The best way to mend the world, and to prevent the growth of popery by perswading the rising generation to an early and serious practice of piety: with answers to the principal cavils of Satan and his agents against it, &c. By Samuel Peck, minister of the word at Poplar.

CHAP II. Containing some Arguments to prove the Equity, and Necessity, and Safety of this Duty, and to enforce the Practice of it.

§. 1. SIrs, though at first view this may seem an hard saying, and an harsh and unreasonable task; yet upon delibe∣rate and serious thinking, you will find it is founded upon good, upon great, very great reason. It is highly reasonable and just, that God, who made you should have the best of you, the best of your age and time. Now our first dayes are our best. Op∣tima quaeque dies miseris mortalibus aevi, prima fugit. The choycest part of mans life is that, which first passeth from him. Youth is the Golden age, wherein our souls are brisk and lively, and our bodies active and strong to labour. Now are you fittest and best able to watch and pray, and un∣dergoe the severities of Religion. Old age is full of infirmities, dim eyes, shaking heads, trembling hands, and feeble legs: Old men are dull of apprehension, of bad Capacity and remembrance, and clogged

with those cares and crosses, which youth is free from. And is there any reason God should be put off with the dregs of old age, when you have spent your spriteful youth in the service of sin? You read that the King of Babel would have young men, well favou∣red, without blemish, and such as were of great ability to stand before him, and shall the King of Israel, the Lord of Glory have none to stand in his Courts, but the halt, the blind and the lame, such as David ha∣ted? Old Barzillay rendred this as a reason why he was unfit to wait on the King at Jerusalem, his old age; and is old age, which is neither serviceable nor acceptable to men, good enough for God? When you have not a good leg to bring you to Gods House, nor good Ears to hear his Word, nor a good Eye to read the Scrip∣tures, nor a good head to retain nor a good Intellect to apply or improve what you read or hear, shall God be served now and not before? Hath God given you those members, senses and faculties perfect and good, and will you not employ them in his service till they are spoiled and fit for nothing? Till the members of your bodyes are multiplied by Crutches and Glasses, and the powers of your souls quite debili∣tated and decayed? is there any reason for

this? Were you to present a gift to the King, would you not present the best you have? how much more ought you to do this to God? dare you think he deserves less than man, or will be put off with what man will not accept? If you do, you are vilely mistaken. If you offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil, or the lame and the sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governour, will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person, saith the Lord of hosts? Take heed therefore you do not reserve that for God, which you would be asha∣med to offer to man: he will not accept it, nor is there any reason he should. 'Tis highly reasonable and just you give him the best of all, from whom you receive all you have and hope for.

§. 2. Youth is the most seasonable time for Religion and the service of God. Then are men most capable of instruction, advice and Counsel; then are they most flexible and most apt and easie to be wrought upon, to be brought to a good course of piety and Religion. Pueri ad omnem disciplinam sunt flexibiliores: ad omnem disciplinam tardior est senectus. There is a vast difference between Youth and old age, in respect of discipline and flexibility. The Wax when 'tis soft receives the best and fairest impres∣sion;

the Tree while young is most easily bowed. Young persons are most receptive of wholsome instruction, and most easily brought to any thing that is good. Re∣member this, you that are young, if you shall neglect Religion, slight and shun the wayes and Commands of God now, and vanquish all thoughts of God and his service till you are old; you cannot imagin what an hard matter you will find it then, to dispose your minds to holiness, and frame your lives to godliness and Religion: as hard a matter, as for an aged person to learn to read well in a day that never knew a letter in all his life. We say of a man, who hath long addicted himself to sloth, he cannot work. Why what is the matter? hath he not his limbs, his health, his strength, and a Calling to imploy them in? yes, but he hath gotten such an habit of idle∣ness that he cannot work, he had rather suf∣fer than labour, want then work. Thus 'tis in respect of Religion, if you now addict your selves to impiety and sin, and are wholly unhinged as to Religion and the service of God, while you are young, in old age you will find a kind of impossibility to be otherwise, to change your course, seri∣ously to mind Religion, to brook an holy and strict course of life, to imitate, obey

and follow Christ whithersoever he calls you, though 'tis to save your immortal souls. There is very much in those words of Solomon to this purpose; Train up a child in the way he should goe, and when he is old he will not depart from it. If thou art trained up in sin, trained up in a loose, licentious course of living in thy youth, when thou art old thou wilt not depart from it. Men think when they are old, then they will mend, then they will forsake their evil wayes, leave their youthful vices, and be∣come marvellous devout, holy, heavenly, and close followers of Christ. But very hard∣ly, 'tis the way you have been trained up in, the course you have many years been ac∣customed to, and you cannot now alter or depart from it. No less power than that which stops the Sun in its course, and turns the Rivers of the south, can stay thy carier, or turn thee out of the way wherein thou hast so long walked. St. Paul makes it a Peradventure, if such repent and recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil. When men have deferred repentance so long, and been the willing captives of Satan so many years, 'tis an hazard if they repent, recover themselves, and return to God. When the Devil had gotten possession of that man in the Gospel, and it was so hard

a matter to cast him out, that the disciples of Christ could not doe it, with all their power and prayers; when Christ had dis∣possessed him, and observed with what extremity, foaming and renting, the Devil came forth, he asked the Father of the possessed, how long this had hapned to his son? Answer is made of a child. So if Satan get possession of you in your childhood and youth, and continue till you are old, he will plead right and title to you then, and if ever he be dispossessed it will be with great pain, great grief and sorrow, yea and with no small hazard of your life; I mean the life of your soul, for he will hold fast and rent you to purpose e're he part with you. As good old Polycarpus said concern∣ing Christ, These eighty six years he hath been my Master, and I his Servant, shall I de∣ny him now, or leave him now at last cast? No, I will dye first. So doth Satan say concerning men; This person hath served me from his youth, I have been his master these forty, fifty, sixty years, and shall I let him go now at last cast? no I will keep him mine to the end, if all the power of hell can doe it. Therefore now is the fittest and most seasonable time to make choice of the Master you intend to follow and serve, Christ or the Devil; one must be, and which

you take to now, 'tis probable you will stick to and serve to your Dying Day. Moreover, if you consider the requisites to a Disciple of Christ, and sincere professor of Religion, you will find Youth the most proper Season to attain them in. If you will be Disciples of Christ, true Christians, and unfeignedly religious, you must be humble and broken in heart for sin. Soul-com∣punction is necessary to Salvation. St. Peters Converts to Christ were humble and pricked in their hearts, and cried out, Men and Brethen what shall we doe? you must ei∣ther mourn for sin here, or burn for sin here∣after; Sow in tears if you will reap in joy: And the time of youth is most sesonable for this. The sooner you begin to mourn for sin, your sorrow is like to be the less heavy, and the more kindly. Your hearts have upon them a natual hardness, and if by neglect of re∣pentance they gather a Contracted hard∣ness too, they will be broken with the more difficulty. Custom in sin takes away the sense of it; and the longer you con∣tinue in it, the more will you find a sense∣less stupidity growing upon your spirits. Your Consciences, that are now tender and timerous, and somwhat shie and fearfull of sin, will by degrees grow hard and seared, and past feeling. Doe you not know this

by experience, that those sins which a few years since, were a great terror to you, you can now commit without the least trou∣ble? if an Oath or a Curse had slipt from you, or if you had been overtaken with in∣temperance, what stings and gripes have you felt after it? but now you are fre∣quently guilty of these Crimes, yet with∣out the least remorse or trouble for them. Therefore now is the time for this work, while your consciences and hearts are ten∣der and free from contracted hardness; for the longer you delay, the more difficult will it be to bring your hearts to this duty. Again, you must forsake sin, your hearts must not only be broken for, but also bro∣ken off from sin. You must repent and turn from all your evil wayes, otherwise iniquity will be your ruine, and you will perish by it; and the longer you continue in sin, the harder will it be to forsake it. Custom will become a second nature to you, and the changing of your Course will be like the changing the Ethiopians skin and the Leo∣pards spots. When once sin gets rooting in the heart, and enslaves and captivates the affections, it will be extream difficult to get it out and cast it off. While the Cocka∣trice is in the egg 'tis easily crushed. Before sin gets too much life and strength, you may

with the better success oppose it, and with the greater ease gain victory over it. Now is the time to open your hearts and give en∣tertainment to Christ, who is said to knock at these doors by his Word and Spirit, which you must open to him, as ever you expect he should open heaven to you; and become subject to him in his Kingdom of Grace, if ever you will reign with him in his Kingdom of Glory. And doubtless the fittest season for it is now in youth, for if you shut these doors now, you will find them fast bolted and barred when you are old. Sin in the soul is like rust in Iron, it renders it unapt to move, though pulled with great strength. The Devil is a sub∣til adversary, and the longer you permit him to hold possession of this Royal fort, the more will he fortifie it against Christ, and beat off with the more ease, whatever assaults are made upon you by the Word and Spirit of God. Christ will enter most willingly, if you will receive him, he de∣sires it, he seeks it, behold I stand at the door and knock; but if you refuse, your affecti∣ons will be more allenated, and hearts more hardened. Qui non est hodie cras mi∣nus aptus erit. If you are not inclined or disposed to God, to Religion, and that that is good, to day, you will be more in∣disposed

to morrow: if you are not wil∣ling Christ should take possession of your hearts this week, or month, or year, you will be less willing the next. The sooner the better. That proverb is true here, and cannot be crossed, Blessed is the Woo∣ing that is not long a doing. O blessed and treble blessed is that Soul, that is early married to its Saviour, betimes espoused to Christ, as its Husband, Head and Lord. Now therefore is the time to gain and flourish in Grace, which is the Earnest of Glory: to set up the Kingdom of Christ within you, as ever you hope to be ad∣mitted into his Kingdom above you.

§. 3. An early practice of Piety and Re∣ligion will bring you the greatest comfort. A pious Youth makes a joyous old Age. Age is a time, wherein we are to solace our selves with the remembrance of our fore∣past life, to feed upon the spiritual stores, upon the graces, comforts and Experiences which your former godly and Religious course of life hath gained you. For this reason 'tis that Solomon sends the young sluggard to the Ant or Pismire to learn pru∣dence, which gathereth her food in the Sum∣mer, and layeth up her store in the harvest. If you sleep in harvest, sloth, sin away the sum∣mer season, what will you live upon in win∣ter?

will not spiritual want and poverty pinch you in old age? But if thou art Reli∣gious in thy youth, diligently carefull to lay up a stock of grace and vertue, a store of prayers and good works, in thy youth, then thine old age cannot but be attended with joy and comfort, peace and plenty. You say usually, you must work when you are young to keep you when you are old. 'Tis true here, you must work the works of God and of Religion while you are young, to support you, comfort you, and keep you from despair when you are old. Do but think, what peace, what comfort an old man can have, who is about to leave the world, and hath all the sins of his youth fly∣ing in his face, following at his heels, and waiting when death shall give them an op∣portunity to accompany him to Judgment. When he shall remember that in his youth he forgat God, and spent the prime of his years in the Devils service, in ryoting and drunkenness, chambering and wantonness, in strife and envy: I say, what peace, what comfort can he now reap of those things where of he is ashamed, where with his con∣science is terrified, and soul wounded? How loath is he to leave the world, how unwil∣ling and afraid to die? How doth his aged heart ake, his shrinked flesh tremble, to

think of Death and Judgment? Who can express the horror and disturbance of his mind, when his Reason tells him he is too weak to live, and his Conscience, that he is too wicked to dye? Whereas, when a man can truly say, and his conscience bears him witness when he is old, that he hath laid out his youth and strength for God, in the practice of piety and ser∣vice of his Saviour, when he can now say, he hath made Religion his business; the glo∣ry of God and his own salvation his main work and design in his youth; when in a word he can say with old Hezekiah, Lord remember that I have walked before thee in truth and with an upright heart; what an heart full of comfort, what a mind full of peace, what a soul full of joy shall that man have, in old age, even in death it self? How chearful may such an old Simeon sing his Nunc dimittis, Lord now let thy servant depart in peace, for I have sought, and the eye of my faith hath seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared for me? Therefore if you would be joyous when you are old, be Religious while you are young. Qualis vita, finis ita. As is your life, such shall your end be. To me to live is Christ, to dye is gain, saith the great Apostle: And 'tis the righteous hath hope

in his death, saith Solomon. And you deceive your selves, if you think you may live viti∣ously and yet dye happily. Holiness in youth is the Tree, upon which the choyce fruit of Comfort in old age alone grow∣eth.

§. 4. As it will bring the most Comfort, so it deserves the greatest Honour. To see young persons following Christ by an holy and heavenly life, 'tis honourable and de∣serves the gteatest commendation. It is written in the Gospel, that when Christ heard a young man say, he had kept the Commandements from his youth, he loved him; to shew how God loves the early obe∣dience and devotion of young ones to him∣self. To speak in the Scripture language, God honoureth such, for they greatly ho∣nour God, and them that honour me, will I honour, saith the Lord. Yea and God makes more account and takes more notice of a little goodness, a little holiness and obedi∣ence in a young person, than of a greater measure in him that is elder. When Jerobo∣ams child was sick, God sent him word by his Prophet, that his child should dye, and that he only should go to the grave in peace of all Jeroboams family, because in him was found some good thing towards the Lord. There could not be much good in him be∣ing

but a child, and bred up in Idolatry too; yet because some good was found in him being so young, God took a liking to him, and shewed his acceptation of him, by conferring that favour and honour upon him above all the Family, that he should goe to his grave in peace. And Solomon tells you, that Religion carrieth length of dayes in the one hand, and honour and dig∣nity in the other; and she will conferre it upon thee, she will bring thee to honour: and the Lord honoureth them that fear him, saith David; where Fear is put for all Re∣ligion and Worship towards God, and those that devote themselves to him by an holy fear, will God honour. And the sooner you doe this, the greater love and honour, the greater favour and esteem will God have for you. Yea, as it will procure you honour from God, so from all good men; Religion and piety is the Image of God in man, and wherever a good man sees this he cannot but honour it, and those that bear it. St. Paul writes to his Romans, to shew singular respect to Andronicus and Junia, as persons of Note, upon this consideration, because they had the hap∣piness and honour to be in Christ before him. And surely 'tis the greatest honour and hap∣piness in the world, to be early in Christ,

early in the Covenant of grace. Is thy Servant in Christ? is he Religious and de∣voted to God? he is more honourable than thee his Lord and Master, who art irreligious and out of Christ; and shall be preferred before thee in the favour and esteem of God, both in this world and that to come. Nay Religion will make you honourable even in the eyes of the wicked. Jehoram a wicked King honour∣eth and waiteth upon a Religious Elisha; proud Herod reverenceth the holy Baptist. Piety is a silent but a powerfull Orator; to perswade all that see it, to love and ho∣nour it. What Diogenes said of Learning; is truely applicable to Grace and Religion, it makes poor men Rich, old men Happy, and young men Honourable. It gives such lasting honour, as the rusty teeth of old Time can never eat out; the Name of the righteous shall be had in everlasting remem∣brance. Would you be truely great, then be sincerely good. For true honour (of which all men are greatly ambitious, non parvas animo dat gloria vires: immen∣sum gloria calcar habet: The itch of ho∣nour, scratch till the blood come, still abides) is not attained by building of Ba∣bels, nor by gathering wealth, or adorning your selves with the plumes of pride. Pha∣raohs

Horses may have costly Trappings, and the Midianites Camels chains of gold: nor yet by being Masters of mischief, or notable for some act of villany: as he who to get himself a name, burnt the famous Temple of Diana. Can any man think the dunghill of wickedness, a fit Mine to dig an honourable Name from? Or that the only way to make a man sweet, is to wal∣low in Jakes's and Kennels? Certainly Grapes grow not on Throns, nor Figs on Thistles: Neither is the sweet Oyntment of an honourable estimation, or good Name (which Solomon saith is better than life) compounded of those stinking ingre∣dients, pride, lasciviousness, prodigality, covetousness, intemperance and prophane∣ness. No, the name of the wicked shall rot, in despite of all Offices, Preferments, Titles, Policies, or favours whatsoever. Their impious deeds, wherein they gloried while living, shall be raked up to their re∣proach and dishonour, by after ages. Cains malice, and Pharoahs pride and rebellion a∣gainst God, have hitherto kept pace in the world with Abels devotion and Moses his meekness. And as the names of the wick∣ed are thus torn on earth, so their souls are committed to hell, covered with shame and delivered over to everlasting contempt. Im∣piety

therefore is not the mean to true glo∣ry. But the way to true and lasting honour, is to seek it by a Religious conversation. A good name ariseth out of things true, just, honest, lovely, and of good report. Famam extendere factis, hoc virtutis opus. Who∣ever would be truely famous must be really Vertuous. Be faithful, sober and just, ho∣nour God and do good, and you shall be honoured of God and good men while you live; and when you leave the world, you shall leave your name a blessing to Posteri∣ty. Your remembrance shall be sweet, your name a perfume, and your memorial pretious. In a word, do worthily in Ephra∣ta, and so be famous in Bethlehem. Vertue and Religion shall emblazon thy name, when nothing else will, or can. A Field of sincerity charged with the deeds of pie∣ty, cannot but be accomplished with the Crest of Glory.

§. 5 Now is the most Acceptable time. What the Apostle saith of the day of the Gospel, I may say of the day of Youth, Behold now is the accepted time. The Noontide or Evening of thy life may be acceptable; some are received at the ele∣venth hour. But the Morning is most ac∣ceptable. God is pleased to see young sin∣ners looking and inquiring after a Saviour,

to see them setting out for Heaven be∣times, and seeking the Kingdom of God in the first place, before Satan or the World hath revished their Virgin affections. The youngest disciple was the beloved disciple, and Christs first care and Command is for these, Feed my Lambs. O these are most acceptable and dear to him; because their Graces are most visible and conspicuous. Early goodness is like the morning blush, like the first opening of the Rose, like a Diamond set in a Ring of Gold. It hath a Delightfull fragrancy and a glorious lustre, every ones eye is upon it, and every one that is truly godly admires and loves it. As the witty speeches of a pratling Babe are many times more taken notice of, than the grave sayings of an old Cicero, so early grace in young converts is more observed than in those of gray heads. The beauty of their vertue doth then snine clearest, and the power of it doth then appear greatest. To see young ones delighted in reading and hearing Gods Word, much in Prayer, frequent at Sacraments and other holy Exercises; to see young per∣sons deny themselves, taking up the cross and yoak of Christ, casting off the World, mortifying the flesh with the affections and lusts of it, deafning their ears to all

inticements and allurements of pleasing sins, advising others so to do. To see there manfully opposing and conquering the Tempter in his wiles and policies, fol∣lowing God fully, and with full purpose of heart cleaving to the Lord, none but must needs take notice of this. The grace of Christ in them is so powerfull, and the activity of that grace in them so lively, that it must needs be visible. And this tend∣ing much to Gods glory, must needs ren∣der them more acceptable. Adde to this, that your strength to serve God is greatest, and your time longest; which gives you this double advantage: you may not only escape many pollutions in the world wherewith others are defiled, to the disho∣nour of God, and wounding of their own souls; but you may bring much glory to God in your generations. God hath work enough for you to doe, all tending to his glory and your own salvation, throughout the whole day of you lives, though you begin in the Morning of your Youth, and continue very diligent till the weary Eve∣ning of decrepit Old age overtake you. I might instance in some of the chief part of your work; you have a Pardon of sin to sue out, Evidences for Heaven to clear, corruptions to mortifie, lusts to subdue,

a treasure or store to lay up, graces to gain and improve, temptations to resist, enemies to defeat, Relations to mind, and many duties towards God and men to dis∣charge; work enough for the whole day; to do all this well, begin as soon as you will, as soon as you can. And as a Master, who hath many servants, and a multitude of business, is best pleased with that ser∣vant that goes about his work betimes, and continues at it all day, because he doth his Master the most service, and brings him the greatest gain; so God, who hath variety of work for his people and ser∣vants, is most delighted with those that set to it betimes, and continue diligent in his service to the end. I say of all others, these are most acceptable to God. Gods Firstlings are his Darlings, for these doe him the most service, and bring him the greatest glory.

§. 6. Now is the most safe time in re∣spect to your selves, your own souls. At first if you be carefull, no doubt but you may prove successefull in this great and weighty concern, soul-work, God-work, eternity-work. But if you make delayes, you run your souls upon great hazards and uncertainties. There are many dangers and great peradventures in a little delay. Your

lives are perfectly uncertain, since no age is fenced or secured against the killing Shaft of Death. Some Flowers are nipped in the bud, some springs fall into the sea, as soon as they rise out of the earth. The thred of life in some is soon cut off; and the candle blown out almost as soon as lighted. When you walk through a Church-yard, you may see little Graves and small skulls, as well as great ones. And you hear of many snatched away in the full strength and prime of their years. So that you may dye while you are young; and without piety and grace, be damned while you are young. Therefore 'tis most safe to become Religious, and secure your salvation in the first place, having no assu∣rance of your life for a day, and being subject to Death every moment: Nor have you any security of the means of Grace; though with Hezekiah you had a Lease of your Life, and for as many years as the longest lived Antedeluvian arrived to, yet you have no assurance that God will hold the light of his Gospel to you, to the period of that long day. Now you have means and opportunities, lights and helps, Sabbath upon Sabbath, line upon line, one motion and call upon ano∣ther, to remember your Creator, to make

Religion your business, and to mind Hea∣ven in good earnest; and if you will not do this now; if you will be idle and un∣fruitfull, and run the hazard of what God can do, he can and may quickly take away his Gospel from you, and turn your light into darkness; that like the blinded Sodo∣mites for Lots door, you shall grope for the strait gate to Heaven, and not find it. He that can sweep away thousands by a Plague, and by devouring burnings lay stately Towns and Cities in the dust, can find out a way to bring a famine, not of bread, but of hearing the Word of the Lord, so that you shall run from one end of the Land to the other to seek the Word, and shall not find it. I know you cannot be igno∣rant, that at this very day there are many in England that pull hard for it, to take away the Means of Grace and knowledge from you: To take away the written Word; and to give you a Legend to read instead of a Bible; The Gospel of the Virgin Mary, or of St. Francis, in lieu of the Gospel of Christ; and dumb Idols to worship instead of the living God. And I must tell you, if the youth of this Age, if the present rising Generation don't speedi∣ly heighten and encrease their regard to Religion, and their esteem of Gods Word

and Ordinances, Gods Ministers and the means of Grace, I fear lest God should suffer those things to come to pass. For why should God continue that you care not for, and will not improve; but account rather a burden then a benefit? But put case none of all this should be, but that the day of your life should belong, and the day of the Gospel as long as it; yet there is still a further hazard in delay, in regard of the uncertainty of Gods working with the Means: For the wind of the spirit bloweth when and where it listeth. You may now feel the fair gales and sweet breezes of the spirit moving upon your hearts, and blowing fair for Heaven, and if you do not now hoist the sails, the wind may slack, and duller, and you may be becalmed for ever: God may say, his spirit shall strive no more, or swear in his wrath you shall not enter into his rest. Now God calls, if you will not hear∣ken, you may call and cry hereafter and he will not hear. Then shall they cry unto the Lord, but he will not hear them. But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears that they should not hear, they made their hearts as an Adamant stone, lest they should hear the Law, and the words which the Lord

of Hosts, hath sent in his Spirit, therefore it is come to pass that as he cryed (that is the Prophet) and they would not hear, so they cryed and I would not hear, saith the Lord of Hosts. This is sufficient to cau∣tion you to take heed of stopping your ears when they should be most open and ready to hear. Do you not read of Esau's weeping for the blessing to no purpose; of the foolish Virgins going to buy Oyle too late; and of our Saviours telling Jeru∣salem, that her day was spent, and those things belonging to her peace were hid from her eyes? And don't these sad ex∣amples tell you, that there are many, who have the sun of mercy set to their souls, before the day of their lives may be half spent? that God ceaseth to call, Christ to invite, the Spirit to strive, and ob∣stinate sinners are given over to hardness, judicial hardness, and to treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath, and the revelation of the righteous judg∣ment of God; which is the greatest judg∣ment on this side Hell? And may not this heavy sentence pass against you when you are old, who wilfully neglect God and Religion while you are young; see∣ing God is just and righteous in all this? Justum est ut à Deo contemnatur moriens, qui

Deum Omnipotentem contempsit vivens. 'Tis just with God to contemn thee old and dying, who hast despised him young and living; not to know you then, who will not know him now; not to accept the blew Milk, when the Devil hath suck∣ed all the Cream; just with God not to accept a Sacrifice from those hearts and hands of yours at death, which never knew how to offer but to Beelzebub all your life. Be wise therefore and consult your own safety, which lyes in being reli∣gious betimes, in following Christ by an holy conversation while you are young; then come life, come death, if you have hold by faith but of the skirt of his gar∣ment you are safe, and not before; and 'tis (you see) a threefold Peradventure, if you refuse this now, that you shall gain it hereafter. Peradventure you may dye young, peradventure you may be deprived of the means of Grace, or per∣adventure God may not hereafter work with the means, but leave you to a judicial hardness.

§. 7. Last of all weigh this: You cannot begin so soon, but your time will be spent by that time your work is done. Young men, if once you become Christians indeed, disciples of Christ in truth, as you enter up∣on

a very profitable and honourable, so upon a very difficult calling. You have now a very great work lying upon your hands, and but a short time to dispatch it in, many Irons in the fire, which call for your conti∣nual attendance. If you consider seriously, in how many Relations a Christian stands, and how many duties each of these Relati∣ons require, you will acknowledge you have time little enough for the discharge of them. For how many duties are required of you, as you are creatures to God, how many more as Subjects to a Prince, how many more as Brethren, as Servants, as Masters, how many more as men, as Christians, in Relation to your selves, your own souls, in the whole con∣verse of your lives? Take a review of these by serious reflection, as every one is multiplyed into many, and then tell me, Whether you can begin to be Holy and Religious too soon; whether when your time is gone, you will not wish you had begun sooner, or that you were to begin a∣gain, that you might do your work better, doubling your diligence for God and your own souls; whether when your life is spent, you wil not give the same counsel to others that I give to you, and say, O remember your Creatour in the days of your youth,

and make Religion and the serious practice of holiness and righteousness your study betimes? Let me be your Monitor, who know by experience, what a task you have in hand, which calls for all your strength, time and diligence, if you would approve your selves faithfull to God. My time is gone, I am dying, and going to give my account, I wish I had begun sooner, and wrought harder after I begun. Therefore mind the words of a dying man, (for such have the best and deepest Impressions of things to come, as well as of things past upon their minds) cast off the world and the vanities of it, seek the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof in the first place. This will bring you the soundest peace and greatest comfort in old age, and upon a dy∣ing bed: This no doubt, will be your advice to others then; be perswaded to take and follow the same now. 'Twill be your ho∣nour, your crown, your glory here, and it will bring you to a glorious crown and end∣less hapiness hereafter.

Notes

• Dan. 1. 4.
• Mal. 1. 8.
• Pro. 22. 6.
• 2 Tim. 2. 25, 26.
• Mark 9. 20. 21.
• Act. 3. 37.
• Ezek. 18. 30. Luk. 13. 3.
• Jer. 13. 23.
• Rev. 3. 20.
• Luk. 17. 21.
• Prov. 16. 6, 7, 8.
• Isa. 38. 3.
• Phil. 1. 21.
• 1 Sam. 2. 30.
• 1 King. 14.
• Pro. 3. 16.
• Pro. 4. 8.
• Ps. 15. 4.
• Rom. 16. 7.
• Ps. 112. 6.
• Cant. 1. 9. Judg. 8. 26.
• Dan. 12. 2.
• Ruth 4. 11.
• 2 Cor. 6. 2.
• Joh. 21. 15.
• 1 Joh. 2. 14.
• Amos 8. 11.
• Pro. 1. 24. &c.
• Mich. 3. 4.
• Zech. 7. 11, 12, 13.
• Rom. 2. 5.
• Act. 28. 26, 27.