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

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 condition^w. 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⟩