The Young Mans Remembrancer and Youths Best Choice, Discourse 2

The Young Mans Remembrancer and Youths Best Choice · Discourse 2

p. 71THE YOUTH's Beſt Choice. II. 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.

THere are two great Concerns which lye upon all our Hands, which ought to be ſeriouſly thought of by us, and duly attended; the one is, A Wiſe Improving this preſent Life, and the other is, A careful providing for a better; two Things which p. 72none can be too Diligent about; and he that is truly Faithful in one, will in ſome Meaſure be Conſcious in both: And both theſe are pointed at in the Text. For he that in the Days of his Youth Remembers his Creator as he ought, does at once rightly improve the preſent Life, and wiſely provide for that to come, and ſo unites in his Practice thoſe Duties that God hath joined together in the Precept, Remember thy Creator now in the Days of thy Youth, &c.

In which Words you have the Call and Command of God to a very Important Duty; wherein we may obſerve,

Firſt, The Act or Duty it ſelf, to Remember.

Secondly, The Object to be Remembred, Thy Creator.

Thirdly, The Seaſon wherein this Duty is to be put in Practice, now. But leaſt you ſhould think that this now takes in the whole time p. 73of the Preſent Life, therefore he does exclude the latter Part of Life, and limits this now to the former Part; Remember thy Creator now in the Days of Youth.

I did the laſt Year, as ſome of you may remember, upon this Occaſion, ſpeak from theſe Words. I then only opened them to you, and ſhewed the Comprehenſive Sence of them, without making any Obſervation from them. I told you, that this remembring our Creator points to a Fivefold Duty.

Firſt, To a right Knowledge of God; and he cannot be rightly known, but in and by Chriſt; we cannot elſe know the Way of doing it; for he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life: And therefore the right Remembring our Creator, includes in it a Saving Knowledge of God in Chriſt.

Secondly, This Remembring includes believing; we cannot be ſaid to remember God in the Sence p. 74of the Text, if we do not depend upon him, and truſt in him; therefore David expreſſes 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, others truſt in Creatures, but our truſt ſhall be in God.

Thirdly, Remembring implies Repenting; Forgetfulneſs and Impenitency always go together; Sinning is called in Scripture, a Forgetting God, and Repentance is a calling Sin to Remembrance, with a true Sence of the Evil of it, and Sorrow for it, as done againſt God; and therefore where God is forgotten, and out of our Remembrance, there can be no Repentance.

Fourthly, Remembring our Creator, carries in it Love and Reſpect. Though an Object be every way Amiable, and made up p. 75of Delights, yet it can never be remembred with pleaſure, when it hath no room in our Reſpect. God's Deſign and End in requiring to be remembred by us, is, that he may be loved by us; and his beſpeaking a Place in our Thoughts, is, that he may have a Room in our Hearts. The higheſt Act of Honour the Creature can do to God, is to truſt him, and love him. A Remembrance of God, without ſuitable Reſpect, cannot anſwer the Call in the Text, becauſe it is but paſſant and tranſcient: For when any other Object poſſeſſeth our Affections, God is ſoon forgotten and forſaken. What we love, we love to think on, as what we ſlight, we ſoon forget. As it is ſaid of Jeſhurun, he forgat God that made him, and lightly eſteemed the Rock of his Salvation.

Fifthly, This Remembring of God includes obedience to his Will. p. 76Obedience is nothing elſe but Knowledge, digeſted into Affection and Action. Hence is that Counſel of David to his Son Solomon, Know thou the God of thy Fathers, and ſerve him with a perfect heart, and willing mind. As there can be no Obedience, where God is not known, ſo that Knowledge of God ſtands for nothing, that is not fruitful in Obedience: Mark that Counſel of Moſes, Deut. 8.11. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God: How is that? The next Words tell you, in not keeping his Commandments. Diſobedience is a forgetting God; ſo that that which in the Text is called a Remembring our Creator, is in the laſt Chapter of this Book, ver. 13. expreſſed, by fearing God, and keeping his Commandments. If the Authority of God be caſt off, and we make not his Word the Rule of our Lives, he is as much forgotten in a Scripture p. 77Sence, as if he were utterly ſhut out of our Thoughts: So ſays David, I have remembred thy Name, O Lord, and have kept thy Word. So that you ſee this Remembring is a very Comprehenſive Term.

Then the Object to be Remembred was opened to you, (thy Creators) for in the Original it is in the Plural Number; and ſo it points to Father, Son, and Spirit. It is not ſaid Remember thy God, but, Remember thy Creator. God is not every one's God, but he is every one's Creator; fallen Creatures, they be his Creatures ſtill, as much as ever; and this Remembring him as thy Creator, is that that gives thee a Claim to him as thy God.

And then in the laſt place I opened to you the Seaſon of this Duty, now; not now as intending any time of Life, but now in the Days of thy Youth. I inſiſted largely upon theſe things, in the p. 78opening of them to you, and improved them by a Particular Application: And this is the ſum of what I ſpake laſt Year upon theſe Words.

I now come to give you ſome Obſervations from them; one is this.

That Youth is naturally very prone to forget God; this is plainly implied: For what need elſe of this Memento in the Text, Remember now thy Creator in the Days of thy Youth.

Another might be this; that the true and beſt Improvement of Youthful Days, is to devote them to God, to mind Religion betimes.

But I ſhall not ſpeak to any of theſe; my Deſign, at preſent, is to ſpeak to the Words as they lye in the Original.

Remember now thy Creator in the Days of thy Choice: The Word that we render Youth, here the Days of thy Youth, is from p. 79foreign to Elect, to Chuſe; and accordingly Montanus renders the Word; Remember now thy Creator in the Days of thy Choice.

Now this admits of a double Senſe. Either,

Thy Choice Days, or thy Chuſing Days.

Firſt, The Days of Youth they are your Choice Days, the Prime of your Time, the Flower of your Age. As the Spring is the choice time of the Year, ſo is Youth the choice time of Life; Nature is then moſt brisk, and active, and full of vigor, and the Spirits quick and lively, the Wit ſharp, the Affections ſtrong, the Memory retentive; and therefore there is no time to mind Religion like this choice time of Youth.

O where now are thoſe Iſaacs that meditate whilſt they are young? Where are thoſe Jacobs that ſeek for the Bleſſing betimes? Where are thoſe Children that p. 80ask their Parents as they under the Law did? What mean the Sabbaths and the Ordinances of the Lord, that we may alſo keep them? Where are the Children amongſt you that ſing Hoſannah's to Chriſt, as they did in the Days of his Fleſh? Theſe are the Young Mens Looking Glaſſes; and becauſe we are led by Example more than by Precept, therefore the Holy Ghoſt has ſet before you theſe Preſidents in Scripture, that you may imitate and copy them out; theſe are choice Paterns, and if you make Conſcience to follow them in your Choice Days, you will ſhew your ſelves to be a Choſen Generation, Children that God will delight to own. But,

Secondly, (For I will paſs that too) the Days of Youth, they are your Chuſing Days; as they are Choice Days, ſo the Days of your Choice. Chuſing, What is that? Why it is a deliberate Act of the p. 81Soul, it is done upon Conſideration and Debate; when a Man upon a Judgment rightly informed and Affections thereby ingaged, does cleave to God, and the Ways of God, that is Election and Choice.

The Obſervation then that I ſhall lay down from the Sence of the Words, is this, that it is the great Concernment and Duty of Young Ones, to make God the Object of their Firſt Choice, to begin with God in their Firſt Setting Out in the World.

We never enter into God's Service aright, till we enter upon it by Choice, for God will have it ſo: Chuſe you this Day whom you will Serve, either the true God, or Idols: Not as if it were at their own liberty to ſerve which they pleaſed: No, but to convince them of the Folly of a bad Choice, and to direct them to a right Choice.

p. 82But for the clearing of the Doctrine, I will ſhow you,

Firſt, What it is to chuſe God.

Secondly, I will give you the Reaſons of the Concernedneſs of the Duty.

And ſo apply it.

Firſt, What is it to chuſe God? It implies Five Things.

Firſt, A due Conſideration of the Object, its Nature, Worth, and Excellency; till things are duly weighed in the Ballance of a true Judgment, we can never make a right Choice; and here the buſineſs ſticks with Young Ones. In this firſt Work we cannot perſwade them to conſider, they will not weigh things, but they will act according to the inclination of their Luſts; therefore the Apoſtle adviſes us to reſolve upon trial, 1 Theſ. 5.21. Prove all things, and hold faſt that which is good: A Man will p. 83never hold faſt that which is Good, until he firſt prove and try it.

Indeed the things which are uſually oppoſed to Religion, are ſuch poor paltry Vanities, that they are not worthy to be ſet in competition with God, or to come into a ſerious Debate: How eaſie is it to reſolve which is fitteſt to be pleaſed, God, or the Fleſh? Whether the Tranſitory Pleaſures of Sin ſhould be preferred to the Life and Salvation of an Immortal Soul. A Serious Conſideration on theſe Things, would ſoon determine the Matter on God's ſide.

Secondly, This Chuſing of God, implies Eſteem and Preference; for Election and Choice is the preferring one thing before another. Our Choice of all Objects is according to our Eſteem of them: As far as we judge a thing needleſs, ſo far we count it worthleſs. Let a Man have but ſlight Thoughts of God, and his Duties ſhall be as ſhort as his Thoughts are ſlight: Mean Apprehenſions p. 84are ever attended with liſtleſs Devotions. It is the Soul that highly eſteems God, that chuſes and ſeeks him. What ſaid Caleb and Joſhua when they returned from ſpying out the Land of Canaan, and had taſted the ſweet Fruits of it? O, ſay they, it is a good Land, let us go up and take it at once: But the other Spies that undervalued it, laid aſide the thoughts of Poſſeſſing, and are for facing about to Egypt.

Though God and Chriſt are the beſt Good, yet there are many Competitors that ſtand as Rivals with them in the Soul; and therefore your Choice can never be right, unleſs theſe Rivals be trampled under foot. It is ſaid of the Wiſe Merchant, that when he had found a Pearl of great Price, he went and Sold all that he had, and bought it, Mat. 13.46. Firſt, he ſhews his Eſteem of it, as a Pearl of great Price, and then he parts with all to purchaſe it. What a high Eſteem had Paul of Chriſt? The Excellency of the Knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord, Phil. p. 853.8. There is his Value of him; and ſee how it drew his Heart after him; I count all things but Loſs —that I may Win Chriſt. It is not enough to approve of God and his Ways ſimply, but we muſt approve of them comparatively; not only as good in themſelves, but as better than all other good whatever. We ſhall never chuſe God before all, till we come to Eſteem him above all.

Thirdly, This chuſing of God, implies a voluntary Inclination and Deſire; a Man is ſaid to chuſe thoſe things which he Likes and Loves, and which his Soul Inclines to. So that he is carried after them, not by the Force of any External Principle, but by his own Propenſion and Inclination, and this ſuppoſes Love; for Deſires are the Natural Iſſues of Love.

The Soul can never mount upward, if the Affections tend downward; and therefore when the Holy Ghoſt would give an advance to the p. 86Life of God in the Soul, he begins firſt with the Affections; Set your Affections on things above; and then, as Deſires always ſpring from Love, ſo they are drawn forth by a Sence of Want; for what we Love, and have not, that becomes a Want; and Sence of Want will quicken Appetite, and ſet Deſires on Work; now theſe Deſires muſt be fed and ſatisfied, and that none can do, but God; therefore it is God that he chuſes.

Fourthly, This chuſing implies a firm Purpoſe, and a fixed Reſolution, of adhering to our choice. We never chuſe till we bring our Minds and Wills to a firm Purpoſe; there may be many good Thoughts and Wiſhes in the Soul, but ſtill till we are reſolved for God, we do not chuſe him. When the Heart is Peremptory and Fixed for God, that will come to ſomething; when the Soul ſays, I ſee I am an undone Creature, I am convinced of my State, and the Neceſſity of my Caſe; I muſt have God, I muſt ſecure an p. 87Intereſt in Chriſt, I muſt be Born again, I muſt mind the ſaving of an Immortal Soul, this will come to ſomewhat; and a Profeſſion of Religion (let me tell you) ſignifies very little till it comes to this. Who is this that hath engaged his Heart to Approach to me, ſays God, Jer. 30.21. It is Reſolution that ingages the Heart for God, and makes our choice of him firm and unalterable; eſpecially if it be deliberate and intire.

Firſt, It muſt be deliberate from a Sence and Conſcience of our Duty and Intereſt. Reſolves taken up upon Sudden Surprizes or Preſent Heats, rarely produce any good Effect: This is often the Caſe of you Young Profeſſors, that are like an Early Spring, all Bloſſoms, but no Fruit; or like a Vapour Exhaled by the Warmth of the Sun, that riſes no higher than the middle Region, where it is Condenſed, and drops down again: This is that very thing that makes ſo many Apoſtates p. 86duplicate page p. 87duplicate page p. 88from God and his Ways; they take up a Profeſſion of Religion too ſoon before the Word of God has taken Root in the Heart. Indeed a Soul that chuſes God aright, can never Profeſs him too ſoon, the ſooner the better; but he that makes a Profeſſion of God, before he makes a choice of God, before the Word is rooted in the Heart, or any thing of the Power of Religion is felt within, ſuch a one takes up a Profeſſion too ſoon. It is ſaid of the Seed Sown in ſtony Places, Mat. 43. Forthwith it ſprung up. Above ground too ſoon; it grows upward, but not downward; all Blade, but no Root: So ſays Chriſt, Verſe 21. Yet hath he not Root in himſelf: And what follows? He dureth but for a while. A Muſhroom Chriſtian, the Birth of a Night, and the Abode of a Day. Such begin too ſoon to hold out with God long: This has cauſed many Scoffers at Religion to take up that Envious Proverb, A young Saint, and an old Devil: whereas if they had ſaid, A young p. 89Hypocrite, and an old Apoſtate, it had been a Truth too too often Experienced. Flaſhy Affections, that have no Principles to maintain them within, come to nothing; they are like Fire in Green Wood, that burns no longer than it is blown; or like Water hanged over a Quick Flame, that is ſoon Hot, but when it is taken off again, is as ſoon Cold; nay, Colder than it was before; becauſe the Natural Spirits are evaporated. How nimbly does the Windmill Work when it blows a Brisk gale, but the Wind no ſooner ceaſes, but the Mill ſtands: So ſudden and immature Reſolutions come to nothing; they muſt be managed with Judgment and Deliberation: David's Practice is an excellent Pattern, Pſalm 119.59. I conſidered my ways, and turned my Feet to thy Teſtimonies: David ſpeaks like a Man under a Dilemma, as having two ways before him; there is the Way of Sin, and Luſt, and Carnal Delight; this the Fleſh preſents, and it ſeems an eaſie and a pleaſant p. 90Way: Ay, but it leads to Deſtruction. Then there is the Way of God's Commandments: This the Word preſents, it is Narrow, it is Troubleſome, but it leads to Life, and that makes amends for all. Now when we ſtand ſtill, and debate upon the Choice, which of theſe is the better Way, and conſider the Loſs and the Gain of either Side; and the final Iſſue of the one Way, and the other, and thereupon reſolve to take in with the Ways of God, as promoting our trueſt Intereſt and Felicity, this is a deliberate Reſolution: And this was the Courſe of that Prodigal Son, when he came to himſelf, Luke 15. v. 17. he firſt bethinks himſelf, falls into a ſerious Debate of his Caſe, How many Hired Servants of my Father's have Bread enough, and I periſh with hunger? What ſhall I do? I will ariſe and go to my Father, and ſay unto him, Father, I have ſinned againſt Heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy Son, make me as one of thy hired Servants: Thus he p. 91debates the caſe with himſelf, and thereupon takes up this reſolve, well, I will ariſe, and go to my Father; there is his deliberate Reſolution.

Secondly, Our Reſolution muſt be entire; that is, without boggling at any of God's Commands, and without the reſerve of any one Sin or Luſt; for no Man can ſerve two Maſters; the Commands of Chriſt and Satan are abſolutely inconſiſtent; Obedience to the one is downright Rebellion againſt the other; we muſt not capitulate with Chriſt, and think that ſtrictneſs in ſome Duties will excuſe our Indulgence to any Luſt; the great ſtanding Law of Heaven is, Thou ſhalt love the Lord with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy ſtrength, and him only ſhalt thou ſerve. The Work of the Chriſtian Calling is ſuch, as that it cannot be done without this; we have many Enemies to oppoſe, many Sins to conquer, many Luſts to mortifie, p. 92many Duties to perform; therefore our Reſolution muſt be entire; and that is a Fourth Thing.

Fifthly, This Chuſing in the Text implies a complacency and delight in the Object of our choice; though Election be an Act of the Will, yet it is quickened by the Motions of the Affections: As where the Will is bent againſt Sin, there is always a hatred of it included; ſo where-ever it fixes upon God, it is attended with pleaſure and delight. When David had choſen God for his Portion, he expreſſes a delight in his choice, Pſalm 16. v. 6. The lines are fallen to me in pleaſant places, yea, I have a goodly heritage: This is the Language of a Soul affected with its own Felicity, and the pleaſure it takes in an All-ſufficient Good: So it was in his chuſing the Precepts of God, ſays he, I have choſen thy Precepts, Pſalm 119.173. and in the next Verſe, Thy Law is my Delight: A Man loves what he chuſes; and where there is Love in the p. 93Choice, there will be Pleaſure in the Service; for to love there is nothing grievous. Thus you ſee what this chuſing God does imply and carry in the Nature of it, and that is the Firſt Thing.

Secondly, Let me give you the Reaſons, why it is the Duty of Young Ones thus to chuſe God. Why,

One great Reaſon is, becauſe God commands it, that is the Firſt. Pray mind that of the Apoſtle, 2 Epiſtle John, v. 4. I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy Children walking in the Truth, as we have received a Commandment from the Father: Pray mind, theſe were a Ladies Children, to teach us, there are none too great to be good; theſe Children were found walking in the Truth; not taking a ſtep or two, making it a Buſineſs by the by, as your Genteels, and great Perſons uſe to do; but they perſiſted in it, they were ſteady in the Ways of God, and p. 94that in their Childhood, againſt all the Tide and Stream of Youthful Luſts. Now this was that God had commanded. Mark ye, though they were Children, yet God commands this of them, I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy Children walking in the Truth, even as we have received a Commandment from the Father: But where do we find this Command, that Youth ſhould devote themſelves to God? You have it in the Text, Remember now thy Creator in the Days of thy Youth: And there is a Command older than that, Pſalm 78.5, 6, 7. He eſtabliſhed a Teſtimony in Jacob, and appointed a Law in Iſrael, which he commanded our Fathers, that they ſhould make them known to their Children: (What for?) That they might ſet their hope in God, and not forget the Works of God, but keep his Commandments. Nay, our Lord Jeſus Chriſt ſtrictly enjoins it, Matt. 6.33. Seek ye firſt the Kingdom of God, and the Righteouſneſs thereof. Firſt, here does not only not a Preheminence firſt p. 95above all, but it notes a Priority firſt before all.

It is very Obſervable, that our Saviour in that Prayer he gave to his Diſciples, which you call the Lord's Prayer, he gives but one Petition for Temporal Things, and Five for Spiritual; and that for Temporals is neither the Firſt nor the Laſt. Not the Firſt, for Hallowed be thy Name is before it. Nor is it the Laſt, for Deliver us from Evil comes after it; to teach us that we muſt begin and end with God. In Mat. 21.28. The Command of the Father to his Son, is, Go Work to Day in my Vineyard: The command of God brooks no Delays, the Promiſes of God have Reſpect to the Future, but the Command looks to the Preſent; To Day if you will hear his Voice, harden not your Hearts. Why did God under the Law require for himſelf the firſt Sheaf of the Harveſt, the firſt ripe Fruits, the Firſtlings of the Herd and Flock, but to teach us, that our firſt Affections, p. 96our firſt Strength, our firſt Deſires, and firſt Choice, and firſt Service, ſhould be Devoted to God? For it is the command of God, and that is the great Reaſon and Rule of all Obedience; that is one.

Another Reaſon is this, the Nature of your Extract and Original requires this. Pray where had you your Beings? Young Ones, how came you into the World? Who made you? The Text tells you who this is in the very Notion God is mentioned in thy Creator. There is a Concatenation of Reaſons, for the Creatures Owning and Chuſing the Service of God, included in this Notion of a Creator.

Firſt, He made us, and not we our ſelves, Pſalm 100.3. The Prophet Iſaiah ſays, He ſpreadeth forth the Earth, he gives Breath to the People upon it, and Spirit to them that Walk therein, Iſaiah 42.5. So Elihu ſays, Job 33.4. The Spirit of God hath made me, and the Breath of the p. 97Almighty hath given me Life; and is it not Reaſon that he that made us ſhould b owned by us?

The Name of Father and Mother beſpeaks all Duty and Honour from you Children. If Children could begin their Duty in the Cradle, and continue it a Hundred Years, it could never Pay what Parents Deſerve for all their Sorrow, Care, Pains, and Coſt. Therefore Solomon is much in Preſſing this Argument upon Children, Prov. 23.22. Obey thy Father that Begat thee. Mark, that Begat thee; he gave thee thy Being; and Deſpiſe not thy Mother that brought thee Forth. We are ever bound to Honour and Obey them for what they have done for us. Theſe Rational Beings do require it; which they have been the Means to Derive to us, and to Nouriſh and Nurſe up. This is highly Deſerved at our Hands; yea, though they grow Old and Impotent, and can ſerve us no longer. O what then does God deſerve from us, who is much more p. 98the Author of our Being than our Father that Begat us, or than our Mother that Bare us? God is the Firſt Cauſe, Parents are but the Second Cauſes of Generation; and the Second Cauſe depends upon the Firſt, and cannot act without it: Therefore it is ſaid of God, In him we Live, and Move, and have our Being. Therefore Man is nothing in our Production, if compared with God; and is it not Reaſon then, that he made us, ſhould be owned and Honoured by us; that he that is our Creator, ſhould be our Ruler?

We Own our Service where we Receive our Exiſtence; we are Debtors to God every one of us. We Owe him our ſelves, all we are, and all we have; for we are not our own, we are the Lord's Propriety, at his Diſpoſal, he hath the abſolute Dominion over us, as giving Being to us. It is the Apoſtle's Argument, Whether we Live, or Die, we are the Lord's, de jure, and it ſhould be ſo, de facto; therefore we ought p. 99to Live to him, Rom. 14.7, 8. This Glory is the White at which we ſhould aim Living and …ying: He is the Centre in which all the whole Circumſtances of our Life ſhould meet, for he made us, therefore Remember thy Creator.

Secondly, He made us after his own Image, and that is a Peculiar Priviledge of Creation beyond what other Creatures injoy. There is the Print of God's Hand upon all his Creatures; but there are none bear his Image but Angels and Men; and this you are Stampt with in the very Womb. Not one of you but have the Image of God upon you, the Youngeſt as well as the Oldeſt.

Though indeed the Moral Image of God which conſiſts in Righteouſneſs and Holineſs, that is Blotted out and Loſt by the Fall, we have Sinned it away; yet there is the Natural Image of God, and that remains in all of you; for what is Natural Light, Knowledge, Underſtanding? p. 100What is Skill to Diſcern, and Wiſdom to Chuſe? What are all the Intellective and Elective Powers of the Soul, but the Image of God in Man? And what is this Image for, but in order to Recover that which is Loſt? It is to Capacitate us to Know God, to Seek him, to Chuſe him, to Live to him here, that ſo we may for ever Enjoy him; and if we do not make this our chief Work, we are made in Vain, and Degenerate into Brutes, being wholly acted by Sence, and the Deſign of this Image is Loſt; for by partaking of his Likeneſs, we become bound to his Laws.

Thirdly, That Power that created us at Firſt, does create us every Day: You are made of God every Day; for Preſervation is a Continued Creation. As he gives Life, ſo he holds our Souls in Life; if God withdraw from us but a Moment we ſhall Die; Thou takeſt away their Breath, and they Die, and return to their Duſt. And do we receive our p. 101Preſervation and Support from him, and ſhall we not pay Reſpect to him? This violates the very Law of Nature, and fills Heaven and Earth with Wonder; therefore God does Summons Heaven and Earth to hear his Complaint againſt ſuch Rebels, Iſa. 1.2. Hear, O Heaven, and give Ear, O Earth, ſays God. But why does he Summons theſe?

Why, Firſt, To Rebuke and Shame the Stupidity of his People, that the Senceleſs Creatures were more like to hear God ſpeak than they.

Secondly, To ſhew that theſe Creatures by which God had done them much good, might well bear Witneſs on his behalf againſt their Ingratitude.

Thirdly, To Convince them, how Stupendious a thing it was, that God Complains of againſt them; even ſuch as the Senceleſs Creatures might ſtand amazed to hear, were they capable of that Sence.

p. 102And what is the Complaint that God makes here? It is Twofold.

The one is Horrid Ingratitude.

The other is Tranſcendent Brutiſhneſs.

Firſt, Horrid Ingratitude. Hear, O Heavens, and give Ear, O Earth. What muſt they hear? Why what God hath to ſay againſt this People? The Lord hath ſaid, I have nouriſhed and brought up Children, and they have Rebelled againſt me. For any of us Parents to bring forth and breed up Children, and after all our Trouble, Coſt, and Care, when they are come to Years of Knowledge, not to own us: Nay, when they are grown to be Men, to turn to be Rebels, to violate ſuch Bonds, and break ſuch ſtrong Ties, Heaven and Earth may well cry out againſt them. Why, this is my Caſe, ſays God; I made theſe Children, I maintained them, I p. 103brought them up at my Coſt, and yet after all they will not Know me, they will not Own me. Inſtead of Chuſing me, they turn their Back upon me, and turn Rebels againſt me; they have not a bit of Bread to Eat, but as I feed them, nor a Rag to Wear, but as I cloath them. It is my Wooll and my Flax, yet I am forgotten, and the very Law of Nature broken. Thus God Complains of their baſe Ingratitude.

Secondly, He Complains of their Tranſcendent Brutiſhneſs, which was ſuch, that it outdid the moſt Brutiſh amongſt Brutes. The Ox and the Aſs are reckoned amongſt the Dulleſt and moſt Stupid Creatures; yet, ſays God, they are worſe than theſe; for the Ox knows his Owner, and the Aſs his Maſter's Crib, but Iſrael doth not know me: My People doth not conſider. Theſe Beaſts as Stupid as they are, yet they after their Kind own them that Feed them, and are ready at all p. 104Times to ſubmit to and ſerve them; yet, ſays God, they will not own me: Nay, ſays God, they will not ſo much as conſider what I have done for them, that thereby they might be brought to own and ſerve me. My People doth not conſider.

Fourthly, He that made us, can unmake us; he that gave us our Being, can turn us into nothing; he that created us, can deſtroy us; he who breathed thy Soul into thy Body, can take it away, and throw it into Hell. And this is the very Argument our Lord Chriſt makes uſe of, Mat. 10.28. Fear him who is able to caſt Body and Soul into Hell. All theſe Arguments do reſult from the Relation we ſtand in to God as he is our Creator.

He made us.

He made us after his own Image.

p. 105He makes us continually, by preſerving us.

And he that made us can deſtroy us, and will you forget your Maker? This will provoke him, when they that are made by him ſeek not after him. None ſays, Where is God my Maker? Job 35. v. 10. All Worſhip, and Reſpect, and Obedience, is a juſt due to God as your Maker: You had your Being from God, therefore you ſhould always ſeek after God. It is natural for every thing to make to the place of its Original: Solomon ſhews it you in divers Inſtances; ſo does the Sun, It ariſes, and goeth down, and haſtneth to the place whence it aroſe, Eccleſ. 1. v. 5. So doth the Wind, It whirls about continually, and returneth again to its circuits, v. 6. So does the Rivers, Ʋnto the place from whence they came, thither they do return again, v. 7. And ſhould not Man that is made by God, and comes from God, ſeek after God, p. 106and take up his reſt in God? Nature teacheth this.

A Circle is the moſt perfect Figure, becauſe it ends where it began; the laſt point meets in the firſt from whence it came; it is the Perfection of the Rational Creature, that had its Being from God, to ſeek after him, and terminate it ſelf in him; that is the ſecond Reaſon.

Thirdly, To chuſe God betimes, as it is a Duty of great concernment, ſo it is a Duty of great advantage, and benefit. Religion, however it is miſtaken in the World, is the moſt advantageous courſe any Man can take; it affords the greateſt Promiſes, the richeſt Comforts, and the ſureſt Rewards: And therefore the Holy Ghoſt tells us, That Godlineſs is profitable for all things, 1 Tim. 4.8. and where lies the profit? It tells you in the next Words; It hath the promiſe of the Life that now is, that includes all good here; and of the Life that is to come, that includes p. 107all good hereafter. But to be a little particular in ſhewing you the advantages of Religion.

Firſt, If you have choſen God, he is yours for ever; for he becomes yours by your own choice, and you may lay claim to him as yours, and may ſay as Thomas did, My Lord, and my God: Or with David, This God is our God, for ever and ever, Pſalm 48. v. 14. And is not this a great advantage and benefit?

Nay, you have not only a Propriety in God, but you have the ſpecial Preſence of God: However it may be as to that Preſence of God that is Arbitrary, yet you have always his Preſence in a Fourfold Senſe.

The Preſence of his Mercy, to pardon your Sins.

The Preſence of his Power, to ſupport your Perſons.

p. 108The Preſence of his Omniſcience, to know your Wants.

And the Preſence of his Goodneſs, to ſupply them.

He is your God, your own God, as David calls him: God, even our own God, ſhall bleſs us. A Man can never be happy that has nothing of his own; and a Man can call nothing his own but God. All things elſe may be loſt, but he that has made ſure of God, his Right can never be invaded, nor his Propriety loſt: Mary hath choſen that good part, which ſhall never be taken from her: And is not this a Benefit?

Secondly, Is it not a great Benefit to have the Heart fixt and ſtedfaſt in the Ways of God? The Cauſe of all Halting in Religion, is the Want of a Choice and Purpoſe reſolutely ſet: The Apoſtle ſays, James 1.8. A Double-minded Man is Ʋnſtable p. 109in all his Ways. foreign A Two-Soul'd Man, one that has a Heart and a Heart, one for this way, another for that; one for God, and another for the World: Such a one muſt needs be unſtable, and of an inconſtant Soul; being as ready to depart from God, as to cloſe with him. But he that owns God, and his Ways by choice, will ſuit his Converſation to his Election. If he be ſincere in his choice of God, that will make him faithful in all his carriage to God: And therefore Joſhua, when he would ingage the People to continue faithful with God, he draws them on to a choice, and then lays that upon their Conſcience to bind them, Joſhua 24.22. Ye are witneſſes againſt your ſelves, that ye have choſen the Lord, to ſerve him; and they ſaid, we are witneſſes. It greatly ſtrengthens a Bond, when a Man freely binds himſelf.

p. 110Thirdly, This reſolute choice of God is of great advantage in carrying on the Work of the Heavenly Calling with the more eaſe and delight; becauſe a choice is nothing elſe but an inclination of the Soul guided by Judgment, ſtrengthened by Reſolution, and actuated by Love. Now as Judgment juſtifies our choice, and Reſolution makes it entire, ſo Love makes it eaſie and ſweet; and ſo our delight in obeying God, anſwers to the ſincerity of our chuſing of him.

Fourthly, This chuſing God gives great peace and comfort in the Ways of God; this is as natural as for the Fire to produce Heat: The Fruit of Righteouſneſs is Peace: As Sin cauſes a Sting in the Conſcience, and a Wound in the Soul, ſo every good Action done in Sincerity, hath the approbation of the Conſcience, and that gives peace, and the witneſs of the Spirit, that brings joy and comfort: This is intended in that of p. 111the Apoſtle, Rom. 14.7. The Kingdom of God is Righteouſneſs, and Peace, and Joy, in the Holy Ghoſt. Here is a double Benefit mentioned, Peace and Joy: There is a difference between them.

Peace is a tranquility of Mind ſpringing from the rectitude of our Actions.

Joy is from the Impreſſion of the comforting Spirit.

Peace is an acquittance from Conſcience, but Joy in the Holy Ghoſt is an acquittance from God himſelf, who is our Supream Judge, is the beginning of that Endleſs Joy that he has prepared for them that love him.

Fifthly, This intitles you to a future and a fuller reward; for in chuſing God, you chuſe him for the future, as well as for the preſent; in chuſing the ways of God, you chuſe all that is intailed upon p. 112them, and that is Life and Bleſſedneſs: So ſays Wiſdom, Whoſo findeth me, findeth Life. The Word ſets before every one of us Life and Death, as Moſes did to that People of old, Deut. 30.15. Now many chuſe Death rather than Life; for they chuſe to pleaſe their Luſts, and to gratifie their carnal Appetite, and therein they chuſe Death; as Chriſt ſays, All they that hate me, love Death: But he that chuſes God, and the Ways of God, chuſes Life, and he ſhall have it; he chuſes Endleſs Felicity in another World, and he ſhall never be diſappointed. O the benefit of chuſing God and his Ways! That is a Third Thing.

Fourthly, The Chuſing God and his Ways in our Youth, is the only Means to Prevent or Cure the many Miſchiefs that flow from our Neglect of it. Days of Youth are Days of Folly; now the Way to correct the Follies of Youth, is to be Wiſe toward God. Childhood and Youth are Vanity. Now the Way to p. 113Cure this Vanity, is to be Serious and Earneſt about Eternity. Youth is moſt apt to be carried away by the Power of Luſt; hence is that Counſel of the Apoſtle, Flee Youthful Luſts; and the proper Way to flee from them, is to flee to God in Chriſt for Help and Strength againſt them.

Youth has a great Advantage againſt Sin, had they but Wiſdom to Improve this now in the Text. Now Sin is but Budding, and therefore may the eaſier be Nipt; now Corruptions are but Twigs, and therefore may ſooner be Lopt off; now Luſt is but Conceiving, and therefore may more eaſily be Stifled in the Birth. A green Wound is ſoon Cured, but if it be let alone long it may turn to a Gangreen that may prove Incurable. O my Brethren, there is no Age ſo fit, ſo ſuitable to the Nature of Religion, as Youth is.

Religion is the Chriſtian Race; now who Chuſes an old Man to run p. 114a Race? It is called a Wreſtling, and who will call an old Man into the Ring that is ready to have his Heels tript up by his own Age? It is called a Warfare, and under the Law the Aged were Diſcharged from War, to ſhew that it is the proper Work of Youth. Religion is a Calling, a High, a Holy, a Heavenly Calling. Now Youth is the fitteſt Seaſon for Chuſing any Calling; and therefore the Text bids us to Chuſe the Heavenly Calling, by Chuſing God in the Days of our Choice.

The Chuſing of worldly Things firſt ſhuts God out of our Thoughts, and Senſual Objects quickly draw the Heart from God; therefore you ſhould Chuſe God firſt; that is the Fourth Thing.

Fifthly, (To name no more) No Man knows how ſoon his Day of Grace may be paſt, therefore he ought to Chuſe God betimes. The Seaſons of your Cloſing with God are Arbitrary. Salvation is not to p. 115be had when you will, but when God will; and God's Will is that you ſhould ſeek after it now in your Youth. God hath his ſet Time of finding; Seek the Lord while he may be found, Iſa. 55.6. And let me tell you, if God's Time be once paſt, though you ſeek him you will never find him; They ſhall ſeek me Early, but they ſhall not find me, Prov. 1.28. I ſay this is the very thing, that moſt periſh upon their ſlighting of God's Time. Eſau he would have had the Bleſſing, but alas he came too late, he miſſed the Seaſon, Heb. 12.6. The Fooliſh Virgins would fain have entred in, but when they ſhould have entred, their Oil was to Get; and when they would have entred, the Door was Shut: You ſhould therefore Chuſe God betimes, becauſe you know not how ſoon the Day of Grace may be paſt. Theſe are the Reaſons of the Point.

And now I come to the Application, and I ſhall make but two Uſes of it.

p. 116One by Way of Trial: And,

The other by Way of Counſel.

Firſt, By Way of Trial; you have heard, Young Ones, what your Duty is; to begin with God in the firſt Place, and make him the Object of your Choice. Now the Queſtion I would ask you, is, what have you done in this Matter? You that are in your Youth, and Prime of your Days, what have you done in this Matter? Now is your chuſing time, pray what Choice have you made? It is a needful Queſtion, God help you to anſwer it in your own Hearts. One Chuſes this Imploy, another that; one Chuſes to go to Sea, another Chuſes to tarry on Shore; one Chuſes this Calling, another Chuſes that; but have you Choſen God to be your God? Have you ever made that Choice? It was David's Queſtion to the Egyptian, 1 Sam. 30.14. To whom belongeſt thou? To whom belongeſt p. 117thou, Young Ones, to whom do you belong? Pray, do you belong to God? Why, you will ſay, how may I know this? It can't be known a Priori, as we ſay, by God's Chuſing of you, that is an Imminent Act, and Imminent Acts cannot give Evidence, they Prove nothing; therefore it muſt be known a Poſteriori, by ſome Subſequent Act of our own.

There are two Ways of being the Lord's People, but there is but one Way of knowing it; we are made his both by his Act and our own; by his Electing of us, and by our Electing of him. Now we cannot know that we are God's by his Act, by his Chuſing of us; but we may know it by our Act, by our Chuſing of him. This is the Queſtion that I would put to you; have you ſeriouſly Choſen God to be your God? Did you ever make this Choice? This muſt be before any one can lay a true Claim to him. God will never be yours (let me tell you) p. 118without your own Choice. Now have you ever Choſen God? I do not mean at a Preſent Pinch; it may be under the Checks of Conſcience, or in ſome Preſent Diſtreſs, many will take God to be their God, but this Choice ſeldom comes to any thing, it laſts but till the Storm is over, and the Diſtreſs removed; but have you ever choſe God in the Sence Deſcribed? Have you Choſen him by a Deliberate Act of the Will Guided by Judgment, and with full Purpoſe of Heart to cleave to God? How ſhall I know this, you will ſay? Briefly, there are divers Ways by which it may be known; I will name but Two or Three. It may be known,

Firſt, By a Self-dedication and devoting of your ſelves to be the Lord's. Whenever the Soul truly Chuſes God for his God, it is always accompanied with a Self-dedication to God. So it is ſaid of thoſe Macedonians, 2 Cor. 8.5. They gave themſelves to the Lord. Now p. 119what can you ſay to this? Have you ever given up your ſelves to be the Lord's, reſolving to live in an Intire Submiſſion to his Will: Have you ever made a Solemn Covenant between God and your own Souls; that God ſhall be your God, and that you, through his Grace, will be his? Why, if ſo, then you have Choſen God, and he is your God.

Secondly, It may be known by your Behaviour in Reference to Sin. When you are Tempted to any Sin, either by Satan, or by your own Luſts, what do you do? Do you give Way to it, or do you run to Chriſt for Strength againſt it? Do you Comply with it, or do you Reſiſt it? Do you Countenance or Curb it? Is it Loved or Hated? This is no hard Caſe to Determine, every Child can tell what he Loves, and what he Hates. No one that Lives in the Love of any known Sin, can ſay that ever he hath Choſen God; mind it, any one Luſt indulged, will certainly confute this p. 120claim: For where Sin is Loved, there it Reigns, and where Sin Reigns, God is Diſowned: And can any one Diſown God, and yet ſay he hath Choſen God? It cannot be.

Thirdly, It may be known by your Obedience: He that Chuſes God for his chief Good, Chuſes him for his only Lord, and that neceſſarily inferrs Obedience to him in all things. So ſays the Apoſtle, His Servants ye are whom ye obey, Rom. 6.16. Many make their Boaſt of God, and Claim a Propriety in him, but whom do you obey? Pray mind that; doth the Fleſh bear ſway? Doth Pride reign? Do youthful Luſts and Vanities command the Heart? Why then I tell you, God was never the Object of your Choice; you may Profeſs him, and Talk of God, but you have never Choſen God for your God. It is not Profeſſion, but Affection and Action that muſt warrant our Title to God.

p. 121David, Pſalm 119.94. tells God, I am thine, Lord, I am thine. Ay, but how does he prove it? Why, ſays he, I have ſought thy Precepts. Pray mind, he does not only ſay, I have kept thy Precepts, I have done them, but I have ſought them: Now to ſeek them is much more than barely to do them. It implies Four Things.

Firſt, An earneſt Deſire to know them; and that is a great Evidence of an upright Heart, and a ſincere Love to God, to be Inquiſitive into the Will of God.

Secondly, It implies an Affection and Reſpect; no Man ſeeks what he doth not Love: I have Reſpect (ſays David) to all thy Commandments.

Thirdly, It implies a conſtant Endeavour to Practice them; for the end of ſeeking is keeping; we ſeek to know his Will, that we may do it; and therefore ſeeking and keeping p. 122are put together. Pſalm 119.2. Bleſſed are they that keep his Teſtimonies, and that ſeek him with the whole Heart.

Fourthly, It implies earneſt Deſires after higher Meaſures of Grace, for the bettering of our Obedience; this is ſeeking. Now ſuch a ſeeking is a ſure Evidence of your chuſing of God. O therefore that I could prevail with Young Ones to come to the Trial in this Matter, whether ever you have really choſen God or no! And I tell you why I urge it; for Three Reaſons.

Firſt, Becauſe it is about the moſt concerning Caſe in the World; as it is the greateſt Duty in the World to ſeek after God, ſo it is the greateſt Priviledge in the World to know my Intereſt in God; therefore it is a Matter worth Inquiring into. What if all the World were thine? If God be not thine, you are undone; and will you not know whether he be yours or no?

p. 123Secondly, I urge it becauſe of the Treachery and Deceitfulneſs of your Hearts; The Heart is Deceitful above all things; (the Prophet ſays ſo) in Young Ones eſpecially, and in nothing more than in this Matter. How fondly and preſumptuouſly do many Boaſt of their Propriety in God, when alas they have no manner of Intereſt in him? It was the very Caſe of Laodicea, She thought her ſelf Rich, Increaſed in Goods, and that ſhe ſtood in need of nothing, when at the ſame time ſhe needed all things, and was Wretched and Miſerable.

The Apoſtle ſays, If any Man think himſelf Something, when he is Nothing, he deceives himſelf; and the Reaſon why many are thus Deceived, is becauſe they truſt to their own flattering Opinion, and are not ſenſible what a cheating Impoſtor they carry in their own Boſoms. Pride and Self-love will never believe any thing againſt Self, and ſo it takes p. 124that for granted, which ought to be proved; and ſhould we not Try in this Matter?

Thirdly, A well-grounded Evidence of our Intereſt in God, is that which will comfort us when nothing elſe in the World can; that is, in a dying Hour; then is the time when all other Comforts will certainly fail, when a Man looks upon himſelf as Launching into another World, and begins to conſider in Earneſt what ſhall become of his Precious Soul; how terrifying muſt ſuch Thoughts be to him that has no Evidence of his Intereſt in God? Nothing but this can ſupport the Soul at ſuch a time. It is this your chuſing God that will Inable you to Triumph over Death, and the Grave, to ſay with the Apoſtle, O Death, where is thy Sting? O Grave, where is thy Victory? It is true, natural Fears may be ſtrong, and the Thoughts of Diſſolution may ſhake us, but a well-grounded Evidence of our Intereſt in God will p. 125notwithſtanding carry us through all.

What would one give when he lies upon a Dying Bed, for one good ground of Hope that God is his? Why now is the time to bring this Matter to a good Iſſue: Now is your time; and therefore it is highly Neceſſary you ſhould put this Matter upon Trial, whether God be yours or no. So much for that Uſe.

The next Uſe ſhall be by Way of Counſel and Exhortation, and I would ſpeak to it in two Branches.

Firſt, To ſuch of you, Young Ones, that have never yet choſen God; that have never remembred God in the Days of your Choice.

And then to them that have done ſo.

Firſt, To thoſe Young Ones that never as yet have choſen God for p. 126theirs, but have lived without God in the World to this Day; I would ſay to you as Elihu ſaid, Job 34.4. Let us chuſe to our ſelves Judgment, that we may know what is good. To chuſe Judgment, is to chuſe judiciouſly, with mature deliberation; that is the way to know what is good. The reaſon why ſo many put Darkneſs for Light, and Light for Darkneſs, Bitter for Sweet, and Sweet for Bitter, it is for want of chuſing in Judgment, and ſo knowing what they chuſe. Now my Meſſage to you this Day is, to diſcharge this Duty; you Young Ones, God hath ſent me this Day to ſpeak to you; you that have yet ſeen but the Third Hour of the Day, I am ſent this Day to you, you are called in the Name of the God that made you, and put Breath into your Noſtrils; in the Name of the Lord Chriſt, who ſhed his Blood to redeem you from Sin and Hell: In his Name I now ſpeak, this Call is from him, and the Buſineſs you are called to, is to be ſo kind to your p. 127own Souls, as to take God in Chriſt from this Day for your God; remember to chuſe God now in your chuſing Days. When thou chuſeſt a Calling, by which to maintain thy ſelf; when thou chuſeſt a Wife, with whom to ſpend thy Days, O then be ſure above all chuſing, chuſe God to be thy God.

I might multiply Motives to preſs this Duty upon you: Take a few.

Firſt, Your giving your ſelves to God, it is but paying a Debt, a juſt Debt; what Paul ſays of Philemon, God may ſay much more to us, Thou oweſt to me even thy own ſelf: For whence came you? Where had you your ſelves, but from him, the Origin of all Being? Therefore 'tis but Juſtice to let God have his own. God gave you your ſelves, but let me tell you, he did not give you a Propriety in your ſelves; that is a Right God cannot part with; therefore you are not your own, nor can you be: God gave p. 128you a Life, he gave you a Soul, he gave you Underſtanding, he gave you a Will, he gave you a Conſcience, he gave you Affections, he gave you all things, but for what intent? Not to eſtabliſh a Dominion in your own Perſons, but only a Stewardſhip, and a courſe of Service; you are not Lords of your own Lives, but Keepers of them for God; therefore ſays the Apoſtle, If we live, we are to live to the Lord, for no Man lives to himſelf.

Secondly, Conſider how freely God offers himſelf to be yours; the Arms of his Mercy they are opened to embrace you, and he is ready to forgive and forget all that is paſt, whatever thy Sins are, or have been: He calls Heaven and Earth to record, that if you miſcarry, the blame is not in him; you have his Oath, that he takes no Pleaſure in the Death of a Sinner; and therefore he calls ſo earneſtly, Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die? Now pray, what anſwer can you make, if ſuch Tenders of p. 129God, and ſuch Bowels of Love, ſhould be ungratefully ſlighted?

Thirdly, Conſider the Deſign of Chriſt: The great Deſign of Chriſt, in what he hath done, and what he is doing; he hath ſtood in your ſtead to bear the Wrath of God, which you and I muſt elſe have born for ever.

Suppoſe you heard Chriſt ſaying to you, Soul, why (thinkeſt thou) did I take up thy Nature? Why was guilt charged upon me? Why was I numbred amongſt the Tranſgreſſors? Why was I made a Man of Sorrows? Why was my Hands nailed, my Side pierced, my Head crowned with Thorns? Why was my deareſt Blood poured out? What canſt thou conceive ſhould move me to undergo the bitter, the accurſed Death of the Croſs, if not to ſave thee from thy Sins, and bring thee to God? And haſt thou no need of a Chriſt now, and of his Righteouſneſs? Why, ſays he, I am ready at thy p. 130Call, ſpeak and tell me what thou wanteſt? I am now in Heaven, at my Father's Right Hand ready to relieve thee; ask what thou wilt, I will preſent thy Prayers to my Father, perfumed with my Righteouſneſs, and they ſhall all be granted. O what Encouragement ſhould this be to come to Chriſt! Go thy way, Young One, take thy Life in thy Hand, as once Eſther did; preſent thy Petition, and ſay with her, If I find favour in thine Eyes, let my Life be given at my requeſt: Let my Soul live by a Saving Intereſt in God.

Fourthly, Conſider what Joy thy chuſing of, and cloſing with God betimes, will cauſe in Heaven: I tell you, there is not the Youngeſt, the Meaneſt of you, but you may help to fill all the Angels in Heaven with Joy. How is that? Why, take God for your God, and it will be ſo. O how theſe Noble Creatures triumph to ſee the leaſt increaſe of Chriſt's Kingdom! If there be but p. 131one Lamb, one Young One in all this Aſſembly added to the Flock of Chriſt this Day, all the Angels in Heaven will rejoice, Ay, all the Angels in Heaven; nay, it will be the Day of the very Gladneſs of Chriſt's Heart; For as the Bridegroom rejoices over his Bride, ſo ſhall thy God rejoice over thee, Iſa. 62.5.

Fifthly, Conſider how uncertain the meaſure of thy Life is; thou mayeſt think to live many Years, and yet may'ſt die ſoon: How many have you gone after to the Grave, that came after you into the World? Job ſays, (ſpeaking of the Sinner) The number of his Months are cut off in the midſt, Job 21.21. It is not only a Deſcription of Death, but of Early Death; an immature Death is the cutting off our Months in the midſt; this is that David deprecates, Take me not away in the midſt of my Days: As our Times are in God's Hand, in regard of the event of them, ſo they are in regard of the length of them; either God may p. 132not give thee time to grow old, or not a heart to repent when thou art old: When ſo many offers of Grace are refuſed, and ſo many motions of the Spirit reſiſted by thee, I tell thee thy heart is in great danger of being for ever hardened.

How many Young Ones are now awake, and that for ever, in Endleſs Flames, that would never open their Eyes to ſee their danger till they came thither?

That is an aweful Word, Pſalm 58.9. Before your Pots can feel the Thorns, he ſhall take them away, as with a Whirlwind, both living, and in his Wrath.

[Before your Pots can feel the Thorns:] That is, before you have any real Sence of your danger. To what ſhall I compare the Miſeries of Young Ones, that are taken away ſo often in the midſt of all their Pleaſure, before ever they thought of Death? It is a thing ſad, beyond p. 133compariſon, beyond all expreſſion: Have you then, Young Ones, no pity for your Souls? Or do you reſolve not to prepare for the Tryal, till the Aſſizes come, and the Judge ſits on the Bench?

If we had a certain knowledge from Heaven, that this was the laſt Sermon we ſhould ever hear, that this was the Laſt Call to Remember our Creator that God would ever allow us, that we ſhould be in another World before another Day comes about, with how many Tears ſhould we bewail our Folly of neglecting God? And how ſhould we rend the Heaven with Cries, that God would own us, and help us to own him; and that he would reprieve us a little longer, that we might make ſure of an Intereſt in him, before we go hence, and be no more? And why ſhould we not do ſo now, ſeeing we know not the day nor hour when the Son of Man will come?

p. 134The Lord awaken Young Ones (for none elſe can awaken them) and perſwade them to ſeek after God betimes: O that you would be perſwaded to this! He is the moſt Eligible Object in the World; they that have choſen him will tell you ſo, they have found him ſo; you will never have cauſe to repent of your Choice; you may have cauſe to repent of other Choices. None ever made a carnal Choice, but he repented firſt or laſt; either here, with a godly Sorrow, whilſt Matters were capable of retrieving; or in Eternal Miſery, where there is Repentance without returning: But who ever repented of chuſing God? Name one that ever did: Job once curſed the Day of his Birth, but who ever curſed the Day of his New Birth? Who ever repented of his cloſing with Chriſt, or of his being ſanctified and made like God?

p. 135When Death comes, then the Cry begins amongſt Carnal Sinners; How have I hated Inſtruction! How have I forgotten God, and my Eternal Intereſt! How have I regarded Lying Vanities, to the forſaking of my own Mercies! O this Flattering World! How hath it deceived and undone me! This will be your cry when you come to a Sick Bed. Now did you ever hear any one ſay, I have choſen God, but God hath deceived me? I have ventured my Soul upon the Lord Chriſt for Pardon, for Righteouſneſs, and Chriſt hath deceived me? I have choſen the Way of Holineſs, and that hath deceived and miſled me? Did you ever hear ſuch a Complaint? No, nor never ſhall.

Ariſe then, Young Ones; in the Name of the Lord, I ſay to thee, ariſe, and ſhake your ſelves from the Duſt and Vanities of Youth, betake your ſelves out of hand to God in Chriſt, make Religion your Buſineſs, p. 136whatever you do, for the Lord's ſake; this will make you a Bleſſing in your Generation.

Truly, let me tell you, the Days we live in, calls aloud upon you Youth, in this Matter; we are in declining times, ſad times, for Religion it loſes ground apace in this Age; and if God do not ſtir up the Young Generation to keep up Religion, I tell you it will be quite loſt in the next. O therefore, that you would reſolve to devote your ſelves heartily and betimes to the Lord! Never think it too ſoon to ſeek him, nor too long to ſerve him: You will not count a whole Eternity too long for your own Happineſs, do not therefore count your whole Life too much for God's Service. I had thought to have laid down ſome Directions for your guidance and help in this great Duty of chuſing God, I will but name Five or Six.

p. 137Firſt, Labour for a deep Sence of your Natural State; this furthers the Work. No Man comes to Chriſt till he is weary and heavy laden; and that no one is, or can be, till a Sence of Sin, and of his Natural State, makes him ſo.

Secondly, Another ſhould have been this: Whenever the Spirit of the Lord ſtrives with you, carry it becomingly to him, eſpecially in Two Things:

Labour to know his Striving Seaſons: And,

Labour to cheriſh all his Motions. Then,

Thirdly, I would have ſaid, Do not conſult Fleſh and Blood on the one hand, nor give ear to the Suggeſtions of Satan on the other, for he will always draw you from God.

p. 138Fourthly, Do not put off this Work of chuſing God from time to time, but reſolve to ſet upon it now without any more de ay. And,

Fifthly, Beſure ſhun the Converſation of ſuch as Deride and Scoff at ſerious Godlineſs, and ſuch as deny all Revealed Religion; it will be the Undoing of your Souls elſe: And then I would have ſaid,

Laſtly, Beg the renewing Grace of God to carry on all. Fear and Shame may conceal a Sinner, Morality may varniſh him, but it is only renewing Grace can change him, and bring him to chuſe God for his God.

And then I would have ſpoken to the Second Branch of the Exhortation; that is, to ſuch of you as have choſen God in your Early Days. I am perſwaded I ſpeak to many ſuch this Day; many Young p. 139Ones, who have choſen God in their chuſing Time. Why,

Firſt, Bleſs God: O bleſs him, magnifie his Grace, who hath counſelled and inclined your Hearts to this! When David had choſen God for his Portion, he preſently cries out, I will bleſs the Lord, who hath given me Counſel, Pſal. 16.7. O Sirs! What a bleſſed Thing is it to be an early Convert, to be an early Chriſtian? It is not only Matter of Comfort to you, but I tell you, it is a Comfort to your poor Miniſters. How do they Rejoice when they can beget one Soul to Chriſt? What ſays Paul to the Philippians, to whom God had bleſſed his Miniſtry, in their Converſion, Ye are our Crown, and our Joy, Phil. 4.1. And again to them, 1 Theſ. 2.20. Ye are our Glory, and our Joy; we bleſs God that bleſſeth us to bring in any one of you to Chriſt.

O that every Young One in this Place were of this Number! You are p. 140our Comfort that God has ſome to keep up Religion when we are Dead and Gone.

You are a Comfort likewiſe to your Godly Parents, that can in you ſee the Return of many Prayers, and that they can now Die with Comfort, becauſe they leave you their Children, to Walk in the Steps of your Fathers, and to Honor God when they are gone to Heaven. O it is a bleſſed Sight to ſee Young Ones Walk with God! Therefore bleſs God for inclining your Hearts to this, whilſt you have a Day to Live.

Secondly, Let it be your Care to renew your Choice of God every Day; renew your choice of God daily, and alſo the Dedication of your ſelves unto God: Our firſt Dedication is not enough, though it may be Sincere; therefore it muſt be Improved by repeated Acts: We ſhould be often renewing our Choice of the Lord, and ſhould think it not enough to be the Lord's, but we p. 141ſhould labour to be more the Lord's; for let me tell you, though God cannot be more ours, yet we may be more his; and one Excellent Way to be ſo, is by chuſing God, and dedicating our ſelves to God.

Laſtly, Live as they that have choſen God for their God; your claim is high, let your carriage be anſwerable. In ſhort, if you have indeed choſen God, and have given up your ſelves to him, make it appear, let it be known, prove it by all Acts proper to ſuch a Priviledge. How is that? By daily putting off the Old Man, and putting on the New; by Dying more to Sin, and Living more to Righteouſneſs, giving up your ſelves to the Conduct and Leadings of the Spirit, to be guided by him in all his Motions, making the Word of God the whole Rule of your Lives, labouring in all things to Walk worthy of God, who hath called you to his Kingdom and Glory; and in ſo doing you will p. 142have a ſure evidence, that you have obeyed this Call of God in the Text, Remember now thy Creator in the Days of thy Choice.

FINIS.

ERRATA.

PAge 8. line 18. for ſome, read ſomething. p. 9. l. 16. r. ſlighty. p. 21. l. 23. f. ruine, r. mind. p. 32. l. 20. r. when Chriſt touched. p. 34. l. 16. r. not known. p. 62. l. 21. r. ſo ſay I.

End of the text · Matthew Mead, The Young Mans Remembrancer and Youths Best Choice (1700)