N01310:130
Thoughts for the day of rain. In two essay's
Thoughts for the day of rain. In two essay's: I. The Gospel of the rainbow. In the meditations of piety, on the appearance of the bright clouds, with the bow of God upon them. II. The Saviour with his rainbow. And the covenant which God will remember to his people in the cloudy times that are passing over them. / By Cotton Mather., D.D. ; [Seven lines of quotations]
printed by B. Green, 1712
Title page typeset from the transcription.
The SAVIOUR with His Rainbow. At BOSTON-Lecture. 12. d. 5. m. 1711.
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.
I will go on, and show you, Secondly; Some special Seasons, wherein you will do Exceeding well, to make use of these Comforts. And there are Especially Two such Seasons, that I will commend unto you. I shall sensibly Serve the cause of Piety, by commending of them.
First. On the Sight of the Natural Rainbow, these comfortable Meditations on the Covenant of God, and of Grace, will be very Seasonable. It is a real Fault in the People of God, that they can be Spectators of the Rainbow, with no more Proper, Holy, Heavenly Thoughts, produced in their Souls; A very Faulty Unthankfulness to our Great Saviour, who has placed it as His Bow in the Clouds, and said unto us, O my dear People, Do you Look upon that, as the Memorial of my Covenant! The Gospel of the Rainbow, is truly, One of the Desiderata, among the Subjects that should be cultivated in the Church of God. At present, I will only say; The Covenant with our Father Noah, whereof we have the Rainbow, for an Obsignation, had such an Aspect upon the Messiah, that we may fairly be led by the Rainbow, to Remember the whole Covenant of Grace, in all the Very Great and Precious Promises of it. Concerning the Covenant which God has made with our Saviour, for the Redemption of His People; we read, Psal. LXXXIX 37. It shall be Established, as the Faithful Witness in Heaven. By the Faithful Witness in Heaven, is meant, The Rainbow. Well then; when we have that Comely Work of God before our Eyes, Let us ⟨p. 47⟩Entertain such Thoughts as these; May a Glorious CHRIST be my Saviour, and my Surety, how Happy, how Happy, am I! My Sins will be cast into the Depths of the Sea; I shall not my self be cast thither for them. O my Soul, Be not thou cast down. Be not afraid of all thy Sorrows; Thy Lord will not leave thee to Sink in any of thy Sorrows. Tho' the Grave do Swallow me up, Oh! Let me not Fear to go down into the Grave; My Lord will Bring me up again! I see a Faithful Witness in Heaven, that puts me in Mind of an Established Covenant for such Blessings of Goodness.