A practical commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and uses upon the first…A practicall commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and vses upon the first…

2 For young men, it is a great bonour to Religion if they come on, they make the power of Christs grace manifest, that is able to overcome the heat and violence of youthful lusts, no age so violent and boisterous in corruption, so head-strong, so indiscreet and rash, so that what for unruliness, stubbornness, vanity, pleasure, they are most indisposed to grace, and will not hold on: if God therefore take hold of their Spirits, and stablish their Spirits, when they by Gods Grace shall be able to rule their Spirits, their lusts, to rule their hearts, this argues the strength of grace, in that, when neither wise counsel, nor Magistrate can rule them, yet the grace of Christ can rule them, rule ⟨p. 91⟩their passions, so that they can put forth their strength against the enemy, either against their own corruptions, or abuses of others, so that when the Elders sit still, sometimes a young Phinehas rises up, and shows his zeal for Christ, what an honour is this to Christs grace? Psal. 119.9. Eccles. 11. ult. Childhood and youth are vanity, so that if Gods grace can lay hold on them, and restrain them, the power of Gods grace is hereby magnified, Psal. 110.2, 3. 2 Cor. 12.7. youth is only strong in weakness, if Gods grace therefore shall be so strong as to subdue all these, and make them like unto Josiah, who at sixteen years of age set himself to seek God, and compelled the whole Land to do so, 2 Chron. 34.33. (he compelled them at least to outward Reformation) it is a great glory to God, when young men thus give up their young days to God

2 For young men, it is a great bonour to Religion if they come on, they make the power of Christs grace manifest, that is able to overcome the heat and violence of youthful lusts, no age so violent and boysterous in corruption, so head-strong, so indiscreet and rash, so that what for unrulinesse, stubbornesse, vanity, pleasure, they are most indisposed to grace, and will not hold on: if God therefore take hold of their Spirits, and stablish their Spirits, when they by Gods Grace shall be able to rule their Spirits, their lusts, to rule their hearts, this argues the strength of grace, in that, when neither wise counsel, nor Magistrate can rule them, yet the grace of Christ can rule them, rule