N01911:313
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.
2. Cast away those things that would hinder Salvation. The gate of Salvation is a strait ⟨p. 228⟩gate. You have heard what Christ saith, Mat. 7.14. Strait is the gate which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Now if a man be to go in at a strait gate, he had need throw away those things which are Incumbrances, or he will never be able to enter. So if you desire to enter in at the strait gate of Life, away with those things that would hinder. As now, the World is an Enemy to Salvation, when mens hearts are set upon it, they will be drowned in the Pit of Perdition; their end will not be Salvation, but Destruction, Phil. 3.19. 1 Tim. 6.9. As ever therefore you desire to be saved, take heed of having your hearts too much engaged in the World. Again, sin will hinder Salvation, and therefore if you would be saved, cast sin out of your hearts and lives, Jer. 4.14. O Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. Forsake sin in life, yea, and in heart too, if ever you would be saved, yea, and sinful Company also; for sinful Companions are the greatest hindrances of Salvation. What saith the Scripture, Forsake the Foolish and live, Prov. 9.6. Would you live, would you be saved? then forsake the foolish, beware of profane or corrupting Company, Prov. 13.20. He that walketh with wise men, shall be wise; but a Companion of fools shall be destroyed. So that sinful Companions will bring to destruction; and therefore whoso desireth Salvation, ⟨p. 229⟩must beware of such. Alas, this which I now speak of, hath been the ruin of many a Soul that hath been in a hopeful way towards Heaven. Sometimes the Word of God meets with a sinner, and he hath secret purposes to forsake his sin, and to return to God by Jesus Christ, but he falls into wicked Company, and they entice him to Drinking or Gaming, or to some other evil course, whereby the Convictions which were upon his Conscience are lost, and his Soul is undone to all Eternity. The truth is, that evil Company is one of the greatest and most ruining snares in the World, and therefore if you love your Souls. Oh beware of it!