A Sons Patrimony and Daughters Portion, Part 2 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Old Age. Two periods thereof, preſsing to dutie both. Comfort in death, whence diſtilled.
AND now we are come, like a ſhip from out of the maine Sea of the world, which lyeth open to ſtormes and guſts, and rideth at Anchor, under the Leeſide, where the paſſengers may looke out and ſee their harbour. Wee muſt now doe in the firſt place, as Sea-faring men ſhould doe in ſuch caſes, they tell what they ſaw, and what they felt, even His wonders in the deepe, and they declare theſe workes of the Lord with rejoycing ſPſal. 107. 22.: So they, who are brought ſafe to this port, or ſtage of time, Old-Age, muſt recount and record the Mercies of the Lord, and what deliverances Hee hath wrought for them, in their way thitherward. This is the firſt thing to be done, even to ſacrifice the ſacrifice of thankeſgiving, and to declare his works alſo with rejoycing.
And, Child, I began the Regiſter of Gods Mercies, towards thee, where thou tookeſt thy beginning, and firſt entrance into the world, at thy Birth and Baptiſme; There I conſidered thy outward frame of Body, and inward frame of minde; where I left off then, there I begin now, to teach thee to recall to minde, and record the mercies of God to thee ever ſince that time. And though this recording of Mercies be proper to every perſon that is growne up to the yeares of underſtanding; and not to every Age only, but to every yeare, and month, and weeke, and day therein; yet this is a duty, which ſeemes more to preſſe upon us, the more and the faſter yeares doe preſſe on. And therefore though it doth concerne All in generall, and every age and perſon in ſpeciall; yet being ſpecially intended, & becauſe that, which is ſpoken to all, is counted as ſpoken to none; I ſhall bend my words to Thee, whom I muſt ſuppoſe now ſtricken in yeares; the Sun of thy day farre paſſed the Meridian, and its ſhaddow gone downe many degrees towards the place, where anon it muſt ſet.
Thou muſt then conſider how wonderfully the Lord hath maintained thy life, and preſerved the ſame ever ſince thy comming into the world; and that this conſideration may preſſe the more, thou muſt conſider what this life is, and that of ſo ſmall a bottome, the Lord ſhould ſpinne out ſolong a thred; Had he not drawne it out of his owne power, as the Spider doth her web out of her owne bowels, it had been at an end the ſecond minute. The maintaining the Radicall Moyſture, that Oyle which feeds the Lampe and light of thy life, is as great a miracle, as was the maintaining the Oyle in the Cruſe of the poore widow. But He did not maintaine this life only, and at His owne proper coſt: But defended and protected thee alſo, tooke thee under His Wings, as the hen doth her chickens, to ſhelter thee from thoſe many dangers thy life hath been expoſed to; We cannot tell how many: but this thou muſt know, that there are principalities and Powers, both in the plurall number, to ſhew they are Legions, and in the Abſtract, to ſhew they are armed with power, as they are ſwelled with malice: And to this their malice and power thou waſt liable every moment of thy life; and thou hadſt felt both their malice and their power, as quick and fierce againſt thee, as Iob and others have done, if the Lord had not charged them concerning thee, Touch her not: and how canſt thou be ſufficiently thankfull for this?
Againe conſider how many dangers and caſualties thou haſt ſcaped from the Earth, the ſeverall creatures on it; from the Water, from the Fire, from the Aire alſo; how often have the Arrowes of Death come whisking by thee? Tooke away thoſe next thee, and yet have miſſed thee; perhaps thou haſt ſeene ſome Deare yeares of time, as thy forefathers have done; When a thouſand have falne at thy right hand, and ten thouſand at thy left; When Gods Arreſts have ſeized upon ſome walking, talking, and yet have ſpared thee.
And if not ſo, yet conſider thine owne body, and the humours thereof; They had every day overflowne, and drowned thee, as the waters the earth, if God had not ſaid unto them, ſtay your proud Waves. In a word, if thou conſider, what thy life is, and the dangers thou art ſubject to; thou muſt acknowledge, that the preſervation thereof, is as great a wonder, as to ſee a ſparke maintained alive amidſt the waters; So Chryſoſtome ſpeakes of Noah tforeign. Tom. 5. ſer. 6.: As great a wonder, as to ſee a glaſſe, that hath been in continuall uſe, gone through many hands, and hath had many knocks, and fals, to be kept for forty, fifty, ſixty yeeres, whole and unbroken: As great a wonder as to ſee a Candle in a paper lanthorne, in a ſtrong windy night, kept from being extinct, when as we often ſee in many, that a little cold comes but in at a little cranney, and blowes their Candle out, as …ob ſpeakes. Thus hath God kept thee, and, as it were, in His hand carryed thee. And in thy way, how hath He crowned thee with His goodneſſe, and filled thy yeares with comforts, ſo as they are more innumerable, then are the Minutes of thy life! Only thus thou muſt ſumme them up in the groſſe▪ That what ever comfort thou haſt had in thy life time, from Him thou receivedſt it, who puts in all the Sugar and delight we finde, in or from the Creature; as Ayre lights not without the Sunne, nor wood heats without fire, ſo neither can any condition comfort without God; and with Him every condition is comfortable, though ſeemingly never ſo diſcomfortable, for He moderateth the diſcomfort (it is like thou haſt found it ſo) ſo as we are not ſwallowed up of ſorrow; and He faſhioneth the heart to that diſconſolate condition, and that condition to the heart; ſo much, it is very likly, thou haſt found alſo, and it requires thy ſad and ſerious conſideration.
But more eſpecially, this thou muſt conſider, what have been the effects and fruits of all this goodneſſe? What thou haſt returned to the Lord for all theſe? All theſe, what are theſe? Nay, it is not poſſible to reckon them up: They that keepe a Regiſter of Gods mercies (ſome doe) cannot ſet downe all the Receits of one Day, much leſſe of all their dayes; ſo great is the ſumme of every particular day, that we cannot reckon up the ſpecialties thereof, and call them by their names, as God doth the Starres. But put it to the Queſtion; and let thy heart make anſwer before him, who tryeth the heart, and ſearcheth the reines, and will bring every ſecret thing to judgment.
The Oyle and radicall Balſome of thy life we ſpake of; hath it been fuell to thy Thankfulneſſe, or hath it increaſed the fire of thy luſts? Thou haſt been preſerved and delivered, ſo long and ſo miraculouſly, as thou haſt heard and ſeene. How hath Gods patience, and longſuffering wrought upon thee? Hath it brought thee nearer to repentance, and ſo nearer to God? Or hath thine heart been hardned thereby (becauſe ſentence againſt an evill worke is not preſently Eccleſ. 8. 11.executed:) So as, with that ſtubborne people, whoſe ſonnes and daughters naturally we are; thou mayſt ſay, I have been delivered to doe more abominations nIerem. 7. 10.. Thou haſt had mercies upon mercies, they have been new unto thee every morning; and for thy Sorrowes, they have been mitigated too, and ſo mixed, that there was much mercy in them, many ingredients of comfort, to take of the ſharpneſſe, and allay the bitter reliſh thereof. What ſtrong workings haſt thou found herefrom? How haſt thou been inclined to love the Lord for His goodneſſe, to feare Him for His Mercies? How haſt thou been melted thereby to obedience, and engaged upon his Service? Aske thy ſelfe againe (for in that Method we went:) Thou haſt two hands, another hath but one, or, perhaps, none; what more worke haſt thou done? Thou haſt a Tongue, and the uſe of the ſame; there is another thou knoweſt who hath a Tongue, but ſpeakes not, wherein haſt thou glorified thy Maker more then the other hath done? Thou haſt two eyes, thy Neighbour is darke; Aske the ſame queſtion over againe: For, as it was ſaid of him, who was borne blind; So it was, that the workes of God Iohn 3. 9.ſhould be made manifeſt in him: So we may ſay, we have our eyes, eares, tongues, hands, which others have not; That we might the more ptaiſe the Lord for His goodneſſe, and declare His workes toward the children of men.
Theſe are the queſtions, but upon the point, it is but this ſingle queſtion, and the very ſame, and to the ſame purpoſe, which the King makes (to that I doe allude) touching Mordecay; What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecay xEſther 6. 3.for this? So let this be the queſtion. What honour, what ſervice hath been done to the Lord? He hath ſo honoured thee; he hath ſo ſerved thee; be hath ſo and ſo preſerved thee, from the Paw of the Lyon, and jaw of the beare ſo delivered thee. Through his ſtrength thou didſt leap over ſuch a wall, He brought thee out of ſuch a ſtrait; He ſupported thee in ſuch weakneſſes; He ſupplyed thee in ſuch a Wilderneſſe; He gave ſucceſſe to thee, in ſuch buſineſſes. What ſhall I ſay, for we are confounded here; He is the God, not of ſome, but of all conſolations; the Father of mercies▪ And we can no more number them, then we can the drops of the raine or of the dew; or the Treaſures of the ſnow and baile, but we know, who is the Father of them, and out of whoſe Bowels theſe mercies come; whereby thou haſt been fed all thy life long, and redeemed from evill: we know the price of them too, the very leaſt of them, is the price of bloud. What honour hath been done for all this? What peculiar Service; thats the ſingle queſtion. If now thy heart make anſwer, as we read in the foregoing place, There is nothing done, no peculiar ſervice at all: inſtead of being the Temple of His praiſe, thou haſt been the grave of His mercies; They have been buried in thee, they have brought forth no fruits; if this be the anſwer of thy heart, and ſo it condemne thee, the Lord is greater then our hearts, He will condemn much more.
And therefore it is high time, to look into the Regiſter of Gods mercies, into the books of record; And if theſe mercies have laine as things caſt aſide, and of no account, as dead things out of minde; if ſo long and to this day forgot, then now it is high time, that thy reſt ſhould be troubled, and ſleep ſhould not come into thy eye; till thou haſt looked over this Regiſter, and recorded the mercies of the Lord; and ſo preſſed them on thy conſcience, That it may anſwer out of a pure heart, that ſomething at the length is done, ſome ſacrifice of praiſe and thanks is returned to the Lord for all this.
This is the firſt thing to be done now, and it is high time to do it, Conſidering the ſeaſon: It is ſuppoſed that gray haires are upon thee, here and there they are ſugared now, and like the hoary froſt; The Almond tree flouriſheth, thou art in the winter of thine age; It is high time now to look about thee, and to conſider. That is the firſt ground of conſideration.
2. That time is haſting, whoſe portion and burden from the Lord is but labour and ſorrow: And then, though we have time; for our day laſteth while life laſteth, yet no time to do any thing in it to purpoſe, for then the Graſſe-hopper is a burden.
So I make two periods of this age, And each a ground to preſſe on unto a timely conſideration: The one I call declining age, when we have lived almoſt to threeſcore yeares; The other, when we are drawing onward to foureſcore, &c. extreame old age; of both in their order.
1. Both the one as well as the other, is an age not more deſired then complained of; They knew beſt why, that feele the burden of it (I have not lived unto it; It is likely, that perſon complained not without cauſe, who being willed to haſten her pace, told them, who were ſo quick with her, That ſo ſhe could not do, for ſhe carryed a great burden on her back; And whereas no burden at all appeared to the eye, ſhe replyed again, that threeſcore years were paſſed over her head and that was the burden, Plaut. And ſo it may well be with thoſe, whoſe ſpirits are much ſpent, and ſtrength waſted, even at thoſe yeares; And then age it ſelf alone, is a burden. I can ſpeake little here out of experience. But this I can ſay; If God be pleaſed to ſtretch out my day ſo long, I ſhall know no cauſe to complain of the length, for that is a bleſſing; Length of dayes is from the right hand, Prov. 3. 16.Riches and honour from the left. Only we muſt note here, That if the Lord be pleaſed to ſhorten the day of this life to any perſon, as ſometimes He doth to His deareſt and moſt obedient children (their dayes are not long upon earth) why yet, if He eek out this ſhort day here, with an eternitie of dayes, and pleaſures at His right hand, when they are taken hence; if ſo, that partie ſhall have no cauſe to complaine of a ſhort day on earth, ſo abundantly recompenſed in heaven. This is a note by the way.
If, I ſay, God be pleaſed to ſtretch forth my dayes ſo long, I know no cauſe, why I ſhould complaine of a bleſſing; I may complaine, and juſt cauſe why I ſhould, and that bitterly, but not for the acceſſion of yeares. If any thing ſower them, it is of mine owne Leaven, and of my owne putting in; Complaine of my ſelfe I may, of them I may not.
Old age is a calme, quiet, and eaſie time, if youth have done it no diſſervice, in filling its bones before hand; Nor no intemperance hath weakned its head or feete. If ſo, Old age hath juſt cauſe to complaine of the Man, not the man of Old Age.
There is no Gueſt in the world, that is more deſired and expected, and yet, when it comes, worſe welcomed, and entertained, then Old Age is; ſtill with ſighes, and complaints; which, we know, argues bad welcome. I would have my Child make good proviſion for it, againſt it come, and when it is come, to give it good welcome. Welcome, I ſay, I doe not ſay, eaſe. Good welcome doth conſiſt (we ſay) in ſhewing a good and chearefull countenance to our gueſt, not in giving him too much eaſe, or feeding him too daintily. Let it appeare, thou haſt laid up ſtore againſt thy yeares come; and now they are come, thou canſt welcome them, and art glad they are come; but doe not make too-much of them, in giving them too much eaſe; I may warne thee of it againe, for Old Age is very craving, very importunate that way; though they may be importunate. If thou yeeldeſt to a litherneſſe, and a liſtneſſes, whereto Old Age inclineth us very much, and ſo to ſpare thy body, thy activeneſſe will decay more in one monethmonth, then otherwiſe it would in twelve. Its obſervable what the Heathen yNos ſumus qui nullis annis vacationem damus, & canitiem galea premimus, &c. Senec. de otio ſapientis. cap. 29.ſaid, and it may inſtruct Chriſtians;
We allow no vacation to our long tearme of yeares, we can put an head-piece upon our hoary-ſcalp. We will reſt when we are dead, life is for action. Keep then thy body in breath, and in ure with exerciſe, elſe it will quickly grow unprofitable, and a Burden: Vſe ſtrength and have it, it is a ſure proverbe; and if ever we will uſe expedition, it is then ſeaſonable, when gray haires are upon us; It is dangerous to burne the Day-light, and to trifle out this pretious time. The putting off this day, and the next, and halfe a day, coſt the poore Levite and his Concubine very deare; as we may read, Iudges 19. The evening haſteth on a pace, and the Sun is neare the ſetting; now put on the more earneſtly, becauſe night is comming, and thou muſt to Bed in the darke; now gather twice as much; I meane, now, pray, heare, read twice as much; For the great Sabbath is comming when thou lookeſt for ever to Reſt, for ever to be with the Lord. This Sabbath Day is comming, which ſhall never have night; Now gather ſpirituall Manna, thy Homer full; twice as much as formerly. If in thy youth thou didſt by hearing, reading, conference, &c. gaine thirty-fold, now gaine ſixty. Now beſtirre thy ſelfe, and put to all thy ſtrength, for the laying in ſtore of proviſion in this thy day, that thou mayſt rejoyce in that great Day, the Day of the Lord, or the particular Day of thy Death. Let it appeare thou art going out, by the clearneſſe of thy light; and that the night is comming by the haſting of thy pace. It is ſtrange to conſider what old men have done, and how fit they have been for the beſt actions (I meane of the minde, I know outwards muſt decay) becauſe they kept their minde like a bow, ſo they ſaid, alwayes bent.
I forbeare to put them down here. The holy Scripture, Heathen Authors, our own obſervation, doth reckon up not a few. But remember ſtill, that there are none recorded in the ſacred Regiſter (after the terme of life was ſhortened) for old men, but their old age was a crown unto them, being found in the way of righteouſnes zSenibus vita productior à deo tributa est, in eum finem, ut inſiginum aliquorum operum in Eccleſiaeſuae emolumentum organa eſſent. Mardochaeus ad liberaudam Eccleſiam ſub Artaxerxe, vixit annos, 198. Jehoſhua ut p…pulum è Babylone, cum Eſdra & Zorobabele, reduceret, vixit annos, 130. Philo▪ Ammi…nus in breviario temporum. Tobit ſenior, ut populi calamitas ſub Salmanaſare levaret, vixit annos, 158. Eâ ipsâ cauſa, Tobit junior vixit annos, 127. Judith ad liberandum patrium ſub Holoferne, vixit annos, 105. Six…us Senenſis Bibliothec. lib. 8.. They that are planted in Gods houſe, bring forth much fruit in their age. He that is fruitleſſe in his latter yeares, may be much ſuſpected how he ſpent the former. But I am ſure there can be little comfort in it. It is a ſad thing to be an old man in yeares, and a childe in underſtanding; To grow like a Leeke, greene, freſh, and lively towards the earth, flag and ſapleſſe, upwards towards heaven; To have the eye of the body dim, and the eye of the ſoule as dim; To have the body bending towards its earth, and the ſpirit no more elevated; To have one foot in the grave, and the other tending to the place of utter darkneſſe; To have the outward man quite decayed, and the inward dead or fainting; To be haſting toward the pit, and to have the heart within like a ſtone. A dying ſpirit in a dying body, what a woefull conjunction is this!
I conſider thy ſex, childe, and thy charge, but whatever it be, thou waſt never ſo fit, as now thou ſhouldeſt be, to ſerve it: Now admonition, correction, inſtruction, counſell, all are in ſeaſon; before, they might be ſuſpected. Now thou haſt the advantage of all thy former paſt dayes, and every following day is the diſciple of the preceeding day aforeign ▪ Pind. ol. od. 1. Here is Maſter after Maſter, and leſſon upon leſſon, thou art a very bad proficient, if thou art not now an old Diſciple bActs 21. 16.. I ſhall never examine thee upon this point, but be aſſured, He that numbers out thy yeares unto thee, will take an account of thee, how thou haſt ſpent them; what proviſion thou haſt laid up for their coming; what ſtore thou haſt treaſured up againſt a deare yeare, againſt a time of ſpending. Old-age is like our winter, a time of expence; we muſt get and lay up in youth, what we muſt uſe and lay out in age cJuveni parandum, Seni utendum. Senec.. And here we muſt uſe the more diligence, becauſe it is not with man in his winter, as with the earth, the trees, and fruits thereon▪, in theirs; If they look dead and ſapleſſe in their winter, the Sunne will return unto them, and renew their face, they will ſpring out again; but man decayeth and reneweth not, he muſt not look in a naturall way, to renew his youth like an eagle. If the Lord hath lengthned out thy ſpan and thread of life unto old-age, thou muſt needs ſay, the Lord hath been gracious, and full of patience to thee ward, and then thy heart muſt needs anſwer; Render again praiſe and obedience to Him, that is ſo good unto thee: So thou wouldeſt expect from thy childe, from thy ſervant, ſo a Prince from his Subject. Great favours are great engagements between man and man; betwixt God and man much more, for He is the fountain and well-head of mercies (The merciemercy, which man ſheweth, is but as a drop derived to us from that fountain) Gods mercies are all ſtrong cords to binde unto obedience, which ever is the fruit of true thankfulneſſe. David ſaid very much in a few words againſt Nabals churliſhneſſe, Surely in vain have I kept all, that this fellow had in the wilderneſſe d1. Sam. 25. 21▪. So David argued or rather reproved Nabals churliſhneſſe; And had not Abigail ſeaſonably ſtopped David in his way, Nabal had heard more touching his churliſh dealing and anſwer. This inſtructs us to ſobrietie and watchfulneſſe; that the Lord may not have the ſame controverſie againſt us, when we come to our declining age; Surely in vain have I kept this man, this woman, and all that they have, ſo as nothing is miſſing of all that pertained unto them: In vain have I lengthened out their dayes; in vain have I fed them all their life, and redeemed them from evill; in vain have I preſerved their inward and outward faculties, both of ſoul and body, all ſound and entire; for all this have they ſo, and ſo churliſhly requited me; for all, they have returned evill for good. This is a reproof, the hearing whereof we cannot endure. And ſuch a like reproof muſt he or ſhe heare, even ſuch an one, as will make their hearts like a ſtone within them, if, being preſerved ſo and ſo long, they have ſo unkindely requited the Lord; if, having ſo long a time of gathering and of exerciſing their talent, they have gained nothing; if, having paſſed over ſo many yeares, they have careleſly paſſed over alſo the obſervations, which ſo many yeares would have yeelded very many. For this we muſt ſtill remember; That the unthankfull man, the better he is, the worſe he is; That is, the more good the Lord hath been to him, the heavier his account will be, and then the worſe it will be with him. Better the Lord had been a wilderneſſe unto him, then that he ſhould be a wilderneſſe to the Lord, who had ſo watered him, that he might be fruitfull.
That we may eſcape this great condemnation, labour we to acquaint our ſelves betime with the Lord, and to grow up more and more, in the knowledge of Ieſus Chriſt and the power of his grace: for according to our increaſe and growth herein will our ſtrength be, for in Chriſt Ieſus the decayes of age are repaired, ſo as there ſhall be no more an infant of dayes, nor an old man that hath not filled his dayes: as Mr Calvine expoundeth the place eEſay 65. 20..
Let us heare now how ſadly Clemens of Alexandria complaineth at this point; we will heare his counſell alſo, for that is of uſe indeed, but his complaint firſt, which is this. Ye have been infants, then children, then grown-men, after grave-men, but yet good men never. Now reverence your foreign. &c. ad gentes pag. 50. foreign. Ibid. &c. foreign &c. Ibid. foreign. &c. Ch…yſoſt. Tom. 6. in vet. Teſt. pag 543.old-age, (this is the counſell) give this honour unto it of being wiſe, of doing vertuouſly; give it, as you would have others give you, honour and due reverence. You are haſtening now towards your grave, ſet your face the more ſtedfaſtly towards your countrey, which is above. Your feet are almoſt ſtumbling upon the dark mountains; pluck them up now, as a Traveller, that hath ſlept out his time, and yet hath farre to go, and walk on the faſter in the wayes of peace, ſo redeeming the time: Put that crown upon your gray head, upon your declining age (the Sun of the day is neare the ſetting) that now at length, now you are dying, you may begin to live (A man cannot be ſaid to live truly, till he lives godlily, holily; till then, he is dead, though he lives) that the end of your life may be the beginning of your happineſſe. Oh! farre be it, that ye ſhould be delivered, and delivered again, and yet again; that you ſhould be ſpared, and ſpared, and yet to commit more abominations hJer. 7. 10.: far be it, that ye ſhould be iforeign. Ioid. pag. 40. Alex.(as ſome have been) by ſo much the more wicked, the more kinde and gracious the Lord hath been.
You pity blinde men kforeign, &c. Ibid. pag. 49., and deaf men, becauſe they cannot ſee the works of God, wch ye ſee, nor heare the works of God which ye heare. O pitie your ſelves for ye are both, both blinde and deaf. Ye have ſeen much, ye have obſerved little; ye have heard many things, and thoſe great things, but ye underſtand not, what ye heard. Now heare and hearken; now ſee and perceive, now, while it is called to day; and know, that there is a great deale of mercy lforeign. &c. p. Ibid. 41., that yet the day is, and is yet continued ſtill every day to this preſent, repeated; a great mercy this, provoke the Lord no longer; grieve His good ſpirit no more, leſt He ſwear in His wrath, as He will do, if we continue to turn grace into wantonneſſe mforeign &c. Ibid.. While it is yet to day, heare His voice, and turn unto Him. This is the counſell, I will adde but this to it;
That He, and He onelyonly, turns the heart, who opened the eyes of Him, that was born blinde, and made a man every whit whole; therefore the Church ſaith, convert me, and I ſhall be converted, &c.
It is He, who gives a ſeeing eye, and an hearing eare, even both theſe is a ſpeciall mercy from the Lord, and greatly to be begged for. This then we muſt note for cloſe hereof; that, as there may be a childe in nNoli annorum nos aeſt mare numero: nec ſapientiam, canos reputes, ſed canos ſapientiam. Hier. ad Paul. 14. p. 180.yeares, and a man in underſtanding; ſo alſo may there be an old man in yeares, and a childe in underſtanding. For underſtanding comes not by yeares, but by meditation in Gods law oPſal. 119. 99. 100. Noli fidem penſare temporibus. Ibid.: I have more underſtanding then my teachers, for thy teſtimonies are my meditation. I underſtand more then the Ancients, becauſe I keep thy precepts. A man may run out many yeares and more houres, and yet be never the wiſer by all that time; becauſe he hath not learnt from whom every good and perfect gift commeth, even from the Father of lights. He that worketh all our worke in us and for us; before whom the Elders fell down and worſhipped, caſting their crowns before His Throne, acknowledging themſelves to be, in point of grace, but Almes-men pExuentes omne propriam benignitatem ſe benefictarios ejus agnoſcunt, ante cujus thronum coronas abjiciunt. Brightman Rev. 4. 10., or ſitting at the receit of a free mercy; He it is that giveth wiſdome, not length of yeares, nor number of dayes; out of His mouth cometh knowledge qProv. 2. 6.and underſtanding; God iuſtructs unto diſcretion rEſay 28. 18.. The Husbandman can neither ſow, nor reap &c. without aſſiſtance and inſtruction from God; much leſſe can he ſow righteouſneſſe and reap the ſame; without ſpeciall inſtruction from His mouth, Who knoweth the heart; therefore it is ſaid, Who teacheth like Him ſJob 38. 22.? And he, that is old, and ſtricken in yeares, yet hath learnt ſo much, as hath been ſaid: That the Lord giveth wiſdome; that His word or law inſtructs to diſcretion; This mans caſe is not to be deſpaired of, though it be towards the laſt houre; for while breath is within the noſtrils, for ought we know, there is a doore of grace and mercy open: But yet this is a very ſad and lamentable caſe; For the longer a man walks on in the wayes of ignorance, the more unwilling and unable he will be to return, and be reformed; cuſtome in ſinning exerciſing ſtill more and more tyranny; his underſtanding will be more darkned; his judgement more perverted; his will more ſtubborn, his memorie more ſtuffed with ſenſuall notion; his affections will become more rebellious; his thoughts more earthly; his heart more hardened; his conſcience more ſeared.
And ſo much conſidering the ſeaſon, that gray hairs are mingled with the black; no time for delay now, when before it be long, there ſhall be no more time. We muſt account, that the long ſuffering of the Lord is ſalvation t2. Pet. 3. 15.. And let the concluſion hereof, be an earneſt prayer to the God of all grace; that, as His promiſe was unto His Church, to uJoel 2. 25.reſtore the yeares that the locuſts had eaten, the Cankerworm and the Caterpiller; So he would reſtore unto us the yeares which the ignorance of childehood, the vanities of youth, the negligence of age have conſumed.
There is another period of this age, the burden whereof is labour and ſorrow. Barzillai lived to thoſe yeares, full foureſcore; and what ſaith he? I 2. Sam. 19.cannot taſte what I eat, or what I drink (a queſtion in the ſacred tongue is a ſtrong affirmation) I heare not the voice of ſinging, wherefore then ſhould thy ſervant be yet a burden? how long have I to live? (a queſtion we ſhould often put to our ſelves, which would anſwer all ſolicitations, from the world and fleſh, and put them to ſilence) how long have I to live? That is, how very ſhort is the remnant of my mortalitie? yet a very little while yforeign. Heb. 10. 37., and I muſt hence; what ſhould I think of now but of my death, and of my grave? what are pleaſures or earthly contentments unto me? ſo feelingly ſpoke that old man.
The many decayes & infirmities, that accompany this age, are fully ſet down by the preacher, Eccleſ. 12. Amongſt thoſe many, one expreſſion there is very full and ſignificant, as our, Engliſh renders it, verſe 5. The graſhopper ſhall be a burden; In the Originall the words imply no more, but the curvature of the back; which with men of ſuch yeares, ſtands bent like a Graſhopper; and that makes an old mans gate the more burdenſome: The words may imply alſo, according to the common conſtruction; that every thing, even the lighteſt, to an old man, is burdenſome: If he creep up to his bed and down from it▪ though to repaire his decayes, yet even this is burdenſome; even delights (to others) to him are tireſome; he takes no delight in the Graſhopper, nay it is a burden; that is, (ſaith Tremellius) that pleaſant ſeaſon of the yeer when we heare the Graſhopper, yeelds no pleaſure to him, none at all; he hath quite loſt his taſte and reliſh now in thoſe things, which to others are pleaſurable. &c. And yet if the grave meet us not in our way hitherto (as commonly it doth before we come ſo farre) and prevent our expectation; it is larger in nothing, then in the iſſue of this age, and in the account, we hope to give up at that time. This is our greet folly; For, how bad ſtewards ſoever we have been of our fore paſt time, yet at this time, we hope to lay our reckonings even, and ſo to give up our account with joy. Though we have turned from God all our dayes, yet we have a ſure and certain hope, (in our conceit) that we ſhall turn unto Him, and He will turn unto us, at this time, when indeed we are not able to turn our ſelves upon our bed. And naturally (for it is but Nature ſeeking its own preſervation) naturally, I ſay, and uſually men do make fair offers, eſſayes and promiſes this way, at ſuch a time as this, when they ſee themſelves dropping into the grave. But we muſt note, as one before us and for our uſe zB. Andrews▪ on Pſal. 78. verſe▪ 34., that this time is the time when all Hypocrites, Atheiſts, tag and rag come in, and ſeek Him; For who is it, that will not look out for a dwelling, when he ſees his old houſe dropping down upon his head? Who will not cry out for mercy mercy, when he ſeeth the doore ſhutting upon him, and if he ſpeaks not now, he muſt hold his peace for ever? Who will not deſire, & that earneſtly, to live for ever with the Lord, now that he ſees he muſt die? So true it is, that this is the time, when all, even the worſt of all, do ſeek unto God, and will turn unto▪ Him.
But we muſt note alſo, that this is not our time, nor is it the time when God uſually opens unto us.
1. It is not our time, to ſeek, when we are not in caſe to ſeek any thing elſe. It is not our time to turn to Him, when we are not able to turne our ſelves in our bed; not our time to riſe earely to ſeek Him (ſo we muſt, if in an ordinary way we look to finde Him) when we are not able to riſe at all; not our time to enquire after Him, when breath faileth us, and we are not able to ſpeake three words together. What ever our words are, and how pious ſoever; whatever offers we make towards heaven, it will be ſuſpected to be ſlaviſh and extorted for feare of the Pale horſe, and that which follows. It is not to be doubted, but at ſuch a pinch as this, ſomething we would ſay, and ſomething we would do, which might do our ſelves good: But what, or how can we do to purpoſe, when our ſtrength is gone, our ſpirits ſpent, our ſenſes appaled, the ſhadow of death upon our eyes? This time is not our time.
2. Nor is it Gods time to heare. In the Law, the Lord forbad that torne fleſh ſhould be offered unto Him, it was allotted for the dogs aExod. 22. 31. Mal. 1. v. 13.. But ſuch a like ſacrifice are our prayers and our praiſes, at ſuch a time as this, as torne fleſh; broken, divided, and interrupted they muſt needs be, when our heart within us is as Lead, and our ſighes beat as thick as a ſwift pulſe. The Lord ever refuſed the torne, blind, and the lame for a ſacrifice. It was not beſeeming our Governour bMal. 1. v. 8., a man like our ſelves▪ In caſe to Him, it was offered, he would not accept of the ſame, much leſſe will God accept our torn, divided ſacrifice, our refuſe, our Lees or dregs, bottome, dotage, That which was dogs meat, that which our ſelves and friends are weary of; We had a male in our flock, that is, we had ſtrength of body and minde, and then of that beſt or male, we ſhould have offered unto the Lord: But now that our beſt or male is ſpent, now that we have caſt away our precious ſtock of time, and parts upon the ſervice of ſinne and Satan, how can we now thinke, that our torne, blinde, and lame ſacrifice can be accepted? how can we think the Lord will accept a corrupt thing, againſt which He hath denounced a curſe cMal. 1. 14.?
It is not the Lords time, He heareth not thoſe perſons, who dProv. 28. 9. Prov. 1.turn away their eare from hearing his Law; we muſt heare God firſt, if we look that God ſhould heare us at the laſt; If He cryeth, and He cannot be heard; We ſhall cry, and we ſhall not be heard, for the Lord hath ſpoken it more then once eZach. 7. 13. Quid enim justius? &c. Sal. De Gob. lib. 3. pag. 86. Non audivimus, non audimur. ibidem.. All our ſtretching, and crying, and howling, will be in vain. We ſhould have ſtretched and inclined our eares, and have lifted up our voice on high, when Gods time and ours was; I mean the ordinary time, that he hath appointed to be called upon, and we are commanded to ſeek Him in. What time is that? it is called the Day of Salvation, the acceptable Day. And when is that time? The Apoſtle anſwers; Now is the accepted time, now is the Day of Salvation, now, this preſent time f1 Cor. 6. 2.; And it is but a day. Time is all the yeare long; but your ſowing time, and your reaping time, both theſe have their ſeaſons. Time is all the day long; but tide-time hath See firſt Part. pag. 71.its appointed houre, and we obſerve it, as the poore man the ſtirring of the water. Now this preſent time while the male is in the flock, while breath is, and ſtrength is; while the ſeaſon is of knocking and opening; Now is the time when we muſt ſeeke; Now the time, when God uſually opens.
There is a pretty fiction, touching the ſhell▪fiſh, and the Serpent; And becauſe it inſtructs us touching a ſpeciall point of practiſe, we thus read it. The Shell-fiſh and the Serpent ſometime lived together, and converſed; the Shell-fiſh very harmeleſly with the Serpent; the Serpent very crookedly with the Shell-fiſh. After many faire means, and thereby prevailing nothing, the Shell-fiſh watched his opportunitie, and while the Serpent ſlept, gave him a blow on the head, which is deadly. The Serpent feeling himſelf wounded to death, began to ſtretch out himſelf (it is the manner of all creatures ſo to do, but moſt remarkable in the Serpent, becauſe he lyeth in a ring, and goeth in folds or doubles.) The Shell-fiſh obſerving the Serpent ſo ſtretching Chap. 7 § 2 out and ſtraightning himſelfe, told him; Thou ſhouldeſt have done ſo before; Thou ſhouldeſt have walked even and ſtraight with Me, when we converſed together; ſo it might have benefitted thee, but now, nothing at all. This is a fiction, but it tels us our folly in good eatneſt, and inſtructs us in a ſpeciall point of wiſdome; we have this property of the Serpent; we are content to walk crookedly all our life in the crooked wayes of ſinne, and Death, our owne wayes, and we doubt not but to make all ſtraight, and even, when we dye. But ordinarily it profiteth us not, our Thoughts deceive us, and that is a fruit of our folly; Our wiſdome is, to ſet all ſtraight and even before hand; to put our ſoules in order, and our feete in ſtraight pathes, while there is yet Time; this hath been the wiſdome of the Saints. If we read the ſacred Regiſter, we ſhall obſerve all along; That they whoſe yeares are numbred to be many, were fruitfull in their lives, and faithfull in their Deaths, their Old age was their crowne of glory, for it was found in the way of righteouſneſſe.
And for that great and waighty worke, Their ſetting their houſe in order; Their making all ſtraight and even; This was not a worke to be done then, when ſtrength, and heart, and breath faileth, but already done. When they came to that point, there was no more to be done, but to cloſe the eye, and fall aſleep quietly in the Lord.
Remember Lord, ſaid that good King, when death was in his eye, Remember how I have walked in truth g2 Kin. 20. 3., how I have done the thing which is good in thy ſight. He aſſureth and giveth large teſtimony touching the Time paſt, I have, I have. It was not large promiſes concerning the time to come, when it was threatned, That time ſhould be no more; as the manner of the moſt is; I will doe thus and thus hereafter, if thou wilt be pleaſed to ſpare me now: many have ſaid ſo, and ſo promiſed, and recovered, and falne backe ſtrangely, to commit greater abominations; For that is a Time, as the learned Knight noteth hHist. of the world. 2. B. Chap 3. Sect. 4. pag. 212., When we remember God perforce, and when we ſtand upon no condition with Him. It was not, what he would doe, but what he had done; Remember, Lord, how I have walked, how I have done.
I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith i2 Tim. 4. 6, 7., ſaid Paul the Aged, when the time of His departure was at hand. That is not a time to fight, when commonly the heart faints; the head is light; the backe pained; the ſides weakned; that is the time to have the Crowne put on, which we have ſo long ſtriven after; a Time to have our ſanctification perfected, which before we have heartily laboured in. It is not the Time to fight, but to overcome, and to be more then conquerers. I have fought that good fight, I have kept the faith. When? when was Paul ſuch a Champion, ſo valiant for the Truth, contending for the Faith, and keeping it; when was this? when his bow abode in ſtrength, then he played the Soldier, ſo fighting, ſo contending; And hence Pauls ground of confidence: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crowne. Thus touching the wiſdome of the Saints; They have underſtanding of the times; And they know what they ought to doe k1 Chron. 12. 32.: that is, they doe all in ſeaſon.
Two leſſons, I ſhall draw hence for the Childs uſe, and inſtruction, and then anend.
Firſt, from hence I would give warning, and put in a Caveat againſt ſome bold and preſumptuous words, and for ever hereafter prevent them. We heare ſome, and it is ordinary, To wiſh for Death in a Paſſion, before they have well thought of it, and prepared for it; if we may beleeve them, they are well content to dye, in a diſcontent. They wiſh for that, which they never before thought of in ſobriety, and good earneſt. Know they what they ſay? doe they conſider what death is, and the conſequence of the ſame; when once death hath made its laſt conqueſt over the Body, in that very inſtant Time, the ſoule enters into a condition never to be altered; it enters into eternity; a gulfe of Time, which all the figures in Arithmeticke cannot fill up. For when we have reckoned a thouſand thouſand yeares, we Read Drexclius. 4. 2.have not the fewer remaining. We are ſwallowed up in the thought of Eternity, as a drop in the Ocean; It is not poſſible to finde any bottome there; we want a thought to meaſure it, but if we ſhould thinke of it to purpoſe, we ſhould be well adviſed what we doe or ſay. I know there are ſome, who ſend their prayers, and their praiſes after Soules departed. But all helpes no more then doth the crying after a Bowle (rub or runne) now throwne out of the hand. The hand ſets the Bias, and gives the bowle an impreſſion, and where the ſtrength of that impreſſion ceaſeth, there the Bowle lyeth; all our running, and calling, and crying, helpes nothing at all, but to evidence clearely, as the Anticke and ridiculous trickes of the Bowler; ſo the vanity, and unprofitableneſſe of our after labours, now that the ſoule is departed. For then it is night with the Soule in reſpec… of any further worke; the pit is open, where there is no praiſe▪
Then it either reſts from his labour, or is reſtleſſe in paine; There teares are wiped of, or elſe they begin never to have end; Weeping for evermore. And this I note in paſſage, that, when we ſpeake of Death, we may be ſerious.
It was well anſwered by a Father to his Sonne, who, being Croſſed in his humor, wiſhed hee were dead; learne firſt what it is to live; he that ſo lightly wiſheth to dye, is as he that flyeth from an yron weapon, and a bow of ſteele ſtriketh him through, as Iob ſpeaketh lJob. 20. 24.: Woe unto you, that deſire the day of the Lord, to what end is it for you mAmos 5. 18. Jer. 48▪ 48. & 43. 44.? The day of the Lord is darkneſſe, and not light, as if a man did flee from a Lyon, and a Beare meet him, &c. So the Prophet reprooved thoſe, who were diſpiſers of Gods Words and Workes, and ſcoffed at His judgements. It may inſtruct us to ſobriety, that we doe not, for the avoyding of an inconvenience, runne into a miſchiefe. It is dangerous to live in diſcontent; to dye in it, or to wiſh ſo to do, is much more dangerous. We ought to wiſh rather, we may live, and to count it a great mercy, that we are ſpared till we can give a better account of our Time, and are better fitted to dye.
Death indeed is the Churches portion, and part of her joynture, All are yours nCor. 3. 21. 22, 23., and amongſt thoſe ſeverall parcels, Death is yours; and therefore it may be wiſhed for and deſired, as lawfully as a Childe may deſire to goe to bed, or to his Father. For the nature of Death is changed to the godly; It is harmeleſſe now, and hath loſt its venome; It is a paſſage to a better place, a gate to Glory; It is the accompliſhment of Mortification, and the end of labour. Thus death is, but not in its owne nature; ſo it is a deſtroying hoſtile thing, and ſo to our nature, the moſt terrible of all Terribles; And therefore not to be deſired, till we are aſſured, that both the nature thereof, and our nature alſo is changed. And then alſo our deſires muſt not be immoderate; we muſt not long for it, nor rejoyce exceedingly, when we can finde the grave oJob 3. 21, 22.. This argueth too much ſhortneſſe of ſpirit, and ſome impatience under Gods Hand, and more unwillingneſſe then becometh to waite upon Him any longer; we muſt patiently waite Gods Time, remembring Eternity is a ſpace long enough for God to ſhew mercy unto His, when their faces ſhall waxe pale no more, they ſhall reſt for ever. And therefore no matter if yet longer they waite His Time, and abide His pleaſure, though with ſome griefe and paine to the fleſh; pleaſures at His right Hand for evermore, will abundantly recompenſe, what ever preſſures are from below.
But whether we dye ſooner or later, it is then ſafe dying, when we can yeeld up our ſpirits, as David did, and with the ſame confidence; Into thine Hand I commit my Spirit pPſal. 31. 5.: Thou haſt redeemed me, O Lord God of Truth. It is ſafe caſting a mans ſelfe upon God, when he can ſay as Paul did, whoſe I am, and whom I ſerve qActs 27. 23.. We may then wiſh for Death, when, with old Simeon, we can with the Armes of faith, claſpe and embrace Chriſt, the fountaine of life; Now letteſt Thou thy Servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have ſeene thy Salvation. Then there is a peaceable departure, when the ſoule hath ſuch a viſion.
And therefore pray thou, and pray againe, that the Lord would ſpare thee yet, and yet longer, till by a conſcionable improvement, of life, health, ſtrength, peace, ordinances, corrections alſo, &c. Thou haſt got ſome good aſſurance, certaine and ſtable; That do depart hence is much better, for thou ſhalt be ever with the Lord, whoſe Thou art, and whom Thou ſerveſt.
And, (which is the ſecond leſſon) do not trifle away time, nor delay here in a matter of ſo great conſequence. Let me remember here, (for we cannot think of any thing more to our purpoſe) how the learned Knight complaineth of and convinceth the true unhappineſſe of our condition, and the dark ignorance, which covereth the eyes of our underſtanding; we onelyonly, ſaith he, prize, pamper, and exalt Hiſt. of the World 1 Book. chap. 2. ſect. 3. p. 24. See preface pag. 19.this vaſſall and ſlave of Death, and forget altogether the impriſoned immortall ſoul, till the ſoul be going from out of one priſon into another; for when is it, that we ſeriouſly think of death? when examine we the great account, which then we are to give up? Never, while we have one vanitie left us to ſpend: we plead for titles, till our breath fail us; digge for riches, whiles our ſtrength enableth us; exerciſe malice, while we can revenge; and then, when time hath beaten from us both youth, pleaſure, and health, and that Nature it ſelf hateth the houſe of old age, we remember with Iob, that we muſt go the Job 10. 21. and 17. 13.way from whence we ſhall not return, and that our bed is made ready for us in the dark; and then I ſay, looking over late into the bottom of our conſcience (which pleaſure and ambition had locked up from us all our lives) we be-behold therein the fearfull images of our actions paſt, and withall, this terrible inſcription: That God will bring every Eccleſ. 12. 14.work into judgement, that man hath done under the Sun.
But what examples have ever moved us? what perſwaſions reformed us? or what threatnings made us afraid? we behold other mens Tragedies plaid before us, we heare what is promiſed and threatned: but the worlds bright glory hath put out the eyes of our mindes, and theſe betraying lights, (with which we onelyonly ſee) do neither look up towards termleſſe joyes, nor down towards endleſſe ſorrows, till we neither know, nor can look for any thing elſe, at the worlds hands.
But let us not flatter our immortall ſouls herein: For to neglect God all our lives, and know that we neglect Him; to offend God voluntarily, and know that we offend Him, caſting our hopes on the peace, which we truſt to make at parting, is no other then a rebellious preſumption, (and that which is the worſt of all) even a contemptuous laughing to ſcorn, and deriding of God His laws and precepts. *Fruſtrà ſperant qui ſic de miſericordia Dei ſibi bland…untur.They hope in vain, ſaith Bernard, which in this ſort flatter themſelves with Gods mercy.
Excellent inſtruction this, if we could heare it. If mans voice were ſtrong enough, it would ro…ze us out of our Lethargie; and make us take time while we have it, and prize a treaſure (that is an opportunitie) when it is in our hands, and put both hand and heart unto it. It is a point of wiſdome Prov. 17. 16.to caſt up our reckonings by day-light; I mean while the light of our life remaineth; before it be like a candle burnt to the ſocket, and going out in a ſnuff. O that we ſhould ſuffer the lamp of our life to blaze out to no purpoſe!
The living, the living, he ſhall praiſe thee, it is part of his Eſay 38. 19▪ verſe 9.writing, who had been ſick, and was recovered of his ſickneſſe. The living, the living ſhall praiſe thee; The good King knew by experience, that pining ſickneſſe was not fit for that great work of praiſe, which breaks the bones like a Lion, makes a man chatter like a Crane or Swallow, and the eyes fail with looking upward; there is no ſtrength now in this caſe for this work: The living, the living, he ſhall praiſe thee, as I do this day, ſaid that good King. Aſſuredly, what▪ever uſe we make of our ſtock of time, and parts, which are given us for this chief end; That we may traffick for our ſouls, and ſell the deareſt affections of our heart, to buy the pearl; how much or how little we prize our health and improve the ſame, yet it is the ſound and healthy man, that properly, and in a naturall courſe, may be called the living man. He lives, the ſick man, who is pining away, cannot be ſaid to live, but more properly to languiſh; he ſpends and waſteth, and is oppreſſed with pain in this part, and in that; and ſo he ſpends his time in weariſome toſſings, in ſilence perhaps, ſuch his patience may be; perhaps in ſad complaints.
Many I have known, whoſe oppreſſion hath been ſuch at ſuch a time, that they have not been able ſcarce to ſwallow their ſpittle (as Iob complained) not able to take leave of wife and children, and yet have languiſhed many dayes. We ſhould make account that our ſick-bed will be as a croſſeway where friends muſt part, and if any thing remaineth now not agreed upon before in the way, it muſt ceaſe for ever: For pains and toſſings (ſo it muſt be expected) will take up that time on the ſick bed; And if there be no proviſion ſtored up againſt this ſad dry ſpending time, if there be no ſuccours ſo I may ſay, warned to come in, and make their appearance, at this ſuppoſed time, for the clearing and comforting the priſoner, that lyeth faſt bound upon his bed with paine and ſorrow; If he have not before in his health, when he was a living man, made out towards that ſtrong tower (whereto the righteous flye, and they are ſafe) And now can, being wearied with toſſing and pining ſickneſſe, turn himſelf toward the ſame, and finde refreſhment therefrom, and quiet repoſe; if not ſo, I cannot ſee how this perſon ſhould be a priſoner of hope d. I know he may have many Zech. 9. 12.ſweet expreſſions (as was ſaid before) there may be a lifting up and raiſing the voice on high; but there is no more hold to be taken of a mans words, that is drunk with ſorrow, then is of the words of him, that is drunk with wine (when he is awakened, he forgets what he ſaid) or of the catches of a drowning man, who will catch at a ſword, or a knife, or a razour, any thing to keep up from drowning. The words of a dying man are nothing, and of no regard further then they receive weight and ſtrength from the actions of an healthy and ſound man, the living man: Therefore it matters not, what a ſick man can ſay for the future, but what he ſaith for the former time, for from thence he muſt fetch his comfort, as we heard, I have walked; I have done, I have fought, I have kept. Comfort in death muſt be diſtilled (as I may ſay) out of all our gatherings in our life time; As our thoughts, diſcourſes, actions have been, anſwerable will our comforts be; if we can finde no comfort by looking back, recalling the time paſt, I cannot ſee, what comfort there can be in looking forwards toward eternitie. If our conſciences do condemne us (as a learned Spaniard phraſeth it) that we have made time of eternitie, and eternitie of time; that is (as he expounds it,) We have deſpiſed that eternall bliſſe, as if it were but temporall; and we have lodged all our love upon this tranſitory world, as if this had been the thing, which is eternall; And if ſo we have done, we can have no comfort then, when our tranſitories are leaving us, in looking forwards towards eternitie; We may ſend our ſighs and groans after it, but in vain: Our hearts may beat ſtrongly towards heaven, but all that may be much ſuſpected alſo;
It is of doubtfull conſtruction from what ſpirit our groanes do proceed; If it was thus once, when the foundation of the Temple was a laying; That the people could not diſcerne, the Noiſe of the ſhout of joy, from the noiſe of weeping eEzra 3. 13., Then a harder matter it is, to diſcern betwixt groane and groane; ſighes and ſighes; I meane betwixt the ſighes and groans, which the ſpirit puts up, and thoſe which an heart pained, full of anguiſh, and drunk with ſorrow, ſends forth. Very hard it is to diſcern here, and to make a difference, nay impoſſible: for the groans from pain & ſorrow, and the ſighes of the ſpirit, are both ſcarce utterable, and they are both put up in much bitterneſſe, and both call out of ſin, as the cauſe of All, which makes the diſcerning the more difficult.
This then is the concluſion; Obedience forced is ſlaviſh, but that is ſweet obedience, which comes forth, as the firſt honey drops from the full combe aMel quod per ſe fluit, maximè laudabile. Plin. lib. 11. cap. 15. foreign. dixit Conſtantius, Tripart. Hiſt. Prefat., readily, willingly, freely. As the Emperour ſaid of money, It will prove but copper, if it be preſſed out from the teares of the people. The ſame may be ſaid of our offerings; They are counterfeit for the moſt part, and profit not, if they be ſqueezed forth by ſome preſſures upon the ſpirit. It is a freewill offering that finds acceptance with the Lord.
And this I added for three mightie Reaſons,
1. That we may not make Time of Eternitie, and Eternitie of Time, as was ſaid before, and explained.
2. To awaken and quicken up our careleſſe and dilatory ſpirits, well to husband our opportunities, while our Bow abides in ſtrength, and our Armes are ſtrong; before old age hath degraded us of our former vigour and activitie; ſo as our outward and inward faculties are bound up as in chaines of Iron and braſſe; I mean, before the keepers of the houſe tremble, and the ſtrong men bow themſelves, and thoſe that looke out of windows are darkned, and the Graſhopper is a burthen.
3. That we may not make (as the moſt do) an Idoll of that laſt prayer, which we think to put up, when we are at point of diſſolution, and parting away hence; for that hope to be heard then is the Sanctuary, and Place of refuge, which the moſt thinke to flie unto, as Ioab to the hornes of the Altar, in hope to finde ſafety; But their hope is like to deceive them, as it did Ioab f1 King 2. 28, 29., and as it hath deceived others, Who cryed, but there was none to ſave; even unto the Lord, but He anſwered them not: then did I beat them ſmall as the Duſt before the Winde; I did caſt them out as the duſt in the ſtreets gPſal. 18. 41..
Theſe words ſhew us clearely what will be the iſſue of this laſt prayer, and call upon the Lord, which is the great Idoll of the world, what I ſay, will be the iſſue thereof, to all thoſe who turne unto Him at their Death, even confuſion of face, for evermore, a Treading downe, and a caſting out as the durt in the ſtreets. This is of great and univerſall uſe, and inſtructs us to encline the eare, while we can heare; to apply the eye, while we can ſee; to frequent the Aſſemblies of the Saints, while we have ſtrength and can goe; and to take the occaſion, the ſmalleſt point of time, while we may, for it is ſoone paſſed, and then we may ſend our ſighes and groanes after it, but cannot recall, what we careleſſely ſlighted. In a word, It teacheth to ſeeke, to knock, while there is Time: for many ſhall ſeeke and not finde, and knock, and it ſhall not be opened; ſhall ſtrive, and ſhall not be able; And all this, becauſe they diſcerned not their ſeaſon, they knew not the Day of their Viſitation.
hQuod primum eſt dicendum poſtremum ſolco, cogitare. de Orat. Lib. 2 Pag. 131. Fol. Exv…ſ…eribus Cauſae.I remember a pretty inverſion of order, uſed by Cicero in point of Oratory; An alluſion unto it may inſtruct us in a ſpeciall point of wiſdome; We begin firſt, and then wee end; But he made an end firſt, and then he began; I uſe, ſaith He to his Oratour, to make my beginning (the Latine calls it an Exordium) When I have ended my oration; for I muſt fetch that out of the Bowels of the other Parts.
The true Chriſtian makes an inverſon of order alſo, and upon the ſame ground. Death is the laſt great work which we are to doe, and the true Chriſtian thinks of that firſt; Firſt, I ſay, ſo ſoone as he is able to think any thing, and to purpoſe. And he ſo diſpoſeth his life, as one that knowes, that his life muſt yeeld him marrow and fatneſſe, when he lyeth upon his death Bed, in a time of drought. We commonly live firſt, and then we dye; A true Chriſtian dyes firſt, and then lives. He is borne, and he goes on in the great work of Mortification, and ſo dyes daily. And then when he muſt yeeld up the ſpirit, how willing, how ready, how prepared is he? He is dead already to the World, to the fleſh, Hee is crucified to both, and both crucified to him. An eaſie matter now, and a matter of the greateſt comfort to depart hence now; now, that His eyes can behold His Salvation. Now He chooſeth Death rather then life, for to Him the nature thereof is changed; He hath ſo walked all His life, ſo contended for, and kept the Truth; ſo clinged to Chriſt in obedience and Faith, Who taſted Death for him iHeb. 2. 9., that now He ſhall neither ſee Death, nor taſte Death; He ſhall not ſee Death, He ſhall ſee the face of Death changed, lovely and pleaſant now, as Eſau's face to Iacob; He ſhall ſee through the vaile and ſhadow of Death, through the darke Grave, and behold Him, who hath ſwallowed up Death, and the Grave in victory. He ſhall not Taſte Death: The ſharp and bitter reliſh of Death is quite allayed and taken off to Him now; He taſteth nothing but ſweetneſſe in Death, but joy and peace in Death, a peace paſſing underſtanding; He is ſwallowed up, now not of Death, but of very Rivers, and Flouds, the Brookes of Honey, and Butter kIob 20. 17.. He doth not ſee Death, nor doth He taſte thereof, ſuch are the expreſſions lJohn 8. 51, 52., and they are to the heart of the Beleever; in Death now He ſeeth life, accompanied with an eternall waight of Glory. He lookes upon Death now, as Iacob upon Ioſephs wagon mGen. 4. 5., which ſhall convey Him to a place, where He ſhall have Enough; ſo as He regards not the ſtuffe and baggage of the world; for the good, I ſay not, of all Verſe 20.the land of Egypt is His, but, Heaven is His, and all the good that Chriſt hath purchaſed is His. And now at this Brunt, (much like the ſtraight, that David was in but a little before the putting on of His Crowne;) at this brunt, I ſay, now that Death ſeemes to make His Conqueſt, it doth this Servant of the Lord the beſt good ſervice, for it ſhall open Him the way to the Crowne, it ſhall ſet free the priſoner of Hope, it ſhall be as a Waggon to convey Him unto the poſſeſſion of All good, even to Chriſt Himſelfe; and now I have ſaid All. And all this, this Servant of the Lord ſeeth in Death; and then how can this perſon Taſte of Death? ſince it muſt needs be that He can have no other reliſh in His heart now, but of honey and butter, of Pleaſures of Gods right Hand for evermore.
Thus it is with that perſon, who doth that work firſt, who in mortifying the deeds of the fleſh doth Dye Daily; When Death commeth he ſeeth it not, he taſteth not of it.
But for the wicked, it is not ſo with them, They ſee death; They taſte of death. They ſee death and the horrour of it, they ſee it over-powring them, and getting now a full conqueſt over them; they ſee it rouling great ſtones upon the mouth of their Cave, as Ioſhua upon the five Kings nJoſ. 10. 18., there reſerving them as Priſoners of no hope, till the day of their doome, when they ſhall receive that dreadfull, but juſt ſentence, under execution whereof they ſhall lye eternally▪ being ſent to their own place, where, like ſlaves, Death ſhall keep them under perpetuall bondage. And there they muſt taſte of it alſo, even ſuch bitterneſſe, as ſhall be to them, as the gall of Aspes within their bowells, and the poyſon of Vipers; Thus they taſte it, but it is beyond expreſſion; and this is the portion of them, that feare Him not, nor, in their ſeaſon, and Day of Viſitation, call upon His Name, even this is their Portion from the Lord, ſaith the Lord Almightie.
But there is a ſweet peace in Death to all ſuch as painfully ſerve the Lord in life; they are the words of him, who relateth the laſt words of that excellent ſervant of the Lord Mr. Dearing; And they were theſe.
It is not to begin for a moment, but to continue in the A comfortable death ever followes a conſcionable life. Dr. Ayeries. Lectur. p. 715.feare of God all our dayes; for in the twinckling of an eye, we ſhall be taken away; dally not with the Word of God, bleſſed are they that uſe their tongues (ſo every other faculty) well, while they have it. So he ſpake lying upon his Death bed neare the time of His diſſolution, and having ſpoken ſomewhat touching His Hope and Crowne of rejoycing, He fell aſleepe.
This inſtructs us in this high point of Wiſdome, more then once pointed at before, but can never be ſufficiently preſſed, till it be thoroughly learnt, which is, to make uſe of the pteſent Time; to know the Day of our viſitation oIob 22. 21.; to acquaint our ſelves now with the Lord; to number our Dayes (God only teacheth the heart that Arithmeticke) that is, to conſider how ſhort, how tranſitory, how full of trouble our dayes are: And yet ſuch though they are but as a ſpan, yet thereon dependeth Eternity. The thought whereof might ſtirre up to the well improovement of them. The Hebrewes have a proverbe which they deliver in way of Counſaile, Good friend remember to repent one Day before thy Death. By one Day, they meant the preſent Time, the Day of Salvation. So the words tend but to this, to perſwade to a wiſe and Chriſtian improovement of that, which is our Time, the preſent.
There is no mans Will, but when he comes to that point, he bequeatheth his Soule to God. But let him ſee to it, that hee ſet his houſe in order, while there was a fit ſeaſon; that Hee committed His Soule to God, when He had perfect memory, and ſtrength of minde, and well underſtood what He did (which in time of diſtreſſe, a man doth not qFew men pinched with the Meſſengers of Death, have a d…ſpoſing memory; ſaith a great ſage of the Law (the L. Coke) in his tenth epiſtle, where he adviſeth to ſet our houſe in order while we are in perfect health; weighty counſell every way.) elſe all is in vaine: for we know all is voyde, if the Will be forced, or if the minde and underſtanding part be wanting, and out of frame. The Lord will be as ſtrict in examining our Will upon this point, as man is, what ſtrength there was of underſtanding, what freedome of Will? And therefore the ſure and certaine way is, to evidence our Will in our health by double diligence, as by two ſure witneſſes, elſe the Lord may anſwer us, as Iepthah to the Elders of Gilead rIudg. 11. 7., Thou deſpiſeſt me all thy life, why committeſt thou thy Soule unto mee, now in thy diſtreſſe at thy Death?
It is not to begin for a moment, but a continuance in the feare of God all our dayes; It is not to uſe our tongue well at the point of death, but to uſe it well, while we have it, and ſtrength to uſe it.
We muſt not think to leap from Earth to Heaven; not think at the point of Death to live for ever with the Lord, when all our life time, we cared not to be made conformable to Chriſt in His Death.
We cannot thinke to Raigne with Chriſt, who, when we were living men, did not Crucifie one Luſt for His ſake.
We cannot think to Reſt with Him for ever in Glory, who never ſanctifyed one Sabbath to Him on Earth.
We cannot think to ſhine after Death, as the Sunne in his ſtrength, yea to be like Him, who never tooke paines to purifie our hearts, nor to rub off the ſully and filth of a vaine Converſation.
We cannot look for pleaſures at Gods Right Hand forevermore, who, in our life and ſtrength preferred a vaine periſhing, and now a tormenting pleaſure before them.
But great peace have they that keep thy Law, and nothing ſhall offend them. Pſal. 119. verſe 165.
Great peace have they in death, who painfully ſerved God in life. Their hope ſhall not make them aſhamed, for they commit their ſpirit into His hand, Who hath redeemed them, the Lord God of Truth; they go to Him, whoſe ſalvation their eyes have ſeen, and whoſe they are, and whom they ſerved. What can diſmay them now, can death? can the grave? No, they are both ſwallowed up in victory. They put death on the one ſide, and immortalitie on the other; worms on the one ſide, and Angells on the other; rottenneſſe on the one ſide, and Chriſt Ieſus on the other; and now they are bold, and love rather to remove out of the body, and to dwell with the Lord Chriſt, with Him together with the Father, and the Holy Ghoſt, to have continuall fellowſhip and everlaſting communion.
Such honour have all the Saints; Death is no other thing to them now, then as the flame to the Angell ſJudges 13. 20., for thereby (though clean contrary to the nature thereof) they aſcend to their everlaſting manſions, there to ſee the good of His choſen; to rejoyce in the gladneſſe of His Nation; and glory in His inheritance: There to take poſſeſſion of that crown of Righteouſneſſe, which the Lord the Righteous Iudge ſhall give them at that day, when with all the Patriarchs tPatriarcharum conſortium, Prophetarum ſocietatem, Apostolorum germanitatem, Martyrum dignitatem, &c. Calv. Ad eccleſ. cath. lib. 2. p. 398., Prophets, Apoſtles, all the Antipaſſes, thoſe faithfull witneſſes (not yet made perfect uforeign. &c. Chryſoſt. in ep. ad Heb. cap. 11. hom. 28. α.) they ſhall be made perfect▪ There to make up that tribute of praiſe, wherein, while they lived on earth, they were wanting; bearing part for ever in that heavenly quire, ſaying; Bleſſing and glory, and wiſdome, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. Revel. 7. 12.
Thus (my deare Children) I thought it meet, while I was in this tabernacle, to ſtirre up your mindes by putting you in remembrance: knowing that I and you muſt put off this walking tabernacle, we muſt lay down this piece of breathing clay, I know my ſelf muſt before long, and we all know not how ſoon; and the good Lord grant that ye may be able after my departure to have theſe things alwayes x1. Pet. 1. 13.in remembrance; It is my charge unto you, my laſt will, look unto it, and be acquainted with it, for it is agreeable to Gods will. My hearts deſire concerning you is; that ye would acquaint your ſelves with God, for that is the way to be at peace yJob 12. 2.; and good ſhall come unto you. Friends though they live, yet can do you no good without God; but He can do you good without them; acquaint your ſelves with Him and be at peace, and good ſhall come unto you. All that is written is, as yDeut. 4. 40. Deut. 6. 24. chap. 10. 13. Eſay 48. 18.the Lord preſſeth the obſervance of His own law, for your good; Therefore feare God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man, ſo ſhall your peace be as the river (ſtill flowing) & your righteouſnes as the waves of the ſea (everlaſting,) for in the keeping of them is a ſure reward, as in the caſting of them behinde the back, a certain recompence of wrath. If at this point we turn to God the back and not the face, then in the day when we ſhall call upon Him, to make haſte for our help, He will turn to us alſo the back and not the face, for ſo ſaith the Lord. And indeed how reaſonable is it, that ſo it ſhould be? For into what reaſonable minde can it ſink, that I ſhould ſerve one man, and demand my pay of another? That a man, for having obeyed the orders of the great Turk, ſhould ask a reward of the Chriſtian Emperour? with what colour can I, who have offended a man, ask him a reward?
They who think to comply with their own proper affections, and with the love alſo of the Lord, are mightily deceived. The pearl muſt be bought with the ſelling the deareſt affections of our hearts; and let this be the concluſion, That Heaven did never coſt deare. No man can finde friendſhip with that ſoveraigne King, but onelyonly ſuch a man as will confeſſe that heaven is had very cheap, though it ſhould hap to coſt him his life. Scatter not then your hearts upon varietie of things, but recollect them to the unitie of one deſire and of one love. Seek God, but not in an ordinary manner, but like them, who ſeek a Treaſure, which alone is ſufficient. It will be highly enough to poſſeſſe God. And let us not looſe time, for it was not given us to be loſt, but let us live to the end we may live ever.
This is my Concluſion and my counſell, and you have heard all; But God forbid, I ſhould ceaſe to pray for you, it being my duty alſo while I am in this tabernacle, to bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, Of Epheſ. 3. 16.whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named; That He would grant you according to the riches of His glorie, to be ſtrengthened by His Might in the Inner-man; That Chriſt may dwell in your hearts by ſaith, that ye being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height: And to know the love of Chriſt which paſſeth knowledge, that ye may be filled with all the fullneſſe of God, &c. Amen. Amen.
FINIS.