A Divine Legacy Bequeathed Unto All Mankind, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Means for making Old Age, to become a Good Age.
NOW I come to the Third Particular, after,
(1ſt) The [foreign] that Old Age may be a Good Age. And after,
(2dly) The [foreign] Or Reaſons why it muſt be ſo, &c. Then,
(3dly) The [foreign] Or the Means and Manner how this Age which is Evil, in, and of it ſelf, may be made a Good Age. In order hereunto, we muſt,
Firſt, Conſider the Dues, which by a Divine Appointment ought to be duly paid unto Old Age. And,
Secondly, We muſt conſider the Duties, which likewiſe by a Divine Appointment ought to be daily pra…tiſed in our Old Age. NB. Note well, The former of theſe two hath its Dependency upon the latter of them; for if thoſe Duties preſcribed by God's Precept, be not dailypractiſed in our Old Age, then thoſe Dues (of Honour and Reverence) which are propounded alſo by God's Promiſe, can never be duly paid to our Old Age; but the contrary, even Scorn and Contempt.
Firſt, Of the firſt of theſe, namely, the Dues that are the Due Homage and Divine Debt which God commands all Mankind to pay unto Old Age. As,
(1.) In Levit. 19.32. (which hath been ſpoken to before,) where God's Charge runs in this Senſe, [Do thou Honour the Face of the Old Man, if thou feareſt God, who will ſurely puniſh thee, if thou doſt it not.] And,
(2.) God took it heinouſly at the Hands of the King of Babylon, ſaying to him, [Upon the Ancients haſt thou very heavily laid thy Yoke, and ſhewed them no Mercy,] Iſai. 47.6.
(3.) God did reckon it as a great and grievous Crime to have the Aged and Ancient Ones deſpiſed by the Younger Sort, and therefore he threatens this as a puniſhment to the ſtubborn Jews, [that the Child ſhall behave himſelf proudly againſt the Ancient,] Iſai. 3.5. Such ſins as are threatned for puniſhments, are uſually great ſins; and had not the ſawcy Carriage of Children towards the Aged, (eſpecially towards their own Aged Parents,)been a notorious injury unto Old Perſons; it would never have been threatned as a Curſe and Puniſhment. If it were a great wrong, it was alſo a great ſin; and if it were a great ſin, it muſt expect a great Plague and Puniſhment. Many more Scriptures might here be added, with a ſhort deſcant upon them; but to be ſhort, this brief following Reference ſhall ſuffiſe.
As, (4) Prov. 20.29.
(5.) Lam. 5.12.
(6.) Job 29.8. and 32.4,6,7. And,
(7.) Rom. 16.3.
(Laſtly,) 1 Tim. 5.1,2. All which Scriptures do plainly hold forth, what Reſpect and Reverence ought to be given, and is commanded by the great God to be given unto Aged Perſons, even in thoſe Pureſt times of the Old and New Teſtaments, and how can we learn to write after a more perfect Pattern, and a more infallible Copy. Yea, and upon a brief ſearch of the Ancient Fathers of the Church, ſoon after thoſe pure Scripture times, I do find this grave and ſolid Teſtimony concerning this very Point of the Honour of Old Age, in Clemens Alexandrinus his Book, called Paedagogus, written in the Year of our Lord, 194▪ who in his Third Book of that before-named Title, ſpeaks thus, [Non eſt malum Senem videri, cum hocquod ſis, celare non poſſis: Quo ergo magis Homo feſtinat ad finem, tanto eſt vere Venerabilior, ut qui Deum ſolum habeat ſe Seniorem, nam ille quoque eſt Aeternus S… nex, qui eſt iis quae ſunt Antiquior. Antiquum Dierum illum vocavit Propheta.] That is in Engliſh thus, [It is no evil to ſeem Old, ſeeing ſuch as be ſo, cannot conceal it with any Paintings, (as the ſame Father, a little before this, ſaith, ſuch painters of themſelves cannot put off Old Age, as the Serpent doth his Slough, &c.) For by how much the more a Man haſtneth unto his end, by ſo much the more he becometh Venerable, and the more to be Honoured, as one who hath God alone to be more Ancient than he, who is likewiſe Eternally Old; and the Prophet Daniel calls him the Antient of Days.] And the ſame Father adds, [Senum Corona è multa experientia, &c.] That the Crown of Old Men, is much Prudence and Experience, &c. To omit the other Fathers, for avoiding prolixity, let me only add two more Teſtimonies to this great Truth.
The Firſt is, That Critick Philoſopher, who ſaith, [Cognata ſunt, foreign.] The former word ſignifies Old Age, and the latter, Honour; ſo theſe two are of …ear a Kin in the Greek Language; andagreeable hereunto is the Hebrew reading, Iſai. 9.15. where the Ancient and the Honourable are joined together.
The Second Teſtimony is that of the great Hiſtorian Livy, in his 26th Book, ſpeaking of an Army, how the Younger Bands gave place to the Elder,) uſeth theſe words, [Vix ut veriſimile eſt, Parentum quoque hoc ſeculo vilis, leviſque apud Liberos Authoritas,] that is, the Report of former purer golden Times when the Younger had ſuch a Veneration for the Elder, ſeems almoſt incredible for now we ſee this preſent Age is of another Mettal than Gold, wherein we behold the diſreſpect that is commonly ſhewed, not only to Old Men, bu… alſo to Old Parents, (whoſe Authority over their Children is oft vile and contemptible, &c.) yea ſlighting them moſt when they ſhould reſpect them moſt much unlike to young Joſeph, who nouriſhed his Old Father Jacob in his Old Age, and made the laſt Seventeen Year… of his Life, the beſt and moſt comfortable part of his whole Time, that he lived in the World. Nor is this all, to wit, diſreſpect to Old Parents, &c. bu… there is likewiſe a diſreſpect to Old P… ſtors, who are thought by Young Novice… to be no better than Fools; whereas (accordingto the vulgar ſaying) the Old …re ſure that thoſe Young Ones are ſo, &c. Thus it appeareth, that we now live in that laſt Iron Age, even in the very Dregs of Time, and we muſt expect, [ultima Seneſcentis Mundi deliria,] the laſt and the worſt dotages of a decrepid, and of a dying World, &c.
The Second Part is, the Duties which …re to be done by all of us, in our Old Age, that we may not be deprived of …hat Double Crown of Glory, both of that …n the Kingdom of Grace here, and of that in the Kingdom of Glory hereafter; ſeeing thoſe two Crowns are the proper Dues of a Good Old Age, by a Divine Promiſe, wherein the great God hath made himſelf a Debtor unto all godly Aged Ones: And if any of us be not ſuch, we ſhall not only loſe the former of theſe Crowns, to wit, that of Reſpect and Reverence, but be deſpiſed for our Dotage, &c. Let no Man take that Crown, Rev. 3.11. …n this Life; but that which is worſt of …ll, we ſhall loſe likewiſe the latter, and the better Crown in the Life to come. Therefore to prevent this double loſs, many Duties are to be done.
The Firſt Duty is, We muſt examine …ur States, and Standings Godward, &c. whether we be ſtill in the State of Nature, and yet not broken off from the Wild Olive, or we be in the State of Grace, and now engraffed into that bleſſed and bleeding Vine the Lord Jeſus, Rom. 11.17. The great Apoſtle doth earneſtly preſs us to the right doing of this firſt Duty, 2 Cor. 13.5. where he uſeth a double Expreſſions, [foreign and foreign,] that is, Try your ſelves, and Prove your ſelves; know ye not that Chriſt is in you, except ye be Reprobates.] Wherein he alludeth both unto Goldſmiths, and unto Lapidaries, who have their Lydius Lapis, or Touch-ſtone, whereby they diſcover true Gold from tha… which is Copper or Counterfeit, and Natural Diamonds from Artificial Briſtol-ſtones And thoſe double Terms of Art are to ſtir us up, that we may redouble our diligence in that moſt needful (yet much neglected) Duty of Self-examination; fo… tho' the deciſive and final Trial of our Eternal Eſtate doth immediately and ſolely appertain to God, in the Court of Heaven, yet the Diſquiſitive, and Soul-Comforting part doth belong to our ſelves in the Court of our own Conſciences▪ And therefore as an Omiſſion, or an Error here is moſt eaſie, ſo it is of moſ… dangerous conſequence in filling our Spirits full of doubts and fears, what ſhal… become of our Souls, when our Bodies drop down into the Grave. Hereupon the Divine Precept is doubled, both in this Apoſtles Charge, and in that of the Prophets alſo, [Excutite vos, iterumque excutite,] as Tremellius renders the words, Zeph. 2.1.
The Second Duty is, That we ſhould make good proof of our Graces, eſpecially of that Foundation-grace of Repentance unto Life, as it is called Acts 11.18. (granted unto us Gentiles,) for where right Repentance towards God is given, 'tis always accompanied with faith toward our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Acts 20.21. This Grace of Repentance is ſo exceeding neceſſary, that both our Lord himſelf, and his Forerunner, John the Baptiſt, began their Miniſtry with this indiſpenſable Doctrine, [Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,] Matth. 3.2. and 4.17. and Mark 1.15. Join Repent and Believe both together. Now ſeeing the Tree is known by its Fruit, whether it be good or bad, Matth. 12.33. Luke 6.44. If we be no better than Bramble-Buſhes, no Grapes of Grace can grow upon us; but if we be Trees of Righteouſneſs of the Lord's planting and watering, as Iſai. 61.3. then ſhall we bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance, Matth.3.8. Now the true Notion and Nature of this Grace of Repentance is, our turning from Darkneſs to Light, Acts 26.18. and our returning from the faln Eſtate by the firſt Adam into a renewed Eſtate by the Second Adam: As we are all Metaphorical Trees. Ariſtotle calls Man Arbor inverſa, a Tree turned upward, making the Head as Root, and the Arms and Legs the Branches of this Tree, &c. Bernard calls Man [Inverſus Decalogus,] as quite contrary to God's Law, therefore muſt he be turned up-ſide down, as the Picture of the Horſe, and then right, &c. We have our Standing Time in our Life, and we muſt have our Falling Time at our Death; the Ax whereof is laid to the Root of us in thoſe manifold Diſtempers which attend Old Age, as if God were taking his Aim where to cut us up, and how to hew us down, Matth. 3.10. Now as all Trees, be they ſtrong Oakes, or lofty Cedars, muſt have their time of falling; ſo all Mankind, be they of never ſo robuſt a Conſtitution, and be they of never ſo high, either of State or of Stature, muſt have a time of dying, Heb. 9.27. and as Trees, what way they moſtly lean, that way they uſually fall, whether it be Southward or Northward, Eccleſ. 11.3. So we ought to examine our ſelves, whichway our Wills and Affections do lean, whether Southward towards the Sun of Righteouſneſs, Mal. 4.2. As 'tis recorded of Abraham, (who walked with God) [that his Journyings were ſtill towards the South,] towards the Sun, Gen. 12.9. So all the Sons and Daughters of Abraham, ſhould hang Heavenward, and ſhould lean Southward; then may there be good grounds of a lively Hope, that when we die, we ſhall fall upon the Right-hand of Chriſt, among the fruitful Sheep, and ſhall hear thoſe comfortable words, [Come, ye bleſſed of my Father, &c.] Matth. 25.33,34. But if on the other hand we do not find, that we have with David, [conſidered our former evil ways, and turned our Feet (our Affections) towards God's Teſtimonies,] Pſal. 119.59. If yet we are not returned to God by Repentance, but are ſtill journying toward the North, towards that cold Country, where there is weeping and wailing and gnaſhing of Teeth for cold, (tho' it be a fiery Furnace for heat,] Matth. 13.42,50. If we lean Northward, and hang Hellward, we ſhall ſurely fall upon the Left Hand of the Judge among the ſ…nking Goats, and receive that ſad Sentence, [Depart ye Curſed, &c.] Matth. 25.41. As the Tree, where it falls, Northward or Southward, there it lies, Eccleſ. 11.3. even ſo where we fall at our Deaths, whether Northward, upon the Left Hand of our Judge; or Southward, upon the Right Hand of our Redeemer, there we ſhall lie until the Reſurrection-day; for after Death comes the Day of Judgment, Heb. 9.27. Then all both good and bad ſhall riſe again, &c.
The Third Duty of us Aged Ones is, Not to dally or delay that weighty Work of making our Peace with God, according to that Divine Counſel, [Acquaint now thy ſelf with God, and be at Peace with him, and thereby good ſhall come unto thee,] Job 22.21. This great Duty muſt be now done, we have been aſleep, or Strangers to God long enough, Epheſ. 2.12. and 4.18. 1 Pet. 4.3. Now is the accepted time, now is the day of ſalvation, 2 Cor. 6.2. There be Times of Grace, while the Word of the Goſpel is preached to us; and there be Seaſons of Grace, when the Spirit of God goeth along with God's Word, and convinceth of ſin, &c. John 16.8. Now ſuch a ſeaſon is the moſt beautiful part of time, and [how can we eſcape if we neglect ſo great ſalvation!] Heb. 2.3. This is a quenching the Spirit, 1 Theſ. 5.19. Opportunities are Headlong, and once loſtand paſt, may never be recovered. Therefore doth God in Scripture ſo earneſtly preſs upon this [foreign,] this Now or Time preſent, becauſe ſo many perſons are [Semper Victuri,] as Seneca ſaith, they promiſe to themſelves, that they ſhall yet live a little longer, ſaying, [in Space will come Grace;] ſo they trifle out their Time, and puts off the making of their Peace with God for the future, and future their Duty ſo long, until at laſt they fool away their own Salvation; whereas delays are dangerous, qui non eſt hodie, cras minus aptus erit, he that is not fit to day, will be leſs fit to morrow; as the hinder Wheels of a Coach do purſue the former Wheels thereof all the day long, and tho' they be much larger than the other, and but at a very ſmall diſtance (of a yard or two) from them, yet they never overtake them: Even ſo it is in this caſe, one delay (of making our Peace with God) doth beget another from day to day, and the latter Promiſe of Repenting purſues the former from time to time, but never overtakes it; [Poſt eſt Occaſio Calva, Time hath no Lock behind its Head for us to take hold of, whereby the hinder and the former part thereof may be made to meet together:And know, God will not always ſerve Men for a Sinning-ſtock from time to time; and as Dr. Preſton well obſerveth, that in theſe Times of Grace, the Lord is more quick and Peremptory in rejecting of ſuch as dally with the Tenders of Peace: God's time of tendering it, is ſhorter now, he will not wait ſo long, as he was wont to do, he will not ſuffer us to neglect it twice; but if once paſt, it will never dawn again. 'Tis true, [the long-ſuffering of God is Salvation,] Rom. 2.4. and 2 Pet. 3.15. but [laeſa patientia fit furor,] if we preſume to abuſe God's Patience, then it turns into Fury, and we are but treaſuring up to our ſelves wrath, againſt the day of wrath, Rom. 2.5. and therefore we ought to catch at preſent Opportunities; as Millers and Mariners do catch at preſent Gales, and make uſe of them when they come; and as Watermen take the opportunity of the Tide, all well-knowing, that neither Wind, nor Tide, nor Time will ſtay no Man's Leiſure or Pleaſure; they all are in God's fiſt, Prov. 30.4. (who hath alone the Royalty of theſe his Creatures,) and not in the power of Man: We ought therefore to catch at the Seaſon of Grace, as we hear the Eccho doth at the Voice, loudly ſpoken inPlaces of Reverberation, even in the very nick of Time. Thus we find David did, [no ſooner had he heard God ſpeaking, [ſeek ye my Face,] but immediately his Heart (being inſpired by the Spirit to a gracious compliance,) did (as it were) eccho back again, [thy Face, Lord, will I ſeek,] Pſal. 27.8. And the like Eccho, or quick Anſwer we find in the Church to her Lord, who no ſooner had ſaid to her [Return, ye back-ſliding Children, and I will heal your backſlidings; She preſently Anſwers, [Behold, we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God,] Jer. 3.22. The Church was thus moved to yield her ready Obedience unto her Lord's Command, becauſe [the power of the Lord was preſent to heal her,] as Luke 5.17. And indeed every godly perſon hath, as it were, the duplicate and counter-part of God's Law written in his Heart, and is willingly caſt into the Mold of his Word, as Rom. 6.17. may be read, to wit, [ye have obeyed from the heart, that Form, (Type or Mold) of Doctrine into which ye were caſt.] The Doctrine of the Goſpel is the Mold, and the Hearts of Hearers is the Mettal, which when ſufficiently melted in the Furnace, being purged from the Droſs, &c. is then poured into the Mold, and willingly receiveth that Form and Figure of that Type or Veſſel that it is caſt into, taking Impreſſion from it in one part as well as another, and receives its Form in the whole. Oh that it may be ſo with us, to acquaint now our ſelves with God, while he calls us, and be at peace with him: This is done, if we return to God ſpeedily by Repentance from whom we have ſo ſhamefully revolted, and againſt whom we have ſo notoriouſly rebelled; our Lord calleth loudly upon us, duly and daily, [To day if you will hear his Voice, harden not your Hearts,] Pſal. 95.7,8. Heb. 3.7,8. as in the day of Provocation. It muſt be done to day, while the Gales of Grace continue blowing and breathing; 'tis the Cry of that unclean Bird, the Crow, [Cras, Cras,] that is, to Morrow, to Morrow will be ſoon enough. If we harden our own Hearts by Unbelief, as our choice to day, God may lay Hardneſs of Heart upon us, as our Judgment to morrow; ſo that neither Miniſtry, nor Miſery, nor Miracle, nor Mercy may poſſibly Mollifie them.
But on the other hand, if the Lord move our Hearts, to make ſuch a quick Eccho, and gracious Anſwer to God's Call and Command, as Samuel did by the Inſtruction of Good Old Eli, [ſpeak, Lord, for thy Servant now heareth,] 1 Sam. 3.9,10. and as Saul ſaid, [Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?] Acts 9.6. This is a bleſſed evidence, that God hath [bored our Ears,] and we ſhall ſay then, [Lo, we come to do thy will, O God, and we delight in doing it,] Pſal. 40.6,7,8. Chriſt's people are willing in the day of Chriſt's power, Pſal. 110.3. they then will make haſte and not delay, Pſal. 119.59,60. yea, it ſhould be our Meat and Drink to do God's Will, as it was to our Lord, Joh. 4.34. Now if we can but find any promptneſs in our Wills and Affections to turn our Hearts from ſin, and return to God without delays, we ſhall then be at peace with him, and he with us, yea, and thereby good ſhall come unto us, Job. 22.21. we ſhall be happy, and it ſhall be well with us, Pſal. 128.2. We ſhall have a Cornucopia, even a confluence of all manner of contentments and comforts, even good Temporal, good Spiritual and good Eternal; then Peace will be within our Walls, and Proſperity within our Tabernacles, Pſal. 122.7. To conclude this Point, if we, who are Aged, have delayed hitherto to make our peace with God, we have burnt Day-light too much already, 'tis high time to uſe expedition. The putting off of this day, and the next, andhalf a day, coſt the Levite very dear, Judg. 19,7,8, &c. As that Old Man courted and cozened that Levite, ſo Satan cozens us when we have a mind to look towards Heaven; our Foe, ſaying to us, [be content, I pray you, &c. what haſte, hereafter is ſoon enough, &c.] but we muſt be peremptory, for the Evening haſteth on us a-pace, &c. and God forbid we ſhould go to Bed (the Grave) at laſt, without ſaving Light, when the night of Death cometh on us.
The Fourth Duty of all Aged Ones is, ſeriouſly to conſider the many weariſom Evils, which Old Age is now about to bring upon us, whereof Solomon giveth a particular deſcription of, after he had ſtiled Old Age an Evil Age in the general, Eccleſ. 12.1. Then he proceedeth to deſcribe more diſtinctly what thoſe decays of Nature in Old Perſons be, which make their days ſo evil and unpleaſant, ver. 2, to 7. and theſe be of three ſorts of Infirmities.
Firſt, Some ſuch as do befall the former part of Old Age, while as yet we are able to go abroad, ver. 2. to the former part of ver. 5.
Secondly, Other Decays that attend our Decrepid Old Age, when Death is very near approaching to us, and our ſelves aredrawing faſt toward it, in the latter part of ver. 5, with ver. 6, 7.
Thirdly and Laſtly, He deſcribes Death it ſelf, ver. 7. All this diſtinct deſcription doth the wiſeſt of Men leave upon Divine Record, that it might the more awaken us to work out our Salvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2.12. to make our Calling and Election ſure, 2 Pet. 1.10. That we all may with all expedition make ſure work for a better World, before we go hence to be ſeen no more.
Now the Decays of Old Age, in its former part, whilſt as yet we are able to walk abroad; be,
(1ſt) The Darkneſs of all the Lights that are about us, whether they be Natural, as of the Sun, Moon and Stars, &c. or Artificial Lights, ſuch as Candles, Torches, &c. This Darkneſs cometh not not from any Decay of thoſe Lights, but from the Dimneſs of our own Sight; hence cometh our need of Spectacles, &c. It implies alſo, that all the comforts and and contentments which we formerly enjoyed in our Younger Years, are now turned into Diſcomforts, into Diſeaſes, Aches and Pains, which darken greater and leſſer Comforts. We then ſee through a Glaſs Darkly, as the Apoſtle ſaith in another caſe, 1 Cor. 13.12. The defluctionof Rheum, which trickleth down the Cheeks, (I here ſpeak my own experience) doth continually diſtil it ſelf out of the Head, and as it were [the returning of the Clouds after the Rain,] ver. 2. as it falls out in our April weather, no ſooner is one Shower unburdened, but another is Brewed, much more in the Winter of Old Age: And thus likewiſe [Deep calleth upon Deep, at the noiſe of the Water-ſpouts,] Pſal. 42.7. that is, one Affliction comes upon the Neck of another without intermiſſion, like the Billows of the Sea, that come rolling and tumbling one after another; yea, and like Job's Meſſengers, that haſtened with their evil Tidings to him, ſo as that they were even ready to tread upon the Heels one of another. Thus it falls out more eſpecially where Old Age is the Succeſſor, and a wild wanton Youth hath been its Predeceſſor, from whence many a violent Storm hath been long battering and beating upon this Houſe of Clay: So that if the Saddle be ſet upon the right Horſe, we ought to blame the Vanity (if not Villany) of our Youth, for all the Sorrows and Infirmities, yea ſufferings in our Old Age.
The (2d) Decay that Solomon ſaith attendeth Old Age, of the firſt Rank or Degree is, ver. 3. that the Keepers of the Houſe ſhall Tremble, to wit, the Arms and Hands which are our defence for the Head and whole Body, (called an Houſe oft in Scripture,) from any harm impending upon us, for maintaining our Lives, which are therefore called the Lives of our Hands, Iſai. 57.10. becauſe our Lives are upheld by the labour of our Hands; but alas how little labour can the trembling Hands of Old Age (which oft brings Palſi…s, and other weakneſſes) accompliſh. Thus the Preacher doth Draw to the Life the very Picture of Old Age, and moſt elegantly continueth, and carries on this Myſtical Allegory, adding here the
(3d) Decay, [The Strong Men ſhall bow themſelves,] that is, the Legs and Thighs ſhall then begin to bend and buckle in the Knees, cripling and crinkling under us; ſo that they ſometimes be unable to bear the burden of the Body; inſomuch that one of the five Characters of Old Perſons is, to have a Leg in their Hand, to ſupport their feeble and tottering Tabernacles (the Body) therewith; they ſtand in need of a Staff or Crutch: Hence Heſiod calls them foreign, which ſignifies [Three Legg'd:] And Virgil's Phraſe is, Genua Labant, the Knees do languiſh, &c. And,
Membra levant Baculis Tardique Senilibus Annis.
Slow-paced Seniors ſtay up their Sides with Staves in their Hands.
The (4th) Decay in this Allegory and Alluſion is, [the Grinders ſhall ceaſe, becauſe they are few,] that is, the Teeth ſhall then be unable to chew any Meat, becauſe they are either looſe or loſt with Age; for as Teeth come not with us into the World when we are born, ſo they commonly leave us in Old Age, before we leave the World when we die. And this is another of the five Characters of Old Perſons, that they wear their Teeth at their Girdle, to wit, the Knife that is ſtuck there, to be drawn at the Table out of its Sheath, for ſhredding their Meat very ſmall with it, and make Food fit for manducation; becauſe Meat muſt be well maſticated, (before it be tranſmitted into the Stomach) for a more mature Digeſtion: And Teeth are as hard as Stones, therefore are they fitly compared to Milſtones for their Grinding-work, as they are called Grinders here. Hereupon Juvenal wittily alludeth,
Frangendos miſero Gingiva Panis Inermi.
which is in Engliſh, 'Tis a miſery to Old People, that they muſt break their Bread with Toothleſs Gums.
The (5th) Decay is, [when thoſe that look out at the Windows are darkened,] that is, the Eyes grown dim or blind as they did in Old Iſaac, Gen. 27.1, &c. who could not diſcern a difference betwixt his two Sons, Eſau and Jacob, &c. and as they did alſo in Old Jacob, [whoſe Eyes were dim for Age,] Gen. 48.10, &c. Where good Joſeph thought that his Father Jacob had made ſuch a miſtake of Ephraim for Manaſſeh, as his Grandfather Iſaac had done before, through his dimneſs of Eyes, in his bleſſing Jacob, the Younger, for Eſau, the Elder, &c. This dimneſs of Sight is aſſuredly a very heavy affliction, ver. 3. which is a degree of Darkneſs, higher than that which is mentioned in ver. 2. when our very Spectacles are become helpleſs to us. But 'tis the greateſt Affliction to ſuch as have had their Eyes full of Adultery, 2 Pet. 2.14. becauſe in that caſe our ſin is writ upon our Puniſhment; and our own guilty Conſciences do put a Sting into that Darkneſs upon our Windows of Wantonneſs and Wickedneſs. This muſt needs be a Prick and a Thorn to torment Blind Eyes.
The Sixth Evil of Old Age is, [and the Doors ſhall be ſhut in the Streets, when the ſound of the Grinding is low,] ver. 4. which ſome interpret the Ears, that then grow dull of Hearing, and at laſt Deaf; becauſe Hearing is cauſed by two Bones, placed within the inſide of the Ear; whereof the one ſtands ſtill, and the other moveth like the nether and upper Grindſtones of a Mill: And as the Ear was a Door, by which Death firſt entred into the World, when our firſt Parents gave a liſtning Ear, more to the Old Lyar, than to the God of Truth. So the Lord hath appointed it as a ſuitable Antidote, that the Ear ſhould be a Door to let in Life and Salvation now, as it had done Death and Damnation before; for God ſaith in the Old Teſtament, [incline your Ear to me, hear, and your Soul ſhall live, &c.] Iſai. 55.3. And he ſaith in the New Teſtament, [that Faith cometh by Hearing, &c. Rom. 10.17. But alas, the Deaf cannot hear the word, the Door is ſhut, yea, the Young as well as Old, while in the ſtate of Sin, all are poſſeſſed with a Deaf Devil, until Chriſt come and cry Ephphatha, that is, be opened, Mark. 7.34. and ſtraightway his Ears were opened, ver. 35.
But others do underſtand thoſe Metaphorical Doors in Eccleſ. 12.4. to be the Lips of Man's Mouth, becauſe of David's expreſſion in his Prayer, [Lord, keep the Door of my Lips, &c.] Pſal. 141.3. Theſe Doors, the Lips, are ſaid to be ſhut without, becauſe the ſound of the Grinding is low, that is, (ſay they) the Lips are ſhut cloſe together, when for want of Teeth to grind their Food with, the Meat is rolled and chavelled up and down the Mouth; and if the Lips be not kept cloſe ſhut, the Meat, in tumbling to and fro, would drop out of the Mouth.
There is yet a Third Interpretation of this Alluſion (which I cannot omit) of thoſe words, [The Doors ſhall be ſhut in the Streets,] that is, theſe Aged Ones ſhall keep home, avoiding the company and ſociety of Mankind, ſuch as Feaſtings and Merry Meetings, [when the ſound of the Grinding is low,] that is, when neither his Teeth, nor his Stomach and Appetite can any longer ſerve him for much feeding or feaſting, as in Old Barzillai, 2 Sam. 19.35.
The (7th) Decay in Old Age is, [and he ſhall riſe at the Voice of the Bird,] that is, the leaſt noiſe of a Swallow that neſts in the Chimney top, &c. or any little Bird will waken Old Perſons, eſpeciallythe crowing of the Cock, which is not cauſed by any quickneſs in their Hearing, (that then is dull, as before,) but from the dryneſs of their Brains, which cauſeth badneſs of ſleeping, from coldneſs of Blood, and deficiency of Moiſture; therefore is it ſaid, [the Old Man riſes up at the leaſt Noiſe,] becauſe being awakened, and weary with lying along, and unable to turn his Body in his Bed, he muſt riſe to change his poſture, for his eaſe, &c.
The (8th) Evil of Old Age is, [all the Daughters of Muſick ſhall be brought low], that is, they ſhall neither have any Voices wherewith to ſing of themſelves, nor take any delight to hear others (that have Voices) to ſing, ver. 4. for as their Inſtruments of Speaking, (which make Muſick) do fail, ſo their Inſtruments of Hearing, (for receiving Muſick) do fail alſo. Homer obſerveth, that Old People cannot themſelves ſing, [Propter Raucam Vocem,] for their unpleaſant Voice, which is no better than Creaking and Screaming. And Juvenal expreſſeth it thus, [nam quae Cantante Voluptas,] what pleaſure can the Old find, either in ſinging themſelves, or in hearing others ſing? as they themſelves cannot ſing Tuneably with diſtinction of Sounds, ſo they can take no delight in hearing the Melodious Notes of other Singers, as Old Barzillai did acknowledge to King David, (who was that ſweet Singer of Iſrael,) 2 Sam. 19.35. As their dulneſs of Hearing diſinables them from diſcerning the Melody; ſo the lowneſs of their Spirits makes them melancholick, inſomuch that they cannot affect Muſick: And this is very remarkable here, that Old Men, whoſe Hearing is ſo quick, as to be awakenned with any little Noiſe of a Bird, &c. yet the exquiſiteneſs of the ſenſe of Hearing (to delight in the ſound of Muſick) is quite gone from them.
The (9th) Evil of Old Age, [they ſhall be afraid of that which is high, and fear ſhall be in the way,] ver. 5. that is, they ſhall be very fearful to walk upon high places, where there may be any danger of falling; and they being very timerous themſelves, will ſhrink and tremble, yea cry out, when they behold Young Ones over bold and venturous, &c. As they are themſelves afraid of climbing up aloft, becauſe of the ſtiffneſs of their Joints, and the unweildineſs of their Bodies. So they dare not ſtand in any high place, becauſe a Vertigo, a giddineſs or ſwimming of the Brain doth ſoon ſeize upon them, Their Heads are as weak as their Hamms, they can neither climb up, becauſe they are ſhort winded; and when they are got up, they dare not look down for fear of falling, &c. Yea, they are afraid of every Hillock, or little Stone ſtanding up in their way, for fear of ſtumbling on it, becauſe of the unnimbleneſs of their Limbs. They fear to be caſt down by careleſs People, riding or running, and carrying Burdens to and fro, &c.
The (10th) Evil of Old Age is, [the Almond Tree then flouriſheth,] that is, when their Heads grow Gray and Hoary, which is of it ſelf a Crown of Glory, (a flouriſhing Ornament) if found in the way of Righteouſneſs, Prov. 16.31. But it is an undeniable evidence of the decay of our Radical Moiſture, which ſhould duly nouriſh the Hairs, both of our Heads and Beards. The Almond Tree is the firſt that flouriſheth, Jer. 1.11,12. The Prophet there ſaw this as a ſign of Gods haſtning the execution of his Judgments againſt a ſinful Nation; for this Tree Bloſſometh before any other Tree. Natural Philoſophy tells us, that the Almond Tree doth Bloſſom in January, while it is yet Winter, and its Fruit is ripe in March, when 'tis but early Spring, &c. and therefore it hath its Name from its early appearance both of Buds, Bloſſoms and Fruit; but here it is made a Reſemblance of an Hoary Head, yet with this difference,
(1ſt) The Almond flouriſheth in the Spring, but the Hoary Head in the Winter of our Old Age.
(2dly) That Tree hath all its white Bloſſoming Flowers before the Fruit, but we have our white Hairs after our Fruit-bearing to God in our Generation-work. Notwithſtanding this double Diſparity, there is this one Congruity that runs parallel betwixt them, namely, that the Hoary Head found in the way of Righteouſneſs, is the flouriſhing Crown of the Old Man, in the Spring of a better World, unto which he is haſtening with white Snow, or Church-yard Flowers upon his Head. This makes up another of the five Characters afore-mentioned, that Old Age hath White Sugar in its Hair, as it is Gray-headed, &c.
The (11th) Evil of Old Age is, [then the Graſhopper or Locuſt ſhall be a Burden,] that is, the Old Man cannot bear the leaſt Weight or Burden, no not the Weight or Burden of a Locuſt or Graſhopper, becauſe he is already become a Burden to himſelf, by manifold Diſtempers upon him, as Gout, Phthiſick, &c. But another learned Expoſitor interprets this Clauſe, neither by the noiſe of the Locuſt, (for that is intimated before, ver. 4. in the Voice of the Bird,) nor by its weight, Hyperbolically ſpoken, to ſignifie that the lighteſt Burden is a Load to Old People; but moſt fitly, (as he ſaith) it is meant of the ſlowneſs of the Aged's digeſtion: For tho' the Locuſt be a clean and wholeſom Food, Levit. 11.22. and much uſed in thoſe Hot Countries, eſpecially by the poorer ſort of People, Matth. 3.4. yet even this Light Meat proves heavy and burdenſome to the Old Man's Stomach.
The (12th) Evil of Old Age is, that [then Deſire ſhall fail,] that is, not only Appetite either to Meat or to Drink, (as was in Barzillai afore-named, but alſo all vehement and ſtrong Affections to the common Pleaſures of this Life, (called the Delights of the Sons of Men, Eccleſ. 2.8.) ſuch as are the Luſts of the Fleſh, the Luſts of the Eye, and the Pride of Life, all theſe ſhall be taken away, &c. Hence famous Tully reckons this as one great Benefit by Old Age, [quod Hominem a libidinis aeſtu, velut a quodam Tyranno liberabit,] that it ſets a Man free from the Fire and Flagrancy of Luſt, as from a great Tyrant. And this alſo implied in that Etymology of [foreign,] (which ſignifies an Elder,) derived from [foreign,] ignis, and [foreign,] extinguo, to wit, the Quenching of Fire.
Thus far go the Firſt ſort of Evils, attending the former part of Old Age, while we are yet able to walk abroad, now follow the Second Sort that do accompany our Decrepit Age, which are the ſymptoms and forerunners of approaching Death; and then it is that we are ſaid to have one Foot in the Grave. There is yet one of the Five Characters behind, to be now mentioned, namely, the Old Man hath alſo an Almanack in his Bones, (as well as Eyes) (or Spectacles in his Pocket,) a Leg (or Staff) in his Hand, Sugar or Snow in his Hoary Head, and Teeth or Knife at his Girdle.) Now this Almanack is, the many Aches and Pains all over his Body, which makes him Weather-wiſe, and wiſer than his Almanack, and can better prognoſticate that ill weather is near at hand, when he begins to feel many pungent pricking Pains, infeſting the Humours of ſeveral parts of his Body; the like Prognoſticks (as the Lord Bacon, in his Natural Hiſtory, telleth us) are found in ſome certain Weather-wiſe Fowls, which againſt ſtormy Seaſons will make moſt doleful Ditties, and ſad Outcries▪ and the Reaſon hereof, (asthat learned Nobleman rendreth it) is, becauſe then the purified Air penetrates into the Quils of their Feathers, which puts them to much Anguiſh, and cauſeth them to cry out after… an hiddious manner. Thus it is with us, in our Decrepid Age, ſuch Cramps and Convulſions do come upon us, as do foretel the Storm of Death is drawing nigh, and that we are going apace to our long home, Eccleſ. 12.5. And therefore the Moral of the Apologue is very weighty, and well worthy of ſerious conſideration. The Story in the Fable runs thus, [There was a Man, who made this Bargain with Death, not to come for taking away his Life, and ſending him away into another World, until he had due notice and warning hereof before hand. Death agrees, and the Bargain was ſtruck up between them both. After this the Man liveth a long time, yet not altogether without ſome Ailments and Illments; all ſtanding memorials of Mortality: At the laſt Death comes in good earneſt, as God's Sergeant to Arreſt him, and to carry him to the Priſon of the Grave. Nay (ſaith the Man to Death) Hold now thy Hand, for I muſt bind thee to thy Bargain, wherein thou bound thy ſelf to give me timely notice, and due warning of thy coming. To this Death ſmartly replied, [Oh Man, how many Harbingers haſt thou had concerning my coming, in thoſe ſundry Diſtempers of Tooth-ach, Head-ach, and ſuch like; all which were my Forerunners, but thou minded them not;] therefore [Thou Fool, at this Time thy Soul ſhall be required of thee,] as Luke 12.20. whereupon Death caſt his fatal Javeling at him, ſtruck him down dead, and hurried him away to his place in another World. The Moral of this Myſtical Fable is this, That even all the Infirmities of the Firſt Sort, namely, not only the Five Characters of Old Age fore-mentioned, with all the other Decays of Nature, which the Eldeſt Son of Wiſdom, Solomon, recordeth, Eccleſ. 12.1,2,3,4,5. they are all Summons ſent from Heaven to us, that we may be making ready for our departure from this Earth: But more eſpecially thoſe of this latter Sort, which do more immediately introduce Death it ſelf. The two Firſt whereof be external, in the laſt of part ver. 5. As,
(1ſt) Man is juſt a going to his long Home, Gnal Beth Gnalamo, Hebrew, the Houſe of his Age, the Grave, where he ſhall reſt until the Day of his Reſurrection, Job 14.12. Now the Sentence of Death is ſeen by many indicant Signs, to writ upon him, as 2 Cor. 1.9. and he lies ſighing out thoſe ſad words of Job, [My Spirit is ſpent, my Days are extinct, the Graves are ready for me,] Job 17.1.
(2dly) The Mourners go about the Streets, that is, his Friends and Neighbours run to ſee him die, and to cloſe up his Eyes, making many mournful Moans and Lamentations over him, to provoke others to lament with them, Amos 5.16. and Jer. 22.18. This is one of the dues of the Dead, ſo it be done aright. The Four following Decays are Internal, ver. 6. in the very Act of Dying, namely, the diſſolution, and periſhing of thoſe principal parts, wherein the life and ſtrength of Nature do inwardly conſiſt. As,
(1ſt) Or [ever the Silver Cord be looſed,] that is, the Marrow of the Back-Bone, which runneth from the Brain through the Neck, to the bottom of the Back through twenty four Joints, and takes in therewith all the Sinews of the other parts of the Body, and which are the Ligaments of all the Members. Now as this Marrow is of a Silver Colour, and is therefore called [a Silver Cord;] ſo as it is a Cord that ties all the whole Body together: Now when this Cord comes to looſened, the Back bendeth, Motion becometh ſlow, and Feeling daily faileth, &c.
(2dly) [Or the Golden Bowl be broken,] that is, the Heart, (as ſome ſenſe it) which is the primum Vivens, & ultimum Moriens, the firſt that Lives, and the laſt that Dies; therefore is it called the Fort-Royal of Life: Or the Pericardium about the Heart▪ which the Soldier pierced with his Spear in our Saviour's ſide, from whence there came forth Blood and Water, John 19.34. and 1 John 5.6. But others do interpret it to be rather the Head or Skull, called the Brain-pan, for the Brains are contained within the Meninges thereof; and the Piamater covereth them like a Swathing Cloth, or the inner Rind of a Tree, as in a Cup or Bowl; and a wound in this is ever mortal. Now the Hebrew word here, being the ſame with Golgotha, which ſignifies a Skull, 2 Kings 9.35. Matth. 27.33. and Judg. 9.53.) all this make the latter Interpretation the more probable; for when Death comes with his Javelin or Dart to wound the Brain-pan, or Skull, (which is round like a Cup or Bowl, and is called here Golden, becauſe of its colour,) then the Sutures or Seams of the Skull are parted aſunder; from whence it comes to paſs, that the Chaps of Dying Perſons do fall, and the Almonds of their Ears are ſtopped, &c. Oh what cauſe have we break forth into David's words, ſaying, [We are wonderfully framed,] Pſal. 139.14. If the pretious Office of this Golden Bowl for preſerving the Brain, &c. be well conſidered.
(3dly) [Or the Pitcher be broken at the Fountain,] that is, either the Veins at the Liver, (as ſome ſay) which is the Shop of Sanguification or Blood-making; thoſe Veins carry Blood from the Liver into all parts of the Body by way of Circulation, &c. Or as others underſtand it, the Arteries which carry Spirits from the Heart, and conveys Nouriſhment, Senſe and Motion from one part to another, &c. There is yet a Third Senſe put upon this Pitcher, that is, the Bladder is broken at the Spring of Water or Urin, &c. Now as when either the Veins at the Liver, eſpecially the Vena Cava, & Vena Porta, (as the Anatomiſts name them,) or the Arteries at the Heart, do come once to loſe their drawing, and diſtributing Office and Vertue, then the Body doth immediately decay, &. even ſo, when the Muſcle at the Neck of the Bladder comes to be broken, and loſeth its Retentive Faculty, then the Water (or Urin) doth run inſenſibly from a Dying Perſon without ſtay.
(4thly) [Or the Wheel is broken at the Ciſtern,] that is, according to the Sentimentsof ſome Expoſitors, the Head which draweth all the Operations of Life from the Heart; and hence it is, that when any dreadful Fright is apprehended by our Heads, and ſuddenly doth ſurprize us, we preſently are ſtruck with a Paleneſs, becauſe all the Blood in our Faces doth run back to the Heart, as to the Fountain of Life, &c. But others are of opinion, [that by this Wheel broken at the Ciſtern] muſt be meant, the Lungs broken off from their double Office, and Motion of Inſpiration, and Reſpiration; and this Breaking or Obſtruction is cauſed by Phlegmn from the Stomach, which is as a Ciſtern from all parts of the Body, &c. The Lungs are as a Wheel, tranſmitting the Air in and out, by a Motion up and down, like to that of a pair of Bellows, which Men learnt to make from the poſture and operations of Mens Lungs that were of God's making; and thus indeed Man learns all other Artifices from God, the great Artificer: God inſtructs the Husbandman, Iſai. 28.26. and all others alſo. Now tho' there be no open Paſſage betwixt the Stomach and the Lungs, and (therefore there is no ordinary purging of the Lungs, but upwards, by ſpitting and coughing;) yet when the Stomach is overcharged with Phlegm, the former diſtilleth the latter into the Lungs, and thereby ſtoppeth them in their Motion. This may be exemplified thus, when a Man or Beaſt is dead, there ſeemeth no way of entrance for Water into the Bladder, no not ſo much as for any Air; for if we blow the Bladder full of Wind, none of it will iſſue out; and yet while Life laſteth in the Body, both Water and Sand doth paſs through little Veins (called Valvulas) into the Bladder; even ſo by ſome ſuch like ſecret paſſages, doth the Ciſtern of the Stomach convey Phlegm into the Lungs, yea ſometimes to the very ſtifling of them; and upon this ſtoppage of the Lungs with Phlegm ſo, that the Wheel cannot turn the Air (or breath) up and down, and in and out to the Noſtrils: Then from this obſtruction of the Lobes, (whereof the Lungs do conſiſt) ſo that their Motion, like a pair of broken Bellows, is broken off; then followeth the Rutling in the Throat, which is the common Herauld, proclaiming that Death is at Hand, &c. NB. Note well, How Solomon (the Eldeſt Son of Wiſdom) hath left upon Record in Eccleſ. 12. a moſt ſublime Lecture of Anatomy, as well as of Divinity, in his Diſſection of the infirm Body of Old Age, which he ſweetly ſetteth forth by a continued Allegory [Ubi quot Lumina, imo Flumina Orationis,] that is, containing ſo many Lights, yea and Floods of Eloquence; and all this Solomon did, not ſo much to demonſtrate his own excellent Skill, and unparallel'd Prudence, but more eſpecially and principally to inſtruct, yea and to provoke all Mankind to become wiſe unto Salvation, and to remember our Creator early, before any of theſe Evils of Old Age come upon us, &c.