Observanda. The life and death of the late Q. Mary
Observanda. The life and death of the late Q. Mary. : Prefaced, with some observations upon the turns of divine Providence, now bringing of mighty changes, upon the world. : Whereto is added, the address of condolence [sic], made unto His Majesty, by the nonconformist ministers, on the decease of that illustrious queen.Observanda. The life and death of the late Q. Mary. : Prefaced, with some observations upon the turns of divine Providence, now bringing of mighty changes, upon the world. : Whereto is added, the address of condolenee [sic], made unto His Majesty, by the nonconformist ministers, on the decease of that illustrious queen.
Cotton Mather 1663–1728printed by B. Green for Samuel Philips, 1695
56 p. ; 15 cm. (12mo) · 12k words · Evans 726 · Wing M1131
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 is that Intricacy in Providence, That the Enemies of God shall be Confounded by those very means, by which they look to be Preserved. Abimeleck accommodates himself unto the Shechemites, and that he might procure & secure the Kingdom to himself, he gets into their Box as much as ever he can; but there was a Wheel in the midst of this Wheel, which in the Issue carried all another way: Abimelek perishes by those Men of Shechem.
Christians, while our Lord Jesus Christ is Crying to the Wheels of Providence, O WHEEL; He Cries unto Us also, to Behold the Turns of those Wheels. Behold them with. Wonder, Behold them with Patience, Behold them with Profit; and Behold them with a Profound Submission of Soul. Indeed, this is One Thing of peculiar concernment for us, under all Changes whatsoever. Our Lord says unto the Wheels, O WHEEL, Move! But what says He unto Us? unto us He says, Be still; There is that Voice annexed unto the Turning of the Wheels, in
We are very prone to have our Spirits uneasy about the Changes that are before us; but as Luther sent word unto his Friend, who was too Solicitous, how matters were like to go; Pray tell him, That I would have him give the Lord Leave to Rule the World! Even so, I say, Stand off; Don't you meddle; The Wheels of Providence are already in a Sufficient Hand; Oh! Leave to that Hand, the Turning of them all! Instead of your going to call, O WHEEL! Say rather, O LORD! Let our continual Supplications be made unto the Lord, that every Wheel may Turn after such a Manner as is to be desired. I assure you, The Prayers of the Faithful do give marvellous and powerful Jogs unto the Wheels. When we are much in Crying, Awake, O Arm of the Lord; that Omnipotent Arm which Turns all the Wheels, will Awake accordingly. And Oh! take heed of Every Sin, that may Expose you, to be broken by any Wheel of God, in the Turning of it. Mark what I say; The Business of the Wheels, is to Crush those that are in Rebellion against the Lord Jesus Christ, against His Truths, and against His Ways. When the Lord is Crying, O WHEEL! give me Leave to Cry, O SOUL, stand clear of the Sins that will make thee Obnoxious to that Wheel. If any of you are so Eager after this World, as to neglect the Great Salvation of your Souls; if any of you do not Pray constantly,
⟨p. 31⟩
both with your Houses, and in your Closets; if any of you Indulge your selves in the lewd Practices of Profanity; and if any of you continue Strangers to a Closure and an Union with the Lord Jesus Christ; Sirs, I am to tell you, The Wheels of the Indignation of God, are hastening apace to overwhelm you. Oh! Consider this, ye that forget God, Lest His Wheels tear you to pieces, and there be none to deliver you.
Christians, while our Lord Jesus Christ is Crying to the Wheels of Providence, O WHEEL; He Cryes unto Us also, to Behold the Turns of those Wheels. Behold them with. Wonder, Behold them with Patience, Behold them with Profit; and Behold them with a Profound Submission of Soul. Indeed, this is One Thing of peculiar concernment for us, under all Changes whatsoever. Our Lord says unto the Wheels, O WHEEL, Move! But what says He unto Us? unto us He says, Be still; There is that Voice annex'd unto the Turning of the VVheels, in Psal. 46.10. Be still, and know, that I am God. ⟨p. 30⟩We are very prone to have our Spirits uneasy about the Changes that are before us; but as Luther sent word unto his Friend, who was too Sollicitous, how matters were like to go; Pray tell him, That I would have him give the Lord Leave to Rule the World! Even so, I say, Stand off; Don't you meddle; The VVheels of Providence are already in a Sufficient Hand; Oh! Leave to that Hand, the Turning of them all! Instead of your going to call, O WHEEL! Say rather, O LORD! Let our continual Supplications be made unto the Lord, that every Wheel may Turn after such a Manner as is to be desired. I assure you, The Prayers of the Faithful do give marvellous and powerful Jogs unto the VVheels. When we are much in Crying, Awake, O Arm of the Lord; that Omnipotent Arm which Turns all the VVheels, will Awake accordingly. And Oh! take heed of Every Sin, that may Expose you, to be broken by any VVheel of God, in the Turning of it. Mark what I say; The Business of the Wheels, is to Crush those that are in Rebellion against the Lord Jesus Christ, against His Truths, and against His Ways. When the Lord is Crying, O WHEEL! give me Leave to Cry, O SOUL, stand clear of the Sins that will make thee Obnoxious to that VVheel. If any of you are so Eager after this World, as to neglect the Great Salvation of your Souls; if any of you do not Pray constantly, ⟨p. 31⟩both with your Houses, and in your Closets; if any of you Indulge your selves in the lewd Practices of Profanity; and if any of you continue Strangers to a Closure and an Union with the Lord Jesus Christ; Sirs, I am to tell you, The VVheels of the Indignation of God, are hastening apace to overwhelm you. Oh! Consider this, ye that forget God, Lest His VVheels tear you to pieces, and there be none to deliver you.
But, in the midst of these things, are not Men themselves to be Considered, as those Wheels, that are to Move agreeably unto the Lord, in the Changes of His Providence?
But, in the midst of these things, are not Men themselves to be Considered, as those VVheels, that are to Move agreeably unto the Lord, in the Changes of His Providence?
Truly, there is no Magistrate, but the Lord Jesus Christ cries unto him, O WHEEL, Move as well as thou canst for the Reforming of all that is amiss in thy Province, and for the Promoting of every thing that is Holy & Just & Good.
Truly, there is no Magistrate, but the Lord Jesus Christ crys unto him, O WHEEL, Move as well as thou canst for the Reforming of all that is amiss in thy Province, and for the Promoting of every thing that is Holy & Just & Good.
There is no Minister, but the Lord Jesus Christ, cries unto him, O WHEEL, Move as well as thou canst, for the Instructing, and Converting of thy Flock, & for the Warning of every Soul, against every evil Thing.
There is no Minister, but the Lord Jesus Christ, crys unto him, O WHEEL, Move as well as thou canst, for the Instructing, and Converting of thy Flock, & for the VVarning of every Soul, against every evil Thing.
There is no Christian in any Capacity whatsoever, but the Lord Jesus Christ cries unto him, O WHEEL, Move in thy Capacity, as Watchfully as thou canst, as Exactly as thou canst, and as Usefully, as ever thou canst.
There is no Christian in any Capacity whatsoever, but the Lord Jesus Christ crys unto him, O WHEEL, Move in thy Capacity, as Watchfully as thou canst, as Exactly as thou canst, and as Ʋsefully, as ever thou canst.
Let us all be Attentive to the Voice of our Lord; and while His Wheels are Turning, Let us in Complying with His Voice, be as Lively, as the Wheels on Chariots of Amminadib.
BUT there is one Mighty and Awful TURN of Divine Providence, which more particularly this Day calls for our Observation; and that is the great CHANGE of Death, come upon a Great QUEEN, of a most Embalmed and Immortal Memory, and the vast CHANGE upon the State of Three Kingdoms, concerned in, and consequent on, so Universally Deplored a Death. Alas, We see the Beauty of Great Britain, Slain upon its High Places; How is the Mighty Fallen!
What shall we now say of thee, O WHEEL, which hast Overturned a Glorious Mountain, at the Fall whereof, The Earth is Moving, and the Waters of the Sea do Roar, and are Troubled.
What shall we now say of thee, O WHEEL, which hast Overturned a Glorious Mountain, at the Fall whereof, The Earth is Moving, and the VVaters of the Sea do Roar, and are Troubled.
So Inexpressible a Grief, as is every where produced by this vast Occasion, will Oblige us to Brief and Broken Expressions in our Observations thereupon; but as well as the Season will admit of it, Let us now Observe, in the first ⟨p. 33⟩place, the Wonderful TURN of the WHEEL which brought this most Illustrious LADY, unto the Throne of Three Kingdoms!
The First Observable was that which the Reverend Dr. Bates, has noted in his Funeral Sermon on the Queen; That she was not Early Engaged in the Belief and Practice of Popery: That her Father, being so Amorous of his Religion, did not take the Season of Instilling it into her, before she could with Understanding make a Choice. It increases the Wonder, in that the Priests were Attendants in his Court, who, being deeply Struck with Superstition, are watchful to take all Advantages to Propagate it. Now, O WHEEL; how gloriously didst thou Turn the Education of this Chosen Vessel, into such a Bias as has made all the Protestants in Europe to Rejoice!
The First Observable was that which the Reverend Dr. Bates, has noted in his Funeral Sermon on the Queen; That she was not Early Engaged in the Belief and Practice of Popery: That her Father, being so Amorous of his Religion, did not take the Season of Instilling it into her, before she could with Understanding make a Choice. It increases the Wonder, in that the Priests were Attendents in his Court, who, being deeply Struck with Superstition, are watchful to take all Advantages to Propagate it. Now, O WHEEL; how gloriously didst thou Turn the Education of this Chosen Vessel, into such a Byass as has made all the Protestants in Europe to Rejoice!
The Second Observable was that which all Mankind has also wondered at; namely, That notwithstanding the Popish Inclinations both in the […] and in the Uncle of this Incomparable Person, she should yet be Disposed in Marriage, to a Prince of the Reformed Religion; and the Prince Raised by the God of Heaven, to Rescue the Nations from the Designs of those very Monarchs. Now, O WHEEL, how gloriously didst thou Turn this Match, unto the Confusion of all that Popery ⟨p. 34⟩has intended, all EUROPE over!
The Second Observable was that which all Mankind has also wondred at; namely, That notwithstanding the Popish Inclinations both in the 〈…〉 and in the Uncle of this Incomparable Person, she should yet be Disposed in Marriage, to a Prince of the Reformed Religion; and the Prince Raised by the God of Heaven, to Rescue the Nations from the Designs of those very Monarchs. Now, O WHEEL, how gloriously didst thou Turn this Match, unto the Confusion of all that Popery ⟨p. 34⟩has intended, all EUROPE over!
