which leadeth to saluation presse hardly to thrust in at that narrow gate lay off and cast away far from thee all the impediments of sinne and the intising vanities and pleasures of youth and let thy onely care be with thee first to see thy Sauiour the way is narrow that leadeth to him delay not then till it be full but striue to be foremost the way is narrow that leadeth to life therefore not soone found in the beginning thē of thy life timely begin and search carefully and narrowly for it the true way is narrow and straight therefore thy steppes therein when thou hast found it must be strait and narrow thou must make a couenant with thy eye that it behold no vanitie thou must shut the gates of thy eares that thou heare no vaine prophane or idle speeches offensiue to God thou must not harken to them but let the sound of Gods word and healthfull admonitions be pleasant only vnto thy hearing thou must haue a watch-man before thy lips and Gods feare a bar vnto thy heart tongue that thou vtter nothing but may be to Gods glorie thy owne comfort and the edification of those that doe heare thee abstaining from swearing cursing lying backebiting slandering iudgeing idle or corrupt speaking and from all things that hath but the appearance of euill thou must exercise thy handes to doe good only thy feet to prosecute the same thy will must be made cōformable to thy Sauiours thy vnderstanding to perceiue and apprehend vertue and Gods mercy towards thee thy memorie to thinke vpon his iudgements to thine amendement vpon his mercy to thy comfort and his manifolde blessings and vndeserued benefites for encrease of thankfulnesse in thee Thy whole body and all the members thereof which is a member of Iesus Christ must no wise be made a member of Sathan by sinne or polluted to bee the member of an harlot thy soule and heart with all the powers and faculties thereof must be the temple and tabernacle of Gods sanctifying and holy spirit not a lodge for that vncleane spirit of sinne and his fellowes of thy filthy lusts and carnall affections in body and soule thou must walke so warily and narrowly in feare and trembling working out thy saluation The way is narrow feare then neuer so little to depart from the paths of the Lord this straight passage and path to saluation is soone lost by negligence but not so easily found out againe without great diligence care not for the scornefull and diuelish slander of the world to bee called precise but daily more and more labour so to be indeede striue to liue a pure and vnspotted life without an hypocriticall and externall shew onely thereof It is saide in a diuelish prouerbe A young Saint an olde diuell but endeuour thou being young to be a Saint of God and to dedicate thy youth to him and his seruice onely walking in this strict and narrow path the same God who hath giuen thee beginning shall also giue thee constancie and a ioyfull end that thou maiest liue an old Saint also as well as young on earth and in heauen he shal glorifie thee a blessed Saint for euer with himselfe It is saide and that most truely Temporis praeteriti bene impensi suauis est memoria The memorie of time by-past which was well bestowed is sweete and ioyfull to the minde of man And let any young man consider with himselfe if God bring him to age what greater ioy and comfort hee can haue then to remember that hee hath borne the yoake in his youth as the Prophet saith that hee entred and walked then in the narrow straight way and now is come to the easie passage and out-going thereof to receiue that promised reward of eternall ioyes and euerlasting life where hee seeth others who then entred a contrarie course giuing loose liberty to their flesh fulfilling their lusts and neuer caring to redresse their waies in their olde age to bee punished with pouertie punished with infamie and disgrace ouercome with sicknesse humbled greatly despised expelled out of all good companie a patterne of all miserie in great straightnesse the end of the way and compelled with the prodigall Sonne after they haue spent all abused Gods gifts to liue in a lamentable estate and to flie from Citie to City from Countrey to countrey wrestling if they may to come out of their straightnes but falling from pit to pit from Scylla to Charybdis And except God their father giue them a minde at last to returne to him aright and halfe way run and meete them that is to be feared they bee cast into an euerlasting straightnes of eternall death and condemnation which by their walking in that broad way of carnall libertie they iustly haue promerited What ioy I say shall this be to an aged man to remember his happy estate he is in And this wofull condition hee hath by Gods grace escaped when for age hee cannot so well eate his meate this remembrance that hee remembred his Creatour in the daies of his youth and redressed his waies according to his word shall be a continuall banquet vnto him this peace of a good conscience and ioy of an vpright heart shal be a staffe to vphold his soule when hee beholdeth the greene field and pleasant fruites and flowers of his well spent youth greater solace shall bee to his minde then the pleasure of the finest decked garden of the world could bee to the eye his soule shall flow with comfort and his heart pant and leape with ioy an infinite treasure shall he possesse see continually which shall neuer make him carefull or the feare of the losing thereof put sleepe from his eyes but from death to life it shall passe with him and leaue a perpetuall fame thereof in the world when he shall die in the Lord his works shall follow him Let euery yong man then spend and bestow his youth so in walking in this narrowe way and straight passage circumspectly precisely and as purely as hee can redressing his waies according to Gods word that in the haruest of old age he may pull and eate of the fruit of his youth and find refreshment after wearinesse rest after labour victorie after the battel easinesse after straightnesse and infinit eternall ioy after momentaneall mourning and teares for a season assuring himselfe that his fasting from sinne in youth shall be a feasting of comfort in age his sowing in teares shall bee a reaping of ioy And Christ the way the truth and the life who hath promised the reward is faithfull willing and sufficient to performe hee saith To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God He that ouercommeth shall not bee hurt of the second death to him that ouercommeth will I giue of the Manna that is hid and I will giue him a white stone and in the stone a new
by resisting that cruell raging Lyon Sathan who daily seeketh how to deuoure our soules and bodies which the Lambe of GOD hath bought to himselfe Let vs by the strength of Gods Spirit redeeme our selues froÌ„ his destroying iawes and in our youth shewe Gods strength in vs and while wee are young men let vs cast off the olde man of sinne and concupiscence of the flesh and put on Iesus Christ the new man walking with him in righteousnesse holinesse of life a glorious garment and blessed companion As Sampson being a young man killed the Philistims the enemies of God and his people so in our youth let vs endeuour by the speciall assistance of Gods grace strength of his powerfull Spirit to kill ouercome and subdue the cruell enemies of God and our owne soules saluation sin and our corrupt affections whom we beare about in our mortall bodies and who dippeth in the platter with vs yet like so many Iudases seeking to betray vs in the hands and power of our malitious and cruel enemie Sathan they giue vs their sweete milke to drinke but for our destruction they make vs sleepe vpon their knees but to abrace our strength and to make God abrace our name out of the booke of life to betray vs trecherously into the hands of our persecuting enemie and to cut off our heads in the midst of our drunken sleepe of sinne yea they sleep with vs as a snake in our bosom to sting vs to eternall death suspect then their venome and theâ—â— deceitfull wicked purpose let them not keep thee vnder the yoake of their slauerie but keepe them vnder thy commandements rule and subjugate thy necke vnder the light and easie yoake of Iesus Christ to obey him in all the powers of thy soule and members of thy body that so here on earth thou maiest be a member of his body militant and suffering in heauen hereafter a glorified triumphant member in eternal ioyes so thou shalt be happy reioyce that euer thou didst suffer the yoake in thy youth Saul Dauid SalomoÌ„ with many others in the Scripture were called to be Kings being yong men but wee in our youth are called to a more ample glorious and permanent a kingdome to bee kings and coheyres with Iesus Christ the onely begotten and welbeloued Sonne of God in that eternall kingdome of his Father which hee hath prepared for vs taken possession himselfe before vs and granted vs here on earth the pledge of his holy Spirit to begin our ioyes and his holy Sacraments as seales of his kingdome who will then deny such a honour in his youth to be a glorious King with Iesus Christ Salomon in his greatest glory was not so gloriously clothed as one of the white Lillies of the field but when thou shalt bee cloathed with the white long robe of the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ crowned with an incorruptible crowne of glory and life in euer-permanent ioyes eternally to remayne to behold the glorious face of the lambe of God associated to the blessed Angels and infinite companies of the glorified spirits Saynts praising continually and extolling his iustice and the infinite mercy and loue of the Lambe before his Throne in light perpetuall in glory vnspeakeable ioyes that cannot be expressed how blessed and happy shall bee thy estate in this kingdome to day thou art called to it yong to morrow thou knowest not if thou shalt enter by the passeouer of death in full possession thereof while then it is offred possesse thy selfe to day with the pledge and rights of it walke in the true way to it that at thy iourneyes end thou mayst be crowned an immortall King procrastinate therefore no time it is a gift and a great gift when God holdeth out his hand in thy youth to offer thee the rights and pledges of his kingdome the sooner thereby to thy greater comfort to possesse thee with them and yet in the meane time thou pull in thy hand from receyuing them vntill thou prooue the diuels slauerie verily when he hath pulled in his hand agayne froÌ„ offering albeit thou neuer so oft put out thine to receyue when thou shalt seeke it thou shalt not find it but as thou refusedst of God in thy youth to be a king and accepted of Sathan to be a slaue as thou refusedst to remaine in thy fathers house and to eate at his table but wandring in a farre countrie yeelded to be a Farmers hyreling and to eate with swine so except Gods extraordinary mercy the beams of his vnsearchable loue shine vpon thee thou maiest expect in age but terrour and fearefull torment of conscience and hereafter to receyue the iust reward and hyre of thy slauery in the bottomlesse sinck and deepe pit of perdition in endlesse and easelesse torments with Sathan thy master In thy youth then accept to be a king of God receyuÌ„e the rights and pledge of the Kingdome in thy heart shew that thou hast them by thy speeches thy workes and an holy life speake the language of the Kingdome learne it dayly more and more which is prayer and praysing of God the kingdome whereof thou art made an heyre is Heauen wilt thou know thy selfe and make others also know if truely thou belong to this Kingdome let thy thoughts bee heauenly thy words be heauenly gratious to God and man and offensiue iustly to none thy works and actions also heauenly and vpright before God man doing good according to thy power to all euill or the least iniury to none no not to thy enemy but good for euill in word and worke let all thy conuersation and course of life priuate and publike be heauenly as a lampe shining before others that resembling thy Fathers conditions and bearing his image in thy life thou maiest bee knowne to be a childe and sonn of the King of heauen and sometimes to bee a crowned king there thy selfe when thy father shal call thee home from thy trauelling to thy natiue country and kingdome as on earth in good example thou shined as a lampe before others so then in heauen to shine in glory as a bright lampe before his throne But some would thinke that this exhortation of redressing our waies had beene fitter for olde men then for youth because they are nearer death giuing of account of their waies where young men seeth that they may die they â—ee that they die and youth must haue it owne course and therefore their faults are not so much to bee obserued seeing they are rather â—tatis then hominis and so in time enough they may returne from their yong courses when age breaketh them and become good and graue men at last To such I answere that such excuses as these are but impostures of Sathan and the flesh age hath neede to see they end well the claudite of their life with a ioyfull plaudite of the assurance of Gods fauour and youth must take heede also
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
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
is how to redresse vice and ouercome sinne in his mortal members that Gods free Spirit may make his aboad and comfortable habitation in his soule The diligent care of the other is how to represse and oppresse vertue and godlines that it take no roote in his soule nor bring forth no acceptable pleasant fruit before God but that as a sinke of iniquitie it may abound and yeelde forth out of the aboundance thereof rotten and vnsauorie smells in thought word and action The one seeketh to purge himselfe from the least spot of sin that might make him displeasing in his fathers sight yea hee abhorreth from the very appearance of euill or the least meane that might draw or perswade him any way thereunto The other seeketh the foulest puddle or mire of sin wholy in body and soule not caring to tuÌ„ble pollute himselfe as a filthy swine thereinto and as a dogge deuouring sinne griedily which deuoureth his soule and returning euer to his vomit he embraceth all occasions of sinne hee headlong runneth vnto the brinke of destruction as it were with cart-ropes of iniquitie he is swiftly carried as the oxe to the slaughter or the foole to the blocke vnto the bottomles pit of perdition The one for the least sinne he committeth that stayneth his soule hee heapeth and powreth out tears vpon tears as a treasure to be laid vp in a bottel before God that thereafter hee may reape the fruite of his seed sowed in tears in the ioyful and plentifull haruest of the Lord when he shall find true rest and comfort to his soule The other in his greatest sinnes hee most reioyceth and with Lamech vaunteth of his vngodly furie and crueltie of impietie inferred to his owne soule hee heapeth sinne vpon sinne vntill the day of wrath as a treasure and with all griedines filleth the cup of iniquitie to the full til God in his iust iugment giue to him also the full cup of his fierce wrath and indignation and make him drinke out the very dregs thereof for as he soweth so he shall reape The one sort being the children of the light and the day they walke in the light and doe the workes thereof therfore they shall enioy the cleare and endlesse light of that heauenly new Ierusalem which is the bright countenance of the Lambe The other being the children of darkenesse and the night they delight to walke in the wayes of darknes and to doe the workes thereof therefore with the prince of darkenesse they shall bee at last cast into vtmost darkenesse where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Finally as euerie tree is knowne by his fruite so by their works you shal know and discerne betwixt godly and vngodly yong men as a good yong tree bringeth foorth best fruite in the spring while it is yong so a godly yong man bringeth forth best fruits of vertue and pietie in his tender yeeres and spring of his youth not delaying till the cold winter of old age come wherein eyther no fruit at all or if any nothing but sowre grapes are to be expected but as no man can gather figs of thornes nor seeke for honie out of the viper so from those that consume their best age and prime of youth in all lustfull licentiousnesse outlaw liuing in sinne and slauish libertie of iniquitie nothing can be expected but that the haruest shall be like the spring wherin they shal reape the fruit of their labours and their seed time of wickednes shall bee rewarded with the measure of bitter seuere punishment when the axe shall bee put to the root of the tree and euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall bee cut downe cast into vnquenchable fire The examples of both these sorts of yong men we haue in the Scripture set before the eyes of all youthes in this age to learne by and behold Of the one whom they should follow the examples of yong Abel vprightly sacrificing vnto God the first fruits and fat of the flocke as they should the first fruits and fat of their youth in vprightnesse and holinesse of life of yong Isaac exercising himselfe in prayer alone in the field of yong Iacob in suffering many wrongs obeying the good counsell of his parents fearing their displeasure dealing faithfully in an holy and humble mind with all men of yong Ioseph refusing the way of sinne and adulterous lust suffering patiently rewarding good for euill and being a comfort and reliefe to his old father and his whole family of Moses refusing to bee counted the sonne of Pharaohs daughter to bee esteemed the sonne of God and a faithful seruant in his whole house of yong Dauid in trusting euer stedfastly and beleeuing in Gods mercy towards him suffring much aduersitie and still sticking fast vnto the Lord who deliuered his enemies so oftentimes in his handes and his life out of theirs of yong Salomon in seeking the true wisedome of God before honour or riches of yong Samuel zealous and faithfull in Gods sanctuarie in his youth there seruing him of yong Daniel in walking with an holy and vpright heart before the almighty of yong Timothie brought vp froÌ„ an infantin the true knowledg feare of God a glorious starre painfull instrument in his Church of the children of the elect Ladie 2. epist. Ioh. 1. 4. whoÌ„ the beloued Apostle of Iesus Christ found walking in the trueth as God had commanded and therefore reioyced with such like examples which are set before the eyes of all youth according thereunto to reforme and coÌ„forme themselues in all things that they may obtaine that rich reward of eternall life whereof they are already in possession Of the other sort which wee should eschue and abhorre is malicious murdering and hypocriticall Cain who was accursed of God vaunting Lamech bragging of his strength furie to commit sinne in his youth Ham dishonouring contemning Noah his father Esau in being a griefe to his parents heart a profane A theist and persecutor of his godly brother Absolon a bloodie vnnaturall proud wicked sonne to his father Dauid whose end was a shamefull and sudden death Elies two sonnes who oppressed Gods people committed most vile filthinesse in Israel and were at last the death and heart-break of their old father and their owne destruction Ammon incestuous with his sister whose reward was cruel death and sudden destruction the young men of Sodome who in their filthinesse were consumed with fire brimstone Zimri and Cozbi in their burning lust thrust thorow by zealous Phineas with many other such examples of those who in the time of their youth fulfilled their owne lusts and wicked affections til they tasted of the full cup of Gods fierce wrath to their vtter destruction which was their sâ—al end lameÌ„table conditioÌ„ such therfore let vs abhor with their course of wicked life as we would eschue their feareful end most cursed death Râ—hoboam by his yong counsellers in obeying
let it be negligently woe be to theÌ„ for they preach not the Gospell they feede themselues and not the flocke It is sufficient for them to haue a Lambes skinne the name of a christian although they neuer felt the power of Christ to bee called Bishop or Pastour albeit they neuer ouer-see nor can ouer-see not their flocke but the flockes the sheepe neuer heard nor knew their pastoral voice but their thundering tyrannical iurisdiction they call not nor can they call their owne sheep by name because they haue not any particular flock they leade them not out to pasture neither can their sheep follow theÌ„ because they goe not before except it be by wicked example and giuing offence they come not in at the doore by Christ and his ordinarie lawfull calling but climbes vp another way by manâ—pleasing briberie simonie honors to theeue and to rob kil and destroy like that wicked steward drinking eating and glutting theÌ„selues with worldly honours and riches and with the blood of the sheepe but beating out of Christs sheepfold and house their painefull fellow seruants that seeketh the life and feeding of the sheepe onely they will neither enter themselues nor suffer others to enter they will neither come nor bring to Christ neither will they suffer others many soules perish in their default and great shal be their condemnation who doe so in the worlde to come they haue the sheep-hooke in their hand but neuer applies it to bring them into Christs sheepfold they haue the forme of clouen tongues vpon their heads but not the clouen tongue of Gods Spirit in their heads or hearts to diuide the word aright distribute the same vnto Gods people The world with the riches glory thereof which Sathan offered to Christ is sufficient to make them fall downe and worship him the world the kingdome thereof soundeth sweetly in their eares because they are in loue one with another and their condemnation is all one but the word of God It is written the voyce of the kingdome of heauen is as displeasant vnto them as the same It is written was to Sathan Sell all and follow me was a hard saying to the rich yonug man they beeing of the world to bee selected from the world is as bitter a saying to them yea more bitter to the worldly theÌ„ that potion which the world gaue to Christ on the Crosse vineger and gall mixed together Flint from flint may be sooner pulled asunder the hardest Adamant or Diamond diuided then to diuide and diuorce them from their sweet Dalilah the world and to doe that Gods word shall neuer get place by them These are the causes that that bright Candle is put vnder a bushell by them that that glorious Citie is placed in a low valley that that precious â—ewell is hid vnder the earth lest it be found and had onely in estimation to be hid in mens hearts for if so bee that the stronger man enter the vsurper shall be bound cast out straight if light come darkenesse shal depart as the morning cloudes are driuen before the Sun set vp Gods Kingdome and Lawes and put downe their kingdome and lawes God and Belial cannot be together the aduancement of the Throne of Iesus Christ the Lambe is the detruding of these goates out of their throne the divulgating of his word is the falsifying of theirs therefore they striue to prolong the night as long as they may that the bright day-starre arise not that Light that shineth in darkenesse to discouer them and their workes The cause also why many men chiefly yong men esteeme not nor take such delight in Gods word as they should and care not much albeit it were hid that they neuer heard it much is because mans nature chiefly in youth affecteth libertie of the flesh which it being the word of the Spirit fighteth against and restraineth It is the limits of that narrow way which leadeth to life and therefore will not suffer libertie to wander astray in the wide wilde fields of sinne to death it is the knife that openeth the soare and will haue strictnesse first that ease may follow after when we sinne neuer so little it will like a good master checke vs like a louing father reproue vs and like a wise counseller admonish vs which checking reproofe or admonishing yea for great offences youth can scarse abide Iesus Christ commanded the young man in the Gospell that he should leaue all and follow him if hee would haue eternall life Iesus Christ now commandeth also in his word all yong men that they leaue all their pleasures lustes of youth and vanities and follow his strict and holy life if they would haue eternall life Knowing that all tbat are baptized into Iesus Christ are baptized in his death and like as hee was raysed vp from the dead by the glory of the Father so wee also should walke in newnesse of life His word commandeth vs to flie from the luste of youth and follow after righteousnesse faith loue and peace the yonger to submit themselues vnto their elders and euery one to another to decke themselues inwardly with lowlinesse of minde without fornication adulterie drunkennes whoredome c. knowing that they who doe so shall neuer inherite the kingdome of heauen Eschewing all filthinesse for God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse but vnto holinesse all foolish talking neither mocking or ieasting which are things vncomely and giuing no place vnto the diuel putting away all bitternesse and anger with euill speaking and all maliciousnesse being courteous one to another and tender hearted forgiuing one another as God for Christs sake forgaue vs and iu all things being followers of God as deare children glorifying him in body and in spirit for they are Gods Which commandements of Gods word are hard and vnpleasant vnto youth except it be seconded with grace Therefore all young men should desire this assisting and renewing grace of God Redeeming the time for the dayes are euill And that considering the season that it is now time that we should arise frrom sleepe for now is our saluation neerer then we beleeued it the night is past and the day is at hand let vs therefore cast away the workes of darkesnesse and let vs put on the armour of light So that we walke honestly as in the day not in gluttony and drunkennesse neither in chambering and wantonnesse nor in strife and eniâ—ying but put on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lust of it and 〈…〉 as he who despiseth these things despiseth not man but God So if any man purge himselfe from thesâ—â— hee shall bee a vessell vnto honour sanctified meete for the Lord prepared vnto euery good worke Amen 1. Sa. 17. 49. 1. Sam. 18. 9. Ps. 119 161. Psal. 119. 157 Verse â—8 27. 35. 36. 37. 133. 134. 41 Reâ— 19. 〈…〉 Ver. 25. 50. 39. Verse 24. Verse 105. Ver. 11 28 Ha. lâ— lu ja Leuit. 12. Vers. 18. 27. 37. 133. Vers. 25. 28. 81. 120. Vers. 157. 161. 93. Vers. 24. Vers. 10. Vers. 11. Vers. 13. Vers. 14â— Vers. 15. Vers. 16. Gen. 6. 5. 1. Cor. 11. 28. The 1. Vse The 2. vse 2. Tim. 4. 7. Lam. 3. 27. Gen. 3. Mat. 8. 29. Eccles 11. 9. Gen. 22. 3 2. Coâ— 6 2. Gâ—n 1. 14. 1. Thes. 5. 22. Vers. 103. Mat. 22. 21. Prou. 23. 26. Maturâ— Luke 2. 46. Properè Psal. 119. 32. Iâ—h 21 25. Rectè Constanter Reu. 2. 10. Prou. 8. 2. Tim. 3. 15. Luke â— 80. The 3. Vse Gen. 18. 17. 19. Gen. 22. 7. 8. Gen. 24. 36. Gen. 17. 7. 2. King 2. Prou 13. 24. Prou. 29. 17. Prou. 22. 6. 1. King 23. 6. Psal. 51. â— Ephes. 2. 3. Gen. 27 46. Gen. 28. 6 7 8. 1. Sam. 2. 23. Iohn 8. 39. 44. Luke 18. 17. Reu. 2. 2. Tim. 2. 19. 2. Tim. 2. 22. 3. We are limitted 4. We take no burdens 1. We desire not our way to be long 6. Our way dangerous Matt. 23. 26. Gen. 4. Vse Vse Exod. 31. 3. Prou. 6. 11. Iob. 32. 7. 1. Tim. 1. 5. 1. Tim. 4 8. Prou. 14. 26. Tit. 2. 12 13. Phil 3. Phil. 4. â— Matth. 6. Mat. 5. 19. Luke 11 28. Ihon 10. Iohn 12. Isa. 61. 2. Mat. 5. 20. Rom. 2. 19. Io. 8. 12. Pet. 3. 18. Mark 13. 1. Pet. 1. 15. Phil. 1. 27. Iere. 23. 29. Ier. 23. 2â— Psal. 119. 14. 24. 40. 72. 93. 97. 103. 2. King 24. Reu. 2. Rom. 6. 3. 4 2. Tim 2. 22. 1. Pet. 5. 5. Eph. 5. 3 4. 1. Thess. 4. 7. Eph. 5. 16. Rom. 13. 11. 1. Thes. 4 7. 2. Tim. 3. 21.
God on high and setting foorth the mercy of Iesus Christ their Redeemer and as their children shall bee a ioy to their heart in that present so also their God and the God of their children shall send a blessing vpon them as Genes 18. 17. vpon Abraham with whom they shal be worthily called Fathers of the faithfull God shall auert from them that shame sorrow that proceedeth to parents from their childrens liberty whereof the wise man speaketh Pro. 17. 21. 29. 15. and commandeth the contrary Giue not the waters any passage no not a little and the diuturnitie of the good of such education shall be euer vpon them and their children when after them they shal proue good fathers of faithful and godly children also and at last receiue both a crowne of glory in life eternall with God our heauenly father and Christ his sonne our Sauiour And so for the dutie and admonition of parents let this obseruation suffice to teach their children being yong how to redresse their wayes The matter concerning which the question is propounded is a yong mans way that is his course of life which must be redressed And it is a Metaphore taken from pilgrimage or iourneying wherein a man if hee would come to the right end of his iourney must keepe the true and right way without declining eyther to the left or to the right hand that he aberre not nor goe astray so that our life here beeing a pilgrimage as old Iacob confessed to Pharaoh and the Apostle 1. Pet. 2. 11. exhorteth saying Dearely beloued I exhort you as strangers and pilgrimâ—s abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule wherein wee haue many by-wayes which leadeth to the wrong end to wit destruction but one onely true way which leadeth to the right ende to wit Saluation which is Christ Iesus and a young man beeing the pilgrime beginning or hauing newly begun his way hee must diligently take heed and trie in what way hee insisteth and whether he treadeth the right or the wrong path and seeing in a yong mans way Sathan the leader and way to perdition on the one side is busiest to cast before him many lets and hinderances of the affections and alluring lusts of the flesh with the pleasures of youth thereby to hinder his course or draw him backe from the right way as the Syrens would Vlisses and to precipitate him headlong from the high rockes of sinne and despaire in the fearefull and deepe gulfe of vtter destruction and on the other side of all ages Youth hauing newly begun and vnacquainted with these terrifying lets being easiest by nature to be drawn away and perswaded to the inticing sweet pleasures of the flesh the world and of sinne and so in most perill to yeeld therefore a yong man must the more earnestly enquire and desire of God the way it selfe the leader and ende thereof that of his grace he would so direct and confirme him in his pathes and giue him grace and strength whereby to redresse his owne wayes and ouercome all the impediments of Sathan that insisting therin he may euer constantly persist and continue vntill hee come to the ioyfull and happy end thereof where is true rest from all labours glory infinite for a perpetuall reward The reason why a yong man in his youth and first steps of his walking should examine and redresse his wayes is this we know by experience in a iourney that the farther wee are gone from the right path which leadeth to such a place it is the harder and laborious eyther by comming backe againe to find the right high way which we foolishly lost or to come neere the place which wee wish to bee at and thererefore that it is best at the beginning of our iourney to enquire and bee instructed what way to keepe by them who know and haue tread the fame before vs and by their directions in walking forward to trie and examine our selues if we hold likewise in the right way or no or if not in time to returne while wee are not farre off So in the iourney of this life we haue a place which we aime at to wit Heauen we haue but one true way to it which is Iesus Christ and his righteousnesse out youth is the beginning or first step of our iourney therefore in it wee must know and be instructed what way to keepe and how to walke therein by the example of Iesus Christ and the faithfull who know and haue tread the same before vs and by the directions and touchstone of Gods word we must euer bee trying and examining our selues if we hold in the right way or no and if not in time shortly to returne while we are not farre gone astray in age not running in the by-waies of iniquitie in a strange countrie farre from our fathers house while wee are yong and in feeble age thinking wee can returne and find the right way againe to walke therein let no man presume so that in the day of his youth while he is able he may runne halfe way with the diuell to hell and in the night of his age when he is vnable that hee may returne easily from Sathans hold and the slymie pits of sin to walke the whole way with Christ to heauen The second reason why a yong man thus in the first steppes of his way must so take heed thereto and redresse the same is because the time of the walking in the way of this life is so short and vncertaine and therefore that wee should not trust thereto for wee see some die in the bud of infancie some in the flower of youth some in the ripenesse of mid-age and strength and some in the fall of weake rotten old age The sunne of the life of some goeth too shortly as in the winter day and of others it maketh longer delay as in the summer Our life is compared to a shaddow and we know at mid-day when the Sunne is verticall and in his greatest strength to vs the shaddow vseth to be least so oftentimes when we are in the greatest strength and vigour of youth the shaddow of our vnconstant short life is least and when wee thinke vpon many yeeres to come as the rich Glutton did commonly the sentence of vnexpected death commeth warneth to remoue Therefore in youth and euery age yea euery day and houre thereof wee haue need to suspect the vncertaine and short way of life and therein carefully and strictly examine and trie if our wayes and walkings bee in the way of the Lorde the ende whereof is eternall saluation and if not to day while wee heare his voyce and the acceptable time offereth it selfe to redresse cleanse our paths and walkings and conforming them vnto his For as all riuers and springs that come from the sea returne againe so all men that are made of the dust of the earth shall thither also returne but of the time who can say this
them lost a kingdom to the which he was called by the wicked and furious hote counsellers of our lusts and affections in our youth let vs not also loose the glorious kingdome of heauen to the which wee are likewise called by Gods word Neither as the yong mans loue to his riches made him to forsake Christ let the vncleane loue or desire to follow our youthly pleasures or to fulfill our filthy lusts and affections draw vs from following Iesus Christ our Sauiour and these godly examples and patterns of youth which in his word wee haue here set before our eyes but with yong Samuel when the Lord calleth vs in his Church to heare and do his word let vs so oft answere Lord here am I thy seruant to doe thy godly will speake for thy seruant heareth while the spring and seed time is of our tender yeeres let vs so sowe as wee would reape and so bud as wee would ripen our youth is the day to doe our works in the night of age commeth wherein wee cannot worke in that time wee shall say onely I might haue bin learned I might haue bin so or so if I had vsed my time aright but winter is come before I thought on seed-time and Times bald backe-side is turned to mee but the heary forehead which I might haue caught holde by is already past therefore the wise man saith Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth whiles the euill dayes come not nor the yeeres approach wherein thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them whiles the sunne is not darke nor the light nor the moone nor the starres nor the cloudes returne after rayne when the keepers of the house shall tremble and the strong men shal â—ow themselues the grinders shall cease because they are few and they waxe darke that looke out by the windowes c. describing so metaphorically the infirmities of old age They who stept in first when the Angel came downe and troubled the waters of the poole Bethesda were cured of their disease so if we would be cured of our soules disease and leprosie of sinne wee must striue to step in first before others in our youth without lingring to be washed with the blood of Christ and liue a pure vnspotted life Ioseph before the time of famine came laid vp aboundance of corne prouidently for the same so before the leane and crinkled yeeres of age come we must prouidently in the Sommer of youth with the Bee and Ant gather and lay vp food for our soules filling the store-houses of our heart full with the knowledge and true feare of God to be our comfort and ease in that time that here in the world to come we may bee accounted among the number and of the sort of those forenamed who dedicated their youth and first fruites thereof to God their heauenly Father and now do enioy the ioyful recoÌ„pence of their labours with Iesus Christ in the presence of the Lambe for euer to remaine The answere that is made vnto this question is this In taking heed thereto according to thy word that is by these meanes a yong man may redresse his wayes and course of life if according to the rule and prescript of thy holy worde O Lord hee take heed thereto diligently and straitly marking examining and iudging the same and rectifying all his waies and actions by the direct line and rule of thy commandements This answere is made by way of prayer or confessioÌ„ to God or as it were by resolution froÌ„ God In taking heed thereto according to thy word thereby shewing and teaching all men that to know will or doe aright as God hath commanded according to his word is not of our strength neither can flesh and blood reueale it vnto vs but our heauenly Father it is the gracious worke of his glorious Spirit who as the knowledge of Gods will proceedeth of his speciall Illumination so the acting and doing of the same in an holy and vpright life is of his speciall grace and powerfull operation also who giueth thee knowledge will and power to doe the same Velle perficerâ— by enlightning our vnderstanding reforming our wicked will and conforming the same vnto the holy and perfect wil of God and with his coÌ„mand to rise from the sleepe and death of sinne to a new and sanctified life giuing vs a power and flowing light and life from himselfe to doe so as when Christ our Sauiour said Talitha cumi or Lazarus arise c. and at that last day when it shall be said Rise dead folke come to iudgement and so in all Gods word when hee commandeth to repent beleeue bring forth good fruit or so we must not thereby thinke because God commandeth so therefore that we haue knowledge or free-will to doe or not doe so but with the command there floweth a concomitating power and vertue from Gods spirit to the hearts of the faithfull predestinate for saluation to doe this command as a further induration to harden the hearts of the sonnes of reprobation in their stiffe-necked disobedience to Gods will euen as at the words of Christ the fig-tree withered free wil then and strength of our selues to know and doe euill wee haue for it is according to our nature for by nature wee are the children of wrath and all the imaginations of our heart are onely euill continually from our very infancie and it is the worke of our flesh for the flesh coueteth against the spirit but to know will or to do well we haue no power at all but it is Gods sanctifying Spirit who giueth both and it is aboue nature yea it is the worke of the Spirit against nature Therefore let vs not trust to our owne knowledge or wisedom for it is darkenesse foolishnesse nor thinke of our owne will or strength that we can doe or truely desire or know that which is good being so peruerse and wicked but with the Prophet after his example acknowledg al our knowledge of his will or of the right way to saluation to proceed onely from the illumination of his good spirit and that the will or strength to doe and performe the same is onely his owne free worke in mercie also and let vs by earnest prayers as in all ages so chiefly in our youth implore his holy helpe to teach vs according to his word how to walke in his wayes and to take heed to our owne in greatest difficulties consult with him who is true light and wisedome and in whom is no changing in greatest tentations by continuall prayer let vs flie to him that with his all-sufficient grace he may euer assist vs when Sathan would not only buffet but kill deuoure our soules with the poyson of sinne and our owne lusts and in all things let him be our onely refuge resolution and comfort continually In taking heed thereto c. this action of taking heed to our wayes in the answere