N00532:45
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.
And in the 14 verse He was sent of the King, and his seven Counsellors Perhaps there might be Superstition in their fixing on the Number seven, if they did it (as some Learned Men suppose) because they would have their Government to Resemble the Heavens, wherein there are seven Planets: But as to the thing, that there ⟨p. 16⟩should be Counsellors, the Light of Nature instructed them; and therefore it is so in all Nations and Governments.
And in the 14 verse He was sent of the King, and his seven Counsellers Perhaps there might be Superstition in their fixing on the Number seven, if they did it (as some Learned Men suppose) because they would have their Government to Resemble the Heavens, wherein there are seven Planets: But as to the thing, that there ⟨p. 16⟩should be Counsellers, the Light of Nature instructed them; and therefore it is so in all Nations and Governments.
2. The Interest and Influence of good Counsellors is great. They have a great Interest in the Chief Ruler. In Governments, which are more absolute, and much more in those that are more Limited it is so, especially where the principal Ruler cannot Act without their Consent. It cannot be expressed of how great Concernment it is for such a People to be Blessed with Counsellors as at the Beginning. Not only whole Provinces but whole Kingdoms have Fared the better for the Wise Counsels of one Good man. So did Egypt, because there was such a wise Counsellor as Joseph found amongst them. And the whole Kingdom of Israel found the benefit of it, when David made the Prophet Nathan to be of his Cabinet Council. Solomon Owed his Crown, and the People much of their Happiness to the seasonable Advice of Nathan, which had a great influence on the Royal Heart of King David, in causing him to Nominate Solomon to Succeed in Government, whereby great Confusions that otherwise would have happened, were prevented. Rehoboam had not lost ten parts in twelve of his Kingdom, if he had followed the wise Advice of his Fathers Counsellors Nor had Zedekiah Lost his Kingdom, nor had the City and Temple been Burnt, and the whole Land made Desolate, if the good Counsel of the Prophet Jeremiah had been hearkened unto, whom God sent to be a Counsellor to them. If I give thee Counsel (said the Prophet to the King) wilt thou not hearken unto me.