N00619:44
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.
Secondly, The Times which we are fallen into, do Loudly call for our Supplication to that God, in whose Hand are all our Times. All the whole Tribe of Thinking men, that have any Understanding in the Times, do know this, that of all the Things, which we ought now to do, there is nothing more Seasonable, than Unfeigned Prayer unto the Lord. There are those Things now come unto the Birth, which require us to Lift up our Lively Prayer, unto the Living God; There are those Calamities impending, that strongly require us to Cry unto the God that performeth all things for us. When Daniel, did understand by Books, that the Number of the years, for the Captivity of the Church of God, was very near accomplished, Then, says he, in Dan. 9.3. I set my Face unto the Lord God, to seek by Prayer and Supplications, with Fasting & Sackcloth and Ashes. Truly, We may Understand by Books, That the Number of years, for the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ to Lie under its Desolations, is very near to its Accomplishment: and therefore, Haec sunt Orandi Tempora: I may say, Pray, Pray, Pray, never mor• Need than Now. When the Seventy years, so ⟨p. 33⟩the Churches confinement in Babylon, were almost out, Good men might have Known that they were so: Holy Daniel did Know it. When the Four Hundred & Thirty years for the Churches Expecting the Promised Rescue from Egypt, were almost out, Good men might have Known that they were so: The Lord made the Doubting Moses to Know it. When the Four Hundred & Ninety years for the coming of the Messiah, after the Rebuilding of Jerusalem, were almost Expired, Good men might have Known it; & many Good men did then Know it, Waiting for the Consolation of Israel: Yea, the Pharisees themselves, the High Church-men of those Days, They also did Know it; and our Lord called them Hypocrites, for their not conforming themselves accordingly. Well, When the Twelve Hundred & Sixty years assigned unto the Reign of the Antichristian Apostasy, draw towards their Period, this Period also may be Known, as well as any of the former. The Mistakes that have been in the Guesses of some Learned men, about this Happy Period, are far from Inferring a Necessity of Wrong Reckonings to the Worlds end; No, they rather make it more easy now to Reckon Right. Now I do this Day appear among you, O People of God, with such a Message from Heaven unto you, as This;