N00896:97
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. Positive Blessings are bestowed on wicked men for the sake of righteous men They are not only saved from great evils and judgments, but many mercies and blessings are bestowed on them: Ungodly Children do many •im•s •are ⟨p. 53⟩the better for the sake of their Godly Parents; as it was with Ishmael, when his Father Abraham prayed for him, God said concerning Ishmael, I have heard thee, behold I will bless him, and make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; I will make him a Nation because he is thy Seed. Gen. 21.13: Great temporal Blessings came on him for his Fathers sake. The Children of Jonathan fared the better, because of the piety of their Father: Enquiry was made by David, Is there none of the seed of Jonathan, that I may show kindness unto? And when Mephibosheth appeared, David said to him, I will surely show thee kindness for thy Father Jonathans sake. So does God show kindness to many an Ungodly Child for their fathers sake. And sometimes a whole Family fare the better for the sake of one Godly person that is in it, tho' it may be that person is only a Servant in the Family; as when Jacob was a Servant in his Uncle Labans Family. Gen 30 27. Says Laban, I have Learned by experience that God has blessed me for thy sake. So when Joseph was a Servant in Potiphars Family, Gen. 39 5. God blessed the Egyptians House for Josephs sake, the Blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the House and in the Field And afterwards a whole Nation, nay m•re than one Nation did fare the better for Josephs […]. When there was a terrible famine that lasted for ⟨p. 54⟩seven years together, it was by means of Joseph that a whole Nation was preserved from perishing by that judgment, as the Egyptians confessed to him, in Gen. 47.25 Thou hast saved our lives say they. And indeed the greatest blessing the world does enjoy, 'tis for the sake of a few righteous men in it; namely the Gospel, that is the greatest blessing that is bestowed on the World, now this is for the sake of the Righteous. There be many that despise the Gospel, yea the greatest part of the world does so, only there are a few Righteous men that the Word of God is dearer to them than any thing in the world, and for their sakes the Gospel is continued, and others have the benefi of it.