4. The light of Nature teacheth Men to honour Age. I remember Mr Burroughs in one of his Sermons, relates a Passage worthy of Commemoration, concerning several Lacedaemonian Ambassadors, ⟨p. 62⟩who being in a Theatre at Athens, when they saw an Aged grave Man coming although' they knew him not, only because of his hoary head, they knew him to be Aged, they rose up & bowed to him, the whole Theatre admired & applauded those Ambassadors as Men worthy to be honoured themselves, for their showing such Veneration to an Aged Man, purely on the account of his great Age. It has been showed that the People of God who had His Word to direct them, have given a preference to Age. When Moses needed some to be Coadjutors & Assistants to him in Rule & Government, God said to him, Gather Seventy men of the Elders of Israel whom thou knowest to be the Elders of the People, Numb. 11.16. Of such Elders their Sanhedrin or great Council did consist. Their Priests were Ecclesiastical Rulers, besides them, there were of other Tribes Civil Rulers; these are called ⟨p. 63⟩the Elders of the People. And in the Gospel, Pastors of Churches are called Elders. Act. 14.23. They Ordained Elders in every Church. Such were to be either in respect of their Years Elders, or to be endowed with the Knowledge, and Wisdom of Old Men. In which respect there may possibly be an Old Young Man. A Young Man that has the Seriousness, Piety, and Gravity of an Old Man, is a Young Old Man. The Rabbi said true, Sapiens appellatur Senex, etiam si diebus sit exignis. But moreover, they that have not had the Scriptures, yet the Law written in their hearts by Nature, has directed them to give a peculiar respect and deference to Aged Men. In most Civilized Nations they have done so: They have thought such fittest to be trusted with the greatest and most honourable Offices, inasmuch as Age has given the denomination to their Public Councils. ⟨p. 64⟩Among the Romans their Rulers had the Name of Senators as being Senes Old Men, and their Magistrates were called their Senate. So among the Spartans in Greece, their Public Councils had the Name of Gerousia, which signifies a Senate. Such was their honour for Age as that it became a proverbial saying, It is good living to be an Old Man in Sparta, because the People in the City, did exceedingly respect and revere Old Men.
4. The light of Nature teacheth Men to honour Age. I remember Mr Burroughs in one of his Sermons, relates a Passage worthy of Commemoration, concerning several Lacedemonian Ambassadors, ⟨p. 62⟩who being in a Theater at Athens, when they saw an Aged grave Man coming altho' they knew him not, only because of his hoary head, they knew him to be Aged, they rose up & bowed to him, the whole Theater admired & applauded those Ambassadors as Men worthy to be honoured themselves, for their shewing such Veneration to an Aged Man, purely on the account of his great Age. It has been shewed that the People of God who had His Word to direct them, have given a preference to Age. When Moses needed some to be Coadjutors & Assistants to him in Rule & Government, God said to him, Gather Seventy men of the Elders of Israel whom thou knowest to be the Elders of the People, Numb. 11.16. Of such Elders their Sanedrim or great Council did consist. Their Priests were Ecclesiastical Rulers, besides them, there were of other Tribes Civil Rulers; these are called ⟨p. 63⟩the Elders of the People. And in the Gospel, Pastors of Churches are called Elders. Act. 14.23. They Ordained Elders in every Church. Such were to be either in respect of their Years Elders, or to be endowed with the Knowledge, and Wisdom of Old Men. In which respect there may possibly be an Old Young Man. A Young Man that has the Seriousness, Piety, and Gravity of an Old Man, is a Young Old Man. The Rabbi said true, Sapiens appellatur Senex, etiam si diebus sit exignis. But moreover, they that have not had the Scriptures, yet the Law written in their hearts by Nature, has directed them to give a peculiar respect and deference to Aged Men. In most Civilized Nations they have done so: They have thought such fittest to be trusted with the greatest and most honourable Offices, inasmuch as Age has given the denomination to their Publick Councils. ⟨p. 64⟩Among the Romans their Rulers had the Name of Senators as being Senes Old Men, and their Magistrates were called their Senate. So among the Spartans in Greece, their Publick Councils had the Name of Gerousia, which signifies a Senate. Such was their honour for Age as that it became a proverbial saying, It is good living to be an Old Man in Sparta, because the People in the City, did exceedingly respect and revere Old Men.
