N00196:29
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.
Pouring is something more then Sprinkling, as when their cometh a plentiful rain from Heaven, enough to satisfy dry Ground▪ it cometh pouring down. As Elihu speaks, Job 36.27, 28. He maketh small the drops of water, they pour down Rain according to th• vapour thereof, which the Clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly. So this pouring of the spirit noteth a great shower of grace, Hence it is said in the Context, that Floods shall be poured on the dry ground, now a Flood of Grace intimates a great measure thereof. There are many Scripture expressions that confirm this, Prov. 1.23. I will pour out my spirit upon you. The Hebrew word [Greek or Hebrew] Nabang which is there translated, Pour, signifieth to spring up, intimating that the spirit of grace in the souls of Believers is like a Fountain, where is an abundance of water. Isai. 32.15. Until the spirit be poured out upon us from on high. The Hebrew word [Greek or Hebrew] Gnadah signifieth to make bare; so that the meaning is, that there shall be a manifest, conspicuous pouring forth of the spirit, that all the world should take notice of it. And indeed, when a soul is converted there is an abundant effusion of the spirit, to accomplish such a strange thing as that is, to change such a cursed nature, to renew such a vile heart, must needs proceed from a plentiful effusion of the spirit. Tit. 3▪ 5, 6. By the washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Wherefore when it is said, I will pour my spirit on thy seed, and my blessing on thine ⟨p. 10⟩Off-spring: the Lord doth graciously promise his servants that their Children shall attain unto an eminency of spiritual gifts, and unto large measures of Grace and Holiness.
Pouring is something more then Sprinkling, as when their cometh a plentiful rain from Heaven, enough to satisfie dry Ground▪ it cometh pouring down. As Elihu speaks,