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

3. And lastly, It behoves the Aged to lay up a Treasure, which they may meet with After death; to wit, of Good works. In this life is your seed time for these; and they that scatter this precious seed, shall doubtless, mark, doubtless they shall come again with rejoicing, bringing their sheaves with them, Psal. 126. 6. Faith and good works may well agree in a Christian, and though they cannot cooperate to a mans Justification, (for though both of them are Acts of a creature, yet Faith derives not this influence from the Subject, but from the Object; it justifies as it apprehends and embraces Christ) notwithstanding both are necessary to Salvation, Luk. 12. 33. Sell that ye have, and give alms, provide your selves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth; i. e. This treasure is neither liable to intrinsic decay, nor to extrinsic casualty. What other treasure hath ⟨p. 304⟩escaped danger, but who can scale the Empyrean Heaven? These the Apostle calls a good foundation, 1 Tim. 6. 19. Charge the rich that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate: Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. Other riches you lay up for others, yea perhaps for such as you know not; but by doing all the good you can, you lay up something in store for your selves. What if the advantage be not at present visible, men will lay out money upon a good Reversion, though they never live to enjoy it. Here is a Reversion worth the having, Eternal life.

3. And lastly, It behoves the Aged to lay up a Treasure, which they may meet with After death; to wit, of Good works. In this life is your seed time for these; and they that scatter this precious seed, shall doubtless, mark, doubtless they shall come again with rejoycing, bringing their sheaves with them, Psal. 126. 6. Faith and good works may well agree in a Christian, and though they cannot cooperate to a mans Iustification, (for though both of them are Acts of a creature, yet Faith derives not this influence from the Subject, but from the Object; it justifies as it apprehends and imbraces Christ) notwithstanding both are necessary to Salvation,