N00431:71
The wonderful works of God commemorated. Praises bespoke for the God in heaven in…
The wonderful works of God commemorated. Praises bespoke for the God in heaven in a thanksgiving sermon; delivered on Decemb. 19. 1689. Containing just reflections upon the excellent things done by the great God, more generally in creation and redemption, and in the government of the world; but more particularly in the remarkable revolutions of providence which are every where the matter of present observation. With a postscript giving an account of some very stupendous accidents, which have lately happened in France. / By Cotton Mather. ; To which is added a sermon preached unto the convention of the Massachuset-Colony in New-England, with a short narrative of several prodigies, which New-England hath of late had the alarms of heaven in.
Boston: printed by S. Green & sold by Joseph Browning, 1690
PRAISES Bespoke for the GOD of Heaven, In a Thanksgiving SERMON. › APPLICATION.
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.
But alas, All this Globe Is but as a P•• point, if compared with the mighty Universe. Never did any man yet make a tolerable Guess at its Dimensions: but were we among the Stars, we should utterly lose the sight of our Earth, although it be above twenty six thousand Italian Miles in the compass of it. Look upon the Wandering Stars, and you shall see so many Worlds, that swallow up all our Conjectures at the circumstances of them, and of their Satellites. Look upon the Fixed Stars, and what shall we say about the Bigness of them? Doubtless they many scores of times exceed the Bulk of this poor Lump of Clay, about a few Foot whereof the Inhabitants are so Quarrelsome. Or, what shall we say about the Number of them? For though they are but a few above a Thousand, That we ever see, without a Telescope, yet that will tell us, that the Six, which we commonly call, The Seven Stars, have above Sixty among them, and the rest are like the Sand of the Sea, innumerable. ⟨p. 27⟩But above all, the Sun, that principal Engine, which the whole Visible Creation hath such a manifest Dependence on; This declares the Glory of God, at such a Rate, that the Philosopher once thought himself Born on purpose, to Behold the Splendours of it. This at last hath glared out my Eyes, that at this Time, I can look no further upon the Marvels of the Creation. But, my Brethren, Let us take our Time to Travel over the World; (I hope, we shall one Day have Bodies more able to do it, than our Spirits at present are!) and then let us give many Thousands of Praises to Him, whose Omnipotent and Omniscient Hand hath Created all. O Sing unto the Lord, because He hath done Excellent Things, in making and managing the vast Fabric of the World.
But alas, All this Globe Is but as a P•• point, if compared with the mighty Universe. Never did any man yet make a tolelerable Guese at its Dimensions: but were we among the Stars, we should utterly lose the sight of our Earth, although it be above twenty six thousand Italian Miles in the compass of it. Look upon the Wandring Stars, and you shall see so many Worlds, that swallow up all our Conjectures at the circumstances of them, and of their Satellites. Look upon the Fixed Stars, and what shall we say about the Bigness of them? Doubtless they many scores of times exceed the Bulk of this poor Lump of Clay, about a few Foot whereof the Inhabitants are so Quarrelsome. Or, what shall we say about the Number of them? For though they are but a few above a Thousand, That we ever see, without a Telescope, yet that will tell us, that the Six, which we commonly call, The Seven Stars, have above Sixty among them, and the rest are like the Sand of the Sea, innumerable.