Chap. 3 a. An Expoftion upon the Bookof J o B. Verf. 7. had time andopportunities, as a rich price in their hand toget wifdome,as Elihudid with his friends being aged men. Who can imagine,but that they are full of wifdome,that they aboundin knowledge and fpirituall undertianding, who abounding in dayes and yeares, have abounded alto in meanes of knowledge. Note Secondly. ezIs old men(would abound in knowledge, fo they fhould approve themfelves rea ly'to teach the ignorant. Ifaid dayes fhouldfpemk, andmultitudeof yearesfhould teach wif dime. 'Tis a duty incumbent upon them who have learned much, to teach much. To conveigh wifdome andknowledge to others is moltproper to fuch, as well as moll ornamental, and honou- rable. To be knowing our felves is a great mercy, and to helpe others to the knowledge of what we know is a great duty; we loofe one fpeciali end of knowing, if we know only for our felves. To communicate and diffufe our knowledge to others is the nobleft way of uing ir, and the bell way of improving it, and that in a double refpeet ; Firfl,it is the bell way of improvingit, as to encreafe ; Secondly, it is the bell way of improving ir, as to reward. The more we give out our knowledge, the more we fhali have of it, and the more we ¡hall have for it both fromGod and men. The Apoftie faith of a Gofpei Miniller (s Tirn.3.2. ) Hemull be apt to teach, not only able, but apt, that is, ready and willing to teach ; now what the Apoflte fpeaks there of anElder by office, is true of thole that are elders in time, they allo fhould be apt to teach ; not only able, but ready and willing to teach in and according to their fpheare and power. I faid dayes fhould freak,, &c. Thirdly , Note. 'Tit a reproach to oldage, not to be knowing and t1,-fe, nit to be able andart to teach wifdome. That old age is venerable, not which hach white hayre, but which whiteneth with vertuous and worthy actions ; Elrhu (peaks seneflus ijla here, not only narratively but reprovingly, he reflects upon the venerabilisefl9 ancient, whole abilities come not up to or doe not egoall their non qua, cards yeares. The aged may well blufh and be afhamed to be found fed neritis al. ignorant of, or unskilfull in any thing that they ought to know. lib, P 49
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