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

Now this is both a Sinful and Miserable distemper. It is displeasing to God, and it is very uncomfortable both to themselves, and to others. Its true, that Anger ⟨p. 42⟩in it self is not evil: our Blessed Saviour was once angry, but it was at Sin, and it was accompanied with Grief for the hardness of their Hearts. Mark 3. 5. When we are angry at Sin, we are angry without Sin. And it is also true, that Old people by reason of their knowledge in matters, do see more things amiss and blame-worthy, more Sin, and more evil in Sin than others do; and having liberty by reason of their Age and Authority to speak their minds, they are too prone to express, that which others must digest with silence; and withal ^ktheir bodily distempers dispose them to more testiness than others, whose continual health and ease makes their Conversation more smooth and quiet; and lastly, they discern themselves in some danger of being despised^l, and therefore are tempted to preserve their Authority by frequent and keen reproofs and reflections, and so iniquum petunt, ut justum ferant, they require too much, lest they should receive too little.

Now this is both a Sinful and Miserable distemper. It is displeasing to God, and it is very uncomfortable both to themselves, and to others. Its true, that Anger ⟨p. 42⟩in it self is not evil: our Blessed Saviour was once angry, but it was at Sin, and it was accompanied with Grief for the hardness of their Hearts. Mark 3. 5. When we are angry at Sin, we are angry without Sin. And it is also true, that Old people by reason of their knowledge in matters, do see more things amiss and blame-worthy, more Sin, and more evil in Sin than others do; and having liberty by reason of their Age and Authority to speak their minds, they are too prone to express, that which others must digest with silence; and withall ^k