N00196:23
Pray for the rising generation, or A sermon wherein godly parents are encouraged, to…
Pray for the rising generation, or A sermon wherein godly parents are encouraged, to pray and believe for their children, preached the third day of the fifth month, 1678. which day was set apart by the Second Church in Boston in New-England, humbly to seek unto God by fasting and prayer, for a spirit of converting grace, to be poured out upon the children and rising generation in New-England. / By Increase Mather, teacher of that church. ; [Seven lines of quotations]
printed by Samuel Green, 1678
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. Then by the Spirit here is meant, The gifts of the Spirit. All spiritual gifts, especially Illumination in the mysteries of the Gospel is from the Holy Ghost: Hence they that have such gifts are said to be made partakers of the Holy Ghost, Heb. 6.4. He that hath a gift of knowledge, or a gift of prayer, hath received it from the Holy Ghost, and the Spirit of the Lord is so far poured upon him. And the gifts of the Spirit are compared unto water in the Scripture, Joh. 7.38, 39. He that believeth on me, out of his belly, i. e. his heart, shall flow rivers of living water; this spake be of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive. For as Waters do refresh the bodies of men, so the gifts of the Holy Ghost do refresh their Souls: when the Lord did shower down his Spirit in that plentiful measure on the Apostles, thousands of Souls were refreshed and revived thereby. This then is partly meant here, when it is said, I will pour my Spirit on your Seed, h. e. your Children shall have gifts of the Holy Ghost bestowed upon them; they shall be taught to know the Lord from the greatest to the least.
1. Then by the Spirit here is meant, The gifts of the Spirit. All spiritual gifts, especially Illumination in the mysteries of the Gospel is from the Holy Ghost: Hence they that have such gifts are said to be made partakers of the Holy Ghost, Heb. 6.4. He that hath a gift of knowledge, or a gift of prayer, hath received it from the Holy Ghost, and the Spirit of the Lord is so far poured upon him. And the gifts of the Spirit are compared unto water in the Scripture, Ioh. 7.38, 39. He that believeth on me, out of his belly, i. e. his heart, shall flow rivers of living water; this spake be of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive. For as Waters do refresh the bodies of men, so the gifts of the Holy Ghost do refresh their Souls: when the Lord did showr down his Spirit in that plentiful measure on the Apostles, thousands of Souls were refreshed and revived thereby. This then is partly meant here, when it is said, I will pour my Spirit on your Seed, h. e. your Children shall have gifts of the Holy Ghost bestowed upon them; they shall be taught to know the Lord from the greatest to the least.