1. Though spiritual growth be most considerable here, yet natural age is not altogether to be excluded. God hath people of all sorts and sizes, some old, some in the prime and freshness of youth, others that are but newly got out of infancy and childhood. As it is hard to find out a calling wherein there are not some one or other that belong to God, so not an age wherein God hath not showed some remarkable instances of his grace. For fathers or old men, we read of Paul the aged, Philem. 9, and of Mnason an old disciple, Acts xxi. 16. Among young men we read of Josiah, 2 Chron. xxxiv. 3, ' That in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father : and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and carved images, and molten images.' He began to reign at eight years old, as soon as out of his minority. So of good Obadiah : 1 Kings xviii. 12, ' But I thy servant fear God from «ry youth.' In the rank of children we read of Samuel : 1 Sam. ii. 18, ' And Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child ; ' and of Timothy, ' that from a child he had known the holy scriptures,' 2 Tim iii. 15. Hosanna was not displeasing to Christ in little children, yea, it was defended by him : Mat. xxi. 15, 16, ' And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, Hosanna to the Son of David, they were sore displeased, and said unto him, Hearest thou what these say ? And Jesus said unto them, Yea ; have ye never read, Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise ? ' God instils a measure of grace into the hearts of little ones, and is delighted in their praise according to their measure of understanding suitable to their age. He that punished little children for crying Baldpate to his prophet, defendeth little children, and accepts it as an honour when they cried Hosanna to himself. Well, then, people of all ages should apply themselves to religion. Old men excuse themselves, they are too old to interest themselves in Christ ; and children are not ripe, and young men are otherwise occupied ; but fathers for age should be also fathers for knowledge and godliness. It is a great blessing and a crown of honour when the hoary head is 4 found in a way of righteousness,' Prov. xvi. 31 ; when a man is grown old and greyheaded in Christ's service, as Enoch lived three hundred and sixty-five years, and ' walked with God,' Gen. v. 22 ; a long age and well spent. On the contrary, how sad is it when men have spent many years unfruitfully, and are acquainted with all other things but God and their own souls, and have not as yet begun to live spiritually ; when they have one foot in the grave, and are as good as dead already ! As it is said of Abraham, Heb. xi. 12, ' Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead.' You never begin to live till you live in Christ. You have but told over so many summers and winters;
392 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN II. 12-14. [SER. II.
all that time is lost that is spent in your unregeneracy. A man may be long at sea, and yet make but a short voyage, get but a little ground, though long tossed upon the waves. Oh, bethink yourselves before your hoary head go down to the grave in sorrow ! Say not, as Nicodemus, ' Shall a man re-enter into his mother's womb, being old ? ' This is a spiritual work that must pass upon you. God promiseth to pour out his Spirit upon old ones : Acts ii. 17, ' I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams/ Out of a ruinous heap of stones that is ready to drop in pieces, he can raise up to himself a temple for the holy Ghost to dwell in. Submit to this work before it be too late. Chimneys long foul, if they be not swept, are fired at length : ' The sinner of a hundred years old shall be accursed ; ' Isa. lvi. 20, ' There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days ; for the child shall die a hundred years old, but the sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed.' It is a difficult place ; but the meaning is, that God promiseth his people long life ; and if they did attain to it, and employed it merely to fill up the measure of their sins, it should not be to them a blessing, but a curse ; that is, he that lives unreclaimed and unreformed shall at length prove an accursed wretch. 2. For young men, it concerneth them to apply their hearts to godli- ness. There is an ignorant and profane conceit which possesseth many men's minds, that it is not so necessary for young men to study the scriptures, or to trouble themselves much with thinking of heaven or the life to come, because they are young and lusty, and likely to live many years, and therefore think it more fit for them to follow the world, and mind the things of this life, and let old men alone to think of heaven and holiness. Our apostle was not of this mind : ' I write unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you.' And the scripture biddeth us to ' remember our Creator in the days of our youth,' Eccles. xii. 1. Our best and flowery years should be consecrated to God. And David would have the ' young man cleanse his way,' Ps. cxix. 9. The world thinketh, What have young folk to do with so serious a work ? When old age hath snowed upon their heads, and the smart experience of more years in the world hath ripened them for so severe a discipline, then it is time to think of repentance, and cleansing the heart from sin, and providing for our last end and great account. No; God demandeth his right of the young man, that he should be seasoned betimes with grace. It is but reason that God, that gave all, should have our first and best ; they glorify God most who begin with him soonest. The lusts of youth being boiling hot, need the correction of a more severe discipline. Youth are apt to be inclined to liberty and carnal pleasures, are led by the motions of the flesh, are headstrong in their passions ; the devil layeth most snares for them, as those who are most prone to sin, who are like to serve him longest ; and therefore, that they may not be caught in Satan's snares, they should begin with God betimes. It prevents many sins which afterward will be a trouble to us. We think tricks of youth are long since forgotten and forgiven. Oh, but the guilt of them may flash in our faces, even after they are pardoned : Ps. xxv. 7,