A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

Howsoever, it is observable that this Apostle died in a good age; an old man. Joh. 21.18. When thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands. Long life is given as a blessing to such as preserve obedience. Honour thy father and mother, that thy days may be long in the Land. Prov. 3.16. In the right hand of wisdom, is length of days. But disobedience shortens our time. Psal. 55.23. The wicked men shall not Dimidiare dies suos; live out half their days. Psal. 109.8. Let his days be few. Eccles. 7.17. The sinner shall die, Tempore non suo, before his time. It was threatened to Eli, 1 Sam. 2.32. that there should not be an old man of his house. It is not evermore a curse to be barred of old age. Josiah, whose name is sweet, as music at a banquet of wine, died young, that he might not see the evil to come. A son of wicked Jeroboam was promised this for a favour, because there was found in him some good thing toward the Lord, 1 King. 14.13. It is a mercy, when the Lord takes away his children so young, that they be neither affected with the evil of action, nor afflicted with the evil of passion. A man lives too long, if untill Non desideratus, that no body desires him to live any longer. The world is soon weary of an old man, especially of an old Minister. Can he no longer answer their expectation? turn him out of his place: this is their mercy. The Levite might not serve after fifty: what then, must he lose his maintenance? no, he had the same provision still. A man will not cast away his Dog being old, because he hath done him service.

Howsoever, it is observable that this Apostle died in a good age; an old man. Ioh. 21.18. When thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands. Long life is given as a blessing to such as preserve obedience. Honour thy father and mother, that thy dayes may be long in the Land.