N00213:179
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.
Answ. 1. The Lord doth require this, the commandment •aith expressly. Luk. 10. 27. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength. If men are bound to serve God with their strength, then they must not forget him, until those days are come wherein their strength is gone, and they able to do him little service. Of old, God required that the first born and the first fruits should be given to him. Exod.22.29. thou shalt not delay to ⟨p. 99⟩offer the first of thy ripe fruit, the first born shalt thou give unto me. This did intimate that men ought to give the prime of their Age, the first and best of their strength unto the Lord.
Answ. 1. The Lord doth require this, the commandment •aith expresly. Luk. 10. 27. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength. If men are bound to serve God with their strength, then they must not forget him, untill those dayes are come wherein their strength is gone, and they able to doe him little service. Of old, God required that the first born and the first fruits should be given to him. Exod.22.29. thou shalt not delay to ⟨p. 99⟩offer the first of thy ripe fruit, the first born shalt thou give unto me. This did intimate that men ought to give the prime of their Age, the first and best of their strength unto the Lord.
2. The Truth of this Doctrine is evident, in that Parents are bound to teach their Children the fear of the Lord whilst they are young,