N00213:161
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.
3. Look to your Families. Families are the Nurseries for Church and Common-wealth, ruin Families, and ruin all. Order them well and the public State will fare the better; the great wound and misery of New-England is that Families are out of Order. As to the generality of house holders, 1Family Government is lost, & gone; Servants do not fear their Masters, Children do not honour their Parents, in that respect the English are become like unto the Indians. Let Christians make conscience of it as their duty, to rule their own houses well, and be careful that Family Instruction be upheld; the Judgements of God should awaken to this. In some Families the Children have no Father left to instruct them, in other Families Fathers have no Children left to be instructed by them, by these terrible Judgements ⟨p. 92⟩they that have Families, should learn to be diligent in Instructing of them, whilst they, have an opportunity so to do; And this is the way to prevent Apostasy, for ignorance is the mother (not of devotion but) of Heresy. Usually, they that prove Heretics, are such as were never well grounded in the knowledge of Principles, never well instructed in Catechetical Fundamental Doctrines and points of Religion. The Waldenses [r]preserved and propagated the Interest of Religion by diligence, in catechising their Children. When certain Jesuits were sent amongst them to entice them from the Truth to Idolatry, they returned amazed, professing that Children of seven years old amongst those Waldenses knew more in the Scripture, and of the Mysteries of the Gospel, then many of their learned Doctors did. Take heed also how you dispose of your Children, you that are Parents look at Religion and the fear of God, in disposing of your Children. That blessed man Mr. Dod (the Moses of his time) would sometimes bewail it, that Professors of Religion would say, there is a portion & Civility, & we will hope for grace; but (said he) rather make sure of grace, and hope for riches, there is far greater Reason for it, since Godliness hath the Promises, riches have none. It may make us dread to think what's coming, in that it is with us, as it was with the old world, the Sons of God are marrying with the daughters of men. Church members in disposing of their Children look more at portion then at piety.