to be saued And Christ Iesus the way it self teacheth vs the same duty wheÌ„ he coÌ„maÌ„deth Search the Scriptures for it is they that testifie of me Let all young men therefore who desire to bee esteemed true Christians and hauing a name to be alive in Christ not to bee dead inquire of their owne waies carefully narrowly vnpartially acknowledging truely and in most submissiue manner confessing before the throne of almighiy God their errors and manifold enormities with an earnest and hearty desire to know and practise wherewith they may redresse and purge their waies and walke in the immaculate and holy waies of God and his commandements and for all propone and set before their eyes the example of that forenamed young man onely in the Gospel that imitating him they may addresse themselues in prayer and meditation to Iesus Christ and his word making it their chiefe care and inquirie to know and practise how they may attaine vnto eternall life Blessed is the condition of such a young man who doth so and who in all humilitie doth daily prostrate himselfe vpon the knees of his heart before the throne of the maiestie of God earnestly desiring and wishing with the same Prophet in the 5. verse O that my waies were directed to keepe thy statutes O Lord. Happy is the estate of such a young man and farre happy shal it be hereafter whose delight is in Gods word care to reforme and conform his waies according thervnto As woful dangerous is the conditioÌ„ of the contrary of all such who like vnbridled horses vntamed colts swine wallowing in the mire puddle of vncleannes onely rauished in the hote furie of the lustes of their affections and led by the fearefull hand of sinne and vaine pleasures of the flesh vntill blindlings as the Oxe is led to the slaughter or the foole to the blocke they bee drawne downe the staires of perdition and headlongs precepitat in the deepe gulfe and pâ—t of vtter destruction because in time of their youth they neither enquired obserued nor examined their wayes nor by Gods word sought to redresse and purge the same Now concerning the first thing particularly to bee considered in the question or first part of this Verse which is the person concerning whom the same is mooued He is set downe to be a Yong man so described by the adiunct of age albeit some others as Augustine meaneth a newe or regenerate man hereby albeit decrepite in age as Aristotle in his Ethicks distinguisheth betwixt Iuuenis etate Iuuenis moribâ—â— Disputing de Idonco auditore Ethices Generally therefore indefinitely without limitation or exemption of any that the person concerning whom this question is propounded is saide to bee a yong man whither poore or rich noble or ignoble mightie or impotent the princes or the beggers sonne or what soeuer he be we learne First that this exhortation as al Gods word is indifferently spoken to all yong men For with God there is no respect of persons and therefore that all yong men great or smal should hearken thereunto and apply the same particularly to their owne consciences For from the kings sonne to the poore beggers all are his creatures alike and God their only Creator their beginning is all one for out of the dust were they taken and their end equally shal be al one for to dust they shall returne all came equally naked out of the wombe and all shall goe the same way to the graue and corruption Sickenes coÌ„meth alike Deaths Sythe cutteth downe both as grasse equally all liue one naturall life vpon the earth and draw their breath equally and all liue one supernaturall life in Iesus Christ equally the naturall food of the mortall bodies of both is the same to wit meate and drinke the supernaturall food of the immortall soules of both is likewise the same euen the body and blood of Iesus Christ who hath redeemed both alike by his death and sanctifieth both alike by his viuificating spirit vnto the life of righteousnesse one Iudgement abideth both without respect and one reward is to both the pledges of the kingdome of God which are his Word and Sacraments are alike offered and should be alike administrated to both the mightiest Monarch as the poorest begger boh are equally the sonnes of the first Adam the poorest begger aswell as the mightiest Monarch is equally the sonne and member of the second Adam Iesus Christ if in him he obey Gods wil and apply to his soule his promises by faith as in the first Adam he disobeyed Gods wil by misbeleeuing of his threatnings yea as Lazarus was preferred before Diues so are many outcasts of the world before the mightiest Powers and Princes thereof Gods law equally bindeth both great small his threatnings for sin appertaine equally to both and are alike executed vpon them without any exception or exemption of persons as his sweet promises of mercy belongeth also and are equally offered to both All are alike admonished in his woorde taught and rebuked by the same and before all mens eies indifferently is set downe therein life and death to choose Therefore let no man rich or poore exempt himself from the exhortations admonitions reprehensions or any part of the word of God but as they are spoken to all so particularly let euery one apply them to his owne soule and conscience they are the King of kings statutes binding and pertaining to all his subiects as well of highest as of lowest place and degre and especially let euery yong man whatsoeuer he be hearken to this Exhortation of Gods word and spirit in this place and learne Whereby to redresse his wayes The second obseruation and Lesson here-upon which the Prophet would haue euery one to marke and consider is this That in our youth and first age we must begin then to serue God in vprightnes and holines of life without any further delay or procrastination of time not sacrificing our childehood or youth to the idoll of our owne affections and the deuill as these Idolaters did their children to Molech and thinking that God will accept of our decrepite cold old age when coldly we shall offer the same vnto him but as hee will haue the euening sacrifice of age so wil he haue the morning oblation of youth as he hath giuen life to al ages so by all ages he wil be serued and being all to all by all in all he wil be worshipped The Lord is Alpha and Omega the first and the last the beginning and the end he will be honored therfore as well in the Alpha or the beginning of our youth and first age as hee will in the Omega or end of our last olde age hee is strength and giueth strength to all in this our strength then of youth we must not rise against God and runne with the diuill but as Gideon in his strength was commanded by Gods angel to rise against the
drop of the riuer at such a time or houre shal returne into the Ocean or the returning of such a man vnto the earth shal be at such a determinate speciall time or age No our returning is vncertaine onely then being as a drop of a great Riuer let euery man commit the same to God and endeuour as he came salt with originall corruption from the earth or Ocean so to walke in Gods wayes and the way of this life that hee may returne fresh and purged by Christs blood to the Ocean of the graue and so drinke of that fresh springing riuer which proceedeth from the midst of the throne of God in that heauenly new Ierusalem for euer Our whole life is limitted but to 80. yeares and in one of these as in a poisonable cup or dish of meate death surely lurketh of all then if thou shouldest taste and drinke knowing this wouldst thou not suspect euery one diuide againe euery yeare in 12. moneths thou knowest not in what month or parcell of meate the poison of death lieth euery moneth againe in so many weekes and euery weeke in so many daies yea euery day also in so many houres in which houre or moment thereof sleeping or waking canst thou secure thy selfe from this secret vncertaine poyson suspect then all and liue so alwaies as to die alwaies night or day being prouided and being neuer so yong remember thou knowest not but the poison may bee in the first drop of the cup and yeare of thy youth as well as in the dreg or last dish of olde age when thou art first set at the table of the carefull banquet of life the sword of death is so soone hanged in a small haire aboue thy neck suspect then the same at euery morsell that it fall not heauily vnawares vpon thee but euer haue an eye vpwards thou knowest not if it will fall at thy first sitting downe more then at thy last rising vp as it euer threatneth then so bee thou euer prepared and in time seeke to redresse thy waies Mans breath is in his nosthrels which is the life or combination of soule and body whose dissolution is death Be thou neuer so young then nor so strong when thou letteth out the same thou knowest not certainely if euer thou shalt draw it in againe Let therfore thy soule breath vnto God and thy desire be to walke in his waies and to redresse thine owne All flesh is as the grasse of the field now greene and presently blasted whilest thou art then as the greene plant in thy tender youth expect euer and suspect this withering blast of Death whose sythe shall send thee with withered age alike to the graue and in the short inconstant way of this life walke in his way who is true and eternall life This life is a swift post running fast vnto death whose certaine steps thou canst not marke nor obserue Let thy soule then begin with him in thy first youth and of the contrary run swiftly vnto life and in the way of life which is Iesus Christ. Our life is a dreame now present and presently gone wherein who lieth longest and is most pleased commonly being awaked riseth faintest and most sorrowful Doe not assure thy selfe therefore of the length thereof but suspect the shortnesse in it there is no solide trueth nor rest apprehend therefore in the beginning thereof and in thy youth let thy soule wake and walke in the way of trueth Iesus Christ in whom true rest is onely to be found Pythagoras the Philosopher did set out the double course of this our life by the letter Y. expressing thereby with Christ the double way thereof the one whereof hath a straight passage narrow gate at the first and fewe they are that enter in thereat but in the end there is great comfort and rest for it leadeth vnto eternall happinesse and saluation The other wide large at the beginning whereat many doe enter but in the end they finde great trouble and straightnesse for it leadeth vnto eternall miserie and destruction Both these waies are set before the eyes of euery young man as Biuium Herculis or as life and death to choose This narrow way which leadeth vnto eternall life and saluation in the which euery yong man should walke in the pilgrimage of this life redresse his own waies of youth according therunto is Iesus Christ himselfe I am the way the veritie and life aad no man commeth to the Father but by me Our walking in him and with him must be in righteousnesse and holinesse of life being holy as he is holy The gate of this way is narrow and the passage straight for the liberties of flesh and blood must bee restrained our affections bridled and the whole man captiuated vnder the yoake of the obedience of Iesus Christ. And as through many tentations hee entred into the kingdome of heauen so wee must the same way follow him denying our selues with our crosses taken vp till wee come to the end of our way which is true life and eternall saluation The other broad way which leadeth to destruction and whereat many doe enter is sinne and Satan who is that deceiuing way vnto eternall death which euery yong man should abhorre and flie to enter thereat neuer so little or walke therein neuer so few footesteps in youth The walking in him and with him as hee is an vncleane spirit must be in the impurity and impietie of all sinne and filthinesse The gate of this damnable way in the beginning is broad the passage easie but the end is vtter perdition and straightnesse Where in following Christ wee must subiect the flesh vnto the Spirit they who follow him must abandon subiect and banish Gods cleane Spirit out of their hearts and be subiects and slaues themselues to the libertine concupiscence of the flesh and the vncleane licentious lusts and affections thereof They must refuse the light yoake of the obedience of Iesus Christ to follow him to life take on the heauy yoake of al kind of sinne that may presse downe their soules to the lowest hells and follow Sathan their way and guide vnto eternall torments of fire and brimstone for as hee is a condemned spirit himselfe so the end of the way wherein he leadeth captiuated soules vnder his heauy yoake of slauerie and sinne is death and eternal condemnation for the reward of sinne is death Therefore let euery young man beholding these two waies choose that which leadeth vnto a glorified eternall life in heauen by a sanctified life for a time on earth and walke with and in him who is the resurrection and the life to all them that are saued If thy walking heretofore hath beene in the by-waies of sinne and that broad way of Sathan giuing liberty and full head to thy youthly affections and lusts of the flesh Seeke how to redresse these thy waies hereafter striue violently to enter in at that straight way
must passe and ouercome many temptations of Sathan the flesh likewise walke in the strait and narrow way of holinesse sanctification before thou come to the easie and spacious end of thy way to the full possession of that heauenly kingdome and eternall glorification through Christ Iesus thou must bee in labours before thou rest from labours thou must liue in the Lord before thou canst die in the Lord thou must liue the life of the righteous if thou wouldest wish to die the death of the righteous and thy last end to bee like theirs All the holy Patriarks Prophets Saints and Martyrs of God haue trode this narrow way before they obtayned the recompence of their reward vnto which they had respect if therefore thou haue any respect vnto the same and by hope looke for that which they fully now possesse follow and insist in their footsteps if thou wouldest tryumph and glory with them thou must also couragiously fight with them against the diuell and thine owne corrupt affectionâ— and concupiscence of the flesh which fayne would haue libertie and draw thee in that broad way of destruction but assure thy selfe in thy youth and in the way thereof that the greater liberty of thy flesh and affections here maketh the most strait incarceration and feareful plunging of soule and body in endlesse and easelesse torments of hell hereafter which thou mayest plainely behold and learne by the example of Diues Lazarus whereof the one in the broad way had his pleasures in this life but not a drop of water to coole his tongue after death the strait ende of his way the other had his miseries here without necessaries scarce for the flesh but after death which opened the large end of his way he was carried into Abrahams bosome in eternall ioyes for euer to remaine in their life Lazarus was compelled to beg from Diues crumbes of his bread at their death Diues was compelled to beg from Lazarus a drop of cold water there did straitnesse follow after ease and ease after straitnesse in their seuerall wayes Albeit the rich man in the Gospell walking in the broad way did bid his soule Eate drinke and take it ease for it had much laid vp for many yeeres yet God from heauen had decreed that the strait end of his way shold be neerer then he thought they should fetch his soule froÌ„ him that same night Albeit Nebuchad-nezzar walking in the broad way also in the pride of his heart said Is not this great Babel that I haue built for the house of my kingdome by the might of my power and for the honour of my Maiestie glorying so in the flesh yet he was cast into a great and wonderfull straitnesse while the word was in his mouth and driuen from men as a beast to eate the grasse of the fields Albeit Belâ—hazzar likewise walking in the same large way in the exaltation of his heart against God proclaimed a banquet sitting with his Princes wiues and concubines pampring giuing all pleasure to the flesh drinking wine in the vessels consecrated onely to Gods seruice which were brought out of Ierusalem not glorifying GOD but praysing his Idols of gold siluer and stone yet the end of his way was this the Hand declared on the wall that hee was weighed and found too light his kingdome was ended and giuen to others and that same night he was slayne presently so when he was highest vpon the top of his reioycing hill most suddenly he did fall lowest in the valley of mourning and pit of teares by lamentable destruction the vnexpected strait end of his broad former way The Sodomites knew little how neere fire and brimstone was neere them the primitiue world how neere them was the Deluge and all such that walke in this way of libertie of the flesh how neere subuersion of soule and bodie is at hand Therefore let vs walke in the right way if wee would sitte at Christs right hand let vs be sanctified here if we would be glorified hereafter let vs walke in the true path if we would attaine to the true end thereof and subdue the slesh with the affections thereof to the spirit and yoake of Christs obedience if in body and spirit for euer wee would raigne with him Let vs redresse our owne wayes and let euery one that calleth on the name of the Lord depart from iniquitie as the Apostle commandeth Timothie and in his person all yong men Flie from the lusts of youth follow after righteousnesse faith loue and peace with them that call on the name of the Lord for if any man purge himselfe from these hee shall bee a vessell vnto honour sanctified and meet for the Lord prepared vnto euery good worke Seeing also our course of life here is compared to a Way which wee must redresse according to Gods word therefore let vs walke in this life as in a way warily and working out our saluation in feare and trembling Considering with ourselues 1. First as in a way or iourney no rest is to be expected that is permanent vntill wee come to the end thereof so neither must wee looke for any permanent citie or solide rest in the way or course of this life vntill we come to Iesus Christ being dissolued to be with him who is the true end and rest of the true and narrow way the temple of that spirituall Ierusalem and Citie of all perfect light and ioy For the estate of his Church here is as the Boat wherein vpon the sea hee was with his Disciples euer tossed vp and downe in continuall labour so that except hee were our stay our rest and refuge wee should surely perish Our life here is a Warfare our enemie is euer pursuing as a raging Lyon seeking to deuoure vs therefore wee must be in continual defence of the life of our soules by his strength being armed who gaue his life for our soules vntill vnder his defence hauing fought a good fight and finished our course we be victorious and tryumph with him hauing receyued that immortall and incorruptible crowne of glory which is layd vp for vs and for all them that loue the comming of the Lord Iesus in glorie to glorifie vs with himselfe 2. Secondly in a way we euer goe forward and one step followeth another sicut vnda impelli tur vnda as one waue is enforced by another so also in the way of this our life wee poast to our end and our dayes passe more swiftly then a weauers shittle our life is as a flower that now springeth vp and with a blast fadeth as a water bubble now vp and now downe with an aire of wind as a smoake seene and gone presently as the fat of Lambes which suddenly is dropped away so that whether wee sleepe or wake whether we eate or drinke whether we go or sit still as in a ship wee are caried speedily with full sailes thorow the sea of this
displease him from his childehoode to sâ—y Why hast thou done so I remember one example in the Scripture of children carelesly euilly brought vp which may make all fathers tremble quake to heare the fearefull punishment thereof and may teach them by carefull and godly education of their children to preuent the like wrath iudgement of God for hee is the same in all ages both in iudgement and mercy When the Prophet of God Elisha was comming vp to Bethel there came out of the City certaine children and mocked him calling him Balde head balde head therefore God in his wrath sent out Beares out of the wildernesse at the Prophets desire and they tore rent 42. of these children in peeces a lamentable spectacle young children before their tender parents eies to be so deuoured and torne of wilde beastes But consider their carelesse and loose educatioÌ„ which deserued this they were not kept in at vertue or learning but suffered to runne abroad in the streetes idlie they were not brought vp in the reuerence neither of God his word or his Prophets but to mocke Gods seruants and scornefully to ieast at old age which they should rather beene taught to honour and reuerence in all dutie and in all persons therefore because their parents neglected to correct them in time and to take no more care for their instruction God sent wilde Beares out of the wildernes to teach them more humanitie and at the Prophets request whom they so mocked and contemned to bee their correctors to their destruction There are too many such carelesse and indulgent parents nowadaies which maketh so many proue wilde and vndutifull children both to God them and their owne wicked and vuruly affections oft times proueth these wilde beares which Sathan hunteth out and God suffereth to teare their soules more precious and lamentable to see and at last to bring body soule to a most miserable estate both here by pouerty dispaire hereafter by death endlesse condemnation The Lord auert such iudgments from many conuert their hearts to him againe that they may preuent his fierce wrath while the acceptable time is to day while we heare his voice and as yong men should not so neither let their pareÌ„ts think the faults of youth to be but small and rather to be imputed to the nature of the age the former searefull example teacheth the contrary they being but children and their fault mocking yet their punishment most greeuous that God inflicted vpon them as Dauid also calleth the sins of his youth not smal but rebellions which is highest treason against our God the King of Kings and Prince of all Princes Therefore let all parents be carefull in the good and godly education of their children Euery tree is knowne by his fruite the fruite of the parents is their Oliue branches their children Let them shew then their godlinesse and religion in the godly education of their children prouing thereby that themselues are the good tree by sending forth liuely branches to bee ingrafted as themselues are in the stocke Iesus Christ not being too indulgent to them nor wincking in a manner at their faultes neither with olde Eli saying onely My sonnes doe so no more but to shewe their loue to their children in correcting them for their faultes For whom the Father loueth him hee chastiseth and hee that spareth the rod hateth his sonne but hee that loueth him chasteneth him betâ—â—e Therefore as the Wiseman counselleth Correct thy sonne and hee will giue thee rest and will giue pleasures to thy soule And as the vessel which a man maketh most of and deareliest esteemeth that vseth he oftest to scoure and make cleane from the least spot or staine so a wise and louing father will not suffer his sonne to be polluted with the least spot of vice for chastising is the fathers honour and the life of the childe So that correction is like Ionathans arrowes not in anger but in loue not to harme but to warme not to put in perill but to preserue from perill not to deforme but to reforme like a good corrasiue to eate away the rottennesse of vice and a bitter potion to make their childreÌ„ vomit out from their soule heart the poison of sinne lest hauing taken deepe roote and growing vp with them they be so indured and hardned therein that they breake first by finall destruction before they will bow by timely instruction or holesome correction Therefore so plant them in vertue and vertue in them while they are tender and flexible in youth that in the haruest of age their tops may bow downe in Gods obedience loaden with the pleasant fruite of godlinesse and good workes Teach a childe in the trade of his way saith Salomon and when he is olde hee shall not depart from it Youth is the seede time in the spring wee must not sowe popple and in haruest looke for good wheate but as wee sowe so we shall reape The Nurse frameth the body while it is young tender so must parents their childrens minds while they are greene and flexible If we see a fault or euill manners in any man we iudge that he was euill brought vp and if he haue vertue we adiudge it to his good education yea in an old prouerbe we say that nurture changeth nature as Lycurgus proued before the Lacedemonians to be true by taking two young whelpes of a like nature and of one damme and bringing vp the one according to it owne nature in a kitchin and the other besides it proper nature to hunting so that at a certaine solemne assembly of the Lacedemonians Lycurgus brought forth his two dogges before them placing before the one who was brought vp to hunting a pot and before the kitchen dog a hare but the hunting dogge in sight of them all refused the pot and ranne after the hare where the other according to his education refused to follow the hare betaking himselfe to licke the pot Whereby it was shewed the altering power efficacy of educatioÌ„ which is a second nature as it were vnto a maÌ„ for by euil educatioÌ„ a good nature may be corrupted as by good an euill nature may be rectified a good grouÌ„d vnplanted with wholsome hearbs or vnsowed with good seed in time doth soonest bring forth vnprofitable and euill weedes where on the contrarie a barren ground wel laboured and sowed produceth pleasant flowers and sauorie fruits The right blessing which Parents should bestow vpon their childreÌ„ is when bringing them vp in the feare of GOD they make God blesse them also for if thou blesse thy child God curse him what auayleth thy blessing but if thou bring him vp in the true knowledge and obedience of Iesus Christ to thy blessing God and Angels shall say Amen and hee shall heape both vpon thee and thy seede after thee manifold and great blessings as hee blesseth all those who doe his will