N00946:115
Soul-saving Gospel truths. Delivered in several sermons, wherein is showedSoul-saving Gospel truths. Delivered in several sermons, wherein is shewed
Soul-saving Gospel truths. Delivered in several sermons, wherein is showed: I. The unreasonableness of those excuses which men make for their delaying to come to the Lord Jesus for salvation. II. That for men to despair of the forgiveness of their sins because they have been great, is a great evil. III. That every man in the world is going into eternity. / By Increase Mather. ; [Eight lines of Scripture texts]Soul-saving Gospel truths. Delivered in several sermons, wherein is shewed: I. The unreasonableness of those excuses which men make for their delaying to come to the Lord Jesus for salvation. II. That for men to despair of the forgiveness of their sins because they have been great, is a great evil. III. That every man in the world is going into eternity. / By Increase Mather. ; [Eight lines of Scripture texts]
Boston : Sold by Eleazer Phillips., 1703
Title page typeset from the transcription.
TO DESPAIR Of the Forgiveness of SIN, Is a GREAT EVIL. › Conclusion 2: CONCLUSION II.
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.
CONCLUSION II.
For the most part when Gods Children fall into the Sin of Despair, they are graciously revived and comforted before they go out of the world. The holy Penman of the Seventy Seventh Psalm had his dark hours. Ver. 3 He remembered God and was troubled. When he remembered the Power of God, and the Justice of God he was troubled, as thinking these were against him. When he remembered the Mercy of God he was troubled, left that would not favour him. He said, Will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone forever? Ver. 7, 8. Thus disconsolate was he But he recovered out of those dismal sorrows, ver. 10. I said this is my Infirmity. ⟨p. 109⟩There have been very eminent Saints who having fallen into the pit of Despair, have not dyed there. The holy Martyr Mr. Robert Glover, a little before his death was much sunk in his spirit. But when he came to behold the Stake where he must dye, he was e'en ravished with joy, saying, He is come, He is come, the Comforter is come to my soul. That Martyrs Brother Mr. John Glover, had been in a sad Despairing condition a long time, fearing (without cause) that he had committed the Unpardonable sin. But some Years before his death the Lord restored Comforts to him, and he lived a most Celestial life, more like an Angel than like an Earthly Man, spending the most of his Time in Communion with God. There was in Oxford a Learned and Holy Minister (Mr. Peacock) who thought himself a Reprobate, and that Prayer for him ⟨p. 110⟩would in vain. But he dyed triumphantly with such words as these in his mouth, I am sure the Lord has provided for me a Kingdom, the Joy that I feel it incredible. I am a thousand times happy. That Eminently Religious Gentle-woman, Mrs. Katherine Brettergh had a fit of Despair, in which she would with tears trickling down her Cheeks, cry out that she was a woeful forsaken Woman, having a roaring Wilderness of woe within her, wishing she had never been Born, or that she had been any other Creature, rather than such an one. But this Agony of that Eminent Saint, who had been a great blessing to many, ended in Joy unspeakable & full of Glory. For she dyed with such words as these; And now blessed Lord! Thy comfortable Presence is come: Yea Lord, thou hast had respect to thy Hand-maid, and […] come with fullness of Joy, and abundance of Consolations.