N01484:198
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.
LET us look into Humane Governments and their Laws. These ordain Death in many Cases as the Sanction necessary to the Ends of Government, ⟨p. 25⟩or to […] merit of the Crime. But shall we think now that it is the Will and Pleasure of the Government that any should commit these Capital Crimes and suffer Death therefore? Or when the Judges legally Condemn the Convicted Person, and see that the Malefactor be Executed, does it follow that they have pleasure in the Criminals Death? No, GOD forbid. Yet the Provision of the Law, and the Execution of it is Wise, Necessary, Good; and a tender Care for the Public. It is to prevent Transgression that Death is made the Punishment; and for this End the Punishment is told and warned of? and the Meaning hereof can be no other than this—that the Authority have no pleasure that any should transgress and Suffer; but however it pleases rather that a Transgressor do suffer than that Right and Wrong, Good and Evil be Confounded; the Order of the World and the Welfare of it lye at the Mercy of every Licentious Wretch.
LET us look into Humane Governments and their Laws. These ordain Death in many Cases as the Sanction necessary to the Ends of Government, ⟨p. 25⟩or to 〈…〉 merit of the Crime. But shall we think now that it is the Will and Pleasure of the Government that any shou'd commit these Capital Crimes and suffer Death therefor? Or when the Judges legally Condemn the Convicted Person, and see that the Malefactor be Executed, does it follow that they have pleasure in the Criminals Death? No, GOD forbid. Yet the Provision of the Law, and the Execution of it is Wise, Necessary, Good; and a tender Care for the Publick. It is to prevent Transgression that Death is made the Punishment; and for this End the Punishment is told and warn'd of? and the Meaning hereof can be no other than this—that the Authority have no pleasure that any should transgress and Suffer; but however it pleases rather that a Transgressor do suffer than that Right and Wrong, Good and Evil be Confounded; the Order of the World and the Welfare of it lye at the Mercy of every Licentious Wretch.