N01435:40
A sermon concerning obedience & resignation to the will of God in every thing.…
A sermon concerning obedience & resignation to the will of God in every thing. Occasioned by the death of that pious gentlewoman, Mrs. Mariah Mather, late consort of Increase Mather, D.D. Who entered into her everlasting rest, on the Lords Day, April.4. 1714. : [Seven lines of Scripture texts]A sermon concerning obedience & resignation to the will of God in every thing. Occasion'd by the death of that pious gentlewoman, Mrs. Mariah Mather, late consort of Increase Mather, D.D. Who entered into her everlasting rest, on the Lords Day, April.4. 1714. : [Seven lines of Scripture texts]
Boston: printed by T. Green, 1714
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.
2. Our Obedience to the Will of God ought to be not only without Delay, but a Willing Obedience: Isa. 1.19. If you be willing & obedient, you shall eat the good of the Land. A Servant may do what his Master Commands him Presently, but Unwillingly: It may be a forced Obedience for fear of Punishment. Thus do many yield a Servile Obedience to the Commandments of God: They perform External Duties of Religion, but as a Task which they would be glad to be eased of the burden of it: Mal. 1.13. They say, What a weariness is it? Such have no reason to think that their Obedience ⟨p. 19⟩will find any acceptance with God, or be rewarded by him: 1 Cor. 9.17, 18. If I do this willingly, I have a Reward; but if against my will, a Dispensation of the Gospel is committed to me; what is my Reward? If there is a willing Mind, God accepteth according to what a man has, and not according to what he has not. It is the Will of God that men should not only promote works of Piety, but that they should do it willingly with their Hearts. It is the Will of God that they should do works of Charity; that according to their Ability they should relieve the Poor, but that they should do it not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver, 2 Cor. 9.7. It is not enough for us to do the Will of God, but we must do it with Delight: Psal. 40.8. I delight to do thy Will, O God. This are we taught not only by the Word, but by the Example of our Lord Jesus Christ: He was so set upon doing the Will of God, that sometimes he would neglect his necessary Food, to do Service for the Name ⟨p. 20⟩of God. When the Disciples said to him, Master, Eat; He replied, I have Meat to eat that ye know not of: My Meat is to do the Will of him that sent me, and to finish his Work, Joh. 4.34. Yea, if it be the Pleasure of God that we shall Suffer for his sake, we should do it Willingly. So did Moses: He chose to suffer affliction with the People of God,