THe words were spoken by Eliphaz to inforce that dehortation given to Job, Vers 17. De­spise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: that is, Cast it not off with a wearisome aversness, and loathing, nor reject it either as unprofitable and unuseful, or as disgraceful and dis­honourable to thee, nor slight it as a thing of which no notice is taken, &c. This counsel he backs with an ar­gument drawn from the benefit that should accrue unto him, by a submissivenesse under the afflicting hand of God. Eliphaz shews, that at length, the mercy of God, shall appear for his good; and that both, First, by pre­servation from evils (Vers 19. He shall deliver thee from six troubles, yea in seven, there shall no evil touch thee) and also, Secondly, by the bestowing of blessings, Vers 23, 24; 25. Thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace, &c. Yea he declares that Job shall not onely be happy in his life-time, but also even at and after his death, in the words of my Text, Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in, in his season.

In which words, you have this two parts consider­able.

1. A godly mans arival at his Port, or terme, Thou shalt come to thy grave.

2. The seasonablenesse of this arival, in a full age, like as, &c.

In the former, I take notice of two particulars,

• 1. What that place or Port is, the grave.
• 2. What that kind of passage to it is, which here is promised. Thou shalt come to it.

The Later, the seasonablenesse of the arival; is set out two wayes,

• 1. Properly, in a full age.
• 2. Metaphorically, or by way of resemblance, like as a shock of corn cometh in his season.

1. I begin with the former part, and therein with the first particular, the Port, or place it self, to which even the godly must arive, The grave.

This hath been the place where the holiest men have met, Obser and to which the dearest Saints, the Jobs of God, have come. The grave (I say) is their term, their Center. Gen. 25.8. 1 Kings 2.1. Zech. 1.5. The holy Patriarchs of old, Abraham the friend of God. The godly Kings, David went the way of all flesh. The Prophets live not for ever. The Apostles died; and thus it is

• In regard of
  • 1. Themselves.
  • 2. Others.

• 1. Themselves as they are
  • 1. Men.
  • 2. Sinfull men.
  • 3. Good men.

1. They are men. 1 Their bodies consist of corrupti­ble principles, and are earthen vessels and Cottage. Every day they daub them over (as it were) with food, and labour to keep them in reparations, and to make them tenantable for the soul, but alas all will not do, they cannot long be shord up, down they will at last and crumble to dust. Even the props wherewith they are kept up, are but rotten, meats are corruptible, [...]. Isid Pelus. l. 1. ep. 65. bread is cald that which perisheth. How can such structures, then, stand long? the truth is their falling begins (as Isidore of Pelusium speaks) with their very building; and being men they are subject also to the same acci­dents, and casualties with others.

2. Sinfull men. Tis true sin is in them, and not in them: in them, not as their love but their load and vexation. And death doth befall them, and doth not befall. Doth befall them, as afflictive to sense, as a cure of their woes, as a consequent of sin; but not as a curse, or a wrathfull punishment; but yet this repeated addition (and he dyed) subjoyned to the relation of the long lives of the ancient Patriarchs, shewed the immoveable certainty of that threatning of death against Adams sin, notwith­standing the deceitfull promise of the devil.

3. They are holy men. And to the grave they must come. First, For a resiing place. Here is not their rest, Rom. 7.24. Rom. 6.7. 2 Cor. 5.6.8. 1 Thes. 4.16. their works at length follow them, and they shall not follow their work any more. Secondly, They must be perfectly freed from sin, which till death they cannot be. Thirdly, They must have their Crown of life; and Fourthly, Shall for ever be with the Lord, who loves his children so well, that he will not alwayes suffer them to be abroad, and absent from him.

2. In regard of others, they must come to the grave. 2 [Page 6]First, Some are unkind and cruel to them, and haply they hurry them to the Port of the grave with a bluste­ring storm and tempest of persecution. The Saints (especially Ministers) of Christ are set in the forlorn hope, and commonly the bullet soonest hits them. Se­condly, Some idolize them, deifie them: how many, when adored, hath God grownde to pouder, as Moses did the Israelites Calf, and removed them from men, when we have made them equall with God. Its the great sin of the times either to deifie or nullifie men. God loves neither. Thirdly, The living must prize them, and get much good by them in a little time. He who hath a book lent him, but for a little while, makes the more hast to read it over, the Prophets and Saints of God live not ever, nor are given us to use as long as we please, they are but lent us, and we must improve them speedily. God hath held the candle of a Saints Life, and a Ministers Doctrine to many idle professors many a year, and he oft puts out this light to punish them for their negligence. Since then, even the best must come to the grave, let them study to do much for God while they live. The grave is a place of silence and rest. Use. 1 The living, the living they praise and are employed for God. Short seasons require speedy services. The near­nesse of death should put us upon holy serviceablenesse during life, as for the preserving of a sweet and precious remembrance of our selves in that generation which fol­lows so especially for the transmitting by our examples, holiness to Posterity, that so a seed of Saints may be con­tinued in the World, when we are dead and gone. And truely as otherwise we shall die while we live, so here­by we shall live when we are dead, and be like civet, which, when tis taken out of the box, leaves a sweet savour behind it.

2. 2 Let not any settle themselves securely in this World, he is a mad man, that will go about to build a house upon a quaking quag-mire, upon a rotten foun­dation. The longest lived of those long-lived Patriarchs lived not a thousand years; God hereby shewing that the longest life of any of the sons of men is not able to reach to that space which in respect of Gods Eternity is not a day. Expect not Eternity in this life. Vid Rivet. in Gen. Let us live as if we were alwayes dying, and yet as such as are ever to live. Set not up your hopes, your expectations here; the grave will rub off all our worldly grandeur, as a narrow hole sweepes off all the apples, that the foolish hedge-hog loads her prickles withall. Labour to be taken off from the world, before you are taken out of it.

3. Thirdly if Saints must come to the grave, 3. Joh. 9.4, 12.35. get good by them, while they live. Walk and work by the light while you have it with you. Neglect not to get good by the godly, in hope to enjoy them longer with you. Thou mayst bewail thy over-slipt opportunities when tis too late. I will not let thee go except thou blesse me, you know it was the speech of Jacob to God. O Lord, (say thou) let not not such a Saint go, such a Minister die, till thou hast blessed me by his meanes, let not his light be put out, till he hath shewed me the way to hea­ven, better.

4. Fourthly if Saints must die, you that live, 4 stand up in their stead, if God take away pillars, be not you as reeds. Supply their departure by your piety and use­fulnesse.

5. Lastly must Saints die? 5 here is comfort in many respects; they shall come to the grave, they shall die, but their souls shall never die, the second death hath no power over them; they shall die, but secondly the Church [Page 8]shall never die: they shall die, but thirdly their works shall never die, these shall follow them: they shall die, but fourthly, their God shall never die: the Prophets of God, Do they live for ever? 6 but the God of the Prophets lives for ever. Lastly, they dye, and therefore why should not we be willing to dye, to fare as they fare. Not onely the wicked but Saints dye. A godly man was the first who dyed. If death were not advantagi­ous, it should never be the lot of Gods beloved.

2. 2. Branch of the first part. This Port or place of the Saints, the Grave, affords us somewhat more for meditation. It is a mercy not on­ly to have a house to hide the head of the living in, but to have a sepulchre in which to hide the head of the dead. Obs. 2 It is a mercy to have a grave. Great was Abrahams provident care to purchase a burying-place for his dead. God himself buried Moses his dear servant: nor was the contention of the Angel about the body of Moses, to hin­der its burial, but onely to forbid the Devil to be pre­sent at it. When the Kings of Judah are recorded, their burials are also frequently mentioned; and those of the highest merit were buried in the upper part of the sepul­chres of the sons of David, 2 Chron. 32.33. Nor was it a small judgement of God inflicted upon Baasha and Jeza­bel, to be buried in the bellies of Dogs: Ier. 22 19. Or upon Jehoi­akim, that he should be buried with the burial of an Asse, contemptibly cast into a ditch. Or upon the king of Babylon, Isai. 14.20. that he should not be joyned with the kings in bu­rial. Neither was that a slight imprecation, Psal. 63.11. Let them be a portion for Foxes. Nor a small threatning, Jer. 14.16. That the people should be cast out into the streets, and have none to bury them; and that the bones of the kings, & priests, and prophets, Jer. 8.2. should be taken out of the grave, and laid open to the sun and moon. Nor a small complaint, that the [Page 9] enemies of the Church had given the dead bodies of Gods saints, to be meat to the fowls of the heaven, and their flesh unto the beasts of the earth. Want of burial is so hateful, that some have been more restrained from sin by the fear of not being buried, then of dying. And David commends the burial of a dead Saul: nay Jehu com­mands the burial of the remains of a cursed Jezabel. The practise (therefore) of giving the body decent bu­rial is very commendable Sutable it is, that the body, Vse 1 a piece of Gods workmanship so curiously wrought, Psal. 139. should not be carelesly thrown away. Yea, it hath been repair'd, redeem'd, as well as made by God. It is partner in redemption with the soul, and bought with the precious blood of Christ: The body is also sanctified for the spirits temple. The ointment of sanctification rests not onely on the head (the soul) but runs down al­rests not onely on the head (the soul) but runs down al­so upon the skirts, (the body.) The chair where the King of glory hath sate should not be abused. With the bodies of our deceased friends we lately had sweet commerce; haply they were very beneficial to us. The body of a faithful Minister was an earthen Conduit­pipe whereby God conveighed spiritual comforts to our souls The body was once a partner with the soul in all her actions, it was the souls brother-twin; what could the soul do without it? whatever was in the un­derstanding was conveighed by the sence. The soul sees by its eyes, hears by its ears, works by its hands; yea, which is more, there is an indissoluble union between the dust in the grave, and the glorious soul. Church­yards are but sleeping-places, and (as they were called a­mong the Jews) houses of the living. A great Heir is re­garded, though he be for the present in rags: and which is more, our very bodies are the members of Christ, and [Page 10]of that lump, whereof he was the First-fruits.

Hence is discovered, Ʋse 2 the more then heathenish Bar­barousnesse of the Papists, both in denying and recal­ling burial, digging up the dead again, as they dealt with the bodies of Paulus Fagius, and Peter Martyrs wife; Heathens themselves have shewen greater humanity; witnesse that of Alexander, in allowing enterment to the dead body of Darius, Hanibal to Marcellus's, Caesar to Pompey's. The comfort of Saints is, that God keeps every one of their bones; and that as he left not one out of his book, when he made them at first, so that neither shall one be missing when he will remake them. Nor is the superstitious folly of Papists about the bodies of the dead, lesse reproveable then their inhumane cruelty, I mean, their religious reverencing of the reliques of the deceased. Though the Devil could not obtain a license for this sin (according to some) from Michael, yet hath he obtained a command for it from the Pope. To name this practise is to confute it. Its idolatry, derogation from the merits of Christ, ridiculousnesse, (for Popish Histo­rians tell us, that the bones of the worship'd have after­ward proved to be the reliques of theeves and murde­rers & to such a proportion are they increased, that they are rather the objects of derision then adoration.) Yea lastly, its injuriousnesse to the saints, who in pretence are honoured (whose bodies hereby have insepultam sepul­turam are kept from their honour of rest, and brought into a condition threatned as a curse) are more then e­nough to procure our abhorrence of it. To conclude this; Ʋse 3 the care (yet) of a dead body should not be com­parable to that of the living, ever-living soul: what profit is it for the body to be embalmed, and entombed richly, and the soul to be tormented eternally? As great [Page 11]a folly is the respecting of the vile body, joyn'd with the neglecting of the precious soul, as for a frantick mother onely to lament the losse of the coat of her drowned childe, never laying to heart the losse of the childe it self. Chiefly look after thy soul and God will take care of thy body, it shall be embalmed to eternity, though it should be eaten up with the beasts of the earth.

This for the first, the Saints Port or Place, The second particular in the first part of the Text. the Grave But secondly, what kinde of passage shall he have thither? Eliphaz saith, He shall come to the grave: And this notes that his passage to the grave shall be willing, and uninfor­ced. He shall get thither by coming, he shall go, as it were upon his own feet, he shall not be hailed and drag­ged, and pulled thither against his own minde. Obs. 3 It shall be his portion to be willing to dye; his soul shall not be required of him, taken from him by force against his wil, as his was Luke 12.20. No, he shall be one, that is pleased with the thoughts of his departure, and desires with Paul to be dissolved. 1 Kings 19.4. One that may say (as Elijah,) Lord take away my soul; and with Simeon, Lord, Luke 2.29. now lettest thou thy servant depart: He will open the door cheerfully, when his master shall but send his Sergeant Death to knock; he will meet Death (as it were) half way, Death shall be his priviledge as well as his task; with Peter and John he running to the sepulchre, not being urged, drag'd to it Necessitatis Ʋinculo, by the bond of necessity, but making toward it Voluntatis Obsequio, with the holy forwardnesse of his will. Thou shalt come. By death Saints are freed, from the reach of, as well as hurt by Sa­tans temptations: From the evil company of the ungod­ly, from divine desertion, from the burden of sin and corruption, from the painful and laborious employ­ments of their places, from all bodily infirmities and [Page 12]diseases (death is the best physick,) from all Gods fa­therlike chastisements, Minus pie vi­vis, si minus persecutionem pertuleris. Gr. ep. 27. l. 6. from an unkinde, persecuting unquiet world (that bed of thorns) they love not the world, and therefore they linger not in it. They are in love with heaven, where they shall have the consum­mation of grace and glory, and enjoy the sweet soul-ravishing society of their Friend, Husband, Saviour, Head; and therefore as their better portion Christ, so their better part their heart, is there already. He hath perfumed the grave for them, and made that narrow noisome place, a place of ease and sweetnesse. Ever since Christ trod and walk'd upon the sea of death, they may say (as Peter to Christ) Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. Christ by his death hath la­boured, and they when they dye, do but enter into his labours.

In a word: Sin the strength and only weapon which Death can use, is by the merit and spirit of Christ, taken away; so that death is now become a stinglesse Serpent, and a toothlesse Lion; a tame, disarmed enemy, or ra­ther the bare name and notion of an enemy. The un­willingnesse of Gods people to dye, is not because they judge that death is not good for them, but because they think not themselves good enough for death.

How unlike to Christians, Ʋse. 1 do they then shew themselves who are so loath to dye, that they will not come, but must be drag'd to the grave, yea, to the very thoughts thereof, who though they cannot live without misery, yet neither can they be content with that, which as they cannot avoid, so will put an end to all misery. Oh how unsuitable is this distemper, to those who both profess they desire that Gods will may be done, & that they are pilgrims and strangers upon earth, and that heaven is their countrey, their fathers house!

2. How excellent is the grace of Faith, Ʋse 2 which makes a beleever cheerfully to come to that, to which another must be drawn and dragd, I mean the grave! To a be­leever, when his faith is on the wing, life (as Paul speaks of his) is not dear, and death (as he speaks of his) is desired. Acts 20.24. Phil. 1.22.23. It was as hard to make Paul patient when he thought of living, as to make another patient when he expected dying. Faith is the alone mantle which divides the waters of death: so as that a beleever sees he may go through them dry-shod. That grace which throwes the Crosse of Christ into these waters of marah, and thereby makes them not onely wholsome but plea­sant.

Its our duty to labour for such a spirit, Ʋse 3 as to be willing to die: to Come to the grave. If it was Christs desire to die for us, should it not be our longing to live with him. To this end, First, clear up thy interest in Christs death, the death of thy death: the blood of Christ makes pale death look beautifully. He was a curse, and death is thereby a blessing: this horn of salvation dipt into the waters of death, makes them not onely poisonless but wholsome: death hath left its sting in the sides of Christ. He that beleeveth in him, shall never die. Secondly, In looking toward death, look likewise beyond it: even as far, as the benefits which follow it: view that blessednesse which is invisible. Consider not death as it shews it self to an eye of sence, but as its manifest to an eye of Faith, not as an enemie to man, but as changed by Christ into a friend, yea the best friend, next Christ himself. Thirdly, Oft meditate of death: let it not sur­prize thee unawares: let it be an acquaintance not a a stranger: die before thou diest: death onely seems a great businesse, to those who are to go through it all at [Page 14]once. Fourthly, Hate sin: the love of sin makes men fear death; and he who hates sin must needs love death, because thereby sin shall be wholly abolisht. The love of sin is the arming of death, and an armed enemy must needs be formidable, Fifthly, Wean thy self from the world: Omnia ista no­bis accedant ut sine ulla nostra lacera­tione discedant Sen. ep. 74. an empty traveller, will sing when he meets with the thief; he who looks upon himself as possessing nothing in the world, fears not a stripping by death: let not the world cleave to thee, as a shirt which sticks to an ulcerous body, and so pulls skin and flesh away with­all. The loose tooth comes out with ease, but when it stands fast in the head its drawn out with much pain. If the world and our affections be fastned, the parting will not be without much difficulty.

I come to the second part of the text, 2. Generall part of the Text. and that is the seasonableness of a Saints coming to the grave: and

First, it is set out properly. In a full age. Tremelius renders it, cum senio, with old age, Pagnine in maturitate, in ripenesse. Ʋatablus in senio. The uulgar latine in abundantia, in abundance, which some expound of abundance of honours and riches, others of abun­dance of years and long life; and indeed the Hebrew word [...], signifies old age, or a full age which stands in the abundance of years: and therefore I know no rea­son why we should by giving other interpretations, raise a dust to obscure the sence. But yet withall here is imported a happy, blessed old age, such an old age as is a promise, and is in scripture frequently cal'd a good old age, and therefore this full age may include a threefold fulnesse (to name no more.) 1. Maturitas civilis. Gen. 15.15. 1 Chro. 29.28

First, a Civill fulnesse, or maturity, and so a full age is an age full of honour, peace, and riches, so it is said, that David died in a good old age, full of dayes, riches and honour, this civil fulnesse being not onely considered [Page 15] actively when men have set their houses in order, setled their Estates, when they are ripe, and fit, for death, in regard, they have made their will, and fitly disposed of their goods (the neglect whereof for fear of death, being a childish folly, for death is never awhit the nearer, because we place it before our eyes nor the further off, because we will not see it:) but passively also, when God hath bestowed upon men a full estate, and especially a good name, when they go not out in a snuff of disgrace, and the sun of their life, sets not in a cloud, but they are buried with honour, and leave a sweetly per­fumed memoriall behind them, their name living when their bodies are dead. In this respect Jeroboams son died in a full age, being honoured with the lamentations of Israel, and Jehojada who was buried honourably in the chief of the Sepulchers of the Kings of Judah.

Secondly, here may be recomprehended a Religious fulnesse, 2. Maturitas spiritualis. and that in three respects.

First, when a person is born again, hath gotten grace into his soul, and an interest in Jesus Christ, of whose fulnesse he hath received and grace for grace, John 1.16. whereby he hath a meekness to die: and thus yong ones may be of full age even before they are one and twenty, they may be old young-men; as on the contrary; old sinners, or sinners though of an hundred year old, may be cal'd young or childish old-men: young Josiah had his full age, Aetas immatu­ra, pijs matura [...] est, et plus illis est annos decem vixisse, quam inpijs centum. inercer. in loc. in this respect, before he died, and (as Mercer well notes on the text) a green age is to the godly a ripe age, and they live more in ten years, then the wicked, in an hundred.

Secondly, when a person not onely hath grace, but also is beneficial, usefull, doth much good in his time, is diffusive of holinesse, full of good works, serves his [Page 16]generation, and hath done his work, before he fals a sleep, hath his Dorcasses coats to be seen after his death; it is only our doing good that makes us called good, we are not called good men, for the good, which we have within us, but for the good that is performed by us; that blessed Hilarion died in a good age in a full age who having served Jesus Christ seventy years, when he came to die said, Go forth O foul. In this sence Elijah saith, according to some) it is enough. Isai. 65.20. Unlike to others who are infants of dayes, that have not filled their dayes, which are like emptie, white paper, having nothing written in them.

Thirdly, when a person is satisfied, and contented with that time, and age which God hath already given him, and is (as the Scripture oft expresseth it) full of dayes, having lived as long as himself desired, or as heart could wish, accounting (as Elijah speaks) that he hath lived enough. Thus Abraham, Gen. 25.8. Isaac, Gen. 35.29. David, 1 Chro. 23.1. Job chap. 42.17. Jehoiada, 2 Chro. 24.15. are all said to be full of dayes, Rarus qui exacto con­tentus tempore vitae, cedat, uti conuiua satur. Hor. sat. 1. Omnino rerum sum satur prae­sentium. to them there was not so much an irksome tediousnesse, as a fulnesse and satiety of life: they were as willing to leave this world, as men are wont to be to rise from the table when they have eaten their fill. It was an expression sutable to a godly man when he said; Lord I am cloyd with these present en­joyments (for indeed they cloy us, but they do not satis­fie us) there is the second, a fulnesse of age, in regard of a Religious fulnesse.

Thirdly, 3. Maturitas Naturalis. there is a fulnesse of age in regard of a na­turall fulnesse, which is the fulnesse here principally in­tended, (though the other be not excluded) and this naturall fulnesse of age is twofold. First, here is intend­ed senectus sera a late, long, ripe age, Senectus sera. in respect of the great number of its years; he shall not be taken away [Page 17]by an immature, untimely death, when he hath lived out but half his dayes, the candle of his life shall not be blown out, no, this lamp shall not be put but go out; all the oyl shall be spent, his vital moisture shal be dried up, & gone. In a word: He shall not be taken away in the midst of his dayes. There is a prediction, Psalm 55.23. that the wicked shall not Dimidiare dies, half their dayes; juxta editio­nem vulgata. i. e. live out half those dayes, which according to the course of nature they might reach unto. But Eliphaz here intends that Job shall go, though surely, yet slowly to heaven, and shall not be as the corn upon the house top, that wi [...]hers, before it be grown up, but shall come to his full measure of yeers, and live as long as (according to the course of nature) could be expected.

2. In this natural fulnesse is contained Senectus sana, Senectus sana vegeta. an hail, youthful old-age, sound, strong, vigorous, and that both in respect of body and minde.

1. Of body. When men are free, for the most part from such bodily infirmities, and annoiances as old age is wont to be infested withal, and are without, though not such weaknesse as necessarily accompnaies the decay of nature, yet such pains, aches, and diseases, as are wont to annoy that age. Health is a mercy at all times, even such wherin others are wont usually to enjoy it; but especially is it a blessing to enjoy it in that age, wherein men most commonly want it. Health in infectious times is a singular mercy, and so is it in old-age which is sub­ject to so many diseases. It is not so much the decay of bodily strength, as pains and diseases, which make old age burdensome. How choice a priviledge is it to be fat and flourishing even in old age, (as it is spoken in another regard, Psalm 92.14.) not altogether unlike to Moses, who being an hundred and twenty yeers [Page 18]old when he died, his eye was not dim, nor his natural strength abated, Deut. 34.7. Or Caleb, who Josh. 14.11. saith of himself, that he was as strong as eighty five yeers as he was at fourty, for war. Here was a Spring in Autumn, a good healthful old age, [...]: not an old age, sick, diseased, squalid: the bones (here) are not full of the sins of youth in regard whereof there are some men older at thirty, then others are at sixty: they are old, when they are young. in regard of the diseases, they have brought upon themselves by their intemperance.

2. Of minde. When men are not (though old in yeers) crazy in their intellectuals, but the parts of their minde are green and youthful, they being not (as some) twice children: a great blessing it is for young men to have the parts of old men in regard of prudence; and for old men to retain their youthful and pregnant abilities of knowledge, fancy, memory, apprehension; and the eyes of their minde not to grow dim and dark with old age. Thus this season of coming of the grave, is set forth properly, in a full age.

2. 2 2. Branch of the 2. Part of the Text opened. Secondly, it is described metaphorically in these words, Like as a shock of corn cometh in, in his season. These words A shock of corn, may as well be rendred A heap of corn, the word signifies both; either corn before or af­ter its threshing. [...] This corn is said to come in. The word in the Original imports to ascend: and corn may be said to ascend by bringing, carrying, laying of it up, and it comes in in its season, when it comes in, in its full matu­rity and perfect ripenesse: and so a Saint shall come to his grave, in a mature age, like unto a shock of corn in its season and ripenesse. But why is a full age compared unto the fully mature and ripened corn? In sundry re­spects.

1. 1 First in reagard of the variety of seasons that ripened corn must go through, before it be ripe. There must be storms, blustering windes, nipping frosts, sun-shine, & rain, go over it, before it come to maturity; and the frost is as good to kill the worms, as the sun is needfull to quicken its growth: and who is there hath-hath lived to a full ripe age, that is not as ripe corn in this respect; witnesse Jacob Joseph, David, Paul, &c. When man of yeers, but hath been a man of variety of conditions in the world, but hath met with his stormes and windes, with his unkinde usage, and a troublesome state here below? And its good it should be so; we should not be willing to be cut down by the sickle of death, nor long to be taken into the barn, (laid up in the quiet grave) were not the field stormy and rainy, the world boisterous and unquiet. The world is too much loved now when it is troublesome; oh how much desired would it be were it altogether delightful!

2. 2 Secondly, a full age is as a ripe shock of corn in re­gard of the diversity of ages, and periods of a mans life.

1. First the corn is sown in the ground, so the seed is thrown into the womb.

2. Secondly, the corn doth Herbescere, it is green in the tender blade, and grows like an herb, and this is as our childhood.

3. Thirdly, the corn doth grow to a stalk; it doth adolescere grow and shoot up to some kinde of stature, and this is our youthful age.

4. Fourthly, there is a full ear afterward, and that is in the manhood, when a man is come to some fulnesse of abilities, and endowments to transact his calling, to go through his duties, and employments.

5. Fifthly, there is a maturity, the corn comes to be ripe, sear, dry, and this is old age.

Sixthly, 6 there is the cutting down of the corn, and this is by the sickle of death as this godly man once said the sickle of death will cut down all my diseases, and pains and troubles.

Seventhly, 7 after it is cut down it is laid up in the born: when we are cut down by death, we are put into our grave, that is our barn.

Eightly, 8 when it is put into the barn, then it is threshed and fanned; there will come a day of Judgement where­in there shall be a disquisition, a sifting, and fanning, of all the actions, that have been done ini the World.

Ninthly, 9 it is set before the Master, upon his table for his use: the people of God shall be presented before the presence of glory, they shall be Shew-bread in Hea­ven; they are for God, and shall be with God, for ever, I am (said Ignatius) to be grownd with the teeth of the wild beasts, that so I may be as manchet, fine bread for my Master.

Thirdly, 3 a full age is as ripe Corn, in regard of the cost that is bestowed upon corn, before it comes to maturi­ty; how much labour is laid out! how much pains do men take to raise the expectation of an harvest! How much plowing, harrowing, dunging, weeding doth corn require before it be carried in! and it may be, that though it hath been a yeer or two in the fitting and pre­paring for a crop, its cut down by 2. or 3. harvest men in a day or two. A Parent hath laid out a great deal of cost, it may be in the Educating of a Child, in the University, bringing him up in the Arts, nurturing him and polishing him with choisest Education, and then death comes, and cuts him down with his sickle in a few houres; when a man is full of wind and swoln with gifts and knowledge, death comes with a little prick (as it [Page 21]were) of a pin, and lets out all the wind again, and all mans thoughts perish.

Fourthly, 4 maturity of age is like the maturity of corn in regard of hopefulnesse; the husband-man sowes in hope, every one expects a harvest, if he hath had a seed­time: old age is that which men both covet and expect. If Satan and security be a mans teachers, he will say, I shall live long enough, let the Ministers, and examples of mortality say what they will. No man is so old but he hopes to live one yeer longer; and the youngest hopes to live to old age.

Fifthly, 5 a full age is like unto ripe corn, in regard of continuation. No tooth nor foot of the beast hath cropt or trod it down. All the blasts that have befallen it, all the storms that have bin cast upon it, may make it bend, but yet till the harvest comes, it is not cut down and de­stroyed utterly: thus it is, here, till God take us away by death, till our time is come, nothing shall take us away, when that is come presently we are gone; our times are not in our enemies hand, for if so, we should not live long enough, they are not in our own hands, if they were, we should live too long, but they are in Gods hands, my times (saith David) are in thy hands, Psal. 31.15.

Sixthly, 6 a full age is compared to ripe corn in regard of fitnesse for the barn, and for the masters use, ripe corn is onely acceptable corn, onely good corn, onely such as pleaseth the tooth of the feeder; they that are ripe in yeers, should be ripe in grace; they that are full of dayes should be full of Holinesse; they should be fit for Hea­ven; if any, they that have one foot in the grave should have the other in Heaven; they that have white heads should not (as the swan which under her white feathers [Page 22]hath a black skin) have a black heart. In a word (we say) toward harvest, corn ripens night and day, (it is a coun­try proverb:) when a man growes old, he shouldl grow Heavenward might and day. Oh he should live more in one day then heretofore he hath done in a whole yeer.

A full age is as ripe corn, in regard of the certainty of harvest, and cutting down: The corn which hath stood longest, meets at last with a sickle: they that have lived longest must die at length, and be cut down with deaths sickle; the longest Summers day, hath a Sun set; though thy age be a Summers age, yet it must end. Its possible, corn may be troden down and devoured by the beasts of the field, withered with scorching heat, or destroyed with floods, but should it escape all those dangers, to be sure, it must meet with a sickle at the harvest. Though a man escape a violent death, and the many diseases in­cident to youth and manhood, at length he must have a disease, whereby he must die. A Nestors a Methusalems age must end. The sailes of our Times as well as of Time, are daily winding up: unto all the descriptions of the great age of the Patriarchs before the flood, its added, and he died.

8. Lastly, a full age is as ripe corn, in respect of the near approach of its cutting down: ripe corn hath not long to stand; the young- may, the old must dîe. How long have I to live (said old Barzillai) that I should go up with the King? Grey hairs are deaths harbingers, which with their white strokes, mark and take up lodgings for death, the King of terrours.

And thus! I have opened both the branches of this se­cond part of my Text: the former setting form the sea­son of a Saints coming to the grave, properly, the second Metaphorically.

The use that I shall make of this second Part in both its branches, put together shall be two-fold. I shall apply what I have said.

1. To our selves. 2. To the occasion. Ʋse 1

For the first, there are then these following in­ferences that I draw from hence, if (as I have de­scribed unto you) a full age be here promised, and such as is like unto ripe corn; I Note then in the first place, The difference between godly and wicked men. The godly mans age is a full age to him, he is fill'd with age, and hath a satiety of life; Its far otherwise with the wicked. I read not of any one of them in Scripture of whom its said, that he was full of dayes none can be full of Time, but he who hath had a taste of Eternity: the wicked never think they have enough either of the wealth or life of this World. By their good will they would never die. The miseries and calamities of this world sometimes in­deed may make them impatiently weary of their lives; But the godly in the midst of all their worldly solaces and enjoyments, health, honour, wealth, &c. are fill'd with dayes. Gen 46.30. Jacob said now let me die, when he was in the midst of his greatest worldly rejoycing by the unexpected mercy of seeing both Joseph and his sons. David was full of dayes when he was also full of riches and honour. The wicked may be angry with the troubles of this; but a Saint is enamoured with the Beauty of the next life, a wicked man may be weary of life, but a Saint is also desirous of death.

I observe, Ʋse 2 the [...]nfulness of shortning our lives; a full age is a blessing promised, yea a choice blessing, first, then those cowards are hence worthily reproved who shorten their lives by Duels the greatest cowards in the World, who being pursu'd with a disgrace, will run as far as hell be­fore [Page 24]they look back. Secondly, those that shorten their lives by intemperance that dig their graves with their teeth, that are felons of themselves, Lascivis bre­vis est aetas & rara senectus. that swallow, not on­ly their estates and lively-hoods, but their lives also down their throats: these (I say) unkindly prevent this kinde and sweet enjoyment here promised, a full age; they being grown old by diseases, before their time, making their tumors, rheums, and other distem­pers to prevent their old age, to be sure the vigour and vivacity of it. These do that against themselves, which the very Devils desired to shun, they tormenting them­selves before their time. Luxury is the greatest enemy of health, and hinderance of old age. How many by being cast away in the surges of riot and drunkenness, fall short of the Port of a full age?

3. Vse. 3 Thirdly, great is the sin of deriding at old age, and contempt of old men in their full age, as when men voice them twice children, silly men, Dotards; these scoffers imitating those children that called the Propeht bald­pate. I remember a smart and fit answer which an old man once gave to a scoffing youngster; the young man telling the old, that his memory grew weak and frail; well (replyed the old man.) though my memory be now f [...]ail, yet know: that I have forgotten more then ever thou didst remember. If he that mocketh the poor, certainly he that despiseth the aged, reproach th his Maker. The aged must be both honourable, Prov. 17.5. Lev. 19.2. and honoured, before whom thou must rise up. They who will not honour old Fa­thers seldom find their dayes to be long in the land which God gives them.

4. Fourthly, Ʋse. 4 I note from hence, That all the creatures should not onely be improved spiritually, but particularly im­proved, even to the putting of us in minde of death: even [Page 25]the shocks of ripe corn, the ripe wheat that is in the field, should make thee consider, that as that same corn must shortly be carried into the Barn, so thou must be tum­bled into the grave; thy sleep should make thee think of the sleep of death; the Autumn should put thee in minde of the day of thy fading, falling leaf: the setting of the Sun, should make thee forecast the setting of the sun of thy life, the harvest should make thee think of deaths reaping sickle, the dead creatures upon which thou daily feedest, should convince thee that the feeder cannot live alwayes; the putting off thy clothes from thy body, should instruct thee, of putting off (shortly) the clothes of thy body. The blood of the grape that thou drinkest, was pressed and shed, before thou couldst come to the sweetnesse of it. The skins which clothe us were the cast sutes of dead beasts. When thou puttest on thy clothes in the morning, thou shouldst think of being clothed with new robes of the resurrection. Oh could you do thus, you would not onely think of, but expect death in all places, as death expects you every where: Death may lie under your trencher, may be at the bottom of every cup. The delights of the crea­ture, should not extinguish the suggestions which they give us of mortality. The Ancients had their sepulchres in their places of pleasure, their Gardens: and (of old) some were wont to roll a dead-mans skil upon their table, after their greatest feasts.

5. Ʋse 5 Fifthly, note that old age is a blessing. 1. A full age, like unto the ripe corn is here promised, as an encou­ragement to duty, and the contrary is threatned as a curse. God foretels that there should not be an old man in the house of Eli. Gen. 15.15. 1 Sam 2.32. Psal. 55.22. Its the curse threatned against the wicked, that they shall not live out half their dayes, and be [Page 26]like the corn on the house top, which withers before it be grown.

2. Secondly, it is laboured and contended for, as a great blessing; they that despise it, yet desire it and would count it a mercy. All thy food is taken but to patch up thy cottage, that so thou mayest live till thou art an old man: Physicians are but Pilots to conduct to the haven of old age. All the physick that the Apothecary pre­pares; all the Physitians prescriptions are but helps to old age; beyond old age thou canst not go, to old age thou wouldst fain go.

3. Grace is not onely an honour to old age, (as it is indeed to every age,) But old age is a great honour also to grace; they cast a mutual lustre upon one another. The oldest presons most commend grace in having, because in keeping it; grace beautifies the youngest, but it is not beau­tified so much by any as by the oldest. These shew that after all the solicitations of sin and vanity, grace is (yet) the best, and their best beloved, and that though they have served Jesus Christ so many scores of yeers, yet that they esteem him the best master, and are not weary of his service, but that they account it impossible to change it for the best of temporals, unlesse to losse. O how glo­rious is it, when there is the silver crown of gray hairs, and the golden crown of grace upon one head! How amiable a conjunction are the golden apples of grace in the silver picture of the hoary head!

4. Fourthly, its an age of the greatest growth and perfection of grace, the bringing of our graces to the greatest fulnesse in this world. Old men (if godly) are spiritual hoarders; they have been laying up of grace all their dayes, and adding grace to grace, day after day, and yeer after yeer; sermon after sermon, ordinance [Page 27]after ordinance: and a great many littles have by this time made a mickle. And how comfortable is it for a godly old man to recollect, that he hath not onely got much grace throughout his long life to himself, but in­strumentally bestowed much grace upon others: Chil­drens children are the crown of old age (saith Solomon) Pro. 17.6. but no children are so glorious golden, and gliste­ring a crown, as those who are spiritual. Oh how hap­py is it for a godly old man to be able to say, Lord, I am not onely my self thy childe, but I have brought forth children to Jesus Christ throughout my life, and who (now) are come to a great number.

5. Fifthly, it is in some respect the most advantagi­ous time of doing good: Levit. 19.32. Dan. 7.13. Prov. 16.31. Prov. 20.29. its an honourable age, (as ma­riage) honourable among all men; a kinde of resemblance of Gods antiquity who is called the ancient of dayes. The gray head is called beauty, and a crown of glory. Now as our duty to do good, so our opportunity of doing it to others, follows our receiving or honour from others. Besides, old age brings wisdom and experience, and there­fore makes men more able to give wise and wholesome counsel to others. It was a good expression of him who call'd an old mans head the house of wisdom. Domicilium sapientiae. [...]. Clem. Paed. [...]. Seris venit usus ab annis. Ovid. Met. l. 6. The most prudent Roman Convention, the Senate, was so called from old age; noting, that wisdom is commonly the en­dowment of old men. The rash and foolish counsellors of Rehoboam were young men. Old men are sometime as eminent for wisdom, as young men are for strength. And its as rare to see a young man prudent, as an old man strong. By grave and good counsel and advice, the strength of the head, the aged may be more helpful, then the yonger may be by their hands. A few gray hairs may be more worth, then many yong locks, and green heads. [Page 28]The night is the best time for counsell, and so it is best to take counsel of Men, in the night of their age, when they have past through their troubles, difficulties and mani­fold experiences, when as they are quiet, and sedate, and there is not the noise and hurrying of passions to disturb and distract them. And then old age is a fit age for the doing of good in regard of the prayers of old Men, I should ordinarily chuse, a young mans strength and an old mans prayers to be employed for me. I count it a choice blessing to have a stock of prayers going in an old mans heart, for me; God loves to hear the prayers of his old servants, when the hands of old Moses were up, his prayers were acceptable, though his hands were held up; we make much of the words of a dying man, and God eminently regards them. Hence old men are wont to give their blessings. i e. to pray for blessings from God: old Jacob blessed Pharaoh, &c.

Sixthly, Old age is highly commendable for its safety. And old Saint hath passed through those dangerous storms and difficulties that a poor young one is now sail­ing toward; he hath done living almost, the other is now going and beginning to live; a young Man is happy, that doth live well, but an old an is happier, that hath lived well, he is by death beyond the temptations, the difficulties, the passions, that a young man lies ingaged to, and this is the fourth Corollary, that old age is a bles­sing.

Ʋse 6. Ʋse 6 Though the coming to the grave in a full age, in a age wherein one is like to a shock of ripe Corn, be a promise, yet is it to be understood rightly; all Gods peo­ple do not alwayes die in full age, in regard either of civill or natural fulnesse; but yet if even such a fulnesse be good for them, they shall have it; and it shall note be [Page 29]bestowed, if it be not for their good. Honour thy father and thy mother, (as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee) that thy dayes may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee. Mark that Deut. 5.16. If it shall go well with thee. Gods people shall have old age, if God see it may make for their welfare, God sometime sees that old age would tend to the outward trouble and misery of his servants, by war, captivity poverty, famine, so that it would not be a good old age; and therefore he in mercy denies it them. Josiah was taken away, 2 King. 22.20. before he was an old man, that he might not see the evil that should come upon the place where he lived, or much more if God sees by old age, that they shall be brought under temptations which (it may be) they are not able to overcome, he will not suffer them to go out to battle in their old age, as the people said concerning David, as the Lord lives thou shalt not go out to battle, lest the light of Israel go out: if God sees that thou shalt meet with such great stormes and tempests as thou art not able to withstand, he will take thee to himself, and shelter thee in the grave. In a word, if Gods people be taken away before they are old, and have a full age, they are taken away unto a full age, unto the full age of grace and glory in Heaven. God will give them an eternall life, and is not God in that way, as good as his word in promising a long life, and are they any losers? doth God break his promise in not giving them an old age in this world, if he give them an everlasting age in the next? If thy fa­ther had promised thee an acre or two of Land lying in a barren Heath, or Common, and afterwards (in stead thereof) gives thee a thousand acres of rich Meadow, doth he break his promises with thee, if the Lord promise to give an old age, and in stead thereof give thee Heaven [Page 30]and Eternall life, doth he not exceed his own promise as well as thy merit? That man breaks not his word, who having promised ten pieces of brasse, gives instead of these an hundred pieces of gold: as Herod, when he promised half his Kingdom unto the daughter of Hero­dias, if he had given the whole Kingdom to her, he had not broke his promise, so when God promises not half nor the thousand part of Heaven in promising long life, he falls not short, but goes beyond his word, in bestow­ing Eternity of blisse. Besides, God promises no good to his people in this world but that which shall be a furtherance to the obtaining of the chiefest good; if it be a bond to binde them to God, not if it be a snare to in­trap and hinder them from God, and he should be un­just and unkind in bestowing an earthly good upon thee, if he sees that it would stop thee from that which is Eternall. Ita disponit de minimo ut non fiat periculum de maximo. God so disposeth of thee here in regard of this, that thou mayest not be in danger of losing Eternall life.

In a word remember, the people of God die in a full age, whensoever they die! though they die young, yet they are imbalmed for Eternity.

2. Besides they are satisfied and filled with their daies: the wicked never live out half their dayes, no when they live to be never so old; the godly live fully, though they die never so young: they die old, if not according to the course of nature, yet according to the course of their desires.

Lastly, Ʋse 7 Old age is not to be abused by the aged themselves, 1. It must not be abused by ignorance, how shamefull is it to see a man whose hairs and wrinckles speak him an hundred, but his knowledge of Christ speaks him not [Page 31]ten, who is an alphabetical old man (as one calls him,) who is in the worse sence twice a child, that doth not know his right hand from his left in Religion, that though he should be a teacher of others, had need him­self to be taught the first principles of the Oracles of God. 2. Abuse not old age by prophanenesse, oh how sad is it for a black heart to lodge under a hoary head, for one to be ripe for the grave, and ripe for hell at the same time. Let old men take heed of recollecting former youth­full follies with delight. O let them be more bitter to remember then ever they have been sweet to commit, 3. Abuse it not by unprofitablenesse, and negligence, what art thou almost at thy Haven, and doest thou sail so slowly? art thou in danger of losing Eternity, and doest thou run no faster. For shame, old Christians up and be doing you have but a little paper to write in, oh write the closer: improve your time; you have but a little time to work, your candle is almost burnt out. O work the faster; your sun is almost set, O labour with the more Christian diligence and vigor.