The young man's guide through the wilderness of this world to the heavenly Canaan…

Such as in their younger years have taken great pains, and thereby got heats and colds, are apt to cry out of Aches and Stitches in their Age. Young sinner look for it, thy early pleasures, and youthful wantonness, and that drudgery which they have put thee to, are like to be Stitches in thy aged sides, and Swords in thy heart and soul.

Oh young man, how should the consideration thereof stir thee up even now in the days of thy Youth to remember thy Creator, and to dedicate thy self unto him! thereby thou mayst prevent both thy present sins, and those bitter returns they are otherwise like to make thee after many days.

2. By thine early serving of God, the exercises of Religion will be more pleasant and easy unto thee. For often use will bring thee to a custom, and long custom will work in thee an habit, which will be easy and familiar; ⟨p. 12⟩and habits, whether good or evil, will be more easily gotten in Youth, than in Age. We find by daily experience, when young men are put Apprentices unto such Trades as are hard to be learned, they soon attain unto the mystery of them, and become dexterous therein: Whereas if men in their old age should set upon the learning of them, they would never attain unto any perfection therein. In like manner, if thou from thy Youth wouldst accustom thy self to the exercise of Religion, and works of Sanctification, thou wouldst sooner attain the skill and practice of them: Whereas if thou shouldst put them off to old age, they would come off very hardly, and thou wouldst find thy self very unapt, and untoward thereunto.

2. By thine early serving of God, the exercises of Religion will be more pleasant and easie unto thee. For often use will bring thee to a custom, and long custom will work in thee an habit, which will be easie and familiar;