N00499:64
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.
Thirdly, Things will go well, when Magistrates are Endued not only with all Needful Wisdom & Justice, & Courage, but also with a Fatherly affection for the people that belong unto them. Wisdom is of so much concernment for Magistrates, that the wise man writing to one that was to succeed him, saith Tis the principal thing, get that! Where should Eyes be, but in the Head! what will come of it, if, The Blind lead the Blind? The Art of Governing, is a business of more exquisite contrivance, than all the Seven Liberal Arts. When Solomon became a King, that so all things might go well, this was his first and chief petition to God, in 2 Chron. 1 10. O Lord God, give me now Wisdom and knowledge that I may go out, and come in, before this People. A Magistrate is to be a sort of an Argos, full of Eyes; and such an one, that it may without Flattery be confessed unto him, Thou art as an Angel of God, to discern Good and Bad, the Lord thy God will be […] thee.
Thirdly, Things will go well, when Magistrates are Endued not only with all Needful Wisdome & Justice, & Courage, but also with a Fatherly affection for the people that belong unto them. Wisdome is of so much concernment for Magistrates, that the wise man writing to one that was to succeed him, saith Tis the principal thing, get that! Where should Eyes be, but in the Head! what will come of it, if, The Blind lead the Blind? The Art of Governing, is a buisiness of more exquisite contrivance, than all the Seven Liberal Arts. When Solomon became a King, that so all things might go well, this was his first and chief petition to God, in 2 Chron. 1 10. O Lord God, give me now Wisdome and knowledg that I may go out, and come in, before this People. A Magistrate is to be a sort of an Argos, full of Eyes; and such an one, that it may without Flattery be confess'd unto him, Thou art as an Angel of God, to discern Good and Bad, the Lord thy God will be 〈…〉 thee.
But Wisdom without Justice, will […].Crafty to make Things Go well […] Recommended unto Magistr […]