N00151:39
The times of men are in the hand of God. Or A sermon occasioned…
The times of men are in the hand of God. Or A sermon occasioned by that awful providence which happened in Boston in New-England, the 4th day of the 3d month 1675. (when part of a vessel was blown up in the harbour, and nine men hurt, and three mortally wounded) wherein is showed how we should sanctify the dreadful name of God under such awful dispensations. / By Increase Mather, teacher to a Church of Christ. ; [Nine lines of Scripture texts]The times of men are in the hand of God. Or A sermon occasioned by that awfull providence which hapned in Boston in New-England, the 4th day of the 3d moneth 1675. (when part of a vessel was blown up in the harbour, and nine men hurt, and three mortally wounded) wherein is shewed how we should sanctifie the dreadfull name of God under such awfull dispensations. / By Increase Mather, teacher to a Church of Christ. ; [Nine lines of Scripture texts]
Boston: printed by John Foster, 1675
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.
2. By way of Consolation. 3. Of Reprehension. 4. By way of Exhortation and Direction.
2. By way of Consolation. 3. Of Reprehension. 4. By way of Exhortatoin and Direction.
Use. 1. Of Instruction in two Particulars.
1. In case we enjoy good times, if we see good days this showeth us unto whom we ought to be thankful, even unto that God in whose hand our Times are. If we have our lives when others are snatched away by Death, if we have health when others are in sickness, if we have ease when others have broken bones and are in extremity of anguish, let us be for ever thankful unto God. If we have plenty when others are in wants, as at this day our Neighbours are afflicted with great Scarcity as to Provision, but we have Plenty; let not the Lord have cause to complain against us, as sometimes against the Church of Israel, Hos. 2.8. She did not know that I gave her Corn. We also enjoy the liberties of the Gospel, and in that respect see good days. As when those Liberties are taken away, the days are evil Eph. 5.16. Redeem the Time, for the days are evil. Why were they evil? namely in respect of sore Persecutions raised against the people of God, therefore when there is no Persecution (as ⟨p. 11⟩through Grace with us) there is not, those are good days, and we ought then to be thankful to God on the account thereof. And inasmuch as that God, in whose hand is our Time hath so ordered as that we are brought into the world in these Gospel days, we owe him Everlasting praises on that account. We might have been born in those times of Ignorance, when God suffered all nations to walk in their own ways, even in those dark ages of the world, which were before the Sun of righteousness did arise upon the earth, and so have perished for lack of knowledge: but God hath given us to live all our days under the light of the Gospel. And have not many of you had a long day of Grace? There are some of you that God in whose hand are your times, hath continued to you the day of Grace, twenty, thirty, yea forty years and more to some of you. Thankfully acknowledge the Grace of the Lord toward you.