3. It implieth a care and watchfulness over our hearts and ways, that our will and actions be conformed to the word. This must be the young man's daily prayer and care, that there be a conformity between his will and the word, that he may be a walking Bible, Christ's living epistle, copy out the word in his life, that the truths of it may appear plainly in his conversation.
All that I have said issueth itself into three points : —
1. That the great duty of youth, as soon as they come to the full use of reason, is to inquire and study how they may cleanse their hearts and ways from sin.
2. That the word of God is the only rule sufficient and effectual to accomplish this work.
3. If we would have this efficacy, there is required much care and watchfulness, that we come to the direction of the word in every tittle ; not a loose and inattentive reflection upon the word, careless incou- siderateness, but a taking heed thereunto.
Now, why in youth, and as soon as we come to the use of reason, we should mind the work of cleansing our way ?
1. Consider how reasonable this is. It is fit that God should have our first and our best. It is fit he should have our first, because he minded us before we were born. His love to us is an eternal and an everlasting love ; and shall we put off God to old age ? shall we thrust him into a corner ? Surely God, that loved us so early, it is but reason he should have our first, and also our best ; for we have all from him. Under the law the first-fruits were God's, to show the first and best was his portion. All the sacrifices that were offered to him, the}' were in their strength, and young : Lev. ii. 14, ' And if thou ofier a meat-offering of thy first-fruits unto the Lord, thou shalt offer for the meat-offering of thy first-fruits green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full ears." God would not stay till ripened. God will not be long kept out of his portion. Youth is our best time, Mai. i. 13, when they brought a weak and sickly offering, ' Should I accept this of
88 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. X.
yonr hand ? saitli the Lord.' The health, strength, quickness of spirit, and vigour is in youth. Shall our health and strength be for the devil's use, and shall we put off God with the dregs of time ? Shall Satan feast upon the flower of our youth and fresh time, and God only have the scraps and fragments of the devil's table ? When wit is dulled, the ears heavy, the body weak, and affections are spent, is this a fit present for God ?
2, Consider the necessity of it. (1.) Because of the heat of youth,, the passions and lusts are very strong : 2 Tim. ii. 22, 'Fly also youth- ful lusts.' Men are most incident in that age to pride and self-conceit, to strong affections, inordinate and excessive love of liberty : 1 Tim. iii. 6, ' Xot a novice, lest, being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil.' A man may make tame fierce creatures, lions and tigers ; and the fury of youth needs to be tempered and bridled by the word. It is much for the glory of grace that this heat and violence is broken when the subject is least of all disposed and pre- pared. (2.) Because none are tempted so much as they. Children cannot be serviceable to the devil, and old men are spent, and have c'hosen their ways ; but youths, who have a sharpness of understanding, and the stoutest and most stirring spirits, the devil loveth to make use of such : 1 John ii. 13, ' I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one.' They are most assaulted ; but it m for the honour of grace when they overcome, when their fervency and strength is employed, not in satisfying lusts, but in the service of God and fighting against Satan. Therefore it is very needful they should be seasoned with the word betimes.
3. Consider the many inconveniencies that will follow if they do not presently mind this work. (1.) Death is uncertain, and therefore such a weighty business as this will brook no delay. God doth not always give warning. Nadab and Abihu, two rash and inconsiderate young men, were taken away in their sins ; and the bears out of the forest devoured the children that mocked the prophet. The danger being so great, as soon as we are sensible of it, we should flee from it. When children come to the fulness of reason, they stand upon their own bottom ; before, they are reckoned to their parents. Oh, woe be to you if )'ou die in your sins ! Certainly as soon as a man is upon his own personal account, he should look to himself, lest God cut him off before he hath made his peace with him. (2.) Sin groweth stronger by custom, and more rooted ; it gathereth strength by every act. A brand that hath been in the fire is more apt to take fire again. A man in a dropsy, the more he drinks, the more his thirst increaseth. Every act lesseneth fear and strengtheneth inclination : Jer. xiii. 27, ' Woe unto thee, 0 Jerusalem ! wilt thou not be made clean ? when shall it once be?' A twig is easily bowed, but when it grows inta a tree it is more troublesome and unpliable. A tree newly set may be transplanted, but when long rooted, not so easily. The man that was possessed of a devil from his childhood, how hardly is he cured I Mark ix. 29. (3.) Justice is provoked the longer, and that will be a grief to you first or last. If ever we be brought home to God, it will cost us many a bitter tear ; not only at first conversion : Jer. xxxi. 18, ' I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus : Thou hast