N01732:80
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.
1. 20. That he was •ore-ordained before the foundation of the World, but was manifest in these last days. We see then Election proceeds from the free love of God. Joh.3.16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God did not first send His Son into the World, and then love the World; but He loved the World of His Elect, therefore He sent His Son into the World to be their Saviour; then it must be resolved into the good pleasure of God that He chooses these and those, to eternal Salvation. It may be said indeed God did appoint some to Salvation that His Mercy might be glorified for ever. God did Reprobate others that so His Justice might be glorified for ever: True, but why did God choose Jacob rather than Esau? Why did He choose Peter rather than Judas? No reason can be given of it, but the Sovereign Will & Pleasure of the Most High ⟨p. 58⟩GOD. Eph.1.5. According to the good pl•• sure of his will. Mat.11.25. Jesus […] I thank thee, O Father Lord of heaven […] earth because thou hast hid these things […] the wise & prudent, and hast revealed […] unto babes, even so Father for so it seem […] good in thy sight. Thus it must […] solv'd into the Sovereign Pleasure […] Him who is the Lord of Heaven & Earth ▪ I have the rather insisted on this, becau•• there have been some in the World, […] would not have the Ministers of the Gospel, Preach the Doctrine of Election Nay, there have been Prelates, that ha•• prohibited their Clergy from Preachi•• the Doctrine of Election. It is a stran•• thing that any Men that believe […] Scriptures should do so: For there […] hardly any one Article in the Christi•• Religion, that is more frequently m•• tioned in the Scripture than this of […] Doctrine of Election: Christ speaks […] it again & again. All the Apostles spe of it in their several Epistles, especially the Apostle Paul, very singularly in […] Epistle to the Romans.