B09511:73
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.
Thirdly, At the House o• a Godly man may begin that Calamity, that shall Involve the loss of many other Houses in it. A Fire may be carried, even from the Altar it self, over the whole City: and we know, Trouble may begin at the House of God. Wherefore, upon the whole; Those ⟨p. 54⟩persons are not always the Greatest Sinners, who are the Greatest Sufferers, in such a Calamity. Those Tabernacles may miscarry in which yet there are no abounding miscarriages of Iniquity.
Thirdly, At the House o• a Godly man may begin that Calamity, that shall Involve the loss of many other Houses in it. A Fire may be carried, even from the Altar it self, over the whole City: and we know, Trouble may begin at the House of God. Wherefore, upon the whole; Those ⟨p. 54⟩persons are not alwayes the Greatest Sinners, who are the Greatest Sufferers, in such a Calamity. Those Tabernacles may miscarry in which yet there are no abounding miscarriages of Iniquity.
But all this Concession, will not Evacuate this Position; That we shall very much Consult the Safety of our Houses, if we keep Iniquity out of them. If we would not be put out of our Tabernacles our selves, it should be our Study, to put Iniquity far away from our Tabernacles. There are many ways, by which men seek to Secure unto themselves the Comfortable Enjoyment of their Houses. They look to the Stuff, and the Place, of their Building; they have their Water Engines, their Ensurances, and their Friendly Societies. 'Tis well: But, Sirs, there is one way more to be laid in, which I now mention, in the approach of the Time of the year, when the Dangers of our being Turned out of our Houses, are the greatest; That is, Let us Put Iniquity far from our Tabernacles. Of this way, I may say, as David about the Sword of Goliath, There is none like it! For, There are Promises of our ⟨p. 55⟩