the throng of worldly business they are fitter to recollect these things and to reduce them into practice And this certainly is a great Priviledge to have a greater Aptitude to that which is good Alas young people are under a great disadvantage herein it 's true their Faculties are more nimble and their Memories more fresh but then they come into the World like raw Souldiers into the Field they are compassed and daily allured with divers Temptations and have boisterous lusts within themselves and so they are in a more remote distance from true Piety They are like an unruly Colt in a large and fat Pasture there 's no coming near them till they are driven into a Corner till their way be hedged up with Thorns and then you may catch them Such is the fate of young people they are born like a wild Asses Colt Job 11. 12. they care not for any thing that 's good they fear not any evil adding Iniquity unto Iniquity until it come to snow upon their Heads and that their Arms and Legs begin to fail them and then the Voice of God will be heard and his counsel shall be followed So that though Old-age will not bring a man to Heaven yet it will fit a man for it it removes the Obstacles of repentance and promotes the Exercises of Religion And it is high time it should be so their activity for this world is past if they do not grow active for another they will be good for nothing They cannot work O but they can fast and pray and that 's better The Aged person remembers that he is going into an holy world and labours to have on Earth some suitableness to the life of Heaven because men begin their Heaven or Hell upon Earth And this age fits his purpose being proper for Mortification and Meditation The more knowledge and holiness he arrives at here the riper and fitter he is for that place to which he is ready to goe Let every Aged person then endeavour to verify this Priviledge by their solid Piety in all the instances thereof Let there be a Principle of holiness within and the Practice of it without in all manner of Conversation for as you were told then is the hoary head a crown of glory when it is found in the way of righteousness Prov. 16. 31. SECT V. THE Fifth Priviledge of Old-age is That it is Riper in its Fruits than any other age That is their Iudgments are more refined their Passions more sedate their Devotions more strong their Actions more regular and uniform and their spiritual Stature taller This may be gathered à fortiori from the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. 11. When I was a child I spake as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things The words and the thoughts then of an Aged experienced man must by a just inference be very solid and weighty Every man must needs observe the rawness of his younger conceptions and the lightness of his former assertions that Dies diem docet every day learns somewhat of that which went before it and so I may allude to that passage Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night addeth knowledge Yea the Psalmist exâ—…sly tells us that the righteous shall 〈◊〉 bring forth fruit in Old-age yea that they shall be fat and flourishing Psal. 92. 14. And to this do other Authors and Experience bear witness Trace some Aged good men from morning to night you shall still find them humane and unavoidable infirmities excepted so discreet in their Charity so grave in their Counsels so savoury in their Discourse so constant in their Devotion so considerate in their Resolutions so faithful in their Reproofs so poized in their Temper so charitable in their Censures and so uniform and useful in their Lives that their Practice may be a perpetual Sermon and Copy to teach others their duty to God and man So that it was no small Title of Honour which was given to Mnason Act. 21. 16. That he was an Old Disciple And there is a rational account to be given of this seeing the Aged person hath had Time and means to sift and weigh all vulgar Notions to observe the frailties both of himself and others to distinguish realities from appearances and to penetrate through the surface â—…nto the substance of spiritual things and of temporal They have past through all Relations and having been Children and Parents Husbands or Wives for a â—…ong time and many of them Servants and Masters they are hereby inabled both to speak and to act in all cases with the greater solidity and efficacy Add to this that their long acquaintance with God cannot but assimilate them unto him and make their fruits holy just and good Let observation be made and it will be commonly found that the Discourses the Sermons the Books that proceed from persons of years thô they may want the external ornaments and ardour which are usual with younger persons yet have that congruity weight and wisdom that raise their value and render them more truly useful So that we may well say in this Case that the best wine is reserved to the last Now this is a valuable Priviledge For who doth not rather chuse the fruit that is ripe than that which is raw if it be not to some palates more toothsome yet it is to all bodies more wholsome Summer fruit may be more luscious but Winter Old-age fruit is more solid and will keep longer The stony ground were they that received the Word with joy but having no root they soon withered But the good ground were they that kept the word and brought forth fruit with patience And that which puts a value upon these ripe and well-digested fruits is that they tend more eminently to the glory of God hereby they shew forth the vertues and so the praises of him that hath called them And they do more largely conduce to the good of all that have occasion to use them or are conversant with them To which purpose Plutarch observeth that as they who teach Musick do by their own singing direct their Scholars so they that would instruct young men in private or publick affairs must not only outwardly dictate good axioms and rules to them but by their own steady course in word and deed endeavour to frame their minds to vertue There is an incredible charm in Example and thereby a good man is a common blessing Let all you Aged persons then consider what fruits ye bring forth It doth not become you to be credulous in what ye hear nor rash in what ye speak nor precipitate in what ye do Whatsoever savours of youth is unseemly in you You must study to live as patterns you should do more than others They that have been long at a Trade should be accurate in it The Apostle puts much upon the Time Heb. 5. 12.
which shews that all our words should be govern'd by Reason And yet how unruly is this little member insomuch as the Apostle Iames c. 3. 6. calls the Tongue a World of iniquity the hand is not call'd a world of iniquity for that cannot reach very far but with the tongue we can walk over the whole world and by the venome of it hurt even all mankind And Old people whose eyes and ears whose hands and feet are much decay'd and disabled are apt to make the greater use of their tongues And whereas the noblest and best subject of Discourse is the ever blessed God his Properties Word and Works too few of them deal in this argument but the ordinary Theme of their speech is concerning Other folks and concerning Themselves and here you may find in their tongues the Perpetual Motion About Others their tongue travelleth round about and few of their neighbours escape the scourge of it It is their delight to be judging censuring and condemning all mankind How much good might the same breath produce if it were imployed in good instruction in faithful counsel or in wise reproof But their talent lies not that way but rather like Zoilus of old who being asked why he carped so much at others answer'd that he spoke ill of them because he could do no other ill to them so the impotence of old people must be a plea for their ill language but God will reprove thee and set this and all thine other sins before thee because thou sittest and speakest against thy brother and standerest thine own mothers son Psal. 50. 20 21. But their most pleasing Harangues are concerning Themselves What they have bin what they have done what they have had what Strength what Beauty what Estates what Affairs they have managed what adventures they have made what victories they have gotten in summe wherever the Story begins it shall be sure to end at their dear selves the feats they have done or the respect they have received Now all this must be nauseous to every ingenuous hearer and is most loathsome in the sight of God. For He and his Glory is the only center towards which all our words and actions should tend All other discourse is no other or better than wherein Turks and Pagans may vye with you and our Blessed Book assures us Mat. 12. 36. That every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement If all your extravagant words in one day should be written down and presented at night to you it would amaze you how then will ye answer whole volumes of them at the day of Judgment say not that words are but wind since they are such a wind as if irregular will blow the soul into Hell for by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Bridle therefore this unruly member Nature hath placed two barrs unto it the teeth and the lips but except watchfulness and prayer be added to them they 'l be too weak If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man Jam. 3. 2. and you will confess that every man should labour to be perfect in his Profession especially you that are Old disciples and should exceed others in strict holiness as much as you do in years Consider that he who often said let him that hath ears to hear hear said not let him that hath a tongue to speak be ready to speak No he hath given to men two ears and but one tongue to shew that we should be swift to hear but slow to speak It is true as Elihu grants Iob 32. 7. Dayes should speak and multitude of years should teach wisdom Their knowledge and experience qualifies them for it and if young people would but see their own weakness and were modest and humble they might with much ease learn those things of the Elder which they have dearly bought So that the Talkativeness which is culpable in Old persons is utterly intolerable in Young ones But yet even by those that are Old both the Matter and the Measure of their talk is to be observed and you should consider What good shall I now procure by speaking Whither is my Tongue walking What hurt by holding my peace What words are these that are bursting out It is Plutarchs Counsel And the same Author a Heathen resolves that we should never speak but when it is some way necessary or useful to our selves or others And that was a nipping answer which Zeno the Philosopher gave to some Embassadors that were come to Athens and had feasted some Learned men there who had talked liberally to them And what said they to him have you to tell us Why saith he tell those that sent you that you met with one Old man who knew how to hold his peace And a wise man resolves that he that hath knowledge who of all men may best speak spareth his words Prov. 17. 27. And you whose humour prompts you to be sparing should not be so prodigal herein He was a wise man that said he had often repented that he spake but never that he held his peace Let the Glory of God and the Profit of the hearer be still the measure of your talk Hunt not after the applause of men which is but empty Air and remember that you may never justly commend your self but when you are unjustly accused by another And then consider withal that the more a Man speaks commonly the less he is heeded and therefore if you would have people to mind what you say check your loquacity and take notice how the Wise man placeth Silence before Speech saying Eccles. 3. 7. A time to keep silence and a time to speak SECT III. THE Third Sin more peculiar to Old-age is Envy which is an inward Grudging at those who do in any thing excell us Now because they which are Old do see many that surpass them in strength beauty riches or esteem they are too apt to look at them with an envious Eye and to grudge them those blessings which God hath vouchsafed them Hence it is but too usual with them to lessen their deserts to carp at their enjoyments to abound in all such reports and stories as may degrade or blacken them thinking by a great mistake that what is detracted from others is added to themselves Thus when an House is decaying all the props men can get they will buttress it up withall but these are but rotten Pillars and will but expose you to more contempt For this is an odious sin in it self from hence proceeded the Fall of the first Adam and the Death of the Second for which mischiefs we should hate it the more And indeed it is a very unreasonable thing to envy those mercies to others whereof we have had our share as well as they Are they strong comely or respected You have in your time partaken of them and
days of her Youth wherein she had plaid the Harlot in the Land of Egypt Yea perhaps this guilt will be found in some respects greater than the first because it 's likely that then there was less knowledge and more temptation than now there is This contemplative wickedness nails on the former guilt and contracts more this demonstrates that the man would be always sinning if he could and that he is a meer stranger to true Repentance I deny not but that the first sudden glance of the memory upon former Vanities may be pleased but 't is only a surprize every pious Soul hath them still in remembrance and is humbled in it Thus Holy Augustine in his Confessions reflects upon his Robbing an Orchard in his younger days with all the heart-breaking Aggravations imaginable Thus Holy David cryes out Psal. 25. 7. Remember not the Sins of my Youth nor my Transgressions Labour you to write after their Copies let the remembrance of your former follies be always bitter never dwell upon the thoughts of them but with a Sigh O what a Fool what a Beast have I been O what have I done I am asham'd yea even confounded because I bear the reproach of my Youth Jerem. 31. 19. Make not the Wound to bleed again by rubbing it afresh lest it fester and grow incurable at length Let it appear some way that it is not want of power but want of will that makes you Sober A diligent care to avoid the Sins of your present Age and State will be a good proof that you would not commit the faults that are past if you were to live over your life again A better Life is the best Repentance And so much shall suffice upon this unpleasant but necessary Subject concerning the Sins of Old-age which as they should be matter of our hearty Grief so they should be the subject of our holy Iealousy and continual Caution For tho perhaps we may not be guilty in them all yet it is as unlikely that we are clear in all So that whereinsoever the Spirit of God hath in these Papers or otherwise found us out it is our indispensable duty to watch and pray with all seriousness and constancy against the same and tho they be rooted never so deep we must mortify and pluck them up tho we should they are grave Seneca's words pluck our very Hearts up with them For as one Disease is sufficient to kill the Body so any one Sin unmortified is able to send Body and Soul into Hell. On the other hand it will be one special token that we are upright before God when we keep our selves from our own Iniquity Psal. 18. 23. And yet this is but the one half of our bounden Duty For if you pluck up all the Weeds out of your Garden it will be but a desart place unless you procure some Herbs and Flowers therein so tho we should clear our Hearts of these Vices we shall have but naked and empty Souls unless we be furnished with such Graces as are proper for us which is the next point now to be treated of CHAP. IV. The Graces of Old-age SECT I. FOrasmuch as Old-age is liable to so many vicious Habits it greatly concerns all that are in Years to excell in some eminent Qualifications which may praeponderate the other or else Old-age would be a Miserable Age indeed Now tho we may well hope that they having been so long in Christs School have throughly learned Christ that they are indued with every Grace and instructed to every good work yet there be some Peculiar Graces wherein the Aged do or should excell Not that any of them is confined to Gray Hairs alone for as all the Sins above-mentioned may be found in those that are young so also the following Graces do apparently shine in many of them whereby they promise a plentiful Harvest in after-time if they hold on or mend For alas to speak the plain truth too few possess them all and too many are strangers to them all And therefore where I describe them with the following Excellencies understand it rather by way of Instruction in what they should be than by way of Assertion of what they are and you must remember also that the Denomination is à parte potiori the better sort have them and all should endeavour after them for since they are actually possessed by some they may be certainly obtained by all The First Grace most proper for Old-age is Knowledge They have or might have a great measure of all kind of Knowledge having read so much in the Book of Nature and in the Book of Providence But there is a nobler Object of their Knowledge which is God himself his Word and his Ways Herein the Aged person hath been versed for a long time 1 Ioh. 2. 13. I write unto you Fathers because you have known him that is from the beginning There is no Truth Duty Case Sin or Temptation but they have either heard or read something concerning it and that often and therefore must be supposed to have a more clear and distinct knowledge in all these things than younger people Young people think that they know much but Old people cannot chuse but sigh and smile at their ignorance They find that the more Knowledge they have the more Ignorance they discover in themselves and wherein they have been confident in their younger years they see cause to alter their sentiments afterwards For Knowledge is either Infused or Acquired by Study Reading and Converse In these the Aged must needs out-strip the Young as having been much longer conversant in the use of them and for the former the Holy Ghost doth commonly impart these Habits in the use of means and so every way the Old man hath the advantage in this accomplishment Now Knowledge is that wherein the Image of God partly consists it is the glory of Angels and it is the honour of Man. Those therefore were a strange sort of Friars in Italy that Luther writes of call'd Fratres Ignorantiae that took a solemn Oath that they would know nothing at all but answer to all questions with Nescio unless men were resolved to renounce both Divinity and Humanity at once No doubtless saving Knowledge is to the Soul as the Eye to the Body of great excellency and of great use 'T is this that Crowns the hoary head and conveys Beauty unto wrinkles Prov. 14. 18. The prudent are crowned with knowledge It s true many there are who have tasted of the Tree of Knowledge that have never tasted of the Tree of Life and knowledge of it self puffeth up so that a man may have all knowledge and yet no Charity 1 Cor. 13. 2. Yet as it is true there may be much knowledge without a grain of Grace so it is certain there cannot be one spark of Grace without Knowledge For how shall a Man know Sin unless he understand the Law of
him in Judgment the Lord caused Seventy of the Elders of Israel to be set apart for that work Num. 11. 16. And so the Iudges who constituted the Sanhedrin were made up of Seventy two Elders Again when the Apostle would most efficaciously perswade Philemon ver 9. he accosts him with his Title of Honour being such a one as Paul the Aged And the beloved Disciple authorizeth his two latter Epistles with this Periphrasis The Elder to the Elect Lady and the Elder to the wel-beloved Gaius And as this Preeminence proceeds from the Will of the All-wise God so it is the Sence of wise Men. The Philosopher affirms that the Elder do naturally precede the younger And Tully tells us that as any one exceeded in years so he had a kind of Ruling voice in debates Yea Pliny and Solinus report it of the Elephants and of the very Ants that when they go by Troops the Elder commonly go before the others And there is a very rational Ground for this Authority in Old-age In that the greater Seniority any one hath in years the nearer even upon that account do they approach to the likeness of the Eternal God who is called the Ancient of Days Dan. 7. 9. whose Garment is represented to be white as Snow and the Hair of his Head like the pure Wool. Withal it is presumed that the Aged know more for that they have seen and heard more than the younger Now Wisdom and Knowledge do challenge Authority by a certain Natural right because the determinations proceeding thence are ever supposed to be grounded on the soundest Maxims Now this Authority is a considerable Priviledge being as is supposed in the hand of a wise person insomuch as it is called by Cato in Tully Senectutis apex the Crown of Old-age For it derives weight unto all their Counsels Reproofs or Instructions The Iudges Decrees are held ponderous by reason of his years as well as from his Office. The Ministers Advice becomes venerable by the Authority which his Age hath cloathed him withal The Old Physician can sway by his Authority more than the younger So that Authority is a Talent which being well imployed doth much further our Usefulness in the World yea their Example is more effectual than others for one may learn much from such an one though he say never a word The more Authority any man hath the more conspicuous he is he is like a City set on a Hill and his way and carriage are still instructive The dignity of the person ever adds lustre to the example And therefore all Aged persons had need to be circumspect in their ways lest instead of leading others in the narrow way to life they do by their Example lead them in the broad way to destruction It doth therefore greatly behove all those that are in years to be Sober Grave Temperate c. For the hoary Head is a Crown of glory if it be found in the way of Righteousness Prov. 16. 31. That which is the Crown of Glory on the hoary Head is the Wisdom and Piety that lodgeth in the heart The Heathen could say Gray hairs and wrinkles do not presently create Authority but the former life well managed makes the latter part justly respected So that Old age simply considered will not always pass for a leading demonstrative Argument as if it were enough to say I am an old man and therefore you must needs believe or yield unto me no true worth and wisdom must lead the Van but it is a good Second and carries with it a great presumption that Prudence and Piety dwell there And hence it is that in all Societies and Assemblies whether Civil or Religious that Dignity is allowed to Seniority that commonly the Eldest presides in the company and guides the affairs thereof SECT II. THE Second Priviledge of Old-age is That it is Richer in Experience than any other age This is manifest on the first view that Experience is the consequent of a long life We have a confused knowledge of things by Hear-say or Instruction but by tract of time we arrive at an experimental knowledge thereof Iob could say I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear but now mine Eye seeth thee Job 42. 5. By which it appears that ocular demonstration is the most certain wherein Old-age hath the greatest advantage They have lived long enough to find in matters Speculative what is true and what is false We owe the knowledge we have of the Celestial Bodies to the Study and observation of Aged men We discover what is Safe or Dangerous in matters of Practice to the well-tried Maxims of men in years What was it which found out the nature and use of herbs and druggs but long observation It 's true Experience is a dear Mistress but yet 't is a sure one and the Instructions we have that way stick fastest to us We far sooner forget the particulars of those Countries of which we have read than of those which we have traversed our selves The Aged person can tell experimentally of the wisdom and justice of Gods Providence of the Truth of his Promises and Threatnings of the Devices of Satan of the Deceitfulness of Riches of the Wisdom of Integrity of the Vanity of all carnal Delights of the wickedness of his own Heart Old-age is rich in the Experience of these things whereby they are able to govern themselves and to advise others As for themselves by this Experience they are taught to avoid many Dangers which others fall into For it is made up from long observation of particular things to wit of Memory of things past Knowledge of things present and Providence of things future And as their long tryal of the effects of Diet and Exercise have made them capable of the Conservation of Health so their manifold Experience of the deceitfulness of the Flesh of the World and of the Devil hath enabled them to countermine and conquer them And as to Others their Experience renders them able to give the most prudent Counsels and to forewarn them of those Consequences which they easily foresee Aeschines saith that among the Athenians by an old Law of Solon the Oldest did first make his Speech to the people and after him each according to his age for saith he they thought that the Eldest through their Experience counselled best for the City And without doubt in Publick affairs the Experienced man out-strips the learned man. For as the Philosopher observes Art teaches only General Notions but Experience acquaints us with Particular Actions by conversing with which we arrive at Skill and Conduct Iustin relates it of Alexander the Great that he would have his Squadrons led by none under Sixty years old For who will chuse him for a Captain that 's well-read in martial affairs and that 's all Who will trust his life in the Hands of a Speculative Physician No
When for the time ye ought to be teachers c. you have been long in Christs school you should be perfect in the Rules of Christian life They who had received Five talents will not be accepted unless they bring ten again If your figs be not good very good it is probable they will be bad very bad If an Aged person be not ripe for Heaven let him take heed he be not ripe for Hell. SECT VI. THE Sixth Priviledge of Old-age is That it is worthier of Respect than those of an inferiour Age. I mean hereby both an Inward Reverence and the External expression thereof and the former is and ought to be the foundation of the latter An Aged person even on that account though neither ricâ—… nor wise though neither noble nor pious yet deserves a respect for the Priority of his Being The Veneration dâ—… to them is founded on the Law of Nature Hence Plato appoints that everâ—… one should honour the Aged both in word and deed and this he often repeats And it was much observed in Three Indians once in Paris that kept strictly to the order of their Age in speaking without any Directour but the Law of Nature All the disputes abouâ—… the Antiquity and consequently the Dignity of Families or Cities is groundeâ—… on this foundation Why should Olâ—… Monuments Old Coins yea even Olâ—… Ruines be regarded and not Old men and Old women This is also directly injoyned in the Fifth Commandment where by Father and Mother that are to be honour'd Divines do rightly determine that such as are Elders by Age as well as those that are so by Relation and Office are intended And Honour in that Précept means an inward Esteem and Reverence in the heart and the same expressed by a suitable behaviour towards them in word and deed And this is expresly specified Levit. 19. 32. Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head and honour the face of the old man and fear thy God I am the Lord. The Iews indeed had a Tradition hereupon that it was not only fit to rise when an Aged person was passing by us but that we should rise up when they were four cubits distance from us and then we should presently sit down again thereby to manifest that we rose up in honour to them But the plain scope of that Command is only that we ought to make all due expression of Respect to the Aged And the indefiniteness of the Precept shews that it is due to all that are Aged even that pale and wrinkled face challengeth a regard and the fear of God is joyned with it q. d. As you fear God honour the Aged and because the young the rich and the proud will be loth to stoop herein therefore he adds I am the Lord Whose Authority is unquestionable and whose Will is the highest Reason who will reward the keepers of this law and punish the breakers of it Agreeable to this is that Prov. 23. 22. Hearken unto thy father that begat thee and despise not thy mother when she is old Likewise 1 Tim. 5. 1 2. Rebuke not an Elder but intreat him as a father and the younger men as brethren the elder women as mothers Where you see the Apostle interpreting the Fifth Commandment as abovesaid elder men as fathers elder women as mothers Accordingly it is threatned as a sore Iudgment when the child shall behave himself proudly against the Ancient Isa. 3. 5. and so it was resented when it was executed Lam. 4. 12. When the faces of the Elders were not honoured And we have a Comment upon this in a heathen Poet who tells us that they held it for a wickedness worthy to be expiated by Death if one that was young did not rise to shew respect to one that was Old. Let those consider this who make no difficulty to take place of their elders meerly because themselves are somewhat richer And upon this very Principle the Eldest son is by a natural right concluded to be heir and I question whether he should be defeated of it for any defects or immoralities Upon all which it is apparent that there is a special Respect and Reverence due to Old-age Now let us consider what Priviledge there is herein If there were nothing in it but a matter of Preference or precedence it were no great attainment though many an Estate hath been spent and many a Life lost for the compassing of these But this Respect is chiefly valuable for its Use. For hereby the Aged person is fenced from Contempt unto which he is liable enough through his impotence poverty and infirmities and any ingenuous man had rather dye with comfort than live in contempt But principally they are hereby preserved in a capacity of doing some good their example their instructions their reproofs and their advice will become significant We generally value mens Iudgments and Determinations according to the persons that give them Great care they should have how they advise and a great deference should be given to their advice So the Apostle 1 Pet. 5. 5. Likewise ye younger submit your selves to the elder And hereupon I would exhort and charge all young people that shall cast their eyes on these papers to remember their place and duty to deny themselves their own humours and preconceits and to strike sail to their Seniors They were praying perhaps before you had a being they had done God and their Countrey good service before you had done one stroke of work Holy Paul laid something upon seniority in Grace Rom. 16. 7. Andronicus and Iunia who were in Christ before me and by the like reason it is some Dignity to be in the world before others Insomuch as when the Latines would express their esteem of any thing they use this word of Antiquity to express it by Away then with that unchristian yea unmanly and unmannerly pertness and disrespect too frequent every where towards Aged persons Instead whereof reckon it to your good Breeding yea charge it upon your Conscience to give Honour to whom honour is due SECT VII THE Seventh Priviledge of Old-age is That they are Further from the World than younger persons are These are in the midst of it and of all its troubles and temptations but those have travelled through them and are now almost past them There are Two things in the World that make it uneasie Sin and Suffering Sin that makes it uneasie to Good men Suffering that makes it uneasie to All men A good man hath contracted a deep hatred against sin and yet he cannot be rid of it He meets with it in every place among the looser sort of people it swarms he sees and hears that every day which vexeth his righteous soul and returning home he finds it in his own heart and that grieves him most He is chain'd to a body of death without any remedy and the more knowledge and grace he hath the more he hates it and
what is your pillow or rather your heart made of that you can sleep so long in a state of Condemnation To be born in sin is sad but to live and dye in sin will prove a thousand times worse Remember that the destroying Angels began at the Ancient men before the house Ezek. 9. 6. It s true late Repentance is seldom true but yet true Repentance is never too late O then lay all business aside and set your selves about the New creature Now or never now and ever If you turn the deaf ear unto God now beware lest he deny you either the space or the grace to repent hereafter lest he answer you Ubi consumpsisti farinam c. where thou hast spent the flour of thy life there bestow the bran of it Take warning by that Penitent in story who had often determined to begin his Amendment from somâ—… eminent time as the First day of the year or his Birth day that so his Repentance might have some Remarkable date but when that Time came he was ready to adjourn it till another time Who thereupon concluded that he would make that present Day though it were obscure in the Calender yet memorable to his Soul by his turning through divine assistance unto God. Do you not perceive how you are in danger to be trapann'd by Satan who suggested to you in the time of youth that Repentance was then too early and who will now perswade it is grown too late ye have deâ—…err'd this work long enough already now you must use double diligence about it It is said of the Mulberry tree that it casts out its buds latest but then thrusts them all out in a night You are late in the Vineyard you must work the harder The whole business of your life hitherto stands for nothing if you be not new born you will cease to be in this world before you begin to live if your last change get the start of this first change you will curse the day of your birth to all eternity Now for your Direction in this great Work your present business is to get a Competence of Knowledge in the Doctrine of Religion and then searching your own Hearts to compare them with the holy Law of God. For example look your face in the glass of that hundred and nineteenth Psalm or of the Fifth Sixth and Seventh of Matthew and then through Gods help you will presently find the dissimilitude yea the contrariety between them And then fix your mind upon the Wrath of God hanging over all persons in your Condition and upon the sufficient satisfaction made by Iesus Christ for all that believe and repent and apply all this to your selves Frequent the serious Preaching of Gods word and begin to pray in good earnest Turn thou me and I shall be turned and be assured that Spirit which inclines you to the use of these means will breath life into your dead and dry bones and make you new Creatures And in case you find your selves at a loss in this affair repair to some Able and faithful Minister of Christ and be not afraid or asham'd to lay open your Condition and follow his guidance therein For if men are not content in case of an Infirmity of body to hear the Physick Lectures or to read books of Receits but will state their own case to the Physician himself and will do the like to the Lawyer in weighty cases concerning their Estates how much more need have you of a Godly Divine to direct and assist you in an affair wherein body and Soul are at stake and that for Eternity And so much for that First and fundamental Repentance so absolutely necessary for such Ancient people as have spent their lives in the service of the world and the flesh and were never truly converted unto God. But besides these Repentance in the renewed Acts thereof is a proper and necessary work for All Old people whatsoever You have lived a long time and through Omissions and Commissions have contracted abundance of guilt Trace your selves therefore from place to place from one period of your life to another and strictly reckon with your selves Study the Ten Commandments in their true extent they are called Ten words but they command ten thousand Duties and forbid ten thousand Sins many whereof you have ten thousand times failed in and in divers of them with great aggravations and then sit down and cry out O that my head were a fountain and mine Eyes rivers of tears to bewail these offences against a gracious God Upon this account did holy Augustine in his Old-age write his Confessions wherein he makes no difficulty to shame himself that he might give glory to God. And the Book of Ecclesiastes is judged to be the Poenitenials of King Solomon in his Old-age wherein he plainly confesseth his Vanity in seeking for Happiness in a vain and vexatious World and warns all young men to beware of such like folly Alas if you had fallen but seven times a day yet in seventy years those Sins would have amounted unto almost Two hundred thousand offences and can you reflect upon this without amazement nay it is a wonder that we do not as Nectarius his Accuser of old weep out our Eyes for very grief When the leaves are fallen from the trees as is aptly observed by One the birds nests are easily seen which were invisible before so when through Age our frothy vanities are wither'd we may palpably discover the sallies of Pride Wantonneâ—…s and Folly yea those nest of vermine and vipers which replenished our youthful dayes It was the sober Advice of that Statesman Sir Thomas Randolph in his Old-age after he had been eighteen times Embassador in forreign parts to Sir Thomas Walsingham Secretary of State It is now time sayes he for us to leave the tricks of State and to imploy our time before Death in Repentance for the Sins of our Lives And Blessed be God that hath appointed this Remedy and the Blood of Christ without which all our tears could not wash out one Sin that poor Sinners have this after-game of Recovery when they have been undone by Sin when we have eaten so much of the forbidden fruit in our youth we have need of this worm-wood in our Old-age Renew therefore daily the Acts of unfaigned Repentance and take account duly of your selves as some of the very Heathens have done sith you must give account to God very shortly and he that daily reckons with himself will have but one day to reckon for when he comes to dye But be sure you mistake not the Nature of Repentanee For it is not only a Trouble an Anger a Sorrow but it is made up of Grief and Hatred Grief for the Offence to God and Hatred of the Sins we grieve for So that Repentance is a turning to God from all sin with grief for it and hatred of it And the best Proof you can
his And we cannot better approve our selves to be members of that mystical Body than by our incessant Prayers for the Increase the Unity and the Happiness thereof And when you are thinking of your Countrey of your Kindred and of your Friends add an Ejaculation to every of these your thoughts for a blessing upon them These are Employments fit for a Christian Aged person and will become them better than endless Complaints or groundless Presages Pray pray and do not Prophesie was holy Mr. Palmers saying to those that were alwayes boding misery I tell you that you may do your selves the Church the Nation and Posterity more service by your fervent Prayers than you have done by the cares and labours of your whole life And then 2. For Praises when you consider all the Good which God hath done In you the Good he hath done For you and the Good he hath done By you you cannot sure be silent Reflect upon your own Hearts and remember what a plight you were in when his Grace and Mercy found you out what Methods he hath used to recover you what light and love and life he hath bestowed upon you what outward Means and inward Motions he hath vouchsafed you how he hath rescued you out of various temptations recovered you out of sad relapses stablished you in times of tryal and defection and brought you within sight of the Promised Land. And then review your whole Life and consider what great things he hath done For you Observe Old Davids course Psal. 71. 6. By thee have I bin holden up from the Womb thou art he that took me out of my Mothers bowels my praise shall be continually of thee Remember the care he took of your Education the wonderfull Preservations in your Childhood and Youth when your rashness and folly did every day precipitate you into palpable dangers how many sicknesses and distempers he hath either prevented or healed in how many Iourneys and Voyages his Angels have had the Charge of you in what perils by day and by night by Land and by Sea he hath preserved you O remember the works of the Lord surely you should remember his wonders of old Psal. 77. 11. Have you not heard of that Man who having pass'd over a Plank on Horseback over a deep River over night and being brought in the Morning to see his deliverance fell down dead with the apprehension How many Lives have you had given you How many thousands have bin cut off and you have bin spared What a wonder is it that your Eyes and Limbs have bin kept safe so long Now you are weak but remember how long you were strong now you cannot eat or sleep as â—…heretofore but you have lost your Register if you have forgotten the chearful meals and restful nights you have enâ—…oyed 〈◊〉 in respect of your Outward Estate â—…emember how naked you came into the world how the Lord hath fed you all â—…our life long he it is that hath given â—…ou power to get wealth he hath still spread your Table and filled your Cup and â—…ent you more than ever you expected at â—…east deserved Remember how merciful â—…e hath bin unto you in your Names in your Relations Posterity every way And â—…hen conclude with David 2 Sam. 7. 18. Who am I O Lord God and what is my house â—…hat thou hast brought me hitherto My â—…outh shall shew forth thy Righteousness â—…nd thy Salvation for I know not the numâ—…ers thereof I will hope continually and will â—…et praise thee more and more Psal. 71. 14 15. Let Hallelujah be your Song as â—…t was the Motto of Godly Mr. Bruen which he wrote in the first leaf of all his Books Let not your present weakness and pain bury your sense of all your former health and ease A thankfull life is a pleasant life And lastly review the Good that God hath done By you that still God may have all the praise You have wrestled with God in Prayer though now you are soon faint and weary You have measured many a step to hear Gods Word though now you cannot and have read many a good Book though now your Eyes be quickly dazled Many a Soul hath bin the better for your Counsel and many bowels have bin refreshed by your relief Now as God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love so your remembrance of it in this your Old-age must oblige you to renewed thanks and praise Thus David in that Psal. 18. which he spake unto the Lord when he was delivered out of the hands of all his enemies toucheth all these Topicks or Heads of Mercies and then cries out vers 46. 49. The Lord liveth and blessed be my rock and let the God of my Salvation be exalted It is God that Therefore will I give thanks unto thee O Lord among the Heathen and sing praises unto thy Name Thus will you conjoyn the Life of Heaven and Earth you will end your Lives with that work wherewith you will begin your Everlasting Life SECT IV. THE Fourth Work of Old-age is Instruction of the Younger God hath in great Wisdom lodged his various gifts in divers subjects that there may be a mutual dependance one upon another and a mutual helpfulness of each to others Thus he intrusts the Young with Strength to support and aid the Elder whose strength is decayed and the Aged with knowledge and wisdom to guide the younger whose judgment is yet unripe And as it is a great misery when the Aged are not relieved by the strength and industry of those that are young so it is a great infelicity when the Aged are either unable or unwilling to instruct or when those who are young are too careless or conceited to receive Instruction That is therefore a barbarous Precept in the Alcoran and like the rest of that Divinity You are not obliged to lead men in the right way God guideth whom he listeth But we have better learned Christ. The whole Current of Scripture runs for this Practice Thus did Abraham as we may gather from Gen. 18. 19. Thus Iacob Thus Moses leaving more especially that excellent Chapter Deuter. 32. just before he died for an Instruction to those he left behind him The like did Ioshua in Cap. 24. when he was Aged and about to dy So Samuel 1 Sam. 12. So David 1 Chron. 28. 9. to his Son. And thou Solomon my Son c. Thus did Peter when he was ready to put off his Tabernacle 2 Pet. 1. 12 13. and the like did Aged Paul in his Epistle to Timothy when the time of his departure was at hand 2 Tim. 4. 5 6. So that we have a whole cloud of Witnesses showring down their counsels and directions on the younger sort And the Aged are furnished for this Imployment having Ability and Opportunity for such purposes Their peculiar Talent lies this way For Dayes should speak and multitude of years should teach knowledge Ioh 32. 9. You