SERMON IV.

OLD AGE.

PSALMS xcii. 14.

THEY SHALL STILL BRING FORTH FRUIT IN OLD AGE.

If we expand the metaphor of the text into a simile, we may say, that the Psalmist compares human life to a fruit tree, which exhibits different appearances, as it is variously affected by the progressive seasons of the year. As the tree in spring produces blossoms, which become fruit in summer, and ripe fruit in autumn: so man, in his childhood, which resembles spring, brings forth the beautiful flowers of promise; in his youth, which resembles summer, the fruits of wisdom and virtue are beginning to be formed, and every day gradually increase in size; in his manhood, which resembles autumn, his intellectual and moral character is ripe, and he now gathers the reward of his labours. When we arrive at winter, the comparison no longer runs parallel; for the tree brings forth neither blossoms nor fruit in December; whilst in old age, which, as it is the last and coldest period of life, in

some points resembles it, fruit may still be produced; the fruit of happiness, and the fruit of duty. We are now in the midst of the shortest days of the year no subject therefore appears to me more proper for the season than old age, the winter of life. It is my intention, first, to show that long life, which must of necessity terminate in old age, is a blessing; and secondly to mention several duties, which become the aged.

I. Long life is a blessing. The blessings which we most ardently desire are health, riches, and long life. Without health all other enjoyments would be of little value. Riches are desired for the sake of enabling us to procure every other pleasure; for he who has wealth, it is supposed, can purchase with it whatever is necessary to his happiness. But even health and riches would not be much prized, if they were to be of short continuance. It is therefore ever our fervent prayer, May I be blessed with a long life! However disposed we may sometimes be to inveigh against the world, we are willing to remain in it; and however prone to consider life as full of evil, we quit it with regret. Though we are too ready on every occasion peevishly to quarrel with it, yet we still cherish it, like an old friend whom we fondly love. That these are the sentiments of nature, your own feelings, my brethren, will confirm and in this light is long life represent

ed in the ancient scriptures. When the happiness of a favourite of heaven is described in the Old Testament, this particular blessing is enumerated among the others which he possessed. Thus does Moses speak of the founder of the Jewish nation, a man who was distinguished for the felicity of his life : Abraham, says he, died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years. This reward also was one of the most eminent, by which God incited his people to obey his commands: Honour thy father and mother, that thy days may be long in the land. The like reward was annexed to many other precepts; for the Mosaick religion, as has been often observed, was founded principally, if not altogether, on temporal promises. In the Old Testament, it is true, there are many complaints of the vanity and misery of the world: but still it seems to be a conceded point, that life is a favour, and consequently that a long life is to be wished for and thankfully received. You, my brethren, who have reached the period of old age, ought therefore to acknowledge the goodness of God: and you, who enjoy the happiness of having a beloved friend continued with you for many years, ought to be grateful to Heaven.

The natural age of man is said by the best writers on the human frame to be about ninety years; that is, a man of a robust constitution, whose life was passed in temperance, and without disease, would, if

no dangerous accident intervened, attain this period, and then die of old age. In this country we see many instances of persons, who reach this term and even beyond it; which demonstrates that the observation is founded on experience. But human life is subject to so many maladies, that the Psalmist has thought proper to fix the period of it to seventy, or at farthest to eighty years. We generally consider a person as having been favoured with long life who dies at the age of seventy, though it is evidently far short of the natural age of man.

In asserting that long life is a blessing, it must be taken for granted, that life in general has a balance of enjoyments in its favour. But of this fact there cannot be much doubt. There are, it is true, in the world many positive evils, which, as they are the constant topicks of declamation, I need not enumerate. Beside which it must be allowed, that amidst the most flourishing external prosperity, the heart of man is never fully satisfied. What he possesses never answers his expectations; and there is always something wanting which he cannot obtain. No person of experience therefore will assert, that man is or can be completely happy in this world: and they who are disposed to turn their attention too much on themselves, and who refine with a morbid kind of sensibility on the nature of human felicity, will be apt to believe that misery greatly preponderates. But excepting them, who

preposterously lay every nerve bare to the touch of pain, the human race have not much to complain of. God has so benevolently constructed both the natural and moral world, that there are innumerable sources of happiness. Our senses are the inlets of pleasure; and our minds, a vast magazine of enjoyment. Now I say that these enjoyments are not confined to youth, but that old age is admitted to its share. The senses may be in some degree blunted by age; but their sensibility is not destroyed. The taste, smell, and touch are still gratified with the objects adapted to them; melodious sounds still charm the ear; and brilliant, beautiful, and sublime objects still delight the eye. Intellectual pleasures of the more refined species are perhaps increased, as we advance in years. For it is the nature of man when his powers are rightly improved, to begin with matter, and to end with spirit. Knowledge, where industry is continued, and the faculties are not impaired, though many things are forgotten which were learned in youth, must be gradually enlarged till the close of life. The same thing is true of virtue; for like all other habits, it must become more and more confirmed by repeated acts. Children are innocent; but they cannot properly speaking be styled virtuous: they are all body, and all their wishes and enjoyments terminate in themselves. By proper instructions and examples they may indeed be gradually led to the ac