N01484:230
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.
[…] your Sins more in number and kind, and more heinous than they are; were thy Soul fouler and more stained with lust and with the guilt ⟨p. 40⟩of blood too than it is; (tho' it be very bad, and how can you think it could be worse than it is?) yet there is no reason for thee to despair of GOD's Mercy. It is only thy own hardness and Impenitency that can exclude thee from it. The glorious GOD pities thee, the People of GOD pity thee; O miserable Woman pity thy self, have compassion on thy own Soul, and cry mightily to thy Saviour that thou mayest find Mercy.
〈…〉 your Sins more in number and kind, and more hainous than they are; were thy Soul fouler and more stained with lust and with the guilt ⟨p. 40⟩of blood too than it is; (tho' it be very bad, and how can you think it cou'd be worse than it is?) yet there is no reason for thee to despair of GOD's Mercy. It is only thy own hardness and Impenitency that can exclude thee from it. The glorious GOD pities thee, the People of GOD pity thee; O miserable Woman pity thy self, have compassion on thy own Soul, and cry mightily to thy Saviour that thou mayest find Mercy.
NEITHER GOD nor Man have pleasure in thy Death. Thy Judges on Earth have no pleasure in thy Condemnation and Execution, but they can't answer it to GOD or Man to spare thee and suffer thee to live. The Murderer by the Law of GOD must surely be put to Death, and he that sheddeth mans blood by man must his blood be shed. But tho' it be unavoidable that you must die by the Hand of Justice here, yet let me however tell thee that GOD has no pleasure in your Eternal Death. Indeed GOD has infinite pleasure in hating your Sin, ⟨p. 41⟩and in glorifying His Justice in all the Demands of it against you if you continue Impenitent; God will with Ineffable pleasure fulfil and execute all His Threatening against Impenitent Sinners, and your Eternal Sufferings in Hell will never give Him any perturbation and disrest. But GOD has as much pleasure in fulfilling all His gracious Promises to the repenting Sinner, the penitent Believer in Jesus Christ. Say unto them, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure, &c.