N00213:155
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.
For a Minister of. Christ [m]to be a Merchant, and entangle himself with the affairs of this life, against the express charge of the Holy Ghost; or for them to be Gospel Lawyers, to handle the C•de instead of the Bible, ⟨p. 87⟩and study the Statutes of the Land, instead of the Statutes of Heaven; for them to appear as Advocates, and plead Causes in civil Courts of Judicature, it is very uncomely. One of the Ancients observeth, 2that Sacerdos in Foro, et Mercator in Templo is not to be tolerated. Certainly such Preachers are not likely to be instruments of turning many to Righteousness. Much more do they hinder the Conversion of Souls▪ that shall call themselves Ministers of Christ, and yet be of a scandal••• Conversation. When the Prophets of Jerusalem are light Persons, Profaneness goeth forth into all the Land. I have read somewhere of one that was grievously tempted to Atheism on this account: For (said that poor creature) I live under a Minister that will preach good Sermons, but his conversation is not according thereunto, he will be drunk sometimes, and secretly vile and lascivious, and therefore how can I believe that there is any God or Devil, or heaven or hell, or any such thing? An evil Example in such an one, is enough to make those of the Generation amongst whom he liveth to become Atheists.
For a Minister of. Christ [m]to be a Merchant, and entangle himself with the affairs of this life, against the express charge of the HolyGhost; or for them to be Gospel Lawyers, to handle the C•de instead of the Bible, ⟨p. 87⟩and study the Statutes of the Land, instead of the Statutes of Heaven; for them to appear as Advocates, and plead Causes in civil Courts of Judicature, it is very uncomely. One of the Ancients observeth,