The qualities of youth. the fecond Sunday inLent. Ser.17, Adolefcentiorexas. The youngerof them . TheSaints and Doctors doe multip'ie the niotiues of this his longing to begadding abroad. But themaine Motiuewas, that beewas yong,and defirousoflibertie. He that names theword;Youth,nanies ignorance, fntall experience, infinite longings,a fuddenquickneffe in entertaining them,and a foolifhrafhnefl'e in inioyingthem. Through afoolifh longing, Adam and Eue loftthe greateft Empire that euer was acknowledged by theWorld ,' in leffe than fixhoures ; beingprefently turnedout of Gods bleffing (as they fày ) into thewarmeSunne ; andoutofa Paradife , into a placeofniiferie. Theywere yong, and there is not thatVice ( as Saint Aufien faith ) which will not feeke to lodge itfelfeinyouths bofome. They were youngmen , which Ezechiefl faw with their backes turnedto theSant is fauaarum, entertaining themfelueswith thefragrant fweetPent of flowers. They were yongmen, which in the Bookeof Wifedome,plant in all haft aVineyardofVices. Vtamur Creatura, tanquam in iuuentute,celeritur. Theywere yongmen,which loft Rehoboam his kingdome.He was ayongman (faithSalomon) whom the married wife inherhusbands ábfence inuited toher houfe,and toher bed,beingled along by her,asanOxe that goeth to the flaughter, oras a Foote to the ftockes for correction. Hee was a young.. man,that would take vponhimto guidethe horfes and chariot oftheSun. Yong- men arethofe,whommisfortunes daylymakeanend offin the prime and flower of theiryouthful' yeares. In regardofwholemanifold dangers, Dauiddidde- fire of God, Thathe would nottakehimaway in thedayes ofhis youth. His formeSalomon, was many dayes together much vexedwith the rawneffe and ig- noranceof hisheire , that was to fucceed him as diuining ofthedifaffers, which were toenfue foprofperous a raigne, Ihatedallmy labour whereinI hadtra- áailedwader theSwinewbleb! fhallleaue to the man that fhallbee after mee; Andwho k»oweth,whetherhefhalbewif.orfoolifh? The fecond motiue was, That he might befarreout offight fromhisfathers prefence,which hethoughttoogreataneye -fore,hauinga defire tobe free from the refpeét and' eùérencewhich was due vnto him, from his inftruétions,admo- nitions,inquiries, and chitlings. Thiswas the end, whyhee was willing to tra- uell,and the beginning ofhis ruine. The juft man , hath euer God beforehis eyes. Asthe eyesofa maiden canto thebands ofherMight , euen f oureyes Waite vp- On the Lordour God. Thefirmer would not,that Godseyesfhould feehim,nor his eyes fee God; that hemight finnethe more freely : and therefore hee faith to himfelfe, Tufh Godbathforgotten ; bee bideth awayhisface , andbewillnester fee it. HowfbeuldGodknow, canhe judgethrough thedaréenefe ? TheGlandes hide him that hecannotfee, and hewalketh throuugh thecircleoflimes,Inaword, this yong man did feeke to fluke off fromhis fhoulders all tholeobligations, which the pre- fence ofhis fathermight layvpon him. But it feemethto Saint t 4uféu,thatthe caufe of his lierdition,was Pride, hisnot acknowledgingof fubiection,norfu- perioritie. This was the finneof Lucifer inHeauen and ofAdam in Paradice. InitiumflerbiehominiaapoffatareaDeo. ThisdoctrineofSaints luJlens; batha great delleof rafononit's fide, as is obfer-ned byThomas : Forall othervices tìiakeá man goe departing fromGod by degrees,wheeling aboutas it were,and fetching compáffe 5 but Prideftanding outfti%againft God, and reeking as it were tooutface him, falsprefently toanabfntutene lectof'hisdiuineMaieftie. But it farethwith himaswith the Sunneikr tho'fe parts when it fets, it fink es on the fudden;and irisinflantlÿ night : S;owhëñ the Proudeman fall, he fals-fud- denly, ) 273 Prou.7.' Ecc!.ste. The wicked loue not to bee checkt in their proceedings. PP.! 23. P/blto.rs. 106:2.13.14.
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