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

THE Third Work of Old-age, is Prayers ¹and Praises. 1. For Prayers. I do not here mean only the Ordinary Devotions, which I presume every good Christian useth, both Old and Young, and whereby indeed the Soul Breaths; for a true Believer lives by Faith, and breaths by Prayer: whereof that excellent Bishop Hall thus concludes, I may truly say, that man hath no Grace nor Goodness in him, that Prays not by Himself, and with his Family: but also that they should be frequent in Prayer. It is said of Luther, that he spent daily at least Three hours in Prayer. And holy David saith, Psal. 55. 17. Evening and Morning and at Noon will I Pray, and cry aloud: yea, in his Old-age we may conclude, that he dyed with a Prayer in his Mouth, from Psal. 72. last. The Prayers (and belike the life) of David the Son of Jesse are ended together. And therefore the Egyptian Hieroglyphic of an Aged person was a Swan, whom they imagined to dye Singing: for there is no Music so ⟨p. 260⟩sweet in the Ears of God, as hearty Prayers and Praises.

THE Third Work of Old-age, is Prayers ¹and Praises. 1. For Prayers. I do not here mean only the Ordinary Devotions, which I presume every good Christian useth, both Old and Young, and whereby indeed the Soul Breaths; for a true Believer lives by Faith, and breaths by Prayer: whereof that excellent Bishop Hall thus concludes, I may truly say, that man hath no Grace nor Goodness in him, that Prays not by Himself, and with his Family: but also that they should be frequent in Prayer. It is said of Luther, that he spent daily at least Three hours in Prayer. And holy David saith, Psal. 55. 17. Evening and Morning and at Noon will I Pray, and cry aloud: yea, in his Old-age we may conclude, that he dyed with a Prayer in his Mouth, from Psal. 72. last. The Prayers (and belike the life) of David the Son of Iesse are ended together. And therefore the Egyptian Hieroglyphick of an Aged person was a Swan, whom they imagined to dye Singing: for there is no Musick so