A50175:53
Winter meditations directions how to employ the leisure of the winter for the glory…
Winter meditations directions how to employ the leisure of the winter for the glory of God : accompanied with reflections as well historical as theological, not only upon the circumstances of winter, but also upon the notable works of God, both in creation and Providence ... / by Cotton Mather ; with a preface of John Higginson.
Boston: printed by Benj. Harris, 1693
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.
Nor is it altogether unworthy to be considered, That the more special Successes of your T••rger Gamesters-(whereupon even •ome o• Themselves do sometimes profanely •ay, […] Devil will make a Gamester of that Young Man!) do very terribly intimate a peculiar Interest of the Devil in Ruling the Chance of these Games; 'tis an Observation which my most Honoured Friend, the Venerable Baxter, has made in the close of his Book, about, The Worlds of Spirits. Pray then, have a care!
Nor is it altogether unworthy to be considered, That the more special Successes of your T••rger Gamesters-(whereupon even •ome o• Themselves do sometimes profanely •ay, 〈…〉 Devil will make a Gamester of that Young Man!) do very terribly intimate a peculiar Interest of the Devil in Ruling the Chance of these Games; 'tis an Observation which my most Honoured Friend, the Venerable Baxter, has made in the close of his Book, about, The Worlds of Spirits. Pray then, have a care!
And if men may Sin by some sorts of Gaming in the Winter, mayn't they do it in some kinds of READING too? Not only Books of Debauching Jests and Songs, are very unworthy to be ⟨p. 12⟩our WINTER-ENTERTAINMENTS, but the most of Romances too will then but create a Wast of Time, to be Repented of. And here also, that I may not Impose my own Opinion, I shall give you the Judgment of two Writers, whom the World have not accounted Inconsiderable. The One is, The Author of, The whole Duty of Man; who Dehorting of Young Women from the Reading of Romances, has these words, 'Tis very difficult to Imagine what vast mischief is done to the World by the false Notions and Images of things, particularly of Love and Honour, those Nobler Concerns of Humane Life, […] resented in those Mirrors. The other is, the Incomparable Dr. Tuckney; who likewise dissuading of young Students from the Reading of Romances, has these words, Make this Trial, whether when you have been Greedy in Reading such Books, you have thereby any great wnd to Read the Bible. I am sure that when you have been Reading That, you will have as little Delight i Reading them, as Paul had in the Thorn in his Flesh, when he had been before caught up to Paradise.