Now from all these generals, sundry particular instructions might be * That is, ' security.' — G.
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raised. But I perceive the time hath prevented me; therefore we will briefly handle a point or two, and so for this time cease.
1. First of all, in the first place, we see that Barzillai hath no viind to the court; and he draws his argument and his reason from his state and from his age. ' How many,' saith the original, ' are the days of my years ?' (rt.) The motion* was very gracious on the king's part, and such as man's nature is ready enough to entertain. Naturally, we desire honour and preferment; at least an old man might take some contentment in the dainties and delicates of a court. Further than this, let a man be never so religious, in David's court a man might find much contentment, and might take much comfort and solace in the presence and company of such a prince. Notwithstanding all this, saith old Barzillai, my days are almost spent, my glass is almost run, and therefore what should I talk of a court ? I will go home and die.
Boct. 1. In him we learn thus much, how that no comimny, no comforts, no motions in the earth, should put off thoughts of death when death berjins to creep up)on us. I say wheresoever we live, what offers soever are made us, whatsoever the motion be, for ease, for profit, for promotion, for any out- ward contentments, we must not lay down, we must not lay aside the thoughts of our mortality. No dream must put us out of these thoughts while we travel in this main roadway of all flesh. We must never be so busy in discourse, in contrivements,t as to forget our way, to forget which way we are going, but still our thoughts must be homewards ; that as we deal with other journeys here upon earth; for these momentary homes that we have here, wheresoever we be, in company that we like wondrous well, where our entertainment is full of kindness, where our welcome is of the best, and all content is given; yet notwithstanding, thoughts eftsoons:}: will offer themselves of home, night will come, and it will grow late, I must home for all this, and leave all this company. So, my brethren, should it be concerning our long homes, which is that surest dwelling ; wheresoever we be, howsoever for the present we be tempted or taken up, still, still our eye must be home ; we must remember our latter end, remember whither we are going. This Barzillai teacheth us in his practice. A motion is made for the court. Tush! court me no courts, saith Barzillai; I am an aged man; I have one foot in the grave; let me go home and die. Here is an offer made him of comfort and contentment. No ; I will go home and lie by my fathers. Death possesseth his thoughts ; he minds nothing else now but dying. This Barzillai did, and thus the apostle would have us do in 1 Cor. vii. 29, 30. Our time, saith he, it is abbreviated. Now our time is nothing in comparison of that it was in the time of the patriarchs. A great part of our time is already run out, and there is but a little of it left behind. Our time being thus short, saith the apostle, * Let him that is married, be as if he were not married; let him that weeps, be as if he wept not; let him that rejoiceth, be as if he did not rejoice; he that is in the world, as if he were not in the world.' Let us so carry our- selves, that we may be very indifferent towards all matters in this life. Let us so order the matter, that no occasion of grief, of sorrow, of comfort, of joy, of company, of one thing or another, public or private, may divert our thoughts, and turn them aside from thinking upon death. This is that which David and others press in sundry psalms. § He calls upon rich and poor, upon high and low, one and another, in the 82d Psalm. He calls
* That is, ' proposal.' — G. % That is, ' immediately.' — G.
t That is, ' contrivances.' — G. | In margin, ' Psalms xlix. and Ixxxii.' — G.
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upon judges and magistrates, though they be in place gods, yet in nature men, and must die as men. This is that which Solomon presseth too. But what needs particulars? Wo will not trouble you with particular instances of Scripture, much less with instances of other stories. Every man almost knows what some heathen princes have done this way. They had some to call upon them in their beds, some at their boards, to remem- ber them that they were mortal, that they must die, to mind them of this in the midst of their greatest security, and in the midst of all their jollity (h). And indeed there is great reason why it should, be thus, why it is good still to hold on the thoughts of our mortality and of our death, whatsoever occasion be offered.