N00499:66
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.
But Justice without Courage will be too Feeble, to make Things Go Well in the midst of us. They that are the Head, must Remember that they are the Heart of the people too. Seats of Judicature, like Solomons, must have Lions for their Supporters; and they that sit on them are to be such as Dare do right, in defiance of all Temptations to the Contrary; and in their way, be, As the […] which turneth not away for any. Hence […] unto the Magistrate, from the God […] him, is that in Deut. 31.23. Be […] of a Good Courage, and I will be […] And it is a famous Clause in the ⟨p. 49⟩Judges Oath, Ye shall not Delay any person, of Common Right, for the Letters of the King, or of any other Person, nor for any other cause.
But Justice without Courage will be too Feeble, to make Things Go Well in the midst of us. They that are the Head, must Remember that they are the Heart of the people too. Seats of Judicature, like Solomons, must have Lions for their Supporters; and they that sit on them are to be such as Dare do right, in defiance of all Temptations to the Contrary; and in their way, be, As the 〈…〉 which turneth not away for any. Hence 〈…〉 unto the Magistrate, from the God 〈…〉 him, is that in Deut. 31.23. Be 〈…〉 of a Good Courage, and I will be 〈…〉 And it is a famous Clause in the ⟨p. 49⟩Judges Oath, Ye shall not Delay any person, of Common Right, for the Letters of the King, or of any other Person, nor for any other cause.
But all this while, to make Things Go […], 'tis to be supposed, that Magistrates Look upon their Subjects as their Children, and pursue their welfare with a most Fatherly Affection. Tis impossible, that Things ever should Go Well when the Rulers and the Ruled, have a Separate Interest of their own: Or where the Walls of Senate Houses, have not after some sort written upon them the Admonition which was upon those of Rome, Ne quid Res Publica Detrimenti Capiat. Let Magistrates count themselves made for their People, and the People not merely made for their Magistrates; and let them Delight, Study, Labour to see their People Thrive in all Enjoyments; then will Things Go well with such a people. Things went well with the People, and you have seen the sort of men that were sorry for it, in Nehe. 2. 10. It grieved them Exceedingly, that there was come a man, to seek the Welfare of the Children of Israel. A People sometimes may call him that is their Head, by the Name of him, who once headed the Tribe of Benjamin in the Wilderness; Abidan; or say, Our Father is Judge. Sometimes a people are blessed, with a person,