Winter Meditations, Book

Winter Meditations · Book

p. 1Winter-Meditations.

It is Written in, JOB XXXVII.VI, VII.

He ſaith to the Snow, be thou upon the Earth; likewiſe in the Small Rain, & to the great Rain of His Strength.

He Seareth up the Hand of every Man, that all Men may know his Work.

THat moſt Laborious and moſt Imitable Miniſter of the Goſpel, the Apoſtle Paul, after he had been Travelling on the Deſigns of the Goſpel all the Summer long, had ſome affairs of the Goſpel to manage in the Winter too. Speaking about a City of Thrace, he ſaid, in Tit. 3.12. I have determined there to winter: and accordingly in the Acts of the Apoſtles, we find this …amous Doctor of the Gentiles once abode three months in Greece, after he had given much Exhortation to the People as he went along. It ſeems the Service of the Lord Jeſus p. 2Chriſt, and of His Goſpel, was not in the Three Months of the Winter, to be laid aſide.

As for Us, we are now getting into our Winter-Quarters, and we ought not only to continue our Cares about Religion, & Salvation and all the Works of the Goſpel, all the VVinter long; but there are ſome ſingular Leſſons of the Goſpel to be in theſe Winter Months inculcated and entertained. Indeed, there is not One Day in the Year, whereon we ſhould not be, In the fear of the Lord all the Day long; but there are diverſe Months in the Year, wherein the Fear of God is to ſingle out ſome ſpecial ways of Exerciſe.

That there are Special Duties of Chriſtianity, belonging to the winter, i… intimated, in the words now Read unto us; and it is alſo intimated, what thoſe Chriſtian Duties are. Tis Piety that the winter ſhould advance any further upon us, before we have had ſome diſcourſe of theſe Duties: To be minding one another of theſe things, would be more Significant, and more Profitable, than our impertinent expence of time, in telling one another That it is very Cold.

Tis poſſible that your Devotions here in this winter-ſeaſon, put you upon ſome Trial of your Patience. But I have an occaſion here to tell you; You have heard of the Patience of JOB. He was a Perſon of Quality, who dwelt in Arabia the Deſ…rt, and yet that Arabia could not but be the Happy while it enjoyed the Preſence of ſuch a Ruler. But what a manifold Unhappineſs overtook this Excellent perſon, and Unhappineſs wherein he fell at once p. 3from great Wealth and Health into Miſeries that have made a Proverb, all Ages have ſince heard, with wonderment. In theſe his Miſeries, he was viſited by ſome of his Comfortable Neighbours, who yet proved but Miſerable Comforters. Among theſe Viſitants there were Three more Aged Men of God, which Venerable Saints, all took their Turns, in dealing with him, about his Condition before the Lord; but at length it came to the Turn of a Fourth, who tho' he were a Younger Perſon, yet ſtood ſomething longer than the reſt in the Diſputation.

This Elihis, for That was his Name, is in our Context proving, That as there is a moſt Inſcrutable and Unblemiſhed Wiſdom, in all the Works of God, ſo in the Afflictions which the Lord had now ſent upon Job, there was nothing to be at all complained of. Whatever is done by our Great God, either in the Great World, or to the Little World, we have cauſe to ſay, He hath done ALL Things WELL: and there is no Work of God, whereof, all Circumſtances conſidered, we have not cauſe to own, His W…rk is perfect. Nothing in the World could be more Arrogant than the Speech uttered by the King of Arrage…, That he could have contrived a better ſhaped World; nor more worthy to be Reb…ked with ſuch Burning Thunderbolts as the Spaniſh. Annals tell us, brought that haughty Monarch unto Repentance. But among thoſe Excellent Works, of the God who is, Excellent is working, ſuch Works as are every Winter p. 4to be ſeen, have a Remark moſt particularly here ſet upon them.

In our Text, Firſt, We have ſome Accidents of the Winter. He ſaith to the Snow, Be thou on the Earth; … to the Small Rain, and is the Great Rain of His Strength. In the Winter, we have plenty of Snow and Rain; and thoſe Notable Productions of the M…e r…us Kingdom, as the, come from the Word, ſo they ſhew forth the Strength of our God. Not only ſuch Snows as thoſe that fall upon Caucaſus, whereof ſuch is the Quantity, that Strabo tells us, whole Regiments of Men have periſhed, therein overwhelmed: but the ordinary Snows of every Winter; Not only ſuch Rains as th…ſe that fall near Mexico, whereof Johnſton reports, that ſometimes the Drops are ſo …ig and fierce as to kill the very people with their fury; but the ordinary Rains of every Winter; theſe have much of God, appealing in them. And one thing therein done by our God, is this:

[He ſeals up the Hand of every man] That is, By h…d Weather he binds up their Hands, from doing any Work abroad. But indeed▪ there are more than thoſe who work chiefly with their Hands, that feel theſe Obſtructions of the …. Wherefore the French Verſion ſo carrys it, … fait que chacun ſe Renferme; that is, Then he makes every man ſhut himſelf up; and it is very Expreſſive.

There is an Impious Interpretation that ſome have made of theſe words; as if being, In m… nu p. 5Omnium Hominum ſigna poſuit, they countenanced, Chiromancy; a fooliſh and abſurd Science, which pretends from the Lines in our Hands, to read the Fates of our Lives. As for that curious Vanity, I ſhall ſay but thus much of it; The Lines in our Hands, are moſtly formed, by the Accidental Uſes and Motions of our Hands; and may accordingly, by the like means be altered. Opinions about our future Circumſtances and Contingencies, cannot be drawn to any purpoſe from theſe Lines, unleſs they be done mee…ly by Impulſe; and the Impulſe, which has often darted many true Predictions into the Minds of Ungodly Fortune tellers, when they have been po…ing on the Hands of others, is ordinarily from ſome of the Demons, who are at Hand always to Encourage ſuch Impieties; and of the Predictions which the Demons have thus perhaps Litt upon, but as probable Conjectures, they immediately Employ all their Intereſt, which in This world is very great, for the Accompliſhment. Of the …i…ine Vengeance, leaving ſuch wretched Fortune tellers unto the more than ordinary power of the Devil, we have in our own I and, lately ſeen moſt horrid Inſtances. Away then, with all ſuch Diabolical Communions! Let us with a Chriſtian Reſignation, wait upon God, in a willing and a wi…ohome Ignorance of, The Secret Things which being unto the Lord.

But then, Secondly, we have ſome Employments for the VVinter. Men are Seal'd, from their work when the Winter comes. But what? Have they p. 6no work then to mind? Yes; All men are then to know his work. To Know that work, is, according to th… im…ort and Fulneſs of the Hebrew Phraſe to …a…n the work, to Love the work, to Do the Work. Why? The work is Gods work; the Work that God would have to he known, and therefore moſt worthy to be known.

Well; There is an Important CASE, wherewith I would hence take occaſion to give you ſome WINTER ENTERTAINMENTS. It is The CASE.

What Special Works for the Glory of God, may and ſhould be … by the Children of Men, when by the hard we …her of the Winter, He ſhuts them up, or Hinders them from their Ordinary Buſineſſes?

They are not only Commoda, or Profitable Things, but alſo Accommoda, or Seaſonable Things which are to be Preached among you. Our Winter is our Lieſure, and as it will be a Profitable, ſo 'tis but a Seaſonable Undertaking, to Lay before you, How the Lieſure of the Winter may be moſt Improved for the Glory of God.

Now, without any further Preface, Firſt, that we may ſpeak more Negatively, it is to be aſſerted. That the Lieſure of the Winter muſt not be Ab…ſed, as if it were a Lieſure to work Abominations, or … is were a Lieſure for any Superſtitious or Prohibited Senſualities, 'Tis not in the Slothful and p. 7Frothy Diverſions of Bad Company, nor in things which will wrong our Souls, that our Winter is to be Sweeled away. I am ſure, The Abominable Works of Sin, are none of thoſe works, which we are to mind, when God ſhuts up our Hands; No, we ſhould keep our own Hands for ever ſhut up from ſuch works as thoſe. Indeed, we ſpend the Nights of our Winter as a Tale that is told; but we ſhould not ſpend them in ſuch Idle Things, as the Telling of Tales; nor ſhould we give cauſe for a poor Tale to be told, about our way of ſpending them. Tho' our Winter-Days have not ſo much Light as Darkneſs in them, yet we ſhould all the Winter long behave our ſelves as the Children of Light, and have no Fellowſhip with the Unfruitful Works of Darkneſs. 'Tis the Advice of the Apoſtle, in Rom. 13.12, 13, 14. The Night is far ſpent, the Day is at Hand; Let us walk Honeſtly, as in the Day; not in Dancing and Drunkenneſs; not in Chambering and Wantonneſs; not in Strife and Envying. But put you on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and make not Proviſion for the Fleſh. Even thus, when the Nights come to be Longer than the Days; we ſhould ſtill do nothing but what the Day-light of the Goſpel Juſ…ines; 'tis not the Fire of Luſt, or of Wrath, wherewith we are then to keep our ſelves in an Heat; whatever Winter Garments we get, we muſt not forget to Put on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that is, to have ſuch a Converſation as that every one who ſees us, may therein behold an Imitation of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; whatever Winter-Proviſions we Lay in, there muſt be no p. 8Proviſions for the Fleſh, or Gratifications of our ſinful Appetires, among them all. Briefly, what is Honeſtly G…ia'd in the Summer, muſt be but Soberly Spent in the Winter.

There was one Winter Month in the Year, which was call'd Menſis Genialis, or the Fr…li…kſome and Voluptuous Month, among the Ancient Pagans; it was the Month of DECEMBER, wherein the Heathen had their Saturnalian Jolli i…s. Then 'twas that they ſent their Preſents one unto another, which our Primitive Authors call by the Name of Saturnal…ia, and by the Name of Saturnalium Sportulae, but they alſo had monſtrous Revels among them, whereto Horace refers, when he ſays, Age Libertate Decembri. None ſhall take Offence at me, for my giving of my own Judgment upon this matte; but I hope, I may without offence Report the Sentiments of the Great Hoſpinian, who ſays, He did believe, that they who obſerved the feaſt of our Lords Nativity, in the latter end of December, did it not as thinking that our I o d was Lo…n in that Month; but becauſe the Saturnalia were then kept in Rome, and they were willing to have thoſe Pagan H…lidaves Metamorphoſed into Chriſtian. And I …ope, 'twill be no offence for me to …e…e the Expreſſions of Tertullian, who i… his Book againſt Idolatry, thus Expreſſeth himſelf; Shall we Chriſtians, who have nothing to do with the Feſtivals of the Jews, which were once of Divine h…it…tion, Embrace the Saturnalla and the Januaria of the Heathen? How are we ſhamed by the Gentiles, who are more true to their Religion p. 9than we are to ours? None of them will obſerve the Lords Day, Leſt they ſhould be Chriſtians; and ſhall n… we then, by obſerving their Feſtivalls, fear leſt we be made Ethnicks! Nor will I enter into any diſpute, Whether the Birth of Our Lord were in December; tho' they that are verſed in Antiquity, do underſtand how divided the Ancients were about it; and how late, yea, how many Hundreds of Years, it was e're the December Feſtival could obtain: and how much more probability there is, that it rather …ell ou…, about the time of the Feaſt of Tabernacles, about the concluſion of September, or the beginning of October. But I will venture to ſay thus much, That it is well if the World be mended, ſince the famous and pious Biſhop made his Complaint That men diſhonour the Lord Jeſus Chriſt more in the Twelve Days of CHRISTMAS, than in an the Twelve Months of the Year beſide. And I will venture to ſay this more, That when the Corinthians pray'd the Apoſtle, to anſwer that Queſtion, Whether they might ſo be with, as to do like, the Pagans in thoſe Idolatrous Feſtivities? He plainly told them, No! Deterring of them, with the Example of Iſrael in the Wilderneſs, who would keep a Feast in Honour of the true God, but yet follow'd the Egyptians, who in Commemoration of Joſeph, ſaving them from Death by Expounding a Dream of K…ne, had a ſort of On-Worſhip among them: It is ſaid, The People ſat down to Eat and Drink, and Roſe up to play; and all the World has heard, what the Reckoning was!

But if the miſpence of the Winter in Exceſſe… p. 10of Eating and of Drinking, do deſerve a Caution, why ſhould not the Miſpence of the Winter in GAMING, do ſo too? Eſpecially the Games of pure L…t, whereof thus much at leaſt may be mentained, That it is beſt for an Chriſtians to abſtain from them. Altho' moderate Recreations in the Winter, are more than a little Healthful and Uſeful, yet there are ſome Recreations too much uſed in the Winter, which in Truth are never convenient; ſuch are the Games of CARDS, & DICE, and thoſe which have nothing but CHANCE to manage them. A Lot is a ſolemn Appeal unto the God of Heaven; and hence to play with it, ſeems to break the Thi…d Commandment in the Laws of our God. L…ry Lots are by Great and Grave Divines Eſteemed Unlawful, on the ſame Score that, as our worthy Morton, in his Rebuke to the Gaming Humour well Expreſſes it, It would be an Abomination unto any Chriſtian, to ſee a Pulpit, a Communion-Table, a Font, Expoſed on a Stage, or the Geſtures of Worſhip …iped by Players. In every L…t, an Affair is wholly committed unto a Superiour Cauſe than either Nature, or Art, & Skill; and this is a Thing to be done rather Prayerfully than Sportfully; even the Rudeſt Gentiles have counted a Lot, A Sacred Thing. The Papiſts themſelves, will not allow of theſe Games in Eccleſiaſtical Perſons; and the Fathers Reproved them with a vehement Zeal, in all manner of perſons. When the Roman Empire became Chriſtian, ſevere Edicts were made againſt theſe James; and what Chriſtians are we then that p. 11practiſe them. Our Proteſtant Reformers have branded theſe Games with an Infamous Character; yea, …uſty the Orator himſelt, could produce it, as a Reproach unto ſome Ill men, that they were given to theſe Games. For which cauſe He that will follow, VVhatſoever Things are of Good Report, will not meddle with ſuch Infamous Things as theſe. In every Indenture for an Apprentice theſe words are uſual, At Cards, Dice, or any other Unlawful and Prohibited Games, he ſhall not Play. And ſhall we that are by Covenant, the Bound Servants of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, offer to Play at Games, that have been ſo Stigmatized? This however, you may be ſure of; There is a Truth in that Obſervation, That all the money got by theſe Games, is Like the Goods of th… which Dy of the Plague, which commend, bring a Feſt with them. Nor is it altogether unworthy to be conſidered, That the more ſpecial Succeſſes of your T…rger Gameſters-(whereupon even …ome o… Themſelves do ſometimes profanely …ay, … Devil will make a Gameſter of that Young Man!) do very terribly intimate a peculiar Intereſt of the Devil in Ruling the Chance of theſe Games; 'tis an Obſervation which my moſt Honoured Friend, the Venerable Baxter, has made in the cloſe of his Book, about, The Worlds of Spirits. Pray then, have a care!

And if men may Sin by ſome ſorts of Gaming in the Winter, mayn't they do it in ſome kinds of READING too? Not only Books of Debauching Jeſts and Songs, are very unworthy to be p. 12our WINTER-ENTERTAINMENTS, but the moſt of Romances too will then but create a Waſt of Time, to be Repented of. And here alſo, that I may not Impoſe my own Opinion, I ſhall give you the Judgment of two Writers, whom the World have not accounted Inconſiderable. The One is, The Author of, The whole Duty of Man; who Dehorting of Young Women from the Reading of Romances, has theſe words, 'Tis very difficult to Imagine what vaſt miſchief is done to the World by the falſe Notions and Images of things, particularly of Love and Honour, thoſe Nobler Concerns of Humane Life, … reſented in thoſe Mirrours. The other is, the Incomparable Dr. Tuckney; who likewiſe diſſwading of young Students from the Reading of Romances, has theſe words, Make this Trial, whether when you have been Greedy in Reading ſuch Books, you have thereby any great w…nd to Read the Bible. I am ſure that when you have been Reading That, you will have as little Delight i… Reading them, as Paul had in the Thorn in his Fleſh, when he had been before caught up to Paradiſe.

All that I ſhall add, is, That when the Rules of Sobriety and Righteouſneſs and Godlineſs are Tranſgreſſed, Men inſtead of Knowing the Works of God, are Doing the Works of Gods Great Enemy; And I am ſure, The VVinter is not a Leiſure, for ſuch Odious VVorks.

But then, Secondly; we may ſpeak more POSITIVELY; and it is to be now affirmed, That the Lieſure of the Winter is to be Employ'd, in ſuch Things, as may be called, A WISE REDEEMING p. 13OF THE TIME. It is Enjoyned upon us, in Eph. 3.15, 16. VValk circumſpecily, now as Fools, but as VViſe, Redeeming the Time becauſe the Days are Evil. Thus about the VVinter, Becauſe the Days are now ſhort and ſharp, therefore Let us now be ſo wiſe as to Redeem our Time in theſe Days. When we have Leaſt to do, we ſhould then be Beſt Employ'd. About the Lieſure of the VVinter, we muſt own, Deus n…bis h…c Otia fecit; it is God that has made this Lieſure for us; and therefore it becomes us to Employ this Lieſure for God. We never have a Lieſure-Day befalling us, but we ſhould Eye the Hand and End of God, in ordering ſuch a Day; and think with our ſelves; VVhy did my God ſend me this Day? what would He have me to do this Day? We are not VViſe, if on our VVinter-Days, all ſuch Thoughts as theſe Ly Frozen in our Minds.

But, How is VVinter-Time to be Redeemed? We will particularize.

I. In the VVinter we have Lieſure, to Reflect upon OUR OWN WORKS; and the God of Heaven does then Expect that we ſhould ſo Reflect. There are ſome, who take my Text in that ſenſe; He Seals up the Hand of every man, that every man may know his own work. We have Lieſure in the Winter to fettle our Iemperal Affairs, and we may then ſee whereabout our Work Lies; what progreſs, what ſucceſs, we have had in our Work; and what further ſteps we are to take about our works The VVinter-time ſhould accordingly be a p. 14Time of much Contrivance with us, and a Time to State our whole Buſineſs, for all the Year about. But more than ſo; our Spiritual and Eternal Affairs are thoſe which the Winter gives us the hoſt Lieſure for; and we ſhould now ſettle thoſe by Reflecting upon our work. It was complaine… in Jer. 8.6. No man Repented him, ſaying, what have I done? In the Winter we have Little to Do; well, but now 'tis a Time, for us to Reflect, What have I been d…ing ever ſince I came into the World? The great work of Self-Examination is …ods Work; 'tis the Work whereto our God has called us. We have a Precept ſo, it, in Hag. 1.5. Thus ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, conſider your W…s. We have a Pattern for it, in Pſal. 119.59. I thought on my Ways, and I turned my Fed unto thy Teſtimonies. VVe do the Work of God, when we thus Try what our own Works have been. VVhen the Winter then has driven us into Retirements, Let us take Time for this Work; even to See, and Know, what Work we have been doing ſince our God …irſt let us to work among the …i…ing on the Earth. 'Tis now a Time for us to Enquire, How have I anſwered the End, which I came into the World upon? God has Required us, to work out our own Salvation; well, but what ſtrokes, have we ſtruck at that more all this while? Ask our ſelves, How have I done the works Agreeable to Repentance? and. How have I done the works of Believing on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt? And herewithal bring we all our works to ſuch an Examination, as may diſcover p. 15the Errors, and Follies of our Works, in order to our thorough Humiliation for them.

Why ſhould not a Winter-day be ſometimes made a PRAYING-DAY, yea, and a FASTING-DAY, before the Lord? No man will arrive to very high Attainments in the Grace of God, who does not ſometimes, devote whole days unto a ſecret Communion with him. Now, let us have many ſuch Dayes every Winter, to Pray, and Faſt, and Humble our Souls, before the …od of Heaven. But on ſuch a Day, one very proper exerciſe would be for us, to call over the Works of our lives, and finding the Obliquity of our Works by Comparing them with the Holy, & Juſt, & Good Commanements of our God, Let us then, Judg ourſelves that we may not be Judged of the Lord

Behold a Catalogue of ſins, againſt the Commandments of God; Reflect now diſtinctly & exactly upon your works, and find out, whether you have not had ſuch ſins in your works.

Demand of Yourſelves.

QUAESTION I.

Have not I grievouſly forgotten the God that made me! And have not I given to the World, the Fleſh, and the Devil, the Homage which is due to God alone? Or, have not let Creatures have the Affection, and Obedience, which God alone may lay claim unto?

Queſt 2. Have I not Shamefully Neglected the Inſtitutions wherein the Lord Jeſus Chriſt has taught me to mentain a Fellowſhip with my God? and p. 16have I not humoured the Superſtitions of a Vain Converſation?

Queſt. 3. | Have I not Irreverently treated the Names, Attributes, Hords, Works, and Ordinances,whereby God makes Himſelf known unto us? and have I not been without awful Apprehenſions of His Majeſty, under His various Diſpenſations?

Queſt. 4. Have I not been Carnal, Careleſs, Weary in the Ordinary Sabbath of God? and have I not been Indiſpoſed unto the Extraordinary Ones?

Queſt. 5. Have I not been Perverſe and Haughty towards my Superiours? Unkind and Fooliſh towards my Interiours? Envious towards my Equals? and miſerably Selfiſh in my conduct of my ſelf?

Queſt. 6. Have I not Impaired my own Health by Intemperancies? or, been towards others, Paſſionate, Revengeful, and Contentious?

Queſt. 7. Have I not been Unchaſt in my Acts, my Thoughts, my Words? Or, …en a Companion of the Fools that are ſo?

Queſt. 8. Have I not by Fraud nor Force wronged my Neighbour? Or, been too Prodigal, when I ſhould not have ſpent; but when I ſhould have ſpent, then too Niggardly?

Queſt. 9. Have I not uttered, nor fomented what has been contrary unto Truth? or given Countenance unto a Falſe Report?

Queſt. 10. Have I not been Diſcontent with p. 17my own Condition? Or, harboured in my Heart a Roving and a Craving Luſt, after an undue Alteration of it?

Queſt. 11. Have not I Deſpiſed the Offers of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in the New-Covenant, and the wonderful provition therein made for unhappy Sinners? And have not I permitted my Earthly Affairs to keep me at a Diſtance from the Lord-Redeemer, who has been waiting to give me, Repentance and Remiſſion of Sins?

Queſt. 12. Is not the Fountain of all theſe bitten and curſed Streams, the Corrupt Nature, which I have Derived from my Firſt Parents? A Nature deprived of the Divine Image, depraved with abominable Inclinations?

Upon theſe Articles, Let us Interrogate our ſelves, concerning our Works; and thus in a Winter-Aſ…es let us paſs a due Judgment upon our ſelves, for our own miſcarriages; that ſo we may in the End of the Year, make ready for the Judgment which is to come in the End of the World.

II. The Great God requires our Contemplation to obſerve ALL HIS WORKS, and the Lieſure of the Winter ſhould very much go to that Contemplation. We ſhould now Know the Work of God, and Study as far as we can, every one of His Works. There has been that Invitation unto us, in Pſal. 46.8. Come, Behold the Works of the Lord, what Deſolations He hath made in the Earth. Truly, there are in every Winter, many Deſolations made upon the product of the Earth; but we ſhould then Behold All, as well as Thoſe works of God. We p. 18are Endued with Rational Faculties, capable of Beholding the Works of our God; and He made us After all His other works, on purpoſe that we might be the Beholders of all the Reſt. Now, particularly

Firſt, There is an Humble Acknowledgment of God, wherewith we are to behold his works of CREATION, and the winter may be our lieſure for it. The Pſalmiſt having mentioned the Evening, when men lay by their labour, he preſently adds, in Pſal 104.24. O Lord how manifold are thy Works! in wiſdom haſt Thou made them all. As if then were a lieſure for ſuch a meditation! Truly thus in the winter, when we throw up our other Labour; we ſhould then, Behold theſe manifold works of God. We ſhould not in the winter become ſuch Recluſes as to forget that we are, The Citizens of the world; but then take a Range about the works of our God in the World. The very name of The World, in the Language of the Bible ſignifies Beautiful, and altho' in the winter it looſes much of its Beauty, yet we are then more at Lieſure to behold its Beauty. It was the Demand of the Pſalmiſt, in Pſal. 148.7.8. Praiſe the Lord, ye Hail, Snow, and Vapour, and Stormy wind: fulfilling his word. Why, The Snow, and Vapour, and ſtormy wind, and the reſt of the Winter, do demand of us, to Praiſe the Lord, for what of, The Lord, is to be ſeen in them, and not in them alone, but in all other Creatures. It is a moſt Glorious Variety of Objects, which we have to behold on this little Terraqueous Globe, we are at preſent ſojourners. p. 19There, to paſs over the Numberleſs Foſſils in the Bowels of the Globe, which probably contains above Ten Thouſand Millions of Cubic German Leagues, with how many Animate Bodies are we Entertained? Of Beaſts, including Serpents, we may reckon about an Hundred and Fifty Species. The Volatils, or Birds, have been reckoned about Five Hundred; The Aquatils, or Fiſh, have alſo been reckoned about Five Hundred. The Shell-Fiſh more than as many more. The Vegetables or Plants, of our Univerſe have been counted about Six Thouſand; and the Inſects, both Terreſtrial and Aquatil, more than Ten Thouſand. But there are many other Animals to be alſo Beheld by us, which never could have been Beheld, until …t. Inſtruments were Invented for the doing of it. The Whales, thoſe moving Iſlands of more than an Hundred Foot in Length, are not of a Structure ſo Exquiſite, ſo Stupendous, as thoſe Animals, whereof our Microſcopes infallibly aſſure us, that many Thouſands together would not equal the leaſt Grain of our common Sand. But yet our Erect Figure, inſtructs us to Raiſe our Looks, unto the Stars, among which, if we were Lodged we ſhould quite Looſe our Sight of this Globe; tho' it be above Twenty Six Thouſand Italian Miles, in the compaſs of it. We have the faireſt and fulleſt view of the Stars in the Winter: (even the Cloud in Cancer, has been ſometimes then ſee, full of little Stars:) but what are thoſe Few, for they are not many more than a Thouſand, of the Stars, which we ſee without a Teleſcope, compared p. 20unto the Innumerable Mi…ns, wherewith from That, we juſtly ſuppoſe the Aether to be repleniſhed? The Wandring Stars, the Fixed Stars, and the Satellites of each, how inexplicably circumſtanced are they? How Regular to the Hundredth part of a Minute, are they in their Motions? and how more …ulky than our Earth, an hundred times over, in their Dimenſions? If at laſt we Deſcend into the Sun, that vaſt Fiery Globe, which is the Center, and the Support, of the whole Viſible World Beſides; The Philoſopher thought himſelf Made and Born for nothing ſo much, as to Behold this Heavenly Fire ball: 'tis by the Ancient, and Sobereſt Computation, at leaſt an hundred & ſixty times bigger than That Planer, whereof we are the Inhabitants: whereas indeed ſuch more Accurate Aſtronomers, as the Incomparable Heveli…s, have a…lerred the Sun to be three thouſand, four hundred and ſixty two times bigger than this Earth, which is given to the Children of Men; but how much does it then, Declare the Glory of God, and ſhew forth His Hand; work? Let the Winter, when we ſee leaſt of him, give us Lieſure to be moſt Apprehenſive of it.

The Jews have a Fancy among them, That when the Almighty firſt beſpangled the Heavens with Stars, He left a Spot near the North Hole unfiniſhed, and unfurniſhed, that ſo, if in after Ages any other ſhould be ſet up for a GOD, he might have this Trial made of them, Go, fill up if you can, that part of Heaven which is yet left imperfect! But indeed without any ſuch Suppoſitions, we may p. 21ſee enough in the Heavens, to proclaim this unto us, Lift up your Eyes on High, and Behold, who has Created theſe things? None but an Infinitely Glorious God, could be the Creator of them.

Secondly. There is a profound Adoration of God, wherewith we are to Behold His Works of REDEMPTION; and for this likewiſe we have the Lieſure of the Winter. When our Lord was undergoing ſome of His Laſt Agonies, for the Redemption of Loſt Man, 'tis ſaid in Joh. 19.18. They made a Fire of Coals, for it was Cold, and they warmed themſelves. Accordingly, when we have a cold Winter upon us, Let us warm our Souls by thinking on what our Lord Endured in the latter end of the Winter for us. When we are in our Warm Houſes, O Behold, that Hot Love of our Lord unto our Souls, which tho' He Lay in a Winter night groveling on the cold Ground, yet made Him Sweat, yea, to Sweat Clotters or Globules of Flood, more terrible to Behold than thoſe Bloody Sweats, which Diodorus Siculus tells us, befel the people of the Eaſt, when their Serpents had bitten them. When we are in our Warm Garments, O then Behold the Heat of our Lords Love, wherein He Hung Naked on the Croſs, in the Cold Air, for Six Hours together of a Winter-Day. The Unfathomable Myſteries of Redemption are the Raptures of the Angels, all the Year about; it is ſaid of thoſe Cherubims converſant about the Mercy-Seat, in 1 Pet. 1.12. Theſe Things they Deſire to Look into. Let us make the ſame Things our Study, eſpecially in that part of p. 22the Year, the Winter, when we have moſt of Lieſure for the Study. We find, in Eccl. 11.7. Truly the Light is ſweet, and a pleaſant thing it is for the Eyes to behold the Sun. Tho in our Winter we have leſs Light than at other Times, yet we may then have more Time to Behold the Sun of Righteouſneſs; and how pleaſant a Task ſhould we Eſteem it! Let us now take a Time to Behold the Matchl is Glories of our Lord Redeemer; and hear that Call of God. Behold, the Lamb of God! There is a bright Conſtellation of Miracles that Unite in our Bleſſed Mediator, and glitter wonderfully; Let us now, Behold thoſe Miracles of God manifeſt in the Fleſh, and of that Child Born to us, that Sun given to us, who is the Everlaſting Father, that Man who is the Mighty God, and whoſe Name is therefore Wonderful. But now alſo let us take a Time to Behold the Glorious Methods of our Salvation by this Lord Redeemer. Behold the moſt admirable Contrivance of our Salvation, in the New-Covenant! It is wonderful, that God ſhould ſo Love the World as to give His only Begotten Son, that whoſoever Believeth in Him ſhould not periſh, but have Everlaſting Life. It is wonderful, that the Only Begotten Son of God ſhould ever take on Him the Form of a Servant, that we might become the Children of God. It is wonderful, that He who knew no Sin, ſhould be made Sin for us, that we might be made the the Righteouſneſs of God in Him. The Wayes of the Holy Spirit in Applying the Redemption thus obtained for us, are yet further WONDERFUL. The MYSTICAL BODY of our Lord Jeſus p. 23Chriſt, with regard unto the manner and effect, of our being brought into an Union with Him we are told, It is fearfully and wonderfully made. Well, we ſhould now, Behold theſe Wonders, and continue to do ſo, till we have no more Winter, yea, till we have no more Spirit Left.

Thirdly, There is an Hearty Admiration of God, wherewith we are to behold his works of PROVIDENCE; and for this alſo we have the Lieſure of the winter. It is noted concerning the Wheels of Providence, in Ezek. 10.12. The Wheels were full of Eyes. When the winter comes about, in the wheel of the year, we ſhould have our eyes open, and be full of eyes, to behold the motion of thoſe wondrous wheels. The Government of the World is maintained in the winter, as well as all the reſt of the year about; but we have in the Winter, more of Lieſure, to behold the Spotleſs and Exact Adminiſtration of that Government. We behold many ſtorms in the Winter; but it is then alſo a time to behold the Power, and Wiſdom and Goodneſs of God, in managing all the Storms wherewithal the world is Ruffled, and cauſing them all to be ſubſervient unto his own Deſigns and Intereſts. It is ſaid in Pſal. 107.43. Whoſo is wiſe, and will obſerve theſe things, even they ſhall underſtand the Loving kindneſs of the Lord. There are Illuſtrious Diſpenſations, wherein the Almighty God acts as a Rewarder unto the children of men; and we ſhall be very well Rewarded for all the Confinements of the Winter, if we take our Lieſure now to acquaint p. 24our ſelves with ſuch Diſpenſations: Our Confinement will become our Liberty! There are the Diſpenſations, of the Moſt High towards His People; His Protecting them, His Directing them, His increaſing them. When the Church of God, was Repreſented unto Moſes, as a Burning Buſh, it is ſaid, He drew near to Behold the Sight. And when we are by our Fire-ſide in the Winter, we may have Liberty to behold that Burning Buſh. There are alſo the Diſpenſations of the Moſt High, towards His Enemies; His Confounding of then, …is Deſtroying of them. The Winter was hardly out, when Iſrael Beheld the Great Work which the Lord …d upon the Egyptians: And we may then alſo behold, how terribly Egyptians are puniſhed by the Hand of God. When our Lord had been Talking with His Diſciples, about thoſe performances of Providence, wherein the Scriptures had Received their Accompliſhment, they could ſay, in Luk. 24.32. Did not our Hearts then Burn within us? Why, when we are e'en ready to …ze with the Vapours of the Winter, the Diſci…l… of our Lord ſhould then be Talking together, about His Doing, in the World; The News of Great Occurrents are then to be Enquired after, not as by A…henians, having only an It…h of Nowlty to prompt thoſe Enquiries, but as by Diſciples inquiſitive after the Fulfilments of the Scriptures: and after the Illuſtrations of the Divine Attributes, in thoſe Fulfilments. Thus are we to Talk till our Hearts Burn within us. And hence alſo, Church-Hiſtory is a very ſuitable Study for the Winter; p. 25Marty…ologies, and the Lives of Eminent Perſons, and the Stories of Eminent Reformations, Difficulties, and Deliverances attending the Church of God, are now very fitly Studied.

Finally. As it was ſaid, in Job 37.14. Stand ſtill, and Conſider the wondrous works of God: When the Winter comes, we can't Go out as at other times; Well, ſince we muſt Sit ſtill, now let us more than ever, Conſider the Wondrous Works of God.

III. In the very CONSTITUTION OF THE WINTER it ſelf, There are very ſenſible Works of God, and our God requires us to be very ſenſible of thoſe Notable Works. Almighty God new Seals up our Hands, that we may Know His Work. What Work? Why, that very Work of Scaling up our Hands; and that Work of ſending Snow, and Rain, and Winter upon the Earth.

Well then, when the Winter comes, we muſt Acknowledge that it is from God. It is as we read, Pſal. 147.17. Gods C…l…, and for that cauſe we may not call it Cruel C…l…; at leaſt it muſt be a cruel Catechroſis, by which we call it to? nothing done by God, ſhould be Eſteemed Cruel. Even ſo, 'tis Gods Water, the Almighty God is to be Reverenced as the Orderer of it all.

I… the Winter now Rolled about? Then Know, That God i… the MAKER of the Winter. 'Tis E…q…red, in Job 38.28, 29. Hath the Rain a Father? Out of whoſe Womb came the Ice? and the p. 26Hoary Froſt of Heaven, who hath Gendred it? So, when the Winter is upon us, we may Enquire, whence comes this Cold, and Snow, and Rain, and all the reſt? But we ſee them all fall from Heaven; & unto the God of Heaven ſhould we aſcribe the making of all. As the Winter is of Gods Promiſe; Whether the Antediluvian World had any proper winter or no, yet the Lord preſently after the Flood, engaged concerning our preſent World, Summer & Winter ſhall not ceaſe: Thus, the Winter is of Gods Making too. The Numberleſs Number of Saline Particles, from whence at leaſt ſome circumſtances of the Winter do ariſe, do all of them ſay, Tis the Lord that has made us, and not we ourſelves. There ſeems to be a vaſt ſtore of Corpuſcles a little akin to Nitre, exhaled from the Terreſtrial Globe, and roving about in ſundry parts of the Atmoſphere (of the Figure which Philoponus tells us, Democritus aſſign'd unto Frigorifi… Atoms) and theſe may not a little contribute unto many things that we feel in our cold. But ſtill, who made them all? And thus, not only thoſe mighty Rands of Ice (that Magnum Duramen Aquarum, as Lucretius calleth it,) Encountred by ſuch Navigators as Janus Munckius, who ſaw theſe Icy-Iſlands floating Twenty Fathom above Water; or as Baffin, who found ſome above Water, between two & three Hundred foot High; or thoſe that ſometimes occur in the River of Canada, where Icy-Iſlands have been ſeen, computed Fourſcore Leagues in Length; but every little Ice-Cycle is the Workmanſhip of God.

p. 27Again, Know, That God is the SENDER of the Winter. 'Tis affirmed, in Job 37.9, 10. Cold comes out of the North; by the Breath of God, Froſt is given, and the Breadth of the Waters is ſtraitned. When a Northern Winter is nipping of us, 'tis from an Edict of God, giving order for ſuch a Seaſon. It is God that ſends Rain (and the Reſt) upon the Earth. The Winteriſh Winds blow our Winter about our Ears; yea, but it is the Breath of God, that is the Firſt Mover of all. There is much Diſpute, what is the Primum Frigidum; whether Air, or Water, or Earth, or Nitre, or what? And ſome will Diſpute whether there be any ſuch Thing at all, or no. For if the Coldneſs of any thing ſignifie no more, than its not having its Inſenſible Parts agitated ſo much as thoſe of our Senſories by which we judge of Tactile Quatities; then to make a thing become cold, there needs no more than that the Sun or Fire, or ſome other Agent, that more vehemently Agitated its parts before, do now ceaſe to do it. But …e Cold a poſitive Quality, (which I encline to think) or a privative, ſtill 'tis the Death of God that gives Riſe unto it. What the Centurion ſaid about the Servants under His Command, I ſay to one, Come, and he comes; thus the Winter; 'tis our Great Soveraign who ſays to it, Come; and ſo the Winter comes.

Once more, Know, That God is the RULER of the Winter. This is intimated in Pſal. 74.17. Thou haſt ſet all the Borders of the Earth, thou haſt made Summer and Winter. So, It is God, who …ets p. 28Borders to the Winter upon the Earth. It is God who ſays to the Winter, Keep off till ſuch a Month. It is God, who ſays to the Winter, Go off at ſuch a Month. The Unlimitable Holy One of Iſrael, is He that Limits our Winter for us. The winds that Riſe in the winter are in His Fiſt, and as to the waves that are ſo often Cruſted in the winter, ſo to the winter it ſelf, He ſaith, Hitherto ſhalt thou go, and no further.

Let me add, The Obedience of the winter unto our God, ſhould be conſidered by us, to ſhame our Diſobedience. If God ſay to the Snow, and the Rain, and the Like, Be thou upon the Earth, ſtraightway they are ſo. What Wretches then are we, that when this God ſhall ſay to us, Be thou upon thy Knees, or, Let thy Heart be in Heaven, we ſlight what He ſaith! We read in Pſal. 147.15. He ſendeth f…th his Commandment upon Earth, His Word Runneth very ſwiftly: and then comes, the Snow, the Froſt, the Ice, and the Cold. VVell, but it follows, He ſhewed His Word unto Jacob. And now, does Jacob yield as much Obedience unto the VVord of God, as the winter does? Alas, How Diſobedient are we! In the winter, the VVork of God is done by the winter it ſelf; but the VVord of God then preſcribes a further work unto us; and can it be ſaid, We run very ſwiftly about that work? No truly; our will to our work, ſeems Congeled as it were by an Eternal winter. Said the Pſalmiſt, in Pſal. 119.91. All are thy Servants. What a ſad world is this! Every thing Obeys the Great God, without any Contradiction, but only p. 29MAN, and the DEVIL? methinks we ſhould be aſhamed of our Company in our Diſobedience!

But that our Obedience unto God may be furthered, by the very Conſtitution of the winter, we ſhould do well, upon the ſeveral Things therein occurring, to make our Occaſional Reflections. We may Spiritualize the winter, and we may have ſuch Thoughts thereby Raiſed in our Minds, and ſuch Leſſons, and ſuch VViſhes, as may bring unto us the Life and Peace, which the Spiritually minded have in their being ſo. We will Exemplifie a few of thoſe innumerable Devout Thoughts, wherein the winter ſometimes hath provoked a ſerious Man, to addreſs the God that made the winter: and I will confine my ſelf to the Scripture in them all.

The firſt among all the Meteors of the winter, that uſes to be conſidered, is that of, The WIND, which Plato defines as well as any ſince, to be, The motion of the Air about the Earth.

Aſper ab Axe ruit Boreas, furit Eurus ab ortu, Auſter amat medium ſolem, Zephyruſque cadentem.

But, Whatever Point of the Compaſs, the VVind blows upon, Let it blow ſome Good Thoughts into our Minds, and it will be no Ill VVind unto us. Now let theſe be the Withes of your Souls; Let this now be the ſtill voice of your Souls, and the Lord will be in the VVind.

[Ezek. 37.19.] Lord, Let the Breath come from the four winds, and breathe upon thy ſlain people every where, that they may Live.

[Dan. 7.2.] Lord, Let the ſtrivings of the p. 30Wind upon the Sea, in the Tumults of the Nations, produce the Accompliſhment of thy Glorious Prophe…s.

[Iſa. 4….36.] Lord, bring not the four winds from … …tors of Heaven, to ſcatter any part of thy Church toward all theſe winds.

[Zech. 6.5.] Lord, Let me have many Heavenly Kindneſſes done for me, by thine Angels, whom thou calleſt, The VVinds of the Heaven.

[Iſa. 27.8.] Lord, Let not thy Anger overthrow me, but ſtay thy Rough wind in the Day of the Eaſt wind.

[Iſa. 41.16. Iſa. 64.6.] Lord, Let me not be found among thoſe, whom the VVind of thy Diſpleaſure ſhall carry away, and the VVhirlwind ſcatter them; and let it not be ſaid of me, My Iniquities, Like the VVind, have taken me away.

[Job 20.15.] Lord, Let not thy Terrors, in ſore Calamities be turned upon me; Let them not pur…e my Soul as the wind.

[Iſa. 32.2. Pſal. 55.8.] Lord, Let the Bleſſed JESUS, be unto me, As an Hiding Place from the wind, and a Covert from the Tempeſt; Unto Him, Thorough Him, Let me haſten my Eſcape, from the windy Storm and Tempeſt.

[Matth. 7.25.] Lord, Let me be a Wiſe P…, the Houſe of whoſe Faith and Hope ſhall be ſo Founded on the Rich, as to, ſtand, when the VVinds blow and beat upon it.

[Hof. 13.15.] Lord, Let no Adverſary like an Eaſt wind, come, and as the wind of the Lord, come up, againſt thy People.

p. 31[John 3.8] Lord, As the Wind Howeth where it Liſteth, and we hear the ſound thereof, but cannot tell whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth, ſo let me be Born of thy Holy Spirit.

[Eccl 11.4.] Lord, Let me not ſo obſerve the wind, as to neglect any Opportunities of Sowing, in Acts of Liberality.

[Math 8.27] Lord, The Winds obey thy Chriſt; O Let me do ſo too!

[Pſal. 18.10] Lord, Unto the Saving and Helping of all thy people, do thou Fly upon the VVing…s of the Wind; and let me do ſo, in the Swiftneſs of my Obedience unto thy Majeſty.

[Gen. 8.1.] Lord, Let that Wind paſs over Earth, which may carry off the Flood of Ignorance, Wickedneſs and Miſery, that has Long Overwhelmed it.

[Jon. 4.8.] Lord, Expoſe me not unto any ſuch vehement Eaſt-wind of Calamity as may cauſe my Soul to faint.

[Act 27.7.] Lord, Let me not have cauſe to complain, concerning my Voyage to Glory. The VVind would not ſuffer me

[Pſal. 107.25, 29.] Lord, Let not a Stormy-wind be Raiſed in my Soul, but do thou make the Storm a Calm.

[Eph. 4 14.] Lord, Let me not be like a Child in Religion, Toſſed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of Doctrine.

[Jam. 1.6.] Lord, Let me alwayes Pray in Faith, not wavering like a Wave of the Sea, driven with the VVind.

p. 32[Jam. 3.4.] Lord, Let me will m…tage the Helm of my Tongue, when the … winds are driving of me.

[Job 7.7] Lord, cauſe me duely to Remember, that my Life is wind; ſo Tranſitory, and Evaneſcent! I am as the VVind that …ſſeth away, and cometh not again.

[Iſa 45.29] Lord, Leave me not unto a Dotage upon thoſe Idols, which are but VVind and Confuſion.

[Hoſ 8.7] Lord, Let me not fall into thoſe Iniquities, wherein I ſhall only Sow the VVind, and Reap the VVhirlwind.

[Job 15.2. Job 16.3.] Lord, Let me not purſue that vain knowledge, which does but fill the Belly with the Eaſt-wind: nor let me uſe VVords of VVind.

[Jer 5.13 & 22.22. Eccl 5.5.16.] Lord, Let not my Expectations become wind; and let not the wind Eat up my Comforts: Nor let me in my Undertakings, Labour for the wind.

[Prov. 25.14.] Lord, Let me not be a proud Boaſter of a Falſe Gift, like Clouds and VVind without Rain.

[Iſa. 7.2.] Lord, Let me not be overcome with ſuch Fears, that my Heart ſhall be waved, as the Trees of the Wood, are moved with the Wind.

[So I Read, Cant. 4.16.] Depart O Northwind, and Come, thou South; blow upon my Garden, that the Spices thereof may flow out.

The other Meteors that moſt abound in the p. 33Winter, are the Aqu…nes, rather than the Ignite. The whole … ſeems to be a Great Vaporary, or Alemb… for the Generating of them; their Origin is that in Pſal 135.7. and Jer. 10.13. God cauſes the Vapour to Aſcend from the Ends of the Earth. Well then, Of theſe. When the RAIN falls upon us by a Reſolution of Raiſed Vapours into drops of Water; Let our wiſhes be of this Import, and we ſhall have Showers of Bleſſing indeed; both in Summer and in Winter too.

[Pſal. 11.6. Gen. 19.24.] Lord, Let me be none of the Wicked, upon whom thou wilt Rain Snares, Fire and Brimſtone, and an Horrible Tempeſt, as thou didſt of old upon wicked Sodom.

[Jer. 17.6.] Lord, Let not my Soul be, Like the Heath in the Deſart, that ſees not when Good Rain cometh.

[Acts 14.17.] Lord, Let me humbly Acknowledge the Witneſs, which thou giveſt of thy Power and Goodneſs, in thy Giving us Rain from Heaven.

[Lev. 26.4 Deut 11.14. and 28.12. 1 King 8.36. Pſal. 68.9. and 65.11.] Lord, Evermore fulfil thy Promiſe to thy People, I will give you Rain in due Seaſon; and when they ask for it, Then Teach them the good way wherein they ſhould walk, and give Rain upon thy Land; and, Send plentiful Rains to confirm thine Inheritance when it ſhall be weary. So, Let thy Paths, the Clouds Drop Fatneſs upon us.

[Jer. 14: 22. ſee Zech: 10.1.] Are there any among the Vanities of the Gentiles, that can p. 34cauſe Rain! Or, can the Heavens give ſhowers? Art not thou He, O Lord our God? Therefore we will wait upon thee; for thou haſt made all of theſe things.

[Amos 4.7.] Lord, I would own, That it is Thou who cauſeſt it to Rain upon one City, and cauſeſt it not to Rain upon another City.

[Mic. 5.7.] Lord, Let the Accompliſhments of thy Word, unto thy Church, come, like the ſhowrs upon the Graſs, which tarries not for man nor waits for the Sons of men.

[Math: 5.45.] Lord, As Thou ſendeſt Rain upon the Juſt, and the Unjuſt, So let me do good unto all men, even unto my Foes, as well as unto my Friends.

[Zech. 14.17. Iſa. 5.6.] Lord, Let me not have a Soul, without the Rain of Grace, or Joy, as they have, that come not into thy Church, to Worſhip the King, the Lord of Hoſts: Nor let thy Vineyard ſo offend thee, that thou ſhalt Command the Clouds to Rain no Rain upon it.

[Deut. 32.2] Lord, Let thy Word in the Diſpenſations of the Goſpel, Drop as the Rain upon my Soul.

[Pſal. 72.6] Lord, Let the Influences of thy Son the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, come down upon the World, and upon Me, in the World, Like Rain upon the Mown Graſs, as the ſhowers that water the Earth.

[Heb. 6.7.8.] Lord, Let me not be Like the Earth, which Drinks in the Rain that comes oft p. 35upon it, but bears Thorns and Briars, and is Rejected, and is nigh unto Curſing.

[Hoſ. 10.12.] Lord, It is Time for me to ſeek thee, that thou wouldeſt Rain down Righteouſneſs upon me.

[Iſa. 44.3.] Lord, pour Floods of Celeſtial Water upon my Thirſty Soul; pour and ſhower thy Spirit upon me.

[Ezek. 22.24] Lord, Let not our Land, be a Land not Rained upon, in the Day of Indignation.

[Job 5.9, 10] Lord, Thou doſt Marvellous Things without Number, when thou giveſt Rain upon the Earth:

[Iſa. 4.6.] Lord, give me in thy ſelf a Place of Refuge and of Covert, from Storm, and from Rain.

[Pſal 84.6, 7] Lord, Tho' the Rain fill the Pools, yet let me chearfully go thro' Wet and Dry, to wait upon thee in the Aſſemblies of thy Zion.

[Gen 7.2] Lord, Reſcue me and the World, from the Sins, that once provoked thee, to make it Rain upon the Earth, Forty Days and Forty Nights, till a Deſolating Flood came upon the World.

[Ezr 10.9.] Lord, Let a great Rain cauſe me to Tremble at thy greater Judgments.

[Prov 27.15] Lord, Send not upon me, an Affliction which may be as a continual Dropping in a very Rainy Day.

[Prov 16.15] Lord, Let thy Favour in the Favour of my Rulers be to me, As a Cloud of the Latter Rain.

[Hoſ 6.3] Lord, Came unto me, in a way p. 36of mercy, As the Rain, as the latter and the former Rain upon the Earth.

[Jer. 5.24.]

Finally Let me now fear the Lord my God, that giveth Rain.

Thus for the Rain.

But when the SNOW, which is Frothed Rain, lies about us, our Wiſhes may be thus Formed.

[Iſa. 55.10.11] Lord, As the Snow comes down from Heaven, & returns not thither, but waters the Earth, & makes it bring forth & bud, So let thy, Word accompliſh my being made fruitful before thee.

[Prov. 25.13.] Lord, As the Cold of Snow, (or drink Snow-Cold) in the time of Harveſt, is very acceptable, ſo let my Fidelity render Me to all that are concerned in me.

[Job 19.30.] Lord, help me to Conſider, that tho' I ſhould waſh my ſelf with Snow-Water, & make my hands never ſo clean, yet much Filthineſs would cleave unto me, whereby I deſerve to be Abhorred.

[Lam. 4.7.] Lord, let a Work of real Sanctification upon me, render me like the Nazarites purer than Snow.

[Numbers 12.10] Lord, make me penitently ſenſible of the Leproſy, upon my ſoul, which is a Diſtemper worſe than that Bodily one wherein, perſons have become Leprous, White as the Snow.

[Iſa. 1.18. Pſal. 51.7.] Lord, let my ſins, p. 37that have been like Scarlet, become White like Snow, by thy Free and Full pardon of them all. O waſh me in thy Blood of Sprinkling, and I ſhall be whiter than Snow.

[Dan. 7.9. Rev. 1.14] Lord, prepare me for, and haſten on the World, the coming of that Ancient of Days, whoſe Garments are white as the ſnow, and whoſe Hairs are white as Wool, as white as Snow.

[Prov. 26.1] Lord, let me not be like one of thoſe Fo…ls, for whom Honour would be unſeemly like the Snow in Summer.

[Pſal 147.16 18.] Lord, when thou haſt. given Snow like Wool, thou ſendeſt out thy word and melteſt it, and wilt not thou melt this heart of mine by thy word, into the Reſolutions of Repentance.

[Jer 18.14, 15] Will a man leave the Snow of, Lebanon, which comes from the Rock of the Fiel…. Would a Thirſty Traveller, finding ſuch a Supply of pure water, ſlight it? Neither let me Forget thee, O my God.

This for the Snow; But when the HAIL which is Frozen Rain, Viſits us, it may Awaken theſe Wiſhes in us.

[Hag. 2.17] Lord, It was thy Complaint, I Smote you with Hail, yet ye turned not unto me; Let not my Obſtinacy in Sin, give cauſe for that Complaint.

[Rev. 16.21.] Lord, Haſten upon the Antichriſtian Babylon, that Great Hail out of Heaven, whereof every …tone ſhall be about the weight of a Talent.

p. 38[Iſa. 28.2] Lord, Let not thy people be Invaded by any Enemy, which as a Tempeſt of Hail, and a Deſtroying Storm, ſhall caſt them down to the Earth.

[Ezek. 13 13. Iſa. 28.17. Pſal. 18.12.] Lord, Let not my Refuges, be ſuch, as there ſhall be an Overflowing Shower in thine Anger, and Great Hailſtones in thy Fury to conſume them; Let them not be, Refuges of Lies, which the Hail ſhall ſweep away. Fit me for the Day when I ſhall ſee the Deſcending Jeſus Alarum the World with Brightneſs, Hailſtones, and Coals of Fire.

[Iſa 30.30.] Lord, Let me Tremble at thy Threatnings as they did in the Day, when thou didſt cauſe thy Glorious Voice to be heard, and Show the Lighting down of thy Arm, with Scattering, and Tempeſt, and Hailstones.

[Joſh 10.11.] Bleſſed be God, That He does not caſt down ſuch great Stones from Heaven upon us, as to make us Dy with the Hailſtones.

[Exod. 9.20] The Epyptians. being warned of a great Hail, ſuch as Feared the Word of the Lord, fled into Houſes for their Safety. Lord, Let me ſo Fear the Hailſtorm of thy Judgments, as to ſeek for Safety in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

But it were Endleſs to Enumerate the Ejaculations of a Devout Mind, on theſe Occaſions. Thus, When 'tis FAIR, Clear, Bright WEATHER, how Agreeable were it for us to wiſh; Lord, may the Light of thy Countenance be Uplifted on my Soul! and, May I walk in that Light all the Day Long: So, when 'tis Cloudy Weather, how Agreeable to wiſh, p. 39Lord, When ſhall the Son of Man come in the Clouds of Heaven! and, O let it not be with my Soul, a Day of Clouds and of thick Darkneſs.

The ſhooting of ſuch Arrows up to Heaven, is an Incomparable Exerciſe for a Soul, that Looks to Eternal Inviſibles, to Inviſible Eternals, on a Winter-Day; and of the man, that on a Winter Day ſo Employs himſelf, I ſay, Bleſſed is the man, that has a Quiver full of ſuch Arrows.

IV. The Merciful Words of God, which provides for our NECESSITIES IN THE WINTER are very manifold, and it becomes us to take a moſt Thankful Notice of thoſe many Mercies. When our God Seals up our …im…, in the Winter, He Opens His own Hand, in our Literal Supplies for the Winter; and we ſhould ſo Know thoſe Works of God, as to be Thankfully Affected with them.

The Winter it ſelf, That is not without much of Mercy in it. It is our Winter particularly, which for divers Months in the Year, … a better Defence unto us againſt Forreign Invaſions, than all the Sconces and Caſtles wherewith we could be Fortify'd. Doubtleſs the Polanders thought their Cold was a kindneſs unto them, when in an Army of ſeventy Thouſand Turks Invading them, Forty Thouſand ſuddenly periſhed, by the Severity of the Cold, tho' it were but the Month of November with them. Truly, in the Month of November the Cold begins none of the leaſt preſervatives alſo for us New-En…anders! And who p. 40can ſay, How many Epidemical Diſeaſes have by our Winter been Extinguiſhed? Our Cold precipitates the Vapours which would elſe Thicken and Poiſon our Air, and by Freezing the Surface of the Earth, i… keeps in many malignant Steams, that otherwiſe would thence ariſe to Suffocate us. It is called for, in Pſal 148.8 Praiſe the Lord, ye Hail, and Snow, and Vapour, and Stormy Wind. It ſeems, they that have much, of the Hail, the Snow, the Vapour, may find ſomething in them, for which they ſhould Praiſe the Lord. The Pſalmiſt ſays, God giveth Snow like W…l; the Snow, is as a goodly white Robe on the Body of the Earth, whereby …is cheriſhed, with a Nitr…us Impregnation, for Fruitfulneſs in the Year Enſuing. Thuanns tells us, That ſometimes it has Rained Corn; and indeed, what Corn ſhould we have, if all Rain were denyed unto us? It was Mi…aculous, when God after a ſort Rained firſt Bread and then Fleſh, for Iſrael of old; He does it in Effect to: us continually.

But as the Winter brings much of MERCY to us, it brings much of Hardſhip too? …liny calls the Snow, and the Ice, the Puniſhments of the Mountains. We who dwell in a plain Region, as well as they who dwell upon the Rigid and Ragged Edges of ſuch Mountains, would be ſorely Puniſhed, by the Hardſhip of the Winter, if the Mercy of our God ſhould not Relieve us. It was ſaid, in Job 38.…2, 23. Haſt thou Entred into the Treaſures of the Snow? Or, haſt thou ſeen the Treaſures of the Hail? which I have Reſerved againſt the Time of Trouble. Truly, the Time of Snow, and the p. 41Time of Hail, would be a ſore Time of Trouble unto us, if God ſhould not from the other Treaſures of his Bounty, therein make a Comfortable Proviſion for us. This I would ſay; The Common Mercies of God are a Ground, and call for more than Common Praiſes to God. May we from this Time, Reſolve to be more than ordinarily Thankful for our Common Mercies, and we have to Extraordinary Good Purpoſe now Spent the Time of this preſent Exerciſe.

We may be Thankful, that the Winter it ſelf is not ſo Hard, either as it might be, if God ſhould make it ſo, or as it is now in ſome other Lands, yea, or as it has been heretofore among our ſelves. The Pſalmiſt ſaw cauſe to ſay, in Pſal. 147.17. Who can ſtand before His Cold? If God ſhould carry on the Cold unto a little further Extremity upon us, there could be no Standing be ſore it. Or, if the Cold which in its Extremity tarries uſually but Three Days among us, were Extended for Three Mouths, inſtead of any Standing, there could be no Living for us. But, in the midſt of the Cold, God Remembers Mercy. And Our Winters indeed are not ſo fiercely cold, as thoſe of ſome other Countreys. We are not, as Livy ſpeaks of the Alps, Eternis Damnati Nivibus, D…om'd unto Eternal Snowes! 'Tis not with us, as Olearius tells us, tis in Muſcovia, where, Their Spittle will freeze e're it reach the Ground; and ſo violent is the Cold, that no Furs can hinder it, but ſometimes mens Noſes, Ears, Hands, and Feet, will be Frozen, and all fall off; And, as the Great Fletcher p. 42has reported, not only they who Travel abroad, but many in the very Markers of their Towns are mortally pinch'd, ſo that you ſhall ſee many drop down in the … & many Travellers brought home Dead and ſtiff in their Sleds. Which is a Report that S…mundus ab Herberſtein has alſo given us Nor is it with us, as Capt. James found it, in ſome of his Northern Coaſting, where, when he and his Companions were a little while parted, they had their Face…, Hair, and Cloaths, frozen over that they could not know each other, by their Habits, no, nor by their Voices: Nor, as where Gerat de U…er …wa…, when their ſhoes Froze as hard as Horns upon their Feet; nor were they able to wear them; Nor, as where Beauplan tells us, that without Good Precautions, the cold produces thoſe Cancers, which in a few Hours deſtroy the parts they ſieze upon.

Yea, and our own Winters are, as obſervably as Comfortably Moderated ſince the I and has been Peopled, and Opened, of Later Years. Our Snows are not ſo Deep, and Long, ſince the Progreſs that has been made, in the Clearing of our Winds; and our Winds blow not ſuch Ra…rs, as in the Days of our Fathers, when the H…nds of the Good Men would freeze unto the Bread upon their Tables, and the ſtrongeſt Wine there would in a few minutes be hardly to be ſwallowed for its Congelation: yea, Water caſt up into the Air, would be Turned into Ice e're it came unto the Ground. I wiſh, That all Wiſe Men would make the Reflection of Petronius upon p. 43ſuch a matter; ſays he, Incultis Aſperiſ que Reg… nibus, di…tius Nives haerent: aſt …b… Aratro Domefa…a. Tellus nitet, dum Loqueris …evis pr…ina dilabitor: ſ…iter in pectoribus i… Conſidit; Feras quidem mentes …b…det, Eruditas praeterlabitur. In ſhort Engliſh: As our Land grows better Cultivated, we ſhall have leſs Winter and leſs Anger too among as.

But then, Let our Thankful Thoughts proceed unto the more particular Proviſions, wherewith our kind God, …urniſ…os us againſt the Aſſ…ults of a Needy Winter. Be thankful that we do not undergo the Torments of C…l…', in ſuch ſtarving Circumſtances, as Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory tells us, the Martyrdom of A…ur…a was attended with.

Let us be Thankful for our CLOATHING It is a ſtroke in the picture of the wiſe VVoman, She is not Afraid of the Snow for her Houſhold, for all her Houſhold are C…hed with … ble Garments. 'Tis well for us, that we have ſuch Garments by Night as well as by …ay, to keep off the Cold, which would otherwiſ… …odigiouſly mortify us. A poor Naked Beggar of …, being in the Depth of Winter asked by a Perſon of Quality, covered with his …ick Furrs, How be co…d ſo then clud, bear the Cold? He reply'd, My Lord, ſhould you do, as I do, you would feel as Little Cold as I! but being asked, How is that? He anſwered, Why, As I do, Put on all the Clothes you've got. But indeed, i… we were almoſt Naked, in the Cold of our Winter, p. 44it would be but a cold Comfort unto us to think, Theſe few Thread-bare Clothes are all we have to Cover us. Be Thankful; and at the ſame time let us Entreat of our God, That He would beſtow upon us the Righteouſneſs of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, for the Garment of our Souls, and Adorn us with the Fine Linnen, which is The Righteouſneſs of the Saints.

Let us alſo be Thankful for our FUEL. There have been Pagans that have ſometimes worſhipped the Fire as a God. But it would well become Chriſtians, to Worſhip the True God with manifold Praiſes for the Advantages which we have againſt our Cold by the Fire. Our Indians have thought the Fire muſt needs be a God; becauſe when a poor man is ready to periſh with Cold in the Winter, one Spark of it, will in a few minutes blaze out ſo comfortably as to ſave the Life of him. Inſtead of ſo Rude a Fancy, it beſeems us to ſay, There is much of God in the Fire; His Greatneſs, and His Bounty may be ſeen Sparkling in it. Be Thankful; and at the ſame time, Let us Entreat of our God, That we may be Baptiſed with the Fire of His Holy Spirit, which will make us, Fervent in Spirit Serving the Lord.

Let us be thankful for Our HOUSES too. We are not left now to lodge abroad in the Cold, with none but the Ground for our Bed, the Snow for our Coverlid, and the Sky for our Canopy: nor are we obliged unto ſuch Wretched Wigwams as were the beſt Habitations of the Barbarous Natives p. 45that were here before us. How well are we lodged in the Winter; and neither by Burnings nor by Earthquakes, forced out of Doors? Be thankful; and at the ſame time let us entreat of our God, that we have a Manſion in our Heavenly Fathers houſe forever. The Keeneſt Winters in the world, have been made very tolerable by peoples making ſome Rooms of their Houſes under the Earth, and keeping themſelves in ſuch ſubterraneous Rooms. But let the Winters which call us to give thanks, for our warm Houſes on the Earth, cauſe us to be Concerned for, An houſe Eternal in the Heavens.

And let us be Thankful for our TABLES. How many Warm Diſhes, have we to cheriſh us, whereby we are ſtrengthened againſt the Cold of the winter? And how many Refreſhing Draughts to Refocillate our Enfeebled Spirits? Be thankful, & entreat of God, that we may be admitted unto His Feaſt of Fat things full of Marrow, and of Wines on the Lees, well-Refined, the leaſt whereat, There will be no taking away.

We have a Glorious Benefactor in the Heavens by whoſe Benignity upon Earth, we live well all the Winter long: and all the Expreſſions of that Benignity, are to be Received with a moſt hearty Thankfulneſs.

I pray, let us not be condemned, by the very Jewes themſelves, with whom it has been cuſtomary, ſtill to make uſe of their Daily comforts, with a Baruk Adonai, or, Bleſſed be the Lord.

p. 46When Job was looking back upon the Good days which he had ſeen, he ſaid, in J…, 29, 2.4. O that I were as in membe… paſ…, as in the Days when God preſerved me; as I was in the dayes of my Youth! Some render it …. A … was in the days of my Winter Quarters. …, when the Great Commander of the Univerſe, does Command us into our VVinter Quarters; He do's then preſerve …s, and by his Light we walk thro' the Darkneſs of the winter. And I would now ſay, O that we were ſo thankful, as we ſhould be for ſuch merciful months!

V. The Works which, God his FORMERLY DONE TOWARDS OURSELVES, ought always to be Remembred with us; and the VVinter is a very proper Seaſon for that Remembrance.

Here is the werk of God, which we are to know when by the winter He ſ…ls up our Hand; even the whole VVork of God, in the whole courſe of our Life.

There have been SMITING VVorks of God, which ought ſeriouſly to be Remembred with us; As it is ſaid, in …. 3.19.20. Remembring my Affliction and my …, the wormwood and the Gall, my ſoul hath them ſtill in Remembrance, and is humbled in me. Behold a fit work for the winter! Have we not ſometim… been in a winter of adverſity, wherein this and that S…m of Affliction and miſery, has been hard upon us? Now in the winter, let it be part of our work, to recount every ſuch work of God. Now bring to Remembrance all that VVormwood, and Gall; but what for? p. 47Truly, to ſee whether you have been ſuch Gainers by all thoſe Chaſtiſements as you ſhould have been; and whether the weeds of the Corruptions in your Hearts, and of the Diſorders in your Lives, have been duely Nipt by the Freſt of ſuch a Winter.

But there have alſo been SMILING Works of God, which ought carefully to be Remembred with us. It was the Language of a David, in Pſal 103.2. Bleſs the Lord, O my Soul, and forget not all his Benefits. To … God, is not the leaſt of the Duties, which the Ever bleſſed God requires of man: and all true Davids or men Belov'd by God, evermore Love to be Bleſſing of God. If this is to be done, At all times, as the Pſalmiſt elſwhere ſpeaks, I am ſure it may eminently be done in Winter-times. But God is not Really Bleſs'd or Serv'd, if not Heartily; and in our Bleſſing of God, the thing is Done to Halves, if the whole Soul, or all the Powers of the Soul, be not engaged in it. Indeed ſuch is our Backwardneſs, to the Bleſſing of God, that we had need earneſtly to ſtir, and ſpur, and rouſe ourſelves unto the Doing of it. Let us then ſtir up ourſelves, till we have got ourſelves into an heat, at this work, in our Winter, and know that a Commemoration of Gods Benefits to us, is to be one Main Ingredient of Our Thankſgivings to Him.

Well then, Let this be one conſiderable Stroke of our Winter-work; even, To run over the Stories of our LIVES, by reckoning up the Benefits of God, and reflecting on that Goodneſs and Merry, wherewith we have been followed all our p. 48Lives. What if you ſhould now and then ſpend whole DAYS OF THANKSGIVING, not only when the Authority does uſually once in a Winter call the whole Province to obſerve ſuch a Day; but …l…o in ſecret places before God, by yourſelves … Children of God, have doubtleſs Enjoyed, … upon Earth, by Devoting themſelves … an Heavenly and Glorious Exerciſe; and a … to Devoted, has … with ſome obſervable Mercy of God. However, … every Winter Set apart our Time, to … the many Benefits of God, unto … and utter our Juſt Hallelujah, upon … …tic…e in that Commemoration.

Particularly; The FIRST Article in our Commemoration may be, The Benefits of God, relating to the Protection which attended our FIRST PRODUCTION: Our Formation in the Womb, and Reception from the Womb. About our being Shaped in our Mothers, we may ſay, Lord, I wi… praiſe thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully Made. And about our being Taken from our Mothers, we may ſay, Lord, Thou art He, who took me cut of the Womb. As for our Bodies, 'tis impoſsible for any thing to be better contrived, than they are in the whole Make of them. What a ſid thing would it have been, if theſe had been monſtrouſly Deformed, or Defective in any One of all their Members? Truly, There are Thouſands of Mercies and Wonders, in one perfect Child! And then, as for our Spirits, They are certainly the moſt Noble p. 49Things that inhabit this Lower World. How doleful had been our plight, if theſe had Loſt any of their Faculties; were we Fools, or Mad? But indeed, we have Souls capable of a very vaſt Improvement, in the Honouring & Enjoying of our God! What ſhall I ſay? That we are Arriv'd Alive among the Living on the Earth, is a Thing full of Marvels, if not of Miracles. What if we had Expired Embryo's, whereby all our Opportunities to Glorify God, had been Loſt for ever; yea, and this, after our being Animated, but perhaps, before our being any way given unto God in the New-Covenant, by our Parents; who 'tis poſſible were themſelves, At that Time Strangers from the Covenant of Promiſe, and ſo Having no Hope, for their miſerable Offſpring? O think on what thou Art, and what thou mighteſt have been! But,

The SECOND Article in our Commemoration may be, The Benefits of God, relating to the PLACE of our NATIVITY, or at leaſt of our HABITATION. Where do we Dwell! 'Tis in a Land, Enriched with all ſorts of Temporal Conveniencies. 'Tis not where we muſt have Endured, The Want of all Things; not in the Dark Places of the Earth, which are filled with Cruelty. We Dwell, where we have a plenty of Meat, of Drink, of Apparel, and of the Beſt; and it is plain, that the Poor do not in any Countrey Live ſo well as they do in Our's. We Dwell where we have the Right of ENGLISH-MEN for our Birthright; which is an Inheritance of p. 50more conſequence than what any other Nation upon Earth is favoured with: yea, and we have Additional Priviledges, as we are NEW-ENGLANDERS, whereof we may ſay, as the Jewiſh Rabbi did of Liberty, If the Heavens were Parchment, and the Seas were Ink, all would be too Little to write the Praiſes due unto our God upon that account. We Dwell where Civility abounds; where Knowledge and Learning, with Schools and other means for it, are promoted; where Vice is by wholeſome Laws reſtrained; where Humane Society is made Eaſie and Pleaſant by the Orders of it; and where Induſtry is Encouraged. But this is not all; Mul…o Majora Canamus. 'Tis in a Land, Exalted with all ſorts of Spiritual Advantages; 'Tis not, where the People periſh, becauſe they have no Viſion. I pray mark it, It the world at this Day be Divided into One and Thirty parts, about Nineteen of them are Heathen Idolaters; about Seven of them are Mahometans; hardly Five of them are ſo much as called Chriſtians. And of what has been ſtyled Chriſtendom, how ſmall a Moyeti…, is reſcued either from that Su…erſtition, or Perſecution, which deſtroys all Real Chriſtianity? Yea, but you and I have, The Lines fallen to us in ſuch a pleaſant Place! We Dwell in a Goſhen, in a Proteſtant, and a Puritan Soyl; and where a Power to perſecute is by a Royal Charter for ever kept from coming into the Hands of any that might hereafter incline to uſe it on us. And, in what Age? Had we been Born a few Ages ago, it muſt have been in a Pagan, or in a Popiſh Age; p. 51and before PRINTING was Invented, when a Bible muſt have coſt a man an Incre…ible Sum of money, if he could have got it ſo; and perhaps Hanging or Burning into the Bargain. Alas, Brethren, There is not one of us, but what are Deſcended from the Loyns of many, that are now Roaring in the Place of Dragons! But as for us, we are Born in an Age of Light. Yea, 'Tis in the very Dawns of our Lords Coming to Deſtroy the Wicked One. I am verily perſwaded, There are ſome already Born, who ſhall ſee the moſt Glorious Revolutions that ever happened in any former Ages; even, The Glorious Things that are ſpoken of Thee, O thou City of God! It is a priviledge, To be Born ſo low, ſo far down in the Line of Time. To paſs on,

The THIRD Article in our Commemoration may be, The Benefits of God, relating to the FAMILY, which has given us our ORIGINAL, and our EDUCATION. What Parents have we had? perhaps we are not of the Houſe of the Wicked, which has the Curſe of God upon it; but in the Habitation of the Juſt, which is, Bleſſed by the Lord. We have had Parents, who have Pray'd for us, before they had us; as Abraham, as Hannah, did for theirs. Yea, perhaps upon their firſt Apprehenſions of our Conception, they did ſolemnly Give us up to God, that we might be for ever poſſeſſed by His Holy Spirit as the Everlaſting Veſſels of His Glory. But how much then have the Prayers of theſe our Parents been ſince concerned for us? And how Rich a Portion p. 52have we had, in that Stock of Prayers? Little do Children think, what an Invaluable Bleſſing 'tis, to have Parents, that as Job, Sacrificed for his, according to the Number of them all, do pray for every one of them, and that by Name, every Day! But more than ſo; we have had Parents, that have Reſtrained us, when our Corrupt Natures would have been Exorbitant; nor Leaving us to be Children of Belial, with an Indulgence like that of Eli's. We have had Parents, that have Inſtructed us, and cauſed us to …come well Catechiſed in the Principles of the Doctrine of Chriſt; with a Diligence, like that of David and Bat…ſheba, for their Solomon. We have had Parents, that have even, Travelled for us in Birth again, that Chriſt might be Formed in us. And what a Favour of Heaven, have we had in the Heavenly Examples of ſ…e… Parents! They have ſhown us, The Path of Life, by their own Walking in that Path, before our Eyes. Let us Imitate their Seriouſneſs, their Prayerfulneſs, their …fulneſs, their Holineſs, their Watchfulneſs, and we ſhall at laſt, Arrive to …liſs, being therein Gathered unto our Fathers. Whereas, moſt of the Children in the World, have Parents, by whoſe Influence they, Go to the Generation of their Fathers, where they ſhall never ſee Light Yea, 'tis poſſible, that we have had Parents, who have Liberally brought us up; by their Coſt and Care, we have been Educated in the Sciences, whereby we may be made ſingularly Serviceable to Mankind, ſingularly Honourable among our Neighbours. And I may add, That p. 53ſome of us, who in our Childhood Loſt our Parents, have yet found, that our God is the Father of the Fatherleſs: God has graciouſly ſtirr'd up others to do the part of Parents for us, when we were ſhiftleſs Orphans To proceed,

The FOURTH Article in our Commemoration may be, The Benefits of God, relating to the PROVISION which Divine Providence has made for us and ours. Our Lord ſaid once unto ſome of His Miniſters, When I ſent you without Purſe, Lacked ye any thing! And they ſaid, Nothing. Even we, whoſe Maintainance hath been Left unto the Arbitrary and Alterable Humours of a Fickle Multitude, and who perhaps have never made any Agreement with that Multitude about our Maintenance, yet have hitherto been ſtrangely Supply'd in all our Straits. Many of our Neighbours, have but Impoveriſhed Themſelves, by not Communicating unto their Teachers in all good Things; and if the Devils, who are the Rulers of this Dark World, could have had their Wills, we muſt have been Leggared, been Famiſhed. Yet we have ſeen, that we have Served a Good Lord: He has, as for the Tribe of Levi, Bleſſed our Subſtance; and He has been a Shepherd that would not ſuffer us His Under Shepherds to Want. But have not all our Faithful People alſo, had the like Experiences? Agurs Wiſh, has been granted us; even, Food convenient for us. Yea, how many of us may ſay, That we never did properly Want, one good Meal, ever ſince we drew our firſt Breath? Speaking of our God, we may ſay with our Father Jacob, He p. 54is the God, that has fed me all my Life Long, unto this Day. And what has been our Meat? our Drink? our Lodging? Have we not had for Delight, and Splendor, as well as for Neceſſity? It may be ſome of us, once had but very little in the World; nevertheleſs as Jacob ſaid, Once I had no more than my Staff in my Hands, and now I am become two …and…; thus, when we began the World, we were hardly worth ſo much as the Heads of the Canes which we now carry in our Hands; whereas we are now Riſen to, how much of Grandeur! Thus have we been Supported. And, How Aſſiduo…ſly? We may ſay, The Lords Mercies are New every Morning. How Seaſonally? We have ſeen, When being Poor and Needy we have ſought Water, the Lord has given it. Indeed, our God has from Day to Day, carried us along as He did His Iſrael in the Wilderneſs. We could ſcarce foreſee ſometimes one Day aforehand, how we ſhould be Relieved for the Next; but our Heavenly Father has as well Anſwered, as Understood, our Exigencies.

To Go on,

The FIFTH Article in our Commemoration may be, The Benefits of God, relating to the FRIENDS, by the Beſtowal whereof, God Almighty has befriended us. VVhen men have been annoy'd by Adverſaries, it has been ſaid, God Raiſed them up thoſe Adverſaries. And ſhall not we that have ſuch Friends as we have, Acknowledge that they are of Gods Raiſing for us? But there are eſpecially our Friends of two Ranks, wherein we have been marvellouſly p. 55favoured by the God who…ts the Se…tary in Families. Firſt, Our Conſorts. Have we not had ſuch WIVES, as may be truly called Good things, who…ein we have obtained Favour from the Lord? 'Tis poſſible, we did in the Solemneſt manner, like Iſaac, As… them of God, before we had them; and now tho' t'other Day, they were meer ſtrangers unto us, we do, as we have cauſe, value them above all the Relations that we have in the would beſides; and we do every Day that we live in the world, give our particular thanks to Heaven for our being ſo happily Accommodated. We have Conſorts, whoſe Good nature, whoſe Diſcretion, Doubles all our joys, and Halves all our Sorrows: Conſorts, who Live with us as the Heirs of Life, and give us a fit help, in our purſuing of that Inheritance; Conſorts, who are not a continual Dropping to us, as Jobs was to him, or as Abigails was to her. We had been the Undonneſt of men, if we had been ſo mated, as we have ſeen ſome, who have been thus undone, and could not undo what had in this thing been once done. And then Our Children. It is ſaid, Lo, Children are an Heritage of the Lord. And how, Rich, have ſome of us, been in our Heritage! Children we have had, that have been comely, that have been witty, that have been Well Diſpoſed. We have had Children, and God has not fulfilled His threatning upon us, Tho' they bring up Children, yet will I bereave them. Ibzan the Judge of Iſrael, had thirty Sons, and thirty Daughters; and the Jews have a Tradition that he Buried them all, before he Died p. 56himſelf: We have not been … Bereaved. We have had Children, and they have not been like Eſau's, A Grief of Mind unto us, but our Support, and our Glory. We may produce them, as the Roman Lady did Hers, for the moſt valuable of all our Jewels. To add,

The SIXTH Article in our Commemoration may be, The Benefits of God, relating to the Earthly VOCATIONS and EMPLOYMENTS, which Heaven has caſt upon us. 'Tis a Bleſſing to have a Calling. Tho' our Sweat be mentioned in our Curſe, yet our Curſe would be far greater than it is, if it were not for our Sweat 'Tis many wayes Advantageous, both for our inward and our outward Man, that we ſhould, with Quietneſs work, & Eat our own Bread. Let it be enquired of us, as it was of the Sons of Jacob, Of what Occupation are you? We have an Occupation; and Bleſſed be God, it is not only a Lawful but a Gainful Occupation. It was the Benediction upon the Tribe of Judah, Let his Hands be ſufficient for him. Since we are of this Tribe, let us indeed be found in the Tribe of Judah, or of Praiſing ones. But more than this; we have an Agreeable Occupation. 'Tis no little kindneſs of our God unto us, when we come to love, to like, to chooſe our daily Buſineſs; when our Buſineſs is made our pleaſure, and we do not come to it, as the Bear unto the ſtake. The Lord ſaid, Behold, I have created the Smith, who blows the Coals in the Fire, and bringeth forth an Inſtrument for his Work. Thus 'tis God that Spirits one man for this Work, and p. 57another man for that work; and when a mans Lot falls to him in that Work, whereto he has been particularly Spirited, this is the kind work of God▪ And that which Augments this kindneſs of God, is, that we can ſo follow the work of our calling, as to mentain ourſelves, and yet we have Time to mind the affairs of our Souls too; we can without pinching, allow one whole Day in a week, for ſoul-work; and be at Lectures & Meetings every week, for more of that work: & every Day in our Houſes, and Cloſets, do ſomething further at that work; and ſo, Work out our own ſalvation. Yea, ſome of us, have an Honourable Vocation alſo: We have either in the Government, or in the Miniſtry, ſuch a ſtation that many thouſands may fare the better for us! Theſe are thing that call for the moſt grateful Reſentments of our Souls. But then.

The SEVENTH Article in our Commemoration may be, The Benefits of God, relating to the Marvellous PRESERVATIONS which have been afforded us, by the Glorious Preſerver of men. Have not our Lives been fill'd with Preſervations, by Him that is, The Keeper of Iſrael? Yea, We have been preſerved from Sin. What if we had been Left unto our ſelves? We ſhould ſoon have been ſo many Devils Incarnate. When the Holy Bradford heard of any Wickedneſs committed in the Neighbourhood, he would ſay, Alas, In this Heart of mine, there is that which would cauſe me to commit the Like Wickedneſs, if God ſhould give me up to my own Heart. Thus, we may ſee prodigies p. 58of Wickedneſs in the world; but we muſt aſcribe it unto the pure Grace of our God, that we alſo are not ſuch Ruined and Rueful Creatures. Eſpecially, conſidering what Furious Aſſaults of Temptation have been made upon us: For it is indeed probable, that moſt of us, have at ſome times undergone more violent Aſſaults of Temptation, whereof we may ſay, My Feet were almoſt gone, my ſteps had well nigh ſlipt. Had not the Good God ſtrangely and ſtrongly, kept us back, at thoſe Times, we had undoubtedly caſt our ſelves over the moſt Irrecoverable Precipices; but here was the Goodneſs of God, who would not Suffer us to be Tempted above what we are Able: 'tis He that may now Remind us, I witheld the… from ſinning againſt me. And we have been preſerved from Sorrow too. We have had that word fulfilled unto us, The Lord ſhall preſerve thee from all Evil, the Lord ſhall preſerve thy going out, and thy coming in. Pauſe here, a little, I beſeech you; How many Sickneſſes have we Eſcaped? Either the Diſeaſes never touch'd us, or, like Hezekiah, and Epaphroditus, we have been Reſtored from them. How many Caſualties, have we alſo Evaded? Let the Traveller, Let the Marriner, Let the Souldier now Enumerate his Deliverances. One that Received a great Fall from an Horſe, but Received no Hurt by the Fall, ſaid of it, I never had ſuch a Deliverance in my Life; but one well Reply'd, Yea, Sir, you have, as often as you Rode without Falling at all. This I ſay, Our Deliverances have been far from Inconſiderable, even then, p. 59when we have not had Senſible and Imminent Hazards to ſignalize them unto our Conſideration. In a word, we have been ſurrounded with Evil Angels on every ſide of us, every day; and thoſe Divels have always been Watching, Wiſhing, Snatching, to Devour us. But our God has muzzled thoſe Hungry Lions; and has granted us a guard of Good Angels, whoſe Miniſtry has been uſeful to us, in many Thouſands of Good Offices, whereof we ſhall never be exactly advized, until we are Tranſlated into their Innumerable Company. And yet this is not all!

The EIGHTH Article in our Commemoration may be the Benefits of God, relating to the Evident ANSWERS of our PRAYERS, by the Merciful Hearer of Prayer. May not you and I make this Relation, This poor man has cry'd unto the Lord, & the Lord has heard and ſav'd! Cannot we lock upon one enjoyment, and ſay, This is a Naphtali, I wreſtled with my God for this, and ſo I obtained it! Can we not look upon another enjoyment, and ſay, This is a Samuel, I asked it of my God, and ſo I had it! When Diſtreſſes have been upon our ſelves, we have gone to our God, and having Offered up our Prayers and Supplications, we have been Heard in what we feared. And when diſtreſſes have been upon others, perhaps we have like Abraham, like Moſes, like Samuel, and like David, and like Iſaiah, prevailed for the Remoual of them. A Miniſter of the Goſpel, 'tis probable may ſee the Faces of ſome Scores in his Congregation, of whom he may ſay, God gave that Soul from death p. 60to my poor unworthy prayers! Yea, 'tis poſſible the very Divels have not been able to ſtand before our Prayers; our Prayers have perhaps more than thrice diſpoſſeſſed the Devils, who had ſiezed upon ſome of our Afflicted Neighbours. Let me tell you; Pſalms to bring unto Remembrance, are to keep us from forgetting the Returns of our Prayers! But further yet;

The NINTH Article in our Commemoration may be, The Benefits of God, relating to the Means of our SANCTIFICATION, and the Succeſs of thoſe Means. Let us now Declare unto ourſelves, and ſo make ourſelves Ready to Declare unto others, What the Lord has done for our Souls. That we have the Means of Grace, is a thing that lays us under Adamantin Obligations unto Thankfulneſs. Have we, The Word, the Statutes, the Judgments, of God ſho…n unto us? What ſhould follow, but Praiſe ye the Lord! For indeed, He hath not ſo d…t with every Nation. Yea, But has Grace is … alſo been convey'd unto us, by theſe means? His does make our Obligations unto Thankfulneſs to become truly infinite. Has the Great God … his Own Son to us, and for us, and with him Freely given all things? Are we Invited unto a Jeſus, who ſerves his People from their ſins? A Jeſus, who delivers from the wràth to come? A Chriſt, in whom there does all fitneſs ſwell? O our Hallelujahs, where are you? Indeed, we could never have come unto this Jeſus without the Drawing of the Father. But has he' drawn us? Has the Spirit of God made p. 61it a Day of his Power with us, and have we been made willing, in that memorable Day? We were Dead in Treſpaſſes and Sins; Has the Spirit of God quickened us? We were Going aſtray in the greatneſs of our Folly; … the Spirit of God Reduced us? We have been Pining away in our Iniquities; Have we been Recovered by the Sanctifying, the Strengthening, the Comforting Spirit of our God? O the Matchleſs loving kindneſs! And, pray, what are the Means which God has deviſed, for the bringing back of our Souls, which have been Baniſhed from His Paradiſe? We have not only had the Ordinances of God, made uſeful unto us, for the changing of us into His Image, from Glory to Glory; but His Providences too. Even thoſe very Afflictions which have happened unto us, have not come only by Hap; there has been the Good Hand, and the Good End, of our God in all; and tho' we had been ready to ſay, All theſe things are againſt me, we now ſee, That all things have wrought together for our Good. We ſhall have cauſe to magnify the Name of our God forever, for the Reſtraints which he has laid upon us, by our Afflictions, and for the Right Thoughts, which our Sad hours have Raiſed in us. 'Tis by theſe Means, that we are now brought into the Covenant of Grace. And now, O moſt Highly Priviledged we! The Great God is become our God. God the Father, is become our Father; God the Son, is become our Saviour; God the Spirit, is become our Strengthener; All the Perfections of this God, are now concerned for our Welfare. We have now p. 62a Title to all the Promiſes of God; we may have a continual Recourſe to them, as unto our Heritage, and the Rejoycing of our Heart; we may from them aſſure our ſelves of Grace, of Glory, of Every Good Thing. Our Spiritual Enemies will all be Diſappointed; we have an Omnipotent Undertaker for our being made Conquerours and more than Conquerours over them And whither are we now a going? Our Heavenly Shetherd is daily Leading of us in the Paths of Righteouſneſs; but whither? Truly, to another and a better World; Every Day we are one Day nearer to the Inheritance of the Saints in Light. We ſhall ſhortly, be with our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, VVhere He is, that we may Behold His Glory! But, O my God, How Long! How Long!

Now, Are not here Articles of Commemoration enough to fill the Thoughts of one Winter Day? And yet, that the Muſick may not be Impair'd by our miſſing of any Note that may belong unto it, annex a TENTH Article to all the Reſt. Let That be, upon the Benefits of God, relating to the good Circumſtances of the Countrey, whereof we are Inhabitants. Let the Health, the Growth, the Peace, the Plenty and the Protection of our Countrey, procure our Acknowledgments unto our God.

And ſo coming to the C…e of a ſhort Winter-Day, ſpent in ſuch Devotions, as will a little Reſemble and Antedate the Heavenly Exerciſes of our Long Eternity, ſet us break off with a few Ingenuous Thoughts upon that Enquiry of a Thankful Soul. What ſhall I Render to the Lord for all His Benefits? Or, What Special Service is p. 63there that I may Do for the God, whoſe Goodneſs and Mercy has followed me all my Dayes? Contrive, Reſolve, and Execute accordingly. Behold, A Winter-Day well ſpent.

VI. However it may be, as to the Works of our Particular Calling, yet as to the Works of our GENERAL CALLING, we ſhould not let the Winter be our Hindrance. Altho' we have a Seal'd Hand, as to our Temporal A…i…s in the Winter, yet let us not then Deal with a ſlack Hand, as to our Spiritual. The…e is a Work that we have to do, in the Winter as well as in the Summer; and it is the Work of God. Salvation-work, is to be no ſmall ſhare of our Winter-work. Our Winter Prayers muſt not be, our Coldeſt ones, tho' 'tis in a Cold Air that we make them. Our Cares to make our Vocation and Election ſure, are not excuſed by the Winter; That muſt not cool them. Tho' the work of Laying in for the Winter, be over with us; yet the work of Laying in for Eternity is not over; that is to be done all the Winter Long. The Word of God, that is to be Read, and to be Heard, as well as Obey'd, now no Leſs than formerly. The Pſalmiſt has joyned thoſe things, The Lord gives the Snow, the Froſt, the Ice, and, Hee ſhewed His Word unto Jacob. Truly, the Snow, the Froſt, the Ice, may not hinder us from the minding of that Word. There is the work of Watching and Fighting againſt our Inviſible Adverſaries; and this is to be done as much in the Winter, as at any Time whatever. Other Wars are ordinarily intermitted in the Winter, p. 64by the Armies then retiring to their Winter Quarters. But the Winter gives no Intermiſſion unto theſe Wars of the Lord. In one of the Pſalms, we read, The Dragons, joyned with the Hall, and the Snow, and the Vapour whereof theſe are compoſed. Why, when the Vapours of the Winter are about our Ears, we ſhall ſtill have, The Dragons, alſo to con…ict withal. Tho' our other Sna…es, do all the Winter Ly Idle in their Holes, yet the Old Serpent, is as buſy then as ever: and we ſhould then be as vigilant againſt the Spirits, who go about Seeking whom they may Devour. God make us, like the Valiant Benajah, who ſlew a Lion in a Pit in a Snowy Day!

Here is our work. But now for the Obſtruction of this work in the Winter, there is a frequent Abuſe of that Scripture, in Mat. 9.12. I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice. The Deceitful Hearts of Men pretend the Duties of Mercy, to Plunge themſelves into the moſt horrible Inſtances of Cruelty; I mean, they make themſelves a Sacrifice to the ter…icle Juſtice and Vengeance of God. But I ſay, Go ye, and Learn what that meaneth! It is true, That Mercy to our ſelves, may adjuſt the CIRCUMSTANCES of our Duties, or, the Exte…iours, in the AFFIRMATIVES of Religion. It is not pleaſing to God, that we ſhould be really Cruel to our ſelves. Gods Commands do not commonly oblige us to overthrow the Health of our own Bodies. We cannot be Righteous at all, except we Deny our ſelves; but when we come to Deſtroy our ſelves, by Exceſſes in the Manner of Doing, what muſt be Done, tho p. 65we ſhould be Deſtroy'd for it, then we become Righteous Overmuch.

However, Firſt, Let us keep cloſe to this Direction; Tho' poſitive Commandments may be ſome…imes Invaded for the ſake of Mercy, yet Negative Commandments may never be ſo. When we may do Leſs of that which is Good, yet we may do Nothing of what is Ill. And then, Let us keep this Diſtinction; There is a Difference between Ungrateful Abatements, and Well-pleaſing Omiſſions of our Devotions on the ſcore of Mercy pretended for. 'Tis one thing for us, to be comp…l…d againſt our Choice, unto the Diminution of our Deſired and Uſual Meaſure, in our pious P…o…m…nces; and another, our Gladly accepting of an Occaſion, that we hope, will ſet us at Liberty, from doing any thing at all.

It is complained, in Prov. 20.4. The Sluggard will not Pl…ugh by reaſon of the Cold; or, of the Winter. Gods Cold is oftentimes made an Excuſe for our Sin. Even ſo, The ſluggiſh Hearts of men, will neglect thoſe Exerciſes of Piety, wherein we Plough for our Everlaſting Welfare. Why ſo? Truly, 'tis the Cold of the Winter that hinders them. We read concerning Peter, that he was by the Cold hurried into the way of Temptation. It is ſaid, in Joh. 18.18. They made a Fire of Coals, for it was Cold; and Peter ſtood and warmed himſelf: and you know what follow'd! Now, 'tis by the Cold that we are often burried into the way of Tranſgreſſion too. As he D…ny'd his Lord, partly thro' the Snares of the Cold; ſo p. 66we often Forget our Lord, becauſe the Cold makes us be where we ſhould not be. They are not only thoſe who fly to the Tavern in the Winter, and who there do poyſon their Souls with Drinking, with Bad Company, with Fooliſh Talking, by the Fireſide, that Sin by reaſon of the Cold; but it is alſo the fault of thoſe, who by reaſon of the Cold, wi… not viſit their own Cloſets, or the Aſſembli…s of Good Men, or the Worſhip of God, as much as they can. If you think it enough, to ſtay at Home, on a Winter Day, and, as you ſay, Read a Chapter in Job, I pray, Let it be that Chapter, where Job is told, That the Meſſengers of God, the Interpreters of His Word, muſt be duely conſidered and conſulted by thoſe that would be delivered from going down to the Pit.

VVell, But now, Let us by a ſacred Antiperiſteſis take more pains for the Serving of God, in the VVinter, than we did in the more Tolerable Seaſons of the Year. Yea, and Let us do it with an Expectation, That the more Pains we take to attend the Service of God, the more will …e Requite our Pains with ſuch Incomes of Grace and perhaps of Joy, into our Souls, as will be better than the Merchandiſe of Silver, or the Gain of the fineſt Gold. The Apoſtle ſpeaking of what he had Endured in Serving of God, ſays in 2 Cor. 11.27. I have been in Cold, and Nakedneſs. It is Likely that he refers, to what is Reported, in Acts 28.2. That they were Shipwrack'd upon Malta, and there, The Barbarous People ſhew'd them no Little p. 67Kindneſs, and kindled a Fire, and Received them, becauſe of the Cold. Yea, but our God, ordinarily calls none of us to Endure a Cold, ſo extreamly circumſtanced. We are to know, That we are now in a State of Probation, as to our Bodies: if we now put our Bodies to neceſſary Trouble, in the Serving of God, and if now in our Bodies, we Endure Hardneſs, as Good Souldiers of Jeſus Chriſt, we ſhall be Rewarded in the Glory of theſe Bodies, at the Reſurrection of the Juſt. For every pinch of Cold, whereto we have Expoſed our Bodies, in the Serving of God, all the Winter Long, we ſhall be Recompenced in our Glorify'd Bodies, when, The Times of a Refreſhing Coolneſs ſhall come, by the Preſence of the Lord. Wherefore, now Let us do the more Works of PIETY, rather than the Fewer, for the Cold of our Winter. It is noted concerning the Time of our Lords Coming up to the Houſe of God, in Joh. 10.22, 23. It was the Feaſt of the Dedication, and it was Winter; And Jeſus walked in the Temple. It may be that y… have never yet given up your ſelves unto the Bleſſed God, with ſo Explicit a Dedication, as would be a no leſs Comfortable, than Reaſonable Service. Then do it this Winter; while you have ſo much Time to Dedicate unto ſuch a Service. But having ſo done, Be ſure to come up unto the Temple, in the Winter, as much as ever you can. Poſſibly, you have never yet come into any Evangelical CHURCH-FELLOWSHIP, according to the Precept of the Holy JESUS; No, you are ſo far from Walking with Him, in the Temple, that you never yet Entred p. 68into His Temple, of Believers Aſſociated for the Deſigns of the Goſpel. I ſay then, LET THIS WORK BE DONE BEFORE THIS WINTER BE OUT. Having firſt Given your ſelves unto God in Chriſt, with Full purpoſe, To be for Him, and not for another, then Give your ſelves unto ſome Holy Society of His People, that Worſhip Him according to the Order of the Goſpel. I pray, Let the Lord this winter, ſee you in His TEMPLE.

Yea, Whatever work we have to do for our Souls, Let not the VVinter give any Superſedeas, to our Working out of our own Salvation. Jacob thro the Love of Rachel, could Encounter more than a Little Winter, for more than One Seven Years together; ſaid he, in Gen. 31.40. In the Day the Drought, and the Froſt by Night conſumed me. The ſudden Changes from Heat unto Cold, like thoſe in our own Countrey, it ſeems did ſometime bring …a…ni…g Feavers and Agues upon the Patriarch! But ſhall not we be willing to do as much for our own Souls? O patiently undergo a Little Froſt, for the ſake of their Deliverance, from the Outer Darkneſs, where there is Gnaſhing of Teeth, for ever! Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory, has Embalmed the Memory of ſeveral Martyrs, who choſe the Fiery Anguiſh of being Frozen unto Death, rather than they would Sin againſt God, and incur the Fire of Damnation. Methinks, 'twould Fire the Coldeſt Heart imaginable, to read the Elegant Orations of the Eloquent Ancients, in the Commendation of thoſe Renowned Martyrs! And p. 69ſhall we then think much ſometimes to feel our ſelves a little VVinteriſh, while we are doing the Things that muſt be done, for our Getting out of our Sin…, and for our Communion with that Lord who Saves His People from their Sins.

In …ine, Let us Get into our Hearts, an Heat of Love to God, that will carry us eaſily thro' all the Cold of the VVinter in the Serving of God. Of Love, 'tis ſaid, in Cant. 8.7. Many waters cannot quench Love, neither can the ſ…o…ds drown it. Of this Love, I may ſay, Many VVinters cannot ſtarve it, neither can the Froſt Nip it. Said the Apoſtle, The Love of Chriſt conſtraineth us. Altho' they that would ſuitably Serve God in the winter, muſt meet with many Difficulties; yet if we had this Love in us, that would Conſtrain us, to Go Freely through them all.

VII. There are many works of CHARITY, whereto the Rigours and Horrors of a ſh…p winter, may ſha…pen our Inclinations; and we ſhould then …ffec…u…lly Demonſtrate our being thereto Inclined. There are thoſe which are Emphatically called, GOOD WORKS; altho' we have a Seal'd Hand in the winter, yet we ſhould not then have a cloſe Fiſt, for ſuch works as thoſe. To Relieve and Support the Poor, is the work of God; and Let us now Know, what it is to Do, as much as we can of that work. The charitable Job, could ſay, in chap. 30.24. VVas not my p. 70Soul grie…'d for the Poor? Why, Altho' we have an bundance of all things about us, yet our winters are very pinching and piercing Things unto us; well, but now Let us think on the Poor, that ſit ſhivering over a VVidows Fire! that are but thin clad, and worſe Fed, and have thoſe two Powerful Things, VVinter and Poverty, at once falling, like Armed men upon them. O think on theſe Poor Ones, till our Souls are duely Grieved for them. Let not our Charity be as Cold as the winter; and Let none of us contribute unto the fulfilling of that Prophecy, in Mat. 24.12. The Love of many ſhall wax cold. Yea, ſuppoſe our Charity were as cold as the water, yet Let it be like the water for this one thing more; the water in the winter will Expend and Extend it ſelf unto almoſt an Eighth part of the Space it poſſeſſed before; and this with ſuch a Force, as to Burſt the very Subſtance of even Metalline Veſſels, which would have kept it in. May nothing now Obſtruct ſuch a Spread of our Charity!

It is mentioned, as the Lamentable Condition of ſome, in Job 14.7. They have no Covering in the Cold. I beſeech you, Let our Liberality Cover thoſe that are ſo miſerable: and therefore Let us Deviſe Liberal Things. But now I ſpeak of ſuch Deviſing, there is one charitable propoſal, which you ſhall permit me to urge upon you. 'Tis this, VVhen winter is coming on, & our winter-ſtock of Neceſſaries is Laying in, Let us then ſeriouſly conſider with our ſelves, Who of my Neighbours are there that want my Charity? & Let us LIBERALLY divide among, p. 71them fit Proportions of the ſame Stores, that we Lay up for our ſelves; or otherwiſe Enable them to Lay up ſomething of the Like Stores for their Sucour in the Neceſſities of the Advancing VVinter.

This I am ſure of; that all our Accommodations all the winter long, will be very much the Sweeter, if not alſo the Surer, unto us, for our having firſt Liberally Imparted a Share unto our Honeſt Neighbours, that were altogether Deſtitute of ſuch Accommodations. We read, in a certain place, concerning, The Treaſures of Snow. One of the Ancients does expound thoſe Treaſures to be, Worldly Riches which the next Shower of Calamity will waſh away, like a Snow-Drift, and leave only ſome dirt, behind in the owners heart. Why, if we would not have our Treaſures, to melt, and waſt, like thoſe of the Snow, employ thoſe Treaſures for the Conſolation, of the miſerable, whoſe miſeries are encreaſed by the Snow.

CHRISTIANS, If you anſwer your Worthy Name, both the Word of CHRIST and the Day of CHRIST, find awful Reſentments with you. Well then; You are in that Word Informed, and Aſſured, with what Glories in that Day, all your GOOD WORKS will be acknowledged. This Winter, feed a Starving Neighbour, and a ſenſible Jeſus will then ſay, I am feaſted. And the effect of it will be, that he will invite you to the Fat things of His Houſe, yea, to the Delicious Feaſt, which he has in His Eternal Mountain. Again, This Winter Lodge an Harbourleſs Neighbour, and a ſenſible Jeſus will ſay, I am entertained. You will not only p. 72like ſome, Entertain Angels unawares, but, The Lord of Angels, Himſelf. Further, This Winter clothe a Naked Neighbour, and a ſenſible Jeſus will ſay, I have Robes put upon me. 'Twil he as if you had Adorned the Temples of God. Moreover, This Winter Comfort a Sick Neighbour, and a ſenſible Jeſus will ſay, 'Tis I that am Refreſhed. So, you that have Conſidered the Poor ſhall have your own Beds turned by the Lord for you, in your own Sickneſs. Finally, This Winter, come to a Neighbour in Priſon, and you…l come to a ſenſible Jeſus there. What you do for the Redemption of Captives, will be done to the Great Lord-Redtemer. They are the worſt of Miſers, whom ſuch Motives, will not we ſwade unto ſomewhat of Liberality! But behold, the Winter it ſelf alſo comes in as one of our Motives. The wiſe man ſaid in Eccl. 11 2. Give a portion to ſeven, and alſo to eight, for thou knoweſt not, what evil ſhall be upon the Earth. Yea, but now the winter, is coming, we do know much of the Evil that will then be upon the Earth, and let us therefore give a portion of our Supplies unto as many as we can.

It would be a ſad thing, if we ſhould in the winter be driven out of our Habitations. Our Lord has allow'd us to deprecate very heartily, A flight from our Houſes in the winter: and for the ſame cauſe, A fire on our houſes in the winter, deſerves as warm a Deprecation. Well, the way for us to preſerve our Houſes, is to make Betheſda's of them, that is Houſes of Mercy, to the poor. p. 73Let our Houſes, be Alms-Houſes, and we may hope, that inaſmuch as we thus Fear God, He will neither Cut off our dwellings, nor Cut off us from our dwelings. Olaus Magnus admires the Lake, near the Metropolis of Norway, whoſe veins of Sulphur under it, keep it from any Congelation in the Coldeſt Winter of that Northern Climate: may the wonders of that Lake, be emulated, by the perpetual warmth of our Charity.

VIII. And now to have done; Let the Cold of the winter, very powerfully warm our hearts to ſhake of that SINFUL COLD, which has gained upon our Hearts. To Recover any Frozen part of the Body with ſafety, the way is to Rub it with Snow. Give me leave now to rub ſomewhat of the winter upon you, for the Recovery of your Frozen Souls. Indeed, There is a Coolneſs of Spirit, which would be the wiſdom of the man that has it. So we read in Prov. 17.27. A man of underſtanding is of an Excellent Spirit: ſome read it, Of a Cool Spirit. It would indeed render us, The excellent in the earth, to have a Spirit free from thoſe Heats which the moſt of men, are by provocations thrown into. A Cool Spirit, is a meek Spirit; and we ſhould Labour for ſuch a Spirit, not only under Afflictions from the Hand of God, but under Injuries from the Hand of Man alſo. Of ſuch a Cool Spirit, was the Great Moſes generally under all the Murmurings, the Reproaches, and the Froward Humours of his Congregation; and of ſuch a Spirit, I am to tell you, Tis in the ſight of God, of great Price. But then, There is a Coldneſs of Spirit, p. 74againſt which we ſhould be always Awake; and particularly, in the Cold of the winter be Awakened.

FIRST, There is the Cold of our FORMALITY, againſt which we ſhould now fortify our Souls. Formality, lies in much Cold mixed with ſome Warmth; it lies in ſome Kindneſs for the Thing that Good it, over born with predominant Regards unto the world. This Lukewarmneſs, is that Abominable Indifferency about, The Kingdom of Heaven, whereat our Lord ſays of them that have it, I will ſpu… them out of my mouth. But it is Required in Rom. 12.11. Be Fervent in Spirit ſerving the Lord: It may be …endred, Be Boiling Hot, in it. There are ſome VVell that Boil all the year about, and that ſeem rather Hotter in the winter than in the reſt of the year. Even ſo ſhould it be with us, as to that principle within us, which is, A well of water ſpringing up to Everlaſting Life. There is a Zeal, wherewith we ſhould purſue all our Everlaſting Intereſts; and as the Fire burns fierceſt in the winter, ſo the Cold of the winter ſhould be but adding fire unto our Zeal. Our other Occupations are interrupted by the winter; yea, but let us now, be more Lively than ever, in our Spiritual Husbandry, and in Ploughing up the Fallow Ground of our Hearts. Let us now be more Lively than ever, in our Spiritual Merchandiſe, and in Bartering for the Pearl of Great Price. Let us now, be more lively than ever, in our Spritual Building; euen, in Building up ourſelves, & one another, in our moſt Holy Faith.

p. 75'Tis true, we have Hearts, that are as Cold as a Stone, when they ſhould be concerned about the Things of another World; yet there is a way to help it: Let us Cry to our God, who ſays, in Ezek 36.26, 27. I will take away the Heart of Stone; yet for this I will be Enquired of, to do it.

But then, SECONDLY, There is the Cold of our UNREGENERACY to be reſcued wherefrom, the Deſires, the Wiſhes of our Souls are to be exceeding Ardent. In the Travels of Iſrael, we read much about, The Wilderneſs of Sin; which is in Engliſh, The Wilderneſs of Cold. Why, to ſpeak nothing but Engliſh, All you that are in, The Wilderneſs of Sin, are in a Cold Wilderneſs indeed; a Wilderneſs of Deadly, yea, of Damning, and Alas! for you, that you don't yet count it, Inſufferable Cold! It was the Gladſome Song, in Can. 2.11. Lo, The Winter is paſt, the Rain is over and gone. What is that Winter? It has been Interpreted for the, Tempus praecedens Vocationem; the Time while we are yet in our Unregeneracy. O that all you, with whom it is yet ſuch a Time, of Winter, might before this winter be out, be able to Sing, The Winter of my Unbelief is paſt, my Sin is over and gone! The Excellent Bartholinus hath remarked it; That the Bodies of them who are kill'd in the Winter, uſe to be found, in juſt the ſame Features, and Poſtures, that were upon them, when they Received their mortal Wounds: they are found Gaping, Staring, Frowning, and with their Hands Extended, juſt as they were in their fatal Fall. Truly, ſo, if you Dy in this Winter of your Unregeneracy, p. 76thoſe Impreſſions of Sin upon your Spirits, wherein you Dy, will become Eternally Indelible and Unalterable. You'l be as it were Irrecoverably Congeled into ſuch an Ungodly Temper, as that wherein you do Expire; Incurable will be your A…ipathy to God, and your Prejudice againſt all that is Holy, and Juſt and Good. So, Interminable …orments and Regrets, will become in ſome ſort Eſſential to your to ſaken Souls; and you will be Confirmed in the Natural Conſequents of Enmity to God, world without End; where the Almighty—Co…ibet, mirabile dictu,

Aeternam ſ…ammis Glaciem, Aeternoque Rigore

Ardentes horrent Sc…puli.

[What Si…ius writes about the Top of Burning Aetna.] Would it … be a moſt Irkſome Thing to have a perpetual Winter upon us? But let all Unregenerates know, That it is always winter with them. Conſider Si…s, Conſider whether you have not the ſigns of the worſt winter, in the World upon you. The Cold of the winter does make things to become Unactive As …l…s and the like Inſtruments will not Go in the winter; even the very Metal of them ſ…metimes is thereby diſtended ſo that their Teeth loſe their Congruity; thus the Owners are ſufficiently Liſtleſs too. And are not you ſo? You can't Come, no, nor ſo much as Look, to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, for Life, tho' the Life of your Souls depend upon it. You can't Walk with God, or Move with any Activity, much leſs, can you Run with an Enlarged Heart in the Way of His Commandments. Again, The Cold of p. 77the winter does make things to become Inſenſible. They who Dy of the Gold, after their Hands and Feet are throughly ſiezed, often grow paſt feeling; and fall into a Lethargie Drowſineſs, wherein and whereof they are like to Dy Irrecoverably. And are not you ſo? You don't Hear, the Calls of the Goſpel, tho' the Loudeſt Thunders, are not ſo loud as the voice of that Silver-Trumpet. You don't See the Beauty of you S…i…ar, tho' He be Altogether Lovely. You don't fed the …oad of your Sins, tho' that Infinite Load, be heavier than Talents, and Mount…ins of Lead upon your Souls: Is there not a Dead Sleep upon yo…? Once more, The Cold of the winter brings P…trefaction with it. Tho' whilſt Bodies continue Frozen, the Cold by arreſting thoſe Particles, from whoſe Tumultuary Motions Corruption uſes to proceed, may keep the Ill Operations of the Cold upon the violated Textures of Bodies, from appearing; ſo Dead Bodies in Greenland have been preſerved thirty years entire from Rottenneſs; yet when once that is removed, they commonly and ſpeedily diſcover how much their Texture had been vitiated by the Cold. And, are you Free from That? Why then have you ſuch Rotten Communications? and ſuch Rotten Imaginations? Why are you ſo much like Open Sepulchres? And now what mean you, ye Unregenerates, that you are not yet weary of this wretched winter? Even ſolid Marbles have ſometimes bin broken by the Cold; O let it break thy Rocky Heart, when thou thinkeſt of the Cold, wherein it is Bewintered.

p. 78It was the Occaſional Reflection of a Young Diſciple, in a bitter cold Morning.

[See the Life of my Brother, Nath. Mather, p. 40]

Jan. 8. Being about to Riſe, I felt the Cold in a manner Extraordinary; which inclined me to ſeek more warmth in my Bed" before I Roſe: But ſo extream was the Cold, that this was not feaſible, whereupon I Reſolved to Dreſs my ſelf without any more ado, and ſo going to the Fire in my Clothes, I ſoon became warm enough. Turn this, O my Soul, into an uſeful Meditation. There is a Neceſſity of my Riſing out of my Bed, the Bed of Security, which I am under the power of; and to Live unto Chriſt, and walk in the Light. In order hereunto, I muſt put on my Soul, the Garments, which are to be had from the Lord Jeſus. Now, to Awaken me out of my Sleep, & my Security, I am to ſet before me the Sun; the Goſpel of, The Sun of Righteouſneſs, doth Enlighten my mind, and tell me, that I was before, mufled up in Darkneſs, and that if I continued therein, I ſhould ſtarve and periſh. I am alſo taught" That when men are Convinced of their miſerable Condition, they will rather Endeavour to Eaſe and Comfort and Cheriſh themſelves, by ſomething in Themſelves, than put on the Spiritual Garments, which the Lord Jeſus Chriſt has provsded for them. An Evil to be, by me Avoided!

O that all our Young Ones, would argue at ſuch a rate. You think of putting off your Converſion, till Old Age. Fond Souls: Beſides the horrible p. 79Danger, wherein you are, of being like thoſe Who Dy in Youth, becauſe their Life is among the Unclean: This were juſt as if you ſhould put off, all the Buſineſs of the Summer, until the Depth of Winter. Say now, in the midſt of winter, ſay, vain Youths, whether you could ſubſiſt, if you had no Bread" but what this Winter were now to be Sow'd or Planted; and no Money, but what were now to be Laboured or? It muſt be nothing but, A Madneſs in the Heart, that can encourage you, to Delay your Converſion, till the Winter of Old Age do overtake you. O do not ſo play the Graſhopper; but hear Counſil, and, Go to the Ant thou Sluggard! For perſons to be Cold, Key-cold, yea, Death cold, about the matters of their Souls, while they are in their Youth, and think that they will uſe more warm Endeavours about thoſe matters in their Age; This truly, is a far odder thing than the Quality of that Fountain of Debris.

Frigore qui noctis fervet Calefactus & Umbris,

At Solis friget Radiſs Glacialis et Igoi.

'Tis Cold at High Noon, & Warm at Midnight.

And then, ſure they that are already come to Old Age, had need make ſure of Converſion, before it become altogether too late, hopeleſs, helpleſs, & unattainable. My Fathers, you are now got into the winter of your Lives; Old Age begins to Snow upon your heads; & your whole face, is that of the earth in winter. The Jews generally interr'd their Dead under and Oak: [ſee 1 Sam. 31.13.] pleaſed perhaps with ſome ſuch parallel as this; that as the Tree ſeemingly dead in the winter, had every Spring an Annual p. 80and Notable Reſurrection, ſo the Dry Bones of men, ſhall have a new Sap of Life infuſed into th…m, at the Day of Judgment. Indeed, you that are under the Decays of Age, are like the Tree caſting of its Leaves in Autumn, every thing is now apace dying with you every day; you…l wither, till your being ſunk into the ground make it a perfect winter with you. You ſhall have a Reſurrection; but O tis high Time for you, to gain a good Aſſurance, that it ſhall be, The Reſurrection of Life, and not, The Reſurrection of Damnation; in a word, That nothing may ſucced, but An Eternal Spring. The Philoſopher ſaid, Before Old Age, my care was to Live well; but now under Old Age, my care is to Dy well. Truly, Now winter is come, you have nothing elſe to take any Care about. If you have not in all this while, Secured a Saving Intereſt in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, or if you are not yet Purged from your old Sins, moſt horrid and monſtrous has been your Impenitency! And yet I am to tell you a very Glorious Thing; That Intereſt may ſtill be Secured. There was once a pretty Old man in ſome Diſtreſs, and it is ſaid, in Joh. 5 6. Jeſus kn…w he had been a Long Time Ill, and ſaid unto him, W…t thou be made Whole? Even ſo, The Lord Jeſus Chriſt comes this Day, to you, Old men, that have been a Long Time in your Sins, and ſays, Old man, ſhall I yet be the Saviour of thy Soul? O then with Conquered and Conſenting Souls, now give your ſelves unto that Glorious Lord. But know, That if you do it not, before the winter of This Year, as well as of Your Age, be out, it will probably never be done at all. And then, p. 81alas, you will Expire, Accurſed like a Sinner of an Hundred Years Old.

Unto All, I ſay, God forbid, this winter ſhould paſs before you have made your Peace with Him. And, To Excite you hereunto; As in ſome Wintry Countreys, the Carpenters muſt Thaw their Wood, before they can Cut it; Let me aſſay to Thaw your Hearts, in order to a better ſhaping and ſquaring of them. I ſay then, Conſider that FIRE, as well as that Cold, which the Almighty God has to puniſh the Diſobedient. It has been ſaid, Who can ſtand before His Cold? But it has alſo been ſaid, Who can ſtand before His Fire? Thus, in Iſa. 33.14. Who among us can dwell with the Devouing Fire? who among us ſhall dwell with Everlaſting Burnings? We wonder at the ſtrength of the Ice, when we ſee a piece of it, near three inches broad and a quarter of an inch thick, laid over a frame three inches diſtant, bear a weight of near twenty pounds, for a long while together: as Mr Boyl Experienced: or when we read Olaus Magnus affirming, That their Septentrional Ice, is of ſuch a Tenacity, that when 'tis two or three fingers thick it will bear an Armed man upon it; & when three or four Hands thick, vaſt Armies will venture over it, for their Winter-Wars. But thy Heart, O man, is prodigiouſly harder than a piece of Ice, if beſides the weight of Sin upon it, it can bear the Thought of the Fire that never ſhall be quenched. Remember, The Wrath of God, like a Formidable Fire, will at laſt, with Exquiſite Agonies, and Anguiſhes, Torture the Soul… of them, that ſhall Dy in their p. 82Ʋnregeneracy One that felt ſome flaſhes of that Fire, in the Troubles of his Conſcience, hearing o… ſome ſpeaking about, Burning to Death, cry'd out, O That is but a Metaphor to what I Endure! And another that was broiling in the Fire of ſuch Troubles, Roared in this manner, O might I have this mitigati…n of my To…ments, to dy as a Backlog in the Fire on the Hearth, for a thouſand Ages! Purge this: when you are by the Fire-ſide, this Winter, think ſeriouſly with your ſelves, Could I bear to R…ast in this Fire? Alas, This is but a pain…d Fire, to that wherein God will take vengeance on them that Know Him not, and that Obey not His Goſpel? And if I can't bear the Metaphor, n…, not ſo much as for a minute, How then ſhall I bear to remain under the Wrath of God in Hell for infinitely more mil…ions of Ages, than a… the Fires on Earth, have mad… Aſhes in the world! And O Let your Hearts be Thawed by ſuch Conſiderations, this winter immediately to mourn for, and turn from all your Sins, and Give your ſelves to God in Chriſt, by a Covenant never to be Forgotten. It is a work of God, that is done After the winter is over, whereof there is mention, in Pſal: 104.30. Thou ſendeſt forth thy Spirit, and thou Renewest the Face of the Earth. O that ſuch a work as this may be done upon you, while this winter is running; Send forth thy Spirit, O m…ſt Glorious Lord, and n…w Renew the Hearts of them that have hitherto continued Ʋnregenerates!

In fine, I now Leave theſe my poor Labours, in the Hands of that Eternal Spirit, with my Humbleſt Supplications, That theſe my Endeavours, may be made Profitable and Acceptable unto His People, and aſſiſt my Neighbours in their Travels to that Countrey, where the Winter ſhall for ever Ceaſe from Troubling, and the VVeary be at Reſt.

FINIS.

End of the text · Cotton Mather, Winter Meditations (1693)