N01360:19
The best way of living; which is to die daily: very briefly described and…
The best way of living; which is to die daily: very briefly described and commended in a plain discourse, made at a time, when the author had newly seen repeated strokes of death, on his own family. And the publisher had his family also struck with a sudden death upon a vital part of it. : 22. d. IX. m. 1713. / By Cotton Mather, D.D. ; [One line from 2 Corinthians]
Boston: printed by J. Allen, 1713
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.
That the Occasions which Daily occur to Blow up this Meditation, should not pass unobserved with us. Every Day brings to us fresh Monitors, to put us in mind of this, That we are to Die in a very little while. We should not be Deaf to the Admonitions: On our Tables, we are fed by the Dead. We should infer, 'This Food will not keep me 'always from Death. In our Habits we are clothed from the Dead. We should infer, ⟨p. 6⟩I am covered with the Shadow of Death. We attend upon Funerals, and follow the Dead. It should be with such Thoughts as these; I am shortly to follow, my Turn is coming; It won't be long before I am carried unto my Long Home. Every Bell tolled for the Dead, should ring such a peal as this in our Ears. When the Night comes, we should often think; My Night is coming! When we put off our Garments, we should often think; I am shortly to put off this Earthly Tabernacle! When we Lie down in our Bed, we should often think; My Grave will shortly be my Bed! We Die Daily, when we keep up such a Daily Sense of this, That we are to Die Quickly!
That the Occasions which Daily occur to Blow up this Meditation, should not pass unobserved with us. Every Day brings to us fresh Monitors, to put us in mind of this, That we are to Dy in a very little while. We should not be Deaf to the Admonitions: On our Tables, we are fed by the Dead. We should infer, 'This Food will not keep me 'always from Death. In our Habits we are cloath'd from the Dead. We should infer, ⟨p. 6⟩I am covered with the Shadow of Death. We attend upon Funerals, and follow the Dead. It should be with such Thoughts as these; I am shortly to follow, my Turn is coming; It won't be long before I am carried unto my Long Home. Every Bell tolled for the Dead, should ring such a peal as this in our Ears. When the Night comes, we should often think; My Night is coming! When we put off our Garments, we should often think; I am shortly to put off this Earthly Tabernacle! When we Ly down in our Bed, we should often think; My Grave will shortly be my Bed! We Dy Daily, when we keep up such a Daily Sense of this, That we are to Die Quickly!