Use 2. The use in general is twofold — that young men should not be discouraged nor despised.
1. Not discouraged. We use to say Youth for strength and age for wisdom : but if they apply their hearts to religion and the study of God's will, and with knowledge join practice, they may profit, and so as they may be a means to shame those that are elder, while they come behind them in many gracious endowments. They are not to be dis- couraged, as if it were too soon for them to enter into a strict course, or grow eminent therein ; for God may glorify himself in their sobriety, temperance, chastity, zeal, courage, and the setting their strong and eager spirits against sin is a might}'' honour to God : Ps. viii. 2, ' Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength, because of thme enemies,' &c. The graces of God in young ones do mightily turn to the praise of his glorious grace, and God is admired in them, and it is an honour and comfort to you also : Eph. i. 12, ' In Christ before me :' it is a just upbraiding to elder people that lie longer in sin.
2. Nor yet should youth be despised : 1 Tim. iv. 12, ' Let no man despise thy youth.' God's gifts should not be despised in any, nor stir up rancour. God may speak by them as he spoke by Samuel, and to Samuel when he spoke not to old Eli.
Having premised this, let me come to apply it particularly, though briefly. It conduceth then —
1. To the encouragement of youth to betake themselves to the ways of God. Oh, consider ! let us begin with God betimes ; do not spend your youth in vanity, but in a serious mortified course. This is your sharp and active time, when your spirits are fresh : therefore, if your watch is set right now, you may understand more than the ancients.
22 SERMONS UPON TSALM CXIX. [SeR. CVI.
Give up your hearts to a religious course ; let not the devil feast upon the flower of j'our youth, and God be put off with the fragments and scraps of Satan's table. While you are young take in with God ; it is a great honour to God, and it will be an honour and an advantage to you. Mat. xxi. 15, 16, when the children cry ' Hosanna to the Son of David,' and the Pharisees reproved him for it, Christ approves of it, saying, ' Have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise ? ' When young ones take kindly, it is a great blessing. Therefore is judgment hanging over this nation, that youth is so degenerated ; whereas formerly they were addicted to religion, now they are addicted to all manner of lusts and vanity. Then it would be an honour and comfort to you ; the sooner we begin with God, the more we glorify God, and the more praise to God : Eph. i. 12, ' That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.' They that get into Christ above i others, they glorify grace above others : Ilom. xvi. 7, ' They were in Christ before me.' He that first gets into Christ, he hath the advantage of others ; seniority in grace is a preferment, as well as in nature. And then it is a great advantage: Eccles. xii. 1, ' Eemember thy Creator in the days of thy youth.' When we begin betimes with God, we have more opportunity of serving and enjoying God than others have. A man should 'bear the yoke in his youth,' Lam. iii. If the bent of our in- clinations were set right in our youth, it would prevent much, and hinder the growth of sin. Though a man cannot plant grace in his heart — that is the Lord's own work — yet it keej^s sin in, and pre- vents inveterate custom, for they will grow upon us ; and therefore it makes for the encouragement of you that they should sooner begin with God.
2. It makes for the encouragement of those that have the education of youth ; as masters of families, parents, and the like. Do not say it is too soon for them to learn ; no age is too soon for God: 2 Tim, iii. 15, ' Thou hast from thy infancy learned the scriptures.' When "we suck in religion with our milk, it is a great advantage ; those things we keep with us that we learn young : Pro v. xxii. 6, ' Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.' When the new vessel is seasoned with this precious liquor, it will keep the taste ; tender twigs are bent this way when they are as wax, capable of any impression.
Use. 3. Caution for young ones. If young men should obtain this benefit, t-o grow wiser than the ancients, notwithstanding this, yet they should learn to show reverence to the aged, Job xxxii. 4-G ; and then to ascribe it to God. Saith he, ver. 8, ' There is a s])irit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.' It is not the sharpness of our wit, but the inspiration of his grace ; he is the author of all this wisdom that is wrought in us.