N00989:102
The voice of God, in stormy winds. Considered, in two sermons, occasioned by the…
The voice of God, in stormy winds. Considered, in two sermons, occasioned by the dreadful and unparalleled storm, in the European nations. Novemb. 27th. 1703. / By Increase Mather. ; [Five lines of quotations]The voice of God, in stormy winds. Considered, in two sermons, occasioned by the dreadful and unparallel'd storm, in the European nations. Novemb. 27th. 1703. / By Increase Mather. ; [Five lines of quotations]
printed by T. Green for Nicholas Buttolph, 1704
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
USE IV.
We should hence Learn to make a Spiritual Improvement of the Snow. As of other Works of God so of this. It should raise our hearts-in our Meditations Heavenward and Godward. It would be so with men had they Spiritual Hearts. The works of Nature and of Providence, would then cause spiritual and holy Thoughts to be in their minds. Our Saviour Christ had Heavenly Thoughts in his Heart, when he beheld Earthly Objects, and was ever wont to make some Spiritual Improvement of them. So David, when he considered the Moon and Stars Psal. 8.3. Many have wondered that David says nothing of the Sun • he speaks of the Moon and Stars, but nothing of the Sun in the Eighth Psalm. I am apt to think, that the Jewish Rabbi's are not mistaken, when they think that Psalm was one of Davids Night Meditations: So when we look on the Snow, it should occasion Divine Meditations to be in our Minds. When we see the snow, it would be good for us to think of some Scripture or other ⟨p. 93⟩that speaks of the snow, and improve it spiritually. It may well make us think of Scriptures that put us in mind of our own sinfulness. There were Lepers white as Snow. Gehazi was such an one. 2 King. •. 27. Such a Whiteness is woeful Blackness. Original sin is a spiritual Leprosy. Then reflect, Is that Leprosy which has infected my soul healed? When we see the snow, we may think of a Scripture that puts us in mind of our own Mortality, of Death and the Grave to which we are going, Job 24:19. As the Heat consumes the Snow, so does the Grave those that have Sinned. When we see the snow, we may think of Scriptures that put us in mind of that Soul-Purity which we should Labour after. The Dignity of some Persons of Quality in Jerusalem, is denoted by saying, they we•e Purer, than the Snow.