N00318:192
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.
3. Consider the danger of neglecting God in the days of youth. It may be it will cost thee thy life, yea the life of thy soul for ever. Who knoweth but that the time of youth is the only ⟨p. 148⟩time which the Lord will allow you to repent & make your peace with God in, through Jesus Christ? If these golden days be lost, probably thou wilt be undone forever. I must needs tell you that for the most part it is so, that men are either converted in their youth, or not at all. We read of but one that was called at the eleventh hour. If a tree do not blossom in the Spring it is commonly dead all the year after; So they that are not converted in the Spring of their age are rarely converted at all. Now & then one is converted in old age but such examples are exceeding rare especially it is true with respect unto those that have in the days of their youth lived under the means of grace, heard many Sermons; experienced frequent strivings of the Spirit of God with their hearts: if they remain unconverted until the days of their youth are past & gone, the Lord usually giveth them up to judicial hardness of heart that they shall never be converted, never saved. Young men think sadly of it in the fear of God.
3. Consider the danger of neglecting God in the dayes of youth. It may be it will cost thee thy life, yea the life of thy soul for ever. Who knoweth but that the time of youth is the only ⟨p. 148⟩time which the Lord will allow you to repent & make your peace with God in, through Jesus Christ? If these golden dayes be lost, probably thou wilt be undon forever. I must needs tell you that for the most part it is so, that men are either converted in their youth, or not at all. We read of but one that was called at the eleventh hour. If a tree do not blossome in the Spring it is commonly dead all the year after; So they that are not converted in the Spring of their age are rarely converted at all. Now & then one is converted in old age but such examples are exceeding rare especially it is true with respect unto those that have in the dayes of their youth lived under the meanes of grace, heard many Sermons; experienced frequent strivings of the Spirit of God with their hearts: if they remain unconverted until the daies of their youth are past & gone, the Lord usually giveth them up to judicial hardness of heart that they shall never be converted, never saved. Young men think sadly of it in the fear of God.