B09511:40
The Bostonian Ebenezer. Some historical remarks, on the state of Boston, the chief town…
The Bostonian Ebenezer. Some historical remarks, on the state of Boston, the chief town of New England, and of English America. With some, agreeable methods, for preserving and promoting, the good state of that, as well as any other town, in the like circumstances. / Humbly offered, by a native of Boston.
Boston: printed by B. Green & J. Allen for Samuel Phillips, 1698
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.
V. God Help the Town, to manifest all that Piety, which a Town so Helped of Him, is obliged unto! When the People of God, had been carried, by His Help, through their Difficulties, they set up Stones, to keep in mind how He had Helped them: And something was written on the Stones: But what was written! See; Josh. 8.32. Joshua wrote upon the Stones, a Copy of the Law. Truly, upon those Ebenezers, which we set up, we should write the Law of our God, and Recognize the Obligations which the Help of our God, ha's laid upon us to keep it.
V. God Help the Town, to manifest all that Piety, which a Town so Helped of Him, is oblig'd unto! When the People of God, had been carried, by His Help, through their Difficulties, they set up Stones, to keep in mind how He had Helped them: And something was written on the Stones: But what was written! See; Josh. 8.32. Joshua wrote upon the Stones, a Copy of the Law. Truly, upon those Ebenezers, which we set up, we should write the Law of our God, and Recognize the Obligations which the Help of our God, ha's laid upon us to keep it.
We are a very Unpardonable Town, if after all the Help which our God ha's given us, we do not ingenuously Enquire, What shall we Render to the Lord, for all His Benefits? Render! Oh! Let us our selves thus answer the Enquiry; Lord, we will Render all possible, and Filial Obedience unto thee, because Hitherto thou hast Helped us: Only do thou also Help us, to Render that Obedience! Mark what I say; If there be so much as one Prayerless House in such a Town as this, 'tis Inexcusable! How Inexcusable then, will be all Flagitious Outrages? There was a Town, ['Twas the Town of Sodom!] that had been wonderfully Saved out of the Hands of their Enemies. But after the Help that God sent unto them, the Town went on to Sin against God, in very prodigious Instances. At last, a provoked God sent a Fire upon the Town, that made it an Eternal Desolation. Ah, Boston, Beware, Beware, left the Sins of Sodom get Footing in thee! And what were the Sins of Sodom? We find in