A discourse concerning old-age tending to the instruction, caution and comfort of aged persons…

But yet as we have observed in other Cases, This Inconvenience is not peculiar to Old-age, as if they only were despised, or set at nought: For they that will contemn them, will set light by any other sober and wise Person also, yea they will contemn God himself. Plain is the connection, 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. They that will despise an Ancient Person upon that score, will despise the Ancient of days himself; so that they are not alone under this Inconvenience. Neither is this Contempt universal; some young persons have that Wisdom, which teacheth them to value, and respect their Elders. Thus Tully again brings in Cato answering Caecilius, who had said, that there was nothing more miserable in Old-age, than to find themselves odious to others; nay, says Gato, I believe such Old men as we, are very acceptable to such young men as you, Scipio and Lelius: And so goes on, showing that look as Old men take pleasure in virtuous young men, though far inferior to them, in age and wisdom; ⟨p. 174⟩so all Judicious young men take delight, and yield great respect to grave and Ancient men: And thus Plato brings in Socrates saying, I love to hear the Discourses of Old men, seeing they have already traced the way that I must go. And most commonly those Ancient People meet with most Contempt, who by their Frowardness or otherwise do lessen themselves, and alienate the respects of others from them; or such as have lived merely to themselves, without regard to the good of others: Or else▪ perhaps to repay into their own bosoms that neglect and contempt, which they heretofore have been guilty of, either to their Parents, or other Seniors.

But yet as we have observed in other Cases, This Inconvenience is not peculiar to Old-age, as if they only were despised, or set at nought: For they that will contemn them, will set light by any other sober and wise Person also, yea they will contemn God himself. Plain is the connexion, 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. They that will despise an Ancient Person upon that score, will despise the Ancient of dayes himself; so that they are not alone under this Inconvenience. Neither is this Contempt universal; some young persons have that Wisdom, which teacheth them to value, and respect their Elders. Thus Tully again brings in Cato answering Caecilius, who had said, that there was nothing more miserable in Old-age, than to find themselves odious to others; nay, sayes Gato, I believe such Old men as we, are very acceptable to such young men as you, Scipio and Lelius: And so goes on, shewing that look as Old men take pleasure in vertuous young men, though far inferiour to them, in age and wisdom;