N00441:88
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.
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.
If you were sure, that the Appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ in Flaming Fire, to Consume, The Antichrist, and set up that Kingdom of His, which, The Day of Judgment, in the several Stages of it, is intended for the various Representations of, would come to pass, within a few Months or Years, would it not make all the Confusions of the world, more easy with you? I may tell you, that there are lately Raised up some Godly and Learned Men, that have made a Midnight ⟨p. 70⟩Cry, to advise a secure World, that such an Event is, one of, The Things to be Looked for; and it seems that, Our being will aware of such a thing, is the watchfulness to be most in these Days Endeavoured, where unto the Virgins will nevertheless be most generally indisposed. For my own part, I shall only set before you the words of a Worthy Person, (and one that is no Fanatic) in an Epistle before a Sermon lately Published, about the Probable Approaches of our Lords Appearance; He says, Take the Doctrine as refined from the Dross [mentioned] and it will appear pure Gol•• I desire (says he) to be ashamed of my own Darkness and ••leness; that I have not attained unto the Evidence and Persuasion of our being NOW come to, THE TIME OF THE END, that I know some of the Dear People of God have arrived unto. But I bless God for what I have seen; and I could wish I had words to declare it unto the world, that they who live in the Daily Expectation of the Coming of Christ, are the most Lively Zealous Christians, that ever I have known or heard of in these Latter Days; the wonderful Impressions, ⟨p. 71⟩which they have upon their Souls about it, are Soul-ravishing, Inflaming their Hearts with Love to him; they are Soul-replenishing, that they even overflow in all their Discourse, with the most affectionate speaking of CHRIST, and for him: whereby the: are rendered some of the most useful Saints upon Earth. And whereas all Enthusiastical Opinions are wont to pul• up, these Impressions have tended to make them the most Humble and Lowly Christians, that ever I came near. As the generality of Christians are without these Expectations, so by woeful Experience we know […] cold we are in our Hearts and Live ••n our Converses and Families. Th• he: And methinks any thing should content us, while our Lord says, Behold, I come quickly.