A50172:72
The way to prosperity a sermon / preached to the honourable convention of the…
The way to prosperity a sermon / preached to the honourable convention of the governor, council, and representatives of the Massachuset-Colony in New-England on May 23, 1690 by Cotton Mather.The way to prosperity a sermon / preached to the honourable convention of the governour, council, and representatives of the Massachuset-Colony in New-England on May 23, 1690 by Cotton Mather.
Boston: printed by Richard Pierce for Benjamin Harris, 1690
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.
Add to this; Nothing is more Necessary for us, than the Presence of God. We are undone, thrice, and four times Undone, if we have it not. Methinks I hear the Almighty GOD with a voice more awful than that of the loudest Thunder, saying over us, as in Hos. 9. 12. Woe to them when I depart from them. And Woe to us indeed; we are in a most woeful estate, if it come to that! How can we endure the mention of it, without our most importunate Deprecations, O our God, leave us not! We can have a prospect of nothing but horrible Disorders, Agonies and Vexations, if we lose the Presence of our Lord: We lie open to no less than a fearful Dissipation, and more than all our late Oppressors would rejoice to see brought upon us. We have lately been complaining of Burdens, that were grievous to us; but I may warn you of our danger to feel one Burden more, which will infinitely exceed them all; tis that in Jer. 23. 33. What Burden? I will even forsake you, saith the Lord. Behold a Burden that will sink us into a bottomless Abyss of Calamities! The Presence of GOD, This is no less than the very Soul of New-England; We are dead and gone, if that withdraw. When Israel was nimbly enough possessing themselves of the promised Land, which God had given them such a CHARTER ⟨p. 20⟩for, they perished in the Attempt; for in Deut, 1. 42. The Lord said, go not up, for I am not among you. Alas, if we don't in the first place look to this, That God be among us, we cannot avoid all manner of Disappointments, Desolations.
Add to this; Nothing is more Necessary for us, than the Presence of God. We are undone, thrice, and four times Undone, if we have it not. Methinks I hear the Almighty GOD with a voice more awful than that of the loudest Thunder, saying over us, as in Hos. 9. 12. Wo to them when I depart from them. And Wo to us indeed; we are in a most woful estate, if it come to that! How can we endure the mention of it, without our most importunate Deprecations, O our God, leave us not! We can have a prospect of nothing but horrible Disorders, Agonies and Vexations, if we lose the Presence of our Lord: We ly open to no less than a fearful Dissipation, and more than all our late Oppressors would rejoice to see brought upon us. We have lately been complaining of Burdens, that were grievous to us; but I may warn you of our danger to feel one Burden more, which will infinitely exceed them all; tis that in