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

And the Aged are furnished for this Employment, having Ability and Opportunity for such purposes. Their peculiar Talent lies this way; For Days should speak and multitude of years should teach knowledge, Joh 32. 9. You must have a stock of Observations, and your Speech commonly is least impaired of all Faculties; and it is best employed in communicating ⟨p. 269⟩your useful Notions unto others. The Vestal Virgins of old, in the First part of their time, learned the Mysteries of their Religion, in the Second, they produced them into Practice, in the Third, they taught them unto others^e. One end of our learning any thing, is that we may instruct others. And the Heathens ^fthought, that the greatest part of our time should be devoted to the Common good. Hide not therefore your Talent in a Napkin, but produce your Stock, and without impoverishing your selves, enrich those that need it. You have Opportunity, you have your Children and Posterity about you, you have some Authority with them, let your words drop as the dew, and let your lips feed many. What profit have they by your longevity, if you further them not in goodness? In short, our lives are little worth, when they are not useful; and we cannot better bestow them, than in making others better.

And the Aged are furnished for this Imployment, having Ability and Opportunity for such purposes. Their peculiar Talent lies this way; For Dayes should speak and multitude of years should teach knowledge, Ioh 32. 9. You must have a stock of Observations, and your Speech commonly is least impaired of all Faculties; and it is best imployed in communicating ⟨p. 269⟩your usefull Notions unto others. The Vestal Virgins of old, in the First part of their time, learned the Mysteries of their Religion, in the Second, they produced them into Practice, in the Third, they taught them unto others^e. One end of our learning any thing, is that we may instruct others. And the Heathens ^f