N00341:175
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.
And there are many true Believers, which tho' they bear fruit, yet but little fruit comparatively to what they should and might do. What barren hearts have they! Not so many holy thoughts therein as ought to be! what barren lips, that are not filled up with profitable discourse! This, verily is the great sin of many professors: They spend whole hours in Company with one another, and yet not one edifying word all that time. Nay, it may be their Communications such, as they would be ashamed to say what they had bin speaking, if the holy Lord Jesus should suddenly break in upon them and demand what their discourses were about. As he did when his Disciples were in a house at Capernaum, the Lord asked them, what was it that you disputed among your selves by the way? And they held their peace, for they had been disputing who should be the greatest. Mark. 9.33.34. They were ashamed ⟨p. 112⟩to tell what discourses had passed amongst them. Is there not a great deal of unfruitful Discourse amongst Christians when they meet occasionally? On a time there happened to be a number of Christians together, and their Discourse being frothy and fruitless, a young man in the room who was of a more serious and holy temper than the rest, took his pen and ink and for a while in Short-hand wrote down what every man said, and having so done, he prayed them to tell him what every man of them had spoken since they came together, but if you cannot (said he) I'll read to you what has passed in discourse: You (said he) spoke these words, and you (said he to another) uttered these words, and you (said he) to a third, had these Expressions: and when they heard over again what foolish talk had been among them, they were all ashamed. Certainly many good people are not so mindful as they should be, that of every idle word they must give an account to Christ in another world. Such dishonour God by their unfruitfulness.
And there are many true Believers, which tho' they bear fruit, yet but little fruit comparatively to what they should and might do. What barren hearts have they! Not so many holy thoughts therein as ought to be! what barren lips, that are not filled up with profitable discourse! This, verily is the great sin of many professors: They spend whole hours in Company with one another, and yet not one edifying word all that time. Nay, it may be their Comunications such, as they would be ashamed to say what they had bin speaking, if the holy Lord Jesus should suddenly break in upon them and demand what their discourses were about. As he did when his Disciples were in a house at Capernaum, the Lord asked them, what was it that you disputed among your selvs by the way? And they held their peace, for they had been disputing who should be the greatest.