N00570:57
The short history of New-England. A recapitulation of wonderful passages which have occurred, first…The short history of New-England. A recapitulation of wonderful passages which have occurr'd, first…
The short history of New-England. A recapitulation of wonderful passages which have occurred, first in the protections, and then in the afflictions, of New-England. : With a representation of certain matters calling for the singular attention of that country. Made at Boston-lecture, in the audience of the great and General Assembly of the province of the Massachusett-Bay, June 7. 1694. / By Cotton Mather. ; [Four lines from Samuel]The short history of New-England. A recapitulation of wonderful passages which have occurr'd, first in the protections, and then in the afflictions, of New-England. : With a representation of certain matters calling for the singular attention of that country. Made at Boston-lecture, in the audience of the great and General Assembly of the province of the Massachusett-Bay, June 7. 1694. / By Cotton Mather. ; [Four lines from Samuel]
Boston: printed by B. Green for Samuel Phillips, 1694
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.
In a word; It was said, in Zech. 2.5. The Lord will be to her, a Wall of Fire round about, and will be the Glory in the midst of her. An Hedge, all Fire, is one which no Wild-Beasts will dare to break thorough; but if once we come no longer to pursue this as our chief Glory, Our Devotion to God; and our Enjoyment of God, in His Ordinances; if we are for no other Glory, than what the Sons of old Farmer Laban accounted so; even. The Riches of this World; the Fiery Wall will soon be put out, and every Wild Beast will find us lying open to their bloody Depredations.
In a word; It was said, in Zech. 2.5. The Lord will be to her, a Wall of Fire round about, and will be the Glory in the midst of her. An Hedge, all Fire, is one which no Wild-Beasts will dare to break thorough; but if once we come no longer to pursue this as our chief Glory, Our Devotion to God; and our Enjoyment of God, in His Ordinances; if we are for no other Glory, than what the Sons of old Farmer Laban accounted so; even. The Riches of this World; the Fiery Wall will soon be put out, and every Wild Beast will find us lying open to their bloody Depr•dations.
IV. What shall we do for our Hedge? ⟨p. 35⟩Note Every Gap made in the Hedge, as fast as it is made, and observe Diligently the Gradual Decays of our Hedge. When a People are laid open to Ruins, 'tis done, for the most part Progressively and Insensibly. The Gradual Removes of the Glory were strictly Observed in the Tenth Chapter of Ezekiel; and so should be the Gradual Decays of a Glorious Hedge. It was predicted in Isa. 17.4. The Glory of Jacob shall be made Thin; tis done, when the Hedge becomes Thinner than it was; and when such a thing is inflicted, we should Exactly observe the Thinnings of the Glory. Observe, what Advantages, our worst Enemies gain, to break in upon us; and Which way, and How far, they Gain those Advantages. Observe, How those things are Lessened among us, whereby the Anger of God might be kept off, and so There is a way made for His Anger; Observe, How those things are Increased among us, that Increase our Confusions, and that make us every way truly Little. I say, Whoso is Wise, will Observe these things; but if we would Observe Wisely, we must make Prevention the end of our Observation.