N00570:62
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.
THIS is the Sum of what I would now say hereupon. I pray you, For the Lords sake, I pray you, To Observe all Tendencies towards that forlorn State, where-to our Sins are apace carrying of us. It is a most miserable Thing, when a Sic•ly and Cloudy Lassitude of Spirit, shall indispose a People to take Notice, of what may be signified unto them in their own Alterations; and when a People shall Jog on, in a Sottish, a Stupid, an heedless Lethargy of Soul, until they Dy. This Dementation, is the •la•k•st ⟨p. 40⟩Mark upon a People cut out for Desolation. In all States, let us look whereabouts we are. In our Civil State, have we such a Variety of Prudent and Virtuous Men, to Employ for all Services as formerly, or, to supply our Vacancies? In our Military State, have not our Artillery Exercises even dwindled away to Nothing, and many other Training Days become little other than Drinking Days? As to our whole Political State, let the Fa•e and Course of Things in General Assemblies, be compared with, What was rom the Beginning; though here I cannot so particularly sa•, What would be the Result of that Comparison. In our Ecclesiastical State, though our Inhabitants are more than they were many years ago, yet are not ou• Communicants rather fewer, in many Town•? And, albeit the Generality of our Ministers are of t•i• Judgment, That •uling E•ders are appointed for the Assistance of their Pastors, in the Government of their Churches, and the Inpspecti•n of the Flocks; and that, although these Officers may not be •u•nish•d with all the Attainment• wich are Necessary for a Pastor, yet i thy are so accomplished, as that they may be Helps to ti Pastor in the management of the Church Rle, they may be chosen