N00524:53
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.
Furthermore; A Fourth End of Prayer is, That we may nourish an Humble Communion with the God who Humbles Himself to take Notice of us. 'Tis in Prayer that we come to a marvellous Familiarity with the Lord our God, and arrive to that privilege in Job. 22. 21. Acquaint now thy self with Him, and be at peace. The Intercourse between the Great God, and the Worms of the Dust, in this Exercise, is indeed most Inexpressible! Hence Prayer is called, A Visit unto God; God and man becoming Friends, most Friendly Visits are in this way mutually given to one another. And this Communion with ⟨p. 29⟩God, not only Emboldens our Access to Him, while we Live; of our Neighbour 'tis said, Withdraw thy Foot from thy Neighbours House, Lest he be weary of thee, and so Hate thee; with our Maker 'tis not▪ so; No, He tells us, The oftener you come, the more welcome to me! So it Emboldens our Retreat to God, when we Dy. Oh! that my Hearers would sufficiently Lay to Heart, what I am now going to say unto them! I say unto you, That it will be a Dreadful Thing for a Soul Departing to appear before a God whom it has altogether been a Stranger unto. A Devout Soul going before God, may Rejoice with a most Heavenly Triumph, saying, My God, I know thee! This is the God, with whom I have spent many a good Hour, before my coming hither; much Prayer does procure for us, this Felicity! O but for a wicked Soul, at its Expiration to think, I am about meeting with a God, unto whom I never did […] any Life▪ ⟨p. 30⟩speak one solicitous word, about my Eternal Interests! 'tis an horrible Agony that must amaze that wicked Soul.
Furthermore; A Fourth End of Prayer is, That we may nourish an Humble Communion with the God who Humbles Himself to take Notice of us. 'Tis in Prayer that we come to a marvellous Familiarity with the Lord our God, and arrive to that priviledge in Job. 22. 21. Acquaint now thy self with Him, and be at peace. The Intercourse between the Great God, and the Worms of the Dust, in this Exercise, is indeed most Inexpressible! Hence Prayer is called, A Visit unto God; God and man becoming Friends, most Friendly Visits are in this way mutually given to one another. And this Communion with