N00896:84
The excellency of a public spirit discoursedThe excellency of a publick spirit discoursed
The excellency of a public spirit discoursed: in a sermon, preached in the audience of the General Assembly of the province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, May 27. 1702. Being the day for election of counsellors in that province. / By Increase Mather. ; [Four lines of quotations]The excellency of a publick spirit discoursed: in a sermon, preached in the audience of the General Assembly of the province of the Masachusetts Bay in New England, May 27. 1702. Being the day for election of counsellors in that province. / By Increase Mather. ; [Four lines of quotations]
printed by B. Green for Nicholas Boone, 1702
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.
IN this Chapter we have an account of three men that came to Abraham when he dwelt in the Plains of Mamre; which men were indeed Angels, only called men, because they did appear in Humane Shape; Abraham supposing them to be Travellers, courteously invited them to refresh themselves with him; and so did as the Apostle speak•, Entertain Angels at unawares. He applied himself to one above the rest; the reason of his doing so is not mentioned, but probably he observed that the other Angels did show peculiar respect to that Person. And afterward he perceived that He was not a Created Angel, but Christ the Eternal Son of God; for he calls him, the Judge of all the Earth, which Title is peculiar to the Son ⟨p. 42⟩of God. And in this Verse, and in several other places in this Chapter, He is called Jehovah, which is a name that may not be given to any Angel or Creature, but to Him alone who is the only true God. Two of the Angels went to the City of Sodom, so that Abraham was left with the Lord alone, who having intimated to him his purpose to destroy Sodom, because of the exceeding wickedness of that place, the Holy man with great humility and importunity begged of God, that he would spare them And that prayer he made no less than six times over: The argument he makes use of, is taken from the consideration of the merciful and equitable proceedings of God towards men.
IN this Chapter we have an account of three men that came to Abraham when he dwelt in the Plains of Mamre; which men were indeed Angels, only called men, because they did appear in Humane Shape; Abraham supposing them to be Travellers, courteously invited them to refresh themselves with him; and so did as the Apostle speak•, Entertain Angels at unawares. He applied himself to one above the rest; the reason of his doing so is not mentioned, but probably he observed that the other Angels did show peculiar respect to that Person. And afterward he pe•ceived that He was not a Created Angel, but Christ the Eternal Son of God; for he calls him, the Iudge of all the Earth, which Title is peculiar to the Son ⟨p. 42⟩of God. And in this Verse, and in several other places in this Chapter, He is called Iehovah, which is a name that may not be given to any Angel or Creature, but to Him alone who is the only true God. Two of the Angels went to the City of Sodom, so that Abraham was left with the Lord alone, who having intimated to him his purpose to destroy Sodom, because of the exceeding wickedness of that place, the Holy man with great humility and importunity begged of God, that he would spare them And that prayer he made no less than six times over: The argument he makes use of, is taken from the consideration of the merciful and equitable proceedings of God towards men.