N00213:38
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.
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 ⟨p. 5⟩God of Heaven, meaning that they did worship none else but him, so that a Servant of the Lord is the same with a worshipper of him. This seeking is here set in opposition to forsaking God. Now forsaking hath special respect to that sin of Idolatry and false worship, David was a man that was very faithful to God in the matters of his worship. As for Idols, he would not so much a• name them, Psal. 1•. 4. And we read in the sacred History of David, that when he had subdued his Enemies, he […] their Images and Idols; in an holy indignation at the sin of Idolatry. Now he doth exhort his Son Solomon, to follow his Fathers steps in being to all to God in the matters of his worship. All these particulars may be intended here, If thou seek the Lord, i. e. If thou art sensible of thy lost […] by nature, so as to desire reconciliation with God in the first place, and do•t therefore repent of sin, and believe in Christ, and continuest to worship, and serve God, according to his own will, then be assured that thou shalt enjoy his favour, and be everlastingly blessed.
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