N00499:73
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.
Secondly, Things will go well, when Ministers, approve themselves Burning and Shining Lights, unto those, over whom their God hath placed them. When Things were to go well with Israel, the God of Israel thus expressed it, in Jer. 3. 15. I will give you Pastors, according to mine Heart, which shall ⟨p. 54⟩feed you with knowledge and with understanding. Ministers that have those three Excellencies, of Sincerity, Ability, and Industry, will wonderfully contribute unto the going Well, of all things in their congregations.
Tis well when Ministers are men Zealous for God & Christ, & the Souls of Men. Ministers that maintain a most exact & watchful Walk with God continually; Ministers Experimentally acquainted with the power of their Doctrine upon their own Hearts; before they press their hearers therewithal; and that spin out of their own Bowels the Silken Garments of Righteousness for their Hearers. Ministers, that like the Blessed Bradford make their Sermons on their Knees, and fetch from Heaven the Manna with which they feed our Souls; O little do we imagine, how well all Things are like to go within the reach of Ministers, which thus always lie in the Bosom of the Lord Jesus Christ. 'Tis Well, when Ministers are skilful about the Work which the Lord has called them unto. Ministers that come like Bezaleel and Aholiab unto the Service of the Tabernacle; Ministers that have a sharp Insight into all the Sciences, which may accomplish them to Divide the Word aright, and cast a Lustre on the Scriptures of God; ⟨p. 55⟩Ministers that are prudent Stewards in all their Dispensations, and can Handle Matters wisely; there are mighty Strokes to things, that they may Go well, given by such Masters of Assemblies. Once more, 'tis well, when Ministers, are so many Pauls, for Labouring Abundantly. Ministers, that wholly Give themselves unto their Spiritual Warfare, and will out-work the busy Husbandman; Ministers that privately as well as publicly, do all they can for the Salvation of men; as Chrysostom and Austin sometimes did; and as the Pastors of Geneva, when they divided the City into parts, for the personal Instruction of all the Families; Ministers that with Tongue, and Pen, and their whole Contrivance, are always at work for God; I may tell you, the people that have them, will soon have cause to say, Blessed be God for such Ministers! As on the contrary; A Debauched, Foolish, and Slothful Clergy, is as Transcendent a plague as ever the Devil troubled this World withal; Things cannot Go well, when Ill men Teach others, how to Go.—I remember a Notable Story of an Horrible Witchcraft, wherein the Devil got into a Pulpit, and spoke strange things to his Vassals there. The Devil still does it by his Deputies, in all those places that are under the guidance