N00592:40
Durable riches. Two brief discourses, occasioned by the impoverishing blast of heaven, which the…
Durable riches. Two brief discourses, occasioned by the impoverishing blast of heaven, which the undertakings of men, both by sea and land, have met withal. : The one, handling, the true cause of loosing; the other, giving, the true way of thriving. / By Cotton Mather. ; [Four lines of quotations in Latin]
Boston: printed by John Allen for Vavasour Harris, 1695
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.
V. The very Occasions of our Losses, may administer unto us, those Reflections which may Occasion our Gaining by our Losses. It was a Riddle once propounded, in Judg. 14.14. Out of the Eater came forth Meat. Now that Riddle may be expounded in the Occasions of those Losses, that sometimes do trouble us. Our Losses are monstrous Eaters, they eat away huge morsels of what we have. But we may fetch Meat for our Souls, out of those Eaters, by Devout Reflections thereupon. As now; Have our Losses been by Burnings? Then we may Reflect, Lord, Let not my Soul perish in Everlasting Burnings? Reflect; Lord, Let not thy Anger burn against this poor Soul of mine! Again, Have our Losses been by Shipwrecks? Then we may Reflect, Lord, Let me never make Shipwreck of the Faith, and of a Good Conscience! Reflect; Lord, keep my SOUL from the Lusts which may drown it in Perdition! Once more, Have our Losses been by Robbers? Then Reflect, Lord, who gave my Substance to the Spoiler, & the Robber, but thou, the Lord, against whom I have sinned? O let me make my ⟨p. 30⟩Peace with my Offended God! Or, Have we been Cheated? Reflect then, Lord, Let me not be one that shall deceive my own SOUL; neither let the Tempter deceive me! Moreover, Have our Losses been by Carelessness, or Imprudence? Then Reflect, Lord, Let me use more Earnest Heed, in the Things of my Everlasting Peace! Finally, Have our Losses been, by Droughts, by Rains, by Unfruitful Seasons? Reflect upon it, Lord, Let me bring forth Fruits meet for thee, by whom I am dressed; and let me glorify thee, by bringing forth of much Fruit! Any one such Reflection having its due Impression upon our minds, would Largely make amends for any of the Losses that might occasion it.
V. The very Occasions of our Losses, may administer unto us, those Reflections which may Occasion our Gaining by our Losses. It was a Riddle once propounded, in Judg. 14.14. Out of the Eater came forth Meat. Now that Riddle may be expounded in the Occasions of those Losses, that sometimes do trouble us. Our Losses are monstrous Eaters, they eat away huge morsels of what we have. But we may fetch Meat for our Souls, out of those Eaters, by Devout Reflections thereupon. As now; Have our Losses been by Burnings? Then we may Reflect, Lord, Let not my Soul perish in Everlasting Burnings? Reflect; Lord, Let not thy Anger burn against this poor Soul of mine! Again, Have our Losses been by Shipwracks? Then we may Reflect, Lord, Let me never make Shipwrack of the Faith, and of a Good Conscience! Reflect; Lord, keep my SOUL from the Lusts which may drown it in Perdition! Once more, Have our Losses been by Robbers? Then Reflect, Lord, who gave my Substance to the Spoiler, & the Robber, but thou, the Lord, against whom I have sinned? O let me make my