N00499:54
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 Prayers of men that are the Friends of God, yea, the prayers of one such man, are, as the Queen of the Scots once acknowledged, Of more Account than an Army Ten Thousand Strong. 'Tis the Prayer of such men, whereof we are told in Jam. 5. 16. It availeth much. 'Twas the Prayer of Abraham, that procured Health unto them, with whom he Sojourned; and the Prayer of Samuel, that often saved Israel from Desolation. There was a Legion of Good Men, once in the old Roman Army; and that Legion did by their prayers obtain such a Deliverance for the Army, as was the Admiration of the World. Good Men are the Favourites of the Great God; He says of them, They are my Jewels: May our Country become a Cabinet full of those Jewels, and our God will see, that it shall never be lost. In ⟨p. 37⟩fine, The Rewards of Universal Goodness, will cause all things to Go-well, where that Goodness does prevail. I say then, Let good men be much Countenanced, and Encouraged; and let a favourable Respect be still cast upon, The Faithful in the Land. Where good men, find Ill entertainment among a people, that people do, but, if I may speak all in one word, cut down the bough they stand upon. On the other side, it was a notable Account of a good man, which a courtier once gave to a great King, Sir, you have not a better Subject in your Kingdom than that man; pray, make much of him; for that man can have what he will, of God Almighty. But O that All men, would become good men, upon this persuasive thereunto. May people among us, be generally converted unto God; may people be generally Devout, Humble, Righteous, and Heavenly; Then indeed, Then it would be said, Also in this Country things went well. The Ungodly Generation among us, do not stick oftentimes to charge our Elijah's themselves, Thou art he which troubles Israel; 'Tis You, said they to that Great Prophet, it is You, that have undone your Country. But as that Prophet answered, in I King. 18. 18. I have not Troubled Israel, but it is thou, which hast forsaken the Commandments of the Lord; so ⟨p. 38⟩I say, unto all the Unregenerate Sinners in the midst of us; You that Live without the Fear of God in you; 'tis you that are the Achans, the Troublers, of the Land. Whereas all of you that seriously Turn to God, albeit you may be never so Useless and Little otherwise; even you, that are of the Sex, which can do no more Pray before God;