N00619:37
Things for a distressed people to think upon. Offered in the sermon to the…Things for a distress'd people to think upon. Offered in the sermon to the…
Things for a distressed people to think upon. Offered in the sermon to the General Assembly of the province, of the Massachusetts Bay, at the anniversary election. May, 27. 1696. Wherein, I. the condition of the future, as well as the former times, in which we are concerned, is considered. II. A narrative of the late wonderful deliverance, of the King, and the three kingdoms, & all the English dominions, is endeavoured. III. A relation, of no less than seven miracles, within this little while wrought by the Almighty Lord Jesus Christ, for the confirmation of our hopes, that some glorious works, for the welfare of his church, are quickly to be done, is annexed. / By Cotton Mather.Things for a distress'd people to think upon. Offered in the sermon to the General Assembly of the province, of the Massachusetts Bay, at the anniversary election. May, 27. 1696. Wherein, I. the condition of the future, as well as the former times, in which we are concerned, is considered. II. A narrative of the late wonderful deliverance, of the King, and the three kingdoms, & all the English dominions, is endeavoured. III. A relation, of no less than seven miracles, within this little while wrought by the Almighty Lord Jesus Christ, for the confirmation of our hopes, that some glorious works, for the welfare of his church, are quickly to be done, is annexed. / By Cotton Mather.
printed by B. Green for Duncan Campbel, 1696
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.
Temperet a Lacrymis?—
The most Compendious & Effectual way to ⟨p. 26⟩come at a lasting Peace, was well contrived, in an Expedition formed, for the cutting down of a Tree, that was the Roost of the Rooks, which Troubled us; but a marvellous Frown from Heaven, so defeated this contrivance, that although it was at first next unto a Miracle that so Important a Thing, as the Conquest of Canada, was not accomplished, yet Now our Armies not being All cut off, by the whole Force of Canada now arrived into Quebec, was a Deliverance next unto a Miracle. Our compassionate Lord, Marvellously answered the Faith, which we then Expressed in our Prayer before Him, That the English Army should not fall by the Hands of the French Enemy: And therefore, about fourteen Hundred Raw men, tired with a long Voyage, were not made a Prey to more than twice as many Expert Soldiers, then Crowing in their own Dunghill. Nevertheless, the heavy Debts, and the many Deaths, which ensued upon the failure of that Great Action, the Greatest that ever we attempted, have so confounded us, that it becomes us to Lie-Low, before that Just God, who Showed us Great and Sore Troubles, & brought us down to the Depths of the Earth. And, as if all this had not been enough to lay us Low, the Spirit of God against whom we had Rebelled, permitted the Devils, from the Depths of Hell, to assault us, with as Prodigious Vexations, as ever befell any People under the whole Cope of Heaven. ⟨p. 27⟩The Devils, those Powers of Darkness, had been horribly plaid withal, by Magical Tricks, used among many People in this Land of Light, and these Devils now broke in upon the Country, with such Preternatural Possessions as may be […] perpetual Astonishment of the World. In the Storm now Raised, upon a Land, which by the Wrath of the Lord of Hosts was Darkened: a Storm Raised by Wicked Spirits in High Places, that had the Upper-hand of us: a Storm that would have made the best of Pilots, to want the best Advice that could be given: It was, and it will be, past all Humane Skill, Exactly to Understand what Inextricable Things we have met withal. But yet it may need some Disquisition with us, What matter of Humiliation in them? O NewEngland such as these, have been thy Disasters: