N01484:172
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.
2. MOREOVER, God has Pleasure in Glorifying His Justice in all the Demands of it against the Wicked. The Justice of GOD is an Attribute Essential to Him. It necessarily follows upon the Rectitude and Holiness of His Nature, together with His Dominion and Government. If there be one most Holy Lord and Governor of the World, I'm sure that it is Essential to Him to Punish Sin at such Times, and in such Manner and Circumstances, as His Wisdom, Purity, the Order and Good of the World, and His own Honour and Glory do direct unto. So far God's Punishing Sin by a necessity of Nature is Intelligible, and Certain; and no ⟨p. 9⟩farther can I apprehend it. GOD's Holiness, Honour & Justice is dearer to Him than a thousand Worlds; Pereat Mundus sed fiat Justitia; let the World be Burnt up, but let Justice be Glorified. The Goodness and Mercy of GOD can have no Pleasure in any Display of itself, any further than is consistent with the Satisfaction and Glory of Justice. They do not Lust against each other; oppose, repine at, or glory over one another: No; they agree, unite, and are both Glorious in the Exaltation of either. Goodness in GOD is as much for the Preservation of the Rights of a Holy and Wife and Perfect Administration of Government, as strict Justice is; and Justice delights in the Exaltation of Mercy these preserved, as much as it does in the Inflictions of the Punishments which they call for. Hence GOD is just to forgive, as well as to punish. It is as Delightful to GOD to glorify His Justice as His Mercy. The one is as dear to Him as the other. They never ⟨p. 10⟩Rival, but infinitely Delight in each other. St. James has a Passage that may be easily mis-understood: Jam. 2. 13. Mercy rejoiceth against Judgment. If you should understand this of Mercy in GOD, it could be only spoken Popularly; as among Men Mercy shown to the Evil that deserve it not, seems to get the Victory and Ascendant. But indeed the Apos••e there speaks of Mercy in Man, when that is in its Display and Exaltation, triumphing over the Wickedness and Enmity and Injuries of others; it gives a Person Comfort and Rejoicing in his prospect of the Judgment of God: For he shall have Judgment without Mercy, that showeth not Mercy; and Mercy rejoiceth against Judgment. So that it is not spoken of the Mercy of GOD rejoicing against His Judgment;