N00355:100
A sermon occasioned by the execution of a man found guilty of murder preached…
A sermon occasioned by the execution of a man found guilty of murder preached at Boston in N.E. March 11th 1685[/]6. : (Together with the confession, last expressions & solemn warning of that murderer to all persons; especially to young men, to beware of those sins which brought him to his miserable end.) / By Increase Mather, teacher of church of Christ.
Boston: printed by R.P. i.e, 1687
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.
God forbid that there should be any Esau-like despisers of Jesus Christ, and his Invitation, or his Salvation, in the Congregation. God forbid that there should be one such child of perdition as an impenitent unbeliever among us all Some persons there are indeed, who make a Scruple of it, May▪ I venture to look unto Jesus Christ, notwithstanding all my vileness, my wretchedness, my unworthiness? To these it may be safely rejoined If you find that God hath wrought your heart to a willingness to close with a whole Christ, you• should not let your Unworthiness be your Discouragement against doing of it. The Invitation Look unto me, is enough to embolden you unto believing looks towards the Lord Jesus Christ, notwithstanding all the damps & doubts which your misgiving hearts may have about your acceptance in it. Sirs, the Golden Sceptre is held out, you may draw near. When Jesus Christ said unto Peter, you may come, he presently ran over the dangerous waves of the boisterous Sea unto Him; Truly so, since Jesus Christ says to you, you may look, let no hard suspicions and surmises keep you from doing your duty in it. The Canaanitess in Mat. 15. 27. did, as one of ⟨p. 62⟩the Ancients expresseth it, play the Philosopher she disputed the case after this rate; A Dog may have Crumbs, It seems I am a dog; Therefore (an ingenious & a gracious Therefore) I may have crumbs too. Thus may you Argue prostrate as the footstool of the Lord Jesus Christ, All the Ends of the earth should look unto thee, O Lord I am one at the Ends of the earth; Therefore I may look unto thee. Surely He that hath his Chair in the heavens, will deny no part of the Syllogism which shall thus be framed by a wrestling Faith. Though you have bin as bad as any among the Corinthians were of old, yet if you have arrived unto a due hunger & thirst after Jesus Christ, you may endeavour to look unto him, saying as Samuel to Eli, Lord here I am for thou calledst me; and He will be far from saying to you as Eli to Samuel, No, I called not.
God forbid that there should be any Esau-like despisers of Jesus Christ, and his Invitation, or his Salvation, in the Congregation. God forbid that there should be one such child of perdition as an impenitent unbeliever among us all Some persons there are indeed, who make a Scruple of it, May I venture to look unto Jesus Christ, notwithstanding all my vileness, my wretchedness, my unworthiness? To these it may be safely rejoin'd If you find that God hath wrought your heart to a willingness to close with a whole Christ, you should not let your Unworthiness be your Discouragement against doing of it. The Invitatitation Look unto me, is enough to embolden you unto beleeving looks towards the Lord Jesus Christ, notwithstanding all the damps & doubts which your misgiving hearts may have about your acceptance in it. Syrs, the Golden Sceptre is held out, you may draw near. When Jesus Christ said unto Peter, you may come, he presently ran over the dangerous waves of the boisterous Sea unto Him; Truly so, since Jesus Christ sayes to you, you may look, let no hard suspicions and surmises keep you from doing your duty in it. The Canaanitess in