[ 1038] To persevere in goodness to the end.
THe Philosopher being asked in his old age,* 1.1 Why he did not give over his practice, and take his ease, answered, When a Man is to run a Rrace of forty furlongs, would you have him sit down at the nine and thirtieth, and so lose the prize? We do not keep a good fire all day, and let it go out in the Evening when it is coldest, but then rather lay on more fuell, that we may go warm to bed: Thus he that slakes the heat of zeal in his age,* 1.2 will go cold to bed, and in a worse case to his Grave; To continue in giving glory to Christ, is no less requisite, than to begin; Though the beginning be more then halfe, yet the end is more then all; The God of all perfection looks,* 1.3 that our ultimum vitae, should be his optimum Gloriae, that our last works should be our best works, that we should persevere in goodness to the end.