N01545:102
Two discourses showing, I. That the Lords ears are open to the prayers of…Two discourses shewing, I. That the Lords ears are open to the prayers of…
Two discourses showing, I. That the Lords ears are open to the prayers of the righteous. II. The dignity & duty of aged servants of the Lord. : Also, a preface in which the Congregational discipline of the churches in New-England is vindicated, with the authors dying testimony there-unto. / By I. Mather, D.D. ; [Four lines of quotations]Two discourses shewing, I. That the Lords ears are open to the prayers of the righteous. II. The dignity & duty of aged servants of the Lord. : Also, a preface in which the Congregational discipline of the churches in New-England is vindicated, with the authors dying testimony there-unto. / By I. Mather, D.D. ; [Four lines of quotations]
printed by B. Green for Daniel Henchman, 1716
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.
And it may amaze them to think how near they are to that damnation, having already one foot in the Grave and so in Hell. An Old Man cannot but know that death will be upon him quickly. It may be so on a Young Man, but to be sure on an Old Man. And when death comes and finds him in his Sins, what will come along with it! What will immediately follow it? That you see in, Rev. 6.8. where you read of a pale horse, & his name that sat on him was death, & hell followed with him. What an Old Sinner! O be awakened, for you have reason to expect death and hell every Day, every Moment of thy ⟨p. 110⟩life? How dost thou know but that an Apoplexy or a Palsy, or some other sudden accident may put an end to thy space of repentance! And there is one thing more to be thought on. It is a truth, and an awful one, That if Men have lived under the light of the Gospel all their days until grey hairs are upon them, & yet remain in their Natural Unconverted estate, it is not usual for such obdurate Sinners ever to be Converted. They have slighted so many offers of Grace; they have continued so long in their rebellion, grieving the holy Spirit of God, Sin and Satan has got such a fast hold on their Souls, that nothing less than a Miracle can cast him out. And yet I would not have you despair neither. For with God nothing shall be unpossible. Is there any thing too hard for the Lord? Nicodemus said, Can a man when he is old be born again? As improbable as this may seem, with God ⟨p. 111⟩it is possible. The Arm of God is able to bow & bend an old oak, which no arm of a Man can do. He that was able of the Stones which were taken out of Jordan, (for I suppose John Baptist spoke of them, Mat. 3.9.) to raise up Children to Abraham, can of Old Sons of Belial, make Children of God. Can Old dry bones live? Can Old Sinners be converted? If the Almighty Spirit of God will enter into them they shall. He that raised Lazarus after he had been dead Four days, can as easily cause a Man that has been dead in trespasses and sins fourscore Years to live. If Christ shall say, Thou Old Sinner come out of thy Grave, he that was dead shall come forth & live. There have been some wonderful instances of it, in our days.