Apples of Gold, Book · Part 2
It is an honour to bee an old Diſciple
Firſt, All men will honour an old Diſciple, A Crown is a very glorious thing, but there are but few of them.Prov. 16.31. The hoary head is a Crown of glory, if it bee found in the way of Righteouſneſs. God requires that the aged ſhould bee honoured, Levit. 19.32. Thou ſhalt riſe up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man (the old man here, is by ſome expounded the wiſe man) and fear thy God; I am the Lord. Hoarineſs is only honourable, when found in a way of Righteouſneſs; a white head accompanied with a holy heart, makes a man truly honourable. There are two glorious ſights in the world, the one is, a young man walking in his uprightneſſe; and the other is, an old man walking in wayes of Righteouſneſſe; 'twas Abrahams honour, Gen. 25.8.that hee went to his grave in a good old age, or rather as the Hebrew hath it, with a good gray head; many there bee that goes to their graves with a gray head, but this was Abrahams crown, that hee went to his grave with a good gray head; had Abrahams head been never ſo gray, if it had not been good, it would have been no honour to him; a hoary head, when coupled with an unſanctified heart, is rather a curſe, than a bleſſing, when the head is as white as Snow, Iſa. 65.20.and the ſoul as black as Hell, God uſually gives up ſuch to the greateſt ſcorn and contempt. Princes are hanged up by their hands, Lam. 5.12.the faces of Elders were not honoured, and this God had threatned long before. Deut. 28.49.50The Lord ſhall bring againſt thee a Nation from far, a Nation of fierce countenance, which ſhall not regard the perſon of the old, nor ſhew favour to the young. I have read of Cleanthes, who was wont ſometimes to chide himſelf: Ariſton wondering thereat, asked him whom chideſt thou, Cleanthes laughed, and anſwered, I chide an old fellow (qui canos quidem habet, ſed mentem non habet) who hath gray hairs indeed, but wants underſtanding and prudence worthy of them. The Application I will leave to the gray heads, and gray beards of our time, who have little elſe to commend them to the world but their hoary heads, and ſnowy-beards.
Secondly, God uſually reveals himſelf moſt to old Diſciples, foreign In the Ancient is wiſdome.to old Saints, Job 12.12, With the Ancient is wiſdome, and in length of dayes underſtanding. God uſually manifeſts moſt of himſelf to aged Saints, Valentianius the Emperors morto was (amicus veterimus optimus) an old friend is beſt.they uſuall pray moſt, and pay moſt, they labour moſt, and long moſt after the choiceſt manifeſtations of himſelf, and of his grace, and therefore he opens his boſome moſt to them, and makes them of his Cabinet-Councel. Gen. 18, 17, 19. And the Lord ſaid, ſhall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do, for I know him, that hee will command his Children, and his houſhold after him, and they ſhall keep the way of the Lord, to do juſtice, and judgement, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which hee hath ſpoken of him. Abraham was an old friend, and therefore God makes him both of his Court, and Councel; wee uſually open our hearts moſt freely, fully, and familiarly to old friends. So doth God to his ancient friends. Luk. 2.25, 26, 27, 28.Ah what a bleſſed ſight and injoyment of Chriſt had old Simeon, that made his very heart to dance in him! Now Lord, letteſt thou thy ſervant to depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have ſeen thy ſalvation, &c. I have ſeen him, who is my light, my life, my love, my joy, my crown, my heaven, my all; therefore now let thy ſervant depart in peace. Verſ. 36, 37, 38.So Anna, when ſhee was fourſcore and four years old, was ſo filled with the diſcoveries and injoyments of Chriſt, that ſhee could not but declare what ſhee had taſted, felt, ſeen, heard, and received from the Lord: Shee was ripe, and ready to diſcover, the fulneſs, ſweetneſs, goodneſs, excellency, and glory of that Chriſt whom ſhee had long loved, feared, and ſerved. So. Paul lived in the light, Phil. 4.5, 7, 9.ſight, and ſweet injoyments of Chriſt, when aged, in years, Rev. 1.7.— ult.in grace. So when had John that glorious viſion of Chriſt among the golden Candleſticks, and thoſe diſcoveries and manifeſtations, of the ruine of Rome, the fall of Antichriſt, the caſting the beaſt and falſe Prophet into a lake of fire; the conqueſt of the Kingdomes of the world, by Chriſts bow and ſword, the binding up of Satan, and the new Jeruſalem, comming down from God out of heaven, but when he was old, when hee was aged in years, and in Grace?
The Lord ſpeaks many a ſecret in the ears of aged Saints, of old Chriſtians, which young Chriſtians are not acquainted with, as that phraſe imports, 2 Sam. 7.27. Thou O Lord God of hoſt, hath revealed to thy ſervant, foreign Galitha ethozen.ſo you read it in your books, but in the Hebrew it is, Lord thou haſt revealed this to the ear of thy ſervant. Some wonder how that word to the ear comes to bee left out in your books, in which indeed the Emphaſis lyes, wee will tell many things in an old friends ear, which wee will not acquaint young ones with. So doth God many times whiſper an old Diſciple in the ear, and acquaints him with ſuch things that hee hides from thoſe that are of younger years. And by this you may ſee what an honor it is to be an old Diſciple.
Thirdly, Heb. 5.11, 12, 13, 14. Yet as Solon was not aſhamed to ſay, that in his old age he was a learner, ſo thoſe that are the greateſt Artiſts in Chriſtianity will confeſſe, that they are ſtill but learners.An old Diſciple, an old Chriſtian, hee hath got the art of ſerving God, the art of Religion, Got the art of hearing, the art of praying, the art of meditating, the art of repenting, the art of beleeving, the art of denying his natural ſelf, his ſinful ſelf, his Religious ſelf. All Trades have their myſtery and difficulty; ſo hath the trade of Chriſtianity; young Chriſtians uſually bungle in religious work, but old Chriſtians acquit themſelves like workmen that need not bee aſhamed. A Young Carpenter gives more blows, and makes more chips, but an old Artiſt doth the moſt, and beſt work; a young Chriſtian may make moſt noiſe in religious duties, but an old Chriſtian makes the beſt work. A young Muſitian may play more quick and nimble, upon an inſtrument than an old, but an old Muſitian hath more skill and judgement than a young, the application is eaſy; And by this you may alſo ſee, what an honour it is, to be an old Chriſtian, &c.
Fourthly, An old Diſciple, an old Chriſtian, is rich in ſpiritual experiences, 1 John 2.13O the experiences that hee hath of the ways of God, of the workings of God, of the word of God, of the love of God. Pſ. 119.49, 50. Old men love to ſpeak of ancieet things.O the divine ſtories that old Chriſtians can tell of the power of the Word, of the ſweetneſs of the Word, of the uſe-fulneſs of the Word, as a light to lead the ſoul, as a ſtaffe to ſupport the ſoul, as a ſpur to quicken the ſoul, as an anchor to ſtay the ſoul, and as a cordial to comfort and ſtrengthen the ſoul! O the ſtories that he can tell you concerning the love of Chriſt, the bloud of Chriſt, the offices of Chriſt, the merits of Chriſt, the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, the graces of Chriſt, and the influence of Chriſt. O the ſtories that an old Diſciple can tell you of the indwellings of the ſpirit, of the operations of the ſpirit, of the teachings of the ſpirit, of the leadings of the ſpirit, of the ſealings of the ſpirit, of the witneſſings of the ſpirit, and of the comforts and joyes of the ſpirit. O the ſtories that an old Chriſtian can tell you, of the evil of Sinne, the bitterneſs of Sinne, the deceitfulneſs of Sinne, the prevalency of Sin, and the happineſs of conqueſt over Sinne. O the ſtories that hee can tell you of the ſnares of Satan, the devices of Satan, the temptations of Satan, the rage of Satan, the malice of Satan, the watchfulneſs of Satan, and the wayes of triumphing over Satan. As an old Souldier can tell you of many battels, many ſcarres, many wounds, many loſſes, and many victories, even to admiration; So an old Saint is able to tell you many divine ſtories even to admiration.
Pliny writes of the Crocodile, that ſhee grows to her laſt day. So aged Saints, Hoſ. 14.5, 6, 7they grow rich in ſpirituall experiences to the laſt. An old Chriſtian being once asked, if he grew in goodneſs, Anſwered yea, doubtleſs I do, for God hath ſaid, Pſal. 92.12, 13, 14.The Righteous ſhall flouriſh like the Palm-tree (now the Palm-tree never looſeth his leaf, or fruit, ſaith Pliny) hee ſhall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon. Thoſe that be planted in the houſe of the Lord ſhall flouriſh in the Courts of our God; They ſhall ſtill bring forth fruit in old age, they ſhall bee fat and flouriſhing. Iſa. 46.3, 4A fellow to this promiſe Iſaiah mentions, Hearken unto me O houſe of Jacob, and all the remnant of the houſe of Iſrael, which are born by mee, from the belly, which are carried from the womb, and even to your old age; I am hee, and even to hoary hairs, will I carry you, I have made, and I will bear, even I will carry, and will deliver you. There is nothing more commendable in fulneſs of age, Dan. 7.9, 13, 22than fulneſs of knowledge and experience; nor nothing more honourable than to ſee ancient Chriſtians, very much acquainted with the Ancient of dayes. It is a brave ſight to ſee ancient Chriſtians like the Almond-Tree. Now the Almond-tree doth flouriſh, and is full of bloſſomes in the winter of old age, for as Pliny tells us, the Almond-Tree doth bloſſome in the month of January; experiments in religion are beyond notions, and impreſſions; a ſanctified heart, is better than a ſilver tongue, no man ſo rich, ſo honourable, ſo happy, as the old Diſciple, that is rich in ſpirituall experiences, and yet there is no Chriſtian ſo rich in his experiences but hee would be richer. The Lawyer.As Julianius ſaid, that when hee had one foot in the grave, hee would have the other in the School. So though an old Diſciple hath one foot in the grave, yet hee will have the other in Chriſts School, that he may ſtill bee treaſuring up more and more divine experiments; and by this alſo you ſee, what an honour it is to bee an old Diſciple, &c.
Fifthly, An old Diſciple is very ſtout, couragious, firm, and fixt in his reſolutions; Pſa. 44.9.—ult.an old Chriſtian is like a pillar, a rock, nothing can move him, nothing can ſhake him, what is ſuckt in in youth, will abide in old age; old ſouldiers are ſtout and couragious, nothing can daunt nor diſcourage them. When Joſhua was an hundred and ten years old, Joſh. 24.15.29O how couragious and reſolute was hee! And if it ſeem evil unto you, to ſerve the Lord, chuſe you this day whom you will ſerve, whether the Gods that your Fathers ſerved, that were on the other ſide of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whoſe land yee dwell; but as for mee and my houſe, wee will ſerve the Lord. And it came to paſſe, after theſe things, that Joſhua the Son of Nun, the ſervant of the Lord dyed, being an hundred and ten years old. Confidius a Senator of Rome told Caeſar boldly that the Senators durſt not come to council for fear of his ſouldiers; hee replyed, why then doſt thou go to the Senate? hee anſwered, becauſe my age takes away my fear. Ah! none ſo couragious, none ſo divinely fearleſſe, none ſo careleſſe in evil dayes as ancient Chriſtians. An old Chriſtian knows, that that good will do him no good, which is not made good by perſeverance; his reſolution is like that of Gonſalvo, who proteſted to his ſouldiers, ſhewing them Naples, that hee had rather die one foot forwards, than to have his life ſecured for long by one foot of retreat. Shall ſuch a man as I am flee, ſaid undaunted Nehemia? Neh. 6.11.he will couragiouſly venture life and limb, rather than by one foot of retreat, credit profeſſion with the reproach of fearfulneſs. Ariſtotle, (though a heathen) could ſay that in ſome caſes a man had better loſe his life, than bee cowardly. Ariſt. Ethie. 3. cap. 1.It was a brave magnanimous ſpeech of Luther, when dangers from oppoſers did threaten him, and his aſſociates; come (ſaith hee) let us ſing the forty ſixth Pſalm, and then let them do their worſt. When Polycarpus was fourſcore and ſix years old, hee ſuffered Martyrdome couragiouſly, reſolutely, and undauntedly.
When one of the ancient Martyrs was very much threatned by his perſecutors, hee replyed, there is nothing of things viſible, nothing of things inviſible that I fear; I will ſtand to my profeſſion of the name of Chriſt, and contend earneſtly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints, come on it what will. Old Diſciples, old Souldiers of Chriſt, 2 Sam. 23.11, 12.they have the heart and courage of Shammah, one of Davids worthies, who ſtood and defended the field, when all the reſt fled. The Hebrews call a young man Nagnar, which ſprings from a root that ſignifies to ſhake off, Mat. 19.20.21, 22.or to bee toſſed to and fro, to note how fickle, and how conſtant in inconſtancy young men are, they uſually are perſons either of no reſolution for good, or of weak reſolution; they are too often wonn with a Nut, and loſt with an Apple: but now aged Chriſtians in all Earthquakes, they ſtand faſt, like Mount-Zion, that cannot bee removed. And by this alſo you may ſee, what an honour it is, to bee an old Diſciple, an old Chriſtian.
Sixthly, An old Diſciple, an old Chriſtian, is prepared for death, hee hath been long a dying to ſin, Rom. 6 6. Gal. 5.24. ch. 6.14.to the world, to friends, to ſelf, to relations, all, and no man ſo prepared to dye, as he that thus daily dyes. An old Diſciple hath lived ſincerely to Chriſt, hee hath lived eminently to Chriſt, hee hath lived in all conditions, Rom. 14.7, 8. Phil. 1.21, 22, 23.and under all changes to Chriſt, he hath lived exemplarily to Chriſt, hee hath lived long to Chriſt, and therefore the more prepared to dye, and bee with Chriſt. An old Diſciple hath a crown in his eye, a pardon in his boſome, and a Chriſt in his arms, and therefore may ſweetly ſing it out with old Simeon, Lord, now let thy ſervant depart in peace. As Hillary ſaid to his ſoul, ſoul, thou haſt ſerved Chriſt this ſeventy years, Zeno a wiſe heathen ſaid, I have no fear but of old age.and art thou afraid of death? go out ſoul, go out. Many a day ſaid old Cowper have I ſought death with tears, not out of impatience, diſtruſt, or perturbation, but becauſe I am weary of ſin, and fearful to fall into it. Nazianzen calls upon the King of terrors, devour mee, devoure mee. And Auſtin, when old, could ſay, ſhall I dye ever? Cyprian could receive the cruelleſt ſentence of death, with a Deo gratias. God I thank thee.yes, or ſhall I die at all? yes, why then Lord if ever, why not now? why not now? ſo when Modeſtus the Emperors Lieutenant threatned to kill Bazil, he anſwered, if that be all. I fear not; yea, your Maſter cannot more pleaſure mee, than in ſending mee unto my heavenly Father, to whom I now live, and to whom I deſire to haſten. I cannot ſay as hee (ſaid old Mr. Stephen Martial a little before his death) I have not ſo lived, that I ſhould now bee afraid to dye, but this I can ſay, I have ſo learned Chriſt, that I am not afraid to dy. Old Chriſtians have made no more to dye, than to dine. Iſa. 57.1, 2It is nothing to dye when the Comforter ſtands by; Old Diſciples know that to dye is but to lye down in their beds, they know that their dying day is better than their birth day, Eccl. 7.1and this made Solomon to prefer his Coffin before his Crown, the day of his diſſolution, before the day of his coronation. The Ancients were wont to call the dayes of their death, Natalia, not dying days, but birth days.
The Jews to this day ſtick-not to call their Golgotha's Batte Caiim, the houſes or places of the Living; old Chriſtians know that death is but an entrance into life, tis but a paſſeover, a jubile, tis but the Lords Gentleman-uſher to conduct them to heaven, and this prepares them to dye and makes death more deſirable than life, and by this you may ſee, that it is an honour to bee an old Diſciple.
Seventhly, An Old Diſciple, an old Chriſtian, 1 Cor. 15 ult. 2 Cor. 9.6 Mat. 5.10, 11, 12 God will reward his Servants, Secundum laborem, according to their labour, though not Secundum proventum, according to the ſucceſſe of their labour.ſhall have a great reward in heaven, Old Chriſtians have done much, and ſuffered much for Chriſt, and the more any man doth, or ſuffers for Chriſt here, the more glory hee ſhall have hereafter. Twas the ſaying of an old Diſciple upon his dying bed, hee is come, hee is come (meaning the Lord) with a great reward for a little work. Agrippa having ſuffered impriſonment for wiſhing Cajus Emperor, the firſt thing Cajus did when hee came to the Empire, was to prefer Agrippa to a Kingdome; hee gave him alſo a chain of Gold as heavy as the chain of Iron that was upon him in priſon; And will not Chriſt richly reward all his ſuffering Saints? Surely hee will, Chriſt will at laſt pay a Chriſtian for every prayer hee hath made, for every Sermon hee hath heard, for every tear hee hath ſhed, for every morſell hee hath given, for every burden hee hath born, for every battel hee hath fought, for every enemy hee hath flain, and for every temptation that he hath overcome. Cyrus in a great expedition againſt his enemies, the better to incourage his ſouldiers to fight, in an oration that he made at the head of his Army, promiſed upon the victory, to make every foot ſouldier an horſman and every horſeman a Commander, and that no Officer that did valiantly, ſhould be unrewarded, Mat. 19.28 Luke 22.30. Mat. 5.12but what are Cyrus his rewards, to the rewards that Chriſt our General promiſes to his, Rev. 3.21. To him that overcommeth, will I grant to ſit with me in my throne, even as I alſo overcame, and am ſet down with my father in his throne. As the King in Plutarch ſaid of a groat, it is no kingly gift, and of a Talent, it is no baſe bribe.As there is no Lord to Chriſt, ſo there is no rewards to Chriſts, his rewards are the greateſt rewards, hee gives Kingdomes, Crowns, Thrones, hee gives grace and glory, Pſal. 84.11. It is ſaid of Araunah that noble Jebuſite, renowned for his bounty, that he had but a ſubjects purſe, but a Kings heart, but Jeſus Chriſt hath a Kings purſe, as well as a Kings heart, and accordingly hee gives.
And as Chriſts rewards are the greateſt rewards, ſo his rewards are the ſureſt rewards; he is faithfull that hath promiſed, 1 Theſ. 5.24. Antiochus promiſed often, but ſeldome gave (upon which hee was called in way of deriſion a great promiſer) but Jeſus Chriſt never made any promiſe, but hee hath or will perform it, 2 Cor. 1.20. nay he is often better than his word, 1 Cor. 2.9. hee gives many times more than wee ask. The ſick man of the Palſy asked but health, Mat. 9.2and Chriſt gave him health and a pardon to boot. Solomon deſired but wiſdome, 2 Chron. 1.10.11, 12, 13, 14, 15.and the Lord gave him wiſdome, and honour, and riches, and the favour of creatures, as paper and pack-thred into the bargain. Jacob asked him but cloaths to wear, Gen. 28.20. Compared with Gen. 32.10.and bread to eat, and the Lord gave him theſe things, and riches, and other mercies into the bargain. Chriſt doth not meaſure his gifts by our Petitions, but by his own riches, and mercies. Gracious ſouls many times receive many gifts, and favours from God, that they never dreamt off, nor durſt preſume to begge, which others exſtreamly ſtrive after, and go without. Archelaus being much importuned by a covetous courtier for a cup of gold, wherein hee drank, gave it unto Euripides that ſtood by, ſaying, thou art worthy to ask, and be denyed, but Euripides is worthy of gifts, although hee ask not. Luk. 15.19.…,25.The Prodigall craves no more but the place of an hyred Servant, but hee is entertained as a Sonne, he is clad with the beſt robe, and fed with the fatted calf, he hath a ring for his hand, and ſhooes for his feet, rich ſupplies more than hee deſired. Gen. 42.Jacobs ſons in a time of famine deſired only corn, and they return with corn and money in their ſacks, and with good news too, Joſeph is alive, and governour of all Egypt.
And as his Rewards are greater and ſurer than others rewards, Heb. 12.28 Mat. 6.19, 20 1 Pet. 1.4ſo they are more durable and laſting than others rewards, the Kingdome that hee gives is a Kingdome that ſhakes not, the treaſures that he gives are treaſures that corrupt not, and the glory that hee gives is glory that fadeth not away, but the rewards that men give, are like themſelves, fickle and unconſtant, they are withering and fading, Xerxes crowned his ſteers-man in the morning, and beheaded him in the evening of the ſame day. And Andronicus the Greek Emperor, crowned his admiral in the morning, and then took off his head in the afternoon; Rofenſis had a Cardinals hat ſent him, but his head was cut off before it came to him; moſt may ſay of their Crowns, as that King ſaid of his, O Crown, more noble than happy. It was a juſt complaint which long ago was made againſt the Heathen gods (O faciles dare ſumma deos eadem que tueri difficiles!) they could give their favourits great gifts, but they could not maintain them in the poſſeſſion of them, the World may give you great things, but the World cannot maintain you in the poſſeſſion of them, but the great things, the great rewards that Chriſt gives his, hee will for ever maintain them in the poſſeſſion of them, otherwiſe heaven would not bee heaven, Glory would not bee glory: Now by all theſe things you ſee, that it is a very great honour to bee an Old Diſciple, an old Chriſtian; and this honour you will never attain to, except you beginne to bee really good betimes, except in the morning of your youth, you return to the Lord, and get an intereſt in him.
I ſhall now come to make ſome Uſe and Application of this weighty truth to our ſelves.
You ſee beloved, that it is the great Duty and concernment of Young men, To be really good betimes: if this be ſo. Then