And therefore the Aged must beware of the other Extreme, namely, the Gulf of Despondence, and Dejection of Spirit. Their Sins are mustered up against them, their outward strength is decayed, their Spirits broken with a succession of cares and troubles, their distempers and pains are heavy upon them, their friends and relations seem to be weary of them, and an unpersuadable Enemy Death stands just before them. And what flesh alive can bear up under such and so many weights together! But besides what hath been offered before, I add, that as all these Mortifications are needful to wean us from this world, from the love whereof even these can hardly divorce us; so all such Discomforts should drive the Aged person no lower than his knees, even unto God who hath said, Be not dismayed, for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee, yea I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand ⟨p. 324⟩of my righteousness, Isa. 41. 10. Have not all the Saints and Servants of God that have lived to Old-age, passed these pikes before you? have they not born these burdens, that you sink under. There is no temptation befallen you, but what is common to men. Where is the faith, where are the prayers that you have been laying up for such a time? O miserable Old-man, said the Heathen Orator, that in so long a life, hast not yet learned to despise Death; which is not at all to be feared, if it extinguish the Soul; and greatly to be desired, if it convey the Soul into an everlasting good conditionw. And then for the pain in Death, the same Author tells us, that if there be any sense of pain in dying, it is but very short; especially to Old people, that have prevented it and tasted it by degrees. And therefore never render your life or death unquiet as many do, that even dye for fear of dying, that create by their melancholy fancies greater torments to themselves, than Death brings with it. Behold it through the glass of Gods word, which represents it only as a Dissolution, to wit, out of a prison to go to Christ, Phil. 1. 23. Going to rest, Isa. 57. 2. Finishing our course, ⟨p. 325⟩2 Tim. 4. 8. Falling asleep in Jesus, 1 Thes. 4. 14. and a stepping out of this world unto our father, Joh. 13. 1. and why should the prospect hereof at all deject us? Yea, in case you should have the honour to be called to suffer Death for Christ, and his Truth; yet fear it not under its most terrible Aspect:
And therefore the Aged must beware of the other Extream, namely, the Gulf of Despondence, and Dejection of Spirit. Their Sins are mustered up against them, their outward strength is decayed, their Spirits broken with a succession of cares and troubles, their distempers and pains are heavy upon them, their friends and relations seem to be weary of them, and an unperswadable Enemy Death stands just before them. And what flesh alive can bear up under such and so many weights together! But besides what hath been offered before, I adde, that as all these Mortifications are needful to wean us from this world, from the love whereof even these can hardly divorce us; so all such Discomsorts should drive the Aged person no lower than his knees, even unto God who hath said, Be not dismayed, for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee, yea I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand ⟨p. 324⟩of my righteousness, Isa. 41. 10. Have not all the Saints and Servants of God that have lived to Old-age, pass'd these pikes before you? have they not born these burdens, that you sink under. There is no temptation befaln you, but what is common to men. Where is the faith, where are the prayers that you have been laying up for such a time? O miserable Old-man, said the Heathen Orator, that in so long a life, hast not yet learned to despise Death; which is not at all to be feared, if it extinguish the Soul; and greatly to be desired, if it convey the Soul into an everlasting good conditionw. And then for the pain in Death, the same Author tells us, that if there be any sense of pain in dying, it is but very short; especially to Old people, that have prevented it and tasted it by degrees. And therefore never render your life or death unquiet as many do, that even dye for fear of dying, that create by their melancholy fancies greater torments to themselves, than Death brings with it. Behold it through the glass of Gods word, which represents it only as a Dissolution, to wit, out of a prison to go to Christ, Phil. 1. 23. Going to rest, Isa. 57. 2. Finishing our course, ⟨p. 325⟩2 Tim. 4. 8. Falling asleep in Iesus, 1 Thes. 4. 14. and a stepping out of this world unto our father,
- wO miserum senem qui mortem contemnendam esse in tam longa aetate non viderit! quae qut planè negligenda est, si omnino extinguit animum, aut etiam appetenda si aliquò eum deducit, ubi sit futurus eternus. Atqui certè nihil tertium inveniri potest. Cicero.
