Four sermons preachedFoure sermons preached

Art thou a private labouring man? Do thy duty truly, ¹be subject, and live in dread to displease the good magistrate. Art thou old, and hast consumed the flower of thy youth in wantonness? break off thy course, and frame thy self to sobriety: give the water no passage, no not a little: for if it have never so little issue, it will overflow thee: and if thou do slack the reins never so little, thy sins will carry thee (like a wild horse) through brambles and bushes, and will leave no soundness in thy flesh: work this reformation in thy self betimes, even to day, even this first day of the new year: If you will hear my voice, harden not your hearts.

Art thou a priuate labouring man? Doe thy duetie trulie, ¹be subiect, and liue in dread to displease the good magistrate. Art thou olde, and hast consumed the flowre of thy youth in wantonnesse? breake off thy course, and frame thy selfe to sobrietie: giue the water no passage, no not a little: for if it haue neuer so little issue, it will ouerflowe thee: and if thou doe slacke the raines neuer so little, thy sinnes will carrie thee (like a wilde horse) thorow brambles and bushes, and will leaue no soundnes in thy flesh: worke this reformation in thy selfe betimes, euen to daie, euen this first daie of the newe yeere: If you wil heare my voice, harden not your hearts.

1. 11. Pet. 3

Art thou young, and doest begin to flourish like the young palm tree? O consider, that the only way to retain the blossoms of thy beauty, and to keep thy flower from withering, and thy leaf from fading away, is to seek early unto God, and to apply thy mind to understanding, to prevent the morning watches, and to give thy body to be moistened of the morning dew! For beside the good hours that are well employed in some good study and holy exercise, early rising bringeth health to thy body, and increaseth the number of thy days.