SOLOMON was Sonne vnto the worthiest King, that euer swayed Scepter vpon Earth; he was the Sonne of a King, a King himselfe, and the Father of a King, and Predecessor in the royall Line vnto the Sonne of GOD, and for Nobilitie matchlesse. He was King of Ierusalem, which was the Citie of GOD, the Lady of the World, the ho­ly Citie, the perfection of Beautie, and the ioy of the whole Earth. In speculatiue knowledge, he ex­celled the wisedome of all the Children of the East, [Page 2] and all the wisedome of Egypt. He was able to dis­course from the Cedar tree, that is in Lebanon, euen vnto the Hyssope, that springeth out of the wall. He was the most fit and absolute man that euer liued, both for abilitie and vnderstanding, abundance of riches, and sufficiency of all Creatures. This King exhorteth young men to remember GOD in their youth. The flower of youth will vanish away, therefore, Remember thy Creator in youth; it is the best way, and the onely way, to turne away anger and euill, alwaies to remember the power, goodnes, and iustice of GOD the Creator. The dependance these words haue on the former, is in this sort; So­lomon hauing exhorted Youth in their youth and prime-time, to remember their Maker. He said be­fore, take away griefe out of thy heart, that is, all those things which prouoke the anger of GOD; cause euill to depart from thy flesh, that is, all pu­nishment which comes from GODS anger; And remember thy Creator. This Text contayneth two things.

• First, An exhortation to godlinesse in youth, And remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth.
• Secondly, A reason taken from the mani­fold infirmities of old age, Whiles the euill dayes come not, nor the yeeres approch, wherein thou shalt say, I haue no pleasure in them.

The summe and sense is this; Solomon, a man experienced, willed young men to remember GOD that made them, and that in their youth; not that they should forget him in their old age, but they [Page 3] should begin betime to know GOD, and so conti­nue, whiles they continue on earth; there is good cause so to doe, for he made them, brought them in­to the world, and bought them too; and they should remember him here, that hee might remem­ber them hereafter, before old age, weake age, and dote-age come; before weaknes, sicknes, sorrow­fulnes, and other infirmities happen, which accom­panie old age.

Or Solomon puts the dissolute young man in minde of iudgement; there hee shewes him, how to escape it, by auoiding the anger of GOD, name­ly, to remember Iehouah.

Thus you haue seene Solomons meaning: now, to speake of some such profitable instructions, as these words shall afford.

And remember. Text.] The true and serious remem­brance of GOD, is an especiall remedie against sinne; and the forgetting of GOD, a cause of sinne. GOD himselfe commandeth it in the Scripture, saying, Remember Iehouah thy God, for it is he which giueth the power to get substance, Deut. 8.18. Dauid, from GOD, willed the people not to forget GODS Works, but to keepe his Commandements, Psalm. 78.7. Here wee may see plainly, that the remem­brance of GOD keepeth vs from sinning, as the wicked doe. GOD commandeth Ioshuah to re­member him continually, that hee might liue well, and prosper, saying, The booke of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate there­in day and night, that so thou maiest obserue to doe all things therein, and then thou shalt make thy wayes pro­sperous, [Page 4] and haue good successe, Iosh. 1.8. Remember that those are commonly the best opportunities of mercy and pardon, which are most early offered; and these are hardly recouered, when through wil­full contempt, or slight negligence, carnall and foo­lish ease, they haue beene long contemned. Let all remember their Creator in their youth.

Doct. That the onely meanes to escape Gods wrath, is to remember him. God gaue Israel a Law, to bee continued to their posteritie; namely, to remem­ber God and keepe his Commandements, that so they might not bee a faithlesse and stubborne Gene­ration, who set not aright their hearts, and whose spirit cleaueth not stedfastly vnto God, like their fore-fathers; and the children of Ephraim, who kept not Gods Couenant, forgetting God and his wondrous works, Psal. 78.5. to 12. Here wee may see plainly, that the remembrance of God is a meanes to escape his wrath. When the Lord had giuen the Israelites abundance and plentie of all things, lest they should fall into pride, vnthankful­nesse, and other sinnes, he giueth them this caueat, saying; When thou hast eaten, and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwell therein; and when thy Heards and thy Flocke, and all thou is multiplied, be­ware, and take thou heed, thou forgettest not the Lord thy God; and lest thy heart be lifted vp, and thou for­get the Lord thy God; but remember the Lord thy God, Deut. 8.10 to 18. The Apostle Iude, writing against the wicked Seducers, that liued in his time, prescribeth this as a remedie to escape Gods wrath, Remember the words of the Apostles of Iesus Christ, [Page 5] Iude 17. Dauid shewing, what a combat hee had with Diffidence and Distrust, acknowledgeth this to be his remedie, whereby he got the victorie, the remembrance of God; and so after confession of the combat, he saith. And, I said, this is mine infir­mitie, but I will remember the yeeres of the right hand of the most High, I will remember the works of the Lord; surely, I will remember thy wonders of old, I will meditate also of all thy works, Psal. 77.10. We must remember to serue and walke with God by dayes, not by weekes and moneths onely, Psal. 90.12.

As the chiefest meanes to escape Gods wrath, is to remember the Lord; so, the speediest meanes to draw downe his iudgements, is to forget the Lord. Now, consider this, yee that forget God, that is, him and his iudgements against sinne, lest I teare you, there is the greatnesse of their iudgement, and there be no Rescuer, that is, no hope of deliuerance, Psal. 50.22. The wicked shall turne into hell, and all the Heathens that forget God, Psael. 9.18. When the people forgate the Lord their God, he sold them in­to the hand of Sisera, Captaine of the Host of Ha­zor; and into the hand of the Philistims, and into the hand of the King of Moab, and they fought a­gainst them, 1. Sam. 12.9. Seeing thou hast forgot­ten the Law of thy God, I will also forget thy chil­dren, Hos. 4.6. If men forget God, hee will forget them, forget to shew mercy, but he will remember to execute iustice and wrath. Thou hast forgotten the mightie God that begate, and hast forgotten God that formed thee; what then, the Lord saw it and was angrie, Deut. 32.18, 19. If Gods words can [Page 6] worke vs to his will, he will spare his blowes. Hee hath as little delight in smiting as wee in suffering. Hee reioyceth in his owne goodnesse, grieueth at our wretchednesse. God amplifieth this sinne of forgetfulnesse; Can a Maid forget her ornaments, or a Bride her attire, yet my people haue forgotten mee dayes without number, Iere. 2.32. as if he had said, their Ornaments, Iewels, and Rings, are but toyes and trifles. Is there any Ornament like me? Is there any Iewell amongst them all, that can be compared with me? Men remember their friends often, and call them to minde. An old man will remember his bagge, yet hee will forget God: shall such things take vp mens memories? and shall God bee thrust out?

Reas. 1 First, Wee must remember God our Creator; hee made vs happy, but mutable; but Satan by de­ceit did cast vs from that happy condition, where­by, besides the losse of that felicitie, we were plun­ged into extreme miserie, which consisteth in two things: First, in sinne: Secondly, the curse follow­ing vpon it. Through sinne, the Vnderstanding is filled with blindnesse, the conscience wounded, seared, and defiled: the Memorie forgetting good things, or not remembring any thing aright: the Will captiue, of no strength to good, but onely to euill: the Affections, altogether disordered: the Cogitations about heauenly matters, are errors, falsehood, and lies: the Wishes and Desires of the Heart are earthly and fleshly. The Curse maketh vs subiect to Deathes and Famines; in Body to sick­nesse, and other paines. Wee should remember [Page 7] God, because he promised the Messiah, Gen. 3.15. because he hath bought vs with a price, 1. Cor. 7.23. because hee hath preserued vs, and in the end will glorifie vs. If a man be sanctified with the diuine Nature, in which glorie is begun, he is iustified; if iustified, then called according to purpose; if called, then predestinate; if predestinate to meanes, then foreknowne, as one chosen to the end, euen to glo­rie. Of God we receiue euery good thing, Iam. 1.17. therefore we should remember him. Euery ache and paine is a memento, to put vs in minde of God. How great is our sinne, if we forget him.

Wee should remember God, because of his all-seeing Reas. 2 Wisedome, for hee seeth all things wee doe, though neuer so secretly; hee heareth euery word we speake, though neuer so tacitely. He that plan­ted the eare, shall he not heare; or he that formed the eye, shall hee not see, Psal. 94.9. Hee knoweth vaine man, and seeth iniquitie, Iob 11.11. Thou know­est my sitting and my rising, thou vnderstandest my thoughts afarre off. Thou compassest my pathes, and my lying downe, and art accustomed to all my waies. For, There is not a word in my tongue, but, loe, thou knowest it wholly, O Lord, Psal. 139.2, 3, 4. We should remember his Iustice, he is righteous, and must needs punish, he is a mightie God, and is able to punish. There is nothing wanting in him, which is fit to bee in one, on whom wee are to place our trust. He is able to helpe vs because he hath power; what a power is that which keepes vs to saluation, who haue so little strength, and lesse wisedome, whereby we might stand; nay, he is Omnipotent, [Page 8] Gen. 17.1. He is willing, because he loues vs so dear­ly, Ioh. 3.16. Nay, to the death, Precious in the sight of the Lord, is the death of his Saints, Psal. 116.15. He is skilfull, because all the treasures of knowledge and wisedome are hid in him, Coloss. 2.3. He is mind­full, because his eyes are alwaies open vpon vs, he doth neither slumber nor sleepe, Psal. 121.4. He is carefull, because he is Lord and King ouer all, he is the King of Kings, 1. Tim. 6.15. And he biddeth vs, cast all our care vpon him, 1. Pet. 5.7. Wee cannot search these things to the full, for to see things vnuisible, and search things vnsearchable, are alike vnpossible.

Reas. 3 We should remember God, for he hath giuen vs many helpes of memory: First, hee hath giuen vs the Scriptures, his Word, an Epistle sent vs from Heauen, that by reading and hearing it, wee might remember him. For hee that forgetteth the Word of God, will soone forget God, and he that remem­breth the Word, will remember God the author of the Word. Secondly, wee haue the Sacraments, which are tokens of Gods loue, which should cause vs to remember God. Thirdly, the creatures should put vs in minde of God, euery one representing, ei­ther the power, goodnesse, or mercy of God; euery tree, and euery leafe, euery flower, and euery grasse, euery stone; nay, euery sand doth set forth his good­nesse. The greater is our sinne if we forget him, ha­uing so many meanes to remember him. Should a Sonne forget is Father, who hath left him many to­kens to remember him by? If a Husband departing from home, should leaue many Memorials with his Wife, on euery Doore, Wall, and Poste, a remem­brance, [Page 9] that shee can goe no where, but shee must needes remember him; yea, if shee haue his Signet on her finger, that so, as often as shee lookes on her finger, she may remember him; how great were her fault, to forget him, or how were it possible, not to remember him. The Almighty God hath thus dealt with vs, in the world, which is his House, hee hath left euery where remembrances. If a Woman remember her Husband, seeing his Ring, she should remember God, seeing her finger, which his Finger made; and her hands, the worke of his Hands. When I beheld the Heauens, euen the workes of thy Fin­gers, the Moone and the Starres which thou hast or­dained, Psal. 8.3.

Great benefits should cause vs remember God: Reas. 4 What maketh vs so to sinne, but the forgetting of God, therefore it is often said of the Israelites, they forgate God, and serued Baalim; as if he should say, they neuer would haue committed Idolatry, if they had not forgotten God; They haue peruerted their way, and forgotten the Lord their God, Ier. 3.21. The latter is the cause of the former, and so, forgetters of God, are put for wicked men. Now, as forgetful­nesse of God causeth sinne, witnesse Adulterers, Drunkards, and such like, which will confesse they forgate God: so the remembrance of God is the cause of obedience, for hee that remembreth God, will feare to offend him, and endeauour to please him.

The vse of this point is for our instruction, that Vse 1 wee should bee the more carefull to remember the [Page 10] Lord. First, God commandeth it, and Gods Com­mandements must be obeyed; If he consent and obey, he shall eate the good things of the Land, Esay 1.19. Whatsoeuer we aske; we receiue of him, because we keep his Commandements, and doe those things which are pleasing in his sight, 1. Iohn 3.22. If wee reade the Scriptures, heare the Word, blessed shall wee bee if we keepe it, Blessed is hee that readeth, and they that heare the words of the Prophecie, and keepe those things which are written therein; Reuel. 1.3. Our Goods, Cattell, Corne, and all things belonging to vs, shall be blessed of God; if we obey his voyce, and doe as hee would haue vs; yea, our children shall bee blessed after vs, Blessed is the vpright man, and bles­sed shall his seede be after him, Pro. 20.7. Yea, as Da­uid speaketh, Blessed is the man that meditates in the Law of God day and night; For he shall be like a Tree, planted by the Riuers of Waters, Psal. 1, 2, 3. No good thing will the Lord withhold from them that liue vp­rightly, Psal. 84.11. On the contrary, euen those things which in their owne nature are the good blessings of God, shall be accursed of God: And the Lord will in his wrath, and in his hot anger, curse our blessings. This Commandement is for you, If yee will heare, and if yee will not lay it to heart, to giue glory to my Name, saith the Lord of Hostes. I will euen send a curse vpon you, and I will curse your blessings; yea, I haue cursed them already, because yee doe not consider it in heart, Malach. 2.2. Secondly, the promises which God hath made to such as re­member him, should be a meanes to stirre vs vp to [Page 11] remember him, he hath promised to bee with his to the end of the world, Matth. 28.20. Neuer to faile them, nor forsake them, Heb. 13.5. Hee promised to giue his Sonne, the first begotten, and the onely begot­ten, Iohn 3.16. Luke 2.7. And in him what rare mat­ter can we wish for, which is not in him to be found. Would wee haue Wisedome, hee is the essentiall Wisedome of the Father, the obiect of all true Wisedome, which tendeth to saluation, in him is our Wisedome, not onely while wee walke by faith at home in this body, but also when wee shall walke by sight with the Lord, seeing him as he is. All the treasure of Wisedome and Vnderstanding are hid in him, Col. 2.3. Would we haue Righteousnesse, he is essentially righteous, as God in our name; habitually and actually Righteous. He is Iehouah our Righteous­nesse, Ier. 23.6. The Sunne of Righteousnesse, that person which hath brought with him euerlasting Righteousnesse. Would wee haue Redemption, with him is great redemption, Psal. 130.7. Through him haue we redemption, that is, Forgiuenesse of our sinnes, Col. 1.14. By him wee doe waite for the Re­demption of our bodies, Rom. 8.23. Christ was power­full in the eternall prouidence of God, before crea­tion for our election; powerfull in time appointed for our Vocation, Iustification, Sanctification; powerfull for our perseuerance, and finall consum­mation. He is God, what seeke wee? Hee is God, what desire wee? This Sonne was promised, and this Sonne is come. God first promised protection from hurt in his seruice; hee vndertakes to keepe [Page 12] damage from his, while they are occupied in his ser­uice. When all the Males should goe vp to Ierusa­lem thrice in the yeere, and none but weake women and children left at home, yet God doth vnder­take, that no enemie should haue the heart to breake in on them, Exod. 34.24. Secondly, God promiseth to bestow on vs euery thing that is good, nay, all good. Thirdly, God promiseth to his a cheerfull vse, of all the good benefits vouchsafed them. Did not Iosiah eate and drinke, and prosper, while hee executed iudgement and iustice? Iere. 22.15. Godli­nesse hath not onely the promises of this life, but of the life to come, 1. Tim. 4.8. He that giues the head, giues haire also. God giueth vs his Kingdome and Righteousnesse, which are principall; how should he not adde these inferiour things also, which are but accessarie to the other. God will not stand for small matters with them to whom he will giue hea­uen. This God, who is so gracious; this God, who is so glorious; this God, who is so mercifull and li­berall, must be remembred. Thirdly, the dangers which follow the forgetfulnesse of God, should in­cite vs to remember God. Such as forget God, shall be punished. Forgetfulnesse, is a cause of, first, Spirituall punishment: secondly, of Corporall: thirdly, of Eternall. It is a cause of spirituall pu­nishment in the soule, of corporall punishments in the body; and of eternall, both in body and soule, at the day of Iudgement.

Vse 2 Secondly, it is a reproofe of those who forget God, and cast the remembrance of him behind their [Page 13] backs; for what else doe they, who sweare at euery word, and the more they sweare, the better men they account themselues. If they did remember God, who saith, Sweare not at all, Matth. 5.34. And the words of the Apostle Iames, Before all things, my Brethren, sweare not, Iam. 5.12. If they did re­member Gods Truth, Iustice, and Power; his Truth, that he is a Defender of; his Iustice, that he is a Reuenger of the breakers of it; his Power, that he is able to execute his Vengeance, if they sweare falsely, they would neuer sweare vainely. First, the matter of an Oath must be Truth. Secondly, the manner must be in Iudgement. Thirdly, the square in Righteousnesse; all these the Prophet rehear­seth, Thou shalt sweare the Lord liueth in Truth, in Iudgement, and in Righteousnesse, Iere. 4.2. If Sab­bath breakers did remember God, they would not commit sacrilege, in stealing from him three parts of his Sabbath, to their owne vses; and for the fourth, as good neuer a whit, as neuer the better. If they did remember the Commander, God, the matter com­manded, which is the sanctifying of the Sabbath, and spending of it in holy exercises, they would not spend it so prophanely as they doe, seeing it is a signe that God is their God, that doth sanctifie them a solemne holiday, wherein hee declareth his loue and care ouer them; a Day, wherein hee offe­reth vnto them his holy things, as his Word, Sa­craments, and all heauenly and holy riches, a prin­cipall meanes of their sanctification and saluation; a Day, which hee hath appointed, wherein euery [Page 14] one should professe their Faith, Loue, and Obedi­ence, to his heauenly Maiestie. If they did remem­ber God, which commit adulterie, they would be ashamed of such behauiour, they would not doe it for a world, for it is most hurtfull, most vnfruitfull, most shamefull, most abominable, and most dam­nable. It hurteth, First, the body: Secondly, the soule: Thirdly, the estate: Fourthly, the good name: Fiftly, the life. It ariseth, first, from an vnregenerate heart, which is the harbour of filthy lusts, for out of the heart proceed adulteries, fornica­tions, Matth. 15.19. Secondly, from originall Con­cupiscence, which is like a home-borne Traitor, lurking secretly, vnder-mining couertly, creeping priuily, entising vehemently, betraying treache­rously into the hands of the Deuill; a woman would not commit adulterie if shee remembred; first, the Commandement, Thou shalt not commit adulterie, Exod. 20.14. Secondly, her husband to whom shee is married, who is one flesh with her, Gen. 2.24. Third­ly, the Couenant which she hath made, forsaking all others, and cleauing vnto her husband, Matth. 19.5. Fourthly, the punishment, which is damnation, without true repentance.

Text. Thy Creator.] As if he should say, he made thee, therefore thou must remember him, or else thy sinne will be the greater in forgetting him. The Oxe know­eth his Owner, and the Asse his Masters maunger, E­sa. 1.3. and will not Man know his Creator. And God said, Let vs make Man, Gen. 1.26. hee did not say, Let Man be made; as he said, Let there be Light: [Page 15] neither did hee command the Elements to bring forth Man; as hee commanded the Earth to bud forth Herbs, Grasse, and such like; or the Waters to bring forth Fish; but, as it were, consulting, he saith, Let vs make Man. The Creation of Man was the worke of the whole Trinitie, so was the Rege­neration of Man. We are baptised in the Name of the Father, because he adopteth vs to be Sonnes; in the Name of the Sonne, because he hath bought vs with his Bloud; in the Name of the Holy Ghost, because by him wee are Sanctified. Our Creator must bee remembred aboue all, because hee is aboue all, and before all. God is so the Creator, that hee is the alone Creator.

Doct. That Mans creation bindeth him to remember God; Remember thy Creator: hee did make thee an excellent Creature. Hath not one God created vs, Ma­lac. 2.10. He alone fashioned vs in the wombe, Iob 31.15. Vnto vs there is but one God, which is the Father, of whom are all things, 1. Cor. 8.6. He that hath built all things is God, Heb. 3.4. There is none besides me, I am the Lord, and there is none other. I forme the Light, and create Darknesse; I, the Lord, doe all these things, Esa. 45.6, 7. I am the Lord that made all things, and spread out the Heauens aboue, Esa. 44.24. He a­lone spreadeth out the Heauens, Iob 9.8. From all this we may gather, that the creation of man, and of all things else, must bee attributed to God onely. Na­ture bindeth Children to remember their Parents. Duetie bindeth Schollers to remember their Tu­tors; Charitie bindeth Christians to remember the [Page 16] poore, the Law bindeth men to eschew euill and sinne; Sinne, as it hardens, so it weakens; the Go­spell bindeth men to beleeue; and the Creation bin­deth men to remember the Creator.

Reas. 1 First, Mans creation bindeth him to remember God, because Man hath his being from God. It is proper to God to produce a Thing from no Being to a Being, for he calleth Things that are not, as if they were by his Almightinesse. God is of infinite power, able to doe whatsoeuer he will, and to hin­der whatsoeuer hee will not haue done; by his re­spectiue power, and by his absolute power, able to doe more then he will. Some Creatures haue a be­ing onely, as Heauen and Earth, Meteors in the one, and Metals in the other. Some a Being and Life al­so, as Plants and Beasts, which with Life haue Sen­ses ioyned. Some Being, Life, Sense, light of Vn­derstanding and Reason, as Angels and Men. Man, hauing his breath from God; for, God breathed in­to him the breath of Life, Gen. 2.7. that is, a liuing Soule, by the vertue of the eternall Spirit, was inspi­red into an Elementarie body, to vse it as an instru­ment, should make Man remember his Creator. Man hauing from God his being, and his breath, his life, and liuing; his motion, and mouing, should remember his Creator.

Reas. 2 Man should remember God his Creator, because he made him an excellent Creature, compleat and full of the true knowledge of God and of holines, without any the least want or defect. As in the first Adam, mankind was made; so in the latter, it was [Page 17] restored: the Elect came from Christ by Regenera­tion, as all men from Adam by Generation. Though Adam did fall grieuously, yet Beleeuers are more happy in the second Adam rising, then in the first Adam falling; in Christ sauing, then in Adam sin­ning. God made Adam plaine, but they sought out many conceits, Eccles. 7.31. And so doe their chil­dren in all folly. In that God made Man, and Christ regenerateth Man, and restoreth that which was decayed in him; this should moue Man to remem­ber his Creator.

The first vse, may reproue such men as know not Vse 1 their Maker. Many weare Gods cloth, that know not their Master, that neuer did good worke in his seruice; hee hath many Retayners, that weare his Liuerie for a countenance, neuer waite on him. Ma­ny that eate his meate, that neuer acknowledge the Giuer. Many protected by him, see it not. Many afflicted, yet seeke him not diligently, Hos. 5.15. Hee strikes them, but they sorrow not; hee consumes them, but they refuse his correction, Iere. 5.3. He giues to such as are vnthankfull, clotheth such as are proud, helpeth such as are vnworthy, and proui­deth for such as are wicked. He that giueth all good things, hath little or nought giuen him againe. Where hee should bee loued, hee is hated; and of whom hee should bee honoured, he is dishonoured. Gods loue towards vs, hath beene from all eternitie. Some, as wine, doth receiue the greater praise by the age of it: old wine is the best, and ancient loue is the most approued. How much doe wee esteeme [Page 18] of such a friend, as hath borne vs good wil for some twentie or fortie yeeres together? The more recko­ning wee should make of Gods loue, which hath beene eternall. Before Christ wee were enemies to God, there was nothing to be seene in vs, but sinne and miserie, nor any thing to draw Gods affection toward vs, but his owne free and good pleasure: now, that loue wee haue deserued, wee the lesse e­steeme; but such loue as is freely conferred on vs, we doe make more store of.

Vse 2 The second Vse, not onely the Creation bindeth Man to remember God, but all other his benefits wherewith Man is compassed about. Many are the works of mercy, which God hath bestowed on Man; besides the Creation, all of them binding Man to remember God. First, Mans Redemption by Christ. Of all the works of mercy, this chiefly ought to be remembred, for it is the chiefest worke; the freedome of Sinners, both from the guilt and power of sinne. By whom wee haue Redemption through his Bloud, euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes, Ephes. 1.7. To haue sinne forgiuen, is to bee redee­med, or set free from all euill. That which Paul cal­leth in the former words, Redemption, is afterward called Remission of sinne. What is forgiuenesse of sinne, but an act of Grace, acquitting vs from all the guilt, and the whole punishment of all our sinne; and as men speake of Redemption, so they may speake of Remission. Secondly, the worke of Pre­seruation, is another great benefit of God, which is a keeping men free and safe from dangers, and from [Page 19] hurt by enemies: Preserue me, O Lord, for I trust in thee, Psal. 16.1. What shall I doe vnto thee, O thou Keeper of men, Iob 7.20. Hee preserueth both Man and Beast, Psal. 36.6. Thou preseruedst them all, Nehe. 9.6. Thirdly, the worke of Sustentation bindeth Man to remember God, for God vp-hol­deth his Children, that they take not a fall by sinne and calamitie, or that they take no hurt by such fals. The Lord sustayned me, Psal. 3.5. Hee maketh mee to rest in greene pastures, and leadeth me by the still wa­ters. Hee restoreth my soule, and leadeth mee in the pathes of Righteousnes, for his Names sake, Ps. 23.2, 3. Many other benefits are men compassed withall, to binde them to remember God.

In the dayes of thy youth.] It is good for children to learne to know God, euen in youth,Text. whiles they are young, for so much Solomon teacheth here, say­ing, In the dayes of thy youth.

Doct. That because youth is most prone to forget God, it is needfull they should be exhorted to remember God. Youth is most prone to forget God, for they are in the flower of their age, in the roofe of pride, and in the heate of lust, hauing by nature corrupt hearts, and carnall desires, liuing in pleasures, pas­sing their time in mirth, all which makes them for­get God. Though young men doe not alwaies breake out into notorious wickednesse, yet they are subiect to youthfull wantonnesse, and vnstaiednesse of affection, which if it breake not out, yet it makes them forgetfull of God, and lesse carefull of good things. This loosenesse is the way to lewdnesse, this [Page 20] weaknesse is the high way to wickednes, this Gods children (being regenerate) see, which before they saw not. Hence is it, that Dauid prayeth, Lord re­member not the sinnes of my youth, Psal. 25.7. Of all mans life, Youth cōmonly is most vaine; The imagi­nations of mans heart is euill from his youth, Ier. 8.21. We are all transgressors from the wombe, Esa. 48.8. In sinne hath my Mother conceiued me, Psal. 51.5. Euen from the Belly haue they erred, Ps. 58.3. For the sinnes of youth, God often punisheth men in their age, so making them to inherit the iniquities of their youth Iob 13.26. The Prophet saith, We and our Father (haue sinned) from our youth, Ier. 3.25. Shal we thinke they in their youth committed grosse sins, as Adul­terie, Drunkennesse, Murther, and such like, which were so holy men, as Iob and Ieremie: surely no, but they confessed the sinnes of their youth, their wantonnesse and forgetfulnesse of God, their too much loue of pleasure, their youthfulnesse. Solo­mon saith, Foolishnesse is bound in the heart of a child, Pro. 22.15. therefore child-hood and youth are va­nitie, not in themselues, but because they are often spent in vanitie. Suruey those which are more then ordinarie young men, which haue the best wits, and are thought to bee of the best disposition, and their youth will hardly be found without vanitie; nay, not onely those young men, that are best in ciuill gifts, but in spirituall graces, as Timothy, find child-hood and youth to be vanitie, Eccl. 11.10. Timo­thy did tame his body, and bring it into subiection, so that Paul was faine to bid him to drinke wine, [Page 21] 1. Tim. 5.23. yet he had this memento giuen him, flie the lusts of youth, 2. Tim. 2.22. Young men see not vanitie when they are yong, but they may perceiue it when they are old: for now, their consciences are like water in a bason, if the water be troubled, the face cannot be seene, but when it is setled, it may: so, all is troubled in youth, but when maturitie of yeeres come, then it will stand still, and they may see their faces. Dauid being old praied against sinnes of youth. Because it is so hard, for a young man to remember God, and to be holy; Dauid breaketh off his meditation abruptly, into this, wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his waies, Psal. 119.9. And Dauid vsing the word cleansing, compareth the young man to a glasse, which though it be very cleane, yet will gather filth in the Sunne beames. As a ricke of Hay put vp wet, set it selfe on fire: so haue the hearts of young men enough in them to inflame them.

Young men should remember their Creator in Reas. 1 their youth, lest accustoming to forget God in youth, they doe not remember him in old age. Cu­stomes is another nature, and can hardly be altered. Can the Black-More change his skinne, or the Leo­pard his spots? then may yee also doe good, that are accustomed to doe euill, Ier. 13.23. This young men get by continuing in sinne, they cannot leaue it, many cannot leaue swearing, lying, stealing, when they are old, because they practised them when they were young. If I should be demanded, why there are so few good old men: I answer, because there were so many naughtie young men, for youth [Page 22] spent in vanitie, commonly ends old age in pro­phanenesse. The Prophet calleth some sinnes Crim­son sinnes, sinnes of a double die, Esay 1.18. If it be right Purple, it is dyed both in the Wooll and in the Thread, and then it is deepe. So, if Satan die vs in our Wooll, in our youth, before we be men, be­fore we be made cloth, it is likely to sticke by vs. It is in a man, as in other things, in breaking of Hor­ses, luring of Hawkes, trayning of Dogges, which must be done while they are young: so must man in his youth, be trained vp in the feare of the Lord. The Diseases of the Spring, are more curable then those of Autumne: So the sinnes of youth are more curable then those of age, but when a man is soaked in them, hee is past cure. If Satan can make our youth vnprofitable, there cannot any good be loo­ked for of the after ages, without the great mercy of Almightie God. Hence commeth those speeches of sinnes, which a man hath continued in; I would faine, but I cannot leaue them, whereby it comes to passe, that where one doth recouer, fortie rot away. If the Deuill nip the Blossome, what hope is there of Fruit. When a man hath long had a trustie Ser­uant, he is loth to forgoe him, he will rather increase his wages: So, the Deuill will be loth to forgoe him in his age, who serued him in his youth. The sinnes of youth sticke fast by a man, hee can hardly leaue them, youth being like a new Morter, wherein if you stampe Garlicke, it will a long time smell of it; and though they repent and come home, yet they carry the smell of the Garlicke Morter wheresoeuer [Page 23] they goe. The vessell will rellish of the first liquour: What iniurie doe men to themselues, by liuing prophanely in youth, when they bee old, they dare not reprehend so sharply as others, nor punish so seuerely as they should, because the sinnes of their youth are so in their foreheads, that all men see them. God will haue the first fruites, and the first borne are due to him. The Autumne cannot see the fruit of those trees, whose blossomes the Spring-time neuer saw. If men begin not to loue vertue in youth, it will bee a harsh thing for them for to wooe her in old age, when the threed of life shall be tentred, and drawne euen to the vtmost length.

Because the Deuill hath a speciall affection to this Reas. 2 age, knowing that if hee get youth, hee hath often­times mans age too. Sathan doth not easily forsake his hold, nor surrender his possession; though he be not an Angell of light, 2. Cor. 11.14. yet he would be like one. Though he seldome speake truth, yet he is more beleeued then God the Authour of truth. Though he damned many Soules, yet hee is serued by youth, and followed by them in troupes. Hee hath such varieties of pleasures, which he presenteth to them that they are bewitched by them, hee is an vnreasonable, insatiable, vsurping tyrant, yet youth will not hearken to Gods word, who saith, resist the deuill, Iam. 4.7. It is lamentable, that no age doth so much despise the Word, as youth, which must stand in neede of it. It is now a rare thing to find a­mong yong men, a Ioseph, or a Samuel, where they should liue as Nazarites, consecrated to the Lord, [Page 24] Amos 2.11. they are rather like men, who haue vow­ed and dedicated themselues vnto Sathan. As the sonnes of Eli despised the rebuke of their father: So yong men now (for the most part) are impatient of of the rebukes of the Word, contemning the medi­cine. The prodigall sonne had foure prouocations; First, his portion; Secondly, his fathers indulgence; Thirdly, ill companie; Fourthly, youth, these the Deuill vseth as so many baites, to take young men withall, these hurt yong men much. Till the porti­on was spent, the prodigall thought not vpon retur­ning home. The prodigall man, while he spendeth, is magnified, when hee is spent is pitied, and that is all his recompence for his lauishing. The indul­gence of the father to conniue & winke at the faults of their Children, doth breede in their Children a forgetfulnesse of their Creator. Ill companie hurt youth, for such are they for the most part as they are, with whom familiarly they liue, and with whom for the most part they spend their time. All waters in temperature, in colour, and in taste, agree with the nature and the disposition of those grounds, and of that earth, through which they make their secret passages, and their wayes: In like manner men pra­ctise those things, which by frequent custome, they haue deriued to themselues, from those with whom they haue conuersed. Youth is so wanton and wild, so rude and vnruly, so lose and lewde, that vnlesse God saue, the Deuill will destroy; vnlesse God draw them, the Deuill will keepe them.

Reas. 3 Young men should remember their Creator in [Page 25] youth, considering their naturall corruption, they are corrupt Children, Esa. 1.4. They know nothing but how to corrupt themselues, their wayes, their liues, their actions, their neighbours by euill coun­cel, and euill examples, themselues by euill exercises. This naturall corruption is most deformed, a mon­ster both vgly and fearefull. If naturall corruption will haue yong men eate till they surfeite, and drinke till they bee drunke, you shall finde multitudes of them that will doe it, though they consume goods, body, estate, and damme the Soule. If naturall cor­ruption will haue yong men bee wantons, there will bee some that will fit and addresse themselues for it, by lurking here and there in corners; frequenting dishonest places, vsing idle and immodest Exercises; corrupt and rotten communication, stuffed with vaine vnfruitfull Iestes, and prophane passages. It is a thing most lamentable, and neuer enough to bee bewailed, to see many young persons, whose dayly practise and trade of life, is to corrupt their flesh in lying, deceiuing, seeking vnlawfull and vngodly gaines; slaundring and backbiting their neighbours; spending their time wantonly and wickedly, for which, one day they must giue account to GOD.

The first vse, serueth for our instruction, seeing Vse 1 yong men are hardest to bee reformed, they should learne to bee Godly in their youth. It is good for a man to beare the yoke in his youth, Lament. 3.17. It is good for a man to remember his Creator in his youth. Some will say, shall youth spend no time in pleasure? What, not halfe a mans youth? Not a [Page 26] day now and then, not an houre? Surely, GOD will not allow a minute of time to bee spent in vaine. Yong men will say, wee will become good, and liue Grauely hereafter, and behaue our selues soberly, we will amend when we are old. This is to make a coue­nant with the Deuill, thou wilt be Gods, but not yet. As Foelix said to Paul; Goe thy way for this time, and when I haue conuenient time, I will call for thee, Act. 24.26. But Foelix was remooued, Festus put in his roome, and Paul continues bound still: So young men say to goodnesse, to grace, and to God; goe your wayes for a time; and when wee are old and sickly, then we will send for you, but God will turne away, Sathan will come in place, and yong men wil be left in their sinnes. First, how knowest thou, thou shalt liue till thou be old; doe not many die in their youth? And why not thou? If thou dost, what will become of thy soule. Secondly, if thou liue till thou be old, how knowest thou whether then thou shalt remember God or no? Is it in thy power? Noe, be­cause men forget God being yong, he forgets them, and makes them forget him being olde. Thirdly, if thou doest remember him, what great matter doest thou; offer it to thy Prince, will he accept it? That which is vnfit for the World, is it good enough for God? Wilt thou offer him thy old age, thy dote-age, a bagge of drie bones? Will not hee haue the first fruites of thy Corne, and the fat of thy flocke, and wilt thou giue the cleane corne of youth to the De­uill, and the huskes and chaffe of old age to God? wilt thou sacrifice the fat of thy Flock to the Deuils, [Page 27] and the leane to God? wilt thou forgiue thy enemies, when thou canst hurt them no longer? wilt thou giue thy goods to the poore, when thou canst keepe it no longer? wilt thou leaue sinne, when sinne leaues thee? and wilt thou serue God when it pleaseth thee; is God at thy command, is he bound to thee, not thou to him.

It is a reproofe of those that are the Proctors, and Vse 2 Patrons of sinnes of youth. They say, what shall youth doe, shall they be mortified so young? shall not youth be merrie and iouiall, shall they bee sober a [...]d graue so young? then you will haue no life in them belike. Others say, a young Saint, an old De­uill. A young Deuill may become an old Saint, but a young Saint can neuer become an old Deuill. Others say, youth is youth, and youth must haue a swinge. Others of a ragged colt comes a good horse; a knauish boy becomes a good man. Either Solomon was not wise, or they are starke fooles in so saying, he saith, Remember God in thy youth. Let young men learne by Elies children, how they were cut off ere age came. To put off such things to old age, is as if a carrier hauing many horses, should put all his carriage on the weakest and poorest, hauing many better. Young men haue many better dayes and yeeres to repent in; Delaying of repentance is dan­gerous, deadly, and damnable. If a wound bee not cured before it rot, it becomes oftentimes incurable. If the fire be not quenched in time, it becomes vn­quenchable; and if flesh be not salted before it stinck, it becomes so vnsauorie, that it cannot bee mended. [Page 28] If a mote fall into the eye, or a thorne sticke into the foot, we take them out without delay; but in things pertaining to the health of the soule, delay is much more dangerous. Satan seekes but a delay: God craues present repentance. It was offered by Moses to Pharaoh, when shall I pray for thee; and he answered to morrow, Exod. 9.10. It is offered by the Lord to man, when wilt thou that I haue mercie on thee, many answere, when wee are old. Miserable was Pharaoh who delayed Moses but one day: but more miserable are many men, who delay the Lord for many yeeres. Some will first burie their Fathers, as the Disciple would, Math. 8.21. Some will first go and kisse their Fathers, that is delight yet a space in the pleasures of this life. God will haue men now to turne, God will haue the present time, Bee wise now, Psal. 2.10. Now therefore feare the Lord, and serue him, Iosh. 24.14. Therefore also now saith the Lord, Ioel, 1.12. Consider this now, yee that forget God, Psal. 50.22. When Abraham was bid to circumcise his Familie, he did not deferre it, but circumcised them the same day, Gen. 17.23. As soone as Corne­lius was willed to send for Peter, hee sent immediat­ly, Act. 10.33. That thou wilt doe, doe quickly in thy youth, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth, Pro. 27.1. Hee that is not now willing, may hereafter bee more vnwilling. I know no difference betweene the wise two Virgins, and the foolish, but that the one did it in time, which the other would faine haue done out of time, and could not. The most prophane men of the world are forced, in death [Page 29] to make their refuge to the Lord. Then the eye, and the hand are lifted vp vnto him, Then they crie for mercie, and desire all others to pray for them. If men were wise they would doe that in time, which many would do, and do, at length when God sent laborers into his vineyard, he that was bad goe in the mor­ning, did not deferre till noone, hee that was called at noone did not deferre his comming till night. Art thou called to day, deferre not till too morrow, to day if thou wilt heare his voice, harden not thy heart, Heb. 3.15. To day is Gods voice, to morrow is the deuils, giue God to day, that is thy youth. It is one of Satans pollicies, to perswade men to repent when they are old, till all the time bee past wherein Men should repent. This brings many to damnation, that where in their young yeares they will not repent, in their olde age they cannot, the affections through long custome of sinnes, waxing strong, euen then when the bodie is weake. Marke Satans deceit, and put not off thy remembring of God to thy old age, for thy yeeres may bee shortned, thy faith weakened Satan aduantaged, thy heart hardned, and it may be God in iustice, and the deuill in malice, will not suf­fer thee to remember thy Creator. How fearefull a thing is it, to fall into the hands of God, who is a consuming fire, Heb. 12.29. As fire consumeth stub­ble: so the most seuere God, will consume and de­stroy the wicked contemners of his Word. Thinke of it whiles there is hope, you young men that for­get your Creator, heauen and hell, least you misse the one, and come into the other, where there is no re­demption, [Page 30] no hope of ease; or end, which is that that makes hell, hell indeed. If all the paines of hell might haue an end, were it after million and millions of yeeres, as many as there bee Sands on the Sea­shoare, it might nourish some miserable comfort of a release in the long ruine. But this night hath no day, this Ague no intermission, this death no death, to end it withall.

Text. Before the euill dayes come.] The dayes voide of all delight will come, all ioy will faile, and sorrow vpon sorrow befall. There are good dayes, that is, a bles­sed and happie life, wherein many good things be­fall vs. If any Man loue to see good dayes, let him re­fraine his tongue from euill, 1. Pet. 3.10. What Man is he that desireth life, and loueth long dayes for to see good, Psal. 34.12. And there are euill dayes, not that dayes are euill in themselues, but accidentally.

Doct. That old age is called euill, because of the many euils it brings with it. Dayes are called euill, nor ef­fectiuely, making men euill, nor essentially, as if a day in its owne nature were euill; but accidentally in regard of the euill actions and euents, which hap­pen to men in that day. Euill dayes are times full of Sinnes and troubles, or troublesome & sinfull times. The Apostle saith, Redeeme the time, for the dayes are euill, Ephe. 5.16. Iacob said to Pharaoh, few and euill haue the dayes of my life beene, Gene. 47 9. Euill, because they were full of troubles, full of afflictions, full of dangers. Our Sauiour saith, Sufficient for the day, is the euill thereof, Mat. 6.34. That is the day brings with it, affliction, griefe, and hurts. Many [Page 31] discommodities enuiron old men. Old age is a con­tinuall weaknesse, and a daily disease. Moses the man of God, saith, The dayes of our yeeres are seuentie yeeres: and if by reason of strength they bee eightie yeeres, yet is the strength then labour and sorrow: for it is soone cut off, and we flie away, Psal. 90.10. If the longest period of dayes that men ordinarily liue, be so short a time, and the longest time flieth so fast, then well might the Prophet say, that our daies passe away as a tale that is told, Psal. 90.9. The more la­bours men vndergoe in their youth, the more mat­ter of sorrow in old age. The stronger a man hath beene, and the more labours he hath endured, the fuller of aches and paines will old age be. Old age is but a death, and Death comes flying. In old age there is weaknesse of body and of mind; for a man is twise a child, and then commonly they are as children againe mewed vp, and their children are ei­ther Parents or Lords ouer them, vsing them as In­nocents. Old men are deafe of hearing, and cannot heare good admonitions; dim-sighted, and cannot see to reade, nor to goe to the House of Praier; they haue feeble Knees, so that they cannot goe; weake Loines, and faint Armes, the Heart is afflicted, the Head smitten, the Spirits waxing faint, the Breath smelling ill, the Face wrinckled, the Stature croo­ked, the Eyes darke, the Ioynts weake, the Nose running, the Haires falling, the Teeth rotting, and the Eares waxing deafe, insomuch that old age may be called, Euill dayes. In old age the Memorie failes, old men waxe dull, deafe, senselesse, and speechlesse.

Reas. 1 It brings many troubles, sorrowes, and grieues with it, then men cannot helpe themselues, nor guide themselues, nor feed themselues, they cannot reade to comfort themselues, nor repent (many of them) to solace themselues, they lie on their beds, as on the Racke from morning to night, crying out, some of one griefe, some of another, then they feare to die, and some wish for Death, for whom they are not prouided. Many aged people are in­wardly vexed, and perplexed in conscience, so that they seeke Death as a present ease, not considering how they leape out of the Smoake into the Flame, out of the Flame into the Fire, out of a cureable Disturbance, into an irrecouerable Woe. How blockish is the manner of dying of many a Nabal, who strucken with the feare of Death and Hell, be­come as insensate as stocks and stones. Aged men feare Death, but not Hell, following Death; they feare the Thunder cracke, not the Bolt; the report of the Peece, and not the Bullet; the Serjeants ar­rest, and not the Gaolers imprisonment: so, labou­ring to escape Death, which they cannot; not Hell, which they might.

Reas. 2 If men learne to remember God in youth, they will bee willing to die, old age will bee a Crowne and comfort to them, for after death they shall rest from their labours, Reuel. 14.13. They that laboured valiantly are at rest, Iob 3.17. They learne in youth to know God, they know that if they be once old, they shall shortly die, and then they can sinne no more. Death, to the godly, is an entrance into ioy. [Page 33] Michaela Caignoela, a noble Matron, seeing her Iudges looke out of the windowes, said to her fel­low Martyrs; These stay to suffer the torment of their consciences, and are reserued to iudgement, but we are going to glorie and happinesse. And two certaine poore women weeping and crying! Oh Madame, we shall neuer now haue more Almes; yes, hold you (saith shee) yet once more, and plucked off her Slippers, and such other of her apparell, as shee could with modestie spare from the fire. Death is to men as he comes attended; to the rich Man he came, followed with Deuills, to carry his soule to hell, Luk. 16.22. to Lazarus, with troupes of An­gels, to conuey him to Abrahams bosome. Death is the Atheists feare, and the Christians desire. Death is the irreligious rich mans Enemie, but the religious poore mans Friend.

It shewes the strange folly of many men, who Vse 1 spend most of their time in prophanenesse, in plea­sure, in vanities and vices. Insomuch, that if the Lord shew not more then ordinarie mercy, they will be no more fit in their old age to honour their Creator, then so many dead men. What madnesse is it then, especially in those that haue passed the greatest time they can expect, to haue no care of the houre of death, and of the account they shall then make, when their whole time is but short, as a Tale that is told. Men should so profit by the meanes of saluation affoorded them, that in age they should giue good example to such as are young. The elder men grow, the better they should be. Commonly [Page 34] Horses trauell best homeward, or when they are almost come home. Hounds follow the game fastest when they are neerest vnto it, finding the sent hot, they know the game is almost at an end. They that runne in a Race striue most, not at the beginning, but at the end. In naturall motions, euery thing mooueth fastest when it is neerest his owne place. The Swan singeth sweetest a little before her death: so should it bee with old men, they should then bee most holy, bearning the best fruits, doing the best works, they should with old Simeon take Christ in their armes, Luk. 2.28. and with Anna serue God with fastings and praiers, night and day, Luk. 2.87. It were to bee wished that old men could say, as sometime Polycarpus did, the Proconsull vrging him to denie Christ; I haue serued him eightie sixe yeeres, and hee hath not once hurt mee, and shall I now denie him? And with Hilarion, Soule, get thee out, thou hast seuentie yeeres serued Christ, and art thou now loth to die, or afraid of death. This is a generall and solemne Decree, published throughout the World, and pronounced by Nature her selfe, that whatsoeuer hath a beginning (so that it consist of Matter) must also haue an end: there is nothing vnder the Cope of Heauen (except the Soule of man) which is not subiect to change, and corrup­tion. Man cannot alwaies continue in one state, but man groweth old. It is dangerous to waxe old in sinne, for the sinner that is an hundred yeeres old shall be accursed, Esa. 65.20. It shall not be well to the wic­ked, Eccl. 8.13. Old age hath sufficient deformities [Page 35] of it selfe, therefore they should not adde such as proceed from Vice. As the labours of old men di­minish, so the exercises of the soule should increase.

Seeing no man knoweth what shall bee, let men Vse 2 vse wel the present time, whether it be youth or age. If thou bee religious in thy youth, old age will bee welcome to thee, and the daies will not be euill, the troubles & weaknesses will seeme as nothing which accompanie old age, Thou wilt be willing to die, for Death will not carry thee to prison, but to the Saincts feast, Reuel. 19.9. To the participation and fellow­ship with Christ, in his heauenly ioyes and blisse, when the Church (his Spouse) shall be fully blessed. Death wil come to carry old religious men to Para­dise, a place full of pleasures. As a man riding, takes vp one behind him, and carries him to this or that banquet: so Death, takes vp the religious old man behind him vpon the pale Horse, and carries him to heauen, Reuel. 6.8. Worke therefore while it is day, the night commeth when no man can worke, Ioh. 9 4. All that thy hand shall find to doe, doe it with all thy power, for there is neither work, nor inuention, nor knowledge, nor wisedome, in the graue whither thou goest, Eccl. 9.10. Paul saith, Whiles we haue time we must doe good to all, specially to those which are of the house-hold of Faith, Gal. 6.10. Wee may not assigne the Lord, in what place, state, condition, or in what companie we would liue, but as Strangers, waite on him, euen as the hand-maid on her Mistris, for whatsoeuer he will allow vs: we are readie most commonly to bee called away by death, before we be fit, or haue lear­ned [Page 36] how to liue. Looke what care, conscience, zeale, loue, and reuerent estimation of good things thou haddest, when first thou embracedst the Gospel, the same at last retaine, and be sure thou keepest still af­terwards. The more knowledge that thou hast, take heed thou be not more secure. Wee shall not enioy the grace, which we had at the first, except we be as carefull now to keep it, as we were then to come by it. All our life ought to bee a prouiding for a good death, and a keeping away of woe, which cōmeth by sinne. We cannot promise to our selues one day, for Time is Gods, and Times and Seasons he hath put in his owne power, Act. 1.7. therefore, euery day wee ought to prepare our hearts to seeke the Lord, and keepe them fit and willing thereto. Take heed, Bre­thren, lest at any time there be any of you an euill heart, and vnfaithfull, to depart away from the liuing God, Heb. 3.12. Oh! that there were in them an heart to feare me, and to keepe all my Commandements alway, Deut. 5.29. Our Sauiour saith, Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart, Matth. 22.37. Euery day our thanks must be continued for benefits receiued, they are renewed euery morning, Lam. 3.23. Euery day we ought to watch and pray for stedfastnesse and constancie. Euery day we must hold and keepe our peace with God, and lie downe therein, Psal. 4.8.

Text. And the yeeres approach, of which thou wilt say, I haue no pleasure in them.] Solomon meaneth, before thou waxe old. Old age of it selfe is a disease, if no other disease beside happen. What pleasure can old men take, when strength faileth them, when they [Page 37] are not able to helpe themselues. Their life, in this life, is nothing else but a returning backe againe vn­to death, for whiles they are here, they walke to the house of their graue. Their dayes passe away in such a manner, as if a man, being a child, should sudden­ly be made a man; and after that, should presently goe backe againe, and bee a child. The more men grow in strength and yeeres, the neerer they draw to the place from whence they came. Moses saith, The strength of old men is labour and sorrow, Psal. 90.10. Their dayes are dayes of sorrow, and their strength brings nothing vnto them, but matter of labour and paine.

Doct. That the many discommodities and miseries of old age, plainly testifie, that there is no pleasure in it. Such as are full of dayes, as Iob was, Iob 42.17. are full of miseries. Man that is borne of woman is full of miserie, or full of vexation, Iob 14.1. The descrip­tion of the last age is admirable, and hath need of a good Anatomist, to helpe the true vnderstanding of the same. Then the Sunne is darke, and the Light, and the Moone, and the Starres: And the Clowdes returne after the Raine, Eccl. 12.2. The Keepers of the house tremble; the Strong men bow themselues; the Grinders cease, because they are few; and they waxe darke, that looke out by the windowes, Eccl. 12.3. And the doores shall bee shut by the street, with the base sound of the grinding; and a Man shall stand vp at the voyce of the Bird; and all the Daughters of Musick shall be brought low, Eccl. 12.4. And men will dread euery high place, and feare will be in the way; and the Almond tree will [Page 38] flourish, and the Grasse-hopper will bee a burthen to it selfe, and all lust will be dissolued, and a man goeth to his long home, and Mourners goe about in the street, Eccl. 12.5. The siluer Cord is loosed, and the golden Ewer broken, and the Pitcher burst at the Well, and the Wheele broken at the Cisterne, Eccl. 12.6. And dust re­turne to the Earth as it was, and the Spirit returne to God that gaue it, Eccl. 12.7. By the Sunne and Starres darkned, is meant, the dayes losing their light, so that all things seeme darke vnto them, euen the Sun it selfe. And the Clowdes returne after the Raine; that is, after they haue wept a long time, there passe be­fore their eyes, as it were, clowdes, being nothing else but grosse vapours, which grow thicke and fog­gie. The keepers of the House tremble, that is, the ribs and breast, which keepe the inward parts, and com­passeth them about. The strong men shall bow; that is, the knees and legges shall lose their strength, which are the Pillars vpon the which the whole building is set. The grinders shall cease, they are few, that is; the Teeth, the mouth being as a Mill, old mens teeth are few in number, and those that are weake, and so the grinding ceaseth. And they waxe darke, that looke out by the Windowes; that is, the eye in the head, like Windowes in a House, like two lo­uers, which giue light in order. And the doores shut without, by the base sound of the grinding; that is, the Lips shall be shut, because the Teeth and Iawes make a base small sound in grinding the meat, grin­ding it badly and weakely. And he shall rise vp at the voyce of the bird; that is, he shall not be able to sleep, [Page 39] or sleepe very little, and be awaked with euery little sound, euen the singing of a Bird; this followeth, their cruditie and rawnesse, being not able to digest their meates. All the daughters of Musicke shall bee brought low; that is, their voyces will faile them. And men will dread euery high place, and feares will be in the way; that is, they are afraid to goe vp into high places, they are afraid to walke, because a plaine way seemes rough vnto them; a hillocke, a moun­taine; a hollownesse, a great valley. And the Almond tree will flourish; that is, the head grow white. He nameth the Almond tree, for that doth first flowre of any tree, as if he should say, old mens gray haires come on with haste, sometimes before they looke for them. As the flowers of trees are a signe of in­stant Summer; so the whitenesse of the head is a signe of instant death. And the Grasse-hopper shall be a burthen; that is, the least creature shall bee a bur­then, light things shall seeme heauie vnto them. And all lust will be dissolued; that is, all the desire to eate or drinke, or otherwise, shall decay; because all the faculties, both vitall and naturall shall bee weak­ned. For man goeth to his long home; that is, go­eth to his old house, from whence first hee came forth. The Graue is the house where the dead must dwell, it is the way (as Ioshua saith) of all the world, Iosh. 23.14. that is, I shall die shortly after the custom of all other men. Dauid said, I goe the way of all the earth. 1. King. 2.2. The Graue is the common house and receptacle of all humane bodies. Euery one shall sleepe in his owne house, Esay 14.18. that is, in the [Page 40] Graue. I know (saith Iob) thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all the liuing, Iob 30.23. and the mourners goe about in the streetes; that is, weeping for the dead, for weeping is not to bee re­proued if it be moderate; our Sauiour wept for La­zarus his friend, Ioh. 11.35. Abraham lamented Sa­rah, Gen. 23.2. The Hebrewes, Moses, Deut. 34.8. Io­seph, Iacob, Gen. 50.1. The Israelites, Ioseph; the A­postles, Stephen. It is not without much reason, that Solomon doth giue counsell, to goe to the house of mourning, for there is perform'd that blessing which Christ promiseth. Heathenish mourning is repro­ued, which is without hope, 1. Thess. 4.13. but Chri­stian sorrow is commendable. The siluer Cord is loo­sed; that is, the Marrow of the backe, which because it is white, is called by the name of Siluer, this be­ginneth at the Braine, and goeth all along the bone, this in old age (strength decaying) is lengthned and drawne out. The golden Ewer is broken; that is, the Braine, whose skin, which compasseth it, is yellow as gold, which being broken or hurt, man must needs die. Nor the Pitcher burst at the Well; that is, the great Veine, called the hollow Veine, which cānot draw bloud any more out of the Liuer, which is the common Store-house and Fountaine, which watereth all the body in such sort, that it yeeldeth no more seruice then a broken Pitcher. By the wheele broken at the Cisterne; that is, the Head, for that is like a wheele. And by the Cistern, is meant, the Heart, which is the chiefe dwelling of Life. When all this commeth to passe, then the body, which is made of [Page 41] the dust of the earth shal turn into it againe, through the sin of our first parents. In death all things are recalled to their first beginnings. And the spirit to God that gaue it, hence is it, that God is called the Father of spirits, Heb. 12.9. that is, the maker and giuer of soules. He for­meth the spirit of man within him, Zech. 12.1. the soule is the hoast in the sin of the bodie, not produced from the seed of the parēts, nor from the soule of the parents but giuen of God, that it might viuificate the bodie.

There can be no pleasure where so many troubles & Reas. 1 sorrows are. It is better to die then to liue. What plea­sure is there in old age, when old persons cānot put on or put off their clothes, cannot feed themselues, cānot rellish their meat, nor know what day of the weeke it is, nor discerne good from euill. When Dauid would haue Barzillai come to him into Ierusalem, that he might feed him Barzillai said vnto the King, how ma­ny daies are the yeers of my life, that I should goe vp with the King to Ierusalem. I am this day fourescore yeers old, and can I discerne between good or euill? hath thy seruant any taste in that I eate, or in that I drinke? can I heare any more the voyce of singing men & women? wherefore then should thy seruant be any more a burden vnto my lord the King? Thy seruant wil go a little way ouer Iordan with the King, & why will the King recompence it me with such a reward? I pray thee, let thy seruant turne backe againe, that I may die in mine own citie, & be buried in the graue of my father, and of my mother. 2. Sam. 19 34, 35, 36, 37. Barzillai vsed foure reasons for his refusall to go with Dauid; First, his age, be being fourscore was not fit for trauell. Secondly, the defect of his sences and therefore not fit for a Princes court, he could not iudge between [Page 42] sauourie and vnsauourie, between sweet and sowre; he could not discerne by tasting good or euill in meate or drinke, or in any other such pleasant things, neither did he here with pleasure. Thirdly, he was loth to be a bur­then to Dauid. In Princes courts such as wil not behaue themselues as others doe, are burdensome, if they will not be merry cōpanions if not drinkers, they are a bur­den. Kings will haue such men with them which can discourse, but I am vnable to doe it, and therefore vnfit to be a Courtier. Fourthly, it was pleasant to him to re­turne, to thinke rather of his graue, then of a Princes Court; and therefore let thy seruant turne back againe: old men should think not how they may liue, but how they may die godly, they should prepare in life for death, and then death to them will be a passage to life.

Reas. 2 Many aged persons are weary of the world, because the world is so full of troubles, & they so full of paines and griefs. Especially, if they feare God, for then euery houre is a day, euery day a week, euery weeke a yeere, they liue. They desire to be dissolued, & to be with Christ, which is best of all, Phil. 1.23. They loue to remoue out of the body, and to dwell with the Lord, 2. Cor. 5.8. They be from home as long as they are on earth, here strangers, vsing this World, as if they vsed it not, setting their minds vpon that Countrey which is aboue. Their affe­ctions be in heauen, though they be on earth, their trea­sure is in heauen, and therefore their hearts are where their treasure is, and death to them is a passage to life. They feare not death, hauing a good measure of faith to warm them at the heart, they change not their coun­tenance, nor haue their colour any whit abated, but a [...] it is recorded of Mistris Ioyce Lewis at the stake, & sun­drie [Page 43] other Christians, euen of the fearfullest by nature & sexe, looked as fresh & cheerly at the houre of death as at their mariage. But if men which are aged, do not feare God, they wish to die to be freed from paines, but they passe from litle paine to great, from easelesse to endlesse, from corporall to eternall. Hell is Deaths Page & Fol­lower, attending him where euer hee goes among the wicked sort. It is miserable to see how boldly, & blind­ly such men venture on death. Theramines wrote books in praise of Death, as the end of all calamities. Augustus dies iesting, calling for a Plaudite. Tiberius in dissimu­lation. Diogenes hearing Antisthenes cry out in his pains, who shall ease mee; offers him a knife to dispatch him­selfe withall. Caninus called to execution, bids this fellow remember hee had the best of the game. The Earle of Kildare, seeing his Writ of death brought in when hee was at shouel-boord, throwes his cast with this in his mouth, whatsoeuer that is, this is for a huddle. If such men idid know the follower of Death, they would neuer iest so, and vse such idle mirth.

Vse. Hath old age many miseries which accompanie it, so that there is no pleasure in it, but euerie day is a day of wrath, an euill day, subiect to some iudgment or other, this should make the children of God lift vp their hands and hearts, desiring to enioy that life, wherein neuer a day shal passe away in wrath, but all in loue, fauour and glorie, and wherein the dayes of our life shall not be a returning to death, but a going on from life to life, and ioy to ioy, when we shall liue to liue, and the longer we shall liue, the longer we shall haue to liue, and that in happinesse and glorie, which daies and times shal neuer waste. If we had hearts to consider of things as they are, [Page 44] there is neuer a day goes ouer our head, but yeeldeth matter of sighing and groaning vnder some act of Gods wrath, doe we the best we can. If we had the greatest causes of comfort, both for this world, & the world to come, that the world can affoord, or that euer any man had, yet when he shall summe his accounts, he shall find the daies he liues here, are but daies of euill, and he shall see more cause of sorrow & mourning then of ioy. Let the bitter of Gods wrath here, make vs the more seeke after the daies of eternitie, where there shall not be the least crosse, nor affliction. Mans life in this life is nothing else, but a returning back againe vnto death. Euery man whiles he is here, walkes to the house of his graue, and though he be a little longer in going backe vnto the earth, then he was comming from it, yet he doth no­thing while he is here, but goe back to it. A tale is quick­ly told, a word is soone spoken, a thought is soone con­ceiued: so the yeers and daies of man are quickly spent.

2 It may teach vs euerie day to meditate and thinke seriously of our death, and the graue. It is the place we are continually trauiling vnto. Which way so euer our faces are, we mooue thitherward. Euery day we are go­ing to the place of execution. A Malefactor that is go­ing to suffer death, thinks no other thing but death, were going to the place of execution, wee should still mind death, and euerie day prepare to die. As Dauid said of Aphimaaz, let him come and welcome, &c. 2. Sam. 18.27. so the faithful Christian wil say of death, he is the messenger of Christ, he is welcome, he bringeth to me the ioyful newes of eternal life. They are blessed which die in the Lord, Reu. 14.13. And one day of a blessed death wil make an amends for all the sorrowes of a bitter life.