N00152:63
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.
2. Another Use which we should make of this Awful Providence is. To consider sadly whether there be not some prevailing evil▪ that the Lord doth hereby rebuke and seek to humble us for: I fear there is such an evil, I mean with respect to those woeful breaches of the fifth Commandment which are to be found amongst us. This is a prevailing evil, we may see it every where. How do Inferiors rise up against Superiors? Look into the Commonwealth, and we shall find that Magistrates are not honoured and acknowledged in their places as ought to be. Look into Churches, and how do some carry it there, as if that Scripture were Apocrypha even that Scripture Heb. 13. 17. where it is said Obey them ⟨p. 17⟩that have the rule over you, and submit your selves, for th•y watch for your souls. Look into Schools, and how do Children contemn and despise and disobey their masters contrary to the fifth Commandment? Look into Families, and O what disobedient Children? O what unruly servants may we find there? Nay, Look into the streets, and there we may observe (I have sometimes beheld it not altogether without grief and shame) the child behaving himself proudly against the Ancient, and the base against the Honourable: so that in this respect New-England is in a great measure become degenerate from the good manners of the Christian world. If there be any prevailing iniquity in New-England this is it. And therefore no marvel that such an awful Providence doth come to rebuke and humble us, that servants have conspired together to Kill their Master. There hath been no such deed done or seen in our Israel before now. And mark what I say, If ever New-England be destroyed, this very sin of disobedience to the fifth Commandment will be the ruin of this Land.
2. Another Use which we should make of this Awfull Providence is. To consider sadly whether there be not some prevailing evill▪ that the Lord doth hereby rebuke and seek to humble us for: I fear there is such an evill, I mean with respect to those wofull breaches of the fifth Commandment which are to be found amongst us. This is a prevailing evill, wee may see it every where. How do Inferiors rise up against Superiors? Look into the Commonwealth, and wee shall find that Magistrates are not honoured and acknowledged in their places as ought to be. Look into Churches, and how do some carry it there, as if that Scripture were Apocrypha even that Scripture