The Bostonian Ebenezer. Some historical remarks, on the state of Boston, the chief town…

There are Houses, where God is not Served, but where the people give themselves up to all Excess of Riot; Gaming Houses, Drinking Houses, perhaps Bawdy Houses; Houses, where Troops Assemble to Harlots; Houses, where young people Debauch themselves & one another. Those Houses, which make the Parents and Masters in the Town, continually afraid of having their Folks undone by those Houses. Methinks, I see written on their Doors, Lord, have mercy upon us! There is a Plague in them. The Keepers of such Houses, ⟨p. 60⟩are not in this Congregation to Day. But, those that may keep a strict eye upon them are here; and unto them, I would say, If the Worshipful Justices, and the Constables, and the Tithing men, would Invigorate their Zeal, to Rout the villainous Haunts of those Houses, the whole Town would be vastly the safer for it. There were Four whole Towns together once, in which there were many Houses, full of Riotous Iniquities; The Prophet says, There was nothing but Pride, and Luxury; and Idleness in their Houses; And the Wrath of God so broke forth against those Towns, that they were all consumed at once, and not one House Left Standing in them. The Nineteenth Chapter of Genesis, will tell you, what I mean.

There are Houses, where God is not Served, but where the people give themselves up to all Excess of Riot; Gaming Houses, Drinking Houses, perhaps Bawdy Houses; Houses, where Troops Assemble to Harlots; Houses, where young people Debauch themselves & one another. Those Houses, which make the Parents and Masters in the Town, continually afraid of having their Folks undone by those Houses. Methinks, I see written on their Doors, Lord, have mercy upon us! There is a Plague in them. The Keepers of such Houses, ⟨p. 60⟩are not in this Congregation to Day. But, those that may keep a strict eye upon them are here; and unto them, I would say, If the Worshipful Justices, and the Constables, and the Tything men, would Invigorate their Zeal, to Rout the villanous Haunts of those Houses, the whole Town would be vastly the safer for it. There were Four whole Towns together once, in which there were many Houses, full of Riotous Iniquities; The Prophet says, There was nothing but Pride, and Luxury; and Idleness in their Houses; And the Wrath of God so broke forth against those Towns, that they were all consumed at once, and not one House Left Standing in them. The Nineteenth Chapter of Genesis, will tell you, what I mean.