Chap. z 3, AnExpofatiors upon the Bookof JoB. Verf. 2 6. faid, thy youtü lies open to contempt, becaufe it lies fo open to fin : keep to the rule, and thou-wilt keep up thy reputation. Be thou watchful over thy felf, left thou be defpifed : For, I con- ceive, the charge is not fo much given unto others ( though that be agood.fenfe ) as unto timothyhimfelf Paul puts it clofe up- onhim, Let no man defpt fe thyyouth do thou fo behave thy fell, that none may have fo much as a colour or pretence to defpife thee, How he might do fo, his next advice direfis : Be thouan o r mple ofthebelievers,in word,in converfation,inchàrity,in fpirtt, infaith,inpurity,(a Tim.ga2.) Make it appear that thy wifdome and unce. (landing have out-tiript thy years ; make it appear that all gravity do,h not wait upon the hoary head ;, make it appear that fore, even in the bud and blofforne of. nature, are ripe in grace, andmature in holinefs ; write after this copy, and all will either imitate thee, or not concern i'thee :Thus aged Paul lefibos and cauaions his young fcholar 'l imathy, as knowing the diïad-- vantages of youth, and-the temp:ations it fubjefis us to. Secondly, Obferve That fins of youth may prove the fu_fferings ofoldage. As young men who arevery af1ive and venturous receivebo- dily bruifesand blows, in the heat ofyouth, which they feel and !. groan under when they areold : fo likewifethe fins which young men venture upon and make light of, may prefs their fouls, and lyeheavy upon their fpiritsin old age. Job (peaks offume wicked old men (chap. 2o. a I.)whole bones are full of the fins of their youth,which (hall lye down with them in the duff, The fins offorce old menare young :while theirbodies growweak,their lutis grow ilrong :. fuch shall feel more fmart ofthem inold age, than ever they found pleafure or delight in them in youth : Their bones, IbalI be full ofthem, though theirbellies arenever full of them. It is a fad meetingwhen young fins and old bones meet together And it is poflible that even they who have truly repented of the fins of youth, may .yet feel thegrief of them in old age : For though Inch (hall not-be punished for the fins of youth, yetthey are often chatiened for them; and though God will not remem- ber their fins againti them, yet he may give thern-fucü windings , of themas will make their hearts to ake, and themfelves cryout, What fruit have weof thofeyouthful.vanities whereof we are now afhamed, and wherewithwe arenow pained ? -1f our youth', be not given asfarjbfrutts unto God,: he ufually giver us (yet in mere" t 535
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