N00532:35
The great blessing, of primitive counsellors. Discoursed in a sermon, preached in the audience…The great blessing, of primitive counsellours. Discoursed in a sermon, preached in the audience…
The great blessing, of primitive counsellors. Discoursed in a sermon, preached in the audience of the governor, Council, and representatives, of the province of the Massachusetts Bay, in New-England. May 31st. 1693. Being the day for the election of counsellors, in that province. / By Increase Mather. President of Harvard College in Cambridge, and teacher of a church at Boston, in New-England. ; [One line epigram in Latin]The great blessing, of primitive counsellours. Discoursed in a sermon, preached in the audience of the governour, Council, and representatives, of the province of the Massachusetts Bay, in New-England. May 31st. 1693. Being the day for the election of counsellours, in that province. / By Increase Mather. President of Harvard Colledge in Cambridge, and teacher of a church at Boston, in New-England. ; [One line epigram in Latin]
Boston, : Printed and sold, by Benjamin Harris, over-against the Old-Meeting-House., 1693
Title page typeset from the transcription.
PRIMITIVE COUNSELLORS, A Great BLESSING.PRIMITIVE COUNSELLOURS, A Great BLESSING.
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.
Proposition. I. Good Counsellors are the Gift of God. The Lord saith here I will Restore thy Judges and thy Counsellors. It is not in the Power of all the men in the World to make a good Counsellor, except God first make him to be such an one. There are but few men in the World comparatively who are fit to give Counsel, especially in the difficult affairs of State. And they that are, it is God that has furnished them with gifts and Qualifications for such a station. Who maketh thee to differ (saith the Apostle) and what hast thou that thou didst not Receive. 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who is it that makes one man to be greater or better then another? To be Richer or Wiser then another. It is the Lord that makes it to be so. When John Baptists Disciples were troubled that another, (tho' infinitely his Superior) was preferred before him, He said to them A man can Receive nothing except it be given him from Heaven. Joh. 3. 27. If a man has Reputation above another, he has Received it from Heaven, and if he has great accomplishments in more respect then one, he is beholden to Heaven for them all. It is said of Solomon, That God gave him Wisdom and Understanding exceeding Much, and Largeness of Heart even as the Sand that is on the Sea shore, because of the infinite number of Wise Conceptions that his Large soul was able to Comprehend. 1 King 4. 29. Royal Endowments were conferred on him, and it was God that did make him sit to be a King▪ so if any man has the understanding which is requisite in a Counsellor, it is God that ⟨p. 11⟩has given him that Understanding. And it is His Providence that does order who shall be such. There are some in the World who are well accomplished to be in such a Capacity that are not made use of. There are that have this Preeminence belonging to them as their Birth-Right. Noble Men are Consiliarij Nati. Others are Chosen and Constituted by the Supreme Power. In some Places the People have a Concurrence in the Election of Counsellors. This notwithstanding, the God of Heaven determines and over-rules all. Whoever may have an hand in the Choice, their Spirits and all their Actions are disposed of by an Invisible Power. The Lot is cast into the Lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Pro. 16. 33