N00196:53
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.
3. Let Parents be careful to instruct their Children in the fear of God: Prayer should be followed with suitable endeavours. If Parents must pray that their Children may have Grace, they must use the means whereby God is wont to convey Grace into the Souls of his Elect. Psal. 34 11. Come ye Children, hearken unto me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord. David did so, and Solomon his Son found that those Paternal Instructions were blessed for saving good to his Soul, Prov 4.1.3, 4. Also the Instructions of his Mother were (through the blessing of God) a means of much good unto him, Prov. 31.1, 2. Fathers and Mothers should be instilling good Principles into the mind• and hearts of their Children betimes. Ephes. 6.4. Bring them up in the nur••r▪ and admonition of the Lord, [Greek or Hebrew] Feed their Souls with spiritual Milk as soon as they are capable of it. Tell them sadly, whilst yet they are Children of their misery by nature, of the necessity of a new birth, Instruct them about Christ, and H•aven, and Hell, and Eternity; charge them with the greatest solemnity to know and serve the God of their Fathers, 1 Thess. 2.11. We charged every one of you, as a Father his Children. It becometh a Father to charge his Children: And if Parents be faithful in discharging their duty this way, success will not be altogether wanting: If you will command your Children they shall keep the way o• the Lord, Gen. 18.19. If Parents would spend more time, and take more pains in instructing their Children, and following those Instructions, with fervent Prayers to God, •he would own them therein, and we should see more young Converts, and a world of Sin and Sorrow would such children be prevented and ••ved from.