N00152:18
The wicked mans portion. Or A sermon (preached at the lecture in Boston in…
The wicked mans portion. Or A sermon (preached at the lecture in Boston in New-England the 18th day of the 1 month 1674. when two men were executed, who had murdered their master.) Wherein is showed that excess in wickedness doth bring untimely death. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a Church of Christ. ; [Six lines of quotations]The wicked mans portion. Or A sermon (preached at the lecture in Boston in New-England the 18th day of the 1 moneth 1674. when two men were executed, who had murthered their master.) Wherein is shewed that excesse in wickedness doth bring untimely death. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a Church of Christ. ; [Six lines of quotations]
Boston: printed by John Foster, 1675
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. He doth exhort to beware of errors on the right hand. verse 16th. where there are two errors on the right hand mentioned.
1. Overmuch Righteousness. Be not righteous overmuch. Not that it is possible for any man to have more of real Goodness in him, than he ought to have: but he may be more righteous in his own Conceit, than he should be; and he may be Superstitious, he may add to the Word of God, which is the rule of Righteousness, Men may likewise be more severe in punishing Offenders then the Rule doth allow of, the Corinthians did sometimes err on that hand, and that is to be righteous overmuch.
1. Overmuch Righteousness. Be not righteous overmuch. Not that it is possible for any man to have more of real Goodness in him, than he ought to have: but he may be more righteous in his own Conceit, than he should be; and he may be Superstitious, he may adde to the Word of God, which is the rule of Righteousness, Men may likewise be more severe in punishing Offenders then the Rule doth allow of, the Corinthians did sometimes erre on that hand, and that is to be righteous overmuch.
2, Overmuch Wisdom. Neither make thy self overwise▪ which must be understood as the former Particular, A man ⟨p. 2⟩be wiser in his own eyes, than he ought to be, He may be wise above what is written, He may pry into the secrets of the Almighty, and endeavour to trace him whose w•yes, are past finding out, and whose Footsteps are not known. And this Exhortation is urged from the Consideration of the woeful effect of this overmuch wisdom and righteousness, viz self destruction. Why shouldest thou destroy thy self? As the moth that will venture too near to the light, destroyeth it self, so they that will be overwie, and will needs know more than God would have them to know, destroy themselves.