who are over learning,2 Tim. 3. 7.and never able to come to the Knowledg of the Truth. You should be greatly mortified to this World, who have a long time profess'd to be convinc'd of its Vanity, and to be dying daily to it; 1 Cor. 15. 31. and who find old Age ready to transport you to the other. And since you have long pretended to have had your Conversation and business in Heaven, [...]. certainly you ought to have gain'd much by that happy Commerce; Phil. 3. 20. and to have laid up much Treasure in the Regions of Glory, as well as to have been rich in good Works here below:1 Tim. 6. 18. and you should be dextrous in putting on and handling the Christian Armour, Eph. 6. 11.—18. who have often had occasion to try it: And so skilful in defeating the Projects of your Adversary the Devil,2 Cor. 2. 11. (since you are suppos'd not to be ignorant of his Devices) as after the sharpest Conflicts to become more than Conquerors through him that hath loved you.Rom. 8. [...]7.

These things may reasonably be suppos'd and expected of you. But do you fill up these Characters that so well agree with your long standing in the Church of God? Are you Fathers in Knowledg and Piety as well as in Years? And is [Page] the size of your Spiritual Stature pro. portionate to the time of your Natural Life, or at least of your Spiritual Life, which commenc'd not long after the other? Are you become very humble by a long acquaintance with your own Hearts, and with that God who is the searcher of them?Jer. 1 [...]. [...]. Is your Faith become strong by a long exercise? Your Hope firm by your long and familiar acquaintance with the Promises of God, and with him in whom all those Promises are Yea and Amen [True and Faithful]?2 Cor. [...]. 20. Have your various Afflictions taught you to possess your Souls in Patience? Luke 21. 19. And have the many Favours you have received of God so tun'd your Hearts to his Praise,1 Thess. 5. 18. that you can in every thing give thanks? Does your spiritual vigour advance, as your natural Strength declines? And is your inward Man renew'd day by day,2 Cor. 4. 16.as your outward Man perishes? Have you made such a Proficiency as this in Religion? Or is it otherwise? Examine your selves strictly and seriously about it. May not your Creator send you back to learn of those that are much younger, and who have had less Advantages of Improvement than you? [Page] Nay may he not send you back to be instructed by your selves, I mean, by the former part of your Lives? And shame your late Back-slidings, by putting you in mind of your early Zeal? May he not justly reprove you in reminding you of your former Kindnesses to him (as well as of his to you) as he did the Iews of old;Jer. 2. 2, 3. and say, I remember thee, the kindness of thy Youth, and the love of thy Espousals, when thou wentest after me in the Wilderness, in a Land that was not sown: Israel was Holiness to the LORD, and the first-fruits of his Increase? May he not charge you as he did the Ephesians, Rev. [...]. 4, 5. with having left your first Love? And with having fallen short of your first Works?

Surely it becomes you now strenuously to persist in fighting the good Fight of Faith, 1 Tim. 6. 12. when you are near the consummation of all your Victories in an eternal Triumph:Philip. 3. 13, 14. To press forward vigorously in your spiritual Race now at last, when you have almost attain'd the Mark; and to aspire earnestly after that Diadem of Glory, with which you are so suddenly to be crown'd: To converse constantly in Heaven, now you are [Page] just forsaking the Earth; to live entirely by Faith,Heb. 11. 13. since you are going to die in it;Rev. 14. 13. to die in the Lord, and that in order to live with him in a State that will turn your Faith into Vision,1 Cor. 13. 12. and your Hope into Enjoyment.

If thus while Age bends you toward the Earth, Grace raises your Hearts toward Heaven; if your Faith grows sagacious, while your Eyes grow dim; and your Hope grows firm, while your Hands and Knees are feeble; if the Warmth of your Love to God increases as your natural Heat abates; and the Sallies of your Souls after him grow strong and lively, as the Motions of your animal Spirits grow weak and languid: Then, as your last Works will be more than your first, Rev. 2. 5. so you'll honour God as well in the worst part of your Time,—Primis sic major Gratia Pomis; as you have done in the best of it.Hybernae pretium sic meruêre Rosae. And as by bringing forth much fruit even in old Age, Psal. 92. 14. you will glorify your Heavenly Father: Joh. 15. 8. So your Hoary Hairs will be honourable in this World, and an exceeding and eternal weight of Glory will be your Portion in the World to come. 2 Cor. 4. 17.

[Page] Secondly, Let me now address my self to you that are Young; and entreat you also to put this important Question to your own Hearts, Whether you have yet remember'd your Creator, so as to dedicate your selves to his Service, or not?

If you have devoted to him the firstfruits of your Time:

1. It behoves you with profound Humility and Reverence to ascribe to God the Glory of his Grace, who made you willing in the Day of his Power to serve him in the Beauties of Holiness, Ps. 110. 3. even from the Womb of the Morning of your Time, and to offer him the early Dew of your Youth: For no Flesh may glory in his Presence; 1 Cor. 1. 20. seeing all Flesh is Grass,Isa. 40. 6.and the goodliness thereof as the fading Flower of the Field, 1 Pet. 1. 24. in a Moral as well as a Natural sense. If you have been distinguish'd from others by early impressions of Piety; know,1 Cor. 4. 7. that 'tis Grace that hath made the difference, Psal. 8. 2. and glorify that God,Mat. 21. 16. who perfects his praise out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings; luke 10. 21. and reveals that to Children, which he sometimes hides from the Wise and Prudent. Bless him that has [Page] redeem'd you from the Earth,Rev. 14. 3, 4.and from among Men, at a time when the Pleasures of Sin, and the Society of Sinners appear in the most alluring form. Praise that God, who by the early Seeds of Holiness he has sown in your Hearts, is preparing you to reap a plentiful Harvest of Graces and Blessings here, and of Glorious Rewards hereafter.

2. Consider the mighty Obligations that are upon you to engage you in a Holy Conversation. As you have receiv'd more than many others, more is requir'd of you: And what we have said may be justly expected to be found in those old Disciples that have follow'd Christ from their Youth, sufficiently signifies the Mark you are to aim at; and the exalted degrees of Grace you are to aspire to. In order to which you ought to be cautious of the least degree of Apostacy. Have a care, lest after having seem'd to begin in the Spirit,Gal. 3. 3.you should miserably end in the Flesh. 2 Tim. 2. 22. Therefore flee youthful Lusts. Ver. 3. And endure hardship as good Soldiers of Iesus Christ: Inure your selves to Self-denial;Col. 3. 1, 2. and set your Affections on things above.Mat. 26. 41Watch and [Page]pray, that you may not enter into Temptation, or at least that your Faith may not fail you, Luk. 22. 32 when you are tempted: And to that end read and meditate on the Word of God Day and Night, Psal. 1. 2. that you may know how to manage that Sword of the Spirit, Eph. 6. 17. so as to wound the Head of your potent and subtle Adversary.1 John 2. 13, 14. I write unto you young Men (saith the Apostle Iohn) because you are strong, and the Word of God abideth in you, and you have overcome the wicked one. Govern your selves in every thing by the exact Rule of the Holy Scripture;Ps. 119. 9. For wherewith shall a young Man cleanse his way, but by taking heed thereto according to that Divine Word? Take heed lest the Holy Religion you profess be dishonour'd by your Practices: Let your manner of Life be so circumspect and unreproachable, that it may stop the Mouths of Blasphemers; stop them did I say? Nay that it may open them in favour of Religion, that when they see your good Works they may be induc'd to glorify your Heavenly Father, Mat. 5. 16. and to worship him, and to confess that God is in you of a Truth. 1 Cor. 14. 25. Let a becoming Modesty and Gravity adorn your Conversation: Let [Page]your Speech be always with Grace, season'd with Salt:Col. 4. 6.Let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your Mouths,Eph. 4. 29.but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister Grace to the Hearers. Provoke others to a Holy Emulation by the lustre of your Examples, and choose the excellent Patterns of the most devout and experienc'd Christians for your own Imitation. Let your Zeal be constantly directed by Knowledg, and your Knowledg always ballasted by Humility. In a word,Psal. 16. 8. Set the Lord always before your Faces, that you may not sin against him. Remember your Creator, what he is, and what Homage and Service you owe him:Rom. 12. 1. Remember how reasonable that Service is, and how entirely your true Interest and Happiness is involv'd in it, and industriously improve all the Advantages of your Time to the Glory of him, who is the God of your Life; Psal. 42. 8. that if you live to be aged, you may be able to make happy Reflections on your Youth; and on the endearing Favours of him that has been with you from your Youth to old Age,Isa. 46. 4. and has carried you (as the Prophet speaks) even to hoary Hairs: That coming to the Grave in a full Age, [Page] you may be like shocks of Corn that come in in their season, Job. 5. 26. fully ripen'd and prepar'd for Heaven: Or if you are called to lie down in the Grave before, that you may be ripe for Glory, and made meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in light betimes;Col. 1. 12. that your Names may be great on Earth, and your Rewards may be great in Heaven.

As for you that are still Young, but have not yet made an offering of your Youth to your Creator:

(1.) Let me ask you, What hinders you from presenting so reasonable a Service to him? You have seen that the reason of this Duty, which our Text urges, is founded in your very Being, in the Relation you bear to the Almighty as his Creatures; and since your greatest Interest too is embarked in it, Why should so just, and so useful an Exhortation be rejected? Will you yet continue to rob your Maker of the Homage and Service you owe him? And deprive your selves of the Honour and Privilege of serving him? Will you yet be unmindful of the Rock that begat you, Deut. 32. 18. and still forget the God that form'd you? Is the great God ready to accept your Service, [Page] and will you still refuse to offer it? What Illusions of Sense are those that charm you? What Bonds of Iniquity are those that captivate your Souls,Act. [...]. 23. and hold you, both against the forcible Arguments, and the indulgent Invitations of the Divine Word?

As we have taken a view of the Arguments that oblige you to your Duty; let us also, to remove the chief Stumbling-blocks that obstruct your way, enquire a little into the pretended Reasons that detain you in your Sin.

Will you say, ‘'Tis a rigorous Demand to require us to forsake the World almost as soon as we come into it; and to renounce the charming Sweets wherewith it flatters our Senses, even before we have so much as tasted many of the Pleasures to which it invites us: And this in that part of our Life, that gives us the highest relish of these Delights, when our Senses are most lively and active, and when the World shews it self most obliging and kind, and presents us on every side with thousands of pleasant Objects?’

[Page] But tell me, Are the Promises of the World like the Promises of God? Are those Pleasures, the highest relish of which vanishes (by your own confession) together with your Youth, and so may be soon out liv'd by your selves, to be compar'd with the eternal Joys of Heaven? Are the Smiles of the World, and the Pleasures of Sense to be preferr'd to the Smiles of God, and the Joy of a good Conscience here, and to the refin'd and spiritual Delights of the other World? Is a Life of Sin, which will prove bitterness in the latter end of it, 2 Sam. 2. 26. which is enjoy'd but a few Moments, but follow'd with the gnawings of a Worm that never dies, Mar. 9. 44. to be chosen before a Life of Holiness, which is accompanied with inward Peace in the Soul, and follow'd with Immortal Glory and Pleasure? Is it worth the while to purchase a few hours delight in gratifying your sordid and brutish Appetites, with the loss of your precious Souls? Will you rather hazard an eternal privation of the Joys of Heaven, and expose your selves to the danger of everlasting Perdition, than curb the extravagant Inclinations of your vain and sensual Hearts? Will you [Page] still flatter the levity and unsteadiness of your youthful Minds, in pursuing all the vain Fantoms your extravagant Imaginations can represent? Will you continue to follow those gay Bubbles, which will yield you scarce any thing but Disappointment, Vexation and Guilt; when you are invited to fix your Minds and your Hearts on your Creator, to make him the Object of your Thoughts and of your Desires, who gives his Votaries the Hope of Immortal Glory, which produces in their Souls a great degree of Happiness at present, and who will hereafter fill them with Joys infinitely beyond the most raised Expectation?

Will you further urge, ‘But we have no mind to be singular, to distinguish our selves from the generality of Mankind by an Affectation of a strict Course of Life; and that at an Age, when every one allows the Senses an Indulgence. There is a proper season for every thing. Youth is the Time for Pleasure, and Old Age for Repentance; for the latter part of our Lives seems destin'd to trouble and sorrow: And then 'tis fit [Page] to live a spiritual Life, when Age has deaden'd the Senses, and so prepar'd us to live after that abstracted manner.’

And is it not as easy as 'tis reasonable to reply, That 'tis a foolish Scrupulosity to be so careful to avoid Singularity as to run from it into a Common Destruction: To refuse to be holy and happy, and to choose Sin and Misery,Mat. 7. 13, 14. because the way to Life is narrow and unfrequented, and the way to Damnation broad and full of Company? Is not this a vain affectation of Conformity to the World, for you to follow a Multitude to do evil, Exod. 23. 2. tho their Ways lead to Hell, and go down to the Chambers of Death; Prov. 7. 27. to abandon your selves to the Torrent of evil Examples, tho they drown you in Perdition; 1 Tim. 6. 9. to sacrifice your own eternal Interest in complaisance to the Custom and Humour of other Men,Psal. 1. 1. and V. 6. and to walk in the Counsel of the Vngodly, tho you damn your selves for Company?

And because some rather seem to pity, (or even indulge) than blame many of the Follies of Youth, partly from the Consideration of their Vnexperience and giddiness of Mind, and of their great [Page] Propensity to carnal Pleasures; partly because Custom has render'd the Vices of Youth familiar to the World, and partly because many of those that are advanc'd in Years, instead of reflecting on their youthful Vanities with Sorrow, are yet so insensible, as to look back upon them as excusable Follies, or as Sins of small consequence; must therefore an Opinion that has so rotten a foundation, obtain Credit in the World, as if it were a Maxim of undoubted Truth? Does the Holy Scripture, or Reason allow Youth any such Dispensation for Sin? Is so great an Evil to be at any time indulg'd? Is any scope in Vice allowable to the Time of Youth any more than to the Time of Old Age? Is not Sin always evil, and always to be avoided? Can you think it deserves the very best of your Time, and that your Creator is unworthy of such an Offering?

You have heard it sufficiently prov'd that Youth is the most proper Time of all, and Old Age the most unfit for the great Business of Conversion to God; that 'tis the greatest proof of the Reality of our Self-denial, when we restrain the vicious Inclinations of our Youth, [Page] that are so eager after sensual Pleasures: And that an aged Sinner is so far from being likely to be a true Penitent, that the long Time he has been hardening himself in his Wickedness, renders the Change of his Heart impossible, without a more than ordinary effort of Grace, which God is seldom pleas'd to grant to them that are grown old in Wickedness.

Will you say after this, ‘God whose Mercies are infinite, is Gracious enough to receive us into his Vineyard at the last hour of the Day; and to give us a place in Paradise; if, like the Thief on the Cross, we begin to repent, when we are ceasing to live; and we may hope to die happily, tho we have liv'd viciously?’

After having so largely detected the Vanity of such Hopes as these, as we have already done, we need not add much more. Is not this to build an imaginary Happiness on a thousand Uncertainties? And what a daring presumption is it,Rom. 6. 1. to continue in Sin, that Grace may abound? Because the Gracious God has given one Example in his Word, of a Sinner converted at the last hour of his [Page] Life, is it reasonable for every Sinner to conclude, That he may expect the same extraordinary favour, and so may safely defer his Repentance, till he is ready to expire? No; this great Instance of Mercy in the crucified Malefactor, was given to prevent a true (tho late) Penitent from despairing; not to encourage any bold Sinner to turn the Grace of God into Lasciviousness by his presumption.Jude 4. And how many fatal instances might be given of the Vanity of such hopes as these! How few of those daring Sinners have arriv'd at the Time, which they pretended to devote to religious Purposes! How very few of those that have reached old Age, have become sensible of their Guilt and Danger after a long Life spent in the Service of Sin! Have they not generally supinely doz'd away their last Moments (as they vainly spent their first) without awaking, till they have found themselves in everlasting Burnings? Or if they have receiv'd some Convictions of their Guilt,Isa. 33. 14. these have not always produc'd on them the Characters of a Repentance to Salvation, 2 Cor. 7. 10. but have sometimes fill'd their miserable Souls with Despair and Horrour; and their former [Page] delusive Hopes of obtaining pardon at the last hour,Heb. 10. 27 have only issued in a certain fearful looking for of Iudgment and fiery Indignation to devour them. Learn therefore,Psa. 92. 12. before it be too late, so to number your Days as to apply your Hearts to Wisdom!

Will you, after all that has been said, still perswade your selves, that 'tis yet time enough for you to remember your Creator; and that you may safely enough defer the securing of your Salvation yet some time longer, if not quite to the evil Days of Old Age; that 'tis best for you first to establish your selves in the World, as firmly as you can, and to make provision for your temporal Interest; and afterwards at your leisure to think on the Affairs of another Life?

These things have been also sufficiently answer'd before; let me further add, That as your Time is very uncertain on the one hand, so your Resolutions are yet more fickle on the other: For how common a thing is it for Men to assume a purpose of Repentance, and presently to relinquish it again! How often do they violate their Promises to God and to themselves, while they are perpetually [Page] fixing a new future season of Amendment! So deceitful is the Heart of Man,Jer. 17. 9.and so desperately wicked, who can know it?

And how preposterous is the Course you take, to endeavour to provide for your Bodies before your Souls, and to secure your Temporal before your Eternal Interest: Hearkening rather to the deluding Suggestions of the Father of Lies, Joh. 8. 44. who tempts you with the gilded Vanities of this perishing World, than to the Counsel of him who is Wisdom it self,1 Cor. 1. 24. who advises you to seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness; Mat. 5. 31, 32, 33. and assures you that then the things of this World (i. e. so far as may conduce to your Welfare) shall be superadded?

Since therefore your Creator requires your present Time, 'tis your Prudence, your Interest, and your Duty, without conferring with Flesh and Blood,Gal. 1. 16.immediately to obey him;Psal. 32. 6. to seek him, while he may be found,Ps. 145. 18.and to call upon him while he is near, and while he calls upon you; lest if you persist to slight and forget your Maker and his Counsel any longer, he should so remember your Iniquity and visit your Sins, Hos. 8. 13, 14. as to pronounce on you [Page] this dreadful Sentence.Prov. 1. 24-32. Because I have call'd and ye refus'd, I have stretched out my Hand, and no Man regarded: But ye have set at nought all my Counsel, and would none of my Reproof: I also will laugh at your Calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh: When your fear cometh as Desolation, and your destruction cometh as a Whirl-wind: When Distress and Anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me; for that they hated knowledg, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: They would none of my Counsel, they despised all my Reproof: Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own Way, and be fill'd with their own Devices: For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of Fools shall destroy them. How will you bear such a dismal Sentence as this? O with what Terrour will it strike your guilty Souls, especially when you are under the Apprehensions of approaching Death, or bowed down under the burden of Age! What will you do in those Days of Evil,Psal. 45. 5. when the Iniquity of your Heels shall compass you about?Job 20. 11 When your Bones will be full of the Sin of [Page] your Youth, which shall lie down with you in the Dust? When the Terrours of God shall strike your Consciences, and all your past Life shall accuse and condemn you? When the Heaven shall reveal your Iniquity,Job 2 [...]. 27 and the Earth shall rise up against you? When your Flesh upon you shall have pain,Job 14. 22. and your Souls within you shall mourn? Tho Wickedness be now sweet in your Mouths,Job 20. 12, 13, 14. and you therefore hide it under your Tongues; tho you spare it, and forsake it not, but keep it still within your Mouths; yet its luscious Taste shall be turn'd into bitterness in your Bowels, and into the Gall of Asps within you. Is it not better to repent early than to be reduc'd to mourn despairingly, when 'tis too late? When the Almighty shuts out your Prayers, and when a fire is kindled in his Anger,Deut. 32. 22.that will burn to the lowest Hell; when he that made you will not have mercy on you,Isa. 27. 11. and he that form'd you will shew you no favour? If once that dreadful Day overtakes you, each of you will then lament his Folly with the saddest Accents of Sorrow and Anguish, and turn upon himself with indignation and fury, saying,Prov. 5. 12. 13. How have I hated instruction, and my Heart despis'd reproof![Page]And have not obey'd the Voice of my Teachers, nor inclin'd mine Ear to them that instructed me! And bewail himself (as our Blessed Lord did Ierusalem, when he wept over that unhappy City) crying, O that I had known, even I,Luke 19. 42. in that my Day, the things that belonged unto my peace, but now they are hid from mine Eyes.

Now consider this ye that forget God,Psa. 50. 22. lest he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.

If you now begin to entertain serious Thoughts of Religion, to stir you up further to this great (tho miserably neglected) Duty of remembering your Creator in the Days of your Youth, let me entreat you to consider two or three things,

1. That God has been often pleas'd to dignify them with special Marks of Honour in his Church, who have honour'd him by the early dedication of their Youth to his Service, and has render'd their Services as eminent in the World, as their Piety has been early and exemplary.

As the forward Piety of Ioseph kept him uncorrupt in his tender Years amidst the evil Examples of his envious Brethren; Gen. 37. 2, 3, 4. [Page] so he was blessed with the largest share in the Affection of his aged Father: And tho his Zeal for their Reformation render'd him the Object of their Hatred, (as well as of his Father's Love) yet the Divine Providence wonderfully prosper'd him,Gen. 39. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. and gave him favour in that strange Countrey, whither their unnatural Malice had exil'd him. And as he there preserved his Chastity when it was try'd after so extraordinary a manner,V. 7-20. that it was become impossible for him to keep himself Innocent without incurring the Odium of being reputed Guilty, as well as enduring other severe Punishments: So the Purity of his untainted Soul (who rather chose to be accounted Vile than to be so) was afterwards strangely clear'd up by the Wise and Gracious Providence of the Almighty; and his injur'd Name celebrated with the highest Honours of the Court of Egypt: Gen. 41. The Just and Holy God whom he serv'd, having endow'd him with a Prophetick Gift of interpreting Dreams; and by that Divine Skill open'd a way for his advancement from Prison to ride in the second Chariot of the Kingdom. So that he became a [Page] Prince and a Father to that Nation whither he was brought a Stranger and a Slave; and proved the happy Instrument not only of preserving Multitudes of People from the Rage of a tedious Famine of seven Years continuance, but also of nourishing his Father's Family in that time of common Calamity.Gen. 43. & Ch. 44. And by this means he had the honour of the most obsequious Addresses of those very Brethren of his that had been his Persecutors,Ch. 45. and at last had the God-like Pleasure of melting them into a deep Conviction of the unreasonableness of their Enmity against him, by the most endearing Caresses, and sweetest expressions of Brotherly Love and Tenderness, and the satisfaction of that truly generous and innocent kind of Revenge, of overcoming Evil with Good. Rom. 12. 21. Thus God was pleas'd to reward the eminent Piety of his Youth, by making him the Darling of his Providence; and to lay the foundation of his Glory in those Sufferings which were the proof of his Vertue.

Samuel, a young Votary to the Service of God in his Tabernacle, as he grew up,1 Sam▪ 2. [...]6. became the Favorite both of God and Men: So eminently was he [Page] anointed with the Spirit of Prophecy, and that in a Time,1 Sam. 3. 1. when the Word of the LORD was very precious, that all Israel from Dan,1 Sam. 3. 19, 20. even to Beersheba, knew that he was established a Prophet of the LORD.

That Piety which season'd the tender Years of David, [...]Dilectus. render'd him (according to his Name) so BELOVED both of God and Men, that God was pleas'd to fill him with a Prophetick Spirit;1 Sam. 17. 33, 42, 56. and both God and Men thought good to choose him to wear a Regal Diadem. The supreme Ruler and Arbiter of the World, was pleas'd to reward his forward Zeal for Him, by raising him from the Fold to the Throne, and by making him exchange his Shepherd's Crook for a Royal Scepter: so that from a Feeder of Sheep he became both the Prophet and King of a mighty Nation;2 Sam. 23. 1. the sweetest Psalmist, and most valiant Prince of Israel.

Religious Iosiah, who began to reform himself at Eight Years old,2 Chron. 34. 3. and to reform the People under his Government before he had exceeded Twelve, was honour'd of God with the happy accomplishment of that glorious Reformation [Page] in the Kingdom of Iudah, Ver. 8. when he could scarce write himself Man, having seen the Light but Eighteen Years, and had the earliness of his Piety signaliz'd by the Delay of those Judgments that Ierusalem was threaten'd with,V. 23-28. till the expiration of his Religious Reign: God was pleas'd to honour his early Zeal with a peculiar protection given for a Time to the Nation under his Conduct, for his sake; and would not fill his Reign that was so famous for his Piety, with those Scenes of Horrour and Misery, which darken'd the Times of his unhappy Successors. The Divine Compassion would not suffer him to see that City stain'd with the Blood of its Inhabitants, which he had been so industrious to purge from Superstition, and from the Worship of Idols. And as his Life was honourable to himself, and of the greatest advantage to his Subjects;2 Chron. 35. 24, 25, 26, 27. so his Death was attended with their solemn and universal mourning, (an Honour which was refus'd to his profane Successor) and his Funeral celebrated with the Lamentations of a great Prophet; and his Memory preserv'd fresh and eternally fragrant in [Page] the sacred History of the Kings of Iudah.

As Iohn the Baptist first devoted his Youth to the picus Meditations of a retir'd Life,Luke 1. 80. and then to the publick Service of God in his Generation:Luke 3. 2, 3, 4. So he was invested with the honorary Title of MESSENGER to the Messiah, Luke 7. 26, 27, 28. to prepare the way before him; who says, he was not only a Prophet, but much more than a Prophet; and that among those that had been born of Women, there was no greater Prophet than he.

The early Piety of Timothy, 2 Tim. 3. 15. who was well acquainted with the Holy Scriptures from his Childhood, was honoured with the most endearing Love of the great Apostle of the Gentiles, and with an eminent Station in the Church of God, wherein his prudent and Religious Deportment secur'd his Youth from Contempt; 1 Tim. 4. 12. and made the Apostle give him that singular Character, to the Philippians, when he assures them that he had no Man like-minded,Philip. 2. 20.who would naturally care for their State.

The beloved Disciple is reported to have been very young,John 13. 23. when proselyted to the Doctrine of Christ; and perhaps [Page] this was not the least occasion of his being made the Bosom-friend of his Divine Master.

Nay, most of those who were dignified with the sacred Office of Apostleship, seem to have been converted in the Flower of their Time, by several Circumstances of their History in the Gospel, and by the many Years some of them spent in Travels, and other hard Services and Sufferings, after the Ascension of our Saviour.

On the contrary we find not like Instances of Persons being call'd to such eminent Services for God, and receiving such distinguishing Marks of Honour from him in old Age, after a flagitious Life, almost quite wasted in the sordid Drudgery of Sin.

What a generous Emulation then should these illustrious Examples, we have mentioned, kindle in the Breasts of you that are Young! With what an Holy Ambition should they inspire you, to become the early Candidates of Religion! Who knows in what eminent Services it may please your Maker to employ You? And who knows what signal Favours and Tokens of his Divine [Page] Love, he may confer on you, if you consecrate to him the first of your Strength, and the best of your Time?

But the Example, which of all others shines with the greatest Glory, and communicates the sweetest Influence, that is most capable both of raising your Wonder, and of exciting your Imitation, is that of our Blessed Redeemer, who came into the World to teach us by his Life, as well as to save us by his Death: He was pleas'd to honour the Youthful state of Life by passing through it,Heb. 5. 7. in the Days of his Flesh, while he dwelt with Men, and did not defer his Father's Work to old Age (a Stage of Life, which he never vouchsaf'd to enter on;) in his very Childhood he wax'd strong in Spirit,Luk. 2. 40.was filled with Wisdom, and the Grace of God was upon him. His Soul advanc'd in Divine Knowledg, as his Body did in Stature, and so he grew in favour with God and Man. Ver. 52. At Twelve Years of Age he was found reasoning with the Iewish Doctors in the Temple,Ver. 42, 46, 47. with that Sense and Understanding that amaz'd all the Auditors, and with that Zeal that became him, who made it his Delight to be about his Father's Business. Ver. 49. [Page] All the time he liv'd amongst Men may be properly enough call'd the Time of Youth, for there's reason to conclude from his History in the Gospel, that he accomplish'd the whole of his Work before he was advanc'd much beyond Thirty Years. And what a glorious Example does his short Life present us, a Life without spot or blemish, without the least sign of any inclination to Sin, without the least shew of Injustice or Uncharitableness towards Men, or the least appearance of Disobedience or Indevotion towards God: Nay, a Life spent in the greatest Acts of Charity to Mankind, and in the highest Elevations of Piety to his Father: A Life that consum'd it self in the Zeal of his House; Joh. 2. 17. that expir'd in a Sacrifice to the Glory of God, and for the Salvation of the Souls of Men.

So that you have not only the Precept, but the Prescription too of your Creator to engage you in your Duty. He by whom you were made, by whom you are preserv'd, by whom alone you can be restor'd from a state of Sin, and by whom you must be finally judg'd, was pleas'd to assume humane Nature,Heb. 2. 17. to be made Man in all things (Sin only excepted) [Page] on purpose to exemplify the Duty in our Text by his Life, as well as to conquer Sin and Hell by his Death. And since he calls you to learn of him, Mat. 11. 28 29, 30. to bear the Yoke to which he meekly condescended to bow his own sacred Neck, in his tender Years, surely 'tis good for you to stoop to that Yoke in your Youth too.Lam. 3. 27. Ought you not to apply your selves as well to his Example for Direction, as to his Sufferings for Salvation? And is it not both for your Honour and Interest to be conformable to that blessed Life, that was first taken up to instruct you, and then laid down to redeem you?

2. Consider how small that Oblation is, which is requir'd of your hands, when your whole Life is claim'd as the Right of your Creator; seeing 'tis but a part of it, that can be directly and immediately offer'd to him. The Secular Affairs that the Necessities of your Bodies engage you in, and Sleep together with the other Reparations of Nature that are requisite to make those frail Tabernacles Tenantable, divide [Page] between 'em so great a share of the Time of Life, that 'tis but a little portion of it that can be allotted to Pious Exercises, how soon soever you apply your selves to the practice of 'em; and will you grudg your Maker this small share of your Time, for the whole of which you entirely depend on him? Can you think much to allow a part of every day to Devotion, to the immediate Service of God, and for the Welfare of your Souls, when he allows you so large a part of your Time to provide for the present Ease and Welfare of your Bodies, in procuring them the Conveniencies of Life? Is it not more reasonable to grudg that these Houses of Clay should have so much of your Care and Time, and that your Souls, nay, and your Creator should have so little of them? And ought you not rather to study how to improve even that Time which you spend in supporting and accommodating this animal Life, so as to render it subservient to the great Ends of honouring your Maker, and of saving your Souls, than to contrive Excuses for entirely squandering away the best part of that little Time in [Page] Vanity and Sin, which you ought to devote to the Holy Exercises of Piety and Religion?

And (once again) can you think you shall bring an acceptable Sacrifice, if after the consumption of the prime of your Days in Vanity, you should come to offer only some of your last hours to your Creator? Will the Days, in which you will confess you have no Pleasure your selves, be a proper Offering for him to take pleasure in? Is it fit to reserve only the Blind and Lame and Sick for sacred Services? May not such a Return be reasonably expected to every such Oblation, as God by the Prophet Malachi makes to the profane Iews in another case;Mal. 1. 8. Offer it now to thy Governor, will he be pleas'd with thee, or accept thy Person? saith the LORD of Hosts. Would you not have reason to fear that such nauseous Services would be cast back as Dung upon your Faces? Mal. 2. 3. And that you would have an Answer somewhat like that, which you may imagine a Subject would receive, who after having wasted his [Page] Youth and Strength in bearing Arms against his Soveraign, should come on Crutches in his Old Age to tender himself to be listed under his Banner? Such a kind of Answer, I say, as such an inveterate Rebel might expect; but as much more terrible as it is a greater Crime to sin against the great Creator than to offend a Creature, and as the Resentments of the Living God are more dreadful than the Anger of a Mortal Man.

3. To conclude, Consider whether the largest Portion of that little Time, which you can possibly spend in the Service of God here, makes any figure, when compar'd with an Eternity to be employ'd in the pleasant Contemplation and Enjoyment of him hereafter. Can you think much to dedicate the few Moments God is pleas'd to lend you in this World to him, who will reward the Service of those Moments with everlasting Bliss in the next, among those Blessed Ones, whose Happiness as well as Business it is to be perpetually devoted to the Service of their Maker; [Page] who enjoy Immortal Youth, and feel an unconceivable Pleasure in employing it wholly in the Contemplation of his Perfections, in the Celebration of his Praises, in the entire Performance of his Will, and in the perfect Enjoyment of his Favour?

Can it be thought that any of those Blessed Spirits that are possessed of this Glory, can think much that they spent a little Time here below to obtain it? May it not rather be suppos'd that they all unanimously wish (if such a Wish be consistent with that perfect State of Bliss) that they had improv'd evety Minute of that little Time which their Creator allotted them in this World, to his Glory? 'Tis not to be doubted, that the Holy Angels and Saints in Heaven do incessantly worship and serve their Maker with the greatest Alacrity imaginable, because they constantly behold his Face, and are always enamour'd of his Glory: They are under a continual impression of the Reasonableness [Page] and Goodness of his Will, and know perfectly well that their own Excellency and Happiness consists in their exact Conformity to it; and accordingly they find unexpressible Delights in doing his Pleasure: And if they count not an Eternity too much for the Service of their Creator, can you think the short Time of your sojourning here below too large an Offering for him?

Seeing then the Law of your Creation, and the Dictates of Reason; the Importunities of the Divine Word, and the Warnings of the Holy Spirit; the Command of your Maker, and the Example of your Redeemer; the Experience of the Saints on Earth, and the unanimous Sense of the Saints and Angels too in Heaven; together with your own highest Interest both in Time and Eternity, do all conspire to oblige you to devote the first and best of your Time to the great Author of your Being: How can you any longer refuse to give up your YOVTH to be tied by these many sacred BondsPsal. 118. 27. [Page] as a Sacrifice to the Horns of his Altar?

Behold NOW is the accepted Time;2 Cor. 6. 2. Behold NOW is the Day of Salvation.Psal. 95. 7, 8. Therefore to Day, if you will hear his Voice,Heb. 3. 7, 8. harden not your Hearts.

FINIS.

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Advice to the young, or, The reasonableness and advantages of an early conversion to God demonstrated, in three discourses on Ecclesiastes xii, I by Joseph Stennett.

Stennett, Joseph, 1663-1713.

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1695

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2003-11 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

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Wing S5406

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ESTC R15661

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11926324

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51029

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— Advice to the young, or, The reasonableness and advantages of an early conversion to God demonstrated, in three discourses on Ecclesiastes xii, I by Joseph Stennett., Stennett, Joseph, 1663-1713..

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iv, 183 p.

Printed by J.D. and are to be sold by Andrew Bell...,. London :: 1695.. (Reproduction of original in Bodleian Library.)

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The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.

Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.