B09511:49
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.
We read, in 1 Sam. 6.18. concerning, The Great Stone of Abel. Some say, That Adam Erected that Stone, as a Grave stone for his Abel, and wrote that Epitaph upon it, Here was poured out the Blood of the Righteous ABEL. I know nothing of This, The Names, I know, differ in the Original; But as we may Erect many a Stone ⟨p. 39⟩for an Ebenezer, so, we may Erect many a Great Stone of ABEL, that is to say, We may write, MOURNING and SORROW, upon the Condition of the Town in various Examples. Now, from the Stones of Abel, we will a little gather what we should wish to write upon the Stones of our Ebenezer.
We read, in 1 Sam. 6.18. concerning, The Great Stone of Abel. Some say, That Adam Erected that Stone, as a Grave stone for his Abel, and wrote that Epi•aph upon it, Here was poured out the Blood of the Righteous ABEL. I know nothing of This, The Names, I know, differ in the Original; But as we may Erect many a Stone ⟨p. 39⟩for an Ebenezer, so, we may Erect many a Great Stone of ABEL, that is to say, We may write, MOURNING and SORROW, upon the Condition of the Town in various Examples. Now, from the Stones of Abel, we will a little gather what we should wish to write upon the Stones of our Ebenezer.
What Changes have we seen, in point of Religion? It was Noted by Luther, He could never see Good order in the Church, last more than Fifteen years together in the Purity of it. Blessed be God, Religion hath here flourished in the Purity of it, for more than Fifteen years together. But, certainly, the Power of Godliness is now grievously decayed among us. As the Prophet of old Exclaimed, in Joel 1.2. Hear this, ye old men, and give Ear, ye Inhabitants; Ha's this been in your Days: Thus may I say, Hear this, ye old men, that are the Inhabitants of the Town: Can't you Remember, that in your Days, a Prayerful, a Watchful, a Fruitful Christian, and a well Governed Family, was a more common Sight, than it is now in our Days? Can't you Remember, that in your Days, those Abominable Things did not