N00152:61
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.
You will say, But what use should we make of this awf••l Providence?
Answ. It should cause us humbly to reflect upon our own vile natures. Have we been kept from the like evils that others have been guilty of? No thanks to our own hearts, for we have the same nature that they have, and if God had given us up to our own hearts lusts, we should have been as bad as they, or as any of the children of men, that ever were in the world. Wherefore the Apostle in the third Chapter to the Romans, discoursing of the state of men by nature, saith Their feet are swift to shed blood v. 15. Why; Is every natural man a Murderer? Truly, he hath a Murderers heart within him, and he would quickly shed blood, He would actually commit Murder, if G•• did not restrain him. How should this thought humble us, and make us vile in our own eyes? 1As I Remember it is noted concerning that blessed Martyr, that if he did hear of any that were condemned or accused on the account of Witchcraft, Murder, Robberies or any other Impiety, He would smite upon his breast and say, In this breast of mine, is that which would have ca•sed me, to have been guilty of the same evil, if the Grace of God had not prevented me•. And it is recorded of one of the Ancients, that he was never told of any great wickedness committed by others, but it did him some Good, it made him the more distrustful of his own Heart, 2He would say Ille heri, tu bodi•, ego cr as. He committed that sin yesterday, thou diddest commit the same sin to day, and I shall commit it to morrow if the Grace of God do not restrain and prevent me.
Answ. It should cause us humbly to reflect upon our own vile natures. Have we been kept from the like evills that others have been guilty of? No thanks to our own hearts, for wee have the same nature that they have, and if God had given us up to our own hearts lusts, wee should have been as bad as they, or as any of the children of men, that ever were in the world. Wherefore the Apostle in the third Chapter to the Romanes, discoursing of the state of men by nature, saith Their feet are swift to shed blood v. 15. Why; Is every natural man a Murderer? Truly, he hath a Murderers heart within him, and he would quickly shed blood, He would actually commit Murder, if G did not restrain him. How should this thought humble us, and make us vile in our own eyes?