N00732:49
The surest way to the greatest honour
The surest way to the greatest honour: discoursed in a sermon, delivered in the audience of His Excellency the Earl of Bellomont, captain general and governor in chief, and the Council, and representatives of the General Assembly of the province of the Massachusetts-Bay, convened at Boston in New-England, May 31st. 1699. Being the day for the election of counsellors in that province. / By Increase Mather.The surest way to the greatest honour: discoursed in a sermon, delivered in the audience of His Excellency the Earl of Bellomont, captain general and governour in chief, and the Council, and representatives of the General Assembly of the province of the Massachusetts-Bay, convened at Boston in New-England, May 31st. 1699. Being the day for the election of counsellors in that province. / By Increase Mather.
Boston: printed by Bartholomew Green for Samuel Phillips, 1699
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.
This ha's the Scripture recorded, ⟨p. 33⟩for the direction of them who may have the power of Election, that they should (so far as they are able to judge) Elect God-•earing men. Choose such as will both by their Authority and by their Example Encourage the worship of God. That will say with Joshua, I and my house we will serve the Lord. That say after David, Psal. 122. •. I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord, where God was publicly and solemnly worshipped as Himself had commanded. Choose such as will be Zealous for God: That will Exact their Authority for the suppressing of all manner of Vice, and for the Encouragement of Virtue and Piety: That will be a Terror to Evil doers▪ and a praise to them that do well. A few such Counsellors and Rulers may Save a Land from destruction. Jer. 5. •. Run ye to and fro, through the Streets of Jerusalem, if there be any that Executes Judgment, I will pardon it. That great City would have found the better for a few such, nay, for one such Magistrate. Choose them that will Fear GOD & Honour the KING. That will be faithful to his present Majesty, whom God and ail the good people in England have set upon the Throne. It is needless for me to say, Let no man give a Vote for any one that has the […] heart of a Jacobite in him. There are very few of that sort of men in New England. I hope not an hundred of them in the whole Province; and I hope not so ⟨p. 34⟩much as one in this General Assembly, in which respect such a caution may seem superfluous. Choose them that will show singular respect to good men, because they are such: As David was resolved to do. Psal. 101. 6. My eyes shall be on the Faithful in the Land. Such as were Faithful to the best Interests, he would cast an eye of peculiar respect and favour towards them. So did the Rulers in Judah. Hos. 11. 12