A Directory for Youth, Sermon · Remedies 1
Means, or Remedies againſt that Epidemical Sin of youthful delaying Repentance, and Converſion, &c.
YOung People are (as you have heard exceedingly prone to put off God, and their Souls, with ſaying in themſelves, I a… young enough, and have time enough to repent hereafter, &c. theſe are the uſual pleas that young people make for delaying their Converſion; and this is indeed the uſual, an… beaten Road to Hell, and the commo… Snare, in which Satan entangles multitudes of unwary Youth, perſwading the… that it's too ſoon to repent, that it's too ea… ly to fully, and ſadden the briskneſs, an… beauty of their Youth, with the melancholy apprehenſions of Religion: but ala… while ſilly Youth liſtens to theſe charm… the fatal hour of death often ſteals on, an… cuts them down, e're they are aware, o… awake. Wherefore for the Cure and Remedy hereof, I ſhall offer theſe following Co… ſiderations.
Firſt, Conſider the danger of Delays.
Young People make little or nothing o… putting off the important matters of th… Souls, a day, a week, a month, a year, not conſidering what an infinite prejudice it may be to their everlaſting Happineſs to neglect the looking after theſe matters, though it were no more, than for one hour, or one day: and that will appear,
1. In regard of the utter uncertainty of their time, and that both of their time of Life, and time of Grace. Alas you know not what a day, an hour may bring forth; the very next hour may find thee alive, and leave thee dead. This is that which Youth are not eaſily perſwaded of; they fooliſhly dream of years, and then they entertain ſo good an opinion of the truth of their Dream, that they grow as peremptory in it, as if they had an Inheritance ſettled upon them for perpetuity. But O vain Youth, where ever dwelt the man, wh…t was his Name, that could ever aſſure thee of another day, nay, that thou ſhalt ſee the end of this day? Is not thy Fleſh graſs, as well as others? view the weekly Bills of Mortality; and ſee there whether young ones are priviledg'd above others from Sickneſs, and Death. Let it therefore be ſeriouſly thought upon by young people, that their time of Life is utterly uncertain, that they are but one breaths diſtance from Death and Eternity; and though it is poſſible that they may live till to morrow, or next Year, yet it's equally poſſible that they may dye before; others have been ſurprized, who have had the ſame reaſon to hope for a longer time, a… themſelves; and therefore they cannot delay, and put off their Converſion, and turning to God, without notorious or manifeſt danger.
O be not deceived, you whoſe conſultations have wont to be with Fleſh and Blood, and whoſe concluſions uſe to be, that you are young, and healthy, and have many Year… to come; and therefore it's time enough hereafter to repent. Piety is too grave for your green head, the caput mortuum of your old Age, will ſerve well enough to ſerve God with. I ſay, be not deceived, a ſudden death may ſnatch you hence, and ſend you… guilty Soul to Hell, before your Body be carried to the duſt; for the great God is the ſole and ſoveraign Lord of your life and time, and pray ſee how he rebukes the preſumption of ſuch Sparks, who boaſt of their years to come, 12. Luke 19, 20. I will ſay t… my Soul, Soul thou haſt much Goods laid up for many Years, take thine eaſe, eat, drink and be merry. This Prodigal was neither ſick, nor poſſeſſed with any fears of Sickne… and Death, yet ſee what follows, v. 20. But God ſaid unto him, Thou fool this Night thy Soul ſhall be required of thee: then whoſe ſhall theſe things be? So in the 28. Iſa. 18. you read of ſome Deſperadoes that had made … Covenant with Death, and were at an agreement with Hell; But what ſaith the Lord? why he telleth them that the one ſhould be diſannulled, & the other ſhould not ſtand; nay, he calleth them a refuge of Lyes: and that the overflowing Scourge and Storm of his wrath ſhould rend down all their lying refuges: And in the 58. Pſal. 9. you read that ſuch as are taken away living, and in his wrath, before the Pots can feel the Thorns, i. e. ſuddenly, and in ſo ſhort a breath, that elſewhere they are ſaid to go down into the Pit in a moment: and that theſe rebukes may particularly intend young ones, you may ſee in the 36. of Job 14. They dye in Youth, &c. Hence the Holy Ghoſt often makes uſe of that Metaphor Graſs in the 40. Iſa. 6. and 90. Pſal. 6. In the Morning it flouriſheth, and groweth up, in the Evening it is cut down and withereth. The graſs is growing in the field, and, as our Saviour noteth, to morrow caſt into the Oven, Matth. 6. 30. Such is the condition of Youth, you may be in good health, in a flouriſhing condition, in mirth and jollity one day, and be burning in Hell the next. Therefore flee this Sin of delaying your Repentance, &c. it was the counſel of Solomon, who was inſpited, 27. Prov. 1. Boaſt not thy ſelf of to morrow, for thou knoweſt not what a day may bring forth. q. d. This day God in mercy affords thee to repent in, &c. but truſt not upon a to morrow, that is utterly uncertain whether it come or no? or if it do, whether thy Converſion or thy Condemnation in it ſhall be brought forth or no? If it was thy own, and thou couldſt certainly kno… it would be in thy poſſeſſion, &c. the… might be ſome little pretence for thy preſen… delaying: but when it is another's, and … is utterly hid and concealed from thee, whether thou ſhalt live to it or no, how can yo… without certain danger delay till anothe… day. He that will adventure to build o… Ground that is none of his own, muſt loo… to have all undone, or overturn'd at th… pleaſure or diſpleaſure of another. T…us you delay, and profuſely waſte the preſe… ſeaſon and ſpace of Repentance, which merciful God indulgeth you with, a… boldly entrench upon the future, which Go… has reſerv'd in his own power: how haza… dous an adventure do you run, for it's a ru… in the civil Law, no Perſon can promi… that which is anothers. Now the owne and proprietor of your time is God, and … hath concealed the day, the hour, the m… ment of Death's arreſt from us, that ſo yo… ſhould never delay, but work out your Salvation to day, while it's called to day: th… command of God takes hold of you at th… preſent; the counſel of God concerning th… future, is kept hid from you: alas for a t… morrow, whoſe is it, Seneca the Heathe… could ſee this, and ſay ſolum tempus praeſe… noſtrum: No time is ours but the preſent to count upon a to morrow, is as the Proverb runs, To count your Chickens before th… be hatched. It is reported of Caeſar, that he would never let his Soldiers know when or where he meant to march next. So here it is altogether uncertain, at whoſe door God may knock next by a ſudden Death; he doth not always ſend out the Scouts and fore-runners of a lingring ſickneſs, as warnings of our approaching change. But ſometimes in a moment, in the midſt of youthful ſecurity and jolligy, he lops down the ſtrong and healthful, while he ſpareth the more infirm and ſickly. There is no condition of Life, but we have inſtances how it hath been imbitter'd by ſudden deaths occaſioned, and ſometimes by falls, either of a Houſe, or Horſe, or elſe by falls off a Houſe or Horſe; and ſometimes by Fire kindling upon Perſons when aſleep, and ſometimes by Water, perſons falling into it when awake. Again, ſometimes by preternatural Heats and Colds, ſome burnt up with Feavers, others drown'd with Humours, ſome choaked with Quinſies, others ſnatch'd away with Apoplexies, in ſo ſhort a breath, that they have not time to cry out for help. Innumerable are theſe Caſualties that you young ones lie open to, and how dangerous then is it to delay, though you are now free from pain, and in good health: may not the ſame be ſaid of many others, who died ſuddenly, and it may be delayed their Repentance on the like grounds as you do. O fooliſh and unwiſe, who hath bewitched you! Moreover it is to be conſidered that your preſent delaying to fl… your Luſts doth exceedingly provoke the Lord of your Life and Time, to cut ſho… your Life; for how can you reaſonably expect that the Almighty, in whom ye live and move, and have your being, ſhoul… prolong the days of ſuch Rebels, who mak… no other uſe of their time but to affront an… diſhonour him? O young people, ho… righteous a thing would it be for God … cut you off, and deny you a longer con… nuance on Earth, while you put him o… and delay your Repentance and Return … him. Surely if thou reſolveſt upon a pr… ſent league with thy Youthful Luſts, refuſing a divorce as yet between them and th… Soul, it is moſt juſt with God to reſolve up on a preſent divorce between thy Soul an… Body, and to refuſe thee an hours patien… more. Wherefore O mortal Youth, … minute Duſt and Aſhes, repreſent to th… ſelf thy danger, if thou delay; the time … thy delay, is a time full of danger upon th… account, viz. the uncertainty of thy time o… Life. But then,
2. It is dangerous in regard of the uncertainty of thy time of Grace. So th… ſuppoſe thou hadſt an aſſurance … the continuance of thy time of Life ſ… many Years, as Hezekiah had, yet wh… would that avail thee, while thou art at utter uncertainty about thy time of Grace. If you enquire what I mean by time of Grace. I Anſwer, it ſtands in the enjoyments of the uſual means of Salvation, which are two fold; firſt, the outward preaching of the Word; ſecondly, the inward ſtrivings and motions of the Spirit: theſe make up a time of Grace, which is called an acceptable time, a time wherein God may be found, a day of Salvation, in Pſal. 32. 6. and 2 Cor. 6. 2. Now ſuch a time much differeth from that which the Greeks call foreign i. e. the time of our Life which laſteth as long as our Lives laſt. Alas there is many a man out-lives his time of Grace: hence Luke 19. O that thou hadſt known in this thy day the things that belong to thy Peace; but now they are hid from thine Eyes. The time of Grace is tempus labile a tranſient thing: delay but one quarter of an hour longer, and thou mayſt with Eſau be rejected, and find no more any place for an acceptable Repentance; poſt eſt occaſio calva. Ah how did Eſau weep and take on after he had loſt his time of Grace: he might once have had the time of Bleſſing without thoſe bitter Agonies, but he delayed and loiter'd away his ſeaſon. Great is the mercy of God to allow man a time of Grace on Earth; but great is the miſery of man, as Solomon ſaith, Eccleſ. 8. 6. becauſe he diſcerns not his time, who can give a due eſtimate of enjoying the Goſpel, wherein ſo great Salvation i… offered to Sinners, Behold I ſtand at the Door and knock, &c▪ Rev. 3. 20. Though thou ha… played the Herlot with many Lovers, yet return unto me, ſaith the Lord. Jer. 3. 1. O Iſrael thou ha…t deſtroyed thy ſelf, but in me … thy help found. As I live ſaith the Lord, I deſire not the death of a Sinner, &c. Ezek. 33. 11. As though God did be ſeech you by us, we pray you in Chriſt's ſtead, that you be reconciled … God, 2 Cor. 5. 19. In the Goſpel we have the love of God commended to us, in th… when we were Enemies, Chriſt died for u… we have his admirable Condeſcenſion, hi… manifold Invitations, his precious Overtures, his ſtrange and wonderful Reaſoning… Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye dye? His rei… rated Calls, Iſa. 55. 1. Come, come, come three times in one verſe. O the incomparable love and kindneſs that is diſplayed i… the Goſpel to poor Sinners. O that the… was in young People a Heart to underſtan… theſe things that concern their Peace in thi… their day, before they are for ever hid from their Eyes. Sure you would not ſhuffle an… ſhift off theſe bleſſed offers of Grace wit… dilatory excuſes, did you but conſider ho… ſoon the Market will be over and gone, ho… ſoon your plenty may be turn'd into penu…y a Famine may ariſe of hearing the Wor… of the Lord, and thy Soul periſh for want … Viſion, thy Teachers may be removed by Death, natural or civil; or God may ſend the Goſpel one way, and thee another. O young man, now thou haſt the Lord's Voice in the publick Miniſtry of his Servants, crying to thee, Flee, flee thy youthful Luſts to day, while called to day: O hear his Voice this day, this hour of the day, without any longer delay, for you are wholly uncertain whether (if you ſhould live till a to morrow) ever you ſhall have another Call; you are not the diſpoſer of his Offers and Calls: ſometimes God hath been quick with Sinners, he hath invited them to come in, and they not regarding, he hath immediately rejected them, Luke 14. 24. For I ſay unto you, that none of the men that were bidden, ſhall taſte of my Supper. Therefore take heed, it is dangerous deferring; that which the Lord ſpake of Judgment, and Affliction, in the 1. of Nahum 9. I will make an utter end: Affliction ſhall not riſe up the ſecond time, may be fulfilled concerning his gracious offers and invitations in the Goſpel; poſſibly the Lord will make an utter end of ſpeaking, you may never hear more from him, be ſure he will at laſt come to an end of calling, and you are not ſure but the preſent Call may be his laſt. And O how deplorable is a Sinner's caſe when the Lord ſhall ſay, Becauſe I have called, and you have refuſed, I will call no more for ever, he that is unjuſt, let him be unjuſt ſtill; a… he that is filthy, let him be filthy ſtill, Rev. 2… 21. Which brings me to ſpeak of the ſecond Branch, wherein thy time of Gra… conſiſts, and whereof it is conſtituted, namely the inward ſtrivings and motions of th… Spirit of God, how uncertain theſe a… So that ſuppoſe thou hadſt an aſſurance o… the continuance of the outward Calls of th… Word, yet what aſſurance haſt thou of th… inward ſtrivings and operations of the Sprit, without which all the outward mea… will be ineffectual. Alas! how long m… we poor Miniſters ſtand at your Doors, an… knock and call, Awake thou that ſleepeſt, and ariſe from the Dead; er'e one Si… ner will ſtir, until that omnipotent Age… put forth his virtue and influence. As th… Waters of Betheſda had no ſanative heali… Vertue in them, till the Angel at a certai… time of the day moved and troubled th… Waters: So let Miniſter's abilities an… gifts be what they will, they do but ploug… upon the Rocks, as it were, until the Spi… concur to take away the ſtony Heart, an… open thoſe Iron Gates of the Soul, as h… did Lydia's. Now this bleſſed Spirit do… ordinarily in time of hearing the Wor… afford to men, eſpecially to young one, many good Motions and Excitations to repentance, in Enlightnings, Awakenings, ſetting their Sins before them, in thei… bloody guilt and condemning nature; bringing them into ſtraits of Conſcience, ſtirring up affections and good purpoſes of leaving their Sins, putting them upon Prayer, and coming to Chriſt, &c. All which pretious Motions and workings of the Spirit with the Word, in the Souls of young perſons, are choice Mercies; and if they were wiſe without delay incontinently, and preſently to comply with the ſame, it might be as much as their eternal Happineſs is worth: whereas on the contrary, if they quench theſe bleſſed motions, by delays and prorogations, as Felix did, it may amount to the damage of Damnation, and who can tell what that amounts to. God may be provoked to withdraw his Spirit, and ſay, My Spirit ſhall ſtrive no more with them. For there is nothing more uncertain than the ſtrivings and motions of the Spirit of God, it is compared to the Wind that bloweth where it liſteth, John 3. 8. It is not like our Tydes that come at certain and … times, ſo that if you miſs the Morning Tyde, you may …ake the Evening; no, no, but it's like the Wind which ſometimes riſes, as we ſay, and then all of a ſudden falls and lies ſtill; ſometimes it …loweth cut of one corner, and then the quite contrary way, ſo are the workings of the Spirit, he may deal with thy Soul to day, and afterwards withdraw from thee; move in your Hearts now, and for hereafter be for ever ſilent: and therefore thou ſhouldſt do as the Mariner, who k…owing that he hath not the Wind at his own command, and that he cannot make his Voyage without its gales, what doth he do? why he lieth by and watcheth for the ſeaſon, when the Wind maketh for him, and when ſuch a ſeaſon cometh, he is careful to lay hold of it, and to hoiſe up Sail and be gone. So ſhouldſt thou do, young man, never imagine that thou haſt the Spirit of God at thy command, or that ever thou canſt ſail to Heaven without his gracious Gales, but diligently lie by the Waters of the Sanctuary, waiting and watching for his ſacred Movings thereon, and when thou haſt them, then immediately and obedientially open the ſurled Sails of thy Soul, and ſay, Adored be thy heavenly Majeſty, for this gracious Viſitation of thine to me a wretched Sinner: Welcome, welcome to my blind and hard Heart, are theſe Convictions and Pulſations of thine. O let me not miſcarry and periſh between Convictions and Converſions; but perfect thy work, dear Lord, now thou haſt me on the Wheel: O defiſt not thy operation, till thou haſt formed me a Veſſel of Mercy and brought me out a new Creature in forming Chriſt in me. Thus be thou kind to thy own Soul, in being careful to cloſe with the preſent advantages, which are vouchſafed to thee in this thy time of Grace, and encourage thy ſelf in this, the Spirit of God will be with you. 2 Chron. 15. 2. The Lord is with you, while you are with him: if you ſeek him, he will be found of you, but if you forſake him, he will caſt you off. O conſider the danger you run, when you put off all with this hereafter, hereafter you will obey his Motions, and receive his Inſtructions: This is the ready way to be for ever deſerted and caſt off by him. It is reported of Hannibal, that bewailing the loſs of his opportunity that he once had to take Rome, he ſhould ſay, When I could, I had no mind to take Rome: When I would, I had no power. There will be, I fear, innumerable, and incurable inſtances in the other world, that will confeſs to all Eternity, that when the Spirit in their time of Grace, wooed them to repent, and be converted, that their Sins might be blotted out, they had no mind to it; but when they would, after their deſertion and rejection upon a Bed of Death, they had no power. O young men, who now put it off, it is never enough conſidered by you, what infinite hazards you run, of periſhing for ever; a while longer, and a while longer, had almoſt ruined Auguſtine, when he was young, as himſelf owneth, in his 8th Book of Conſeience when he would not anſwer the Convictions of the neceſſity of Repentance, he craved Forbearance not to do it yet; I know not (ſaith he) what to anſwer Non erat quod reſponderem veritate convictus, niſi tantum verba lenta & ſomnolenta. Modò ecce modò ſine paululum, ſed modò & modò non habet modum & ſine paululum in longum ibat. Aug. in Confeſ.being convinced o… the truth, but onl… ſluggiſh and ſleep words, anon, behol… anon, ſuffer me little: but anon, an… anon had no meaſure, and bear with m… a little, held long afterwards. In chap. 1… of that Book, he finding the Devil flattering his Soul with perſwaſions to dela… his Repentance, at laſt he violently brea… out uſque quo Domine, quamdiu? quam … cras, & cras? quare non modò? quare … haec hora eſt finis turpitudinis me…? O m… God (ſaith he) how long wilt thou ſuffe… me thus? How long ſhall I ſay to morrow and to morrow? Why ſhould I not do now, and this hour end that filthineſs … Life, which otherwiſe will ruin me—It is pleaſing to Satan to ſteal away our p… cious ſeaſons of Grace one after anothe… until we have not one more remaini… O young man, who is it, think you, th… ſuggeſts that Corvina Cras as Auguſtine ca… it, cras, cras, if you have been ignora… hitherto, know it from this day for a m… certain truth, it is no other than that lyer … Hell, the Devil, and ſure I am he hath … way ſo plauſible and politick to circumv… thee, as by hanging theſe weights of dela… upon thy Soul, and thereby letting and bindering thy preſent flight from Sin to Chriſt with an hereafter is time enough; ſo that thou mayſt conclude upon this, that more periſh this way than any other, for Satan can prevail upon few, to ſay peremptorily they will not repent; but this is the common ſnare and bait wherein, and whereby he taketh multitudes, I will turn to God hereafter; for theſe delays provoke the God of Grace to take away his Spirit, and then what can the miſerable Sinner do. It was the ſaying of an Eminent Perſon, The Spirit of God is a tender thing, grieve it once, and you may drive it away for ever, and then it is not your crying, Lord, Lord, that will fetch him back again. Thou mayſt intreat (to uſe the words of that bleſſed Soul-converting Preacher) for Mr. Fenner's danger of deferring Repentance.one dram of that Mercy that hath been offered, but thou haſt rejected; but it ſhall never be granted to thee: God may clap that fearful ſentence upon thee, Now henceforth never Fruit grow on thee more, never Repentance come into thy Heart more. If now thou wilt not repent, and be converted, the Lord may ſet it down in his decree, that from this day forward thou mayſt ſumble about thy Sins, but ſhall never get victory over them; thou mayſt blunder about Repentance, but never do the work; what is the reaſon? why becauſe I would have purged thee, and thou wouldſt not, therefore thou ſhal… not be purged any more. O young men there is a time wherein God will not be found; he will not always wait your leiſure, your pleaſure; how long or how ſho… your time of Grace will laſt, is hid from you: Repentance is God's gift, and Gi… are given according to the good pleaſure of the giver: It is a great miſtake to think that it is at your pleaſure to call it down from Heaven at your need, to convey you to Heaven, when you feel your ſelves falling into Earth; bitter Experience hath taught multitudes of ſhuffling delaying Sinners, the deluſions of ſuch conceits, while it their immoderate purſuit of their Luſts they have endeavovred to ſtop the mouth o… Conſcience with promiſes that e're long they would take time to conſider and recollect themſelves, and return to God, in the mean while, ſtifling and ſlighting the merciful motions of the Spirit of Grace, o… a ſudden, e're they are aware, a ſilent and ſecret decree paſſes againſt them, Let the… alone, they are joyned to their Luſts, which though it make no noiſe in their Heads, yet it effectually ſealeth up their Heart to an incurable obduration and hardneſs. And now I appeal to you upon this conſideration, viz. the uncertainty of the time of Grace, whether Delays are not unſpeakably dangerous, ſince no man knows whether the next day will afford him ſo much as a poſſibility of Repentance, if he put off and defer it this day. Wherefore, O young man, as ever thou wouldſt not be forſaken of God, and have the things of thy Peace for ever hid from thine Eyes, and the dreadful guilt of innumerable Sins ſeal'd upon thy Soul, O flee this youthful Sin of delaying Repentance a moment longer.
2. Conſider the Impiety and Wickedneſs of Delaying, for it doth in effect ſpeak thus to God, The real love and delight of my Soul is in my Luſts, I deſire thee therefore to ſtay for my Repentance till hereafter, and by no means to puniſh me while I ſhall be provoking and diſhonouring thee in the tract of my youthful days; give me leave to be a faithful Servant to divers Luſts and Pleaſures while I have ſtrength and ſpirits, and then when I grow impotent, and my Luſts turn me off, I pray thee to accept me, and grant me Heaven. O what monſtrous Blaſphemy and Impiety is there in ſuch a vile deportment towards the Bleſſed God, and pray is there not ſomething of this in every delay; it ſheweth evidently that thou preferreſt thy Luſts before him, yea, the Devil's ſervice before his. O tranſcendent horrid Wickedneſs, that ever a reaſonable Creature ſhould chooſe to be employed in the Devil's work and drudgery, before that moſt gracious, noble, honourable ſervice of God. O young man, let Conſcience ſpeak, is the Devil ſo real a Friend, ſo good a Maſter, or is there ſo much pleaſure in being a ſlave to thy Luſts, as that the Lo… of Heaven and Earth, the Author of thy Life and Breath, ſhould ſtand by and ſtay till they are in the firſt place ſerved, and then when the Devil and thy Luſts will diſmiſs thee, God ſhall have their leaving I beſeech you let Conſcience judge in th… caſe, whether Hell it ſelf can exceed ſuc… Ungodlineſs. Suppoſe your dear Fathe… that begat you, or your tender Mother tha… bare you, ſhould knock at your Door, an… intreat an admiſſion, and you ſhould ſay That at preſent they muſt excuſe you, the… are a company of Thieves, Murderers an… Adulterers that you muſt firſt attend an… entertain, &c. Would not this be condemned as a piece of vile Inhumanity And can it be deemed (in the preſent caſ… a leſs piece of Impiety to put ſuch an hig… affront and indignity upon the Great God as when he graciouſly invites you to bre… off your Sins by Repentance, that he migh… ſhew you Mercy, to put him off, as Fe… did Paul, Go thy way for this time her… after (poſſibly) I may attend, but for … preſent, there is the Devil and a train … youthful Luſts ſtay for me, and I muſt give entertainment to them in the firſt place. This without an Hyperbole, may be ſtiled the Maſter-piece of Wickedneſs, the Mother of Abominations: it is a plain contradiction of, and direct oppoſition to the ſoveraign command of our Maker, who ſaith, Eccleſ. 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the Days of thy Youth, before the Evil days come, &c. God ſaith, To Day while it is called to Day, repent: And you ſay, No, to day while it is called to day, I muſt rejoyce and follow my youthful pleaſures and delights. And ſo you put the lye upon God, and credit the Devil, who is the Father of Lyes. O this Sin of Delays hath a world of rebellion in it, and Rebellion is as the Sin of Witchcraft. Moreover the impiety of this Sin will further appear, if you conſider what a Scorn it caſts upon the admirable Grace of all the three glorious Perſons of the Trinity, as if not worthy of acceptance, the Father's Love and Wiſdom to and for a loſt World of Sinners, in decreeing and revealing of Jeſus Chriſt his bleſſed Son, to ſeek and to ſave what was loſt, opening a Fountain, and ſealing a new and everlaſting Covenant of Grace in his Blood, that whoſoever believeth, and repenteth, ſhall not periſh, but have Ever laſting Life. O aſtoniſhing Love; was there any need for God to ſtoop to offer undone man a Covenant of Grace; but his ways are not as ours, &c Now this youthful Sin of Delays ſpurneth at this Bowel and Boſom, Mercy and Love of God the Father: And can this be thought to be a little Sin? O unparrallel'd Wickedneſs, of what a Scarle… tincture and bloody nature is this Sin O young man, conſider it, take he… of ſhuffling; here thou wilt be apt … think within thy ſelf, that ſure this is not ſo: What I guilty of trampling on the bowle… of Go'ds mercy, which I venture to pu… off, turning to him a little longer; far be… it from me to do ſo great wickedneſs, I never intended any ſuch thing. O delude… Youth, come ſee thy guiltineſs e're it … too late to remedy thy ſelf. The Go… and Father of our Lord Jeſus revealeth an… publiſheth his eternal thoughts of love t… poor Sinners, that had deſtroyed themſelve… alloweth them a day of Salvation, and acceptable time to come in, and be ſaved without exception, though he was the offende… party, yet he proclaims fury is not in me▪ I have no pleaſure in the death of Sinners. I am willing to be reconciled, lo I have found out a Ranſome, I have bruiſed my own Son, and ſlain my own Lamb, to be a ſacrifice for Sin, and a Saviour for Sinners: him have I ſealed and ſet forth to be the only propitiation for Sin through Faith i… his Blood: ſure they will reverence my Son, and admire my Grace in offering him, and ſtrive who ſhall firſt receive him: ſure every Knee will bow to him, and every Mouth confeſs to him, what leſs could be expected. Now then inſtead of this, to crave with Solomon's ſluggard, a little longer, and a little longer to embrace and enjoy our vile Luſts, which according to the tenor of the Goſpel, cannot one moment be regarded and loved without a manifeſt rejection of Chriſt: I appeal to you whether your present delays are not a notorious deſpiſing the Riches of God's Goodneſs, which Sin is a moſt bitter provocation of Almighty God, who could every moment confound ſuch deſpiſers of his Grace. What think you, will an earthly King bear it, that his deſcending below himſelf to ſpare and ſhew mercy to obſtinate Traytors, ſhould be deſpiſed. It is alſo to be conſidered how wickedly theſe delays do vilifie the Grace of our dear Redeemer, who though he was rich with the Riches of the Deity, he thought it no robbery to be equal with God, yet ſuch was his amazing Grace, that for our ſakes he became poor with the poverty of our humanity; he took upon him the form of a Servant, he was a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with Griefs, and here in the days of his Fleſh endured the contradiction of Sinners, the temptations of Satan, the curſe of the Law, the bitter wrath of God, and the accurſed death of the Croſs, and all this for Rebels, Enemies. O infinite condeſcenſion; and after all this is done, he comes a wooing to our Doors, and follows us up and down with the ſweet motions of his Spirit, and with the ſtrong motives of his Love, in dying for us: pleading, O Sinners, why will you dye? I am Jeſus who dyed for you, turn unto me, my Heart is towards you; what could I have done more for you to win you, to redeem you, than I have done. O remember how I was wounded for your Sins, Behold my Hands and Feet, reach hither thine Hand, put it into the hole in my ſide, look upon me in the Garden, and on the Croſs, and trace me there, when my Blood trickled down my weary Body, and ſee how I loved you, and whether ever love was like mine to you. O that the Lord would pleaſe to make you ſenſible, young people, and cauſe you to apprehend the truth of this, that Chriſt doth really thus plead with you, to know the things of your Peace, now in this your day, and to flee your youthful Luſts without delay. And here I pray give me leave, without the leaſt prevarication, to repreſent to you the impious nature of this Sin of delaying, as it is a deſpiſing and contemning all this rich Grace and Love of bleſſed Jeſus. O young man, while thou delayeſt, thou trampleſt on Chriſt's precious Blood, thou embraceſt and openeſt to thy vile Luſts, and Chriſt is made to ſerve, to ſtand without in the mean while; is it not enough to provoke him in fury to be gone, and never return more till he come to ſentence thee, to go accurſed into everlaſting Fire? Young man, has not Chriſt's Blood a cry? does it not cry to Heaven for Mercy to poor Sinners? and does it not cry on Earth to Sinners, O ceaſe your enmity, throw down your weapons of hoſtility: O repent, repent, and I will appeaſe and quench the Flames of divine Wrath, that your Sins have kindled, &c. Now delays, ſo long as they laſt, are a direct oppoſition hereunto, it is equivalent with waging war againſt crucified Chriſt; it is interpretatively a conſpiracy with the Devil againſt Chriſt. Young man, were you aware of this, O be aſſured the hand of Joab is in this, there is a peculiar enmity in Satan againſt the Blood of Chriſt, as it is a Sinner's ranſom, while himſelf is left bound with eternal Chains; hence he ſubtilly endeavoureth to ſtrengthen the confederacy with thy youthful Luſts by preſent delays, which if he can effect, he knoweth it to be a direct compliance with him, to vilifie that healing Plaiſter of Chriſt's precious Blood; and how doth he inſult when he can prevail herein, to keep out Chriſt, notwithſtanding all his wooings, pleadings, and to keep up the preſent leag… between thee and thy Luſts, as he mo… certainly does whilſt thou delays. O you… man, never forget this argument again… this Sin of delaying: it is a Sin directl… againſt the bleeding dying love of Chri… And then it is a ſin againſt the bleſſed Sp… rit, the third Perſon of the ſacred Trinity who proceeds from the Father and the S… and comes in the miniſtry of the Word inwardly to ſtrive with you, to convince yo… of Sin and Miſery, in order to a revealing … Chriſt and his Righteouſneſs to you for vo… Salvation. O admirable Grace! that the H… Ghoſt, that heavenly Meſſenger ſhould vouc… ſafe to come under a Sinner's roof upon ſu… a deſign ſo advantagious to a ſelf-deſtroyi… Creature. O with what humble thank… Hearts ſhould we receive ſuch a meſſeng… that leaves thee probably many ninety nin… better then thou art, and comes to the ſecretly whiſpering and breathing. O … thy youthful Luſts to day, while it is ca… ed to day, return, return, O prodigal you… there is Bread enough, and to ſpare in th… Father's houſe: if you ſtay here in this … Country you periſh, if you live after … Fleſh, you muſt dye.
O young ones, your Delays muſt nee… provoke and highly affront the bleſſed Sp… rit, they caſt a Scorn upon him, to ſee … his melting Perſwaſions and Motions ſet … naught, and at the ſame time the charms and hiſſings of Satan, that helliſh Charmer and Serpent entertained. O how cutting, and bitterly provoking would it be, to a compaſſionate Father, to ſee a rebellious Son ſtopping his Ear to all his loving and good Advice and Counſel, and opening it to the vile inticements and ſeducements of baſe fellows. How was Jacob troubled, when his Sons Simeon and Levi rebelled, Gen. 34. 30. Ye have troubled me (ſaith their Father) and made me ſtink among the Inhabitants of the Land, the Canaanites, &c. O young man, when the two Spirits, that of Heaven, and that of Hell, come to thy Soul, and knock for entrance, and thou openeſt to Satan, and ſhutteſt out the Spirit of God by delays; this cannot be done without an high hand of rebellion, there is abundance of impiety in it: for herein thou caſteſt a contempt on the Spirit: if it be a deprecating thing, to ſet one perſon lower, and in a meaner place in my Houſe than another of meaner quality, how much more to ſhut the door againſt a perſon that is a Friend, while an Enemy is let in; ſurely compariſons are too ſhort in the preſent caſe; the good and gracious Spirit of God cometh wooing, and arguing. Be intreated, O young man, to open, Chriſt's yoke is eaſie, one day of a repenting Sinner's Spirit in ſtrict watching, and holy walking, is better than a thouſand days elſewhere, &c. And Sinners delay and neglect attendance hereunto, making the urgings of Sin and Satan an excuſe for their preſent put-off… theſe do not only rob the Spirit of tha… honour and glory due to him, but highly expoſe him to contempt. And it is very remarkable, that ordinarily ſuch perſons are left of God, to run into ſuch heights o… wickedneſs, that deſervedly bringeth them to ſome ſhameful and deſpicable end: … muſt be confeſſed, ſometimes God hath overcome ſuch by his Grace, after much ado (if I may ſo expreſs it) ſtriving on his pa… and rebelling on theirs; but then it muſt be granted alſo, that ſuch have uſually been exceedingly wounded, and wofully diſtreſſed in their Souls, for their ſo long ſtanding, and ſtouting it out; but where it end… not in Converſion, there not only th… blackneſs of darkneſs is reſerved for them in the other world, after that direful Sentence, of Go ye Curſed; but even in th… Life, they become notorious to all for thei… Ungodlineſs and Impiety. O let this conſideration, young ones, prevail with you… no longer to delay your Repentance an… turning to God, viz. the Impiety of i… which I might farther ſhew you, from th… direct oppoſition that delays carry againſ… your Baptiſmal Covenant, and all thoſe holy Inſtitutions of Chriſt in the Goſpel, uſually ſtiled, the means of Grace, whereby you are obliged everlaſtingly to the earlieſt Converſion and Repentance, all which I might have eaſily formed up into Arguments, to ſet forth the impiety of Delays: but I ſhall not inſiſt on theſe, only ſhall ſum up the ſtrength of what hath been offered, that Delays are impious and wicked, as they treſpaſs againſt the bowel-mercy of God the Father, the bleeding wounds of God the Son, the bleſſed Inſpirations of God the holy Ghoſt, which Sin is enough to break our Hearts and Eyes with grief and tears: It is a Sin of ſuch a Scarlet tincture, as that it muſt needs make us aſhamed, if there be any ſhame in us; for the mercies of God are all as ſo many meſſages of Love and Kindneſs; and every drop of the Blood of Chriſt is as a Sermon of Love and Grace, and every illapſe of that ſweet and heavenly Dove, is as a ſacred Band, and Cord of Love and Mercy, and all to win us, to draw us, to ſave us, Rom. 12. 1. 2 Cor 7. 1. O wonderful love of God, who ever heard of ſuch kindneſs, that the offended Majeſty of Heaven and Earth, who hath all Power and Might in himſelf, and is infinitely removed from all poſſibility of want; that he ſhould condeſcend to us Rebels, to ſend his own dear Son in the likeneſs of ſinful Fleſh, deliver him up to the accurſed Death of the Croſs, open an everlaſting Fountain of Grace, enter his Proteſtations, yea his Oath, that he has no pleaſure in a Sinner's death and for as much as our Sin had procured a malediction, and heavy wrath upon us and a woful ſeperation of our Souls from the bleſſed God; That it ſhould ever enter into the Heart of God (to the end that ſuch as we might go free, and be delivered from that Curſe and Wrath, and be reſtored to the favour of God) to bruiſe his own Son, and put his Soul and Body to grief and make him an Offering for Sin; and O how wonderful was the Love of Chriſt, tha… he ſhould be content, and willing to come under the obligation to this Oblation, to the bearing of this Curſe and Wrath in ou… ſtead; was there ever Love l…ke to this that when we were Enemies, ſpitting o… our venom and enmity againſt God, h… ſhould dye for us, pay our Debts, have hi… Hands and Feet nailed for us, &c. And … how wonderous is the Grace and Condeſcention of the third Glorious Perſon, the bleſſed Spirit that ever he ſhould ſtrive with Sinners; in order to their Converſion, whe… he might have ſtood at an everlaſting diſtance from them. O the rare humility … the whole Trinity, expreſſed in theſe Myſteries of Love and Gr…ce. Now for any of Adam's undoue poſterity, condemned Creatures, poor Worms, Hell-deſervin… Sinners, to abuſe all this Grace and rich Mercy, how impious, and monſtrouſly vile a thing this is, I have largely proved to you, and ſhewed you in particular that this Sin of Delays, is an high affront, and indignity offer'd to all this Mercy and Grace, the conſideration whereof ſhould make you lift up your Voice, and weep bitterly. A ſtubborn Saul wept, upon the reflection of his abuſe, and ill requital of poor David's kindneſs, in 1 Sam. 24. 16, 17, 18. The Lord open your Eyes and Hearts this day, young ones, that you may with grief and ſhame flee from this Sin, that carrieth ſuch tranſcendent wickedneſs in it. It's a known rule, corruptio optimi, eſt peſſima. The beſt things abuſed, prove the worſt of all. O remember it, young ones, Delays under theſe Circumſtances, put very great aggravations upon all your Sins. O think of it, what melting Arguments theſe three Names have in them, Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier, to a preſent Converſion, and then think what a Soul confounding thing it is, to contradict, oppoſe the Power and Authority, and to abuſe and contemn the Grace and Mercy of each Perſon. See that in Iſa. 1. 2. Hear O Heavens, and give Far O Earth, I have nouriſhed and brought up Children, but they have rebelled, &c. O what Paleneſs would gather upon your Faces, were you cited to appear before the Bar of God, and your Conſciences ſhould give teſtimony againſt you herein?
The next Conſideration I ſhall offer for your help, againſt this youthful Sin of Delays ſhall be as followeth.
3. Conſider the egregious folly and madneſs of Delaying thy Repentance, and return to God, wherein (as in the former Conſideration thou abuſeſt the Grace of God ſo here) thou abuſeſt the very Reaſon of a Man, and moſt fooliſhly cheateſt thy ſelf, as is evident in theſe following particulars.
Thou wilt turn to God hereafter, whic… is (as hath been largely proved) utterly uncertain, and at preſent thou wilt embrace thy ſinful Pleaſures; now is not this notorious folly, to put all to the deſperate adventure of an hereafter, when thouſand have periſhed, and found no place for Repentance, in all their after Times and Seaſons.
Suppoſe at laſt you ſhould come to g… Chriſt, and pardon, and God would pleaſ… to wait upon you (though this is rare, th… is a miracle of Grace) yet what a wounding will it be to you, to remember how you have ſpent your youth and ſtrength in Sin O the bitter Out-cries, and Accuſations o… ſuch! Now how fooliſh a thing is it, to Delay at preſent, upon hopes of hereafter Repentance, that is, in plain Engliſh, in hopes of hereafter-Grief, next door to Deſpair, in hopes of being wounded a thouſand times deeper, and being more confounded, and aſhamed, and drinking larger draughts of the Wormwood, and the Gall, than early Converts do. Is not this Folly?
Again, how unreaſonable, and mad a thing is it, to expect that God ſhould preſently open to me, when I call for Mercy, in my laſt extremity, after I have moſt wickedly put him off, and ſacrificed the Male of my Flock, my beſt Years to the Devil, and my Luſts. Can it ſeem reaſonable, that an holy and jealous God ſhould regard ſuch preſumption.
Again, what Folly is it, to defer a work till hereafter, that may be done now at preſent with eaſe, ſince ſhould I live a thouſand years, each day, yea hour's delay, would add ſomething more to the hardneſs of my Heart, and difficulty to my Converſion, qui non eſt hodie, cras minus aptus erit. All acts of Sin ſtrengthen the habits within, they engage the heart more to the love of ſin; and the more reſiſtance, always the more impenitence and hardneſs. O fooliſh Youth, haſt thou not enough already to ſink thee? what folly is it to add more weight of guilt: if a man had received one ſtab, it were dangerous; but ſuppoſe he had a hundred, how hard would be his cure. Oh young man, wo to thee, if thou makeſt thy Converſion thus hazardous by Delays. As in bodily affairs, in caſe of Sickneſs, is it not folly to defer ſending for the Phyſitian, or, in caſe of Poyſon received into the Body, is it not folly to defer the Remedy till to morrow? or in caſe of a Wound received, never to regard the means of healing till it feſter, and turn to a Gangreen? pray what would you ſay, or think of a man, that when Sickneſs or Diſtempers come, ſhould ſay, I am not at leaſure to be ſick; go, and come at a more convenient time; would you not conclude, that the Diſeaſe had already ſeiz'd the man's Intellectuals. Alas, the madneſs and folly in ſaying ſo to Repentance, is much more, and much greater, unleſs a man could command the Grace of Repentance at his pleaſure; I remember the Advice one gave to young men, in imitation of Solomon, in the 11. Eccleſ. 9. Rejoyce, O young man, &c. q. d. Walk after the ſight of your own Eyes now, and look after the Duty of Repentance when you are blind, and can't ſee. Work not while it's Day, but when the Night comes; mind matters of leſs moment, while you can do any thing, and your main intereſt, when you are fit for nothing. Defer your Repentance till hereafter, though you know not but you may dye to Night; put it off to a ſick Bed, though you cannot tell but ſudden Death may prevent your lying ſick at all. Run as far as you can out of the way to Life, even till out of breath, and then return. Firſt let your time be ſpent, and then improve it. Increaſe your Debts to purpoſe, and be ſure that you have a good long Score, and then pay. Provoke God as much as you can, and then appeaſe him. Be ſure you treaſure up as much Wrath as you can, and then confidently expect Heaven. O the folly of delaying our Repentance; Sin is ſo fortified, and ſtrengthned by delays, that every hour drives the Nail in farther, till it's very difficult removing it. Sin takes the deeper rooting by delays, and requires much more ſtrength and violence to pluck it up, and the heart is in danger of growing to that foreign that you read of, Rom. 2. 5. an irrepentable heart; and altho' God is able to give Repentance, yet there's an infinite peradventure, whether he will or no; for, as Auguſtine ſaith *Qui enim poenitenti promiſit indulgentiam, dilatori diem crastinum non promiſit. Aug. in Pſal. 145. 8., That God who promiſeth Pardon to the Penitent, hath not promiſed to morrow to the Sinner that puts off his Repentance. O the folly of delays, when every moment the Devil will be nearer, and God farther off; when the next cloſure with Luſt, may enſnare and enſlave thee for ever! O Young Man, is this thy Prudence, to promiſe to thy ſelf a more convenient Seaſon hereafter, when thou wilt have leſs time, leſs ſtrength, leſs aid and aſſiſtance, leſs tenderneſs of Conſcience, leſs influence of the Spirit; and when thou wilt have more love to thy Luſt, more blindneſs in thy Mind, more hardneſs of Heart, more averſneſs in thy Will to turn to God, more unſenſibleneſs and ſearedneſs in thy Conſcience; or elſe more in danger of downright and abſolute deſpair? O miſerable folly of delays!
Beſides, if you conſider the ſuſpition of an hereafter-Repentance; true Repentance is never too late, but late Repentance is ſeldom true; which might be abundantly argued, from the uſual experience of Sinners when they are ſick, O what Proteſtations do they then make of their Repentance and Amendment, but commonly return to Sin, as the Dog to the Vomit, when reſtored to health again: So that there is uſually great unſoundneſs in Mens Sick-bed Repentances, by no means is it to be depended on. Surely it would be (compar'd with this) a pardonable folly for a Man to adventure upon Poyſon, becauſe he hath heard there is a certain Antidote in the World to expel it, tho' he cannot tell whether he can get that Remedy or no; To what this is in the preſent Caſe: It would be a piece of madneſs, that would be deſervedly unpardonable, to run the riſque and adventure of a death-bed Repentance; when you are told of the multitudes that periſh, to a very few that are ſaved, pray examine carefully what ſuch a Repentance is made up of; uſually it conſiſts in the paſſionate awakenings of natural Conſcience, upon the Sinner's Alarm to appear before that God to whom he has been a long time eſtranged, and againſt whom he has maintain'd a long and old Enmity; hereupon there ſprings up in his Breaſt a ſervile fear and dread of this holy and juſt God; hence the Sinner being ſtript of all Creature comforts and help, flies and cryes to God for pardon of his Sins, and deliverance from Hell, in great affrightment of Spirit, and O if God will ſpare, what manner of perſon he will be, and the like. Now pray judge righteous Judgment, and make a true eſtimate herein, many ignorant Wretches call this true Repentance, whereas all this is but nature in miſery, crying for eaſe, which the verieſt Reprobate in the World may do, nay, can't but do, if Conſcience be awakened: here is no change of their hearts from darkneſs to light, and the power and love of ſin, to God and holineſs. Alas! let but theſe Men be put into their former ſtate of health and temptation again, and they would be the very ſame; a Balaam may come thus far to cry out, O that I might dye the death of the Righteous, and my laſt end be like his. There is the ſame love of Sin, and hatred of ſtrict Godlineſs within as ever, which would ſoon appear, if they might but ſtill enjoy their former Vanities: but alas all is under a force, they are launching out into the eternal World, and judgment ſeems to them juſt at hand, now they cry aloud for mercy, and deſire pardon, bewail their abuſe of time, make large offers of Reformation, and yet all this is but as an Iron in the Fire, or a Mariner in a Storm: Well ſaid *Quale bonum hoc …st quod melius eſt poenâ, &c. Tertull.Tertullian, What a mean ſort of good is this, that only excels puniſhment. It is good to repent and be ſaved, becauſe who can dwell with everlaſting burning? All this is good juſt when a Man's a dying. O young man, is this conſiſtent with Reaſon, to venture thy All to all Eternity, upon ſo rotten a foundation? thou wouldſt not venture to put out to Sea in a leak… Veſſel, and wilt thou be ſo mad as to venture thy Soul upon ſuch a bold Preſumption as this? What if (O Youth) after your mad and long Rambles in the ways of Sin, after thou haſt try'd theſe deſperate Concluſions, and thou at laſt begins to come to thy ſelf, and attempts to come to Chriſt, what if he ſhould remand thee, and ſend thee back again, to find Relief among the Husks and Swine thou ſo lately left? if when you (in your diſtreſs and calamity) ſupplicate with the moſt mournful Note his mercy and compaſſion, he ſhall return you back with this greeting, and ungrateful anſwer, It is now too late, thou ſhouldſt have remembred me in the days of thy youth, depart, my patience and compaſſions are at an end, becauſe you refuſed when I called, I will now reject you. O what if God ſhould conclude his day of grace and mercy, juſt as thy time of Religion commenceth? If he end his Patience, as thou beginneſt thy Repentance? If his Ear be ſtop'd, juſt as thy cry for mercy is opening? pray, what then will you do? what ſay you young ones? will you enquire, return, and come now or no? to allude to that of the Prophet, Iſa. 21. 11, 12. Watchman, what of the night? what of the night? if you will enquire, enquire, return and come. How many expreſſions are here to ſhew the vehemency of the Call. What ſay you Youth? wilt thou dare to run the venture of the loſs of God's acceptance, of Heaven and eternal glory, for a year, a month, a week, a day? ſhall the bleſſed Trinity ſtay till your Luſt will releaſe you? Why then be it known to you, and remember hereafter, that I this day give you notice of it, that as you ſowe, ſo you ſhall reap. If you ſowe a deaf Ear to God's call to day, while it's called to day, you ſhall reap a deaf Ear to your calls and cryes for mercy, when your calamity and deſolation cometh as a whirlwind upon you. O young Men I beſeech you, and O that God would perſuade you by his Spirit this day, to practiſe this advice here exhibited to you; Flee this youthful Sin of delaying. The ſooner you come in, the more acceptable it will be to God, the more comfortable to your own Souls, and the more uſeful and beneficial to others. I might enlarge upon all theſe, but I have been long already in other Conſiderations againſt this Sin of delaying; and therefore I ſhall only tell you, That no Tongue can relate, no Pen can deſcribe all the advantages of an early Converſion. One days ſweet communion that you will have with a reconciled God in a ſtate of grace, will be more comfortable than a thouſand years of impenitent Sinners, who are or may be in continual fears of death and judgment. But O the bleſſed ſtate of an early Convert, that is a… peace with God, his Soul may dwell at eaſe, let what will come that can, in life or death, Sin is pardoned, the ſting of all is removed, Chriſt's yoke is eaſie, there is no condemnation to ſuch an one. O the ſweet peace and tranquility of ſuch a Life, what ſhould trouble or diſturb him, that hath good grounds to believe, That he ſhall be for ever with the Lord, when he ſhall go bence, and be ſeen no more. Young People are apt to th…nk, that there is no contentment in the ways of God, but they muſt lead ſad and uncomfortable Lives; whereas it's moſt manifeſt, that there is nothing tends to free them from diſcontent and uncomfortableneſs, like an early converſion to God. The Kingdom of God conſiſts in joy and peace; and there is a day at hand, when the proudeſt deſpiſer of an holy life ſhall be convinc'd of it. O therefore make a tryal of it, and if you do not find it ſo, take your own courſe, I have no more to ſay, but to pray that God would circumciſe your hearts, and give you wiſdom to take the preſent opportunity, and to admire his mercy that it is not too late.