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…

2. Let us be very thankful for what we enjoy. To be thankful for Mercies, is the way to have them continued. What would not New-England have given no longer since then Five Years ago, to have been sure of what they now enjoy? And what, tho' you have not some Great Privileges which once you had, and which should have been Restored to you, if He that speaketh to you this Day, could have obtained them for you, tho' it be with the Expense of his own Life, and of all that is Dear to him in this World will you be thankful for nothing: because you have not every thing just as you would have? Do any of you say, all that you have is nothing? I hear there are some (tho' not many) that say so. Let me Reason with you before the Lord this Day? You have by the Royal Charter granted to you, Property confirmed, so that every Man may sit under his own Vine, and his own Figtree. And is this nothing. I am sure you would have thought it something, and a great thing too, but a Few years since. You have all English Liberties Restored to you, so that a Governor with a Juncto of his Council cannot (as of late they did) make Laws, and impose Taxes on you, without your own consent, by your Representative, And is this nothing? No Governor can now cause you, or your Children or Servants (as not long since they might) to be sent out of the Province. Your Present Charter Secures you against all such Invasions. And do you now account it nothing? You have Peculiar Charter Privileges granted to you, which no other English Plantation in the World has. Witness your being here this Day. No other Plantation has that Privilege of Nominating to the Governor, his Council: nor have the Kings Subjects in England it self that Privilege; and is this nothing? Your Religion is secured to you. Now you need not fear being sent to Prison (as some ⟨p. 22⟩of you were under a late Government) because you scruple Swearing by a Book. You may Worship God in the greatest Purity, and no one may Disturb you. If you set apart Days for Solemn Prayer or Praises, as the Divine Providence may call thereunto, you need not fear being interrupted or Obstructed therein as it was here six year ago. You may by Laws not only Protect, but encourage that Religion which is the General Profession of the Country. And is all this nothing?

2. Let us be very thankful for what we enjoy. To be thankful for Mercys, is the way to have them continued. What would not New-England have given no longer since then Five Years ago, to have been sure of what they now enjoy? And what, tho' you have not some Great Priviledges which once you had, and which should have been Restored to you, if He that speaketh to you this Day, could have obtained them for you, tho' it be with the Expence of his own Life, and of all that is Dear to him in this World will you be thankful for nothing: because you have not every thing just as you would have? Do any of you say, all that you have is nothing? I hear there are some (tho' not many) that say so. Let me Reason with you before the Lord this Day? You have by the Royal Charter granted to you, Property confirmed, so that every Man may sit under his own Vine, and his own Figtree. And is this nothing. I am sure you would have thought it something, and a great thing too, but a Few years since. You have all English Liberties Restored to you, so that a Governour with a Juncto of his Council cannot (as of late they did) make Laws, and impose Taxes on you, without your own consent, by your Representative, And is this nothing? No Governour can now cause you, or your Children or Servants (as not long since they might) to be sent out of the Province. Your Present Charter Secures you against all such Invasions. And do you now account it nothing? You have Peculiar Charter Priviledges granted to you, which no other English Plantation in the World has. Witness your being here this Day. No other Plantation has that Priviledge of Nominating to the Governour, his Council: nor have the Kings Subjects in England it self that Priviledge; and is this nothing? Your Religion is secured to you. Now you need not fear being sent to Prison (as some