N00441:70
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.
A Sacred Exorcism, upon Sinful DISCONTENT. Uttered on December 24.… › II. The Evil of DISCONTENT.
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.
Thirdly. Our Discontent, lays us open to the Terrible Wrath of the Eternal God. Indeed a Discontented man rarely feels the Love of God, witnessed unto his own Soul. Those Joyful and Gladsome Seals, wherein a Saint ha's powerful Assurances, That God ha's Loved him with an Everlasting Love, are usually withdrawn, yea, they are Banished, from a Discontented Heart. But instead thereof, the Wrath of God lies hard upon the Soul, whom Discontent hath overwhelmed. It is reported in Numb. 16. 41. The Congregation Murmured; and the next News was, There is Wrath gone out from the Lord. It is a Token of a Direful & Ireful Wrath from God upon the Soul, when the Evil Disease of Discontent, shall take away the Relish, which otherwise a man might have in his Enjoyments. And it further Provokes the God of Heaven, to inflict His Wrath upon all the Interests of such ⟨p. 52⟩an Unthankful, and Unholy man. We read in Psal. 105. 25, 26. They Murmured in their Tents, therefore He Lifted up His Hand against them. In Discontent, we Lift up our Heart against God, and then He will soon Lift up His Hand against us, that we shall continue in a desolate Wilderness all our Days. If our Children are Stomachful when the Rod ha's been upon them, they are Lashed and Scourged with it again; and Impatiens Egrotus, Crudelem facit Medicum. God will not bear-long with Discontented Ones. He said in Numb. 14. 27. How long shall I bear with this Evil Generation, which Murmur against me? It is nothing but the Infinite for bearance of God, that keeps off the bitterest and the dreadful lest miseries, from a Murmuring Generation. But we may be sure, that the Just God, will multiply the Marks of His Vengeance upon Discontented Ones, until either they come to Abhor themselves, and say, I am vile, I have spoken, but I will Proceed no further; Or, until, they come to •eel, Wrath unto the Uttermost.
Thirdly. Our Discontent, layes us open to the Terrible Wrath of the Eternal God. Indeed a Discontented man rarely feels the Love of God, witnessed unto his own Soul. Those Joyful and Gladsome Seals, wherein a Saint ha's powerful Assurances, That God ha's Loved him with an Everlasting Love, are usually withdrawn, yea, they are Banisht, from a Discontented Heart. But instead thereof, the Wrath of God lyes hard upon the Soul, whom Discontent hath overwhelmed. It is reported in