Epif[CeofS. Pau/ to Tiltu. and his Prophet againft him: had no Ruch holdof comfort elfwhere,then in calling to mind the innocencie ofhis life, a tefiitnonie that he was in couenant withGod,and might looke to fee the goodneffeof-the Lord in the laud ofthe lining RememberLord, home Ibane waled before thee in truth, andwith aperfef heart. Now for the helpes furthering this dunk. T. Young men mutt take notice of that great bundle of follie, which is naturally bound vp in their hearts, the corruption ofthat age beeing Ruch, as needeth not any occafionwithout it fclfe, to calf it downe. a. That the means to redreffe it, is theftosdie of the Scriptures, vinto the rules whereof they mutt haue regard, and not to the examples of men. 3. That if they will needes be given to imitation then muff they imitate not the moli , but the bell of that age; fuch as was young Daniel, who in tender yeares was a- ble to vtter knowledge, Dan. 1.4. youngSamuel, who fo Toone as he is weaned, mutt [land before the Lord , 3. Sam. t. young loffah, who at eight yeare olde walked vprightly , 2. King. ai. young Timothie, who knew the Scriptures of a child; yea ofChriff himfelfe, who increa- fed in wifedorne as in flature; fo as at twelueyeares oldehe was able to confound the Do6lors , and great Rabbies of the Imes 4. That a- gainlf all the difcouragements they (hall meete withail from men , as that they are too forward, Toone ripe, and young Saints, Etc. they muli oppofe the Lords good plcafure, who requireth firhlings, firff fruiter, firff borne of man and beau[ ; the frrfi moneth, yea the firff dayof that moneth, for the celebratingof the pafleouer : and delighteth in whole, and fatte olfcrings, not in the lame ,leane ,andblindfacrtficet which his fouls abhorrech : for of all the formes of men, theLord neuer tooke fuch pleafure,as in buch whowere fanekified euen from the womhe.Some of the learned call men to the tim:ly feruice of God, from the allufion of Moles rodde, Exod. °. and Ifaies vifion, chap. 9. both of the almond tree, becaufeofalltreesthatfoonefiputteth forth her bloffomes: how found that colletlion is, I will not {Rand to enquire ; onely this is true, thatRuch as wouldbe trees of righteoufnefle, andknowne tobeof the Lords planting, laden (efpecially in their age) with the fru ;tes of the fpirit, muff with the almond ttee,timely.budde and blofforne,and beare, that their whole hues may be a fruitfull courbe, whereby Godmay bee glorified , and thcmfelues receiue in the ende a more full confolati- on. The fecond point in the verbe i, The manner ofte4chisog young men; Exhort young men: fo, r. Tim. 5. t. Exhort old men as fathers, and youngmenue brethren. The fcope of the Minifferie is, tó drawe all men to duty,andbeeing ordained of God out of his fingulat loue for the C c 3 }vinpipg CHAP.?,.6e 407 Ifa.16.r. Helps to the farmer duty. Proau.e3. i 2 Pfal,t,99. 3 It was a great commendation of Origeo,that like anodic:. Timothy he learned the Scrip:arcs ofa child.Eufcb.lib. s.cap:3. 4 51a1.e03.e4. Almond trcean h.eblemc of fmwardncs that fhouldbe jn youci,.
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