N00254:60
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.
We came to the second enquiry, viz. Who are concerned in the performance of this duty?
Ans. To pray unto the Lord is every mans duty: though to pray aright, is only the godly mans practice, yet it is that which all men are bound unto, as appears:
1. In that Prayer is a part of Natural, Moral Worship. There are two sorts of Worship due to God, viz. Natural and Instituted worship. As for Instituted worship, it depends wholly upon the will of God, and therefore only some men, and in some ages are obliged to attend thereto, according as God shall please to reveal of his will unto them. Natural worship is that which if a man doth understand any thing concerning the nature of the blessed and glorious God, he cannot but know that such worship is due unto him. Hence all men, and that in all ages are concerned therein. And of this sort is prayer: hence not only Men but holy Angels pray unto the Lord. Yea the Saints in glory pray, and will do so, for ever. They praise God,& that's one sort of prayer, Rev. 5. 11, 13.
1. In that Prayer is a part of Natural, Moral Worship. There are two sorts of Worship due to God, viz. Natural and Instituted worship. As for Instituted worship, it depends wholly upon the will of God, and therefore only some men, and in some ages are obliged to attend thereto, according as God shall please to reveal of his will unto them. Natural worship is that which if a man doth understand any thing concerning the nature of the blessed and glorious God, he cannot but know that such worship is due unto him. Hence all men, and that in all ages are concerned therein. And of this sort is prayer: hence not only Men but holy Angels pray unto the Lord. Yea the Saints in glory pray, and will do so, for ever. They praise God,& thats one sort of prayer,