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
and curseth them that keepe not his commandements as God hath commanded in the first precept of the second Table of his Law that children shall honour theyr Parents with a double promise of this life and the life to come then command thou likewise and instruct thy children to honour God also and let this be thy first and chiefest care in the table of thy heart so shew thy selfe thankefull to God agayne When Salomon was to trie whose was the liuing childe for which the two women stroue to find out the same by the naturall affection of the true mother hee commanded the child to bee diuided in two wherewith as the true mother was much moued and displeased so the wrong mother cared not but was cōtented it should be so and so the veritie for the adjudging did appeare It is euen so with godly wicked parents and by this they may be knowne the wicked parents not hauing any conjunction with God thēselues they cannot know nor apprehend the ioyfulnesse thereof in others as in their children therefore they care not though they be destroyed by sinne and diuided asunder from the body of Iesus Christe but godly and true parents feeling in their owne hearts the sweet ioy of that blessed vnion with God through Christ they endeuour onely so to bring vp their children in the true feare and loue of God that they may be partakers also of that vnspeakeable comfort ioy of that conjunction with themselues and so haue true life in them yea before they should bee diuided from that comfort and life which they haue in that conjunction with Iesus Christ they rather would giue ouer that naturall title and right of comfort which belongeth iustly vnto them as parents as they did naturally beget them in sinne by the seed of man in the flesh to their owne image so their chiefe care and desire is that they may be begotten of a new supernaturally in the spirit vnto righteousnesse by the spirit of God to Gods image and by the immortall seed of the word of Iesus Christ God man and as they did dwell together on earth so for euer in heauen also they desire together to remayne This I say is the wish care and note of all godly and true parents and which euery one should haue or be knowne by and truely wee see oftentimes that children take example of their parents and walketh in their footsteps pressing to imitate them that they may the more be loued by them so that if the father bee carefully and godly disposed his sonne will feare lest the contrary disposition be deprehended in him at least by his father if he see that his father hate and detest drunkennesse fornication swearing or such sinnes surely if hee bee a naturall sonne and not a castaway hee will bee loth to commit any such or at least to his fathers knowledge or face and if he haue grace in him hee will doe that rather which hee knoweth to be liking and acceptable in his fathers sight the example whereof first consider in a truly godly obedient sonne Iacob who knowing that the daughters of Canaan displeased Izhak and Rebekah his parents he would not ioyne with thē in mariage but with his owne kindred commanded by his fathee as also the like after a maner in a counterfeit cast-away Esau his brother who seeing that to marry with the daughters of Canaan as hee had notwithstanding already done was displeasant and grieuous to his parents and that his brother Iacob had obeyed his father to doe otherwise in going to Padan Aram he went also tooke Ishmaels daughter to wife of his own kindred albeit a bastard generation such was the care albeit hypocriticall euen of this cast-away to please his parents Elies wicked sonnes also seeing their fathers godly disposition durst not before him commit such enormities as they did or to his owne knowledge vntill by the people it was reported so vnto him so that the good inclination of the father is a great awe band vnto the sonne as of the contrary the nature of the sonne is more apt to follow a lasciuious and impious father to wickednesse and vanitie then a godly graue father to piety and true wisedome Concerning this aptnesse of children to imitate their parents example in good or euill Christ himselfe also saith to the Iewes If ye were the sonnes of Abraham ye would doe the workes of your father Abraham but ye are of your fafather the diuell and the lusts of your father ye will doe therefore let all fathers in the good education of their children be as lampes themselues in their life that they may be followed by them and doe such things that therein they would desire their childrens imitation It is a great delight to parents to heare that their children are like vnto them but if they be like them in godlinesse it is a great ioy and comfort to others also For then they represent and resemble the Image of Iesus Christ the common Sauiour and Father of all men as he was the character and expresse Image of his Father in Iustice Mercy and Holinesse so they being likewise the image of Christ againe in holines and sanctity of life being holy as he is holy and hauing that honour to be like the King of all kings thereby brother to the Prince of princes of whose kingdome it may be truely said His ego met as nec tempor a pon◠without limitation or prescription of time Ioy infinite and Eternitie without end In the 127. Psalme Dauid calleth children by three titles First Behold saith he children are the inheritance of the Lord to shew that they should bee educated and brought vp by their parents with such care as though they were not the children of men but of God and consider what care a man hath and respect vnto his inheritance that it be not abused any way or spoyled the like greater care hath God our heauenly Father that our children which are his inheritance for of these is the kingdome of heauen be not negligently or euilly brought vp to dishonour his name who should honour him The heyre of a king and kingdom must be so educated that hee may be found worthy of the crowne The children of the faithfull are heyres to the King and kingdome of Heauen Therefore their parents as tutors to whom they are concredit for a time must trayne them vp so carefully in pietie and and the obedience of God their heauenly father that they may bee found worthy of the inheritance of that Kingdom and Crowne of glory purchased by the blood of Iesus Christ our Lord their parents may bee found faithfull so in discharging their dutie therein to God and them Secondly Dauid calleth children the Lords Reward shewing that as God of his grace doth giue to parents children as a testimony of his loue to their earthly pleasure comfort and seruice so
they should as it were reward God by giuing and dedicating them againe with Hannah vnto his seruice and pleasing of him by an immaculate and pure life as a token and testimony of their loue to God againe And thirdly Children are compared to arrowes in the hand of the strong man who if they bee well and godly brought vp framed they wil shoot at their parents enemies and be a griefe to their heart to see them prosper so in the feare of God by his blessings and blessed is the man that hath his quiuer full of them but if they be carelesly and too indulgently broght vp as Elies sonnes and Absolon they will be the darts to pearce their fathers heart with griefe and bitter sorrow to them In Latine Children are called pignoâ—a and pueri the one because they are the pledges of Gods fauour to the parents as also naturall pledges of the mutuall loue of the parents betwixt themselues beeing the surest bond in marriage to knit and continue the loue of man and wife betwixt theÌ„selues which Leah well did know when beeing conceyued shee said Now my husband will loue me If therefore they be the pledges of Gods loue to their parents in giuing them of his grace for their worldly pleasure then by their good education let them be the pledges of the parents loue to God likewise in giuing and dedicating them againe vnto his heauenly pleasure and seruice as an vnspotted and cleane sacrifice being puri sicut pueros decâ—t and in the meane time let parents be aware to esteeme or loue the pledge or gift more then God the giuer thereof for if they loue their children too much dallying and delighting onely with the gift God the giuer will eyther make them of a blessing in his loue turne to a curse in his anger or else separate them one from another in making eyther the father childlesse shortly or the child fatherlesse which experience oftentimes proueth manifestly let children therfore be only as cords to draw the parents hearts more and neerer vnto God in increase of loue and thankefulnesse to him and God wil heape his blessings more abundantly on them both also let their parents chiefe care bee to trim and adorne their hearts and minds so with pietie and vertue as becommeth a gift or reward which is to bee presented to the King of al kings before whose eyes no vncleane thing can stand therefore Christ once beeing to shewe who should inherite the kingdome of heauen tooke for example a little childe and set him in the middest of his disciples saying Whosoeuer receyueth not the kingdome of heauen as a child he shal not enter therein thereby shewing that our children should be so innocent so humble and voyd of all euill that they may be takeÌ„ for example of the sonnes and heires of God not as many are now wofull to see made proud in their cradle learned to curse and sweare before they can well speak or aske their parents blessing and full of euill before they haue reason to discerne good or euill therefore set tender and wise parents not excuse their childreÌ„ in their faults saying They are tender or haue no wit to doe otherwise if they bee tender let not the worme of sinne so sticke vpon them for the danger is the greater lest the sooner it eate thorow their heart and it is fearefull when they haue wit to doe or speake euill and goe in the wrong way before they haue wit or are taught to speake or doe well and enter in the right way As they were before compared to arrowes we know as the arrow is directed at the first so it flyeth all the way ouer or vnder or beside but it neuer commeth vnto the right marke or butte vnlesse it be directed right at the first in the letting foorth out of the Bow so it is that except froÌ„ the first comming forth out of the wombe children be directed in the right way they shall hardly or neuer attayne to the end of the way which is true happinesse in Iesus Christ we know also if our children bee deformed in their youth we neuer expect that they will bee well fauoured in their age and when a yong Plant sprouteth vp if there bee a worme that lyeth at the roote thereof we know except we remoue and kill the same the tender Plant will neuer thriue nor grow forward doe we know and beleeue so in respect of our childrens bodies plants of our gardens then let vs know and beleeue the same in respect of their minds if sin grow beâ—ore pietie the weed will smother the good corne if vice be sowen and appeare before vertue in youth no appearance of a good or ioyfull haruest in age remoue and kill the worme of sinne from the tender plant of childhood lest it gnaw out the life thereof ere thou be aware kill the serpent in the egge lest wheÌ„ he is hatched hee kill thee who is the parent with griefe and thy child with his poyson yea we teach a dogge while hee is a whelpe wee tame a bird while it is yong wee breake a horse while he is a colt and bow the tree while it is a twig so with wise Salomon Teach thy child in his youth that he may remeÌ„ber it when hee is olde the birdes of the ayre teach parents their dutie they flie before their yong ones to teach them to follow as parents should by good example and godly education teach their children to flie to God also by faith and holinesse of life wee haue a care to feede our beasts see their education carefully who if they starue or die we haue onely lost a carkas but when carefully we ouersee not the education of our owne children and seed the feeding of their soules by instruction curing of their sores of vice by correction wee loose their bodies and soules which is more precious then all the worlde and their blood shall be required at our handes and of this vice complayneth Isaiab 1. 3. that the oxe the asse were taught to know their masters but his people did not know him as Gods Ministers may now also iustly complayne of the same Wee haue three notable examples of parents for good education in the Scriptures 1. King 2. wee haue Dauid instructing his sonne Gen. 34. Iacob reproouing and correcting his sonnes and Iob. 1. Iob praying for his sonnes put these three together instructing correcting praying they will make blessed children and thrice happy parents and as it was a sweete and comfortable thing to see children goe before Christ to the Temple of Ierusalem singing Hosanna to the most highest that it might be fulfilled that out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings Gods prayses should sound so it shall be to the great ioy and comfort of their parents hearts when in the temple and congregation of the faithfull they shall see their childreÌ„ beeing well brought vp singing prayses to
he grew in yeares so he waxed strong in spirit So likewise euery yong man must striue to do to consecrate himselfe from the wombe to the graue in the seruice of God and to deserue that good commendation of Timothy from his childhood to know the holy Scriptures which may teach instruct him in righteousnesse as a Master which may improoue and correct his faults as a Father and make him a man of God absolute perfite vnto all good works The third lesson and obseruation is to fathers of youth as the first was to youth it selfe and it is that as young men in their youth must learne and practise godlinesse in redressing of their waies according to Gods word so the fathers of all youth must beginne to teach the same vnto them and go before their children in good example of life while they are tender and as new vessells fit to receiue and be seasoned with piety Gods commaundement in his word concerning this dutie of parents is Deutronomie 4. 9. But take heede to thy selfe and keepe thy soule diligently that thou forget not the thinges which thine eyes haue seene and that they depart not out of thine heart all the daies of thy life but teach them thy sonnes and thy sonnes sonnes Againe Deutronomie 6. 7. where hee saith And thou shalt reâ—earse them continually vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thoâ—â—â—riestin thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou liest downe and when thourisest vp Moreouer Deutronomie 32. 46. in Moses last exhortation to Israel Then hee saide vnto them Set your hearts vnto all the wordes which I testifie against you this day that you may command them vnto your children that they may obserue and doe all the words of this Law Likewise the Apostle Ephes. 6. 4. And yee fathers prouoke not your children to wrath but bring them vp in instruction information of the Lord. So Psal. 78. 5. How he established a testimony in Iacob and ordained a law in Israel which hee commanded our fathers that they should teach their children Also the practise of all the godly hath euer been so according to this coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of God Adam taught his sonnes to sacrifice and offer to the Lord. The three Angels that came to Abraham they reuealed vnto him the destruâ—tion of Sodome because the Lord did know that he would teach this his iudgement for sinne to the posteritie after him And the Lord said shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I doe For I know him that he will command his sonnes and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to doe righteousnesse and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that he hath spoken vnto him Isaac being a young childe yet was well instructed in the typicall seruice of God and things pertaining vnto the sacrifice of the old Law when he asked his father Behold the fire and the wood but where is the lambe for the â—urnt offering And he answered My sonne God will prouide him a lambe c. His exercise also when hee was a young man by his fathers instruction and example was And Isaac went out to pray in the field toward the euening c. So Ioshua in his last commandement exhortation to Israel saith vnto them And if it seeme euill vnto you to serue the Lord choose you this day whom you will serue c. but I and my house will serue the Lord. With sundry such examples in the Scripture where we may see the practise and care of all the godly to haue beene euer in instructing bringing vp their children in the knowledge and feare of God which all godly Christian parents in this age must follow likewise for if God hath established his couenant betweene vs and our seed after vs to be our God for euer how carefull should wee then be that our seede and children may be instructed in the true and perfect knowledge thereof that as hee is their God so they may bee his people as hee is their father so they may proue his children by dutifull loue and obedience to his commandements It is said that Alexander had children borne and brought vp in military discipline and exercise from their infancie in his Campes which made him so victorious and prosperous in battell euen so let all parents bring vp their children from their infancie and cradle in the knowledge and exercise of the Christian warfare of this life in all godlinesse vertue that they may proue couragious and good souldiers vnder their victorious King and Captaine Iesus Christ. And seeing youth is as tabula rasa a new vessell a young tree or Oliue plant as Dauid calleth them like soft waxe to receiue any print inconstant and wauering and most inclining by their owne nature to sinne and vaine pleasure which euen godly Iob suspected in his children albeit well and godly brought vp when he went to sacrifice for them daily fearing it might haue beene that his sonnes in their banquetting had sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts Therefore let all fathers as God hath giuen them children of his grace so with Hannah Samuels mother dedicate and giue them againe vnto the Lord and his seruice in bringing them vp carefully in the feare and reuerence of his holy name season their tender hearts in their youth with the liquor of godlinesse and the true knowledge of the blood of Iesus Christ which must be their life print them with the glorious image of Christ which is true pietie that as he was the resemblance of his father so they may here represent him also in purenes sanctitie of life while they are as yong tender twigges and Oliue branches bow them that way as you would haue them stand when they are growen and olde which is to the obedience of Iesus Christ in whom they must beare fruite and receiue fatnesse write and ingraue the knowledge of his will commaundements in their hearts and mindes that with all their hearts soules and mindes they may honour and serue GOD in all feare and loue a band to holde out all â—inne and so place and set them in the right way see that they constantly continue and perseuere therein and ioyne seuere and strait animaduersion for repressing of their vices as also of cherishing of Gods good graces in them that so they may bee liuely stones in Sion to the glory of God the comfort of his parents and their owne soules saluation So parents making them dutifull to God their heauenly Father he will make them dutifull also and reuerent to them againe otherwise with Elias sonnes they will be a griefe to their hearts and the meanes to bring their gray haires in sorrow to the graue and with Absolon prooue vnkinde and vnnaturall children for being Dauids darling he proued Dauids traitour and the reason is set downe thus 1. Kings 1. 6. And his father would not
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
of In this clay age hence also it is that many gentlemen being shooed in their cradle and now barefooted as we say in the saddle are forced when Fortune failes them or rather when God punisheth their idle vp-bringing without vertue to haue the cruell warres as their last and best refuge to goe to and to be set before the deuouring mouth of the Canon and vnder the sharpe edge of the sword when in their youth if they had betaken themselues to some honest and lawfull vocation they might haue liued quieter at home done more pleasingly to God beene more profitable to Church or Common-wealth in their Country or elsewhere beene a greater comfort to their friends and left a better fame and memorie to the posteritie after them to Gods glory and the honour of their Countrie and themselues for euer To conclude from hence as from the roote proceedeth all vice and euill as out of an vntilled ground proceedeth nothing but weedes Otium enim â—omes vitiorum est otia mentem ad mala multa trahunt all kinde of sinne ariseth from idlenesse as Adams fall did from idlenesse in his charge Gen. 2. 15. all kinde of sinne is nourished by idlenesse and idlenes bringeth as sinne to perfection so man to the end of sinne which is finall and fearefull destruction For God decreed appointed maÌ„ to labor from the beginning both in his innocencie as in the forenamed place and after his fall Gen. 3. 19. In the sweate of his face that he should eate bread till hee returned to the earth Therefore let euerie young man examine and redresse this his way in the ordinarie vocation that God with his special gifts hath fitted him for In taking heede thereto without idlenesse or iniust dealing therein according to Gods word that the necessities of life may be supplied and hee be found rather helpefull then chargeable to any Secondly according to the rule of Gods word let euery yong man take heed vnto the way of his manners to redresse the same in a godly and comely forme reuerencing honouring first his superiours any way and elders secondly his equalls and thirdly his inferiours Concerning the honouring of our superiours elders according to Gods word the first precept of our dutie towards our neighbour in Gods Law commandeth all yong men Honour thy father and thy mother where not onely our naturall parents but our superiours as Magistrates Pastours c. and our Elders are vnderstood also Leuit. 19. 32. Thou shalt rise vp before the hoare-head and honour the person of the olde man and feare thy God I am the Lord likewise 1. Tim. 5. 1. 17. where the Apostle coÌ„mandeth yong Timothie to exhort elders as fathers and elder women as mothers saith that Elders which rule well are worthy of double honour Examples of this wee haue many in the holy sacred scripture also The prophane Hittites did know acknowledge this dutie to olde Abraham Gen. 23. 6. Iacob to his elder brother Esau Gen. 33. 3. when he bowed himselfe 7. times to the ground till he came neere his brother Hannah to old Eli 1. SaÌ„ 1. 15. The children of the Prophets to Elisha 2. King 2. 15. with many such the precept also of the Ethnicks was Seniores reuerere for if our Superiours and elders bee not honoured and duely reuerenced by youth they shall not be regarded if not regarded not obeyed if not obeyed wicked libertie rebellion and oppression shall arise as the Prophet sheweth Isai 3. 5. The people shall be oppressed one of another and euery one by his neighbour the children shall presume against the ancient and the vile against the honourable and so all shal come vnto miserable confusion and at last to lamentable destruction Concerning the mutuall honouring of our equals let vs take heed thereto according to Gods word Rom. 12. 10. The Apostle of Iesus Christ saith Be affectionated to loue one another with brotherly loue In giuing honour goe one before another so that honour amongst equals is as the daughter of loue and likewise the mother that begetteth nourisheth loue amongst neighbours whereof some examples there are also and experience sufficiently proueth the same truely where there is not such mutuall honour and louing salutations amongst equals and friends by this rudenesse as of beastes there proceedeth mistrust and suspicion from suspicion dislike from dislike hatred from hatred vnchristian breaking forth in open dissention vpon the least occasion offred and so the bond of peace and christian loue which is the life of Religion is altogether broken and cast off liuing so not as Christians but as rude sauage and cruel wild beasts maligning detracting despising and seeking the mutual destruction of one another which all Christians should abhorre and studie to preuent And lastly of the honor and reuerence wee owe also to our inferiours according to Gods word the Apostle Peter in his 1. Epistle 2. 17. commandeth vs to honour all men for in the meanest man that is the Image of God is represented before our eyes yea oftentimes the true Image of Iesus Christ which is holinesse and sanctification is most seene in such which with all reuerence loue and humilitie we should honour in theÌ„ and in others also knowing that we honour God chiefely in so doing as by contemning such wee contemne and despise God and his image with the humble and low estate of Iesus Christ in them and are a discouragement and scandall vnto such mouing God thereby to despise and refuse vs likewise because we contemne so his best meÌ„bers whom the world fauoureth not because hee hath selected and separate them from the world and the condemnation therof abiding it Let all yong men therefore so humbly and courteously behaue themselues to all persons and of al conditions or estates hie or low that in taking heed so vnto their wayes according to Gods worde they may first purchase and obtain Gods fauour and loue who resisteth the proud and giueth grace vnto the humble who are vile in their owne sight as also they may gayne the loue and good will of all men of meane or great condition whatsoeuer whom they in humilitie and dutie so reuerence and honour and so they may grow in grace and fauour as Christ did with God and man In conference gesture c. let euery yong man also take heed vnto his way of manners to redresse the same according to Gods word In conference 1. speake aduisedly and that very sparingly as Salomon teacheth Pro. 17. 27. Hee that hath knowledge spareth bis words and as the Ethnicks command was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Audito multa loquere pauca Heare many things but speake few God hath giuen two eares as receiuers in but one tongue onely to dispence moderately out againe and by much babling a foole bewrayeth and betrayeth himselfe 2. Speake not commonly chiefly amongst thy betters or elders except thou bee asked or spoken to for Salomon saith