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A call from heaven to the present and succeeding generations or A discourse wherein…A call from heaven to the present and succeeding generations or A discourse wherin…
A call from heaven to the present and succeeding generations or A discourse wherein is showed, I. That the children of godly parents are under special advantages and encouragements to seek the Lord. : II. The exceeding danger of apostasy, especially as to those that are the children and posterity of such as have been eminent for God in their generation. : III. That young men ought to remember God their creator. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a church in Boston in New-England. ; [Nine lines of quotations]A call from heaven to the present and succeeding generations or A discourse wherin is shewed, I. That the children of godly parents are under special advantages and encouragements to seek the Lord. : II. The exceeding danger of apostasie, especially as to those that are the children and posterity of such as have been eminent for God in their generation. : III. That young men ought to remember God their creator. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a church in Boston in New-England. ; [Nine lines of quotations]
Boston: printed by John Foster, 1679
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.
Consider, 2. How subject men are, yea, the Children of blessed Parents and Predecessors to Apostatize from God. It is possible that the Children of David may forsake the Lord, and that in a short time too, when Predecessors have been eminent for God, their Successors have been most degenerate, Jer. 2. 21. I planted thee wholly a right Seed, how art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange Vine unto me, Isai. 1. 21. How is the faithful City become an Harlot? it was full of Judgement, righteousness lodged in it, but now murderers. It was sometimes said unto good Samuel, thy ⟨p. 57⟩Sons walk not in thy ways. And it is noted concerning Nabal (a drunken Sot) that he was of the house of Caleb, 1 Sam. 25. 3. That ever such a branch should spring out of such a Stock. The Ephraimites were the vilest Idolaters of all the Apostate Children of Israel, yet they were the Posterity of Joseph the best of Jacobs twelve Sons. The perfidious and ungrateful Ziphites were also the posterity of that blessed Caleb but now mentioned. Yea, it is a sad Truth, that Religion hath seldom been upheld in the power of it, for above one or two Generations together. Therefore it is recorded concerning the Children of Israel, they turned quickly out of the way which their Fathers walked in, obeying the Commandments of the Lord, but they did not so, Judg. 2. 17. The Fathers and Leaders both of the first and second Generation were for purity of worship, but their Children were not so. Their Fathers did endeavour to uphold Religion in the power of it, but their Children did not so. Their Fathers did order their conversation according to the holy Rules of the word of God, but their Children did not so. Hence is that sad complaint by the Prophet, they rose early and corrupted all their doings, Zeph. 3. 7. And if we look into the Scripture and view the story of former Ages, we shall see this to be true. The Posterity of the Lords Servants, the Children of the Church have in a little time so forsaken him, as that solemn Reformation hath been necessary. Look beyond the Flood and we shall see it so. One of Adams Children with all his numerous Posterity forsook the Lord, Cain was excommunicate out of the Church and became the Father of an excommunicate race and Generation.