A YOUNG MAN'S INQVISITION, OR TRIAL. Whereby all young men (as of all ages) may know how to redress and direct their ways, according to God's word, and if they be in the way of life to salvation, or in the way of death, to condemnation. Together with a godly and most comfortable Meditation and Prayer joined thereunto.  GALAT. 5. 25. If we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit. 
By William Guild.  
AT LONDON. Printed by R. Raworth, for john Bache, and are to be sold at his shop in Popes-head Palace. 1608.   

To the most worthy, and zealous of God's truth, the Senate and City of Aberdene, together with the painful, and faithful Pastors of the same, all grace and peace from above, constancy in the purity of the truth, joy of God's spirit here, and eternal joy, glory, and happiness, with the same spirit in the world to come, Amen.  
HIpponicus the Son of Hippias, a citizen of Athens, having decreed and appointed to erect and dedicate a certain Image unto his native soil, as a testimony and manifestation, of his ardent love, dutiful affection, and gratitude towards the same, was counseled and importunately persuaded by his friends and kinsfolks (who did hear of his immutable determination thereunto) to give out the same to be framed & made by Polycletus, (an excellent graver of Images in those times) but he greatly disassenting from their opinion, and rejecting their importunate persuasions, answered them; that in doing so, he should exhibit to the eyes of Athens, an image or representation, rather of the excellent Art of Polycletus, the Image maker, than (according to his intention) the image & manifestation of his own love, regard, and affection; & that likewise it might be that Athens so should rather respect the one, then perceive so well or regard the other: and therefore he had decreed, to manifest his own affection or heart, by his own hand, persuading himself, that the whole, to wit, the manifestation howsoever, as his love manifested, proceeding both from himself, would be more acceptable to his Athenians, than the exact art of expert Polycletus; and that not having great occasion to fix their eyes only upon the exquisite work of the image or representation, to say, who wrought it? they would only behold the ardent affection represented of him who dedicated the same: So likewise with Hipponicus, after long and earnest wishing of an occasion, whereby I might in some sort also, manifest and testify my dutiful affection, regard, remembrance, and gratitude; which I owe to the Athens of my birth & education, as a small river returning to his Ocean. I have decreed to erect and dedicate unto the same, as an image and plainer manifestation of my love, (being a young man myself) this image and representation of a godly and Christian young man, trying his ways, and by earnest enquiring in consolation with God, showing whereby or how to redress the same, to wit, in taking heed thereto, according to God's word. unto the which exemplar, I wish that every young man may (as he should) conform himself; & being invaded or never so little stung, with the poisonable & serpentine lusts of youth, whereof this wilderness is so full, he may unto this image, erected in God's word, lift up his eyes, thereby & therein beholding his duty, and the safety of his soul, which (with Hipponicus) I persuade myself likewise, that it shall be so in love accepted of my native Athens and Athenians, as in love, and a testimony of my love, I dedicate the same unto them. In the framing whereof, albeit the exact art of Polycletus be wanting, and is not to be expected, yet with him, without any suspecting of the contrary, I do assure and persuade myself, that the love of the Dedicatour with his intention to manifest & testify hereby the same, will be more respected and weighed in the balance of reciprocal love, (which covereth many infirmities) than the Image thereof dedicated, or manner of testification howsoever. In the which assurance and persuasion, I do rest, repose, secure & satisfy myself; desiring withal, and earnestly wishing, that the almighty God of Israel, who neither slumbereth nor sleepeth, may ever be the watchman and wall of the City, with the s●nne of his love, and sincere truth of his Son, that he may ever shine in and upon it, that the Candlestick thereof may never be removed, nor the Chariots and Horsemen thereof taken away, but his blessings may be upon his people externally, internally, eternally, Amen.  
William Guild.   

TO THE THREE Right worshipful Brethren, Sir john Sheffeeld, Knight; Master Edward and Master William Sheffeeld, sons to the truly, noble, and right honourable, the Lord Sheffeeld, Lord Precedent of York, and one of his majesties most honourable order of the Garter: all increase of true virtue, honour, and happiness here, and eternal felicity with Christ for ever hereafter.  
IT is said of Apelles, (a most cunning Painter) that after he had painted and appointed any piece of work, to be exhibited to a public view in any open place, used to lurk privily behind the same himself, to hear the divers and dissonant opinions & censures, which the pass●rs by used, and did pronounce of his picture; and willing to satisfy their curious & captious natures, withal used to excuse himself by under writing so, Apelles faciebat, (not fecit). If Apelles therefore in his age, sole and most expert in his art, used never to expone any picture to public view, without shrouding himself (as it were) both with his bo●●d and this forenamed excuse, from the captious tongues of the multitude; verily the use of patronage in these our days, wherein so many of carping Zoilus, & taxing Momus liveth, is not only customable, but also altogether necessary, who verifieth the Proverb, Quot capita, tot sententiae, & quam varia ora, tam varia judicia, and are busy to be pulling out the mote out of their neighbours eyes, not consulting with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nosce te ipsum, to take the beam first o●t of their own. Therefore it is (right Worshipful Trinarie) that leaving the Viper to the file, & hos ardeliones, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; yet this time I have presumed to shroud and cover this little Treatise, under the shield of your benevolence and favour, offering and dedicating these small and unworthy labours of a young man, concerning a young man's direction in his life, according to God's word, with the hands and heart of all humility, duty, and affection to you, the young branches and happy offspring of so noble a stock, whose root so to fasten & establish in the land wherein he liveth with honour, and in the land of the living for ever, that the worm of his enemies may never prevail to make any of the least of his branches to wither or decay, but they may ever spread, and more and more flourish in all godliness, honour, & blessedness: I pray almighty God, to the glory of his name, his Church's comfort, and the posterities happy memory; persuading myself, that as in all hearty and unexpressible love, (my conscience bearing me witness) I present the same unto your worships, till God enable me more to express my devotion: so also you will graciously accept thereof, respecting rather the inward affection of the heart dedicating, then the outward thing by it dedicated; as also assuring myself, that jonas was never better guarded under the shadow of his green and tender Gourd, from the offensive heat of the scorching Sun; Ulysses never thought himself more safe, when he did hold the weapon of noble Achilles in his hand; nor jole daughter to King Euritus, more feared when she did stand armed with the weapon of valiant Hercules: then I shall be safe and secure, under the shadow of your protection, and refreshing wings of your Worship's favour, resting and reposing myself with my labours.  
Your Worships in most humble duty, and heartiest affections devoted, WILLIAM GVILDE.   

A YOUNG MAN'S INQVISITION or Trial.  PSAL. 119. VERS. 9 Wherewith shall a young man redress his way? In taking heed thereto, according to thy word. 
COncerning the Author of this Psalm, amongst writers there is no concordance, and agreement, in certainty of any nominated particular; but as the tree is known by his fruits, so it is evident by this Psalm, and the manifold comfortable matter therein contained, that he was a singular sanctified & holy Prophet of God, who wrote the same, by the special inspiration of God's holy Spirit. And it appeareth more particularly that the certain Author thereof was David, being then a young man in Saul's Court, then greatly corrupted (as by his collation verse, 100 appeareth) and that he did meditate this Psalm not 
1. Sa. 17. 49.  long time after the slaughter of Goliath, 
1. Sam. 18. 9  being presently thereafter notwithstanding, laid open to the narrow marking and hatred of Saul himself, 
Ps. 119 161.  and to the malice of his wicked servants, as also beset and pursued with the temptations of the 
Psal. 119. 157  enticing pleasures and manifold alluring vanities of youth. Which desiring to avoid, and to institute his life and ways according to the law of God, that so he might have God's love more increased towards him to encounter the unjust hatred of man, and his strength more confirmed in his heart, to overcome the manifold temptations of frail youth. He therefore imploreth God's help and the assistance of his Spirit, 
Verse. ●8.  to open his eyes that he may see the wonders of his law, to make him understand the way of his precepts, 
27.  to direct him therein, 
35.  to incline his heart to his testimonies, 
36.  to turn away his eyes from regarding vanity, and to quicken him in his way, 
37.  to direct his steps in his word, and let no iniquity have dominion over him, 
133.  to deliver him from the oppression of men, that he might keep his statutes, and to let his loving kindness and salvation 
134.  come unto him according to his promise. 
41   
The title prefixed before this Psalm is, Halleluiah, an Hebrew word, used as well by God's Saints on earth in praising of his name, as by David, Psalm. 76. as also by the glorified spirits and Angels in heaven before his throne, 
Re●. 19 〈…〉  retained by all Nations and peoples, and unturned in their own native and proper tongue or language by any, for the ●●●estie and reverence the H●brew word importeth in itself, incommunicable to any other. As for the signification thereof, it is compounded of two words, Hallelu, a verb in the imperative mood signifying Praise, and jah, the glorious name of God, retained so in the original, Psalm. 53. unexpressed by any other word: so that by this signification, the reason of the intitulation thereby, of this Psalm, is this; that in the same great matter of praising Gods holy name, is set before our eyes, who in his love to man, hath manifested his will in his powerful word, by the keeping whereof, and walking in the same, we are made truly happy & perfectly blessed, vers. 1, 2. Whereby young and old may redress, purify, and make strait their sinful, unclean and crooked ways, reforming and conforming them by the same to his will. Which as it is the word of him, who is the resurrection & the life, so it quickens every dead soul in sin, 
Ver. 25. 50. 39  raising it up to newness of life; a counsellor to the simple, 
Verse, 24.  a delight to the godly, a lantern to our feet in darkness, 
Verse, 105.  and light to our path in the night; 
Ver. 11, & 28  a comfort in trouble, which raiseth, and saveth from sin, and preserveth from eternal confusion, as verse, 6. So that for this great and excellent benefit, and for such an inestimable jewel, in this Psalm revealed unto us, we are bound with that wise Merchant in the Gospel, to rejoice exceedingly in our heart, and to express and manifest our joy in hearty praise and thanksgiving to God the giver thereof. And so forth for the signification of the title of this Psalm, or inscription, with the reason thereof, and use made in this place. As for the further etymology, according to the Latin orthography thereof: 
Ha. l●. lu. ja.  some maketh it to include a mystery in it, making the first syllable, Al, to signify Altissimus; the second, le, to import leuatu● in cruse; the third, lu, lugeb●nt sancti; and the fourth, jam, iam vero resurrexit; including so therein the mystery of the passion and resurrection of Christ, which is the chief and only cause to move all christian hearts to rise in hearty praise and thanksgiving to God on high.  
The Doctrine contained in this Psalm or matter, is moral, which as it is above all other most pleasant and delectable; so this Psalm containing the same, as in length, so in excellency it surpasseth the rest, as the Sun doth the small glistering stars in glory and brightness of light, showing and setting forth to the eyes of all men, the inestimable worth and rare virtue of GOD'S word, with the most blessed & happy estate of all those whose delight is therein, and who maketh it a rule to conform all their actions thereby, and their way wherein they will walk.  
The Psalm itself, according to the form thereof, is of a mixed kind of style, containing divers exhortations to all men, who would attain unto true happiness to seek after God's word, and embrace the same with their whole heart, walking therein, and practising the same in their life and conversation, with sundry and sweet comforts to the godly that are afflicted any way; also confessions of his own delight, earnest desire, estimation, ardent love, and careful observation of God's precepts and word, fearful threatenings to the wicked, who despiseth the same, and many earnest prayers to God to confirm him in his truth, to establish his feet in his ways, and to take away all impediments whatsoever might hinder his course in this path of salvation.  
The division of the Psalm is in 22. sections called octonaries, according to the number of the letters of the Hebrew Alphabet, being so many. Every section or octonary containing 8. several and distinct verses, beginning all in the original Hebrew text, with one several letter, wherein some will have a mystery included. But there are three chief reasons rendered thereof: the first is, that it is done and composed so, for the greater ornament of the Psalm, the matter thereof being so excellent. The second is, that the excellent doctrine and matter of the Psalm may be the more diligently noted, & greater delight & estimation had thereof. And thirdly, that these excellent doctrines abounding so in every part and verse of the Psalm, being many, divers, and so necessary by this form of composition and order, they may more easily be comprehended in our memory. But Ambrose upon this same Psalm, yieldeth a fourth reason & use, diverse from the former of the notation of this Psalm so, which is thus; Vt paruulorum Ingenia primis literarum elementis legendi usum addiscunt: ita nos buiusmodi elementis usum vivendi: As the Engines or wits of little children (saith he) by the first elements of letters learneth the use of reading, so let us by these Elements learn the use of living.  
The full Alphabet whereby this Psalm is noted, noteth to us the fullness of the matter therein contained, and that we with our whole affections should fully embrace the same, and with all our heart and soul desire it, and delight therein.  
The diversity of the letters showeth the diversity and plenty of matter, that is set before our eyes; as so many pleasant & wholesome delicate dishes, at a bountiful banquet.  
The unity of all the verses in every octonarie beginning with one letter, doth demonstrate the unity of the matter therein contained, to the delight whereof, if we will unite our hearts, it is able to unite us with God our Father in love.  
By the octonar number in every section is declared, 
Leuit. 12.  that as the purification of uncleanness, and the celebration of Circumcision (whereby the foreskin of the flesh was taken away) by God's law, was observed the eight day; even so by the embracing of these doctrines and observing of God's holy Law (whose excellency and powerful effects are set down in these octonaries) our hearts shall be purified, and made clean before God, having thereby the foreskin of our heart, which barreth out God's spirit, that king of glory from entering into it, and our carnal affections taken away, our drossy & unclean corruption, by the fire of that word and spirit burned up, and consumed, and the Image of God, jesus Christ, that second Adam restored to us; with whom we must rise in righteousness, as by sin in that first Adam, we all did fall and lost that glorious Image of our Creator, and God.  
As for the Argument of the whole Psalm: In the same the holy Prophet of God exhorteth all the faithful, and members of the true Church of Christ, carefully to retain, keep and observe the word of God in all sincerity & purity of truth, eschewing all addition, or mixture of man's wisdom (which is foolishness) thereunto, and worshipping God, as he hath commanded and warranted us, in his word only. As also that not only we retain the same in the sincerity thereof, worship GOD only according thereunto, but also we make it a rule to all our actions, practising the same daily: night and day delighting and meditating therein: laying and hiding it up in our hearts: and by the sanctification of our life, to show the piety of our heart, thought, word, and deed agreeing thereunto. And because to understand God's word (in respect of our natural ignorance) and in our life to practise the same (in respect of the dominion of sin, that he hath gotten over us) is not of the strength of man, but must be the power, & work of God's holy spirit, therefore he mixeth often prayers; to open his eyes; to make him understand the way of his precepts, 
Vers. 18.  to direct his steps therein, 
27.  and to let no Iniquity have dominion over him: 
37.  by this example teaching us the like 
133.  duty. There are joined also thanksgivings of the Prophet, that already (as he confesseth to God's glory & the encouragement of the faithful) he had found and perceived in his heart, the beginnings of true faith, comfort, and new obedience to be kindled, which earnestly he craves to be augmented and confirmed in him, thereby also in his person teaching us our duty, to inquire if we can, or have found Gods graces begun, sowed or rooted in our hearts; if not as yet to desire the same earnestly, if already to crave the increasing and confirmation further thereof, and be truly thankful for that we have received. 
Vers. 25. 28. 81. & 120.  He complaineth also, showing the heaviness, faintness, grief, and fear that he hath conceived for the horror of his sins: notwithstanding comforting himself, and all the godly, that are inwardly or outwardly afflicted, by relying in faith upon God's promise, and salvation revealed and made to him, and to all those that believe in his name; which is, and must be, the only ease and comfort to any afflicted soul. As also of the multitude, 
Vers. 157. 161. 93.  greatness, and cruelty of his enemies, that despising God's law themselves, did seek likewise to hinder him from walking therein, for whom his eyes notwithstanding, did gush out with rivers of water, because they kept not the same, desiring God therefore to repress their cruelty, and wicked enterprise, and the more they did seek to draw him away from his law and obedience, that he would in his mercy the more confirm and establish him in his statutes; showing thereby the many hindrances, that the godly hath ever had, and shall continually have cast in their way by Satan, to hinder their journey to that spiritual Canaan, with their joshua, jesus: and our duty therein, to be sorry for their aberring, and desire our own confirmation; likewise, as he did show that they were blessed who walked in God's law, so to the wicked he showeth their condition, and that their portion is shame and confusion, if they will not return and walk also therein: so setting before every man's eyes, with Moses, life and death to choose.  
The division of the Psalm (according to the matter therein contained) may be in four parts.  
In the first whereof, he showeth the true felicity and happiness of the godly, to be placed and consist in the study, belief, and obedience of the will of God revealed & manifested unto us in his word, which (in respect of the excellency thereof, the desire and estimation we should also have of the same in our heart) is adorned with many titles proper thereunto.  
In the second part, the Prophet (for an example to the faithful) earnestly desireth God, to inform and confirm him in the knowledge, study, belief & obedience of his revealed will, by the operation of his powerful spirit, who may enlighten his understanding, reform and conform his will to his own, sanctify his affections and all the members of his body, seeing the same is not in the power of man to do, neither can flesh and blood reveal the same to us.  
In the third part, he desireth God to deliver him from all impediments, whether of his own flesh, of sin, the world, Satan, or his outward enemies, which might hinder or stay him any ways from walking more freely in the paths of salvation and his word.  
And in the last and fourth part, being privy to his own conscience, of the institution of his former life, and equity of his cause, he imploreth Gods constant assisting grace, in the administration of the rest of his life, committing and commending to his eternal protection, for ever, himself and his cause.  
So far in general, concerning the Author, Intitulation, Notation, Argument, and Division of this Psalm, for an Induction to the specials following.  
Now concerning the special notation, argument, and division of this second octonary, or section. The first verse whereof, by the assisting grace of God's spirit, shall be by us handled.  
The notation of this second octonary, is by the second letter of the Hebrew Alphabet, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beth: wherewith every verse in the original, contained in this section is noted, and beginneth.  
The signification thereof (as all Hebrew letters signify, and therein excelleth all other letters) is double, for it is either Confusio, as Ambrose turneth it, and so, the reason why this octonary is noted therewith, is thus; that whosoever redresseth his way by God's word, seeketh him with his whole heart, wandereth not from his commandments, hideth his promise in his heart, that he sin not against him, declareth the judgements of his mouth, delighteth in the way of his testimonies, meditateth in his precepts, and forgetteth not his word: whosoever (I say) observeth these eight things, contained in this octonary, of eight Verses, shall never see Confusion. This same reason and promise is set down more briefly in the 5. & 6. verses of this Psalm, the words whereof are these, O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes this is the wish or condition; the promise by way of inference followeth; Then should I not be confounded: the condition repeated; When I have respect unto all thy commandments. But we must understand that there is a twofold confusion, for there is, Confusio damnationis; a confusion of condemnation, inflicted upon the reprobate by God in his justice, for just desert and punishment of their sins, of the which the Prophet of God, in this place meaneth: and there is confusio contritionis, a confusion of repentance proper to the godly, which proceedeth of humility and sorrow for their sins, wherewith God in his mercy moveth their heart, that so he may accept them in his favour, raise them by the comfort of his spirit, and forgive them their just desert for their offences, which every one must have, who would escape that eternal and fearful confusion of everlasting destruction.  
The other signification of this Letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beth, is Domus; a house (whose figure it representeth) and so the reason is thus, that whosoever would be counted as one of God's house, and so be saved; As God (the Master of the house) is pure and clean; his house and servants clean likewise: so thou who would adjoin thyself in thy youth to their society, and eat at his table: thou must be clean also; Cleansing thy ways according to his word: putting on that white clean rob of the righteousness of jesus Christ, that wedding garment, & serving him in his Family, in purity & holiness of life, by observing these doctrines which are here set down in this section to do the same.  
The Argument of this Section is this, as in the former generally to all men he commended the desire of godliness, and keeping of God's word, showing the estate of such to be blessed, and that to be the only way to attain to true & perfect happiness for ever: so now in this octonary, and first verse thereof: particularly he commendeth the same desire of piety, and observation of God's word, unto young men first, and that for two chief causes moving him. Whereof the first is, because that age, placeth a man uncertain, between two ways, what course of life to choose, (as Xenophon reporteth of Hercules out of Prodicus; and Cicero in the first of his Offices saith, Imprimis autem constituendum est qui nos, & quales esse velimus, quae deliberatio est omnium diffic●ll●na. We must first appoint what men, and of what sort or calling we would be, which advisement of all other is hardest and most difficult, in such an hard & doubtful deliberation: therefore the Prophet here showeth that no better nor surer counsel can be, then to follow God's word, 
Vers. 24.  as our counsellor which may both direct and retain us in a good course of life, and therefore not to delay time till old age: but to begin in our youth, which whosoever neglecteth, and therein hardens his heart in sin, that man hardly is, or can be recalled and brought (except it be by the extraordinary mercy of God) to repentance and a good life hereafter.  
The second reason is, because youth is carried with a more headlong force unto vice, lust, and vain pleasures of the flesh: Therefore it hath need of straighter discipline, more careful watching, and harder bridling, and more diligent instruction by the word of God, which except it be adhibited timely, there is great peril, and it is to be feared, lest head-longs in the vehemency of their course, they be carried suddenly into utter destruction, which lamentable experience hath too often taught to be true.  
The division of this octonar is in three chief parts. The first whereof, is contained in this first Verse, which God willing shall be entreated of; wherein (being to show the excellent effects of God's word, in this whole Psalm) is, that it keepeth from sin, it quickeneth, it bringeth peace, and gladness to the heart, it giveth understanding &c. (thereby the more to induce and mrue every man, to a greater desire and love thereof) He setteth down here the first particular and chief effect of God's word, as to all ages and men, so chiefly and more particularly, commending and commanding the study, exercise, and desire thereof; to youth (the firstage, capable of the same) for the reasons and causes aforesaid.  
The second part of this octonary, is from the 1. Verse thereof to the 15. wherein he setteth down his own example, for confirmation, and further moving of young men, to embrace his former exhortation, and it containeth four several confessions made unto God. The first, of his great desire to God's word, 
Vers. 10.  in seeking him with his whole heart; with a prayer to confirm him the more therein. The second, of his great care and estimation he had thereof, 
Vers. 11.  in hiding it in his heart▪ for the end, that he should not sin against him. 
Vers. 13.  The third of the declaring of the judgements of his mouth with his lips: 
Vers. 14●.  and the fourth, of the great delight he had therein, as in all riches. In the midst of his confessions, vers. 12. interponing a thanksgiving and prayer. Blessed art thou O Lord, teach me thy statutes.  
The third part, is in the 15. and 16. Verses, containing a fourfold promise further, according to his fourfold former Confession, which are; first, 
Vers. 15.  Meditation in his precepts: secondly, consideration of his ways: 
Vers. 16.  thirdly, delight in his statutes: and fourthly, remembrance of his word.  
The first part of the octonary contained in this first Verse thereof, is divided again in two parts, a question, and answer made thereunto, (albeit there be some who make all the Verse a question only, thereby denoting the difficulty (chiefly in young men) to live according to God's law, & framing it so, according to the Hebrew: Whereby shall a young man cleanse his way, that he may keep the same, according to thy word?  
The Question. Wherewith shall a young man redress his way?  
In this question there are four things to be considered. First, the person concerning whom this question is moved, described by his age; A young man. Secondly, the matter of the question; A young man's way. Thirdly, an action is set down; Redressing, or cleansing thereof; in futuro, of the contrary, thereby signifying, the present estate thereof to be unclean and unredressed in itself. And the fourth means; Wherein? or wherewith? this action should be performed, by way of interrogation denoting the difficulty thereof.  
The answer hath reference unto the question propounded so: Wherewith shall a young man redress his way? In taking heed thereto, where the actions of redressing, and taking heed hath their reference: the rule of both is, according to thy word.  
The translation of the question, according to the original in the Hebrew is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in quo mundabit, etc. Wherein shall a young man cleanse his way? 
Gen. 6. 5.  as if he would say; seeing the way of all men is defiled with many enormities, and much filthiness of sin in all ages, but chiefly youth is polluted with great iniquity, and uncleanness of the burning lusts of the carnal affections: therefore (sin in them being most strongest, and so most severely and soon to be repressed) wherein or in what manner shall a young man purge the uncleanness of his youth, and redress these strong enormities of his life? The vulgar translation is wherewith, or by what way or means may, or shall a young man redress and rectify his way and course of living? All to the same sense and meaning.  
First, that this admonition and exhortation of young men in this verse is propounded question-wise, Wherewith? etc., It teacheth us, first the difficulty of the redressing the way of our youth, both in respect of the perverse and adverse nature thereof, from hearing good counsel and the godly grave instructions of our elders, as also of the unaptness of this age, to follow or to embrace the same, except by God's special grace it be assisted & seconded, which is plainly manifested in the examples of those in the primitive world, that despised old Noah's instructions, of the Sodomites, and chiefly the two sons in law of old Lot, to whom he appeared, to mock when wisely and lovingly he warned them to flee God's judgements, of the two sons of old Eli, who despised their father's reproof and warning to abstain from the filthy lusts and sins, with sundry others, whose end was ever fearful destruction and overthrow, for youth like an untamed or wild colt, can hardly hear or will obey, the straight bridle that restraineth liberty, it cannot away with grave counsel of his Elders: but as foolish Rehoboam, despised his father's old counsellors, and heard the furious and hot young men that were brought up with him. So they think old age, doting, and willingly hath a ready ear open to the enticing Sirens of their own affections and youthly lusts, who are their young counsellors, and Placebos, hearing and being seduced by them: till many of them have lost a greater kingdom than Solomon could leave to his son, even that kingdom of heaven, which Christ hath purchased by his blood; they will follow whether they draw them, and sail as they blow in their sails, till on the pernicious rocks of fearful destruction, many of them make shipwreck, they will not be recalled nor awake, but lie asleep upon the deceitful knees, of the delaying and dallying Dalilah, of the filthy lusts and vain poisonable pleasures until they have lost their strength, God's graces and benefits bestowed upon them, become a mocking stock for their enemies, and a ready prey for Satan, that greedy devouring Lyon. Therefore let all young men, (considering that the difficulty of youth is such, to hear or obey good and grave instructions, whereby their ways may be redressed,) desire and entreat earnestly of God Almighty, to give them his grace and the assistance of his spirit, that their ears may be willingly and readily open to hear his word, and the godly admonitions of their Elders, to give them hearts to understand aright, that it is for their great & only good, to follow the same, to shut their ears and hearts, to all enticing of sin or vice, & to direct their footsteps into his holy way: that by his grace they may the more easily walk from grace to grace: & truly such difficulty resisted & overcome, maketh a greater and more glorious victory to every young man, who hath God's fear before his eyes.  
The second thing which we note, by the interrogative setting down, of this exhortation of youth, is, not only the forenamed natural difficulty, in them for redressing of their ways: but also the duty of all Youth, as the Prophet here in the person of a young man plainly showeth: which is that every one should enter into a diligent examination & inquisition of his ways, and that, not consulting with flesh and blood, for then many excuses and delays shall be, but with the Prophet here, with and before God alone, inquiring of his ways according to his word. The further command of this duty, beside the prophet's example here, is plainly set down in the old testament: Lam. 3. 40. Let us search and try our ways and turn again unto the Lord: the neglect and incommodity whereof, the same Prophet complaineth greatly upon: jere. 8. 6. I hearkened, & heard, but none spoke aright; no man repent him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? (the incommodity followeth) every one therefore turned to his race, as a horse rusheth into the battle. In the new Testament, also the Apostle commandeth the same duty: 2. Cor. 13. 5. Prove yourselves whether you are in the faith, 
1. Cor. 11. 28.  examine yourselves; know you not your own selves? how that jesus Christ is in you, except you be reprobates. So that this trial and diligent examination must be in the heart of every true Christian, young and old; and indeed it is the very first step to salvation: Marry Magdalen, before ever she could come near to Christ, or found any comfort in him, she tried and with mourning considered; What are my ways? what have I done? Peter, ere ever Christ looked comfortably upon him again, after his denial, with bitter tears he considered; what have I done?  
The Prodigal child, and true pattern of a converted sinner, before ever he saw his father's face or house: his first step, was, he considered with sorrow and tried; What have I done? Paul, before his co●uersion, heard from heaven and considered in his heart; What he had done, before he said, Lord, what shall I do?  
The jews at Peter's Sermon were pricked in their consciences, and with grief of mind considered; What they had done, before they could say: Men and brethren, what shall we do? For this trial is the first step and embracing of God's mercy. For from serious trial cometh true acknowledging, from true acknowledging, cometh humble confession, and from humble confession proceedeth the assurance of absolution, and comfort of God's spirit: if we judge ourselves, we shall not be judged (saith the truth) and how can we judge before trial and knowledge? Therefore let every young man learn to try himself and his ways: What he hath done, according to God's word: For without this first inquisition to find out the error & impurity of our ways, we shall never attain to the second, to inquire Wherewith they shall be cleansed, redressed, or rectified,  
The 3. thing which is to be noted by this inquisitive manner of the Prophet's speech, and which may be called the second step to salvation is, that after such diligent and earnest inquiry of our ways, What we have done, we must also join a true acknowledging and humble confession of our error & transgression, proceeding from an inward grief, with an hearty desire of redressing; for how can a young man inquire and desire of God, that his ways may be redressed, or cleansed, except he first try them and acknowledge the error, and uncleanness thereof? Can a man turn to walk in the right way, except first, he find and acknowledge himself to be in the wrong? Can a man seck for a Physician except first he find and acknowledge himself to be diseased? Therefore if we would return or be converted, we must first by trial, acknowledge and confess with Isaiah, 53. 6. All we like sheep have gone astray: we have turned every one to his own way. And except with the Prodigal son we acknowledge, first, that we have gone in a far country from our father, we can never resolve to draw near again, except we confess humbly, first upon the knees of a sorrowful soul, that we have sinned against heaven, and before him, not being any more worthy to be called his sons. Verily, we shall never be embraced in the arms of his mercy, nor receive the comfortable kiss of his love: thou must say, Lord, forgive me the sins and rebellions of my youth, before he say to thy conscience that they are pardoned: thou must first acknowledge thy ways, to be polluted with the filth of sin, and lusts of thy youth, before thou can inquire, Wherewith they may be redressed, or obtain that the Lord would cleanse and purge them in his mercy, the poor Publican acknowledged first that he was unworthy to lift up his eyes to heaven in respect of his offences, before he went home justified before God, the thief upon the cross confessed that he died and suffered justly for his sins, before he received that comfortable promise and assurance from Christ, to be with him that same night in Paradise. David first confessed to the Prophet Nathan, that he had sinned indeed, before he received the answer that his sins were forgiven him. With many such examples, showing that young and old, we must all confess our guiltiness before that great judge and King of all Kings, before we receive our pardon: before earthly Kings and judges, confession & acknowledging of the fault maketh present condemnation; before God almighty, confession and acknowledging of our sins with sorrow, maketh present absolution. Therefore let every man, & chiefly youth (whose errors commonly are greatest (profess & confess in all submission of heart before God the enormities, uncleanness, & iniquity of their ways, that the God of all mercy & love, may at his good will and pleasure, reform, redress, and purge the same, to his glory and our eternal comfort.  
The fourth & last observation that may be gathered by this interrogatory proposition of the Prophet in person of a young man, and which may be truly called the third step to salvation, is not only to try our ways, and to acknowledge the erroneous course thereof with sorrow, but to make a further and second inquisition of the right way with a hearty desire to walk therein, I must not only examine my ways and course of life hitherto, nor think it enough to be sorrowful and grieved for the erroneous going astray therein, which I deprehend and acknowledge, but also I must join this inquiry & desire to know, Whereby shall a young man redress or purge his way? It is not enough to know that I am out of the way, except I labour to know also, how I may come into the same again. It is not enough for a man to know that he is sick, except he study also, to know whereby he may attain to his perfect health again. When a man is in a great danger or peril, his chief devising is how to come out of it. It is not enough to know that I am in prison, except I labour how to be freed: Youth for the most part walketh & loveth to walk in that broad & by-way of liberty, where there is no restraint or curbing of the affections, and lusts of the flesh for a time delighting in vain and transitory pleasures, which carrieth a momentary sweetness with them to the flesh, but leaveth behind them eternal bitterness to the soul, this way is a straight and dark prison in the end. It is a by-way that bringeth weariness to the soul, the walking therein, is in great peril, and the footsteps thereof woundeth the conscience, therefore it is not enough to know & see that it is evil, erroneous and unclean, but they must also earnestly seek after the right way and follow it, Whereby they may redress and purge their ways. The Prophet of God, jerem. 6. 16. commandeth and showeth this duty to old and young, in these words: Thus saith the Lord, Stand in the ways and behold, and ask for the old way, which is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. Paul observed this, when he said, Lord, What shall I do? The young man in the Gospel that came to Christ, observed this also, when he said; Master, What shall I do to obtain eternal life? The jews that were pricked in conscience at Peter's sermon observed this, when they inquired one another; Men and brethren what shall we do? The jailer, Act. 16. 30. observed this, when he fell down before Paul and Sylas, and asked them; Sirs, what must I do to be saved. And Christ jesus the way itself, teacheth us the same duty, when he commandeth; Search the Scriptures, for it is they that testify of me. Let all young men therefore, who desire to be esteemed true Christians, and having a name to be alive in Christ, not to be dead, inquire of their own ways, carefully, narrowly, & unpartially, acknowledging truly and in most submissive manner confessing before the throne of almighiy God, their errors and manifold enormities, with an earnest and hearty desire to know and practise, wherewith they may redress and purge their ways, and walk in the immaculate and holy ways of God and his commandments, and for all, propone and set before their eyes the example of that forenamed young man only in the Gospel, that imitating him they may address themselves in prayer and meditation to jesus Christ and his word, making it their chief care and inquiry to know and practise, how they may attain unto eternal life. Blessed is the condition of such a young man who doth so, and who in all humility doth daily prostrate himself upon the knees of his heart before the throne of the majesty of God, earnestly desiring and wishing with the same Prophet in the 5. verse, O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes O Lord. Happy is the estate of such a young man, and far happy shall it be hereafter, whose delight is in God's word, & care to reform and conform his ways according thereunto. As woeful & dangerous is the condition of the contrary of all such who like unbridled horses, untamed colts, & swine wallowing in the mire & puddle of uncleanness, only ravished in the hot fury of the lusts of their affections, and led by the fearful hand of sin, and vain pleasures of the flesh: until blindlings (as the Ox is led to the slaughter, or the fool to the block) they be drawn down the stairs of perdition, and headlongs precepitat in the deep gulf and p●t of utter destruction, because in time of their youth they neither inquired, observed, nor examined their ways, nor by God's word sought to redress and purge the same.  
Now concerning the first thing particularly to be considered in the question, or first part of this Verse, which is the person concerning whom the same is moved. He is set down to be a Young man, so described by the adjunct of age, (albeit, some others (as Augustine) meaneth a new or regenerate man hereby, albeit decrepit in age, as Aristotle in his Ethics distinguisheth betwixt juvenis etate, & juvenis morib●●. Disputing the Idonco auditore Ethices) Generally 
The 1. Use.  therefore & indefinitely, without limitation or exemption of any, that the person concerning whom this question is propounded, is said, to be a young man, whither poor or rich, noble or ignoble, mighty or impotent, the princes or the beggars son, or what soever he be, we learn; First, that this exhortation (as all God's word) is indifferently spoken to all young men▪ For with God there is no respect of persons: and therefore that all young men, great or small, should hearken thereunto, and apply the same particularly to their own consciences. For from the king's son to the poor beggars, all are his creatures alike, and God their only Creator, their beginning is all one, for out of the dust were they taken, and their end equally, shall be all one, for to dust they shall return: all came equally, naked out of the womb, and all shall go the same way, to the grave and corruption. Sickness cometh alike, & Deaths Sith cutteth down both as grass equally: all live one natural life upon the earth, and draw their breath equally; and all live one supernatural life in jesus Christ equally, the natural food of the mortal bodies of both, is the same, to wit, meat and drink; the supernatural food of the immortal souls of both, is likewise the same, even the body and blood of jesus Christ, who hath redeemed both alike by his death, and sanctifieth both alike by his vivificating spirit, unto the life of righteousness: one judgement abideth both, without respect, and one reward is to both, the pledges of the kingdom of God, which are his Word and Sacraments, are alike offered, and should be alike administrated to both: the mightiest Monarch as the poorest beggar, boo are equally the sons of the first Adam, & the poorest beggar, aswell as the mightiest Monarch is equally the son and member of the second Adam jesus Christ, if in him he obey Gods will, and apply to his soul his promises by faith; as in the first Adam he disobeyed God's will, by misbelieving of his threatenings; yea, as Lazarus was preferred before Dives, so are many outcasts of the world, before the mightiest Powers and Princes thereof, God's law equally bindeth both great & small, his threatenings for sin, appertain equally to both, and are alike executed upon them without any exception or exemption of persons, as his sweet promises of mercy belongeth also and are equally offered to both. All are alike admonished in his word taught, and rebuked by the same, and before all men's eyes indifferently is set down therein life and death to choose. Therefore let no man, rich or poor, exempt himself from the exhortations, admonitions, reprehensions, or any part of the word of God, but as they are spoken to all, so particularly let every one apply them to his own soul and conscience, they are the King of king's statutes, binding and pertaining to all his subjects, as well of highest as of lowest place and degree; and especially let every▪ young man (whatsoever he be, hearken to this Exhortation of God's word and spirit, in this place; and learn, Whereby to redress his ways?  
The second observation, and Lesson hereupon, 
The 2. use.  which the Prophet would have every one to mark and consider, is this: That in our youth and first age, we must begin then to serve God, in uprightness and holiness of life, without any further delay or procrastination of time; not sacrificing our childhood or youth to the idol of our own affections, and the devil (as these Idolaters did their children to Molech) and thinking that God will accept of our decrepit, cold old age, when coldly we shall offer the same unto him: but as he will have the evening sacrifice of age, so will he have the morning oblation of youth, as he hath given life to all ages, so by all ages he will be served, and being all to all, by all, in all he will be worshipped. The Lord is Alpha, and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end: he will be honoured therefore as well in the Alpha or the beginning of our youth and first age, as he will in the Omega, or end of our last old age: he is strength, and giveth strength to all; in this our strength then of youth, we must not rise against God, and run with the devil, but as Gideon in his strength was commanded by God's angel to rise against the Midianites, & fight against his enemies: so by Gods own word, and the holy messenger of his spirit, every young man is commanded in the strength of his youth to rise against, fight and subdue his own corrupt affections, which are enemies to God and his own salvation, so that in our youth we must begin and serve God, amend and redress our ways according to his word, not excluding, but in every age we have need and must do so, and the rather (seeing a maiori ad minus) if God's word serve to redress a young man's way, who burneth in his lusts and affections, much more serveth it to redress a man in ripe age, his affections being then more cooled: but chiefly in youth we have most need by God's word to cleanse and redress our ways, for sundry reasons.  
First, because our nature then (which contraries grace) is strongest; and so we are more apt and ready to be led away by our lusts, and to be drawn in the chain of our affections by Satan into a far country of sin, from our own father's house with that prodigal son, to abuse and riotously to consume Gods liberal gifts and manifold graces bestowed upon us in poverty, nakedness, and famine of all goodness, feeding our filthy unclean lusts of the flesh, and greedily feeding and eating with them. Therefore in most dangerous estate we must take the best and straightest heed, when our enemy is within walls, then most strongly and courageously must he be resisted, when we find our nature most inclining to obey sin, then must we strive and wrestle with GOD in most earnest prayers, and hold him fast, until he give us his blessing, and the strength of his Spirit to strive also and prevail with sin, that our nature by his grace may be reform, our will made conformable, and inclining to his, and that in soul and body we may bow in obeying his Commandments.  
Secondly, our youth is the beginning of our pilgrimage, and in it, we must enter in, either at the broad way which leadeth unto everlasting destruction, or at the narrow way which leadeth unto everlasting joy and salvation. The true way is jesus Christ, and his righteousness: (I am the way, the verity and life) who as he is the way, so he is the end of the way, eternal salvation; as he is God, so he leadeth unto God, and to the kingdom of God, his father: and is the ease and rest of all that cometh loaden or weary unto him. Therefore in thy youth, and entering in thy pilgrimage, see thou enter in this way, and if thou wouldst find this way to walk therein, desire God to open thy eyes, that thou mayst see this narrow way: Search the Scriptures, (saith the way itself) for they are that testify of me. When thou hast found him in his word, and known him by his word, (as the sheep doth the true shepherd) apply him then by a lively faith to thy soul, and take hold of the way. and having found, known, applied, and taken hold of him, then apply thy whole course of life, in thought, word and deed unto this way, ever walking therein, Be you holy as I am holy (saith he;) Learn of me, for I am humble and meek. Moses was commanded to pull off his shoes, because the ground he did stand upon was holy. If thou stand t●●n upon that holy ground, & groundstone jesus Christ, & walk in that sacred pure way, thou must separate and cast from thee all filthiness of sin and corruption. If thou wouldst walk with that unspotted Lamb, thou must walk clothed with that white long rob of sanctity & righteousness, purchased and washed in his blood: believe Christ jesus in thy heart, confess Christ jesus with thy mouth, and show Christ jesus and him image in thy life and conversation; so hast thou entered, so dost thou walk, & so shalt thou attain to the end of this true and joyful way. All other ways are by-ways, the leader and ladder Satan, a manslayer, a liar from the beginning; and the end of all such is God's fierce wrath and eternal perdition, he leadeth thee from the true City of jerusalem in his deceitful by-ways, to rob thee of the good gifts of God bestowed upon thee, and to kill body & soul, and cast it into utter darkness: like a wise Ulysses hearken not to this Siren, who would allure and draw thee so, to no sweet harmony, but to destroy the ship of the body, and precious loading of thy soul, (for which christ shed his precious blood) upon the rocks of eternal destruction, to be his prey. Avoid this Scylla and Carybdis, and hold constantly forward in the true way Christ, enter and persevere in it in thy youth, & when thou art aged thou shalt be at the end thereof, that thou mayest see with the holy Apostle, 
2. Tim. 4. 7.  when the time of thy departing is at hand, I have sought a good fight, and have finished my course. I have kept the faith: for henceforth is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day; and not unto me only, but unto a●l them that love his appearing. Lord grant that every one of us may in our youth enter in this course, constantly continue therein t●ll our ●●ues end, and at our last dissolution we may have this sure and comfortable persuasion.  
Thirdly, we should serve God in our youth, chiefly obeying his will, and abstaining from sin, because our youth is as the fat, most pleasant unto God, not sinning in it when we may sin, and therefore let us sacrifice the same unto him, not offering up the fat morning sacrifice of our youth to Molech, the devil and our sinful corrupt affections, and thinking that the God of Israel will accept of our lean and lame cold evening sacrifice of weak old age, and so be served with the worst after his enemy Satan. In our youth we must not run with the devil, and in age think to return unto God, never forsaking our lusts, nor ceasing to fulfil them in our youth, till then in age they forsake us, with the strength to accomplish them; when we are strongest we are weak enough to follow Christ: much more unable when we are weakest. Therefore as David killed Goliath in his youth, so let us seek to slay that manslayer Satan, in resisting him, and kill that Goliath of sin and our corrupt affections, which he useth as weapons against us, putting off all fleshly armour, and arming body and soul with the strength of God's Spirit, putting our trust and sure confidence in jesus Christ, (who as by former experience) he did overcome his temptations in his own person, and in the persons of all the Saints, his elect members, so likewise of his constant love, unfallible truth, and unfaileable strength, he will assist and persist with us, until we have likewise trodden him under foot. As David being young, did pull out a Lamb out of the mouth of the Lion and the Bear, so by resisting that cruel raging Lion Satan, who daily seeketh how to devour our souls and bodies, which the Lamb of GOD hath bought to himself. Let us by the strength of God's Spirit, redeem ourselves from his destroying jaws, and in our youth show God's strength in us, and while we are young men, let us cast off the old man of sin, and concupiscence of the flesh, and put on jesus Christ the new man, walking with him in righteousness & holiness of life, a glorious garment, and blessed companion. As Samson being a young man, killed the Philistims, the enemies of God and his people; so in our youth, let us endeavour by the special assistance of God's grace, & strength of his powerful Spirit, to kill, overcome, and subdue the cruel enemies of God, and our own soul's salvation, sin and our corrupt affections, whom we bear about in our mortal bodies, and who dippeth in the platter with us, yet like so many judases seeking to betray us in the hands and power of our malicious and cruel enemy Satan: they give us their sweet milk to drink, but for our destruction: they make us sleep upon their knees, but to abrace our strength, and to make God abrace our name out of the book of life, to betray us treacherously into the hands of our persecuting enemy, and to cut off our heads in the midst of our drunken sleep of sin, yea they sleep with us, as a snake in our bosom to sting us to eternal death: suspect then their venom, and the●● deceitful wicked purpose; let them not keep thee under the yoke of their slavery, but keep them under thy commandments & rule, and subjugate thy neck under the light and easy yoke of jesus Christ, to obey him in all the powers of thy soul, and members of thy body, that so here on earth, thou mayest be a member of his body militant and suffering, & in heaven hereafter a glorified & triumphant member in eternal joys, & so thou shalt be happy & rejoice that ever thou didst suffer the yoke in thy youth. Saul, David, Solomon, with many others in the Scripture, were called to be Kings, being young men; but we in our youth are called to a more ample, glorious, and permanent a kingdom, to be kings and coheir with jesus Christ, the only begotten and well-beloved Son of God, in that eternal kingdom of his Father, which he hath prepared for us, taken possession himself before us, and granted us here on earth, the pledge of his holy Spirit to begin our joys, and his holy Sacraments as seals of his kingdom: who will then deny such a honour in his youth, to be a glorious King with jesus Christ? Solomon in his greatest glory, was not so gloriously clothed, as one of the white Lilies of the field; but, when thou shalt be clothed with the white long rob of the righteousness of jesus Christ, crowned with an incorruptible crown of glory and life, in ever-permanent joys eternally to remain, to behold the glorious face of the lamb of God, associated to the blessed Angels and infinite companies of the glorified spirits & Saints, praising continually, and extolling his justice, and the infinite mercy and love of the Lamb, before his Throne in light perpetual, in glory unspeakable, & joys that cannot be expressed, how blessed and happy shall be thy estate in this kingdom? to day thou art called to it young, to morrow thou knowest not if thou shalt enter by the passover of death in full possession thereof; while then it is offered, possess thyself to day with the pledge and rights of it, walk in the true way to it, that at thy journeys end, thou mayst be crowned an immortal King: procrastinate therefore no time; it is a gift, and a great gift, when God holdeth out his hand in thy youth, to offer thee the rights and pledges of his kingdom, the sooner thereby to thy greater comfort, to possess thee with them; and yet in the mean time, thou pull in thy hand from receiving them, until thou prove the devils slavery: verily, when he hath pulled in his hand again, from offering, albeit thou never so oft put out thine to receive, when thou shalt seek it, thou shalt not find it: but as thou refusedst of God in thy youth to be a king, and accepted of Satan to be a slave: as thou refusedst to remain in thy father's house, and to eat at his table, but wandering in a far country, yielded to be a Farmer's hireling, and to eat with swine: so, except Gods extraordinary mercy, & the beams of his unsearchable love shine upon thee, thou mayest expect in age, but terror and fearful torment of conscience, and hereafter to receive the just reward and hire of thy slavery in the bottomless sink and deep pit of perdition, in endless and easeless torments, with Satan thy master. In thy youth, then accept to be a king of God, receyune the rights and pledge of the Kingdom in thy heart, show that thou hast them by thy speeches, thy works, and an holy life, speak the language of the Kingdom, & learn it daily, more and more, which is prayer and praising of God: the kingdom, whereof thou art made an heir, is Heaven, wilt thou know thyself, and make others also know, if truly thou belong to this Kingdom, let thy thoughts be heavenly, thy words be heavenly, gracious to God and man, and offensive justly to none, thy works and actions also heavenly and upright before God & man, doing good according to thy power to all, evil or the least injury to none, no, not to thy enemy; but good for evil in word and work; let all thy conversation and course of life, private and public, be heavenly, as a lamp shining before others, that resembling thy Father's conditions, and bearing his image in thy life, thou mayest be known to be a child and son of the King of heaven, and sometimes to be a crowned king there thyself, when thy father shall call thee home from thy traveling, to thy native country and kingdom, as on earth in good example thou shined as a lamp before others, so then in heaven to shine in glory as a bright lamp before his throne.  
But some would think, that this exhortation of redressing our ways, had been fitter for old men then for youth, because they are nearer death, & giving of account of their ways where young men seeth that they may die, they ●ee that they die, and youth must have it own course, and therefore their faults are not so much to be observed, seeing they are rather ●tatis then hominis, and so in time enough they may return from their young courses when age breaketh them, and become good and grave men at last.  
To such I answer, that such excuses as these, are but impostures of Satan and the flesh: age hath need to see they end well, the claudite of their life, with a joyful plaudite of the assurance of God's favour; and youth must take heed also that they begin well the fable of their life: if they be all upon their pleasures in the beginning and first part, it is like to prove a Tragedy, with a lamentable and sorrowful end in the last part. If thy youth be a battle, and troublesome at the beginning to subdue thy rebelling affections against God's Spirit, surely thy age, the end of the Comedy shall bring rest, joy, victory, and peace unto thy soul. And therefore saith jeremy, It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth. 
Lam. 3. 27.  When Christ came many thousand years after he was promised, 
Gen. 3.  and did cast out Devils, 
Mat. 8. 29.  yet they said; he did torment them before the time: so whensoever thou even in thy old age, goest about to dismiss thy sins and pleasures, they will say notwithstanding, that thou dismissest them before time. Satan is a liar from the beginning, in saying to Eu●, Thou shalt not die: so when in thy youth he saith; that it is not time as yet to dispossess him out of thy heart, and dismiss thy sins and vain pleasures of youth, he is a liar, believe him not. He saith; Rejoice O young man in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thy eyes, eat and drink (with the rich fool) follow thy pleasures and be secure, for thou hast many years before thee, thou shalt not die. But the truth of God warneth thee, that thou must know for all these things God will bring thee to judgement: 
Eccles 11. 9  therefore take away that grief out of thy heart, and cause evil to depart from thy flesh, for childhood and youth are vanity. Satan counseleth us to remember ourselves and our own lusts in our youth; but the spirit of God saith; Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth: showing that all the sins of our youth, proceedeth from our forgetfulness of God, as all our obedience cometh from this remembrance of him, considering that God created us for this end, that in righteousness and holiness we should only serve him here on earth for a while, and eternally hereafter with himself in heaven enjoy everlasting felicity: he created us out of the dust of the earth, and we know not now how soon we must return thither again in childhood, youth, middle or old age: therefore in all ages we must remember our Creator & the end of our creation, all things were created for our use & comfort, and we only for God's glory: therefore let us so shine before others, that they seeing our good works, God may be glorified by us. No child can forget his father, God is our father, & therefore none too young to remember him; this thing the natural child and son of God, jesus Christ, taught us to remember, when he commanded us to say, Our Father, etc. Shall we say so in our mouth (being young) and not show him to be so in our life; as we pray so to God, so we must profess before man. Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not those things which I command you? (saith Christ:) Therefore as Abraham, being commanded by God, 
Gen. 22. 3,  did rise early in the morning, to sacrifice his young son Izhac; so in the morning of thy life early, (as thou art commanded likewise by God's word) thou must offer up thyself being young, a living sacrifice unto God, having the life of Christ, which is true righteousness in thee, God requireth the first borne for his offering, so God requireth thee when thou art first borne, from thy birth, with Samuel to be offered and consecrated to his service and obedience. So soon as thou art borne, thou art baptised in the name of jesus Christ, showing, that when thou art scarce out of the house of thy mother's womb, he will have thee entered in his house and family, when thou canst not go unto him, thou shouldest creep unto him, serving him (as thou mayest) in all ages. In the faith, wherein thou art baptised, thou sayest, I believe, etc. not, I will believe hereafter. If then in thy youth, thou wouldst not be counted an infidel, but a true believer in jesus Christ, thou must show thy true faith by works and holiness of life: hast thou received Christ's name upon thee, see if thou hast Christ's nature? otherwise thou pertaynest not to him. In thy Baptism, thou vowedst and sworest to serve him in holiness all thy life, and receivedst his name & badge: wilt thou then presently after, in thy youth, mock God? keep still his name, but serve the devil in thy affections and lusts, which thou promisedst then to mortify? The first fruits were for God's service: in thy youth thou must also bestow thy first fruits upon the service of God, and, not giving the first summer fruit that is sweet, to the devil; and the last winter fruit which are sour grapes to God: when we pray as Christ hath taught us, we say first: Hallowed be thy Name: thy kingdom come: thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven, before that we desire, this day our daily bread: if then we seek God's glory, and that Gods will may be done by us, before we ask that food, by which we are preserved, and live, how much more should we seek the same, before our pleasures and the accomplishment and fulfilling of our lusts and ●innes, whereby we perish and die: Christ saith, First seek the kingdom of heaven, and all other things shall be cast upon you. Philosophy saith; ●rimum quaerite bona animi, catera aut aderunt, aut certe non oberunt: First seek the goods of the mind (which is virtue & piety) and other things shall either be present, or, if absent, they shall not hinder you: if then by Christ's commandment, we must first seek after the kingdom of God, and by Philosophy to seek after virtue and piety to be planted in our minds, shall we than first in our youth, seek after our own pleasures, the kingdom of Satan, and to root in our hearts all vice and ungodliness? God forbid: when Christ sayeth to us, Follow me; with his Disciples, leaving our nets and devices in the sea of the world, to catch profit or pleasure, we must obey and follow him strait, if ever we would be counted his Disciples: when he asketh us, with Peter, if we love him in our youth, we must answer, Yea, Lord, I love thee, and not say, when I have fulfilled the lusts of my youth, than I will love thee. This is the acceptable time, 
2. Co●. 6, 2.  this is the day of salvation, today, if we will hear his voice: for whosoever cometh not at God's callings, whatsoever he say, it is impossible that he should resolve to come hereafter when he pleaseth; for, being evil, can he resolve to be good? A dry dead tree, which is withered, and bringeth no fruit in the Summer, nor buddeth in the Spring, can it bring forth pleasant and sweet fruit in the cold winter? so, either now in our youth let us serve God, or never expect that we can hereafter being hindered by many abstractions and cares of the world: but if now resolutely we begin; that same God who gave the will and the beginning, will also give perseverance & a perfect end. Therefore now or never, now & ever: life and death is set before our eyes. How soon soever as the Lord distributed his talents, he commanded his servants immediately to use them, and give them out to usury. Now who is so young but God hath given him some talon; to use the same, to his glory and honour, which if it be unlawful to hide in the earth, how much more to abuse and consume it to the dishonour of his Master, and his own destruction. When God had created the heaven and the earth, the first thing he did afterwards, was, that he separated the light from darkness, that we might learn to separate good from evil, 
G●n. 1. 14.  before we should confound and make our good become evil. Satan is the prince of darkness; sin is darkness itself: wilt thou then convert God's graces into this darkness? or adm●●●● 〈◊〉 thy youth this prince of darkness into thy soul, and yet think thou canst retain the light of God? There is no society betwixt God and Belial. Darkness & light cannot remain both in one place: therefore in thy youth love the light, embrace the good, and abstain from all appearance of evil. 
1. Thes. 5. 22.  Dedicate thy youth to God, who reneweth the same, as the Eagles. 
Vers. 103.  Give unto God that which is Gods, 
Mat. 22. 21.  and that is, My son give me thine heart. 
Prou. 23. 26.  The way to heaven is like Jacob's Ladder, & it hath four steps. First, to begin betime, following Christ's example in this, 
Matur●.  as in all the rest; seeing as in heaven now he is our patron, so then on earth he was our pattern, to which we must conform all our life. At twelve years of age, he was found in the Temple of jerusalem doing his Father's business, 
Luke. 2. 46.  in hearing & ask questions of the learned Doctors: so his first step to heaven, was, in his childhood he began to do his Father's will; and 〈◊〉 would follow his footsteps, to come likewise to heaven, we must also in our childhood and youth, learn the knowledge of God, and to practise the same, in our life and conversation. 
Properè Psal. 119. 32.  The second step to heaven, is, to hasten & make speed; herein also following our Master's example, who in the short time of his life here, spoke and did more things, than (if they were written) the world could contain the books thereof, as testifieth St. john: as we should also abound in good & godly works. 
I●h. 21 25. Rectè.  The third, to persevere and keep the right way: for he said, Who can accuse me of sin? And albeit many false witnesses came against him, they could find nothing to accuse him of justly; as we should take heed, that we suffer not by evil doing, but be unblamable before all men. 
Constanter.  And fourthly, steadfastly to continue: for as he was the Lamb of God, so he died innocently, and meekly as a lamb; praying for his enemies: and whosoever constantly continueth with him, faithful unto death, as he hath promised, so he will give them, 
Reu. 2. 10.  the crown of life. This is the way, by which, the way itself, hath gone before us to heaven; so he, as our Captain, and his footsteps, as our directions, we must follow, if we look for any portion in his glorious kingdom with him. Therefore, let all youth learn to begin betime, and tread his first footesteppe to heaven, not thinking that in youth, he may run down with Satan, to the lowest step of the stairs of sin and perdition, and in age he may creep up from thence, & fly to the highest step of Jacob's Ladder. Neither that in youth he may take his pleasures, delaying and dallying with them a while, thinking all sins of youth to b●e venial: no, the holy Prophet David desireth God earnestly, and importunately entreateth him; that he would not Remember the sins of his youth, (being a man according to Gods own heart) & he calleth them, his rebellions; showing as rebellion is highest treason unto earthly Princes, so the sins of our youth, is highest treason & rebellion to God our Father, being most strongest, as our natural corruption is so them, of which they proceed; & therefore most offensive. And truly, if the dedication of our youth to God's service be most pleasant to him, then the dedication of the same to the devils service, is most displeasant and grievous in his sight: God is that fountain & wellspring of all true wisdom. In our youth then let us desire that true wisdom with Solomon, to dwell in our hearts, and honour & riches shall ever accompany the same, as the shadow doth the body inseparably. Wisdom saith; They which seek me early shall find me: 
Prou. 8.  but to them which delaieth seeking of her till age come upon them, she saith; Ye shall seek me, but you shall not find me: seek her then, and take hold of her in thy youth, that thou mayest reap the fruits thereof in thy age. It is written, when Christ heard the young man in the Gospel answer him; that he had kept all the Commandments from his youth, that Christ began to love him, to show how well Christ loveth these timely beginnings, when in our childhood and youth we cleave to him as our Nurse, and sucketh the milk of godliness from his breasts. Manna was gathered in the morning before the hot rising of the Sun, which would melt it away: so early in the morning of our youth, we must gather & eat of jesus Christ, that true Manna, the food of our souls, we must learn true godliness and virtue, before the hot sun of our lusts and pleasures make it to melt away faster than we can gather the same. We must be like the wise young Virgins, to prepare our oil, and dress our lamps in time, not knowing in our youth or age, when the Bridegroom shall call upon us. It is said, that a new vessel ever savoureth of that liquor wherewith it is first seasoned, according to the Latin proverb, Quod nova testa capit, in●eteratasapit: and the saying of the Poet: Quo semel est imbutarecens servabit odorem, Test● diu.  
In our youth therefore we must infuse in our hearts, & season them with such liquor, as may make us in age, smell well in the nostrils of God our father, (as Esau's garments did to Isaac) that so we may obtain that everlasting blessing: and this liquor is godliness and sanctification, thorough the blood and garment of the righteousness of jesus Christ our elder brother and Saviour. Samuel began to serve God in his infancy, and continued still: Samson was a Nazarite, consecrated to God from his birth: 
2. Tim. 3. 15.  Timothy is praised of Paul; That he did know the Scriptures of a child, which were able to make him wise unto salvation, through the faith which is in jesus Christ: john the Baptist, as he grew in years, so he waxed strong in spirit. 
Luke. ●. 80.  So likewise, every young man must strive to do, to consecrate himself from the womb to the grave, in the service of God, and to deserve that good commendation of Timothy, from his childhood to know the holy Scriptures, which may teach & instruct him in righteousness, as a Master; which may improve and correct his faults, as a Father, and make him a man of God absolute & perfit unto all good works.  
The third lesson and observation is to fathers of youth, 
The 3. Use.  as the first was to youth itself: and it is, that as young men in their youth must learn and practise godliness, in redressing of their ways according to God's word: so the fathers of all youth, must begin to teach the same unto them, and go before their children in good example of life while they are tender, and as new vessels fit to receive and be seasoned with piety. God's commandment in his word concerning this duty of parents, is, deuteronomy, 4. 9 But take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, that thou forget not the things which thine eyes have seen, and that they depart not out of thine heart all the days of thy life, but teach them thy sons, and thy sons sons. Again, deuteronomy, 6. 7. where he saith; And thou shalt rehearse them continually unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when tho●●●riestin thine house, and as thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thourisest up. Moreover, deuteronomy, 32. 46. in Moses last exhortation to Israel; Then he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify against you this day, that you may command them unto your children, that they may observe and do all the words of this Law. Likewise the Apostle, Ephes. 6. 4. And ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in instruction & information of the Lord. So Psal. 78. 5. How he established a testimony in jacob, and ordained a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers that they should teach their children. Also the practice of all the godly hath ever been so, according to this commandment of God. Adam taught his sons to sacrifice and offer to the Lord. The three Angels that came to Abraham, they revealed unto him the destruction of Sodom, because the Lord did know that he would teach this his judgement for sin to the posterity after him. 
Gen. 18. 17. 19  And the Lord said, shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do? For I know him that he will command his sons and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and judgement, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that he hath spoken unto him. Isaac being a young child, yet was well instructed in the typical service of God, and things pertaining unto the sacrifice of the old Law, when he asked his father; Behold the fire and the wood, 
Gen. 22. 7. 8.  but where is the lamb for the burned offering? And he answered; My son, God will provide him a lamb, etc. His exercise also when he was a young man, by his father's instruction and example was, 
Gen. 24. 36.  And Isaac went out to pray in the field toward the evening, etc. So joshua in his last commandment & exhortation to Israel, saith unto them; And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve, etc. but I and my house will serve the Lord. With sundry such examples in the Scripture, where we may see the practice and care of all the godly, to have been ever in instructing & bringing up their children in the knowledge and fear of God, which all godly Christian parents in this age must follow likewise: for if God hath established his covenant between us and our seed after us, 
Gen. 17. 7.  to be our God for ever: how careful should we then be, that our seed and children may be instructed in the true and perfect knowledge thereof, that as he is their God, so they may be his people; as he is their father, so they may prove his children by dutiful love and obedience to his commandments. It is said, that Alexander had children borne and brought up in military discipline and exercise, from their infancy in his Camps, which made him so victorious and prosperous in battle: even so let all parents bring up their children from their infancy and cradle, in the knowledge and exercise of the Christian warfare of this life, in all godliness & virtue, that they may prove courageous and good soldiers under their victorious King and Captain jesus Christ. And seeing youth is as tabula rasa, a new vessel, a young tree, or Olive plant (as David calleth them) like soft wax to receive any print, inconstant and wavering, and most inclining by their own nature to sin and vain pleasure, which even godly job suspected in his children, albeit well and godly brought up, when he went to sacrifice for them daily, fearing it might have been that his sons in their banqueting had sinned, and blasphemed God in their hearts. Therefore let all fathers, as God hath given them children of his grace: so with Hannah, samuel's mother, dedicate and give them again unto the Lord and his service, in bringing them up carefully in the fear and reverence of his holy name: season their tender hearts in their youth, with the liquor of godliness, and the true knowledge of the blood of jesus Christ, which must be their life: print them with the glorious image of Christ, which is true piety, that as he was the resemblance of his father, so they may here represent him also in pureness & sanctity of life, while they are as young tender twigs and Olive branches: bow them that way as you would have them stand, when they are grown and old, which is to the obedience of jesus Christ, in whom they must bear fruit, and receive fatness: write and engrave the knowledge of his will & commandments in their hearts and minds, that with all their hearts, souls, and minds, they may honour and serve GOD, in all fear and love, a band to hold out all ●inne, and so place and set them in the right way, see that they constantly continue and persevere therein, and join severe and straight animadversion for repressing of their vices, as also of cherishing of God's good graces in them, that so they may be lively stones in Zion, to the glory of God, the comfort of his parents, and their own soul's salvation. So parents making them dutiful to God their heavenly Father, he will make them dutiful also and reverent to them again: otherwise with Elias sons, they will be a grief to their hearts, and the means to bring their grey hairs in sorrow to the grave, and with Absalon, prove unkind and unnatural children: for being David's darling, he proved David's traitor: and the reason is set down thus, 1. Kings. 1. 6. And his father would not displease him from his childhood to s●y; Why hast thou done so? I remember one example in the Scripture, of children carelessly & evilly brought up, which may make all fathers tremble & quake, to hear the fearful punishment thereof, and may teach them by careful and godly education of their children, to prevent the like wrath & judgement of God, for he is the same in all ages, both in judgement and mercy. 
2. King. 2.  When the Prophet of God Elisha was coming up to Bethel, there came out of the City certain children, and mocked him, call him, Bald head, bald head▪ therefore God in his wrath sent out Bears out of the wilderness, at the Prophet's desire, and they tore & rend 42. of these children in pieces: a lamentable spectacle, young children before their tender parents eyes, to be so devoured and torn of wild beasts. But consider their careless and loose education, which deserved this, they were not kept in at virtue or learning, but suffered to run abroad in the streets idly, they were not brought up in the reverence, neither of God, his word, or his Prophets, but to mock God's servants, and scornfully to jest at old age, which they should rather been taught to honour and reverence in all duty, and in all persons: therefore, because their parents neglected to correct them in time, and to take no more care for their instruction, God sent wild Bears out of the wilderness (to teach them more humanity) and at the Prophet's request, whom they so mocked and contemned, to be their correctors to their destruction. There are too many such careless and indulgent parents nowadays, which maketh so many prove wild and undutiful children, both to God & them; and their own wicked and vuruly affections, oft times proveth these wild bears, which Satan hunteth out, and God suffereth to tear their souls (more precious and lamentable to see) and at last to bring body & soul to a most miserable estate, both here by poverty & despair, & hereafter by death & endless condemnation. The Lord avert such judgements from many, & convert their hearts to him again, that they may prevent his fierce wrath, while the acceptable time is, & to day while we hear his voice: and as young men should not, so neither let their parents think the faults of youth to be but small, and rather to be imputed to the nature of the age: the former searefull example teacheth the contrary, they being but children, and their fault mocking, yet their punishment most grievous that God inflicted upon them: as David also calleth the sins of his youth, not small, but rebellions, which is highest treason against our God, the King of Kings, and Prince of all Princes. Therefore let all parents be careful, in the good and godly education of their children. Every tree is known by his fruit: the fruit of the parents, is their Olive branches; their children. Let them show then their godliness and religion, in the godly education of their children, proving thereby, that themselves are the good tree, by sending forth lively branches, to be engrafted (as themselves are) in the stock jesus Christ, not being too indulgent to them, nor winking in a manner at their faults: neither with old Eli, saying only; My sons, do so no more: but to show their love to their children, in correcting them for their faults: For whom the Father loveth, him he chastiseth: 
Prou 13. 24.  and, he that spareth the rod, hateth his son; but he that loveth him, chasteneth him bet●●e. Therefore, as the Wiseman counseleth; 
Prou. 29. 17.  Correct thy son, and he will give thee rest, and will give pleasures to thy soul.  
And as the vessel which a man maketh most of, and deareliest esteemeth, that useth he oftest to scour and make clean, from the least spot or stain: so a wise and loving father, will not suffer his son to be polluted with the least spot of vice, for chastising is the father's honour, and the life of the child: So that correction is like Jonathan's arrows, not in anger, but in love; not to harm, but to warm, not to put in peril, but to preserve from peril, not to deform, but to reform, like a good corrosive to eat away the rottenness of vice, and a bitter potion to make their children vomit out from their soul & heart, the poison of sin, lest having taken deep root, and growing up with them, they be so endured and hardened therein, that they break first by final destruction, before they will bow by timely instruction, or wholesome correction. Therefore, so plant them in virtue, and virtue in them, while they are tender and flexible in youth, that in the harvest of age, their tops may bow down in God's obedience, loaden with the pleasant fruit of godliness and good works. Teach a child in the trade of his way (saith Solomon) and when he is old, 
Prou. 22. 6.  he shall not depart from it. Youth is the seed time, in the spring we must not sow popple, and in harvest look for good wheat; but as we sow, so we shall reap. The Nurse frameth the body while it is young & tender; so must parents their children's minds, while they are green and flexible. If we see a fault or evil manners in any man, we judge that he was evil brought up; and if he have virtue, we adjudge it to his good education: yea in an old proverb we say, that nurture changeth nature: as Lycurgus proved before the Lacedæmonians to be true, by taking two young whelps of a like nature, and of one dam, and bringing up the one according to it own nature in a kitchen, and the other, beside it proper nature, to hunting; so that at a certain solemn assembly of the Lacedæmonians, Lycurgus brought forth his two dogs before them, placing before the one, who was brought up to hunting, a pot, and before the kitchen dog, a hare; but the hunting dog in sight of them all, refused the pot, and ran after the hare; where the other, according to his education, refused to follow the hare, betaking himself to lick the pot. Whereby it was showed, the altering power & efficacy of education, which is a second nature (as it were) unto a man: for by evil education, a good nature may be corrupted, as by good, an evil nature may be rectified: a good ground unplanted with wholesome herbs, or unsow with good seed, in time doth soon bring forth unprofitable and evil weeds; where, on the contrary, a barren ground well laboured and sowed, produceth pleasant flowers, and savoury fruits. The right blessing, which Parents should bestow upon their children, is, when bringing them up in the fear of GOD, they make God bless them also; for if thou bless thy child, & God curse him, what availeth thy blessing? but, if thou bring him up in the true knowledge and obedience of jesus Christ, to thy blessing, God and Angels shall say, Amen, and he shall heap, both upon thee, and thy seed after thee, manifold and great blessings, as he blesseth all those, who do his will, and curseth them that keep not his commandments: as God hath commanded, in the first precept of the second Table of his Law, that children shall honour their Parents, with a double promise, of this life, and the life to come: then command thou likewise, and instruct thy children, to honour God also, and let this be thy first and chiefest care in the table of thy heart, & so show thyself thankful to God again. When Solomon was to try, whose was the living child, 
1. King. 23. 6.  for which the two women strove, to find out the same, by the natural affection of the true mother, he commanded the child to be divided in two; wherewith, as the true mother was much moved and displeased, so the wrong mother cared not, but was contented it should be so; and so the verity for the adjudging did appear: It is even so, with godly & wicked parents, and by this they may be known; the wicked parents, not having any conjunction with God themselves, they cannot know nor apprehend the joyfulness thereof in others, as in their children, & therefore they care not, though they be destroyed by sin, and divided asunder from the body of jesus Christ but godly and true parents, feeling in their own hearts, the sweet joy of that blessed union with God through Christ, they endeavour only, so to bring up their children in the true fear and love of God, that they may be partakers also of that unspeakable comfort & joy of that conjunction with themselves, and so have true life in them; yea, before they should be divided from that comfort and life, which they have in that conjunction with jesus Christ, they rather would give over that natural title and right of comfort, which belongeth justly unto them as parents, as they did naturally beget them in sin, by the seed of man in the flesh, to their own image; so their chief care and desire is, 
Psal. 51. ●. Ephes. 2. 3.  that they may be begotten of a new, supernaturally, in the spirit unto righteousness, by the spirit of God, to God's image, and by the immortal seed of the word of jesus Christ, God & man, and as they did dwell together on earth, so for ever in heaven also they desire together to remain. This, I say, is the wish, care, and note of all godly and true parents, and which every one should have or be known by; and truly, we see oftentimes, that children take example of their parents, and walketh in their footsteps, pressing to imitate them, that they may the more be loved by them: so that if the father be carefully and godly disposed, his son will fear, lest the contrary disposition be deprehended in him, (at least by his father;) if he see, that his father hate and detest drunkenness, fornication, swearing, or such sins, surely, if he be a natural son, and not a castaway, he will be loath to commit any such, or at least to his father's knowledge or face; and, if he have grace in him, he will do that rather, which he knoweth to be liking and acceptable in his father's sight: the example whereof, first consider, in a truly godly & obedient son jacob, who knowing that the daughters of Canaan displeased Izhak and Rebekah, 
Gen. 27▪ 46.  his parents, he would not join with them in marriage, but with his own kindred, commanded by his father; as also, the like after a manner, in a counterfeit castaway, Esau his brother, 
Gen. 28. 6, 7, 8.  who seeing, that to marry with the daughters of Canaan (as he had notwithstanding already done) was displeasant and grievous to his parents, and that his brother jacob had obeyed his father, to do otherwise, in going to Padan Aram, he went also, & took Ishmaels' daughter to wife, of his own kindred, (albeit a bastard generation) such was the care (albeit hypocritical) even of this castaway, 
1. Sam. 2. 23.  to please his parents. Elies' wicked sons also, seeing their father's godly disposition, durst not before him commit such enormities as they did, or to his own knowledge, until by the people, it was reported so unto him; so that the good inclination of the father, is a great awe band unto the son, as of the contrary, the nature of the son, is more apt to follow a lascivious and impious father to wickedness and vanity, than a godly grave father to piety and true wisdom. Concerning this aptness of children, to imitate their parent's example, in good or evil, Christ himself also saith to the jews; 
john 8. 39 44.  If ye were the sons of Abraham, ye would do the works of your father Abraham, but ye are of your fafather the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do: therefore let all fathers, in the good education of their children, be as lamps themselves in their life, that they may be followed by them; and do such things, that therein, they would desire their children's imitation. It is a great delight to parents, to hear, that their children are like unto them, but if they be like them in godliness, it is a great joy and comfort to others also. For than they represent and resemble the Image of jesus Christ, the common Saviour and Father of all men, as he was the character and express Image of his Father, in justice, Mercy, and Holiness; so they, being likewise, the image of Christ again, in holiness and sanctity of life, being holy as he is holy, and having that honour, to be like the King of all kings; & thereby brother to the Prince of princes, of whose kingdom it may be truly said, His ego met as nec tempor a pon●. without limitation or prescription of time, joy infinite, and Eternity without end.  
In the 127. Psalm, David calleth children by three titles; First, Behold (saith he) children are the inheritance of the Lord; to show, that they should be educated and brought up by their parents with such care, as though they were not the children of men, but of God; and consider, what care a man hath and respect unto his inheritance, that it be not abused any way, or spoiled; the like, & greater care, hath God our heavenly Father, that our children, which are his inheritance, (for of these is the kingdom of heaven) be not negligently or evilly brought up, to dishonour his name, who should honour him. The heir of a king and kingdom, must be so educated, that he may be found worthy of the crown. The children of the faithful, are heirs to the King and kingdom of Heaven. Therefore their parents, as tutors, to whom they are concredit for a time, must train them up so carefully, in piety, and and the obedience of God their heavenly father, that they may be found worthy of the inheritance, of that Kingdom, and Crown of glory, purchased by the blood of jesus Christ our Lord, & their parents may be found faithful, so in discharging their duty therein, to God and them. Secondly, David calleth children the Lords Reward, showing, that as God of his grace, doth give to parents' children, as a testimony of his love, to their earthly pleasure, comfort and service, so they should (as it were) reward God, by giving and dedicating them again, with Hannah, unto his service, and pleasing of him, by an immaculate and pure life, as a token and testimony of their love to God again.  
And thirdly, Children are compared to arrows in the hand of the strong man; who, if they be well and godly brought up & framed, they will shoot at their parents enemies, and be a grief to their heart, to see them prosper so, in the fear of God, by his blessings; and blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of them: but, if they be carelessly and too indulgently brought up, as Elies sons, and Absalon, they will be the darts to pierce their father's heart, with grief and bitter sorrow to them.  
In Latin, Children are called pigno●a, and pueri, the one, because they are the pledges of God's favour to the parents, as also natural pledges of the mutual love of the parents betwixt themselves, (being the surest bond in marriage, to knit and continue the love of man and wife betwixt themselves, which Leah well did know, when being conceived, she said, Now my husband will love me.) If therefore, they be the pledges of God's love, to their parents, in giving them of his grace, for their worldly pleasure; then, by their good education, let them be the pledges of the parents love to God likewise, in giving and dedicating them again, unto his heavenly pleasure and service, as an unspotted and clean sacrifice, being puri, sicut pueros decked, and in the mean time, let parents be aware, to esteem or love the pledge or gift, more than God, the giver thereof: for if they love their children too much, dallying and delighting only with the gift, God the giver, will either make them of a blessing in his love, turn to a curse in his anger, or else separate them one from another, in making either the father childless shortly, or the child fatherless, which experience oftentimes proveth manifestly: let children therefore be only as cords, to draw the parents hearts more and nearer unto God, in increase of love and thankfulness to him, and God will heap his blessings more abundantly on them both, & also let their parents chief care be, to trim and adorn their hearts and minds so with piety and virtue, as becometh a gift or reward, which is to be presented to the King of all kings before whose eyes, no unclean thing can stand: therefore Christ, once being to show, who should inherit the kingdom of heaven, took for example, a little child, and set him in the midst of his disciples, saying, Whosoever receiveth not the kingdom of heaven as a child, 
Luke 18. 17.  he shall not enter therein: thereby showing, that our children should be so innocent, so humble, and void of all evil, that they may be taken for example of the sons and heirs of God▪ not as many are now (woeful to see) made proud in their cradle, learned to curse and swear, before they can well speak or ask their parent's blessing, and full of evil, before they have reason to discern good or evil: therefore set tender and wise parents not excuse their children in their faults: saying, They are tender, or have no wit to do otherwise; if they be tender, let not the worm of sin so stick upon them, for the danger is the greater, lest the sooner it eat thorough their heart; and it is fearful, when they have wit to do or speak evil, and go in the wrong way, before they have wit, or are taught to speak or do well, and enter in the right way. As they were before compared to arrows, we know, as the arrow is directed at the first, so it flieth all the way, over, or under, or beside, but it never cometh unto the right mark or butt unless it be directed right at the first, in the letting forth out of the Bow: so it is, that except from the first coming forth out of the womb, children be directed in the right way, they shall hardly or never attain to the end of the way, which is true happiness in jesus Christ; we know also, if our children be deformed in their youth, we never expect that they will be well favoured in their age; and, when a young Plant sprouteth up, if there be a worm, that lieth at the root thereof, we know, except we remove and kill the same, the tender Plant will never thrive, nor grow forward; do we know and believe so, in respect of our children's bodies? & plants of our gardens? then let us know and believe the same in respect of their minds: if sin grow be●ore piety, the weed will smother the good corn, if vice be sown and appear before virtue in youth, no appearance of a good or joyful harvest in age: remove and kill the worm of sin from the tender plant of childhood, lest it gnaw out the life thereof, ere thou be aware: kill the serpent in the egg, lest when he is hatched, he kill thee who is the parent, with grief, and thy child with his poison: yea, we teach a dog while he is a whelp; we tame a bird while it is young; we break a horse, while he is a colt; and bow the tree, while it is a twig, so, with wise Solomon; Teach thy child in his youth, that he may remember it when he is old: the birds of the air teach parents their duty, they fly before their young ones, to teach them to follow; as parents should by good example and godly education, teach their children to fly to God also, by faith and holiness of life: we have a care to feed our beasts, & see their education carefully, who, if they starve or die, we have only lost a carcase; but, when carefully we oversee not the education of our own children and seed, the feeding of their souls by instruction, & curing of their sores of vice by correction, we lose their bodies and souls, which is more precious than all the world, and their blood shall be required at our hands, and of this vice complaineth Isaiab, 1. 3. that the ox & the ass were taught to know their masters, but his people did not know him, as God's Ministers may now also justly complain of the same. We have three notable examples of parents, for good education, in the Scriptures: 1. King. 2. we have David, instructing his son. Gen. 34. jacob reproving and correcting his sons: and job. 1. job praying for his sons; put these three together, instructing, correcting, & praying, they will make blessed children, and thrice happy parents; and as it was a sweet and comfortable thing, to see children go before Christ to the Temple of jerusalem, singing Hosanna to the most highest, that it might be fulfilled, that out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, Gods praises should sound: so it shall be to the great joy and comfort of their parents hearts, when in the temple and congregation of the faithful, they shall see their children (being well brought up) singing praises to God on high, and setting forth the mercy of jesus Christ their Redeemer: and as their children shall be a joy to their heart in that present, so also their God, and the God of their children, shall send a blessing upon them, as Genes. 18. 17. upon Abraham, with whom they shall be worthily called Fathers of the faithful; God shall avert from them that shame & sorrow, that proceedeth to parents from their children's liberty, whereof the wise man speaketh, Pro. 17. 21. & 29. 15. and commandeth the contrary, Give not the waters any passage, no, not a little: and the diuturnity of the good of such education, shall be ever upon them, and their children, when after them they shall prove good fathers of faithful and godly children also, and at last, receive both, a crown of glory in life eternal, with God our heavenly father, and Christ his son our Saviour. And so for the duty and admonition of parents, let this observation suffice, to teach their children, being young, how to redress their ways. The matter, concerning which the question is propounded, is, a young man's way, that is, his course of life, which must be redressed. And it is a Metaphor taken from pilgrimage or journeying, wherein a man, if he would come to the right end of his journey, must keep the true and right way, without declining, either to the left or to the right hand, that he aberre not, nor go astray; so that our life here, being a pilgrimage, (as old jacob confessed to Pharaoh▪ and the Apostle, 1. Pet. 2. 11. exhorteth, saying, dearly beloved, I exhort you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soul.) wherein we have many by-ways, which leadeth to the wrong end, to wit, destruction; but one only true way, which leadeth to the right end, to wit, Salvation, which is Christ jesus, and a young man being the pilgrim, beginning, or having newly begun his way, he must diligently take heed and try, in what way he insisteth, and whether he treadeth the right or the wrong path; and seeing in a young man's way, Satan the leader and way to perdition, on the one side, is busiest to cast before him many lets and hindrances of the affections, and alluring lusts of the flesh, with the pleasures of youth, thereby to hinder his course, or draw him back from the right way, (as the Sirens would Ulysses) and to precipitate him headlong from the high rocks of sin and despair, in the fearful and deep gulf of utter destruction: and on the other side, of all ages, Youth, (having newly begun, and unacquainted with these terrifying lets) being easiest by nature to be drawn away, and persuaded to the enticing & sweet pleasures of the flesh, the world, and of sin, and so in most peril to yield: therefore a young man must the more earnestly inquire and desire of God, (the way itself, the leader, and end thereof) that of his grace, he would so direct and confirm him in his paths, and give him grace and strength, whereby to redress his own ways, and overcome all the impediments of Satan, that insisting therein, he may ever constantly persist and continue, until he come to the joyful and happy end thereof, where is true rest, from all labours, & glory infinite for a perpetual reward.  
The reason, why a young man, in his youth, and first steps of his walking, should examine and redress his ways, is this; we know by experience, in a journey, that the farther we are gone from the right path, which leadeth to such a place, it is the harder and laborious, either by coming back again, to find the right high way, which we foolishly lost, or to come near the place, which we wish to be at; and therefore that it is best, at the beginning of our journey, to inquire, and be instructed, what way to keep, by them who know, and have tread the fame before us, and by their directions in walking forward, to try and examine ourselves, if we hold likewise in the right way or no; or if not, in time to return, while we are not far off. So, in the journey of this life, we have a place which we aim at, to wit, Heaven▪ we have but one true way to it, which is jesus Christ and his righteousness, out youth is the beginning, or first step of our journey, therefore in it, we must know and be instructed what way to keep, and how to walk therein, by the example of jesus Christ, and the faithful, who know and have tread the same before us, and by the directions and touchstone of God's word, we must ever be trying and examining ourselves, if we hold in the right way, or no? and if not, in time shortly to return, while we are not far gone astray in age, not running in the by-ways of iniquity in a strange country, far from our father's house, while we are young, and in feeble age, thinking we can return and find the right way again, to walk therein, let no man presume so, that in the day of his youth, while he is able, he may run half way with the devil to hell, and in the night of his age, when he is unable, that he may return easily from Satan's hold, and the slimy pits of sin, to walk the whole way with Christ to heaven.  
The second reason, why a young man thus, in the first steps of his way, must so take heed thereto, and redress the same, is, because the time, of the walking in the way of this life, is so short and uncertain, and therefore that we should not trust thereto; for we see some die in the bud of infancy, some in the flower of youth, some in the ripeness of mid-age and strength, and some in the fall of weak rotten old age. The sun of the life of some goeth too shortly, as in the winter day; and of others, it maketh longer delay, as in the summer. Our life is compared to a shadow, and we know, at midday, when the Sun is vertical, and in his greatest strength to us, the shadow useth to be least, so, oftentimes when we are in the greatest strength and vigour of youth, the shadow of our unconstant & short life is least, and when we think upon many years to come, as the rich Glutton did, commonly the sentence of unexpected death cometh, & warneth to remove. Therefore in youth, and every age, yea, every day and hour thereof, we have need to suspect the uncertain and short way of life, and therein carefully and strictly examine and try if our ways and walkings be in the way of the Lord, the end whereof, is eternal salvation, and if not, to day, while we hear his voice, and the acceptable time offereth itself, to redress & cleanse our paths and walkings, and conforming them unto his. For as all rivers and springs, that come from the sea, return again; so all men that are made of the dust of the earth, shall thither also return, but of the time, who can say? this drop of the river, at such a time or hour, shall return into the Ocean? or the returning of such a man unto the earth, shall be at such a determinate special time or age? No, our returning is uncertain, only then, being as a drop of a great River, let every man commit the same to God, and endeavour, as he came salt with original corruption from the earth or Ocean, so to walk in God's ways, and the way of this life, that he may return fresh and purged by Christ's blood, to the Ocean of the grave, and so drink of that fresh springing river which proceedeth from the midst of the throne of God, in that heavenly new jerusalem for ever.  
Our whole life is limited but to 80. years, and in one of these, as in a poisonable cup, or dish of meat, death surely lurketh: of all than if thou shouldest taste and drink, knowing this, wouldst thou not suspect every one? divide again every year in 12. months, thou knowest not in what month or parcel of meat the poison of death lieth, every month again in so many weeks, and every week in so many days, yea every day also in so many hours, in which hour or moment thereof, sleeping or waking, canst thou secure thyself from this secret & uncertain poison? suspect then all, and live so always, as to die always, night or day, being provided, and being never so young, remember thou knowest not but the poison may be in the first drop of the cup, and year of thy youth, as well as in the dreg or last dish of old age, when thou art first set at the table of the careful banquet of life, the sword of death is so soon hanged in a small hair above thy neck, suspect then the same at every morsel, that it fall not heavily unawares upon thee, but ever have an eye upwards, thou knowest not if it will fall at thy first sitting down▪ more then at thy last rising up; as it ever threateneth then, so be thou ever prepared, and in time seek to redress thy ways▪ Man's breath is in his nostrils; which is the life or combination of soul and body, whose dissolution is death. Be thou never so young then, nor so strong, when thou letteth out the same, thou knowest not certainly if ever thou shalt draw it in again. Let therefore thy soul breath unto God, and thy desire be, to walk in his ways, and to redress thine own. All flesh is as the grass of the field; now green, and presently blasted: whilst thou art then as the green plant in thy tender youth, expect ever, and suspect this withering blast of Death, whose sith shall send thee with withered age alike, to the grave; and in the short inconstant way of this life, walk in his way who is true and eternal life.  
This life is a swift post, running fast unto death, whose certain steps thou canst not mark nor observe. Let thy soul then begin with him in thy first youth, and of the contrary run swiftly unto life, and in the way of life, which is jesus Christ. Our life is a dream, now present, and presently gone, wherein who lieth longest, and is most pleased, commonly (being awaked) riseth faintest and most sorrowful. Do not assure thyself therefore of the length thereof, but suspect the shortness: in it there is no solid truth nor rest; apprehend therefore in the beginning thereof, and in thy youth: let thy soul wake and walk in the way of truth, jesus Christ, in whom true rest is only to be found. Pythagoras the Philosopher, did set out the double course of this our life by the letter Y. expressing thereby with Christ the double way thereof: the one whereof hath a strait passage & narrow gate at the first, and few they are that enter in thereat: but in the end, there is great comfort and rest, for it leadeth unto eternal happiness and salvation. The other, wide & large at the beginning, whereat many do enter; but in the end, they find great trouble and straightness, for it leadeth unto eternal misery and destruction. Both these ways are set before the eyes of every young man, as Bivium Herculis, or as life and death to choose.  
This narrow way which leadeth unto eternal life and salvation, (in the which every young man should walk in the pilgrimage of this life, & redress his own ways of youth, according thereunto) is jesus Christ himself. I am the way, the verity and life, and no man cometh to the Father but by me. Our walking in him and with him, must be in righteousness and holiness of life, being holy as he is holy. The gate of this way is narrow, and the passage strait; for the liberties of flesh and blood must be restrained, our affections bridled, and the whole man captivated under the yoke of the obedience of jesus Christ. And as through many temptations he entered into the kingdom of heaven; so we must the same way follow him, denying ourselves, with our crosses taken up, till we come to the end of our way, which is true life, and eternal salvation.  
The other broad way which leadeth to destruction, and whereat many do enter, is sin and Satan, who is that deceiving way unto eternal death (& which every young man should abhor and fly, to enter thereat never so little, or walk therein never so few footsteps in youth). The walking in him, and with him, as he is an unclean spirit, must be in the impurity and impiety of all sin and filthiness. The gate of this damnable way, in the beginning is broad, & the passage easy, but the end is utter perdition and straightness. Where in following Christ, we must subject the flesh unto the Spirit; they who follow him, must abandon, subject, and banish Gods clean Spirit out of their hearts, and be subjects and slaves themselves, to the libertine concupiscence of the flesh, and the unclean licentious lusts and affections thereof. They must refuse the light yoke of the obedience of jesus Christ, to follow him to life, & take on the heavy yoke of all kind of sin, that may press down their souls to the lowest hells, and follow Satan their way and guide unto eternal torments of fire and brimstone; for as he is a condemned spirit himself, so the end of the way wherein he leadeth captivated souls, under his heavy yoke of slavery and sin, is death and eternal condemnation; for the reward of sin is death.  
Therefore let every young man, beholding these two ways, choose that which leadeth unto a glorified eternal life in heaven, by a sanctified life for a time on earth, and walk with, and in him, who is the resurrection and the life, to all them that are saved. If thy walking heretofore hath been in the by-ways of sin, and that broad way of Satan, giving liberty and full head to thy youthly affections, and lusts of the flesh. Seek how to redress these thy ways, & hereafter strive violently to enter in at that strait way, which leadeth to salvation; press hardly to thrust in at that narrow gate, lay off, and cast away far from thee, all the impediments of sin, and the enticing vanities and pleasures of youth, and let thy only care be with thee, first to see thy Saviour, the way is narrow that leadeth to him; delay not then till it be full, but strive to be foremost; the way is narrow that leadeth to life, therefore not soon found: in the beginning them of thy life, timely begin, and search carefully and narrowly for it; the true way is narrow and strait, therefore thy steps therein (when thou hast found it) must be straight and narrow, thou must make a covenant with thy eye, that it behold no vanity, thou must shut the gates of thy ears, that thou hear no vain profane, or idle speeches, offensive to God, thou must not hearken to them; but let the sound of God's word, and healthful admonitions, be pleasant only unto thy hearing: thou must have a watchman before thy lips, and Gods fear a bar unto thy heart & tongue, that thou utter nothing, but may be to God's glory, thy own comfort, and the edification of those that do hear thee, abstaining from swearing, cursing, lying, backebiting, slandering, judging, idle or corrupt speaking, and from all things that hath but the appearance of evil: thou must exercise thy hands to do good only, thy feet to prosecute the same, thy will must be made conformable to thy saviours, thy understanding to perceive and apprehend virtue, and God's mercy towards thee, thy memory to think upon his judgements, to thine amendment, upon his mercy, to thy comfort, and his manifold blessings and undeserved benefits, for increase of thankfulness in thee. Thy whole body and all the members thereof, which is a member of jesus Christ, must no wise be made a member of Satan by sin, or polluted, to be the member of an harlot, thy soul and heart, with all the powers and faculties thereof, must be the temple and tabernacle of Gods sanctifying and holy spirit, & not a lodge for that unclean spirit of sin, and his fellows of thy filthy lusts and carnal affections: in body and soul thou must walk so warily and narrowly, in fear and trembling working out thy salvation. The way is narrow, fear then, never so little, to depart from the paths of the Lord; this strait passage and path to salvation, is soon lost by negligence, but not so easily found out again, without great diligence: care not for the scornful and devilish slander of the world, to be called precise, but daily more and more, labour so to be indeed; strive to live a pure and unspotted life, without an hypocritical and external show only thereof. It is said in a devilish proverb, A young Saint, an old devil: but endeavour thou, being young, to be a Saint of God, and to dedicate thy youth to him, and his service only, walking in this strict and narrow path, & the same God who hath given thee beginning, shall also give thee constancy and a joyful end, that thou mayest live an old Saint also (as well as young) on earth, and in heaven he shall glorify thee a blessed Saint for ever with himself. It is said, and that most truly; Temporis praeteriti, bene impensi suavis est memoria: The memory of time bypassed, which was well bestowed, is sweet and joyful to the mind of man. And let any young man consider with himself, if God bring him to age, what greater joy and comfort he can have, then to remember that he hath borne the yoke in his youth, (as the Prophet saith) that he entered, and walked then in the narrow & strait way, and now is come to the easy passage, and outgoing thereof, to receive that promised reward of eternal joys, and everlasting life: where he seeth others, who then entered a contrary course, giving loose liberty to their flesh, fulfilling their lusts, and never caring to redress their ways, in their old age to be punished with poverty, punished with infamy and disgrace, overcome with sickness, humbled greatly, despised, expelled out of all good company, a pattern of all misery, in great straightness (the end of the way) and compelled with the prodigal Son, after they have spent all, & abused Gods gifts, to live in a lamentable estate, and to fly from City to City, from Country to country, wrestling, if they may to come out of their straightness, but falling from pit to pit, from Scylla to Charybdis. And except God their father give them a mind at last to return to him aright, and half way run and meet them; that is to be feared, they be cast into an everlasting straightness of eternal death and condemnation, which by their walking in that broad way of carnal liberty, they justly have promerited. What joy (I say) shall this be to an aged man, to remember his happy estate he is in? And this woeful condition he hath by God's grace escaped, when for age he cannot so well eat his meat, this remembrance, that he remembered his Creator in the days of his youth, and redressed his ways according to his word, shall be a continual banquet unto him; this peace of a good conscience, and joy of an upright heart, shall be a staff to uphold his soul, when he beholdeth the green field, and pleasant fruits and flowers of his well spent youth, greater solace shall be to his mind, than the pleasure of the finest decked garden of the world could be to the eye, his soul shall flow with comfort, and his heart pant and leap with joy; an infinite treasure shall he possess & see continually, which shall never make him careful, or the fear of the losing thereof, put sleep from his eyes: but from death to life it shall pass with him, and leave a perpetual fame thereof in the world, when he shall die in the Lord, his works shall follow him. Let every young man then spend and bestow his youth so, in walking in this narrow way and strait passage, circumspectly, precisely, and as purely as he can, redressing his ways according to God's word, that in the harvest of old age, he may pull and eat of the fruit of his youth, and find refreshment after weariness, rest after labour, victory after the battle, easiness after straightness, and infinite eternal joy, after momentaneall mourning and tears for a season: assuring himself, that his fasting from sin in youth, shall be a feasting of comfort in age, his sowing in tears, shall be a reaping of joy. And Christ, the way, the truth, and the life, who hath promised the reward, is faithful, willing, and sufficient to perform: 
Reu. 2.  he saith; To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God. He that overcometh, shall not be hurt of the second death; to him that overcometh, will I give of the Manna that is hid, and I will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it. He that overcometh; shall be clothed in white array, and I will not put out his name out of the Book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his Angels. Lo●, many rewards, divers recompenses, great liberality, unspeakable mercy, and infinite matter of comfort, and encouragement in thy youth to walk in this narrow way, that in age thy overcoming may be fulfilled and finished. Christ, who promiseth, he is the way that cannot err, walk in him, he is the truth that cannot deceive, walk by himself, and he is the life that hath swallowed up death, walk therefore to him, make him wholly thy whole way, and wholly holily insist and persist in him, redressing all thy own ways according to his. Be importunate with Moses, that the Lord would show himself unto thee, wrestle with jacob for the blessing, that thou mayest prevail with God, and by his grace, he may preserve & direct thee in all thy waies● according to his own way: strive to enter in at the strait gate, as Christ the way commandeth thee: pray with Paul 7. times, yea 70. times 7. times, and be instant that his grace may suffice thee: with the widow weary the judge of all flesh, that just & willing judge to hear thee, and grant thee thy desire: with the poor Samaritan woman, beg earnestly at Christ to cure thy own sick soul, to redress thy ways, to direct thee in his, and to give thee of the children's bread, that hid Manna, to eat. The kingdom of heaven, and end of the strait way, suffereth violence; infer violence therefore to enter in at the same, neither delay any time. jacob was desired by joseph, to make his journey speedily to come to the kingdom of Egypt, where he was second person. jesus Christ our brother, whom we sold by our sins, desireth and willeth every young man to make his journey speedily likewise, in the right way to come to the kingdom of heaven, where he is the second person also. jacob, except that he had made haste to get the blessing of his father, he had been in peril to lose it; for presently, as he went out from the presence of his father, his brother Esau came in: so, except thou make speed in thy youth to obtain the blessing of God thy heavenly Father, by redressing thy ways and walking in his, thou art in great peril to lose the same: this narrow and straight gate of grace is opened before thy eyes, then strive that thou mayst enter in thereat, be not slow then, but make speed in thy way here, lest hereafter, with the foolish Virgins, thou call and knock, at the gate of glory, but be not admitted to that joy: say not in thy youth, with sluggard, Pro. 6. 10. Yet a slumber, and unfolding of hands, but up, and walk with jesus Christ in the way of godliness, at the first call, according to the rule of God's word, purge & redress thy ways: when that cloudy pillar warneth thee, to go forward, go and walk, having it before thy eyes, in the way of holiness; and when it warneth thee to stay, then stay thy course, in repressing thy affections, bridling thy lusts and their precipitate course, redressing thy ways, restraining the liberties of the flesh, conforming thy will to Gods will, and walking in a straight and narrow way of life: follow young Abel, who walked innocently and holily before God, offering the first fruits of his flock, as thou must of thy youth, to the Lord; and not the broad way of Cain, in murder, wrath, and despising of God; or of Lamech, in vaunting and bragging of thy strength in youth to commit sin, (as many young men do.) Follow godly Noah in the straightway of holiness, and of curbing the liberties of the flesh, who in that general corruption of time, was only found just, and found favour in God's eyes, when the rest drinking and eating, taking of those whom they liked best, rejoicing and walking in the broad way of iniquity and liberty of the flesh, were destroyed with all flesh, in that general Deluge. Follow just Lot in this true way, who remained only undefiled with the filthy lusts of the Sodomites, and in uprightness of conversation, walked only before GOD, afflicting his soul every day, for their abominations, and eschewed the broad way of their uncleanness, whoring, oppression, drunkenness, etc. wherewith young & old was infected, and cried down from heaven fearful destruction upon them. Follow Abraham, who obeyed and believed God: godly Izaak, who in his youth was diligently occupied in prayer in the field, and lived chastened in the fear of God, until a lawful wife was provided for him. Follow plain jacob, who esteemed God's blessing better than all the world, and did cast all his care upon God (as the Apostle commandeth) and served in a painful service, long and truly, without sleep in the cold frost of the night, and burning heat of the day; also suffered many injuries, and ever rewarded good for evil. Follow young upright joseph, who being greatly tempted, to enter in that broad way of liberty and lust, by his mistress, refused to commit that vild sin of adultery with her, and chose to walk on in the straight path of holiness, he walked so wisely, that he found favour in all men's eyes, and was loved greatly for his gentle and courteous behaviour, and at last was promoted, by God's providence, to be the second person in all Egypt, after his straightness in prison there. Follow faithful Moses, & enter in at this straight gate with him, who chose rather to suffer adversity with the people of God, (walking in the narrow way) then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, (walking in the broad way) esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches, than the treasures of Egypt, (the reason is) for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward, (the end of this narrow way.) Israel whom he did lead, went out of Egypt to Canaan the land of their rest, thorough much straightness, and a narrow passage; as the true Israel of God must go out & from the Egypt of this world, to that spiritual Canaan, the land of their eternal rest. Follow courageous joshua, who went thorough a narrow passage over Iorden, unto the land of Canaan, with God's Ark before him, & by many battles overcame and obtained the same; as thou must by many battles, betwixt the flesh & the spirit, obtain that eternal Canaan, walking towards it in a narrow passage, and having God's word continually before the eyes of thy heart, to redress and conform thy ways according thereunto. Young David, after he was elected king of Israel, he walked in this narrow path, thorough many temptations, to draw him from God's fear and service, and thorough much straightness, before he came to the possession of the kingdom; as after thy election to that everlasting kingdom of heaven, in this world, during that Prince of darkness reign, thou must pass and overcome many temptations of Satan & the flesh likewise, & walk in the straight and narrow way of holiness & sanctification, before thou come to the easy and spacious end of thy way, to the full possession of that heavenly kingdom, and eternal glorification through Christ jesus: thou must be in labours, before thou rest from labours; thou must live in the Lord, before thou canst die in the Lord; thou must live the life of the righteous, if thou wouldst wish to die the death of the righteous, and thy last end to be like theirs. All the holy patriarchs, Prophets, Saints, and Martyrs of God, have trodden this narrow way, before they obtained the recompense of their reward, unto which they had respect: if therefore thou have any respect unto the same, and by hope look for that, which they fully now possess, follow and insist in their footsteps; if thou wouldst triumph and glory with them, thou must also courageously fight with them, against the devil and thine own corrupt affection's and concupiscence of the flesh, which fain would have liberty, and draw thee in that broad way of destruction; but assure thyself in thy youth, and in the way thereof, that the greater liberty of thy flesh and affections here, maketh the most straight incarceration, and fearful plunging of soul and body, in endless and easeless torments of hell hereafter: which thou mayest plainly behold and learn, by the example of Dives & Lazarus, whereof the one, in the broad way, had his pleasures in this life, but not a drop of water to cool his tongue after death, (the straight end of his way:) the other had his miseries here, without necessaries scarce for the flesh, but after death, (which opened the large end of his way) he was carried into Abraham's bosom, in eternal joys for ever to remain; in their life, Lazarus was compelled to beg, from Dives, crumbs of his bread; at their death, Dives was compelled to beg from Lazarus, a drop of cold water, there did straightness follow after ease, and ease after straightness, in their several ways. Albeit the rich man in the Gospel, walking in the broad way, did bid his soul, Eat, drink, and take it ease, for it had much laid up for many years, yet God from heaven had decreed, that the straight end of his way should be nearer than he thought, & they should fetch his soul from him that same night. Albeit Nabuchadnezzar (walking in the broad way also) in the pride of his heart said, Is not this great Babel that I have built, for the house of my kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my Majesty? glorying so in the flesh; yet he was cast into a great and wonderful straightness, while the word was in his mouth, and driven from men, as a beast to eat the grass of the fields. Albeit Bel●hazzar likewise, (walking in the same large way) in the exaltation of his heart against God, proclaimed a banquet, sitting with his Princes, wives and concubines, pampering & giving all pleasure to the flesh, drinking wine in the vessels, consecrated only to God's service, which were brought out of jerusalem, not glorifying GOD, but praising his Idols of gold, silver and stone, yet the end of his way was this; the Hand declared on the wall, that he was weighed, and found too light, his kingdom was ended, and given to others, and that same night he was slain presently; so when he was highest, upon the top of his rejoicing hill, most suddenly he did fall lowest, in the valley of mourning, and pit of tears, by lamentable destruction, the unexpected straight end of his broad former way. The Sodomites knew little how near fire and brimstone was near them; the primitive world, how near them was the Deluge; and all such that walk in this way of liberty of the flesh, how near, subversion of soul and body is at hand. Therefore let us walk in the right way, if we would sit at Christ's right hand; let us be sanctified here, if we would be glorified hereafter; let us walk in the true path, if we would attain to the true end thereof; and subdue the flesh with the affections thereof, to the spirit and yoke of Christ's obedience, if in body and spirit for ever, we would reign with him. Let us redress our own ways, and let every one that calleth on the name of the Lord, 
2. Tim. 2. 19  depart from iniquity: as the Apostle commandeth Timothy, 
2. Tim. 2. 22.  and in his person all young men, Fly from the lusts of youth, & follow after righteousness, faith, love, and peace, with them that call on the name of the Lord, for if any man purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for the Lord, & prepared unto every good work.  
Seeing also, our course of life here, is compared to a Way, which we must redress according to God's word, therefore let us walk in this life, as in a way, warily, and working out our salvation in fear and trembling. Considering with ourselves; 1. First, as in a way or journey, no rest is to be expected, that is permanent, until we come to the end thereof; so neither must we look for any permanent city, or solid rest, in the way or course of this life, until we come to jesus Christ, being dissolved, to be with him, who is the true end and rest, of the true and narrow way, the temple of that spiritual jerusalem, and City of all perfect light and joy. For the estate of his Church here, is, as the Boat, wherein upon the sea he was with his Disciples, ever tossed up and down, in continual labour; so that, except he were our stay, our rest, and refuge, we should surely perish. Our life here is a Warfare, our enemy is ever pursuing, as a raging Lion, seeking to devour us, therefore we must be in continual defence of the life of our souls, by his strength being armed, who gave his life for our souls, until under his defence, having fought a good fight, and finished our course, we be victorious and triumph with him, having received that immortal and incorruptible crown of glory, which is laid up for us, and for all them that love the coming of the Lord jesus in glory, to glorify us with himself. 2. Secondly, in a way, we ever go forward, and one step followeth another, sicut unda impelli, tur unda, as one wave is enforced by another; so also in the way of this our life, we post to our end, and our days pass more swiftly than a weavers shuttle; our life is as a flower, that now springeth up, and with a blast fadeth; as a water bubble, now up, and now down with an air of wind; as a smoke, seen, and gone presently; as the fat of Lambs, which suddenly is dropped away: so that whether we sleep or wake, whether we eat or drink, whether we go or sit still, as in a ship we are carried speedily, with full sails, thorough the sea of this turbulent world, to the port and haven of our grave, and our reflux is to that Ocean. Let us watch then carefully, and have the hourglass of the number of our days, ever before our eyes, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom; let us look diligently to the precious and most dear loading of our souls, once purchased by Christ's blood, suspect our weak vessels, and clay tabernacles, acknowledge that we are ever in danger of death, and that there is little betwixt us and him: foresee carefully the rocks and dangers before us, have ever the Compass of God's word before our eyes, to direct our course and way according thereunto. Behold still the Map and Card of that heavenly coast of Canaan, towards the which we intent and attend our course, try and spy out the marks, whereby we may know that we are near the same, or in the right way thereto; forget the things that are behind, and have our eyes forward, still on the further bank; and by continual and earnest prayers, desire almighty God to save us, lest we perish, to give us his spirit to be our guide and pilot, and by his infinite mercy & grace, to bring us at last, to that wished Land of our blessed Canaan, with joshua our judge and Captain, through all the perils and dangers of this dark desert. And chiefly, let us daily strive, as in the way of our natural life: so likewise, that in the way of our supernatural & true life, jesus Christ, and his righteousness, we may make some progress, & so step forward from life to life, forgetting the world and her whorish enticements behind us, and bending our forces directly to follow him only.  
Thirdly, in a way also, we have ever certain limited bounds, 
3. We are limited.  which we must not transgress nor go over. In the way of this life likewise, we have God's word and Commandments, as walls on each side to enclose us, which we must strive to contain ourselves within, and to redress our ways according thereunto. Christ's voice is the walls & hedge of his sheepfold, over which whosoever passeth, wandereth astray in the fearful and dark desert of sin, a ready prey to that cruel devouring bear, and raging Lion Satan: for God, as he is just and merciful, so he hath declared and manifested the same plainly in his sacred word, his justice chiefly in the old testament, his mercy in the new; his justice he hath set up as a wall on our right hand, that we may fear to sin; his mercy as a wall on our left hand, that if we sin, we may know that we have a Mediator & Saviour, even jesus Christ the man: therefore, seeing we are set betwixt these two walls, let us walk warily, that on the one side beholding God's justice, we despair not, nor on the other, beholding his mercy, we presume not, but with an equal eye beholding both, and with an equal pace walking betwixt both, in fear and love of him, we may go on our way to our journeys end, and so work out the great work of our salvation.  
Fourthly, in a journey way, or race to be run, 
4. We take no burdens  every man, who desireth to be at the end thereof soonest, will make himself lightest, and not take up heavy burdens to hinder and weary him: So in this way and race of our life, if we have eyes to see the reward, (being a crown of immortal glory) if we have hearts to consider or understand the preciousness thereof, or a desire to attain, or obtain the same, we must not take on, the heavy and hindering burdens of this world, and the wearisome vanities thereof, to be impediments in our course, but cast off and disburden ourselves of these dangerous loadings, using the things of this world, as though we used them not: and in our youth begin & take up the light and easy yoke of Christ's obedience, & with our crosses follow him: in our hand we must take the staff of his word; we must gird our loins with his sanctity and righteousness, and in the footsteps of pure unspotted innocency, must we follow him, being holy as he is holy: this is the way, Sic itur ad astra.  
Fiftly, 
1. We desire not our way to be long.  no pilgrim also will desire his way to be long and wearisome, but the sooner he may come to the end of his journey, the more he will rejoice. In this way and pilgrimage likewise of our life▪ let us not desire so much to live long till age, that our way may be prolonged, but to live well while we are young, that we may insist constantly▪ in the true way, and desire with the Apostle, rather to be dissolved and be with Christ: and with old Simeon, after our eyes by faith have seen our salvation, & in the arms of our heart we have embraced him, to desire to depart in his peace, and enjoy the reward & fullness of our hope.  
And in the mean time, 
6. Our way dangerous.  seeing in our way chiefly of youth, we have many impediments cast before us, many fetters and nets for our feet, laid to ensnare us, many outward and inward enemies seeking to destroy us; and no wisdom nor strength in ourselves to prevent or avoid them: therefore let our continual and humble petition be to that Lord of strength, and wisdom of the Father, Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from all evil: and so in a way of this life, let us walk as in the way, according to the word and way of jesus Christ, redressing our by-ways. And having these considerations, before our eyes, until by that true and lively way Christ, we attain to the end thereof, eternal life and endless rest for ever.  
The action set down in this question is, Whereby shall a young man redress his way? according to the vulgar translation, but according to the original and Hebrew text, it is, Whereby shall a young man cleanse or purge his way? The first, to wit, redressing, is a metaphor taken from a house, which being unclean or out of order, useth to be redressed and trimmed up for the guests it should receive, according unto the Parable and words of Christ, concerning the unclean spirit, who departed out of the man whom he possessed, and wandered in dry places, seeking rest, and finding none: therefore he decreed with himself, to return back again to his former lodging, and took with him other seven unclean spirits worse than himself; who returning, found the house dressed and well garnished for them, and there they abode; so that the last condition of that man, was worse than the first. And so truly it is in all ages, but chiefly in youth, that our souls and bodies, (which should be the temple and tabernacle of God's holy and clean Spirit, who can abide no impurity) is polluted daily with the uncleanness of sin, and defiled with the filthy Harpies of our lusts and carnal affections, and so we harbour in our heart (as it were) that unclean spirit, and dresseth up the same as a house or chamber for him to rest in with his fellows. Therefore in our youth & tender years, if we would be accounted, or any way esteemed to be the children of God, to be the members of jesus Christ, to be temples of God's Spirit, to have our names written in that book of life, or ever to expect participation or enjoying of the endless and infinite joys of heaven: then let us by the assistance and strength of that stronger man jesus Christ, who hath overcome and subdued all, and by the special grace of his blessed and powerful spirit, strive to bind & expel that usurping tyrant, out of the precious house of our soul, and to shut him out of the gates and doors of our hearts, that we be none of his possessions, or vessels in his house, and with all our strength, diligence and power, seek to redress our soul and heart again, and make it fit and meet for the habitation & abiding place, of that clean and holy spirit of jesus Christ only, being sanctified by his grace, in all the members of our body, & faculties of our soul, that the Lord of rest may give rest to our cesciences, & rest by his comfortable presence in our hearts continually: let us lift up the celestial and everlasting gates of our souls, and let the king of glory enter in: walk in his ways, and redress by his grace, our unclean and enormous ways of sin and unrighteousness.  
The second word, to wit, cleansing, according to the original word in the Hebrew text, which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mundabit, is taken likewise by a metaphor, chiefly from vessels, which useth to be made clean and purged, when they are foul or polluted with any thing, according to Christ's words, Matth. 23. 25. in reprehending of the hypocritical Scribes & pharisees, who did make clean the outer side of the cup & platter, but within were full of hypocrisy and iniquity. So indeed, all men, young and old, we are God's vessels, either of honour or dishonour, appointed either continually to remain in his sight, or eternally to be rejected and banished from his glorious presence: there is no day also, but we are polluted (chiefly in youth) and defiled with some uncleanness of sin, and our filthy lusts and affections ever doth infect us: therefore continually we must endeavour, and seek with earnest prayers, that we may cleanse and purge (according to Christ's commandment) first, 
Matt. 23. 26.  the inside of the cup and platter▪ that the outside of them may be clean also. In our youth, we are as new vessels in God's house, if at any time a vessel be esteemed of, or be clean, it is when it is new: & therefore in our youth let us chiefly try and know if we be vessels of honour▪ if we be, surely than we must be most cleanest, for a precious vessel of honour, ordained to be in the presence of the Prince, is never defiled with filthiness, nor suffered to be put to an unclean use, chiefly being as yet new; but if we find ourselves polluted with filthiness in our youth and newness, & our soul made the receptacle of stinking lusts, and of all impurity of sin, let us fear and suspect that, except God of his free mercy and grace, create and frame us of a new again, and purge us from all our iniquities, that we can judge ourselves to be no other but vessels of rejection, impurity, and dishonour. Therefore in youth, while the filth of sin sticketh not so fast upon the vessels of our souls, nor the old man of iniquity hath not taken so long & strong possession of the house of our heart (as he may plead long custom or defend it) let us purge by the tears of true repentance our filthy blots, & uncleanness of sin, and desire that unspotted Lamb by his precious bloodshed, to purge us likewise from the guilt thereof: let us by the strength of his gracious Spirit, expel that unclean spirit of sin, and pleasures of the flesh, and redress the room and house of our soul, with open gates to receive, retain, and entertain with joy, that spirit of all cleanness, of joy, and endless comfort. As jesus Christ our Saviour hath commanded; let us first purge & make clean the inside of the cup & platter, that the outside may be clean also, that is, let us begin & purge the worm of sin and corruption from the root of our hearts and the branches, with the fruit of word and deed, shall prosper the better; begin and purify the spring, and the streams that runneth therefrom shall be the clearer: Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh: and according as the affection of the heart is, so the works proceed, and the members executeth their command. This purifying is by true repentance, with Marie Magdalen, in sorrowing truly for our sins, and in all humility washing his feet with the tears of deep remorse, constantly endeavouring never to sin no more, and by a lively faith in the arms of our soul, embracing and apprehending the blood of jesus Christ and his death, as our only righteousness, obedience, and propitiatory sacrifice before the Father, and by good works and a sanctified holy life, showing our faith and God's mercy manifested in us, to our lives end, to the good example of others, and our own soul's salvation.  
This action of cleansing or redressing, is set down in the future time, Qui nam mundabit, etc. Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way. Noting thereby the present estate thereof to be unredressed and unclean. Whereby we learn and may observe, first, that howsoever we flatter or excuse ourselves in any age, but chiefly in our youth, that our ways nor course of life is not so unclean nor worthy of reproof, but may be easily borne with, & soon redressed oramended, yet the spirit of God in this place of his sacred word doth by the mouth of his holy Prophet, show unto us that our ways are so unclean and filthy, that it is a very hard & difficult thing to redress or cleanse them, their pollution being so great: which he would signify by ask interrogatively, how they shall be redressed? And therefore, that in all humility and lowest submission of heart in our youth, and in all ages, we should acknowledge the infinite greatness of our transgressions and filthy uncleanness of sin, which cannot be cleansed but by an infinite purgation, even by the blood of jesus Christ, in his infinite and unsearchable mercy shed for mankind, which we should daily beg, and continually thirst after the same greedily, walking worthy hereafter, as those who are redeemed with so precious a price. Secondly, we may observe here, the marks and difference betwixt a godly and ungodly young man, the one consulteth and asketh at God, Whereby he may redress and purge his ways? the other consulteth with flesh and blood, and asketh counsel at Satan and his own filthy lusts and affections, whereby he may defile and pollute his ways? The only care and vigilant study of the one is, how to redress vice, and overcome sin in his mortal members, that God's free Spirit may make his abode and comfortable habitation in his soul. The diligent care of the other is, how to repress and oppress virtue and godliness, that it take no root in his soul, nor bring forth no acceptable & pleasant fruit before God, but that as a sink of iniquity, it may abound and yield forth out of the abundance thereof, rotten and unsavoury smells, in thought, word, and action. The one seeketh to purge himself from the least spot of sin, that might make him displeasing in his father's sight, yea he abhorreth from the very appearance of evil, or the least mean that might draw or persuade him any way thereunto. The other seeketh the foulest puddle or mire of sin, wholly in body and soul, not caring to tumble & pollute himself as a filthy swine thereinto, and as a dog devouring sin griedily, (which devoureth his soul) and returning ever to his vomit, he embraceth all occasions of sin, he headlong runneth unto the brink of destruction, & as it were with cartropes of iniquity, he is swiftly carried, as the ox to the slaughter, or the fool to the block, unto the bottomless pit of perdition. The one, for the least sin he committeth, that staineth his soul, he heapeth and poureth out tears upon tears, as a treasure to be laid up in a bottle before God, that thereafter he may reap the fruit of his seed sowed in tears, in the joyful and plentiful harvest of the Lord, when he shall find true rest and comfort to his soul. The other, in his greatest sins he most rejoiceth, and with Lamech, 
Gen. 4.  vaunteth of his ungodly fury and cruelty, of impiety inferred to his own soul, he heapeth sin upon sin, until the day of wrath, as a treasure, and with all greediness filleth the cup of iniquity to the full, till God in his just judgment give to him also the full cup of his fierce wrath and indignation, and make him drink out the very dregs thereof▪ for as he soweth, so he shall reap. The one sort, being the children of the light and the day, they walk in the light, and do the works thereof, therefore they shall enjoy the clear and endless light of that heavenly new jerusalem, which is the bright countenance of the Lamb. The other being the children of darkness and the night, they delight to walk in the ways of darkness, and to do the works thereof; therefore with the prince of darkness, they shall be at last cast into utmost darkness, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Finally, as every tree is known by his fruit, so by their works you shall know and discern, betwixt godly, and ungodly young men; as a good young tree bringeth forth best fruit in the spring, while it is young; so, a godly young man bringeth forth best fruits of virtue and piety, in his tender years, and spring of his youth, not delaying, till the cold winter of old age come, wherein either no fruit at all, or if any, nothing but sour grapes are to be expected: but as no man can gather figs of thorns, nor seek for honey out of the viper, so, from those that consume their best age and prime of youth, in all lustful licentiousness, & outlaw living in sin, and slavish liberty of iniquity, nothing can be expected, but that the harvest shall be like the spring, wherein they shall reap the fruit of their labours, and their seed time of wickedness shall be rewarded, with the measure of bitter & severe punishment; when the axe shall be put to the root of the tree, and every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be cut down, & cast into unquenchable fire. The examples of both these sorts of young men, we have in the Scripture, set before the eyes of all youths in this age, to learn by, and behold. Of the one, whom they should follow, the examples, of young Abel, uprightly sacrificing unto God, the first fruits and fat of the flock; as they should the first fruits and fat of their youth, in uprightness and holiness of life: of young Isaac, exercising himself in prayer alone in the field: of young jacob, in suffering many wrongs, obeying the good counsel of his parents, fearing their displeasure, dealing faithfully, in an holy and humble mind with all men: of young joseph, refusing the way of sin and adulterous lust, suffering patiently, rewarding good for evil, and being a comfort and relief to his old father, and his whole family: of Moses, refusing to be counted the son of Pharaohs daughter, to be esteemed the son of God, and a faithful servant in his whole house: of young David, in trusting ever steadfastly, and believing in God's mercy towards him, suffering much adversity, and still sticking fast unto the Lord, who delivered his enemies so oftentimes in his hands, and his life out of theirs: of young Solomon, in seeking the true wisdom of God, before honour or riches: of young Samuel, zealous and faithful in God's sanctuary in his youth, there serving him: of young Daniel, in walking with an holy and upright heart, before the almighty: of young Timothy, brought up from an infantin the true knowledge & fear of God, a glorious star & painful instrument in his Church: of the children of the elect Lady, 2. epist. joh. 1. 4. whom the beloved Apostle of jesus Christ found walking in the truth, as God had commanded, and therefore rejoiced: with such like examples, which are set before the eyes of all youth, according thereunto, to reform and conform themselves in all things, that they may obtain that rich reward of eternal life, whereof they are already in possession. Of the other sort, which we should eschew and abhor, is malicious murdering and hypocritical Cain, who was accursed of God: vaunting Lamech bragging of his strength & fury to commit sin in his youth: Ham dishonouring & contemning Noah his father: Esau, in being a grief to his parent's heart, a profane A theist and persecutor of his godly brother: Absalon, a bloody, unnatural, proud & wicked son to his father David, whose end was a shameful and sudden death: Elies two sons, who oppressed God's people, committed most vile filthiness in Israel, and were at last the death and heartbreak of their old father, and their own destruction: Ammon, incestuous with his sister, whose reward was cruel death and sudden destruction: the young men of Sodom, who in their filthiness were consumed with fire & brimstone: Zimri and Cozbi in their burning lust, thrust thorough by zealous Phineas: with many other such examples, of those, who in the time of their youth, fulfilled their own lusts, and wicked affections, till they tasted of the full cup of God's fierce wrath, to their utter destruction, which was their seal end & lamentable condition; such therefore let us abhor with their course of wicked life, as we would eschew their fearful end & most cursed death. R●hoboam, by his young counsellors, in obeying them, lost a kingdom, to the which he was called: by the wicked and furious hot counsellors of our lusts and affections in our youth, let us not also loose the glorious kingdom of heaven, to the which we are likewise called by God's word. Neither (as the young man's love to his riches, made him to forsake Christ) let the unclean love, or desire to follow our youthly pleasures, or to fulfil our filthy lusts and affections draw us from following jesus Christ our Saviour, and these godly examples and patterns of youth▪ which in his word, we have here set before our eyes; but with young Samuel when the Lord calleth us in his Church, to hear and do his word, let us so oft answer, Lord, here am I, thy servant, to do thy godly will, speak, for thy servant heareth: while the spring and seed time is, of our tender years, let us so sow, as we would reap; and so bud as we would ripen: our youth is the day, to do our works in; the night of age cometh, wherein we cannot work, in that time we shall say only, I might have been learned, I might have been so or so, if I had used my time aright; but winter is come, before I thought on seed-time, and Times bald backside is turned to me, but the hairy forehead, which I might have caught hold by, is already past: therefore the wise man saith, Remember now thy Creator, in the days of thy youth, whiles the evil days come not, nor the years approach, wherein thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them, whiles the sun is not dark, nor the light, nor the moon, nor the stars, nor the clouds return after rain, when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall ●ow themselves, & the grinders shall cease, because they are few, and they wax dark that look out by the windows, etc. describing so metaphorically, the infirmities of old age. They, who stepped in first, when the Angel came down and troubled the waters of the pool Bethesda, were cured of their disease; so if we would be cured of our soul's disease, and leprosy of sin, we must strive to step in first, before others, in our youth, without lingering, to be washed with the blood of Christ, and live a pure unspotted life. joseph before the time of famine came, laid up abundance of corn providently for the same; so before the lean and crinkled years of age come, we must providently, in the Summer of youth, with the Bee and Ant, gather and lay up food for our souls, filling the storehouses of our heart full with the knowledge and true fear of God, to be our comfort and ease in that time, that here, & in the world to come, we may be accounted among the number, and of the sort of those forenamed, who dedicated their youth and first fruits thereof, to God their heavenly Father, and now do enjoy the joyful recompense of their labours with jesus Christ, in the presence of the Lamb for ever to remain.  
The answer that is made unto this question, is this; In taking heed thereto, according to thy word: that is, by these means, a young man may redress his ways and course of life, if, according to the rule and prescript of thy holy word, O Lord, he take heed thereto, diligently and straightly marking, examining and judging the same, and rectifying all his ways and actions by the direct line and rule of thy commandments.  
This answer is made by way of prayer or confession to God, or (as it were) by resolution from God: In taking heed thereto, 
Use.  according to thy word: thereby showing and teaching all men, that to know, will or do aright, as God hath commanded, according to his word, is not of our strength, neither can flesh and blood reveal it unto us, but our heavenly Father, & it is the gracious work of his glorious Spirit, who, as the knowledge of Gods will proceedeth of his special Illumination, so the acting and doing of the same, in an holy and upright life, is of his special grace and powerful operation also, who giveth thee knowledge, will and power to do the same. Velle & perficer●, by enlightening our understanding, reforming our wicked will, and conforming the same unto the holy and perfect will of God, and with his command to rise from the sleep and death of sin, to a new and sanctified life, giving us a power and flowing light and life from himself to do so, as when Christ our Saviour said, Talitha cumi, or, Lazarus arise, etc. and at that last day, when it shall be said, Rise dead folk, come to judgement: and so in all God's word, when he commandeth to repent, believe, bring forth good fruit, or so, we must not thereby think, because God commandeth so, therefore that we have knowledge or free-will to do, or not do so, but with the command there floweth a concomitating power and virtue from God's spirit, to the hearts of the faithful predestinate for salvation, to do this command; as a further induration, to harden the hearts of the sons of reprobation in their stiffnecked disobedience to Gods will, even as at the words of Christ, the figtree withered: free will then and strength of ourselves, to know and do evil, we have, for it is according to our nature, for by nature we are the children of wrath, and all the imaginations of our heart are only evil continually from our very infancy: and it is the work of our flesh, for the flesh coveteth against the spirit: but to know, will, or to do well, we have no power at all, but it is God's sanctifying Spirit, who giveth both, and it is above nature, yea, it is the work of the Spirit, against nature. Therefore let us not trust to our own knowledge or wisdom, for it is darkness & foolishness, nor think of our own will or strength, that we can do, or truly desire or know, that which is good, being so perverse and wicked, but with the Prophet, after his example, acknowledge all our knowledge of his will, or of the right way to salvation, to proceed only from the illumination of his good spirit, and that the will or strength to do and perform the same, is only his own free work in mercy also, and let us by earnest prayers (as in all ages, so chiefly in our youth) implore his holy help, to teach us, according to his word, how to walk in his ways, and to take heed to our own, in greatest difficulties consult with him, who is true light and wisdom, and in whom is no changing; in greatest temptations, by continual prayer, let us fly to him, that with his all-sufficient grace, he may ever assist us, when Satan would not only buffet, but kill & devour our souls, with the poison of sin, and our own lusts, and in all things let him be our only refuge, resolution and comfort continually.  
In taking heed thereto, etc. this action of taking heed to our ways, in the answer, hath reference to the action of redressing or cleansing the same in the question, as if he would say, by taking heed to his ways, according to gods word, a young man may redress or purge the same.  
The purging therefore or redressing of the ways of youth, whereby every young man may insist & persist in the right way of holiness to salvation, must be in marking straightly, and in taking heed carefully to the whole course of his life, in thought, word, and deed, directing and instituting the same according to the rule and express direction of the word of God, in the which, night and day he should meditate & exercise himself continually, that thereby his whole life, and all the ways thereof, may be kept spotless and clean from all corruption of sin, and the filthy lusts of the flesh. 
Use.  Therefore, let all young men apply all the actions & ways of their life to this touchstone of God's word: let them take diligent heed to thought, word, and deed, mark them narrowly, examine and judge them diligently and unpartially, according to this rule and square, that by God himself, they be not strictly marked here, and severely examined, judged and rewarded in the world to come. If they find their ways to be in some measure conformable to God's word (for none are perfit) desire Christ to help their imperfection, praise God for his mercy and this measure of sanctification, desiring increase thereof and confirmation. If by taking heed unto their ways, and due examination thereof, they find them disagreeable unto the word of God, then humbly prostrate themselves in true repentance and contritenesse of a broken and rend heart, before the tribunal of that great King and judge whom they have offended; desire earnestly remission and cleansing of their sinful ways by the precious bloodshed of jesus Christ; vow and perform reformation and conformation of their ways hereafter, according to God's word, by a renewed and sanctified life; and to that effect, beg importunately with that poor widow, from the just judge of all men, his holy sanctifying spirit to be their director & leader in that way of salvation, to the end thereof. This way of young men, unto which they should take heed according to God's word so diligently, is threefold. 1. Their way of particular and lawful vocation. 2. Their way of christian & civil manners. And 3. their way of true godliness, the perfection of all. According to this rule of the word of God, let every young man therefore (I say) take heed & examine▪ First, his way of the ordinary and particular vocation, God hath called him to, if in the same he hath behaved himself uprightly, & used aright, the talon that God hath given him for that effect: for to none of his servants, but God hath allotted & given some special talon & gift, fit to be used in a special & particular vocation; whereby in some measure they may be profitable to church & Commonwealth, from the Son of the Prince that sitteth on his throne, to the son of the poorest beggar by the high way side: to some he hath given a quick wit and diverse inclination to divers kinds of learning, as Divinity, the Laws, Physic, etc. wherein severally by every one, his glory may be advanced, and the Church or Commonwealth in some measure profited: to others he hath given of his spirit, in wisdom, understanding, and knowledge to work in all manner of workmanship, as he did to Bezaleel and Aholiab, 
Exod. 31. 3.  fitting them for several mechanical and handiecrafts: and for some one particular of these two kinds of vocation, that God hath given every one from his cradle, a natural inclination and special gift therefore, (if education be joined) it doth evidently appear by experience. Let every young man then, noble or ignoble, consider & take heed unto this way of vocation, according to God's word, that if God hath fitted him by some special gift and inclination, he lose not, spend, nor hide his talon by idleness, for fear of the punishment that Christ hath mentioned in his word thereunto: for idleness and delicacy was the sin of the primitive world that drew down that fearful deluge upon them; idleness was the sin that cried down fire & brimstone upon Sodom. 
Prou. 6. 11.  It is the impoverisher and destroyer of a Kingdom, City, house, or man, as industry is the enricher. The one crieth for God's curse on a people or person: the other for a blessing. Idleness is the door to let in sin and the devil even in the godliest. When Adam was idle from dressing the garden, he was tempted to eat of the forbidden fruit, and did fall, and we in him: when David was idle, he was drawn in adultery and murder: when Samson was idle from the wars, he fell a whoring with Dalilah, and fearful destruction came upon him. The little unreasonable creatures of God condemneth it: therefore Solomon, Prou. 6. 6. referreth the sluggard to the Pismire, to behold her ways and be wise: and Virgil saith of the Bees; Illae continuo saltus ●yluasque peragrant, Excudunt ceras, & mella tenacia fingunt Venturaeque hyemis memores, aestate laborem Experiuntur, & in medium quesita reponū● Not like the Grasshopper, who singeth all the summer, but starveth in winter: as many gentlemen's sons in their youth are idly brought up by their parents, but in the winter of old age must beg, or try many unlawful shifts, because they cannot frame themselves to work, nor were not in their youth trained up to virtue. It is a pity that such should live in a Kingdom or commonwealth, but have the Apostles Law; He that laboureth not, let him not eat. And a greater pity it is to see or suffer such idle bringing up, or rather bringing down to poverty and destruction, in a civil or well instituted kingdom or commonwealth. God our heavenly father ever worketh, in propagating, conserving, and governing of his creature, so that if once he should withdraw his hand, all should perish; our soul also which resembleth him, is called by Aristotle, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: that is a continual operation. As God then is ever occupied in doing of good, so should we be; and in so far as we are idle, so far we depart from likeness to God, and our own soul. The blessed and holy Angels also are ever occupied, either in continual praising of God their Creator, or in doing his message, for preservation & ministering to the godly, and punishing of the wicked, whereof many examples are in the Scripture: the glorious Sun in his swift motion compasseth the earth continually: and assure thyself, whosoever thou be, that albeit thou be idle from applying thy mind, or exercising thyself in virtue while thou art young, the devil he is not idle, who compasseth the earth too and fro, to entice thy mind to vice, and lay snares before age come, to draw thee to destruction and a shameful end. Neither think, albeit thou be a Noble or Gentleman's son or heir, that hath lands or ample possessions, that therefore thou needest not, nor should apply thy mind to virtue, or thy hand to work: the truly noblest that ever was, jesus Christ, God & man, whose creatures and work all Nobles and Kings are, wrought with his hands under his supposed father joseph, in the craft of carpentarie, in all subjection, till the time of his public ministery came, wherein he behoved to go about his true Father's business. jacob a great Patriarch, and borne to great possessions, even the whole land of Canaan, which flowed with milk and honey, yet sent to service by his parents, who loved him more dearly and wisely then many who cocker up their children now, and think it an indignity to put them to handiecrafts or service, being a great deal less able to sustain them, nor having so sure a promise that God will so provide for them: yet he being so great a man's son, thought no shame nor grief to serve full 21. years in the cold frost of the night without sleep, and hot sun burning of the day, and when he had many servants and goods, yet still served painfully, albeit under an unthankful Master. Moses sometime called the son of King Pharaoh, was called by God to be the leader of his people to Canaan, from keeping of sheep in the field: Gideon, son to joash, father or chief of the Ezrites, who had many servants, as is evident, judges, 6. 27. was found threshing wheat himself, when the Angel called him to be judge of Israel: Saul, who is called, 1. Sam. 9 1. the son of a man of Benjamin, mighty in power, named Kish, was sent to run through many countries, with one servant only a foot, to seek his father's Asses, that were lost, with no great provision of money or victuals, as appear vers. 7, 8. and thereafter called to be King of Israel: David likewise from keeping of sheep: Elisha that great Prophet, called from the Plough: Amos from keeping of cattle: many of the Apostles of jesus Christ, who shall judge the twelve Tribes of Israel, and whose doctrines are the twelve foundations of the wall of that spiritual jerusalem, were called from painful fishing: Paul a man of great learning and authority, yet a Tentmaker: and if thy parents (how noble or gentle soever they be) thinketh thee better than these, or thou thyself; then indeed think shame to work, or to apply thy mind to some kind of virtue or vocation: neither trust only to thy lands or possessions, for God may give Satan power, as he did concerning job, to try thee and take thy goods from thee many ways, unexpected and never thought of. Seeing also he hath given them to thee freely, as sufficient means to increase and employ thy talon: & as Solomon saith, Prou. 17. 16. As a price in thy hand to get wisdom; if in idleness notwithstanding, without any vocation, thou suffer the same to perish, and waste the means & price improfitably, they shall make thee (howsoever for a time the more honoured & acceptable before men) yet the more inexcusable and vile before God, whom thou so dishonourest: for many of these forenamed, had greater possessions than thou canst have, yet laboured with their hands. It is not thy lands that maketh thee noble or gentle, it is only virtue: Nobilita● sola est atque unica virtus; and thy predecessors obtained this title only by some virtuous acts, which is derived to thee; increase therefore the same by virtue, & impair it not. We read of an ancient custom and most laudable amongst the Romans, that none was suffered to go in the public streets without some instrument in his hand, to be thereby known of what vocation he was of, to show he was not an idle drone in the beehive of the Commonwealth, & to teach him that whatsoever he was, not to be ashamed of his calling. And amongst the Indians in these days, before they eat, they use to take an account what they have earned or won. justinian, the Emperor of Rome, exercised himself in the laws, and perfected the law of Nations: Mithridates king of Pontus, was a Physician, who first found out that excellent compound called from his own name, Mithridatum: Quintus Cincinnatus, was called from the Plough to be Dictator of Rome. And we read of Dyonisius, who being expelled from his Kingdom, that by the virtue he learned in his youth, he lived in teaching a few youths in a school, and therefore only was called back to his Kingdom again. Homer, in commendation of Ulysses, accounteth this as a note of great honour, mentionating that he could make his own ships himself. Quintus Fabius a most noble Roman, with his own hands painted the walls of the Temple of Salus, and not thinking shame thereof, but rather counting it a laudable and avowable thing, agreeable with his honour & degree, affixed thereto, & under wrote his name. Achilles is recorded to have been so cunning in cookery, that he thought it no dishonour at a certain time to show the same, in dressing a royal and sumptuous supper to certain Ambassadors who came to him. Constantine the Emperor also had his living a long time (●as it is reported) by drawing. And a certain learned Philosopher in Grecia vaunted, that his cloak & the ring he wore on his finger, were of his own making, esteeming it a great praise he could do so. Therefore, take example of these, that by thy own virtue thou mayest rather shine before thy predecessors, then to glance only by their light: study to be called, not only one of such a race, which is by thy parents, but a virtuous one, of such a race which is by self. By trusting to lands or possessions, oft times virtue is neglected, and infamy or no fame followeth: when poor men's sons, not having lands to trust to, but leaning only to virtue and God's grace, come to great honour, riches, and renown: both which, experience teacheth to all men. The poverty of such as are idle, without any vocation, cometh, as Solomon saith, like a traveler in the high way, or the necessity of an armed man, which is suddenly or hastily: and therefore it is, that so many Noblemen or Gentlemen make away with their lands, which their antecessors by their virtue and hard purchase obtained and left to them, they by virtue got it, they by idleness & vice consume it. Hence also it is, that so many old and young sturdy beggars are in a kingdom or city: education without vocation. From idleness also in youth it is, that so many miserable spectacles are seen, of so many that go to the gallows, who behoved to steal, because they applied not their mind to any virtue being young; dum vires annique sinebant, and now could do nothing else. Hence it is that so much wickedness aboundeth, and is committed in the world, as in the time of Sodom and the primitive world. Whereby we may know, that the second destruction by fire (as the first was by water) is not far of. In this clay age hence also it is, that many gentlemen being shod in their cradle, and now barefooted (as we say) in the saddle, are forced (when Fortune fails them, or rather when God punisheth their idle up-bringing without virtue) to have the cruel wars as their last and best refuge to go to, and to be set before the devouring mouth of the Canon, and under the sharp edge of the sword, when in their youth, if they had betaken themselves to some honest and lawful vocation, they might have lived quieter at home, done more pleasingly to God, been more profitable to Church or Commonwealth, in their Country or elsewhere, been a greater comfort to their friends, and left a better fame and memory to the posterity after them, to God's glory, and the honour of their Country and themselves for ever. To conclude, from hence as from the root, proceedeth all vice and evil, as out of an untilled ground proceedeth nothing but weeds; Otium enim ●omes vitiorum est, otia mentem ad mala multa trahunt: all kind of sin ariseth from idleness (as Adam's fall did from idleness in his charge, Gen. 2. 15.) all kind of sin is nourished by idleness, and idleness bringeth (as sin to perfection): so man to the end of sin, which is final and fearful destruction. For God decreed & appointed man to labour from the beginning, both in his innocency, as in the forenamed place, and after his fall. Gen. 3. 19 In the sweat of his face that he should eat bread, till he returned to the earth. Therefore, let every young man examine and redress this his way, in the ordinary vocation that God with his special gifts hath fitted him for, In taking heed thereto, without idleness, or injust dealing therein, according to God's word, that the necessities of life may be supplied, and he be found rather helpful then chargeable to any.  
Secondly, according to the rule of God's word, let every young man take heed unto the way of his manners, to redress the same in a godly and comely form, reverencing & honouring, first, his superiors any way, and elders: secondly, his equals: and thirdly, his inferiors. Concerning the honouring of our superiors & elders, according to God's word; the first precept of our duty towards our neighbour, in God's Law, commandeth all young men, Honour thy father and thy mother, where not only our natural parents, but our superiors, as Magistrates, Pastors, etc. and our Elders are understood also, Leuit. 19 32. Thou shalt rise up before the hoare-head, and honour the person of the old man, and fear thy God, I am the Lord: likewise, 1. Tim. 5. 1. & 17. where the Apostle commandeth young Timothy, to exhort elders as fathers, and elder women as mothers, & saith, that Elders which rule well, are worthy of double honour: Examples of this, we have many in the holy & sacred scripture also: The profane Hittites, did know & acknowledge this duty to old Abraham, Gen. 23. 6. jacob to his elder brother Esau, Gen. 33. 3. when he bowed himself 7. times to the ground, till he came near his brother; Hannah to old Eli, 1. San. 1. 15. The children of the Prophets to Elisha, 2. King. 2. 15. with many such: the precept also of the Ethnics was, Seniores reverere: for if our Superiors and elders be not honoured and duly reverenced by youth, they shall not be regarded, if not regarded, not obeyed, if not obeyed, wicked liberty, rebellion and oppression shall arise, as the Prophet showeth, Isai 3. 5. The people shall be oppressed one of another, and every one by his neighbour, the children shall presume against the ancient, and the vile against the honourable; and so, all shall come unto miserable confusion, and at last to lamentable destruction. Concerning the mutual honouring of our equals, let us take heed thereto, according to God's word. Rom. 12. 10. The Apostle of jesus Christ saith, Be affectionated to love one another with brotherly love: In giving honour, go one before another; so that honour amongst equals, is as the daughter of love, and likewise the mother that begetteth & nourisheth love amongst neighbours, whereof, some examples there are also, and experience sufficiently proveth the same, & truly, where there is not such mutual honour and loving salutations amongst equals and friends, by this rudeness (as of beasts) there proceedeth mistrust and suspicion, from suspicion dislike, from dislike hatred, from hatred, unchristian breaking forth in open dissension upon the least occasion offered, and so the bond of peace and christian love, which is the life of Religion, is altogether broken, and cast off, living so, not as Christians, but as rude, savage, and cruel wild beasts, maligning, detracting, despising, and seeking the mutual destruction of one another, which all Christians should abhor and study to prevent. And lastly, of the honour and reverence we owe also to our inferiors, according to God's word; the Apostle Peter in his 1. Epistle 2. 17. commandeth us to honour all men, for in the meanest man that is, the Image of God is represented before our eyes, yea, oftentimes the true Image of jesus Christ, which is holiness and sanctification, is most seen in such, which with all reverence, love and humility, we should honour in them, and in others also, knowing that we honour God chiefly in so doing, as by contemning such, we contemn and despise God and his image, with the humble and low estate of jesus Christ in them, and are a discouragement and scandal unto such, moving God thereby to despise and refuse us likewise, because we contemn so his best members, whom the world favoureth not, because he hath selected and separate them from the world, and the condemnation thereof, abiding it. Let all young men therefore, so humbly and courteously behave themselves to all persons, and of all conditions or estates, high or low, that in taking heed so unto their ways according to God's word, they may first purchase and obtain God's favour and love, who resisteth the proud, and giveth grace unto the humble, who are vile in their own sight, as also they may gain the love and good will of all men, of mean or great condition whatsoever, whom they in humility and duty so reverence and honour, and so they may grow in grace and favour (as Christ did) with God and man. In conference, gesture, etc. let every young man also take heed unto his way of manners, to redress the same according to God's word: In conference, 1. speak advisedly, and that very sparingly, as Solomon teacheth, Pro. 17. 27. He that hath knowledge, spareth bis words: and as the Ethnics command was, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: Audito multa, loquere pauca; Hear many things, but speak few. God hath given two ears, as receivers in; but one tongue only, to dispense moderately out again, and by much babbling, a fool bewrayeth and betrayeth himself. 2. Speak not commonly, (chiefly amongst thy betters or elders) except thou be asked or spoken to, for Solomon saith, 
job. 32. 7.  Pro. 17. 28. that even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise, and he that stoppeth his lips prudent: therefore the wise man of this age is pictured with a padlock upon his lips, for as of an arrow unshot, so of a word unspoken (as we say) proceeded never harm. 3. Speak not before thy elders or betters, but patiently wait, without interruption or carping at their speech, till they have fully spoken, according to the example of Elihu, job. 32. 46. (now Elihu had waited till job had spoken, for they were more ancient in years than he.) Therefore Elihu the son of Barachel, the Buzite answered, and said, I am young in years, and ye are ancient, therefore I doubted and was afraid to show you mine opinion, (suspecting and fearing his own wisdom, in humility, and giving place unto his Elders, as all young men should) for I said, the days shall speak, and the multitude of years shall teach wisdom. The contempt of this, when young men would take upon them to give better counsel to Rehoboam, being wise in their own conceit, than the old beaten counsellors of Solomon, 1. Kin. 12. and the forsaking of the experienced wisdom of these ancient and grave men, for the rash unexperienced foolishness of these young giddy heads, that were brought up with him, made him to lose the kingdom of Israel to him and his posterity thereafter. Not excluding, but sometimes more wisdom may be learned from the mouth of a young man, then of the most ancient, as it pleaseth God to distribute his gifts, extraordinarily, or in greater measure; as he did to young David, Solomon, Daniel, etc. and sometimes, according to the Proverb, Qui plus menti, non etiam plus mentis habet; he that hath the whitest beard, hath not ever the ripest wit, nor soundest judgement, always let none that is ancient, be therefore despised, nor none that is young, so presume. 4. Speak, as moderately, so modestly, and be not hasty or sudden therein, for of them that be hasty, Solomon saith, Pro. 29. 20. that there is more hope of a fool then of such; and as the wise man hath commanded, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. ne lingua pracurrat menti, let not thy tongue run before thy mind, seeing it should be the minds interpreter only, and the mind should speak inwardly to an end, before the voice express outwardly the sense & meaning thereof, not setting the cart before the horses, or the plough to run before the oxen. Periculosa temeritas, rashness or hastiness in word or deed is perilous. And in all thy speech or conference take heed, according to God's word, to speak the truth only, abhorring from lying, as from Satan the father thereof: to speak evil of no man, albeit thou mayst truly, and to abstain not only from evil words, which corrupteth good manners, as the Apostle saith, but also from jesting, which is not comely, and all idle words, of every one whereof, we must render account at the day of judgement as Christ the truth testifieth: speak all to edification in knowledge or godliness; give to none the least offence justly by thy speech, and desire to profit all men thereby, and so as every one is known to be such a Country man or of such a Kingdom, by his tongue or speech, so by thy good speech and language thou shalt be known to belong to God the wellspring of goodness, and to the kingdom of Heaven, the land and country of that spiritual Canaan. To this effect desire God by his holy Spirit, to purge and sanctify thy heart first, which is the root, and out of the abundance whereof the mouth speaketh, and then with the Prophet David, to set a watch before thy lips, and a bar before thy tongue: that as well in thy speech as actions, his will may be done in earth, as it is in heaven. In thy gesture also take heed to behave thyself dutifully & comely towards all men, according to God's word, without all rudeness on the one part, or curious affectation of apish novelty on the other part, rather to be contemned, than any way imitated by any ingenious young man or person whatsoever. 1. As thou art commanded. Leuit. 19 32. thou shalt rise up before the hoare-head, and honour the person of the old man, not rudely sitting, or not giving place to them whom God hath blessed with many and good years, but so doing to them, and honouring such, as thou wouldst be of thy youngers, if God so long prolong thy life, and respecting their infirmity by weak old age, with consideration of thy better ability in thy young & strong years, who may better stand then they, as also before thy betters thou shalt rise, or them, to whom thou art bound in duty, according to Salomon's example, 1. King. 2. 19 2. Stand, where thy beters sit, according to the example of Abraham, Gen. 18. 8. And he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, & set before them, and stood himself by them, under the tree while they did eat.; where, notwithstanding, i● he had pleased, he might have commanded a seat for himself.  
3. When thou comest to appear before thy betters or elders, in a comely fashion show the reverence of thy heart towards them, by bowing the knee of thy body before them, according to the example of sundry in the Scripture, as Abraham, Genes. 18. 2. when he saw the Angels a far off, he came to them, and bowed himself to the ground: also Gen. 23. 7. & 12. And he bowed himself before the people of the land of the Hittites: so Let to the two Angels, Gen. 19 1. jacob to Esau, Gen. 33. 3. Joseph's brethren to him, Gen. 42. 6. Solomon to his mother, 1. King. 2. 19 with many others, but chief, that example of the young man, who came to Christ, Mark. 10. 17. And when ●ee was gone out on the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do, that I may possess eternal life? showing so the honour of his heart to Christ, by this outward gesture of his body, and reverent speech of his mouth, in calling him Good Master. 4. Set not thyself down in the chiefest place any where, but rather take the lowest room, that those that have authority, may rather set thee up with honour, and thou be called humble, then displace and set thee down with dishonour and shame, and thou be called proud: according to the Parable of Christ, to the guests in the pharisees house, Luke 14. 8. When thou sha●t be ●idden of any man to a wedding, set not thyself down in the chiefest place, etc. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room, etc. for whosoever exalteth himself shall be brought low, and he that humbleh himself shall be exalted. Fiftly and lastly, as for the uncovering of the head, and all other points of good manners in Christian and civil society, according to the rule of the Apostle generally; Let all things be do●● decently, in love, without dissimulation: being as the spring, from whence our reverence and honouring one of another should proceed; and the end likewise to be love out of a pure heart, 
1. Tim. 1. 5.  and of good conscience, and of faith vnfa●●ed. Thirdly and last of all, let every young man, according to the prescript rule of God's word, take heed unto his way of godliness and religion, to redress & cleanse the same, which indeed is the most profitable vocation of all others: for as the Apostle saith; Godliness is great gain, 
1. Tim. 4 8.  and for bodily exercise it profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, which hath the promise of the life present, and of that that is to come. Solomon also, Prou. 14. 27. saith; that The fear of the Lord is a wellspring of life, to avoid all the snares of death: it is a most precious jewel, the comfort, glory, and value whereof, surpasseth all understanding: the strait way whereof, albeit displeasant & hard to the flesh for a time, yet it is most delectable & pleasant to the spirit and soul for ever. It is a tree having (albeit gall in the root) yet honey in the top, whose fruit endureth for ever. 
Prou. 14. 26.  And in the fear of the Lord is an assured strength. Therefore, seeing it is more amply spoken of before, I cease now with this exhortation only of th' Apostle to all young men, 
Tit. 2. 12, 13.  concerning the same; Let every one embrace the grace of God, that bringeth salvation unto all men, which hath appeared, and teacheth us that we should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and that we should live soberly and righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the mighty God, and of our Saviour jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purge us, to be a peculiar people unto himself, zealous of good works, forgetting that which is behind, 
Phillip 3.  and endeavouring ourselves to that which is before, and following hard toward the mark, for the price of the high calling of God in Christ jesus, having our conversation in heaven continually, from whence we look for the Saviour, even the Lord jesus Christ: counting all things dung that we may win him, and may be found in him, endeavouring only that we may know him, and the virtue of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his afflictions, and be made conformable to his death, that at last we may be fashioned likewise unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able, even to subdue all things unto himself. In the mean time, whatsoever things are true, 
Phil. 4. ●.  whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things pertain to love, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, or if there be any praise, let us think on these things to do the same, and the God of peace shall be with us: here by grace, and we with him for ever hereafter in glory.  
We must redress our ways the Prophet saith here, In taking heed thereto according to God's word. We must not then read, hear, or know only the word of God, but practice & do the same, in purging & taking heed to our ways according thereunto. It is that good seed that Christ speaks of, which must not only be received with joy, but must be retained and laid up in a good and honest heart, to bring forth good fruit, according to the measure of God's grace. We must do as Israel did, Exo. 19 7, 8. and 24. 3. when Moses proposed God's Commandments, unto them, they answered, All that the Lord hath commanded we will do: not hear or know them only: So Moses commandment and exhortation to the people, Deut. 4. 6. Behold I have taught you ordinances and laws, as the Lord my God hath commanded me, that ye should do even so, within the land whither ye go to possess it: keep them therefore and do● them, for that is your wisdom, etc. The people's desire to Moses again was, chap. 5. 27. Go thou near, and ●eare all that the Lord our God saith: and declare thou unto us all that the Lord our God saith unto thee, and we will hear it and do it. The condition also that God maketh by Moses, that he will exalt & bless them is, chap. 28. 1. If thou shalt obey diligently the voice of the Lord thy God, and observe and do all his Commandments which I command thee, than the Lord thy God will set thee on high, and all these blessings shall come unto thee, etc. So 19 9 Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all other things that ye shall do. So 30. 14. The word is very near unto thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart, for to do it. john the Baptist, Matth. 3. 8. said unto the pharisees that which all men should do; Bring forth fruits therefore worthy of amendment of life. And now also is the axe put to the root of the trees, therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewe● down and cast into the fire. And Christ our Saviour saith, Matt. 7. 17. Every tree is known by his fruits, for every good tree bringeth forth good fruit: and a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruits. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit: neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Therefore, so let our light shine before men, 
Matth. 6.  that they may see our good works, and glorify God our heavenly father. For as in Moral Philosophy it is said; Omnis virtus in actione consistit; all virtue consisteth in action: so truly in divine and true Philosophy, it may be likewise said, that all Religion and Christian virtues consisteth in practice, and not in prattling of them only. The figtree that Christ accursed, had a fair show by his leaves a far off, that he was like to have fruit also, but because he had none, therefore by Christ's curse he withered presently. It is not a fair show likewise or pretence, and profession of religion that God doth accept; but we must with our outward show, have the inward substance and life of Religion, good works proceeding of true faith and love. We must not only profess in word, but in deed and action also, imitating not only Christ's sayings, but his holy life and doings. Luke, 6. 46. he saith, But why call you me Master, Master, and do not these things which I speak. A servant not only acknowledgeth his Master in word, but must also in deed; he must not only hear and know his Masters will, but except he do it also, he shall be beaten with many stripes. Luk. 12. Mat. 7. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, (saith our Saviour) shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but he that doth my Father's will which is in heaven. Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not by thy name prophesied? and by thy name cast out devils? and by thy name done many great works? And then will I profess to them I never knew you: depart from me ye that work iniquity. Whosoever then heareth my words, and doth the same, is like the wise man that buildeth his house upon a rock, etc. Seeing God soweth the seed of his word in our hearts, he looketh for a ripe harvest of good works: if he hath planted us as vines in his vine● yard, or olive branches in the stock Christ, he looketh that in him we should bring forth sweet grapes, and show that we live in him, by bringing forth good and pleasant fruit in him. Gal. 5. 25. If we live in the spirit, let us walk also in the spirit. We must not like that barren and unprofitable figtree, Luk. 13. 7. delay to give fruit to our Master from year to year, lest we be cut down and thrown over the hedge for ever, in his fierce wrath; but in our youth and tender age, we must bud and bring forth sweet & pleasant fruits, such as he expecteth. Christ jesus abolished the curse of the Law by his coming; but he came not to take away the Law itself, and the Prophets, but to fulfil them. As he therefore perfectly obeyed God's Law, so that there was no sin at all found in him: so must his members here on earth, strive in some measure to obey God's Law, and to come to that perfection that is here permitted by God's Spirit to the elect to attain unto, and that there be no sin found reigning in them. For there is none, no not one man in this world, but sin is found in him: neither was there ever any other ways, (except jesus Christ, God and man) but we must strive and endeavour, by the powerful operation of God's sanctifying Spirit assisting us, every one of us, that if sin abide in us, and the law of sin be in our flesh, yet that it bear not dominion or overrule over us, but that in the spirit we may have the law of righteousness subjugating and weakening the other daily more and more, till at the last by grace, both soul and body be captivated unto Christ's obedience, and take on his yoke, that both likewise hereafter may be in and with Christ, victorious and triumphant in glory. Amongst Pastors, Whosoever shall observe and teach God's Commandments, 
Mat. 5. 19  their reward shall be great, they shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven: so amongst the hearers and flock, 
Luke, 11 28.  Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it. The true Pastor maketh his voice sound like Aaron's bells, before his flock: And the sheep hear his voice, and he calleth his own sheep by name, 
John, 10.  and leadeth them out. And when he hath sent forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Where, to see the necessity of good works, & doing of God's word therein, we may consider the duty both of the true Pastors of Christ, and of the true sheep of Christ, with both their marks, whereby so they may be easily known; the one not to be Wolves in Lambs skins, thieves, robbers, and hirelings, the other not to be sheep of another Pastor or pasture. True Pastors here then must go before their sheep: first, by an incorrupt doctrine or voice: and secondly, by the footsteps of an incorrupt conversation and life.  
Concerning the first, Christ's charge to Peter is; Lovest thou me? t●en feed my flock. So that pastors love to Christ, is approved before God, to their own conscience, and before men, by feeding only his flock, the woe of the contrary whereof is set down plainly. Ezek. 24. 2. woe ●ee to the shepherds of Israel that feed themselves; should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Also 2. Tim. 4. 1. Paul's charge to Timothy, I charge thee therefore before God, and before the Lord jesus Christ, which shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing, and in his kingdom; Preac● the word, be instant in season and out of season, improve▪ rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering & doctrine. So here is Christ's charge, and the Apostle of Christ's charge, the one to Peter, the other to Timothy, and so to all Ministers, that they should make their flocks hear their voice, and sound the same before them. For as john was a voice in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord at his first coming in humility: so they must be now voices, crying in the desert of this world, to prepare the way against the Lords second coming in glory, by Repent, bringing low every high vnhumbled hill; and by Believe, exalting and comforting again every low valley and humbled soul in God's presence: so they must lose and bind, open and shut, set life and death before every one: and, W●e be to them if they preach not the Gospel: 
john, 12.  or therein love their own glory and praise of men, more than the glory of God: seeing the King hath sent them out to call all men to his banquet, to eat of the fat calf. God hath made them Angels to cry before that last day; Rise dead folk in sin, prepare to come to judgement, cast off the corruption of the lusts of the flesh, put on renovation of the spirit, & be sanctified in body and soul, that in both hereafter you may be also glorified, they have concredit to them the trumpet of God's voice, at whose sound the high and proud walls of the jericho of every man's heart must fall, and therefore must compass them, & blow the trumpets diligently and often. 
Isa. 61. 2.  They are sent that they should preach the Gospel to the poor, heal the ●roken hearted, preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind: that they should set at liberty them that are bruised, and that they should preach the acceptable year of the Lord. This then is the voice that they should utter, and this is the voice the true sheep should follow and know.  
Concerning the second mark of true Pastors, to wit, their going also before their flock in good example and holy life, according to their own voice, doing the same. Christ's charge likewise to his Apostles is, Matt. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. The neglect and transgression whereof, he showeth in the Scribes and pharisees, (whose righteousness except theirs exceeded, 
Mat. 5. 20.  he telleth his Disciples they should never enter in the kingdom of heaven) Matt. 23. 2. in these words, saying; The Scrbes and pharisees sit in Moses seat: and therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do●, but after their works do not, for they say, and do not, (as alas, too many such in these our days do.) The Apostlte Paul also, Rom. 2. 21. to this effect, saith; Thou therefore that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, committest thou sacrilege? And therefore in his charge to Timothy he saith; But thou O man of God flee from these things, (meaning pride, avarice, etc.) and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness, etc. Which many men preaching only to others, may, and hath become notwithstanding reprobates themselves: but the Apostle having in his own life, first practised his own doctrine to others, and like a Cock, wakened and raised himself, first by his voice; showeth the like duty to all other Pastors, in a holy li●e to go before their sheep, when he saith; Be ye followers of me: and in another place adding, as I am of Christ. For as Aaron had upon his breast, urim & Thumim, that is, knowledge and holiness: so must every true Minister have the same in his breast and heart, the one to preach well, and go before in voice; the other to live well, and go before in good example: For I will be sanctified (saith God) in them that bear me. And if they that should be the light of their flock, be darkness, how great is that darkness? For as Am●rose in Psalm. 119. saith, Vita bona sine doctrina ●abet gratiam, sed doctrina sine vita integritatem non ●abet. And as Christ showeth, if that servant, that knoweth not his Master's will, and doth not the same, shall be beaten with few stripes; what shall be to him, who knoweth not his Master's will, and yet in some measure doth the same? But he that knoweth it, yea, teacheth others to know it, 
Rom. 2. 19  and persuadeth himself that he is a guide to the blind, a light of them that are in darkness, an instructor of them that lack discretion, a teacher of the unlearned, etc. and yet doth not the same himself, but wilfully runs into the pit, truly he is worthy and shall be beaten with many & grievous stripes one day: Lord grant, many in this age may prevent them. judas preached Christ, yet sold him through covetousness, and was a child of perdition. Balam said, All what the Lord shall command, that will I speak, yet was a false covetous Prophet, and likewise perished. Yea, the Devil himself could cry out, that he knew he was that jesus the son of God, and so gave public testimony of Christ, yet he persecuted him, and now is condemned. Many in that last day, with their true preaching, shall plead miracles also, yet because they wrought iniquity, they shall hear that fearful Away from me, I know you not. Therefore let all true Pastors go before the flock in good and godly example also, in life & doctrine, so shining as bright lamps and stars in Christ's right hand or family, saying and doing according to the counsel of the same Ambrose ibid. Nec. vita sit sine doctrina, nec doctrina sine vita, sed una adstipuletu● alteri: and this is the second mark, whereby true Pastors are known by, Matth. 7. 17. For by their f●u●tes (saith Christ) you shall know them, for as from urim or knowledge must proceed the ringing of the bells of God's word before the people to hear; so from Thumim or holiness, must proceed the pomegranates, pleasant & savoury fruits of good works to be seen and imitated of God's people, that as they are followers of Christ, so they may be followers of them again (as the Apostle saith of himself.) The Lord of the harvest, increase the number of such painful & godly labourers, who may not only be diligent in preaching, but being zealous of good works also, may shine in a good life, before the flock concredit to their charge, and by these two marks, be known so to be true Pastors, & in his own time, remove these ravening wolves, clothed in lambs skins, who usurp like lords, over the Lord's inheritance▪ seeking to feed themselves and not the flock, no ways considering, that if Laban's sheep were kept by jacob so carefully in the frost of the night without sleep, and in the burning heat of the day; that much more the sheep of jesus Christ, bought by his own heartblood, should be with a careful eye overseen and fed, tithing the mint & coming seed, but omitting weightier matters; stealing, kill and devouring Christ's flock, & beating out their fellow servants: their separation with hypocrites is at hand; the Lord grant they may speedily prevent it.  
The two like marks of Christ's true Sh●●pe and sheepfold, are, First, they hear and know their Pastor's voice: and Secondly, as he goeth before them in an holy life, so they follow him; then as he is not dumb to speak, so they are not deaf to hear, they hear then his voice▪ they know it, and will not follow the voice of a stranger; so that God giveth them knowledge and discretion, not ignorance, to be a mother of their devotion, no● fearful simplicity, to be led every where: if the scriptures be hid, they are not to them, but to those that perish: they search the Scriptures, their chief Pastor's voice, which testifieth of himself, they try the spirits, if they be of God or no; and if an Angel from heaven should lay any other foundation, except that which is laid. jesus Christ the Lamb; or should teach any other doctrine, then that which the holy Apostles have taught, they should hold him accursed: they are as lively stones in Zion, builded only upon the foundation and doctrine of the holy Apostles: they do follow precisely and only the voice and written word of jesus Christ, their chief Pastor, and Shepherd of their souls, which soundeth daily in the midst of his Church and family, accounting all other voices to be of thieves, hirelings, and dissembling wolves: they are in Christ, who is the light of the world, and in whom is no darkness, 
Io. 8. 12.  and according to the Apostles command, they strive to grow in grace●, 
Pet. 3. 18.  and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ: so true sheep must hear the Pastor's voice, receiving the seed that is sown; they must know his voice, discerning if it be good seed or no, wheat or popel that is sowed. And thirdly, (which is the second mark also of the true sheep) they must bring forth good fruit thereby, according to the measure of God's grace in them. The Pastor soundeth his voice, and they hear and know it, and he goeth before them, and this must be their following of him, by hearing, cometh their faith, so by their faith and from the same, as the fruit and effect, (if it be lively and true) proceedeth, and must proceed, this imitation of good works, they must follow their Pastor, as he is a follower of Christ, but if he be not, according to Christ's counsel and command, what he biddeth observe, that observe and do, but after his works do not, (if he say and do not) then follow the chief Pastor jesus Christ only, who hath gone before us, in a most perfect and holy example of life,; as for him, he riseth or falleth to his own Master, and is to be left to God, whose servant he is: For, that the hearing and knowledge only of God's voice and word, is improfitable to our salvation, without the practising of the same in an holy life and conversation by a true faith in Christ, the Apostle Paul testifieth, Rom. 2. 13. For the hearers of the law (saith he) are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. And the Apostle Saint. james 1. 22. giveth an express commandment to all Christians, saying, Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves: so that we deceive ourselves greatly, when we think that we have done our duty, when we have heard and known God's word, no, the devil and reprobates do so also, but to us, who look to be saved, by Christ's blood & passion, the word of God must be powerful to salvation, God working with it in our hearts, begetting and increasing a lively and true faith in us, which must show itself by the fruit of charity and good works: when God speaketh unto us, & uttereth his voice by our ordinary Pastors, we must take heed, if we have that inward feeling, which the Apostles confessed they had at the hearing of Christ, Luke 24. 32. (for the same spirit which wrought in them then, worketh so now also in the hearts of the Elect) And they said between themselves, did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and when he opened to us the Scriptures? Let us consider if we have this fire of the moving and quickening spirit of God, 
Mark. 13.  who worketh together with his word in our hearts; let us examine, if by this powerful operation of hearing God's word, faith and repentance be begotten or increased in our hearts. Let us try again, if this repentance be true, by abstaining (by God's grace) ever thereafter from sin, that it reign not in us; and if our faith be lively (by not only abstaining and abhorring so from evil) but also doing good and godly works, according to our power, & the measure of our faith, and God's grace in us, following the example of the poor widow, albeit we have but little, yet thereof to impart somewhat to Christ's members, laying it up so in his treasury, & then we are the truesheep; for the Pastor may preach, and we duly hear his voice; but except he go before in a holy life, and we follow after in a sanctified conversation, talk that we have faith, as we will, yea that thereby we could remove mountains, cast out Devils, and work many miracles (as many reprobates shall plead at that day) in Christ's name, we are notwithstanding, but as tinkling cimbals, if we have not charity and good works, and shall receive that fearful, Away from me, I know you not. Christ is offered to us in his word, we must not only take him in our mouth, by hearing, but by a lively and true faith, we must chew and eat him, by unfeigned love & charity digest him, and by our good works & holy conversation, show that we are renewed, engrafted, and grown in him: so that he may be not only ours, but us, and we not only his, but him: he is that fruitful vine, if we be then in him, we must be fruitful branches: the figtree was commanded to be cut down, because it did bear no fruit: the natural Olives were rejected, because they lost their fatness; if they had been the sons of Abraham, they had done the works of Abraham; if we be the sons of God by adoption, and true members of Christ, we must learn of him, for he was humble and meek, we must be holy as he is holy, else we have no part in him. It is not enough to hear the King's servants message, but without excuse we must come to his supper and eat of the fat killed calf, in the white wedding garment of holiness and a godly life. He that saith that he loveth God, and yet hateth his neighbour, he is a liar: and he that saith that he loveth God, and keepeth not his Commandments, is a liar also; the reason is given by the Apostle plainly, 1. john, 5. 3. For this is the love of God, that we keep his Commandments, and his Command●ments are not grievous. And also, In this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his Commandments. The thing that jesus Christ (the first & the last) showeth that he took notice and knowledge of in the seven Churches, to whom he writes in the Revelation, (and under their name to his whole Church militant to the end) is, I know thy works. Revel. 2. 2, 9, 13. 19 and 3. 1, 8, 15. Also when that glorious judge of all flesh shall come, and all his holy Angels with him, and shall sit upon the throne of his glory, there to judge and reward all the Nations of the earth, that shall be gathered before him; he shall judge every one according to his works: for in that great and last day, he shall say unto the sheep at his right hand; Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit y●e the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the world: the reason, For I was hungered, and ye gave me meat; I thirsted, and ye gave me drink; I wa● a stranger, and you lodged me; I was naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me. And the contrary shall he say to the reprobate goats at his left hand, who did not the same, and must depart into everlasting pain. For albeit it be most true, that faith only justifieth before God, & whosoever believeth that Christ is the Son of God shall be saved; because God he seeth the heart, and searcheth the most inward & deepest cogitations thereof; and many hath believed with the thief at the last hour, and in God's mercy have been saved so, only by faith. Yet, as the Apostle saith, jam. 2. 24. We see, that of works a man is justified, and not of faith only: because we cannot enter into the heart, to perceive and behold the inward faith: but by the fruits we see it only, and that a man by such a fruitful, true, & lively faith, is justified: for good works (which alas in these days are rare, as faith & love their root is cold, and almost none left upon the earth) are the way wherein we must walk, to justification, albeit not the matter or cause thereof: they are not the evidence of our faith, as saith the Apostle, james, 2. 18. Show me thy faith out of thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. There is their nature & use, they are the assurance to us of our election, and the makers sure of the same, and whosoever hath time, means, and opportunity (as few are but hath in some measure) to do good works, (whereby their election may be confirmed to their own conscience, their faith in Christ showed and testified before the world, God their heavenly Father thereby glorified, and his children their brethren thereby strengthened) and yet notwithstanding doth not: verily, howsoever they say that they have faith, God's Spirit & word testifieth the contrary, and that it is a dead faith they brag of, (which Satan himself hath, and trembleth, verse, 19) which being dead in itself, can never apprehend nor apply that true life of the soul, jesus Christ and his righteousness, the godlies only comfort; for faith works with, & by works, (as the fire doth by heat) & through works is faith made perfect; as the Apostle testifieth, and as he reasoneth, james, 2. 14. What au●●leth it my brethren, though a man saith he hath faith, when he hath no works; can the faith save him? For if a brother or a sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them; depart in peace, warm yourselves, and f●ll your bellies, notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body, what helpeth it? Even so the faith, if it have no works, is dead in itself. And after confirmation of this by the example of Abraham & Rachab, he concludeth; For as the body without the spirit is dead, even so the faith without works is dead. We see then, that as works without faith justifieth not, (For whatsoever is done without faith is sin) even so faith without works, (being dead) justifieth no man before God, and that it is neither sufficient to Pastor to preach and know God's word, except in practising it he go before his flock by good works, nor that it is sufficient to the people or sheep, who would be accounted of Christ's sheepfold, to hear or know God's voice, except they also follow and practise the same by good works, following the holy and unspotted life of jesus Christ the Lamb, in whom they hope to be saved. Let therefore Pastor and people, old and young, from the highest to the lowest; strive by a holy life, and fruitful, of good works, to show themselves to be true branches in jesus Christ the vine, and lively members of his blessed body, and as he who hath called us is holy, so let us be holy, in all manner of conversation, as becometh the Gospel of Christ, 
1. Pet. 1. 15.  zealous of good works: 
Phil. 1. 27.  Not hearing or knowing our Masters will only, but in taking heed to our ways, to redress the same according to his word, and will revealed therein, executing and doing the same, and when we have done all that we can do, confessing and acknowledging ourselves to be unprofitable servants, so shall we be assured in our own consciences, by God's spirit, that we are sheep of his pasture, and children of his inheritance, so shall we be known by the world, by our confession and profession of Christ in an holy and christian life, to be members of his Church and Kingdom also, and so at last, we shall be found worthy in Christ, to walk with the Lamb, when he, who gave his life for us here, shall give us eternal life with himself for ever hereafter.  
According to thy word, that is, making thy holy word, O Lord, the rule and square, according unto the which, we may take heed unto our ways, and redress the same. We see then here, first, the excellency and great virtue and use of the word of God; It is a rule, according unto the which, we may and should redress, purge and rectify our sinful, unclean and erroneous ways: It is that breath of God, which breatheth life in the face of the soul of man, as by the word of God in the first creation, was man raised out of the earth and placed in the garden of Paradise, so by this word of God, (which is near us in our mouth and heart) is the new creation and regeneration of the heart of man, whereby his soul is raised from earthly and carnal affections, and placed in the pleasant garden of Christ's church, to eat of the tree of life, and live with him for ever. It is the voice of God, that is daily heard in the garden of his Church, not only ask every Adamite and sinner, but showing him also, where and in what estate he is by sin and Satan, calling him not to a curse for sin, but a blessing, and inviting him to come to the seed of the woman, to that tree of life, and second Adam, Father and Saviour of our spirits. God's word is a Lamp, that shineth ever in the candlestick of his true Church, to direct our footsteps in the path to life everlasting, with himself. It is that two-edged Sword, that powerfully proceedeth out of his own mouth, which pierceth thorough the inward cogitations of the heart, to redress the same, and divideth the marrow of the bones, to give fatness to the soul. It is that seed, which being sowed and laid up in a good and honest heart, maketh every Christian to bring forth acceptable fruit unto God's glory, and their own soul's comfort. It is the Power of God to salvation, to all them who believe the same. It is that Instrument or Spade, which diggeth about the roots of our hearts, to make us sweet and fruitful to our long suffering and patient Master, lest we should be pulled up by the roots, ere the axe of God's wrath should be put to our roots, and we be cut down and thrown over the hedge of the vineyard into unquenchable fire. God's word is that Snedding knife, which cutteth away the rank leaves of sin, which with their darkness do overshadow our souls, and keep away that comfortable ripening sun of God's favour, to shine upon us; that our sour grapes may become sweet. It is a Hammer, to beat down every high exalted hill, 
jere. 23. 29.  or proud cogitation of the heart, that as Giants would rebel and fight against God: It exalteth ever the low valley, or humbled dejected soul, even to the throne of God in confidence & boldness. It is that s●●ngstone of the son of David, whereby every Christian and soldier of Israel must kill that mighty Giant, the reviler of God, and enemy of his servants, who seeketh not to give their bodies to the fowls of the air, but their precious souls to the hell-crowes of sin, and the devouring vultures of eternal torments. It is the knife whereby the foreskin of every Christians heart is circumcised and cut away, before he can be in the new covenant of grace, or be counted a true Israelite in spirit: it is the gladdest tidings that ever came to the soul, and the true testimony or witness-bearer of jesus Christ; search the Scriptures, for they testify of him: it is a Christians life; My words are life (saith light and life) and without the comfort of the same, our life is death, and our light Cimmerian darkness. God's word is a looking-glass, wherein we may see all our spots, from the greatest to the least, where they are, and how they may be wiped away, with the blood of jesus Christ, and tears of true repentance. It is the sweet Manna and food of our souls; Milk to the weaker; and stronger meat for those who are more confirmed. A Director in prosperity; an upholder in adversity; and abundant comfort in both. It is a Fire, 
jer. 23. 2●.  to purge our ways, to burn up the earthly, or rather hellish dross of sin and stubble of iniquity, & to refine us as pure gold, to be vessels of honour in God's house, before our heavenly Father. It is that Rain or Dew that descended from Heaven, and never returneth undone that, for which it was sent; it fructifieth either the heart, to bring forth pleasant fruit, and softeneth it to repentance; or as water cast upon Iron or Steel, hardeneth the same; so it endureth the obstinate and reprobate hearts of them, who are inflamed and burned in their own sinful lusts. Our souls and hearts are made savoury Sacrifices, with all that proceedeth therefrom, to present before the nostrils of God our heavenly Father, by this preserving Salt of his word, whereby no stinking corruption of the flesh and of sin, taketh hold upon us; but thereby we are made savoury meat, to be presented and accepted before our heavenly Father, such as he ever loveth. It is that Water of life, whereof, whosoever drinketh, in his belly shall spring rivers thereof abundantly. It is a Cloud, to refresh us in our journey in the day, & a fiery Pillar in the night time, to direct our ways by the light thereof, in the dark desert of this world, and to consume all our enemies, to them it shall be darkness, but light to the host of Israel: it shall be hid, and is so only, to them that perish. It is that bright Light, that shall ever shine in the little G●shan of God's Church, when all the Egypt beside of this world, with the Pharaoh thereof shall be overwhelmed with thick darkness. It is the Rudder of our Ship, which must direct us aright thorough the raging beating waves of worldly persecutions; and our Compass, to keep our course by, until we come to the haven of heaven, and port of that new jerusalem. It is that Rod, which must divide the red sea of temptations, thorough which narrowly we must pass, to the spiritual land of Canaan, when in them we shall see the worldlings & wicked overwhelmed, and altogether drowned. It is the Ark and covenant of God, at which we only must ask counsel, and it must divide the Iorden of death to us, making a way, whereby we must follow our joshua jesus, to the land of rest, and our promised inheritance. It is true Riches, and seven times more pure than the refined gold of Ophir; It cannot corrupt, for heaven and earth shall perish, before one jot of God's word perish. It is the Keys of the kingdom of Heaven, whereby the gates thereof are opened to every penitent and believing soul, and shut to every obstinate and endured wicked heart. It is the Savour of life, unto all those that are appointed for life, and hath the life of jesus Christ to righteousness in them. It is the chief shepherds Hook, that pulleth back our straying souls in the by-ways of iniquity, and bringeth us in the right way again, subjecting us to the obedience and light yoke of jesus Christ, in the sheepfold of his Church. By it we are fished and drawn out of the salt and stinking sea of this world, to jesus Christ. It is the Sword, wherewith we must fight valiantly the lords battles: A Trumpet, to encourage us thereto, at whose sound, the walls of every proud jericho shall fall, and which subdueth powers and sceptres to itself. It is our Pilgrim's staff, which must uphold and defend us in our journey. It is a most bright Star, which leadeth not only wise men, but fools also to Christ, where now he lieth, not in a kribbe, but sitteth on a Throne, and happy are those stars or Ministers, whom Christ holdeth in his right hand, whose only care is, by preaching and practising this Star, to shine before the flock. And finally, the Word of God is the sound of that Trumpet, blown by the Angels of his Church, which giveth virtue and power, quickening, and resurrection, to every dead soul in sin, to rise out of the grave of security, & put on a sanctified body, that in body and soul at the last resurrection of all flesh to judgement, they may pass with Christ to eternal glory. It is that Finger, which pointeth out the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world: and as Andrew, brought Simon his brother; & Philip, Nathaniel; to Christ: so the word of God bringeth and leadeth us by the hand, to him on earth, and shall bring us to eternal glory with him in heaven for ever, if we believe the same, and according thereunto, take heed to redress our ways.  
Secondly, seeing the excellency of God's Word, is such of itself, we may learn what great estimation and value it should be of, with every Christian, as we see the value thereof in itself, so our estimation should be corespondent, we should desire nothing so much, esteem nothing so much, love nothing so much, nor hunger or thirst after nothing so much. This estimation we may see in David to have been great, and his love withdraw, 
Psal. 119. 14. 24. 40. 72. 93. 97. 103.  he saith; I have had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies, as in all riches. Also thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellors. Behold, how I desire thy command●ments. The law of thy ●●uth is better to me, th●● thousands of gold and silver. I will never forget thy precepts, for by them thou hast quickened me. O how I love thy law? it is my meditation continually How sweet are thy promises unto my mouth? yea, more than honey unto my mouth. The Merchant in the Gospel, when he had found the jewel in the field, he went and sold all that he had, that he might buy that piece of ground, wherein that jewel was. Of all jewels that ever man could think upon, this of God's word, is the most precious; in it, is eternal light, everlasting life, continual joy, comfortable contentment, & infinite true riches: Let us therefore follow the example of this wise Merchant, so that we may have it, and enjoy the comfort therein contained, care not what we lose, if we have it, we have all things; if we have all things, and want it, we have nothing. It is not like other jewels, for commonly a man that possesseth them not, can oftentimes know the value of them better than they who possess them, but with this jewel it is not so; the Merchant was never in love with it, until he found it; we can never, nor will ever know the estimation of it, until we have it in our hearts. Peter, when Christ before his last Supper, came to him to wash his feet, he refused; no, Lord, thou shalt never wash my feet: but when Christ told him, that otherwise, he should have no portion with him, and had washed his feet, than Peter, who refused before, now beggeth, Lord, not only my feet, but my head and hands also: so it is with us, before we taste of the sweetness and refreshment of God's word, to our wearied souls, and the joy thereof to our wounded and sorrowful consciences, we esteem of it, as Aesop's Cock did of the jewel, he found in the dounghill, we had rather have a grain of Barley, or any thing that testeth to the flesh, or is agreeable to please our affections. God's word, is as it were pearls, cast before swine, we are rather ready to turn back, and tear them in pieces that offered them unto us, then to give them any thanks: we refuse then with Peter, the water of life, but as soon as it hath touched our hearts, and our souls have found the refreshing sweetness thereof, than we will beg and importunately entreat, Lord, not only this measure, but a greater daily of the knowledge and comfort of thy word, fill my whole soul with the power thereof, and stuff all the corners of my heart, with the abundance of the same, let it not only be in my head, to talk of it, but in my hands to do it, and in my feet also, in thy way to walk according thereunto. This should be our desire and estimation of God's word: for if we be sick to death (as it were) we would esteem much of that Doctor, that could tell and show us, what, and from what cause our sickness came, and could give us a present remedy to restore us, to the perfect health of our bodies, that we should live long; but we have the infectious and deadly sickness of sin, every one of us, in our souls. God's holy Word doth show us, what our sickness is, and by what way or means we came by it, it offereth to us present remedy, not to restore the body to a kind of health, that it may live a miserable momentaneall life, for a while, but to restore the soul to perfect and true health, that it may live a blessed, joyful, and eternal joy in heaven, with God and his blessed Angels, how then should we esteem of this Physician & Physic? To such a Physician of the body, we would think that we did owe our life, who restored us to the same: to such a Physician of the soul then, how much more do we owe this temporal miserable life for the defence thereof? and how can we sufficiently value or love the same; we would account of him much, who would give us such a right, whereby we should possess the whole kingdoms of the earth peaceably, yea, or to be heir to any one kingdom: but so it is, that God's word, if we believe the same, maketh us heirs to the eternal Kingdom of Heaven, and giveth us sufficient right and title, that we shall be peaceable possessors thereof, in everlasting joy, and Glory infinite. In a dark perilous way, we esteem much of a Lantern; such is God's word, to our ways of this life: in a dangerous long journey, we would esteem much of a faithful skilful, unburdenable and sufficient guide, ready to overcome and encounter all perils or enemies of ours; such is God's word, in the long, wearisome, and dangerous journey of this life, where, when we meet with any temptation, if we answer, It is written, and firmly believe the same, in so resisting Satan, we shall overcome his temptations, and at last make him depart, at least for a while, from us, by the strength of this our Guide. In a great and doubtful matter, knowing our own simplicity and foolishness, we would much esteem of a faithful and wise counsellor: two ways are set before our eyes, one leading to death, another to life, to the wrong we more naturally incline, then to the other: therefore in this great matter of life and death eternal, and the doubtfulness of these two ways, at one of which enter we must, we have most great need of this wise and faithful Counsellor, whom we should much esteem and follow in all things. Moses showeth Israel, what the value of this word of God is, & what value they should esteem it of, when he saith, It is your life and your wisdom, whereby you excel all other Nations; therefore he exhorteth them, never to let it depart out of their mouh nor heart, but continually to talk of it, going in, and coming out, at home and in the fields, night and day to meditate thereon, to make it a signet upon their finger, a frontlet between their eyes, and to esteem nothing near unto it▪ nothing equivalent to it, nor nothing above it. Of the great estimation of the word and truth of God, we have one notable example in the Scripture▪ of the good and godly king josiah, 
2. King. 24.  who, when the book of the Law of God, being found by Hilkiah the Priest, and presented to the King by Shaphan the chancellor, he having heard the words thereof, rend his clothes, and went to the house of God, with all the people of judah & jerusalem, small and great, the Priests and Levites, and there, in audience of the whole people, did read the law himself in their ears, showing what estimation and reverence every King and people should have to the word of God, we must hear and read it with great reverence, as becometh the word of the King of all kings, and Lord of all lords to be heard, with the hand of faith we must receive it, and with all estimation, we must lay it up in the chest and coffer of our hearts, to bring forth the fruit of obedience thereunto, as becometh good subjects, natural children, & faithful servants, in our life and conversation. It is the most precious jewel that a young man can wear; the greatest riches that he can possess; a chain of gold about his neck; true wisdom to his heart; the faithfullest tutor to direct and govern him; and the most delightful pleasure & greatest profit that ever he could wish; for godliness is profitable unto all things, and hath a promise of this life, and of the life to come. It is to the aged, their greatest honour, their truest wisdom and gravity, when sickness and age oppresseth them: it is a comfortable salve to their souls, and the best company they can seek to, or desire: it is the skilfulest Doctor, that can best ease them; and it is the strong hand, that bringeth them safe and sound thorough all grief, dolours, temptations, sicknesses, and the passover of death itself, unto the kingdom of God, & the eternal joys of heaven. Therefore let young and old esteem of it greatly, and of the bearers thereof highly, as of the embassage & ambassadors of the Prince of all Princes, and Lord eternal, over all Lords and Potentates in this temporal and momentaneall world, that receiving it, and them, with reverent and dutiful estimation, laying it up in their hearts, & practising the same in their life and conversation, by redressing their ways according thereunto; they may be crowned immortal and glorious Kings in the world to come, and reign with Christ jesus eternally, world without end. For who esteemeth of it, esteemeth of God, (his word and himself being all one) as who contemneth it to hear or do the same, contemneth God to hear or obey him: who receiveth it and the Preachers thereof, receiveth Christ, as himself testifieth: and who rejecteth it or them, rejecteth jesus Christ, and the mercy, benefits and love of the Father offered in him, willingly and wilfully giving over themselves to darkness, to the Prince of darkness, and to the condemnation of, and with, the Prince of darkness for ever.  
Finally to conclude, seeing the excellency of God's word is such, and the estimation thereof and reverence in our hearts should be such, we may perceive the great iniquity and fearful offence of all those who keep the same secret, and hide from God's people, lest they finding this jewel with the wise merchant, should only cleave unto it, and hide it up in their hearts and souls: it is life, therefore they from whom it is hid, walk in the shadow of death: it is light, therefore they to whom it shineth not, walk in fearful darkness: it is the food & physic of the sick soul of a sinner only, therefore they who know it not, nor will not know it, must starve and die eternally: it is our director and counsellor, to whom then it is hid, they wander astray in the paths of foolishness. Except this seed be sown, how can we bring forth good fruit in a true faith, to a joyful harvest? it is the power of God to salvation to all them who believe; and by faith we are made members of jesus Christ: but how can we believe, except we hear, (for faith cometh by hearing; and how can we hear it except it be preached. Therefore, who taketh away diligent preaching, they take away careful hearing, and who taketh away hearing, they take away the faith, in so far as in them lieth, and so showeth themselves plainly to be enemies of jesus Christ, and of his cross. By it, we are digged about the roots, planted and watered, and made fruitful vines, and sweet figtrees in God's garden and vineyard; therefore, who taketh away the same, maketh God in his wrath to put to the axe to the root of the tree, to cut it down, and cast it (being barren and unfruitful) into eternal fire: being so slow and backward, when we are often invited to come to God's house & banquet, how much slower shall we be without the hearing of the invitation of God's word? We are too barren ground even when that rain and dew falleth upon our souls: but how much barrenner shall we be, and less fructify, when it doth not fall? Happy for ever is that Kingdom or City, that retaineth the same in the pure sincerity thereof, without addition, diminution, mixture, or amission, as thrice woeful is the same that retaineth not the same so. The most fearful threatening wherewith Christ jesus, that Alpha and Omega, threateneth any of the seven Churches, is that of the Church of Ephesus: I will come against thee shortly, and will remove thy Candlestick out of 
Reu. 2.  his place, except thou amend. The most fearful famine that ever came upon any Land, Kingdom, City, or soul, is the famine of the word of God, when the staff of the heavenly bread thereof is broken. This plague or the report thereof, may make every ear to tingle: for where it is, it is never alone, but with it, is the infectious plague of the pestilence of sin, suffocating every soul unto death eternal, not taking men out of worldly misery to eternal joy, as the bodily plague doth many: but from their temporal joy in sin, unto eternal misery of punishment. And ever with it, or after also followeth the sharp and severe devouring sword of God's fierce wrath, and consuming hot displeasure. It is a fearful thing, when the watch or watchman of God's word in the head of the Tower is dumb, when there is no barking about the sheep, how can the sheep be safe. It is a woeful thing to see godly Samuel removed from Saul, that he dares not speak God's word plainly, but must tarry at home all his life, and mourn only for Saul and his doings, when he is compelled to answer God, how can I go? for if Saul hear, he will kill me. It is woeful to see jeroboam the King, put out his hand and bid, take hold of the Prophet of God, because at the commandment of the Lord, he cried against the Altar of Bethel. It is fearful to hear that the Lords true Prophets must be hid in caves, and feed on bread and water, being dumb, when Eliah knoweth none but himself left alone, to plead God's cause boldly, and must be fain to flee from place to place, in great necessity, from the presence of Ahab and his false Prophets, because he spoke God's word truly, therefore he must be called a troubler of Israel and the estate. It is lamentable to see, that Michaiah, for not speaking of pleasant things, as the false Prophets of Ahab did, shall be beaten by Zidkiiah, a false, deceiving, and flattering spirit, and sent to the prison house by the King to eat and drink the bread and water of affliction: to see bloody jehoram send for the head of Elisha in his wrath: or Herod for the head of john the Baptist, for speaking the word of God freely: because Vriiah prophesied the truth in the name of the Lord, to be sent for by I●hoiakim the King, and beheaded likewise: jeremiah for speaking of that, whereof God commanded him not to keep a word back, to be apprehended by the Priests and people, and to be censured worthy to die the death: to see Daniel cast in the Lion's den: and the three children in the fiery furnace, for professing the service of the Lord their God: is it not a woeful thing to see jesus Christ persecuted daily for proclaiming the will of his Father, and that joyful year of jubilee for the freedom of men's souls? to see Steven stoned to death for the testimony of jesus: Peter and john imprisoned, for the preaching of the Gospel freely, and with threatening, commanded that they preach no more? to see the Apostles beaten, and oftentimes incarcerated: Paul stoned, smitten, apprehended, bound? etc. The beloved Apostle of jesus Christ exiled, to an I'll Patmos, and Gods servants the bearers of this glorious jewel of his word, by manifold ways to be troubled, only for the testimony of the truth and of a good conscience, which the itching ears of these last times cannot abide to hear, albeit they should most desire the same: For where God's word is not preached, the people perisheth; as testifieth the Preacher. And the chief cause, that God's word is so restrained in many places, the mouths of God's servants so shut up, and the verity repressed and bound as it were, is, Alexander the Copper-smith's profit will cease, if Paul preach; where God's Ark cometh in place, Dagon must fall: and if jesus Christ in such humility be suffered to be acknowledged the Saviour, the High Priest's honour, jurisdiction, and profit must cease: if Daniel be suffered, he will discover the Priest's knaveries; and Elias will show that Baal is no God, nor heareth not: when Moses cometh with the Tables of the Law from the mount, the golden calf must down: if when Michaiah cometh to speak the truth freely, he believed: Zidkiiah & the falsflattering Prophets, with their horns of iron, should be put out of credit, favour, and authority: if john the Baptist should be obeyed, than Herod must put away his Herodias. And where God's sincere and pure word only getteth place and liberty, down must go idolatry, and not a relict or hoof thereof remain: tyrannical authority of these, who with Diotrephes, loveth the pre-eminence, and to rule as lords over the Lord's inheritance, must be trod down under the humble feet of jesus Christ, and of his word; who prattleth against God's true servants with malicious words; & not therewith content, neither they themselves receive the brethren, but forbiddeth them that would, and thusteth them out of the Church. The triple crown must yield to the crown of thorns, & all popish, ethnish, & apish ceremonies, must fall down before this Ark of God's pure word: where the word of Christ, who came to serve, getteth right place, gracious Lord, must cease; Caeser must have that which belongeth to him: and all pastors with Paul, must grant themselves to be servants only to Christ's flock for his cause: their right title is the most honourable that they can have, even the title which jesus Christ is called by; to be Shepherds of souls: where God's word shineth, their shining before the flock must not be in gold & silks, but in good works: where God's word ruleth, their rule and government must be only by God's word; their sceptre, that sceptre which subjects sceptres to itself; their crown, their flock: you are my crown, saith Paul: their sword, not temporal, nor Caesar's, but that two-edged sword that is in Christ's mouth, Gods; and all their authority from Christ's commission only, As my Father sent me; so I send you: where Gods sacred Law cometh, there they must not worship the golden calf of profit only: neither can Alexander's Diana be so fat unto him, but with Moses they must look only for the reward of God: Christ's kingdom is not of this world, in it then they must not look for any recompense: Paul saith, I have fought a good fight, etc. from henceforth is laid up for me a crown, etc. there is the reward he looked for. I go (saith Christ) to my Father to prepare a place for you: this is Christ's promise; For in the world you shall have affliction: and if you were of the world, the world should love you, but because you are not, as I am not, therefore it hateth you. In it then, nor of it, Pastors must not think their reward to be: and if in the world, & of the same, they have here their reward, it is to be feared that they shall never have any other; but as the world loveth than, & they the world again, that their condemnation is like to be with the world also. Therefore, where Christ's word taketh place, worldly profit and full bags must depart: and albeit the Minister must live of the Altar, to supply necessity, yet Christ, for Christ, and his glory only, must be preached, pride in the high Priests; and avarice in judas, was the first betrayer of Christ: pride and avarice now is, and ever shall be, the only betrayer of Christ and his cause, and they know little the power of Christ in their heart or soul, as they preach his name with their mouth, who with Zebedeus sons here, seeketh only for their preferment, because they have followed him: but they who truly follow him, must deny here, se suos, & sua, take up their cross and follow him. The same is his answer to all Ministers, as it was to Peter, who when he asked what they should have, because they followed him: he answered, that they should sit on twelve seats with him, and judge the twelve Tribes of Israel: so he saith to every Minister, that followeth him truly as they did, not that he shall be so or so powerful in the world, for he hath chosen the weak ones of the world; but that he shall sit at his right hand with him in his kingdom, when he shall judge all the Tribes and Nations of the world: they then who pertain unto that kingdom, will desire that great reward & honour, only more than all the honour and kingdoms of the world, with their glory, esteeming all as dung to win Christ, & many souls unto Christ, to know the power of his death & resurrection in themselves, and see it in their flocks. But who pertain not to this kingdom, they will prefer their own profit before all things: & if the preaching of God's word hinder or take away their profit, with Alexander; that Diana go not down, they will stir up kings, kingdoms, cities, rulers and people, against Paul and his preaching; and if thirty pennies may be had, Christ jesus shall be betrayed with a kiss: If this light and fire of God's word should come in place, it would consume, like Moses rod or serpent, the serpentine and profitable fire of purgatory: If it were preached plainly unto God's people, and to the souls of men, that we must come only to Christ, who calls and commandeth us; ask of the Father, who can deny us nothing through him, according to his will; and that the King, against whom we commit the offence, only can forgive the same. Where should the golden pardons of the Pope go, or the profit of the confessors, if it be preached, that Christ the Master, had not a hole to repose his head in, nor so much money as could pay tribute for him and ●or Peter? And if it be reported how Peter, Acts. 3. said, Silver or gold have I none; where shall the princely palaces of the servants go, & the great treasured heaps of gold they lay up? Paul sojourned in a poor Tanner's house that dressed leather, and when he sent for his cloak and his scrolls, he maketh no mention of any great treasure; but he laid up his treasure in heaven, where the moth, the canker, nor the thief could not come, gaining and treasuring by his Talon, many souls to God. Peter got a great treasure, and conquesed much, when at his Sermon so many souls were converted to Christ, & joined to the Church. But these fat wolves, and dumb dogs, they care not for such a treasure or conquest; woe be to them, for they do not the work of the Lord at all, let it be negligently, woe be to them, for they preach not the Gospel, they feed themselves and not the flock. It is sufficient for them to have a lambs skin, the name of a christian, although they never felt the power of Christ to be called Bishop, or Pastor, albeit they never oversee, nor can oversee, not their flock, but the flocks, the sheep never heard nor knew their pastoral voice, but their thundering tyrannical jurisdiction; they call not, nor can they call their own sheep by name, because they have not any particular flock, they lead them not out to pasture, neither can their sheep follow them, because they go not before, except it be by wicked example, and giving offence, they come not in at the door, by Christ and his ordinary lawful calling, but climbs up another way, by man●pleasing, bribery, simony, honours, to theeve, and to rob, kil and destroy, like that wicked steward, drinking, eating, and glutting themselves with worldly honours and riches, and with the blood of the sheep, but beating out of Christ's sheepfold and house, their painful fellow servants, that seeketh the life and feeding of the sheep only: they will neither enter themselves, nor suffer others to enter; they will neither come nor bring to Christ, neither will they suffer others: many souls perish in their default; and great shall be their condemnation who do so, in the world to come; they have the sheephook in their hand, but never applies it to bring them into Christ's sheepfold; they have the form of cloven tongues upon their heads, but not the cloven tongue of God's Spirit in their heads or hearts, to divide the word aright, & distribute the same unto God's people.  
The world with the riches & glory thereof, which Satan offered to Christ, is sufficient to make them fall down and worship him, the world & the kingdom thereof, soundeth sweetly in their ears, because they are in love one with another, and their condemnation is all one; but the word of God, It is written, & the voice of the kingdom of heaven, is as displeasant unto them, as the same It is written, was to Satan: Sell all and follow me, was a hard saying to the rich yonug man: they being of the world, to be selected from the world, is as bitter a saying to them, yea, more bitter to the worldly, than that potion, which the world gave to Christ on the Cross, vinegar and gall mixed together. Flint from flint may be sooner pulled asunder, & the hardest Adamant or Diamond divided, then to divide and divorce them from their sweet Dalilah the world, and to do that, God's word shall never get place by them. These are the causes, that that bright Candle is put under a bushel by them; that that glorious City is placed in a low valley; that that precious ●ewell is hid under the earth, lest it be found, and had only in estimation, to be hid in men's hearts: for if so be that the stronger man enter, the usurper shall be bound, & cast out strait; if light come, darkness shall depart, as the morning clouds are driven before the Sun: set up God's Kingdom and Laws, and put down their kingdom and laws: God and Belial cannot be together: the advancement of the Throne of jesus Christ the Lamb, is the detruding of these goats out of their throne; the divulgating of his word, is the falsifying of theirs; therefore they strive to prolong the night, as long as they may, that the bright day-star arise not, that Light that shineth in darkness, to discover them and their works. The cause also, why many men, chiefly young men esteem not, nor take such delight in God's word, as they should; and care not much, albeit it were hid, that they never heard it much, is, because man's nature chiefly in youth, affecteth liberty of the flesh, which, it (being the word of the Spirit) fighteth against, and restraineth. It is the limits of that narrow way, which leadeth to life, and therefore will not suffer liberty, to wander astray in the wide & wild fields of sin to death: it is the knife that openeth the soar, and will have strictness first, that ease may follow after: when we sin, never so little, it will, like a good master, check us, like a loving father, reprove us, and like a wise counsellor, admonish us, which checking, reproof or admonishing, yea, for great offences, youth can scarce abide. jesus Christ commanded the young man in the Gospel, that he should leave all, and follow him, if he would have eternal life; jesus Christ now, commandeth also in his word, all young men, that they leave all their pleasures, lusts of youth, and vanities, and follow his strict and holy life, if they would have eternal life, Knowing, that all that are baptised into jesus Christ, 
Rom. 6. 3. 4.  are baptised in his death: and like as he was raised up from the dead, by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newness of life. His word commandeth us to fly from the lust: 
2. Tim 2. 22.  of youth, and follow after righteousness, faith, love and peace, 
1. Pet. 5. 5.  the younger to submit themselves unto their elders, and every one to another, to deck themselves inwardly with lowliness of mind, without fornication, adultery, drunkenness, whoredom, etc. knowing▪ that they who do so, 
Eph. 5. 3 4. 1. Thess. 4. 7.  shall never inherit the kingdom of heaven: Eschewing all filthiness, (for God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness) all foolish talking, neither mocking or jesting, which are things uncomely, and giving no place unto the devil, putting away all bitterness and anger, with evil speaking, and all maliciousness, being courteous one to another, and tender hearted, forgiving one another, as God for Christ's sake forgave us, and in all things being followers of God, as dear children, glorifying him in body and in spirit, for they are Gods. Which commandments of God's word, are hard and unpleasant unto youth, except it be seconded with grace. Therefore all young men should desire this assisting and renewing grace of God. 
Eph. 5. 16.  Redeeming the time, for the days are evil. And that considering the season, 
Rom. 13. 11.  that it is now time, that we should arise from sleep for now is our salvation nearer, than we believed it; the night is past, and the day is at hand; let us therefore cast away the works of darkesnesse▪ and let us put on the armour of light. So that we walk honestly, as in the day: not in gluttony and drunkenness neither in chambering and wantonness, nor in strife and enjoying: 
1. Thes. 4: 7.  but put on the Lord jesus Christ, and take no thought for the flesh, to fulfil the lust, of it: and 〈…〉, 
2. Tim. 3. 21.  as he who despiseth these things, despiseth not man but God: So, if any man purge himself from thes●● he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified & meet for the Lord, & prepared unto every good work.  
Amen.