N00528:53
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.
There was one Winter Month in the Year which was called Mensis Genialis, or the Frolic some and Voluptuous Month, among the Ancient Pagans; it was the Month of DECEMBER wherein the Heathen had their Saturnalian Jollities. Then 'twas that they sent their Presents one unto another, which our Primitive Authors call by the Name of Saturnalitia, and by the Name of Saturnalium Sportuloe, but they also had monstrous Revels among them, whereto Horace refers, when he says, Age Libertate Decembri. None shall take Offence at me, for my giving of my own Judgment upon this matter; but I hope, I may without offence Report the Sentiments of the Great Hospnian, who says, He did believe, that they who observed the Feast of our Lords Nativity, in the latter end of December, did it not as thinking that our Lord was Born in that Month; but because the Saturnalia were then kept in Rome, and they were willing to have those Pagan Holidays Metamorphosed into Christian. And I hope, 'twill […] no offence for me to recite the Expressions of Tertullian, who in his Book against Idolatry, thu• Expresseth himself; Shall we Christians, who hav• nothing to do with the Festivals of the Jews, which were once of Divine Institution, Embrace the Saturnalia and the Januaria of the Heathen? How are we shamed by the Gentiles, who are more true to then Religion, ⟨p. 9⟩than we are to ours? None of them will observe the Lords-Day, Lest they should be Christians; and shall not we then, by observing their Festivals, fear lest we be made Ethnics! Nor will I enter into any dispute, Whether the Birth of Our Lord were in December; tho' they that are versed in Antiquity, do understand how divided the Ancients were about it; and how late, yea, how many Hundreds of Years, it was ere the December Festival could obtain: and how much more probability there is, that it rather fell out, about the time of the Feast of Tabernacles, about the conclusion of September, or the beginning of October. But I will venture to say thus much, That it is well if the World be mended, since the famous and pious Bishop made his Complaint That men dishonour the Lord Jesus Christ more in the Twelve Days of CHRISTMAS, than in all the Twelve Months of the Year beside.
There was one Winter Month in the Year which was call'd Mensis Genialis, or the Frolick some and Voluptuous Month, among the Ancient Pagans; it was the Month of DECEMBER wherein the Heathen had their Saturnalian Jolliies. Then 'twas that they sent their Presents one unto another, which our Primitive Authors call by the Name of Saturnalitia, and by the Name of Saturnalium Sportuloe, but they also had monstrous Revels among them, whereto Horace refers, when he says, Age Libertate Decembri. None shall take Offence at me, for my giving of my own Judgment upon this matter; but I hope, I may without offence Report the Sentiments of the Great Hospnian, who says, He did believe, that they who observed the Feast of our Lords Nativity, in the latter end of December, did it not as thinking that our Lord was Born in that Month; but because the Saturnalia were then kept in Rome, and they were willing to have those Pagan Holidayes Metamorphosed into Christian. And I hope, 'twill no offence for me to recite the Expressions of Tertullian, who in his Book against Idolatry, thu Expresseth himself; Shall we Christians, who hav nothing to do with the Festivals of the Jews, which were once of Divine Institution, Embrace the Saturnalia and the Januaria of the Heathen? How are we shamed by the Gentiles, who are more true to then Religion,