N00528:214
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.
Well, But now, Let us by a sacred Antiperis•esis take more pains for the Serving of God, in the Winter, than we did in the more Tolerable Seasons of the Year. Yea, and Let us do it with an Expectation, That the more Pains we take to attend the Service of God, the more will He Requite our Pains with such Incomes of Grace and perhaps of Joy, into our Souls, as will be better than the Merchandise of Silver, or the Gain of the finest Gold. The Apostle speaking of what he had Endured in Serving of God, says in 2 Cor. 11. 27. I have been in Cold, and Nakedness. It is Likely that he refers, to what is Reported, in Acts 28. 2. That they were Shipwrecked upon Malta, and there, The Barbarous People showed them no Little ⟨p. 67⟩Kindness, and kindled a Fire, and Received them, because of the Cold. Yea, but our God, ordinarily calls none of us to Endure a Cold, so extremely circumstanced. We are to know, That we are now in a State of Probation, as to our Bodies: if we now put our Bodies to necessary Trouble, in the Serving of God, and if now in our Bodies, we Endure Hardness, as Good Soldiers of Jesus Christ, we shall be Rewarded in the Glory of these Bodies, at the Resurrection of the Just. For every pinch of Cold, whereto we have Exposed our Bodies, in the Serving of God, all the Winter Long, we shall be Recompensed in our Glorified Bodies, when, The Times of a Refreshing Coolness shall come, by the Presence of the Lord. Wherefore, now Let us do the more Works of PIETY, rather than the Fewer, for the Cold of our Winter. It is noted concerning the Time of our Lords Coming up to the House of God, in Joh. 10. 22, 23. It was the Feast of the Dedication, and it was Winter; And Jesus walked in the Temple. It may be that you have never yet given up your selves unto the Blessed God, with so Explicit a Dedication, as would be a no less Comfortable, than Reasonable Service. Then do it this Winter; while you have so much Time to Dedicate unto such a Service. But having so done, Be sure to come up unto the Temple, in the Winter, as much as ever you can. Possibly, you have never yet come into any Evangelical CHURCH-FELLOWSHIP, according to the Precept of the Holy JESUS; No, you are so far from Walking with Him, in the Temple, that you never yet Entered