N00254:140
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.
Reas. 2. They that truly fear God, are desirous that the interest of Religion should be upheld and promoted. One that is truly Religious himself can not but desire that others may be so too. Paul being himself a real Christian, earnestly wished that others were in that respect as he was. When Agrippa said to him; thou almost ⟨p. 65⟩persuadest me to be a Christian, he replied, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these Bonds, Act, 26. 28, 29. so it is (and cannot but be) where there is true grace. Especially they are desirous that those who are related to them; and are of the same Family with them, may be acquainted with the good ways of the Lord. Therefore they will make Conscience, not only to pray for them, but to pray with them; since thereby Religion and the Fear of God will be promoted. And to have Religion in Families is the way to have it elsewhere. Families are the Nurseries of all societies. If Religion should not be upheld there, it would fall to the ground every where.
Reas. 2. They that truely fear God, are desirous that the interest of Religion should be upheld and promoted. One that is truely Religious himself can not but desire that others may be so too. Paul being himself a real Christian, earnestly wished that others were in that respect as he was. When Agrippa said to him; thou almost ⟨p. 65⟩perswadest me to be a Christian, he replied, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these Bonds, Act, 26. 28, 29. so it is (and cannot but be) where there is true grace. Especially they are desirous that those who are related to them; and are of the same Family with them, may be acquainted with the good wayes of the Lord. Therefore they will make Conscience, not only to pray for them, but to pray with them; since thereby Religion and the Fear of God will be promoted. And to have Religion in Families is the way to have it elsewhere. Families are the Nurseries of all societies. If Religion should not be upheld there, it would fall to the ground every where.