Words of Advice to Young Men, Sermon 2 · Section 4
SECT. IV.
2. YOung men, labour that the Word of God may abide in you; There is a two-fold Word of God,
1. The Essential Word, which is Christ the Son of God, Joh. 1. 1. 1 Joh. 5. 7.
2. The Written Word, which is the Scripture, 1 Thess. 2. 13.
I shall speak concerning the Word of God in both acceptations.
1. Let the essential Word of God, let Christ abide in you. Let Christ abide in your hearts. And here are two things I would exhort you unto.
1. To get Christ into your hearts.
2. To keep Christ in your hearts.
1. Labour to get Christ into your hearts; young men, be perswaded now to receive J…sus Christ into your hearts: The time of your youth is the best time to receive Jesus Christ; if you do not receive Christ now, it is a great question whether you will ever receive him; very few that refuse Christ when they are young, ever are perswaded to accept of him afterwards; Christ stands now at the door and knocks, if any will open to him, he will come in, Rev. 3. 20. Christ knocks by Judgements, by Mercies, by Word, by Ministers, by his Spirit; when you feel some secret movings and stirrings upon your spirit to thrust out sin, and let in Christ: when you have inclinations and perswasions to receive Jesus Christ, then Christ is knocking by his Spirit; open then the door, comply with those motions, and give Christ entertainment; he is the best inhabitant that ever you received: untill Christ be received, some base lusts will inhabit your hearts; and which is the best Inhabitant, judge ye. Christ where he inhabiteth doth ennoble, Lust doth debase; Christ doth beautifie, Lust doth deform; Christ doth enrich, Lust doth impoverish; Christ doth purifie, Lust doth desile; Christ doth cure, Lust doth distemper; Christ giveth peace and comfort, Lust doth bring trouble, and is the parent of eternal sorrow and woe. O then, give entertainment forthwith unto Jesus Christ; now you may have him, and all in him, all with him; if you refuse him now, you may never have another proffer of him made unto you so long as you live. And if you would receive Christ, you must part with sin; if you would receive him, you must lay hold on him by Faith, Joh. 1. 12. To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believed on his Name.
2. Labour to keep Christ in your hearts. Seek him, seek him diligently, till you finde him, and having found him, hold him, keep him carefully; when he knocks let him in, when he is in keep him there; embrace him close in the arms of your Faith and Love; bring not in any Inhabitants which may justle him out of his Lodging: let Christ abide in you without disturbance.
2. Let the Written Word of God, the Scriptures abide in you. The Book of the Holy Scriptures is the most excellent Book that ever was written: It is the Book of God. If an Angel should write a book, I believe you would get and study such a book, were you capable of understanding it; much more should you study the Scripture, which is of Divine Inspiration. This is Gods Book, and his only written Book: there are not many Books of God to burden your memory; you may read it over many times in your Life; it is translated into your Mother-tongue, that you may read it; and it is written for the most part in a plain easie style, that you may understand it: and it is full of most excellent matter:
| The Matter of the Word is | 1. Doctrinal. |
| 2. Historical. | |
| 3. Prophetical. | |
| 4. Preceptive. | |
| 5. Promissory. |
In all the Word of God is most excellent.
1. The Doctrine of the Word of God is most excellent. In the Word you have the highest Doctrines, concerning God, his one Nature in thr…e Persons; concerning Christ, his two Natures in one Person; concerning the Church, the mystical union of Christ the head, and all Believers his members; concerning mans Redemption by Christs death; concerning the way of mans salvation by the Covenant of Grace, and the like. Look into all the writings of Philosophers and the wisest Heath…ns that ever wrote, who have had the greatest learning, and largest understanding of things, and you shall finde no Doctrine they have taught to be in the least comparable with the Doctrine of the Scriptures. What are all the Arts and Sciences in the World? what are the most subtle speculations, the most accurate and rational discourses concerning the secrets and mysteries of Nature, in which the most knowing have been puzzled, and fallen short of a full understanding, in comparison with the Doctrine of the Word, and the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, which are revealed in the Scriptures?
2. The History of the Word is most excellent: In the Word you have the History of the Creation; the history of the Old World; the history of the Flood; the history of the burning of Sodom and Gomorrha with Fire and Brimstone from Heaven, the history of Gods calling Abraham and the Patriarchs, the history of Gods bringing the Children of Israel out of Egypt with many signs and wonders, through the Red Sea and Wilderness, into the Land of Promise; the history of the Jewish Paedagogy, and Gods various dealings with his Church before Christ came; but especially you have the history of Christ; his birth, his life, his works, his death, his resurrection, his ascension, his session, and intercession at the right hand of God; the history of the first plantation of the Gentile Church by the Apostles, their preaching and success, and the like: Look into all the Historians which have written, and where shall you finde such an history as is in the Scriptures? Surely there is no history like to the history of the Bible for antiquity, for certainty; no history in which you have such concernment as in this history; you may read of the memorable acts of some great Princes and famous Captains, which may yield some pleasure to your fancy, but you are never the better or the worse for what hath been done by these men so many years ago; but you are concerned in the history of the Church, in the history of Christ the Saviour of the World, your salvation and happiness doth depend upon his birth, and death, and resurrection, and appearance in Heaven to intercede for you.
3. The Prophesie of the Word is most excellent; not to say any thing of Prophesies already fulfilled concerning the children of Israel in the Old Testament, concerning the First appearance of Jesus Christ foretold long before: In the Word you have Prophesie concerning the calling of the Jewes, the destruction of Antichrist, the bringing in the fulness of the Gentiles; which yet we are in expectation of. Especially you have prophecy of the end of the World, of the conclusion of Time, and of what God will do with the children of men when Time, and all the by-us-visible-place shall be no more. You have prophecy of the second most glorious appearance of Jesus Christ to Judgement, of the Punishment which shall be inflicted upon all the ungodly in Hell; of the Reward which shall be given unto the righteous in Heaven: This is a great and most sure, and most excellent Prophecy. Some men have taken upon them to foretell future things, and have been foully mistaken; and what they have foretold have been but of small moment in comparison: This Prophecy of the Word is most sure, because the Prophecy of God, who knoweth all future things, insomuch as he is omniscient, and all things depend upon his decree. And these things he hath foretold are of the greatest weight of any other things which he hath made known before-hand to us, that we might prepare for that which is asar off.
4. The Precepts of the Word are most excellent. It would be too large to discourse of the Precepts in the Moral Law, and the sweet commands of the Gospel, where you have such admirable rules for the government of the thoughts, heart, affections, speech, behaviour, and whole conversation, as are not to be found in the Books of the most exact Moralist that ever wrote.
5. The Promises of the Word are most excellent. Promises of all temporal things needfull; Promises of spiritual favours; promises of eternal happiness; promises suitable to all our wants; promises precious, of things of the greatest value; Promises free, without condition of merit; Promises sure, of a God who is most powerful and most faithful. The matter then of this Word of God is most excellent; therefore young ones be perswaded to study this Word; let this Word of God abide in you.
1. Labour to get this Word of God.
2. Labour to keep this Word of God.
1. Labour to get this Word of God.
1. To get it into your minds.
2. To get it into your hearts.
1. Get the Word of God into your minds, so as to understand it, so as to believe it. And that you may do so, I would advise you to take a right method herein, that you would begin with the Principles of Religion. One that would have a good understanding in the Tongues, must first learn the Grammar: One that would attain knowledge in the Art and Sciences, must begin first with the Principles, the Rudiments and Elements of them: And so one that would attain a good understanding in the Word of God, must begin with the Principles of Religion, which are collected together in the most easie way to understand in Catechisms, where you have the great fundamental truths of Religion, which are necessary to be known, believed and practised in order unto salvation, set down by way of question and answer. And because some Catechisms are very deficient in giving clear light, and some are very full: I shall above all commend to you the Catechism of the Assembly of Divines, where all the heads of Religion are proved out of the Scripture, which is the fountain and foundation of all: and I would have you first to learn the shorter Catechism exactly, with the proofs; then proceed to the larger Catechism and consession of faith; and as you go along, labour to understand the meaning of every thing you learn; and not only to get a notional understanding, but also a spiritual discerning, and to mingle these great truths with faith, to receive and believe what you finde proved by the Scripture to be the Word of God, and therefore most firmly to assent to them. For this end you must look up to the Lord, and make your prayer to him, that he would give you his Spirit to teach and lead you into all truth. Besides learning Catechisms, you must keep a constant course of reading some portion of Scripture every day, and labour to carry about with you something of the Word in your minds, which you may entertain your thoughts withall, when you get them off from other business.
2. Get the Word of God into your hearts; endeavour that your hearts may be a…ected with the Word; let not only your minds receive light by it, but also your hearts receive warmth by it. Imitate David in his affections to the Word, which you may read especially in the 119. Psalm, in his prizing the Word, v. 71. The Law of thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver. In his love to the Word, v. 97. O how love I thy Law! it is my meditation all the day. In his desires, v. 82. My eyes fail for thy Word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me? And v. 20. My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath to thy judgements at all times. In his hope, v. 81. My soul fainteth for thy salvation, but I hope in thy Word. In his delight, v. 162. I rejoyce at thy Word as one that findeth great spoil.
2. Labour to keep the Word of God; let the Word of God abide in you; do as David, Psal. 119. 11. Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. And take Solomons advice and encouragement, Prov. 4. 20, 21, 22. My Son attend unto my words, and encline thine ear unto my sayings; Let them not depart from thine eyes, keep them in the midst of thine heart; for they are life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh. There are three things in the Word which you should especially keep:
1. The Truths of the Word.
2. The Commandments of the Word.
3. The Promises of the Word.
1. Keep the Truths of the Word; buy the Truth whatever pains it cost you; but never sell the Truth, whatever you may get by it: Seek for the Truth as for silver, and dig for it as for hidden treasures: And having found it, keep it as a treasure; do not part with it upon any terms. If you make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience, you will make shipwrack of your souls upon the rocks of perdition and destruction, and be drowned in the Ocean of Gods wrath: Therefore you must earnestly contend for the Faith, that is the Doctrine of Faith, the Truths of the Word once delivered unto the Saints, Jude 4. You will have attempts made upon you by the Agents of Hell, by the Instruments of the Devil, to rob you of the Truth, and to give you damnable errours instead of soul saving Truths: But as you desire the salvation of your souls, hold fast the Truths of the Word; get on the girdle of Truth; let the loyns of your mind be girt about with the Truth, Ephes. 6. 14. Let not the Truth hang loose in your minds, lest it be snatched away from you, but get the Truth girt; get it fastned and fixed; get it rooted and riveted, that you may not be wavering like a wave of the Sea tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine; labour for a mind established in the Truths of the Word.
2. Keep the Commandments of the Word; labour that your hearts may be cast into the mould of this Word; get the Law written upon the Tables of your heart as with a Pen of Iron, and point of a Diamond; and let your life be a fair Copy of the Law; let the Precepts of the Word be exemplified in your conversations; let all men know what God requireth by your obedience; shine as lights in the places where you live, that others seeing your good works, may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven.
3. Keep the Promises of the Word; look upon the Promises as your great Christian charter, as your choice treasure, as your store-house, where are laid up the most rich provisions. Acquaint your selves with the Promises of the Word, and apply them; lay up the Promises in your heart, and make use of them daily; plead them at the Throne of Grace, fetch supplies from them, feed upon them, live upon them, delight your selves in them, go to them for strength when weak, for recovery when sick, for quickening when dull, for softning when hard, for enlargement when straitned, for succour when tempted, for cordials when fainting, for comforts when troubled. Thus for your second duty: Young men labour that the Word of God may abide in you.