Particular 3. An old disciple, an old Christian, he hath got the art of serving God, the art of religion ; got the art of hearing, the art of praying, the art of meditating, the art of repenting, the art of believ- ing, the art of denying his natural self, his sinful self, his religious self1
All trades have their mystery and difficulty, so hath the trade of Christianity. Young Christians usually bungle in religious works, but old Christians acquit themselves like workmen that ' need not be ashamed/ A young carpenter gives more blows and makes more chips, but an old artist doth the most and best work. A youno* Christian may make most noise in religious duties, but an old Christian makes the best work. A young musician may play more quick and nimble upon an instrument than an old, but an old musician hath more skill and judgment than a young. The application is easy, and by this you may also see what an honour it is to be an old Christian, &c.
Particular 4. An old disciple, an old Christian, is rich in spiritual experiences. Oh ! the experiences that he hath of the ways of God, of the workings of God, of the word of God, of the love of God! 1 Johnii. 1. Oh ! the divine stories that old Christians can tell of the power of the word, of the sweetness of the word, of the usefulness of the word! Ps. cxix.49,50, as a light to lead the soul, as a staff to support the soul, as a spur to quicken the soul, as an anchor to stay the soul, and as a cordial to comfort and strengthen the soul !2 Oh ! the stories that he can tell you concerning the love of Christ, the blood of Christ, the offices of Christ, the merits of Christ, the righteousness of Christ, the graces of Christ, and the influence of Christ ! Oh ! the stories that an old disciple can tell you of the indwellings of the Spirit, of the operations of the Spirit, of the teachings of the Spirit, of the leadings of the Spirit, of the sealings of the Spirit, of the witnessings of the Spirit, and of the comforts and joys of the Spirit ! Oh ! the stories that an old Christian can tell you of the evil of sin, the bitterness of sin, the deceitfulness of sin, the pre valency of sin, and the happiness of conquest over sin ! Oh ! the stories that he can tell you of the snares of Satan, the devices of Satan, the temptations of Satan, the rage of Satan, the malice of Satan, the watchfulness of Satan, and the ways of triumphing over Satan ! As an old soldier can tell you of many battles, many scars, many wounds, many losses, and many victories, even to admiration ;3 so an old saint is able to tell you many divine stories even to admiration.
Pliny writes of the crocodile, that she grows to her last day, Hosea xiv. 5-7.4 So aged saints, they grow rich in spiritual experiences to the last. An old Christian being once asked if he grew in goodness,
1 Heb. v. 11-14. Yet as Solon was not ashamed to say that in his old age he was a learner, so those that are the greatest artists in Christianity will confess, that they are still but learners. [Plutarch's Solon. — Q-.]
2 Old men love to speak of ancient things. 3 ' Wonder.' — G.
4 The following are references in Pliny to the crocodile : lib. viii. c. 37, 38, 40, 72 ; xxviii. 29. Probably Brooks's is a vague recollection of the first. — G. VOL. I. N
194- APPLES OF GOLD. [1 KlNGS XIV. 13.
answered, Yea, doubtless I do; for God hath said, 'The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree,' Ps. xcii. 12-14, (now the palm tree never loseth his leaf or fruit, saith Pliny) ; ' he shall grow like a cedar in Leba- non. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be Lit and flourishing.' A fellow to this promise Isaiah mentions, Isa. xlvi. 3, 4, ' Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the rem- nant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb : and even to your old age I am he ; and even to hoary hairs will I carry you : I have made, and I will bear ; even I will carry, and will deliver you.'
There is nothing more commendable in fulness of age than fulness of knowledge and experience, nor nothing more honourable than to see ancient Christians very much acquainted with the Ancient of days, Dan. vii. 9, 13-22.
It is a brave sight to see ancient Christians like the almond tree. Now the almond tree doth flourish and is full of blossoms in the winter of old age ; for as Pliny tells us, the almond tree doth blossom in the month of January. Experiments1 in religion are beyond notions and impressions. A sanctified heart is better than a silver tongue. No man so rich, so honourable, so happy as the old disciple, that is rich in spiritual experiences ; and yet there is no Christian so rich in his ex- periences but he would be richer.
As Julianus said, that when he had one foot in the grave, he would have the other in the school ; so, though an old disciple hath one foot in the grave, yet he will have the other in Christ's school, that he may still be treasuring up more and more divine experiments. And by this also you see what an honour it is to be an old disciple, &c.
Particular 5. An old disciple is very stout, cob vrageous, Ji)vm,, and fixed in his resolution. An old Christian is like a pillar, a rock ; no- thing can move him, nothing can shake him, Ps. xliv. 9, 26. What is sucked in in youth will abide in old age. Old soldiers are stout and courageous ; nothing can daunt nor discourage them. When Joshua was an hundred and ten years old, oh how courageous and resolute was he ! Joshua xxiv. 1 5, 29, ' And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve : whether the gods that your fathers served, that were on the other side of the flood ; or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell ; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. And it came to pass, after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old.'
[Q.] Considius, a senator of Rome, told Caesar boldly that the sena- tors durst not come to council for fear of his soldiers. He replied, Why then dost thou go to the senate ? He answered, Because my age takes away my fear.2
Ah ! none so courageous, none so divinely fearless, none so careless in evil days, as ancient Christians. An old Christian knoAvs that that good will do him no good which is not made good by perseverance ; his resolution is like that of Gonsalvo, who protested to his soldiers, shew- ing them Naples, that he had rather die one foot forwards, than to have 1 'Experiences.'— G. ' I'lutarch, Ccesar, 14 ; Cicero, ad A «., ii. 24.— G.
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