N00655:37
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.
III. To be very Serviceable is to be Angelical: To Do Good, is the Disposition of a Good Angel. Those men, whose perpetual Business, tis, To Go about for the Doing of Good, as, they are like the Lord JESUS CHRIST, [Act 10.38.] So they ⟨p. 19⟩are like the Angels, that wait upon our Lord Jesus Christ. The Angels are always Employed in some Service, for our Lord Jesus Christ, and for those that belong unto Him. 'Tis said, in Heb. 1.14. Are they not all Ministering Spirits? Oh! Let it, in like sort, be our Ambition, to Minister some way or other, for the Good of them, that are to be the Heirs of Salvation; and let us be much and oft, in studying with our selves, What Good may I do, with those Talents, where with my Lord Jesus Christ ha's betrusted me? How many Good Offices, does the Bible Report, as done by the Angels of God, for the People of God? And, how many such Good Offices are still done, for the People of God, by the Angels of God, which Encamp as an Host about them that Fear Him? Christians, If we are advised of any Opportunity to Do Good, Let us be as Ready to do it, as the Angel that came down to the Pool of Bethesda, was to help the Miserables assembled there. Yea, though they should be never so Poor, never so Small, never so Mean People, that we may Do Good unto, Let us be ready to Do it, with all our Hearts. The First Apparition of an Angel, that we Read in the Scripture, was to Relieve a Poor Maid, in Trouble of Spirit. The Martyr Bradford, That man had the Face of an Angel, concerning whom it was Noted, He was always, either with Purse, or Tongue, or Pen, doing of Good. Whatever Company we fall into, tis easy for us, ordinarily to Think, What Good may I do in this Company before I Leave it? That man ⟨p. 20⟩Speaks with the Tongue of Angels, who will never dismiss his Company, without some Conscientious Essay, to Speak what shall be Profitable unto them. And, Inventions to Do Good, and be Benefactors to all that are about us, the more Upright we are, the more we shall seek out many such Inventions. There is an Angelical Air upon them!
III. To be very Serviceable is to be Angelical: To Do Good, is the Disposition of a Good Angel. Those men, whose perpetual Business, tis, To Go about for the Doing of Good, as, they are like the Lord JESUS CHRIST, [Act 10.38.] So they