N00581:35
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.
Nor is this Justice to be looked upon as separate from the Fear of God, but as influenced and maintained by it. He therefore that Ruleth in the Fear of God, is one who Acknowledgeth God to be his Sovereign, and carries in his heart an Awful Fear of him: who owns his Commission to be from him, and expects ere long to be called to give in an Account of his managing of it: which maketh him to study in all things to please him, and to be afraid of doing any thing that will provoke him.
Nor is this Justice to be lookt upon as separate from the Fear of God, but as influenced and maintained by it. He therefore that Ruleth in the Fear of God, is one who Acknowledgeth God to be his Soveraign, and carries in his heart an Awful Fear of him: who owns his Commission to be from him, and expects ere long to be called to give in an Account of his managing of it: which maketh him to study in all things to please him, and to be afraid of doing any thing that will provoke him.
And accordingly, he is a Student in the Law of God, and Meditates in it Day and Night; making it the Rule into which he ultimately resolves all that he ⟨p. 12⟩doth in his place. We find that in the Old Law, the King was to write a Copy of it with his own hand, and to make use of it at all times: Deut. 17. 18, 19.
If he hath any thing to do in the making of Laws, he will consult a good Conscience, and what may be pleasing to God, and will be far from framing mischief by a Law. And if he be to execute any Laws of men, he will not dare to give a judgment for such an one as directly Crosseth the Command of God, but counts it ipso facto void, and his Conscience acquitted of his Oath.