N00896:104
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.
1. Hence then we must conclude that Righteous men are exceeding dear to God The Psalmist said in Psal. 146 8· The Lord loves the Righteous. It must needs be so, if he spares other for their sakes. As when a Prince does spare those that are risen up in rebellion against him, at the intercession of one that is near to his Person, all men conclude such a one is a great favourite of that Prince. It is related concerning the Emperor Augustus, that when the Alexandrians had offended •im and he had obtained an absolute conquest over them, every body thought that now he would destroy the City, but (said he) there is such a one in the City, a Philosopher whom I have a singular Love for, and for his s•ke I will spare you all. Well then, since God spares exceeding wicked men from temporal destruction out of regard to the Righteous, they be dear to him. And as God spares others for their sakes, so sometimes he destroys others on their account, that is such as wrong and abuse them. Isa 43.4. I will give men for thee, and people for thy life, because I have ⟨p. 59⟩loved thee, and thou hast been precious and honourable in my sight. God destroyed th• Kingdom of Egypt for his people Israels sak•, and when the Ethiopians came against them with an Army of no less than a million of men, the Lord smote them for his Peoples sake. When Sennacherib came against Jerusalem with a mighty Army, God sent an Angel that destroyed an hundred fourscore and five thousand of them in one night, and this for his peoples sake. So the Babylonian Empire was laid waste because of the wrong that was done by them to Righteous ones. Isa. 43.14 I have sent to Babylon (says the Lord) and […] for your sakes bring down their N•bles, and the Chaldeans whose cry is in their Ships God sent •he M•des and Persians against them The Great Ones who had Palaces in Babylon, were brought down, and the comm•n people among the Chaldeans got into Sip or their safety, where they made a lmentabl cry. This destruction did the Lord bring upon them for the sk of his people. Then they are very dear o God.