N00254:174
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.
3. He that is sincere doth in special aim at approving himself in the sight of God. Hence is that ⟨p. 81⟩expression of Godly sincerity. 2 Cor. 1. 12. because the sincere man doth especially desire […] have Gods approbation. And therefore he abstains from secret sins. as […] did; v•a he dare not so much as in his thoughts give […] that, which he knoweth sinful, because […] that the eye of Go•f upon him and doth therefore study to approve him […] unto men but unto God. Hence also he practiseth secret duties which the Lord lo•e is witness of. This we see in Nathaniel, that Israelite indeed in whom there was no reigning guile Job. 1.47 48. when that sincere […] was alone under the Fig-tree, no doubt Praying there: the Son of God who hath eyes like a flame of Fire saw him, and did highly approve of his sincerity, of which the spirit that breathed in his secret prayers was a great discovery.
3. He that is sincere doth in special aim at approving himself in the sight of God. Hence is that ⟨p. 81⟩expression of Godly sincerity. 2 Cor. 1. 12. because the sincere man doth especially desire 〈…〉 have Gods approbation. And therefore he abstains from secret sins. as 〈…〉 did; v•a he dare not so much as in his thoughts give 〈…〉 that, which he knoweth sinful, because 〈…〉 that the eye of Go•f upon him and doth therefore study to approve him 〈…〉 unto men but unto God. Hence also he practiseth secret duties which the Lord lo•e is witness of. This we see in Nathaniel, that Israelite indeed in whom there was no reigning guile Job. 1.47 48. when that sincere was alone under the Fig-tree, no doubt Praying there: the Son of God who hath eyes like a flame of Fire saw him, and did highly approve of his sincerity, of which the spirit that breathed in his secret prayers was a great discovery.