N00524:16
The day, & the work of the day. A brief discourse, on what fears…
The day, & the work of the day. A brief discourse, on what fears we may have at this time to quicken us; what hopes there are at this time to comfort us: and what prayers would be likely to turn our prayers into hopes. With reflections upon time and state, now come upon the Church of God, and collections of certain prophecies relating to the present circumstances of New-England. Uttered on a fast, kept in Boston, July 6th. 1693. / By Cotton Mather.
Boston: printed by B. Harris, 1693
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.
But in the mean time, what ground for this Charge? I answer, The ⟨p. 9⟩Charge seems grounded on those Expressions, of Job, wherein he complains, That the Righteous are destroyed with the Wicked, and, That the Tabernacles of Robbers prosper. Or, on those, wherein his Challenges made unto the most High God, have a sort of peremptoriness, not agreeing to that Lowliness of mind, with which the Fear of God would cause us to speak of all His Managements. Wherefore some of the Ancient and Eastern Versions carry it, as if it were here intimated that Job had been speaking to God, without the Modesty that became a poor Worm of the Dust!
The Second Article of the Charge is, Thou Restrainest Prayer before God. What is here Translated Prayer, is promiscuously to be Englished, either Meditation, or Supplication; and indeed, those are such Twins that the same Name would well befit both of them; one of them would still be Insignificant without the other; I may say of them, They ⟨p. 10⟩are Lovely and Pleasant in their Lives, and in their Deaths they are not Divided.
But again, What ground for this Charge? I answer, The Writers among the Jews tell us, That the Charge is grounded on those Expressions of Job, that seemed a Denial of Providence. To Deny Providence, is to Extinguish Prayer, for ever. Men will not be the Diligent seekers of God, except they Believe that God is a Rewarder of them who diligently seek him. Men will soon Leave off the seeking of God, if they don't Believe that God will cut off them that seek Him not. Now Jobs Assertions, as taken, yea, mistaken, would yield such Consequences, as this, That Prayer is to be Restrained, that is, Withdrawn, and Lessened, before God.