c. 4. Seneca saith in his Epistle 58. and that out of his own Experience How are our last Days the very Dregs and Lees of our Lives when the clearer part is drawn out and spent then the worst part does sink down to the bottom To add no more of Pagan Authors save only Epictetus 5. calls Old Age Vita Mors Cadaver Spirans Mobile Cadaver that is Old Age is a Living Death 't is a Breathing Corps yea a moving Carcase Now hear what Sacred Authors say better than those aforesaid is too long to quote together in this place seeing so much hath been shewed hereof already The Book of our own smarting Experiences speak loud enough to convince us of the Evil of Old Age. How many Bodily Infirmities doth daily attend us that are Aged what Aches of the Bones what Pains in the Joints what Convulsions of the Sinews what Torments of the Bowels how dolorous are those Diseases of Collick Stone and Strangury in Old Persons what Hollow Coughs Distillations of Rhume what Debility of Nature incroaches daily upon all our Senses of Body and upon all the Faculties of the Mind our Appetites to Food our Digestions of Food both feeble so that in a word Old Age is like the Common-Sewer into which all Diseases do empty themselves and therefore Old Age may well be called an Evil Age. Secondly After this General more particularly the The Evils of Old Age may be reduced to Three Heads to wit Natural Moral and Spiritual 1 st The Evils that are Natural to it And 1. As to the Body Many Distempers do attend it as those even now named and many more beside whereof Barzillai complained as before 2 Sam. 19.34,35 All Aged Persons do smartly feel the Burden of it as that ancient Woman in Plautus who being wished by her Friends that were walking along with her to hasten and amend her pace smartly â—nswered that she could not do so for â—he carried a great Burden upon her Back and when no Burden did as they said appear to their Eyes she replied again that Threescore Years were passed over her Head and that was her Burden And the same may be said by those whose Spirits are much spent and whose Strength is much wasted even at that Age for then Age it self alone is a Burden much more in those that live up even to a Doteage and Uselesness This is made more manifest by Solomon Eccles 12. where he declares the Decays accompanying Old Age he saith according to our English Translation then the Grashopper shall be a Burden ver 5. but the original word Hebrew signifies the curvature or crookedness of the Back which in Old Persons stands bent like a Grashopper and this makes the motions of such as are crooked with Age to be the more burdensome or the Phrase there is Hyperbolical intimating that every light matter will oppress those with their Burden who are already become a Burden to themselves And beside this Natural Evil of Old Age as to the Body there is a second as to the Estate many Losses and Crosses do come upon them as the loss of some of their nearest and dearest Relations and such like complaining as Old Jacob did who mourned for his lost Son many days and refused to be Comforted Gen. 37.34,35 and again Joseph is not and Simeon is not and must I lose my dear Benjamin too as he had lost Rachel c Gen. 42.36 Tho' Jacob's mourning was only for supposed losses yet he had real ones also as of his beloved Rachel c. Many more instances may be mentioned as of David mourning for the real loss of his Son Absolom for whom he made so deep a lamentation c. This loss of Relations is the greater Natural Evil because it is against the course of Nature for Parents to bury Children whereas Children use to bury Parents for one Generation passeth away when another cometh so that a Generation of Children doth as it were thrust out of the World a Generation of Parents by Natures Law To all this let me add my own exercise with this Evil who have lived to bury eight Children out of nine c. And yet there is a third Natural Evil attending Old Age as to their respect and reverence from the Younger Sort alas how are they as Lamps despised as Old Job complains Job 12.4,5 and more fully Job 19.15,16,17,18 and 30.1 to 11 12 13. where he sighs out these sad words saying Upon my Right Hand rise the Young they push away my Feet c. which explaineth what he had said ver 1. that Younger than he was did not only deride him and laughed him to scorn tho' they were no better than Shagrag Dog-keepers as he calls them and most miserably poor ver 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. Yet these Young Scoundrils dared to kick him with their Feet or trip up his Heels to lay him along Job was wont to have the chiefest Seats in the Temple and lowly Salutations in the Market-place He was now Ancient and had been Honourable as he had set forth at large in Chap. 29. but here he bewails his Misery that he cannot have a Room in any Place to stand in but every paltry Boy is ready to push him down c. Thus likewise those Ill-bred and Mistaught Children did petulantly deride that Old Prophet Elisha yelling out those impudent words go up thou Bald-pate c. 2 Kings 2.23 Having nothing worse to upbraid him with they taunt that Head with their Scorns which God had crowned with Honour Prov. 16.31 And the same God who had thus honoured his Servant Elisha doth likewise vindicate this dishonour cast upon him ordering two She Bears possibly robb'd of their Whelps to worry forty and two of those Ill-natur'd Children As their Childhood did not excuse them so their Idolatrous Parents were punished in being writ Childless for giving them no better Education see more of this in my Third Volume on this same History NB. Note well Suppose any of us Aged Ones be at any time derided by Younger ones this may allay our Grief that God doth not lead us into any untrodden Path for our Betters have gone before us therein c. The Second and Third Evils to wit Moral and Spiritual which do attend Old Age may be put together and briefly improved As 1 st The Moral Evils are 1. An over-eagerness in a greedy seeking of Wealth and yet a niggardly unwillingness to spend what is gotten no not sometimes to supply the Necessities of Nature c. 2. A dull slow and cold pace in all proceedings of Business yea with a timorous and fearful temper of Mind and yet fretting and chafing at the same dulness and backwardness that he beholds in others under him 3. The Old Man is of a morose Mind hard to be pleased himself and as hard to please others a froward Spirit is easily displeased as we see in Babes at the Breast c. yet are
at the day of Judgment however if not sooner for then there shall surely be a Resurrection of Names as well as of Bodies c. NB. Note well we must often be pondering in our Minds that great Text aforenamed Prov. 16.31 which runs thus in the Hebrew Gnetereth Sephereth Shebai bederek Tsedakah Timetseh which in Latine is thus expressed Diadema Gloriae Canities in Via Justitiae Invenietur this in English is read thus the Hoary Head is a Crown of Glory if it be found in the way of Righteousness which at â—…rge is treated on before This great Text I say again all we Aged Ones ought to make the constant Rule of our whole Conversations unto the day of our Deaths and then will come the Crown of Life c. 2 dly As the Good Old Age hath its Comforts against these Natural Evils so it wants not Cordials against Moral and Spiritual Evils let us put them both together for then 1. Our Corruptions now are more mortified than ever thâ—y were before Thus Paul the Aged as he calls himself Philem ver 9. could then say of himself I have fought the good fight c. 2 Tim. 4.7 He found that Thorn in the Flesh which he had so sorely complained of 2 Cor. 12.7 to be now conquered and his fighting against it he found was then as good as finished because in a Good Old Age. 2. Grace is then fortified as well as Lust mortified Grace is now more vigorous more lively and more powerful than heretofore while it was clogged and overloaded with many youthful Lusts but as the Outward Man decays so the Inner Man ought to revive day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 This is the Godly Man's Motto as that good old Minister Peter Martyr said upon his Dying Bed My Body is weak but my Soul is well 't is well for the present but it will be better hereafter 't is well in the Kingdom of Grace having overcome the Flesh World and Devil but it shall be best of all in the Kingdom of Glory The Inner Man in Old Age ought to be not only more brisk and powerful but also more fruitful in the fruits of Righteousness and true Holiness or Holiness of Truth as it is in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposite to formality Ephes 4.24 this is God's Promise to the Good Old Man He shall bring forth fruit in his Old Age He shall be fat and flourishing being planted in the Courts of his God Psal 92.12,13,14 that is he being rooted and grounded in Christ and living under the droppings of the Sanctuary shall flourish like the Palm which is noted to grow very Tall always Green c tho' it hath many weights at the Top and many Snakes at the Bottom tho' it be not known to grow in our cold Climate and like a Cedar wherewith Lebanon flourished and whereon the Temple of Solomon was built 't is not said he shall grow like the Grass as it is said the Wicked spring as the Grass Psal 92.7 for if that proud Grass grow never so great and lofty they shall be mowed down with the Sithe of God's wrath seeing there is one higher than the highest of them Eccles 5.8 and in things wherein they deal proudly the Lord God is above them Exod. 18.11 Now we Aged ones ought to make a serious search and an earnest enquiry whether we bring forth Fruit in our Old Age whether we be fat and flourishing especially if we have been long planted in the House of our God 't is a shame to us that we should be like the lean Kine of Egypt which eat up the fat Kine and still remain as lean and as ill faâ—…ed as heretofore Gen. 41.3,20 't is a sad Judgment of God when he gives us meat to the full yet sends leanness into our Souls Psal 106.15 When God sends among fat ones leanness Isai 10.16 wo to us if yet we cry out our Leanness our Leanness Isai 24.16 We should all be like Wine which the older it is the better it is our Graces like good Liquor should run fresh to the bottom c. our last works should be our best works Rev. 2.19 Tho' our beginning was but small yet our latter end should greatly increase Job 8.7 and we should hold on in the way of Righteousness and grow stronger and stronger Job 17.9 Veteres non veterascent tho' we grow old and weak in Nature yet ought we not only to retain our former vigour and verdure of Grace but also to grow in Grace 2 Pet. 3.16 from one degree of Grace to another that is to the highest degree Ephes 4.13 We must grow above our Corruptions especially our Constitution-sins the sins of our Nature our darling sins our best beloved Lust Oh God forbid that Erasmus his Character be upon us which he put upon the Bribanti or Flemmings of whom he saith Quo magis Senescunt eo magis Stultescunt the older they grow the foolisher they become Oh God forbid I say that any of us should do so 't is the sign of an Hypocrite who takes no deep Root when planted seemingly in God's Courts as the sincere Servants of Christ do and grow into Fruit-bearing in its Season c. whereas the Hypocrite is only thrust in like a Stake into the Earth and never grows How then ought we all Aged Persons to fear and tremble that we do not run out our Lives in Hypocrisie and so die like Fools at the last And therefore for the undeceiving of our own pretious Souls and for the better setling and comforting of our own immortal Spirits concerning our sincerity in the sight of God let us compare Time with Time can we say in the witnessing of the Holy Ghost that time was when the Assaults of Satan upon my Soul have been very violent but through Grace since that time I have found them feebler than heretofore yea and through the abundant Grace of my dear Lord strengthning me these Assaults of Satan are become less daring and more cowardly in my Old Age As I hinted before let me inlarge upon it here if it be said to the honour of Young Men in whom youthful passions are very pregnant rapid and oft precipitant and preposterous c. that they had overcome the Wicked One 1 John 2.13 Oh then what a shame and dishonour it is for us who are ranked and reckned among Fathers to fall short of the younger and lower Rank and still remain Slaves to our Lusts in whom Nature is decayd and so less grace is required to resist the Tempter and to bridle in the Temptation May we not say that now by the strengthening Love of Christ upon us we can more easily shake off that Viper the Old Serpent from off our Hearts as Paul the Aged did easily shake off that venemous Viper from off his Hands into the Fire Acts 28.3,4.5 and that without receiving any harm thereby even so we ought to bless the Lord for that Miracle of
Mercy that no deadly â—oison of Satan doth now harm us as our Lord did promise unto all Believers after his Resurrection Mark 16.17,18 Oh that all we Aged Ones could sincerely praise the Lord for this high Favour that 〈◊〉 now find by sweet experience we can better resist the Devil now so as to make him flee from us Jam. 4.7 We can now resist him more stedfastly in the Faith 1 Pet. 5.8,9 than we were able to do in our youthful days and tho' we be able through Grace to say this yet out of an Holy Jealousie over our own Hearts we must still make a farther enquiry what is the principal procuring Cause of such an happy and easie Conquest over our own Corruptions and Satan's Temptations now in our Old Age whether we be not more beholden herein unto the decays of our own Natures in us than to any strength of God's Grace freely given to us because we may die to sin by the deficiency of our natural strength of Body when sin doth not die to us through those powerful Operations of the mortifying Spirit of Grace Rom. 8.13 but more of this after c. Now come we to the Second Reason why a Good Old Age is a great blessing because the goodness of it is not only a blessed Antidote and Preservative against those threfold Evils before-named but also it is a blessed Preparative for Death at the end of our Old Age and of our Lives This preparation for Death is not only an universal but also an indispensable Duty for after death comes the Judgment Heb. 9.27 then is the time of Reckoning which our Lord Requires after his Returning however long or short it be wherein all Mankind both the good and the bad Servants must Reddere Rationem or give an exact account of their Stewardship whether they have wasted or improved their Lord and Master's Goods Matth. 25.14,19 Luke 16.1,2 and 19.15 c. as I shew at large in my Fourth Volume of the History and Mystery of that Parable pag. 185 186. Now every Man's Death-day is his particular Dooms-day for then the Spirit returns to God who gave it Eccles 12.7 when the Body returns to Dust of which it was first made Gen. 2.7 by rotting in the Grave c. Then the Soul goeth to God not to dwell with him for there the Speech is made of all Men both bad and good but to be disposed of by him for his Final Estate then is the Soul or Spirit as being there opposed to the Body to receive its Final Doom either for Everlasting Weal or for Everlasting Wo. Therefore to prepare for Death is a most necessary tho' it be a much neglected Duty Now such as be good in Old Age their goodness consists in being alway prepared for it both Habitually and Actually they learn to die daily 1 Cor. 15.31 and makes Death familiar to them both at Bed and Board Their Conversation is in Heaven while their Commoration is here on Earth Phil. 3.20 They labour and learn to live with dying Thoughâ—s because they hope at last to die with more living comforts They have Heaven as an happy Harbour of Rest in the Eyes of their Hope which serves to season and sweeten all Sorrows and Sufferings to them as it was with blessed Paul who had his Eye fixed upon that Crown of Glory which was laid up for him and for all Believers 2 Tim. 4.8 and therefore he was not at all discouraged at his light Afflictions which were but for a moment in comparison of that exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4.17 where we have a most elegant Antithesis or opposition and a double Hyperbole beyond the reach of our English Translation As thus 1. For Affliction here is Glory 2. For light Affliction here is a weight of Glory And 3. For momentary Affliction here is Eternal Glory and the sight of this by an Eye of Faith put Paul upon his Cupio Dissolvi I desire to be dissolved Phil. 1.21,22,23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there signifies to loose off from the shore of this Mortal Life and to launch out into the Ocean of Immortality which he accounted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is far far better and best of all Thus this preparation for Death had caused Old Simeon before this Apostle even to sing his Soul out of his Body as before This likewise made that Good Old Man Job to say I would not live always Job 7.16 for he hoped to behold his Redeemer c. Job 19.25 Thus may we accordingly say we would not be Young always because we have been so hampered and pester'd with many youthful Lusts which now through Grace a Good Old Age hath weakened An Hoary Head that is found in the way of Righteousness doth ripen fast like good Fruit upon the Tree of Life in its Autumn and becomes day by day more mellow for Death and hath nothing thâ—n to do but to die being able through Mercy to say with his sweet Saviour Father I have finished my work which theâ—… gavest me to do in the World John 17.5 Oh how ready was David how willing and how prepared to die and to fall asleep in Jesus 1 Thes 4.14 when he could say his Conscience bearing witness with him in the Holy Ghost as Rom. 9.1 that he had served out his Generation in his whole Generation-work according to the will of God Acts 13.36 The Third Reason why a Good Old Age is a most rich Blessing and Benefit to the Sons and Daughters of Mankind is because it doth priviledge them with a true Title unto Mansions of Glory prepared for them in a better World Such as have continued in ways of Holiness all their Life and become faithful unto death Rev. 2.10 they shall assuredly at the last arrive at the Haven of Heaven and Happiness when they die for God himself hath assured us and God Keeps the best and surest Ensuring Office that having our Fruit unto Holiness then our end shall be Eternal Life Rom. 6.22,23 for then comes first the Joy of Harvest as when fruitful Fields are white unto Harvest John 4.35 then comes the Husbandman with his Sithe or Sickle and cuts down his Corn binds it up in Bundles and carries it Home to his Barn c. even so God the great Husbandman as Christ calls him John 15.1 when he sees his old Servants as it were white unto Harvest with Hoary Heads and fully ripened in the way of Righteousness then doth he take them down by the hand of Death and gathers them Home into his heavenly Garners Our Lord doth certifie this great Truth to us over and over again saying that Heaven is surely secured for us and we are likewise safely secured for Heaven by the mighty Power of God the word there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth we are kept as with a Guard and in a Garrison and that at the last we shall receive the end of our Faith even the
salvation of our Souls 1 Pet. 1.4,5,9 Insomuch that Death which is in it self no other than Nature's Divorce the Bodies Prison the Soul's Banishment the Arrest of Judgment the Curse of Sin and the King of Terrors as well as the Terror of Kings Job 18.14 unto all Mankind in General yet such a change doth the power of Godliness both in Young and Old that are chosen and called make in their Changes from one World to another that their Death's is only their 1. Harvest or Ingatherings into God's Garner c. 2 'T is the Joy of Marriage which is called a Rest in the House of the Husband Ruth 3.1 so Death is our Rest A Rest from their Labours Rev. 14.13 they shall Rest 1 st From their Labours of Necessity their Needs of Nature shall then cease for ever they shall Hunger no more they shall Thirst no more c. as they have done while in the Body 2 dly They shall Rest from their Labours of Infirmity they shall never complain of any more Aches and Pains in any one of the parts of the Body as they have done frequently heretofore in the time of their Mortality 3 dly From the Labours of their Callings c. they shall toil no more in the Sweats of either their Brows or their Brains c. And 4 thly Which is above all they shall Rest from their Labours of Iniquity a Laboribus Peccati as well as Officii they shall never sin any more whereas heretofore in the time of their sojourning upon Earth they had this weight upon them which they could never lay aside nor cast it off and sin did then easily beset them so that they could not run the Race that was set before them Heb. 12.1 Because of the Law of the Members that did continually war against the Law of their Minds and oft bringing them into Captivity yea and as oft making them to cry out Oh wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me c. Rom. 7.23,24 But now Christ is come to them and knock'd off all their Fetters which formerly clogg'd them c. and setteth them at perfect liberty Isai 61.1 and those whom the Son of God doth free they are free indeed John 8.36 3. Death to those that die in the Lord and in a Good Old Age also is not only the Christians Harvest Marriage and Rest as before but 't is likewise their Conquest over all their Spiritual Enemies so they have also the Joy of Victory as well as of Harvest of Marriage and of Rest They are become by their Holy Life and Happy Death more than Conquerors Rom. 8.37 even Triumphers in Christ 2 Cor. 2.14 and so as they have won the Crown of Glory by their overcoming the Wicked one through the strengthning Love of Christ upon them so they shall wear it as Kings Rev. 1.6 and as Conquerors for evermore 'T is said the last Enemy to be destroyed is Death 1 Cor. 15.26 Now to all true Believers Death is already swallowed up in Victory ver 55. as Fuel is swallowed up by the Fire and as the Sorcerers Serpents were swallowed up by Moses his Serpent so that they can say to Death when it comes to them as Jacob said to Esau surely I have seen thy Face as the Face of God Gen. 33.4,10 Thus that Esau Death doth meet a Member of Christ with Kissing rather than with Killing or so much as Frowns yea and guards him home to his Father's House as Esau guarded his Brother Jacob Home to Canaan after his long absence from it he went before Jacob as his Life-guard ver 12. Thus after a long Conflict by the Indwellings of Sin all our Life comes the Conquest at the last in our Death Alas we cannot beat sin out of Doors as Sarah did the Bond-woman Hagar but this Fretting Leprosie sin can never be either washed out or scraped off from the Walls of our Earthly Tabernacles until the House that is infected with that Plague be demolished by Death and the Stones and Timber thereof be altogether taken down As it was thus in the Type under the Law concerning the House of Leprosie Levit. 14.43,44 So it is with our Houses of Clay as the Antitype which can no way be Amended but must be Renewed and this is only done in part while we are in the Kingdom of Grace But this cleansing Work is compleatly perfected when Death gives us a dismission from hence into the Kingdom of Glory The belief of this made Old Simeon sing his Soul out of his Body and Paul the Aged Phil. v. 9. was not only a Conqueror but which was more even a Triumpher in Christ as before for he sang a Triumphant Song over Death and the Grave singing as well as saying Oh Death where is thy Sing and Oh Grave where is thy Victory 1 Cor 15.55 This is the boldest and the bravest Challenge that ever any Mortal Man did ring in the Ears of Death in which words he as it were out-braved it calling it Craven to its Face as the Vulgar saying is and bids it do its worst to him that it could do like the Philosopher Anaxarchus who with an undaunted Courage told the Tyrant who was beating his Body to pieces with a great Iron Pestle in a large Mortar made purposely for that Barbarous Butchery in the very Act of his Martyrdom he most confidently cryed out to his Tormentor Tunde Tunde Tyranne Vasculum frangis sed Anaxarchum non Laedis Beat on beat on thou Bruitish Tyrant thou indeed doth break the Vessel of the Man but thou can never hurt Anaxarchus the Man himself Much more might this blessed Apostle insult over this greatest of Tyrants that universal Destroyer of Mankind to wit Death with his Javelin in his hand seeing he was so able as to render such weighty Reasons for his Triumphing Insultation as he saith the Sting of Death is Sin c. ver 56. signifying hereby that our dear Redeemer had been the Death of Death by his Death Mors Mortis Morti Mortem quoque Morte dedisset The Death of Christ gave Death its Death as it was prophesied of him Oh Death I will be thy Death c. Hos 13.14 thus our Saviour did disarm Death and took out the Sting from this Venemous Serpent so that we may now as safely put Death into our Bosoms in a serious Meditation of dying Daily as some men whom I have seen have with enough of safety put into their Bosoms a Snake whose Sting was before pulled out If Death do now shoot out any Sting at us we may thank our selves for our not being more constantly sound in the way of Righteousness If at any time we turn aside to crâ—…ked Paths there will the old crooked Serpent meet us and he will not only sting us there but also leave his Sting behind him in us as the Bee doth to those that are stung by it and this may be the procuring Cause of many sad effects
Burden but entertain it chearfully with God-praising hearts 'T is true tho' Old Age be a rich Blessing of God in it self as is largely demonstrated before and yet is called an Evil Age for Reasons afore-named Notwithstanding God hath not left it comfortless as 't is said John 14.18 But the Spirit who is the Comforter hath left upon Scripture-Record so many Cordials as are truly Soveraign against all the Evils that attend it insomuch as Old Age may be an easie Age a calm and quiet Harbour if Youth hath done it no disservice in filling its bones with the sins of Youth before-hand and if Intemperance which is like the Thief in the Candle wasting it away hath not weakned its Head or Feet c. In this case Old Age hath cause to complain of the evil of the Man and not the Man to murmure at the Evils of Old Age. Thus Old Job oft complains of the Misery of his Old Age saying Lord thou changest our Countenances and sendest us away Job 14.20 and many myriads of such Sighs too long to relate do ever and anon issue out of his Mouth And he himself tells us the ground of all his grief was that God made him to possess the sins of his Youth Job 13.26 therefore says he thou writest bitter things against me c. Thus likewise Old David complained I am become like a Bottle in the Smoak Psal 119.83 and much more in many other Psalms c. which drove him to groan out that Petition Lord remember not against me the Transgressions of my Youth for thy tender Mercies have been of old c. Psal 25.6,7 Both those Instances were Holy Persons who after those and many more such Complaints were both of them comforted by the God of all Comforts 2 Cor. 1.3 and had their Old Age marvelously sweetned to them and had their best Wine at the last both those Good Men had remembred their Creator in the days of their Youth Eccles 12.1 and tho' their Youth-Time had been a very rough Voyage through a surging stormy Sea yet their last Years were their best Years as it was to Good Old Jacob who after a long Life of manifold Miseries did enjoy seventeen Years of sweet Tranquility and Comfort c. But alas this Mercy can never be expected by those who never had God neither in their Heads Psal 10.4 nor in their Hearts Psal 14.1 nor in their Words Psal 12.4 no nor in their Works Tit. 1.16 and such as drive a Through-Trade all their Lives in Weaving the Web of Wickedness having been twice dipped in the Devils Dye-Tub as the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Scarlet Sins doth sigâ—ie namely in the Wool of their Youth and in the Web of their Elder Years those can never expect any comfort in Old Age. Pliny tells us Serpens Serpentem devorans fit Draco as that Serpent which commonly devoureth other Serpents becomes to be a Dragon at last So a long swallower of many Sins becomes at the length a most Monstrous Sinner c. that Old and true saying that if Persons prove not Fair at twenty Strong at thirty Wise at forto Rich at fifty and Religious at sixty Years of Age such will never prove either Fair or Strong or Wise or Wealthy or Holy Ones all the days of their Lives This ancient Adage holds a most apt congruity with that saying of Solomon such as seek me early shall find me Prov. 8.17 Whereas the Habitual Sinner to whom God hath given the Space of Repentance many times but never the Grace of it Rev. 2.21,23 leads the Life of sin Thoughts beget Delight Delight begets Consent Consent begets Action Action begets Custom and lastly Custom begets Necessity so that he brings himself under a Law of an unavoidable Sinning against his maker and as David tells Saul wickedness proceedeth from the wicked as naturally as Water from the Fountain 1 Sam. 24.13 Satan is not satisfied to have Men Sinners only but he will have them also to abound in sin and to be like the Crocodile that grows while it lives in growing greater and grosser Sinners to the end of their Lives Alas this is but the laying of a bad and not a good foundation for the time to come As we are commanded to lay up a better store against Old Age and Death and to lay hold on Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6.19 NB. Note well Our Lord tells Peter what Miseries he should meet withal when he came to be Old John 21.18 He had the manner of his Death foretold him that he should glorifie God by Martyrdom ver 19. and observe what an holy Improvement he made of this Precaution he had made his Solemn Appeal to an All-knowing Lord saying thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee ver 17. and to testifie his Love to his Lord in feeding his Lambs he wrote those two famous Epistles General to the Churches of Christ and in the latter of them he saith I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance c. Yea I think it meet while I am in this Tabernacle to stir you up c. knowing that shortly I must put off this Tabernacle even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me 2 Pet. 1.12,13,14,15 He knew that his Tent or Tabernacle must soon be taken down his Earthly House as Paul who was a Tent-maker calls the Body a Tent 2 Cor. 5.1 So both these two great Apostles did truly and duly endeavour to magnifie and to glorifie Christ both in Life and at Death John 21.19 and Phil. 1.20 Thus both Peter the Elder and Paul the Aged as they stile themselves 1 Pet. 5.1 and Phil. ver 9. were well in-laid and fortified before-hand to undergo the Evils that attended them both in their Old Age c. May we but get Hearts to own God while we are Young then God will not forget us but own us when Old and as our days are so shall our strength be Deut. 33.25 Now more particularly the Comforts against the Evils of Old Age are First That then the Law of our Members cannot so easily lead us into captivity unto sin Rom. 7.23 as formerly in the Heat and Vanity of our Youth Indeed the Witty Fable runs thus Cupid that Pagan God of Love and Mors that is Death happened to meet together and to lodge all Night both of them in one and the same Inn but in the Morning they chanced to mistake each others Quivers filled with Darts Hereupon Cupid after this shot the frozen Darts of Death at many Young People in their briskest time of their Loving and Lusting whereby many Young Gallants and Tempting Ladies were brought unto an untimely Death c. But on the contrary Mors did shoot the Fiery Darts of Cupid at the Aged Persons who in the Course of Nature were hastening to the Grave and hereby arose that wantonness of Old People for Marriage c. by which means it may be said as
keeps himself 1 Joh. 5.19 but we are kept by the power of God through faith unto Salvation and we are kept for Heaven as Heaven is kept for us 1 Pet. 1.4,5 that we may receive the end of our Faith even the salvation of our Souls ver 9. This great work of a double keeping is wrought by the great Grace of God given freely to us whereby we are made partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 The 3 d Enquiry is the Supposition If we be found in the way of Righteousness Answer To understand the true meaning of this Phrase we must know that it is not enough for us to begin well but we must end well also Exitus Acta probat 't is the End that Crowns the Action The Old Father of the Church saith some are Sancti Juvenes sed Satanici Senes Young Saints yet at last prove no better than Old Devils who begin in the Spirit but end in the Flesh as the Apostle's Phrase is Gal. 3.3 Those foolish ones were like Nebuchadnezzar's Image whose Golden Head ended in Dirty Feet They did Run well at the first but the Devil hindred them in the way Gal. 5.7 not only making them stop and step back but also to step aside into crooked Paths Psal 125.5 and ran a whoring from God Psal 73.27 therefore the Lord will lead them sorth with the workers of iniquity The doom of such is denounced the backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways Prov. 14.14 As he hath made a match with Mischief so he shall soon have his Belly full of it as he hath sold himself to work wickedness as Ahab did 1 Kings 21.25 so he shall be sure of a sad Paiment at last He hath drawn back unto perdition and God saith My Soul shall have no pleasure in you Heb. 10.37,38 Such as steal away from their Colours run from their Captain and revolt from Christ must expect no better than Martial Law Apostates indeed are Renegadoes they run away but 't is into the Mouth of Hell so a worse condition they cannot choose for themselves Whereas the Righteous on the contrary do hold on in their way both in their Youth and in their Old Age and grow stronger and stronger Job 17.9 He may indeed stumble sometimes upon some Stumbling-stone or Block that is laid in his way as David himself had his Stumbling-time at the prosperity of the Wicked and his own Adversity Psal 73.13,14,15 where we find his stumble was so deep and dangerous that he was ready to repent of his Repentance but as he that stumbles and falls not gains ground by his stumbling in taking a longer stride thereby so did David here who upon second thoughts ever better than the first recoiling and reflecting upon himself saying this is my Infirmity and Oh how he be beasts himself for so stumbling ver 22. so foolish was I and Ignorant and even as a Beast before thee my God the Hebrew word for Beast is Behemoth which is the plural feminine Hebrew signifying a Big-bellied Beast full of Young Ones which is a clear resemblance of Original Sin in us the Mother of all Actual Sins and the same word Behemoth the Lord useth in his Humbling Speech to Job Job 40.15 to 24 whereby is expressed that Monster of Beasts the Beast of Beasts the Elephant By this and by other Speeches of the same tendency God so humbled Job as to make him abhor himself and to repent in Dust and Ashes Job 42.5 Thus likewise that Holy Man Agur who vilifies yea nullifies himself to the utmost saying surely I am more brutish than any Man and I have not the understanding of a Man c. Prov. 30.2,3 Here was true Humility which is derived ab Humo signifying the Ground because this Grace lays us flat on the ground thus these godly persons and many more upon Scripture-record did indeed stumble in the way of Righteousness yea and some of them very fouly yet none of them did so stumble as to fall finally from that blessed way they all did recover themselves by Repentance they all did return to this way of Righteousness and they all did persevere therein to their dying day So their Gray Hairs became a Crown of Glory to them being all found in the way of Righteousness Note well we must all be found in that way when both Old Age and Death also come to find us Old Father Chrysostom said Canities tunc Venerabilis est quando ea gerit quae canitiem decent to wit then is Old Age most worthily Venerable then is Hoariness of Hairs most truly Honourable when only such Deeds are done by it that doth well become it both in the sight of God and Men We Old Ones ought to make it our exercise which the blessed Apostle made his saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herein do I do recreate my self as the word signifies to keep a Conscience void of offence both toward God and toward Man Acts 24.16 Oh that we could make this same our Exercise yea even our Recreation both Night and Day using our utmost Diligence Skill Will and Affections disciplining and inuring our selves herein and thereby we shall neither be ashamed to live nor affraid to die We must live as that Apostle did in all good Conscience Acts 23.1 Good both with the goodness of Integrity and with the goodness of Tranquility we must keep our Consciences clear and clean better offend all the World yea all the Witches in the World than offend our own Consciences for Conscience is God's Spie and 't is Man's Overseer as it is God's Deputy-Judge so it is Man's Domestick Chaplain bearing witness of all our Doings and desirings and accordingly excusing or accusing absolving or condemning yea comforting or tormenting us And if our own Hearts or Consciences do condemn us God is greater than our Hearts and will condemn us much more 1 John 3.20 Whereas on the contrary when Hoary Hairs are not found in the way of Righteousness that Hoariness is so far from being Honourable that 't is rather Mucor than Canities a nasty Mouldiness and not a venerable Hoariness 'T is sad with such that the older they grow they wax worse and worse 2 Tim. 3.13 and do no better than stink above ground being Dead while they Live 1 Tim. 5.6 What can be more odious than an old Lascivious Goat than an old Fornicator having Eyes full of Adultery and that cannot cease from sin 2 Pet. 2.14 c. Gray Hairs and Green Thoughts make an abominable agreement such are Heteroclites in declining Nature and Monsters of Mankind in the World in whom it is so far gone with them and Lust hath such an unlimited power over them that neither strength of Grace as Gen. 39.9 in Young Joseph strong Grace kept him from that great wickedness and sin against his God nor decays of Nature can restrain them from their Youthful Extravagancy as Gen. 18.12 Sarah said after I am old shall Hust
have I to live can I tast what I eat or drink c and how long have I to live ver 34. that is my Breath is corrupt or my Spirits are Spent my Days are extinct and the Grave is ready for me as Job speaks of himself Job 17.1 He was Senex quasi Seminex half dead and felt himself pedetentim mori to die by peace-meal even sensim sine sensu insensibly yielding every day somewhat to Death and therefore he tells David with a most thankful Heart that it was not adviseable for him to embrace his Royal Offer of a Courtly Life to him who was now superannuated and was already as it were dead both to Meat and Musick all such delights of the Sons of Men Eccles 2.8 Those days saith he are come upon me wherein I can have no pleasure Eccles 12.2,3,4 Therefore 't is high time now for me and for all such Aged Ones as I am to make and pack up our Fardles and prepare to pass hence into that better Country which is Heaven as the Holy Patriarchs did Heb. 11.13,14,15,16 My continuance can be but short here in this World saith old Barzillai to David and therefore I would not now leave my Habitation where I may retire and rest me from the Noise of the World but now my whole work is a firm resolve to make ready for Death and to lay hold on Eternal Life 2 Sam. 19.35,36,37 1 Tim. 6.19 And indeed this is the indispensable Duty not only of such as are Old but 't is necessary for all that are Young to do so likewise because this Quantity and the length of the Lives of all Persons in all Ages is very uncertain the Proverb saith as soon goes the Lambs Skin to the Market as that of the Old Sheep the Young may die as well as the Old must die And 't is an old observation yea and a true one that there be more of Mankind which die under Ten Years old than they which live above Sixty Years We all live in Houses of Clay and our Foundation is in the Dust easily crushed as the Moth with the least touch of Man's Finger and much sooner are we crushed with the Finger of God Job 4.19 If our Cottages of Clay had a Foundation of Brass or Marble they might possibly stand some time in the World but seeing our best Foundation is no better than Dust call'd Terra Fricabilis which is so easily crumbled asunder in the Hand of a Child Oh 't is no less than a Miracle of Mercy that some of us do subsist so long alive upon the Earth seeing the Walls of our Earthly Tabernacles as Paul calls the Body 2 Cor 5.2 are weak and the Foundation of our Clay-House is far weaker being but Dust light flying and unstable Dust which is soon wherried and whirled about with every puff of Wind Hence Man is not only a Clod of Clay neatly made up by a skilful Potter as was the first Man Adam of the Earth Earthy 1 Cor. 15.47 and a Lump of Dust Gen. 3.19 but also he is but an heap of Vanity yea at his best estate Kol-Adam Kol-Abel omnis Adam est totus Abel every Adam or Man is wholly Abel or Vanity even when he seems to be well underlaid on all sides and most setled and likeliest to live Psal 39.5,11 And again Adam Abel's compar est Adam is Abel's Mate Man is like to Vanity and as a Shadow that hath no substance in it or subsistence at all Psal 144.4 and he not only consumes away like a Moth as Psal 39.11 as before with the least touch the Moth is crushed but 't is said further that Man is crushed before the Moth Job 4.19 It is not said there before the Lion that would be no wonder but 't is said before the Moth to shew what a poor thing Man is when a Moth can crush him that a Fly can choak him as it did Pope Alexander that an Hair in a Mess of Milk may stifle him as it did great Marius the Roman General and as some say Pope Adrian also Thus Druslus the Emperor Claudius's Son was suffocated with a Pear that was cast up and catched by his Mouth in sport only Thus Aemilius Lepidus was destroyed by a light bruise upon his Toe Many such Stories I might relate of this Nature but to be short let me add only one more which I can both affirm and confirm upon my own knowledge that a great Lord of this Land who was my Patron c. that was brought to his Death only by paring a Corn upon his Toe which did after Gangreen and struck upwards whereof at last he died All these Instances with many more which might be added do demonstrate the uncertainty of our Lives as there is nothing more certain than our Deaths for that is established by the great Statute of Heaven that all Men must once die Heb. 9.27 yet as to the time of it there is nothing more uncertain especially considering how Man is destroyed from Morning to Evening Job 4.20 the Hebrew reading is he is beaten to pieces as in a Mortar with one Misery upon another until the very Breath be beaten out of his Body at length yea and all this from Morning to Evening that is not only all the day long but even all the life long which is here for its brevity compared to an Artificial Day and such as no Man can be sure he shall have twelve hours to his Day For how many are there whose Sun hath set at High-noon even in the prime and pride of their Days they have been snatcht away by the Hand of Death yea yet higher how many do we see whose Sun doth set at its very rising so that they are carried from the Grave of the Womb to the Womb of the Grave even from their Birth to their Burial And assuredly we all every Hour as well as every Day do yield somewhat unto Death and nearer and nearer do we approach to our latter end yea and the longest liver of us hath but a short cut from the first Rising of our Sun to its last Setting from our Birth to our Burial The Psalmist saith that the Sun knoweth the time of its going down Psal 104.19 But this cannot be said of any of the Sons of Men that they know the time of their going down to the Grave good Isaac knew it not Gen. 27.1,2 except only Hezekiah who by a special dispensation from God knew it much less can we that are old know the time of our going down or the Quantity of our Old Age. The Jewish Rabbins do mention three Steps or Degrees in the measure of Old Age the first they call Senes the second they name Annosi and the third they stile Decrepidi and thus they reckon when a Man comes to be Sixty Years old such an one they reckon'd to be reached only to the Borders of Old Age passing along until he stepped on unto Seventy Years
Metaphor is Tsaba warfare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. Job 4.1 because man's life is exposed to Pirates as before Now if our life be a warfare 't is well known how Soldiers have their time of fighting and their time of resting according to the Commands of their Captain General They must obey his Order for both falling on and for falling back as he pleaseth stat pro Ratione Voluntas his Will is a Law to them And thus every good Soldier of Jesus Christ as Timothy is called 2 Tim. 2.3 must be willing either to Act or to Rest according to the Commands of the Captain of our Salvation as Christ is called Heb. 2.10 whether private Christian or publick Minister we must all resign up our Wills into his Will as we read in Ecclesiastick History of a famous Minister called Martinus who being by the Lord seized upon with Sickness 't is recorded how he prayed Decumbens dico Domine si adhuc populo tuo sim necessarius laborem tuum non recuso c. that is Lord serve thy self of me for thy Service is sweet to me if thou hast no more Service to command me then O Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit c. This was piously spoken yet Old Simeon as we read Luke 2.29,30 spake better saying Lord now let thou thy Servant depart in peace Now this good Old Man having laid in his Heart what he lapt in his Arms the most blessed Armful that he ever met with even the Beautiful Babe of Bethlehâ—m he then sung the nunc Dimittas so called even his Soul out of his Body saying I fear no Sin I dread no Death I have lived enough I have my Life I have long'd enough I have my Love I have seen enough I have my Light I have served enough I have my satisfaction I have sorrowed enough I have my consolation even the consolation of Israel whom I and other Believers have long waited for ver 25. even the Messiah that Menachem or Comforter mentioned Lam. 1 16. and yet singing farther Oh sweet Babe let this Psalm serve for a Lullaby to thee and for a Funeral for me Oh sleep in my Arms and let me sleep in thy Peace All this sweet Song Simeon concludes with the procuring cause of his Sacred Musick saying for mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation This was his great satisfaction that he had accomplished his Service to his Most Honourable Lord and Master who had employ'd him all his Life in most Honourable Work and who he was assured was going to pay him most Honourable Wages seeing he had got his Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Heart as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Hand as 't is said of the Blessed Virgin who therefore is said to rejoice Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 danced a Gallyard and to magnifie the Lord her Saviour as well as ours Luke 1.47 But far above those two Instances aforesaid to wit Ancient Martinus and the good Old Man Simeon our sinless Saviour saith best of all concerning himself in his last Prayer before his Death saying Mine Hour is now come O Father Glorifie thy Son c. I have Glorified thee on Earth I have finished the Work thou gavest me to do and now O Father Glorifie me with thy Self that is my Manhood with the same Glory which my Godhead had before the World was made John 17.1,4,5 c. Our Lord did not did not ask his Wages before his Work was done his Time was now come and he was now Ripe and Ready to be gone into his Fathers Kingdom This holy practice of our precious Redeemer is left upon Record on purpose for our instruction and comfort Rom. 15.4 that it may be a Pattern to avoid that precipitancy which prevailed over those two famous Prophets men of God Elijah and Jonah who both of them in a strong Pang of Passion desired to Die before their Hour of Dying was come and therefore are we told that these great Servants of God were subject to the like Passions as we are Acts 14.15 Jam. 5.17 It is a sinful desire for any who would be gone to Heaven before their Work be done on Earth we must rather say O Father if thou hast any further Service for me to do I am willing to live longer c. the Will of the Lord be done Acts 21.14 Having thus far discoursed upon the first Accident of Old Age after its Nature namely the Quantity or Measure of it which we have observed to be Uncertain and Various either long or short according to the Statute-law of the great Law-giver the Lord of Lords c. who hath appointed all men once to die c. Heb. 9.27 even Methusalem who was the longest liver upon Scripture-record and who came the nearest to be a Thousand Years Old which is reckoned a number of perfection never attained to by any mere man Tho' he lived many Hundred Years even near to a Thousand and begat Sons and Daughters yet he died at the last see my first Volume of the History and Mystery of the Holy Scriptures of Him at large Now I come to the Second Accident of Old Age to wit the Quality or Manner of it which is either Good or Evil. Concerning the first How it is a good Old Age in its own Nature and by God's blessing upon it I have already demonstrated in the foregoing Discourse and I do design to enlarge much more upon that Point when I arrive at the Third Part after its Nature and Accidents to declare the Dues to and the Duties of Aged Ones whereby Old Age may become good indeed Now as touching the latter of these two That Old Age is an Evil Age that Senium Malum convertuntur These two are convertible Terms Solomon the Wise doth sufficiently evince and evidence in his saying Oh Young Ones remember your Creator before Evil Days come and the Years draw nigh wherein you shall say I have no pleasure in them Eccles 12.1 Wherein he begins to describe First The wearisom evils of Old Age from the latter end of ver 1. to the last end of ver 6. Then Secondly Of the evils of Death ver 7. both which he brings in as two strong motives to urge Young ones to be mindful of their Duty For First in the General All Authors both those that be Civil as well as those that be Sacred do unanimously concur in this point That Old Age and Misery are very seldom found separated As 1. Plutarch saith Senectus ut Africa semper aliquid Novi adportat as Affrica is never without some Monster so Old Age is never without some Ailment 2 Cato saith Solet Senectus esse Deformis Infirma Obliviosa Edulenta Lucrosa Indocilis Molesta that is Old Age useth to be Deformed Feeble Forgetful Toothless Covetous Unteachable and Unquiet 3. Horace saith Multa Senem circumveniunt Incommoda Many are the Inconveniencies that do encompass Old Persons
and Honourable are joined together Isai 9.18 nor could Hoary Hairs be a Crown of Glory as Soloman saith Prov. 16.31 nor could a Gray Head be an Old Man's Beauty Prov. 20.29 if not found in the way of Righteousness A gray headed experienced Christian is called a Father 1 John 2.13 such as whose due is the highest veneration Levit. 19.32 especially such as are described in Psal 92.12,13,14 Such are of the highest Form in Christ's School for NB. Note well a Christian hath his degrees of Growth distinctly described in the Word of God As 1 st We have his Conception Gal. 4.19 2 dly His Birth 1 Pet. 1.23 3 dly His Childhood 1 Cor. 3.1,2 4 thly His Youth or well-grown Age when he is past the Spoon 1 John 2.13 5 thly His full-grown Age Ephes 4.13 And 6 thly His Old Age as 1 John 2.13 Acts 21.16 c. Job 29.8 and 32.4,6,7 Rom. 16 5,7 and 1 Tim. 5.1,2 Unto all these Scriptures shewing how a Good Old Age ought to be highly valued and reverenced I may add the Testimony of a Pagan Poet who extolls that Golden Age wherein he lived having only the Light and Law of Nature to conduct them in their Lives yet thus he writes Credebant hoc grande Nefas Morte piandum Si Juvenis Vetulo non assurexerit si Barbato cuicunque Puer licet esse videret Plura Domi farra majores Glandis Acervos Tam venerabile erat praecedere quatuor Annis These are the Verses of Juvenal in his 13 th Satyr the sense whereof in short is this That in this Pagan Poet's time all Men looked upon it as a Capital Crime and counted it punishable by the Judges if Young People did not rise up and reverence such as had Hoary Heads tho' the Young were rich the Aged were poor c. which is a clear demonstration that the Law and Light of Nature did concur and taught the same Truth with the Law and Light of Scripture Levit. 19.32 and the rest afore-named especially when this Evil Age in it self becomes by Grace a Good Old Age 't is to be honoured c. 2 dly The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why it must be so the Reasons be these over and above that before-mentioned namely that Old Age must be a good thing of it self and in its own Nature and Substance altho' it is made an evil thing in too many by accident as before because it is a Blessing which the Lord hath both graciously promised and performed to many of his Servants c. And a short Life is a Curse which the same God severely threatneth unto the Wicked yea and long Life it self is also a Curse unto all Christless ones tho' they live untill they attain to the Age of an Hundred Years Isai 65.20 Moreover the Reasons that demonstrate this great Truth we must be careful and conscientious in making our Old Age a Good Age are principally Three The first is because this doing as it ought to be done will be a blessed Remedy against those three woful maladies of Old Age to wit the Natural Moral and Spiritual Evils afore-mentioned therefore Solomon prescribeth the Remembrance of God in the days of Youth as a most comfortable preservative against all those Evils which commonly Old Age is attended with and maketh it an unpleasant time As 1 st A Good Old Age is a Sovereign Antidote against the Natural Evils accompanying it As 1. Against the loss of Bodily strength then the Grace of Faith in the Good Old Age doth put Strength in Weakness Health in Sickness and Ease in Pain this comes to pass by the sorce of Faith Heb. 11.34 Joshuah is one of those that was strengthned in the weakness of Old Age which he acknowledgeth saying and now behold the Lord hath kept me alive Josh 14.10,11 which mercy was the greater because he out-lived many Thousands of other Israelites whose Carcases did fall in the Wilderness Yet then he saith of himself I am this day fourscore and five years old yet lo I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me to spie out the Land of Promise Numb 13. which was forty five years ago as my strength was then when I was but forty years old even so is my strength now at fourscore and five for War both to go out and to come in Viridis Vegeta Senectus singulare Dei Donum est a fresh and vigorous Ability for Generation-work in Old Age is a singular Gift of God This Gift God gave to Moses Deut. 34.7 and to Paul the Aged as he calls himself Phil. v. 9. whose strength was perfect in weakness and when he was weak in Nature then was he strong in Grace 2 Cor. 12.9,10 and thus that seeming Contradiction is reconciled And this Gift God gave likewise to famous Mr. Dod in our days who as he was another Moses for meekness which is a great prolonger of Life so he was not unlike him and Joshuah in Health and Strength of Body when he arrived to an exstream Old Age this was a Mercy which that Good Man most highly valued So that 't is said of him Desicere potius quam Desinere Visus est that is he seemed rather to decay dissolve and melt away by Inches than to die by any Agony of Death 'T is my frequent and fervent prayer to God that he would grant us an easie passage out of this World and an open passage into the better World and to die like a Lamb is universally esteemed as a great Gift of God An exemption from the Torturing Torments of the Stone of the Strangury of the Gripes and of the Gout c. is my Singular Mercy 2. As to the loss of their younger near and dear Relations this Good Old Age wants not sufficient Cordials wherewith to sweeten the Bitterness and allay the Grief of this great Evil also as good Old Abraham did comfort his own Spirit saying let me bury my Dead out of my Sight c. when he had lost a pretious Rib out of his Side in the death of his dear Wife Sarah not only dear to him but also very dear to God himself Insomuch that God gave this Honour unto her above all other Women in Scripture Record that the Age of her life is Recorded and of Her only c. Gen. 23.1,2 Why the length of the Life of any other Woman save only Sarah's is not Recorded by God's Pen in Scripture our Divines render this Reason that it was to humble that Sex which was first in bringing Sin and Death into the World 1 Tim. 2.13,14,15 and therefore deserved not to have the continuance of their Lives mentioned in Sacred Writ by the unsearchable Will and Wisdom of God 'T is said indeed that Abraham mourned for her Death and she was the first also that we read of who was mourned for when she died as well as the only one of that Sex whose term of Life
is related by the Holy Ghost and both these were done for the greateâ— Honour of this Lady as Sarah Hebrew signifies who was a Type of the Gospel-Church Gal. 4.22 to 31. and she was the Wife of that greatest of Patriarchs who is called the Father of the Faithful and whose Bosom is the Synonymon with Mansions of Glory Rom. 4.16 Luke 16.22 Yet his mourning for her was moderate and not as without Hope 1 Thes 4.13 Her Death had not made any such divorce from him but there still remained a blessed conjunction betwixt them therefore he calls her his Dead eight several times over in Gen. 23.3 c. to shew he had not lost her nor lost his interest in her and that he had only lent her to the Lord he had only bid her good night in hope to see her Alive again in the Morning of the Resurrection she was only faln asleep in Jesus 1 Thes 4.13,14 the Union was not dissolved by Death As this consideration was comfortable to this Good Old Abraham so it was no less a comfort to that Good Prophet Ezekiel when the Lord took from him the Desire of his Eyes Ezek. 24.16 even that sweet Companion of his Life And this may likewise be the Comfort of all Godly Couples and of Friends also when God is pleased to make a separation one from another 't is only for a time and not for ever Our present meetings together in this World are joyned with some short parting 's asunder but our Hope in the Lord is we shall at last meet together again in a better World so as never to part asunder any more for then we shall be with the Lord for ever and for ever wherefore let us comfort one another with these words 1 Thes 4.17,18 Oh blessed Hour Oh thrice happy Union There is but a Sleep for a Time for a Night of Death only as by Sleep the Body is refreshed so by Death the Body is refined Let it be our care to cleave close to Christ at the instant of Death then shall we sleep in Jesus and he will be our Gain both in Life and Death Phil. 1.21,22,23 After this Night of Sleep comes the Day-Break of Eternal Brightness and after this Union here below cometh an Everlasting Communion in Heaven above Those Scripture Comforts should come home to our Hearts therefore ought we to comfort one another with them by Christian Communication and then may they afford us more strong Consolation than all the Comforts of Phylosophy of which Cicero said on his Death-Bed Nescio quo modo imbecillior Medicina quam Morbus est that is I know not how it comes that the Medicine is too weak for my Disease None can say so of those Sripture Cordials which the Lord doth ordinarily water with the Dews of his Divine Blessing The same Cordial did serve to satisfie Job likewise in the loss of his Children looking upon them not as lost but only lent to the Lord who had before but lent them unto him and had called his own only home to himself He still looked on them as his Dead as well as Living they were still his his Dead as Abraham's phrase was so oft of his Dead Wife after they were Dead and Buried How else could it be said that God gave to Job twice as much of every thing as he had before seeing he had but the same number of Children afterwards that he had before to wit Seven Sons and Three Daughters Job 42.10,13 He reckoned there remained still a blessed Union and Conjunction between him and them which was founded upon his hope of an Happy Resurrection In a word learn we to say our Godly Relations are not lost they are only gone before us and we are hastning after them they are only removed out of one Room into another out of the Out-houses and Kitchin of this World into the Presence-Chamber and Palace of Heaven They have changed their Place but not their Company as Good Dr. Preston said upon his Death-bed They are only gathered like Lillies Cant. 6.2 by the Hand of Christ who hath transplanted them into the Paradise of God Our Lord said to the penitent Thief this day thou shalt be with me in Paradice Luke 23.43 NB. Oh Matchless Love in our Dear Redeemer to speak thus lovingly to this poor Penitent while he was in horrible Torture himself upon the Cross and paying so unspeakably dear for Man's sin yet rejected he not this Malefactor's Petition ver 42. How much more may we now hope he will hear our Prayers and answer them with good words and comfortable Zech. 1.13 seeing the Debt is now all paid and the whole work of Redemption is now finished 3 dly Suppose the Third Natural Evil do come upon us to be as Lamps despised and a scorn to Young Scoundrils c. as Job complained before in our Old Age yet is there a blessed Remedy to this wretched Malady namely that pretious Promise commit thy way unto the Lord c. and he shall bring forth thy Righteousness in which way thou must still be found as the Light and thy Judgments as the Noon-day Psal 37.5,6 that is we must in the first place mind the Condition of this Promise to wit of rolling our selves upon the Lord as the Hebrew word signifies and depend wholly upon him both for safety and for success in all our undertakings Kimchi reads it Volue exonera unload thy self by casting thy Burden upon the Lord as David explains it Psal 55.22 that is ease thy Mind to God by Prayer and resign up thy All by Faith unto his care and conduct Trust also in him this is of the same import with Commit but repeated to take better impression and to beget more incouragement then whatsoever we commit to him he will bring it to pass in the general ver 5. Then follows the particular part of this Promise in the Second Place about Slanders ver 6. saying God will so oyl thy good Name which is as pretious Ointment Eccles 7.1 Prov. 15.30 and 22.1 that no defaming Infamy shall stick to it Dirt will stick upon a Mud-wall but it cannot do so upon Marble Suppose we be slandered without Cause as God tells Satan he slandered Job without Cause Job 2.3 with 1.9 and we lie under those Blacknings for a time but consider how the Earth lieth under Darkness all the Night long yet as the Morning by its sudden arising driveth away that Darkness so shall the Lord clear up our wronged Innocency and as the Moon wadeth from under a Cloud and from under an Eclipse by the interposition of the shadow of the Earth betwixt her and the Sun so shall we in God's time get over all our Evils of this kind or of any other if we still be found in the way of Righteousness God will clear up the innocency of his slandered Servants and bring it to light like the Sun at Noon-day but assuredly this will be done
and cozened that Levite so Satan cozens us when we have a mind to look towards Heaven our Foe saying to us be content I pray you c. what haste hereafter is soon enough c. but we must be peremptory for the Evening hasteth on us a-pace c. and God forbid we should go to Bed the Grave at last without saving Light when the night of Death cometh on us The Fourth Duty of all Aged Ones is seriously to consider the many wearisom Evils which Old Age is now about to bring upon us whereof Solomon giveth a particular description of after he had stiled Old Age an Evil Age in the general Eccles 12.1 Then he proceedeth to describe more distinctly what those decays of Nature in Old Persons be which make their days so evil and unpleasant ver 2 to 7. and these be of three sorts of Infirmities First Some such as do befall the former part of Old Age while as yet we are able to go abroad ver 2. to the former part of ver 5. Secondly Other Decays that attend our Decrepid Old Age when Death is very near approaching to us and our selves are drawing fast toward it in the latter part of ver 5 with ver 6 7. Thirdly and Lastly He describes Death it self ver 7. All this distinct description doth the wisest of Men leave upon Divine Record that it might the more awaken us to work out our Salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 to make our Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 That we all may with all expedition make sure work for a better World before we go hence to be seen no more Now the Decays of Old Age in its former part whilst as yet we are able to walk abroad be 1 st The Darkness of all the Lights that are about us whether they be Natural as of the Sun Moon and Stars c. or Artificial Lights such as Candles Torches c. This Darkness cometh not not from any Decay of those Lights but from the Dimness of our own Sight hence cometh our need of Spectacles c. It implies also that all the comforts and and contentments which we formerly enjoyed in our Younger Years are now turned into Discomforts into Diseases Aches and Pains which darken greater and lesser Comforts We then see through a Glass Darkly as the Apostle saith in another case 1 Cor. 13.12 The defluction of Rheum which trickleth down the Cheeks I here speak my own experience doth continually distil it self out of the Head and as it were the returning of the Clouds after the Rain ver 2. as it falls out in our April weather no sooner is one Shower unburdened but another is Brewed much more in the Winter of Old Age And thus likewise Deep calleth upon Deep at the noise of the Water-spouts Psal 42.7 that is one Affliction comes upon the Neck of another without intermission like the Billows of the Sea that come rolling and tumbling one after another yea and like Job's Messengers that hastened with their evil Tidings to him so as that they were even ready to tread upon the Heels one of another Thus it falls out more especially where Old Age is the Successor and a wild wanton Youth hath been its Predecessor from whence many a violent Storm hath been long battering and beating upon this House of Clay So that if the Saddle be set upon the right Horse we ought to blame the Vanity if not Villany of our Youth for all the Sorrows and Infirmities yea sufferings in our Old Age. The 2 d Decay that Solomon saith attendeth Old Age of the first Rank or Degree is ver 3. that the Keepers of the House shall Tremble to wit the Arms and Hands which are our defence for the Head and whole Body called an House oft in Scripture from any harm impending upon us for maintaining our Lives which are therefore called the Lives of our Hands Isai 57.10 because our Lives are upheld by the labour of our Hands but alas how little labour can the trembling Hands of Old Age which oft brings Palsiâ—s and other weaknesses accomplish Thus the Preacher doth Draw to the Life the very Picture of Old Age and most elegantly continueth and carries on this Mystical Allegory adding here the 3 d Decay The Strong Men shall bow themselves that is the Legs and Thighs shall then begin to bend and buckle in the Knees cripling and crinkling under us so that they sometimes be unable to bear the burden of the Body insomuch that one of the five Characters of Old Persons is to have a Leg in their Hand to support their feeble and tottering Tabernacles the Body therewith they stand in need of a Staff or Crutch Hence Hesiod calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Three Legg'd And Virgil's Phrase is Genua Labant the Knees do languish c. And Membra levant Baculis Tardique Senilibus Annis Slow-paced Seniors stay up their Sides with Staves in their Hands The 4 th Decay in this Allegory and Allusion is the Grinders shall cease because they are few that is the Teeth shall then be unable to chew any Meat because they are either loose or lost with Age for as Teeth come not with us into the World when we are born so they commonly leave us in Old Age before we leave the World when we die And this is another of the five Characters of Old Persons that they wear their Teeth at their Girdle to wit the Knife that is stuck there to be drawn at the Table out of its Sheath for shredding their Meat very small with it and make Food fit for manducation because Meat must be well masticated before it be transmitted into the Stomach for a more mature Digestion And Teeth are as hard as Stones therefore are they fitly compared to Milstones for their Grinding-work as they are called Grinders here Hereupon Juvenal wittily alludeth Frangendos misero Gingiva Panis Inermi which is in English 'T is a misery to Old People that they must break their Bread with Toothless Gums The 5 th Decay is when those that look out at the Windows are darkened that is the Eyes grown dim or blind as they did in Old Isaac Gen. 27.1 c. who could not discern a difference betwixt his two Sons Esau and Jacob c. and as they did also in Old Jacob whose Eyes were dim for Age Gen. 48.10 c. Where good Joseph thought that his Father Jacob had made such a mistake of Ephraim for Manasseh as his Grandfather Isaac had done before through his dimness of Eyes in his blessing Jacob the Younger for Esau the Elder c. This dimness of Sight is assuredly a very heavy affliction ver 3. which is a degree of Darkness higher than that which is mentioned in ver 2. when our very Spectacles are become helpless to us But 't is the greatest Affliction to such as have had their Eyes full of Adultery 2 Pet. 2.14 because in
that case our sin is writ upon our Punishment and our own guilty Consciences do put a Sting into that Darkness upon our Windows of Wantonness and Wickedness This must needs be a Prick and a Thorn to torment Blind Eyes The Sixth Evil of Old Age is and the Doors shall be shut in the Streets when the sound of the Grinding is low ver 4. which some interpret the Ears that then grow dull of Hearing and at last Deaf because Hearing is caused by two Bones placed within the inside of the Ear whereof the one stands still and the other moveth like the nether and upper Grindstones of a Mill And as the Ear was a Door by which Death first entred into the World when our first Parents gave a listning Ear more to the Old Lyar than to the God of Truth So the Lord hath appointed it as a suitable Antidote that the Ear should be a Door to let in Life and Salvation now as it had done Death and Damnation before for God saith in the Old Testament incline your Ear to me hear and your Soul shall live c. Isai 55.3 And he saith in the New Testament that Faith cometh by Hearing c. Rom. 10.17 But alas the Deaf cannot hear the word the Door is shut yea the Young as well as Old while in the state of Sin all are possessed with a Deaf Devil until Christ come and cry Ephphatha that is be opened Mark 7.34 and straightway his Ears were opened ver 35. But others do understand those Metaphorical Doors in Eccles 12.4 to be the Lips of Man's Mouth because of David's expression in his Prayer Lord keep the Door of my Lips c. Psal 141.3 These Doors the Lips are said to be shut without because the sound of the Grinding is low that is say they the Lips are shut close together when for want of Teeth to grind their Food with the Meat is rolled and chavelled up and down the Mouth and if the Lips be not kept close shut the Meat in tumbling to and fro would drop out of the Mouth There is yet a Third Interpretation of this Allusion which I cannot omit of those words The Doors shall be shut in the Streets that is these Aged Ones shall keep home avoiding the company and society of Mankind such as Feastings and Merry Meetings when the sound of the Grinding is low that is when neither his Teeth nor his Stomach and Appetite can any longer serve him for much feeding or feasting as in Old Barzillai 2 Sam. 19.35 The 7 th Decay in Old Age is and he shall rise at the Voice of the Bird that is the least noise of a Swallow that nests in the Chimney top c. or any little Bird will waken Old Persons especially the crowing of the Cock which is not caused by any quickness in their Hearing that then is dull as before but from the dryness of their Brains which causeth badness of sleeping from coldness of Blood and deficiency of Moisture therefore is it said the Old Man rises up at the least Noise because being awakened and weary with lying along and unable to turn his Body in his Bed he must rise to change his posture for his ease c. The 8 th Evil of Old Age is all the Daughters of Musick shall be brought low that is they shall neither have any Voices wherewith to sing of themselves nor take any delight to hear others that have Voices to sing ver 4. for as their Instruments of Speaking which make Musick do fail so their Instruments of Hearing for receiving Musick do fail also Homer observeth that Old People cannot themselves sing Propter Raucam Vocem for their unpleasant Voice which is no better than Creaking and Screaming And Juvenal expresseth it thus nam quae Cantante Voluptas what pleasure can the Old find either in singing themselves or in hearing others sing as they themselves cannot sing Tuneably with distinction of Sounds so they can take no delight in hearing the Melodious Notes of other Singers as Old Barzillai did acknowledge to King David who was that sweet Singer of Israel 2 Sam. 19.35 As their dulness of Hearing disinables them from discerning the Melody so the lowness of their Spirits makes them melancholick insomuch that they cannot affect Musick And this is very remarkable here that Old Men whose Hearing is so quick as to be awakenned with any little Noise of a Bird c. yet the exquisiteness of the sense of Hearing to delight in the sound of Musick is quite gone from them The 9 th Evil of Old Age they shall be afraid of that which is high and fear shall be in the way ver 5. that is they shall be very fearful to walk upon high places where there may be any danger of falling and they being very timerous themselves will shrink and tremble yea cry out when they behold Young Ones over bold and venturous c. As they are themselves afraid of climbing up aloft because of the stiffness of their Joints and the unweildiness of their Bodies So they dare not stand in any high place because a Vertigo a giddiness or swimming of the Brain doth soon seize upon them Their Heads are as weak as their Hamms they can neither climb up because they are short winded and when they are got up they dare not look down for fear of falling c. Yea they are afraid of every Hillock or little Stone standing up in their way for fear of stumbling on it because of the unnimbleness of their Limbs They fear to be cast down by careless People riding or running and carrying Burdens to and fro c. The 10 th Evil of Old Age is the Almond Tree then flourisheth that is when their Heads grow Gray and Hoary which is of it self a Crown of Glory a flourishing Ornament if found in the way of Righteousness Prov. 16.31 But it is an undeniable evidence of the decay of our Radical Moisture which should duly nourish the Hairs both of our Heads and Beards The Almond Tree is the first that flourisheth Jer. 1.11,12 The Prophet there saw this as a sign of Gods hastning the execution of his Judgments against a sinful Nation for this Tree Blossometh before any other Tree Natural Philosophy tells us that the Almond Tree doth Blossom in January while it is yet Winter and its Fruit is ripe in March when 't is but early Spring c. and therefore it hath its Name from its early appearance both of Buds Blossoms and Fruit but here it is made a Resemblance of an Hoary Head yet with this difference 1 st The Almond flourisheth in the Spring but the Hoary Head in the Winter of our Old Age. 2 dly That Tree hath all its white Blossoming Flowers before the Fruit but we have our white Hairs after our Fruit-bearing to God in our Generation-work Notwithstanding this double Disparity there is this one Congruity that runs parallel betwixt them namely that the
Hoary Head found in the way of Righteousness is the flourishing Crown of the Old Man in the Spring of a better World unto which he is hastening with white Snow or Church-yard Flowers upon his Head This makes up another of the five Characters afore-mentioned that Old Age hath White Sugar in its Hair as it is Gray-headed c. The 11 th Evil of Old Age is then the Grashopper or Locust shall be a Burden that is the Old Man cannot bear the least Weight or Burden no not the Weight or Burden of a Locust or Grashopper because he is already become a Burden to himself by manifold Distempers upon him as Gout Phthisick c. But another learned Expositor interprets this Clause neither by the noise of the Locust for that is intimated before ver 4. in the Voice of the Bird nor by its weight Hyperbolically spoken to signifie that the lightest Burden is a Load to Old People but most fitly as he saith it is meant of the slowness of the Aged's digestion For tho' the Locust be a clean and wholesom Food Levit. 11.22 and much used in those Hot Countries especially by the poorer sort of People Matth. 3.4 yet even this Light Meat proves heavy and burdensome to the Old Man's Stomach The 12 th Evil of Old Age is that then Desire shall fail that is not only Appetite either to Meat or to Drink as was in Barzillai afore-named but also all vehement and strong Affections to the common Pleasures of this Life called the Delights of the Sons of Men Eccles 2.8 such as are the Lusts of the Flesh the Lusts of the Eye and the Pride of Life all these shall be taken away c. Hence famous Tully reckons this as one great Benefit by Old Age quod Hominem a libidinis aestu velut a quodam Tyranno liberabit that it sets a Man free from the Fire and Flagrancy of Lust as from a great Tyrant And this also implied in that Etymology of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies an Elder derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ignis and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extinguo to wit the Quenching of Fire Thus far go the First sort of Evils attending the former part of Old Age while we are yet able to walk abroad now follow the Second Sort that do accompany our Decrepit Age which are the symptoms and forerunners of approaching Death and then it is that we are said to have one Foot in the Grave There is yet one of the Five Characters behind to be now mentioned namely the Old Man hath also an Almanack in his Bones as well as Eyes or Spectacles in his Pocket a Leg or Staff in his Hand Sugar or Snow in his Hoary Head and Teeth or Knife at his Girdle Now this Almanack is the many Aches and Pains all over his Body which makes him Weather-wise and wiser than his Almanack and can better prognosticate that ill weather is near at hand when he begins to feel many pungent pricking Pains infesting the Humours of several parts of his Body the like Prognosticks as the Lord Bacon in his Natural History telleth us are found in some certain Weather-wise Fowls which against stormy Seasons will make most doleful Ditties and sad Outcries and the Reason hereof as that learned Nobleman rendreth it is because then the purified Air penetrates into the Quils of their Feathers which puts them to much Anguish and causeth them to cry out after◠an hiddious manner Thus it is with us in our Decrepid Age such Cramps and Convulsions do come upon us as do foretel the Storm of Death is drawing nigh and that we are going apace to our long home Eccles 12.5 And therefore the Moral of the Apologue is very weighty and well worthy of serious consideration The Story in the Fable runs thus There was a Man who made this Bargain with Death not to come for taking away his Life and sending him away into another World until he had due notice and warning hereof before hand Death agrees and the Bargain was struck up between them both After this the Man liveth a long time yet not altogether without some Ailments and Illments all standing memorials of Mortality At the last Death comes in good earnest as God's Sergeant to Arrest him and to carry him to the Prison of the Grave Nay saith the Man to Death Hold now thy Hand for I must bind thee to thy Bargain wherein thou bound thy self to give me timely notice and due warning of thy coming To this Death smartly replied Oh Man how many Harbingers hast thou had concerning my coming in those sundry Distempers of Tooth-ach Head-ach and such like all which were my Forerunners but thou minded them not therefore Thou Fool at this Time thy Soul shall be required of thee as Luke 12.20 whereupon Death cast his fatal Javeling at him struck him down dead and hurried him away to his place in another World The Moral of this Mystical Fable is this That even all the Infirmities of the First Sort namely not only the Five Characters of Old Age fore-mentioned with all the other Decays of Nature which the Eldest Son of Wisdom Solomon recordeth Eccles 12.1,2,3,4,5 they are all Summons sent from Heaven to us that we may be making ready for our departure from this Earth But more especially those of this latter Sort which do more immediately introduce Death it self The two First whereof be external in the last of part ver 5. As 1 st Man is just a going to his long Home Gnal Beth Gnalamo Hebrew the House of his Age the Grave where he shall rest until the Day of his Resurrection Job 14.12 Now the Sentence of Death is seen by many indicant Signs to writ upon him as 2 Cor. 1.9 and he lies sighing out those sad words of Job My Spirit is spent my Days are extinct the Graves are ready for me Job 17.1 2 dly The Mourners go about the Streets that is his Friends and Neighbours run to see him die and to close up his Eyes making many mournful Moans and Lamentations over him to provoke others to lament with them Amos 5.16 and Jer. 22.18 This is one of the dues of the Dead so it be done aright The Four following Decays are Internal ver 6. in the very Act of Dying namely the dissolution and perishing of those principal parts wherein the life and strength of Nature do inwardly consist As 1 st Or ever the Silver Cord be loosed that is the Marrow of the Back-Bone which runneth from the Brain through the Neck to the bottom of the Back through twenty four Joints and takes in therewith all the Sinews of the other parts of the Body and which are the Ligaments of all the Members Now as this Marrow is of a Silver Colour and is therefore called a Silver Cord so as it is a Cord that ties all the whole Body together Now when this Cord comes to loosened the Back bendeth Motion
becometh slow and Feeling daily faileth c. 2 dly Or the Golden Bowl be broken that is the Heart as some sense it which is the primum Vivens ultimum Moriens the first that Lives and the last that Dies therefore is it called the Fort-Royal of Life Or the Pericardium about the Heart which the Soldier pierced with his Spear in our Saviour's side from whence there came forth Blood and Water John 19.34 and 1 John 5.6 But others do interpret it to be rather the Head or Skull called the Brain-pan for the Brains are contained within the Meninges thereof and the Piamater covereth them like a Swathing Cloth or the inner Rind of a Tree as in a Cup or Bowl and a wound in this is ever mortal Now the Hebrew word here being the same with Golgotha which signifies a Skull 2 Kings 9.35 Matth. 27.33 and Judg. 9.53 all this make the latter Interpretation the more probable for when Death comes with his Javelin or Dart to wound the Brain-pan or Skull which is round like a Cup or Bowl and is called here Golden because of its colour then the Sutures or Seams of the Skull are parted asunder from whence it comes to pass that the Chaps of Dying Persons do fall and the Almonds of their Ears are stopped c. Oh what cause have we break forth into David's words saying We are wonderfully framed Psal 139.14 If the pretious Office of this Golden Bowl for preserving the Brain c. be well considered 3 dly Or the Pitcher be broken at the Fountain that is either the Veins at the Liver as some say which is the Shop of Sanguification or Blood-making those Veins carry Blood from the Liver into all parts of the Body by way of Circulation c. Or as others understand it the Arteries which carry Spirits from the Heart and conveys Nourishment Sense and Motion from one part to another c. There is yet a Third Sense put upon this Pitcher that is the Bladder is broken at the Spring of Water or Urin c. Now as when either the Veins at the Liver especially the Vena Cava Vena Porta as the Anatomists name them or the Arteries at the Heart do come once to lose their drawing and distributing Office and Vertue then the Body doth immediately decay even so when the Muscle at the Neck of the Bladder comes to be broken and loseth its Retentive Faculty then the Water or Urin doth run insensibly from a Dying Person without stay 4 thly Or the Wheel is broken at the Cistern that is according to the Sentiments of some Expositors the Head which draweth all the Operations of Life from the Heart and hence it is that when any dreadful Fright is apprehended by our Heads and suddenly doth surprize us we presently are struck with a Paleness because all the Blood in our Faces doth run back to the Heart as to the Fountain of Life c. But others are of opinion that by this Wheel broken at the Cistern must be meant the Lungs broken off from their double Office and Motion of Inspiration and Respiration and this Breaking or Obstruction is caused by Phlegmn from the Stomach which is as a Cistern from all parts of the Body c. The Lungs are as a Wheel transmitting the Air in and out by a Motion up and down like to that of a pair of Bellows which Men learnt to make from the posture and operations of Mens Lungs that were of God's making and thus indeed Man learns all other Artifices from God the great Artificer God instructs the Husbandman Isai 28.26 and all others also Now tho' there be no open Passage betwixt the Stomach and the Lungs and therefore there is no ordinary purging of the Lungs but upwards by spitting and coughing yet when the Stomach is overcharged with Phlegm the former distilleth the latter into the Lungs and thereby stoppeth them in their Motion This may be exemplified thus when a Man or Beast is dead there seemeth no way of entrance for Water into the Bladder no not so much as for any Air for if we blow the Bladder full of Wind none of it will issue out and yet while Life lasteth in the Body both Water and Sand doth pass through little Veins called Valvulas into the Bladder even so by some such like secret passages doth the Cistern of the Stomach convey Phlegm into the Lungs yea sometimes to the very stifling of them and upon this stoppage of the Lungs with Phlegm so that the Wheel cannot turn the Air or breath up and down and in and out to the Nostrils Then from this obstruction of the Lobes whereof the Lungs do consist so that their Motion like a pair of broken Bellows is broken off then followeth the Rutling in the Throat which is the common Herauld proclaiming that Death is at Hand c. NB. Note well How Solomon the Eldest Son of Wisdom hath left upon Record in Eccles 12. a most sublime Lecture of Anatomy as well as of Divinity in his Dissection of the infirm Body of Old Age which he sweetly setteth forth by a continued Allegory Ubi quot Lumina imo Flumina Orationis that is containing so many Lights yea and Floods of Eloquence and all this Solomon did not so much to demonstrate his own excellent Skill and unparallel'd Prudence but more especially and principally to instruct yea and to provoke all Mankind to become wise unto Salvation and to remember our Creator early before any of these Evils of Old Age come upon us c. CHAP. VIII Counsel and Comfort to Young and Old against the Evils of Old Age the Fear of Death and the Terror of the Day of Judgment THIS Eight Chapter consists as well of Comforts as of Counsel against the Evils of Old Age against the Fear of Death and against the Terror of the Day of Judgment First The Comforts against the Evils of Old Age 'T is a Time desired by all who are they that would not live long c but 't is welcomed by few because of the Burden of Distempers that it brings along with it c. If God bless us to live up to Old Age we ought not to complain of it for 't is a blessing we must bless God for Length of days is from the Right Hand Riches and Honour from the Left Prov. 3.16 And God promised to his Jerusalem after its Restoration that there should be Old Men and Old Women in the Streets of it with Staves in their Hands Zech. 8.4 yea and it was God's Curse upon the House of Ely that not any that were Old should be found in it 1 Sam. 2.32 Therefore if God do still preserve the rotten Thread of our Lives and draw it out to last so long and yet the Clue have a little more Yarn upon the Botton Oh how thankfully ought we to welcome this Guest of Gods own sending and not to complain of it as our great
A Divine Legacy Bequeathed unto all MANKIND OF ALL Ranks Ages and Sexes Directing How we may live Holily in the Fear of God and how we may die happily in the Favour of God both which Duties are of Universal Concern The Rules here are how to be Truly Valourous in warring a good Warfare and in fighting the the good Fight of Faith while we Live and to be Blessedly Victorious when we Die By Christopher Ness Minister of the Gospel in London Exitus Acta probat Finis Coronat Opus saith the Philosopher Our Last Works should be our Best Works saith our Lord Rev. 2.19 London Printed by T. S. and sold by T. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside and J. Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-yard 1700. The Epistle to the Reader Candid Christian I Have been now through the Grace and Mercy of my good God a Labourer in my Lord's Harvest and a Vine-dresser in my Master's Vineyard almost Threescore Years wanting but a very little of it and in the space of those last Twenty Years I have through the good hand of my God upon me as Ezra's phrase is Chap. 7.6,9 been enabled to publish to the World this following Catalogue of Books little and great As 1. The Crown and Glory of a Christian in the Year 76. 2. A Christian Walk and Work on Earth till he come to Heaven in the Year 77. 3. The Chrystal Mirror or Christian's Looking-Glass shewing the Treachery of the Heart in the Year 78. 4. An Antidote against the Poison of Popery in the Year 78 79. 5. A Discovery of Antichrist in his Rise Reign and Ruine in the Year 79. 6. The Devil's Patriarch in the Life of Pope Innocent XI in the Year 80. 7. A Spiritual Legacy to Young Ones in the Year 81. 8. A Church-History from Adam to this Day and a Scripture-Prophecy to the End of the World in the Year 81 82. 9. A New-Years Gift for Children in the Year 83. 10. The Wonderful Signs of Wonderful Times in the Year 84. 11. An Half Sheet upon the Comet or Blazing-Star 12. Three Sheets inlarged upon the same Subject 13. A Whip for the Fools Back who did Ridicule God's Holy Ordinance of Marriage c. 14. A Key with the Whip unsolding the Intreagues of Absalom and Achitophel both these latter are writ in Satyrical Verse 15. Advice to the Painter about the Earl of Shaftsbury's enlargement from the Tower in smoother Verse 16. An Astrological and Theological Discourse upon the great Conjunction ushered in with a great Comet c. 17. A Strange and Wonderful Trinity or Triplicity of Stupendious Prodigies namely consisting of a Wonderful Eclipse of a Wonderful Comet and of a Wonderful Conjunction all these without Date were written between the Year 82 and 89. 18. My First Volume in Folio called a Compleat History and Mystery of the Old and New-Testament both Logically discussed and Theologically improved beginning at Adam and ending at Moses 19. The Second Volume in Folio having the same Title with the first begins with Joshuah and ends at Solomon's Birth 20. The Third Volume in Folio with the same Title begins at Solomon's Life and ends at the end of the Old-Testament 21. The Fourth Volume in Folio with the same Title begins at the Birth of Christ and ends at the Death of John the Divine which is an Exposition of the whole New-Testamen All these Four Volumes are now commended to the World by Three of our Learned and Judicious Divines namely Mr. Matthew Barker M. George Griffith and Mr. Samuel Slater which Testimonial is printed at the bottom of the Dedicatory Epistle to the Fourth Volume under their own Three Hands Tria sunt omnia instar omnium c. this Work hath taken me wholly up from the Year 89 to this Year 99. And now 22. This Divine Legacy which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multum in parvo much in a little Isocrates wrote his best Book the last and Plato died at 81 with his Pen in his Hand and Demosthenes desired to do so c. Yet have we better Examples than those Philosophers for Joshuah when he was going the way of all the Earth and stricken in years Josh 23.2 and 14. did then give most grave and godly Counsel to the Old-Testament Church Chap. 23. and 24. And Paul the Aged wrote the more effectually to young Philemon under that Title of Veneration Philem. ver 9. And the Beloved Disciple John who while Young leaned upon his Lord's Bosom Joh. 13.23,25 did under the Venerable Name of Elder 2 Joh. 1. and 3 Joh. 1. write his first General Epistle to Children Young Men and Fathers in the New Testament 1 Joh. 2.12,13,14 but above all God himself thunders out threatnings against Children Young Men and Aged Jer. 6.11,12,13 In congruity to those perfect Patterns I an Old Servant of Christ have drawn up this Directory talis qualis est to all Ages especially to us that are Old adding only 1. That Old Age is a dead weight 'T is then a difficult Duty to turn unto God when we have been turning and running from him all our former Days No Spur can move a Founder'd Horse and Hard Wax takes no impression When the Body is weak and Presumption is strong to say God is merciful is said truly but not safely Therefore 2 All must be careful to live well while Young and then shall we die well whether Young or Old 3. When we have seen an end of all worldly Perfections then may we best see that God's Commands are exceeding broad and all our Obedience to be exceeding narrow Psal 119.96 The Good Lord grant that this Legacy may come to you in the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ Rom. 15.29 Amen THE CONTENTS OF THIS Divine Legacy CHAP. I. COntains faln Man's Malady and Danger pag. 1. to 42. CHAP. II. Faln Mam's Remedy and Deliverer p. 43 to 63. CHAP. III. The Redeemed are Conquerors by their Strong Redemer p. 54 120. CHAP. IV. Advice to Young and Old to war a good Warfare in God's Armour and Watching unto Prayer p. 130 to 177. CHAP. V. The Characters of True Conquerors through the strength of Christ p. 177 to 232. CHAP. VI. Advice to the Aged for saving the Soul p. 232 to 319. CHAP. VII The Holy Means for making Old Age to become a Good Age p. 320 to 357. CHAP. VIII Contains both Counsel and Comfort 1. Against the Evils of Old Age. 2. Against the Fears of the Hour of Death And 3. Against the Terrors of the Day of Judgment p. 358 to the last CHAP. I. Man's Malady and Danger MAN's Life is a Warfare Job 7.1 Margin which the Septuagint reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie a place of Pirates as Paul was in perils often both by Sea and Land 2 Cor. 11.26 so are we all while in this lower World for Satan is both a Robber by Land that seeks not for Straw but
for Gold as Chrysostom's Thief did say of himself and he is a Pirate at Sea hanging out false Colours to get in with us he seeks not whom to bite out whom to devour 1 Pet. 5.8 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to swallow up at one mouth-full and that no less than our precious and immortal Souls therefore is he called Abaddon Hebr. A bad one indeed or the wicked one and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek Rev. 9.3 both which names signifie a Destroyer He is a broken Bankrupt himself and ordained for Destruction and therefore his whole work is to involve all Mankind in his own Misery accounting it some comfort to have Companions therein Solamen miseris socios adhibere Doloris He hunts not as Nimrod that Cruel Hunter for our moneys houses lands or liberties but for our very lives as the Harlot doth Prov. 7.23 yea to steal away our Souls from God and the Crown of Glory from us he is called in Scripture by such names as are all of a destroying nature as 1. A Draggon Rev. 12.7 2. A Lion 1 Pet. 5.8 3. A Serpent Isa 27.1 4. A Wolf Jobn 10.12 5. A Murderer John 8.44 6. A Tormentor Matth. 18.34 7. A Fowler and Hunter Psal 91.3 8. Beelzebub Mat. 10.25 12.24,27 9. Devil quasi Do evil often and therefore it is no less than a Miracle of Mercy that we are not all of us destroyed by him through his craft and cruelty his power and policy especially considering how he hath the upper ground of us as he is Prince of the Power of the Air Eph. 2.2 when we are but weak and worthless Worms crawling here below upon the Earth insomuch that his Territories lay betwixt us and Heaven which is our Fathers House therefore was Lazarus's Soul carried by Angels through the Regions of the Air into Abraham's bosom Luke 16.22 Beside it ought to be considered with seriousness how Satan our Adversary as it signifies proved too hard for the Innocentest Man Adam too hard for the Strongest Man Samson and too hard for the Wisest Man Solomon If he could over-master all these Three who were green Trees what can we dry Trees expect Luke 23.31 If this Strong Man yea and Armed too even with Armour of proof Luke 11.21 became a Conquerour over Adam in his state of Innocency how much more may he more easily master the best of us Si hoc Adamo in Paradiso contigisset quid nobis in sterquibunt saith Bernard If this foul fall befell Adam in the Garden of Eden oh what may befall us who are now cast out of Paradise upon the dirty Dunghill of this present evil World Gal. 1.4 It may be said of the best of us as it was said of young Troilus's grappling with great Achilles There was Impar congressus a very unfit and an unequal match betwixt them Yea so bold and daring is this Devil that he dared to Assault the Second Adam as he had done before the First Adam hoping for the same success Even the Son of God himself who only could indeed over-match him not only for himself but more especially for all his Redeemed Moreover Satan is a Restless Adversary out of his unspeakable hatred against God and all goodness as it is said of the Scorpion there is not one minute of Time wherein he doth not thrust out his Sting but keeps it in a continual and speedy motion of poisoning and destroying whatever he can reach even so and much more that Old Serpent will watch night and day to sting our Souls worse than the Fiery Serpents did the Bodies of Israel Numb 21. Consider also how Satan is an Ubiquitary Adversary his Circuit he walks is the whole Earth Job 1.7 2.2 he is call'd the God of this World 2. Cor. 4.4 which lays in wickedness 1 John 5.19 As the True God in the beginning did but speak the word by his Creating Power and every Creature in the whole Creation was perfectly wrought so if Satan do but hold up his finger or give but the least whisper to his Vassals they are at his beck and obedience he leads them captive at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 Yea and this he doth all over the World no Land or Island is free from him but the whole Universe may be called as one part of it is Terra Diaboli the Devil's Land he is the Ruler of the Darkness of this World Eph. 6.12 He is a God in this sense because there is no fleeing from his presence c. as Psa 139.7,8,9 our base hearts and a busie Devil will meet in all Lands Add likewise to the abovesaid how He is an Everlasting Adversary both 1. In respect of the great World He began betimes with the first Man and Woman in the World and he hath continued ever since to this present time and he will continue even to the end until our Lord lays hold on him and chain him up for a 1000 years Rev. 20. And 2. In respect of the little World Man who is as an Epitome of the great World c. Satan begins betimes even at our very Conception for as the Serpent was more subtle than all the Beasts of tbe Field Gen. 3.1 so Satan's subtlety was most manifest in this matter that when his Luciferian Pride had metamorphos'd him from a glorious Angel as he was created into a damned Devil and therefore was cast out of Heaven into Hell and understanding how God designed to fill up that Habitation which he had left with his Angels Jude verse 6. by a Remnant Redeemed out of Mankind Hereupon he is said to be come down or rather cast down having great Wrath and Malice against Mankind Rev. 12.12 hating Man's Redeemer with a perfect hatred and sinning that unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost every moment c. and that his Cruelty to us is managed with the profoundest Craft and Policy as is apparent in this that he stayed not to pour his poison into every Vessel as it was brought forth into the World but he pours it into the Fountain or Spring head of Mankind well knowing that in poisoning our first Parents he likewise poisoned all their Posterity in all succeeding Ages to the end of the World Thus saith the Apostle by one Man Sin entred into the World Rom. 5.12 and Death by Sin and so Death passed upon all Men for that all have sinned and v. 14. Death hath Reigned from Adam to Moses and so down to us in our day c. even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's Transgression So that Infants are no Innocents being born with Original Sin the first Sheet wherein they are wrapped is woven of sin shame blood and filth Ezek. 16.4,6 c. They are said to sin as they were in the loins of Adam sust as Levi is said to pay Tithes to Melchisedech even in the loins of his Fore-father Abraham Heb. 7.9,10 otherwise Infants would not die for
of Age at which Age David died see after Then Secondly They accounted him among the Annosos an Old Man indeed who lived up from Seventy to Eighty Years of Age such a Man was got a great way into that far Country of Old Age even into that Hyperborean cold and frozen Climate where the Snow of Hoary Hairs lay continually upon his Head undissolved But Thirdly The highest Step and Degree is such an one as liveth above Eighty Years old those they number among Decrepid Ones that then are Superannuated declining to a Doteage in whom all the Senses of the Body yea and all the Faculties of the Soul begin daily to decay as in Old Barzillai before-named according to his own confession unto David such very Aged Persons are accounted wondrous Old as is the Expression in the Old Singing Psalms Psal 90.10 for it falls out most commonly that in this wondrous Old Age we pay the deep interest of Pains in dolorous Distempers being the time wherein as Solomon saith we can have no Pleasure Eccles 12.1,2 c. and according to the Old Adage bis Pueri Senes Old Persons are twice Children as after their Birth so before their Death they become meerly Childish which once did occasion my self to say when I saw a very Old Woman one past all other Work rocking the Cradle that had a very Young Babe in it behold there is one Child rocking another and thereupon I gave her the best advice I could how it was high time for her to make sure work for a better World Moreover beside this Rabinical Animadversion thus Spiritually Improved we have another more Critical and Christian Calculation of Man's Life made by one of our English Martyrs who left behind this curious Criticism saying because the common term of Humane Life in the ordinary course of Nature is but Threescore Years and Ten according to Moses that Man of God's computation Psal 90.10 Now if we divide those Seventy Years into four Equal Parts then must it necessarily follow that every Man is three parts Dead when he doth but arrive at the Age of Fifty Years This solid Observation doth much sooner mind us of our Mortality than that before of the Jewish Rabbins and to the same purpose I my self have both publickly and privately taught the like Lesson upon the end of my four Fingers and the Thumb shewing to the Eyes of those I spake to how the top of the little Finger represents our Childhood the top of the next Finger shews our Youth the top of the longest Finger demonstrates our Middle Age when we come to our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fulness of Height and Health then the top of the fore Finger which is a little lower than the middle Finger declares our beginning to decline by little and little but lastly from the top of the fore Finger to the top of the Thumb there is a great fall and hence is it that we usually say such an Aged Person breaks fast in a little time the Lord help us to learn this Lesson upon our Fingers ends NB. Note well The God of Nature hath ordained that Nature in all his created Beings must decay yet this is the Sovereign Power of the Creator over all his Creatures to determine the Time measure and Quantity when the period of Nature shall come to decay and be dissolved Thus Job acknowledges this Divine Rule and Dominion of God over all Mankind saying his Days are determined the number of his Months are with God thou hast appointed his Bounds that he cannot pass c. Job 14.5,6 that is God hath set every Man the Bounds of his Time whether shorter called here his Days or longer the number of his Months and whether shorter or longer they have both their Bounds which they cannot pass no more than the unruly Ocean can pass the Bounds that its Maker hath set it Job 38.8,9,10,11 We should think the same of the Waters of Afflictions that the Lord doth limit them saying thus far shalt thou go and no sarther and here shall thy proud Waves be staid This Sovereign Rule and Dominion of God over Man in determining his Time upon Earth is made manifest in ordering such long Leases of Life to the Patriarchs and such a short Term to the Lives of the following Ages This is elegantly expressed thus by Tertullian Vitae Jugera illis sed nobis tantum Spithamas Deus dedit illi Gigantes fuere nos vero Pugiones c. God gave to the Patriarchs whole and long Acres of Life but to us only a Span-breadth thereof they were lofty Gyants but we are puny Dwarfs yea and this Divine Dominion is daily apparent as the only over-ruling Reason why some likely to live long do die soon while others that are more weak with daily Distempers do live longer than they as well as it is the Will and Wisdom of God that we see the Sons and Daughters of Men do die daily in all Ages in Childhood Youth Middle Age as well as Old Age And as God hath set Bounds to Man's Time so hath he determined Man's Task likewise thus John Baptist had his Course to fulfil Acts 13.25 the word for Course in Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence the Dromedary hath his Name which is a swift Creature and will run an hundred miles in a day Thus the Baptist tho' he lived not long but was cut off by Herod yet he lived much in a little space he wrought hard and made haste in his Work as not willing to be taken with his Task undone Thus 't is said of David also in Acts 13.36 that he served out his Generation and then he fell asleep after he had done his Generation-work according to the will of God There is an appointed time to Man upon the Earth Job 7.1 both for his Time and for his Task and he who bears up the Heavens prescribes such a Pillar before Man with this Inscription writ upon it ne plus ultra thou shalt pass no farther stat sua cuique dies said Virgil of old every Man hath his Day set him wherein he must die his last Day stands but all the rest of his days to that Day are in a running posture Some Lutherans indeed do teach that God hath not determined the period of Men's Days but that it is in Man's power either to lengthen or to shorten them But many Scriptures teach the contrary that God hath set the Bounds of every Man's Life to a very Day as well as his Place of Dwelling Gen. 49.13 Acts 17.26 and tho' thofe Bounds may be passed which our Natural Constitution in the ordinary course of Nature setteth yet those Bounds which the Almighty Power and Providence of God setteth us we can never pass For Job useth two Metaphors 1 st That of an Hireling Job 7.1 and 14.6 Now we agree with Hirelings to work with us for a day and therefore are they called Day-labourers The 2 d
not so easily pleased again 4. Another Moral Evil in the Aged is to complain of present Times but praising former Days of old which the Old Men of those Days did as much complain of as he doth of these Whereas indeed the fault lieth not in the Times either present or former but in the Persons that liveth in those Times for in every Age better Hearts and Lives would make better Times Then 2 dly After these Moral Vices do follow Spiritual Sins which are found in Old Age such as 1. Ignorance a meer Child for knowledge no Fool like to an Old Fool and therefore tho' this silly Child be an hundred Years old he is denounced by a Divine Mouth to be accursed Isai 65.20 Thus the Old Age of that silly Child Shimei who childishly plaid away his own Life could not exempt him from Justice for it was David's charge to his Son Solomon let not his Hoary Head go down to the Grave in peace 1 Kings 2.6 2. An indocible untractable Frame attends Old Age to learn the great Mysteries of Godliness as appeared in Old Nicodemus tho' a Master in Israel and could not but have read of a New Heart which God promised to give c. in the Prophet Ezekiel and in other places of the Old Testament yet how aukward was he in entertaining the Doctrine of Regeneration objecting against it First How can a Man be born again And after Christ had told him that the way of the Spirits working this work was incomprehensible c. yet comes he off again with his How can these things be John 3.4,10 This Old Man nay an Old Master in teaching work understood no more of the Mystery of the New Birth than a rude Rustick can comprehend the profoundest Points of the Mathematicks which be no better than Gibberish to him when he hears them NB. However it is no matter how dull the Scholar is when Christ himself will become the Teacher as here for this Nicodemus who had long been a Night-bird during the Life of Christ did at the last break forth as the Sun from under a Cloud to manifest his Love to his Lord after his Death John 19.39 3. To illustrate this farther Old Age is Self-conceited and cannot easily be convinced through Pride of Spirit rooted in it he is too wise to learn therefore was it that Solomon preferred a poor and wise Child before an Old and Foolish King who abhors to be admonished Eccles 4.13,14 for the Young Child is apt to learn and ready to receive Instruction and will be as careful to follow it and all this is true Wisdom Whereas an Old and Foolish King is not only weak but also wilful and his Pride is the ground of his Wilfulness as he is short-sighted in his Mind so he is stubborn and unconvincible in his Will There have been such Kings in the World who in their Old Age have shewed themselves so self-willed and so wedded to their own vain Opinions that they never endured to ask Advice and if any were given them what they fancied not they assuredly rejected it though they sometimes yea very seldom ask Counsel yet never follow any but their own until they ruin themselves and their People 4. As the Three former brings Ruine c. to the Bodies not only of Old and Foolish Kings but also of Old and Foolish Subjects who do harden their Hearts against all good Counsel yea and that which is worst of all these Three afore-named bring destruction to their Souls likewise by their living and dying in that great sin of Unbelief and final Impenitency which their custom in sin taking away all conscience of sin doth at last seal them up in where the superabounding Grace of God doth not interpose to disappoint it This refractory and untoward untractable Temper of abhorring to be taught hath been a long time observed universally to accompany Old Age insomuch that this was the first ground of that Old Greek Adage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Senum Doctor a Teacher of Old Persons by which Phrase the Wisdom of the Ancients used to express any labour in vain like those other Phrases Aethiopem lavare to wash a Blackmore white which Phrase is used in Scripture Jer. 13.23 And to the same purpose is that Adage used by Pagan Authors Sysiphi saxum voluere a Poetical Fiction that this Sysiphus was doomed unto as a punishment for his former Faults that he was to roll an heavy Stone up the Hill which then did run down again of it self with its own weight and when it came to the bottom his work was to roll it up again yea and that which was the Mischief and Misery of this Man in this Work it must be his only and continual Task for all his time c. All these Adages do demonstrate the unteachableness of Old Age and that if we do not through the Grace of God remember our Creator in the days of our Youth while that tractable Temper continueth with us but still drive it off until Old then become we so slow so oblivious and so setled upon the Lees c. insomuch that the Ministry of the Word that they sit under is labour in vain to such and Christ's Ministers may complain with the Prophet as to such as hate to be reformed and are incorrigible I have laboured in vain and I have spent my strength for naught and in vain Isai 49.4 NB. Note well how besotted and even bewitched are such Persons to make that the Task of their Old Age which ought to be the Trade of our whole Life and to settle their everlasting and surest making or marring upon so sandy and sinking a Foundation as Old Age is well called an Evil Age for Reasons aforesaid Now the next and Second Point to be discoursed upon is How this Evil Old Age may become a Good Old Age as was Abrahams Gen. 25.8 and Isaac's Gen. 35.29 and Davids 1 Chron. 29.28 hic labor hoc opus est this is an high and an hard undertaking for the accomplishment whereof let this be the method As 1 st The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it may be so seeing the Evil Old Age which is so in it self and by decays of Nature hath been made a good Old Age by the power of Grace as in those three aforenamed 2 dly The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Reasons why it ought to be made so because our eternal Weal or Woe hangs upon it And 3 dly The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the means whereby this marvelous change from Evil to good may be wrought First of the 1 st That it may be so 't is clear not only from the many Examples of Holy Men and Women upon Record in both the Old and New Testament who all lived holily to a good Old Age and died happily at the last and the Scripture gives this honourable Character concerning Mnason that he was an Old Disciple of Christ Acts 21.16 And the Ancient
that those Young Ones are so c. Thus it appeareth that we now live in that last Iron Age even in the very Dregs of Time and we must expect ultima Senescentis Mundi deliria the last and the worst dotages of a decrepid and of a dying World c. The Second Part is the Duties which â—re to be done by all of us in our Old Age that we may not be deprived of â—hat Double Crown of Glory both of that â—n the Kingdom of Grace here and of that in the Kingdom of Glory hereafter seeing those two Crowns are the proper Dues of a Good Old Age by a Divine Promise wherein the great God hath made himself a Debtor unto all godly Aged Ones And if any of us be not such we shall not only lose the former of these Crowns to wit that of Respect and Reverence but be despised for our Dotage c. Let no Man take that Crown Rev. 3.11 â—n this Life but that which is worst of â—ll we shall lose likewise the latter and the better Crown in the Life to come Therefore to prevent this double loss many Duties are to be done The First Duty is We must examine â—ur States and Standings Godward c. whether we be still in the State of Nature and yet not broken off from the Wild Olive or we be in the State of Grace and now engraffed into that blessed and bleeding Vine the Lord Jesus Rom. 11.17 The great Apostle doth earnestly press us to the right doing of this first Duty 2 Cor. 13.5 where he useth a double Expressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Try your selves and Prove your selves know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Wherein he alludeth both unto Goldsmiths and unto Lapidaries who have their Lydius Lapis or Touch-stone whereby they discover true Gold from thaâ— which is Copper or Counterfeit and Natural Diamonds from Artificial Bristol-stones And those double Terms of Art are to stir us up that we may redouble our diligence in that most needful yet much neglected Duty of Self-examination foâ— tho' the decisive and final Trial of our Eternal Estate doth immediately and solely appertain to God in the Court of Heaven yet the Disquisitive and Soul-Comforting part doth belong to our selves in the Court of our own Consciences And therefore as an Omission or an Error here is most easie so it is of mosâ— dangerous consequence in filling our Spirits full of doubts and fears what shalâ— become of our Souls when our Bodies drop down into the Grave Hereupon the Divine Precept is doubled both in this Apostles Charge and in that of the Prophets also Excutite vos iterumque excutite as Tremellius renders the words Zeph. 2.1 The Second Duty is That we should make good proof of our Graces especially of that Foundation-grace of Repentance unto Life as it is called Acts 11.18 granted unto us Gentiles for where right Repentance towards God is given 't is always accompanied with faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20.21 This Grace of Repentance is so exceeding necessary that both our Lord himself and his Forerunner John the Baptist began their Ministry with this indispensable Doctrine Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Matth. 3.2 and 4.17 and Mark 1.15 Join Repent and Believe both together Now seeing the Tree is known by its Fruit whether it be good or bad Matth. 12.33 Luke 6.44 If we be no better than Bramble-Bushes no Grapes of Grace can grow upon us but if we be Trees of Righteousness of the Lord 's planting and watering as Isai 61.3 then shall we bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance Matth. 3.8 Now the true Notion and Nature of this Grace of Repentance is our turning from Darkness to Light Acts 26.18 and our returning from the faln Estate by the first Adam into a renewed Estate by the Second Adam As we are all Metaphorical Trees Aristotle calls Man Arbor inversa a Tree turned upward making the Head as Root and the Arms and Legs the Branches of this Tree c. Bernard calls Man Inversus Decalogus as quite contrary to God's Law therefore must he be turned up-side down as the Picture of the Horse and then right c. We have our Standing Time in our Life and we must have our Falling Time at our Death the Ax whereof is laid to the Root of us in those manifold Distempers which attend Old Age as if God were taking his Aim where to cut us up and how to hew us down Matth. 3.10 Now as all Trees be they strong Oakes or lofty Cedars must have their time of falling so all Mankind be they of never so robust a Constitution and be they of never so high either of State or of Stature must have a time of dying Heb. 9.27 and as Trees what way they mostly lean that way they usually fall whether it be Southward or Northward Eccles 11.3 So we ought to examine our selves which way our Wills and Affections do lean whether Southward towards the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 As 't is recorded of Abraham who walked with God that his Journyings were still towards the South towards the Sun Gen. 12.9 So all the Sons and Daughters of Abraham should hang Heavenward and should lean Southward then may there be good grounds of a lively Hope that when we die we shall fall upon the Right-hand of Christ among the fruitful Sheep and shall hear those comfortable words Come ye blessed of my Father c. Matth. 25.33,34 But if on the other hand we do not find that we have with David considered our former evil ways and turned our Feet our Affections towards God's Testimonies Psal 119.59 If yet we are not returned to God by Repentance but are still journying toward the North towards that cold Country where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of Teeth for cold tho' it be a fiery Furnace for heat Matth. 13.42,50 If we lean Northward and hang Hellward we shall surely fall upon the Left Hand of the Judge among the sâ—…nking Goats and receive that sad Sentence Depart ye Cursed c. Matth. 25.41 As the Tree where it falls Northward or Southward there it lies Eccles 11.3 even so where we fall at our Deaths whether Northward upon the Left Hand of our Judge or Southward upon the Right Hand of our Redeemer there we shall lie until the Resurrection-day for after Death comes the Day of Judgment Heb. 9.27 Then all both good and bad shall rise again c. The Third Duty of us Aged Ones is Not to dally or delay that weighty Work of making our Peace with God according to that Divine Counsel Acquaint now thy self with God and be at Peace with him and thereby good shall come unto thee Job 22.21 This great Duty must be now done we have been asleep or Strangers to God long enough Ephes 2.12 and 4.18 1 Pet. 4.3 Now is the accepted
it is indeed a Terror to Kings too the Philosopher calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most formidable of Formidables and Nature in the best doth find it frightful enough yet our Lord saith I will not leave you Comfortless John 14.18 The First Comfort against the Fear of Death and that our Lord hath left us for our Relief is 1 Cor. 15.55 that Christ hath unstinged that Serpent and that now his Redeemed may triumph over it Moses first fled from the Serpent but being better informed he took it by the Tail and then it became an Useful Rod in his Hand Exod. 4.3,4 Thus Israel at first fled from Goliah as affrighted with the sight of such a Monster of Mankind but so soon as they understood that David had slain him and laid him along without his Head upon the ground then did they run as fast to him to trample upon him c. as they had before run away from him sore affrighted 1 Sam. 17.24,52 So could we but believe that Christ our Lord David had swallowed up Death in Victory as we are assured Isai 25.8 and that Christ's Death is the Death of Death Hos 13.14 then might we sing a Triumphant Song with the Apostle over both Death and the Grave c. A Second Breast of Comfort against the Fear of Death is that precious Promise of God Thou shalt not be afraid when Destruction or Death cometh Job 5.21 and thus God said to Old Jacob fear not to go down to Egypt for I will be with thee and I will bring thee back again c. Gen. 46.3,4 Accordingly our Saviour saith to his sanctified ones Isai 13.3 Fear not to go down among the Dead which is a going the way of all the Earth Josh 23.14 for I will go down with thee and I will assuredly also bring thee back again as one of my Children of the Resurrection Luke 20.36 as if he had said I will bring you without failure from the Jaws of Death to the Joys of Heaven as surely as Ezra and Nehemiah brought all the Captive Jews out of the Captivity of Babylon and we must consider for our Comfort that Death seizeth upon the Body only which we derive from the First Adam as Joseph's Mistress seized only upon Joseph's Garment his Person escaped so the pretious Soul is returned to God that gave it Eccles 12.7 A Third Breast of Consolation for Saints to suck against the Fear of Death is the Righteous hath Hope in his Death Prov. 14.32 Death to a Believer is as the Vally of Achor Josh 7.24,27 Israel's entrance into the Land of Promise a Door of Hope Hos 2.15 into the Heavenly Canaan there to sing Hallelujah's to the Lord for ever Death indeed to Sinners is but a Trap-door that drops them down into Hell Psal 9.17 When that Grim-Sergeant Arrests them by God's Permission and Commission in the Devil's Name and hurls them into an Infinite Ocean of Hell-fire Oh what Dreadful Skreaks doth that Guilty Soul give when it is hurried away and hurled into Everlasting Burnings Isai 33.14 and to swim naked as i◠Scalding Lead and Liquor for evermore But blessed be God 't is better with the Saints whose Debts are all paid by their Dear Redeemer they are not afraid of the Arrest of Death but looks upon it as God's Officer sent to give them possession of a Mansion of Glory and therefore their Hearts are not troubled when their Lord sends for them to be ever with him in Heavenly Happiness John 14.1,2,3,4 and 16.7 and 1 Thes 4.17.18 Oh how willing was Old Jacob to go down into Egypt when it was only to see his younger Son Joseph whom he had not seen for many years c. How much more willing yea desirous ought we to be to go up to Heaven a far better place than Egypt there to see our Elder Brother Jesus Christ How glad were those Three Wise Men of the East to take a long Journey when it was only to see the Babe of Bethlehem Christ in the Cradle c Now if we can but say as those Wise Men said We have seen his Star c. Matth. 2.2,11 how much more ought we to long for this Journey c. that we may behold our Lord Christ advanced upon the Throne of his Glory and to behold his Face in Righteousness Psal 17.15 c. which is a Beatifical Vision a Sight far exceeding those Three Romam in Flore Paulum in Ore Christum in Carne which Father Augustin so earnestly wished to see namely Rome in its Glory Paul in the Pulpit and Christ in the Flesh Alas all those Sights are infinitely below the beholding him in his Glory 1 John 3.2 It was a good Prayer of the same Augustin saying Lord can no Man see thy Face and live O then let me die that I may see it c. A Fourth Cordial against the Fear of Death is Better is the day of our Death than the day of our Birth Eccles 7.12 'T is better every way For 1. Our Birth begins our Miseries but our Death ends them if we die in the Lord we are blessed Rev. 14.13 Whereas Man born of a Woman is born to trouble c. Job 14.1 Yea miserable so soon as warm in the Womb at Conception Psal 51.5 Birth is our entrance into this lower present Evil World Gal. 1.4 but Death in Christ is our entrance into the best and blessed World 2. We come crying into this World c. but some Saints have gone singing and triumphing out of it into a better World hoping that their Death was but the Day-break of Eternal Brightness c. A Fifth Cordial is that Death cannot separate us from the Love of God Rom. 8.28 'T is so far from destroying the Union that it is called a sleeping in Jesus 1 Thes 4.14 And as by sleep the frame of the Body is refreshed so by Death the Union of the Soul is refined Now when we are wearied with our days Labour we are not afraid to go take our rest When Lazarus died our Lord said our Friend Lazarus sleepeth John 11.11 and he said the same of Jairus's Daughter Matth. 9.24 and this is the frequent Phrase in Scripture to call Death a Sleep Job 7.21 2 Sam. 7.12 1 Cor. 11.30 Now as Sleep doth not separate Friends but only for a time betwixt good Night and good Morrow so no more doth Death which is but a bidding good Night for after sleeping in the Grave as in a Bed Isai 57.2 the Morning comes to rise again The Sixth Cordial is 2 Cor. 5.1,2,3 to 9. We know 't is not we think or we hope only this is the true Triumph of our Trusting in Christ our leaning upon the Lord Isai 50.10 that when our Clayie Cottages moulder down we have a Mansion of Glory to go to While we abide in those tottering Tabernacles we groan earnestly being Burdened ver 2.4 that is both with Sin and Misery whereof we have here our