Eighteen Sermons and a Charge (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: SERMON IV. OLD AGE. PSALMS xcii. 14. THEY SHALL STILL BRIJTG FORTH FRUIT IN OLD AGE. If we expand the metaphor of the text into a simile, we may say, that the Psalmist compares human life to a fruit tree, which exhibits different appearances, as it is variously affected hy the progressive seasons of the year. As the tree in spring produces blossoms, which become fruit in summer, and ripe fruit in autumn: so man, in his childhood, which resembles spring, brings forth the beautiful flowers of promise; in his youth, which resembles summer, the fruits of wisdom and virtue are beginning to be formed, and every day gradually increase in size; in his manhood, which resembles autumn, his intellectual and moral character is ripe, and he now gathers the reward of his labours. When we arrive at winter, the comparison no longer runs parallel; for the tree brings forth neither blossoms nor fruit in December; whilst in old age, which, as it is the last and coldest period of life, in some points resembles it, fruit may still be produced; the fruit of happiness, and the fruit of duty. We are now in the midst of the shortest days of the year: no subject therefore appears to me more proper for the season than old age, the winter of life. It is my intention, first, to show that long life, which must of necessity terminate in old age, is a blessing; and secondly to mention several duties, which become the aged. I. Long life is a blessing. The blessings which we most ardently desire are health, riches, and long life. Without health all other enjoyments would be of little value. Riches are desired for the sake of enabling us to procure every other pleasure; for he who has wealth, it is supposed, can purchase with it whatever is necessary to his happiness. But even health and riche...