N00532:36
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.
Moreover when any persons are qualified for, and chosen unto a Service of this Nature, it is God that does incline their hearts, to accept of that Trouble. Indeed the Generality of men (and especially such as are unfit) need no great persuasion to comply with such Offers. But there are some who are as averse to Public Employments as was Moses; when he said Send I pray thee by the Hand of whom thou wilt send, only let me be excused. I have had the happiness to be acquainted with a Great and Noble Personage, who was desired by Two Kings Successively to be of Their Council, but declined it. The affairs of a People may be so Perplexed, as that a wise Man may be afraid to meddle, or to be any way interested in their Public concerns. This we see in what the Prophet Speaks, Isai. 3. 6, 7. Be thou our Ruler, and Let this Ruin be under thy Hand,—I will not be an Healer, Make me not a Ruler of the People. I see (saith He) you are a Ruined People, and I have no mind that your Ruin should be under my Hand, therefore I will not accept of your offer. Counsellors (such as are so by their place and office) do Assist in Government. Now the Work of Government is no easy Labour. That Celebrated saying of Melanchthon's has a great deal of Truth in it, that there are there hard Labours Parturientis the Labour of Child birth, Docentis, the Labour of one that is a Teacher, Regentis, the Labour of one that is a Ruler. They that never did, & were never fit to make trial of it, may think it easy, but others do not find it so. One of the Kings of England had in all the Windows of his House a Crown in a Bush of Thorns, to signify what Cares do attend Government. If then Wise men shall be willing to deny themselves as to their own repose, and to encounter with many difficulties in serving the Public Interest, it is God that has made them so.
Moreover when any persons are qualified for, and chosen unto a Service of this Nature, it is God that does incline their hearts, to accept of that Trouble. Indeed the Generality of men (and especially such as are unfit) need no great perswasion to comply with such Offers. But there are some who are as averse to Publick Employments as was Moses; when he said Send I pray thee by the Hand of whom thou wilt send, only let me be excused. I have had the happiness to be acquainted with a Great and Noble Personage, who was desired by Two Kings Successively to be of Their Council, but declined it. The affairs of a People may be so Perplexed, as that a wise Man may be afraid to meddle, or to be any way interested in their Publick concerns. This we see in what the Prophet Speaks,