The Young Mans Remembrancer and Youths Best Choice, Discourse 1

The Young Mans Remembrancer and Youths Best Choice · Discourse 1

p. 1THE Young Man's REMEMBRANCER. I. DISCOURSE.

Eccleſ. xii. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the Days of thy Youth, while the Evil Days come not, nor the Years draw nigh, in which thou ſhalt ſay, I have no Pleaſure in them.

THE Two great Duties of the Chriſtian Life, are, to Ceaſe to do Evil, and to Learn to do Well; the one is Negative, Godlineſs; the other is Poſitive; the latter can never be without the former. No Man can be Good that doth not Ceaſe to be Evil; and p. 2therefore Solomon Exhorts to the former in the Laſt Verſe of the foregoing Chapter, and he brings it in with an Illative Particle, Put away Evil from thy Fleſh. It referrs to the Ninth Verſe, Know thou that for all theſe things God will bring thee to Judgment. Theſe things, that is, theſe youthful Luſts, theſe ſenſual Pleaſures, which by a ſharp Satyr he does reprove in the former part of the Verſe, Rejoice, O young Man, in thy Youth, and let thy Heart Cheer thee in the Days of thy Youth, and Walk in the Ways of thy own Heart, and in the Sight of thine Eyes. As if he ſhould ſay, if thou art reſolved upon thy Luſts, and bent to ſpend thy Youthful Days in thy ſenſual Delights, why then go on and take thy Courſe, but conſider were this will end, and what follows; there is a Reckoning Day a coming, thy pleaſant Way will have a doleful End; though the p. 3Beginning may be Sweet, the Concluſion will be Bitter; for thou muſt Die e're long, nor canſt thou ſay how ſoon, and then thou muſt anſwer to God, for all thy ſinful Courſes, and ſenſual Vanities; for Know that for all theſe things God will bring thee to Judgment, and therefore Put away Evil from thy Fleſh.

And then he proceeds to Exhort to the Poſitive Part of Godlineſs, and that in the Words of the Text, Remember now thy Creator in the Days of thy Youth. He tells you in the Laſt Words of the former Verſe, Childhood and Youth are Vanity; and the Vanity of it appears in nothing more than in indulging to Senſe and Fleſh, and forgetting God; therefore theſe Words of the Text are the wiſe Man's Memento to young Ones, wherein he gives this ſeaſonable Counſel for the Cure of their Vanities, Remember now thy Creator p. 4in the Days of thy Youth, whilſt the Evil Days come not, nor the Years draw nigh, when thou ſhalt ſay, I have no Pleaſure in them.

In which Words you have an Exhortation to a very concerning Duty, and it is backed with a threefold Argument in the Six following Verſes. In the Duty exhorted to, you have Three Things.

Firſt, The Act, Remember.

Secondly, The Object to be Remembred, Thy Creator.

Thirdly, The Time when he muſt be Remembred, Now. Remember now thy Creator: But leſt you ſhould think that this now takes in the whole Time of this Life, therefore he Excludes the latter Part of Life, and Limits this now to the former Part, Remember now thy Creator in the Days of thy Youth.

And then you have a Threefold Argument or Motive upon which the Duty is urged.

p. 5Old Age, with its Infirmities, Haſtening.

Mortality Approaching. And,

Judgment Enſuing.

Firſt, The Approaching of old Age, with the Infirmities that accompany it; that we have in thoſe Words, While the evil Days come not, nor the Years draw nigh, when thou ſhalt ſay, I have no Pleaſure in them; and what theſe Days and Years are, he tells you in the various Allegories in the following Verſes, While the Sun, or the Light, or the Moon, or the Stars, be not Darkned, nor the Clouds Return after Rain, in the Day when the Keepers of the Houſe ſhall Tremble, and the ſtrong Men Bow themſelves, and the Grinders Ceaſe, and they fa… that Look out at the Windows, &c.

Secondly, You have an Argument from Death and Mortality approaching, Verſe 15. Man goeth to his Long Home. Verſe 7. Then p. 4duplicate page p. 5duplicate page p. 6ſhall the Duſt return to the Earth as it was. Then; when? When the Sun, and the Light, &c. is Darkned, when the Keepers of the Houſe Tremble, when the ſtrong Men Bow themſelves, and and the Grinders Ceaſe, then ſhall the Duſt return to the Earth as it was.

Thirdly, You have the Judgment enſuing, Verſe 7. The Spirit ſhall return to God who gave it; it is the Soul that is here intended, which is frequently called a Spirit, becauſe of its Spiritual and Immaterial Nature; as the Body of every one Returns to the Duſt, ſo does every Soul Return to God; not to God as a Chief Good, but to God as a Great Judge; not to his Bliſsful Preſence, but to his Judicial Preſence. All Souls do not Return to God to Enjoy him, for that is the Portion but of a few; but all Return to God to be Judged by him, both Good and p. 7Bad, Saint and Sinner. So ſays the wiſe Man in the Third Chapter of this Book, Verſe 17. God ſhall judge the Righteous and the Wicked; for there is a Time there for every Purpoſe, and for every Work; ſo that there is ſuch a Returning of the Soul to God, as ſets it before his aweful Tribunal, where it muſt be Sentenced to its Everlaſting State, either to Enjoy God for Ever, or to be Everlaſtingly Shut out of his Preſence and Favour; ſo that theſe are the Arguments to Inforce the Duty in the Text.

Old Age is Haſtening.

Death follows it.

And then comes the Judgment.

In old Age you will have no liſt to Remember God, in Death you cannot Remember God, and in Judgment you muſt be called to an account for not Remembring God, and therefore ſince it is thus, Remember now thy Creator in the p. 8Days of thy Youth. I ſhall open the Words, and then apply them.

Firſt, I will begin with the Act, Remember; this is applied ſometimes to God; he is ſaid to Remember; God Remembred Noah, Gen. 8.1. He Remembred Abraham, Gen. 19.29. He Remembred his Holy Covenant, Luke 1.72. But there is, to ſpeak properly, no ſuch thing in God as Remembring; for he that can never Forget, cannot be ſaid to Remember.

But it is properly applied to Man; and ſo to Remember is either,

To call to Mind ſome Paſt; or,

To keep a thing in Mind for the Time to come.

Sometimes it is to call to Mind ſomething paſt; thus it is ſaid, that Peter Remembred the Words of Chriſt, Mat. 26.75. and as it Imports keeping in Mind for the Time to come, ſo it is ſaid, Remember p. 9the Sabbath Day to keep it Holy, Exod. 20.8. To Remember, is put here in a double Oppoſition.

Firſt, It is oppoſed to a Forgetfulneſs of the Duty mentioned. And,

Secondly, It is oppoſed to a ſlight Performance of it. Both which are Sin.

It is a Sin to forget God, and it is a Sin to have ſlight Thoughts of God; the Act ſhould be ſome way anſwerable to the Object; the Great God is thy Maker, and he ſhould not be put off with ſlightly Reſpects, Remember thy Creator.

The manner in which the Duty is Inforced, is ſuch as does import, that it ought to be our chief Buſineſs. God does not uſe in his Word to put his Memento's upon ſlight and indifferent Matters, but upon ſuch Duties as are Neceſſary, and of the greateſt Importance. As,

p. 10Firſt, To preſs us to Repentance, Rev. 2.5. Remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent, Ezek. 16.61. Thou ſhalt Remember thy Ways, and be Aſhamed.

Secondly, To mind us of our latter End, Eccle. 11.8. If a Man Live many Years, and Rejoice in them all, yet let him Remember the Days of Darkneſs, for they ſhall be many.

Thirdly, To preſs upon us the Duty of Sabbath Holineſs, Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it Holy, Exod. 20.8.

Fourthly, To keep in our Hearts the great Works of Providence, Pſalm 105.5. Remember the Marvellous Works that he hath done; and Mat. 16.9. ſays Chriſt, Remember the Five Loaves that fed Five Thouſand, and how many Baſkets full he took up.

Fifthly, It is uſed to incite to a full and compleat Obedience, Num. 15.39. Remember all the Commandments p. 11of the Lord to do them.

Sixthly, To ſtir us up to be mindful of himſelf, and therefore this Duty of all the reſt is charged both Negatively and Poſitively.

Negatively, Deut. 8.11. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God. And,

Poſitively, as in the Words of the Text, Remember now thy Creator.

But why doth God put a Memento upon this Duty here? Why, there is a Fivefold Reaſon for it.

Firſt, To Intimate to us the Oppoſition of our corrupt Hearts to this great Duty; naturally Man cannot endure the Yoak of Obedience to God. He is without God in the World; God is not in all his Thoughts; therefore he calls us to Remember him.

Secondly, The Sum of all Religion lies in the Obſervation of this one Command; there can be no ſuch thing as Religion where God p. 12is forgotten. Jacob gave a ſevere Charge to his Sons concerning Benjamin, becauſe he lay neareſt his Heart; the Honor of God lies neareſt his Heart of any thing; and no Man can Honor him, that doth not Remember him; therefore he gives ſuch a ſtrict Charge about it. It is this that frames our Spirits for all other Duties, and makes them fit for every good Work; Sin never prevails more upon our Hearts than when God is ſhut out of our Thoughts; the Children of Iſrael did Evil, and forgat the Lord, therefore Remember thy Creator.

Thirdly, It implies, that no Age is ſo prone to forget God, as that of Youth. Youthful Pleaſures, and youthful Luſts and Vanities, do frequently turn the Heart away from God, therefore Solomon ſays, Childhood and Youth are Vanity, in the Words before the Text. It is Vanity, both

In a Natural, and

p. 13In a Moral Reſpect.

It is Vanity in a Natural Reſpect, as being Frail and Mortal. Though by the Courſe of Nature, Young Ones may think to Live long, yet by reaſon of the Frailty of Nature, they may Die before the Eldeſt; many Younger than you lye yonder Rotting in their Graves. Now thou haſt the Seeds of Death in thee, and thou haſt Sin the Cauſe of Death cleaving to thee, and the Sentence lies againſt thee, and therefore tho' thou mayeſt pleaſe thy ſelf with the Thoughts of Living many Years, like the Fool in the Goſpel, yet thou mayeſt Dye before to Morrow, as he did. Thou Fool, this Night ſhall thy Soul be required of thee. And as Youth is Vanity in a Natural Senſe, ſo it is in a Moral Senſe, for it is Tainted and Defiled with Luſt and Corruption all over. Thou art a Child of Wrath from the p. 14Womb; under a Damning Guilt, before ever thou didſt commit one actual Sin, For by the Offence of one Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation, Rom. 5.18. But alas! How much Guilt haſt thou Contracted by thy Actual Sin, thy Lying, thy Swearing, thy Drunkenneſs, thy Gluttonny, thy Pride and Envy, thy Lewdneſs and Uncleanneſs, thy ſinful Mirth and Levity, thy Slothfulneſs and Vanity, thy Stubbornneſs and Obſtinacy? Theſe are the common Sins of Youth. And no wonder that that Soul is prone to forget God, where theſe Luſts reign; therefore Remember thy Creator.

Fourthly, It is a Duty of the Greateſt Equity, not only from the Will of him that Commands it, but from the Reaſon of the Command it ſelf, which Conſults Man's Good as well as God's Glory, and is it not Equal, that we ſhould p. 15Remember that God that never forgets us, and that we ſhould mind his Glory who is mindful of our Good? Beſides, how Equal is it, that God, who is the Firſt Cauſe, the Chief Good, and Laſt End, ſhould be firſt owned, beſt loved, and moſt ſerved? And is it not Equal, that Time, being ſo rare a Jewel, ſo great a Betruſtment, ſo Rich a Talent, ſhould be employed for him who gave it; and who can either continue it, or cut it ſhort, as we either lay it out upon God, or profuſely laviſh it upon our Luſts? Therefore Remember thy Creator.

Fifthly, God gives us this Memento, to mind us of that ſtrict Account we muſt e're long give to him for all our Time; Youth is to Account to God for a few Years, as well as Old Age is for many more; and therefore the Wiſe Man warns Young Ones of a Judgment Day for them, as well as for p. 16thoſe of more Years, Eccleſ. 11.9. Rejoice, O Young Man, in thy Youth, — But know that for all thoſe things, God will bring thee to Judgment. If we do not Remember to keep this Precept, God will Remember to puniſh the breach of it. If we forget our Obedience to God, he will not forget to puniſh our Diſobedience; and therefore God puts a Memento upon this Command, that ſo we may be Awakened to our Duty, from the Senſe of an Approaching Judgment. Remember thy Creator.

But it is not barely an Act of the Mind that is here called for; it is not enough meerly for you, to Remember or Think of God, for that is done in Hell; they all Remember God there; the Memory of the Damned ſhall then be more quick and ſtrong than ever, and ſhall bring all your Sins into an Eternal view. Now the Sins p. 17of Youth are committed and forgotten by us, and we are apt to think God forgets them too, and that they ſhall never be remembred more; they ſay, Tuſh, the Lord ſeeth us not, Ezek. 8.12. But mark what God ſays, Pſalm 50. ver. 21. Theſe things haſt thou done (ſpeaking of their Sins before) Theſe things haſt thou done, and I kept Silence — But I will Reprove thee, and ſet them in Order before thine Eyes. Every Sin ſhall be ſet in Order, and come into Remembrance, in that Day. Son, ſays Abraham to the Rich Man, Son, Remember, Luke 16.25. pointing him back to his Luſts. If Sinners could but forget in Hell, it would be a Comparative Happineſs. A Loſs though never ſo great, yet when it is forgotten the trouble of it ceaſes It would be an eaſe to Sinners in Hell, if they could never think of God more, and p. 16duplicate page p. 17duplicate page p. 18if they could raze out the Remembrance of Chriſt and the Goſpel out of their Minds, and forget that ever they heard of a Redeemer; to Remember what a God, what a Creator, what a Redeemer, what a Heaven, what a Happineſs they had tendered to them, and therefore might have ſecured, but would not; to Remember what Calls they were once under, to Convert and Turn to God, and Cloſe with Chriſt and Live, O how will this wound and afflict in that Day; I had once the Means of Grace, I heard the Preacher often Calling and Wooing me to leave my Luſts and come to Chriſt, I have many times felt the Convictions and Strivings of the Spirit in me, under the Word, to bring it about, and had I had Wiſdom to Conſider, and a Heart to Comply, O how Happy had I been! I might have been one amongſt the Bleſſed Saints in Heaven, p. 19who are here Tormented amongſt Damned Spirits. O how often have I had Life and Death ſet before me, and therefore this Miſery is the Fruit of my own Choice!

To Remember Loſt and Paſt Opportunities, O how will this Torment! Fool that I was, to have ſuch a Price put into my Hands to get Wiſdom, as once I had, and yet to have no Heart to it. Wretch that I was, that I could find Time for every thing elſe, but no Time for Eternity. I had Time to Eat, and Drink, and Sleep, and to mind the Work of my Calling, but no Time to Work out my Salvation. I had Time for my Mirth, and my Games, and my Sports, and Pleaſures, and Youthful Vanities, but I could find no Time for God and my own Soul.

To Remember upon what eaſie Terms they might have Eſcaped Wrath and Miſery, and have been p. 20Happy for ever, will not this wound and torment? I was not put upon what was Impoſſible; Chriſt told me, his Yoke was Eaſie and his Burden Light, that his Commands were not grievous; it was but forſaking my Luſts, and Cordially accepting of Chriſt for my Saviour and Lord, and I had been Happy for ever; and how reaſonable was this? If he had bid me do ſome great Matter, ſhould I not have done it? How much more then when he laid upon me no other Conditions but theſe, Believe and be Saved, Seek my Face and Live. Remember thy Creator now in the Days of thy Youth.

O how bereft of Judgment was I, when I thought my ſelf too Young for this Work, when I called God a Hard Maſter, and his Service Bonds and Bondage, when I Cenſured the Holy Ways of God as needleſs Preciſeneſs, p. 21and caſt off his Holy Laws as too Severe and Strict? O Curſed Wretch that I was and am, not to be Perſwaded to Own and Imbrace them.

To Remember what it was that they Choſe in lieu of Bleſſedneſs, and what they parted with Heaven and Glory for, this will Amaze and Confound a few Short-lived Pleaſures, and Carnal Delights, a little Senſual Satisfaction of the Fleſh, a few Pleaſant Cups, or Sweet Morſels, a Heap of Gold, or a Puff of Honour; this is all I had for my Immortal Soul, and Eternal Salvation, and for a God who is the Chief Good, and in whoſe Favour is Life; ſo that you ſee God is Remembred in Hell. Nay, let me ſay it, he is in ſome Sence Remembred more there than he is here; for here the Ruin is ſo Diſtracted, with divers Luſts and Senſual Vanities, that they divert the Thoughts from their Proper p. 22Object, but in Hell there is nothing to flatter the Sences, no Objects to divert them; God is perpetually Remembred there, not as a Duty, but as a Puniſhment; not as a Comfort, but as a Torment. And let me tell you, it will be one of the greateſt Torments of Sinners in Hell, to Remember what a God they have loſt, what a Heaven they have miſſed, what precious Souls they have undone.

But this Momento here in the Text, is a very Comprehenſive Duty; in this Place it takes in the Whole of Religion, it comprehends the Whole Duty of Man.

It is uſual with the Spirit of God in Scripture, to include all the Operations of the Soul, in the mention of one ſingle Act, and to denominate the Whole of Religion, by ſome one Chief Part of it, which is a Principle Productive of all the reſt; ſometimes we are Commanded to love God, ſometimes p. 23to fear God, ſometimes to ſeek God, and here in the Text to remember God, and in any one of theſe, all the reſt are included; ſo that this Injunction, to Remember thy Creator, points us to a fivefold Duty, without which it is not done as a Duty.

Firſt, This Remembring implies and ſuppoſes Knowledge; you can never Remember your Creator, unleſs you Know who he is; the Memory is the Store-Houſe of the Soul, where known Truths are Treaſured up. Chriſt ſays of the Scribe inſtructed for the Kingdom of Heaven, that he brings out of his Treaſury Things New and Old.

Knowledge is the firſt Step to Salvation; he will have all Men to be Saved, and come to the Knowledge of the Truth, 1 Tim. 2.4. and therefore the great Deſign of the Devil is to blot out the Knowledge of God from the Mind; his Kingdom is a Kingdom of Darkneſs, p. 24and he rules in the Darkneſs of this World; for he can lead the Blind which Way he will; and therefore he that doth not know God, cannot remember him; and he cannot be rightly known but in Jeſus Chriſt. If one had a Knowledge of God as clear as that of the Angels, who never ſinned, yet he cannot be rightly known by us but in Jeſus Chriſt; without the Knowledge of Chriſt, we ſhall be miſerable with all our Knowledge. Though the Knowledge of Chriſt be not ſimply neceſſary to the Angels that never ſinned, and therefore needed not a Mediator, yet it was neceſſary for us who are by Sin Obnoxious to God's Wrath, and ſo need a Reconciler, becauſe of our Enmity; and a Redeemer, becauſe of our Slavery; a Refiner, becauſe of our Filthineſs; and a Mediator, becauſe of our Diſtance, that he may bring us to God; p. 25and therefore the Knowledge of Chriſt is as neceſſary to Happineſs, as the Knowledge of God; both are joined together as a needful Means of Salvation. This is Life Eternal, to know Thee the only true God, and Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent, Joh. 17.3. If we do not know God, we cannot know what is our Duty to him; and if we do not know Chriſt, we cannot know the way of Performing that Duty; the more we come to underſtand the Nature of God, and the Offices of Chriſt, the more we ſhall know of our Duty, and how to do it. There can be no Right Knowledge of God, but in and by Chriſt, He is the True Light that lightens every Man that comes into the World, John 1.9. Every One that partakes of this Light hath it from Chriſt. Natural Light is from Chriſt, and Spiritual Light much more. p. 26No Man hath ſeen God at any time; the only Begotten Son, who is in the Boſom of the Father, he hath Declared him. John 1.18. And therefore this Remembring thy Creator, includes in it the Saving Knowledge of God in Chriſt.

Secondly, This Remembring includes Faith; he cannot be ſaid to Remember God, who doth not Depend upon God, and Truſt in him; therefore David Expreſſeth his Faith in God, by Remembring of him. Pſalm 20.7. Some truſt in Chariots, and ſome in Horſes, but we will remember the Name of the Lord our God; that is, we will truſt in his Name; others truſt in Creatures, but we will truſt in the Creator; others rely on an Arm of Fleſh, but we will rely upon the Name of the Lord; then God is Remembred aright, when the Remembrance of him is accompanied with Faith and Truſting. Faith in p. 27God, is the beſt, the trueſt way of Remembring of God.

It is ſaid of Iſrael, Pſalm 78.32. They believed not for his Wondrous Works; but when he ſlew them, then they ſought him, and they remembred that God was their Rock, and the High God their Redeemer; that is, then they believed. So Iſaiah 26.8. The Deſire of our Souls is to thy Name, and to the Rememberance of thee; that is, to keep up the Glory of thy Name, by Acting Faith and Confidence in thy Word and Promiſes.

Thirdly, This Remembrance implies Repentance; Forgetfulneſs and Impenitence always go together; Repentance is a Calling Sin to Remembrance, with a Due Sence of the Evil of it, and Sorrow for it, as it is done againſt God; and how can this be where God is forgotten? If there be no right Conceptions p. 28of the Nature of God, His Omniſcience, His Holineſs and Juſtice, there can be no Repentance for Sinning againſt him. They are frequent Remembrances, freſh Views of God, that work to Repentance and Self-abhorring. So it did in Job, Chap. 42.5, 6. Mine Eye ſeeth Thee; therefore I abhor my Self, and Repent in Duſt and Aſhes.

The Clearer Manifeſtations a Soul hath of God, the Deeper will its Humiliation for Sin be. When Peter remembred the words of Chriſt, then he went out and Wept bitterly. Till we Remember and Conſider God in the Purity of his Holineſs, the Severity of his Juſtice, the Tenderneſs of his Mercy, the Inevitableneſs of his Wrath, we can never truly Repent of Sin.

Fourthly, This Remembring of God, carries Love in it. Though an Object be every Way Amiable, p. 29and made up of Delights, yet it can never be let into the Affections, ſo long as it is ſhut out of the Thoughts; nor on the other hand, can it be with any pleaſure Remembred, when it has no room in our reſpect. God's Deſign and End is not ſo much to be Remembred by us, as to be Loved by us; and his beſpeaking a room in our Thoughts, is that he may Dwell in our Hearts.

The Higheſt Act of Honour the Creature can do to God, is to truſt him, and love him. Thoſe that Diſtinguiſh the Order of the Angels, place the Seraphims above the Cherubims, becauſe they have a more ardent Love, as well as a more clearer Light; a Remembrance of God, without a ſuitable reſpect, will neither be Profitable nor Durable; for when any other Object Poſſeſſes our Affections, God is ſoon forſaken and forgotten; then a Man Remembers God p. 30aright, when his Affections are ſuitable to his Apprehenſions.

As it is with Sin, a Man hath not the right Notion of Sin, unleſs he feel the Weight of it, and loath it. Then ſhall ye Remember your own Evil Ways, — and ſhall Loath your Selves for your Iniquity, Ezek. 36.31.

Or as it is with the Word of God, no Man remembers the Word aright, if he do not Believe it, and Love it. So no one can have right Apprehenſions of God, who has not Choice Affection to him, and his Chief Delight in him.

Look what that is which we Love beſt, and we always think of that moſt; what a Man Loves beſt, is his Chief Good; and his Chief Good is his Treaſure; and where the Treaſure is, there the Heart will be, Chriſt ſays.

What we Love, we Delight to think upon; as what we hate, we ſoon forget. So it is ſaid of Jeſhurun, p. 31Deut. 32.15. He forgat God which made him, and lightly eſteemed the Rock of his Salvation. He lightly eſteemed him, and therefore ſoon forgets him.

If one that is but a common Acquaintance with you be Abſent, you ſoon forget him; out of Sight out of Mind; but a boſom Friend, a dear Friend, a Friend that is as a Man's own Soul, you cannot forget ſuch a one; Love will remember him, when the Eye cannot ſee him, and makes him Preſent, when he is Abſent; nay, he lives in the Mind, when perhaps he lies dead in the Grave; therefore I Pray mind that Precept of our Lord, Matth. 22. ver. 37. Thou ſhalt Love the Lord with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy Mind. Mark ye, it is not ſaid only, Thou ſhalt Love God with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, but with all thy Mind; we Love him with the p. 32Heart and Soul, when we Devote our ſelves to him; and we Love him with our Mind, when we have him daily in our Thoughts and Remembrance; the Deſire of our Souls is to thy Name, and to the Remembrance of thee, Iſa. 26.8.

Fifthly, This Remembring of him implies Obedience, Obedience to his Will; the Will of God is the Rule of Obedience, and his Will is made known in his Word. Obedience is Knowledge digeſted into Affection and Practice. Hence is that Counſel of David to his Son Solomon, Know thou the God of thy Father, and ſerve him with a perfect Heart, and with a willing Mind, 1 Chro. 28.9. Paul's firſt Queſtion when touched his Heart was, Who art thou, Lord? And then the next was, What wilt thou have me to do? Acts 9.5, 6. to ſhew us, that all Obedience is produced by Knowledge. As Ignorance is the Cauſe p. 33of Sin, ſo a Right Sence of God, is the beſt Antidote againſt it; for this begets Love; and the more God is beloved, the more readily he will be obeyed; a weak Conception, and a fruitleſs Remembrance of God, Glorifies him no more, than a Painter does the Perſon whoſe Picture he draws.

The Glory of God conſiſts not in the lifeleſs Notions of him, but in active Conformity to him; a Natural Man may have ſome Pleaſure in knowing the Nature of God; Ay, but he cares not for knowing the Ways of God. Job, 21.14. They ſay, — we Deſire not the Knowledge of thy ways. He would own him in his Mercy and Goodneſs, but he hath no regard to his Precepts, Mercy is ſuitable to our Wants but Obedience is repugnant to the Intereſt of the Fleſh. That Knowledge of God which doth not take root in the Heart, and grow up into Obedience p. 34in the Life, it is Blindneſs and Ignorance in God's Account, whatever our Notions of it may be.

Thoſe Gentiles which are ſaid to know God, Rom. 1.21. they are ſaid, ver. 28. not to know God: The Sons of Eli could not but know the Lord, having ſuch a good Father, and being the Lord's Prieſts: But yet becauſe they were Looſe and Vile in their Carriage and Behaviour, therefore they are ſaid not to know the Lord, 1 Sam. 2.12. As there can be no Obedience where God is known; ſo that Knowledge of God ſtands for nothing which is not fruitful in Obedience.

It is a Bleſſed thing ſo to know God, and ſo to Remember him, as not to forget his Precepts. It is Moſes his Counſel to that People, and it is mine to you; Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, Deut. 8.11. How is that? The next Words tell you, in not p. 35keeping his Commandments; that is, forgetting of God. Diſobedience is called a Forgetting God; They forgat God their Saviour, Pſalm 106.21. And we are ſaid to forget his Words, when we do not Remember his Commandments to do them, Pſalm 103.18. And that which here in the Text is called Remembring thy Creator, is in Chap. 12. Ver. 13. expreſſed by Fearing God and keeping his Commandments; which is ſaid to be the Whole Duty of Man.

If the Authority of God be caſt off, and we make not his Word the Rule of our Lives, he is as much forgotten as if he were utterly ſhut o… of our thoughts; therefore ſays David, Pſal. 119.55. I have remembred thy Name, O Lord, —and have kept thy Law.

Thus you ſee how much this Remembring thy Creator carries in it; to wit,

p. 36Knowledge of God.

Faith in God.

Repentance toward God.

Love to God. And,

Obedience to the Will of God.

When you Know God, ſo as to Believe in him; and Believe in God, ſo as to Repent of Sinning againſt him; and Repent, ſo as to expreſs your Love to him; and Love God, ſo as to conform to his Will, and keep his Commandments; then is this Duty done as it ought, and you therein anſwer the Call in the Text, Remember thy Creator.

And that brings me to the

Second thing, The Object to be remembred, thy Creator: Remember thy Creator. In the Hebrew Text it is; Remember thy Creators, in the Plural Number; ſo it is uſed frequently, Gen. 1.1. Gods Created the Heaven and the Earth; ſo Iſa. 54.5. Thy Makers is thy Husband, in the Plural; p. 37ſo Job 35.10. None ſaith, where is God my Makers.

And its being thus Plurally expreſſed, it is very Emphatical; for it points us to Father, Son and Spirit; all the Three made Man; they were our Makers.

The Father made Man, Gen. 6.7. The Lord ſaid, I will Deſtroy Man whom I have Created.

The Son made Man, Col. 1.16. By him were all things Created in Heaven and Earth.

The Holy Spirit made Man Job 33 4. The Spirit of God hath made me, and the Breath of the Almighty hath given me Life.

There is a great Truth (which will give you to underſtand this) I ſay, there is a great Truth in that Maxim amongſt Divines, That the Works of the Trinity, ad extra, towards the Creatures, are undivided. All the Three, Father, Son and Spirit, ſate in Counſel to make Man; Let us make Man in p. 38our Image, in the Plural Number, Gen. 1.22. And it is very obſervable, that though our Makers here are expreſſed Plurally, yet the Image is put in the Singular Number; Let us make Man in our Image; not in our Images; but in our Image to note, that though the Perſons are Three, yet the Image is but One: They have but one Nature, and ſo are but one God; therefore it is ſaid, Mal. 2.13. Have we not all one Father? Hath not one God Created us? Father, Son and Spirit, and yet but one God; and ſhall we not Remember him that made us? Remember thy Creator. It is a Term that gives a Claim; God is thy Creator, and that gives him a Right to thee. All Souls are mine; as the Soul of the Father, ſo alſo the Soul of the Son is mine, Ezek. 18.4. The Soul, that is, the Perſon, a Part being put for the Whole frequently in Scripture. Let every p. 39Soul be Subject to the Higher Powers. All Perſons are mine, whether Father or Son, whether Old or Young, I am their Creator, I am their Common Father; and this gives God a juſt Right to thy Soul, to thy Body, to thy whole Perſon, to thy Life, to thy Strength, to thy Talents, to all thou Art, and all thou Haſt, and to all thou canſt Do; for he is thy Creator. He doth not ſay here, Remember thy God, but Remember thy Creator. God is not every one's God; we have loſt him by the Fall; that Relation is cut off by Sin, till Grace reſtore it: But though he be not every one's God, yet he is every one's Creator; Fallen Creatures are his Creatures ſtill as much as ever, and therefore thy Remembring him as thy Creator, is that that brings thee to Claim him as thy God: Thou oweſt thy Time, thy whole Time, to him; for thou art Created every p. 40Day by him; for Preſervation is a continual Creation. Thou oweſt thy Self and Service to this Creator. As thou art what thou art by his Power and Goodneſs, ſo thou oughteſt to live to his Glory. He made thee after his own Image; and as thou art hereby more capable, ſo thou art more obliged to Remember him, and Honour him.

Thirdly, Here is the limitation of the Time when he muſt be Remembred, that is now: Remember now thy Creator; which now ſometimes uſed in a more Extended Senſe, and ſometimes in a more Reſtrained Senſe.

Firſt, In a more Extended Senſe; it is taken for the preſent Life, all the Time a Man lives in this World; and then it is oppoſed to Death. Death is no time to Remember God in; ſo ſays the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 6.5. In Death there is no Remembrance of thee, in p. 41the Grave who ſhall give thee thanks? It is the ſame with that of the Wiſe Man, Eccleſ. 9.10. There is no Work, nor Device, nor Knowledge, nor Wiſdom in the Grave whether thou goeſt; that is, when Death comes, it cuts off all our Opportunities.

There is no Work in the Grave, that is no place of Buſineſs; there is none can be done by us, and therefore there is none required of us.

And as there is no Work, ſo there is no Device; as there is nothing to be done to procure Salvation, ſo there is no Deviſing any way to eſcape Damnation; you cannot lye and think there: He returns to his Earth, in that very Day his thoughts periſh, Pſal. 146.4.

Nor is there any Knowledge there either of Good or Evil, For the Dead know not any thing, Eccl. 9.5. And if there be no Work, p. 42nor Device, nor Knowledge, there can be no Wiſdom. Wiſdom is profitable to Direct, but there is none of this in the Grave.

Wiſdom lyes in Chuſing a Right End, and Purſuing it by Due Means; but there is none of this in the Grave.

Wiſdom lyes in finding and imbracing the Chief Good; but there is none of this Wiſdom in the Grave.

When Death comes it puts an end to all your Opportunities: In Scripture Opportunity is often called a Door, 1 Cor. 16.9. A great Door is opened to me. 2 Cor. 2.12. A Door was opened to me of the Lord. When God ſends and makes way for the Goſpel, and inlarges the Hearts of Miniſters to Preach the Goſpel, and opens the Hearts of People to receive the Goſpel, then a Door is opened: Now if Death ſhuts this Door, it puts an end to p. 43all our Opportunities. And is there not a time coming when this Door, this open Door, will be ſhut: Pray Read Luke 13.24, 25. Strive to Enter in at the ſtrait Gate, for many will ſeek to Enter in and ſhall not be able; when once the Maſter of the Houſe is riſen up, and hath ſhut to the Door, and ye begin to ſtand without the Door, and knock, ſaying, Lord, Lord, open to us; he ſhall anſwer and ſay to you, I know you not whence ye are; the Maſter of the Houſe is riſen up, and the Door of Opportunity is ſhut. So Matt. 25.10. it is ſaid of the Fooliſh Virgins, While they went to Buy Oyl, the Bridegroom comes, and they that were ready went in with him, and the Door was ſhut; a ſad word.

Now you Read in Scripture of ſeveral Doors which will all be ſhut in that Day; there is the Door of Goſpel Grace, Rev. 3.18. I p. 44have ſet before you an open Door, and no Man can ſhut it; but when Death comes that will ſhut it.

There is a Door of Faith, Acts 14.27. He opened a Door of Faith unto the Gentiles; that is, he brought them to Believe in Chriſt; but when Death comes the Door of Faith ſhall be ſhut.

There is a Door of Hope, Hoſ. 2.15. I will give them the Valley of Achor for a Door of Hope; but when Death comes, this Door ſhall be ſhut for them that never enter'd into the Good Land, the Heavenly Canaan in this Life, Whoſe Hope ſhall be cut off, and whoſe Truſt ſhall be a Spider's Web, Job 8.14.

There is the Door of the Heart, where God ſtands and knocks; Rev. 3.20. Behold I ſtand at the Door and knock. And, my Brethren, God is this Day knocking at the Door of the Hearts of you Young Ones: He is now knocking p. 45by his Word, and what does he ſay? Remember now thy Creator. If any Man hear my Voice, and open the Door, I will come in to him, and Sup with him, and he with me; that is, I will give him the Saving Influences of my Spirit; he ſhall have Communion with me in Grace here, and Glory hereafter. O how ſhould you Young Ones beg now that God would Put in his Hand by the hole of the Door, that you may open to him. Open ye Gates, ſtand open ye everlaſting Doors, that the King of Glory may come in, Pſal. 24.7. Rowl away the Stone, thoſe Sins and Luſts that keep Chriſt out of the Heart; and do it now, leſt God give you up to the Hardneſs of your Heart, and then when Death comes, you Periſh in your Sins.

Again, there is a Perſonal Door in Scripture; that is, the Lord Chriſt: I am the Door; by me if any Man enter in, he ſhall be ſaved, p. 46John 10.9. Now never did God ſet open ſuch a Door of Hope, ſuch a Door of Grace, ſuch a Door of Salvation, as this is; In whom we have Boldneſs and Acceſs with Confidence to God by the Faith of him, Epheſ. 3.15. We have boldneſs to enter into the Holieſt, by the Blood of Jeſus, Heb. 10.9. Now this Door ſtands open ready to let you in; Chriſt calls you this Day to come, and he hath promiſed he will not ſhut you out, John 6.32. Is there never a Young Sinner here that hath a Heart to enter in at this Door to Day? Do it whilſt it may be done, before it is too late; for when Death comes, this Door will be ſhut to: If we ſtand out now, there can be no entring in then, you muſt be ſhut out for ever. The Door of the Goſpel will be ſhut, the Door of Faith, the Door of Hope, the Door of the Heart, the Door p. 47of Chriſt's Blood and Righteouſneſs will be ſhut; and therefore the Door of God's Bowels and Mercy will be ſhut: All theſe Doors will be ſhut againſt thee in that Day; therefore then there can be no Entring, for Death will put an end to all thy Opportunities; therefore Remember now thy Creator; that is, now in the time of this Life; for Now is the Accepted Time, now is the Day of Salvation, 2 Cor. 6.2. And thus much for the Extended Sence of this NOW in the Text.

Secondly, Sometimes this NOW is uſed in a more Reſtrained Sence, not only for the preſent Life, but for the preſent Time of this preſent Life: So it is uſed in the Text; therefore Mark, it is not ſaid only, Remember now thy Creator; that is, only now in this Life, but now in the Days of thy Youth, in the early part of thy Life; and ſo now is oppoſed to hereafter; and p. 48this makes the Work of Cloſing with God in Chriſt to be a preſent Duty, a Duty to be done without delay; Remember him now in the Days of thy Youth. The Life of Man from the Womb to the Grave, conſiſts of Three Stages; Infancy, Youth, and Old Age; and the Duty here is not affixed to the firſt, for Infancy is too ſoon to know God, when we cannot know our Selves: Nor is it affixed to the latter, for Old Age is too late to ſerve God, when we cannot ſerve our Selves: But it is affixed to Youth; this is the only time to know both our Selves and God, and our Loſt Condition without him, and our Happineſs by an Intereſt in him; therefore Remember now thy Creator, now, in the Days of thy Youth. Indeed Youth is the only time of Life for this. In Infancy we are too Young to live, being but in our Imperfect Beginnings; p. 49in Age we are too Old to Live, being in our Droopings and Declinings.

The Life of Man is a Life of Reaſon; now Children are too Young to underſtand, and Old Men are twice Children; and therefore the Days of thy Youth are the only Days of thy Life to Remember thy Creator in; Remember now thy Creator, now, in the Days of thy Youth. And ſo I ſhould come now to the Concluſion I thought to ſpeak to; but I paſs that by for the preſent, and come from Explication to the Application, but in two Uſes.

The firſt ſhall be of Reproof to all ſuch as forget God now in their Youth: O what a Common Sin is this, eſpecially amongſt Young Ones! A Sin (I think) that never was ſo common as now; it is a Complaint every where, that the Youth of the Nation is generally Corrupted and Debauched; p. 50and it may appear by the Bills you put up full of Complaints of their States: Pray for an Undutiful Child that deſpiſes his Parents Counſel, ſays one; Pray for a Sabbath-breaking Child, ſays another; Pray for a Child that Diſhonours God by Curſing, and Swearing, and Lying, ſays a third; and ſo many more: And truly Parents may very much thank themſelves for this. It very much proceeds from want of Good Government, by timely Inſtruction and Correction; and the want of this at home, together with Evil Examples abroad, hath ſo leavened the Youth of this Day, and ſtained them with ſuch vicious Tinctures, that God is not in all their Thoughts. Nay, they cannot endure the Name of God, unleſs it be to Curſe or Swear by it: And is not this for a Lamentation? It is ſuch a Sin, as would you be perſwaded ſeriouſly p. 51to conſider of it, you would be aſhamed of; for it is the moſt unreaſonable thing in the World to forget God: It is ſuch a Sin, as if God would help you to lay it to Heart, you would be aſhamed of it. See how God Diſputed the Caſe with Iſrael, Jer. 2.2. What Iniquity have your Fathers found in me, that they have gone far from me, and walked after Vanities, and becomr Vain, neither ſay they, where is the Lord? As if God ſhould ſay, tell me what have you againſt me? What Evil have I done? As Chriſt ſays, Many Good Works have I done, for which of them do you Stone me? What have you to lay to my Charge? Have I been a Barren Wilderneſs, or a Land of Darkneſs? If ſo, you have ſome occaſion to Revolt and Forget me; but if not, why ſay ye, We will come no more at thee? Jer. 2.31.

p. 52O what a ſhame is it that any one ſhould forget God, that never did him hurt, but good, all the Days of his Life. Pray Conſider that firſt Queſtion in your Catechiſm, Who made you? You once were not; and that which once was not, could not make it ſelf; as Nothing has no Exiſtence, ſo it can have no Operation: Nothing cannot be a Creator to every one of you. You derive your Beings from God, It is he that made us, and not we our ſelves, Pſalm. 100.3. therefore you are called the Offspring of God; Acts 17.28. In him we live, move, and have our Being, for we are his Offspring. Now what a ſhame is it that a Creature that is made by God ſhould forget his Maker? God complains of this, Iſa. 51.13. They forgat the Lord their Maker; and ſhould he be forgotten that gave us our Being?

p. 55Honour thy Father and thy Mother; it is a Law written in Nature; they deſerve the higheſt Reſpect and Reverence, becauſe they were the Inſtruments of our Being. Now God is much more the Author of our Being than he that Begat us, or than ſhe that Brought us forth: Thou art he, ſays David, that took me out of the Womb; thou art my God from my Mother's Belly. Parents are but the Second Cauſes of our Being; God is the Firſt Cauſe, and all Second Cauſes depend upon the Firſt, in their Being and Operation; therefore Man is nothing in our Production, if compared with God; and ſhall this God be forgotten, and ſinned againſt? He calls Heaven and Earth to witneſs againſt ſuch Rebels, Iſa. 1.2. Hear, O Heaven, and give Ear, O Earth, for the Lord hath ſaid, I have nouriſhed and brought up Children, and they have Rebelled againſt p. 54me. Heaven and Earth will cry out againſt you, if he that made us be not remembred and owned by us.

Secondly, Conſider what a Price God has put into your Hands for the good of your Souls. He hath not only made you, but he hath made Seaſons of Grace for you: Seaſons for the getting the Knowledge of God in Chriſt: Seaſons for getting an Intereſt in Chriſt: He has given you his Sabbaths, his Word, his Ordinances, a Powerful Means and Miniſtry: Nay, many Young Ones have felt ſomewhat of the Power of theſe things; God has been at Work with them betimes, their Hearts have been touched, the Spirit of God hath wrought in them ſome Convictions of Sin, and of their loſt undone State. O what a Price has God put into your Hands; and how can you anſwer the neglect of it? What ſays Solomon? Prov. 17.16. p. 55Wherefore is there a Price put into the Hand of a Fool to get Wiſdom, ſeeing he hath no heart to it? He that hath a Price put into his Hands to get Wiſdom, and hath no Deſire in his Heart to it, that Man is a Fool: God ſays ſo, He is a Fool: And as he is ſo now in the Judgment of others, ſo he will be ſo one Day in his own. It will be a Sword in his Heart to conſider, I might have had God for my God, but I forgat him. I might have had an Intereſt in the bleſſed Redeemer, but I neglected it. I might have been Saved, but I let ſlip all theſe Opportunities that God put into my Hands. I have now wofully deſtroyed a Precious Soul by my Impenitent continuance in my Curſed Luſts, againſt the Calls and Counſels of God.

It is an awakening Paſſage, Eccleſ. 8.6. Becauſe to every Purpoſe there is Time and Judgment, p. 56therefore the Miſery of Man is Great upon him. Therefore; Wherefore? VVhy, becauſe he hath not Judgment to diſcern the fitteſt Opportunity for every Purpoſe. Many Young Ones, O how do they purpoſe that they will ſeek God hereafter? How do they purpoſe to mind their Salvation? One purpoſes a New Life, and a Better Courſe; and God has given every one of you time for this, but they want Wiſdom to know the Time; and ſo the Opportunity is loſt and gone, and they are miſerable for ever; Becauſe to every Purpoſe there is Time and Judgment, therefore the Miſery of Man is great. Sirs, Conſider it. Young Ones, how will your fruitleſs Repentance begin; when your Opportunities are paſt and gone, then you will ſee your Folly: At his Latter End he ſhall be a Fool- He was a Fool at firſt, but he ſhall ſee it at laſt; at his Latter End, p. 57he ſhall be convinced of his Folly.

Thirdly, Young Ones, you that now forget God, and ſlight Religion, and indulge to your Luſts; let me tell you, you are a Judgmen to the Nation, a Judgment and a Plague to the Land; I have formerly ſaid it to you, and I ſay it again, the Youth of a Nation are always a great Good or a great Miſchief to the Nation; they are either the Hope or the Plague of the Land. When Young Ones are Serious, and mind God and their Souls, when the Word of God is Precious to them, to Awaken and Convert them to Seaſon their Hearts with Wiſdom, to Know and Remember God, to Seek after Chriſt, to Honour Religion, by a Sober and Holy Converſation; ſuch a Race of Youth are a Bleſſing in any Age, they are a Bleſſing of God to a Land.

p. 58But when the Youth of a Nation caſt off Religion, caſt off all Duty to God and Man, and all Sobriety and Vertue, and grow Proud, Profligate, Profane, tainted with all manner of Wickedneſs, even to Atheiſm it ſelf, What ſhall we ſay then? Then I ſay, this is a ſad ſign of ſome Judgment of God coming upon the Land; and indeed we have many Young Ones in this Day, ſuch Monſters in Wickedneſs as hath not been known in any Age; ſuch Young Swearers that can ſcarce ſpeak plain; Young Sabbath-breakers, Young Blaſphemers; Young Atheiſts; never any Age produced the like; and for accompanying with Harlots, and all manner of Uncleanneſs, that is become a Faſhion: Therefore I tell you, and I tell you from the Word of the Lord; and I beg you would Conſider it; there is ſome ſore Judgment of God near p. 59at hand; I tell you the truth, it is near, and haſtens greatly; a Day of Trouble and Diſtreſs, a a Day of Waſting and Deſolation; therefore, my Brethren, I ſpeak it with an Aking Heart, England is now big with ſuch a Brood as will Eat out our Bowels; the Children will Deſtroy the Mother; therefore Pray hearken to a word of Exhortation, and not from me, but from the Lord; it is the Exhortation in the Text, O Remember your Creator now in the Days of your Youth! Now, if ever; now, or never; now, in the Days of your Youth. As ever you would have Good Times, as ever you would have God own this Nation, as ever you would have the Goſpel continued in the midſt of you, O Remember your Creator!

Firſt, Remember how he Created you in his own Image; every one of you was made in the Image of God; every one; though the p. 60Moral Image of God is blotted out by the Fall, that Image that conſiſted in Righteouſneſs and Holineſs, that is loſt; yet there is a Natural Image of God which is ſeated in the Intellective and Elective Powers of the Soul; and this every one of you hath; this Image every one brings into the World with him; it cannot be loſt; it ſhall be carried to Heaven and Life, and to Hell too: It will be the Comfort of Saints in Heaven, and the Torment of Sinners in Hell, to lye there with this Image of God, there their Mind, Underſtanding, Memory, to Conſider and Remember how they Sinned againſt this God in their Lives. Now why has God ſtamped every one with his Image, but to make him capable of Knowing God, and Chuſing God, and Loving God, and Cloſing with God, and Deſiring God, and Serving God, p. 61and Injoying Communion with God? This is the End why he put his Natural Image into every Soul; otherwiſe Man might have Served God as Brute Creatures do; but he could never have known him, never have had Communion with him: Now ſhall we bear this Image of God, and ſhall we not labour to know the Lord?

Secondly, Remember him ſo as to make it the Chief Buſineſs of your Lives to ſeek him, and to Seek him while he may be found. It is the Counſel of the Holy Ghoſt, Seek the Lord while he may be found. VVhen is that? He tells you, Prov. 8.17. They that ſeek me early ſhall find me. Now he ſeeks God early, that makes it his firſt Work; therefore ſays our Lord, Seek firſt the Kingdom of God, and the Righteouſneſs thereof, and all theſe things ſhall be added to you, Mat. 6.33. Seek the Kingdom of God p. 62as the End, and his Righteouſneſs as the Means; for Grace is the way to Glory, Holineſs to Happineſs. Without Righteouſneſs there is no Heaven to be had; but with it comes both Heaven and Earth too; for Godlineſs hath the Promiſe of both Lives, both that which is now, and that which is to come: But this Kingdom muſt be firſt ſought; Firſt ſeek the Kingdom of God; firſt, before every thing; and firſt, above any thing elſe.

Our Intereſt in God is loſt by the Fall; it may be recovered, and there is nothing ſo uſeful to be ſought and ſecured as that. Is not the Life more than Meat, and the Body than Raiment? Says Chriſt: So ſay, is not Heaven more than Earth? Is not God better than the VVorldi, and Spiritual Bleſſings better than Temporal? O therefore, let not the Lean Kine devour the Fat; nor the things of p. 63the VVorld ſhut God and Chriſt out of our Hearts and Thoughts. The Spiritual Bleſſings are the beſt, therefore God Promiſes them firſt. He will give Grace and Glory, Pſal. 84.11. There be Spiritual Bleſſings; and he will withhold no good thing from them that walk uprightly; there follow Temporals. God ſuits his Mercies to our Neceſſity; therefore he gives them firſt that we need moſt.

This ſhould direct our Duties, and teach us what to Beg, and what to Seek. Seek God in the the firſt place, God in Chriſt; and and if Spiritual Mercies be ſecured, Temporal Mercies, ſo far as is for your good, ſhall never be denied: Therefore let it be your VVork to ſeek God before all, above all, and more than all; for he is all in all: But be ſure to ſeek him in Chriſt, or I tell you, you will never find him, nor find acceptance with him. Since the Fall, God p. 64is not to be found, but only by a Mediator; He that finds me, ſaith Chriſt, findeth Life, and ſhall obtain favour of the Lord, Prov. 8.33.

O get an Intereſt in Chriſt; of all things, Young Ones, get an Intereſt in Chriſt, a hearty Cloſing with Chriſt, a Saving Faith in Chriſt; this is the right way of Remembring your Creator. Remember him ſo as to Obey him, and Live to him; that is the Sence of the Apoſtle's Counſel, 1 Pet. 4.19. Commit your Souls to him in well-doing, as to a faithful Creator; it muſt be in well-doing. He hath promiſed Eternal Life to them who ſeek him by Patient continuance in well-doing, Rom. 2.7. And therefore let me add this, as you muſt Remember him firſt, ſo you muſt Remember him to the Laſt: Pray take that, and I will have done: As you muſt remember God firſt, ſo you muſt remember him to the laſt: You p. 65muſt begin with God, and you muſt end with him: O take heed of beginning in the Spirit, and ending in the Fleſh.

You Read in the 20th of Matthew, that the Labourers came to VVork in the Vineyard at very different Hours: Some came Early in the Morning; ſome at the Third Hour; ſome at the Sixth; ſome at the Ninth Hour; and ſome at the Eleventh: Some came in Earlier, and ſome Later; they did not all come in in the Morning. Ay, but they all tarried till the Evening; they all Laboured till the Evening.

It is the VViſe Man's Counſel, and O that God would help you to take it! In the Morning Sow thy Seed, and in the Evening hold not back thine Hand, Eccleſ. 11.6. My Brethren, God muſt have the Duty of the whole Day of your Life: Chriſt ſays ſo, I muſt work the Work of him that ſent me while p. 66it is Day. Chriſt never ſpent one Hour of his Day Idlely. The Lord Pity Young Ones; How do they Idle away their Time? God muſt have the Duty of the whole Day; for as we are here in the Text called to ſeek him Early, ſo we are commanded to ſeek him continually. 1 Chron. 28.7. God is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the Ending; therefore as we are to begin with him firſt, ſo we are to hold on with him to the laſt: For he that indures to the end ſhall be ſaved: Be thou faithful to the Death, and I will give thee a Crown of Life, Rev. 2.10.

Now I might urge this Duty upon you, which is ſo great by many Arguments.

From what God is to us; our Creator.

From the Command laid upon thee to Remember him as ſuch.

p. 67From what he deſerves of us; For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things; therefore Glory ſhould be to him for ever, Rom. 11.32.

But I ſhall urge but this one Motive, and I have done. The Preſent Time is only thine; thou haſt a great Work to do, a God to remember, a Chriſt to ſeek, Sin to kill, Grace to get, a Heaven to mind, a Hell to avoid, a Soul to ſave, a ſtrict Day of Judgment to paſs through; O what work have we to do! And all the Time we have to do it in is but Now: The Preſent Seaſon is only thine, thy Days are here limited and bounded in the Text to a Preſent now; Now in the Days of thy Youth. What Fools are Young Ones now to ſay, by the Grace of God I intend to Repent hereafter, and I will ſeek after God hereafter. I am too Young now, when God ſays, Remember thy p. 68Creator now in the Days of thy Youth?

You little think how ſoon Death may come; it doth not always give warning; what warning had the Rich Man? Thou Fool, this Night ſhall thy Soul be required of thee; when he cries out, I have Goods laid up for many Years. What warning had Job's Children, that were all taken away in an Hour? O Sirs! Death hath ſeveral paſſages to your ſtrong Holds, that you cannot find out: He doth not lay long Siege to all: There is no ſaying to Death when it comes, there is one Older than I, take him; there is one was Gray when I was but a Child, let him go firſt. No, Sirs, you muſt know that Sin hath alter'd the Courſe of Nature; the Son Dies before the Father, and the Daughter before the Grand-Mother.

I ſay therefore, the Preſent Time is only yours; yeſterday p. 69can never be recalled, and to Morrow may never be enjoyed: The Preſent Time is only yours. Young Ones Die as well the Old: Bloſſoms are liable to Nipping in the Spring, as well as full Grown Fruit to Rotting in Autumn. Thou that art Young and Strong; thou art not ſure of another Year, no, nor of another Day: O therefore who would hazard his precious Soul upon ſuch uncertainties! Opportunity ended returns no more: There is hope of a Tree if it be cut down, (ſaith Job) that it will ſprout again; but Man lyeth down, and riſeth not till the Heavens be no more.

Sirs, Pray remember we have but one Arrow of Life to hit the Mark with, and if we ſhoot at Random we looſe all; therefore we had need be good Archers. O what will you do, Young Ones, what will you do, if your Day be ended before your work be finiſhed, p. 70if your Paradice be laid waſte before the Tree of Life be planted in it! O therefore that you would be perſwaded to hearken to God here in the Text, To Remember thy Creator now in the Days of thy Youth, while the Evil Days come not, nor the Days draw nigh, wherein thou ſhalt ſay I have no pleaſure in them!