B09511:66
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.
There are Three plain Assertions before us, by which I may come fairly at my Design, to promote Household-Religion, in the management of an Argument fetched from the Benefit thence arising, unto the very Houses, wherein we maintain that Religion.
There are Three plain Assertions before us, by which I may come fairly at my Design, to promote Houshold-Religion, in the management of an Argument fetch'd from the Benefit thence arising, unto the very Houses, wherein we mentain that Religion.
I. In true Religion, men do Return unto the Almighty God. There was a Blessed Communion with God, which man had at his first Creation by God. But how Long did this continue? Alas, It was not Long, before Man turned his Back upon the Service and the Glory of His Maker: It was not Long before Man Embraced the Vain Things of this World, instead of the God that made him. Every Sinner is now Guilty of that Folly, that Frenzy, that Horrible Thing, in Jer. 2.13. He hath forsaken the Fountain of Living Waters, and he hath hew d him out Broken Cisterns. Well, but now in Religion, there is a Conversion and a Returning of the Sinner; he says, I will Return to my first Object, because it is best being with him. The Term From which a man does Return in Religion, is, All Sin whatsoever; and every Pleasure, every Profit, every Honour, which the Heart is by Sin carried forth unto. Thus 'tis said, in Jer 18.11. Return ye now every one from his Evil way. The Term To which a man does Return in Religion,, is, God in the Lord Jesus Christ; so that ⟨p. 51⟩God becomes his Best Good, and his Last End, and the Lord Jesus Christ becomes his Prophet, his Priest, and his King for ever. Thus 'tis said, in Jer. 4.1. If thou wilt Return, Return unto me, saith the Lord.
I. In true Religion, men do Return unto the Almighty God. There was a Blessed Communion with God, which man had at his first Creation by God. But how Long did this continue? Alas, It was not Long, before Man turned his Back upon the Service and the Glory of His Maker: It was not Long before Man Embraced the Vain Things of this World, instead of the God that made him. Every Sinner is now Guilty of that Folly, that Frenzy, that Horrible Thing, in