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Practical truths tending to promote the power of godliness
Practical truths tending to promote the power of godliness: wherein several important duties, are urged, and the evil of divers common sins, is evinced; delivered in sundry sermons. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a church at Boston in New-England. ; [Ten lines of Scripture texts]
printed by Samuel Green upon assignment of Samuel Sewall, 1682
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.
The True Fearers of God will Practise Family Prayer.
ACTS 10. 2. One that feared God with all his House—And Prayed alway.
IN this Chapter, we have an account of the great acceptance which Cornelius his Prayers found with God; together with the gracious effects following thereupon. In the two first verses Cornelius is described. 1. From the City where he dwelt. viz. Caesarea 2. From his Calling, he was a Soldier; and no common Soldier, but a Centurion. 3. From the Nation which he did belong unto; he was an Italian, a Commander belonging to the Italian Band. And indeed Cornelius is a Roman Name. 4 He is described from his Religion, in this verse, he was a devout man, h. e. He was though a Roman, ⟨p. 57⟩and so a Gentile by nature, yet no mere Heathen in respect of his Religion, but a Proselyte. Elsewhere proselyte's are styled Devout Persons, Act. 17. 4. We read of Devout Greeks, that is such as were Proselytes to the Jewish Religion. Hence also, Cornelius is described to be one that feared God, h. e. that did worship the only true God. Thus Act. 13. 26. Children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever amongst you feareth God; meaning such as though they were not (as the Jews are) descended from Abraham, nevertheless worshipped the God of Abraham as the Jews did: These Fearers of God are in verse 43. called Religious Proselytes. There were two sorts of Proselytes amongst the Jews of old.
IN this Chapter, we have an account of the great acceptance which Cornelius his Prayers found with God; together with the gracious effects following thereupon. In the two first verses Cornelius is described. 1. From the City where he dwelt. viz. Cesarea 2. From his Calling, he was a Souldier; and no common Soldier, but a Centurion. 3. From the Nation which he did belong unto; he was an Italian, a Commander belonging to the Italian Band. And indeed Cornelius is a Romane Name. 4 He is described from his Religion, in this verse, he was a devout man, h. e. He was though a Romane,