N00655:32
The way to excel. Meditations, awakened by the death of the Reverend Mr. Joshua…
The way to excel. Meditations, awakened by the death of the Reverend Mr. Joshua Moodey; with some short character of that eminent person: who slept in Jesus, 4d. 5.m. 1697. In the sixty fifth year of his age. / By Cotton Mather. ; [Six lines from Joshua]
printed by B. Green, 1697
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, Our continual Apprehension of GOD, may bring a continual Dedication to GOD, upon all that we Have, and all that we Do. If we Glance at Inferior Ends, yet we may not Stop there: All our Ends are to be Swallowed up in GOD. We should not, with any patience consent unto it, that any but GOD, should have our Strength, our Time, our All. Whatever Possessions are bestowed upon us, we may put them under that Consideration, which the House of David had, in Psal. 30. Tit. Dedicated Things. All our Possessions, all the Powers of our Spirits, all the Members of our Bodies, our Estates, our Credit, our Desirable Friends; we may contrive with our selves What Acknowledgements may GOD have out of these Things! And Improve them no farther, than as Instruments, whereby GOD may be Acknowledged. Yea, and our daily Actions; may we not be driving a Trade for GOD in all? As 'tis said, in 1 Cor. 10.31. Whatever ye do, do all to the Glory of God: So, our Eating, our Drinking, our Sleeping, what is it for? We may distinctly say, I do This, that I may be supported in the Service of God. Thus, our Labours, our Travels, our Visits, and our Exercises of Religion, we may thus Ennoble them, I do This, I will do it carefully and cheerfully, because God hath Commanded my doing of it. A Dedication to GOD, is the proper meaning of Holiness: And very Angelical ⟨p. 15⟩would be our Holiness, if we could be frequent, and constant in such Acts of Dedication.
Secondly, Our continual Apprehension of GOD, may bring a continual Dedication to GOD, upon all that we Have, and all that we Do. If we Glance at Inferiour Ends, yet we may not Stop there: All our Ends are to be Swallowed up in GOD. We should not, with any patience consent unto it, that any but GOD, should have our Strength, our Time, our All. Whatever Possessions are bestow'd upon us, we may put them under that Consideration, which the House of David had, in Psal. 30. Tit. Dedicated Things. All our Possessions, all the Powers of our Spirits, all the Members of our Bodies, our Estates, our Credit, our Desireable Friends; we may contrive with our selves What Acknowledgments may GOD have out of these Things! And Improve them no farther, than as Instruments, whereby GOD may be Acknowledged. Yea, and our daily Actions; may we not be driving a Trade for GOD in all? As 'tis said, in