N00619:60
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.
And these, to quiet their own guilty Consciences, will Declaim very bitterly against certain Vanities in other people, and perhaps will with more pride than Scripture, crowd in many lawful and needful Things among those Vanities: These are the Things that want Reformation, they say; But thou wouldest say it, with a better Grace, O man, if some of the zeal were spent upon thy own Enormities. However, Thus they'll fall into a fiery rage about those Things, As if nothing else brought the Judgments of God upon the Land. But that which we are first of all to do, is This: It becomes every one of us, first of all to Judge themselves, and throw the First Stone, at ⟨p. 53⟩our own iniquity. It was greatly Resented, i. • Jer. 8.6. I hearkened, and heard, but they spake not aright; No man repented him of his Wickedness saying, What have I done? Then, Oh! Then, shall we speak aright about the Reformation incumbent on us, when Every man shall say, What have I to do, towards the Reforming of my self, and of my own Family? Let Every one set before himself, a Catalogue of Things Forbidden, and of Things Required, in the Ten Commandments; our ordinary Catechisms will advantageously set before us, the Glass of the Law, wherein we are to take a view of our selves; Thereat, Let us with a secret Self Examination find out our own Delinquencies, and so Request for, and Rely on, the Aids of Grace, for a Self Reformation. Having done thus much, we are then bravely qualified for the Doing of more: Let us now, as far as ever we are capable, Extend our Influences. Householders, They are first of all to Rectify all that is amiss, where they reckon themselves a sort of Kings, that is to say, in their own Houses. Oh! Ask your selves, whether you have no Bad Orders to be Rectified there? Whether your Devotions there might not be more Edifyingly carried on? Whether your Children and Servants may not have a better Education bestowed upon them? Upon which, let all the World besides take what course they will, do you Resolve, As for me, ⟨p. 54⟩and my House, we will serve the Lord. But is this all? No; 'Twould be a very Laudable Thing, for the Worshipful Justices in the several Counties, now and then to hold a Consultation, upon that Question, What may we do, to Reform any Spreading Evils?