There is nothing somuch doth trouble vs , and makes old age terrible vnto vs , as the feare to depart hence , and to leaue this withering and transitory life , whereof old age is the Catastrophe and last concluding act , making an end of vs speedily , and may be called the sunne set of our dayes . Consider the ancienter sort of persons , and you shall obserue almost no one humour so much predominant and raigning in them , as a feruent desire to auoide all surfeitings and excesse , and to keepe a good diet , to the end to maintaine a little strength , and to hold our life , be it but for an houre , and to perswade themselues they may liue one yeare longer at the lest . Would you gladly please or flatter them ; doe but make them younger in yeares then they are , by telling them they are not so old as they reckon and take themselues to be , and that there is no cause or likelihood but they may liue many a yeare longer then others , and forget not in words to extoll their experience , sufficiency , prudence , and wisedome to contriue and wade thorough great matters ; you are by and by their onely man , who but you , none more made on .

It is a point of vndoubted truth that God created Adam and Eue , not onely to enioy a life for some hundred of yeares , but to liue for euer ; whereupon there was fixed and imprinted in their heartt a feruent desire to liue ; and not to see death . For although that masse and lumpe of dust , whereof the first mans body was formed and made , did inuest him with mortalitie , yet in regard of the likenesse and similitude which hee had with God , death had neuer seized on him , but Adam & all his posteritie had subsisted and continued long vpon earth , in a large and pleasant plot of ground , purposely ordained for them to dwell in ( the whole world , before sin entred , being wonderfully beautifull ) vntill such time as he and all his posteritie , without feeling griefe of minde or paine of body , had beene by God translated into heauen , if they had remained in the first estate wherein they were created . But Adam and Eue hauing wilfully suffered Sathan to efface and deface the image of God in them , they both , and all their naturall off-spring long of them , were made subiect vnto death , became strangers to the life of God , and were called Flesh ; an appellation and name very fit for them . Howsoeuer this bee so , yet by the speciall blessing of the Father of heauen , through the meanes and fauour of his beloued Sonne , who was ordained to be the Sauiour of all mankinde , this present life ( how miserable soeuer it be by reason of sinne ) is no small Donation or pettie Legacy , but a most excellent gift of God vnto his children . I speake of long life promised to them which shall beare and behaue themselues , as they ought to doe , toward God and toward their neighbours , as is recorded in the second and fifth commandement of the morall law , where the promises are set downe , whereunto that which is further added in the end of the 91. Psalme , is referred and hath relation ; That hee which vnfainedly loueth the Lord shall be satisfied with long life . But this longitude and length of life must not cause vs to forget , especiall in all our troubles and trialls , The benefit of death . that by death wee haue rest and case from our toylings and labours , and that this life of ours is a paineful pilgrimage , a Sea-voyage full of danger and perill , The miserable condition of life . a mercilesse war , sparing none , making hauocke of all , deseruing ( by reason of the euills that wee suffer and indure in it ) to bee tearmed rather a death then a life . Vpon the consideration whereof , a certaine graue ancient Father cried out ; O death , how welcome and pleasing is thy doome and sentence to him that is in want , to the man whose strength faileth him , to him that is waxen very old , and is afflicted on all sides , hauing no part of him free from paine , to the man that is at defiance and out of loue with himselfe , and to him that hath cast off patience and is growne desperate ! What thing is there that may bee more desired , then speedily to shake off , and rid vs of these chaines , to get out of the prison , and darke and fearefull dungeons and deserts , wherein wee are confined , fast tied and bound ; that so wee may recouer the precious libertie to goe to our home , to dwell in the house of the Lord , and in his Palace of glory to triumph and reioyce ? What doth long life bring with it , but a Chaos and infinite number of euills ? It hath beene said many yeares agoe , This grieuous penalty vpon old men is set , All the day long at home to grieue and to fret . With sorrowes and woes they are compast about , Still one paine or other they are neuer without . They consume and weare old , as they goe mourning in blacke , And so at last with griefes heauy load , away hence doe packe .

But he that hath liued well , although he die when he is but twentie yeares old , ought to haue his tombe erected and placed with the oldest and wisest , and with great ioy and applause to haue this for his Epitaph .

But that man knowes well what it is to liue , whose care is not altogether for himselfe , but how hee may liue to please God , and to benefit and do good to his neighbours , in whom Iesus Christ liueth , who hath not so great a care of any one part of his life , as he hath for his whole man , and for euery part thereof . Verity it is a strange thing , and not much to be approoued or commended , that we are so many wayes carefull for this present life , and to pranke vp and mainetaine our selues in this world , and make so small account of our better part , which so much concernes vs , to wit , our soule , the welfare and good health thereof . Whereof Dauid seemeth to make high account , as is euident in the 34. Psalme , when he asketh this question , Who is he that desireth long life , and loueth long dayes to see good ? Keepe ( saith hee ) thy tongue from euill , and thy lippes from lying talke and equiuocation ; turne aside from that which is euill , and doe the thing that is good , seeke peace and pursue it . And when he speaketh of life , hee vseth a word , which according to the Idiom and propriety of the language wherein he spake , may be translated liues ; to put vs in mind , that we should not rest vpon , and content our selues , with that life , which is common with vs and the Plants and beasts of the fielde , but that our thoughts should bee eleuated higher to that other life , which is guided by reason , and is indeed worthy to be called life , without which we should bee more wretched & miserable then the beasts . Verily the sensual seruile and brutish life is nothing worth , and not greatly to be regarded . What glory can it bee to vs , or how should wee place our felicity in such a life , wherein the beasts & euery Idiot and Lourdaut may braue it aswel as wee , and haue as great priuiledge and commoditie and much more . Let vs carefully looke to , and set our affections vpon that life , by which our better part , the soule , hauing as it were sequestred and estranged herselfe from all transsitory things is lifted vp vnto God , cleaueth fast vnto him , and by his Spirit is nourished , comforted , and fed vnto the hope of eternall life . This is the life that the Prophet willeth vs to be in loue withall , and enamoured of , to the possession and fruition whereof , wee are regenerated by the incorruptible seed of his word , who hath abolished death , and by the Gospell brought into the world life and immortalitie . For the case being thus decreed , that all men must once die , and euery one of vs hauing daily before our eyes foure assured witnesses , that beare record of our mortality , and that die we must ; our owne naturall frailty , diuers accidents and mischances that may happen to vs , many surfeitings and distemperatures , and olde age at last ; how can we sufficiently aggrauate and display the misery and vanity of man , who doth not raise himselfe higher then these earthly things , and mindeth , and thinketh vpon nothing so much as vpon this dying life , or rather a liuing death . That which me heathen Philosophers and Naturalists write of long life , and the meanes to prolong it , will helpe vs little or nothing at all , and at no time can assure & comfort the conscience .

Some of them thinke that men may liue longer in hote countries then in cold ; others are of opinion , that the Northerne and colder climates are best to mainetaine health and long life , and Galen is perswaded that the ayre of Asia Minor in the East parts is a more temperate countrey to liue in then any other . But these wise men doe further obserue , that besides a good ayre , many other things are requisite , as to keepe a good diet , to vse rest and exercise at due houres , to purge sometimes and to cuacuate the excrements and grosse humours of the body , and sometimes to forbeare it , to haue the mind merrily disposed and free from pertubations and passions . But admit all these helpes should concurre , which seldome happens , what man is so simple and vnaduised , be he neuer so young , to assure himselfe in the morning when hee riseth , to liue to goe to his bed at night ? What man is there by keeping a good diet , and liuing temperately , and by following the rules and prescriptions of Physicians , is able to make himselfe continue and last so long as a Date or Cypresse tree , or to liue so long as a Rauen , a Stagg , or a base creeping worme ?

Many haue composed and set forth bookes , wherein they treate how a man may preserue health , and Galen reporteth of one Antiochus a Physician , who contenting himselfe to eate sparingly three times a day , a piece of bread spread with hony , liued in wonderfull health and strength of body many yeares . Plinie in his 22. Booke . Chap. 24. maketh mention of one Pollio , who liued more then a hundred yeares , and being demanded by the Emperour Augustus , how and by what meanes he preserued so long the good health of his body and vigour of minde , made him this answere , That hee vsed to supple his ioynts with oyle , and to drinke the best wine hee could get . In his 7. Booke and 50. Chap. hee propoundeth for an example ( thinking the like not to be found ) of one Xenophilus a Musician , who liued a hundred and fiue yeares , and was neuer in all that time sicke , nor felt any ach or paine in his body . Cicero also in his Dialogue of old age , maketh mention of Arganthonius King of Gades , who raigned fourescore yeares , and liued a hundred and twenty . But seeing all the time of our life , which is not imployed in well doing and vertuous actions , is to be accounted lost , and that the greatest part of this present life , vanisheth away in miseries , which we are forced to see and suffer . Good God , how are they to be lamented , and pittied , that haue nothing where of they can boast , nor whereon to rest and place their assurance , but vpon a number of yeares , and who commonly die , when as yet they haue not beto take order to liue , or when they haue no sooner begun to be wise , but they are assoone dead ?

I pray you doe we call that long , which hath an end , yea such an end as euery minute wee expect and looke for ? Euery man is desirous and willing to liue long , and striueth with might and maine , vsing his vttermost power studie and care to liue long , although the time he runnes and moylingly trots vp and downe , be it neuer so long , compared to eternitie , is but as a drop of water to the maine sea . To bee briefe , long life in this world is nothing else , but a painefull progresse , which makes it shorter and shorter , and at last makes an end of it . Let euery man then ( as Cicero counselleth ) hold himselfe contented with the time is appointed vnto him , by him , who hath the houre glasse of our life in his hand , who hath stinted our dayes how long they shall runne , and hath set downe this for his will , that they should be short and miseerable , which hee hath done to this end , that we should with good Abraham hauing our fill , full loade and backe burthen of dayes , packe away and remoue from this life , not as from a house of ease and delight , but as from a base beggarly Inne , making all the speed wee can to goe hence , to enjoy that life which is free from all feare of death , from sorrow , errour , and false dealing , and is euerlasting . O how blessed are they to whom God hath vouchsafed to reueale the way of life , who by and through Iesus Christ haue obtained the fulnesse of ioy , and those euerlasting pleasures which are in Gods right hand . For although it be elsewhere promised , that such persons being planted in the houshold and family of the Lord , shall bring forth fruit aboundantly in their white old age , shall bee in good case , alwayes flourishing , that their youth shall bee renewed as the Eagles , yet is to be vnderstood rather of their spiritual vigour & strength , then of the strength of the body , in which respect Lions , Elephants , & Eagles doe farre surpasse vs . Whereupon the saying of the Prophet doth consent and agree , that those which are the Lords followers , and doe attend and wait vpon him , doe renew their strength , their wings doe spread and inlarge as the wings of an Eagle , they runne and shal not be wearied , they trauell and walke vp and downe , and shall not bee tyred nor faint , Isaiah 40. 31. The might and power of God doth so support and vphold them , that they ouercome difficulties and hard vsage , they can passe ouer and vndergoe all troubles whatsoeuer by the meanes of Iesus Christ , who doth assist and strengthen them , and doe at last happily end their dayes . Neuerthelesse , we grant and acknowledge , that God doth sometimes set foorth vnto vs notable examples of hardy old men ; who for their strength of body , and courage of minde may be wondred at . Such a one was Moses , of whom it is said , Deut. 34. 7. that dying when hee was a hundred and twentie yeares old , his sight was not dimme , neither was his strength of body decayed . Caleb also , that valient chanpion and faithfull seruant of God , who being fourescore and fiue yeares old , said to Ioshua Chap. 14. I am as strong of body as I was , when Moses sent mee for a Commander ( being more then fortie yeares since ) and I am as able to doe seruice in the warres , and to march and trauerse my ground as I was then . Saint Ierome writeth thus to Paul of Concorda ; Behold this is the hundred yeare compleate of thy life , and yet thy sight is good thou marchest stoutly , thou art quicke of hearing , thy teeth are sound , thou hast a shrill and eloquent voyce , thy body is strong and lustly , thy face ruddy and well coloured , wherat thy white haires seeme to enuy , and thy strength is such that thou art taken to bee younger then thou art , thy blood which freezeth and is cooled , doth not hebetate and dull thy ready and quicke wit , nor the wrinkles of thy forehead make thee looke strene and gastly . We haue seen in our time many venerable old men , & there are to bee found many worthy Diuines , that are threescore and tenne , and fourescore yeares old , whose age hath no whit diminished their strength of minde or sharpenesse of wit , but that they are still to this day , by their graue counsells , godly communications , and learned writings , very helpefull to their Friends , and doe good seruice to the Church , to their Prince and Common weale , and like Appius surnamed the blinde , see more apparantly what is good and behoouefull for their countrey , then those that sit neere the helme and gouernment of the State . I affirme confidently of them , that they are trees surely rooted and well grounded : And that those verses of Virgill the Poet are wisely inuented , where he saith ; The life of man at the best , is as a vanishing dreame , Old age doth furrow his forehead with sorrowes extreame ; And after many diseases , and sore trauell without rest , Death comes at last , and lockes him vp in a chest .

Those that curiously search into the nature of things , haue from time to time obserued , that wee are no sooner borne but a certaine heat doth preserue our naturall and radicall moysture , which at last , especially in old age , by extreame cold his contrary is cooled and quenched , so as man hath not a iot of time left him to cherish his vitall powers , or to maintaine the good temperature of his body , wherein those of Pythagoras sect did hold life to consist . But to conclude with experience , and the saying of a wise man ; Although the Physitian vse as much art as he can to keepe vs aliue , by purging our bodies of peccant humours and diseases , yet at last he that is to day a King shall die to morrow . Plato doth iudge , That Common-weale miserable and not the best , Where Physitians are sought to , and are in request .

By whose account there is little regard to bee made of the chiefest townes and cities in Europe . Physitians masters of their strength and wealth . But let it be our dutie in all good manner to honour and adore the soueraigne Physitian , who pardoneth all our iniquities , the fountaines and causes of all our miseries and euills , who healeth all our diseases , who by the hope of a blessed resurrection doth secure our life from death , who doth compasse vs with louing mercies and compassions . Let vs pray vnto him to giue vs the true Aqua coelectis . All those that haue their hope in him , need not to complaine of the shortnesse or miseries of this present life , seeing that such is the will of our Father in heauen , that whosoeuer beleeueth in this soueraigne Physitian hath euerlasting life , doth rise againe at the last day , and aswell in body as in soule liueth and enioyeth eternall happinesse in the paradise of God .