N01667:147
Practical truths, plainly delivered
Practical truths, plainly delivered: wherein is showed, I. That true believers on Jesus Christ, shall as certainly enjoy everlasting life in heaven, as if they were there already. II. That there is a blessed marriage between Jesus Christ the son of God, & the true believer. III. That men are infinitely concerned, not only to hear the voice of Christ, but that they do it, to day. IV. The work of the ministry, described, in an ordination sermon. / By Increase Mather, D.D. ; [Seven lines of Scripture texts]Practical truths, plainly delivered: wherein is shewed, I. That true believers on Jesus Christ, shall as certainly enjoy everlasting life in heaven, as if they were there already. II. That there is a blessed marriage between Jesus Christ the son of God, & the true believer. III. That men are infinitely concerned, not only to hear the voice of Christ, but that they do it, to day. IV. The work of the ministry, described, in an ordination sermon. / By Increase Mather, D.D. ; [Seven lines of Scripture texts]
printed by B. Green for Daniel Henchman, 1718
That Men are Infinitely Concerned, not only to hear the Voice of Ch… › Application 1: USE, I.
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.
1. They do not improve their day of Prosperity to Soul saving Ends and Purposes. They have Health, and it may be Wealth too. That should cause them to Seek and Serve the Lord Willingly and Joyfully because of the abundance of all things. They should therefore hear his Voice, and be very Obedient to him. But the Lord may say to them as he did to Jerusalem: Jer. 22.21. I spake unto thee in thy Prosperity, but thou saidst I will not bear; this has been thy manner ⟨p. 87⟩from thy Youth that thou obeyest not my Voice. They have been like Jesurun, who when he waxed fat was so brutish as to kick his feeder. Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and has forgotten the God that formed thee, Deut. 32.15, 18. Wretched Sinners, the more mindful God has been of them, the more forgetful have they been of him. And for how long a time? how many days have they forgotten him? Jer. 2.32. They have forgotten me days without number. Prayerless ones, Hear the Word of the Lord. How many days hast thou lived, in which thou hast not Prayed to God? Have they not been days without number! Then thou hast forgotten God days without number. O foolish Creatures and unwise! do you thus requite the Lord for all his blessings? Dost thou call thy self a Christian, and yet not Pray to God? Thou has less Religion than Mahometans; For they Pray more than once every day. A late Writer speaks of two Turks that being at variance, One of them, that he might disgrace his Adversary with the greatest Reproach, uttered such words as these, You may see what a Wretch that man is, he has not Prayed to God so much as once this day. Are there not those professed Christians here present, that have not Prayed to God this day, and it may be not once the last Week. Woeful forgetters of God they are!
1. They do not improve their day of Prosperity to Soul saving Ends and Purposes. They have Health, and it may be Wealth too. That should cause them to Seek and Serve the Lord Willingly and Joyfully because of the abundance of all things. They should therefore hear his Voice, and be very Obedient to him. But the Lord may say to them as he did to Jerusalem: