N00532:52
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.
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.
USE II.
This Informs and Directs them in whose power it is to Choose Counsellors what manner of persons they are to Elect, namely such as were at the Beginning. The Word of the Lord does Instruct this General Assembly, whom they ought to Chose or Confirm this Day. What manner of persons the Representatives of this people, who are here before the Lord ought to Nominate, and what manner of Persons the Governor of this Province is by the Word of the Lord, obliged to approve of. Unto you that are by the several Towns throughout this Government Deputed to Act ⟨p. 19⟩in their stead, Let me say, you have heard from the Word of the Lord, what kind of men Primitive Counsellors were, viz. God-fearing men, faithful, courageous, prudent, you have by the Royal Charter Granted to you Power to Nominate such, and you will please God in so doing. And let me further add here, that it is very meet that persons Nominated for Counsellors should be men of Estate, and of some Port in the World. Isa. 3. 7. Thou hast Clothing be thou our Ruler. Thou hast an Estate to Support the place and Dignity of a Ruler, and therefore we Choose thee. If this be not considered, Government will be rendered contemptible, and that cannot be without Sin. Let me also say to you who are the Representatives of his People, that it will not be prudence in you (at this time especially) to propose such Assistants to the Governor as you cannot but know, that He cannot Accept of, and so to necessitate him to make use of his Negative Voice, when He has no desire to do it.And you cannot but know that whoever is Governor, He will judge it necessary that many of his Council should have their Habitations near to his, that so if any sudden Emergency or Danger to the Public should happen, his Council may be at Hand to Advise with. And you cannot but know that no Governor will take those into his Council, who are Malcontents, and do what in them is to make others to be Disaffected to the Government. No Governor can take such men into his Bosom.