N00896:89
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.
When the transgressors among the Jews were come to the full, Antiochus whom Historians describe to be one of a fierce countenance, was by the dreadful Providence of ⟨p. 45⟩God set over them as their King, who proved a bloody Persecutor and Destroyer of that people, notwithstanding their being the holy People. So then that is the first Conclusion.
Conclusion 2. Although when destroying Judgments come upon a People, the Divine Providence does sometimes make a difference between the Righteous and the Wicked, nevertheless it is not always so. Sometimes God in his Providence does very signally discriminate between those he has a favour for, and others. When the Egyptians were visited with ten plagues, the Children of Israel were preserved. When Sodom was overthrown, righteous Lot escaped. Barak had his life given to him for a prey, when others were swept away with a b•som of destruction
Conclusion 2. Although when destroying Iudgments come upon a People, the Divine Providence does sometimes make a difference between the Righteous and the Wicked, nevertheless it is not always so. Sometimes God in his Providence does very signally discriminate between those he has a favour for, and others. When the Egyptians were visited with ten plagues, the Children of Israel were preserved. When Sodom was overthrown, righteous Lot escaped. Barak had his life given to him for a prey, when others were swept away with a b•som of destruction
It was said to the Church in Philadelphia, Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world. Rev 3 10. When the Babylonians laid Jerusalem waste, some who were Mourners in Zion, experienced signal temporal Salvations. And so it was with the Christian Jews at that time when utter desolation came on Jerusalem by the Roman Sword. God did by a miraculous Providence distinguish them from others, according to Malachi's Prophesy. Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God, and him that serveth