N00896:62
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.
Inf. 2. This does instruct and direct those that have liberty of choosing their own Rulers, what m•nner of p•rsons should be the objects of their Election. If you may choose men of public Spirits, that will seek the welfare of their people never choose others. And therefore you should choose such as are qualified with the gra•es necessary in order to the being of such a spirit; Men that have the grace of Courage in them. God in his Holy Word has given us direction in […] matter. Exod. 18.21. Thou shalt provide out of all the people able me• such as fear God, men of truth, ⟨p. 28⟩hating Covetousness, to be Rulers. When 'tis said they must fear God, therein is implied that they must be men of Courage, that will not fear men; for if they fear them more than God, they'll wrong the public interest to please those men whom they are afraid of. And he that is Chosen a Ruler should be an Hater of Covetousness; For if he is a covetous self-seeking man, a great bribe will tempt him to sell the Public out of respect to his private interest.
Inf. 2. This does instruct and direct those that have liberty of chusing their own Rulers, what m•nner of p•rsons should be the objects of their Ele•tion. If you may chuse men of publick Spirits, that will seek the welfare of their people never chuse others. And therefore you should chuse such as are qualified with the gra•es necessary in order to the being of such a spirit; Men that have the grace of Courage in them. God in his Holy Word has given us direction in 〈…〉 matter. Exod. 18.21. Thou shalt provide out of all the people able me• such as fear God, men of truth, ⟨p. 28⟩