N00318:49
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.
2. Parents should be careful what opinions they embrace, for oftentimes the poison of a corrupt Opinion in the Father proveth baneful to the child; as Naaman's Leprosy went down from Generation to Generation; so the plague of spiritual Leprosy in the Head. is sometimes propagated from the Father to the Son.
2. Parents should be careful what opinions they imbrace, for oftentimes the poison of a corrupt Opinion in the Father proveth baneful to the child; as Naaman's Leprosie went down from Generation to Generation; so the plague of spiritual Leprosie in the Head. is sometimes propagated from the Father to the Son.
3. Parents should be careful of their Conversation; because their Children are apt to follow their example, especially in that which is evil. As it's noted of Ahaziah, that he walked in the way of his father and of his mother 1. King. 22.52. And of those superstitious persons 2. King. 17.41. They served their graven Images, both their Children and their children's children's; as did their Fathers, so do they to this day. If the Father follow superstitious or profane practices, it is most likely that the children will do so too. Therefore you that are parents, in the fear of God look to it that you do not scandalize your children by an evil example: If your Children see you in drink sometimes, will they not be Drunkards too? If they hear you swear, will not they swear also? If they see you careless in the observation of the Sabbath, will they not likewise be guilty of Sabbath-breaking? And if they ⟨p. 29⟩see you live in the neglect of holy duties, no Prayer in the Family, how shall they be seekers of God? It will be a wonder if such Children do not prove Atheists, that are brought up in Families where they never see any prayer or acknowledgement of God. O think with your selves, if you that are Parents should any of you perish, and your miserable Children should follow you to Hell, how will they curse you there? If thy Children perish throw thy evil Example, they will follow thee up and down in the ever-burning Lake crying out