N00318:144
A call from heaven, to the present and succeeding generations or A discourse wherein…
A call from heaven, to the present and succeeding generations or A discourse wherein is showed I. That the children of godly parents are under special advantages and encouragements to seek the Lord. : II. The exceeding danger of apostasy, especially as to those that are the children and posterity of such as have been eminent for God in their generation. : III. That young men ought to remember God their creator. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a church in Boston in N. England.A call from heaven, to the present and succeeding generations or A discourse wherein is shewed I. That the children of godly parents are under special advantages and encouragements to seek the Lord. : II. The exceeding danger of apostasie, especially as to those that are the children and posterity of such as have been eminent for God in their generation. : III. That young men ought to remember God their creator. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a church in Boston in N. England.
Boston: printed by R.P. i.e for I. Brunning i.e, 1685
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Zwinglius by his Ministry was instrumental towards the accomplishing a great Reformation in Zurick, but then the Magistrates of that place fell in with the Word of God. Oecolampadius was an happy instrument in the hand of Christ to reform Basil; but if the Magistrates of that City had not set to their helping hand, Oecolampadius alone might have laboured in vain. The like is to be said concerning the Reformation of Bern, (not to insist on more instances) where that learned Hallerus was once a Preacher of the Gospel. I know you cannot change mens hearts, yet you may do much (if God help you) towards the effecting an outward Reformation, which will procure outward blessings and prevent outward Judgements and desolations. ⟨p. 112⟩There is pride in the hearts of men, you cannot Reform that, but there is pride in Apparel, which the Lord has said he will punish for, you may cause that to be reformed. There is Drunkenness in the sight of God, which doth not fall under your Cognizance, but Drunkenness in the sight of men, and the occasions of it, do; which you may and ought to remove. I know not any evil, that hath brought more misery upon this Generation than that hath, and some that have reason to know it, have told me that there hath been more Drunkenness among the Indians since this war, than there was before: undoubtedly there is a fault somewhere, that good laws are not executed upon those that shall transgress in this kind, and that the Course propounded and enacted by the General Court for the suppressing of this growing evil has not been duly attended. Again, as for scandalous contentions, you may do much towards the healing of them. All the world knoweth that there hath been an unhappy breach between two of the Churches in this great Town; if every one of you that are in place, shall do what you can, and what the Lord Jesus would have you do, to help in this case, we may hope, that woeful breach will (by the help of Christ) soon be healed, and much Sin and Judgement (that is otherwise like to follow) will be prevented. And the Lord calls aloud about this matter; The Burn-Burning ⟨p. 113⟩which he hath kindled in this place, the voice of the Lord in it is, out with your sinful fires, lest I give you burning for burning. And since that, this Town hath been endangered more by fire than ever it was since the day I knew it.