Two Treatises, Treatise 1 · Reason 9
Reaſon 9.
There is a promiſe to thoſe that ſeek the Lord early, but there is none to thoſe that ſeek him late; miſtake me not, I would not weaken the hands of any, if God move any old ſinner to look after Chriſt. I do not ſay but that there is a promiſe for them that return at whatſoever time it be; a promiſe to him as a ſeeker, but not a particular promiſe to him as a late ſeeker. But there is a promiſe particularly to the early ſeeker, Prov. 8.7. They that ſeek me early ſhall finde me; And from hence the Apoſtle preſſes men to take hold of the opportunity Heb. 3.7.13. And to day if you will hear his voice;; but exhort one another dayly, while it is called to day, leaſt any of you be hardned through the deceitfullneſſe of ſin, and the Prophet preſſes the very ſame; Iſa. 55.6. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; the Lord is near thee in the Promiſe, and eſpecially to you young ones; becauſe he is near you in the particular Promiſe, whereas he is near others but in the general promiſe. O therefore be perſwaded to ſeek him whilſt he is thus near to you.
Uſe of Caution to young ones not to loſe this time; for we may ſay of youth as David ſays of the Soul, What ſhall a man give in exchange for it? there is no price or ranſome ſufficient to redeem it from God; the following days if thou were ſure to enjoy them and give them up to the Lord, are not a valuable conſideration for thy youth, nor will any time be ſo acceptable to God as this. See how the Lord prizes youthfull affections, Jer, 2 2.3. Go and cry in the ears of Jeruſalem ſaying, Thus ſaith the Lord, I remember thee, the kindneſſe of thy youth, the love of thine eſpouſals when thou wentest after mee in a Wilderneſſe in a Land that was not ſowen. verſ. 3. Iſrael was holineſſe to the Lord, and the firſt fruits of his increaſe, all that devour him ſhall offend, evill ſhall come upon them ſaith the Lord. Times which may follow are either uncertain or not acceptable with God, or not ſo advantagious to this work, Joh. 9.4. I muſt work the works of him that ſent me while it is day, the night cometh when no man can work. Night will come, and then there will be no working; evening will come, and it will be bad working; but it is good working whilſt it is day, whilſt it is noon-day, when thou haſt light upon light, a double light; the Hebrews expreſſe noon by ſuch a word that ſignifieth two lights.
All theſe conſiderations laid together may help us to draw this Concluſion, Lament. 2.27. It is good for a man to bear his yoke in his youth.
2 To old ones who have neglected, and loſt this precious time of their youth; O go home and mourn over this great loſſe, the loſſe of your precious and choyſeſt time of your youth; go to your Cloſets, and weep over your deceitfull delaying hearts, which have cheated you ſo often, and put ſo many ſtumbling-blocks in your ways, that you have not found a time to be ſerious for God, to this veryday: You had need go and ſhut your doors upon you, and begge earneſtly of the Lord, that he would accept of you at laſt; and be very ſerious, and never give the Lord over untill he hath given you ſome evidence of owning thoſe dregs and relicks of the time, and ſtrength which Sin and Satan hath left you; you have need of abundance of grace to bring you over, and to accept of you when God muſt go in an extraordinary way of grace toward your ſoul.
Secondly, Redeem the time that is leſt, let none of that be thrown away, after the reſt, 1 Pet. 4.3. For the time paſt of our lives may ſuffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in laſciviouſneſſe, luſt, exceſſe of wine, revellings, banquettings, and abhominable Idolatries.
The end of the Firſt Part.
Novv if Ever. Or an APPENDIX TO The Young-mans Memento.
Delivered By Jo. CHISHULL, At Tiverton in Devon.
Heb. 3.13. Exhort one another daily while it is called to day, lef… any of you be hardened through the deceitfulneſs of ſin.
Iſa. 55.6. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is nea
Printed at London by A. N. for F. Eglesſield, and are to be ſold at his Shop at the Mary-gold in Pauls Church-yard, 1657.
To the Right Worſhipfull Sir Copleſtone Bampfield, Baronet.
SIR,
I Have preſented theſe few Sermons to you; not for their ſhelter (for a Patrons name cannot defend the Author from the cenſure of the Reader) but for your advice. Although you cannot want my counſel (having injoyed many advantages above others, in education, of godly counſel, and good Examples) yet your age does, ſeeing you are now in the day of your choices: and if you need none, yet I owe to your ſelf and Family, whatever may be conducible to your or to their good; the engagements which former daies have layed upon me to ſerve the Family of Poltimore, are as freſh upon me as ever, and I ſhould gladly embrace any opportunity of manifeſting this.
The Stock of Prayers which your dear Father (whoſe memory is precious among the Lords people) hath put up for you, the many Counſels which you have received from your Governours and Tutor, in former and latter years, with the continued Prayers, Exhortations, and Examples of ſome very near you, give great hopes that you may ſtand up in your honoured Fathers place, and with his Title and Eſtate inherit that intereſt which he had in the hearts of them that fear the Lord. If what I have tendered to you, further or quicken you unto this, I have my end and my joy.
Above all things beware of delays, the danger of thoſe you ſhall eaſily find by peruſing of what follows; vouchſafe to read it ſeriouſly, and accept kindly, as it is offered out of faithfulneſſe and affection, by him who is, Sir,
Tiverton, Aug. 24. 1654. Your obliged Servant, Jo. Chishull.