Necessity of Consolation.

Godly conference and discourse are often rendered the means of comfort and relief. The Lord, indeed, usually works in this way, that his people may see it to be their greater privilege and duty thus to help each other's faith, and so be joint partakers of his joy. This mutual regard and assistance tend also to unite the flock of Christ, and to make them more and more dear to each other. For want of this, many congregations are like scattered sheep, unaffectionate, disregarding, and careless of their brethren's true happiness and prosperity.

Whatever be the trial or the disorder, the word and promises of God are the appointed help and remedy which must chiefly be used and applied. If God's word cannot relieve the troubled mind, vain indeed must be the word of man. But, experience shows, that this word, through the aid of divine grace, hath been blessed to the souls of his distressed people, when all other helps have failed.

And as all the blessings must descend from above, so all discourses, if not begun, should at least be ended in prayer. Very often in the prayer, the trouble shall be lightened, which the previous discourse did not seem in the least to

remove.

There is not a possible case of distress intowhich a believer may fall, but there is something in the holy scripture which can meet it. It is the wisdom, then, of a gracious person, in all conferences with the afflicted, to have a store of suitable passages with him, or with his mind, that out of it he may be able to draw what may tend, under God's blessing, to remove or to lessen the trial.

Dying Admonition.

Where the body as well as the soul is affected, proper remedies must be administered to both, and especially to the latter, that it may be encouraged to support the frailer and the weaker part. Generally in cases of sickness, the mind above all things must be attended to; for if that be well, it will not only enable the person to bear the other better, but it will have this noble cordial within, that all shall be well at the last. It is an abominable wickedness in some physicians, that they order all religious discourse out of the chambers of the sick and the dying, lest it should lower the spirits (as they think) and perplex the mind. Are the dying, then, to be deceived into death, if they are ignorant of God and salvation? Or, if they know God, are they to have no comfort of his word, when they have most occasion for it? It is equally wicked to flatter with life, when death itself is at the very door. I remember a man, who seemed to have some serious impressions from religious discourse, under a near prospect of dying; but when a deceiving physician had assured him of his recovery, he threw away all concerns for heaven, received with disgust any mention of the state of his soul, and was found with cards and idle company in the very evening of that night in which he fell speechless and died. Did not such a physician contribute what he could to the murder of a soul? And is not this the worst, because the most lasting and irreparable cruelty?

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Certainly, religious discourses at such seasons should not be thrust in at random, but by discreet persons, or (if they can be had) by pious ministers, who will neither be too long at one time

Old Age.

in their attentions, nor offer what may be unsuitable or impertinent.

When the soul is relieved and consoled, every one knows how much it will sometimes contribute to the health of the body. But if it be the will of God to remove the party from this world, surely, in the acts of faith and of the comforts which faith brings, it is the more meet to ascend up to another. Why should a Christian go off thoughtless and sad to celebrate the marriagesupper in heaven?

All trials and troubles are meant to take out the dross from the Christian. By grace, they have this effect more or less, throughout his life: And his various distresses likewise are exactly proportioned to his need of them. The last refinement is in death, in which he is perfectly cleansed and purified from every corruption, and removed to enjoy that pure state, which is equally void of sorrow and sin throughout eternity.

CHAP. XVI.

THE CHRISTIAN'S CONDUCT TO OLD AGE.

IT is the Lord's express command, Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God. The experience and gravity, the judgment and wisdom, frequently found in old age, demand veneration; and even where these are in some measure wanting, the infirmities and inquietudes of that state call upon people of younger years to abound in compassion towards them.

The ancient Christian.

I know not how it may be with others; but for myself I ever loved the company and conversation of the ancient, preferably to the gay humours of the young, and have been exceedingly delighted at their explanations and informations of circumstances and events, which no books could possibly have given me.

To this day I cannot meet an aged person, especially if he be infirm, without feeling some kind emotions of heart towards him; and these always heightened by an anxious pity, if it appear that he hath not yet felt any true concern for himself. All this may be mere nature, it is true; but, however, I do not wish to suppress it.

The grey hairs of the aged, those "church-yard flowers," (as they have been named) call aloud upon them, and through them to all men, Prepare to meet your God. They are remembrancers, to the eye and to the heart, of death at hand, and of eternity to come.

But the ancient Christian is especially to be considered as a venerable pile, respecting his soul, built up in a long course of grace for the habitation of God himself. The Fathers in Christ, having known HIM who is from the beginning, are to be revered, consulted, and (if need be) defended by the younger brethren upon all occa

sions.

The apostle, encouraging this tribute of respect to the aged, exhorts, Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father, even when his conduct should be such, as is not to be approved. If these have tried grace and long experience, they have also increasing natural weakness and numberless infirmities, by which it will be no wonder, if in

Conduct towards Youth.

some instances they should be overborne. Could a young man, with a very large portion of grace, change places with them for a day, it is to be doubted, whether he would manage the case any better! though it is not to be doubted, that this experience might teach him extraordinary commiseration in future.

CHAP. XVII.

THE CHRISTIAN'S CONDUCT TO YOUTH.

AN heathen could say, That the greatest respect is due unto children. He meant, that nothing should pass before their sight, which might either lead them to vices, or encourage vices in them.

There is no need of gloom in any of the things of God. True seriousness wants it not, and is very foreign to it in its nature. It is particularly unnecessary to indulge this sullen and morose humour of the natural heart (for it is seldom little better) before youth or children. There is an easy cheerfulness and benevolence, remote from all silly levity, and highly consistent with grace and the best good sense, which ought to reside in a Christian's heart, and which he might exhibit particularly upon occasion to younger persons; they are to be drawn by the cords of a man, that is, with natural affections; and though it is not in human power to render them truly religious, yet surely religion ought not to appear before them, or before any body else, as a poor, miserable, dreadful thing like a spectre or ghost, to