III. To Youth: 'Twas to Young ones Mr. Brand delighted to speak (in some respect) above all others, to these was his Heart most enlarged, and his Tongue most fluent, and 'tis to these my Tongue and Pen are most straitened, my consciousness to my self of coming short of him in every thing, but most in this, of his holy Oratory to Youth, that Text almost frights me from saying any thing, Job 6.15. How forcible are right words? ⟨p. 131⟩But what doth your arguing avail? Not but that I am willing to imitate him, and wish that my words might be his Echo, in more then repeating, a little of that he hath spoken, and longer than for a short time, and with more than a vanishing faintness. I heartily wish that the Spirit of God would bring things to your remembrance; that you might not only through strength of Memory, but through strength of Grace, remember the Counsel he gave you; what Questions he put to you upon the Questions of your Catechism, and what Answers he so prompted you to make, as to make them your own; what youthful Sins, and Temptations he warned you against, and how he pressed you to early Piety: How he encouraged you from Christ's being the Children's advocate against their captious Accusers, for following him with Hosannas, Christ ⟨p. 132⟩applying that of the Psalmist to them, that 1God by them did still the Enemy and the Avenger, i. e. they did more to the Detriment of the Devil's Kingdom than most others. I hope you will never forget, with what evidence of Reason, with what warmth of Affection, with what conviction of Conscience, he bespoke you for Christ. I hope you cannot but remember, Here was his Heart, here were his hopes, here was his sleeping, waking Thoughts, his sleeping thoughts, his last thoughts when he went to sleep; his waking thoughts, his first thoughts when he waked in the Morning; here was his plodding, praying thoughts; his plodding thoughts, how he might do good to the next Generation; his praying thoughts, that God would direct and bless unwearied his Endeavours. You know how solicitous he was to give you suitable Instruction, and how ⟨p. 133⟩desirous that you might drink it in, as the Earth the Rain. In short, I cannot express, pray, do you endeavour, that you may practically conceive, how he did as it were travel over you, that might be the Comfort of the present, and the Blessing of the next Generation.
III. To Youth: 'Twas to Young ones Mr. Brand delighted to speak (in some respect) above all others, to these was his Heart most enlarged, and his Tongue most fluent, and 'tis to these my Tongue and Pen are most streightned, my consciousness to my self of coming short of him in every thing, but most in this, of his holy Oratory to Youth, that Text almost frights me from saying any thing, Job 6.15. How forcible are right words? ⟨p. 131⟩But what doth your arguing avail? Not but that I am willing to imitate him, and wish that my words might be his Eccho, in more then repeating, a little of that he hath spoken, and longer than for a short time, and with more than a vanishing faintness. I heartily wish that the Spirit of God would bring things to your remembrance; that you might not only thrô strength of Memory, but through strength of Grace, remember the Counsel he gave you; what Questions he put to you upon the Questions of your Catechism, and what Answers he so prompted you to make, as to make them your own; what youthful Sins, and Temptations he warned you against, and how he prest you to early Piety: How he encouraged you from Christ's being the Childrens advocate against their captious Accusers, for following him with Hosannahs, Christ ⟨p. 132⟩applying that of the Psalmist to them, that 1God by them did still the Enemy and the Avenger, i. e. they did more to the Detriment of the Devil's Kingdom than most others. I hope you will never forget, with what evidence of Reason, with what warmth of Affection, with what conviction of Conscience, he bespoke you for Christ. I hope you cannot but remember, Here was his Heart, here were his hopes, here was his sleeping, waking Thoughts, his sleeping thoughts, his last thoughts when he went to sleep; his waking thoughts, his first thoughts when he wak'd in the Morning; here was his plodding, praying thoughts; his plodding thoughts, how he might do good to the next Generation; his praying thoughts, that God would direct and bless unwearied his Endeavours. You know how sollicitous he was to give you suitable Instruction, and how ⟨p. 133⟩desirous that you might drink it in, as the Earth the Rain. In short, I cannot express, pray, do you endeavour, that you may practically conceive, how he did as it were travel over you, that might be the Comfort of the present, and the Blessing of the next Generation.
- 1Psal. 8.2.
