Thefeuath rrociuc taken fions the bene- fits which ac- ceinf a?ieour eetaueiJìou. Prou,ag. if. 400 Mottoes toperfA de Fs to &Oen our repentance. benefits vvl-iich willaccompanie our fpeedie conuerfion, for fiat vertue and goodnef e being Towne in vs in the timeof youth,will take more deepe roote in vs,fo as it cannot ea(lie be left or loll, foras theveflell cloth longed retaine the finell and tadof that liquor which was put into it whiled it was newandvnfeafoned, fo they will longeft retainevertue and goodneffe whohaue it planted in them in theiryouth,accor- ding to that Prou.2,z.6. Teach a child in the tradeofhis vt ay, andwhen he is old he will not depart from it. Secondly,ifwe turne to Godbetimes, the exercifes ofreligion and workes .,offan&ification, will be farre morepleafant and eafie then if we deferre them till our old age, for often vfe will bring vs to acuflome, and long cudome will worke in vs an habite -ofvertue, which will be eafieand familiar : if children from their youthbebrought vp in trades and occupations which are exceedinghard and difficult, they do attaine to the skill andpraEtife of them with exceeding dexteritie and quick- neffe, but if the learning ofthem bee deferred till old age-, they can neuer attaineveto them,or at leaf+ performe them flowlie and with great diffiicultie; and fo if from our child- hoodweaccuflome our flues to the learningandpraéhlè of theworkes ofholineffe and righteoufneffe, they will grow :exceeding eafie and pleafant, whereas being deferred they will be difficult and tedious.Ifthe oxewhilefi he is youngbe accudomed to the yoke hee draweth in it quietly and with no great paine, but ifhe runne long in thepaf+ure vnbroken and vntamed, when-he is brought to the yooke he firugleth and firiueth,and therewith gallinghisnecke draweth with .exceeding paine and irkfomeneffe; and fo ifin our youth we accuflome our felucs tobeare theyooke of obedience,it will be eafie andpleafant,but ifwe vfe delaics we fhaIl grow llubborne and flifüecked like vntamed oxen, and the bea- ring ofChrids yoke throughour impatiencie, and the rebel- lion ofour nature will gall and'vexevs. Thirdly, theToo- ner wee turne vnto God, the more ioy, peace and comfort fhall wehaue in thewhole courfeofour liues ; for what ioy maybee compared with the ioy in the holie -Ghofl, what ,peace.islike thepeacewithG.od,;and.the peaceofconfcience, -wheys 161
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