Words of Advice to Young Men, Sermon 2 · Section 5
SECT. V.
3. YOung men, labour to overcome the wicked one. By the wicked one we are to understand the Devil, who is called the wicked one by way of eminency, because the Devil was the first wicked one, and is the most wicked one, and is, the cause of all, or most of the wickedness in the world; he drew our first Parents unto the first sin, and he hath a hand in the greatest sins that are committed by their Posterity, and therefore all the wicked are called the children of the Devil, Joh. 8. 44. Ye are of your Father the Devil, and the lusts of your Father ye will do. Then this wicked one is overcome, when his temptations to sin are resisted and repelled.
Young men, labour to overcome the wicked one. The Devil is very busie about young men.
1. To prejudice them against Gospel obedience.
2. To draw them into the commission of sin.
I shall give you advice how you may overcome the wicked one's prejudices, and how you may overcome the wicked one's temptations.
1. The wicked one would prejudice you, and so keep you from the obedience of the Gospel; and here his prejudices which he would raise in the minds of young men, are
1. Against Professours.
2. Against the Profession of the Gospel.
1. The wicked one doth endeavour to raise prejudices against the Professours of the Gospel in young and tender minds, to keep them from Gospel-obedience, by representing Professours unto them.
1. As rude and illiterate.
2. As foolish and unwise.
3. As proud and singular.
4. As factious and rebellious.
5. As hypocritical and wicked.
1. The wicked one doth represent the Professours of the Gospel to young ones, as rude and illiterate that it was first preached by ignorant and unlearned Fisher-men, and since entertained by none but such; that the greatest Scholars, and most learned Doctors in the world, reject and slight it: If the Gospel were so elegible, would it not be more entertained by the learned? Who can judge so well of the worth thereof as they? That you may overcome this prejudice, know,
1. That the Gospel began to be preached by the Lord Jesus Christ, the wisdom of the Father, who had more knowledge, than all the Doctors and learned men in the world, who came down from Heaven to reveal the Gospel unto men, and was the greatest Prophet that ever lived upon the face of the earth.
2. That the Apostles, though Fisher-men at the first, and illiterate in regard of humane learning, yet that they received from Jesus Christ extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost, whereby they attained more knowledge than all the writings of men could teach them; and that the Doctrine both of Christ, and which they preached was confirmed by many miracles, whereby it is manifest that it came from God.
3. That there have been, and at this day are many learned men, which have, and do receive the Gospel; I might give instance in many learned Fathers, who had knowledge in all sort of learning, and by their writings have given evidence to the world, that they were zealous defenders of the faith of the Gospel; and all along unto this day, there are as learned men as any in the world, who are Ministers of the Gospel.
4. That if many learned men do slight the Go…pel, it is through Gods just judgement upon them, who lean to their own understanding, whom he giveth up to a reprobate mind, as not needing their learning to defend his Truths.
5. That if the greatest number of Professours are ignorant and unlearned in regard of humane learning, yet they have divine learning; they are not skill'd in the writings of men, but they have skill in the Scriptures; they are not taught by men, but they are taught by the Spirit of God; they do not understand the mysteries of nature, but they understand the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven: Unto which I might add, that it is for Gods glory to make choice of such persons who will give him the whole praise of their instruction and salvation.
2. The wicked one doth represent the Professours of the Gospel, as foolish and unwise; that it is for want of cunning that they do not take any course to thrive in the world; that it is for want of wit they deny themselves the profits, and pleasures, and dignities which they might have in a sinful way.
That you may overcome this prejudice, know,
1. That the wicked of the world are the veryest fools, and above all others the most unwise: Are they not fools that wound themselves by sin, that wound their consciences? which is worse than wounding their fl…sh; that run headlong to their own ruines, and are the cause of their own eternal destruction? Are not they foolish and unwise that endeavour to please their flesh, more than to please God? that chuse gold before grace, Earth before Heaven? that when they are capable of salvation and eternal happiness, do neglect and refuse it, preferring the good things of this life before it, which they will certainly, and they know not how soon they may be deprived of.
2. That sincere Professours of Religion have above all others the greatest wisdom: None are so wise as those that make their peace with God; that get their feet out of Satans snare; that flee from the wrath to come; that chuse God for their portion; that deny themselves some sensual satisfactions, that they may obtain eternal pleasures: Those are the most wise, that are wise unto salvation; that have the wit to thrive in grace, that make provision for eternity.
3. The wicked one doth represent Professours as proud and singular; that they are a company of selfconceited persons, that think themselves wiser than the whole world besides; that they affect singularity, and are needlesly precise, and make the way to Heaven narrower than it is.
That you may overcome this prejudice, know,
1. That sincere Professours, of all others, are the most humble persons; they have the highest esteem of God, but they have the lowest esteem of themselves. Indeed they have high designs, they are very ambitious, they cannot be content with earthly riches, and honours, but they must be Kings and Princes; they are ambitious of being made Sons and Daughters of God, and Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven; this is a lawful ambition, but yet withall they retain the lowest thoughts of themselves, and look upon themselves as unworthy of the least mercy.
2. That sincere Professours are indeed singular and precise, but they do not affect more than what God doth command, and more than what is necessary unto salvation; they do not make the way narrower than God hath made it. Our Saviour telleth us, that strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth to life, and few there be that finde it, Mat. 7. 14. They dare not blot that verse out of the Bible, lest God should blot their names out of his Book; they dare not do as the most do, lest they go to the same place of endless misery, whither the most are hastening; they know they must be singular, otherwise they cannot be sincere; they must walk in the narrow way, and strive to enter in at the strait gate, or else they shall never be admitted into the New Jerusalem.
4. The wicked one doth represent Professors as factious and rebellious: That they are a company of seditious and lawless persons, that they are disobedient to the Civil Magistrate whom God hath set over them.
That you may overcome this prejudice, know,
1. That none are more obedient unto the Civil Magistrate in lawful commands, than sincere Professors, because they know if in such things they disobey man, they do more displease God; and therefore that this calumny of the Devil, which was the false accusation of our Saviour, that he …orbad to pay tribute to Caesar.
2. That indeed when the Civil Magistrate doth command any thing unlawful and repugnant to the Law of God, that then they think they are bound to obey God their supream King, rather than any man living on the earth; then they chuse rather to displease the greatest man, than to wound their own consciences.
3. That if when unlawful things are commande… by the Civil Magistrate, though they cannot, they dare not obey actively, yet they will obey passively by submitting m…ekly and patiently unto the penalties of their Laws for their supposed crimes.
5. The wicked one doth represent Professors as hypocritical and wicked; that they make a fair shew, but they have rotten hearts; that they are all a company of hypocrites, and secretly wicked, and would not stick at any sin upon occasion more than others who make no profession, which he would induce them to believe, because some here proved hypocrites, and fallen quite away, who have made as high a profession as any, and therefore that they are all alike: Moreover that some whom all account to have been sincere, have committed as great sins as the most wicked on occasion, as Davids murder and adultery; and then Satan doth employ his instruments, some to invent and raise slanders on many sincere persons, especially the most faithful Ministers of the Gospel; and others to divulge them, and endeavoureth what he can that all might believe them, that young on…s especially may hereby be prejudiced against all Professors, and by consequence be kept from obedience unto the Gospel.
That you may overcome this prejudice, know,
1. That i… is very irrational to conclude, that all Professors of the Gospel are hypocrites, because some are so. I believe you will not be kept from taking money, because some have proved to be brass, silvered over: Though all be not gold that glistereth, yet all gold glistereth: The counterfeit of sincerity i… an argument that there is sincerity; and if the falling away of some doth evidence hypocrisie, the standing and perseverance of others in the waies of God to their lives end, doth evidence that they are sincere.
2. If some that are sincere have fallen grosly, yet let me tell you, that there are but few sincere ones, whom God doth suffer all their daies to fall into such sins. Young Joseph had opportunity, inticements, secrecy to commit adultery wi…h his Mistress, and yet he stood; he did not dare to do that great wickedness and sin against God: And I believe there are thousands of sincere and humble Christians; that would chuse rather to be torn to a thousand pieces, than to commit that, or any other gross sin: It was a noble Christian spirit in that young man, who when inticed by a Harlot to commit adult…ry, and he could not defend himself with his hands, they being tyed, bit off his tongue, that the pain thereof might quench all natural desires aften the pleasure which she most obscenoly provoked him unto.
3. That such of Gods children that have fallen into sin, have not fallen often… have not layn long; have not lived in a course of sin, have bitterly bewailed it, been deeply humbled for it…; and as God hath permitted this, that backsliders might not d…spair of mercys that all might see where their strength lyeth, not in themselves, but in God; and that they all might stand upon their watch, and take heed of dallying with temptations; so those persons have risen again by repentance, and been more careful in their walking afterwards.
4. Since the report of some sins which are fastened upon some Professors and Ministers through the cunning of the Devil to prejudice people against the waies of God, are meer lyes, and slanders, and abominable falshoods; therefore you should take heed of hearkning to such reports, and believing them without sufficient proof. It is the rule of the Apostle, not to receive an accusation against an Elder, but before two or three witnesses, 1 Tim. 5. 19.
2. The wicked one doth endeavour to raise prejudice in the minds of young ones, to keep them from obedience to the Gospel, against the way that Professors walk in.
| Representing it | 1. As an uncertain Way. |
| 2. As a difficult Way. | |
| 3. As an unpleasant Way. | |
| 4. As a reproachful Way. | |
| 5. As a dangerous Way. |
(1.) The wicked one doth represe…t the Way of the Gospel that Professors walk in as an uncertain Way. That Professors are divided; some say this is the way, and some say that is the way; and therefore he would perswade young ones to hold on in their course of sin, until all sides are agreed, and then let th…m come into the way.
To overcome this prejudice of the wicked one, know,
1. That you must never think to come into the waies of God, nor obtain the Kingdom of Heaven, if you stay till all are agreed, because this is not likely ever to be in this world. If you should resolve not to eat till all the Clocks in the City should strike twelve together, you must resolve to starve and die: So if you will resolve not to come into Gods waies, till all Professors are agreed, you must resolve to die in your sins; whatever uncertainty there be apprehended in the way to Heaven, be sure the way of sin you are walking in is the way to Hell.
2. That there is a necessity as the Apostle speaks, that there should be heresies, that they which are approved might be made manifest, 1 Cor. 11. 19. There are two wayes whereby God doth trye his people, and make manifest their sincerity: One, by persecutions; when persecutions arise, many hypocrites drop off, and flinch away, and leave the sincere to bear the brunt: The other is by Errour and Herefie; and here some hypocrites that have held out under some kinde of persecutions, do fall away, and drink in the poyson of damnable errors, unto the destruction of their souls; but the sincere hold fast the Truth, and it is impossible that they should be deceived, because of Christs promise, undertaking, and the indwelling of the Spirit of Christ in them.
3. That though the great disagreement is between the orthodox and heretical, yet there may be a disagreement between the orthodox, the sincere amongst themselves, but it is only in circumstantials of Religion, not in Fundamentals, and all of them be in the same way to Heaven, and meet at the Journeys end, where they shall disagree no more.
4. That the way of God is certain, the uncertainty is from our own blindness.
Qu. But what shall poor ignorant persons do, that have but weak judgements, mean parts, to understand which is the right way?
Answ. 1. I answer, First, that such are not so often, and so foully mistaken, as those who have great parts, and lean to their own understand…ngs.
2. Let such therefore be humble, and keep close to the Ministery and Ordinances of Christs appointment, that they may not be led out of the way, when they break over this hedge they will wande… in the mist and darkness, and hardly finde the way again.
3. Let them apply the Promises which God hat… made of pouring out his Spirit upon simple one… Prov. 1. 23. and of leading them by his Spirit int… all truth, Joh. 18. 13.
4. Let them do and practise the will of God which they know, and they shall be established in the knowledge of the doctrine of Christ, John 7. 17.
(2.) The wicked one doth represent the way tha… Professors walk in as a difficult way: There are many hard sayings that they cannot hear, there ar… heavy yoaks which they cannot bear; there are difficult duties required which they cannot perf…rm he would perswade young ones that they will nev… be able to walk in such a difficult way, therefore they had better hold on in the more easie wa… of sin.
To overcome this prejudice of the wicked on… know,
1. That the most difficult things are the most excellent things, Pulchra quae difficilia: though it b… a difficult way, it is the way of God, not the way … the Devil; it is a clean way, not the way of wickedness; it is the way to the Crown, to the Kingdom not the Road that leadeth to Hell, and therefore,
2. That it is a necessary way: it is necessary tha… you come into this way, if you would be happy, you would escape eternal misery.
3. That the difficulty is not from the way, b… from your selves, from your own lusts, which a… the weights that hang about you, and maketh the way to seem difficult and tedious to you: lay aside those weights, and the sin that doth easily beset you, and you may not only walk, but run with easiness in this race, Heb. 12. 12.
4. That though it be a difficult way to flesh and blood, yet it is easie with God to help you, and he hath promised to help you, to write his Law in your hearts, to remove your natural enmity and indisposition, and to give you suitableness of spirit to his Law, and to cause you to walk in his Statutes, and keep his Judgements, and do them, Jer. 31. 34. Ezek. 36. 27.
5. That the greatest difficulty is at the first: when you have accustomed your necks to his yoak, and your backs to his burden, you will acknowledge that his yoak is easie, and his burden is light.
(3.) The wick…d one doth represent the way that Professors walk in as an unpleasant way: he would perswade young on…s, that they must never look for a pleasant hour any more, if they will be religious; that th…ir laughter must be turned into weeping, and their joy into heaviness: that there is required so much repenting and mourning, that they will never endure it.
To overcome this prejudice of the wicked one, know,
1. That indeed you must repent of sin, if you would be saved, and your sorrow in some measure must last so long as your lives last, because of the lasting of sin.
2. That you must mourn for sin here, or else you must burn for sin in Hell, where you will mourn without measure, without end, and to no purpose.
3. That you cannot avoid sorrow, if you should continue in the way of sin, pride crossed, the world failing, afflictions unexpected coming upon you, which are born with chearfulness by the children of God, may be heart-breaking to you; one time or other you will have sorrows in a sinfull course; and is it not better to have godly sorrow which worketh repentance unto salvation, than the sorrow of the world and lust which worketh death and destruction?
4. That if you can obtain a kindly sorrow for sin, which is a sweet melting of the heart with the sense of Gods love, you will find more pleasure to your inward man than ever you did in all the delights of sin.
5. That you are not required in this way to throw away all your comforts in your creature-enjoyments, but only to deny your selves the excess and inordinacy, which where it is taken, breeds more bitterness in the disappointment, than ever it yielded sweetness unto any: You may take a subordinate comfort in friends, and habitation, and food, and the like, and herein more reall comfort through the sweetning of these things with Gods blessing and love, than ever you could finde in these things before.
6. That though your sinfull delights must be denyed, yet God hath promised other delights in exchange, he will give you spiritual delights: If you walk closely and strictly, and do not wound your selves by your sins, you may have such sweet peace and refreshing joyes in the light of Gods countenance, and sense of Gods love, in communion with God here in his Ordinances, and in hopes of the beatifical vision, and full fruition of him in glory hereafter in heaven, as have never entered into the heart of natural men to conceive.
7. Whatever sorrow you have for sin now, and whatever griefs for afflictions which in this life you are exposed unto, yet consider that it is but for a little while: Yet a little while, and these sorrowes will be turned into joyes, weeping may endure for ae night, but joy cometh in the morning, Psal. 30. 5. and if you sow in tears, you shall reap in joy, if you go forth weeping, bearing precious seed, you shall doubtless return again rejoycing, bringing your sheaves with you, Psal. 126. 5, 6. at least when you come to heaven, you shall have rest, in the New Jerusalem all tears shall be wiped away from your eyes, when you enter into your Masters joy, then all sorrow shall come forth and depart, sorrow and sighing shall flee away and never return more, your joy in Heaven will be full and eternall; and should the unpleasantness of the way discourage you from coming into it?
(4.) The wicked one doth represent the way of the Gospel which Professors walk in as a reproachfull way; he would discourage young ones from this way by the scorns and divisions they are like to meet with, that they shall be scoffed at, and reproached by their companions.
To overcome this prejudice of the wicked one, know,
1. That they are the most vile and contemptible persons in the World that reproach and deride Gods people, and it is as ridiculous a thing for them to do it, as to laugh at the shining of the Sun: It is as if black, deformed, crooked persons should laugh and deride at those who are most fair and beautifull, and therefore their reproaches and derisions are not in the least to be valued.
2. That such as are reproached for Religion by men, are most highly honoured by God and Christ, he esteems them as the most excellent persons here, and he will own and crown them in the face of the world at the last day.
(5.) And lastly, the wicked one doth represent the way that Professors walk in as a dangerous way: he would perswade young ones, if they come into this way they will run themselves upon great hazards and dangers, they may lose their Estate, they may lose their Liberty, they may lose their Life.
To overcome this prejudice of the wicked one, know,
1. In reference to Estate, which you may lose, if you should lose Estate (which you ought to reckon upon) in the way of God, 1. Possibly you may not keep your Estate in a way of sin; some lusts may be as expensive to you as others Consciences are unto them; and if 2. You have less of the world, you may not have the less comfort; if the stream fail, you may fetch comfort from the Fountain. 3. None can take away the treasure of grace in your heart, nor deprive you of the treasure of glo…y in heaven, and whatever you lose of wealth for Christs sake, will have an abundant recompence in that which is of an higher nature.
2. In reference to Liberty; 1. That though men may cast your Bodies into a Prison on Earth, yet they cannot cast your Souls into the Prison of Hell. 2. Though they may take away your civil liberty, yet they cannot take away your spiritual liberty and priviledges; they may shut friends out from seeing you, but they cannot shut you out of the presence of God, nor keep you from the Throne of grace.
3. In reference unto Life: 1. That though: men may destroy the Body, yet they cannot destroy the Soul; and 2. you must dye, as was shown before, and you cannot die upon a better score: unto which I may adde, that I believe none in the world dye with more peace and joy than those that dye for the testimony of Jesus, and of a good Conscience. My dear young ones, labour thus to overcome all the prejudices of the wicked one, whereby he would keep you from coming into the wayes of God, and yielding obedience unto the Gospel, that is the First.