N00683:141
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.
It is to be supposed, that Most, if not All, of the Persons, who Compose the Assembly, now together in this place, if they should be asked, What they are? would make that Answer, I am a Christian: And indeed there is no Danger; 'tis ⟨p. 59⟩a matter of some Credit, among us, in such an Answer. But then there is another Question, hence proper to be Considered: What is a CHRISTIAN? And it is to be feared, That very many, who wear that Worthy Name, can make, either but a sorry Answer to that Question, or such an Answer as must carry their own Confutation, and Condemnation in it.
It is to be supposed, that Most, if not All, of the Persons, who Compose the Assembly, now together in this place, if they should be asked, What they are? would make that Answer, I am a Christian: And indeed there is no Danger; 'tis ⟨p. 59⟩a matter of some Credit, among us, in such an Answer. But then there is ano•her Question, hence proper to be Considered: What is a CHRISTIAN? And it is to be feared, That very many, who wear that Worthy Name, can make, either but a sorry Answer to that Question, or such an Answer as must carry their own Confutation, and Condemnation in it.
You are at this Time, to be Entertained with a Discourse on that Important Question. And we may fitly Introduce our Discourse, with some Enquiry into the first Original of that Name, CHRISTIANS; which Enquiry may Receive satisfaction, from the words now Read unto us.
The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, was begun to be Preached unto the Gentiles: Antioch particularly was a City of the Gentiles, where the Preaching of the Gospel was Crowned with a great Success. And at this Antioch it was, that the Name of CHRISTIANS, was first put upon the people, who Received the Love of the Truth of that Gospel. It had been predicted, as a thing to come to pass at the coming of the Messiah, in