N00254:388
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.
3. Here is noted the particular place where these Christians met, ver. 8. There were many lights in the upper Chamber, where they […]red together. Christians had not in those days, the liberty of public Meeting houses, because the higher Powers then were enemies to the Truth. Therefore the Disciples were glad to meet in private Houses, there to solemnize the Worship of God, according to his own holy Institution. And because of their Persecutors, they did assemble themselves together in the night time, when others were asleep, and would be less apt to observe them. And there were many lights in the room, that so if their Adversaries should happen to come upon them, they might have no occasion from the time of their being assembled together, to reproach them, as if they met to practise the deeds of darkness. Notwithstanding this circumspection, we find in the Apologies of some of the Ancients, that the Enemies of the Church, did take occasion to traduce & slander them, as if they did convene for wicked ends and purposes: but when they did ⟨p. 194⟩manage matters, with such Christian Prudence as these Disciples did, there was no occasion given; only maliciously taken.
3. Here is noted the particular place where these Christians met, ver. 8. There were many lights in the upper Chamber, where they 〈…〉red together. Christians had not in those dayes, the liberty of publick Meeting houses, because the higher Powers then were enemies to the Truth. Therefore the Disciples were glad to meet in private Houses, there to solemnize the Worship of God, according to his own holy Institution. And because of their Persecutors, they did assemble themselves together in the night time, when others were asleep, and would be less apt to observe them. And there were many lights in the room, that so if their Adversaries should happen to come upon them, they might have no occasion from the time of their being assembled together, to reproach them, as if they met to practise the deeds of darkness. Notwithstanding this circumspection, we find in the Apologies of some of the Amtients, that the Enemies of the Church, did take occasion to traduce & slander them, as if they did convene for wicked ends and purposes: but when they did ⟨p. 194⟩manage matters, with such Christian Prudence as these Disciples did, there was no occasion given; only maliciously taken.