SERMON XXXVI.

PIETY A PECULIAR ORNAMENT TO THE AGED.

THE hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness PROV. X. 31.

THIS is a wise saying of the wise man, which has no particular connection with what is said before it or what is said after it. It needs no comments, for it is a plain declaration of a plain important truth:

That piety is a peculiar ornament to old people.

It is proposed to consider,

And,

I. Who may properly be called old people. II. What is to be understood by their piety. III. In what respects their piety is their peculiar ornament. I. We are to consider who may properly be called old people. This is a phrase to which common use has affixed no definite meaning. Old and young are relative terms, and may admit of different significations. We often speak of some as young, of some as younger, and of some as youngest. And on the contrary, we often speak of the old, the older, and the oldest. Children always think their parents are old. Some think men may be called old at forty, or fifty, or sixty, and it is generally, if not universally thought that those are really old who have arrived at seventy, and above seventy years of age. There seems to be no impropriety however in calling any man old rather than young, who has passed the meridian of life, which is commonly supposed to be at about forty-five. The scripture represents those as old, who have gray hairs here and there upon them. David considered this as a mark of his old age. "Now when I am old and gray headed, O God, forsake me not." The distinction in ages has always been considered as

an important distinction by all mankind, who have marked it by some peculiar symptoms or visible effects which the different periods of life produce on the body or mind. The young are fond of the distinction between them and the old; and though the old cannot deny the distinction, yet they generally regret it. But it ought to be realized by both the young and the old; for God has made it the ground of different precepts and prohibitions in his word. He requires that of the young which he does not require of the old, and requires that of the old which he does not of the young. Though God has mentioned three-score years and ten as the common boundary of life, yet he has no where mentioned any particular period in life when a person ceases to be young, and begins to be old. He leaves it to every individual to judge for himself when the precepts to the young bind him, and when the precepts to the old bind him. It is a matter of serious importance therefore, that every one should judge justly, with respect to his being old or young. We are not to determine whether we are young, or whether we are old, by what others think or say of us, but by what we know of ourselves respecting this distinct period of our lives, which God has distinguished, and which he regards. None can either read or hear the word of God properly and profitably without numbering their days aright, and realizing whether they are in the morning, in the meridian, or decline of life. How many have been startled the first time they heard themselves called old, or the first time they realized themselves to be so! This discourse is designed for the aged, and it seems necessary that all who stand in that rank should know that it speaks to them in particular. Let us now consider,

II. What is to be understood by the piety of old people, which is their peculiar ornament, or crown of glory. It is called their righteousness in the text. Righteousness is often used in Scripture to denote holiness in heart and life, in distinction from every thing that is unholy in heart and life. When any are renewed in the spirit of their mind, they are said "to put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Righteousness is true holiness, which is the moral excellence of all moral beings, and the essence of all vital piety in mankind. The piety of old people implies two things. And,

1. It implies their cordial belief in the great truths of the gospel. None can truly embrace the gospel without cordially believing the peculiar and essential doctrines or principles upon which it is founded. Men, in order to be saved, must believe what the gospel teaches concerning God, concerning Christ,

concerning themselves, and concerning the future state of rewards and punishments. They must believe the existence, the perfections, the government, and the purposes of God. They must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him; that his laws are holy, just, and good; that he reigns in righteousness, and disposes of all his works and creatures in perfect wisdom, justice and goodness; and that he will finally promote the highest holiness and happiness of the universe, by punishing the wicked and rewarding the righteous in the future state. They must believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is both "God and man in two distinct natures, and one person for ever; " that he has suffered and died to make atonement for the sins of the world; that they have sinned, and deserve the curse of the law which they have broken; that they must renounce all self-righteousness and self-dependence, and rely alone on the atonement of Christ for pardon and acceptance in the sight of God; and that it is only by perseverance in faith, repentance and obedience, that they can reach the kingdom of heaven; while all the finally impenitent and unbelieving will be cast off for ever. All true piety is founded on the knowledge, the belief, and the love of the great and peculiar truths of the gospel. Nor is this all, for,

2. The piety of old people implies the practice of the duties, as well as the belief of the doctrines, of the gospel. It seems to be suggested in the text, that old righteous persons have lived not only a long, but a righteous life. "The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness." It is generally true, though there may be some exceptions, that aged christians have lived a long time in the way of holiness and obedience to the divine commands. The promises of the gospel are expressly made to those who overcome, to those who continue in well-doing, and to those who endure unto the end. The piety of the aged is aged piety, and productive of the fruits of righteousness. Internal piety always produces external obedience to the precepts of the gospel. Though the oldest christians never arrive at sinless perfection in this life, yet they generally grow in grace as they grow in years, and become more and more satisfied with being reconciled to dying, and desirous of being absent from the body, and present with the Lord. It is to be expected, that aged saints will be found in the way of righteousness, and living under the happy influence of the great and precious promises which God has given them. "The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree; he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted

in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing: to show that the Lord is upright." Though the piety of the young and that of the old are essentially alike, yet the piety of the aged has a specific and superior excellence. It now remains to consider,

III. In what respects their piety is their peculiar ornament. Piety adorns the hoary head, and spreads a peculiar beauty over the aged. This is the universal opinion of mankind. Those who look upon piety as a blemish in the morning or meridian of life, admire it as a beauty in old age. Who ever saw a poor man of piety, suffering the decays of nature, and the infirmities of old age, that did not say to himself, that his piety, in his situation, was proper, was necessary, and truly amiable. Who ever saw a rich man of piety, bowing under the weight of years, leaning on his staff, or lying on a bed of sickness and death, and just ready to leave all his possessions and honors, that did not say to himself, I had rather possess that man's piety, than all the wealth and earthly enjoyments which he is leaving behind him. How much soever piety may be despised in the young, the rich and the great, in the early stages of life, yet it always appears to be a crown of glory in those who are in the vale of years, and on the borders of eternity. It is a peculiar beauty and ornament to old people, in various respects. For,

1. Their piety appears with peculiar purity. They have been thrown into the furnace of affliction, and experienced many fiery trials, which were designed to purge them from their dross and tin. They have been made to distinguish between nature and grace, which were often blended together in their early piety. They have learned the wide difference between natural and spiritual affections, and discovered their great leanness and imperfection in holiness, which has clothed them with humility, the brightest feature in the christian character. They have been taught to keep their hearts as well as their lives, with all diligence. They have become better acquainted with God, with themselves, and with the world. They have found the folly and danger of leaning to their own understanding, and trusting in their own heart. They more habitually acknowledge God in all their ways, and seek to him for continual guidance and assistance in duty. They are in some measure cured of their natural and spiritual pride. They were once proud of their piety, and wished to be esteemed as the excellent of the earth. Nor were they merely proud of their piety, but of their superiority. Instead of esteeming others better than themselves, they esteemed themselves better than others, which was spiritual pride. But

when they are become aged, they think more soberly of themselves, and as they ought to think, and walk softly before God; which exhibits their piety in a more pure and amiable light. The purified piety of Peter, of Paul, and especially of John, who outlived all the other apostles, shone with peculiar lustre in the close of life. Abraham appears better after he was tried, than he did before. Jacob appears vastly better after he was tried than he did before. His sons appear vastly better after they were tried than they did before. The piety of David Brainerd grew more pure and beautiful, as he drew nearer and nearer to the grave. Aged piety is tried, purified, refined piety, and spreads a peculiar glory over those who have gone through the storms and tempests of life, spent their days in the service of God, and are waiting for their appointed change.

2. Piety is a peculiar ornament to old people, because it hides the infirmities and imperfections, which are peculiar to their age. Old age is usually attended with so many infirmities of body and mind, that it exhibits a spectacle from which every body turns away his eyes with pain, or disgust. You can hardly bear to see a man, with whom you have been acquainted in his better days, after he has lost his bodily activity, his hearing, his seeing, his memory, and all his sociability. These are the usual effects and consequences of old age, in a greater or less degree; and they are certainly great corporeal and mental imperfections, which need something to cover them. But there is nothing that can cover these imperfections, but vital piety, which aged christians often retain after their bodily and intellectual powers are much impaired. This was the case of the apostle John. He lived until he became very feeble in body and mind, but he retained his spirit of piety, which rendered him peculiarly amiable and venerable. When he could do no more, he used to sit in the chair and say, "little children, love one another." Who could see, or despise his decays of nature, which were adorned with the beauties of holiness? How amiable does piety render aged parents in the eyes of their dutiful children! How amiable does piety render any aged, feeble christian, not only in the view of his friends and acquaintance, but of all who witness his pious appearance, and hear his pious language! How many aged christians lose their bodily activity, while their mental abilities are but very little impaired, and their growth in grace is increased! In such cases, they often become more amiable than they were in their full vigor and activity. Their piety shines with peculiar lustre, and hides, and more than hides, the imbecility of body and mind, though continually increasing to the day of their death. Their declining path is like the declining sun, which sends forth less heat,