N00213:37
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.
4. Seeking the Lord doth imply diligence in the use of means in order to obtaining the favour of God. The end implies the means which is necessary in order to obtaining that end, now the favour of God is the end of this […] Hence 'tis called a seeking his face, i. e. his favour, Ps. 10•. 4. Seek the Lords face, & the means in order to obtaining that end, is Repentance of former sins, Faith in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, (Jer. 50. 8.) walking according to the holy Rules of the Word of God, which is therefore called a walking in all well Pleasing before the Lord, inasmuch as so to walk is the way to find the continuance of divine favour.
4. Seeking the Lord doth imply diligence in the use of means in order to obtaining the favour of God. The end implies the means which is necessary in order to obtaining that end, now the favour of God is the end of this 〈…〉 Hence 'tis called a seeking his face, i. e. his favour, Ps. 10•. 4. Seek the Lords face, & the means in order to obtaining that end, is Repentance of former sins, Faith in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, (Jer. 50. 8.) walking according to the holy Rules of the Word of God, which is therefore called a walking in all well Pleasing before the Lord, inasmuch as so to walk is the way to find the continuance of divine favour.
5. Seeking the Lord doth imply the worship and service of God. As they that do not worship God are said to be such as seek him not; Isai ••. 7. I am […] of them that sought me not, meaning that the Gentiles, who in former times did not own and worship the true God, should be brought to the knowledge of him. So to seek God is to worship him, 2 Chron. 11. 76. It […], that such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel, i. e. to worship him, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord God of their Fathers. It is true, that in special that great duty of Prayer (which is a special part of religious worship) is intended, yet not that only; all other parts of divine worship are comprehended under this expression. Hence it is in the Context noted by that of serving the Lord. Now to serve God is to worship him alright. We (said they in Ezra) are the Servants of the