N00524:67
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.
1. Let our Personal Fears, Restrain us f•o• the Sin of Restraining those Personal Prayers, which God forbid, that any one Person among us all, should Live without. Are there no particular persons with us, who Restrain that Prayer, which the Fear of God calleth for? 'Tis to be Feared, that there are many such. 'Twere well if most of us were as Innocent as fo• was, of the Fault here Imputed unto Job. Alas, Here is an Indictment laid, For, that not having the Fear of God before thine Eyes, thou hast Restrained Prayer before God: But how many are there, who cannot plead, Not Guilty, to that Indictment? Do they Pray? I wonder, For what it is? For Spiritual Blessings? No, they are the profane Esau by whom such things are all Despised. ⟨p. 40⟩For Temporal Blessings? No, they feed on such Fruits, without ever giving a Look up to the Tree from whence they fall. Do they Pray? I wonder, Where it is? In their Closets? No, They will Sin against God in Secret, but not in Secret Seek the Face of that God. In their Houses? No, They I Eat there, Drink there, Smoke there, and Sin there, but not by Calling upon God there make Bethels of them. Do they Pray? I wonder When it is? Not in the Mornings; they are then in too much Haste of Business for it. Not in the Evenings; they are then too weary, too sleepy, too ••• less for it. But Let them now admit of a few Expostulations with them.
1. Let our Personal Fears, Restrain us f•o• the Sin of Restraining those Personal Prayers, which God forbid, that any one Person among us all, should Live without. Are there no particular persons with us, who Restrain that Prayer, which the Fear of God calleth for? 'Tis to be Feared, that there are many such. 'Twere well if most of us were as Innocent as fo• was, of the Fault here Imputed unto Job. Alas, Here is an Indictment laid, For, that not having the Fear of God before thine Eyes, thou hast Restrained Prayer before God: But how many are there, who cannot plead, Not Guilty, to that Indictment? Do they Pray? I wonder, For what it is? For Spiritual Blessings? No, they are the profane Esau by whom such things are all Despised.