thereto according to Thy Word The whole vers may bee resolved into these propositions or points of doctrine 1. Youth is and young mens waies are naturally corrupt 2. The waies of godlie young men are no better then they should bee 3. They had need to bee reformed 4. Godlie men endeavour the reformation of their waies 5. It 's an hard thing for young men to reform their waies 6. Yet it 's a possible thing for them to do it 7. Man know's not of himself how to do it but 8. God is readie to teach us if wee consult with him 9. The waie to cleans or reform our waies is by taking heed thereto according to God's Word Of these I shall speak in order beeing more brief in som of them while I insist more largely upon others Propos 1. Youth is and young mens waies are naturally corrupt It 's plain in the Text for what need were there els for young mens waies to bee cleansed nothing need 's cleansing but that which is foul or corrupt And this God himself who made us and therefore know's us doth attest whiles hee saie's of man Gen. 8.21 The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth Hence it was that Solon's Laws did not admit a young man to Magistracie though hee were otherwise of good abilities The Romans admitted none to the Senate till hee was five and twentie years old The Canons of our Church admitted none to the order of Deacon the first degree of Ministerie Numb 8.24 Act. 7.23 till hee was three and twentie years of age The law of God concerning the Levites admitted none to minister till hee was five and twentie years old Moses was ful fourtie years old when hee first visited his brethren Christ himself was full thirtie years old Luke 3.23 when Hee first set upon His publick Ministerie and the like is said of John the Baptist All these laws and examples cast a kinde of imputation upon youth especially if yee look into the reason Philip. 5. which Tullie give 's of the Roman law Cùm grandiorem aetatem ad Consulatum constituebant temeritatem adolescentiae verebantur The Romans requiring more ripeness of years in them that were to bee admitted to Magistracie feared the rashness of youth And wee hear Eccles 10.16 what the wise man saie's Wo to thee O land when thy King is a childe And it is to bee observed to this purpose 2 Chron. 10.8.13.16 what danger befell Rehoboam by following the counsel of the young men no less then the revolt of the ten Tribes To this purpose it is also that Plutarch saie's that Youth hath more need of a Governour then childhood And therefore when Nero told Seneca that such an old doting fellow as hee should bee set over children the Philosopher answered wisely Magis regenda est fervida adolescentia Hot youth hath more need to bee governed And therefore wisdom in the book of the Proverbs give 's her counsel stil to young men ever saying My son my son And Salomon put 's young men in minde of the last judgment in that shewing them to bee vitious Rejoice O young man saie's hee in thy youth Eccles 11.9 c. but know that for these things God will bring thee to judgment And if I should make a catalogue of the corruptions of youth haply I should offend the younger sort though in what I shall saie my aim is not to shame or dis-hearten but by setting their danger before their eies to warn and arm them against it I am sure it would take up a great deal of time to do it largely Take it therefore briefly 1 Tim. 2.22 1. Hear the Apostle advising his scholar Timothie Flie the lusts of youth then youth hath its lusts and mee think's Plutarch though a Pagan make 's a good comment upon that text saying Juventus variis cupiditatibus obnoxia c. Youth is prone to divers lusts to anger to desire of rule to ambition to intemperance about meats drinks apparel and bodilie pleasures 2. These lusts rage and rule in youth nor can they so easily withstand or curb them and therefore the Tragoedian saie's well Juvenile vitium est regere non posse impetum It 's a vice of young men that they cannot curb the violence of lusts but with an headlong proneness they run into sin that waie which lie's open before them like a water-cours 3. They are inconsult without knowledg and counsel they want that experience which old age hath and so are quickly deceived and which is lamentable pejora juvenes facilè praecepta audiunt they are more prone to follow bad counsel then good And this doth Solomon shew Prov. 7.7 13 14 21 22 23. in that young man soon carried away with the enticing speeches of the strange woman and following her as an Ox to the slaughter or as a fool to the correction of the stocks till a dart strike thorough his liver as a bird hasteth to the snare not knowing that it is for his life And this wee see too usual in woful experience that many young men stop their ears against their parents and masters yea and of the Ministers of God advising and admonishing them in love for their good but their ears are open to the evil counsels of those who by flattering words endeavour to draw them to destructive courses 4. When they know little or nothing they are yet prone to bee high-conceited of themselvs so that they think themselvs wiser then the aged and too good to bee taught and admonished by any 5. Mark what Salomon saie's Prov. 22.15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a childe See here is then an whole bundle of follie 6. Hear him again Childhood and youth are vanitie Eccles 11.10 hee saie's not Vanitie is in them but the age it self is vanitie as compact and made up of vanitie 7. And as one note 's well the word redress or cleans here used is a metaphor signifying the clearing of glass which though it bee clean will yet soon gather filth even in the sun-beams and of it self which note 's the great corruption of this age especially if wee have regard to our nativitie which is corrupt and unclean as David confesse's Psal 51.5 In sin I was born To conclude in a word this age youth I mean may well bee compared to a gnat that leaving the wine delight 's in the lees to a maid having the green sickness who delights in claie and things of il juice rather then in wholsom food to an unbroken colt for unstaiedness to a lion for wrath to a shee-bear for crueltie to an ape for imitation of every evil or new-fangled fashion to a mad dog for indiscretion for wantonness to a goat and to a swine for filthiness Vse 1. The thought of this is profitable for young men three waies 1. It may bring them into a dislike of this age It 's the thought
them youth of it self is prone to evil there is no need that yee should put them forward to it either by word or example Hitherto yee have heard of the corruption of youth which is the first point But it may bee said that that which is spoken of youth's corruption is to bee understood of those young persons that have not lived under the light of the Gospel but for us young men wee hope there is no such thing in us But hear what follow 's Propos 2. The waies even of godlie young men are no better then they should bee 1. See the text in hand in which it's past peradventure David had an eie to himself and spake of his own youth as needing redress or cleansing and then it follow 's that it was not right and streight as it should bee Psal 25.6 2. Mark that request of David which hee made to God Remember not the sins of my youth then it follow 's that even in his youth hee had sins which needed forgiveness 3. Consider that warning which St Paul gave to his scholar Timothie 2 Tim. 2.22 Flie the lusts of youth but that admonition had been in vain and to no purpose if hee had been obnoxious to no such things and yet saie's St Bernard well of this Timothie Give mee but one Timothie in these daies and if hee will eat gold hee shall have it So eminent an example hee was of mortification that St Paul was fain to take him off from the strictness of his cours giving him that advice 2 Tim. 5.23 Drink no longer water but take a little wine for thy stomacks sake and thine often infirmities If then so holie a young man as was Timothie was obnoxious to lusts what young man can bee free And this point is not to bee wondred at 1. Becaus even in God's dearest children there remain's natural corruption which in youth doth most shew it self affection then beeing grounded and strong and reason raw 2. Becaus the Divel is most studious and hath an especial affection to entrap this age as beeing that in which God require's especially to bee served Vse The consideration hereof serv's briefly to set a further edg upon the foregoing exhortations 1. Let those that have young ones committed to their trust bee thee more careful for them and watchful over them Let them not saie my children my servants are pious and godlie they trulie fear God and therefore I may bee the more assured of them that they will not miscarrie themselvs Yee may bee deceived in your judgment of them Hypocrisie is spun of a fine thread 2 Cor. 11. 2 Tim. 3.5 the divel can turn himself into an Angle of light They that have a form of godliness may denie the power of it Whatsoever therefore their shew's and pretenses are yet intermit not your care for them and watchfulness over them yea though they bee trulie pious and godlie yet they are sanctified but in part in the best there are remainders of corruption whence miscarriages are prone to issue And the divel is busie to assail them with his temptations and now it 's no wonder if they bee somtimes overborn by such an adversarie Though therefore they bee never so pious and godlie yet continue your care for them and bee watchful over them Though Timothie was so eminently pious yet St. Paul forbear's not to admonish him 2 Tim. 2.22 to flie the lusts of Youth 2. Let young men all young men bee exhorted to bee watchful and circumspect over themselvs and their waies Wax not secure upon this presumtion that God hath wrought the work of grace in you in truth as if therefore yee were safe-guarded against all misdemeanours for 1. Yee may bee deceived in the judgment of your selvs true grace hath its counterfeit yee may think yee have true faith when it 's but the stinking weed of presumtion and so for other graces and it 's a shrewd signe that it is so if upon this ground yee shall neglect your watch over your waies and if it bee so know that yee may and cannot but fall away totally and finally so that town and countrie shall ring of your apostasie and yee may becom unsavorie salt fit for the dunghil It was so with King Joash of Judah who for all his fair shew's all the daies of Jehoiada fell yet afterwards to idolatrie at the solicitation of his Princes 2 Chro. 24.2.4.17.18.2 Act. 8 13.18.19.23 and murdered Zachariah the son of Jehoiada It was so with Simon Magus who beleived and was baptized and yet afterwards offered to buie the gifts of the Holie Ghost and was affirmed of St. Peter to bee in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquitie Col. 4.14 It was so with Demas whom St. Paul reckoned among the Saints and yet afterwards the same Apostle complain's 2 Tim. 4.10 that hee had forsaken them and embraced this present world And so wee have seen it to bee with others whose Sun hath set at noon and their light ended in darkness and so it may bee with you for all your fair shew's and therefore bee not secure but look to your selvs 2. If yee finde the work of grace in your selvs in truth yet it 's but in part and there remain's corruption in you in part in the best there is flesh and spirit old and new man grace and corruption Gen. 25.21.23 as Iacob and Esau in the womb of Rebeccah struggling each with other bee not therefore secure but maintein your watch It 's here observable that to them in whom God hath wrought to will and to do Phil. 2.12.13 even of his own good pleasure the Apostle yet give 's advice to work out their salvation with fear and trembling Rom. 11.29 and no wonder for bee it granted that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance consequently that the work of grace beeing begun in truth yee are secured against total and final apostasie yet if yee look not the better to your selvs yee may fall fouly into scandalous sins and so may lose grace in som degrees and deprive your selvs for a time of the comforts of grace and dishonor God and shame your holie profession as manie have don which is no small inconvenience Oh therefore for the avoiding of it watch over your selvs according to the foregoing directions And finding anie miscarriage of which yee are guiltie lie not in it but by renewed repentance amend your waies But that follow 's Propos 3. Young men must cleans or redress their waies It 's clear in the Text for it 's here made the subject of David's question Wherewithal shall a young man cleans his waie And so it is here necessarily taken for granted And to this purpose is Solomon's advice Eccles 12.1 Remember now thy Creätor in the daies of thy youth And that of our blessed Saviour Mar. 10. Suffer little children to
com unto mee And the forementioned advice of S. Paul to his Scholar Timothie flie the lusts of Youth 2 Tim. 2.22 Solomon in that place of Ecclesiastes useth a reason to persuade young men to this care God is thy Creätor Pro. 16.4 and therefore thou art made for his glorie for hee made all things for himself But in a different manner all other things immediately for man and mediately for himself but hee made man for himself and his service immediately And now what thinkest thou that thou maiest serv thy self and thy lusts and the divel and the world in the flowr of thy Youth and with thy strength and put off the service of God till old age when thou art weak and way-ward and hast enough to do to struggle with the infirmities of age Oh no! Hee will have thee to serv him all the daies of thy life from thy cradle to thy grave all is due to him by the right of creätion and think how unseemlie it is as S. Basil uses the comparison to another purpose excipere Regem reliquijs mensae to entertein a King with other men's leavings how much more unseemlie is it to give the divel 's leavings to God To serv the divel with the first and best of thy strength and to think of serving the God that made thee when thou art fit for nothing Object A young Saint and an old Divel Ans Hee was no man but a divel incarnate that devised that saying It 's true som that have begun betimes do not persist and persevere but begining in the Spirit Gal. 3. are perfected in the flesh the more is the pitie But yet this should not dishearten us from earlie begining but should make us more watchful over our selvs that wee may persevere and hold it out and grace our beginings with a comfortable and pious conclusion Object Manie a ragged colt make's a good hors And manie an unhappie youth make's a good man How manie are there that have spent the time of their youth prophanely som Tumblers som Players som Poëts som swaggering Souldiers who yet have at last proved honest men and good Preachers Ans I grant that som wicked young men have proved good in their age It 's true God's mercie is not tied to times Luke 23. hee can convert the theef at the gallowes as hee did that theef on the cross But shall this animate us to spend the flowr of our youth leudely in hope of God's mercie This were too high and desperate presumtion and the argument exceeding foolish For it is a sure rule Aposse ad esse non valet argumentum God can therefore hee will is a fond kinde of arguing I would bee loath to hazzard my salvation upon so nice a point This procrastination of repentance and amendment when wee are stirred up thereto is a shrewd signe that wee are in a damnable condition and hardly ever like to mend Here it hold's true Qui non est hodie cras minùs aptus erit Hee that is indisposed to the work of repentance to daie will likely bee more indisposed to morrow And whereas you allege som Tumblers som Poëts som Players som swaggering Souldiers have proved honest men and good Preachers bee not too hastie Preachers perhaps they have proved but not manie good Preachers and you must com back with honest men too for a Preacher and an honest man are not all one but grant this also one swallow make 's not a summer from one or two particulars to infer a general conclusion is absur'd since such innumerable companies run the contrarie waie But if any that have spent their younger time wickedly and leudely have proved true converts and good Preachers they wish that they had never lived so wickedly It had been much better for themselvs and for the Church 1. They for the most part smel still of the liquor with which they were first seasoned Examin your converts 2. They cannot reprove sin so strongly and so fervently as others who have not been so wicked in former times their own former wickednes coming to their remembrance stop 's their mouths 3. Nor can they so severely punish the sins of those youths that are too openly seen to offend in the same kindes as they have don rather they are friends to them Vse Let this exhort young men to set themselvs to the reformation of their lives in the time of their youth and defer it not to another time I saie to you young men in the words of the Psalmist To daie if yee will hear God's voice Psal 95.78 harden not your hearts I beseech you to imitate David Psal 119.60 who said of himself I made haste and delaied not to keep thy righteous judgments 1. Consider that the service of youth is specially pleasing to God Aaron's rod was of an Almond tree Num. 17.8 which is the first that blossom's God will have his to bee branches of trees of the first blossoms God will have the first fruits and the first-born offered unto him 2. Consider examples Timothie David Samuel Josiah entred God's service young But it 's a lamentable thing to see that for the most part wee begin to blossom in Autumn when the fruit should bee ripe wee are fain to send for the Minister to teach us knowledg faith and repentance upon our death-beds when wee are readie to go to another world It 's true Nunquam sera est ad bonos more 's via sound repentance is never late but it 's as true that late repentance is seldom true bee yee therefore persuaded to repent and amend your lives betimes 3. There is nothing more odious then fruitless old age and how is it likely that the tree should bear in Autumn that blossom's not in the Spring That old age should bee other then fruitless except repentance hath been wrought in youth For youth is as the Spring therefore bee careful to amend your lives and repent betimes Object I will rejoice now while I am young I shall live manie years Ans Amend now while yee are young els yee will bee in danger to offer Cain's sacrifice a sacrifice without acceptation and haply yee shall not have time to repent afterwards what if God shall answer thee as hee did that rich fool in the Gospel This night shall thy soul bee taken away Luk. 12.20 It 's a true saying Sperant se juvenes diu victuros sed insipienter sperant Young men hope that they shall live long but they are fools in so hoping Yee may live to old age for som do so but yee neither are nor can bee sure of it for they are but few that attein to it look in your weeklie bills and see how few die of age Manie are taken away by death in the flowr of youth and thousands do not live so long 4. Consider that when young men are dissolute in their lives it 's a fearful argument of God's wrath readie