N00254:161
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
The Sincere Servants of God will make Conscience of Secret Prayer.
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.
1 His own sincerity in serving God. He freely confesseth himself to be the Lords Servant God whom I serve. And there are two expressions, both which may denote his sincerity therein. One, is that of his serving God from his foreFathers. He served the same God, and after the same manner that his fore-fathers had done. As for his immediate fore-fathers they were Jews and Pharisees; and time was when he had served God as they had taught him: but those words may have respect to more remote Fathers, ⟨p. 76⟩viz. The holy Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, &c. Another expression denoting the Apostles sincerity, is, that of his serving God with a pure Conscience, which implieth that he was ever careful to act according to the light of his conscience; so indeed he was before his conversion unto Christ, Act. 23. 1. It implieth also, that his heart was purified by faith in the Lord Jesus. For only they have a pure conscience in the sight of God, who are purged from the guilt of sin, in the blood of Christ. It implieth moreover an holy conversation; a due respect both to first and second Table duties: Mens Consciences are wont to be according to their actions: evil actions will pollute the Conscience: yea, the expression imports inward as well as outward serving God, Rom. 1.9.
1 His own sincerity in serving God. He freely confesseth himself to be the Lords Servant God whom I serve. And there are two expressions, both which may denote his sincertity therein. One, is that of his serving God from his foreFathers. He served the same God, and after the same manner that his fore-fathers had done. As for his immediate fore-fathers they were Jews and Pharisees; and time was when he had served God as they had taught him: but those words may have respect to more remote Fathers, ⟨p. 76⟩viz. The holy Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, &c. Another expression denoting the Apostles sincerity, is, that of his serving God with a pure Conscience, which implieth that he was ever careful to act according to the light of his conscience; so indeed he was before his conversion unto Christ,