B09511:84
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.
II. If we would comfortably Enjoy our Tabernacles, Let us Dedicate them unto God, and Employ them in Uses agreeable to such a Dedication. We read in Psal. 30. Tit. concerning, The Dedication of the House of David. With such a Dedication Let us consecrate our Houses unto God, professing unto Him, Lord, This House which thou hast here given to me, I do give back to thee again, and I will use it for thy Glory, as Long as thou wilt Let me Live in it! And then according to this Consecration, as we read sometimes concerning, The Church in the House, of such or such a person, Let our Houses be a sort of Little Churches, for the Sacred Use that we put them unto. It was said of Jerusalem, in Zech. 2 5. I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a Wall of Fire round about, and I will be the Glory in the midst of her. Thus, Let God be Glorified in the midst of our Houses, and there will be a Wall of Fire, that is, a Guard of Angels, round about them, and so no other Fire shall prey upon them. Let our Houses be used, as if built on purpose for Works of Piety, and Works ⟨p. 63⟩of Charity, to be therein performed; and Let our Character be that, in Acts 10.2. A Devout man, one that feared God, with all his House, which gave much Alms to the people, and prayed unto God alway. There are two Names, that we should make our Houses now to become worthy of; the Name of Bethel, and the Name of Bethesda: both an House of God, and an House of Good. Let our Houses be as tho' Devoted unto the Service of God; Let Praying, and Reading, and Singing, be the Daily Exercises therein attended; so that you may look upon this and that Apartment with such a joyful Reflection in your minds, If the Walls of this place could speak, they would speak of many a good Hour which I have had with the Lord in this place. And let our Houses be, as tho' Devoted also unto the Succour of man; As far as you can, make Alms houses of them; Do what the Lord has bid, Bring the poor, that are cast out, unto thy House. Let an Hungry Jesus, a Naked Jesus, a Travelling Jesus, in His Members, be often Refreshed there. I tell you, The very Angels of God, Love to Watch about the Houses, ⟨p. 64⟩