N00528:206
Winter-meditations directions how to employ the leisure [sic] of the winter for the glory…Winter-meditations directions how to employ the liesure [sic] of the winter for the glory…
Winter-meditations directions how to employ the leisure [sic] of the winter for the glory of God. : Accompanied with reflections, as well historical, as theological, not only upon the circumstances of the winter, but also, upon the notable works of God, both in, creation, and providence: especially those, which more immediately concern every particular man, in the whole course of his life: and upon the religious works, wherewith every man should acknowledge God, in and from the accidents of the winter. / By Cotton Mather. ; With a preface of the Reverend, Mr. John Higginson.Winter-meditations directions how to employ the liesure [sic] of the winter for the glory of God. : Accompanied with reflections, as well historical, as theological, not only upon the circumstances of the winter, but also, upon the notable works of God, both in, creation, and providence: especially those, which more immediately concern every particular man, in the whole course of his life: and upon the religious works, wherewith every man should acknowledge God, in and from the accidents of the winter. / By Cotton Mather. ; With a preface of the Reverend, Mr. John Higginson.
Boston: printed by Benjamin Harris over-against the Old-Meeting-House, 1693
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.
The NINTH Article in our Commemoration may be, The Benefits of God, relating to the Means of our SANCTIFICATION, and the Success of those Means. Let us now Declare unto ourselves, and so make ourselves Ready to Declare unto others, What the Lord has done for our Souls. That we have the Means of Grace, is a thing that lavs us under Adamantine Obligations unto Thankfulness. Have we, The Word, the Statutes, the Judgments, of God shown unto us? What should follow, but Praise ye the Lord! For indeed, He hath not so dealt with every Nation. Yea, But has Grace it self also been conveyed unto us, by these means? This does make our Obligations unto Thankfulness to […] truly Infinite. Has the Great God given his Own Son to us, and for us, and with him Freely given all things? Are we Invited unto a […], who saves his People from their sins? A […], who delivers from the […]? A Christ, in whom there does all […]? O our Hallelujahs, where are you? Indeed, we could never have come unto this Jesus without the Drawing of the Father▪ But has he drawn us? Has the Spirit of God made ⟨p. 61⟩it a Day of his Power with us, and have we been made willing, in that memorable Day? We were Dead in Trespasses and Sins; Has the Spirit of God quickened us? We were Going astray in the greatness of our Folly; Has the Spirit of God Reduced us? We have been Pining away in our Iniquities; Have we been Recovered by the Sanctifying, the Strengthening, the Com•o•ting Spirit of our God? O the Matchless loving kindness! And, pray what are the Means which God has devised, •or the bringing back of our Souls, which have been Banished from His Paradise? We have not only had the Ordinances of God, made useful unto us for the changing of us into His Image, from Glory to Glory; but His Providences too. Even those very Afflictions which have happened unto […], have not come only by Hap; there has been the Good Hand, and the Good End, of our God in all; and tho' we had been ready to say, All these things are against me, we now see, That all things have wrought together for our Good. We shall have cause to magnify the Name of our God forever, for the Restraints which he has laid upon us, by our Afflictions, and for the Right Thoughts, which our Sad hours have Raised in us. 'Tis by these Means, that we are now brought into the Covenant of Grace. And now, O most Highly Privileged we! The Great God is become our God.