N01545:71
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.
2. GOD has put honour upon Age. He has so by requiring others to show respect to it. The Word of God has said, Rebuke not an Elder, but entreat him as a Father, 1 Tim 5.1. It is evident from the next verse, that the Apostle by an Elder in that Place does not mean an Elder in respect of Office, ⟨p. 54⟩but an Ancient Man. If there is cause to reprove him, you must consider that he is a Father, and therefore not to use harsh language, but to treat him with that decency that becomes his Seniority, and in respect of Age Superiority. The Commandment of God is very solemn & awful, in Levit. 19.32. Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the Old Man, & fear thy God, I am the Lord. Rising up is a sign of honour. Therefore Solomon when he saw his Mother coming to him rose up and bowed himself in token of a reverential respect always due to a Parent, especially to an Aged Parent. The Hebrew Writers say, that among them, if an hoary headed Man, came within four Cubits of him that was sitting, he was to rise up and not to sit down again until the Old Man was past him, such reverence had they for the face of the Old Man. And where do we find a more ⟨p. 55⟩solemn charge in all the Scripture, than this of honouring the Old Man? God says as ever you would manifest the fear of My Name to be in your hearts, honour the face of the Old Man. If you do it not, you do not fear Me, you do not acknowledge Me to be the Lord, if you make no Conscience of this Commandment. Moreover, God has put honour upon Old Age by Promising it as a great favour & blessing. Psal. 91.16. With long life will I satisfy him. It is promised as a reward of Obedience to the Commandment of God. He said to His People Israel, You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath Commanded you, that you may live and that you may prolong your days, Deut. 5 33. How often in the Scripture, & especially in the Proverbs of Solomon, are such Promises inculcated thereby to Encourage Obedience. Prov. 3.1, 2