N01488:87
Several sermons wherein is showed, I. That Jesus Christ is a mighty Saviour. II.…Several sermons wherein is shewed, I. That Jesus Christ is a mighty Saviour. II.…
Several sermons wherein is showed, I. That Jesus Christ is a mighty Saviour. II. That God converts his elect some at one age, and some at another, commonly before old age. III. That when godly men dye, angels carry their souls to another and a better world. : With a preface in which there is a brief and true character of the Reverend Mr. Thomas Bridge a lately deceased pastor in one of the churches in Boston. / By Increase Mather, D.D. ; [Four lines of quotations]Several sermons wherein is shewed, I. That Jesus Christ is a mighty Saviour. II. That God converts his elect some at one age, and some at another, commonly before old age. III. That when godly men dye, angels carry their souls to another and a better world. : With a preface in which there is a brief and true character of the Reverend Mr. Thomas Bridge a lately deceased pastor in one of the churches in Boston. / By Increase Mather, D.D. ; [Four lines of quotations]
Boston: printed by B. Green for Benjamin Eliot, 1715
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. Some of the Elect of God are in his Eternal Purpose designed to do great Service for his Name. Most of those mentioned in the Scripture as Converted in their Youth, were in their Generation singular Instruments of Gods Glory, and of doing Service for his Name. That so Men may do Service for God, it is ordinarily requisite that they should have an unblemished Youth. Otherwise it is like to be with them as was Prophesied concerning ⟨p. 72⟩Reuben, when his Youth had been blemished with an Incestuous Adultery: Gen. 49.4. Thou shalt not excel, because, &c. Such Sinners upon their true Repentance shall have their Sins forgiven and their Souls Saved: but tho' they shall go to Heaven they seldom excel on Earth. Scandalous Miscarriages will be a lasting wound to a Mans Reputation. Wherefore God ordinarily when he designs a Person for special Service, seizeth him for himself whilst he is Young. It is true, that Paul before his Conversion had been a great Sinner; and yet afterwards the most Serviceable Man in the World. But although' he was a great Unbeliever and Persecutor, he was not guilty of such Sins as blemish a Mans Reputation in the esteem of the World. He was a very blameless Person. It is a very great Mercy to have an unblemished Youth; for that Scandalous Miscarriages in Youth, will stick upon a Man all his days after. Now if a Man has Grace wrought in his Soul whilst it is Early days with ⟨p. 73⟩him, that will be a blessed means to preserve him from an unblemished Youth. Again, That so a Man may do much Service for Christ he must have time allowed him •o do the Services appointed for […] Therefore are some of the sect called into the Vineyard betimes, […] so they may have time to finish […] the work decreed for them •fore their going out of the W• •dinarily they that must […] •l of work must have […] of time to do it in.
2. Some of the Elect of God are in his Eternal Purpose designed to do great Service for his Name. Most of those mentioned in the Scripture as Converted in their Youth, were in their Generation singular Instruments of Gods Glory, and of doing Service for his Name. That so Men may do Service for God, it is ordinarily requisite that they should have an unblemished Youth. Otherwise it is like to be with them as was Prophesied concerning