N00957:39
The way for a people to live long in the land that God hath…
The way for a people to live long in the land that God hath given them. A sermon preached before His Excellency, the governor, the Honoured Council and Assembly of the province of the Massachusetts-Bay in New-England, on the 26. of May 1703. At the election of Her Majesties Council there. / By Solomon Stoddard, A.M. and Pastor of Northampton.The way for a people to live long in the land that God hath given them. A sermon preached before His Excellency, the governour, the Honoured Council and Assembly of the province of the Massachusetts-Bay in New-England, on the 26. of May 1703. At the election of Her Majesties Council there. / By Solomon Stoddard, A.M. and Pastor of Northampton.
Boston: printed by Bartholomew Green and John Allen for Benj. Eliot, 1703
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.
Especially it is needful they should be holy upon these three accounts.
1. That they may advance and promote Religion. It is the duty of Rulers not to tolerate Religion only, but to encourage & advance it; and holy men will be the best friends to Religion. Holiness makes men love Religion; Holiness makes men hate that which is contrary to Religion: a great part of holiness lies in Religion: if men be Godly they will be Enemies to Heresy, Superstition and Profaneness. Godliness will make men concerned for the interest of Religion: Godliness will make men zealous for the truths of God, & zealous for the ⟨p. 10⟩Worship of God; if men be godly, they will be careful that God •e honoured, they will be careful that means be used to make men godly, and to comfort those that are godly. Religious Principles, and Religious Practices suit a godly heart. Others may advance Religion for vain glory, from fear, from the workings of natural conscience; these will do it out of love: Such men will be Nursing Fathers to the Church. Those men that fear God, will promote the fear of God in the Land. If Saul do something to advance the Worship of God, David will do more; if Jehu do something, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, Josiah will do more. Jehu had a mind that Jonadab should see his zeal for the Lord, but all Israel might plainly see that he wanted zeal for the Lord.
1. That they may advance and promote Religion. It is the duty of Rulers not to tolerate Religion only, but to encourage & advance it; and holy men will be the best friends to Religion. Holiness makes men love Religion; Holiness makes men hate that which is contrary to Religion: a great part of holiness lies in Religion: if men be Godly they will be Enemies to Heresy, Superstition and Prophaness. Godliness will make men concerned for the interest of Religion: Godliness will make men zealous for the truths of God, & zealous for the ⟨p. 10⟩Worship of God; if men be godly, they will be careful that God e honoured, they will be careful that means be used to make men godly, and to comfort those that are godly. Religious Principles, and Religious Practices suit a godly heart. Others may advance Religion for vain glory, from fear, from the workings of natural conscience; these will do it out of love: Such men will be Nursing Fathers to the Church. Those men that fear God, will promote the fear of God in the Land. If Saul do something to advance the Worship of God, David will do more; if Jehu do something, Jehosaphat, Hezekiah, Josiah will do more. Jehu had a mind that Jonadab should see his zeal for the Lord, but all Israel might plainly see that he wanted zeal for the Lord.