N00532:40
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.
3. It is necessary that Counsellors should be Endued with the Grace of Courage. The Spirit of Counsel and of Might, that is to say of Courage, are conjoined, because Counsellors should be men of Courage, Isa 11. 2. And this is implied in that of their Fearing God, h. e. they must Fear God and not men. Moses gave it in Charge unto those whom he did Commission to be Judges, Deut. 1. 17. You shall not be afraid of the Face of man. The like is to be said unto Counsellors. Solomons Throne was supported by Lions, 2 King. 10. 20. Thus Counsellors who are the Supporters of the Government should be of Magnanimous and Undaunted Spirits. The Pillars of a Land must not Warp either for fear or favour. They may not Fear the Frowns of them that are above them, so as to neglect their Duty. If they should see the Chief Ruler in danger of falling into any Error, which would be injurious to Himself or to his People; they ought freely tho' humbly to advise Him to desist. It is reported concerning the Chinese, that the Counsellors of their Prince do with great Freedom admonish him of dangerous Errors, and that if they do it not, they are not accounted worthy of the Name of Counsellors, or men of Honour. Joab did the part of a Faithful Counsellor unto David, in dissuading from his ambitious Design of Numbering the People: Why (said he) does my Lord the King require this? Why will he be a cause of Trespass unto Israel. 1 Chron. 4. 3. And at another time, when David was too much Transported with passion at the Death of his Son Absalom, Joab advised him to refrain himself, and to speak kindly to the men that had Hazarded their Lives to Save his; and David had the Wisdom to Hearken to that good Advice. Nor should Counsellors in the Discharge of their Duty, be afraid of the Multitude. Job saith, Did I fear a great Multitude? or did the Contempt of Families terrify me. Job 31. 34. He knew that if he did punish Vice, the Families and Relations of such as had suffered the Law, would reproach him and a multitude would clamour against him, but that would not deter him from a Faithful Discharge of the Duty of his Place; such Courage becomes a Counsellor. Let a man give the best Counsel in the World, he shall never please every body: There is such variety and Contrariety in the Opinions of men, that all cannot be pleased;