Words to Give to the Young Man Knowledge and Discretion, Treatise · Part 3
Of Time, Death, and Judgment.
I Have a Treatiſe by me of theſe, that I intend to publiſh, and therefore ſhall onelyonly briefly give you my Advice here as to Time, Death, and Judgment.
1. As to Time.
If you would ſeriouſly conſider how precious a thing Time is, how much it is (ſooner or later) prized by all; how high they are in God's eſteem, that improve their time (for they are higheſt in his eſteem, that make moſt account of his Soveraignty) how happy ſome are while living, in the Comfort they receive by it? How many, when dying, would give all the World (if they had it to give, and it would be taken) as a price to redeem the time that in Life they vainly ſpent, and trifled away? How many are tormented in Hell (and will be eternally ſo) for the neglect and abuſe of it? How infinitely ſhort the whole time of Life well ſpent, will fall of the Reward that attends it? How much miſpent time there is, and will be in your beſt ſpent time? How ſhort and uncertain your time is, and how ſtrict an account you muſt give of it, you would ſee great reaſon to take care that no part of it be ſpent either in ſin, or idleneſs.
1. Not in ſin.
Sin is an evil of the greateſt Malignity, and all time ſpent in it, is loſt; for,
If it is not bewail'd, and repented of, it will ruine you; and if it is, yet the time ſo ſpent is loſt, in that it might have been better employ'd, cannot be recalled (for though Repentance will bring ſorrow for ſin, yet it can never bring back the time loſt by it) nor ever by you be anſwer'd for.
You can never give a good account of a bad matter.
2. Not in Idleneſs; for,
Idleneſs is both a ſin, and an inlet to any, or all ſin.
1. It is a ſin.
Idleneſs was not allowed in Innocency, Gen. 2. 15. Then labor, now labor ad ſudorem.(for Adam was put into the Garden of Eden to work) much leſs then is it allowed in a ſtate of Degeneracy, but forbid; there are no feriae, no idle days nor hours, as one ſays, in the Kalendar of Heaven, but as to every purpoſe there is a time, ſo to every time a purpoſe; God having appointed Eccleſ. 3 1. foreign.every day and hour to be filled up with ſomething that is either work, or tends to it.
Maxima pars debitur ſtudio, minor cibo, minima ſomno, nulla otio.
And yet how many are there, who call themſelves Chriſtians, and cannot but ſay they have work to do, that trifle away their time as much as Domitian did in catching Flies, Sardanapalus in Spinning, Caligula in gathering Cockles, Nero (with his Souldiers) in picking up Pebbles; and are ſcarce ever ſo well employ'd as Protogenes, who was ſeven Years Painting a Man and his Dog.
2. It is an in-let to ſin.
Empty Stomacks gather Wind, ſtanding Waters putrifie, Weeds grow moſt in a fallow, and out of Idleneſs comes not onelyonly no good, but all evil; for, by doing nothing, you will eaſily be led to do that which is worſe than nothing.
Chriſt called his Diſciples Mat. 18. 19. Mark 1. 16, 17. 2 Sam. 11. 2, 3, 4.(James and John, Simon and Andrew) when buſie at their Calling; but the Devil will call you (as he did David) when idle, and not employ'd; and therefore be never ſo, that you may not be at leiſure to hearken to him; if you do not ſet your ſelf on work, the Devil will; and therefore at all times do it, that he at any time may not.
The rolling ſtone gathers no Moſs.
Quantò magìs occupatum Diabolus invenit tantò minùs occupat.
Idleneſs will render you diſpleaſing to God, unprofitable to duplicate page duplicate page the World, ſcandalous to them that are good, and burdenſome to your ſelf; be wiſe therefore (as the Wiſe men in Eſther) knowing your time, and get underſtanding Eſther 1. 13. 1 Chron. 12. 32. The heads of them were two hundred, but there are few or none of that …ribe (in this ſenſe) left. Rev. 10. 6.(with the Children of Iſſachar) to know what you ought to do, and do it; be ever doing ſomething for your own good, or the good of others, that you may with comfort look over into Eternity, and not fear, when the Angel ſhall ſtand on the Earth and lift up his Hand, and ſwear by him that lives for ever and ever, that time ſhall be no more.
God has his Book of Remembrance, and whatever you do in time, is there Regiſtred for Eternity.Rev. 20. 12.
2. As to Death and Judgment.
How much it concerns you to be in a daily expectation of, and preparation for them, will appear, if you conſider,
1. As to Death.
1. That Death is certain.
All are included in the Statute of Death, (made in primo Adami) Gen. 2. 17.no Priviledge can be obtain'd againſt it, nor is there any way to avoid the Sentence of Heaven given for it,
It is a decree not to be revers'd, Heb. 9. 27.A Statute not to be repeal'd.
2. That Death may come ſooner than you are aware of.
You ſtand upon dying ground, and know not how ſoon Death's ſithe may cut you down; you are near it in health as well as in ſickneſs, and in a moment Death may lay his cold hands on your mouth, and ſtop your Breath.
Since then Death may come in Job 21. 13a moment, live as expecting it's coming every moment.
3. That Death when it comes will not ſtay for your Repentance: Venientem nemo bil aris mortem recipit, niſi quiſe ad illam diu compoſueris Seneca.and if it ſtay never ſo long before it comes, it will come too ſoon if you have not repented.
Dye when you live, and you ſhall live when you dye.
(2.) As to Judgment; viz.
1. That it will be certain.
There will be a general, and a particular Judgment; the general, to compleat and perfect the particular, and to manifeſt and declare the Juſtice of it; that, will be at the end of the World; this, at the end of Life; that, at Doomſ-day; this, immediately after the day of Death: It may be a long while before that come, and very likely will, (if the Deſtruction of Antichriſt, the Converſion of the Jews, a univerſal Promulgation of the Goſpel, a Quan quam in fine mu… di dominus ſemel veniet omnibus, tamen ſingulo cuique venit cum adeſt mortis tempus, in dei decretis nulla litura.Catholick Unity, and Charity among Chriſtians, and the calling in of the Elect, muſt precede it;) but this may come before you think of it, or expect it; it is as ſure as Death, and as uncertain; uncertain (as to the time) to any, and yet moſt certain (ſooner or later) to all; for it is treaſur'd up in God's decrees, and cannot be recall'd.
He that ſays he comes quickly, Act. 17. 31 Rev. 16. 15 3. 11may come ſooner than you think of; viz. in his appointed, though not in your exed, time.
2. That it will be impartial. Here, ſome are too great to 1 Cor. 4. 5. Rom. 2. 6 16. Mat. 12. 36. 1 Pet. 1. 17. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Rev. 20. 12.give an account of their Actions to any; but there, both great and ſmall muſt give an account of their Thoughts, Words, and Actions, to God, whether they will or no; here, ſome judge, and others are judged; but there, all ſhall be judg'd: for,
The Sentence of Death being paſt upon all, Judgment (the conſequent of Death) will paſs upon them too.
3. That it will (when once paſt) be irrevocable.
That ſtate you are found in at Death, will be your everlaſting ſtate; for, Judgment (Death's Second) ſtands at Death's back, and as that leaves you, ſo Judgment will find you; and as it finds you, ſo it will leave you for ever; for, then your everlaſting ſtate and condition will be actually determined, and finally ſetled, ſo as never to be alter'd.
Judgment is the critical time for Damnation and Salvation.
The particular Time when Matt. 24. 36. 44.Death and Judgment will come is concealed, that none might preſume; but that it will be, is certainly foretold, that none may be ſurprized: and that you may Latet ultimus dies, ut obſerventu omnes.not.
1. Keep a Regiſter of your Sins; keep your Book, and God will croſs his.
Often reckoning makes friends.
2. Renew Repentance daily.
If you would have that day to Acts 3. 19. Mat. 25. 21 Rev. 7. 17.be a time of refreſhing to you from the preſence of the Lord, you muſt be in ſorrow for your Sins in your day; if then you would enter into Joy, Sorrow muſt here enter into you; and if then you would have Tears wiped away from your Eyes, they muſt now be found there; for,
None but Mourners ſhall be Mat. 5. 4.comforted.
3. Make the Judge your friend. Chriſt has redeem'd you from ſlavery, that you might be free for his Service; and therefore 1 Cor. 6. 20.give him that which he has ſo dearly bought, and paid for.
It will avail you nothing to Matth. 7. 22. 23. Luke 19. 27.call him Lord then, unleſs you make him your Lord now; for, if here you are not ruled, you ſhall then be deſtroyed by him.
4. Judge your ſelf.
If you judge others, you ſhall Mat. 7. 1. 2 1 Cor. 11. 31.be brought to divine Judgment; but by judging your ſelf you will prevent it, for, Judgment ſhall not paſs in both Courts; what you condemn, Chriſt will acquit; ſo that if yours be a Court of Judgment, his ſhall be a Court 2 Pet. 3. 10, 11.of Mercy.
Holineſs will give comfort in that day, and a ſerious meditating on it may be a means to promote Holineſs: live therefore well in your day, or blot out the belief of this.
If you live to have Children, be careful to bring them up in the Eph. 6. 4.Nurture and Admonition of the Lord.
Some are ſo far from bleſſing God for their Children, that they are ready to ſay (as Daniel to Belſhazzar) his Gifts be to himſelf, Dan. 5. 16. 17.and his Rewards to another.
Some count them no Bleſſings, or but beggarly ones; and ſome there are, that make them none; for, through their neglect, they prove Curſes inſtead of Bleſſings.
They are anxiouſly ſolicitous to get great Eſtates for their Children, but not at all concern'd, what they are, or ſhould be, to whom they leave thoſe Eſtates; they are daily contriving for them, how they may live while here, but take no care how they ſhall live, nor where, when they ſhall die, and live here no more: they can tell you when dying, what they ſhall leave for the ſupport of their Bodies; but nothing of what they did, while living, for the good of their Souls. Monſtrous Parents! that deſerve to be writ childleſs, and to be raſed out of the number of men: for,Jer. 22. 30
If they are worſe than Infidels that provide not for the Bodies of their Children, they are as bad as Devils that ſtarve their Souls.1 Tim. 5. 8
Make it therefore matter of your great care to promote the Good of their Souls.
(1.) By endeavouring to ſuppreſs thoſe evil Inclinations that (by nature) are in them.
(2.) By Praying for them.
(3.) By being an Example of Good unto them.
1. By endeavouring to ſuppreſs thoſe evil Inclinations, that (by nature) are in them.
Folly is bound up in the heart of Prov. 22. 15.a Child (as Poiſon in a Serpent, and Sap in a Tree) and if care be not taken to ſuppreſs it, it will (like an Impoſthume) break forth when ripen'd by opportunity.
Corrupt Nature, is as the Soil; evil Examples, as the Showers; and Temptations as the influence of the Sun; all which help on, and further the Harveſt of Sin, that will quickly come, unleſs timely prevented, and that cannot be better done, than by planting good Inclinations and Diſpoſitions in them.
The way to deſtroy Weeds is to ſet good Plants in their room.
2. By Praying for them.
They are all baſe-born (in a ſpiritual ſenſe) untill they are new born; therefore it concerns you to be in travel of Soul for their ſecond birth, that Chriſt may be Gal. 4. 19.formed in them, and to be earneſtly ſolicitous with God for them, (as Abraham for Iſhmael) Gen. 17. 18.that they may live, viz. live to him here, and eternally with him hereafter.
Auſtin's Converſion was the fruit of Monicha's Prayer.
3. By being an Example of Good unto them.
It is true, none are to live by Example, but by Precept; (Paul himſelf muſt not be follow'd any farther than as he follows Chriſt) but yet ſince the Example of Parents (like the influence of the Moon when joyn'd with a good or bad Planet) does much good or hurt, it concerns them to have a great regard unto it.
Cato was more careful of his Behaviour before his Children than before the Senate, and would uſually ſay, he would be as cautions of ſpeaking any laſcivious Words before his Son, as he would if he was before a Veſtal Nun; and it muſt be your care to behave your ſelf wiſely before yours: good Advice will make little or no impreſſion on them, unleſs ſeconded by good Example; and therefore if you would have them walk in a perfect way, you muſt walk before them in it.
Though Children do like Maxima debetur puero reverentia.Children, yet they that are Parents muſt not.
There is good reaſon for it, in that,
(1.) God commands it.
(2.) Equity requires it.
(3.) Their Good, and your Happineſs, is concern'd in it.
1. God commands it.
Nebuchadnezzar commanded that Young-men ſhould be brought up Dan. 1. 3. 4.for him, Children in whom was no blemiſh: and God (a greater than he) commands, that a Child ſhould be train'd up in the way he Prov. 22. 6.ſhould go. Every one has his way, and every one thinks his way beſt; but it is not ſo; and therefore he muſt be train'd up in the way, not in which he would go, but in Pro. 16. 2.which he ſhould.
He that ſays you ſhall not Exo. 20. 13 Deut. 6. 7.murther, ſays alſo you ſhall inſtruct; and therefore it concerns you to offer them up to God (as Hannah did Samuel) in their tender 1 Sam. 1. 24. 28.years.
2. Equity requires it.
They were ſhapen in Iniquity, Pſ. 51.5. Eph. 4.1….and conceiv'd in Sin, a guilt and defilement they deriv'd from your Loins, which alienated them from the Life of God, before they had of themſelves done either good or evil. Since then you have been the cauſe of ſo much evil to them, it is but juſt to do them all the good you can: by being your Children, they became Children Eph. 2. 3.of Wrath; and therefore in reaſon and equity, it concerns you to do what you can to cut off the Entail of Hell, to help them to a happy Being to whom you have given a miſerable one, and to be (ſo far as you can) an inſtrument of Regeneration, as you have been of Generation to them.
It had been better they had John 3. 3.never been born, unleſs born again; and that you had never been their earthly Father, if God be not their heavenly one.
3. Their Good, and your Happineſs, is concern'd in it.
1. Their good, viz. temporal and ſpiritual, to this Life and a better.
1. Their temporal good.
They that firſt ſeek the Kingdom Mat. 6 33.of God, and his Righteouſneſs, are by Promiſe aſſur'd, that all things needful ſhall be added unto them; and therefore put them early upon it, and endeavour while they are young to make them good, and then they ſhall be ſure to have whatever is good for them: no good thing ſhall be with-held from them; Pſal. 25. 12, 13. 34. 9, 10. 84. 11. Prov. 13. 22.their Bread and Water ſhall be ſure, and verily they ſhall be fed, viz. as to Neceſſity, if not as to Delight.
If they are of God's houſhold Gal. 6. 10.(the houſhold of Faith) neither you nor they need fear, for, God will provide for his Family.
2. Their ſpiritual Good.
They that are bad when old, were ſo when young: an old Jade was a Colt ill broken, or not well man'd at firſt; and an old Devil Pſ. 58. 3.was once a young one.
And they that are bad while young, are like to be ſo when old; it is not impoſſible they ſhould be good then, (rich Wine Quis clarior Themiſtocle.is muddy at firſt) and therefore none ſhould deſpair of them, but very unlikely, and therefore none ſhould preſume upon it; for, as Trees dead in the Spring are ſo in Autumn, and Bruiſes received in Youth continue in Age, (Mephiboſheth lame by a fall in his 2 Sam 4. 4. 9. 3.Infancy was ever ſo) ſo Sins indulg'd in Youth are hardly left in Age. But thoſe that are truly good in Youth, will be ſo in Age; a Child train'd up in the way he Prov. 22. 6ſhould go, will not depart from it when he is old; and therefore it concerns you to put your Children into that way while they are ſo.
That which a Veſſel is ſeaſon'd with, that it keeps, and that way a Twig is bent, that way it will grow.
2. Your Happineſs is concern'd in it.
Your Children are God's more than yours, his Children committed Ezek. 16. 20. 21. Exod. 2. 9.to your Care, put out to you to be nurſed for him (as Moſes was for Pharaoh's Daughter) and of them you muſt give an Account Ezek. 3. 18, 19.unto him: it is true, if they (when warned by you) turn not from their Sins, they ſhall dye in them; but if they are not warned by you, their Blood will be required at your hands.
The Jews brought a Curſe upon themſelves and their Poſterity, by crying out, His Blood be upon us, and our Children; and ſo will you upon your ſelf and Children, by your neglect of them.
Do you think you ſhall not have Sins enough of your own to anſwer for! that by your Sin bring the Guilt of theirs upon you! Is there no Devil to tempt them to ſin! or do you think he cannot effectually do it, unleſs you aſſiſt him in it? Is it a Reproach to be the child of a Whore, and is it none to be a Child of the John 8. 44.Devil? Is the Birth of ſuch infamous in the eyes of the World! and ſhould not the Life of the other be much more ſo in yours! Is there no hand to murder them but your own! nor any other way to ſhew your Love to them but by deſtroying them and your ſelf too? Are Harlots condemned by all for deſtroying the Bodies of their Children, and ſhould not thoſe wicked Parents be ſo too who through a neglect of them murder their Souls? Was it an act of Cruelty to drive Children into the Fire and Water (as the Lev. 18. 21. Ezek. 16. 20, 21.Jews did to Molech, and the Heathen to Saturn) and is it none (by ſacrificing them to the Devil) to drive them into Hell! is there no love but in going to Hell together! or will it not be enough that they go thither, unleſs you go too for company! will it be any pleaſure to hear them (when there) telling you, what a bloody and cruel Father you was to them, in not ſhewing them the evil of Sin, and the miſery that did attend it? If now you cannot well endure to hear them cry, do but think how much leſs able you will be to hear it in Hell for ever! You may then (when too late) with a little Variation complain, and ſpeak truly (what Lamech did ſcoffingly) that Gen. 4. 23, 24.you have ſlain Children to your wounding, and young Children to your hurt; therefore, that you may not, be careful to make your Family as a Nurſery for Heaven, Pſ. 127. 3.and educate your Children as God's Heritage, that you may ſay Gen. 33. 5.with comfort at the great day, Lord, here am I, and the Children which thou haſt graciouſly given thy Servant.
It is one thing to be bleſſed with Children, and another thing to be bleſſed in them.