N00896:102
The excellency of a public spirit discoursedThe excellency of a publick spirit discoursed
The excellency of a public spirit discoursed: in a sermon, preached in the audience of the General Assembly of the province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, May 27. 1702. Being the day for election of counsellors in that province. / By Increase Mather. ; [Four lines of quotations]The excellency of a publick spirit discoursed: in a sermon, preached in the audience of the General Assembly of the province of the Masachusetts Bay in New England, May 27. 1702. Being the day for election of counsellors in that province. / By Increase Mather. ; [Four lines of quotations]
printed by B. Green for Nicholas Boone, 1702
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.
3. They are Blessings by their Example, which they set before the World. Phil. 2.15. That ye may be Blameless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a Crooked and Perverse generation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world. The S•ars in the Firmament, are lights to the world and common blessings to the world So righteous men are the lights of the world, others may see by the light of their Example how they ought to […] And […] Conversation is sometimes Blessed for […] Conversion of others. Many of […] God when Providence has cast them […] a Godly Family, the holy Example of the […] of that Family has been a means of their Conversion▪ So was it in the Primitive times, many Pagans were brought to embrace Christianity by beholding the grace that did shine in the Christians of those days; If their Neighbours that had done them the greatest wrong, were sick, or in •ny misery, they would visit them, pray for them, & relieve them instead of being revenged on them. This made many Pagans become Christians. And their Exemplary Patience in suffering Persecution ⟨p. 58⟩amazed their Enemies, so that many of them of Persecutors became Godly Christians. Thus then righteous m•n are Blessings: Others fare the be•ter for them We see the Doctrine cleared in the particulars that have been mentioned.
3. They are Blessings by their Example, which they set before the World. Phil. 2.15. That ye may be B•ameless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a Crooked and Perverse generation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world. The S•ars in the Firmament, are lights to the w•rld and common bl•ssings to the world So righteous men are the lights of the world, others may see by the light of their Example how they ought to And Conversation is sometimes Blessd for Conversion of others. Many of God when Providence has cast them a Godly Family, the holy Exmple of the of tht Family has been a means of their Conversion So was it in the Primitive times, many Pagans were brought to mbrace Christianity by beholding the grace that did shine in the Christians of those days; If their Nighbours that had done them the greatest wrong, were sick, or in ny misery, they would visit them, pray for them, & relieve them instead of being revenged on them. This made many Pagans become Christians. And their Exemplary Patience in suffering Persecution