N00896:49
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.
2. The Proposition before is evident, considering that the Welfare or Ill-fare of a People depends very much on their Rulers. If they are, & do as ought to be, their people will fare the better for i•; but if they do amiss, the people will suffer for it. When David numbered the ⟨p. 14⟩People, those poor Sheep were killed. Delirant Reges pl•ctuntur Achivi. Two or three particulars may be mentioned here, which will make this Demonstration evident to us.
2. The Proposi•ion before is evident, considering that the Welfare or Ill-fare of a People depends very much on their Rulers. If they are, & do as ought to be, their people will fare the better for i•; but if they do amiss, the people will suffer for it. When David numbred the ⟨p. 14⟩People, those poor Sheep were killed. Delirant Reges pl•ctuntur Achivi. Two or three p••ticulars may be mentioned here, which will make this Demonstration evident to us.
1. It is manifest from those Scripture comparisons whereby Rulers are described▪ e. g. They are compared to Foundations: Because of the Iniquity found among all the Rulers in the Nation under Sauls Reign, the Psalmist complained that all the foundations of the earth were out of course. Psal. 82.5. Hence the Hebrews call a Ruler by the name of Adon from Eden, which signifies a Basis or Foundation. So the Greek [Greek or Hebrew] If the Foundation is solid, the Superstructure may stand, but if that be sandy or rotten, all falls to ruin. Hence also they are compared to Corner-stones.