N00499:13
Optanda. Good men described, and good things propounded. A serious consideration of two very…
Optanda. Good men described, and good things propounded. A serious consideration of two very important cases. I. What should be our spirits, and II. What should be our studies, that so all things may go well among us. / By Cotton Mather. ; In two sermons; whereof one, was preached unto the governor, and General Court, of the province of the Massachusetts-Bay, in New-England; at their first session: June 9. 1692. ; Published by authority[.]Optanda. Good men described, and good things propounded. A serious consideration of two very important cases. I. What should be our spirits, and II. What should be our studies, that so all things may go well among us. / By Cotton Mather. ; In two sermons; whereof one, was preached unto the governour, and General Court, of the province of the Massachusetts-Bay, in New-England; at their first session: June 9. 1692. ; Published by authority[.]
Boston: printed by Benjamin Harris, 1692
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
GOOD MEN Described. In a Sermon, Directed unto the GOVERNOR, of NEW-ENGLAND.
GOOD MEN Described. In a Sermon, Directed unto the GOVERNOUR, of NEW-ENGLAND.
PROV. XVII. XXVII. A Man of Understanding, is of an EXCELLENT SPIRIT.
IT was a Sharp, and yet a Just, Rebuke which the Rash and Wild Zeal of Our Lords own Disciples, once brought upon Them, in Luc. 9. 55. Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of. As 'tis not easy for a man to pass a Judgement upon his own Picture, So for a man to know his own Spirit, is a thing no less Difficult, than it is Uncommon in the world. Men may Dream that they have, no less a thing, than The Powerful or Glorious Spirit of Elijah in them, when indeed, those Evil Spirits, which filled and acted the Swine of old, have possession of them. It is the Spirit of man, whereof he that Formed it, hath said, It is Deceitful above all things, who can ⟨p. 2⟩know it? And therefore that Counsel of Heaven, Try the Spirits, is of a very wonderful importance to us all; Especially with reference unto Our own. But if that be a Question which would puzzle the most among us, What Spirit are you of? There is another Question, which is not altogether so intricate, so perplexed; Namely, What Spirit we should be of? It is a Question, whereto we have an Answer, in the Text now Read unto us. We are told in