N01484:215
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.
3. Satan is highly pleased and gratified in thy Sin and Impenitence. He desires thy Damnation: he seeks thy Death. You grieve and offend GOD, and Murder your self, to gratify his Spleen; to satisfy his Lust against thy Soul. As the Fowler is pleased to see the Bird taken in his Snare; as the Lion is pleased when he is devouring ⟨p. 34⟩the Prey, or as a malicious Enemy when he has his will and lust upon his hated Foe; so is the Devil pleased in the Ruin of thy Soul. There is Joy in Hell at thy Sin, and in thy Destruction.
3. Satan is highly pleas'd and gratified in thy Sin and Impenitence. He desires thy Damnation: he seeks thy Death. You grieve and offend GOD, and Murder your self, to gratify his Spleen; to satisfy his Lust against thy Soul. As the Fowler is pleased to see the Bird taken in his Snare; as the Lion is pleas'd when he is devouring ⟨p. 34⟩the Prey, or as a malicious Enemy when he has his will and lust upon his hated Foe; so is the Devil pleas•d in the Ruine of thy Soul. There is Joy in Hell at thy Sin, and in thy Destruction.
4. THY Damnation will be owing to thy self at last, thy own wilful Choice of Death in the Causes of it. Thou art a Self-destroyer, and canst have no Excuse, nor lay the Blame of thy Eternal Misery on any one but thy self. Thou hast a Devil and art Mad, he goeth about to kill thee. With the furious Demoniac thou stabbest thy self. You act against the deepest Principle in Nature, even Self-preservation. A Devil let loose upon you could not do you more hurt than you do to your self. False, pitiless, cruel and base to your self. And such Reflections will be your exquisite and eternal Torment.