N01814:56
Awakening soul-saving truths, plainly delivered, in several sermons. In which is showed, I. That…Awakening soul-saving truths, plainly delivered, in several sermons. In which is shewed, I. That…
Awakening soul-saving truths, plainly delivered, in several sermons. In which is showed, I. That many are called, who are not effectually called. II. That men may be of the visible church, and yet not be of the Lord's chosen. III. That the chosen of God are comparatively but few. / By Increase Mather. D.D. ; [Four lines of Scripture texts]Awakening soul-saving truths, plainly delivered, in several sermons. In which is shewed, I. That many are called, who are not effectually called. II. That men may be of the visible church, and yet not be of the Lord's chosen. III. That the chosen of God are comparatively but few. / By Increase Mather. D.D. ; [Four lines of Scripture texts]
Boston: printed by S. Kneeland for B. Gray, 1720
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.
Quest. 2. How or whence does this come to pass?
Ans. 1. It comes to pass sometimes through the infirmities which attends Churches and Officers therein. Men ⟨p. 47⟩what are they? poor weak creatures, they cannot make an infallible judgment of others, whether they are sincere or no; they judge by outward appearance. Samuel, what a charitable judgment made he of Eliab, he thought Eliab was the Lord's Chosen, 1 Sam. 16.7. but the Lord said unto him, Look not on his countenance▪ for the Lord seeth not as Man seeth, Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. God knows whether there •e any real work of Grace in the heart, if there be but so much as a spark of true Grace in a sea of Corruption God sees it and knows it. He knows whether the hearts of Men are set for God, for Christ, for Heaven, for the things of Eternity, or for Sin and the World; God and He only knows what is in the Heart. 1 Kin. 8.39. Thou only knowest the hearts of all the children of men. Only God can pass an infallible judgment on ⟨p. 48⟩Men, what they are, whether they are sincere or no: Men must judge charitably, it is better to judge as Hypocrite to be a Child of God, than to condemn a Child of God for an Hypocrite, therefore they ought to judge charitably, because they are weak creatures that cannot see into the Hearts of Men, therefore they may easily admit those that are not fit to be among them. And Officers in Churches may be to blame. There is a Scripture in Ezekiel that refers to Gospel times, Ezek. 44.•. it is spoken in way of reproof to those that were Officers, Ye have brought into my sanctuary those that are uncircumcised in heart. The Church of God is a Sanctuary, Officers in a Church may bring into God's Sanctuary those that are not circumcised in heart, that are not regenerate, that have not experienced a work of Grace changing of them, making them new Creatures, and giving them new Hearts, Officers