It is storied of Charles the Fourth, king of France, that being one time affected with the sense of his many and great sins, he fetched a deep sigh, and said to his wife, By the help of God I will now so carry
1 Senibus mors injanuis ; adolescentilus in insidiis. — Bernard. De convers. ad Cler., c. 14.
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myself all my life long, that T will never offend him more; which words he had no sooner uttered, but he fell down dead and died.1
Do Dot, young men, put this day far from you, lest you are suddenly surprised, and then you cry out, when too late, 'A kingdom for a Christ, ;i kingdom for a Christ ; as once crooked-backed Richard the Third in 1 1 is distiess, ' A kingdom for a horse, a kingdom for a horse.'2
Ah ! young men, did you never hear of a young man that cried out, ' Oh ! I am so sick, that I cannot live, and yet, woful wretch that I am! so sinful, that I dare not die. Oh that I might live! oh that I might die : oli that I might do neither!' Well! young men, remember this, the frequent, the serious thoughts of death will prevent many a sin, it will arm you against many temptations, it will secure you from many afflictions, it will keep you from doating on the world, it will make you do much in a little time, it will make death easy when it comes, and it will make you look out betimes for a kingdom that shakes not, for riches that corrupt not, and for glory that fadeth not away. Therefore do not, Oh do not put the day of death far from you. Take heed of crying Cras, eras, to-morrow, to-morrow, saith Luther; for a man lives forty years before he knows himself to be a fool, and by that time he sees his folly his life is finished. So men die before they begin to live.
Direction (2). Secondly, If you would be good betimes, then take heed of leaning to your own understand* mg.
This counsel wise Solomon gives to his son (or the young men in his time) : ' My son, forget not my law ; but let thy heart keep my com- mandments. Trust in the Lord with all thy heart ; and lean not to thy own understanding/ Prov. iii. 1, 5.
Youth is the age of folly, of vain hopes, and overgrown confidence. Ah ! how wise might many have been, had they not been too early wise in their own opinion.
Rehoboam's young counsellors proved the overthrow of his kingdom. It is brave for youth at all times to be discreet and sober-minded. Three virtues, they say, are prime ornaments of youth, modesty, silence, and obedience.
Ah ! young men, keep close in every action to this one principle, viz., in every action resolve to be discreet and wise, rather than affectionate' and singular.
I remember that a young gentleman of Athens, being to answer for his life, hired an orator to make his defence, and it pleased him well at his first reading; but when the young man by often reading it, that he might recite it publicly by heart, begun to grow weary and displeased with it, the orator bid him consider that the judges and the people were to hear it but once : and then it was likely that they at the first instant might be as well pleased as he.
Ah ! young men, your leaning upon yourselves, or upon others, will in the end he bitterness and vexation of spirit. Young men are very ap1 to lean on their own wit, wisdom, arts, parts, as old men are to lean
'-' Another tacit Shakesporian reminiscence probably. Cf. Richard III. v. 4. 'A horse! b horse! my kingdom for a horse !' — G. :1 ' Affected.'— G.
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on a staff to support them (as the Hebrew word [jyp, shagnan] signifies, that is rendered lean, in that of Prov. iii. 5). This hath been the bane of many a choice wit, the loss of many a brave head, the ruin of many a subtle pate.
Ajax thought it was only for cowards and weaklings to lean upou the Lord for succour, not for him when he was foiled ; lean not to great parts, lean not to natural or acquired accomplishments, lest you lose them and yourselves too. Leaning to natural or moral excellencies, is the ready way to be stripped of all. Babylon, that bore herself bold upon her high towers, thick walls, and twenty years' provision laid in for a siege, was surprised by Cyrus.1
It was said of Caesar, that he received not his wounds from the swords of enemies, but from the hands of friends ; that is, from trusting in them.
Ah ! how many young men have been wounded, yea slain, by trust- ing to their own understandings, their own abilities !
It was an excellent saying of Austin, In te stas, et non stas, he that stands upon his own strength shall never stand. A creature is like a single drop left to itself, it spends and wastes itself presently, but if like a drop in the fountain and ocean of being, it hath abundance of security.
Ah ! young men, young men, if you will needs be leaning, then lean upon precious promises, 2 Peter L 4, Ps. xxvii. 1 ; lean upon the rock that is higher than yourselves, lean upon the Lord Jesus Christ, as John did, who was the youngest of all the disciples, and the most beloved of all the disciples, John xxi. 20, chap. xiii. 23. John leaned much, and Christ loved him much. Oh lean upon Christ's wisdom for direction, lean upon his power for protection, lean upon his purse, his fulness, for provision, Cant. viii. 5 ; lean upon his eye for approbation, lean upon his righteous- ness for justification, lean upon his blood for remission, lean upon his merits for salvation. As the young vine, without her wall to support her, will fall and sink, so will you, young men, without Christ puts under his everlasting arms to support you, and uphold you ; therefore, above all leanings, lean upon him. By leaning on him, you will engage him ; by leaning on him, you will gain more honour than you can give ; by leaning on him, you may even command him, and make him eternally yours, &c.
Direction (3). Thirdly, If you would be good betimes, if you would seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of your days, then take heed of flatterers and flattery. Ah ! how many young men might have been very good, who are now exceeding bad, by hearkening to flat- terers, and affecting2 flattery ! Flattery undid young Rehoboam, Ahab, Herod, Nero, Alexander, &c. Flatterers are soul-murderers ; they are soul-undoers ; they are like evil chirurgeons, that skin over the wound, but never heal it.
Anastasius the emperor's motto was, mellitum venenum blanda oratio, smooth talk proves often sweet poison. Flattery is the very spring and mother of all impiety ; it blows the trumpet, and draws poor souls into rebellion against God, as Sheba drew Israel to rebel against David. It put our first parents upon tasting the forbidden
1 Cf. Sibbes's Works, Vol. IT. pp. 217, 248.— G. 2 ' Courting.*— G.
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