N00441:15
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 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⟩of our Pride, Gluttony, Drunkenness and Wantonness. In Prosperity we have been unthankful, and impatient in Adversity: the Dispensations of God have not awakened us.
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 diaving 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⟩of our Pride, Gluttony, Drunkenness and Wantonness. In Prosperity we have been unthankful, and impatient in Adversity: the Dispensations of God have not awakened us.
Hence 'tis, that we have not Entertained the Ordinary Sabbaths of God, with a due Preparation for them, Celebration of them, Satisfaction in them. We have been Idle, Worldly, Wicked on that Holy Day. And we have had an Indisposition to those Extraordinary Sabbaths, which Extraordinary Troubles of Extraordinary Mercies, have called, for. We have not Prayed and Fasted, we have not Praised and Feasted, with a suitable Solemnity, in the Seasons for our doing so.