N01545:99
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.
Inst. 3. Aged Servants of the Lord may have Comfort against the Temptations & Afflictions which their Old age […] attended with. The World useth to slight them. Men will not worship the setting Sun. Suppose a Lamp to have shined never brightly, when it is going out, 'tis Lamp despised, Job 12.5. That's often the case of Aged Servants of the Lord. And sometimes they think themselves more despised than they are; that's a natural Infirmity of Age: but suppose they are so, if God does not despise them, it is no matter tho' the World does. God despiseth no Servant of His for his being Old, but respects him the more for his having been many Years in the way of righteousness. One of the greatest discouragements ⟨p. 104⟩of Old Age, is, that then a Christian cannot do that Service for God and Man which in his Younger Years he was capable of. Yet sometimes God is so gracious to His Aged Servants, as to continue their Abilities for Service, which is a signal and more than ordinary favour. There are some whose Old Age is like Abraham's, a good Old Age, Gen. 25 8. If a Man is capable of doing good in his Old Age, God has blessed him with a good Old Age. Some Aged Servants of the Lord have done singular Service for the Church of God just as they have been going out of the World. Some of their last words and works were of great use after they were dead & gone. Thus concerning the last words of David the Man of God, 2 Sam. 23.1. The Apostle Paul, wrote his Second Epistle to Timothy in his Old Age, a little before his death, which has been of singular use to the Church of God. The ⟨p. 105⟩like is to be said concerning the Second Epistle of Peter. But suppose Age has debilitated him, and rendered him unserviceable, if when he had youth and vigour he laid himself out for God, he may comfort himself with this thought, the Lord remembers it. Jer. 2 2 I remember the kindness of thy youth. Moreover, Aged Servants of the Lord may comfort themselves with this consideration, God will never forsake them. They may live to be a burden to themselves and others: their nearest Relatives may grow weary of them; but then the everlasting Arm will not be weary in supporting them. It was Davids Prayer, Cast me not off in old Age, forsake me not when my strength faileth,