410 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN II. 12-14. [SeR. IV.
that looked in a short time to appear before God and receive their wages, ' to be steadfast and unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord,' 1 Cor. xv. 58. A man may be steadfast in the main, though somewhat moved and shaken, but the apostle would have us not only be steadfast but immovable. A tree that hath long stood out against many stormy winds is the more firmly rooted ; so a seasoned christian that hath gone through all weathers. But men that have not solid rooting wave hither and thither. There is initial grace, and a radi- cated state of grace.
5. They oftener meditate of God, his word, and works, and providence. The reasons why I think the more aged sort of christians are known by their meditation, are partly because, being past learning, they improve their knowledge by meditation. They have had a long time to make provision, and hoard up spiritual treasure ; and now they bring it forth : Mat. xii. 31, ' A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things.' And partly because meditation is a difficult work for young beginners, who have not so good a stock to spend upon, and so are more empty and barren ; they are not as yet cleansed from vain and idle thoughts, nor have inured themselves to self-government. But now long experience hath taught the aged christian what a hindrance it is to have their hearts pestered and dis- ordered with vanities, how it deadeneth their prayers ; and therefore they throng themselves with holy thoughts of God in Christ, who is the beloved of their souls. They feast themselves upon him with the dearest and most delightful apprehensions : Ps. civ. 34, ' My medita- tion of him shall be sweet ; I will be glad in the Lord ; ' Cant. i. 13, 1 A bundle of myrrh is my beloved unto me ; he shall lie all night between my breasts.' They often meditate of God, his infinite majesty, his everlasting being, his power, wisdom, goodness, and mercy. His word : Ps. cxix. 97, ' Oh, how I love thy law ! it is my meditation all the day ; ' ver. 103, ' How sweet are thy words to my taste ! 3Tea, sweeter than honey to my mouth ! ' His works : Ps. viii. 3, 4, ' When I con- sider the heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained: what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou visitest him ? ' His judgments on the wicked : Ps. lviii. 10, ' The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance ; he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked ; ' Ps. xxxvii. 34-36, ' Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land ; when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. 1 have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay-tree ; yet he passed away, and lo, he was not ; yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.' In every age some of the wicked are made spectacles of God's threatened judgments before the eyes of his people. Every man in his own time maketh his remarks and observations, as the prophet had his observations in his time. These the believer layeth up in his heart, which feedeth his faith, and calmeth his passions, and awakeneth his zeal, preventeth rash judging by present appearances. His provision for his people : Ps. xxxvii. 25, ' I have been young and now am old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.' His providence to themselves.
VeR. 13, 14.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN II. 12-14. 411
They have been long students in providence. Making good his pro- mises : Josh, xxiii. 1, with the 14th, ' And it came to pass, a long time after the Lord had given rest to Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old. And behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth ; and ye know in all your hearts, and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you : all has come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof ; ' Gen. xlviii. 15, ' And he said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day.' He provided for all our wants, delivered us in all our dangers. How lovely is it for old men to talk of the promises of God, and his mercies that have been of old ! As David : Ps. xxv. 6, ' Remember, 0 Lord, thy tender mercies and thy loving-kindnesses ; for they have been ever of old.'
6. They can more feelingly than others speak of the shortness, misery, and sinfulness of the present life : Gen. xlvii. 8, 9, ' And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou ? And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years : few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and I have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.' Jacob had many removings from place to place, and knew by experience that here is no abiding city. Young men are ivekmaroi, full of worldly hopes. Though others have tried the world before them, yet they think it will succeed better with them: Ps. xlix. 13, 'This their way is their folly; yet their posterity approve their sayings.' Though others found themselves fondly deceived and frustrated, yet they that succeed them go in the same track ; 1 Chron. xxix. 15, old David confesseth so much : ' For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers ; our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is no abiding.' They know the disappointments of a naughty world.