N00499:57
Optanda. Good men described, and good things propounded. A serious consideration of two very…
Optanda. Good men described, and good things propounded. A serious consideration of two very important cases. I. What should be our spirits, and II. What should be our studies, that so all things may go well among us. / By Cotton Mather. ; In two sermons; whereof one, was preached unto the governor, and General Court, of the province of the Massachusetts-Bay, in New-England; at their first session: June 9. 1692. ; Published by authority[.]Optanda. Good men described, and good things propounded. A serious consideration of two very important cases. I. What should be our spirits, and II. What should be our studies, that so all things may go well among us. / By Cotton Mather. ; In two sermons; whereof one, was preached unto the governour, and General Court, of the province of the Massachusetts-Bay, in New-England; at their first session: June 9. 1692. ; Published by authority[.]
Boston: printed by Benjamin Harris, 1692
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.
I. It is fitting that they who fit Highest, should be first carved unto; they that fit in the first place, must in the first place be spoken of. FIRST then, I say, That Good Magistrates are some of the Best Things among ⟨p. 39⟩any people; and Things will go well with a people, when they have Good Rulers over them. There is a Day coming; And Amen! Let it come quickly! A Day wherein all things will go well among the Children of men. And a principal Character of that Illustrious Day will then be this, That the Greatness of the kingdom under the whole Heaven, shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most High. It is mentioned as a cause of the Good Things which will attend that Notable Day, in Psal. 72 3. The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little Hills by Righteousness. There shall then be no Mountain, or Superior Magistrate, and no Little Hill, or Inferior Magistrate, but what shall be a Saint of God. There shall be no Jeroboams to corrupt and poison their Subjects, nor will the Lord Jesus employ any but men like David, with Hearts after his own Heart, as His Vice-Gerents in the World Things would Go well, if they that have the Chief management of things, were more like unto those Magistrates which are to Rise in the Approaching Age, when, God shall be the Governor among the Nations. How well are Things to go in the European parts of the World, by that Prognostication of a Great Man? God will stir up some Happy Governor in some Country of Christendom, ⟨p. 40⟩Endued with Wisdom & Consideration, who shall discern the true Nature of Godliness and Christianity, and the Necessity and Excellency of Serious Religion, and shall place his Honour and Felicity in pleasing God, and doing Good, and attaining Everlasting Happiness, and shall subject all worldly Respects, unto these High and Glorious Ends! And when any parts of the world, are thus advantaged, Things will go well indeed in such Paradisaic Regions.
I. It is fitting that they who fit Highest, should be first carv'd unto; they that fit in the first place, must in the first place be spoken of. FIRST then, I say, That Good Magistrates are some of the Best Things among ⟨p. 39⟩