N01625:211
Three sermons lately preached at Boston. I. Showing the virtue of Christs blood to…Three sermons lately preached at Boston. I. Shewing the vertue of Christs blood to…
Three sermons lately preached at Boston. I. Showing the virtue of Christs blood to cleanse from sin. II. That natural men are under the government of self-love. III. That the Gospel is the means of conversion. : To which a fourth is added, to stir up young men and maidens to praise the name of the Lord. / By Solomon Stoddard A.M. Pastor of Northampton.Three sermons lately preached at Boston. I. Shewing the vertue of Christs blood to cleanse from sin. II. That natural men are under the government of self-love. III. That the Gospel is the means of conversion. : To which a fourth is added, to stir up young men and maidens to praise the name of the Lord. / By Solomon Stoddard A.M. Pastor of Northampton.
printed by B. Green for Daniel Henchman, 1717
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.
4. God gave you reasonable Souls for this end that you may praise the Name of the Lord. God has given rational Souls to you that you might understandingly praise the Lord. Surely God is angry with Men if they don't use their Souls to that end that they were made for: He will count them worthy to be destroyed. And this was the end of your Souls, they are fitted for this end, made capable to know & praise God. Why do you imagine that God has endued you with rational Souls? Was it only to keep your body from putrefying? The soul of a beast would have served that occasion. Some beasts that have only sensitive souls live longer than Men do. Or was it that they might be caterers for the body, to contrive how to get Meat & Drink and Raiment for the body, to be servants to the body, an instrument for the gratification of your sensual appetite? had God no higher design than to prepare you to enjoy sensual pleasures, or was it only to make you capable to rebel against him? The brute creatures being destitute of rational Souls are not capable to rebel, they can't sin or dishonour God, and carry to his reproach: and did God advance you to an higher pitch of excellency, and give you a Soul of a superior nature, endued with angelical ⟨p. 113⟩faculties that you might carry like Devils? Did God make you better than the beasts of the earth, that you might make your selves worse than them? surely it was not worth the while for you to be made to dishonour God. You were made to glorify God, and if this be not done by you, you don't answer the end of your creation. Other creatures attend what they were made for, and if you don't attend what you were made for, God may well repent of making you.
4. God gave you reasonable Souls for this end that you may praise the Name of the Lord. God has given rational Souls to you that you might understandingly praise the Lord. Surely God is angry with Men if they don't use their Souls to that end that they were made for: He will count them worthy to be destroyed. And this was the end of your Souls, they are fitted for this end, made capable to know & praise God. Why do you imagine that God has endued you with rational Souls? Was it only to keep your body from putrifying? The soul of a beast would have served that occasion. Some beasts that have only sensitive souls live longer than Men do. Or was it that they might be caterers for the body, to contrive how to get Meat & Drink and Raiment for the body, to be servants to the body, an instrument for the gratification of your sensual appetite? had God no higher design than to prepare you to enjoy sensual pleasures, or was it only to make you capable to rebel against him? The bruit creatures being destitute of rational Souls are not capable to rebel, they can't sin or dishonour God, and carry to his reproach: and did God advance you to an higher pitch of excellency, and give you a Soul of a superiour nature, endued with angelical