N00254:33
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 Godly Man is a Praying Man:
Psal. 32. 6. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee, in a time wherein thou mayest be found.
This Psalm is called Maschil of David. And it is the first Psalm which beareth that Inscription: possibly there was an Holy Song, used among the Hebrews of old▪ that di• begin with that word Maschil, and was therefore known by that name, whose Metre was observed in composing and singing this Psalm Likewise by that Title, the scope and main •esign of David therein seemeth to be intimated. For Maschil signifieth ⟨p. 2⟩instruction or understanding. And that was Davids design in this (as in the other Psalms which bear the same ••le) to instruct men, and […] them to understand some useful mysterious Truths, which were not obvious unto, or considered by every one. There are two Doctrines which the Prophet doth here instruct men in. One is concerning the difference between Righteous and Wicked men, the happiness of the one, and the misery of the other, ver. 10. The other Doctrine is that which the Psalm begins with, viz. That they are blessed Men whose sins are forgiven, ver. 1,2. And it is worthy our observation, that David having propounded this Doctrine, he doth explain, confirm, and apply it. 1. This Doctrine is explained by showing who they are that have their sins forgiven, viz. They that make a sincere confession of them, ver. 2. In whose spirit there is no guile. h. e. one that is sincere and plain hearted in confessing his iniquity. If men hide and excuse sin, that's from guile and hypocrisi in the heart so when they make a free and full confession of it before the Lord, and before men too, as God shall call thereunto, that's a good evidence of sincerity, even of one in whose spirit there is no reigning guile. 2. This Doctrine is confirmed by Instancing and producing Davids own experience. He declareth that whilst he […] his sin, he was in a case most miserable, but when he was brought unto a