N01667:212
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
The Work of the Ministry described, in an Ordination Sermon. › USE.
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.
3. When you Enter upon Public Preaching, Endeavour that your Sermons may be such as shall be profitable to those that hear them. If you would Preach profitably, you may not Preach your selves, but CHRIST. Young Preachers are apt to make an ostentation of their Parts, and Wit, and Learning, which ought not to be. Paul was the most Learned of all the Apostles, but how careful was he not to make any show of it! Sermons painted with fine Phrases and Flourishes are like painted Windows which obscure the light. One says well, That such Preachers put the Sword of the Spirit into a velvet Scabbard, which ⟨p. 133⟩keeps it from wounding the heart. If you would Preach profitably, Preach plain Scriptural Sermons. Scriptures are the Sinews of a Sermon. Confirm all that you say with them. It is the Preachers duty to do so: He may not come to the Congregation with Notions of his own, but with the Word of God. 1 Pet. 4.11. If any speak, let him speak as the Oracles of God. And if you would Preach profitably, single out profitable Subjects to Discourse on; dwell rather on Practical than Polemical Subjects: e. g. Concerning the Evil of Sin, and Mans Natural Sinfulness, and the absolute necessity of Regeneration in order to Salvation, and the danger of Hypocrisy, and how far Men may go in the Profession and Practice of Religion, and yet fall short of Heaven at last. This is a Subject much to be insisted on, since there have been and there are Notorious Heretics who have excelled in a seeming Piety. But be sure you Preach JESUS CHRIST and His Righteousness. The Learned Scultetus, observes that the Jesuits Preach up Morality, and Good Works, but not a Word of Justification by the Righteousness of Christ; and that Seneca, and Plutarch, and other Moral Philosophers teach as Good Morality as they do. The iniquity of some Clergy Men at this day, who say, they are Protestants, is very great, since they have little either of CHRIST, or of Scripture in ⟨p. 134⟩their Sermons. Nay, they count it a disgrace to their Sermons, if the Name of Christ is often mentioned therein. How unlike are such to that good Old Predicant, who said, Si scribas, si conferas, non mihi placet, nisi sonuerit ibi Jesus. And how unlike unto the blessed Apostle Paul, who in his Epistles, mentions the Name of Christ four hundred and fifty times; and in one Chapter (viz.