N00441:97
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.
And, Lastly, Let me Recommend Humility, as a Grace which Cuts off the very Spring of all our Discontent. All things do always go well with an Humble man. He is, As a Weaned Child, and so not a Froward one. Let the worst come that can come, he'll say as One once did, in terrible pain, I Groan, but I do not Grumble. O could we say with Paul! And if Paul could say so, sure you and I, may say it. One thing said by Paul was, I am nothing. Say after him; and then, though we Have nothing, we shall not be Discontent. Another ⟨p. 80⟩thing said by Paul was, I am the Chief of Sinners. Say after him; and then we shall not be Discontent, though we are the Chief of Sufferers.
And, Lastly, Let me Recommend Humility, as a Grace which Cuts off the very Spring of all our Discontent. All things do alwayes go well with an Humble man. He is, As a Weaned Child, and so not a Froward one. Let the worst come that can come, he'l say as One once did, in terrible pain, I Groan, but I do not Grumble. O could we say with Paul! And if Paul could say so, sure you and I, may say it. One thing said by Paul was, I am nothing. Say after him; and then, though we Have nothing, we shall not be Discontent. Another ⟨p. 80⟩thing said by Paul was, I am the Chief of Sinners. Say after him; and then we shall not be Discontent, though we are the Chief of Sufferers.
But,
3. Fervent PRAYERS may be propounded as the Last Ingredients of that Antidote, which we are to be advised unto. Prayer, Tis the Heart-ease of Discontented ones Hannah found it so; when a Fit of Discontent was-upon her; we are told, She cured out her Soul to the Lord, and so was no more fad. I now say, Go and do likewise. In there any Grievance which you are Discontented at? Then, Go to the Lord; This will wonderfully Unload your Souls. As Luther called Prayer The Leech of his Care; thus you may find it will suck all your Discontents away.