Addresses to old men, and young men, and little children. In three discourses ...…

'Tis to be feared, that there is a lamentable ignorance about the Lord Jesus Christ, in many that have lived unto old Age under the Gospel of that blessed Lord. A famous Divine tells us, of an old man, who had enjoyed the constant Preaching of the Word, and yet when he lay on his Death-bed, he still thought, Jesus Christ was an amiable Youth, and other things too ridiculous to be recited. And he has been a scandal to me to see, how little many old men among our selves do understand about The Covenant of Redemption, and some other i•• portant Articles. But, O get a little more knowledge of Jesus Christ, before you go; lest that most forlorn and fearful case be yours, in Job ••. 12. They shall die without Knowledge. To be corporally blind with Age, is not unusual; But for men to be Spiritually blind in Age is very dreadful. The Grey Hairs on the outside of your Heads, are not more Honourable, than the wrong Thoughts in the inside of them are pernicious, while you have not a good knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, Old Luther did not reckon it a shame to profess ⟨p. 22⟩himself, Discip••um Catechism•, one that still was every day learning his Catechism. Whether it be a shame or no, for you that are old men, to be students in your Catechisms, I am certain, 'tis a more burning shame for you to be ignorant of the points which your Catechisms are to teach you. You have not so much as the beginning of true knowledge, till you know Him that is from the Beginning. The Apostle rebuked it, as a shameful Deficiency in those, Heb. 5. 12. For the time, ye ought to be Teachers, yet ye need that one Teach you, which be the first principles of the Oracles of God. They say, old men are twice Children; but O for shame, do not want the instruction which when you were first Children, you ought to have had about the Lord Jesus Christ. Nay, albeit, you knew never so much about the Lord Jesus Christ, yet there is a vast deal more behind still to learn. Old men, study a blessed Jesus, till you fathom yet more of his matchless Excellencies! If one of the Roman Emperors, had such a value for knowledge, as in his old Age to be a sort of pupil still, and say, 'Tis good for old men to be learning still; surely, it becomes you to have as much value for the peerless knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.