N00682:21
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 the 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. ; [Two lines of Scripture text]The Bostonian Ebenezer. Some historical remarks, on the state of Boston, the chief town of New-England, and of the 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 offer'd, by a native of Boston. ; [Two lines of Scripture text]
Boston: printed by B Green and 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.
How often have there been Bills desiring Prayers, for more than an Hundred Sick, on one Day in one of our Assemblies? In One Twelve-Month, about one Thousand of our Neighbours, have one way or other been carried unto their long Home: And, yet we are after all, many more than Seven Thousand Souls of us, at this Hour, Living on the Spot. Why is not, a, Lord, have Mercy upon us, written on the Doors of our Abandoned Habitations? This hath been the Help of our God; Because His Mercy endureth for ever. ⟨p. 9⟩Never was any Town under the Cope of Heaven, more liable to be laid in Ashes, either through the Carelessness, or through the Wickedness, of them that Sleep in it. That such a Combustible Heap, of Contiguous Houses, yet Stands, it may be called, A Standing Miracle; It is not, because the Watch-man keeps the City: Perhaps there may be too much cause of Reflection in that thing, and of Inspection too; No, It is from thy Watchful Protection, O Thou keeper of Boston, who neither Slumbers nor Sleeps. Ten Times ha's the Fire made Notable Ruins among us, and our Good Servant been almost our Master: But the Ruins have mostly and quickly been Rebuilt. I suppose, That many more than a Thousand Houses are to be seen, on this little piece of Ground, all filled with the undeserved Favours of God. Whence this preservation? This hath been the Help of our God; Because His Mercy endureth for ever! But if ever this Town saw a Year of Salvations, transcendently such was the Last Year unto us. A Formidable French Squadron, hath not Shot one Bomb, into the midst of thee, O thou Munition of Rocks; ⟨p. 10⟩Our Streets have not Run with Blood, & Gore, and horribly Devouring Flames, have not Raged upon our Substance: Those are […], then hast thou been ⟨p. 11⟩[…] City of Destruction: Or, I will rather say, A City of Salvation: And this, by the •elp of God; Because His Mercy Endureth for ever. Shall I go on? I will. We have not had the Bread of Adversity and the Water of Affliction, Like many other places. But yet, all this while, Our Eyes have seen our Teachers. Here are several Golden Candlesticks in the Town. Shining and Burning Lights, have Illuminated them. There are gone to Shine in an Higher Orb, Seven Divines that were once the Stars of this Town, in the Pastoral Charge of it;