N01545:108
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.
Consider 2. That if you abide in the way of righteousness from Youth to Old Age, great will be your reward in the Life & World which is to come. Those hoary heads, which God has set a crown of glory upon, shall then have another kind of crown & glory given to them. The longer you have continued faithfully Serving God, the more Diamonds will your crown of glory shine with in the Eternal World. All the numberless Prayers which you have poured out before God, for your selves or ⟨p. 117⟩others, all your other deeds of Piety, all your works of Charity, will be remembered. The Lord whom you Serve will not forget one of them. If when you were Children, you did from a principle of the fear of God in your hearts, behave your selves dutifully towards your Parents, God will reward you for that Obedience which was your duty. If you have been Servants, and then were diligent & faithful to your Masters, not with eye Service as Men pleasers, but as Servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, He will reward you for the Service you did for your Masters. Whatever good thing any man does the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free, Eph. 6.8. In the space of many years, you must expect to meet with manifold Afflictions and Temptations. If you bear the Cross as becomes the Servants of Christ, He will reward you for all your ⟨p. 118⟩Patient sufferings. Thus shall it go well with the righteous. Therefore let Young Persons make sure of their being such: And the sooner you do it, the happier are you both for Time and for Eternity. Oh! that Young Men would do now as probably they will wish they had done when they shall see Death and Eternity ready to take hold on them. They will then wish that they had lived a Life of serious Godliness: that they had spent more Time in Communion with God. I have often thought of the dying words of a great Man, when he was going out of the World, he expressed himself after this manner, I (said he) have been Privy Counsellor to four Princes, have been present at State-transactions for thirty Years together, & I have learned this after so many Years experience; that Seriousness is the greatest Wisdom, Temperance the best Physic, & a good Conscience the best Estate; yea, I ⟨p. 119⟩