That old age is venerable, not which hath white hair, but which whiteneth with virtuous and worthy actions;1 Elihu speaks here, not only narratively but reprovingly, he reflects upon the ancient, whose abilities come not up to or do not equal their years. The aged may well blush and be ashamed to be sound ignorant of, or unskilful in any thing that they ought to know. ⟨p. 50⟩The Apostle shames the Hebrews with this, and tells them they were dull of hearing (Heb. 5.11, 12.) because when for the time they ought to be teachers, they had need that one should teach them again which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and were become such as had need of milk and not of strong meat; As if he had said, When for the time, days, and years, which have gone over your heads, (the reproof lies there) you should be able to teach others, what a shame is it that you your selves should not be capable of those higher teachings, which he calls strong meat, but must be dealt with about the very principles of Religion, and be fed like Children with milk and spoons? How is it that you who should have had senses exercised to discern both good & evil, should be so little able to distinguish them, either in their minds or degrees. These were spiritually Children, while naturally old men; They had not learned of their teachers, when the Apostle had reason to hope they had been able to teach learners, yea were learned teachers. Some are exceeding old, & exceeding ignorant, they have multitude of days upon them, yet if asked, they are not able to hold forth the least Number of divine truths, possibly not one in a right understanding; As grey hairs are a crown of glory when found in the way of righteousness, so grey hairs are crowns of glory, when found in a way of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, otherwise to be old and dotish, old and sottish, how dishonourable is it! yea, they that are old and ignorant, shall at last find their old age, a strong aggravation, as of all their sins, so especially of their ignorance.
That old age is venerable, not which hath white hayre, but which whiteneth with vertuous and worthy actions;1 Elihu speaks here, not only narratively but reprovingly, he reflects upon the ancient, whose abilities come not up to or doe not equall their yeares. The aged may well blush and be ashamed to be sound ignorant of, or unskilfull in any thing that they ought to know. ⟨p. 50⟩The Apostle shames the Hebrewes with this, and tells them they were dull of hearing (Heb. 5.11, 12.) because when for the time they ought to be teachers, they had need that one should teach them againe which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and were become such as had need of milke and not of strong meate; As if he had said, When for the time, dayes, and yeares, which have gone over your heads, (the reproofe lyes there) you should be able to teach others, what a shame is it that you your selves should not be capable of those higher teachings, which he calls strong meat, but must be dealt with about the very principles of Religion, and be fed like Children with milke and spoones? How is it that you who should have had sences exercised to discerne both good & evill, should be so little able to distinguish them, either in their minds or degrees. These were spiritually Children, while naturally old men; They had not learned of their teachers, when the Apostle had reason to hope they had been able to teach learners, yea were learned teachers. Some are exceeding old, & exceeding ignorant, they have multitude of dayes upon them, yet if asked, they are not able to hold forth the least Number of divine truths, possibly not one in a right understanding; As gray haires are a crowne of glory when found in the way of righteousness, so gray haires are crowns of glory, when found in a way of wisdome, knowledge, and understanding, otherwise to be old and dotish, old and sottish, how dishonorable is it! yea, they that are old and ignorant, shall at last finde their old age, a strong aggravation, as of all their sins, so especially of their ignorance.
- 1Senectus illa venerabilis est, non quae canis sed meritis albescit. Ambro: lib: 7. Epist. 70.
