N00254:405
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 great thing which should be aimed at in every duty, is that we may find acceptance with God, in what we do. And therefore to look well to the manner of performance. For that is necessary in order to the obtaining of divine acceptation, Luk. 8. 18. Take heed how you hear. It is not enough for men to pray, or to come together to hear the word preached, &c. but every one had need consider, after what manner do I pray, after what manner do I hear? If they take not heed how they hear, so as to approve themselves to God in respect of the manner as well as the matter of duty, they will not find acceptance with him, Mal. 1. 8. If you offer the blind for sacrifice is it not evil: offer it now to thy Governor, will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? Thus when a man doth offer a sleeping prayer before the Lord, or a sleeping attendance upon duty in respect of hearing the Word, Is it not evil? doth he not offer the blind? will the Lord ⟨p. 201⟩accept of it, or be pleased with such services wherein there is no life of devotion? His hearing will be so far from pleasing God, as that it will become a provocation, if he doth willingly set himself to sleep at Sermon time. If an Earthly Prince, should send his Ambassadors, to treat […] any about matters of high concernment, and they should manifest no more regard unto what is said, then to fall asleep, whilst the Message is in delivering; would it not provoke? The Ministers of God are in Scripture styled his Ambassadors, 2 Cor. 5. 20. We are Ambassadors for Christ, as though God aid beseech you by us, we pray you in Christs stead, be ye reconciled to God.
The great thing which should be aimed at in every duty, is that we may find acceptance with God, in what we do. And therefore to look well to the manner of performance. For that is necessary in order to the obtaining of divine acceptation, Luk. 8. 18. Take heed how you hear. It is not enough for men to pray, or to come together to hear the word preached, &c. but every one had need consider, after what manner do I pray, after what manner do I hear? If they take not heed how they hear, so as to approve themselves to God in respect of the manner as well as the matter of duty, they will not find acceptance with him,