N00581:31
The character of a good ruler. As it was recommended in a sermon preached…
The character of a good ruler. As it was recommended in a sermon preached before His Excellency the governor, and the Honourable Counsellors, and Assembly of the Representatives of the province of Massachusetts-Bay in New-England. On May 30. 1694. Which was the day for election of councillors for that province. / By Samuel Willard, teacher of a church in Boston.The character of a good ruler. As it was recommended in a sermon preached before His Excellency the governour, and the Honourable Counsellors, and Assembly of the Representatives of the province of Massachusetts-Bay in New-England. On May 30. 1694. Which was the day for election of councellors for that province. / By Samuel Willard, teacher of a church in Boston.
Boston: printed by Benjamin Harris for Michael Perry, 1694
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.
They must also be acquainted with the Rules of Righteousness they must know ⟨p. 10⟩what is Just, and what is Unjust, be Able men, Exod. 18. 21. For, though men may know and not do, yet without Knowledge the Mind cannot be good. Ignorance is a Foundation for Error, and will likely produce it, when the man applies himself to act: and if he do right at any time, it is but by guess, which is a very poor Commendation.
Again, he must be one that respects the Cause, and not the persons in all his Administrations, Deut. 1. 17. Ye shall not respect Persons in Judgment, &c. if his Affections Oversway his Judgment at any time, they will be a crooked Bias, that will turn him out of the way, and that shall be Justice in one mans case, which will not be so in another.
Again, he must be one that respects the Cause, and not the persons in all his Administrations, Deut. 1. 17. Ye shall not respect Persons in Judgment, &c. if his Affections Oversway his Judgment at any time, they will be a crooked Biass, that will turn him out of the way, and that shall be Justice in one mans case, which will not be so in another.
Farthermore, he must be one whom neither Flattery nor Bribery may be able to remove out of his way, Deut. 16. 19. Thou shalt not wrest Judgment, thou shalt not Respect Persons, neither take a Gift; and hence he must be one who hates both Ambition and Covetousness,