N00213:150
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.
And now I shall turn my speech from you that are Zerubbabels amongst this People: I doubt not but you consider that I have spoken these things, not as a friend only, but as in the Capacity of an unworthy Ambassador of the most high God unto you this day. And methinks my Conscience bears me witness in the holy Ghost, that an earnest desire that the will of God might be done, hath caused me thus to express my self; As also a desire that you might have comfort both now and in that day when you must give up your account to the Son of God, concerning your Stewardship, which in his Providence he hath entrusted you with; and that your names might be honourably spoken of in the next Generation, when you shall be in your graves. It is no honour to Jehu's name that in his days God began to cut Israel short, 2 King.10.32. nor to Jehoram in that it is recorded to Posterity, that in his days the Edomites revolted, 2 Chron.21. 18. Nor will it be for your honour, if the next Generation shall say, once such and such Worthies and Patriots had the management of affairs in New-England, and in their days things went well, God did bless and build, and prosper the Land, but after they were ⟨p. 83⟩gone, the work fell into other hands, and in their days there was trouble upon trouble, wars, sicknesses, Sword, Fire, desolations in every corner of the Land, for it (thus to be spoken) would not be for your honour. But now that it should be said, though the Lord afflicted the Land for a while, you caused the People under your charge to turn unto the Lord, & then God did own them, and bless them more then ever, this will be to your honour amongst men in this world, and more to your joy when you shall appear before Jesus Christ, then if Crowns of Diadems should be set upon your heads. The Lord grant it may be so.
And now I shall turn my speech from you that are Zerubbabels amongst this People: I doubt not but you consider that I have spoken these things, not as a friend only, but as in the Capacity of an unworthy Ambassador of the most high God unto you this day. And methinks my Conscience bears me witness in the holy Ghost, that an earnest desire that the will of God might be done, hath caused me thus to express my self; As also a desire that you might have comfort both now and in that day when you must give up your account to the Son of God, concerning your Stewardship, which in his Providence he hath entrusted you with; and that your names might be honourably spoken of in the next Generation, when you shall be in your graves. It is no honour to Jehu's name that in his dayes God began to cut Israel short,