The wonderful works of God commemorated. Praises bespoke for the God in heaven in…

Indeed, both the Objects in which, and the Authors from whom we have endured our Calamities, those are enough to indigitate what Sins they are that have exposed us thereunto. Let me in two or three instances use of plain dealing with you, agreeable to my ⟨p. 26⟩station here this day.

What have been the Objects in which we have been afflicted? Our Fruits have been blasted; & were they not abused in the excesses of Sensuality? Our Lands have been threatened; and were not They the Idols, for the sake of which we have offended GOD, and almost Renounced all that was Holy, and Just and Good? The most happy and easy Government in the world, was changed with us, into what has by the most impartial men been confessed to have become Intolerable; Why, Did not men despise the Best of Governments, and procure other things to be set over them, because they endeavoured to make Logs of what they before enjoyed? To pass on, Were we not in the late unreasonable Extortions of the Law, invited to consider, Whether our needless Multiplications of Litigious Contentious Law-Suits formerly amongst us, were not as Scandal thus chastised? Were we not in the late unsufferable Injuries, Abuses, and Exactions of them, that under the pretence of the Excise carried on very outrageous Villainies, put upon Considering, Whether the Multitude or Quality of Drinking-Houses, in the midst of us, had not once been a Stumbling-block of our Iniquity!

What have been the Objects in which we have been afflicted? Our Fruits have been blasted; & were they not abused in the excesses of Sensuality? Our Lands have been threat'ned; and were not They the Idols, for the sake of which we have offended GOD, and almost Renounced all that was Holy, and Just and Good? The most happy and easy Government in the world, was changed with us, into what has by the most impartial men been confessed to have become Intolerable; Why, Did not men despise the Best of Governments, and procure other things to be set over them, because they endeavoured to make Loggs of what they before enjoyed? To pass on, Were we not in the late unreasonable Extortions of the Law, invited to consider, Whether our needless Multiplications of Litigious Contentious Law-Suits formerly amongst us, were not as Scandal thus chastised? Were we not in the late unsufferable Injuries, Abuses, and Exactions of them, that under the pretence of the Excise carried on very outragious Villanies, put upon Considering, Whether the Multitude or Quality of Drinking-Houses, in the midst of us, had not once been a Stumbling-block of our Iniquity!