N00683:98
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.
His Ministry was very Acceptable to the people, whose Good he most aimed at, wherever he came: Great Auditories usually Flocking thereunto, proclaimed it. But that he might not be Lifted up, it seemed meet unto the Wisdom of Heaven, to Humble him, with sore and long Temptations, often Recurring to Buffet him. In his Days, he saw many Disconsolate Hours; he was filled with Desponding Jealousies, Least after he had Preached unto others, he should be himself a Cast-away: and he often Entreated those, who saw the Distresses of his mind, That they would by no means take up any prejudice against the sweet and good ways of Religion, from what they saw of his Disconsolate Uneasinesses.
His Ministry was very Acceptable to the people, whose Good he most aimed at, wherever he came: Great Auditories usually Flocking thereunto, proclaimed it. But that he might not be Lifted up, it seemed meet unto the Wisdom of Heaven, to Humble him, with sore and long Temptations, often Recurring to Buffet him. In his Dayes, he saw many Disconsolate Hours; he was filled with Desponding Jealousies, Least after he had Preached unto others, he should be himself a Cast-away: and he often Entreated those, who saw the Distresses of his mind, That they would by no means take up any prejudice against the sweet and good wayes of Religion, from what they saw of his Disconsolate Uneasinesses.
It may be, 'twill be profitable unto some Discouraged minds, to understand how he expressed himself on such occasions. In Sermons on those words, I am Oppressed, undertake for me, he much described it unto us. But in his Diaries 'twas thus: At one Time.
I was almost in the Suburbs of […] all day; a mere Magor-missabib. I saw Death and Sin full of Terror: I thought I never sought the Glory of God: Ah! What a matchless Wretch am I! Oh! that I could Love above all things, and seek the Glory of God, and Live contentedly on Him alone! Oh! that I could see the Blood of Christ on my Soul, and at the bottom of my profession. Oh! for a Sight of