N01484:211
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.
II. WE learn what Compassion we owe unto the Wicked, and how we should endeavour their Repentance and Salvation. It should be a most sorrowful thing to us to see Men Sin against GOD and damn their own Souls. There should be Joy on Earth as there is in Heaven over one Sinner that repenteth. Our hearts desire and prayer for others should be that they may be saved, and we should count our selves happy if we may be any ways Instrumental therein. This is true Love to Men, true Devotion toward GOD.
III. OUR Doctrine brings Conviction to the Wicked, the Ungodly and Impenitent, and on diverse Accounts do they stand Condemned by it.
1. AS having pleasure in their own Death. GOD says to them, Why will you die? This He Charges upon you, and justly Complains of it. He says, You hate your own Soul, you love Death. O how Unnatural and worse than Brutish is this? A natural brute Beast flies from Death, and from everything ⟨p. 33⟩that hurts its Life; but mad as Men are, they Murder their own Souls, void equally of pity and of fear.