z6z eifgainhl cXdulterieandfinnesof Youth. mercies ofGod in lefus Chriflleadevs to thehatred of thisandanother finnes, Like 16. But contrariwife, Sathanand theflefh concludes: Ifthe Lord badhated this fn, he would banepunifhed ifbefore this time in me. In oldeüne he defkroyed many for finne,butnow 1'bereafon of under gracehe is more mnercifull. Ocurled flefh that Both reafonfo much againftreafon our rorraptien andgrace: forthere is nowa fecret curt, of Godvpon,euery (inner, whichwillconfumea for fine. man if it benot preuented:for theword gone out ofGods month,will'lanehiseffét, and Mall notbechangedbecaufe God cannotbechanged. ,.fgain$tbe z Many thinke youthastheflowerof ourage , to hauea priniledgeaboue other ages. vnbridledaf But alas it is anageofgreat confidence: All this I haue done , faiththe young man in the pions Gofpell. Sodangerousistheircafe,thattheymuttnotdoethingsindifferengforfearethey simile. make them fad;and weknow,tliat ordinarie things denied,argue anextraordinaryperil. The prodigall fonne did walkehis foure Rations,and asAmbrof faith, heehad fourepro- notations : firf,his portion : fecondly,hisfathers indulgencie : thirdly, ill companie, but y ouchsnare than all : Pfalm,tr9.19. Dassd abruptlywith an Apoftrophe breaketh off hismeditation into this: YG herewithallfhallayoung manclenfe hismaies?Vponwhich placeall the Fathersagree, that the accent is upon a youngman , for he bathfeweft meanes. The word whichDauidvfeth fordenting is very effe6 uall, by clenfing, fignifying thedenting Simile. ofglaffe, and therefore compareth lie young men to a glailè ; which though it be very cleane,yet itwill gather filch, even in the funne beatnes, and of it felfe, which notes. the great corruption of thisage,Prou.z z. r 3.. hebath a bundleoffollybound clofe in his hart, Pccle.x 1. Children and youth arevaniue : vanitie is not inthem, but theage it felfe is va- Touthbovv nitie. Such is the ftreame ofaffeótions in them,as the heathen thought it belt pollicie to let dangerous- an themhave their conrfea little. But letvs confider theircorruption inoue =attire further. ate Notorily thecommonfort, but thebeft wit,vvhois thought to beof an excellent difpofiti- nn. a.King.zz. Andnot only thebeft in ciuill gifts,but thofethat are beft in fpirituall gra- ces,finde ithard,as Timorhie, whobrought downehis body,that Paulwas faine towriteto him to drinke wine,and forall thathewrote: Fleenewfangledtutes. This Timotbiewas fuch nrr =e+ aone,asthatfaithBernard,GiuemeoneTimothieinthetedales,andifhewillcategoldhe esFar sh,s "Pi"' (hall haue it.Thismaketh nse that I cannot fubftribeto that fàying:WhomGod loueth,he W0 si@- taketliaway in tender yeares.Forlteilyou,irisa dangerous thin to die in outh:andfare- ly,except the Lord worke maruellòufly it is dangerous. Andwhy ? Surely inyoung men it,,,,, . there is a double proneneffe: Firlt, their natural( corruptrim and Mentheir age inwhich their aí%LRious begrounded,but their reafons be raw.Befrcies there the dmelisatisa fpecial affeetmn to this age. And it is a prouerbr,chap. az:Set ayoung-martinhisway, and bewill not departfrom iswhen heisold. Ifyou (lampe garlike in a newmerter, it will alwaies fnellofit. Táùrfi. 3 . Chriltfaith, Sufferlittleones tocomewasme: Ifthey can fingbutHofanna,andknow not the meaning. It is a good thing to doeasMarie did, betimes to layvp inourhearers fuch thinges out ofthe word as wedoe not know,whileasyet thou artrude (faith Hilary) leaf} then thou begin,when thoufhouldef end. 4 The feruiceof youthhowgreatly it plcafèthGod, may appeare. MofesandAaron} rodwas ofan almond tree: what this figuremeant,istaught, Ieretn.1. Iam bura childe: le isno matter faithGod: What Cecil thou? an Almond tree,which inthofe countries (where itgroweth)is thefirll that dot. blofome.Him that Godwillháue hisrod,muft beabranch ofthetrees that flrft blof orne. Thefirfi fruites,and the firft borneare due vetoGod. And this is the differencebetweenethe facrifice of Cainand of Abel: Cainoffered hecarednot what, butAbeloffered the firft fruites, and the belt,: and this is the belt noteto know, a Cain,r heart fromanAbe/s. Aunimnalcs S Confider Gods liking ofTimothie,Dauid, Samuel, theProphétofProphets,whofir- arboecs, land God whenhewas'achild,andfothe good king lofaah.Tlsefewerenot treeswhich bloC-- Mine when others haue done.Lec men be rimier fufoundly comelsome,it were better they Takeheed,rf had neuer bin fo,both for the Churches and themfelues,forthey carriethefinel ofthegar- balks ofyouth. hckc snorter ilillwhere euertheygoe.. 6 Old menwhichhauehuedhoofehy in youth, haue great diffidence in thrmfchues, fat they dare not reprehend to fharpelie,, as others; nor punifh fo feaerely as they firould,tfor
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