of myrrh that fall from Christ upon their hearts! O the many secrets that Christ reveals in their ears! O the many love letters that Christ sends to these, O the many visits that he gives to these, O the turns, the walks that he hath in paradise with these! there are none in the world for experience and intelligence to these. Ah, young men, as you would be rich in the best riches, begin to be good; as there is no riches to spiritual riches, so there is no way to be rich in these riches, but by beginning to be good in good earnest.

As for worldly riches, philosophers have contemned them, and preferred a contemplative life above them, and shall not christians much more ? The prophet calls them thick clay, which will sooner break the back than enlighten the heart; they cannot better the soul, they cannot enrich the soul. Ah, how many thread-bare souls are to be found under silken cloaks and gowns? How often are worldly riches like hangmen, they hide men's faces with a covering, that they may not see their own end, and then they hang them. And if they do not hang you, they will shortly leave you, they make themselves wings and flee away. When one

was commending the riches and wealth of merchants; "I do not love that wealth, (saith a heathen) that hangs upon ropes; if they break, the ship miscarrieth, and all is lost." "He is rich enough, (saith St. Jerome) that lacketh not bread, and high enough in dignity, that is not forced to

serve.

This world's wealth that men so much desire, May well be liken'd to a burning fire,

Whereof a little can do little harm,

But profit much our bodies well to warm:

But take too much, and surely thou shalt burn; So too much wealth to too much woe doth turn.

It was an excellent saying of Lewis of Bayer, emperor of Germany, Hujus modi corporandæ sunt opes quæ cum naufraugio simul enatent; such goods are worth getting and owning, as will not sink or wash away, if a shipwreck happen, but will wade and swim out with us: we see such are the spiritual riches that will attend those who in the spring and morning of their youth, shall know the Lord, and serve the Lord, and get an interest in the Lord. And thus much for the third motive.

4. Consider, That the present time, the present day is the only season that you are sure of. Time past cannot be recalled, and time to come cannot be ascertained. Heb. iii. 15. "To-day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Behold now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation." Some there be that trifle away their time, and fool away their souls and their salvation; to prevent this, the apostle beats upon the present opportunity, because if that be once past, there is no recovering of it; therefore as the mariner takes the first wind to sail, and as the merchant takes his first opportunity of buying and selling; and as the husbandman takes the first opportunity of sowing and reaping; so should young men take the present season, the present day, which is their day, to be good towards the Lord, to seek him and serve him, and not to post off the present season, for they know not what another day, another hour,

another moment may bring forth: that door of grace that is open to-day, may be shut to-morrow; that golden sceptre of mercy that is held forth in the gospel this day, may be taken in the next day; that love that this hour is upon the bare knee, entreating and beseeching young men to break off their sins by repentance, to return to the Lord, to lay hold on his strength, and be at peace with him, may the next hour be turned into wrath. Ah! the noble motions that have been lost, the good purposes that have withered, the immortal souls that have miscarried, by putting off the present season, the present day. St. Paul discoursing before Felix of righteousness, and temperance, and judgment to come, and in this discourse striking at two special vices that Felix was particularly guilty of, he falls a trembling; and being upon the rack to hear such doctrine, he bids St. Paul depart for that time, and he would call for him at a convenient season; and we never read that after this he found a convenient time or season to hear St. Paul make an end of the subject he had begun. So Christ made a very fair offer to the young man in the gospel, Matth. xii. 23. "Go and sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven." Here Christ offers heavenly treasures for earthly treasures, unmixt treasures for mixt treasures, perfect treasures for imperfect treasures, satisfying treasures for unsatisfying treasures, lasting treasures for fading treasures; but the young man slips his opportunity, his season, and goes away sorrowful, and we never read more of him.

Ah! young men, do not put off the present sea

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son, do not neglect the present day, there is no time yours but the present time; no day yours but the present day; and therefore do not please yourselves, and feed yourselves with hopes of time to come, and that you will repent, but not yet; and lay hold on mercy, but not yet; and give up yourselves to the Lord next week, next month, or next year; for that God that hath promised you mercy and favour, upon the day of your return, he hath not promised to prolong your lives, till that day comes. When a soldier was brought before Lamacus, a commander, for misbehaviour, and pleaded he would do so no more, Lamacus answered, Non licet in bello bis peccare. No man must offend twice in war: so God, especially in these gospeldays, wherein the motions of Divine justice are more smart and quick than in former days, haply will not suffer men twice to neglect the day of grace, and let slip the season of mercy.

Ah! young men, you say you will be good to. ward the Lord before you die, but if you are not good towards the Lord to-day; you may die tomorrow; nay, justice may leave him to be his own executioner to-morrow, who will not repent and seek the Lord to-day. I have read of a certain young man, who being admonished of the evil of his way and course, and pressed to leave his wickedness, by the consideration of death, judgment, and eternity that was coming, he answered, What do you tell me of these things, I will do well enough, for when death comes, I will speak but three words and help all; and so still he went on in his sinful ways, but in the end coming to a bridge on horseback, to go over a deep water, the horse stumbling, G

and he labouring to recover his horse, but could not, at last he lets go the bridle, and gave up him. self and horse to the waters, and was heard to say these three words, Devil take all: here were three dreadful words indeed, and an example, with a witness, for all young men to beware, who think to repent with a three word repentance at last.

Otho the emperor slew himself with his own hands, but slept so soundly the night before, that the grooms of his chamber heard him snore.

Young men, I will suppose you to be good ac countants; now if you please to count the number, and mark the age of the sacrifices in the old testament, you shall find more kids and lambs offered than goats and old sheep: you have no lease of your lives, you are not sure that you shall live to Isaac's age, to live till your eyes wax dim; you are not sure that you shall live to Jacob's years, and die leaning upon the top of a staff. You read of them who die in their youth, and whose lives are among the unclean. Slip not the present season, neglect not the day of grace, let not Satan keep your souls and Christ any longer asunder, by telling you, that you are too young, that hereafter will be time enough. St. Austin, tells us, that by this very temptation, the devil kept him off from receiving of Christ, from closing with Christ, seven years together; he could no sooner think of inquiring after Christ, of getting an interest in Christ, of leaving off his sinful courses, but Satan would be still a suggesting, thou art too young to leave thy drunkenness, thou art too young to leave thy Dalilahs, to leave thy harlots, till at last he cried out, how long shall I say it is too soon? Why may