N00318:190
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.
Mot. 1. Consider what special Reason they that are of the younger rising generation in New-England have to remember their Creator. Now there ⟨p. 145⟩is cause for it more than ever, in that there are so few that do so. Multitudes of young men are risen up in this Land, who have been forgetting God all their days; unto whom the Lord may say as Jer. 22.21. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyest not my voice. And as it was said concerning them of old the Children of Israel, and the Children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth Jer. 32.30. It is true, there are some young ones that are remembering and turning to the Lord, which ought to be acknowledged to the praise of his glorious grace, yet it must be said with Lamentation, that the generality of the youth in this Land, walk in ways of Looseness, Profaneness, Pride, Drinking, Gaming, or in a careless neglect of God, and of their own souls. Hence the Lord doth not seem to take pleasure in many of the youth of this Country O it is a sad word that is spoken Isai. 9.17. The Lord shall have no Joy in their young men. How many young men even in New-England that have been cut off either by Sword or Sickness within these two years! Now, shall the Lord have cause to complain as he doth by the Prophet (Amos 4.10.) Your young men have I slain with the Sword yet have you not returned unto me. Moreover, young men in this Country enjoy means of Grace plentifully dispensed, God is calling from Heaven to them, and striving with them in the ⟨p. 146⟩days of their youth and therefore if they forget him they will be left most inexcusable before his judgment seat. Yea and many are the Children of Godly Parents, and in that respect under peculiar engagements to seek *and serve the Lord, who is not only their Creator, but the God of their Fathers, their God not only by right of Creation, but in respect of his holy Covenant.