Ah, sirs ! what God commands must be put in speedy execution, without denying or delaying, or disputing the difficulties that attend it.2 Most young men in these days do as the heathens : when their gods called for a man, they offered a candle ; or, as Hercules, offered up a painted man instead of a living. When God calls upon young men to serve him with the primrose of their youth, they usually put him off till they are overtaken with trembling joints, dazzled eyes, fainting hearts, failing hands, and feeble knees ; but this will be bitterness in the end, &c.
Reason (2). Because they have means and opportunities of being good betimes.
Never had men better means and greater opportunities of being good, of doing good, and of receiving good, than now. Ah, Lord ! how knowing, how believing, how holy, how heavenly, how humble, might young men be, were they not wanting to their own souls. Young men might be good, very good, yea, eminently good, would they but im- prove the means of grace, the tenders of mercy, and the knockings of Christ, by his word, works, and Spirit.
The ancients painted opportunity with a hairy forehead, but bald behind, to signify, that while a man hath opportunity before him, he may lay hold on it, but if he suffer it to slip away, he cannot pull it back again.3
How many young men are now in everlasting chains, who would give ten thousand worlds, had they so many in their hands to give, to enjoy but an opportunity to hear one sermon more, to make one prayer more, to keep one Sabbath more, but cannot ! This is their hell, their tor- ment ; this is the scorpion that is still biting, this is the worm that is
1 Aug. Confess, lib. i. 2 Obedientia non discutit Dei mandata sedfacit. — Prosper.
* Erasmus [and ' The Emblems']. — G.
180 APPLES OF GOLD. [1 KlNGS XIV. 13.
always gnawing. Woe! woe! to us, that we have neglected and trifled away those golden opportunities that once we had to get our sins par- doned, our natures changed, our hearts bettered, our consciences purged, and our souls saved, &e. I have read of a king,1 who having no issue to succeed him, espying one day a well-favoured youth, took him to court, and committed him to tutors to instruct him, providing by his will, that if he proved fit for government, he should be crowned king ; it' not, he should be bound in chains and made a galley-slave. Now when he grew to years, the king's executors, perceiving that he had sadly neglected those means and opportunities, whereby he might have been tit tor state-government, called him before them, and declared the king's will and pleasure concerning him, which was accordingly per- formed, for they caused him to be fettered, and committed to the gal- leys. Now what tongue can express how much he was affected and afflicted, with his sad and miserable state, especially when he considered with himself, that now he is chained, who might have walked at liberty; now he is a slave, who might have been a king ; now he is overruled by Turks, who might once have ruled over Christians. The application is easy.
Ah ! young men ! young men ! shall Satan take all opportunities to tempt you? shall the world take all opportunities to allure you? shall wicked men take all opportunities to ensnare you, and to undo you ? and shall Christian friends take all opportunities to better you ? and shall God's faithful messengers take all opportunities to save you? and will you, will you ' neglect so great salvation' ? Heb. ii. 3. Plutarch writes of Hannibal, that when he could have taken Rome he would not, and when he would have taken Rome he could not.2 Mauy, in their youthful days, when they might have mercy, Christ, pardon, heaven, they will not ; and in old age, when they would have Christ, pardon, peace, heaven, they cannot, they may not. God seems to say, as Theseus said once, Go, says he, and tell Creon, Theseus offers thee a gracious offer. Yet I am pleased to be friends, if thou wilt submit ; this is my first message ; but if this offer prevail not, look for me to be up in arms.
Reason (3). Because, when they have fewer and lesser sins to ansiver for and repent of, multitudes of sins and sorrows are prevented by being good betimes.
The more we number our days, the fewer sins we shall have to num- ber.3 As a copy is then safest from blotting when dust is put upon it, so are we from sinning when, in the time of our youth, we remember that we are but dust. The tears of young penitents do more scorch the devils than all the flames of hell ; for hereby all their hopes are blasted, and the great underminer countermined and blown up. Mane is the devil's verb ; he bids tarry, time enough to repent ; but mane is God's adverb ; he bids repent early, in the morning of thy youth, for then thy
1 Bellarm[ine]. In conscione de cruciatibus Gehcnnce.
4 It is storied of Charles, king of Sicily and Jerusalem, that he was called Carolus Cuvctator, Charles the lingerer. This age affords many such lingerers, &c. [The ag- nomen above is very much earlier, baying been applied to and accepted by the Dictator <>. FabhiB Maximus. Cf. Livy, 30, 2G; Quint., 8, 2, 11.— G.]
8 Lord, saith Austin. I have loved thee late. The greater was his sins, and the more were his sorrows.— [Confessions, Book x. (xxvii.) 38. -G.
1 Kings XIV. 13.] apples of gold. 181
sins will be fewer and lesser. Well! young men, remember this : he that will not at the first-hand buy good counsel cheap, shall at the second-hand buy repentance over dear.
Ah ! young men ! young men ! if you do not begin to be good betimes, those sins that are now as jewels sparkling in your eyes, will at last be millstones about your necks, to sink you for ever.1 Among many things that Beza, in his last will and testament, gave God thanks for, this was the first and chief, that he, at the age of sixteen years, had called him to the knowledge of the truth, and so prevented many sins and sorrows that otherwise would have overtaken him, and have made his life less happy and more miserable. Young saints often prove old angels, but old sinners seldom prove good saints, &c.2
Reason 4. Because time is a precious talent, that young men must be countable for. The sooner they begin to be good, the more easy will be their accounts, especially as to that great talent of time. Cato and other heathens held that account must be given, not only of our labour, but also of our leisure. At the great day, it will appear that they that have spent their time in mourning have done better than they that have spent their time in dancing ; and they that have spent many days in humiliation, than they that have spent many days in idle recreations.