Prop. 2. The middle sorts of christians or young men are most ex- posed to temptations and conflicts.
The devil is an enemy to all mankind, but especially to young men. Noah, Solomon were tempted when in years ; but the young age are most assaulted. The devil layeth snares for them, partly because those are most prone to sin, being passionate, rash, self-willed, and head- strong ; wrestle with stronger lusts through the abundance of heat and spirit : 2 Tim. ii. 22, ' Fly youthful lusts.' Company, worldly business, pleasures, are a very great snare to them, who are so prone to worldly affections and actions and fleshly lusts as they are ; and therefore soon caught in the devil's snares, and taken at his will and pleasure. Partly because young men are most capable of doing God or the devil most service ; that being the choice time of their life, and they being in the prime of their days. Children are but entering into the world, and old men are going out of this life ; therefore they should be the more cautious and watchful. The faculties of their souls are most vigorous, the members of their bodies most active. Therefore the devil is espe- cially an enemy to young men ; none are in greater danger than they to be drawn to wickedness.
1. It is true of christians young in grace ; these especially are busied in fighting against the temptations of Satan, and in resisting and sub- duing their own unruly lusts. This age is a life of conflicts ; they have many rebellious desires, vain thoughts and wishes, inordinate affections ; and therefore if they be serious in their work, they must expect blows and troubles : Heb. x. 32, 'After ye were enlightened, ye endured a great fight of afflictions,' (jjayTiadivTes. Baptism by the ancients was called 0o)Tto-/io?, and to baptize (fxori^eiv, and times of baptism, rj/xepa^ twv (jxoTtov ; the newly baptized, vecxpcoTLo-Tovs ; the font, (pcoTiarrjpiov. Possibly the word in this use might not be so ancient as the apostles' days, however it was then used for the first taking up of the profession of Christianity, Heb. vi. 4. Those were once enlightened, (pwTio-OivTes. The first creature was light: 2 Cor. iv. 6, 'God commanded the light to shine out of darkness.' Presently after they had received the faith of Christ, and were admitted into the church by baptism, they endured iroXkrjv a&krjaiv, rapine, scourges, per- secutions, haled before tribunals of men. Many in their first time were put to bitter and sore conflicts. Jesus Christ as soon as he was baptized, which was his consecration or solemn inauguration into the
420 SERMONS UPON 1 JOIIN II. 12-14. [SER. Y.
exercise of his mediatorial office, was then tempted : Mat. iv. 1, ' Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.' As soon as he is installed into his office, he entereth into the lists with Satan. The church of the Jews, as soon as God began to separate them from the Egyptians, at their first setting forth they were pursued : and even after they came into the wilderness, they were set on by the Amalekites, Exod. xvii. 18. The primitive christian church is set forth by the visional emblem of a dragon, ready to devour the man- child as soon as it was born, Kev. xii. 4. So it is with particular persons very often ; Paul when converted, presently the Jews conspire to kill him. God may permit this, partly to abate their carnal con- fidence. Many a man because newly converted, having had as yet no thorough and full experience of the strength of sin, the danger of temptation and his own weakness, may bear it a little too high upon the confidence of his own resolutions, which, because they are sincere and undissembled, he thinketh they may be easily maintained. Now God, to humble him, and to show that it is not in him that willeth and runneth, Rom. ix. 16, that it is not their own purposes, though sincere, that will secure them, suffereth Satan to tempt, and his instruments to vex us, sin to put forth its strength, that we may have experience of our own "weakness and nothingness, and that our strength lieth in Jesus Christ rather than in ourselves. The best are in danger of self-confidence, even those whose resolutions and purposes against sin are most sincere, and therefore Satan is suffered to tempt them ; as the Canaanites were suffered in the land, and many times had the better of Israel, to show that the victory was not gotten by their own bow and strength. And partly to glorify his own grace, for his power is perfected in our weak- ness, 2 Cor. xii. 10; that is, discovered with more advantage. Christians when young are put upon sore trials, to show that they have not this power of themselves, but of the Lord. A young christian is the best instance for" this purpose. A man of long experience might seem to stand by his own strength, but when those .who are sorely exercised with temptation are maintained against the most violent impression the devil can make upon them, it is more for the glory of God's grace. Take an instance in David and Joseph, an old and a young man, 2 Sam. xi. 2, 3, with Gen. xxxix. 7-10. Joseph a single man, David had a multitude of wives ; Joseph had the advantage of secrecy, David was fain to make way for his lusts by other sins ; Joseph was solicited, David was the solicitor ; Joseph shuns all occasions, David seeketh them out. Yet the one standeth and the other is foiled. The fall of the experienced man brought a great deal of dishonour to God, as the other made much for the praise of his grace. And partly that they may be fitted and prepared to walk with God in their after-course in all holiness and righteousness, when once they are seasoned in Christ's warfare. The old Germans were wont to clip their children newly born in the Khine, thereby to harden and prepare them for the toil of war and labour : Lam. iii. 27, ' It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.' The yoke of duty, the yoke of afflictions and temptations ; they are thereby seasoned for all their lives after. And partly to try their thankfulness for receiving Christ, and the inestimable benefits of his love. We profess in pangs of conscience to be willing