N01991:57
A dying legacy of a minister to his dearly beloved people, showing, I. That…A dying legacy of a minister to his dearly beloved people, shewing, I. That…
A dying legacy of a minister to his dearly beloved people, showing, I. That true believers on Jesus Christ may be assured, of the salvation of their souls. II. That spiritual wisdom, or grace in the soul, is of all things the most desirable. III. That there is none whose dignity and glory may be compared with that which belongs to our Lord Jesus Christ. / Being the three last sermons preached by Increase Mather, D.D. ; [Five lines from Hebrews]A dying legacy of a minister to his dearly beloved people, shewing, I. That true believers on Jesus Christ may be asured, of the salvation of their souls. II. That spiritual wisdom, or grace in the soul, is of all things the most desireable. III. That there is none whose dignity and glory may be compared with that which belongs to our Lord Jesus Christ. / Being the three last sermons preached by Increase Mather, D.D. ; [Five lines from Hebrews]
Boston: printed by S. Kneeland for J. Edwards, 1722
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.
First, WE may argue by way of Comparison. All other things that are Desirable are not to be C•• pared with this Wisdom. Ri•• es are Desirable among Men, […] the great Things of this World are not the True Riches, Luk. 16. 11. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the Unrighteous […], who will commit to your trust the True Riches. The True Riches is a being Rich towards God. When a Man is Rich in Faith Rich in good Works; when he does much Good in his Generation, and is Glorifying God continually, then he is Rich indeed Worldly Riches are not to be compared unto Grace in the Soul Who does God give the great Things of this World to? He gives them to the Nimrods, Se• nacharibs, Nebuchadnezzars of this World, to the worst of Men, Dan• 4. 17. God setteth over Kingdom ⟨p. 31⟩the basest of Men. God gives these Things, even a great portion of them to His Enemies, but Grace in the Soul He gives to none but His Friends, to those that are His Children. It was a Luther saying, of that vast Dominion God has given to the Great Turk, that it was, A Bone which God did throw down from His Table for that great Dog the Turk to run away with. Health is Preferable to Wealth, many that have had great Riches when they have been in racking Pain, would have given all their Estate to enjoy the poor Man's Health. What then is the Health of the Soul? As John said to Gaius, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in Health, even as thy Soul prospereth. He had a Soul full of Grace, in that respect did Prosper; Strength of Body is a great Mercy, what then is the Strength ⟨p. 32⟩of Soul? Psal. 138. 3. Thou hast strengthened me with strength in my Soul. Paul Prayed for those he wrote to, that they might be strengthened with might in the inward man. Thus if we compare Spiritual Wisdom to the things of this World, they are not comparable to it; the great Things of this World are not comparable to it.
First, WE may argue by way of Comparison. All other things that are Desireable are not to be C pared with this Wisdom. Ri es are Desireable among Men, the great Things of this World are not the True Riches,