A discourse concerning old-age tending to the instruction, caution and comfort of aged persons…

For you cannot deny but that you have Souls, immortal Souls, which being Spirits cannot dye, but must return to God that gave them: and are these Souls of so small value to be left to a Hazard, to an everlasting venture? And it ⟨p. 254⟩is as evident, that this life is uncertain: we may say as Isaac, Gen. 27. 2. Behold now, I am Old, I know not the day of my Death; and therefore it's time for us to go about this work without delay. Children desire the time of youth, and youth longs to be at mans age, and they then would live to be Old, but Old-age hath no further Age to desire^b, it hath none other to succeed it here, and they are wholly uncertain how long it will last; and therefore it is absolutely necessary, that they should be on sure grounds for Eternity, and then the day of death will be better than the day of their Birth. You know how much of your life is already spent, you can see the Sands that are run into the nether end of the Glass, but the upper Part is covered with a Mantle, you know not how few Sands are left there to run. Nay, you cannot but perceive, that Death is approaching very near you. You are filled with Wrinkles which is a Witness against you, and your leanness rising up in you, beareth witness to your Face, as it is, Job 16. 8. For as it is observed of All men, that they are Mortales, apt to dye, and of all Good men, that they are Mortificati, dying to Sin; so it is of all Old men, that they ⟨p. 255⟩are Morituri, about to dye. And for such to have Oil to seek, when they should have it to Use; Evidences to procure, when they should have them to produce, is an unexcusable neglect.

For you cannot deny but that you have Souls, immortal Souls, which being Spirits cannnot dye, but must return to God that gave them: and are these Souls of so small value to be left to a Hazard, to an everlasting venture? And it ⟨p. 254⟩is as evident, that this life is uncertain: we may say as Isaac,