N00619:54
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.
First, What tho' we shan't Agree about E•very Thing? Is there Nothing therefore to b• done, for the Reformation of a Land Pining ••way in its Iniquities? Possibly, We are ye• somewhat in the Dark, about that Question▪ What is the Controversy that the Lord Jes•• Christ hath with New-England? And it might occasion some Controversy our selves with one another, to pull that Question, under too clo•• and hard, and arbitrary Disquisitions. How••ver, There are several Provocations to God, […] Evident, and so Notorious, among us, that methinks, we cannot be to seek, for many Cause of the Judgments that are daily breaking o• us; and where we see those uncontestable Causes o• Wrath, Oh! Why may we not Unite, as one man, for the Removal of them? 'Tis ⟨p. 44⟩true, We don't Know all Things; But shall we therefore Do Nothing? Let us Examine, How far we can go, hand in hand, for the Reformation of what we do plainly see to be amiss; & what we see not, the Lord will Teach us, that wherein we have done Iniquity, we may do so no more. A Lady of a very suspected Chastity, •postatising to Popery, complained unto a protestant Minister, that the Reason of her apostasy was, Because the Scriptures were not ••ain enough, to have their Sense determined by private Christians, and therefore she must Embrace Religion, where an Infallible Judge could be had […] all: but the Protestant Minister, gave her […] sharp Reply, Good Madam, say not so; For •hat can be more plain, than one Instance, that I […] give you instead of many; 'Tis that, Thou •alt not commit Adultery. Thus, when, Reformation; Reformation! is urgently called for, perhaps, 'twill be objected; It is not plain to us; •hat are the Things most Needful to be Reformed, […] what are the ways most likely to Reform […]? Now, suppose a man should make this eply; Sirs, Can any thing be more plain than […]? That except the Drinking Houses throughout […] Country come under more of Regulation, and cept the Town-Dwellers in many places be allowed […] to Lie Tippling at such Houses, all the Evil Consequences of slothful Drunkenness, are like to Drown […] in Confusion. Or, suppose, a man should