N00499:29
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.
And that which the Good Man says upon it, is, Lord, give me opportunities, and an heart with my opportunities.
IV. A Good Man would have an Excellent Breath, and that is both a symptom and an Instance of an Excellent Spirit. By Spirit here, Breath may be one thing intended; as 'tis in some other places. Now a man, of an Excellent Breath, imports much as a man of an Excellent Speech. And therefore 'tis added in our Context here, He that hath Knowledge, spareth his words. We read in Prov. 17.7. concerning, Excellent Speech. Why, such would a good man, have his own Speech to be. He says, with the Wise Man, I will speak of Excellent Things; and it is in excellent strains, too, that he would speak. It is an observable Antithesis, in Prov. 10. 20. The Tongue of the Just is as choice silver; but the heart of the wicked is little worth. Thus, here; inasmuch as a ⟨p. 16⟩good man has an Excellent Spirit, or an heart of some worth within him, the Tongue or Speech of such a man, will deserve a price, beyond that of the finest silver, to be set upon it; yea, the Name of Chrysostom, or, a Golden Mouthed Person, belongs unto him. A good man would speak Honestly, whenever he speaks. It may be said of him, He puts away Lying, and Speaketh the TRUTH with his NEIGHBOUR. He is for a perfect Harmony both between Words and Things and between Thoughts and Words. Perhaps he do's not speak all he Thinks, yet he would ever speak as he Thinks. A Good Man would speak Usefully too, when ever he speaks. It may be said of him, No rotten communication proceeds out of his mouth, but such as is good for the use of edifying. He is not for such discourse, as may infect the manners of the Hearers; but he is for discoursing, partly on matters of Personal Business, and partly on subjects of General Concernment; as on the Truths of God; or on his Works, both in Creation and in Providence. Once more, A Good Man would also speak Solidly, when ever he speaks. He will not foam out his own Wrath; nor fly out like a Nabal, with reviling language; nor, if they vex him, will he bawl, and fume, like Saul, who in his fury, would call