N00255:58
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.
and made them Turn Protestants too.
2. At the Trial of his servants. The Lord Jesus said to Smyrna, Rev. 2. 10. Behold! the Devil shall cast some of you into prison; that you may be Tried: and ye shall have tribulation ten Days. There was the persecution under Trajan, that lasted ten Days; viz. ten prophetical Days: h. e. ten years. And this was for the Trial of those Christians. Persecution is to try whether men will cleave to God, or no; to try the sincerity of their Faith, and Obedience; to try what Metal they are made of: whether pure, or base: and whether they are Gold, or Dross. Grapes come not to the proof, until they come to the press. Alas! Many professors of Religion are like the Stony-ground hearers, 1Mat. 13. 21. that having no Root in themselves, endure but for a while: and when tribulation, or Persecution ariseth because of the word, by & by they are Offended. Persecution tries who are such. When a ⟨p. 15⟩Storm comes, withered leaves fall off; but green leaves abide: Even so sincere Christians will stand; but withered, unsound professors fall away, when a Strom of persecution blows. For this Reason the Lord sends persecution on His Church, that so men may discern between the righteous and the wicked, between those that truly Fear God, and those that Fear him not.
2. At the Trial of his servants. The Lord Jesus said to Smyrna, Rev. 2. 10. Behold! the Divel shall cast some of you into prison; that you may be Tryed: and ye shall have tribulation ten Dayes. There was the persecution under Trajan, that lasted ten Dayes; viz. ten prophetical Dayes: h. e. ten years. And this was for the Trial of those Christians. Persecution is to try whether men will cleave to God, or no; to try the sincerity of their Faith, and Obedience; to try what Mettal they are made of: whether pure, or base: and whether they are Gold, or Dross. Grapes come not to the proof, until they come to the press. Alas! Many professors of Religion are like the Stony-ground hearers,