N01545:77
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.
5. Not to honour Age is a sign of great inhumanity & barbarousness. It was predicted that the Apostate Children of Israel should for their Sins fall into the hands of a Nation with a fierce ⟨p. 65⟩Countenance which would not regard the person of the Old, Deut. 28.50. Which was fulfilled when the inhumane Chaldeans came upon them, who were brutish Men & skilful to destroy. Their brutality and barbarity appeared in that they had no Compassion on the Old man, nor on him that was so old as to stoop for Age, 2 Chron. 36.17. This is twice mentioned in the Prophet Jeremiahs Lamentations, Chapter 4.16. They respected not the persons of the Priests, they favoured not the Elders. And 5.12. The faces of the Elders were not honoured. So inhumane were those Heathen.
6. There is something of the Image of God in Age. The greater Seniority there is in any, the more does he in that respect approach to the Eternal God. It is said of Him, Neither can the number of his years be searched out, Job 36.26. In respect of their Age there is a stamp of God upon Old ⟨p. 66⟩Men, more than upon others. He is called the Ancient of Days, Dan. 7.9. And Christ in respect of His Eternity is represented as having his head & his hair white like wool, as white as snow, Rev. 1.14. Although' all Ages put them all together are not a Moment to Eternity, nevertheless, as to our Computation, Old Age bears the fairest Image of Eternity. Therefore is the hoary head a Crown of glory.