N00341:163
The greatest sinners exhorted and encouraged to come to Christ, and that now without…
The greatest sinners exhorted and encouraged to come to Christ, and that now without delaying. Also, the exceeding danger of men's deferring their repentance. : Together with a discourse about the day of judgement. And on several other subjects. / By Increase Mather teacher of a church at Boston in N. England. ; [Six lines of Scripture texts]
printed by R.P. for Joseph Brunning i.e, 1686
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Fruitful Christians glorify God.Fruitful Christians glorifie God.
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.
When may Christians be said to bear much fruit? And the Answer to that is clear from what has been said in showing what the fruit here spoken of is. In two words,
When may Christians be said to bear much fruit? And the Answer to that is clear from what has been said in shewing what the fruit here spoken of is. In two words,
1. They that have much grace, bear much fruit. There is a marvellous difference among true Christians as to degrees of grace. Tho' every Believer hath every grace in some degree, yet it may be he has no grace in that eminent degree which some others have. Hence some Christians are compared unto Babes, others unto grown men. 1. Cor. 3.1. Some to children, others, to fathers 1. Joh. 2.13. ⟨p. 102⟩As there is a Difference in spiritual gifts, that one Saint does very much excel another; so there is in grace. The grace of one does exceed the grace of another, as much as the strength of a man is above the strength of a child. Now inasmuch as grace is fruit (as was showed) the more grace any man hath, the more fruit does he bear.
1. They that have much grace, bear much fruit. There is a marvellous difference among true Christians as to degrees of grace. Tho' every Believer hath every grace in some degree, yet it may be he has no grace in that eminent degree which some others have. Hence some Christians are compared unto Babes, others unto grown men. 1. Cor. 3.1. Some to children, others, to fathers 1. Joh. 2.13. ⟨p. 102⟩