N00528:83
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 Jews have a Fancy among them, That when the Almighty first bespangled the Heavens which Stars, He left a Spot near the North Pole unfinished, and unfurnished, that so, if in after Ages any other should be set up for a GOD, he might have this Trial made of them, Go, fill up if you can that part of Heaven which is yet left Imperfect! But indeed, Without any such Suppositions, we may ⟨p. 21⟩see enough in the Heavens, to proclaim this unto us, Lift up your Eyes on High, and Behold, who has Created these things? None but an Infinitely Glorious God, could be the Creator of them.
Secondly. There is a profound Adoration of God, wherewith we are to Behold His Works of REDEMPTION; and for this likewise we have the Leisure of the Winter. When our Lord was undergoing some of His Last Agonies, for the Redemption of Lost Man, 'tis said in Joh. 19. 18. They made a Fire of Coals, for it was Cold, and they warmed themselves. Accordingly, when we have a cold Winter upon us, Let us Warm our Souls, by thinking on what our Lord Endured in the latter end of the Winter for us. When we are in our Warm Houses, O Behold, that Hot Love of our Lord unto our Souls, which tho' He Lay in a Winter night grovelling on the cold Ground, yet made Him Sweat, yea, to Sweat Clotters or Globules of Blood, more terrible to Behold, than those Bloody Sweats, which Diodorus Siculus tells us, befell the people of the East, when their Serpents had bitten them. When we are in our Warm Garments, O then Behold the Heat of our Lords Love, wherein He Hung Naked on the Cross, in the Cold Air, for Six Hours together of a Winter-Day. The Unfathomable Mysteries of Redemption are the Raptures of the Angels, all the Year about; it is said of those Cherubims conversant about the Mercy-Seat, in 1 pet. 1. 12. These Things they Desire to Look into. Let us make the same Things our Study, especially in that part of ⟨p. 22⟩the Year, the Winter, when we have most of Leisure for the Study. We find in