N01545:65
Two discourses showing, I. That the Lords ears are open to the prayers of…Two discourses shewing, I. That the Lords ears are open to the prayers of…
Two discourses showing, I. That the Lords ears are open to the prayers of the righteous. II. The dignity & duty of aged servants of the Lord. : Also, a preface in which the Congregational discipline of the churches in New-England is vindicated, with the authors dying testimony there-unto. / By I. Mather, D.D. ; [Four lines of quotations]Two discourses shewing, I. That the Lords ears are open to the prayers of the righteous. II. The dignity & duty of aged servants of the Lord. : Also, a preface in which the Congregational discipline of the churches in New-England is vindicated, with the authors dying testimony there-unto. / By I. Mather, D.D. ; [Four lines of quotations]
printed by B. Green for Daniel Henchman, 1716
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
PROV. XVI.31. The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in a way of Righteousness.
IN this verse, we have an assertion and a supposition. (1) An Assertion in the former part of it, viz. That an hoary head is a crown of glory, h. e. a crown that does adorn and honour the Person on whom it is. By the hoary head Old Age is meant, that being an usual sign & symptom accompanying Old Age. The words are a Metaphor alluding to Kings, or great Personages that have Crowns and Diadems set on their heads, on the account whereof respect and honour ⟨p. 50⟩is given to them. The great Men belonging to Nineveh are called, Their Crowned, Nah. 3.17. They that have an hoary head, God has set a Crown on their heads which calls for respect. (2) There is a supposition in the latter part of the verse, If ('tis said) it is found in the way of righteousness. There is indeed no If in the Hebrew Original, whence some Interpreters take the meaning of the words to be, that they who walk in the way of righteousness, shall be honoured with living to Old Age, when the wicked shall have their days shortened, which indeed many times happen to be so yet not always. But if we take the if in our translation as Explanatory, they import that it is most honourable when there is a Conjunction of Age and Righteousness together in the same Person. Not that there is no honour due to Age if righteousness is wanting, but that then especially it is ⟨p. 51⟩a crown and glory; accordingly the Doctrine to be insisted on from the words, is,
IN this verse, we have an assertion and a supposition. (1) An Assertion in the former part of it, viz. That an hoary head is a crown of glory, h. e. a crown that does adorn and honour the Person on whom it is. By the hoary head Old Age is meant, that being an usual sign & symptom accompanying Old Age. The words are a Metaphor alluding to Kings, or great Personages that have Crowns and Diadems set on their heads, on the account whereof respect and honour