The pourtract of old age. Wherein is contained a sacred anatomy both of soul, and body, and a perfect account of the infirmities of age incident to them both. Being a paraphrase upon the six former verses of the 12. chapter of Ecclesiastes ...
Smith, John, 1630-1679
Ln, pd ran oe +e, Semmens ianaaennateml, la RS xs) TS ee df SS <) ate wet. : PER! ee a. Yas he SAT Pa a wer Se SNC yen vty } Vpaypa Gg. Cale dafeo teen 6H. Baller Call. Bru Johns. Ott. $6 Coll Col SN Sak Gast j — Sa a IMPRIMATUR. Feb. 17. 167% Ab. Campion Re D4 i Ex /Edib. Arch. Cant. “a Sacre 1,  of Soul, and Body, of AND | A Perfe& Account of the Infirmities of ! A GE Incident to them Both. | Being a Paraphrafe upon ‘the Six former Verfes of the 12. Chapter of Ecclefiaftes. —— a ft By JOHN SMITH, MD. Se Whe Second dition Cozrecteds | Nam pernicitas deferit, Confitus fum | Senettute, onuftum sero Corpus, vires f | Reliquere ; ut Aitas mala; mala merx eft ergo, Plautus. kt eS SSE RN RST Ra SEE | LQN'D ON, : | | Printed by F. Adzcock, for Walter Ketrilby, at the Bithops Head in S* Pauls Church-Yard, M DC LXXVI. Pe <3 Oa « 2 Oa i Ww ©: a THE PPISTLE TO THE READER. Hofoever thou art,in- | ,. to whofe bands this | Parapbrafe may fall, know that the Author of it, 7% uot near enough any Nobleman to put it anto bis hands; nor bath be face enough ( as is the mode of this ‘daring Age ) to call at a di- fiance but could he do both ,- yee know alfo he would do neither 3 for be defireth not, that any thing, either of others, or bis own, foould be patronized beyond its own na> A 2 tive ee To the Reader. : tive worth: And is himfelf as willing, as any touchy-beaded De- cryers of Anatomy and Anatomifts, of all-Art and Artifts , that all the foame that is due to the alt managing of thes ‘good Subject, bould return upon bis own pate, And. fuch is his Allegiance to ‘bis King, that if becan but keep off their foul fingers from Him, ~to which they are apt enough, be cares not how beavy they fall up- on bimfelf: And on the other band, if there be any thing here- in contained , of true value , it will but fbine the brighter for the rubs and petulant endeavours of all ConduGtitious detraétors 3; who being thruft out of fome mercena- ry Employments, in a few months time by their mother wit (which for want of good neighbours they greatly cry up themfelves, and inflead To, the Reader. inflead. of bad neighbours do clofely iufinuate as if all others wanted it ) can get knowledge enough in Pbhyfick to contemn and vilifie, and-in two words (viz. Galenilts and fools, ) abun- dantly confute all thofe worthy Perfons, who from Childhood to Gray-bairs , have been ftudying, endeavouring, and praying; bave been exercifina both their minds andtheir bedies 5 their heads, their hearts, andtheir hands; that they may become expert Seconds unto Nature, and meet Combatants for all thofe. dreadful Enemies that the Sins of man have flirred up againft the peace of his own bo- dy. But befide this feum of ill conditioned Zoili, there are others alfo nibling atthe heel of learned Phyficiaus: Whofe wounds though Seemingly flightly inflitied, yet are A 4 far bh 5 A bi oie tenia ‘ine ren > S3T L m — Ce sed j scala EE EE a ey eee re ee Se ee eS : RAIA OND STS Pe rive, eal, sls DP E To the Reader. far worfe than the former, and that not only becaufe they are per- fons of credit and knowledge, but becaufe they pretend Friendfbip, and kifs while they do the mif- chief. Thefe are thofe, whom Birth, Education, and Induftry, have fo fecurely feated ix honour, that nothing can poffrbly dif- throne them, but that which caft the Angels from Heaven, and man out of Paradife 5 that abomine- ble quetwess, which for ever did, and for ever will, fet God in a reft- fiance 5 aud the beft ‘of their i Friends cannot but in time mind au : them, that thofe fart refleCtions ao without caufe, both in private and | publick, not only upon particular Ginn, i _ perfous, but upon whole Societies By t of men, { balf of whom they know | in a nat fo utuch as by bear-fay, 3 feem — to bave a tinGinre of that virulent poyfon, area h tee Vay ‘ihe, we. —_ a | ay —= = Be cc", Fothe Reader. d | poyfon 5 which as eafily and as n | qnickly proceeds. ont of hnow- ledge, asthe Worm did cut of Jo- , |nah’s Gourd sand will» ( if not if | [peedly prevented ) foon wither " | into nothing all that content under , | which they have for a feafon glad- wt, [Ly foadowed themfelves. And it | | bere I am ‘afrefb put in mind of if | ibe Story of Herod, who perfecu- im (ted the Worlds Weorthies, and be- ” iat he faw it pleafed the People, nl (be proceeded: farther alfos And |thus profecnting bis rage and am- | bitzon, in royal Apparel, and witb | Popular Oratory, the Angel of the ny Lord {mote bint, becanfe be gave : Ne God the glory, and he was in | eater of Worms. That main and ‘ie 4 Deft end, which fecureth all men na | in their meee was it et , | wbich firft moved the Author. — erro eee earl ot a Se a ij | Pereof to: fiudy facred Philofopby, and ‘a, | yd ney i a as SO sy Bn a oa se ORE Fo the a die and to apply. bimfelf tothe inter- pretation of fuch Scriptures, as border, upon that. Faculty. unto, | which be\ bath betook bimfelf,, |; ever fince be bath had.the. judg-. | ment .. of » Election wherein be. | might be moft ferviceable in his Generation... This. was. the se) | iF Seed: but falling into .a. barren and ill manured fozl, bath for the. |. prefent , produced. no better a4. |) blade, than what you bere fee >, | which however, if it. pleafe. the |! Lord to. profper, may bring forth |. as ufeful fruit as thofethat feenm |). more fair and flourifbing. Here- a in old men may fee. their own na- | tural faces, as in a Glafs 3 and Bis, young men may forefce, what ( if ¥, they live) will certainly betide dt them in their latter end. Syflemes § and compleat Treatifes ( thoug Ake out of fafbion, and confequently I” negletiea 4) Tothe Reader. negleSied in this Mimical Age ) lare of better ufe, than fragments 4 of Mechanifm, and Independent U5 | Pieces of Experimental Know- ‘ledge , which by moft men at ‘| prefent are bad in greateft bonour hi and reputation; But in this res pest of honour , the ground- mi \work. of what is here difcourfed ‘toe \wpon, far furpaffetb them all; / ‘lthe Author thereof being the wi- [ih eff, and the greateft Earthly Po- le ltentate throughout all Generati- a jos. The Portraiéture that is bere ec [rave , is done by the bands of 120 meaner a perfon than King Solomon, and may juftly be called, MN Gxdy Baonued 5 that fupcrabundant wif- (I dom in natural things, which it it pleafed God miractloufly to ene till rich bim withal , beyond all that ui | were before him, or fince to this ul wery day being no where more | Graphi- To.the Reader. Graphically delineated , than ix this defcription of Ave : ; whereby it plainly appears that Solomon | was not like that forward Travel- | ler, who was well skilled in For- reion Countries, andin the mean timte knew little or nothing of bis | own native Land, For as be very | well knew all Vegetables, from | the Cedar in Lebanon, tothe Hyf- | fop.that, [pringeth out of the wall, | and thofe Creatures alfo of az | higher rank, namely, all Beafts, | Fowls, Creeping things, and Fi- foes: So neither was he ignorant at bome ; but that werein bis greateft wifdow confified, was, a: he perfecily knew , himfelf ; | And that Intus & in Cute ; both} in re(pett of the inward and the outward man: All the fecret and | myflerions powers of the mind were as naked and open before ; bine, | } a ee ~<a» - To the Reader. bine, as the wvifible parts of the Body are before a Vulgar Anato- mift, and his luxoreyle in this Alle- gory contained , doth more fully aud fatisfaCtorily declare and di- flinguifh them, than whatfoever hitherto’ bath been endeavoured to that purpofe, by the beft of Moralifts ; and as for the parts of the body , thofe ‘appofite Sym- boles which are bere all along the Defcription brought to exprefs them , do abundantly declare bis moft exquifite and exatt Rnow- ledge inthem all. Not only fuch aknowledge, as was then attat- ned in the World, or as fbould in after- Ages be attained by any 5 but fuch an one, as was attain- able , or as the Humane Nature was able to Comprehend; and ~whatfoever certain Inventions in Anto- To the Reader: Anatomy. bave crowned the in- genious Inguirers of fucceeding time, lie couched in fome one or other Expreffion of this Allegory. Among many other things, it is bere clearly demonftrated., that Solomon perfectly knew, and as plainly as his Figurative Method would give leave, defcribed the Circular Motion of the Blood ; the beft and moft ufeful Inven- tion of this Latter Age. . And as for the Subje&t which is direcily here intended, viz. the Defcripti- On of the Infirmities of Age, though it be Compendiou(ly hand- led by him, yet it is Compleatly done in all things appertaining thereunta, both Moral, Natural, and Divine... And indeed, what can the man fay that comes af- ter the King? The moft ‘know- zng “Tothe Reader. ing and ingenious Perfons in the heft enlightned Generations, can add no more hereunto, than they | cu unto their own flature : It on- | Ly remains , that fome fuch, give | us the full Interpretation of what | is bere delivered, fince it pleafed | the King to leave it to after Ages, | inveloped with a Canopy of the |) fame wifdom that indited it. And if this weak Effay may excite any | fuch, for the future lovingly to | Correct what is bere amifs, and |.to fupply what is here deficient 3 ‘|| it will be a moft acceptable work ; but if for the prefent, Courteous Reader , it may be of any ufe to thee, as a Man, as a Scholar, as a Philofopher, as 4 Phyfician, as a Chriftian, follow the intime- tion that is here given thee, and P°will follow thee with a good wild, To the Reader. wifb, which I am fure fball bel , accomplifbed for thee , and for all thofe, that boneftly labour in Gods Word and Work; I mean, Ibid thee God {peed.| King — | Alfo when they (hall be afraid of that which is high, ¥¢ ‘ : i Or ever ibe filver cord be loofed, or the golden bowl be ROA. 28. i | i i i | King Solomon's Portraidure of Old Age. _ Fcchef: 12..1,5:2, 35 4; 53 O« Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh when thoufvalt fay, Ihave no pleafure in them. While the Sun, or the Light, or the Moon, ot the Stars 3: ) be not darkened,nor theClouds return after the rain, so. 45.5 of In the day when ihe keepers of the boufe fhall tremble, i and the trong men foall bow themfelves, and the grinders ceafe becaufe they are few, and thofe that 7 look out of the windows be darkned. ~ And the doors (hall be (but in the ftreets, whenthe ~ ~~" found of the. grinding is low, and be fhall rife up at ©! © >» - the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of mus f 33 > fick fhall be brought low. and fears fhall bein'the.way; andthe Almond tree fhall flourifh and.the Grafbopper foall be a burthen, = and defire hall fail, becaufe man goeth to bis long 133.7% O30 home; andthe mourners go.about the ftreets- of broken, or ibe pitcher be broken at the fountain, of of the wheel broken at the Ciftern:' 220: 2 f HE Oracles of God aré given forth 4Tim3; 9% f that the men of God may be made ** | wife unto falvation, and all thofe that through faith have themfelves exercifed B therein s Hing Solomon’s Pogtraicdure therein; fhall, through grace, (the Spirit of God moving upon the waters, ) obtain that moft defired end; but this main hap- pinefs, isnot the only, that may be acqui- red by feearching the Scriptures for there are many natural things, the knowledge whereof may be better gained in one line of them, than in whole Volumes of con- fufed Naturalifts: Wherefore he that in thetrue fear of God fhall apply himfelf to — them, may think not only to have eternal life, but by the way alfoto obtain the true _ knowledge of moft things that appertain | Mat.633-to this. Seek firftthe Kingdom of God, and | all other things foal be added unto thee. So- | lomo fought after nothing but wifdom, — but fee what a gracious anfwer he received, Jt anne. 3. Ihave given thee awife aud an underftand-— Ve ih ing heart, Ehave alfo given that which thou haft not asked, both riches and honour, and 4W twill lengthen thy daies. Thus it pleafeth | God to deal with thofe who are fincere, | not only to give them their hearts defire, _ butto fuperadd fomewhat they were not | aware of, that may be beneficial to them J jn their courfe of life. Looking after the Bay duty of man, which iscompleatly fet down Jl, in ver. 13-0f this Chapter, I find before t ilk come there, an Anatomical Enumeration | hate of the fad Symptoms of extream Old fins Age, ‘One | of Did Age. Age, And fuchan oneas I dare be bold to fay, isnotelfewhereto be found. When the wifdom of the omnifcient God, through | his Servant Solomon {hall defcribe it, why fhould I fearch any further? A’nigmatical | Tconfefs it,and exceeding difficult; where- | fore I have the more diligently applied my ‘felf to the Interpretation of it. And fo ‘much the rather, becaufe I find various fences put uponthe words, and fcarce any }one hath, without interruption, carried the Allegory clean through the whole fix ver- fes, asI judge it ought to be. And be- caufe a miftake in the parts of man, may _g. feaufe a miftake inthe literal interpretation, on, I (whofe ftudy it hath been to be more verfed in thofe than ufual Interpreters) do gfe (take the liberty toendeavour explication, wherein, if befide my own fatisfaction and content, I fhall add any thing to others knowledge, I fhall therein have a fecond reward. { am not ignorant of all, nor dol defpife any of thofe feveral Interpretations both ‘het ti and Myftical, that feveral learned and good men have been exercifing them- elves in. There arethat expound all this Allegory, or at lea{t fome part of it, to a tate of wickednefs, toa ftate of poverty, ‘oa {tate of {piritual defertion, to a famine B 2 of IXivig, Solomon's ortvaidure of bread, or of the Word of God, to the [hea feveral difperfions and Captivities of the |! Jews, to the deftruction of both the TF ém- jiu ples, and of Ferufalem, to the obftinacy of | of the Jews, to the unprofitablenefs of the | ath Gentiles under their Miniftry, to the Apo- pelt ftafie of the latter times, to the end of the | at world, and tothe day of Judgment. I know |") God doth at fundry times, and in divers JW! manners {peak unto the World by his Ser- dt vants. And knowing this firft, that no}! Prophecy of the Scripture is of any private} iti, interpretations I know this from thence, } "i that no private Interpreter whatfoever isp tier to bind up others to the meafure of his own} that underftanding. Now as Iam againft noj other, fo there isno other againft me inj "tt this thatIam about. All that can be: faid} "ty concerning it, is, that it is low, and mean,} "kl and ordinary, however ( confeft by all) it} #1 is true, genuine, and proper. And thigp iio may be faid of it beyond all other whatfo: ey ever; thatitis the bafis and foundation off om alt the re(t. And every one of them re-pid ceive their clarity of truth, from the Ana§ My logy they bear to this primary Interpretag Mi tion; that is;that thefe fix verfes are a tru "i ) firm, and decrepit Age of mavkind.. Thagnity hich the Latines calk 2tas Capularis Ginn 3 thi and proper defcription, of the natural, ing /h ) t | of Mid Ae. ithe the age of him whois fhortly to be taken; ithe} wnto Death, or into the Coffin, or upon lar the Bier, orintothe Grave; plainly the age af} of him, who is by Courfe of Nature juft eae Ff : ‘the}that language alfo another word (which sor) Way foever wetake its Etymology ) that jeg WHL excellently fignify unto us the Con- <j dition here ‘delineated. | And that is si/i- x: 00) Cer#ium 5 forwhether.we takeit, guafi (7- syste) l#eea herniZ loborans; he that is troubled exe} With.hard ruptures, as very old men for sig the moft part are, or sili herbi xfurus, he that will foon call into ufe fuch an herb as was then accuftomed to funeral entertain- ,jgments, or Silentibus brevi Cernendus, he qt hat will quickly be free among the dead; or laftly, Silices cerzens 5 he that by his q2ge and infirmity is continually. put in 4gmind of his Tomb; orrather ( that which gfeems to me moft proper) he that is bowed §down with age, fo that he cannot but be- hold the ground whereon he now {ftands, and under which he mutt ere long be laid. Aad this anfwereth exactly to the Greek VOI, yicav, anes: Td iss vir ophy. “vif Ufhall not take upon me precifely. to li- “s.gmit the bounds of this decrepit f{tate, for- almuch as they are various, in refpect of E | B 2 the 44 i 8 : - S wt Gen.§.27, Gen, 63. Fofephus lib. ¥..C.7. Gen.5.32.- Chap.7.6. ~ -FH!ing Solomon’s Portraiture the difpofitions of mens bodies, of their | courfe of lives, and alfo of the placesand | agesin which they live. The lives of the |" Patriarchs before the flood were extended | to. almoft a thoufand years, and yet we read | not of thofe fad Symptomsattending them, | as attend us now at fourfcore, About |" the time of the Flood, God abbreviates the }? courfe of mans life, and feems precifely to fet it at one hundred and twenty years. [ } Pl know very well moft men would have this | Text to be underftood asa threatning only | to the prefent Inhabitants of the Old World, that it fhould be fo many years be- | it feemsto me (and not to me only) rather to intend the curting fhort of the life of man forthe future. For itis clear by the Context, that the Flood came upon the’ World within an hundred years after this } denunciation ; which was made when Noah was five hundred yearsold: And he was- but fix hundred years old when the Flood | of waters was upon the Earth. Now God doth feldom anticipate the execution of | his: Judgments 10 wrath, but doth often §) at prorogue it in mercy, Itis.as clear alfo, that many there were, even after the Flood, whofe lives were prolonged be-_ yond this appointed period, but they § found | | B the fire | fre fore the Flood {wept them all away: But | wir verl made dnd then A C lor f Wher We h age ) kent ( heir | sand the nded read hem, out | sthe to is, Lf ethis | only | Old rs bee | + But} ather fe of | ) the | the { ths. Nab) a) rlood Cody on oll oftet allo te 3d | (bey a | f ‘on them; the firft-born of death about Jo>18 | but the Pfalmift gives a more exact account age, fo as to fay he is now oldat this pre- of Did Age. found it very burthenfom and grievous, and miferies with their age daily came up- that time began to devour their ftrength, ° and to take poffeffion of them inthe right of him that was to fucceed. And they might then be faid to die, inthe fame pro- priety of Language,as Adam did inthe day wherein he did eat the forbidden fruit; of this thing, which may {tand firm to this very day: The days of our years are three- Pial.9o. feore years and teu, and if by reafon of '* firength they be fourfcore years, yet is their ftrength labour and forrow, for it is foow cut off, and we flee away. But as the Uni- verfal Fabrick, that God at firft extracted out of nothing, draws nearer to its end,, {o doth every particular ftructure therein made, weaken and decay. As the Heaven 1 51. 6. and thetarth wax.old, fo they that dwell therein fhall die in like manner. And therefore it 1s not to be thought, that in thefe days mans age fhould be {fo long, nor fo many arrive at it, as in the days wherein the Bow of Univerfal Nature abode in its greater ftrength. Nor can, we exactly putthe termsof any mans old (dae | i lay if i \Bey. Bil Fy Y 6 t lia be f i t es i bi ‘if & i Se Se a Sa cee ep Eee BGS STE IES ica aes Pine eat oe Spt ‘were = {ent moment, but was not fo before; for of B 4 it fe | Hing Solomon’s Poetraidure it is that which creeps on by fteps and de- crees, as the fhadow upon a Dial. Inde minutatim vires, & robur adultum Frangit,@» in partem pejorem liquitur etas. Some of the flowers of age blow before otherfome ; fometime on one bough, fometime on another ; here one, there one, infenfibly ; however when perfe@ed, you have it {tand in full bloom, as is to be jeen in the enfuing Analyfis. TT. ,a : y avtix iy 13 Se*usro J2>u> tec - >xy> >a Sawyos As CxERi ver sa “yarn “a6 » >tissr AA —. Affertion. he evil days come. Negation. Wo pleafure zn them, oe f Principal, The San fhall be darkned. ge ply Inferiour. Zhe Light. eInternal, ¢ Irrational. Zhe Moon. U. 2. Lsubfervient tothem them both. The Stars, “ Superiour. The keepers of the houfe fhalltvemble. wae ¢ Animal,wv.3.ap- Inferiour. The ftrong men (hall bow themfelves. pearing inthe ) Mouth. The grinders fhall ceafe becaufe they ave few. Eyes. The lookers out of the windows (hall be darkned. uExternal,< Natural, v. 4. The beginning. The doors fhall bé fhut zn the fireets, when the voice of the grinding is low. Inward and outward in want of fleep, which Binds up Mixt,v.4, later both. He fhall rife up at the voice of the bird. “ end, Of Vital and natural; Thé A@ive Daughters of Mufick belonging to the Vital; The Paffive to the Animal, All the daughters of mufick {hall be brought Me : ; > kh Leffler, He fhallbe afraid of that which is high, foms Simple eminent affeas, The Mind.Fear, Greater. Fears fhall be rach WAY. FT ea | | and moft remarkable “The Body.in re- ( Excrementitious, The Almond tree fhall flonrifh, _ (aeathe.. w alterations, v5. Of {pect of parts, Ali Sperm.or hard: The py a(hopper fhallbe a bur« ment, y ; 4 Sang.or tender, Defir e fhallf. ail, (dens ; Brain, and the parts § Without the fcull. The filver cord be loofeds (| Immediately, v.6.ach Jarifing thencefrom, }:Within the {cull. The golden bowl be broken. (% as belong to the Heart, and the parts arifing.g Importation, The pitcher broken at the Fountatm thencefromas they relate on Exportation, The wheel broken at the Ciftern, pares ome ee Generally, v, x. by way of Limbs, tal ro w “4 ™ Dn u OO a ers 7) <= at v) 6D <j es Tc! ae Lf Q Rand Q2. 4 #0 FX {tty Solomon's Pnefraiture Statutum eft iz Celis. Itisa ftatute in | hytt Heb.9.27. Heaven, for al/ men once to die; by vertue ) any _ of which it is, that man muft neceflarily | by pafs through all thofe various fteps and | the -paflages, from the Womb to the Tomb, | mm ' that areappointed unto him inthat unalte- | fy _rable Decree. Asfure asManis born, fo © le fure hemuft pafs along, and unlef$it pleafe | jy) the Lord fooner by a violent ftroketotake | him to himfelf, he muft go from ftate to | jy, {tate, from age to.age, and never ftay, till | he come to thefe evil days, and unpleafant | “years mentioned inthe Text. There was, | jy. it is probable, within the compafs of | the Creation, that which had a natural } 4 property in it to preferve mortal, yea, fin- | Gen.3.22, ful man without alteration. Now left he #3: put forth his hand and take alfo of the Tree | of Life, aud eat, and live for ever; There- } fore the Lord God fent him forth from | the Garden of Eden to till the Ground from whence he was taken. And when the Crea- | tures fhall be delivered-from the bondage J under which they now groan, this Panacea | may again bercftored to its Primitive ule: | Reviez.2, 10% fhall the leaves of the Tree of Life be for the healing of the Nations ; but forthe J prefent, this 1s kept from us by:a flaming | Sword, and therefore not to be attained | unto, AndI never knew any one ce \ ut eg of Did Ace, | but the foot of that Mount, mean,attempt | any thing that is but analogous thereunto, | but his work, if not himfelf, was deftroyed thereby. And as our Cafe now is, he that | made us, hecan fave us; he thatmade the Sun, cancaufe it to ftand {till or go back at pleafure ; and he that made man, can up- | hold him without thofe changes, which | otherwife unavoidably attend him. And | in the days of wonder (when Shoos and Deut.29.s. Garments kept equal duration with mens | fleth) fo he did his Servant Ao/es, concern- | ing whomit isfaid, when he wasone hun- Deut34.7 | dred and twenty years old, his eye was not | dim, nor his natural force abated. Bue ‘| this ishisown Prerogative, when he plea- | feth; In his ordinary Providence, as he | hath fet certain bounds that a man cannot ‘| pats, fohe hath fet certain other that he | mutt. A/2z that is born of 4 woman cometh | forth as a flower, he fleeth as a foadow he | fleeth from Infancy to Childhood, from, | thence to Youth, and from thence to | Strength, from thence to Full Age, from | thence to Declenfion, from thence to the | State we are upon. And thus fome interpret the fecond verle, While the Sun is not dark: _ aed, (i.e.) the prime of youth be not {peat, 1) the light of that Sun, is the full ages the b : Moon, isdecliningage ; and the Stars, ate Je: tne IAING Solomon's PoOvailtite the beginning of Old Ages but this f judge not fo primarily and properly the meaning of the place, as you will hear in this enfuing Explication: Verfe 1. Remember now thy Creator iz the daies of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor.the years draw nigh, when thou fhalt Say, Thave no pleafure in theut. 4 ~ dy +4 C Af 4 LV¥he RIL TY KI/LOAVIG- Lv ay EP ALF VLO r¢e| P Ng | a) ““w~"His Chapter begins with an Exhor- tation to the moft neceflary duty of man, which is preffed upon him by a double inconvenience that will certain- ly come upon him, and for the future ren- der him uncapable to perform the fame. The laft and the greateft 1s that of death, defcribed in the feventh verfe. And this is the night wherein no man can work: The other 1s that of age, defcribed in thefe fix former verfes.. And this is the Evening or latter part of the day, where- in it is very ill working, and nothing can be done, in comparifon of .what might s ‘ | | r ot Cal x ' 4 | 7 might have been done before; let the He | neglect therefore of this duty for ever be it | annexed to a pw) yévorre, God forbid that | any one fhould defer the remennarance of | his Creator until he be not able to re- member at all, or put off the work of the higheft concern, until he be altoge- | ther unfit to perform aright any of the | meaneft: But becaufe it is my prefent de- fign only to meddle with the Allegory wherein is the defcription of Age, I fhall not detain you in this moft important entrance, but immediately fall upon my work. In this verfe. we have only a ge- neral defcription of that infirm condition, which is more particularly treated of in to | the following verfes. ty | Age though it naturally creeps upoa iby } all men, .whatfoever their Conftitutt- aid | ons and Compofitions are, yet it is it et} felf adifeafe. Senectus ipfa morbus. And. me, | it doth certainly induce fuch a Cachexia, at, } or ill habit, that it renders us infervice- b . ° ) able to our ends, and doth asit were fet yk: | openthe gates, that all that troop of ene- {it | mies may enter in, which follow here in the} their order. | | Here are two expreflions that intimate untous the unavoidable approach of thefe dectepit years (7.¢.) come and draw nigh 5 f : QO} 14 Hitrg Solomon's Portraiture of which gemination, fignifying the fame thing, I may well fay, as ‘fofepb did upon Gen. 4t. thedoubling of Pharaohs dream; It is be- tig caufe thething is eftablifhed by God, and God will fhortly bring it to pats. Whofo- ever we ate, whatfoever we are doing, whitherfoever we are going, they are ftill coming on. Be we Male or Female, be we Jew or Gentile, be we bond or free, be we Princes or Subjects, be we what can Te be imagined,they come,they come: While i I write, while thou readeft, while we walk, while we fleep; while we abide at home, Hit while we go abroad; while we eat, or hi drink, or fport; whilewe retireour felves, 4 we pray or faft; while we negle& our felves, al while we defend all we can again{t them, aa they draw nigh, they draw nigh. And that }2 Gal.lib. de man who wrote a Book, de xox fexefcendo, |) Maraimoc. Yived to his own difgrace, to {ee his own : errour confuted in himfelf. wi | Here are two words alfo to exprefs the ie contention of this {tate fo long as it fhall be, (i.e.) days and years; both thefe words fignify alfo the fame thing in the general, viz. how long this ftate fhall re- main: And thus Jacob uferh them both, ia Aa giving an account unto ,Aaraoh how long W || Gen.g7.9. his life had continued: The days of the a years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty Woe ye ilaine lof m joo tous: Idiver tbady Hints Iconti ‘Tbuta A have J the', } Worl 4 Ages Theoy | iit q lf y iN i tl | (Once ia al, () . ey 1) Teaow of Did Aae. ame birty years, few and evil have the days of Won |'be years of wey life been, and have not at- Nt tained unto the days of the years of the life atl lof my Fathers, inthe days of their pilgr- Olds leage. But in particular, they intimate un- ng, |to us a diverfity of their continuation to fil fiver perfons. Some men poft over this ,\¢ oad way, and remain but a very little while et, Jin its others pafs over it more flowly, and can continue therein much longer. Some have bile but a few days of labour and forrow, others ilk, Jhave them prolonged out to years. As wit, fthe Lord only knows what perfon in the ot fworld (for there are but few in thefe Jatt ly, Ages) hall be brought to this {tate; fo ve, fhe only knows how long they fhall remain eo, Pin it.. Whether this time {hall be more or tht flefs, whether days or years fhall determine yo, Wit, is to us uncertain, but this 1s moft certain concerning them both, thatif they beat fall, fo long as they are, they fhall be evil, | i | own | the [they fhall be unpleafant. fall | ¥ ele ! Evil days. - ie} I here take the word evil in a good \y Pfenfe, that is, not for the evil of fin, bue h,it {the evil of mifery, the fruit of fin. I know io [therebe them that would have this word, ee VE not the whole Allegory, underf{tood of wi ach days and years as wicked men, by pitt) their Titre Solomon’s Portraiture their giving themfelves up to follow their fl own hearts luft with greedinefs, do vor|"" luntarily bring upon themfelvess but it) # feems to me to be otherwife, and that)” chiefly from thefe two reafons: 1. Becaufe! : I find nothing in the Allegory that is not) ut competibleto every particular perfon that! ‘4 lives to the time of this{tate, both to the) i good and bad, both to the righteous and} the wicked; Weakneffes, infirmities, dif-}. eafes both of body and mind attend them} "’ all: Ifaac, ‘facob, Eli, David, as well as thofe who led never focontrary lives, muft oh bear the burthen of theirage,if they liveto eta the time. It is moft certainly true, aj!" courfe of wickednefs doth wonderfully ie N {ten both old age, and death it felf. The oy wicked man {hall not live out half his days 5} not fhall he keep off decrepitnefs half the wig time; his honour fhall be given away, andy i his years unto the cruel. And befide the} haftning of thefe evils, he doth infinitely }% augment them both for number and qua=yp. lity, he fhall have a thoufand fold more, fit and a thoufand fold greater: Every foref'tt fhalt bea Plague, and every ache fhall be an} i i hellunto him but this is not the conditep'4, onin this Text defcribed, but the declen-| bi fion of mans life as a man; and that fromg’l this fecond reafon drawn from the Context pilin Whenftlnn i of Did Age. | when I look immediately before the de- {cription, I find youth mentioned, Rewmens- | ber thy Creator in the days of thy youths }when I look immediately after it, I find death defcribed, The duft foal return to the \Earth as it was, avd the fpirit fhall return \#0 God that gave it. Now as youth and jdeath, are appointed for all living, without any difcrimination of him that fweareth,or him that feareth an oath, as terms 2 quo, and ad quem, of their pilgrimages fo this jtate alfo, as an intermediate ftage, is as certainly appointed to them all; unlefs it }pleafe God before that conftituted time, to | pive them a deliverance by immature dif 44 olution. It is faid of Old Age, NM opectata din votifque optata fecundis, Dbjicit inuumeris corpus lacerabile morbis. _ i Hough this ftaté be never fo much defired jfmen, yet when it comes; it bringsalong “With it abundance of all manner of evils, isthe following Difcourfe will fafficiently jake appear, and therefore may well be filled, an evil ftate. a) Anfinirs, GOT NS 6 in. ‘str otra Peake Sr Spe re RTE pe Disa Rarig ae footie o- rmmctie ent dr mihi ane! a 2 Seo: Datel inal a " » 13° Jude.8.32; God calls good? How often in Scripture 3 Chron. 29.28. Jing Solomon's Portraiture have is it faid, A good old age, and counted asa |My priviledge > f mutt needs. therefore here |livi diftinguifh of old age 5 and confider it in | $0 4 threefold \ftate. Firft, Crude, green, tur and while it isyet in the beginning, while }li men are ableto do bufinefs, and go about jr theiremployments,and this is but one little jd remove from manhood, and doth imme-}5 1 diately border upon it. The fecond Is, full, li mature, or ripe age; when men begin totic | leave off their employments, and betake}iien: thenifelves toretirednefs; when God hath | Con no more work for them, and they havenojit« more ftrength for him5 or laftly, extreamjm; fickly, decrepit, overgrown old age 5 in|!oy which it may be truly faid, Old Age is pe-sauitl vifhed's when their breath is corrupt, wher adh their daies are extini, and the grave asp ready for them : And this only is the ftaceqiel ; the Wife man here fo Rhetorically dewieli fcribes. “And that age which 1s fo ofterpays, called good, I take to be the fecond befor 4 fore mentioned ftate; and fo much the ralithe ther, becaufe in moft places where it BY Had faid, they died ix agood old age, it is alfepi}, added, ‘and fall of days; by which I ual ig derftand; not a fulnefs of poffibility, thay they lived fo: long, as from the prinef thoy ples of their Compofition, they ae Nowove 1av| of Did Age, have lived any longer bur a fulnefs, as I may {ofay, of fatiety; they had enough of living, they lived as long as living was | good, they lived to a full, ripe, and ma- reet,|) Cureages fuch an oneas would force them, yhileito be of the mind with himin the Fable, boutito refufe immortality in this prefent life ; and earneftly to defire itin a betcer. There risen: jis an excellent illu{tration of this in the ifpeech of Eliphaz, wherein he fets down ithe {pecial Providences of God towards athem that fear him, and are bettered by WCorrection 5 Thou fhalt come to thy grave Jobs.a6, lize a full age, like a fhock of coru inits fea- | Now if-a fhock of Corn ftand very. j/athersin their pilgrimage. | | Had St. Pawl departed when he had 2 Tim. 4. (ought the good fight, finifhed his courfe, © 7: Bad kept the faith, and wasready tobe of- ered s he had furely died in a good oldage, h, Mthough his pulfe had not then beaten a- Hove threefcore years. Now, molt certain it > ag Se Ging Solomon's Poatraitture is, that the arriving at this {tate is one of then the greateft outward bleflings that manis |, capable of in this life. NordareI fay other- | — wife, ifit fhould pleafe the Lord to protract | the life of man to the extreamett point it is | capable of; If he fhould withhold his hand | if from puthing down the houfe which he } | hath made, and let it fall to decay upon its i i own principles, his forbearance would be | Ie | the greater, its fall would be the leffer 5 ltl pu however in the meantime, it would ftand | vf ie moft ruinate, deformed, “afele, and in- |i cumbred with infinite inconveniencies,that hi nie it was never lyable to before; | ce i I {pec Hl Heu quam continuis, & quantis, longa fence) yoo ; | it Gus, 4 tern Ha Plena malis. | Ae ig | lo (u 2 a hich tue of th (ty Aine bt - But thisisnotall, it isnot only an evil age, vt but there is no pleafure i init; As there isno| ea condition that frail mortality is capable of} ae fo good, that hath not a participation Off ba evil; fo there is f{carce any condition {fo} i evil, that is not attempered with fome} mi good; butthis feems to be excluded from} o fucha mercy asthis. It isfaid of a good}, "1" — Pro21,72, Companion, foe wi do a wean good, and nb) bara ad the days of her lifes Butcontratt-§. 