plation of divine things; living by faith in Chrift, and feeling the constraining influence of his love; from the teftimony of your confciences; the witnefs and confolation of the Spirit; from converfing with God by meditation and prayer; and from good hope through grace. Earthly honours and pleafures are prone to enervate minds in their full vigour; much more thofe which are already weakened by age. You have the honour of being the children. of God, the brethren of Chrift, and joint heirs with him of the heavenly inheritance; your minds therefore fhould be fixed upon divine and heavenly objects, and daily aiming to contract a greater relish and meetness for the pleasures of angels and glorified faints. Indeed the aged do not often fall into the error which I am cautioning you againft; but as it is plainly fuggefted by Barzillai to be abfurd and monftrous, and evidently appears to be fo when it is obferved, it was proper to be mentioned. I proceed to what concerns them more; viz.

2. The profpect of death fhould lead them to get free from the cares of the world, as far as they lawfully can.

Barzillai would not go to Jerufalem, because it would engage him in many unneceffary cares, in leaving the place where he was fettled, and entering on a new fphere of action and it is much to be wifhed, that the aged would follow his example. I would be far from encouraging even them in idleness. It is their duty to labour while they have ability, if their labours are neceffary to provide for themfelves or their families; and not to make themselves unneceffarily burdenfome to their relations and friends. What I would caution them against is, being immerfed in the cares of the world, when it is unnecessary; when, though they may not, like Barzillai, be very great men, they have a competency to maintain them comfortably while they live; when they have children to take the burden off their hands, who would be glad to enter into their labours.* If, upon ferious inquiry as in the fight of God, they judge it to be moft for his honour and their own health

Not that I would advife the aged to give up their whole fubftance to their children, and become dependent upon them. I esteem the advice of an ancient Jewish writer to be very prudent and falutary—" Give not thy fon and

health and comfort, that they should purfue their trade or bufinefs, it is their duty to bring it into as little compafs as may be ; to discharge themselves of thofe parts of it which will be attended with anxious and perplexing cares. Thus, "when Samuel was old, he made his fons judges over Ifrael." The reasonableness of fuch a conduct in the aged appears from the thought fuggefted in the text; that they have but a fhort time to live. Let the following particulars, as founded on this thought, be carefully confidered by them :-Their capacity for bufinefs is generally weakened: they have more important concerns to mind: the more cares and business they have to attend to, the more their dying work will be disturbed, and the less fit will they be for heaven. Give me a patient hearing, fathers, while I'illuftrate these important particulars.

1

Their

wife, thy brother and friend, power over thee, whilft thou livest, and give not thy goods to another; left it repent thee, and thou entreat for the fame again. For better is it thy children should feek to thee, than that thou shouldest stand to their courtesy." Yet what, upon an impartial judg ment, the aged can fpare, fhould be given to their children for their affiftance and encouragement.

Their capacity for bufinefs is generally weakened.

This is Barzillai's reafoning in the verse after the text "Can I difcern between good and evil?"-'fee what is proper to be done in various circumftances and difficulties, which may occur?' "Wherefore fhould thy fervant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?" I am not fit for the active offices of a court: I can do the king little fervice; therefore I will not burden him, and stand in the way of others. I fhall need to be waited upon myself. It is time for me to live retired, now my ftrength and faculties are impaired.' This is ufually the cafe of the aged. Their limbs, once ftrong and active, tremble and flag. Their memory is decayed, fo that they cannot contrive and execute fchemes as formerly. They often manage their bufinefs aukwardly and unfuccefsfully; are easily impofed upon; and their affociates would conduct it better without them. They have feldom firmness enough to bear the disappointments and vexations which attend bufinefs. Little loffes fink and perplex them; efpecially as they have no prospect of living

to

to fee them retrieved. Thefe are plain intimations of Providence that they fhould leffen their earthly cares. And indeed the aged ought, like Barzillai, to be the first to perceive themselves on the decline, and to retire before the world is tired of them.

Again,

If their capacities continue ever fo good, they have more important concerns to mind; and but a little time for them.

The one thing needful, the great bufinefs relating to their fouls and eternity, is fufficient to engage all the time which they can fpare from that needful reft which old age requires. Your employment fhould be, to examine your ftate, improve your graces, gird up your loins, trim your lamps, and brighten your evidences; for your Lord is at hand. Religion fhould have the chief place in your affections, defires and purfuits; and every interval of health and eafe fhould be improved in getting more ready for heaven. "See then," as St. Paul exhorts, "that ye walk circumfpectly, not as fools, but as wife; redeeming the time, becaufe the days are evil.". Again,