N00213:139
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.
[w]That faithful Shepard who spake here in the Name of the Lord upon the like occasion, five years ago, insisted upon this very thing, and yet the matter remains unfinished to this day. Moreover, whilst the body of the first Generation, whom God planted in this Wilderness was alive, there were Essays this way, for it [†]was propounded to, and concluded amongst the Commissioners of the united Colonies above thirty years ago, that there should be a Collection of special Providences of God towards his New-England people; And that memorials being duly communicated, an History should be compiled according to Truth, for the benefit of Posterity, that they might see how God had been with their Fathers, in laying the Foundation of the Churches, and of the Common-Wealth. Now that such things should be concluded, and yet never done cannot please God. Furthermore, how can we testify to Posterity our gratitude towards God, for the great things he hath done for our Fathers, and for us their Children, in more respects then can be now mentioned, except such a lasting Record and Monument as is now spoken of, be brought to perfection. In the Town house at Geneva, it is written on Marble ⟨p. 72⟩Pillars in Letters of gold, such a year God delivered this place from the Tyranny of Anti-Christ, and set up his true Religion amongst us, [x]therefore the Senate and People of Geneva, have erected this Monument, that so they might testify to Posterity their gratitude towards God. Let me then entreat you that are Senators of this Colony, that a work of this nature may not be always delayed; and the rather, because you know not whether your opportunity to encourage such an undertaking, will be of long continuance. And this may (by the blessing of Christ) be one good means to prevent Apostasy, The Lord therefore commanded his People of old, to keep a Record of his works and signal Providences towards them, that so their Children after them might set their hope in God and keep his Commandments, Psal. 78. 7.