N00255:26
A sermon wherein is showed that the church of God is sometimes a subject…A sermon wherein is shewed that the church of God is sometimes a subject…
A sermon wherein is showed that the church of God is sometimes a subject of great persecution; preached on a public fast at Boston in New-England: occasioned by the tidings of a great persecution raised against the Protestants in France. / By Increase Mather, teacher to a church of Christ. ; [Eight lines of quotations]A sermon wherein is shewed that the church of God is sometimes a subject of great persecution; preached on a publick fast at Boston in New-England: occasioned by the tidings of a great persecution raised against the Protestants in France. / By Increase Mather, teacher to a church of Christ. ; [Eight lines of quotations]
printed for 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.
It is the second of these particulars which falls under our present Consideration; viz. The Persecution which happened at the Time of Stephens Death; which in the words before us, is described,
1. From the Subject of it; viz. The Church at Jerusalem; which was then the only Christian Church in the World; the Gentiles not having as yet received the Gospel: So that the whole Interest of Religion, or Christianity, was here Struck at, & endangered.
1. From the Subject of it; viz. The Church at Jerusalem; which was then the only Christian Church in the World; the Gentiles not having as yet received the Gospel: So that the whole Interest of Religion, or Christianity, was here Strook at, & endangered.
2. From the Greatness of it; There was a GREAT Persecution against the Church. It was so in respect of the Kind of persecution, which the Enemies of the Church were now come unto. Before this, they had persecuted only with Words, and Threats: but now they proceeded to bloody Blows, Banishment, & Death. And it was so, in respect of the Number of them that Suffered. Dorotheus writes, that at the Time of this persecution, there were Two Thousand Christians that lost their Lives. And it is evident from the Scripture, that there were many (thò the particular Number be not expressed) that then suffered Imprisonment, Death, or Banishment. Compare Acts, 26. 10, 11. where Paul confesseth; Many of the saints at Jerusalem did I shut up in prison; and when they were put to Death, I gave my Voice against them; and I punished them oft, in every Synagogue. So that it might well be called a great persecution.