N00499:26
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.
The Spirit of a Good man, cries out, Lord, Let me do so! He is a man that would set a part every thing for God; and Subordinate every thing about ⟨p. 10⟩him, unto the Interests of the Lord. If the Flesh and the World, and the Devil, tempt him, to do any thing that may be for the Dishonour of God, he would make Josephs Refusal, How shall I do this wickedness, and sin against God? But here is not all; he ha's a Spirit for more than this. What Ahab so sneakingly and absurdly, said unto Benhadad, in I King.20. 4 I am thine, my Lord, and all that I have; That would a Good man very Holily speak unto the God that made him; Let my all be the Lords. When he looks upon the Powers of his Mind, he says, O that this Understanding, this Cogitation, this Conscience, and this Memory, might always be at Work for God; and, O that this Will, and these Affections, might always be closing with God my Saviour. When he Looks upon the Members of his Body, he says, O that all my Senses might Operate for God alone; and, O that this Tongue might speak for God, and these Hands Acts for God, and these Feet carry me where God is to be served. Yea, As we read, in Psal.30. Tit. about, The Dedication of the House of David; even so, a Good man, would have no Comfort, by which Gods Glory should not be promoted. His House, His Cash, His Lands, His Goods, His Friends, and all His Capacities, he Wishes, O that my God might have the ⟨p. 11⟩more Acknowledgements for my having such things as these! And therefore also, he sometimes does ask himself, like David of old: he does more particularly ask himself, O what is there that I may do for the Dear Name of my God? This note is the Spirit of Holiness in a good man; and whatever Opinion the Debauched and Vitiated Souls of unrenewed Sinners, may have concerning it, if all the Angels that are now Invisibly present here, had it referred unto them, I am sure they would all say, This is an excellent Spirit!
The Spirit of a Good man, cryes out, Lord, Let me do so! He is a man that would set a part every thing for God; and Subordinate every thing about ⟨p. 10⟩