N00213:159
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.
1. Let us labour to be rightly informed respecting Principles which our Fathers owned. There are mistakes in the minds of some, who think that the Fathers of this Colony, affirmed thus and so, albeit, it was fat ⟨p. 90⟩from them, so to teach, or so to think, I shall not (being now in earnest, and desirous to speak with utmost solemnity) enter upon things which are more Controversial amongst us, but certain it is, that our Fathers always owned and avowed this Principle of Truth, that nothing should be admitted into the worship of God but what there is Scripture warrant for, 1nor anything neglected which the Lord •ath instituted. The cause of the second Commandment was that which our Fathers were engaged in the defence of. And as to Church Administrations, that things should be reduced to the Primitive, Apostolical pattern. An excellent principle, albeit, that blessed Martyr, Mr. Laurence Saunders was accused of Heresy for asserting it. And I remember that great learned man and blessed Martyr Peter Ramus, professeth in one of his Epistles, that the deep consideration of this Principle, [p]that the Apostolical Age was the golden Age of the Church, and that things should be regulated according to what was then practised in the Churches of Christ, caused him to become a Protestant; yea, and for the Congregational way of Church Government. And indeed the Congregational way truly stated, is that which our Fathers have steadfastly owned and avowed, that is to say, as it is held forth in the platform of Discipline, and by Mr. Cotton in his Book of the Keys; they were not for Presbyterianism, nor yet for Brownism. Remember blessed Mr. Nortons last words, in this place and under this Roof.
1. Let us labour to be rightly informed respecting Principles which our Fathers owned. There are mistakes in the minds of some, who think that the Fathers of this Colony, affirmed thus and so, albeit, it was fat ⟨p. 90⟩from them, so to teach, or so to think, I shall not (being now in earnest, and desirous to speak with utmost solemnity) enter upon things which are more Controversal amongst us, but certain it is, that our Fathers alwayes owned and avowed this Principle of Truth, that nothing should be admitted into the worship of God but what there is Scripture warrant for,