Two Discourses Addressed to Young Persons, Sermon 2

Two Discourses Addressed to Young Persons · Sermon 2

p. 37YOUNG PERSONS Should Arise quickly When CHRIST calleth them. A SERMON Preach'd at Marblehead, October 15th. 1727.

JOHN XI.28, 29.

And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly: saying, The Master is come and calleth for thee. Assoon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

THIS Chapter contains a very remarkable piece of History; even that of our Blessed Lord raising Dead Lazarus to Life again; by which He gave an incontestable Proof of His Mission and Doctrine. Lazarus was taken Sick, while our Lord was beyond Iordan, whither the two Sisters of Lazarus sent Messengers to Him, to acquaint Him with the sorrowful Tydings, of his Dying Condition, in Hopes that He would come and p. 38heal him. For Jesus loved Lazarus, and his two Sisters. But our Lord on purpose, delayed His going to Bethany, the Village where they dwelt, that He might have an opportunity to make a further display of His Divine Power, and give a convincing Proof to the Jews, that He was the true Messiah, by His raising of the Dead. After He had therefore spent two Days, in the Place where he was when the Messengers came to Him, He then set His Face to go into Iudea; nor could all the Opposition which His Disciples made against it, who reminded Him, that the Jews at Ierusalem, (which was with in two Miles of Bethany,) were bitter Enemies to Him, and sought His Life, hinder Him from taking that Journey, which He knew would be for the Glory of God. Assoon as Martha heard that the Lord drew near, she went out to meet Him, and acquaints Him that her Brother Lazarus was Dead, and tacitely Complains of His delaying His coming, and expresses her Faith in His Ability to have healed him, saying, Lord if Thou hadst been hear, my Brother had not Died. Jesus tells her, that her Brother shall Live again. Upon which she declares her Faith of the General Resurrection of the Dead, supposing that our Lord had spoken, of his rising again at the last Day. Jesus intimates to her His Power to Raise the Dead. To which she yields her Assent, saying, Yea, Lord, I believe that Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the World. After this Conference between Iesus and Martha, she goes, according to our Lord's Direction, to her Sister Mary, and tells her Secretly, whispering in her Ear, for p. 39fear of the Jews that were present at the House, That the Master was come, and called for her; as soon as Mary heard that, she arose quickly and came unto Him. After some other Transactions had passed between them, at length our Lord came unto the Grave of Lazarus, and tho' he had lain in the Grave four Days, yet He cryed with a loud Voice, Lazarus come forth; and he that was Dead came forth, bound Hand and Foot with Grave clothes; upon which many of the Iews believed on Him.

IN the Words which I have read for my Text, I would observe two or three things; as (1.) The Persons here spoken of, namely, Martha, and Mary, the two Sisters of Lazarus. They were both of them Young Women, as is generally supposed; they dwelt with their Brother Lazarus, keeping House together, and we find them entertaining our Lord, at a Feast provided for Him, Luke X. lat. This Mary particularly had been a very vitious Young Woman, being the same Mary Magdalene, out of whom it is said, Christ cast seven Devils; Mark XVI.9. But by the Grace of God, was brought to a Saving Conversion. (2.) We have the call of Christ given to Mary. This was handed to her by her Sister Martha, who came and said to her, the Master, (which was the style by which Jesus Christ was known among them,) is come, and calleth for thee. (3.) We have Mary's deportment upon this Call of the Master; as soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto Him. She instantly obeyed the call, and made no delay to come to Him. Since it was the Master that called for her, she p. 40had no Hesitancy in her Mind whether she had best to comply with His call, for indeed she had an earnest desire to be with Him, and therefore lost no time, but arose quickly & came to Him.

FROM whence we may collect this General DOCTRINE.

DOCT. THAT when Iesus Christ calleth upon Young Persons, they should Arise quickly and come to Him.

UNDER this Doctrine, I shall endeavour to shew you,

I. THAT there are several Things which Iesus Christ in His Word calleth upon Young Persons for.

II. THAT when He so calleth them, they should Arise quickly and come to Him.

I. THERE are several Things which Iesus Christ in His Word calleth upon Young Persons for. It is remarkable, that the most of the Twelve Disciples of our Lord, fell under the Character of Young Men, when He called them to be His Disciples. They were in the Prime & Strength and Vigour of their Days. And as Christ Personally called those Young Men while He was on Earth, to follow Him, so he now calls upon Young Persons, in His Holy Word, that they would come and list themselves in His Service, and be the followers of Him: He says therein, Unto you, O Men, I call, and my voice is unto the Sons p. 41of Men. His Call is particularly uttered to the Young among the People; He sendeth His Word, and His Messengers, rising early, and sending them, even from their most early Days, earnestly calling upon them, to hearken to His Instruction, and turn at His Reproof. And there are several Things which He calls upon them for.

As now,

1. IESUS CHRIST earnestly calls upon Young Persons, to Repent of, and Forsake all their Sins. When Christ called His Young Disciples, Peter and Andrew, Iames and Iohn, He Preached Repentance to them; and let them know this was one great thing He required of them. Mat. IV.17, 18. Every Sinner needs Repentance; and the Youngest here, that has lived long eno' to distinguish between Good and Evil, has been a very great Sinner. You were all Born Sinners, conceived in Sin, and shapen in Iniquity; and alas, how many have been the Youthful Vanities and Follies of every one of you; you have all gone astray from the Womb, and have been fulfilling the sinful Desires of the Flesh & of the Mind, and walking according to the course of this World, and under the Influence of the Prince of the power of this Air, the spirit that works in the Children of Disobedience. Now Jesus Christ calls upon every one of you to forsake this evil course, and truly repent of all your Sins. He sees that you need to be turned from your evil Ways, that you may live and not dye; and therefore in great Compassion and Tenderness to you, he calls upon you, saying, O do not this abominable thing that I hate. This was one p. 42great end of His coming into the World, to Call Sinners to Repentance, Mat. IX.13. His whole Gospel is calculated to this end and purpose; and when he discerns among the Youth, a Young Man void of understanding, He says, as Prov. VII.24, 25. Hearken unto me now, O ye Children, and attend to the words of my mouth; let not thy Heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. Where ever the Gospel is Preached, it commands all Men, and therefore Young Persons, every where to Repent. And He not only commands you to repent, but He uses many Arguments with Young Persons, and sets before them strong and powerful Motives, to prevail upon them to repent of all their Sins, and turn to God.

HE lets them know, that if they will not forsake their Sins, they will unavoidably end in their Eternal Ruin and Destruction. He tells them, Except ye Repent, ye perish, Luk. XIII.3. that God will render tribulation & anguish to every soul of man that doth Evil, Rom. II.9. that the wicked shall go away into Everlasting Punishment, Matth. XXV.46. So He would fain awaken the Fears of Young Persons, while as yet they are not hardened in their Sins, that by the dread of Wrath and Judgment to come, they might be prevailed upon unfeignedly to Repent of all their Sins, and forsake them, lest they prove the Destruction of their Immortal Souls forever. And what more forceable to work upon the Minds of Young Persons, that are capable of the fearful Apprehensions of Misery, than to assure them that they will be mise…ble for ever, if they Repent not?

p. 43AND Jesus Christ assures them also, that if they will repent & forsake their Sins, they shall be happy forever. Act. III.19. Repent ye, that your Sins may be blotted out, when the Times of Refreshing shall come from the Presence of the Lord. If Young People will truly repent, then all their Sins shall be forgiven them, and the Time will come when they shall partake of the Everlasting Refreshments that flow from the presence of the Lord▪ and be happy with Him forever. And how strong is the motive fetched from Everlasting Happiness, to prevail upon such as are yet in their Youth, and are seeking after Happiness, to repent of their Sins. So that this is evidently one thing which Jesus Christ calls upon Young Persons for, namely to forsake all their Sins, to hate and abhor them, and shun the Path way thereof.

2. IESUS CHRIST earnestly calls upon Young Persons to come to Him, and Beleive in Him. Thus He called Mary to come to Him, and she did so; and that not only by coming Bodily into His Presence, (which was a Privilege she had, beyond what any of us can have now,) but she came to Him also, in the Outgoings of her Soul after Him, and her steady Faith and Trust in Him, believing Him to be Christ the Lord, and grounding her Hopes of Comfort and Happiness upon Him. And thus Christ Jesus now calls upon Young Persons to come to Him, and put their Trust in Him, and believe in Him to the Salvation of their Souls. We find our Lord saying, Matth. XXIII.37. O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, — how often would I have gathered thy Children together, even as p. 44a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings, and ye would not. So He says to Young Persons now, come, repair under the shadow of my Wings; repose your Trust and Confidence in me; I will be your Defence and Safety. He says, Look unto me, and be ye saved, Isa. XLV.22. He says, Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and ye shall find rest to your Souls, Matth. XI.28. He says, Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out, Joh. VII.37. And are you not, Young as you are, heavy laden with the Burden of the Guilt of Sin upon you? Do you not want Rest for your Souls? Do you not need Salvation? Why Christ calls you to come to Him, that in Him you may be eased of your Burdens, and find Rest. This was the great Design of His Coming into the World, that the World thro' Him might believe, and that believing on Him, they might …ot perish, but have Everlasting Life. Christ offers Himself as a Saviour to the Youngest of you; and if you will come to Him, and believe on Him, you shall be saved. Was it not needful that there should be a Mediator, to appease the Divine Anger, and reconcile an offended God to guilty Sinners? And is it not as needful that you should believe in this Mediator, and trust to Him, in order to the free Gift of God, even Justification to Life, coming upon you? Why, Jesus Christ is this Mediator, who has laid down His Life for His Sheep; and He calls upon every one of you, now to come to Him, to believe and Trust in Him alone for Salvation. When the Young Disciples of our Lord came to Him, they own'd Him for their LORD, and in the Faith thereof p. 45put themselves under His Instruction & Government. Thus Christ calls upon Young Persons now, to receive Him, as a Teacher sent from God, and embrace His Doctrines, as indeed they are the Words of God, and not of Man. He calls upon you to Believe in Him as the great Head of His Church, and comply with all His holy Commands and Institutions. He calls upon you to Come to Him, and rely upon the Sacrifice of Atonement, which as your great high Priest He hath offered to His Eternal Father, the Vertue whereof He ever lives to plead on your behalf; and He assures you if you do so you shall live through Him, Joh. XI.26. Whosoever liveth, and Believeth in Me, shall never dye. In short, this is the great Gospel Command, That we should believe on the Name of His Son Iesus Christ, 1 Joh. III.23. So that this is evidently what Jesus Christ calls upon Young Persons for.

3. IESUS CHRIST earnestly calls upon Young Persons to become His Disciples. What is it to be a Disciple of Jesus Christ, But to take His Mark and Livery upon us, and to Follow Him? Thus He called the Two Young Brethren Iames and Iohn to follow Me, Mark I.19. And He now calls upon every Young Person, under the Gospel, be ye Followers of Him. He calls upon you to take His Mark and Livery upon you, and appear visibly among His Disciples, that by wearing the distinguishing Badge of your Discipleship, it may be known, at least visibly, that you belong unto Him. He calls upon you to list in His Service while you are yet in your Youth, and be careful to yield a ready and constant Obedience p. 46to all His Commands. For it is not eno' that you call Him Lord and Master, but you must do the Things which He commandeth; for his Servants ye are, to whom you yield yourselves Servants to obey. Many call Him Lord and Master, who take no care to Obey Him; and such He will not own for His another Day, (Mat. VII.21.) To be a Disciple of Christ, is to hear His Voice, and do His Will. Thus He directs the Young Man in the Gospel, Mat. XIX 17. If thou wilt enter into Life, keep the Commandments. To be a Disciple of Jesus Christ, is to follow His Example, to tread in His steps, and walk as He walked. Hence Christ said, of His Sheep, Joh. X.4. He goeth before them, and they follow Him, for they know His voice. You are therefore to be Followers of Jesus, in the Duties of Holiness, Piety, Meekness, Charity, and all those amiable Virtues and Graces, which were conspicuous in His Life. He calls upon you, Mat. XI.29. Learn of Me; He tells you, He has given you an Example, that you should do as He has done; and 'tis your Duty, and your Honour to Imitate Him. Jesus Christ came into the World, not only to lay down His Life for Sinners, but to give the World an Example of pure and undefiled Religion, in true Devotion towards God, and Justice and Charity to Man: He came that He might Obey the Law of God, and shew us, by His Example, that the Duties of Religion were practicable; and thus He gives light to the World. And as the Captain of our Salvation, He co…mands us to follow Him, as ever we would partake of His great Salvation. He p. 47has left His Example upon Record, in the Sacred History of His Life, that so we might have it ever before us, and might be drawn, by the view thereof, to go & do likewise. This He requires of Young Persons, as well as other; and if you are careful to Live like Him, to walk as Christ walked in this World, then will He bring you at last to be with Him, where you shall see Him as He is, and be more like Him, being changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory.

I now come to say,

II. THAT when Christ so calls upon Young Persons, they should arise quickly and come to Him. Thus 'tis said of Mary here, that as soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came to Him.

HERE it will be needful,

1. To say, What is implyed in Young Persons arising quickly to come to Christ.

2. AND then, To prove that Young Persons should do so.

1. WHAT is implyed in Young Persons arising quickly to come to Christ at His Call?

1. IT implies that Young Persons should diligently hearken to the Voice of Christ, and attend to His Call. He cannot be supposed to arise quickly at his Masters Call, who is unattentive to his Voice. He that turns a deaf Ear to his Masters Call, and will not hear him, is far from bestiring himself, and yielding a quick and ready compliance with what his Master requires. Thus indeed, it is with many Young Persons; Christ Jesus has been calling upon them again, and p. 48again, but they hear Him not; they are like the deaf Adder, that stoppeth her Ear against the voice of the Charmer, and hear it not tho' he charm never so wisely. Whereas to arise quickly at the Call of Christ, is to hear Him, while He is yet speaking; to hearken dilligently to the least sound of His Voice. Christ says, Joh. X.3. The sheep hear His voice, and ver 4. They know His voice: Which denotes their Attention, that they readily distinguish His Voice from anothers; they hear the least whispers of it, in His Word, and by His Messengers. When Martha did but say secretly to Mary, whispering her in the Ear, the Master calleth, how readily does she hear? Thus Young Persons should have their Ears open to receive the Instructions of Wisdom; they should listen diligently to the Voice of Christ, waiting daily at the posts of Wisdoms Gates. They should be very attentive to hear what the Word of Christ says to them; and therefore dilligently read that holy Word, and hear it, and meditate upon it, that they may know what it is that Christ requires of them▪ If you neglect to Read, and to Hear the Word of Christ, you are not likely to be dilligent to attend to His Call: and if you do not attend … His Call, you will not … quickly and come to Him, and do what He …quires of you.

2. IT implies that Young Persons should Set themselves about the Work which Christ calls them to. You are to hear attentively, and then put in practice what you hear; this is to arise quickly at His Call. For 'tis not eno' to hear what Christ says, but you must do what Christ p. 49Commands. He that heareth not, when Christ speaks to him, is a wicked slothful Servant; but he that heareth, and will not do, is a rebellious one, and shall be beaten with many stripes. Hence is the Exhortation, Jam. I.22. Be ye Doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. It will prove a dreadful Delusion to him that thinks it eno' for him to hear the Call of Christ, and is not careful to do it. To arise quickly at the Call of Christ is to yield a ready Obedience to the Call. When Mary hears, the Master calleth her, she arose quickly, she immediately came at the Call. When Christ called Iames and Iohn, 'tis said, Mat. IV.22. Immediately they left the Ship, and their Father, and followed Him. They immediately left all Company, tho' never so delightful to them, to comply with the Call of Christ. Thus when Christ calls upon Young Persons to repent of their Sins, they should arise quickly, and forsake all their former Lusts, and vain Imaginations, and immediately resolve against all Sin for the time to come. As soon as the Word of Christ affords you Conviction, that this or the other course is Sinful, you should from that very time carefully avoid that evil thing. And so when Christ calls upon Young Persons to Believe in Him, they should arise quickly, and credit the Reports of His Holy Word, and give up themselves to Him, in a Covenant never to be forgotten. Whatsoever they find recorded in the Word of God, as an Article of their Faith, they should immediately embrace it, and resign their reason up to to the belief and conduct of it. Thus when p. 50Jesus Christ calls upon Young Persons to become His Disciples, they should arise quickly, and enter themselves into His Service, yield a ready and willing Obedience to all His Commandments, and from this time forth, set Him before them as the Copy they are determined to write after.

3. IT implies that Young Persons Should not make any Delay in their Obedience to the Call of Christ. They should set themselves instantly, about the Work Christ calls them to; and not stand dallying, and debating the Case, whether they had best or no. Mary was at no loss whether she had best come at the Call of Christ; she did not stand, shall I, shall I; she neither dispu…ed His Authority, nor pretended she had something else to do first; but she readily owns Him for her Lord, and leaves every thing else to come to Him; so she arose quickly, without the least delay and came. And thus should Young Persons now arise quickly, and come at His Call. They should hear Him now, come to Him now, obey Him now, immediately, without any Delay. They must not pretend vain Idle excuses against a present compliance with Him; but arise now, while the Master is calling to them; now, this present moment, without putting it off to another Time. He that delays, to set about what his Master requires of him, is a slothful Servant, & injures his Master. Prov. XXVI.6. He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool, cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage. He is the good Servant, who when his Master says go, goes; when his Master says come, he comes; p. 51when his Master says do this, he does it, immediately without delay. Thus should Young Persons answer the call of Christ, quickly, without delay, and puting it off till an hereafter. Christ says to them, turn ye now at my reproof; to Day, if you will hear His voice, harden not your Hearts; he requires you to do, what you do about your Soul Concerns, with all imaginable speed; and you should arise quickly, and not delay; lest your delaying prove of fatal consequence to you.

BUT,

2. I am to shew, Why Young Persons should arise quickly, and come at the Call of Christ. And I shall mention but two Reasons, which will sufficiently prove that they ought to do so; Namely, It is the Master that calleth thee; And, It will be thy own Advantage to arise quickly and comply with the Call.

1. IT is the Master that calleth thee; And therefore, O Young Man, thou oughtest quickly, without delay, to hearken to and Obey His Call. So 'tis said here, the Master calleth thee. The style of Master, infers Obedience; and Obedience becomes due from the first Moment of the Knowledge of the Command. Now Jesus Christ is this Master, who has an undoubted Right to thy Obedience; For He is thy Maker. Without Him was not any thing made, that is made▪ Joh. I.3. He is thy Master by Redeeming Love and Grace, and by thy Profession, and Covenant Dedication to Him in Baptism, which the most of you have been brought under the Bonds of▪ Act. II.36. Let all the House of Israel know a…ssuredly, p. 52that God hath made the same Iesus,— both Lord and Christ. And since He is thy Lord and Master; therefore thou oughtest immediately to Obey His Call.

FOR,

1. HE is a Master that has Authority to Command. His rightful Authority is absolute, indisputable, and uncontroulable. For as the great Mediator, God & Man, He is constituted Head over all things: (Eph. I.22.) And consequently His Will is a Law, and the highest Reason of all things; and therefore ought to be immediately, and forever Obeyed. He is thy Lord, worship thou Him. Psal. XLV.11· This is the Worship due to Him, to hearken to His Voice, and comply with it, without delay. He is Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, and where the Word of a King is, there is Power and Authority to Command; and this is a strong Reason why you should yield a speedy Obedience to Him. Earthly Monarchs expect a ready Submission to all their lawful Commands; and how much more then ought Jesus Christ to be obeyed immediately. Shall His Subjucts, Worms of the Dust, dispute His Authority? or is there any Room to Question your Duty, when He, who has an absolute Lordship over you, says, do this? No surely; when He calls upon Young Persons to come and give up themselves to Him, and walk in His ways, He adds, have not I commanded thee? and should not the consideration of the supream Authority and Lordship of Christ over you, excite you to the most ready Obedience to Him?

p. 532. HE is a Master that requires nothing but what is Iust and Right. When He calls upon Young Persons to put their Trust in Him, to believe His Word, and to obey His Precepts, there is no fear of any unlawfulness in the Command: so that there is no room to hessitate whether you ought to comply with it or no. For He is the faithful and true Witness, and speaketh the Truth in all things. The Herodians said to Him, and they spake truly, Mat. XXII.16. Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the Way of God in Truth. All that He requireth of thee is the result of Infinite Wisdom and Verity; He hath made known all that He hath received of the Father, and hath not spoken in His own Name, but what the Father hath given Him in Commandment, that He hath spoken. And what the Apostles of our Lord have declared to us, they also have not spoken of themselves, but holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. So that all that He requires you to Believe, is undoubtedly Certain and True, (tho' you may not be able to understand it,) because it is the Word of a God that cannot Lye▪ and all that He requires you to Practise, is indisputably Just & Equitable, because it is the Will of God that you should do it. For faithful and true is He that hath spoken it. And because there is the most undoubted Certainty of the Truth, and Equity, of what He has revealed, and required of you, therefore when Jesus Christ calls upon you to Believe this and the other Revelation of the Gospel, you ought immediately to give Credit to it; and when He calls upon you to set p. 54upon the Practice of these and those Duties of Holiness, Righteousness, and Charity, you ought immediately to obey Him. For seeing that it is indisputable that you ought to Obey God, who cannot impose an Untruth, nor an unjust Command upon you; and it is certain that what Jesus Christ calls you to, is what God Himself requires of you, therefore there is no room left to dispute the point, upon presumption of the Call's being unlawful, whether you ought to obey it or no; but you ought to arise quickly, and do His Commandment.

3. IESUS CHRIST is a Powerful …ster, and therefore Young Persons ought immediately to hearken to His Call. He has all Power in His Hands; Joh. XVII.2. Thou hast given Him Power over all Flesh. He is styled the Mighty God, Isa. IX.6. Hence He is a Master that is able to enforce His Laws, to annex the Sanction, and see it executed. He is able, by His mighty Power, to destroy any Creature the next Moment, that shall dare to dispute any of His Commands, or deny Obedience to them. Yea, He can destroy Soul and Body in Hell; He says, Rev. I.18. I have the Keys of Hell and of Death. He can strike Dead, and Damn, the Rebel Creature, that refuses to come at His Call. Who can Disobey Him, and hope to go Unpunished? Who can deliver out of His Hands? When therefore Jesus Christ calleth upon Young Persons to come to Him, He ought immediately to be obeyed, because He is a Master that is able severely to Punish all Disobedience, And think, O Young Man, will it not be sufficiently provoking to Him, p. 55if you refuse to Answer Him, when He calleth? When He calls upon you to forsake your Sins▪ will you dare to incense His Wrath by going on still in your Trespasses? Are you stronger than He is? Can He not the next Moment, inflict the Deserved Punishment upon you, if you contemn His Authority, and will not be Obedient to His Voice? O how ought you to arise quickly and comply with his Call? When the Three Young Men of the Jewish Captivity refused to obey the Command of Nebuchadnezzar, 'tis said, Dan. III.13.— Then Nebuchadnezzar in his Rage and Fury, commanded them to be brought before him, and said to them, Is it true? Do ye not serve my gods? — If ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery Furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my Hands? And does not Jesus Christ, the Master, say to the same purpose, in His holy Word, If you will not Obey my Voice, I will cast you into Hell, where the Worm dies not, and the Fire is not quenched; and who can deliver you out of My Hands. O then, let Young Persons be perswaded to Hearken to the Voice of the Master, and Obey His Call immediately, since He is able to destroy them without Remedy, if they do it not.

4. IESUS CHRIST is the Best Master, and therefore should you most readily hearken to and obey Him. He is full of tender Compassions, Condescention and Goodness, in appearing a Saviour for Sinners, and laying down His Life for them; and this He has done for the Youngest that will come to Him. And how should p. 56this endear Him to thee, and make thee ready to arise quickly and come to Him? I beseech you, by the Mercies of God, that you present yourselves to Him, a living, a reasonable, a holy, and an acceptable Sacrifice. He is most Compassionate to thee under all the Services He calls thee to: He can have Compassion on the Ignorant, and them that are out of the way, Heb. V.2. He will bear with thy weaknesses, overlook thy failings, forgive thy Sins, pass by thy Offences; and in whatsoever Service He calls thee to, will afford Help and Assistance to thee to perform it; that though of thy self thou canst do nothing, yet through Him strengthening of thee, thou mayest do all things. And what glorious Rewards has He in store for all that come to Him? There is Joy, and Peace, Pleasure and Satisfaction, Quietness and Assurance, Grace and every Good thing, as a full Provision for thee, in the Time of thy Service; and Glory, Honour, Immortality, and Eternal Life, laid up at the end of thy Service to Him in this World. And now, what Master is their so Compassionate & Bountiful? Who canst thou serve Better? And therefore how should the consideration hereof make thee willing to come at His Call, and immediately, without any Delay, devote thy self to Him, and bind thy self over in thy Youth to be the Lords Covenant Servant forever? Thus the consideration of Jesus Christ, as the Master should be a strong Argument with Young People to arise quickly, and come at His Call. And,

2. IT will be the unspeakable Advantage of Young Persons, thus to arise quickly, and come to Christ. p. 57The Master Calleth thee; and what does He Call thee for? Will it not be thy own Advantage to yield an immediate Compliance with the Call? Verily it will: as will sufficiently appear from these two hints.

1. THE Sin which Christ calls thee to forsake will prove destructive to thee if thou dost not hearken to the Call. Jesus Christ calls upon Young Persons to forsake their Sins; and what is this but to call thee from Ruin and Misery? Who ever got a…y Good in the ways of Sin? tho' it promise never so fair, it is all vanity, and lyes, and things wherein there is no profit. And what will the End thereof be, but Death? Rom. VI.21. So also, we are told of Sinners, Rom. III.16. Destruction and Misery are in their ways. This is the way thou art walking in, O Young Man, while thou art in the way of Sin: and this is the way that Jesus Christ calls thee to turn from. Will it not be thy unspeakable Advantage then to turn out of this destructive Path? And oughtest thou not then immediately to Hearken to the Voice of Christ, seeing thy own Safety is so much concerned in it? If thou wast travelling in the Dark, till you arrived at the very Brink of a Precipice, and a Friend called to thee to tell thee of thy Danger▪ and directed thee to a safe way, wouldst thou not immediately and thankfully hearken to him. Thou art going down to Eternal Destruction, while in thy Sin; thou art upon the Brink of the Pit, and knowest not, but if you take one Step more, if you continue one Day longer in thy sinful ways, thou mayst tumble down into Hell, and perish for p. 58ever: Jesus Christ is compassionately calling upon thee to turn, and escape the Danger; and will you not immediately hearken to Him? Surely you owe this, not only to Christ, as He is your Master, but to your own Souls, to arise quickly, to make no delay, but set thy self unto the work of unfeigned Repentance immediately.

2. IF Young Persons will immediately come at the Call of Christ, they will be Happy for ever. Jesus Christ calls thee to come to Him, to Believe in Him, and Obey Him. And what is it to comply with the Call of Christ, but to secure thy own Happiness? The way He calls thee to walk in, is the way that leadeth to everlasting Rest, and Joy; for he that Believeth shall be s…ved, Mar. XVI.16. No Man can be saved without Faith in Christ, and Obedience to H…m: By Grace ye are saved, thro' Faith — it is the Gift of God,— who hath created us in Christ Iesus to Good Works▪ which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them, Eph. II.1, 10. While you are without Christ, you are without God, and without any good Hope of arriving at Salvation in an other World. But by Faith in Jesus Christ we have access with Boldness to the Throne of Grace here, and of Glory hereafter; and Jesus Christ is the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey Him, Heb. V.9. So that if Young Persons do now immediately hearken to the Call of Christ, their Everlasting Happiness is secure. And is not this a strong Reason why you should arise quickly, without any Delay, and hear His Voice, and put in practice all that He requires of you? O our p. 59Young People, Do not you need Happiness? Have you no Thirst of Soul after it? Is it not worth your striving and labouring for? And ought you not then immediately to accept of it, when it is freely offered to you? Would you spend any long time in Hesi…ancy and Delay▪ if any one should make the Offers of a large Estate to you? Would you not count it worth a ready Acceptance? And is it not as Reasonable, and infinitely more so, that you should readily embrace the Offer of Jesus Christ, who calls you to come unto Him, that your Souls may live? Is not His …endered Heaven and Happiness infinitely more valuable than all this World? Well then, since it is so much to your own Advantage to come at the Call of Christ; since you will thereby escape all Misery and Destruction, and secure all that will render you Happy for ever, O, do not delay, do not put it off, but now the Master calleth thee, arise quickly, and come unto Him.

I proceed to make some Improvement of these Things.

USE. I. HENCE they are greatly to be Reproved, who do not arise quickly, and come at the Call of Christ. Would a Master bear it, that his Servant should refuse to come at his Call? or stand Idle, when he sets him about a Business that requires dispatch? And yet alas; so many a Young Person serve Jesus Christ the great Lord and Master! Tho' He calls them to come unto Him, to forsake their Sins, and lead …ew Lives, …et they turn a deaf Ear to His Call, they pu… p. 60Him off from Day to Day, and refuse to comply with His Command. He says, if I am a Master, where is my Fear? Will you not fear to provoke His Wrath? Is not His Anger to be dreaded? O our Young People; Is not Jesus Christ calling upon you, one Sabbath after an other, how long ye simple ones, will ye love Simplicity, turn ye, at my Reproof? Have you not had Sermon after Sermon, Call after Call, to come to Him, and take Him for your Lord, and live in Obedience to Him as your Master? Have you not been often warned of the infinite Danger there is in your going on in your Sins? And yet alas; How few have believed the Reports of the Gospel? Do we not see that many of our Young people, (it is to be feared the greatest Part of them,) yet hug their Lusts, and will not let them go? Do we not see them to this Day, walking in the way of the foolish, neglecting their Duty to God, and their own Souls, and bringing Mischief and Ruin upon themselves? O that you would be at length prevailed upon to hearken to the Call of Christ; that you would now immediately set upon the Practice of the Duties of Religion, and delay no longer, lest your Delays prove your undoing. There is many a Young Person, that sometimes has many Purposes to hearken to the Call of Christ; they have some sense of their Need of Him, and think to alter their Lives before they Die; but they put it off to an other Time; after they have first served themselves in their Worldly Interest, or have a little longer enjoyed the Gratifications of this or that carnal Appetite, then they will come to p. 61Christ, and serve Him, and secure their Eternal Interest. But think ser…ously with thy self, O Young Man; Is it reasonable that you should first serve Sin, and the World, and give the Remainder of your Time and Strength to God and Christ? Is it reasonable that the Interest of your Souls and Eternity, should be postponed to the little, and comparatively …fling, co…cerns of the Body? Art thou not then g…eatly to be reproved for thy Sin and Folly herein? Does not thy own Conscience condemn thee for an egregious Fool? Besides, has not Jesus Christ exercised a great deal of Patience towards thee already? He says, Rev. III.20. Behold, I stand at the Door, and knock. Has He not been so waiting upon thee Year after Year? And is it reasonable that you should abuse His Patience, and put Him off yet longer? Will not this greatly hazard His Patience being turned into Fury? May you not justly fear, if you delay any longer, that He will wholly withdraw from you? And then what will become of you? O, it is a dreadful and amazing Sight, to see our Young People acting so foolish and mad a Part! And how wilt thou Answer it at last, that thou choosest to live in Rioting and Drunkenness, in Chambering and Wantonness, making Provision for the Flesh to fulfil it in the Lusts thereof? Ah, foolish People, and unwise! Know it, that however you may Flatter your selves, the Time will come, (and you know not how soon,) unless you Repent, when God will set thy Sin in order before thee; and then, because thou hatest Instruction, and cast the Word of God behind thy p. 62back, He will tear thee to Pieces, and there shall be none to deliver thee.

II. O then, Let our Young People be perswaded, now quickly to comply wit… the … of Christ. What I say unto you, I say unto all; yet more especially unto you, our Young People, The Master is come, and calleth for you; o… perswaded then to arise quickly, and … a… His Call. Be at length prevailed upon to …ve as Christ requires of you, Set upon the Duty of Prayer; be much in Reading and Hearing the Word of God; and live S…berly, Righteously, a…d Godly in this present World. To exci…e and move you hereto, I will leave with you a few considerations:

As,

1. THAT Iesus Christ is now Calling of you. Jesus Christ now Calls upon you in His Word and Ordinances, as He did Personally upon His Disciples of old. Thro' the Favour of the Most High, the Silver Trumpet of the Gospel is founding in Your Ears; you have the Joyful Tidings published to you, that to you there is born a Saviour. And how earnestly is Jesus Christ calling upon you in His Word, Hear & your Souls shall Live? how pathetically does He address you, O that thou wouldst know in this the Day thereof the Things that belong unto thy Peace, e'er they are hidden from thine Eyes? How forcibly does He woo and entreat you to become reconciled unto God? And is He not, herewithal, moving upon your Hearts with His Holy Spirit, exciting and stirring up the Convictions of your own Mind? Have you not often felt something of His powerful Operation within you, convincing you of p. 63Sin and Misery, and the Necessity of abandoning your former sinful Courses, of the Necessity of your Faith in Christ, & your leading Holy Lives? Yea, have you not now, felt something of the Power of the Word of God upon your Hearts, by which you are awak…ed to some Sense of your miserable Co…dition out of Christ? And have you not been again and again, assured that you will be welcome to Christ, that He will not reject the greatest and vilest Sinner of you all, if at length you will come to Him? Thus have you been, and thus … you still, called upon to come to Christ; and therefore it is as yet a Day of Grace and Mercy with You, a Time of Love, and … Season wherein you may find Life. And ought not this Season …o be w…sely improved by You?

2. CONSIDER, You cannot reasonably expect that God and Christ should …ear you when you call, if you will n…t now speedily hearken to Him. If you will not arise quickly a…d come at the Call of Christ, how can you rea…onably expect that Christ should hear you speedily? When you are in Distress by Sick…ss and Pain, then it may be you are ready to Call upon God to appear for your Help, and beg as the Psalmist, Psal. LXXIX.8. Let thy Tender Mercies speedily prevent me; and Psal. XIII.3. Consider and hear me, O Lord my God, lighten mine Eyes, lest I Sleep the Sleep of Death. But how can you reasonably expect that God should appear right early for your Help, and be nigh at Ha…d to heal you, when you are so backward to hearken to the Call of His Son? Why should you be speedily heard calling for Mercy, when you will not quickly hear your Call to Duty? p. 64Or when you are in Danger at Sea, by Storm and Tempest, how Natural is it for you to Cry out, as Psal. XL 13, 17. …e pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, make haste to help me; make no tarrying, O my God? And if you would have God to make no Delay to deliver you when you are in Danger, ought you not then to make no Delay in your Obedience to His Commands? Might He not Justly reward unto you according to your Ways, and deal with you as you do by Him? And would it be pleasing to you, for God and Christ to neglect to hear you, and Delay to Help you in the Time of your Straits? Why then will you Delay to hearken to His Voice, when He so earnestly calls upon you? Is this Reasonable? Well then, delay no longer, but hearken to the Call of Christ immediately, l…st He say, as Prov. I.24. Because I called, an… ye refused, I will laugh at your Calamity, and mock when your Fe…r cometh.

3. CONSIDER, If you will quickly hearken to the Call of Christ, thy Salvation is secured. If thou dost now immediately arise, and come to Christ as thy Lord, & give up thy self to Him, then thou wilt certainly find Mercy: all thy Sins shall be forgiven, and thy Soul saved; the covenant Promise is thine, and th… needst to fear no Evil. But, O Young Man, if thou dost not now, quickly, immediately, obey this Call, you can have no Certainty of an other; for th… canst not boast thy self of a to morrow. Prov. XXVII.1. By to morrow, thou mayst be out of the reach of Mercy; and then in vain will be all thy Wishes, O that I had hearken'd to the Call of Christ while I had the Opportunity thereof! We are told, p. 652 Cor. VI.2. Behold, now, is the Accepted Time, now, is the Day of Salvation. If you embrace the present Opportunity, I can assure you, Christ will accept of you, the Peace will be made between God and You, He will freely forgive you all your Sins, tho' they have been many and great, not one of them all shall be remembred against you; But there is no Man can assure you of this Blessed Priviledge, if you defer till to Morrow; You can't tell but you may be in the Grave with the Dead, yea, in Hell with the Damned; and then tho' you seek the Blessing carefully, and with Tears, there will be no room for Repentance.

4. CONSIDER; The sooner you hearken to the Call of Christ, the more Service you will do, while in the World. If you arise quickly at the Call of Christ, now while you are Young, you will have the more Opportunity to do Service for God, and His People. He that neglects to comply with the Call of Christ, till his Life is almost spent; if he should be in good Earnest then in his coming to Him, he has but a little Time left, for him to do any thing for the Name of God, and the Benefit of His People. Whereas if you that are Young, will now, immediately list in the Service of Christ, you will have all the Remainder of your Lives, (and if they should be lengthned out to the common Da…e, it will be a considerable Time,) to be employed for the Serving God, and your Ge…eration according to the Will of God: and so all about you, will fare the better p. 66for you As for those that remain in an unconverted Estate, they are generally a Burden to the Earth, hurtful in their Example, and expose the World to the Righteous Judgments of God; they bring no Glory to the Name of God, but Dishonour it; they are unprofitable to themselves, and ordinarily are the pests of Humane Society. But the Holy, Good Man, serves his God, and his Generation; is obliging and kind, beneficent and charitable, is an encourager of all that is Good, and endeavours to promote the welfare of the Place and Neighbourhood where he lives; and he is a Blessing to the World, by his Examples, Counsels, and Prayers. Now the sooner you begin to hearken to the Call of Christ, and comply with the Terms, & perform the Duties of the Gospel, so much the more Glory will you be likely to bring to the Name of God, & so much the more Good will you do in the World. Thus by an immediate hearkning to the Call of Christ, will you become the greater Blessings to all about you. And what an Excitement should this be to you, to engage, without Delay, in the Service of God, and Religion, that by it you will become truly serviceable in the World, and every wise Man will call you Blessed.

5. CONSIDER, IF thou, O Young Man, wilt immediately hearken to the Call of Christ, thy own Glory will be s… much the Greater. There are different Degrees of Glory and Happiness in Heaven: Tho' every true Christian shall be Happy, and compleatly so; yet there are some that shall have higher Degrees of Happiness assigned to p. 67them than others; as some Vessels will hold more than others, tho' they are alike full. So the Apostle tells us, 1 Cor. XV.41, 42. There is one Glory of the Sun, and another Glory of the Moon, and an other Glory of the Stars; and one Star differeth from an other Star in Glory: So also is the Resurrection of the Dead. In the Resurrection World, tho' all the Servants of Christ shall have their full Rewards bestowed upon them, yet those Rewards will differ as to degrees; he that hath gained Ten Pounds, shall be made a Ruler over Ten Cities, while he that has gained but Five, shall be made Ruler over but Five Cities. Men's Rewards in Heaven will be proportioned to their Serviceableness: the more Service they do, the greater will be their Glory. Now who are most likely to do most Service for Christ, but they that begin betimes: They that spend the Day Idly till the Eleventh Hour, it cannot be expected that they should do as much as those that entred in the Vineyard in the Morning, and laboured in it all the Day. This then should encourage you now, immediately to hearken to the Call of Christ; that you may loose no more of your Time, but spend the whole Remainder of it as a wise and faithful Steward, that your Rewards may be the greater in Heaven.

6. IF you do not arise quickly at the Call of Christ, He may never Call you more. The Master is now calling of you, and He expects a ready Compli…nce with His Call, and will highly resent it if p. 68you put Him off with frivolous excuses and unreasonable delays. Possibly, He may be so provoked, as wholly to withdraw, and never give you an Invitation more to come to Him. When the Spouse made excuses and delays, and did not readily arise, and open, to let Him in, her Lord withdrew Himself, and into what an Amaze was she plunged; Cant. V.6. My Soul failed, says she; I sought Him, but could not find Him, I called Him, but He gave me no Answer — I charge you if you find Him, tell Him, I am Sick of Love. What reason then have they that put Jesus Christ off from Time to Time, and have never once yet hearkened to His Call, after a long waiting upon them, to fear, that if they do not now, immediately, without any more sinful Delay, arise and open the Doors of their Souls, and give a due Entertainment to Him, that He will be provoked wholly to withdraw, and leave them, and give them up to the ways of their own Choosing, till they perish in an everlasting seperation from Him. While Jesus Christ is calling upon you, to come to Him, there is yet Hope concerning you, there is a possibility that you may obtain the Pardon of all your Sin, tho' they have been innumerably many, and exceeding great. There is room to Hope that you may yet escape the Wrath to come, and have a Title to the Blessedness of the Heavenly World as your Portion. But if you should not now hearken to His Call, how knowest thou but the Door of Grace, and Hope, and Life, may be forever shut upon thee? and then what a miserable p. 69Condition will you be in to all Eternity. Think, O Young Man, of those awful words, Luke XIII.25. — When once the Master of the House is risen up, and hath shut to the Door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the Door, saying, Lord! Lord! Open to us! He shall answer & say unto you, I know you not whence you are, — depart from me, all ye workers of Iniquity. The Door of Mercy now stands open, and Jesus Christ at it, is earnestly calling upon thee to come in, and receive Mercy; but if thou wilt not arise quickly and come at His Call, it may be He will be so provoked as to shut the Door upon thee, and in vain will it be for thee then to cry, Lord, Lord, open to me; thou wilt be utterly rejected of Him. And O! what wailing and gnashing of Teeth will then be thy Portion forever? Has not Christ been Calling upon thee, Sabbath after Sabbath? But it may be thou hast not many more Sabbaths to enjoy; wherefore now immediately hearken to his Call, come to Him, and secure the Blessing, lest it be too late.

O that our Young People might be awakened by these Considerations, to arise now, while the Master calleth them, and quickly, immediately apply themselves to the great Duties of Religion, humbly repent of all their Sins, and forsake them, earnestly call upon God, in the Name of Christ for Pardon and Grace, and give themselves up to God in Christ to be His Servants devoted to His Fear. I conclude, with the Words of the Apostle, Heb. IV. p. 707,—11. He limiteth a certain Day, saying— to Day, after so long a Time, — to Day, if ye will hear His Voice, harden not your Hearts. — Labour therefore to enter into that Rest, lest any Man fall after the same example of Unbelief.