N00441:14
Fair weather. Or Considerations to dispel the clouds, & allay the storms, of discontent
Fair weather. Or Considerations to dispel the clouds, & allay the storms, of discontent: in a discourse which with an entertaining variety, both of argument and history, lays open, the nature and evil of that pernicious vice, and offers diverse antidotes against it; / by Cotton Mather. ; Whereto there is prefixed a catalogue of sins against all the commandments, whereof all that would make thorough work of repentance, especially at this day when the God of heaven so loudly calls for it, should make their serious and sensible confessions before the Lord; with an humble and fervent address unto this whole people, there-about.Fair weather. Or Considerations to dispel the clouds, & allay the storms, of discontent: in a discourse which with an entertaining variety, both of argument and history, layes open, the nature and evil of that pernicious vice, and offers diverse antidotes against it; / by Cotton Mather. ; Whereto there is prefixed a catalogue of sins against all the commandments, whereof all that would make thorough work of repentance, especially at this day when the God of heaven so loudly calls for it, should make their serious and sensible confessions before the Lord; with an humble and fervent address unto this whole people, there-about.
Boston: printed by Bartholomew Green for Benjamin Harris, 1692
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Introduction: AN Humble and Faithful TESTIMONY For God, unto the Children of my People.
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.
Hence 'tis that we do not zealously wait upon God, in the serious and constant Observation ⟨p. 3⟩of all those Institutions, where•• our Lord Jesus Christ has taught us to maintain our Communion with him. Church Fellowship is neglected; a Gospel Ministry is not supported; a Gospel Discipline is not affected; the Baptism of the Lord is not Improved; and the Supper of the Lord is not Approached. Instead thereof, we are prone to the vanity of Humane Inventions, and humanely Devised Sacraments and Holy-days, in the Worship of God; we have imitated the Pagans in many Religious Rites; that of Health Drinking, in particular; and perhaps we have had un awful Pictures in the Honour of our Lord.
Hence 'tis that we do not zealously wait upon God, in the serious and constant Observation ⟨p. 3⟩of all those Institutions, where•• our Lord Jesus Christ has taught us to maintain our Communion with him. Church Fellowship is neglected; a Gospel Ministry is not supported; a Gospel Discipline is not affected; the Baptism of the Lord is not Improved; and the Supper of the Lord is not Approached. Instead thereof, we are prone to the vanity of Humane Inventions, and humanely Devised Sacraments and Holy-days, in the Worship of God; we have imitated the Pagans in many Religious Rites; that of HealthDrinking, in particular; and perhaps we have had un awful Pictures in the Honour of our Lord.
Hence 'tis that we do not make a Reverent Use of the Names, Words, Works, Attributes, and Ordinances, by which the Lord makes Himself known unto us. We have not had awful Apprehensions, of His Majesty, when we have been drawing near unto him. Our Oaths have not been only in Truth, Justice, and Judgement; our Vinces have not been wisely made, or truly […] We have abused Lots in our […] And the Creatures of God have been […] Nourishment ⟨p. 4⟩