of great joy and a multitude of the heavenly host joyned with him in a joyfull praising of God Glory be to God on high c. then Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seene thy Salvation After againe when Iohn Baptist had prepared the way and wone Disciples to Christ how rejoyced they at the sight of the Lamb of God Andrew to his brother Simon we have found the Messias and Philip to Nathaniel we have found him of whom Moses and the Prophets did write Both Iohn and Christ himselfe for the increase of their joy that heard them made this the summe of their preaching Repent for the Kingdome of God is at hand yet to bring it now home to our purpose all this was but the Kingdome of grace and if when that was at hand there was cause of so great joy as indeed there was then how much greater cause is there when the Kingdome of GLORIE is at hand and even come unto us how great joy and happinesse must there needs bee The truth is every mans death is suiting to his life if he be blessed in his life he is more so in his death which followes a good life In a word if thou shrink and draw back at the thought of thy death which is a common infirmity Tantam habet vim carnis animae dulce consortium of so great force in the sweet society betweene the body and the soule in case it be thus with thee it is because death comes not into thy frequent cogitations because thou diest not daily because thou receivest not the sentence of death in thy selfe Mortem effice familiarem saith Seneca ut si ita sors tulerit possis illi obviam ire be well acquainted with death that when he comes thou maist meet him as a friend and entertaine him with joy Facilè contemnit omnia qui semper cogitat se esse moriturum saith S. Ierom hee that continually thinkes of death easily tramples upon whatsoever may dismay him Or it is for that thou hast not yet learned of Saint Chrysostome Offeramus Deo promunere quod pro debito tenemur reddere be free in offering up thy selfe to God as a gift which wee are bound to yeeld to him as a debt Or because thy life hath beene vitious Mala mors putanda non est saith Saint Austin quam bona vita preces sit that death may not be counted evill which is foregon by a good life Thou art loth to die wherefore thou hast lived ill and so art unprepared for death know that the reason of this want of preparation is because thou art not throughly perswaded and resolved that thou shalt die nor dost truly beleeve it hap'ly thou canst say from a generall swimming thought of death that we are all mortall or the like but a firme and constant beleefe of it is farre from thee for otherwise thou wouldest live in continuall expectation of thy dissolution and prepare thy selfe for that day that houre knowing that then instantly thou art brought to judgement If newes be brought to a City that the enemie is comming against it and ready to besiege it shall we thinke they beleeve it when they make no preparation for defence Quotidiè morimur quotidie mutamur tamen aeternos nos esse credimus saith Saint Ierom we die daily and every day are we changed and yet we dreame of eternity even here in this life Or hap'ly the reason of thy feare of death is thou art fast glued to thy earthly portion thy riches thy pleasures thy honours thy friends Shake hand at least in contentment with these and all will bee well forsake them now while thou livest and then thou canst not in regard of them thinke death thine enemie or that it takes either thee from them or them from thee if thou have thy treasure in Heaven there thy heart will be and from thy heart and treasure thou wilt not be contentedly but wilt love and embrace the messenger and guide which conducts thee to them namely thy death But will some man say how can there bee happinesse in that which all men yea all the other creatures doe shunne for they all naturally desire to preserve their estate of being what they are and by all meanes avoid their being dissolved I answer first Death and dissolution is two waies to be considered either simply as it is an abolishing of a present estate or as it is a passage to a future better condition as it is the former naturally it is abhor'd but as it tends to perfection it is both in it selfe desirable and by the creatures desired and longed for before it comes and when it presents it selfe right welcome and embraced so was it by th' Apostle Phil. 1. 23 he desired to depart or as some translate it to be dissolved Why not in respect of death it selfe but because by this death he should passe to a better life he should live with Christ hee should bee deliver'd from his claiey house as that word dissolved imports or dismissed as Beza reads it and our newest translation that is set free from imprisonment in the body and from the miseries of this life and hence it is that the Apostle there professes that he shall gaine by death ver 21. he shall gaine Christ by it enjoy him fully and with him glory even the crowne which he aspires unto 2 Tim. 4. hence it is also that death is longed for and earnestly groned after as 2 Cor. 5. neither is this true which hath beene said onely of the faithfull among men but of the other creatures also with earnest expectation they grone and travaile in paine for the day of their renovation Rom. 8. 19 22. So then it is plaine that death though it be not simply and in it selfe good and desirable yet for that which commeth of it it is And this may be further manifested by similitudes with which the same Apostle doth furnish us First in the place afore-named 2 Cor. 5. 1. the body our earthly mansion is compared to a tabercacle a weake and moveable house or dwelling our heavenly habitation to a firme building not made with hands but eternall in the heavens and 1 Cor. 15. our interred bodies are likened to the seed which is cast into the ground and is there corrupted and dies I will apply these comparisons to our present purpose True indeed an old weake decayed house is not in this happy that it is taken downe better to be in that meane estate in which it was before then not at all to be but herein consists the happinesse of its demolishment that thereby it becomes a new faire building farre more glorious in it selfe and more profitable for use then before So againe the seed is not in that happy that it is corrupted and rotted in the earth but that corruptio unius is
or later overcome by them During the time of mans innocency the great Creator so temper'd the contrary qualities of the elements of which his body consisted that they were not as since at strife among themselves but when man had sinned that way might be made to the execution of the sentence of death God drew backe his hand and left them to their naturall worke in seeking their mutuall destruction And by that meanes now as one saith vivere morâ—… est our living is a dying While we live and by living we come every day neerer and neerer to our dissolution This is now the weake estate of our earthly tabernacle to which the art of Physicke in diet and medicines may be as a prop to a decayed and tottering house but comes farre short of restoring it to the originall perfection in the creation Physick sayes Galen is an art of repairing not of building No this certainely requires the same hand which made man at the first and the way which God the Creator and recreator will take in it he hath plainely expressed in his word It is by demolishing in his time this decayed and daily decaying house and setting up a new The earthly house of this our weake Tabernacle must first be destroyed that we may have a building given of God not made with handes but eternall in the Heavens As the seed that is cast into the ground first dies and then is quickned so our bodies at the resurrection This corruptible shall then put on incorruption and this mortall immortality Perfect health man had but by his sinne he lost it Perfect health he shall recover but the way to it is death and the way to death is sicknesse and as the sting of death is sinne so the evill of sicknesse is sinne likewise and that not onely as the meriting cause but also as the thing to be prevented by it Would we alwaies live in health We know not our selves God that is better acquainted with our estate and condition sees that of all afflictions this of sicknesse is most beneficiall unto us and most necessary The reasons to note some of them may bee these The first to make us looke backe to see from whence we are fallen and why Another because other afflictions are not so direct premonitions of death which should be the meditation of our whole life A third for that this correction doth not onely minde us of our sinnes past and upbraid us with them that wee may repent but serves also for a curb or restraint to hold us in from rushing into the world of enormities and sinnes to which our corrupt and unbridled nature otherwise would carry us head-long for by sicknesse the flesh which rebels against the spirit is weakened and more easily observes that precept of not suffering sinne to reigne in our mortall bodies Fourthly health of body is an occasion of many evills especially when the soule is sicke or ill affected No where saies one can the corrupt heart dwell worse or more dangerously then in a healthy body Fiftly when we see a man in his bed of sicknesse how much doe wee finde him changed if there bee any sparke of grace in him from that hee was before Hee hates his former disorderly course and himselfe for it Hee resolves though hap'ly with great weakenesse and sometimes after recovery inconstancy yet he resolves or at least professes a resolution for amendment and he binds himselfe to God for it by many promises and vowes in health with most men it is farre otherwise Againe the want of health may be borne the more patiently both by aged and younger folke because health is a thing common with us to inferiour creatures not peculiar to man as Psal. 36. â—…6 Lord thou preservest man and beast From which place S. Austine observes that we should not bee proud of health and we may from the same ground that there is no cause of our being much dejected for the want of it Well then were it granted that old-age is followed with more diseases then the other this notwithstanding would be no disgrace to it a benefit rather as hath beene proved But by the concurrent judgement of Physitians it appeares to be otherwise For they tell us that old-men are not so subject to sicknesse as the younger and that the reasons of it are these One their temperance above others by which say they the most depraved and corrupt nature of man is preserved and held in a healthy constitution Another because they are sensible of the least causes of sicknesse and thereby become wary and suffer not the diseases to take root in them And the last is their cold and dry temper which frees them from hot fevers inflammations and corrupt humors Whence it is saith Plime that they are lesse subject to the pestilence Hereunto wee may adde the common Proverbe A Physitian or a foole A Physitian by experience and many observations or a foole for want of them Now we know none hath so much experience as the Old-man whose many yeares afford him opportunity and meanes to be to himselfe an Emperike a kinde of Physitian The carelesnesse of former ages have happily bred diseases in him and hee by his skill and knowledge gotten by experience practiseth the cure The other ages are as violent winds and stormes that by often beating upon this house of clay or as bad inhabitants that by their neglect bring it out of reparations and OLD-AGE is as the Carpenter to repaire it The IIII. Chapter Containing the next and last disgrace cast upon OLD-AGE and the answer THe last imputation is this that to the OLD-MAN death is at hand and knockes at the doore as it were ready to come in and ceaze upon him And here now we are fallen upon a meditation of Death and I rejoyce at the occasion imploring Gods helpe that I may bee profitably sensible of what I deliver touching this point and may bring it home to my selfe for my better preparation In it I will endeavour to prove first that to be neare to death is not a misery but a happinesse rather Secondly that were it an affliction as it is deemed to be the other ages are as liable to it as this And lastly that the former part of mans life ill order'd is one and not the least cause of Old-ages hasting to the grave Touching the first What is there in Death that may make it a misery to a good Old-man Is it that which David Psalm 6. and other where pleaded for the lengthening of his life In death there is no remembrance of thee c. And Hezekias Isaiah 38. The grave cannot confesse thee That indeed should bee a principall motive to the desire of life and the shunning of death The end of it should be not so much that wee may longer enjoy this world and the comforts of it as that we
mischiefes all which it carries with it to Old-age if the grave prevent it not Child-hood is subject to as great distempers and hurts The Young-man is next and his affections for the most part are strong and violent as hath beene shewed whatsoever comes of him he resolves to please his appetite in diet to satisfie his desire of pleasures in immoderate recreations and to nourish the pride of his bodily strength and activenesse in violent exercises and his lusts also in wantonnesse and then no marvaile if an intemperate youth leaves to OLD-AGE a weake and worne-out body Of mature or the ripe age what shall we say that a man would thinke will be wary of doing wrong to so good so neere a neighbour as OLD-AGE is to it Yet we know and cannot but observe so much that the two vices before noted do adhere to it covetousnesse and ambition put men upon many labours toyles and attempts which hotly and eagerly pursued according to the extent of their desires cause surfetings and bring many infirmities and diseases upon it which tend directly to death Now all these evills in the end fall to the lot of the Old-man brought upon him as we see by the foregoing part of his life and therefore to it they must be imputed and it may truly be said that if Old-men bee neere to death they are thrust upon it by their predecessours the former ages So it is saith Seneca wee have not received a short life but wee have made it short the time wee have is not little but wee lose much of it by wastfull prodigality And that the sicknesses of elder yeeres the causes of deaths approach bee they moe or be they fewer are to be imputed to former errors disorders in diet we may have some proofe from those two famous Physitians Hippocrates and Galen of whom the former lived to an hunder'd the other to an hunder'd and foure and how but through their knowledge and care by which they attained to a rare temperance in the former part of their life The Essaei also a Sect among the Jewes were very temperate and sparing in their diet and by meanes thereof lived ordinarily to an hunder'd To conclude when all is said that may bee brought either by the despisers or accusers of this age It must bee confessed that length of daies is a great blessing when a man comes to his grave in a full age like as a shooke of corne commeth in in its season And howelse can it bee the subject of a promise as in the fift Commandement Honour thy Father c. that thy daies may bee long in the land c. and 1 Kings 3. 14. If thou wilt walke in my waies saith God to Salomon I will lengthenthy daies Or how can the contrary be a curse or punishment The wicked shall not live out halfe their dayes Certainely long life hath ever beene a boone by which God would expresse his love to his dearest servants Among other temporall blessings which he affoorded to Abraham this is one and the chiefe Thou shalt be buried in a good Old-Age and it was accordingly performed Gen. 25. 8. Isaac likewise died an Old-man and full of daies Iacob lived to a 14. 7. yeares David esteemed it a blessing earnestly to be prayed for Spare mee that I may recover my strength before I goe hence and bee no more seene And againe Now when I am old and gray-headed O God for sake mee not untill I have shewed thy strength unto this generation c. and he obtained it 1 Kings 2. Now can any man bee so shamelesse as to reproach that age of mans life which God himselfe hath graced by promising and giving it as a speciall blessing to such as he entirely loved and by threatning and inflicting the contrary upon the wicked I have blessed Jacob saith I saac to Esau yea and he shall bee blessed Mans blessing there stands firme and irrevocable and shall not Gods much more Yes certainely and therefore OLD-AGE is both truly and firmely blessed Riches and Honour may be a left-hand gift but length of daies comes to us in Wisedomes right-hand Excellently Saint Ambrose Quid naturam accusas O homo habet illa impedimenta quadam senectutem infirmitatem senectus ipsa in bonis moribus dulcior c. O man why art thou so injuriously busie in accusing nature shee is not altogether free from impediments as OLD-AGE and infirmity but even that weake age in a good and holy life is more comfortable in counsell more wise for constancie to entertaine death more able and to suppresse lust more strong then any other age the infirmity of the body is the mindes sobriety saith he THE SECOND BOOK In which it is shewed that length of daies is dignified by time and opportunity with many speciall priviledges more then any other age CHAP. 1. Wherein it is proved that OLD-AGE is as a rich store-house or treasurie HItherto I have done my best to free my Client OLD-AGE from Calumniations my forlorne Client that sues in forma pauperis or hominis neglecti and I doubt speeds accordingly yet through my want of skill rather then of will and desire to manifest the goodnesse of his cause I will now try what may be said for him the next thing proposed by way of demonstration that the evills to which he is subject are fully recompensed by the opportunity and meanes for good which hee hath above all other ages And first of his first priviledge I will not doubt to say that whatsoever good things accrew to man in the other part of his life doe all ordinarily meet in this age and in it are much neerer to perfection As first the ornaments of the minde KNOVVLEDGE formerly gotten by reading and study WISEDOME gathered both by study and experience for he is indeed truly wise who hath found the propositions which hee hath laid up for his use to be true by long triall and is able rightly to apply them in his practise PRVDENCE or discretion purchased by a long continued observing of all pertinent circumstances in every case FORTITUDE and courage aâ—…ising from a right apprehension of all occurrences whereby it comes to passe that he feares where there is cause to feare a necessary vertue which who so wants is rather foole-hardy then valiant and where there is no cause of feare or doubt is hardy and bold as a Lyon PATIENCE growing from the many victories which hee hath had over afflictions outward and inward CONSTANCY as being by experience also setled and well grounded in his judgement of good and evill truth and falsehood In a word to passe by other particulars the multitude of his yeeres have given time to the many actions from which habits doe arise so that through long custome both his wits are exercised to discerne of
not the body page 131. Death opens heaven gates page 132. Death brings happinesse page 134. Death is suiting to a mans life p. 137. Death why unwelcome p 137. Death imbittered by an ill life p. 138. Death imbittered by love of this world p. 140 Death how abhorrâ—…d and how desired p 141 Death a pulling downe of a tabernacle p. 143 Death as the corruption of seed page 144. Deaths curse removed p. 146. Death of infants causes of it p. 142. Death causes of it in child-hood p. 154. Death causes of iâ—… in Man-age p 154. Diseases befall all p. 1â—…0 Distemper of former ages makes Old-Age the neerer to death p. 151. Discontentednesse at ones estate page 7. Discomforts are no disparagement to Old-Age pageâ—…7 â—…7 Drunkennesse and uncleanenesse seldome severed p 79. E Experience a good teacher page 24. Evill of former ages followes Old-Age page 155. F Fabius Maximus Augur 6â—… yeares p 16. To order Families Old-Age the fittest p 42 Families Old-men worthy governours of them â—… 45. G Gadera a City in Spaine dedicated to Old-Age p 18â—… Georgius Leontinus had nothing to accuse Old-Age pâ—… â—… Glory of man wherein it consisteth p. 11. Good the object of pleasure p. 59. The Kingdome of Grace brings joy p. 135. Grace by growth gets strength p. 175. The Grave as a Gold-smiths forge p. 145. Good things must be communicated p. 205. H Health dangerous p. 12â—… Health common to beasts p. 1â—… House how best built up p. 122. I Imployment Old-Age makes not unfit for it page 10. Greatest Imployments elder yeares best fitted for page 12. Infirmity what it is page 86. Infirmity of child hood page 99. Infirmity of young-men page 95. Infants infirmities page 86. Infants come into the world crying p. 89. Infants how first handled p. 90. Infants deatli causes of it p. 152. L Lawfull things in danger let go p. 77. Learning increaseth by age p 26. True Learning what it is p 40. Liberty abused by youth p. 96. An ill Life imbitters death p. 138. Life uncertaine p. 151. M. Man age when it begins p. 103. Man-age in evill irremoveable p 103. Man age aspires high p 104. Man age prone to wrong p 105. Causes of death in Man-age p. 154. Mans glory wherein it consisteth p 21. Massarissa went bare-head and bare-foot at 90 yeares age p. 16. Matter of Meditation p 187. Meditation on Gods mercies a sinners cordiall p 194. Meditation Old-age fittest for it p. 195. Middle-age must redeeme the time p. 204. Minds abilities the best p 19. Most good done by the Mind p. 23. Ornaments of the Mind p. 162. Ministers work a weighty task p. 34. Ministers compared to Shepheards Builders Husband-men Watch-men Stewards Embassadours p 3â—… c. Monks of old p 190. Mothers care over children p. 94. N In what cases children may bee put out to Nurse p. 152. O Old-age what it is p 2. Old-age hath the best opportunities for wisdome p. 24. Old-ages defects most in the body p. 27. Old-age fittest for writing p. 40. Old-age fittest for ordering of Families p. 42 Spirituall pleasure most proper to Old-age p. 69. It is a glory to Old age that it takes off from pleasures p. 80. Old-age works joy in the want of pleasure p. 80 Old-age not to bee blamed with personall vices p. 109. Old-age hath experience p 124 172. Other ages as liable to death as Old-age p. 147. Every age hath a more certaine period then Old-age p 150. Distemper of former ages makes Old-age the neerer to death p 151. Evill of former ages followes Old-age p. 155 All priviledges meet in Old-age 162. Old-ages externall priviledges p. 164. Discomforts are no disparagements to Old-age p 167. Old-age an helpe to grace p. 169. Old-age hath best meanes for grace p. 170. The Old age of the World had great mysteries p 173. Old-age honourable p. 179. Great things done by Old-men p 13. Old age hath least disturbance p 194. Old age fittest for meditation p. 195. Old age most calls for repentance p. â—…09 Old-men must thinke of their former failings p. 208. Old-mens abilities in the graces of the mind p. 19. Old men of best use in peace p. 29. Old-men best Generalls in warre page 31. Old-men best counsellors for warre p. 32. Old men not so fit for the Pulpit as young page 37. Old men worthy Governors of families p 45 Old-men best furnished for writing p 41. Old-men fittest to cast up their accounts p 48 Old-men best apprehend Gods promises p. 49 Old mens motion to heaven the strongest p. â—…0 Old-mens care for others good p. 106. Old-men best use wealth p. 108. Old-men not covetous p. 110. The ground of Old-mens parsimony p. 111. Old-men warre p. 112. Old-men long for better times p. 112. Old-men why hard to please p. 113. Old-men praisers of former times p. 113. Old-men just reprovers p. 113. Old-men most think of their former failings page 208. Old men see how former yeares might have beene better imployed p. 203. Old-men must looke backe to their former passages p. 206. Old servant not cast of by God p. 49. Old servants respected by God p. 178. P Parents must well season children p. 198. In Peace old men of best use p. 29. Times of Peace fittest for Gods house p. 193 The old Patriarks advantage p. 175. Physick wherein usefull p. 118. Plato died with his pen in his hand at 81. yeares of age p. 16. Pleasure what it is p. 59. Pleasure the object of it is good p. 59. False Pleasure p. 60. Worldly Pleasures p 62. Worldly Pleasures how good p. 62. Pleasures are good only to the faithfull p 64 Pleasures corporall and spirituall how differenced p. 64 c. Pleasures spirituall most proper to Old-age page 69. Pleasure corporall want of it no great disadvantage p. 70. Pleasure corporall the vanity of it p. 70 c. Pleasures corporall dangerous p 74. Pleasures corporall can hardly be well used pag. 75. Pleasures make brutish p. 7â—… Pleasures are dangerous guests p. 81 c. Pleasures bodily lost recompensed with spirituall joyes p. 83. Prayer excellencies of it p. 184. Preaching the chiefest Ministeriall function page 38. Preaching by pen p. 38. The Pen goes further then the voice p. 39. Promises of God best apprehended by old men p 43. Q Quiet acceptable to old age p. 56. R Retirednesse a priviledge p. 184. S Old Servants not cast off by God p 49. Old Servants respected by God p. 178. Sicknesse whence it came p. 115. Sicknesse by sin p. 119. Sicknesse the benefits of it p. 120. Sicknesse no disgrace p 122. Solitarinesse sweetnesse of it p. 191. Sophocles wrote Tragedies in his dotage page 16. Soules excellency p. 19. Spirituall Pleasures See Pleasures Bodily Strength dangerous p 99. In bodily Strength nor all nor the best actions p. 23. T Testimonies humane how to be used p. 2. Time commonly too much mispent p. 55. Time losse of it worse in younger than in elder yeares
the Chapters and ye shall find him even then immediately before his death extraordinarily strong active and every way able for that great service Ioshua died at 110. and immediately before how did hee bestir him in that his farewellspeech to settle the people in a resolution to serve the Lord to for sake the false gods and to knit their hearts to God Caleb at 85. was as able both for warre and government as when hee was but of 40. yeares Cyrus lived to a great age yet when he died in his last words he professed that he felt himselfe at that time no weaker then in his youth It is said of Agesilaus that being extreamly old hee was seene in winter to walke bare-foot and without his garment that hee might be a patterne of patience to the young men Gorgius Leontinus that had Isocrates and many others of rare wit for his schollers being asked when he was aged 107. why hee would live so long answered Quia nihil habeo quod senectutem accusem because said he I have nothing whereof to accuse Old-age of c. Fabius Maximus we read that being very old he quit himselfe in warre as when he was young and that he was Augur 62. yeares being of ripe age when he entred that office Isocrates was of 94. when he wrote that â—…anathenaicum and lived after it 5 yeares Plato at 81. dyed with his penne in his hand Sophocles wrote tragedies in his dotage if his sonnes might have beene beleeved Massarissa the King of Numidia at 90. went barefoot and covered not his head for any raine or cold Wee may not passe by that worthy Patron of Old-age CATO MAIOR Plinie sayes of him that in his last dayes he was optimus Orator optimus Senator optimus Imperator A most eloquent Orator a most wise Senator and a most valiant and compleat Generall touching whom also it is a strong proofe that he had an able body and was really industrious in Old-age in that even then he learned the Greeke tongue that most copious and hard language A tedious task for such men children being for this more apt both because they may bee forced to it by discipline and in regard of their flexiblenesse for pronuntiation Whence is that proverb senis mutare mores noting a difficulty if not an impossibility of bringing Old-men to the childes yoke In all these examples studiorum agitatio vitae aequalis fuit that to which their studies had for many yeeres been accustomed and framed went along with them to their lives end Even as the course of waters in rivers or streames the simple rustick that beholds them gliding along conceives that the channell will soone be dried up which notwithstanding holds on in its wonted course So some ignorants when men are growne old suppose they have spent their store and that all is at an end with them but they are deceived For by long use the agitation of their wits studies and actions becomes naturall to them so that the current cannot be stopt But for the further manifesting of this point it would be considered what the workes are in which men may profitably bee imployed in this life Wee will take it as granted that they are either publique or private Let us looke into them but first in the generall Wee may not thinke that these affaires are managed by bodily strength and agility the young-mans glory so much as by the vertues and graces of the minde the crowne of elder yeeres An Old-man sees better a farre off then a younger So by the inward eyes of his minde he reaches further then the other both backward through experience and forward by providence and forecast What shall wee thinke is the body made of the dust of the earth and adjudged thither to returne of greater use and ability then that immortall substance and farre better part of man the soule that soule by which the body before but as a livelesse statue or image receiv'd life when by the Spirit of God it was breathed into it through which also man became the principall living creature being furnished not onely with life but sense and reason and with all the indowments that might make him like to his Creator that soule the losse whereof our Saviour tells us can no way be recompensed the soulè which Physitians define to bee principium causa functionum viventis corporis the originall and cause of the functions or offices of the living body Certainely the body to the mind is but a meere instrument no more then the axe or the hammer to the carpenter Is want of bodily strength any great disparagement why God gives this strength often to the wicked whom he regards not and many times more then to his deere children Yea many brute beasts as the Lion Hart Elephant Bull Camell and some others go farre beyond men in this gift Chrysostome therfore expostulates with such as are proud of their bodily strength in this manner Art thou strong and lifted up in regard thereof I tell thee that the thing whereof thou vauntest is base for the Lyon is bolder then thou and the Bore stronger yea robbers theeves and ruffians and thine owne servants doe herein excell thee and dost thou then count this a thing so much to be esteemed And as for agility and swiftnesse wert thou as nimble as Asael yet the Deere and Hare would out-runne thee God hath made us men and therefore extreame folly it is to boast of that or to make any great account of it wherein the very beasts goe before us God hath made us Christians let us know our place and condition and not think that the want of such things as the Heathen have excelled us in doth disable us to doe our Creator service in whatsoever calling Let us observe the counsell of him that advises us when we have this bodily strength to use it when it leaves us to count it no great want or losse The Philosopher tells us that great and strong men ordinarily have lesse wit and wisedome then others in which respect we may with Themistocles liken many of them to the sword-fish which hath a weapon but is heartlesse they proove many times no better then that foole of Salomons in whose hand there is a price but his heart failes him Great strength when wisedome and grace is not answerable breedes such a spirit in men as was in Lamech Nimrod Goliah the Anâ—…chims and the like giants It is not the vast bignesse or largenesse of the body that makes a man compleat but the largenesse of his heart as in Salomon 1 Kings 4. 29. All action consisteth not in the strength of the body no nor the greatest and most profitable Hee that in a ship sits at the sterne not mooving out of his place though his bodily paines be not so great as of
that with vertue it hath no converse nothing at all to do that it makes a man neither better nor more praise-worthy that nature hath given to man nothing more capitall and deadly a greater plague or enemy that no high or heavenly cogitation can consist with it that he is not to be counted a man that would spend one whole day in such pleasure that it more often leaves cause of repentance then of remembring it that the desire of it is full of anxiety and doubtfull feare but the saciety of it is repentance that to it loathing is the nearest neighbour What enemies saies one can bring upon a man so great reproach and shame as comes to some men by their own rejoycing There is saith the same Author a sort of men that drowne themselves in pleasure without which they cannot be when once they are accustomed to it herein most miserable that they are come to this passe that the things which before were superfluous and needlesse are now â—…o them made necessary and so they serve their pleasures enjoy them not In another place hee tells us that pleasures embrace us to the end they may stifle and strangle us where also hee gives us an instance in Haâ—…niball so hardy and patient that hee endured the snow ice and extreame coldnesse and also the dangerous passage on the Alpes but yet the pleasures of Campania enervated and overcame him So what he had gained by warre he lost by pleasures Aristotle will not have such pleasures to bee numbered among things that are good because they are not the subject of any art This account the Heathen made of this kinde of joy the vanity and evill whereof they had learned onely by experience and the light of nature but we have besides these the Scripture for our warrant and thence wee are taught that such as live in pleasures are dead while they live and that Salomon hath long time passed his sentence on them that they are vanity Salomon who had them in great aboundance who professes of himselfe that whatsoever his eyes desired hee held it not from them that hee gave himselfe to wine builded houses c. as Eccle. 2. and when he had sucked from these delights what possibly they might affoord in the end he is forced to confesse that they are all vanity and vexation This world is like to an infectious house in which a man is forced to dwell he hath no remedy and such pleasures are a part of the world and must therefore be crucified to us and wee to them They are the Divells baites which he laies to catch us Hamus Diaboli trahens ad perniciem saies S. Basil they are the kisses of an enemy pleasant indeed but most dangerous and hurtfull and therfore the wounds of a lover are to be preferred before them they are Iudas-like kisses that watch their time to betray us Voluptuous living is as thornes that choke the Seed of the Word It is possible and too common a thing that a man addicted much to pleasures should love them more then God to most men they are the pleasures of sin Here haply it will be objected that what hath beene said in this point makes not simply against pleasures but pleasures abused In answer whereto I say first that our corrupt nature is ever ready to abuse them and therefore better and safer it is to want then to have them Can we so mistake our selves as not to know either who or where we are Our owne weakenesse or inability to stand upright or the ground on which we are while given to pleasures how slippery it is Our first Parents when they were in their full strength fell from their innocency in that Garden of delights and shall we then be confident and secure in this our weake constitution of body and sinnefull disposition of soule and think our selves free from the danger of earthly pleasures If by that their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a world of calamities fell upon them and their posterity what may we feare will come on us when to the misery of Adams abusing pleasures that is added which is due to our like sinne It will be misery upon misery even an heape or pile of evills The tempter was so flesht by the foile hee gave and the victory he got in Paradice that he presumed to lay the same baite for our Saviour himselfe in the wildernesse and though there he was repulst yet by the same temptation hee hath since and doth continually prevaile more or lesse with all the sons of Adam God usually layes afflictions upon his deerest children giving them the soure of this world rather then the sweet and it is to weane them from the tickling delights of bodily pleasures Certainely God would not put them whom he so entirely loves to purchase their freedome from these things at so deare a rate were they not exceedingly dangerous unto them But the Apostle makes a direct answer to this objection All things are lawfull c. He standes there stoutly upon his priviledge his dominion and power which he hath received from God over all these lawfull things and resolves with an eye to God first and then also to his owne dignity and safety not to be so uncircumspect so unthankefull to his Lord and creator or so base in respect of himselfe as to lay downe this great prerogative and to become a servant to his servants he will not embrace and hug that with danger of dishonouring God and wronging himselfe which he hath received to a quite contrary end When a man is on the sea in great danger he will cast out all the wares be they never so rich for the safety of his life so would we in this case were we as sensible of the soules danger as of the bodies It is our Saviours both counsell and charge in case of offences to be contented to part with our right hand and right eye which we know of how great and necessary use they are to us A shame it were for Christians to be put to schoole to heathen men especially to the vainest and idlest of them the Poets yet they may teach us in this point of pleasures For they plainely shew us in the fable of the Sirens what we are not apt of our selves to beleeve how dangerous a thing it is to be within the reach of these deceitfull enticing and bewitching delights There are two most grosse and hatefull sinnes which reigne in the world drunkennesse and whoredome The former is an incentive to the latter Nunquam ego ebrium castum putabo I will never count him chast saith St. Ierom that is a drunkard Now these two sinnes are the filthy sinckes of sensuall and brutish pleasures the consideration wherof were enough to make a man that is wise and circumspect at the very naming or thought of sensuallity to start
hope of legacies may gaine to him regard and love while hee lives from them who are apt enough to despise his gray-haires Molestus est inter juvenes senex sayes one OLD-AGE is troublesome and unpleasing to youth Many Old-men that have outed themselves of all or neare all while they lived have after it continued alive long enough to repent when it was too late Besides it is certaine that though this man of yeeres by help of his even temper is able to use the wealth he hath with greater benefit and lesse hurt to himselfe and others then younger men who hardly observe a meane in any thing yet being weaned from the pleasures of this world to which his riches might be the fuell or materials no marvell if he abstaine from a much delightfull use of them While his mind feedes on better food his body and mind both are contented to want the use of the worser strange it were if such contentednes and moderation should breed reproach But S. Austen may seeme to stand against us in this point He tels us that in Old-age all other vices decaying covetousnesse juvenescit encreaseth and groweth daily I answer first it is unlikely that this his censure was generall because hee knew well how farre himselfe in his elder yeares was from it and doubtlesse if he wrote it while he was young when he was growne old he would have retracted it from his experience in himselfe had he meant it of all Probable it is that he said it either according to the common tenent of the disgracers of this age or because some Old-men of the worser sort are such and in that case it is morum vitium non senectutis to be ascribed not to the age but to the viciousnesse of the former part of mans life whence the habit of covetousnesse might grow up It is absurd saies the Patron of this age that an Old-man should as an Old-man he meanes bee covetous no lesse absurd then for one to vex himselfe with getting still more and more provision for his journey when he is come neare the end of it Certainely that which it is absurd for a man to doe and incredible that he will do it it is as absurd to thinke he is culpable in it or to accuse him of it Lastly it may be answered that were the Old-man faulty herein somewhat might be said for him by way of excuse viz. that it is caused by an incident infirmity which is feare of want arising partly from the coldnesse of his temper and in part from his inability now to get any thing by his labours or indeavours which may seeme to free him from the scraping covetousnesse though it put him hap'ly upon parsimony or warinesse in spending One being asked what was in vita calamitosissimum the heaviest calamity in this life answer'd well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the estate of a poore needy Old-man So then the calamity of want being greater to this age then to the other to be sparing in it is skarse any fault at all For nature it selfe gives every creature a kind of care and desire to preserve it selfe Further It is said that the Old-man doth all things with feare coldly and slowly Warily as I conceive it having observed in his long experience the innumerable mischiefes into which the rashnesse and unadvised hastinesse of young men doth carry them The Philosopher gives this very reason why youth is bold and age fearefull It is saith he because youth wasts knowledge for who so bold as the blind and age sees the danger of being over-hasty It is added that hee desires and longs for better times True because he hath seene much evill in the world and is wearied with greeving at it No man can fault him for this Againe he is hard to please This may arise from his dislike of mens evill manners with which no man should be pleased He is said to be a prayser of former times Not without cause sith the world growes daily more and more out of frame and wicked He cannot winke at the vices of disordered young-men but sharpely reprooves them Who may more justly take to him this so necessary an office or execute it with so much gravity so great authority so mature wisedome discretion and moderation as the Old-man of whose well-meriting love and indeavours for the common good all men have had long experience and triall By this which hath beene said it is plaine and evident first that all the ages of mans life are infirme Secondly that each hath its proper defects and lastly that the infirmities of Old-age are not so great as of the rest all things duely weighed and consider'd Now they are to be compared likewise in the point of sicknesse But this part of my taske I am willing to cast upon the Physitian both in regard of his farre greater knowledge this way and to avoid the blame of putting my sickle into an other mans harvest and leaping out of mine element Fearing to be Piscis in arido mâ—…nachus in forâ—… Yet something of it out of mine owne profession Health is indeed a blessing upon blessings one that seasons and sweetens all the rest But the perfection of it was onely in Paradice For immediately after the fall came the curse first upon man that had sinned In the very same day saith St. Austin began Adam and Eve to dye in which they received the law of death After the curse fell for man and his transgression upon the earth and the other bordering elements and on all the creatures conteined in them While man was faithfull in serving his Creator the creatures served him as their second Lord but presently upon his fall from his God they all fell from him and shaking off the yoke of their allegiance turned enemies and rebells against him Before man had the meanes of health and life and immortality to which he was created laid up for him in those creatures then all good But since through the curse they are become the instruments to inflict on him that punishment the bodily death or rather so many Sergeants to arrest him And the infinite number of diseases bred by the earths curse are likewise busy tormentors to waite on him for the execution of that punishment which the transgression had justly deserved Dust now wee are and to dust wee shall returne dead-men we are and to death the creatures are appointed to bring us In the sweat 〈◊〉 our faces we eat our bread Our daily labours in our callings are now not as Adams in Eden but sweating labours which make way to sicknesse and consequently to death drying up sensim sine sensu by little and little unperceivably the radicall moysture and wasting the naturall heate and withall enfeebling the body and so farre disabling it to beare the distempers as that it is sooner