N01732:31
Five sermons on several subjects. I. A birth-day sermon, preached on the day when…
Five sermons on several subjects. I. A birth-day sermon, preached on the day when the author attained to the eightieth year of his age. II. A dying testimony to the sovereign grace of God in the salvation of his elect, containing three sermons. III. Believers encouraged to pray from the consideration of Christs interceding for them, and with them. / By Increase Mather, D.D ; [Six lines of quotations]
Boston: printed by B. Green for Daniel Henchman, 1719
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.
(2) Men are naturally inclined to that which is evil. Jer.4.22. They are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge; if there be an evil Motion they presently comply with it. It is ⟨p. 9⟩not true, which some assert, That Men become Sinners only by imitation, or by learning from others. Some Sins are learnt from others, yet if Men should live where they should see no Sin committed, they would Sin against GOD. Suppose a Child brought up in a Religious Family, and never heard a lie told in his life, yet that Child committing a fault will go to cover it by telling a lie, which shows that to Sin is Natural. Some have committed such Sins as none in the World before them did the like. Rom. 1.30. They are inventers of evil things: which shows they then are Sinners by Inclination, and not only by Imitation. Yea, a sad truth it is, That the worst of Sins, the vilest of Abominations are natural to the Children of Men, tho' it may be God keeps them from committing them. The Apostle showing what Men are by Nature, says, Rom. 3.15. Their se•t are swift to shed blood. Why? are all Men Murderers? Truly, they have Murderous hearts within them. That holy Man Mr. Bradford, who dyed a Martyr, When he heard of any One Executed for Capital Crimes, would strike upon his ⟨p. 10⟩breast and say, In this heart of mine […] that which would make me commit the […] Sin, if God by His Grace did not […] me. All sorts of Sins are natural to […] Mat. 15. 19. Out of the heart proceed […] Thoughts, Murders, Adulteries, Fornic• tions, Thefts, false Witness, Blasphemies These proceed out of the heart; […] they are in the heart: how should the• proceed out of the heart, if there was nothing of them there. So that all sor• of Sins are natural to Men in this the•• corrupt, fallen estate. This may to some seem impossible, because there are Si which seem contrary the one, to the there; as Prodigality is contrary to C vetousness, yet in the same heart a both these. We see sometimes a Ma that has been Notorious for his Prodigality, afterward that very Man shall become as Notorious for his Covetousness; then these corruptions are both of them in his heart. It is very true There are special Sins which some Persons are more apt to commit them, tha others, according to their natural Tempers; some are naturally more subje to anger, being of a passionate disposition;