N00318:59
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.
Consider. 2. The Good and Benefit that will follow upon a […] seeking to the Lord. If there were nothing more to be said but only this, it should be a prevailing Motive, viz. That then your Parents will have Joy in you; A wise son (i. e. a godly son) maketh a glad father. The Apostle John hath such an expression as this I have no greater joy than to hear that my Children walk in the truth, 3. Joh. 4. Nor is there any greater Joy to a godly Father than to see truth of grace in his children; this comforts him more than to see that his Children are become rich or great in the world, know also for your encouragement that, if you seek the Lord with your whole heart, He will ⟨p. 35⟩be found of you, yea, tho your sins and provocations have been never so great. Was there ever a greater sinner than Manasseh, the son of blessed Hezekiah, yet when he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the Lord God of his Fathers, and prayed unto him, he was entreated of him, 2. Chron. 33.12, 13. O think of it you that (though the Children of godly Parents) have bin heinous sinners before the Lord, seek him sincerely, & he will pardon all your sins & save your souls form eternal death. I remember I have read concerning the [g]Emperor Otho the 2d. That having a son whose name was Luitolp, an haughty young man, that rebelled against his Father, and for safety betook himself to the City of Mentz, which being besieged by the Emperor, Luitolp fled to another place, and on a day when his Father was in the Field, his son unexpectedly came to him, and keeling before his father humbly begged for pardon, with tears acknowledging his Offences, and that he was worthy of a thousand deaths, but if it would please him to give him his life, he should ever be a loyal and obedient son for the time to come; presently his Fathers Bowels yearned over him and he restored that prodigal son to his former place and dignities, who ever after approved himself as became a Loyal subject and dutiful Son.
Consider. 2. The Good and Benefit that will follow upon a 〈…〉 seeking to the Lord. If there were nothing more to be said but only this, it should be a prevailing Motive, viz. That then your Parents will have Joy in you; A wise son (i. e. a godly son) maketh a glad father. The Apostle John hath such an expression as this I have no greater joy than to hear that my Children walk in the truth,