Chap. 30. An Expofition upon the Booke of Jo B. Verf, yg terpretations. Only for the clearer grounding of obfervations, we may apply the words : Firft To the young men ; wheretocould the firength of their hands (that is, of thefe young mens hands) profit me, in :them, old age was peri/hed; they loft their old age before they came at it; Some preferve their youth in old age, others loofe their old age in their very, youth. Thus 7.b feemes to fpeake concer- ning thefe youngmen; What though they were ftrong, or had. strength ofhand, yet their old age was perifbed in them. Hence note ; old age fl;urifheth fort:came' in 3outh0 We may feethat which is the honour ofan old man in fome- w.ho-are young. Solcmon was young, but old age, that is, wif- dome fluurifhed in him ; 7,fs4h was young, but old age, that is,. piety flourifhed in hiar ; He flourifht in godlines tendernes of heart, and zeale for reformation, when.he was very young and tender ; Timothy. was a very youngman , yet old age was not perifhed, but flourifhed in him ; Paul exhorted ham , and he doubtlefe carried it fo, that no man defpifed his youth ;.he was an example of thebelievers, in.w<rd, inconverfation, in charity, ixspirit, in frith,in purity.. Wildome, gravity, prudence, tem- perance, arc not alwayes confined tothofe who have wrincklcd faces and furrow'd browes, dim eyes and palfie hands , leaning upon a NE: All the vertu4s of the ancient have fhined'in young men; grace makes all the -glory of old age vifible in youth. But as in ?obsyoung men, fo in many more old age is perifhed, There's nothing to be feene in them but youthfuli vanity. Secondly Comparing the_former and the later part of the. verfe together, obferve, The flrength ofayoung man profits little, ifbe have not the vertues andgoadqualities ofan old man. Though a man have the ftrength of a Giant, yet unleffe,he have judgement and p udence, what is he g. od for iurel, , for nothing that's good. Strength without grace and bolines feyYes for little, and without prudence it ferns for nothing. Morale. wifdo.me.
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