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weakness through fin dwelling in them, gratitude for what has been done, and is doing, for their fouls, conftrain them to glory in the Lord alone. They have been fuftained in fpiritual conflicts. They have overcome through the blood of the Lamb. They wait on the Lord and renew their ftrength. The example and experience of the godly, in all ages, declare that their truft in his power, love and faithfulness has not been in vain. "Thus faith the Lord that created thee, "O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Ifrael, Fear "not: For I have redeemed thee, I have called thee "by thy name, thou art mine. When thou paffest "through the waters, I will be with thee; and through "the rivers, they fhall not overflow thee: When thou "walkeft through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt ; "neither fhall the flame kindle upon thee. Even to "old age I am HE, and even to hoary hairs will I car"ry you. The righteous fhall flourish as the palm"tree; he fhall grow like the cedar in Lebanon. They "fhall bring forth fruit in old age-to fhew that the "Lord is good." To perfons of fourfcore, the world appears, in fome meafure, as it did to Noah after the flood. They furvey the ruins of time; their joys gone; defolation fpread here and there, where once were their most pleasing profpects.

David, on the verge of life, expreffeth as all his falvation and defire, that God had "made with him an "everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and fure." He could fay, "Though I walk through the valley "and fhadow of death, I will fear no evil; thy rod "and ftaff comfort me. As for me, I fhall behold thy "face in righteoufnefs; I fhall be fatisfied when I "awake with thy likeness."

Refignation to the MOST HIGH, owning him to be God, is the path of duty and peace: It lays the foundation of the hope which maketh not afhamed. Since their courfe will foon be finifhed, the aged fhould retire from the noife and cares of the world, to com

mune with their heart and their God, before their fpirit returns to him. Abfence from earth and familiarity with eternal scenes will prepare them to affociate with the fpirits of the just and the angels of God. When they look back, can they wish to return to youth and childhood, and pass through life a fecond time? When they look round them, or before, or behind, or within themselves, what is there to warrant a warm attachment to earth, or a vigorous purfuit of its gifts, at their period? But if they walk in the light of God's countenance-if they rejoice in his name all the day, and are exalted in his righteousness, why fhould they fear when death is about to introduce them to his presence?

"To forget death is folly in the young; but in the "old it is madnefs. Much intimacy with the world "at their" stage of life" is contemptible. Never is

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one fo ftrongly ftruck with the weakness and de"pravity of human nature, as when he beholds gray "hairs doting on the world," and forgetful of "eter"nity." Let days fpeak, and gray hairs teach wif dom. Happy is it when the longeft experience of the world, of its emptiness and vanity, the longest opportunity to lay up a good foundation for eternity, has been well improved. For this purpose came we into. the world. When those who have lived longeft, can review life with the teftimony of a good confcience, they appeal as in the text, O God, thou haft taught me from my youth; and hitherto have I declared thy wonderful works. They firmly refolve to hold fast their integrity till death; to go in the ftrength of the Lord God, and make mention of his righteoufnefs, even of his only.

THIRDLY, The text expreffeth David's concern to tranfmit and extend a favour of religion. Now alfo when I am old and gray-headed, forfake me not; until I have fhewed thy ftrength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.

What lay nearest his heart before he left the world was to imprefs on his people, and particularly on the youth of the nation, a conviction of the advantges of religion. This had guided his youth: It was the fupport and comfort of his old age. Setting the highest value on his own intereft in the everlasting covenant, it was his ardent wish and endeavour, that he might fee true religion honoured as the foundation of public and private happiness. The refult of his obfervation from youth to old age, was, that he bad not seen the righteous forfaken, nor his feed begging bread. Friends and benefactors are raised up, to relieve them in any ftraits.

Admonished by age and decay that his opportunity to serve the will of God in his generation was almost terminated, how could David close life more honourably and usefully, than by his best attempts to kindle the flame of vital piety in the breafts of the rising generation?

A long life thus finished resembles the setting fun, whofe orb and rays then appear larger and brighter.

The aged obferve, that those who began life with them, have, with a few exceptions, clofed the fcenea memento that they themselves muft foon. Others have come forward, and no part of the drama remains for them to act who have been fo long on the stage. Their highest commendation will be to excite furvivors to act their parts well--to enter on life with the most laudable views of usefulness to the world, and hereby of honouring God.

Parents, to whom God hath given length of days, incite your pofterity to ftand up for God and his truth. Charity hopeth that you have improved long life by an intimate acquaintance with religion. In this cafe, fear

not.

God will not caft you off in old age. He will uphold you by his arm, and guide you by his counfel. How confoling is this reflection, under the labour and forrow which are affigned to declining years! Be it

your endeavour that God's glory may fhine on your children.

After the deadness of winter, the face of nature puts on a new glory as the fpring advances. This refembles the reftitution of all things, when the hoary head will renew its youth;-not to languifh again, but to flourish in immortal vigour. No fummer's heat, nor autumn's decay, nor winter's froft, nor night, nor the kingdom of death, is there. One perpetual fpring, one eternal day, will open. The glory of God is the light of that world. A pure river of water of life, iffuing from his throne, waters that divine abode. The tree of life, always in its verdure, yields her fruit every month, and gives life to all that tafte it. There is in heaven no fucceffion of feafons, as on earth. There is in eternity no account of time, the angel of God's prefence having pronounced, There shall be time no longer. Therefore the hoary head is young as the infant. In this world, the ftages of life, like the seasons, quickly fucceed each other. Those who are now in their winter, look back, and remember that a little while ago it was fpring with them. The space they have lived is much longer than that which is left. Every year feems fhorter. Their example and experience in religion fhould inculcate it on thofe who are to come after them; as David, when on the verge of life, with great folemnity charged Solomon, then young and tender, "Know thou the God of thy father, and ferve him "with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind." Parents, who have made choice of God, will earnestly pray and endeavour, that their children, to all generations, may make the fame choice. The word on which they hope is this; "The mercy of the Lord is from "everlasting to everlafting, and his righteoufness to "children's children; to fuch as keep his covenant.' With what pleasure did Paul call to mind the unfeigned faith of young Timothy? the pious fpirit which feemed to defcend to him from his ancestors? In the

near view of his own death, the aged apoftle was comforted, that his own fon in the faith would rife up the ornament of the church, a fignal inftrument in the defence and spread of the gofpel. Next to the approbation of his own confcience and the hope of immortality, an aged faint can have no greater fatisfaction than to obferve the traces of undiffembled piety and Chriftian zeal in fuch as are coming forward in life. St. Peter, in his old age, knowing that shortly he must put off his tabernacle, ufed his utmost endeavour in inculcating again and again the things of the gofpel, that they might be recollected and have effect after his decease.

May the aged, having made timely choice of reli. gion, fpare no pains to extend its influence, that they may blefs pofterity and unborn generations with better bleffings than any worldly ones. They are but a fingle remove from their eternal home. Of the multitudes, who have gone down to the grave, none have returned. If you wait or live a little longer, the grave is your houfe. You have had much opportunity to make a just estimate of life. For what would you ftill defire it at fo late a period? If the long day of life has been well spent, you may rather have a defire to depart. What is wanting cannot be numbered; but the prefence of God can abundantly supply it: It can fustain under every grief and burden: It increaseth ftrength to them that have no might. In what other ftrength can those go on, whofe powers are impaired and impairing? With your loins girt, and your lamps trimmed, wait the coming of your Lord. Be neither impatient of life, nor fubject to bondage through fear of death; but go in the ftrength of the Lord, making mention of his righteoufnefs, declaring his ftrength and power to those who may furvive you. Though you have from youth to age been devoted to God, ftill your work is not done, nor will be, while life and reafon laft. You must work till the night of death, when

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