N00524:70
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.
Secondly▪ As for Prayer with your Families, Let Fear drive you to That also. There was an Earth-quake in Switzerland, that Shook down all the Houses in a Town, except one piece of one House, wherein a good man was then at Prayer with his Family. Suppose an Earth-quake in our Boston should quickly shake down all the Houses that have not Family Prayer constantly going in them, count me not uncharitable for saying, I am Jealous there ⟨p. 44⟩would be a very terrible Desolation! How few Ohed Edoms are there, that are with their Families paving a daily Respect unto the Ark, the Christ of God? Ho•• few Cornelius's are there, that Calling their Families together more than once every day, do Pray in the midst of their Houses? How few Parents and Masters, do Continue in Prayer, with a frequency like that of the Continual Offering under the Law? And how few do like those in Math. 19. 13. Bring their Little Ones unto the Lord Jesus Christ, that He may Bless them? You that thus do say unto the Most High, Depart from our Dwellings! may justly Fear lest by Death and Fire, He quickly Turn you out of them. Yea, you may Fear lest the Flying R•ll of C•rses, do •ly into those Dwellings, where there is no Prayer for Blessings to keep them out. The very ••arks themselves, do uphold something of a Family-Worship among them; and what may those pretended Christians then ⟨p. 45⟩Fear, whose Houses are upon this Impious Account, Far from Fear? It is an eager and a raging pursuit after, the World, which thus Chokes the Family-Prayers of our Neighbourhood: But I would gladly be at the pains to write that Admonition, in Capitals, on the Walls of every such Habitation, WHAT IS A MAN PROFITED IF HE GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD▪ AND LOOSE HIS OWN SOUL! One would Fear to Live in the House of such a Philistine, whereof one may say, Surely the•• is no Fear of God in this place. And one would think, the Owner of such an House may Fear the Everlasting Regret that will be upon him, when his Domestics at last shall follow him, in the Fiery Burning Lake below, hideously Crying in his Ears, Why did you never teach us to pray? Your never praying with us, has brought us to this horrid place of Torment after you! But