N00328:9
God's promise to his plantations
God's promise to his plantations; [Three lines from Samuel] / As it was delivered in a sermon by John Cotton, B.D. and preacher of God's word in Boston. ; [Seven lines from Psalms]
Boston: printed by William Jones for John Bellamy, 1686
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.
To the Christian Reader.
Although no good Christian, or indeed ingenuous man, can do any thing less than approve of such endeavours as arm at the glory of God, and a common good especially when they are managed by a clear warrant from Gods Word. Yet for ames and ends that men put to their actions being hidden in their hearts there is no way to declare them but by an honest profession of them which is sufficient where we are entertained but with that common charity one man is bound to yield another; But for the grounds and rule an action is wrought by, and the praise of it in that respect, there is another judgment than that of charity to guide us by, namely, by proving it by the touch stone of Gods Word.
ALthough no good Christian, or indeed ingenuous man, can do any thing less than approve of such endeavours as arm at the glory of God, and a common good especially when they are managed by a clear warrant from Gods Word. Yet for ames and ends that men put to their actions being hidden in their hearts there is no way to declare them but by an honest profession of them which is sufficient where we are entertained but with that common charity one man is bound to yield another; But for the grounds and rule an action is wrought by, and the praise of it in that respect, there is another judgment than that of charity to guide us by, namely, by proving it by the touch stone of Gods Word.
Now because many may either not know, or do not consider upon how full a ground and warrant out of the Word of God that undertaking (which was the occasion of this Sermon) hath hitherto proceeded, I thought good (Courteous Reader) leave being with some difficulty obtained of the Reverend Author to present unto thy view and consideration that which may in part give thee satisfaction in this particular.