N00655:36
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.
Come then; Let every one of us, become the Servants of our Lord JESUS CHRIST. By consenting to the Methods of Grace in the New Covenant, Let us yield our selves unto our Lord JESUS CHRIST, as unto our LORD; and say, with him in Psal. 119.38. Lord, I am thy Servant, Devoted unto thy Fear. Let us Reckon it the Highest Pleasure unto our selves, to be always Pleasing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Let us Esteem it the Highest Honour unto our selves, to be always Honouring of Him. To be, A Man of God, is to be like an ⟨p. 18⟩Angel, An Angel was called, in Judg. 13.•8. The Man of God. We are Men of God, when we become the Devoted Servants of our Lord JESUS CHRIST. Sirs, The Bright Angels of Heaven, Invite us, to become their Fellow Servants, by giving our selves up unto the work of Witnessing to the Truths and Ways, of their Heavenly Lord. When we have Solemnly Consecrated our selves unto this Work, Then, whatever Commands our Lord JESUS CHRIST lays upon us, Let us Readily, Joyfully, Universally yield Obedience thereunto. Be upon the Wing, as the Angels are, to do every thing, that our Lord Jesus Christ would have to be done. Delay none, Despise none, Refuse none, of the Commandments, which our Lord Jesus Christ shall give unto us; but say, as in 1 Joh. 5.3. His Commandments are not Grievous. And whatever we shall know to be Acceptable unto our Lord Jesus Christ, Let us Immediately Do, what we know: Let this be Argument Enough unto us, for any thing, though Flesh and Blood [Body and Soul] be never so much against it: My Lord JESUS CHRIST would have me to Do this Thing! Thus our Labour should be according to our Prayer, That the Will of God may be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven.
Come then; Let every one of us, become the Servants of our Lord JESUS CHRIST. By consenting to the Methods of Grace in the New Covenant, Let us yield our selves unto our Lord JESUS CHRIST, as unto our LORD; and say, with him in Psal. 119.38. Lord, I am thy Servant, Devoted unto thy Fear. Let us Reckon it the Highest Pleasure unto our selves, to be alwayes Pleasing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Let us Esteem it the Highest Honour unto our selves, to be alwayes Honouring of Him. To be, A Man of God, is to be like an