be, on fome accounts, better than your firft," and Chrift when he cometh fhall find you so doing. This was the ufe which St. Peter made of our Lord's prophecy, in the text: "I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to fir you up, by putting you in remembrance; knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jefus Chrift hath fhewed me." Think me not affuming, fathers, in thefe exhortations; for thus faith Paul to Titus:

Speak thou the things which become found doctrine; that the aged be fober, grave, temperate, found in faith, in charity and in patience; that they behave as becometh holiness, and be teachers of good things."

7. Let the aged endeavour to reconcile their hearts to the approach of death.

Peter, though old, though he had seen Christ's transfiguration, and could appeal to him for the fincerity of his love, yet was dismayed at the approach of a violent death. Hezekiah, though he could appeal to God, that he had walked before him in truth and with an upright heart, wept fore when the prophet

prophet told him he fhould die and not live. The fear of death is a natural paffion; and, if it were not an evil, it would never have been made the object of a threatening. Even moft of the aged and infirm would live a little longer. But it is defirable, for your own comfort and the honour of religion, that you should be willing to die, on the beft principles; not fo much to get rid of your pains and infirmities, as to fee your Lord, and obtain the falvation of your fouls. In order to this, quit all earthly cares, as much as poffible; and do not grafp the world, as too many do, with a dying hand, as if it were their god and their all, Endeavour to wean your affections from all things here below; to have your converfation in heaven, and to meditate more clofely on the glory to be revealed. Think how little was to be done for God, and how little of him to be enjoyed, even in your beft days. Endeavour, by a life of faith, meeknefs, patience and heavenly-mindedness, to contract a greater fuitableness to, and meetnefs for, the heavenly life, on which, you hope through grace, you are juft entering; that, as "the outward

outward man decays, the inward man may be renewed day by day :" that when you ftand at the entrance of the valley of the fhadow of death, you may fear no evil, but may fay, with a pious minifter in thofe circumstances," Come, Lord Jefus, come quickly: I am ready.". -I fhall only add,

8. Let aged chriftians rejoice in the views of the heavenly world:

For there fhall be none of the infirmities of age, nor any other infirmity or imperfection. When you groan in thefe earthly, tabernacles, being burdened, direct your thoughts to the time (and it is near) when,

you fhall be clothed upon with an hea venly house, and mortality fhall be fwallowed up of life." Look further, to the rifing day, when "the creature fhall be entirely delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the children of God." Then, "what is fown in weakness shall be raised in power;" needing no recruits of food nor fleep, and fubject to no pain, disease nor wearinefs. The eyes, which have feen the Lord Jefus in his glory, fhall weep and be dim no more: the

head,

head, which he hath graciously adorned with a crown of righteousness, fhall ache no more the hands, which have laid hold on eternal life, fhall tremble no more: but the holy foul will poffefs everlasting youth, ftrength and vigour; and all will be employed in the praises and fervices of God and the Lamb.

I conclude with expreffing my earnest wishes and prayers for you, my aged brethren, that your burdens may be light and eafy; your tempers patient, calm and cheerful; your lives honourable and useful to the laft; that at length your end may be peace, and you may have an abundant entrance into that world where "there fhall be no more death, neither forrow, nor crying; neither fhall there be any more pain: for the former things are all paffed away.",

Difcourfe II.

BARZILLAI'S REFUSAL OF DAVID'S INVITATION TO JERUSALEM CON

SIDERED.

2 SAMUEL, XIX. 34.

And Barzillai faid unto the king, How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king unto Jerufalem?

TH

L

HESE words are part of Barzillai's modeft and serious reply to a very kind and generous offer, which king David made him. This venerable old gentleman had, with remarkable loyalty and benevolence, furnished David and his attendants with provifion and other accommodations, when he fled from his capital city on occafion of the rebellion of his fon Abfalom. When the rebellion was quelled, and David was returning home, Barzillai came to congratulate