Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	pray_v	prayer_n	read_v	2,590	5	6.8286	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50206	The first principles of New-England concerning the subject of baptisme & communion of churches : collected partly out of the printed books, but chiefly out of the original manuscripts of the first and chiefe fathers in the New-English churches : with the judgment of sundry learned divines of the congregational way in England, concerning the said questions : published for the benefit of those who are of the rising generation in New-England / by Increase Mather ...	Mather, Increase, 1639-1723.; Mitchel, Jonathan, 1624-1668.	1675 (1675)	Wing M1211; ESTC W35680	45,581	56

Circumstanced no little evil and danger in it For if you be mistaken then you oppose a Cause of Divine Grace which to do is sad since God looks upon his Grace as his Glory Eph. 1.14 As Gods holiness is dear to him and thence any way to oppose that is dangerous the same is to be said concerning his Grace And if you be mistaken you o●pose a Cause of Gods Covenant now Gods Covenant is marvellous dear unto him and no man can dash himself against an Interest of the Covenant without great haz●●d And if you be mistaken you oppose an Interest yea and a great Interest of Christs Kingdome now that must needs displease the Lord It is very ob●●●v●ble t●at Christ was never so angry as his own dear Di●ciples as the● when ●h●y did rigidly withhold som● that were Children o● th● Kingdom● from being brought to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 10 13 14 why so even because his own Interest was th●rein Concerned me● are soon mov●d when their own Interest is struck at so was the holy heart of Christ much moved because when Children ●e●e k●●t from him his own Interest was prejudiced Brethren if so it be that th● Doctrine of the Synod he Truth you that oppose it do what in you be opt ju●●ce an Interest of Christ and if so Christ is not well pleas●d ●ith you for this thing There is not a more awful Scripture in all the Book of God the● that where it is said concerning Christs Kingdom that whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken M●●● 21.44 Brethren one word let me in the Bow●s of the Lord sa●●o you And I speak it not with a desire to grieve or ●ffend any of you but if my heart deceive me not Loy● to Christ and to you and to the succeeding Generation in New-England causeth me to speak it it is only this oh tremble lest this very Error of yours prove the breaking and the ruine of your poor Posterity They are Solemn and weighty words and I must Confess have alwayes had an aweful Impression upon my Conscience which the Elders have in the Preface to the late Synod Book pag. 12. should say they the Church education of your Children be by the want of your hearty Concurrence rendred either infeasable or ineffectual should they live as Lambs in a large Pasture for want of your Agreement to own them of the Flock we beseech you Consider how uncomfortable the Accompt hereof will be another day Truly when I think and I often think of it seriously and sadly with my self that in a Plantation of Religion for such New-England was the Generality of the Inhabitants should be in the Condition of Infidels that the Posterity of a People professing Godliness yea of the most eminent Professors in the whole World should in our Age be as Infidels even not so much as within the Compass of the visible Church or have the Livery and Character belonging to Christians upon them whereby such are distinguished from the Infidel and Pagan World what it ha's to others I know not but to me it ha's a most formi●able appearance Remember also that the light ha's been forth in which respect Now for you to oppose the Truth after that Convincing Testimonies have been given to it by the Lords Servants will be farr more dangerous and provoking to the Lord then in former Times amongst us when these things had not been so fully enquired into as of late through the good hand of Divine Providence it ha's been A third word which I would say is study well the point of Infant Baptisme Acquaint your selves with the Scripture proofs for that Ordinance I must acknowledge that that ha's been no small Confirmation to me This I find that there is haraly an Argument produced against such Inlargement as is by the Synod asserted but what the Antipaedo-Baptists wake use of to serve their tu●n Also that the Arguments which do demonstrate Paedo-Baptisme in general do for the most part prove that Baptisme ought to be Administred in the Latitude which the Synod pleads for The last word which I shall say is this use all means of Gods app●inting that you may come to understand the Truth in this matter There have been some to my knowledge and because I know there have been some I am apt to think there may be many more then I know of that have exclaimed much against the Synod Book as if it were an Apostacy and Impurity c. That yet upon Examination have Confessed that they never read the Book much less have they read other things written in defence thereof and how farr then have they been from reading these things with Prayers and Tears and Humiliations before the Lord oh if Brethren would prove all things and pray uncessantly over what they do and add deep Humiliations to their Prayers and depend upon Christ for light we might hope that God would either discover his Truth to them in the very things they are searching after or in some other matters better for them to know and in the mean Time help them to carry it with that Christian moderation that becometh Saints Prov. 2.3 4 5. Ezek. 43.11 Phil. 3.15 16. As for the Reasons which have induced me to this ensuing Collection besides those general motives mentioned in the Introduction the special Considerations which haue prevailed with me were First that I might please God in obeying the fifth Commandment by vindicating the honour of my Fathers 2 dly in that a special Advantage ha's been put into my hands for this undertaking by Reason of my Acquaintance with the Manuscripts of both my Fathers I mean my Father Cotton and my Father Mather from whence these Testimonies are for the most part produced 3 dly My Father when he was leaving the world did Commend it as his dying Counsel to me that I should endeavour the good of the Rising Generation in this Country and in special that they might be brought under the Government of Christ in his Church and when grown up and qualified as is in the late Synod Book expressed have Baptisme for their Children What Impression those words since they were the words of a Father and of such a Father and dying words also have had upon my heart is known to the Father of Spirits who only searcheth hearts and Converseth with the Souls of men nor am I able to utter it 4 ly It is known unto those few in the world that have any knowledge of so obscure and inconsiderable a person as my self that I have of late been near unto Death God having brought me back again as it were out of the Grave I must needs have had many thoughts with my self what I should do for God and for his people yea for his People whose Prayers have saved my Life Now I would fain hope what is here done will be a Service for Christ and for these his Churches and for that Generation whereof