N00657:32
A discourse concerning the uncertainty of the times of men, and the necessity of…
A discourse concerning the uncertainty of the times of men, and the necessity of being prepared for sudden changes & death. Delivered in a sermon preached at Cambridge in New England. Decemb. 6. 1696. On occasion of the sudden death of two scholars belonging to Harvard College. / By Increase Mather, president of that college. ; [Two lines from I Samuel]A discourse concerning the uncertainty of the times of men, and the necessity of being prepared for sudden changes & death. Delivered in a sermon preached at Cambridge in New England. Decemb. 6. 1696. On occasion of the sudden death of two scholars belonging to Harvard Colledge. / By Increase Mather, praesident of that colledge. ; [Two lines from I Samuel]
printed by B. Green for Samuel Phillips, 1697
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.
1. That so his Children might live by Faith. That so they might live a li•e of holy dependence upon God continually. They must not know their Times, that so they might Trust in the Lord at all times. God would not have his Children to be anxiously solicitous about future Events, but to leave themselves and theirs with their Heavenly Father, to dispose of all their Concernments, as He in his Infinite Wisdom and Faithfulness shall see good.
1. That so his Children might live by Faith. That so they might live a li•e of holy dependance upon God continually. They must not know their Times, that so they might Trust in the Lord at all times. God would not have his Children to be anxiously solicitous about future Events, but to leave themselves and theirs with their Heavenly Father, to dispose of all t•eir Concernments, as He in his Infinite Wisdom and Faithfulness shall see good.
2. That their Obedience may be tried. That they may follow the Lord, as it were blind fold, whithersoever He shall l•ad them, though they do not see one step of their way before them, ⟨p. 20⟩as Abraham did. Heb. 11.8. When he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an Inheritance, he obeyed, and went out not knowing whither he went. We must follow God, tho' we know not what He will do with us, or how He will dispose of us, as to our Temporal Concerns, submitting our selves, yea, our lives and all entirely to the Will of God in every thing. That saying ought to be often in our mouths, If the Lord will, and we shall live, and do this or that. Jam. 4.15.