N00683:124
A good man making a good end. The life and death, of the Reverend…
A good man making a good end. The life and death, of the Reverend Mr. John Baily [i.e., Bailey], comprised and expressed in a sermon, on the day of his funeral. Thursday. 16.d. 10.m. 1697. / By Cotton Mather. ; [Two line epigram in Latin]
printed by B. Green for Michael Perry, 1698
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.
I heard a very Good Word. Are ye not Carnal? Ah, Lord, I am Carnal. The Lord give me His Spirit, to make me Spiritual! I was in many Things justly Reproved: Let me take it, and be wrought into the Likeness of this Good Word. At another Time.
To day I heard a most precious Word, with which I was much Edified and Refreshed, viz. Christ is All. Oh! that I might never forget it! Oh! that it might be written upon the Table of my Heart! Let my Soul feed upon it forever. It was very Seasonable. Though it was a Day most Intolerably Cold; so Cold, that there was little writing it; yet it heartily Warmed me, I needed a Christ: Oh! that I could get Him, and keep Him forever! I would make Him my All, and count Him my All. I need a whole Christ: Oh! that I may prize a whole Christ, and Improve a whole Christ. I have of late thought, that this may be one Evidence of my Right unto Glory, that Christ is more precious to me than ever.
What I say upon it, is; Imitate him, in a point so Imitable. This Preacher is well worthy to be Imitated, as he was an Hearer.
You can all testify, that he was none of those Cold Preachers, whereof one Complains, Verba vitae in quorundam Doctorum Labijs, quantum ad Virtutem, et Efficaciam Moriuntur: Adeo enim tepide, adeo remisse, verba Dei annunciant, ut Extinct in Labijs Eorum penitus videantur; unde Sicut ipsi Frigidi sunt, et Extincti, sic Frigidos et Extinctos relinquunt, et utinam non facerent, Auditores.