things in the world and not to be paralleld whereof the reason is hid from vs though we see the things themselues But there is a great difference betweene the destruction or annihilation and the change of nature As we beleeue the resurrection of this our flesh so is it certaine that the nature of the same flesh shall subsist and remaine in the life eternall But the condition shall be changed in as much as this flesh vile and miserable shall be made glorious and happy These are some proofes brought by Tertullian Lactantius Firmianus in his Booke of the Heauenly Reward Chap. 23. obserueth That the Pagan Philosophers who desired to discourse of the last resurrection haue confounded and soyled this Article of our faith as al the Poets haue done Pythagoras maintained that the soule did transmigrate and passe out of one mans body into anothers and that he himselfe in the Troian warre was Euphorbus Chrysippus the Stoicke hath made a better answere who in his Booke De Prouidentia discoursing of the restauration of the world addeth This being so wee see that it is not impossible that after our death at the end of the reuolutions of some ages wee may bee restored againe into the state and condition wherein we are now But as Lactantius addeth the faith of Christians is much otherwise and their hope much more certaine For they vndoubtedly beleeue the resurrection of the flesh confirmed by most sacred and inuincible proofes of the holy Scripture by the promises of God and by the motions of the Spirit which raysed vp Christ Iesus from the dead as the Apostle declares it in the eight Chapter to the Romanes saying If the Spirit of him that raysed vp Iesus from the dead dwell in you hee that raysed vp Christ from the dead shall quicken also your mortall bodies because of the Spirit dwelling in you True it is that the wicked shall rise againe in their bodies but this shall not bee for any communion they haue with the body of Christ Iesus nor with his Spirit but simply by the absolute power of God who shall giue them againe their being life and motion to suffer the second death being for euer damned in their bodies and soules So then such a resurrection cannot be counted grace nor called regeneration nor a resurrection to life but a repairing to condemnation whereof S. Iohn writes these wordes in the twentith Chapter of the Apocalips Verse eleuenth c. I saw a great white throne and one that sate on it from whose face fled away the earth and the heauen and their place was no more found I saw the dead great and small standing before God and the Bookes were opened and another Booke was opened which is the Booke of Life and the dead were iudged by the things which were written in the bookes according to their workes and the Sea gaue vp her dead which were in her and death and hell deliuered vp the dead which were ion them and they were iudged euery man according to their workes And the wicked were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death And whosoeuer was not found written in the Booke of Life was cast into the lake of fire Blessed then bee God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who by his great mercy hath regenerated vs into a liuely hope by the resurrection of Christ Iesus from the dead to obtain an incorruptible inheritance which cannot bee defiled nor fade away reserued in the heauens for vs who are kept by the power of God thorough faith to haue the saluation prepared to be reuealed at the last day wherein we reioyce being now made heauy by diuers temptations as it is meete to the end that the triall of our faith much more precious then gold which perisheth and yet is tried in the fire may turne to our prayse honour and glory when Iesus Christ shall be reuealed who speaketh thus vnto vs in the person of his Disciples in the beginning of the 14. Chapter of S. Iohn Let not your hearts bee troubled You beleeue in God beleeue also in me There are many dwelling places in my Fathers house I goe to prepare a place for you and when I shall be gone hence and shall haue prepared a place for you I will come againe and will receiue you to my selfe that where I am there may you be also Then shall be the true regeneration and restauration of Gods children when the soule emptied of all errour ignorance and malice shall be filled with new illumination perfect righteousnesse and holinesse when the body clothed with glory and immortalitie shall see death swallowed vp in victory In him there shall be no fainting decâ—ying drooping nor old age The bodies of the Saints sayth S. Augustine in the 19. chap. of his Manuel shal rise againe without blemish without deformity without corruption heauines or impediment This shall as easily be done as their felicity shall be consummated for which cause wee call them spirituall although their bodies ought still to remaine not to be changed into Ghosts and Spirits As for the corruption which now presseth downe the soule and the vices by whose meanes the flesh lusteth against the spirit such flesh shall cease to be because it could not be able to possesse the Kingdome of God In regard of the substance of the same flesh it shall not be abolished but still remaine but euerlastingly glorified For this cause S. Paul said That the body being sowen a fleshly body shall rise againe a spirituall body because there shall be so strong an vnion betweene the soule and the body that the soule making the body to liue without any supply of nourishment and hauing no more combate and striuing within vs betweene the spirit and the flesh all being then spirit we shall not feele any enemies assaults nor dangers whatsoeuer without nor within but shall be repleat compassed about saciated crowned with permanent glory Behold as touching this point of the resurrection of the flesh The beleefe of this Article encourageth all Christians but particularly wise old men patiently to beare their infirmities and maladies remembring the counsell of the Apostle S. Peter in the third Chapter of his second Epistle Seeing that so it is sayth he that the heauens and the earth must be dissolued what manner of persons ought wee to bee in holy couersation and holy workes looking for and hasting vnto the comming of the day of the Lord by whom the heauen being set on fire shall bee dissolued and the Elements shal melt with heate But according to his promise wee looke for new heauens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Wherefore beloued seeing ye looke for such things be diligent that ye may bee found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse Let vs strengthen this Article of the resurrection by the notable sayings of S. Paul to the Corinthians Chap. 5. of the 2. Epistle We must all appeare before the iudgement
The sequele of the points propounded in the former Section concerning the resolutions and consolations against death Page 160. Chapter 19. Of the resurrection of the bodies and of the immortalitie of mens soules Page 180. Chapter 20. The conclusion of the Worke with a serious exhortation to old and young Also two Prayers for wise old men Page 196. Ay mee I lacke but life to make my will If thou hadst life it would be vnmade still Il y a esperance on vn bien faict Le plustost est le meilleur Hee that to doe nor good nor harme hath no deuotion Differs not from a Picture but in motion Dum Scribo Morior THE WISE VIEILLARD OR OLD MAN CHAP. 1. Of long life and the desire men haue to liue long in the world WE labour and essay in this Discourse that the aged person may haue his thoughts and affections somewhat more stayed and setled then those of younger yeares to the end to make him truely wise by expecting and longing vntill hee may bee perfectly euerlastingly wise in heauen By the wisdome which we wish vnto him no other thing is meant then that he should meditate and exercise himselfe in pietie iustice or vpright dealing charity or brotherly loue duties beseeming and requirable in the ancienter sort of persons in euery thing they doe so long as they soiourne and make their abode here on earth It is a thing very vsuall and common vnto vs all our life long which is but short to cast imagine continually with our selues the many difficulties and dangers are in it and it is a wonder to see how ingenious and witty we are to vexe and afflict our selues for triffles and things of no value There is nothing somuch doth trouble vs and makes old age terrible vnto vs as the feare to depart hence and to leaue this withering and transitory life whereof old age is the Catastrophe and last concluding act making an end of vs speedily and may be called the sunne set of our dayes Consider the ancienter sort of persons and you shall obserue almost no one humour so much predominant and raigning in them as a feruent desire to auoide all surfeitings and excesse and to keepe a good diet to the end to maintaine a little strength and to hold our life be it but for an houre and to perswade themselues they may liue one yeare longer at the lest Would you gladly please or flatter them doe but make them younger in yeares then they are by telling them they are not so old as they reckon and take themselues to be and that there is no cause or likelihood but they may liue many a yeare longer then others and forget not in words to extoll their experience sufficiency prudence and wisedome to contriue and wade thorough great matters you are by and by their onely man who but you none more made on It is a point of vndoubted truth that God created Adam and Eue not onely to enioy a life for some hundred of yeares but to liue for euer whereupon there was fixed and imprinted in their heartt a feruent desire to liue and not to see death For although that masse and lumpe of dust whereof the first mans body was formed and made did inuest him with mortalitie yet in regard of the likenesse and similitude which hee had with God death had neuer seized on him but Adam all his posteritie had subsisted and continued long vpon earth in a large and pleasant plot of ground purposely ordained for them to dwell in the whole world before sin entred being wonderfully beautifull vntill such time as he and all his posteritie without feeling griefe of minde or paine of body had beene by God translated into heauen if they had remained in the first estate wherein they were created But Adam and Eue hauing wilfully suffered Sathan to efface and deface the image of God in them they both and all their naturall off-spring long of them were made subiect vnto death became strangers to the life of God and were called Flesh an appellation and name very fit for them Howsoeuer this bee so yet by the speciall blessing of the Father of heauen through the meanes and fauour of his beloued Sonne who was ordained to be the Sauiour of all mankinde this present life how miserable soeuer it be by reason of sinne is no small Donation or pettie Legacy but a most excellent gift of God vnto his children I speake of long life promised to them which shall beare and behaue themselues as they ought to doe toward God and toward their neighbours as is recorded in the second and fifth commandement of the morall law where the promises are set downe whereunto that which is further added in the end of the 91. Psalme is referred and hath relation That hee which vnfainedly loueth the Lord shall be satisfied with long life But this longitude and length of life must not cause vs to forget especiall in all our troubles and trialls that by death wee haue rest and case from our toylings and labours and that this life of ours is a paineful pilgrimage a Sea-voyage full of danger and perill a mercilesse war sparing none making hauocke of all deseruing by reason of the euills that wee suffer and indure in it to bee tearmed rather a death then a life Vpon the consideration whereof a certaine graue ancient Father cried out O death how welcome and pleasing is thy doome and sentence to him that is in want to the man whose strength faileth him to him that is waxen very old and is afflicted on all sides hauing no part of him free from paine to the man that is at defiance and out of loue with himselfe and to him that hath cast off patience and is growne desperate What thing is there that may bee more desired then speedily to shake off and rid vs of these chaines to get out of the prison and darke and fearefull dungeons and deserts wherein wee are confined fast tied and bound that so wee may recouer the precious libertie to goe to our home to dwell in the house of the Lord and in his Palace of glory to triumph and reioyce What doth long life bring with it but a Chaos and infinite number of euills It hath beene said many yeares agoe This grieuous penalty vpon old men is set All the day long at home to grieue and to fret With sorrowes and woes they are compast about Still one paine or other they are neuer without They consume and weare old as they goe mourning in blacke And so at last with griefes heauy load away hence doe packe But he that hath liued well although he die when he is but twentie yeares old ought to haue his tombe erected and placed with the oldest and wisest and with great ioy and applause to haue this for his Epitaph I haue liued long enough and am content here to lye Because nature is pleas'd I should so
principle The iust shall liue by faith CHAP. IIII. What old age is and how many species and kindes of old age there be THE disloyaltie and fearefulnesse of Adam and Eue was the violent downefall of themselues and their posteritie vnto death and vnto all the forerunners of death as consumption diseases and wanne and pale old age which is the respectacle center and sinke of all mans miseries To speake properly God onely is incorruptible immortall immutable alwayes the same and whose yeares alter not And although it be said that the soule of man is immortall as Saint Augustine affirmeth in his first booke De Trinitate yet the true immortality is a perfect immutability and vnchangeablenes which no creature hath In God onely there is no variablenesse nor shadow of change as saith Saint Iames Chap. 1. 17. Verse Contrariwise our liues are variable and subiect to suddaine reuolutions changes and chances and our faire outside and feature of body turnes to bee as a moth eaten garment Our dayes as the Patriarch Iacob said to the king of AEgypt are few and euill or wearisome vpon earth Galen knowing well that old age a naturall infirmity which could not be auoyded did iustly reproue a certaine Philosopher who braggingly gaue it out that hee had a receipt would preserue a man from growing old Although saith hee old age be naturall and ineuitable and withall further addeth that this Philosopher being growen to the age of fourescore yeares dyed of a hectique feauer At that time when Saint Cyprian liued the whole world was iudged to be very much weather-beaten to be growen old and that all her former good dayes were gone and past Behold what this couragious Martyr of Iesus Christ saith of the world in his tractate of death If the old walles of your house should stand totteringly if the battlement and roofe should shake if the maine building should leane awry and the rafters postes groundsells and principall timbers should bee weake and rotten all of them giuing you warning of the perill yee are in if yee tarry in it would yee stand to delay and pawse on the matter and not get yee gone in all hast The whole frame of the world doth totter and reele and being old and neere her end shee cryes out that shee stands vpon her last legges and is quite downe and you deferre to serue God to seeke your owne safety and good by preuenting those euils which with her crimes are ready to fall vpon you and may bee escaped if you timely giue ouer the world Many learned Astronomers haue prooued by firme and sure demonstrations that the celestiall Planets haue altered their course and motions and that the Sun is come neerer to the earth that by his warme neighbour-hood such is the speciall prouidence and will of God the Elements which are become weake in their influences might be the better relieued Most certaine it is that the world is growen old that Kingdomes Common-weales and Cities haue their flourishing times and times of decaie kindreds also and whole families are rooted out and not a man of them to bee seene aboue ground and all the creatures which serue to our vse and are subiect to vanitie doe after their manner groaningly desire and looke for an end as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 20. But to returne to our Vieillard or old man who is the subiect of this discourse what other thing is old age then the road way to death For seeing that death is a suffocating and quenching of the naturall heate of the body old age makes way to him to enter and seize vpon the body the sooner The older men are the more weake and feeble they are in euery thing they doe and take in hand and this weakenesse of old age can in no sort be holpen and redressed though wee striue to doe it by keeping the heare from faintings and failings and in continuall motion For life and action end both at once it being impossible that the liuing creature should die so long as the heart receiues motion by the bodies action Moreouer old men who are of a dry and cold constitution are lesse fit to vndertake many actions exploites or imploiments They are not quicke enough of apprehension their senses fayling them by little and little the synewes lineaments and all the members of their body doe shrinke languish and decay their sight and hearing failes them they are chap-fallen and their teeth deny to champ and grinde the bread they must eat And as God hath appointed euery mans race of life how long it shall be and the stages hee must passe before he come to the end of it whereof old age is the last stage of all it is not euery mans desteny to goe so farre some waxe old sooner then others some beare their age very well some looke old and are not So that old age must not be iudged by the wrinkles in the fore-head by the white haires by the vnweldinesse or witherednesse of the body there being on the contrary some very old that haue a ruddy face and well coloured a sleeked and smooth skin and their haire of a cole-blacke or nutt-browne colour But it is fit rather to referre our selues to the wordes of the Psalmist in the nineteenth Psalme where mention is made of the yeares of mans life and of those things which often happen therein and of the many and manifold troubles and discommodities wherewith old men are besieged and compassed about Moreouer the Naturalists and Philosophers haue vsed to diuide old age as it were into certaine spaces paces or progresses The first pace and progresse is from fifty to threescore yeares at which age a man is yet lusty strong and youthfull especially those men who haue beene wise to liue abstinently and continently flying gluttony drunkennesse whooredome effeminacies excessiue paines taking and labours more hurtfull then necessary for the welfare and strength of the body ouermuch carking and caring and ouer violent passions of the minde which ouerwhelme the soule not suffering it to rest in quiet or making it to goe gadding and madding heere and there to and fro as it happeneth to the licentious ambitious couetous reuengefull irefull froward fearefull and such like persons who being tempested with disordered thoughts and vnruly passions are carried with the rage and fury of them so farre out of the way of reason and besides themselues that they can hardly hit the right way againe to the house and citie of God And though that after fifty yeares the strength of nature doth wane and by little and little doth abate and grow weake yet wee see that men at that age and after vntilll they bee threescore and fiue yeeres old and vpwardes are fit persons to bee imployed in publike places of charge and command as well for their counsell and wisedome to direct as for their ability and valour to execute and performe wherof we haue infinit examples in our owne Chronicles and moderne Histories
will that they should be short and miseerable which hee hath done to this end that we should with good Abraham hauing our fill full loade and backe burthen of dayes packe away and remoue from this life not as from a house of ease and delight but as from a base beggarly Inne making all the speed wee can to goe hence to enjoy that life which is free from all feare of death from sorrow errour and false dealing and is euerlasting O how blessed are they to whom God hath vouchsafed to reueale the way of life who by and through Iesus Christ haue obtained the fulnesse of ioy and those euerlasting pleasures which are in Gods right hand For although it be elsewhere promised that such persons being planted in the houshold and family of the Lord shall bring forth fruit aboundantly in their white old age shall bee in good case alwayes flourishing that their youth shall bee renewed as the Eagles yet is to be vnderstood rather of their spiritual vigour strength then of the strength of the body in which respect Lions Elephants Eagles doe farre surpasse vs. Whereupon the saying of the Prophet doth consent and agree that those which are the Lords followers and doe attend and wait vpon him doe renew their strength their wings doe spread and inlarge as the wings of an Eagle they runne and shal not be wearied they trauell and walke vp and downe and shall not bee tyred nor faint Isaiah 40. 31. The might and power of God doth so support and vphold them that they ouercome difficulties and hard vsage they can passe ouer and vndergoe all troubles whatsoeuer by the meanes of Iesus Christ who doth assist and strengthen them and doe at last happily end their dayes Neuerthelesse we grant and acknowledge that God doth sometimes set foorth vnto vs notable examples of hardy old men who for their strength of body and courage of minde may be wondred at Such a one was Moses of whom it is said Deut. 34. 7. that dying when hee was a hundred and twentie yeares old his sight was not dimme neither was his strength of body decayed Caleb also that valient chanpion and faithfull seruant of God who being fourescore and fiue yeares old said to Ioshua Chap. 14. I am as strong of body as I was when Moses sent mee for a Commander being more then fortie yeares since and I am as able to doe seruice in the warres and to march and trauerse my ground as I was then Saint Ierome writeth thus to Paul of Concorda Behold this is the hundred yeare compleate of thy life and yet thy sight is good thou marchest stoutly thou art quicke of hearing thy teeth are sound thou hast a shrill and eloquent voyce thy body is strong and lustly thy face ruddy and well coloured wherat thy white haires seeme to enuy and thy strength is such that thou art taken to bee younger then thou art thy blood which freezeth and is cooled doth not he betate and dull thy ready and quicke wit nor the wrinkles of thy forehead make thee looke strene and gastly We haue seen in our time many venerable old men there are to bee found many worthy Diuines that are threescore and tenne and fourescore yeares old whose age hath no whit diminished their strength of minde or sharpenesse of wit but that they are still to this day by their graue counsells godly communications and learned writings very helpefull to their Friends and doe good seruice to the Church to their Prince and Common weale and like Appius surnamed the blinde see more apparantly what is good and behoouefull for their countrey then those that sit neere the helme and gouernment of the State I affirme confidently of them that they are trees surely rooted and well grounded And that those verses of Virgill the Poet are wisely inuented where he saith The life of man at the best is as a vanishing dreame Old age doth furrow his forehead with sorrowes extreame And after many diseases and sore trauell without rest Death comes at last and lockes him vp in a chest Those that curiously search into the nature of things haue from time to time obserued that wee are no sooner borne but a certaine heat doth preserue our naturall and radicall moysture which at last especially in old age by extreame cold his contrary is cooled and quenched so as man hath not a iot of time left him to cherish his vitall powers or to maintaine the good temperature of his body wherein those of Pythagoras sect did hold life to consist But to conclude with experience and the saying of a wise man Although the Physitian vse as much art as he can to keepe vs aliue by purging our bodies of peccant humours and diseases yet at last he that is to day a King shall die to morrow Plato doth iudge That Common-weale miserable and not the best Where Physitians are sought to and are in request By whose account there is little regard to bee made of the chiefest townes and cities in Europe But let it be our dutie in all good manner to honour and adore the soueraigne Physitian who pardoneth all our iniquities the fountaines and causes of all our miseries and euills who healeth all our diseases who by the hope of a blessed resurrection doth secure our life from death who doth compasse vs with louing mercies and compassions Let vs pray vnto him to giue vs the true Aqua coelectis All those that haue their hope in him need not to complaine of the shortnesse or miseries of this present life seeing that such is the will of our Father in heauen that whosoeuer beleeueth in this soueraigne Physitian hath euerlasting life doth rise againe at the last day and aswell in body as in soule liueth and enioyeth eternall happinesse in the paradise of God CHAP. II. Of such persons as haue liued long namely the Patriarches before the flood IT is the saying of an ancient man that it is a thing indifferent and not against reason for a right good man to wish death or to desire to enjoy the life present in this world which to some is prolonged for their condemnation and to others as a speciall fauour of God so as wee bee alwayes ready according as it shall please God to yeeld vp our life or to keepe it still Life is to bee desired not so much for it selfe as for that we doe thereby attaine to the wisedome and knowledge of many and sundry things especially of things Diuine for the attainement whereof God who is Almightie and good bestowed vpon the first Patriarches the gift of long life The times before the vniuersall flood had herein a great priuiledge in regard of the off-springs and progeny of Seth. For though they were intangled and cumbred with many miseries as from the name Henoch is collected which signifies a man of misery and from the name of Noah whose father Lamech gaue him that name vpon the hope he
is mortall in vs may bee swallowed vp of life In heauen which indeed is the land of the liuing we shall be stripped of all that is vile contemptible mortall fraile and corruptible in vs and shall bee clothed with a robe of glory and blessed immortality In which countrey as Saint Augustine in some place saith we shall finde true and faithfull dealing and from whence all impostures errour and falshood is banished as there our ioy shal be a true ioy so there our life also shall bee a true life Now although the damned doerise againe yet to speake properly they shall not liue for their life shall bee in perpetuall torments and therefore are they stil kept aliue that their tortures should neuer haue end that their gnawing worme die not and that their fire of torment goe not out That life onely is to bee accounted a life which is both euerlasting and happy God hauing no purpose therefore that his elect children should mewe vp or confine their felicitie within the little narrow compasse of a brittle and perishing life but should seeke out and looke for another countrey where they may liue at more libertie and for euer hath beene contented to giue them a most assured testimony thereof before the law and before the flood in the person of the Patriarch Henoch then vnder the law in the middle age of the world in the person of his Prophet Eliah and in the last age of the world in the person of Iesus Christ Which three persons are now gone into heauen The first two as young schollers and disciples purposely trained vp and chosen to bee heires of eternall life that they might bee to all others worthy witnesses of euerlasting happinesse and that the men of their times might euidently see and bee assured by that which fell out in the liues of these two great persons whom Tertullian in his Booke of the resurrection of the flesh surnameth The white robed Saints of eternitie that there is another land of the liuing where wee shall one day meete together as well in body as in soule And as for Christ Iesus our Sauiour he as head of the Church and as a tryumphing conquerour of death and hell is ascended into heauen to prepare a place in his kingdome for those that be his to draw vnto him at the appointed time all the members of his mysticall body Then shall be fulfilled all the words of the Prophet mentioned in the end of the hundred and second Psalme Thou hast afore all times laid the foundation of the earth and the heauens are the worke of thy hands they shall perish but thou shalt endure they shall waxe old as a garment thou shalt alter and change them as a garment and they shall be altered and changed But thou art alwayes the same thy yeares shall bee at a stay and neuer faile the children of thy seruants shal dwell in thy presence and their seed shall remaine and be established in thy sight CHAP. III. Of the tree of Life and of the tree of Knowledge of good and euill MOst happy was the state and condition of our father Adam before his fall in that excellent Garden where his Creator had placed him Where so long as he would doe that which God commanded him hee liued at pleasure and hearts ease was in fauour with God who created him good he wanted neither meat nor drinke conuenient nor any good thing The tree of Life was a strong guard to his person to defend him against the assaults of old age that it durst not come neere to approch or seize on him he needed not to feare sicknesse or any outward thing to hurt or annoy him hee had there perfect health of body and tranquilitie of minde This Saint Augustine affirmes of him in his 14. Booke De Ciuitate Des chap. 16. Let vs adde that which Damascene writes of him in the eleuenth Chapter of Orthodoxall faith in these words That Gods will and purpose being to create man after his owne image and to make him the prime Monarch ouer all the world hee prepared and built him a most stately and sumptuous Palace where hee might lead his life in all happinesse And this was the Garden of Eden a store house of all sorts of spices and of all things else which might giue him content and delight a place very temperate radiant and shining with a most cleere wholesome pure and fresh ayre strewed all ouer with greene hearbes and with most fragrant and sweet smelling flowers In the middest was planted the tree of Life and the tree of knowledge of good and euill to no other end but to prooue and exercise his obedience and that hee might see that Gods will was not that hee should be distracted with diuers and wandring imaginations and that his chiefest businesse should bee to prayse and blesse his Creator and to make it his solace and delight to sixe his thoughts and affections on him These testimonies of Saint Augustine and Damascene doe explaine the wordes of Moyses who saide that the earthly Paradise for so is the Garden of Eden commonly called was not an allegoricall and imaginary Garden or some Orchard hanging in the ayre and not really in nature but it was the sight of a goodly countrey surueyed by measure had his bounds and abuttments vpon a certaine angle of the world towards the East where Eue was framed and carued out of the side of Adam and where trees and fruits did naturally growe and was the foode by which they did liue And this Garden of Eden was not the whole continent of the earth for Adam and Eue after their fall were banished and driuen out of it to goe to seeke there dwelling elsewhere All Diuines doe affirme that in the History of Adams creation as things are penned and set downe by Moyses in the three first Chapters of Genesis there were many mysteries contained But it followes not as Saint Augustine in his eight Booke vpon Genesis according to the litterall text learnedly cleares the point that in the said History of Adams first estate there was nothing conteined but Allegories Idenes and things mysticall As it must not bee inferred vnder the collour and pretext that the pillar which followed the people in the Desert was Christ that there was not a materiall and naturall rocke out of which gushed out waters which did naturally quench the peoples thirst in the Desert If then a mysticall and typicall sense bee the matter in question Saint Ambrose in his fourth Volume and Tractat Saint Augustine in his second Booke vpon Genesis vrging the words of the text litterally against the Manichees and Damascene in the place before alledged doe also say that the Garden of Eden was a figure of the Paradise and felicity of the Church in the middest whereof was planted Christ the true tree and bread of life out of which followeth riuers of heauenly and euerlasting life As also that it signified and
the caske or those who beholding the ecclipse would mainetaine the Sun to be alwayes darke But the holy Scripture speaketh otherwise of these things as also the wiser heathen people to wit that instead of taxing and finding fault with our life because of some discommodities and troubles are in it wee are on the contrary to acknowledge the excellent benefits which by it are bountifully communicated and bestowed vpon vs by our Creatour and heauenly Father who thereby putteth vs in minde that the glory of man doth not consist so much in the strength faire outside and feature of the body as in the endowments and gifts of the minde As also that nature is not to be blamed nor found fault with nor vnder her name the true God who created her and is the author of her essence and being seeing that as Chrysostome declareth in an excellent Homilie of his No man takes harme but by and long of himselfe And it is agreeable to nature that as the Ivie by winding it selfe about trees doth drinke vp their sap and makes them to die so old age killes all those whom shee doth louingly embrace in her armes So Ouid saith Old age eates the iron and makes it decay And Marble pillars to moulder away And Horace vpon the same theame addeth Of the dismall day that doth threaten with death Things vitall feele the smart and things without breath It is a wonder saith Cicero also if old men bee troubled with infirmities seeing young men cannot priuiledge themselues from them but are often enough feeble and weake The Sunne that riseth in the morning doth set at night there is not any thing that doth increase and flourish but it doth decrease wither and waxe old But to come neerer to our purpose let vs first discouer and lay open the remote causes of old age then those that are neerer and more inherent and naturall and let vs shew that they are not all of a peece and of one sort Those wee call the remote causes of old age which are supernaturall and which proceed from the disobedience of Adam and Eue and from the sentence pronounced against them by the Lord God For so long as God was mans friend the skie ayre and earth were so beautifull to behold that a fairer prospect could not be desired and man himselfe knew and perceiued how proportionably his bones and ioynts were set together and how exquisitely and perfectly hee was fashioned framed and made as well in body as in soule But man taking vpon him boldly to transgresse Gods commandement and to reuolt from his obedience had this punishment for his boldnesse and rebellion inflicted vpon him that within doores or touching his inward man he was not so well fortified with the spirit of God as he was before and abroad without doores or touching his outward man all his former blessings became curses as appeares by that which is contained in the sentence pronounced against him presently after his fall For where before he had liberty hee was made a bondslaue all the paines hee was put to in that pleasant garden of Eden whereof he was owner was onely to trim it and keepe it handsome which was an easie worke to the hard labour hee was put to afterward his sleepe and rest was disquieted with wearisomnesse and discontentments the Elements and all other creatures and things ordained for the necessity of this life and which before willingly offered and did their seruice vnto him were after his fall subiect to vanity and corruption and began to bee enemies and to proclaime open warres against this wretched Apostata man For the skie was troubled with tempests and stormes the ayre was infected with noysome vapours the earth brought forth thornes thistles hurtfull and venemous hearbes and the tame and wilde beasts stood with their seuerall weapons ready drawne to encounter and make head against him Man being then inuironed with the dreadfull wrath of God combred with so many euills and miseries and hauing so many ambushes and traines laid for him which hee was to passe and make a lane thorough it was impossible but that hee should by little and little waste his vitall spirits and consume his strength grow old and speedily come to his death if God of his meere good will to him had not eased his sorrowes and troubles and mitigated his afflictions prolonging the date of his yeares and letting some liue so long as it seemeth good vnto him Dauid lamenting this miserable condition of his saith in the extreame anguish of all his heauinesse and troubles There is no health in my flesh because of thine indignation My bones neuer leaue asking because I haue offended thee O Lord Psal 38. 4. And in another place he saith My dayes are as a shadow which vanisheth away and I am as a withered leafe ashes haue beene my bread and I haue mingled my drinke with teares because of thine anger and heauy displeasure and because hauing aduanced mee to great honour thou hast cast mee downe as low as the dust Psal 102. 10. 11. 12. Many yeares before Dauid Iob complaines That his dayes were like the dayes of a hireling moneths of vanity were giuen him for his portion painefull nights were appointed vnto him his flesh was clothed with wormes his skin was chapt and shrunke away and his daies passed away as swiftly as a Weâ—vers shittle Iob 7. 1. c. Briefly as Saint Cyprian saith in his Treatise of the vertue of patience this obligatory decree Thou art dust and to dust thou shalt returne doth binde vs vnder hatches and keepes vs chained in hold vntill death be abolished and we made partakers of a better life Thus much touching the remote causes of old age Now followes the naturall and inherent causes of old age As young men die vnwillingly so on the contrary old men fall of themselues into their graues like fruits that are ripe and according to the course of nature all things that are old doe by little and little decline and giue way to death Which caused some Diuines to be of opinion that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ among other reasons would not die of any disease or of old age that hee might not seeme to bee driuen and turned out of the world perforce by this naturall infirmity which doth threaten all the children of Adam As for that which is extraordinary peculiar and not so much according to nature wee may read examples thereof in Isaiah 40. Chap. 30. 31. The young men are weary and faint yea the lustiest young men doe stumble and fall flat to the ground but those that waite and depend vpon the Lord doe renew their strength their wings doe spread as the wings of an Eagle they shall runne and not be weary they shall walke and not be feeble and faint And the same Prophet foretelleth in the 65. Chapter concerning the restauration of the Church which is spiritually to bee vnderstood That hereafter there shall be in
doth transforme them into prophane persons and desperate Atheistes If the exhortation was necessary which the wise man hath giuen to euery young man in the twelfth Chapter and third Verse of Ecclesiastes To remember his Creatour in the dayes of his youth before the euill dayes doe approach what is to be said to old men vpon whom those dayes and painefull to passe and vndergoe because of the miseries that doe accompany them are already come more then halfe gone and past and almost at an end What a shame were it to old men to be reproached and iustly that they play at leap frog vse fond courtings and make foolish toyes and brauadoes and gadde vp and downe whethersoeuer their affections lead them and the lusts of their eyes It were well done to proclaime and cry out with a loud voyce Know that for all thy euill wayes God will bring thee to iudgement O hypocrite where art thou canst thou hide thee from others from thy selfe from God thy Soueraigne thou hast one foot in the graue and thou wilt fetch gambols and friskes and caper aloft that the world may see thou art still one of her minions and a fauourite of her vanities But let vs consider the disorder and licentiousnesse of youth which soone enough procure a miserable old age which besmeare and rudely handle the sinner and lewd liuer The first disorder and licentiousnesse as Philosophers Physicians and Diuines say is found in whooredome adultery and such like abominable sins of the flesh Aristotle in his Tractate of the length and shortnesse of life saith That the males of all creatures which bill often with the females are quickely old and doe waste and consume their bodily strength Galen said that Venus which doth coole the blood too much and weaken the body is the capitall enemy of old men and of hote complections Long before him the holy Ghost hath giuen a good and wholesome caueate and precept thereof by the instruction of Bethsaba to King Salomon her sonne for whom shee made so many vowes Giue not thy strength to women following the way which is the destruction of Kings If such infamous disorders and licentiousnesse bee insupportable and perilous in young men how much more in old men who are obliged and bound to remember the holy statutes and ordinances of their Soueraigne who in his inuiolable law ratified vnder great paines and penalties cryes out Thou shalt not be a fornicatour Thou shalt not commit adultery God will iudge whooremongers and adulterers and such persons shall not inherite the kingdome of heauen Wise old men tremble at the words of their great Prince who telles them in plaine tearmes That whosoeuer lookes vpon a woman to lust after her hath already committed adultery with her in his heart Matth. 5. 28. They mourne and lament when this interrogatory is ministred vnto them by the Apostle Know yee not that our bodies are the members of Christ Shall I then take the members of Christ to make them the members of an harlot God forbid Also he sayth Fly fornication for euery sinne which a man committeth is without the body but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his owne body Know yee not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost which yee haue of God and yee are not your owne men 1. Cor. 6. 15. c. The reason which he giues doth ouerthrow and cut off all pretexts that young and old men which despise the truth can alledge or take hold of to excuse themselues in accusing themselues You haue sayth hee beene bought with a price glorifie then God in your body and in your soule Let vs without producing further allegations and proofes in this case end it with the words of the same Aduocate of holinesse and truth This is sayth he the will of God and your sanctification that yee should abstaine from fornication and that euery one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentiles doe which know not God 1. Thessal 4. 3. c. The Prouerb is That when the belly is full the bones desire rest or we are apt for wanton delights Delicious fare gluttony drunkennesse cause young men and old to liue so dissolutely and licenciously as before is mentioned And whereas the heathen people sought to finde veritie in wine the Apostle saith to the Ephesians That in wine there is found vanitie dissolutenesse disorder and all misgouernment and misrule Bacchus and Ceres as a heathen man said are the fewellers and fier-makers to Venus Wine and belly cheare dull the vnderstanding and bereaue a man of his senses And it is the onely time for old men to remember the notable sayings of Salomon to this purpose when they are at their great feasts and iunketting bankets I will content my selfe with repetition of those sentences which are contained in the end of the three and twentith Chapter of the Prouerbes where both the vices are set downe together close one by another My sonne sayth the wise man giue me thine heart and let thine eyes be watchfull and looke to my wayes For a whoore is a deepe ditch and the strange woman is a narrow pit Also shee lieth in waite as for a prey and will make the trecherous rebellious and transgressours among men to bee many in number To whom is woe is mee to whom is sorrow and alas to whom are vproares to whom are murmurings to whom are strifes and quarrels without cause to whom are redde eyes To those that sit long at the wine and which goe to seeke mixt wine Looke not vpon the wine when it is redde when it showes his collour in the cup and goes downe plesantly It biteth in the end like a serpent and stingeth like a cockatrice Then thine eyes will looke vpon strange women and thine heart will speake lewd things Thou shalt bee as one that sleepeth in the middest of the sea and as hee that sleepeth in the top mast of a ship They haue buffetted me thou wilt say and haue giuen me many cruell blowes but I was so past sense I felt not when I did awake I will yet goe seeke after new wine To these elegant sayings heere described I will adde the precept of our Sauiour who saith Take heed to your selues least your hearts be oppressed with gluttony drunkennesse and the cares of this life and the last day come vpon you vnawares Luke 21. 34. Saint Peter saith Be sober and watch because your aduersary the diuell goes about you like a roaring Lion seeking whom hee may deuoure 1. Peter 5. 8. And lastly Saint Paul hath this sentence That fornicators adulterers effeminate wantons drunkardes and other wicked persons who are dead asleepe and hardened in their sinnes shall not inherite the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 6. 10. I forbeare to speake of the diseases which proceed of the disorders and licenciousnesse formerly specified or of the extraordinary plagues
they imitate and act the foule enormities and scandalous manners of some wilfull impudent young men But if according to the opinion of Seneca there is nothing more wretched in the world then the man who hath neuer had any misfortune crosse or affliction Let vs deeme him happy which beareth his afflictions in such sort that hee is confident and assured quickely to haue a release and end of them to his credite and true contentment But to proceed old men are not without laudable exercises imployments and delightfull studies and meditations If their feet bee slow of pace their mindes are quicke enough and ready to conceiue and apprehend as Euripides saith If young men doe know how to vse the Stoccado the Punto reuerso and are expert and cunning in their weapon it is old men doe direct them how to mannage a quarrell and when to fight for their aduantage and honour if heerein wee will giue credit to Plutarch wh writes that it belongs to young men to beare Armes and for old men to consult and determine what is best and profitable for the good and welfare of the State Old men then are the heads of the politicke body and young men are the armes As for holy meditations wherewith the soule is rauished and transported aboue the clouds they require not great strength of body but on the contrary when the wise Vicillard or Old man cannot without great paine stirre hand and foote and lies bedred hee comforteth and cheeres vp himselfe with diuine meditations sitting to his age and while fooles and dissolute persons confound themselues in base shamefull pleasures hee is priuately conuersant and talking with God hearkens vnto him inwardly speaking to him not daring once to looke vp with his eyes doth question and expostulate with him humbly prayes and sues to him preuailes and obtaines fauour of him to grant him his humble request and desires Young men that are so forward and bold to prouoke old men to anger and displeasure feele now and then that old men haue strong and forcible resistances sharp swords and words to to daune and dismay the stoutest of them As in our time it hath chanced to many great and meane persons who in regard of their age weakenesse of body being esteemed as dead men haue made young men to tremble and quake who earst purposed to plucke their skin ouer their eares before they had beene laide in their beds asleepe S. Ierome glanceth at these things and toucheth them by the way in his letters to S. Augustine I pray you saith hee doe not challenge and dare one that hath been an old beaten Souldier both by sea and land to single combate and to hand blowes with you who are but a young nouice and fresh-water Souldier remember Dares and Entellus in Virgil c. Cicero writeth that Agamemnon the chiefe Generall of the Grecian Army was wont to wish for tenne Nestors that is eloquent and wise counsellours and not for ten Aiaxes or stout Captaines and bold daring warriours Valerius Maximus in his eight booke chap. 1. maketh mention of certaine old men who being deepely strooken in yeares would not giue ouer to doe seruice for their Countrie and to the State and had good successe in their enterprises Among others hee nameth Marcus Valerius Coruinus who liued a hundred yeares and was sixe times Consul Also Metellus who being a very aged man was notwithstanding chosen chiefe Pontifex and worthily discharged the place Lastly Appius surnamed the blinde who in his decrepit old age caused his Litter to be made ready wherein he was carried to the Senate house where hee gaue his negatiue voyce and crossed the treatie of a dishonourable peace with Pyrrhus that it went not forward Some doe obiect that old age is to be feared because it bleares mens eyes or puts them out quite But will you reproach Appius that he was blinde who gaue eyes to his weake sighted countrey to see what was honourable and behoouefull for it I solemnely affirme that losse of sight is a discommodity which doth diuersly sometimes blast and smite young men from their cradle either thorough some defect in nature or by accident Some see best a farre off others neerer hand some cannot indure to looke vpon the Sunne others are so weake sighted that the light of the day doth offend their eyes some are borne starke blinde and some purblinde Howsoeuer this may bee yet old men are not without the comfort which blinde Asclepiades had who pleasantly said That hee had this benefit by his blindnesse that before he went all alone by himselfe but since hee was blinde hee went not abroad any whether but hee had the company of him that did lead him The solace and comfort of a wise old man who is become starke blinde or sees but very little is that hee hath no more the ill hap to see so many dissolute lasciuious arrogant impudent mad-braine-sicke and lewd persons with whom the earth is ouerspread Hee can make the same answere which a good Father made to Iulian the Apostata who to mocke and scoffe so much the more at Christians reproched and hit him in the teeth with his imperfection of sight I prayse God said the good Father that he hath giuen mee the grace not to see so wicked a man as thou art Let vs adde that which the good Anthony heretofore liuing a Hermites life not farre from AEgypt said to Didymus the blinde man of Alexandria a very pious and religious person and of singular learning as Sozomene reports in his third booke chap. 14. Thou oughtest not friend Didymus to hold it grieuous or molestfull to haue lost thy sight which myce lynxes and other brute beasts haue very piercing and quicke but rather to be glad and to iudge thy condition happie that thou hast eyes like the eyes of the holy Angells by whose helpe thou beholdest the Lord and doest perfectly see and discerne the causes of his workes But what auayles it to haue eyes in our head if our vnderstanding bee sensuall and brutish if it bee clouded with the darkenesse of ignorance Briefly if in question and discourse of good things wee be beetle-blinde and see no more then a mole How great cause haue we then to begge of the Lord with Dauid 119. Psalme To open our eyes that wee may be able to behold the wonderfull mysteries of heauenly knowledge The soule as Basil said in his first booke against Eunomius is glad and reioyceth which inquiring into things that bee diuine hath so good eye sight that shee can penetrate and pry into things that are not to bee perceiued by sense and can contemplatiuely behold the Lord with whom she shall dwell for euer Some find fault with and complaine of their memory the infirmitie whereof Seneca the Oratour in the first booke of his controuersies doth number among the principall hazards of old age and sayth it doth first faile and decay that in times past hee had a very
world without any pittie or ease vntill the first death deliuer them ouer to the second death to be for euer tormented in hell fire if in time they doe not reforme reclaime themselues and forsake their wicked wayes to dedicate their soules their bodies and goods to glorifie God according to his holy will The best and choycest antidote which we can prescribe to old men against the miseries which suddainly seize on them in their old age is that before hand they subdue themselues get the vpper-hand and master those passions which doe tyrannize and cruelly Lord it ouer Atheists and prophane persons that they chearfully vnder-goe and endure the miseries which doe assayle their bodies that they liue with an vpright and pure conscience before God and men that they alwayes haue their soule lifted vp and rauished at the saying of the Apostle that their habitation or right and priuiledge of Cittizens is not in this world for here we are strangers and way-faring men but it is in heauen that they may be strong in the Lord in whom wee are able to ouer come all things according as it pleaseth him to fortifie and strengthen vs euen to ouercome Sathan the world our owne concupiscence and sensualitie finally as the Prophet speaketh in an excellent Allegorie in the nintie-one Psalme On Lyons fell and Lyons whelpes and Vipers full of gall And on fierce Dragons they doe tread and haue no harme at all They alwayes remember that worthie saying of Salomon which he himselfe forgot in his distresse and when it behooued him more carefully to thinke on it to wit that he that is slow to anger is better then a mightie man and he which maistereth his owne affections is to be preferred before him that winneth a Cittie Pro. 16. 32. But it behooueth vs to treat a little more at large of the chiefest passions of the minde in old men to the end that the wiser sort may bend all their forces so much the more against them and may earnestly endeuour to consecrate the rest of their dayes to the glory of their soueraigne who is called the auncient of dayes ⸪ CHAP. X. The miseries of old men in regard of their mindes A Poet in times past called Old age the seasoning and as it were the sauce of wisedome And some haue thought that the word Seigneur is deriued from Senior which signifies an Elder or Auncient As if authoritie honour respect or reuerence did appertaine to none but those that were auncient being indeed vnfit attributes for young men whom if we reuerence or regard it is for their ripenesse of wit and capacities and in regard they doe wisely discharge and performe the seruice businesse and matters committed vnto them In the lawes of Pepin in the fift Booke of the Lawes made concerning free men and the ninth title there is read to this purpose of our Senior which signifies Seigneur this constitution vnder these termes Nullus comparet caballum bouem iumentum vel aliam rem nisi illum hominem cognoscat qui eum vendiderit aut de quo pago est vel vbi manet et quis est eius senior that is that no man buy a horse oxe nor labouring or sacrificing beast nor any other thing vnlesse he know the seller or of what village he is or in what place he dwells and who is his Lord and maister But this is spoken by the way To proceed It is very apparent that the heate of passions in youth beginning to coole and smoother out in old men many vices are extinguished and mortified in them by the helpe and assistance of long experience which makes them wise and aduised Notwithstanding which wee yet doe confesse that they haue great imperfections and that their owne folly doth often enough beate them and make them to smart the corrupt nature of Adam in his posteritie being not to be quite abolished but by death is abolished in some lesse and in others more during this pilgrimage according as it hath pleased God to permit some sooner then others to be better taught trayned vp and invred to bow and more willingly to stoope vnder the yoke of the Lord as Ieremy speaketh in his third Chapter and 27. Verse There are found very worthie old men who in their very old age by the direction of the holy spirit and a right trayning vp doe muster in troopes and shewe like victorious Captaines and Leaders of armies For hauing discomfitted and broken the rankes and squadrons of diuers corrupt affections which were their pernicious enemies they aduance and carry them as excellent Trophies of victorie and with hearts lifted vp behold the heauens and the reward of their calling aboue being able truly to say with the Apostle 2. Cor. 12. 10. when I am weake then am I strong To come againe to our poynt in hand old age hath his imperfections and there be old men who are cumbred and tortured with particular passions and diuerse diseases and pestes of the minde commonly called the euils of guilt of sinne and the euils of punishment of sin The punishments of sinne are torments and vexations of minde griefes passions feares and other miseries which at first being inflicted for the punishment of sin doe also sometimes afflict the children of God according as it hath pleased the Lord to exercise them and often according as the humour of choller or melancholy doth abound and is predominant in some more then in others Physitians long since confirmed by long experience grounded vpon the rules of science and a right knowledge of causes haue discouered these euils and diuers remedies for them in such sort that it cannot be denyed but that the studie of true Philosophie the continuall combat and conflict of a good minde against the defects and frailties of his owne inordinate and ouer-boyling passions a setled forme and order of life feruent prayers to God to represse these euils and to weed out this euill nature are of great vse vnto those men who doe make vse of such helpes and remedies We call the euils of guilt of sinne the vices of the minde which solicite vs to lust after and to doe things repugnant to the law and will of God and to the office and dutie of a good man It must be confessed that old men who haue not beene well instructed and trayned vp from their infancie or be of a harsh stubborne craftie slie-subtile nature and disposition are not without diuers grosse and enormous sinnes Yea so it is but to the vtter confusion and ouer-throw of themselues and their families that they growing still older and older such sinnes are not mortified in them but on the contrary the older they grow the more doe malice brasen-faced impudencie wickednes and villanie take deepe roote in them Whence doe proceede these nipping Prouerbes and by-words old fornicator old gyber old babler thankelesse old man old drunkard and more old drunkards then old Phisitians Formes and partes of speech by
wee haue of God Sixtly that we are not our owne men to liue as we list for we haue bin bought redeemed by a price to wit by the precious blood of Christ as a Lambe without spot and without blemish as S. Peter speaketh of him Of these strong and forcible reasons S. Paul frameth a holy exhortation to all men especially to old wise men whom it most concernes who before all others are bound to thinke and be mindfull of it Glorifie then God in your body and in your soule which belong vnto God Let vs conclude this short discourse with the definitue sentence of Christ propounded by S. Iohn in the last Chapter to the Reuelation in these wordes Blessed are those which doe his commandements that they may haue their right in the true tree of life and may enter in thorough the gates into the citie But dogs enchanters whoormongers c. shal be without Heere wee doe put wise old men in minde of the holy exercise of prayer and particularly we recommend vnto them the serious and continuall meditation of the one and fiftieth Psalme All that hath beene spoken against the aboue mentioned sinnes is extraordinary and vnusuall and it is a thing monstrous to see old men addicted vnto them or if such old men are to be found at last diseases and old decrepit age or some particular vengeances of God doe come to quench and put out such fiers of hell But there are sinnes which doe not grow old nor dye in old age but commonly grow young and reuiue againe These sinnes among others are couetousnesse anger or choler distrust or impatience Cicero thinketh that such sinnes proceed rather from mens manners then of old age because other ages of mans life haue their part in them as Ieremy said of the people of his times That from the inferiour to the superiour from the lowest to the highest euery man was giuen to fordid and dishonest lucre and gaine That old men appeare to bee more subiect to such euills then young men it seemes to proceed of their weaknesse and of diseases which doe incessantly harrie and molest them so that feeling their strength to faile feare inuades them and pynions thē vp in such sort that as one saith they are more afraid then euer they were before that the earth slides from vnder their feet are suspicious distrustfull and doe mutter at and finde fault with euery thing that is spoken or done Cicero excuseth these frailties and imperfections with this That they imagine they are despised not regarded mockt and scoft at And that they doe fitly resemble sicke persons who are quite out of taste with euery thing and nothing can be made or done to please or like them But all these froward humors are calmed and tempered by the knowledge of learning and exercises of vertue Moreouer Cicero wondereth very much to see an old man couetous for that it is a strange folly to load himselfe with much luggage and to massacre and torture his minde with making prouision of victualls when hee is neere his iourneyes end and almost at home Doe you not see said Saint Augustine in his 246. Sermon De Tempore that couetousnesse is so much the more furiously kindled and flames out in frozen old men when it is time for them to leaue and resigne vp all and when they cannot keepe any longer that which they haue gotten and scraped together O strange folly the neerer shee is to her home the more hasty and instant she is to lay on heauier loades then she is able to beare All this is well spoken by these worthy persons In all other things except in couetousnesse time doth discouer vnto vs more plainely what is to be done and how we may handle and feele the pulse beate But if wee question old men of the cause of this boyling desire and Cupid of theirs they answere in excuse That it proceeds not of couetousnesse but of parsimony and thrift and alledge foure speciall reasons or motiues First that their strength failing them thay are past getting and gathering and it behooues to seeke and forecast for helpe and stayes and to prouide pillowes and propps whereupon to lay their old bones and to rest their weake crazie age Secondly that their ayme scope and drift is by the lustre of their wealthy possessions and riches to keepe themselues in honour estimation and credit with those who disdaine old age that is spurr-gald with pouerty Thirdly that being not able to recreate themselues and to walke and ride abroad from this place to that their pleasure and delight is to bee cashiers at home to looke vpon their money bagges and to reckon what store of crownes they haue in Banke Fourthly that so they may in better sort prouide for their children and be bountifull and doe good to the poore These excuses are but pretences and the Apostle doth in few words answere them in the thirteenth Chapter of his Epistle to the Hebrewes saying Let your conuersation be farre from couetousnesse and be content with that which you haue for God hath said I will not faile thee nor forsake thee so that wee may boldly say The Lord is my helper wherefore I will not feare what man can doe vnto me Saint Basil in his Homilies or Sermons against couetous persons doth confute their seuerall allegations whereof we will here draw out a few lines vnto you If saith he old age doth put you to paine why doe you make it more painefull and tedious to you by treading morter and tempering clay to make brickes as heeretofore the children of Israel did in the time of their bondage in AEgypt If your strength faile you ought your charity therefore to faile If you so much loue and affect life will you therefore preferre the goods of the world before the Author of life will you therefore despise and not regard the true life Doe you desire to be had in honour and estimation Doe you feare to be contemned and despised practise that which the Prophet speaketh in the 112. Psalme and that which the Apostle rehearseth in the second Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 9. A good man is charitable and lendeth The iust shall bee had in euerlasting remembrance Hee distributeth and giueth to the poore and needie His righteousnesse remaineth for euer His might or horne shall bee exalted in glory Doe you desire gaine or profit Hearke what the Apostle saith to the Galathians Chap. 6. 9. 10. Let vs not be weary of well doing for in due season wee shall reape if wee faint not Wherefore while wee haue time let vs doe good to all men but especially to the houshold of faith What myching couetousnesse is it not to bee willing to part with somewhat of that which we haue and to let others haue a feeling thereof vntill wee bee dead to wit when we haue nothing to doe with it our selues Will you then haue men to wish your death or as they kill fat
hogges to practise and procure it that euery one afterward may haue a peece and a part Though you haue the gout in your feet it may not be in your hands as it is when after the example of the accursed rich man you will giue nothing to poore begging Lazarus What a shame is it to young men and much more to old men to waste and so badly spend and lay out so much money in banquets reuellings maskes yea in many lusts and shamefull pleasures and to shew themselues so pinching and niggardly in necessary beneuolences tending so many wayes to their honour credit and profit What wrong doth a rich old man to himselfe to loue rather to haue his table charged withsuperflous dishes of meate to haue a great retinue and number of leud seruants to take pleasure to bee cloyed with buffones impostors scorners of all religion then to shew himselfe religious indeed What a wofull case is it to giue lesse in a whole yeare to a great number of poore Christians then to some one detestable rake-hell who hath tenne times deserued to haue iustice executed vpon him to be nayled to the pillory or to be put in a sacke and castinto the sea Vndoubtedly couetousnes especially in old men knowes no meane in sparing or spending Sometimes shee is all for belly cheare and banquettings and as wee say throwes the house out at the windowes then shee is niggardly and pinching againe and like vnto Rhodomache a wilde beast in Polonia which forrages vp and downe seeking pasture to fill her selfe and afterward seekes to disgorge and emptie her panch to cramme it quickly againe fuller then before It is a pleasing and fauoured excuse among men saith Basil to alledge that they spare for their children But haue you begged children of God that hauing them you might forget God himselfe and your neighbours How many persons by their riches haue wasted themselues in pleasures to the wracke and ruine of their bodies and soules to whom it had beene much better to haue still beene poore What auayles it a man to gaine the whole world and to lose his soule to abound in perishing riches and not to haue one myte of faith charity repentance humility truth and stedfast hope And what of all this you deserue then a double punishment both because you haue doated and beene enamoured of this yellow and white oare and earth as also because your rauennous niggardship and base pinching on the one side and your monstrous and beastly prodigality and lauishing out on the other side haue bin the instrumentall cause of the dissolution perdition and ruine of your successors and children You thinke sometimes if you giue order that they bee well instructed in the feare of the Lord your Soueraigne and theirs that they shall lacke nothing If they be wicked the more you shall leaue them the worse they will doe O sot thou flyest pouerty which indeed hath want of some things and forgettest that the couetous person wants all things O mad foole sayd Iesus Christ speaking of the rich worldling Luke 12. 20. this night they will take thy soule from thee and whose shall these things be which thou hast prouided c. And I aske of you rich old men and not very wise who haue deuoured so many families to increase wicked riches for your children whose shall you bee and what will become of you when you must be dislodged and turned out of the world redeeme your sinnes by iust dealing and your iniquities by your beneficence and good deedes to the poore this shall prolong the prosperity and welfare of your successors and posterity which you so much desire And this counsell heeretofore wise Daniel gaue to the King of Babylon Dan. 4. 27. Let vs say further with a worldly wise man That he is rich who is content with his pouerty on the contrary hee is poore which coueteth more to that which he hath not he which hath little For what auailes it how much money a rich man hath in his Coffer or mowes of corne in his barne or heardes and flockes of cattle in his pastures or crownes at interest if he cast an enuious eye vpon that which another man possesseth if he reckon not vpon the goods he hath but vpon those he would haue Will you know what is the measure of riches The first is to haue that which is needfull the second is to haue as much as is enough or to suffice There is nothing then better or safer nor whereof our wise Vieillard ought more to take heed then not to suffer himselfe to bee bewitched and intoxicated with the poyson of couetousnesse which it behooueth betimes to root out of our hearts for if it take roote there euery eye shall see it bring forth leaues and fruites of all sorts of sinne according as the Apostle teacheth in the last Chapter of his first Epistle to Timothy For conclusion of this point we exhort the wise Vieillard to remember to imitate the prayers of Dauid in the 119 Psalme and to say with that great Prophet Encline mine heart to thy testimonies not to couetousnesse O Lord I haue thirsted after thy saluation and thy word is my delight I loue the doctrine of thy mouth better then thousands of gold and siluer Wee further present vnto him the prayer which followeth to the end hee may want nothing which appertaines to his duty or which he might require of vs. O Lord God Almightie which hast giuen me the vse and lent mee the commodities of this present life I am greatly displeased with the too greedy affection which I beare to transitory riches Behold this is the worst euill of my ouer thirsty and ouer greedy mind which no reason can allay no measure limit for the more I possesse the lesse I cease to couet the more I lose the possession of my selfe The greater my heapes be the lesser I find them My carking and caring is beyond measure to increase my reuenewes and to heape vp goods and possessions and still my couetousnesse makes the heape small Gaping after that which I hope I let that which I hold in my hand fall to the ground All that I doe is a very dropsie of the minde In hunting after plenty I haue found scarcity and want and imagining transitory things to be very profitable I finde my selfe intangled in the toyle of miseries out of which I cannot get They are precious chaines and manacles I confesse but they binde me as fast as if they were of iron They are chaines which make me forget thy holy maiesty to neglect my saluation for which I ought diligently to watch and labour O my God tame and suppresse this vnruly wilde and ouer greedy affection making abstinence and continence to spring vp in stead thereof Ease the heart in my breast which panteth and gapeth for breath Change this denne of rapine and robbery into a quiet lodge and harbour of holinesse Wash and wash againe these grosse
and reckons of death the threatnings and rage of Tyrants As Solon who being demanded By what vertue hee did so braue the Tyrant Pisistratus answered His old age Touching the contempt of death and a resolution couragiously to apprehend and embrace it who will not maruell to heare the wordes which the great Cyrus King of Persia vttered to his sonnes a little before his death My dearely beloued sonnes said he when you shall see mee no more thinke not therefore I am quite annihilated and no where for when I was in your company you could not perceiue my soule but onely discusled it in your minde to be in my body by the deedes and actions you saw me to doe Beleeue then that the soule is still aliue and in being although you see my body no more Neuer could any man perswade mee that the soules of mortall men perish with their bodies nor that being departed out of our bodies past feeling and sense that they are without feeling and sense on the contrary seeing that the soul being at liberty and hauing nothing to doe with the body begins to become pure and wholy to see and behold it selfe I hold and maintaine that then it is in full perfection of knowledge and vnderstanding Furthermore the case standing thus that death is the dissolution of nature wee see whither all things tend to wit to their first matter whereof they were made the soule excepted which we see not how it comes into the body remaines there nor goes out You see that there is nothing so much resembles death as sleepe But the soules of those which sleepe shew their diuine nature in this point that being free from disturbance and at rest see and behold things a farre off and to come which plainely declares what they must bee after they are deliuered from the prison of the body This being so reuerence mee my sonnes as a thing diuine but if the soule be to perish with the body yet giue not you ouer to feare the gods which maintaine vphold gouerne this Principall master peece called Man And in this doing as good children you shall inuiolably preserue my name To this Oration which is bettered by Cicero in his Dialogue of old age reciting Socrates who in prison wisely and stoutly discourseth of the immortality of the soule Old Cato also addeth that seeing the soules of men are so prompt and apprehensiue to remember things past and of so wise foresight in things future and to come haue inuented so many trades arts sciences so many rare and notable things It is impossible that such natures capable of so great excellencies should bee mortall And seeing the soule is in continuall agitation and motion which shee originally hath not to wit from any extrinsecall cause and from other then her Creatour which Cicero forgetteth seeing shee mooues and stirres of her selfe it followes that shee shall euer haue such agitation and motion for shee will neuer leaue or abandon to bee her selfe Further that the soule in it owne nature being a substance simple pure vnmixt hauing no disagreeing qualities cannot be diuided and being indiuiduall it followes it is immortall which serues to prooue that men are capable and of vnderstanding before they bee borne seeing that children in learning the baser and more seruile and meaner trades arts and sciences doe on a suddaine comprehend and conceiue infinit things ere on would say they begin to apprehend and vnderstand what this or that is but onely their memories serue them to retaine and beare them away Cato afterward affirmeth further That if the soules of men were not immortall good men would not desire or aspire to a glory which is durable and ay-lasting What meanes this saying That euery wise man dieth most willingly and the wicked depart hence full fore against their will and with much griefe and vexation of minde Seemes it not vnto you that the soule which sees more cleerely and father off knowes she goes to a better place On the contrary hebere dull and sencelesse man is vncapable and ignorant heereof Verily I desire nothing more then to see your forefathers whom I haue made much on respected and honoured and besides I desire to be with those of whom I haue heard men to speake and discourse whose bookes I haue seene and perused and whose names I haue quoated and mentioned in mine owne writings Now that I am onward in my way and making hast to goe to them It would be a troublesome and hard matter to hale mee or make mee roule or goe backe as men would a ball or a bowle And if God had made me a grant to become a childe againe and to cry in a cradle I should stifly and with might and maine refuse such an offer for seeing I haue almost finished my course I will not bee recalled from my last end to my first state and condition Is there any commoditie in this life Is not this life painefull in all her reuolutions terminations periods and endes But put the case this life hath many commodities so it is that wee may be full gorged satiated and glutted with them and see and end of them too I will not for all that way wardly and testily fret fume storme and chaffe at this life as many learned men haue oftentimes done and I repent me not that I haue liued for I haue so spent my dayes that I account of my selfe as one that hath serued for some vse and for something in the world I goe out of this life as out of an Inne and not as one out of a house seeing that nature leaues vs here in this world a time to passe and walke vp and downe but not heere to settle abide and continue O happy the day when I shall goe to the holy company of blessed soules and shall leaue the base rabble and rascally route of the world See heere for certaine the worthy Treatises of men ignorant of the immortality of mans soule but as they did gropingly and blindely imagine Notwithstanding they were grounded vpon this imagination that nothing being so common nor of more price and account with man then the loue and preseruation of himselfe a care and regard ought especially to bee had of that part which properly may be called Man to wit the soule and that the way and meanes to liue well and happily consisteth in the knowledge and comtemplation of things diuine inciting and prouoking vs to good workes so as the tranquility of our mindes consisteth not properly in being freed from paine and griefe but rather in being deliuered from those raging and vnruly passions which hurry the wicked vp and downe For as Seneca sayth in his booke De Prouidentia those casuall miseries which our owne hands bring not vpon vs are sent for our good that our many vertues may the more gloriously shew and appeare and that as wee cut Vines to make them yeeld the more fruit so by the smart and wound of
with a deuout zeale and courage But let vs yet come neerer and according to our proiect and purpose let vs see what helpe and comfort Philosophie and faith doe yeeld and afford vs against our naturall frailtie While we are in this world wee cannot haue freedome and ease from all our affections perturbations and passions nor from all sense of our miserie Then seeing it is so let vs at least take a course to moderate them and with patience to beare our condition which we shall easily doe if we call to minde what our sinnes doe deserue and how great the wisedome and goodnesse of God is in turning our aduersities and troubles to be profitable and wholesome medicines and helpes vnto vs. Let vs then first acknowledge in our originall and naturall frailtie that which is remarkable and to be obserued in all the children of Adam S. Bernard sayth in one of his Sermons vpon the Canticles Man being aduanced and raised to honour is become as a brute Beast he dwelt in a garden and had a pleasant dwelling and very delightfull was not pressed with any care or annoyances wanted nothing was surrounded with sweet smelling flowers with fruits pleasing to the taste was crowned with glory and honour was supervisor and Lord ouer all the workes which his Creator had made But his chiefest excellency consisted in this that he was created after the Image of God was a companion with the Angelles and with all the companies of the hoste of Heauen But hee hath changed this glorie and is become like to the Beastes O lamentable and woefull change That man a trimmer of a garden of pleasure Lord of the earth a cittizen of Heauen a domestique of the Lord God of hostes an heire of heauenly happinesse by a suddaine change is become naked miserable poore like to the beastes which with a bridle we awe and keepe vnder Now as man is come naked out of his mothers belly so shall hee returne to the earth carrying nothing with him of all his labour and trauayle For to draw some comfort from that which hath beene spoken let vs now and then ponder and weigh with our selues that it is our fault and misdoinges hath brought these euils and miseries and others much more grieuous and heauie vpon vs that we must not blame God but our owne disobedience Then let vs consider in God such a mercie as doth easily swallow vp all the miseries of this present life in as much as he turneth and changeth them to medicines profitable to vs. To which purpose S. Augustine said vpon the exposition of the Psalme 22. Man knows that God is a Phisitian that affliction is a remedie procuring his saluation and not a punishment effectuating his damnation When a remedie is sought for the Phisitian brings a searing iron and fire thou cryest thy Phisitian heares well enough thy roarings and clamours but he heares not to doe as thou wouldest haue him to doe but to heale thee Behold according to S. Paul in the fift Chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines how the Phisicke workes Tribulation brings forth patience and patience experience and experience hope Let vs then haue before our eyes this molehill of earth whereof the bodie is kneaded and made and the grace of the holy Ghost proceeding out of the most hidden treasures of Gods loue whose will it hath bin that this vile masse of earth should bee a vessell of his glory Let vs make reckoning of it in as much as our bodies so sayth the Apostle 1 Cor. haue beene made members of Iesus Christ temples of the holy Ghost Let vs not be lesse considerate and ingrate then the incredulous and prophane Gentiles who haue so deepely considered the frailtie viletie miserie of our originall as Lactantius in the second booke of his Institutions Chap. 12. collects out of the first booke of Ciceroes lawes that they haue acknowledged that this wretched poore liuing creature in whom is seene such wisedome prudence wit memory a large and deepe vnderstanding and reason was created of the high God to be eleuated and aduanced to an excellent state and condition Although then other liuing creatures devoid of reason seeme better prouided and armed touching the bodie then man Some being very swift of foote as Hares Does and Stagges others armed with sharpe clawes and hornes as Lyons and Bulles others dight trimmed and sheltered with feathers and wings as Birds and Fowles yet notwithstanding this is done by the exquisite prouidence of God as Chrysostome notes well That all the power and strength of man should be in the soule and that man should be so much the more strong in God as he is more weake and naked without This mystery and secret long agoe was acknowledged by Dauid and all wise old men to teach the younger ought to remember it Thou hast sayth he speaking to God put thy strength in the mouth of little children and sucking babes Surely in this first age sustained gouerned guarded and protected by a speciall wisedome and admirable power of the Creator he seemes to lay as the first foundations of his power and might to make them manifest to them that haue any vnderstanding thereby to quell and confound with shame the enemies of his name Atheists and prophane persons which dare contest and contend against him In the Psalme 22. the Prophet strengthened by his owne experience sayth assuredly O God thou art hee which drewest me out of my mothers belly thou gauest me assurance and safetie at my nurses brest I haue been in thy custodie tuition and charge from the wombe thou art my strong God from my conception And in the Psalme 139. Thou hast possessed my reines from the time that I was lapped vp and couered in my mothers wombe I will celebrate and prayse thee for that I was made in so strange and wonderfull a manner Thy workes are wonderfull and my soule knowes it right well The good proportion and setting in order of my bones was not hid from thee when I was made in a secret place and curiously fashioned beneath in the earth Thine eyes did see me when I was as a formelesse embryon all these things were written in thy booke before they were O mighty God how precious then vnto me are the considerations of thy workes and how great is the number of them will I take vpon mee to count them they are more in number then the smallest sands These are the holy meditations of Dauid So then casting our eyes to the ground vpon this little heape of earth whereof our bodies are formed wee learne to hang downe the head and bowe downe the crest and to abate more then three parts of our pride and selfe conceit On the contrary lifting vp our eyes to heauen from whence our soules tooke their beginning and where the great Father of spirits dwelles we haue cause giuen vs to reioyce and occasion with all alacritie and readinesse to trample vnder our feete all
those earthly and transitory things which nature it selfe teacheth vs to dispise And an instruction also to lodge and harbour our meditations and thoughts in that Palace of infinite glory wherein wee are assured that all those that are righteous and sanctified to God by Iesus Christ shall bee assembled to blesse and prayse him for euer If on our birth day wee are extruded and come forth into the world crying and weeping Let vs also remember that presently we receiue the visible signe in Baptisme of our admittance into the Church and habitation of the liuing God that wee put on Iesus Christ that wee are consecrated to God that wee receiue the Hostage and pledge of that happy life to which the Sonne of God hath regenerated and begotten vs by his precious blood That it is hee that wipes away our teares which giues vs good hope and eternall consolation which he sufficiently ratified then when he so louingly caused the little children to bee brought vnto him layd his hands on them saying to his Disciples Suffer little children to come vnto me and forbid them not for to such is the kingdome of heauen So much touching the first beginnings of our life I come now to other afflictions and crosses which seeme to assayle and to lay neere siege to aged persons These opponents are so mighty and many in number which Salomon considering hath oftentimes sayd in his Ecclesiastes That all that is wrought vnder the sunne is very vanity That man reapes no profit of his labour and trauell and that all his dayes he feeles affliction and vexation of spirit Hauing shewed that all the soueraigne good dreamed on in outward and transitorie things is a meere imagination hee wisely concludes That this good consisteth in the feare of God and keeping his Commandements declaring that all mans good consisteth heerein Wee cannot more briefly and certainly cleere this point For whosoeuer knowes not God to reuerence and stand in awe of him with a pure heart and to subscribe and submit himselfe to all his Statutes and Lawes walketh not in veritie but vanity Wherefore it behooues vs euer to come to this point That there is nothing more miserable then the man which vnderstands not loues not nor seekes after nor knowes any thing but the things vnder the sunne and which happen many times without trauell or paines taking to the wicked and succeed quite crosse and contrary to the godly and good But happy is the man which earnestly lookes vp to God walking in his presence and beleeues that all things shall further the helpe together for his good Light shineth to him in darkenesse hee stands fast and is neuer mooued he feares no euill tidings trusting assuredly in the Lord. If he want the necessary things of this life his riches are in Gods hand and keeping who giueth him contentation and contentment Hath he a costly leud wife and bad dissolute children It is the proofe of his patience and the exercise of his faith as it was in Iob and Dauid of whom one had a very spitefull shrewd wife and the other children wholly giuen to lewdnesse and mischiefe wit Ammon and Absolon Is hee seized with maladies hee calleth to minde what Basil writes vpon the Psalme 45. Oftentimes sayth he sickenesse and maladies serue to tame and reclaime vs On the contrary sanitie and health often hurteth enough in that it helpes and furnisheth many with occasions and instruments to doe euill and mischiefe Againe in the 124. Epistle hee sayth Make account that a maladie or sickenesse serues for a schoolemaster wherewith to attaine to this good that making no reckoning of the body you also dispise whatsoeuer is fraile or transitory troublesome and past hope or recouery to be placed in the heauenly company and to liue in this world as if already you were in Paradise Pondering these things in your minde all your life will bee a day of feasting and ioy and it will bee ioyfull vnto you to impart your ioy to many others But why should we finde it euill or strange to see our body hardly handled and kept vnder which feeling it selfe fat and well fed pampred and at too much ease will worke the wracke and ruine of the soule and as a hote furious horse boundeth and reares vp aloft and seekes how to cast his rider and to lay him on the ground Vndoubtedly mans proper strength is an inward vigour of minde held vp by and depending vpon God whose power and strength is principally seen and discouered in our weakenesse For which cause S. Paul writeth Being weake I am strong 2. Cor. 12. 10. Dauid was of the same minde in his greatest agonies and sorrowes I am sayth he in the Psalme 38. weakned and sore broken I roared for the great griefe and terrour of my heart O Lord my desire is before thee my sighing is not hid from thee my heart is tossed to and fro my strength fayleth mee and the light of mine eyes yea they are no more vnto mee But seeing I waite on thee O Lord thou wilt answere O my God Forsake mee not be not thou farre from mee my God Hast thee to helpe mee O Lord which art my saluation So many excellent promises dispersed throughout the whole Bible shall they not haue the efficacy to reclayme and encourage vs Let vs haue a heed full eye I pray you to the reiterated protestations of Gods loue towardes his of that fier of loue which all the waters of the world cannot quench To which purpose Salomon spake in his last Chapter of the Canticles Set mee as a seale on thy heart and as a signet vpon thine arme for loue is strong as death and iealousie is cruell as the graue the coales thereof are fiery coales and a very vehement flame Many waters cannot quench this loue and the floodes cannot drowne it If a man would giue for it all the substance of his house it would be contemned The Prophet Isaiah also sayth in the Chapter 44. Thus hath the Lord sayd that made thee and formed thee from the wombe and which helpeth thee Feare not O Iacob my seruant the righteous whom I haue chosen for I will powre water vpon him which is thirstly and floodes vpon the dry land I will powre my Spirit vpon thy seed and my blessing vpon those which proceed out of thy loynes And in the Chapter 46. O house of Iacob and all that remaine of the house of Israel whom I haue borne from the wombe and brought vp from the birth I will doe the the same to your old age yea I will beare you vntill your hoare white age I haue made you I will beare you and I will carry you I will rescue and deliuer you As touching old men I speake to those that are wise they shall finde in the Scriptures forcible and fitting arguments of comfort For first although the life of God be blissefull and vnchangeable yet for the honour and maiesty of his eternity
no tormentes nor tortures canne quell or dismay their stoute minde nor no Bug-beare or terror is gastly or horrid enough to fray and affright them The Lord hauing made a couenant with his Church which here on earth is compounded of all sorts of people hath giuen vnto it two strong propps of hope to wit his spirit and his true word This spirit is called the spirit of wisedome vnderstanding counsell power knowledge of sanctification veritie consolation life faith grace The word is called the word of life of saluation of the grace of God of our reconciliation with the father of Heauen A word testifying that all thinges were giuen vs necessary to life and pietie by the knowledge of him who hath called vs by his owne power and glorie by which are giuen vnto vs great and pretious promises that by them wee which are regenerated by the holy Ghost and the word should be made partakers of the diuine nature being deliuered and freed from the concupiscences and corruptions of the world Whosoeuer hath not this spirit of Iesus Christ and trusteth not in the promises of God a midd all his babble and prattle of the contempt of death and the benefit of old age is still in doubt hath feeble hands trembling and staggering knees haltes feedes himselfe with the winde and not with any assured consolation But the iust doe liue by faith are strengthened and vpheld by it which makes them reioyce all wayes in the Lord who sanctifies them preserues whole and entire their mind soule and bodie vnblameable vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ CHAP. XV. An aduise to wise old men conteining the summarie and substance of their dutie vntill their last gaspe IT should remaine now to treat of death and the certaine remedies against it But before we enter therein we will propound to our wise Vieillard an aduise drawne and taken out of the volumes of sacred Philosophie to leade him more easily on to that whereunto he aspires But it behooueth those who are almost at their wayes end more heedfully to consider both the way they haue gone and are to goe for their further encouragement to their dutie Behold then what I pretend to remember to whomsoeuer being in old age will vouchsafe to hearken to him who is drawing neere vnto it It is reason that the grace of God witnessed in so many sortes so many yeares and sealed in our Baptisme at our first entrance into the world and into the Church when we haue rightly apprehended in whom we are dead and in whom quickned doe cause vs to wish a continuall sense and feeling of our adoption by his spirit speaking to vs by his word and witnessing with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God This sense and feeling doth engender or beget an excellent desire an earnest devotion a firme resolution to yeeld him obedience all our life long but more at the dissolution and end of our life then at the beginning which is devoide of knowledge conscience experience wisedome plunged and drowned the greater part of tyme in ignorance selfe opinion insolencie and ribauld and lasciuious impudencie Now then it behooues so soone as we feele the motions of this grace that our hearts be replenished with a sincere and liuely affection to obey God not according to our worldly sense but following the rule which he himselfe doth propose and set downe vnto vs. Touching this affection it is commended vnto vs by generall and speciall reasons The generall reasons are that our God is holy and that we his people cannot cleaue vnto him except we bee holy likewise then as members belonging to Iesus Christ our head and redeemer we ought to be made conformable to him imitating his life which is called the obedience to God his Father euen to the death of the crosse The speciall reasons are First that God is our Father Secondly that Christ hath washed vs by his precious bloud and incorporated vs into him Thirdly that this our head is ascended vp into heauen Fourthly that we are the temples of the holy Ghost Fiftly that our bodies be predestinated to the last resurrection and our soules to immortalitie both of them to euerlasting glorie Whereupon it followes that it is horrible ingratitude not to be willing to obey the will of our heauenly Father that it is madnesse to returne to the filthinesse from which we haue beene so dearely and preciously cleansed and purged that it is detestable iniquitie to wish and to will the members of Iesus Christ to bee ioyned to Sathan and to the world that is but reason for euer to burie all earthly affection to aspire to a better life to be by a liuely faith set in the heauenly places and to feele and taste of life and euerlasting glory that we must not grieue him which dwelleth in vs our counsellor guide and comforter That it is good reason to preserue our selues immaculate and pure euen vntill the day of our Lord. Hauing treated of our affection let vs speake of the rule thereof declared in such wise and so expressely in the law of God to make vs yet to see as the soule and mayne of all that his good pleasure hath beene to forme and fashion our manners by a most exact manner and order and which serues as a commentarie of all that is contayned in the sayd Law That is that wee should renounce our selues to the end to be fit to apply and frame our selues sincerely and wholly to serue God because we are not our owne but Gods Whereupon it followes that a Christian be he young or old and the old is more bound to this dutie then the yong because God hath vpheld and supported him long hath bestowed many blessings and benefites on him and a blessed life whereinto hee is nowe entring ought to search and learne out what God willeth and approueth briefely whatsoeuer serueth to the advancement of his glorie Those which are of an other minde are styled and tearmed by the voyce of truth vngracious hypocrites vngratefull reprobates All these licentious and inordinate humours S. Paul in his Epistle to Titus comprehendeth vnder the word Impietie To which hee opposeth the duties of Christians marshalled and ranged vnder the three excellent giftes of the holy Ghost in the regenerate to wit sobrietie iustice and pietie And in this sacred triangle is included the renouncing of our selues And the Apostle not without cause hath begun with temperance which especially concernes vs which moderates our lustes and desires banishing and driuing away sensuall carnall worldly and vncleane and filthie affections much more their detestable effortes and effectes It is shee which doth fashion and frame vs to a true square rulle and order as well in the moderation of our wishes and dreames of worldly houour and greatnesse as of our inordinate beastly concupiscences suggested by the vncleane spirit In the violent pursuite seeking and hunting after proud vsurping sacrilegious detayning and miserable possessing
of goods not goods but perishing and transitorie and which doe not enlarge the straight boundes of this present life where wee are confined and this is our happinesse comfort tranquilitie to deliuer vp and resigne our persons goods our affaires briefely all that we loue into the handes of our heauenly Father humbly beseeching him euery houre to subdue guide and gouerne our heartes by his grace and power Whereupon it followes that it ill becomes all Christians much more wise old men to be voluptuous ambitious or couetous Also that in all the accidents and chances of our life we ought quietly to submit and yeeld to the will of God Touching the word Iustice which respecteth our dutie toward our neighbours it requireth two thinges The one is that wee rightly examining and considering what we our selues are wee should preferre others before vs the other that our studie and endeuour tend to this end faithfully to procure their benefit and good In this behalfe it is wholly requisite that we be furnished with humilitie patience a frank and liberall mind least we fall into the neglect and contempt as well of those that are of the houshold of faith as of those which seeme not to be not shrowding our selues vnder this vaine subterfuge shift and coullor that our neighbour is a stranger one we know not contemptuous base vile vngrateful an enemie vnto vs. For to all this the law of humanitie charitie the image of God his honour mercie and goodnesse makes a suyply Moreouer euery good doing and deede ought to proceed from a well informed conscience a sincere affection of heart without which our workes are soyled and tainted with damnable hypocrisie with peruerse confidence vaine arrogancie infamous reproch fond opinions As that God is our debtor to repay and requite vs that our neighbours are exceedingly bounden and obliged vnto vs yea that hauing performed some small dutie in this or in that wee are freed and discharged euen in the sight of him of whom we hold all that we haue to whom we owe all that we haue without whom we are nothing of our selues without whom we can doe nothing of our selues of whom onely wee ought to glorie in whom alone it behooues vs to put our affiance and trust from all other duties of charity whereof we willingly make our selues ignorant or basely refuse neither louing God nor our neighbours nor ourselues and liuing one with another as brute beastes before the eyes of our iust Iudge But it is requisite that our wise Vieillard mount vp yet higher though the way bee narrow rugged vneuen steepe and headlong to wit that he bee continually readie and prepared to beare the crosse which God layes vpon him that is to be exercised within and without by diuerse temptations and afflictions all the remainder and rest of his dayes If from his youth he hath borne the yoke hath not bin brought vp in the shade but hath endured stormes cold and extreame parching heate his travaile toward the euening of his life will be lesse tedious seeing the houre of his rest is neere and at hand Hereupon he will call to minde that his heauenly Father who from the cratch did handle in like manner his owne and onely beloued sonne will also that his members be made conformable to their head and hath predestinated them thereunto whereof this most excellent comfort doth follow that being vnder the crosse we partake of the afflictions and suffrings of our Lord. Furthermore for diuers reasons afflictions are necessary for Christians more particularly to old men First the vaine assurance of their flesh the opinion of their sufficiencie their obstinate selfe-willd conceipt their arrogancie require such a correctiue Secondly they haue need to be kept in humilitie and in a reuerend awe of God to the end so much the more heartily to seeke and sue for his grace without which it would be impossible for them to stand vnder the burthen much lesse to sauour and relish well how sweete and wonderfull the Lord is in their bodily and spirituall deliuerances Thirdly It is necessary also that their patience and obedience may more euidently appeare it being vnpossible for them to stoppe vnto God if hee doe not awe and reclaime them by afflictions Fourthly Their life past is had in remembrance to the end that being chastised in this world by the rod of a Father they may bee kept in order in their maisters seruice who scourging their bodies comforteth and saueth their soules in the hope of the last resurrection briefely hee chastiseth those that are his in this world that they may not perish with the world Now among the sundry sortes of crosses and afflictions one among others carries with it singular contentment as when wee shall suffer for righteousnesse for Christs name sake for the maintenance and defence of Gods word and truth Christians willingly lay downe their neckes vnder the light yoke of the Lord and reioyce at it not with a stupid or hastie mad braine-sicke or fond toying ioy their reioycing is spirituall accompanied with that magnanimous resolution which appeared in the Apostles after they had receiued the holy Ghost and in all their true Disciples This doth not vanquish nor abolish true patience cōsisting in this that Christians doe not faint altogether vnder the burthen that presseth them But in the anguish and bitternesse of their heartes feele the sweetnesse of the consolations of the holy Ghost which comforteth and strengtheneth them vnto the end so as the loue of God vanquisheth the vanitie which cumbers them in the world In this appeareth wherein the Philosophers patience differs from the Christians One sayth that it is an vnresistible necessitie or doing of that which must bee done and counselleth to beare what is vnavoidable But the other telles vs that wee ought so to depend vpon the consideration of the iust wise and good will of God that wee acknowledge that our sufferings in the world are equall agreeable honourable profitable that therefore wee ought to bee couragious and resolute in them glorying in the constancie that our God giueth vs and will alwayes giue vs at need The principall fruit which the wise Vieillard may gather from the tree of affliction is that by the taste thereof he should be enured to contemne this present life which would beguile and bewitch him if all things succeeded according to his sensuall appetite and lust Afterward this fruit makes him by faith to relish and taste the sweetnesse and pleasure of the happy life which is reserued for vs in heauen For if in youth and old age We see nothing but troubles and dangers in our course heere on earth if our delights bee mingled with griefes our hony with gall our pleasures bee steeped and drenched in distastes and discontentments our mirth end in teares to what purpose should wee start backe and retire And why should wee bee sorrie to goe out of prison to goe into the Palace of libertie out
So likewise is it requisite that thou being emptied and stripped of the world and the concupiscences and lustes thereof shouldest be wholly changed and deuoted to further and aduance the glory of God Whereupon the Apostle said That our old man is crucified that the body of sinne may be destroyed Our Lord hauing beene nayled to his crosse is there-dead and wee his members ought to die to the world and to our selues in such sort that as those which are dead we should make no more reckoning of the things of the world should be without sense or feeling of them and should haue neither synewe nor veyne stretching or tending that way To this purpose S. Paul said to the Colossians you are dead and your life is hidd in Christ Furthermore we must also be buried with the same Sauiour He that is dead hath no more care of the world yet before he be buryed the world hath care to winde him vp in a sheete to Coffyn him then to carry him to his graue where being interred all societie and dealing one with another is at an end In this sort many who thinke themselues to be dead to the world pretending and making semblance to haue renounced it are not yet buryed because the world makes great account of them doth reuerence and worship them But it behooueth vs to be dead and buryed to the world in such sorte as we haue as small accompt and esteeme of it as of a stinking carrion and that it esteeme so of vs. For it is an ill signe when the children of this world speake well of vs. It is then a thing requisite and necessary that we be buryed with Iesus Christ by Baptisme into his death And it is fit also that we descend as our head into hell that is that we haue a right knowledge and a liuely feeling of our sinnes which is done when wee feele in our hearts the loue of God our Father in Iesus Christ crucified For being convicted to haue offended him we must descend to confesse and earnestly to decest and abhorre our pride ignorance infidelitie malice obstinacie and other vices Seeing then that these pollutions and defilements haue so much and so greatly displeased God that to purge them out of the world he hath deliuered his owne sonne to death we are brought to this point in some sorte to know our misery and how much we our selues doe displease God Moreouer as the Sauiour is risen againe so his members ought to rise againe in newnesse of life in such sort that afterwardes they haue no motion or inclination whatsoeuer but to glorifie God walking as persons whose conuersation is alreadie in heauen Christ is risen againe therefore his members ought to rise againe not onely at the last day but hourely and continually in newnesse of life so that thence forward they haue no motion or disposition whatsoeuer but to glorifie God Christ is risen immortall for that hauing triumphed ouer death death hath no more dominion ouer him Thereupon S. Peter sayth to Christians seeing our Sauiour hath suffred for vs in the flesh it is reason that we be armed and resolued in mind that he which hath suffred in the flesh hath ceased from sinne willing and ready to say that Christ the head pledge and suretie for all Gods children comming to die consequently to satisfie fully and wholly the Iustice of God for them hath clearely discharged the debt for all his members who are obliged to him vnlesse they would crucifie him againe and hold the precious bloud of the euerlasting couenant for a prophane thing to cease and giue ouer to sinne For being dead to sinne buryed to the world risen againe to God they ought to sinne no more nor to die in sinne much lesse to remaine dead therein Sinne ought no more to raigne nor haue dominion in them they ought no longer to obey their euill lustes but to curbe and restraine them by the spirit which doth quicken guide and gouerne them Our Lord is ascended vp into heauen In like sort if we be liuing members of his mysticall body we ought zealously and with all our affections to be elevated and raised vp vnto God truely to say with S. Paul that our conuersation is in heauen The same S. Paul sayd to the Colossians Chapter 3. 1. If you be risen againe with Christ seeke the thinges which are aboue that is heauenly and diuine not earthly and sensuall Now as this good Sauiour soone after his ascension into heauen for a testimony of his infinite glory in that he is set at the right hand of God the Father Almightie sent his holy spirit in a visible forme vpon his twelue disciples So we likewise after we are raised vp to God shall feele our selues filled with this spirit and with feruent charitie which will then appeare when wee shall illuminate kindle and inflame our neighbours in the loue of God not onely with our wordes but especially with our doings and deedes by the good examples of a blamelesse life Iesus Christ ought to come to judge the quicke and the dead And if we be his members a liuely fayth will make vs to feele the sweetnesse of these wordes of our Sauiour Come yee blessed of my Father possesse the inheritance prepared for you before the foundation of the world Let vs adde that as the judge of all shall be judged of none so shall it be with all his true members in the great and last day And who should judge them seeing the Father iustifieth them in his son and by the mouth of his sonne pronounceth them just blessed and heires of the kingdome of heauen Wherefore Christ Iesus denounceth that he which heareth his word and beleeueth in him hath eternall life and shall not come to condemnation that is shall not be judged but is passed from death to life Ioh. 5. 24. This needes no further exposition And it were to blaspheme whosoeuer would call into question the certaintie of our saluation by Iesus Christ alone who is dead for our sinnes risen againe for our iustification that we might be the righteousnesse of God in him Let vs say further with S. Paul 1 Cor. 6. 2. 3. Know yee not that the Saints shall judge the world Know yee not that wee shall judge the Angells But as after the last judgement Christ Iesus shall remaine in heauen in incomprehensible glorie so true Christians already risen againe by faith and sitting together in the heauenly habitations with their head hauing their conuersation in heauen shall there appeare and be found all perfect entire in their bodies and soules with their Sauiour who in raising them vp againe shall change their vile and contemptible bodies so as they shall bee made conformable to his glorious bodie according to the power and efficacie whereby he is able to subdue all things to himselfe If wise old men doe in a quiet and sober moode meditate and consider these thinges euery one of them hanging
agoe spoken that we looke vpon death afarre off and still thinke him to bee a poore feeble impotent which marcheth with a slow pace and is yet fiue or sixe thousand dayes iourney behinde the weakest of our troupe not considering that death is on the threshold of our dores yea is our chamber-fellow a guest at our tables and our bed-fellow too Death hath alreadie trussed vp the fairest and best part of our life like a Sergeant which taking vs by the throate carries away vnder his arme our money-bagges our precious iewels and vpon his yeomens shoulders our curious houshold moueables Not to wonder hereat consider sayd S. Basile the changes and revolutions of ages Doe wee not obserue how in three weeks of yeares three are dead Childhood is passed away and all his fond and vaine wishes haue left vs As much may be said of other parts of our life The case being so then that the meditation of death belongeth to all persons and that nothing is so miserable as not to know to die and that to feare death is an euill more dreadfull then death it selfe seeing also that the proper force of faith consisteth in this not to be afraid of death It is meete now somewhat the more at large to treate of this poynt and to shew what other holy and prophane Authors doe say therein to our purpose to wit to remoue out of the heart especially of euery wise old man the too violent and raging apprehension of death and to strengthen and fortifie so well the minde that it bee neuer dismounted or throwne out of the seate of assurance wherein it is setled by the knowledge of the truth First We will shew that euery one especially our Vieillard ought continually to meditate vpon death and betimes to prouide and furnish himselfe with remedies against the affrightments and terros thereof Secondly what death is how many sortes there are what death it is ought to be feared Thirdly for what reasons the Heathens haue so manfully contemned death Fourthly of the extreamities which must be avoyded and of the meane that it is meete to keepe in all Fiftly the defences and comfortes against death the commodities of it and the great benefits which they reape by it who in young and old age make their recourse to Iesus Christ the food and drinke of eternall life The two first poynts shall be handled in this seauenteenth Chapter the other three in the Chapter following First It is reason that we should betimes thinke vpon death and meditating thereon we should castour eye vpon the freedome life immortalitie and other benefites which ensue it For he giueth death a ioyfull wellcome who before hand is prepared for it and who seeing him to come as at the beginning is no more moued and troubled thereat then the passenger which with a fauourable winde should in shorter time make an end of his sayling A certaine Auncient compared our life to him which is set in a sayling Ship be he sitting or standing he forwardes his way So wee euery moment make towardes death in our waking sleeping standing still or going But it is meete to settle and invre our mindes not to be too much affected and to doate vpon this present life not therein to lazie and house them as if it were their Countrie but rather to thinke that we are way faring persons from the Mansion and royall Pallace of our heauenly Father Let our minds then sigh and groane in this Tabernacle let them meditate vpon and wish for that happie life wherein all corruption shall bee swallowed vp least it happen to them as to those inconsiderate persons who being a long tyme growne lazie and idle in some incommodious rude and base Inne cannot bee haled out thence whatsoeuer remonstrance and counsell is giuen them But on the contrary let vs call to minde our originall and that wee are the sonnes of the euerlasting King that heauen is our countrey that for a while wee trot vp and downe in the earth as little children which are carryed out of cities into countrey villages there to bee nurssed vp till there fathers and mothers send to fetch them home Let vs remember that wee are poore passengers and that after much running vp and downe wee must returne home to our dwelling and settle our selues in some certaine place least our hearts make a stay and demurre at the things wee behold with our eyes and which haue some appearance to deceiue and detaine them Let vs take great heed of being desirous to dwell and to rott and stincke in the close and darke denne of our body and this present life which is nothing else but a horrid pryson of infinite temptations cares carckings and dangers where pleasure is vnpleasing where our ioy is vnsure where wee are tortured with feare scroched with lust and concupiscence wasted with sorrow and griefe Let our soule be daily couersant in heauen let our heart be where our treasure is By this meanes wee shall easily contemne all things that bee earthly transitory and perishing Whosoeuer doth daily thinke that hee is mortall and the Vieillard ought to thinke on it more then any other dispiseth that which hee sees present and makes hast to those happinesses which are future and to come I know no better meanes for our serious conuersion to God and to inioy perfect comfort then the remembrance of the end of our race in the world and the meditation of death This is a powerfull doctrine to draw vs out of the swallowes and gulfes of intemperance impatience and all riots and excesse Let vs remember our Creator in the dayes of our youth before old age and death intrappe and seize on vs Let the end of our actions and affayres bee before our eyes to containe vs in our obedience to God When death is betweene our teeth it is too late to prouide remedies against the terrours thereof He is vnaduised who thinkes to cast out his lading when his ship is all leakie takes in water on all sides It is no time to make prouision for a voyage when men are put forth and forward at Sea Hee deceiues himselfe who seekes preseruatiues when the pestilence is spread all ouer the body and hath seized the heart The foolish Virgines bethought themselues vnseasonably to seeke oyle for their Lampes when the spouse was entred and the gate shut But our Lord hath willed that the day of our death should be vnknowne vnto vs so much the more to dispose vs to waite for it following the example of those faithfull seruants who not knowing the houre of their masters returne stand vpon their guard carefully watching Such seruants are wise But the slothfull dissolute riotous who make spoyle and hauocke of all in the house without care of their master are mischeeuous and vnluckie Plato writeth in his first booke of his Common-weale That when any one is come to this point to thinke that he ought to die out of hand and
yet is so heedlesse that death doth surprize him hee suddenly falleth into griefes frightes dispaires horrors for not hauing in his life kept reckoning of those things which hee ought maturely and betimes to consider of Wee adde that this is wholly necessary by somuch the more as we are to render our account before the in euitable throne of the eternall Father of that great family which must appeare before him Verily the meditation of death is not irksome anxious perplexing nor ought we to deferre it from one yeare or age to another according to the sottish opinion of the vulgar But cleane contrary to thinke that nothing doth safeguard or assure vs so much in the middest of aduersities and dangers as such meditation It is that which makes vs sober in prosperitie prest ready and prepared in all euents Also as Saint Cyprian sayd to the people of Thibara wee weare not enrolled by Baptisme among Christian Souldiers to thinke that we ought to doe nothing else in the world then there to seeke and hunt after our pleasures and ease turning our backes to conflictes woundes death Saint Augustine writeth in the fifth Chapter of his thirteenth Booke De Ciuitate Dei That faith would vtterly bee weakened if presently after our Baptisme we should become immortall and should be crowned before we had fought 2. Let vs see in the second place what death is how many kindes there are and how it ought to bee feared and contemned Life and death according to Aristotle are common accidents to all liuing creatures for that the reason of originall and corruptible matter doth so beare mainetaine and require it Touching the condition of the first man and how hee had euer liued continuing in his obedience to God wee haue formerly spoken of it in the discourse of the tree of life Furthermore as the condition of man created after Gods image who kindly receiued him into his alliance was excellent By so much the more miserable dreadfull and terrible is the death into which hee fell after his reuolt then the death of other liuing creatures whose soule dyeth with the body and who after this annihilation feare no torment whatsoeuer But wee speake heere of the death of man which God caused not for hee also taketh no pleasure in the death of any but rather in the conuersion good and saluation of vs all This doth not impugne but that God is a iust Iudge punishing sinnes and suffering no misdeedes and transgressions vnpunished but bringing all things to their endes by miraculous meanes wherein his wisedome doth manifestly appeare although very often the instruments which hee vseth to execute his iust iudgements may haue foule crimes and grosse faults In this sence it is sayd That God woundeth killeth whetteth his sword that he bringeth to ruine that hee casteth the body and soule into hell and that hee sendeth the wicked into euerlasting fire So then God hath not made death but death is crept and entred into the world thorough the diuells enuy and malice and mans disobedience Saint Augustine in a certaine place sayth That if God had made death hee would not with teares haue bewayled dead Lazarus whom therefore hee raysed and restored to life that the diuell might see that it is but lost labour with such rage and fury to pursue the children of God to take them out of the world forasmuch as those whom we deeme vtterly lost and destroyed doe liue vnto God Touching their errour who held that Adam should haue dyed though he had not sinned Saint Augustine answereth That all Christians are to hold this point for firme and vndoubted that Adam and Eue were created such that if they had reiected the counsell of the seducer who spake by the Serpent continuing in the free liberty wherein they were they had enioyed eternall life and not dyed But making no reckoning of obeying God their Lord and abusing their free will prone and ready to yeeld to the suggestions of Sathan and their owne lustes and concupiscences so as they very soone felt the effect of the threatning denounced to them both In that day that thou shalt cate of the forbidden fruit thou shalt die the death Before his fall the first man was mortall as touching the condition of his body immortall by the good pleasure of his Creator before sinne hee could not dye But by the redemption of Christ Iesus the elect of God shall obtaine in the life eternall euen the same priuiledge that the holy Angells not to be able to fall from the state of grace nor to dye And as touching this point that our father Adam dyed not so soone as he had obeyed the voyce of Eue it doth derogate nothing from the truth of the sentence pronounced against him nor from the haynousnesse of his sinne For the sence and meaning of the threatning Thou shalt dye the death is as if God sayd certainely thou shalt be subiect to the first death which is a separation of the soule from the body and to the second death a fearefull punishment forasmuch as it is an euerlasting separation from God from the light of heauen from ioy vnspeakeable from the life which is blessed for euer If then it be demaunded how can it bee that Adam liued after his reuolt and falling away Gregorie the great doth sufficiently to the purpose make answere in his 145. Epistle of his fifth Booke that death in two kindes steps in and seizeth vpon vs eyther by the priuation and defection of life or by the quality of life In regard of the first kinde of death Adam dyed not so soone but rather as touching the second For presently after his disobedience being depriued of happinesse of the state of innocency of contentment of minde of a strong sound constitution of body hee felt himselfe couered with shame horrors sorrow with sundry miseries knew himselfe to be aliue in paine vnder the curse of his Soueraigne who was created by Gods fauour to liue in an excellent estate and perpetuall quiet and tranquility of minde Some thinke that wee meddle and goe too farre to say that man transgressing in time was pronounced guilty of temporall and eternall death The Iewes bewitched with the like errour doe dreame that they haue no need of a Messias to abolish and take away sinne and to deliuer from eternall death This errour did grow from the ignorance of the definition of sinne as also of the soueraigne and infinite Maiestie of God whom man had offended by his transgression For sin being a reuolt and falling away from God to ioyne and cleaue to the diuell and a transgression of the holy law in dispite of God man sinning could not escape eternall perdition and punishment but by the grace of his Redeemer as by obedience hee had kept his Creators fauour for euer Euen so then as it is not iniustice as Saint Augustine sayth in the 11. Booke De Ciuitate Dei Chap 11. If Magistrates capitally punishing many haynous
crimes and offences doe banish for euer the malefactors from humane society Who shall dare to say that it is iniquity in God the Lord of the permanent and durable City if he eternally banish out of his kingdome of glory his sworne enemies the wicked who continually offend him And the polluted prophane vniust reprobates who plot and conspire against God and their neighbours remaine for euer vnder the wrath and curse of the Lord For iustification of all consider onely the corruption of humane nature and what the sonnes of Adam are in themselues For howsoeuer the beleefe touching the immortality of mans soule be orthodox and most true yet may it fitly bee sayd that the soule is subiect to a certaine kind of death Wee call it immortall because it ceaseth not to liue and in some sort to haue sence and feeling The body is mortall because it may bee depriued of life which consistes in the residence of the soule in it from whence floweth that which doth maintaine it not liuing of it selfe but by the soule which doth gouerne and mooue it But the death of the soule is when God doth abandon it and depriue it of his grace And wee say that man is vtterly dead when the soule is quite gone out of the body and that God doth abandon the soule finally adiudged to euerlasting torments S. Augustine will that the name of death bee deriued from the venomous morsure or sting of the infernall serpent the diuel then by him brought into the world when hee first bit and stung out first mother Eue leauing fast sticking in vs the sting of sinne which the Apostle calleth the sting of death This sting being blunted and taken away death ceaseth mortally to sting vs. When S. Ambrose writeth in his Treatise of the benefit of death Chap. 1. 2. that death hurteth not the soule consequently is not euill seeing that nothing but sinne hurteth the soule it is to bee vnderstood of the bodily death in respect of Gods children Therefore hee maketh a â—hree-fold distinction of death the one good the other euill the third good or euill The good is the mysticall death when a man dyeth to sinne and liueth to God whereof the Apostle speaketh That we are buried with Christ Iesus into his death by Baptisme The euill is the death of sinne whereof it is written Then soule that sinneth shall dye And the third is the end of our race and calling in this world that is the separation of the soule from the body of good men accounted good of wicked men euill Although death doth vnshackle and set all persons at liberty very few yet are to bee found which take pleasure therein But this proceedeth not from any offence that is in death that is in the separatiof the soule from the body but from the infirmity of mortall men who suffering themselues to goe on in their carnall pleasures and delights of this life doe tremble and feare to see themselues at the end of their race in the earth louing long life there to liue euilly that is there to dye hourely O how sweet is the good death to wise old men to men and women who are the seruants of God who watch who pray who cry to their Lord in repentance in faith and charity who manfully fight against all temptations And how bitter is the euill death to those euill soules vnbeleeuers stiffe necked ones hypocrites who wrap themselues in their sinnes who haue no pleasure hope nor comfort but in this world These things being so it is easie to shew how death is to be feared or not Certainely the death of sinners is euill who not content to be borne in sinne liue still in all manner of iniquities But the death of the Saints is precious being the end of their labours and toyles the conseruation and custos of their victory the doore of life and the entrance into an assured perfect glorious rest Those are to bee bewayled in their death who haue hell for their prison But it beseemes vs to reioyce and bee glad at their departure whom God doth bid welcome into his heauenly Palace where they magnifie him for euer If any one aske vs sayth Lactantius in the third Booke of his Christian Institutions whether death be good or euill wee will answere that the qualitie thereof doth consist in the consideration of life in it selfe Death in it selfe cannot bee sayd to bee good pleasing and to be desired on the contrary it is the destruction of nature and the reward of sinne But wee must esteeme it a thing worthy great prayse pleasing and full of grace and delight when wee dye ioyfully in the true knowledge of Christ Iesus to goe out of the prison of this mortall body out of this valley of miseries out of this desart where we are exiled persons to returne to our Father our countrey and heauenly city He dyeth well who with the Apostle sayth in sincerity of conscience all my desire is to depart hence and to bee with Christ Iesus Particularly as touching my selfe I haue fought the good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith also the crowne of righteousnesse is layd vp and reserued for mee which the Lord the iust Iudge shall in that day giue vnto me not to me onely but to those who loue his appearing Againe death and the remembrance and apprehension of it is wonderfull irkesome and bitter to a man which trusteth in his riches liuing in all ease in full strength of body and prosperity Here we demand what we are to judge of the death of those who are cruelly quartered and dismembred by hangmen or by fierce and wilde beastes are swallowed vp in the belly of fishes are stifled with a suddaine apoplexie are bereaued of wit sense and reason by some hot burning feaver or who die franticke and madd As for those who are put to cruell death for the name of Christ Iesus the answere is that their death cannot bee tearmed and accompted but deare and precious in the sight of the Lord and of all his Church For if the heathen Philosophers haue had some reason to say that a vertuous man leaues not to be happie though he bee put to a violent death why should we not say the same of the true vertuous to wit the holy Martyrs seeing we haue so certaine testimonies and so many famous examples of their faith charitie patience and constancie in death The Epistle to the Hebrewes is herein expresse for it conteyneth the heroicall trophies of faith also the opprobries disgracefull reuilings and cruell torments of the invincicible Champions of Christ Iesus But I pray you what torments can dismay and terrifie him which glorieth in the crosse of Christ Iesus among all others a shamefull and terrible torment and death Turtullian obserueth in his Apologetico that in his tyme Christians were called Sarmentitij Semissij bavinistes and poore snakes because they were bound to a stake which
approach it Death doth not violently lay hands vpon vs but gently laies hold on vs. Wherefore a vertuous soule feeling it selfe called to the participation of a greater happinesse endeuoureth to carry and behaue it selfe honestly and wisely in this earthly Sentinell and Station accounting none of those things to be hers which doe hemme her in on euery side but serues her turne with them as with borrowed mooueables remembring her selfe that shee doth but goe a iourney and in post hast There are many other sentences of Seneca touching the benefit of death in his Consolations to Polybius and Marcia as also in his other Treatises But we will make this extract no longer least so wee trouble and offend with long reading impatient and froward old men 4. Fourthly wee speake now of the extreamities that must be auoyded when there is question of death to wit Too great confidence or rashnes or rather inhumane or barbarous stupidity and sencelesnesse then the too great apprehension feare and paine of death Of a truth our Creator and Soueraigne Lord hath honoured vs with this fauourable gift and graunt that our hearts are of flesh not of stone or iron to bee easily touched with the sence of our miseries and the miseries of others How should we apprehend the mercy of God if we had not an apprehension of our miseries And what feare of God and of his iudgements would there be in the world if we should not feare death and other punishments which he doth mitigate and vsually conuert into wholsome remedies to persons who mourne vnder the burthen of their sinnes and with a repentant heart craue and implore the grace of their heauenly Father Wee are not willing to approoue the practise of those too austere Thracian Elders who wept at the birth day of their children and made great cheere merrily banquetted at the funeral of them that died Much lesse doe we purpose to dispute of death as Hegesias of Cyrena whom the King of AEgypt prohibited to discourse any more of death because many who heard him killed themselues No more doe we approoue those mad men such as were in times past certaine surnamed Circamcellianes of the Sect of the Donatists who not rightly vnderstanding the sayings of the Scripture touching mortification of the flesh cast themselues downe headlong from the toppes of high mountaines and without looking or staying for any commandement to doe so resigned and gaue vp the place they held in this humane life It is not lawfull for any priuate person without expresse authority and order of the Magistrate to kill a guilty or condemned person And hee which killeth himselfe is not hee a murtherer Who hath giuen him power and authority to doe so We abhorre and iustly the facinourous fact of Iudas who by dispaire increased his detestable impiety Sathan is the author of such counsells as wee see in the fourth Chapter of S. Matthew where Christ Iesus being importuned by that malignant and mischieuous one to throw himselfe headlong from the top of the Temple answereth That we must not tempt the Lord. S. Augustine sayd in his first Booke De Ciuitate Dei Chap. 22. That those which kill themselues make a hazardous proofe of some kind of greatnesse of courage but indeed they are mad men Further they are not magnanimous seeing that being vnable to support and beare aduersity they discouer their impotency and pusillanimity not their fortitude and valour in casting themselues so into the gulfe and iawes of death But hee is truely magnanimous who chooseth rather to beare the burthen of a miserable life then rashly to rid himselfe and flye from it instead of standing and abiding in the place allotted and appointed vnto him It is said that Cleombrotus hauing read the Booke which Plato writ of the immortality of mans soule cast himselfe downe headlong from a high wall to passe to the other life which hee iudged to be better But it was an act of wretched folly for Plato taught no such thing although he discoursed of the immortality of the soule Therefore let vs turne our backes to the Stoickes so brutish and besotted in their pride that they thinke it lawfull to a man which cannot suffer an iniury to kill himselfe A man of courage and fearing God knowing indeed that life is not giuen him doth not violently rid himselfe of it but renders it into the hands of God not fearing the approaches of death but submitting himselfe to his Soueraigne Lord who hath imployed him in his seruice in the world to goe out of it when he shall commaund him It is alledged that a speedy death is better then a fastidious and tedious life and once to bee quiet for altogether then so long to languish and droope But to attempt to leaue this life before God giue vs leaue is to fall into another death which neuer hath end What then shall not a Souldier dare to goe out of the armie without his Captaines license and passe port but vpon hazard of his head and shall mortall man goe out of this present life without the auouchy and warrant of the immortall who hath placed him in it protected and blessed him What crowne can the impatient the furious the infidell expect who in dispite of his Lord cowardly resignes his charge his place his honour with the losse of his body soule goods and friends who forsakes those to whom hee is bound and beholden breakes all the bandes of diuine and humane society God giueth a happy issue to their temptations who feare him hee doth in fit time deliuer and helpe them It is they which are to hold out to the end in a full assurance of hope not to quaile and lose courage but to follow those who by a faithfull and humble patience haue obtained the promised inheritance Let vs then take heed and beware of the arrogancy of the Stoickes and of the vaine confidence of Epicures who neuer thinke on death but thinke they are in league and friendship with him perswade themselues that it shall be easie for them to put by his blowes and to pacifie him Moreouer let vs haue no part in their effeminacy and diffidence who tremble at the meere name of death not thinking that in death it selfe there is not so great euill as in the solicitudes carkings sorrowes and feares wherewith a thousand times a day they kill themslues without any ease to their vnbeleeuing heart Their apprehensions are ill ordered fond and vnprofitable seeing as witnesseth the Prophet in the Psalme 89. 90. there is no man liuing can boast himselfe not to see death and to be able to saue his life out of the hand of the graue Hereupon we will say to young and old that their duty requires that they beare and behaue themselues so toward God that their death may not be a mortall but a liuing death And that they so gently and wisely lay downe their load in the world that they may not be found vnder
a heauy and vnsupportable burthen whose weight doth suppresse them and cause them to tumble into euerlasting perdition 5. Fifthly let vs now adde some assured consolations against death and first we will draw from certaine places of the holy Scripture the faire termes and names which it giueth to death to sweeten vnto vs the apprehension of it By whose testimony to dye is to bee gathered to his people as it is said of Abraham Gen. 25. 8. It is to goe the way of all the earth 1. Kings 2. 2. It is to be bound vp in the bundle of life 1. Sam. 25. 29. It is to be taken away from euill to enter into peace and rest in our beds Esaiah 57. 1 2. It is to be in the shadow and at rest as the hireling which hath ended his dayes worke Iob 7. 1. 2. It is to sleepe Iohn 11. 11. 1. Thess 4. 13. To rest from his labours Apocalips 14. 13. It is to goe out of the world to goe to God our Father Iohn 13. 1. It is to goe to our Fathers house where there are many dwelling places Iohn 14. 1. It is to returne to our home and countrey after a long painefull and perillous voyage 2. Cor. 5. 6. It is to be vnshackled and deliuered out of a galley or prison to bee with Christ Iesus Philip. 1. 23. It is to goe hence out of a poore beggarly tabernacle 2 Peter 1. 14. It is to be clothed in heauen with glory and immortality 2. Cor. 5. 1. 2. It is to finish our course and our fight to receiue a crowne 2. Timoth. 4. 7. 8. It is to goe to the Nuptialls of the Lambe and his Bride in the Celestiall Ierusalem in the City of God all garnished with gold and precious stones that is adorned with incomprehensible glory and eternall happinesse Apocalips 21. 1. c. It is to liue with Iesus Christ a thousand yeares to wit for euer Apocalips 20. 4. This life and glorious immortality is manifested vnto vs in the Gospel by Christ Iesus who by his appearing hath abolished death 2. Timothie 1. 10. Wherefore then should a wise man feare to goe to his Fathers and would haue a way by himselfe Is it well done not to will and desire to be gathered with the true liuing from so many euills without within aboue belowe behinde before and round about vs After so many battailes so many conflicts skirmishes and wounds especially in the soule to refuse peace to rest out of the short and danger of the weapons teares alarmes vacarmes gurboyles and stirres of the world of our owne heart of the corruption of the wicked and of the powers of Sathan our capitall aduersary O strange case Wee runne after peace and rest and flye from it when it offers it selfe Trauailes and labours weigh vs downe and oppresse vs and we are agaste and abashed to bee ridde of them There is no bed in the world so soft as that where the bodies doe rest when the soules are separated from them notwithstanding not to lie in it we would be contented to bee condemned to goe wooll ward in sackcloth and haire cloth in totters and ragges and to lye on the hard ground or vpon thornes Had we rather dwell with Vipers then with our Father in his heauenly Mansion Those euerlasting Mansions so much to be desired are in lesse account and esteeme with vs then the vncleane and nastie stables of Beastes The earth doth more infinitely please vs then heauen This galley of our life where we tugg both day and night at the oare of ambition auarice cruell lustes debauched pleasures These darke dennes of innumerable sinnes are the resting places that we make much on and wherein we bristle vp our selues and outragiously curse whatsoeuer sacred Philosophie doth propose and set forth vnto vs of the blessed estate of the triumphant Church with her head in heauen What old men are we who grow young in our vices who had rather renounce our sweete Countrie and trott vp and downe in the hideous desertes of the world full of scorpions and Basilisques of horrid ghostes and hob goblins and so many kindes of Deuills then to set one steppe in the right way of repentant faith of charitable hope and patient humilitie Men of wit where is our wit when our bodies are of more price vnto vs then our soules and we are willing to forgoe and loose our armes to saue our sleeues Who preferre a garment before eternall glory a handfull of crownes before most durable treasures a fond idle wicked damnable pleasure before euerlasting ioyes Who still desire to runne on in the way of perdition who fight and striue against nothing but pietie righteousnesse holinesse to conclude who purchase a buryall place for vertue to cause vice to raigne and triumph When will it be that the invitation to the solemne feast of the Sonne of God with his Church will please and be well-come vnto vs When will we prouide our costly rich robes to appeare in this holy assembly Will we still deferre to cleanse our selues from the filth of sinne which makes vs holds downe the head to blush to looke pale and wan to be halfe dead or in a traunce not to dare once to lift vp the eyes of our minde but in hypocrisie and a very strange stupiditie to him which calleth vs to him to the gates of the Pallace whereunto we are so neere Wise old men awaken and rouze vp your selues and more deepely yet consider and meditate vpon the consolations insinuated and inserted in the termes and names which diuine wisedome giueth and ascribeth to death It is demanded seeing Christ Iesus hath abolished death and that by him we are reconciled to God to obtaine eternall life how comes it to passe that we are still subiect to death S. Augustine answereth that heretofore death came and was by sin haled into the world but now death takes away our temporall life to the end we should cease from sinne and that the remembrance of death doe keepe and conteme vs in our dutie So by the vnspeakeable mercie of God the punishment of our sinnes was changed into an armour or shield against sinnes And although that the death of the flesh proceedeth originally from sinne so is it that the good aspect and face of death hath made many excellent Martyrs And although death and all the euils trauailes and turmoyles vexations and sorrowes of this present life proceed from the desert of our sinnes and that after hauing obtained pardon these euills remaine still it is to the end we should haue aduersaries to wrastle against and to exercise vs to make knowne and sensible to vs how strong the power of the Lord is in our weakenes And that so the new man may grow vp and bee fitted and prepared in this world for the world to come looking for the perfect and compleat happinesse of all Gods children Therefore repentant Christians whose sins are pardoned and who accept
much desired declareth by his wordes which breathed nothing but faith charitie consolation a stedfast hope that the seruants of God are in peace enioy a free rest being drawne out of the foaming and tempestuous waues of this world and landing at the port of safetie and eternall happinesse when after the abolishment of death we come to a glorious immortalitie For this is our peace our assured rest our assured and perpetuall safetie In this world we are continually grapling tugging and wrastling with Sathan and all our exercise is to repulse and repell his dartes We haue on our armes on our foreheads sides and backes avarice incontinencie anger ambition of necessitie wee must wrastle without ceasing against the lustes of the flesh and the baites and allurements of the world Toward the end of the same Treatise hee sayth further that we must not weepe for our brethren when it pleaseth God to call and deliuer them out of this world for well I know that they are not lost but gone before and haue the start of those who tarrie behinde Wee may desire and looke after them as men do for their friends who are going some voyage or who take shipping to sayle and goe to land in a good port But we must not bewayle them nor here weare black mourning habitts seeing they haue alreadie receiued white robes in heauen It becomes vs not to giue occasion to Heathens justly to tax and reproue vs if they see by an inordinate loue our countenance appalled and agast thinking them vtterly lost and annihilated whom we hold and maintaine to be aliue with God and if they perceiue it witnessed euidently enough by our minde that wee condemne the faith we professe with our mouthes In this case we ouer throw our faith and our hope which we could not say but to proceed of hypocrisie It is nothing to shew our selues hardie in wordes if we evert and destroy the truth with our doings and deedes It is tyme to conclude this Chapter We say then that the anxieties of minde maladies perplexities and apprehensions of so many deathes which doe spurne and kicke against vs doe silently and tacitely cry vnto vs and exhort vs with speed to lift vp our eyes to Christ Iesus the fountaine of life to the communion we haue with him also to the blessinges alreadie receiued of him and to those which the hope which makes vs not afraide doth assuredly expect And following the counsell of S. Basile in his Treatise that thankes must alwayes bee giuen to God Let vs not put our affiance and trust in man nor let vs say with the ignorant vulgar death hath taken from me all my succour and helpe my father my husband my sonne the comfort of my old age the prop and piller of my house Who hath commaunded you to moore your ancher of hope in such a little lump of dust as man is What age is priuiledged from the handes of death What a one is he who by couenant made with vs protesteth that he will be the God of their fathers and of their children to a thousand generations who loue feare him Shall we forget him who makes so kinde a proffer of himselfe to vs to imagine forge to our selues succours and helpes of straw and of wind Let the ancher of our sure and stedfast hope sincke into the vaile of heauen and let it bee sticking faste in the throne of God It shall there be a brasen bullwarke for vs a wall of fire Let Christ be our life in death in him let death be our gaine Let vs say with Ieremiah in the 17. Chapter Blessed be the man which trusteth in the Lord whose confidence the Lord is For he shall be as a tree planted by the water which spreadeth out her roots by a flowing riuer which shall not feele when the heate shall approach her leafe shall be greene and shall not wither in the yeare of drought and shall not cease to yeeld her fruit Let vs further amasse and gather some words from the same Prophet O Lord thou art the hope of thy Church those that forsake thee shall bee confounded for they haue forsaken the fountaine of liuing waters Heale those that are thine O Lord then shall they be in rest saue them and none shall bee able to hurt them Leaue them not forlorne and in a desperate plight thou which art their hope in the day of affliction Let their despayring and hopelesse enemies be confounded and let them rest in safetie vnder the shadow of thy wings CHAP. XIX Of the resurrection of the bodies and of the immortalitie of humane soules THE Apostle speake to very good purpose in the 15. chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians that if our hope should be in Christ Iesus in regard of this present life onely our condition should be more miserable then other mens seeing that true Christians are continually exposed to diuers afflictions and from time to time doe suffer great tortures troubles But what would it auaile to liue in the world and there to subsist and be a thousand yeares if it be in the fire of calamities and sundry oppressions There cannot then bee proposed vnto vs a more certaine refuge and helpe nor a more sweete comfort and support against the miseries and infirmities of this present life then the assured hope of the resurrection to a better life When we shall beare about vs no longer the image of the first earthly man but of the second who is the heavenly Adam and that this corruptible and mortall bodie shall put on incorruption and immortalitie The sure confidence of Christians is the resurrection from the dead wherein we shall haue a glorious bodie which shall be so revnited to the blessed soule and the soule againe to the bodie that we may be for euer with our head fully replenished with euerlasting ioy in the presence of God The Heathens enemies of Christian religion haue especially impugned this Article of the resurrection of the bodie And which is more many of their Philosophers haue spoken doubtfully of the immortalitie of the soule At this tyme to the end to confirme our faith our hope and assured consolation we will consider the groundes of these two Articles aswell by the nature of things and by certaine conceptions as by the sound resolutions rehearsed in the holy Scriptures Certainly as Gregory the great said in his Moralls That those who haue not learned from the Scripture the doctrine of the Resurrection ought to learne it of nature For what doe men daily obserue in the continuall medley and blending of the Elements whereof all visible things are composed but proofes of the resurrection of the dead Wee see by the vicissitude and reuolution of time the Plants and Trees to lose their greene leaues which wither and fall off when Winter comes after in the Spring to sprout forth againe and the earth to become greene gay as before If the smal
seat of Christ that euery man may receiue according to what he hath done in his body be it good or euill Knowing then the terror of the Lord we perswade men to the faith and wee are made manifest to God And that which he sayth at the end of the fourth Chapter of the first to the Thessalonians This we say vnto yee by the word of the Lord that wee which shall liue and remaine to the comming of the Lord shall not preuent them which sleepe For the Lord himselfe with a shout with the voyce of the Archangell and with the Trumpet of God shall descend from heauen and those which are dead in Christ shall rise first afterward wee which shall bee aliue and remaine shall bee caught vp with them also in the cloudes to meete the Lord in the ayre and so shall we euer be with the Lord. O how great occasion haue young and old who read these things to thinke vpon and consider their consciences Let vs adde some lineaments of the immortalitie of mans soule not that wee thinke that any good man doth call in doubt this truth but because we cannot too much fortifie young nor old against the bloudie scoffings execrable blasphemies of Epicures Atheistes with whom the earth is couered in these latter tymes Many auncient Philosophers as Pythagoras Pherecydes the Platonistes and the Stoickes haue set forth many sayinges of the immortalitie of the soule as much as they could learne out of the Schoole of Nature And yet as Lactantius declares it in his 7. booke of Diuine Institutions seeing they were ignorant wherein the soueraigne good of man doth consist vnlearned in the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles they apprehended not any thing of the truth of this Article but by vncertaine opinion and coniecture rather then by assured knowledge Yea which is worse some of them first Dicaearchus then Democritus and after them Epicurus haue disputed against the immortalitie of soules Cicero himselfe who otherwise doth eloquently harang and pleade this cause in the first booke of his Tusculane questions hauing examined diuers opinions is at a demurr doubt euen to say that it belongs to some god to scan and to see which of all these diuers opinions are maintained sayth he because these diuers opinions are maintained by learned men we cannot well coniecture which of them all is to be receiued But as Lactantius sayth wee to whom God manifesteth his truth need not to coniecture But the source and spring of error vpon this poynt is that those who haue questioned the certaintie of the immortalitie of the soule haue stood too much vpon their owne conceiptes and vnderstanding judging false and incomprehensible whatsoeuer was out of the reach of their apprehension Their reasons are well set forth and fitly confuted in the second and third Chapter of the Booke of Wisedome as it followeth The wicked haue falsely imagined with themselues our life is short and full of vexation and in the death of man there is no recouery and it was neuer knowne that any returned from the graue For we are borne at aduenture and shall be as if we had neuer beene because the breath of our nostrilles is as smoake and our wordes as a sparke rising vp out of our heart which being extinguished our body is turned into ashes and our spirit vanisheth as soft ayre Come then and let vs frolicke it with the pleasures that are present chearefully vsing the creatures and our youth let vs fill our selues with the best wine and with parfumes c. It is added also after The wicked haue thus erred and gone astray because their wickednesse hath blinded them and they haue not vnderstood the mysteries of God nor hoped for the reward of holines and haue not discerned what is the reward of the soules that are faultlesse For God created man to be incorruptible hauing made him to be an Image of his owne nature and likenesse but thorough the enuie of the Deuill death is come into the world and those which hold on his side proue it But the soules of the righteous are in the hand of God and no torment shall touch them In the sight of the vnwise they seemed to die their end was grieuous At their departure from vs they seemed vtterly destroyed but they are in peace They suffered paines before men their hope was full of immortalitie hauing beene lightly or in few things punished they shall be plentifully rewarded because God hath proued them as gold and hath found them worthie of him They shall judge the Nations and shall haue dominion ouer the people and their Lord shall raigne for euer Those which trust in him shall vnderstand the truth and the faithfull shall remaine with him in loue For grace and mercy is to his Saints and he hath care of his elect But the vngodly shall be punished for their very imaginations who haue made no reckoning of the righteous and haue rebelled against the Lord. For wicked is he who despiseth Wisedome and Discipline their hope is vaine their labours helpe them not and their workes are vnprofitable From these words we gather that the abhominable opinion of the mortalitie of the soule openeth the windowe to error and letteth goe the raynes to all impietie and dissolution Whereunto doth sort and agree the scoffing speeches of Epicures and prophane ones to elude and shift off the judgments of God denounced vnto them of which Esaiah in the 22. Chapter and Saint Paul in the 15. Chapter of the 1. to the Corinthians make mention Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die Let vs be frolicke and merry we haue but one day more to liue This is the reckoning of these clamourers and brawlers who deafe and trouble our eares with their discourses and reasons Moreouer this Text of the Booke of Wisedome discouereth the prophanenesse of these sensuall and carnall men to proceede from this that they judge of the soule of man according to their grosse imaginations to wit that it is no other but a respiration a breath and vapour of smoake not considering there is great difference betweene the effect and the cause that is betweene respiration which proceedes from the lunges and is conveyed to the nostrills or to the mouth and the soule it selfe which is that essentiall spirit which formeth man yea doth many thinges without the adiument and helpe of the bodie witnesse her speculations deepe imaginations profound meditations shee being neuer idle and without motion when the bodie is faste a sleepe and stirres not Although then that respiration ceaseth the naturall faculties of the heart and lunges being suffocated and leauing their office the soule created to the image of God is not stifled and abolished so as there is great difference betweene it and the soules of Beastes which being formed with the bodies of the same matter that the bodies are doe perish also as the bodies and with them whereof it is that
the Beastes doe suour the earth and desire nothing but that which is earthie and of the earth Man on the contrary as the wisest of the Heathens especially Plato and Cicero in diuers passages of their writings doe obserue hath a diuine and heauenly soule which being enfranchised and deliuered out of the prison of the bodie returneth to the place of his originall And the more generous the mind of man is the more he lusteth after and desireth heauenly thinges meditating and looking for a better state and condition then he enioyeth in this present life From thence it commeth to passe that he despiseth losses and troubles calamities wounds and death it selfe holding it a great honour to yeeld vp his soule in some valiant and vertuous exployt and enterprise for the seruice and safetie of his Countrie to the end to goe to the other life where good men haue their reward Salust sayth that the vertuous effectes and suffringes of the minde are no lesse immortall then the soule it selfe which to vs is common with God but the body assimilateth and a greeth with the beastes Another reason hath strongly perswaded the auncient Philosophers to beleeue the immortality of mans soule That God should seeme otherwise vniust if he should suffer the vau-neantes treacherous dissolute to prosper in the world after to escape his vengeance and good men who are industrious and imploy themselues to preserue humane societie should vtterly perish in death without hope of rest at the end of their trauailes and of ioy after so many disquiets and griefes of minde and of a crowne at the end of so many thousand fought battailes and combatts Vndoubtedly prophane persons who are bold to thinke and affirme the soule of man to bee mortall doe abolish as much as in them lyes all pietie and religion they ouerthrow all vertuous and laudable actions and enterprises and as S. Ambrose very well sayth in his exposition of the worke of the six dayes they are madd-men Furthermore what is more avers preposterous and ill beseeming then to haue a straight body and a crooked soule alwayes groveling and stooping to the earth never lifting or rouzing vp it selfe toward heauen her true dwelling place But as God our creator hath plainly instructed vs in his word touching the originall end and soueraigne good of man It is also from the same word that wee must gather the infallible doctrines which we doe handle Mans soule was not composed of the elements nor fabricated or formed of the dust of the earth but the Lord God inspired it and endowed it with diuers gifts Little children doe obtaine even a soule of God their creator to wit a reasonable soule not of the seed of their fathers and mothers but by the singular fauour and benefit of him whom the Apostle Hebr. 12. calleth the Father of spirits and not without cause For although that he be the father of our bodies yet notwithstanding he created not our soules by corporall helpes but hath placed them in our bodies as excellent lampes and lights as Salomon speakes of them Prov. 20. 7. We call them immortall for two reasons first by reason of their essence which is spirituall and originarie or primarie from God the giuer of it Secondly in regard of the grace peculier to the children of God for so much as we haue communion with Iesus Christ the eternall Word of the Father the Prince and author of life This immortall and eternall life is the true happie life and so much to be desired so much recommended in the Scripture whereof Saint Paul sayth The just shall liue by faith Rom. 1. 17. Also who beleeueth in me hath eternall life Iohn 6. 47. And the Apostle sayth Iesus Christ hath abolished death and brought life and immortalie vnto light thorough the Gospell 2 Timoth. 1. 10. For although the soules of the wicked in regard of their essence sense and motion be immortall neuerthelesse they suffer death in as much as they are depriued of the iustice light beatitude and glorious life of God vpon which cause the wicked who triumph and braue it for a while in the world are called dead and after this present life it is sayd that they goe into condemnation and into eternall death because the state wherein they are then to be and remaine in perpetuall torments deserueth rather the name of death then life Prophane people talke they know not what in obiecting vnto vs that neuer any came from the other world as they babble and prattle to tell newes of them O the greatest fooles and idiots among people O silly sotts will they be still madde miserable and more brutish them beasts who beleeue nothing but what they see with their eyes and touch with their hands According to their babble they ought to giue ouer to beleeue that they doe participate of reason seeing they doe not see their soule Let them giue ouer to beleeue that our friends dwelling remote and farre from vs doe liue and are at their ease and content desiring to see vs againe and that because wee see them no more But to proceed it is not simply true that neuer any returned from the other life on the contrary the Histories of the Old and New Testament doe furnish vs with examples of men and women of young striplings and damsells raised againe from death The Prince of our faith the head of all Christians our Lord Iesus descending from heauen to assume our humaine nature in earth hath tould vs ample and gladsome newes of the state of heauen and of life eternall His ascension to heauen in bodie and soule is an assured pledge that we also shall ascend into heauen in our bodies and soules S. Paul caught vp into the third heauen where he was informed of the high and deepe mysteries and secrets of God from thence came to tell vs afterward many particularities of the Church Christ Iesus is in heauen and we shall liue there For although that death dissolue the bodie into dust from whence it was taken death cannot let the soule to returne to him that gaue it And when we die young and old let vs after the example of Christ Iesus and of Dauid recommend our soules to God rendring them into his hands as into the handes of a most faithfull keeper and gardian of them And let vs say with S. Stephen Lord Iesus receiue my soule being well assured that at the same houre when it shall be fit for vs to goe out of this present life we haue part in that gracious promise of the sonne of God made to the sinner conuerted Verely I say vnto thee that this day thou shalt be with me in Paradize This is the sweete voyce which still ought to be sounding in the heart of the wise Vieillard to the end that being at the poynt to leaue this world as his age plainely shewes him his conscience doe not smite and checke him to be a prophane person and a contemner
of God to be obdurate and hardened in his sinnes and that Sathan bawle not in his eares that seeing thou hast delighted in nothing but to satisfie thy lustes to follow thy affections and desires that thou art an hypocrite a lyer murderer an vncleane person in effect that thou hast loued nothing but the world that thou hast not carried the name of a Christian but to liue in all carnall licentiousnesse renouncing the guide-ship of the spirit of truth and holinesse thou shalt speedily be with me in hell Wise old men lift vp your thoughts to the meditation of this doctrine of the Resurrection of our bodies and of the immortalitie of mens soules ioyning to it the last Article of our Faith to say in feruour and ioy of spirit I beleeue the life euerlasting CHAP. XX. The conclusion of the Worke with a serious Exhortation to Old and Young Also two prayers for wise old men WHat resteth more but to wish that that which hath beene spoken vpon so worthie a Subiect in the former chapters may be carefully pondered and thought vpon by old men who haue any sence or feeling of their condition before God who are not vngratefull for his benefites and who aspire to a perfect renovation I was willing to abridge my Discourse knowing that a short speech suteth to old men who loue to talke heare reade and that practised precepts doe better fit them then much talke and discourse Seeing then that they haue but a little way to goe it is reason that they speake many things in few words remembring what the wise man hath sayd so long agoe in his first Chapter of his Ecclesiastes That there is no ende in making many Bookes and that so much studie is but a wearinesse which we put our selues to I grant that it is so especially when we let goe the bridle and giue way and head to such curious and infinite disquisitions bawlings and controuersies vnworthie the age and qualitie of old men For otherwise Salomon himselfe confesseth that the wordes of the wise are as goades and that the maisters who make huge volumes are as nayles and stakes faste driuen in vp to the head For the Church likewise is the parke or folde wherein the flockes of the chiefe sheepheard of Soules are gathered to keepes and conteine them in their obedience and dutie by the declaration of sound doctrine vttered with a liuely voice and set downe in print and writing If this compyled Volume and Librarie of many Maisters and Doctors may serue to young and old to my selfe who am freed from the errors and aberrations of young age and who am growing old if the yeare commonly called Climactericall ought to be held for the threshold of old age I shall haue well spent and imployed some houres of my leasure Whatsoeuer successe it hath I first inuite yong men who betimes ought to lay foundations of a comely and settled old age to remember themselue that men haue occasion to hope well of them when they see them soberly and constantly frequent the company and are conuersant with wise old men are aduanced to places of charge in the Common-weale or are imployed in the seruice of the Church or are well seene or experienced in domesticke affaires Those which see young men thus carefull cannot but greatly reioyce and assure themselues that after their times humane societie will bee mainetained and kept intire in good case and state and that her breaches and decayes shall finde men who indeede will bee able to lay their helping handes to it A young Orator should haue his witt furnished with argument enough if hee would amplyfie and discusse the euills and miseries which doe compasse vs about and would purpose and set foorth the good thinges and commodities which wee want Whence doe proceed so many miseries God hath taken away from vs many wise old men many true Fathers and men alwayes affected and forward to procure whatsoeuer was for his glory and the Common-weale Let posteritie iudge more soundly then wee of what wee doe want Wee doe not launce this impostume It is but too much sayd if we say that almost all young and old are the slaues of pride of dissolutnesse of auarice of vanitie in fine borne to the seruitude slauery of vices and to the hatred of vertues What doth this seruitude beget and bring foorth Another so lamentable as nothing more Young men open your eyes to the end that your fathers mothers families may take true comfort in your vertuous proceedinges that your countrey may receiue honourable seruice from you resemble as the Prophet sayth in the Psalme 127. Arrowes shot out of a strong bowe Speake in the assemblies and common counsells for pietie iustice temperance and stoutly procure the suppression of vice and the aduancement of vertue Let yong men be such as the Apostle commandeth Titus 2. 6. to wit sober minded to the end that according to their vsuall wishes and desires they may be strong of body and minde well respected well willed esteemed and commended with all the priuiledges and immunities whereof the dissolute and vicious haue no part And what madnesse is it not to be willing to be imployed alwayes in doing that which they ought willingly and cheerefully to doe Let yong men be such able men that they may ouercome the malignant one as the most wise and welbeloued Disciple of the Lord requires them to be in the second Chapter of his first Epistle Aboue all I pray them that to crowne their age with true prayse they be sober that they respect ancient men bearing with the lumpishnesse and sowernesse of those who haue done them many good turnes and seruices and who are still able to helpe and further them much For hardly can yong age decay and wrong it selfe more then in appearing vngratefull sullen churlish and insolent to aged persons I come now toyou venerable and reuerend old men beseeching you in the name of the Lord our common Father to thinke that your vndoubted prayse peace felicity assured health consisteth in this That you bee according to the Apostles doctrine sober graue meeke sound in the fayth abounding in charitie patience and wisedome The Emperour Iustinian in a certaine Edict addressed to Christians sayth That the first degree of saluation consisteth in an open confession of the true fayth The knowledge of true and comfortable Antiquitie consisteth according to Saint Iohn in the second Chapter of his first Epistle In this if the Fathers know him who is from the beginning Let wise old men profit in such knowledge and let them not be weary to goe on and be forward schollers therein euen vntill with vnspeakeable ioy they behold the glorious face of the Ancient of dayes and bee entertained in his heauenly Pallace Honour is the nutriment of old men so also is hope yea that hope which maketh not ashamed the assured hope of a better state and condition and that taste which wee haue euen of
that at the houre of my departure I may follow thee with courage Let this be my meditation continually Let me be released from the vaine imployments and businesses of this world not setting my selfe to any thing but that which directly concernes my calling and behauing my selfe in such sort that both those which dwell neere me and those which are farre and remote from mee may from my behauiours and carriage take example of pietie iust dealing and holy manners Let mee bee an enemie to Atheisme and superstition and sincerely addicted to thy seruice according to the rules of thy word Graunt me I beseech thee this grace that I may carefully meditate on whatsoeuer I haue vnderstood or perceiued of thy wisedome power and mercie in the wayes of my life That I may euery day learne that whereof to be ignorant it would be both shamefull vnto me and dangerous Aboue all roote out of my heart all wicked guile and craft and graunt me the grace to walke before thee in a sincere and honest heart hating euill in my selfe more then in an other to bee a louer of plaine dealing of peace of equitie of meekenesse of puritie of innocencie of life Let these be the ornaments of mine age and let thy spirit so direct comfort and strengthen me that I may not be too much deiected though I become deafe blind weake lame Onely let me haue strength left and remaining to prayse and call vpon thee to the last gaspe so as the weakenesses and decayes of my bodie may be borne vp by the supply of thy graces in my soule which desires not to be and remaine in this prison but to blesse and prayse thee Suffer me not to conceite still on moneths and yeares but that at euery steppe and moment of tyme I may remember my departure out of this present life that my whole thought may be that I must once pay this debt least being suddainely taken I cast away my soule When then the appoynted tyme shall come graunt I beseech thee that I may ioyfully depart and with fervent desire lift vp my selfe to thee Let thy goodnesse O Lord my God cause me to imploy my last dayes to the studie and meditation hereof not fearing to leaue and resigne this life whereby I shall no more offend thee but shall glorifie thee continually The apprehension of so happie a day which shall be the birth day of my eternall and vnspeakeable blessed being let it make mee to reioyce before thee my Lord my God my heauenly Father thorough Iesus Christ thy sonne my redeemer Amen O Eternall God and almightie heauenly Father and mercifull which hast beene my hope from the first day of my life and during all the course of the same and vntill this great age hast by infinite wayes caused me to feele thy prouidence care and protection thou art he to whom I haue recourse as to my God my glorie my saluation My legges are feeble but I lift vp my selfe vpon the winges of my thoughts even vnto thee who art my strength in infirmitie my light in so great darknesse of my vnderstanding my life in death which compasseth me about beseeching thee to be pleased to forget the sinnes of my youth and to haue no more remembrance of my transgressions but remember thy faithfull promises to looke vpon the woundes and suffrings of thy sonne my pledge and Sauiour for whose loue be pleased to pardon mine iniquities Suffer mee not O my God for euer to cast thee off and forsake thee Be pleased to annoynt the eyes of my soule with the salue of thy spirit that I may continually behold thee and that acknowledging my selfe a poore way-faring man and a stranger in this world as all my fathers were I may earnestly aspire to thee and to the countrie where the blessed are and where thou hast prepared a place for all thine elect Graunt that I may see my selfe deliuered out of the waues and stormes of the dangerous Sea of this world O Lord teach mee to know mine end and the number of my dayes to the end that seeing that the flourishing state of this humaine life hath no abiding but is compassed with sorrowes and oppressed with labours and paines and then the more dangerous when we least feele them I may giue my selfe to the studie and exercise of that wisedome which doth teach me to renounce the world and my selfe and to meditate vpon the heauenly happinesse of thy kingdome to the end that my heart may be there where my treasure is the head and spouse of the Church and where thou hast prepared for them which loue thee incomprehensible joyes through IESVS CHRIST c. FINIS Errata PAge 5. Line 21. for be reade begun p. 12. l. 14. for from currant r. or currant p. 17. l. 16. for middest was r. nuddest whereof was l. 1. for and that r. but that l. 29. for sight r. scite p. 18. l. 12. for followeth r. floweth l. 23. for made r was p. 19 l. 21. for of dayes r. of our dayes p. 22. Chap. 4. l. 1. for fearefulnesse r. fearfull fall l. 7. for respectacle r. receptacle l. 22. for age a r. age is a p. 23. l. 13. for downe r. done l. 15. for crimes r. ruines p. 24. l. 12. for lineaments r. ligaments p. 27. l. 20. for spin at r spin out p. 30. l. 3. for a wonder r. no wonder p. 31 l. 5. for if this life r. of his life p. 36 l. 27. for to be proclaime r. to proclaime p. 10. l. 17. for porportiall r. proportionall p. 55. l. 3. for wh r. who p. 58. l. 23. for effect r affect p. 99. l. 20. for youyg r. young p. 107. l. 16. themselues r. themselues p. 120. l. 9. for wit-r witnes The benefit of death The miserable condition of life Physitians masters of their strength and wealth The time to doe good is in this world but men cannot finde it The common felicities of old age Delightfull good recreations are as fit for young persons as labour Old mens actions
THE WISE-VIEILLARD OR OLD MAN TRANSLATED OVT OF French into English by an obscure Englishman a friend and fauourer of all wise Old-Men ECCLVS 25. 4. 5. O how pleasant a thing is it when gray-headed men minister judgement and when the Elders can giue good counsell O how comely a thing is Wisedome vnto aged men c. PRO. 16. 31. Age is a crowne of glorie when it is found in the way of righteousnesse LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson 1621. TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL VVORTHIE REVEREND AND LEARNED DIVINE Mr IOSEPH HALL Doctor of Diuinitie and Deane of Worcester the Author doth Dedicate this Translation as the first fruit and essay of his FRENCH Studies WORTHIE SIR This translation of the sage Vieillard being the fruit of certaine vacant and divorced houres I purposed to dedicate in a singular respect to a worshipfull Gentleman your good friend and neighbour Mr Henry Archer late of Thaydon Garnon in Essex who was well versed in the French language But his death disappoynted me of my purpose made my pen fall out of my hand lye still and stirre no further hauing then more then halfe finished the Booke The second yeare after whose death well weighing with my selfe that it was a Worke might yeeld some profit to my Countrie men of England I tooke vp my Pen againe and at starts and tymes finished it And then withall considering with my selfe that a good Booke in these dayes had need of a good man to Patronize it I called to mind that your worthy selfe hauing beene in Fraunce and other forraine partes might be a fit Maecenas to support my weake labours therein and so boldly adventured to Dedicate the Patronage thereof to your good Worship And I was the rather imboldened thereunto vpon hope that for your deceased good friend and neighbours sake to whom it should haue beene Dedicated you would not refuse it at least for the workes sake being a mixt Subiect of morall and diuine documents and instructions And further I hope that it will not be accompted presumption to dedicate a good Booke to the learned and vertuous Howsoeuer it is my dutie to craue pardon for presuming to dedicate it to your worship my selfe being a man of an obscure and humble condition And therefore I doe further craue your pardon that I may not make my selfe otherwise knowne vnto your worship then by the two Alphabeticall letters of my name here-vnder printed Yet haue I alwayes beene since I first knew you and still doe rest a man which doth vnfainedly reuerence you T. VV. ¶ To the Reader I AM loath to woce thee by styling thee courteous kinde gentle Reader but rather desire that the subiect matter of the Booke might allure thee to read it The French Author thereof hath intituled it TheWise Old Man by which title hee seemes to implie that all are not wise that are old which if it be so hee then seemes to glance at our English Prouerb No foole to the old foole Howsoeuer hee lessons both young and old what they should be As for my part I thinke it not fitting to preface the wholesome documents and instructions contained in it which as good Viandes are offered to thy taste least I should take away thine appetite to read it and make thee to surfeit before thou hast fed All that I haue to doe and lesse I cannot doe is to craue thy fauourable construction of that I haue done For I modestly confesse I haue beene too ouerweening and bold to take vpon me to translate so worthy a Worke of the worthy French Author thereof Monsieur Symon Goulart my selfe being no higher a graduate in learning then a common Grammarian and no better skilled in the French language then what mine owne practise and study hath enhabled mee to be But vpon the first reading of him I was so delighted that my fingers did euen itch to set pen to paper and to vnclaspe so good a Worke which was shut vp from thy vse and benefit vnder a strange tongue Make much I pray thee of him now because hee speakes to thee in English and if he speake it not well I craue thy pardon for I am in fault that haue taken vpon mee to make him speake our language before I well vnderstand his Yet I hope I haue hit of his meaning though I vary from his wordes as all Translators must doe And now I am a suiter for pardon I doe wooe thee by these Epithites of courteous kinde gentle Reader charitably to censure mee for taking vpon me to put into English so worthy a Worke with so weake a hand which fauour I hope I shall the rather obtaine at thy hands for that I haue done it out of a good will to thee and not out of any skill in mee which I doe disclaime and therefore I desire to hide mee from thee and not otherwise to be knowne vnto thee then I am to the worthy Gentleman to whom I haue beene hold to commend the patronage of this Worke. And so I leaue thee courteous Reader to God and wish thee to be with God when thy time is to goe to him and will still bee thy well wisher in all good things T. W. THE CONTENTS OF THE twentie Chapters of this Booke Chapter 1. OF long life and the desire men haue to liue long in the world Page 1. Chapter 2. Of such persons as haue liued long namely the Patriarches before the Flood Page 11. Chapter 3. Of the Tree of Life and of the Tree of Knowledge of good and euill Page 16. Chapter 4. What old age is and how many Species and kindes of old age there be Page 22. Chapter 5. The Spring-head of old age and the causes and occasions of it Page 28. Chapter 6. Of the Climactericall Yeares Page 41. Chapter 7. The complaints of the miseries of old age aduisedly discussed Page 44 Chapter 8. Foure causes propounded by Cicero of the miseries of old age reduced to two to wit the miseries of the bodie and of the minde Page 48. Chapter 9. A more speciall Catalogue or numbring vp of some miseries in old men in regard of their bodies Page 53. Chapter 10. The miseries of old men in regard of their mindes Page 63. Chapter 11. Of the causes that old age is burthensome and tedious to old men Page 82. Chapter 12. Of the benefit or good of old age Page 86. Chapter 13. Of the profit which wise old men may reape from the doctrine contained in the Writings of Philosophers and Heathen Authors Page 96. Chapter 14. Assured consolations against all infirmities of bodie and minde Page 107. Chapter 15. An aduise to wise old men containing the summarie and substance of their dutie vntill their last gasp Page 126. Chapter 16. Worthy meditations for all persons especially the wise Vieillard of what quality or condition soeuer he be Page 136 Chapter 17. Consolations against death and how it ought to be feared or not feared Page 145. Chapter 18.