N01015:37
A faithful man, described and rewarded. Some observable & serviceable passages in the life…
A faithful man, described and rewarded. Some observable & serviceable passages in the life and death of Mr. Michael Wigglesworth. Late Pastor of Maldon [i.e., Malden]; who rested from his labours, on the Lords-Day, June 10th. 1705. In the seventy fourth year of his age. : And memorials of piety, left behind him among his written experiences. : With a funeral-sermon preached (for him) at Maldon; June 24. 1705. / By Cotton Mather. ; [Two lines of quotation in Latin]
Boston: printed by B. Green for Benj. Eliot, 1705
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.
Now this Faithfulness, and Constancy unto Death, tis Demanded by our Lord Jesus Christ. It is Demanded, That we be steadfast and Immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. It is Demanded, That by patient continuance in well-doing, we seek for Eternal Life. Chrysostom observes on Luk. 22.28. The Lord Promises the Kingdom, not unto those that Followed Him only, but unto those that Continued with Him. The Demand is infinitely Reasonable. Our Lord JESUS CHRIST was Faithful unto Death in His Appearing for us; And shall not we be Faithful unto Death in our Adhering to Him? Ibi tu, Christiane, fige Cursus tui profectusque metam, ubi Christus posuit Suam, as one of the Ancients well Expressed it. Our Lord gave not over, till He was the Finisher of our Faith; our Faithfulness to Him, it must not be Finished, until we come, as He did, unto the Grave, Obedient unto Death. A man may Do much and Bear much for the Lord Jesus Christ; But if he be not Faithful unto Death, it is all thrown away: Gal. 3.4. So many Things in Vain! It is a Rule in the Civil Law; Factum non dicitur, quod non perseverat; That is not Done, which does not Hold▪ God will not accept a Maimed Sacrifice: a Curtailed Sacrifice. A Faithfulness which is not unto Death, is a Maimed Sacrifice. The Race is Run to no purpose, if it be not Run to the very Goal. Our Goal is our Death. Indeed, it can be no Real Faithfulness, that is not a Lasting Faithfulness. A Fainting Piety is but a Feigned Piety. The Heathen could say, He never was a ⟨p. 12⟩True Friend, that ever ceases to be a Friend. He never was a Faithful Friend unto the Lord Jesus Christ, who is not a Constant Friend; Who does not Love Him at all Times, unto the End of Time, and beyond all Time.
Now this Faithfulness, and Constancy unto Death, tis Demanded by our Lord Jesus Christ. It is Demanded, That we be stedfast and Immoveable, alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord. It is Demanded, That by patient continuance in well-doing, we seek for Eternal Life. Chrysostom observes on Luk. 22.28. The Lord Promises the Kingdom, not unto those that Followed Him only, but unto those that Continued with Him. The Demand is infinitely Reasonable. Our Lord JESUS CHRIST was Faithful unto Death in His Appearing for us; And shall not we be Faithful unto Death in our Adhering to Him? Ibi tu, Christiane, fige Cursus tui profectusque metam, ubi Christus posuit Suam, as one of the Ancients well Expressed it. Our Lord gave not over, till He was the Finisher of our Faith; our Faithfulness to Him, it must not be Finished, until we come, as He did, unto the Grave, Obedient unto Death. A man may Do much and Bear much for the Lord Jesus Christ; But if he be not Faithful unto Death, it is all thrown away: