N01484:170
A sorrowful spectacle. In two sermons, occasioned by a just sentence of death, on…
A sorrowful spectacle. In two sermons, occasioned by a just sentence of death, on a miserable woman, for the murder of a spurious offspring. : The one declaring, the evil of an heart hardened, under and against all means of good. : The other describing, the fearful case of such as in a suffering time, and much more such as in a dying hour, are found without the fear of God. : With some remarkable things, relating to the criminal; proper for all to be informed of. / By Cotton Mather, D.D. and F.R.S. ; [One line from Acts]
Boston: printed by T. Fleet & T. Crump for Samuel Gerrish, 1715
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. I would Premise a few Words for the Stating and Limiting the Truth before us: Which may serve as so many Negative Propositions, to tell us what is not meant to be affirmed. As,
1. IT is a most certain Truth, that GOD has Pleasure in hating Sin. He has the highest Complacency in His own Holiness, the Rectitude of His own Nature; and consequently in the Aversations of that Holy Nature: He is not a God that can have Pleasure in Wickedness, neither can Evil dwell with Him; He hateth all the workers of Iniquity. Psal. 5. 4. Even a sanctified Nature on Earth, so far as its measures of Sanctification are, doth more or less find great Pleasure in its Aversations to Sin. They that love the Lord hate Evil. There are all the Pleasures of Love to GOD in the hatred of Sin. All […] is not Grievous and Painful; all […] Regular and truly Natural, is […] and Pleasant: Pain proceeds only from the Irregularity of a thing, its being Wrong. The Blessedness and ⟨p. 8⟩Joy of GOD is in His own Holiness. The hatred of Sin is therefore Essential to GOD and to His Blessedness. So that tho' GOD has no Pleasure that the Wicked should die, yet has He Pleasure in hating the Wicked, as such, and their ways: The Wicked and him that loveth Violence His Soul hateth. Psal. 11. 5.
1. IT is a most certain Truth, that GOD has Pleasure in hating Sin. He has the highest Complacency in His own Holiness, the Rectitude of His own Nature; and consequently in the Aversations of that Holy Nature: He is not a God that can have Pleasure in Wickedness, neither can Evil dwell with Him; He hateth all the workers of Iniquity. Psal. 5. 4. Even a sanctify'd Nature on Earth, so far as its measures of Sanctification are, doth more or less find great Pleasure in its Aversations to Sin. They that love the Lord hate Evil. There are all the Pleasures of Love to GOD in the hatred of Sin. All is not Grievous and Painful; all Regular and truly Natural, is and Pleasant: Pain proceeds only from the Irregularity of a thing, its being Wrong. The Blessedness and