A61390:128
A discourse concerning old-age tending to the instruction, caution and comfort of aged persons…
A discourse concerning old-age tending to the instruction, caution and comfort of aged persons / by Richard Steele ...
London: printed by J. Astwood for Tho. Parkhurst, 1688
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
SECT. I.
Forasmuch as Old-age is liable to so1 many vicious Habits, it greatly concerns all that are in Years, to excel in some eminent Qualifications, which may preponderate 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 endued with every Grace, and instructed to every good work; yet there be some Peculiar Graces, wherein the Aged do or should excel. Not that any of them is confined to Grey 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 ⟨p. 79⟩hold on or mendc. 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 part 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.
FOrasmuch as Old-age is liable to so1 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