A50172:84
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.
What have been the Objects in which we have been afflicted? Our Fruits have been blasted; & were they not abused in the excesses of Sensuality? Our Lands have been threatened; and were not They the Idols, for the sake of which we have offended GOD, and almost Renounced all that was Holy, and Just and Good? The most happy and easy Government in the world, was changed with us, into what has by the most impartial men been confessed to have become Intolerable; Why, Did not men despise the Best of Governments, and procure other things to be set over them, because they endeavoured to make Logs of what they before enjoyed? To pass on, Were we not in the late unreasonable Extortions of the Law, invited to consider, Whether our needless Multiplications of Litigious Contentious Law-Suits, formerly amongst us, were not a Scandal thus chastised? Were we not in the late unsufferable Injuries, Abuses, and Exactions of them, that under the pretence of the Excise carried on very outrageous Villainies, put upon Considering, Whether the Multitude or Quality of Drinking-Houses, in the midst of us, had not once been a Stumbling-block of our Iniquity!
What have been the Objects in which we have been afflicted? Our Fruits have been blasted; & were they not abused in the excesses of Sensuality? Our Lands have been threat'ned; and were not They the Idols, for the sake of which we have offended GOD, and almost Renounced all that was Holy, and Iust and Good? The most happy and easy Government in the world, was changed with us, into what has by the most impartial men been confessed to have become Intolerable; Why, Did not men despise the Best of Governments, and procure other things to be set over them, because they endeavoured to make Loggs of what they before enjoyed? To pass on, Were we not in the late unreasonable Extortions of the Law, invited to consider, Whether our needless Multiplications of Litigious Contentious Law-Suits, formerly amongst us, were not a Scandal thus chastised? Were we not in the late unsufferable Injuries, Abuses, and Exactions of them, that under the pretence of the Excise carried on very outragious Villanies, put upon Considering, Whether the Multitude or Quality of Drinking-Houses, in the midst of us, had not once been a Stumbling-block of our Iniquity!