N00318:266
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. Let Parents be careful to instruct their children in the fear of God: Prayer should be followed with suitable endeavours. If Parents must pray that their Children may have Grace, they must use the means whereby God is wont to convey grace into the souls of his elect Psal. 34.11. Come ye children hearken to me and I will teach you the fear of the Lord. David did so, and Solomon his son found that those Paternal instructions were blessed for saving good to his soul, Prov. 4.1. —4. also the instructions of his Mother were (through the blessing of God) a means of much good unto him Prov. 31.1, 2. Fathers and Mothers should be instilling good Principles into the minds and hearts of their Children betimes Eph. 6.4. Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. [ektrephete] feed their souls with spiritual milk as soon as they are capable of it: Tell them sadly, whilst yet they are children, of their misery by nature, of the necessity of a new birth, instruct them about Christ, and Heaven, and ⟨p. 194⟩Hell & Eternity; charge them with the greatest solemnity to know and serve the God of their Fathers 1. Thes. 2.11. We charged every one of you, as a father his children. It becomes a father to charge his children▪ and if Parents be faithful in discharging their duty this way, success will not be altogether wanting. If you will command your children, they shall keep the way of the Lord Gen. 18.19. If Parents would spend more time, and take more pains in instructing their children, & follow those instructions with fervent prayer to God, he would own them therein, and we should see more young Converts, & a world of sin and sorrow would such children be prevented and saved from.