N01911:215
Some important truths about conversion, delivered in sundry sermons, / by Increase Mather, D.D.…
Some important truths about conversion, delivered in sundry sermons, / by Increase Mather, D.D. teacher of a church at Boston, in New-England ; With a preface by Dr. Owen.Some important truths about conversion, delivered in sundry sermons, / by Increase Mather, D.D. teacher of a church at Boston, in New-England ; With a praeface by Dr. Owen.
Boston: printed by John Allen for John Edwards, 1721
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.
Intending to dispatch the point at this time, we shall in the Doctrinal prosecution of it, only speak to two things, 1. What those seasons are which ought to be improved. 2. What is implied in redeeming seasons of Grace; or when a man may be said to redeem the time.
Quest. 1. What are those seasons which ought to be improved?
Ques•. 1. What are those seasons which ought to be improved?
Answ. 1. A mans life-time in this World is to be improved. Thus Christ hath taught ⟨p. 149⟩us by his own unerring example, John 9.4. I must work while it is day, the night cometh when no man can work. A mans life is but a season, even a day which shall have a night follow it; and therefore it is to be improved: Yea, and it is but a short season, 1 Cor. 7.30. The time is short. He that hath longest to live, yet hath but a short time to be in this World; therefore James saith, What is your life? it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away, chap. 4. vers. 14. and David saith, Behold thou hast made my days an hand breadth, and mine age is as nothing before thee, Psal. 39.5. A mans time in this World is as nothing before God, that is to say, as nothing in comparison of Eternity; therefore this time ought so much the more carefully & diligently to be improved; and it may be a mans time is much shorter than himself doth think for. We read of one in the Gospel that was to foolish, as to dream of many years, when as he had not so much as one day to live: He said he had goods for many, not only days, but years, when as before this next day, his Soul was taken from him,