A Christian Family Built by God, Section 7
SECT. 7.
THe third, and fourth part of Gods timber to be framed, are yong men, and yong women. Theſe have a threefold dutie put upon them.
1. To rememher their Creatour in the Eccleſ. 12. 1 Tit. 2. 6. 2 Tim. 2. 22 Levit. 19. 32.dayes of their youth.
2. To be ſoberminded, and to fly the luſts of youth.
3. To honour the perſons of the Aged.
They muſt certainly learn their duties as well as others, for Titus was given in charge Tit: 2. 6.to exhort yong men; and Iohn doth it, and Peter muſt feed Chriſts Lambs, as well as his Sheep. Yea, the word is directed to them 1 John 2. 13. Pſalm 119. 9.by name as well as others to redreſs their wayes by, and ſinne faſtned upon them doth moſt harm, as a blaſt in the Spring doth hinder fruit in Autumne.
1. They muſt remember their Creator in the dayes of their youth; that is, conſecrate their firſt years to the knowledge and ſervice of God. He that ſails a long voyage muſt not ſleep while the wind ſerves, and the ſhip is ſtrong. As Abraham roſe early to ſacrifice Gen. 22.yong Iſaac: ſo muſt yong people begin betimes to mortifie their ſins. God loves infinitely Dan. 1. 4.more then the King of Babel to have yong men and well favoured to be choſen to ſtand in his Court. Their ſervice is acceptable: but to ſerve God when they can ſerve ſinne no longer is not thankworthie. It is very hard to turn back after the wildneſſe of that age by repentance. The curſe of God frownes upon them, VVoe to him that hath a Mal. 1.male in his flock, and offers a corrupt thing. The further they run after the courſ of the world, the harder will their journey be at the latter end. Therefore they muſt take time while time ſerves, and ſtrike while the iron is hot. What though ſome old men give them bad patterns? Let yong Shem be ſober, though old Noah be overtaken with wine. Let yong Ioſeph be chaſte, though old Lot fall into the pit of Inceſt, Let yong Samuel be faithful, though old Eli be indulgent. Let yong David be ſincere, though old Saul be an Hypocrite. Though Iſrael play the harlot, yet let not Iudah ſinne: and though old men fail and fall, let yong people ſtand and flouriſh. They have excellent yong men to be their patterns, as Daniel, Ioſeph, Samuel, Ioſiah, Timothy: and this they muſt know, that the ſinnes of youth wound deeply. David Pſalm 25.cries out, Remember not the ſinnes of my youth; and Job was in pitiful plight when he complained, Thou writeſt bitter things againſt me, Job.and makeſt me poſſeſſe the ſinnes of my youth, theſe have hard teeth; and wound deep.
2. They muſt be ſober minded, ſaith Paul to Titus, which he expounds to Timothy by Tit. 2. 6. 2 Tim. 2. 22flying the luſts of youth. Sobrietie is a grace that moderates affections, and luſts in general: and is fitly required of yong perſons, ſeeing their ſinnes lye in the ill managing of the ſtrength of luſts. They carrie wrath, indignation and envie in their hearts. They are Eccleſ. 11. 10.full of pride and preſumption, as he vthat ſaid to Chriſt. All theſe have I kept from my youth, when he had not kept one. They are inconſiderate, as that yong fool, who was led by the harlot as an Ox to the ſlaughter They Prov. 7.ſwell with raſhneſſe, as Rehoboams green Counſellers. Indeed that age is like a ſeething pot which caſts out ſcum. Therefore God mocks them, Reioyce O yong man in thy youth; Eccleſ. 11.but remember thou ſhalt come to judgement; and warns them ſadly to be ſober, and to flie the luſts of youth.
3. They muſt honour the perſons of the aged. Old men are Fathers, and old age is a bleſſing in it ſelf; therefore it ſhould be reverenced, by riſing up before them, by being ſilent before them as Elihu, and by ſubmitting Job 32. 4, 6.to them with a ſubmiſſion of reverence. Thus is Gods timber framed, and made fit for Gods building in a Family.