N00725:365
Decennium luctuosum. An history of remarkable occurrences, in the long war, which New-England hath…
Decennium luctuosum. An history of remarkable occurrences, in the long war, which New-England hath had with the Indian savages, from the year, 1688. To the year 1698. / Faithfully composed and improved. ; [One line of quotation in Latin]
printed by B. Green for Samuel Phillips, 1699
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.
When the Miseries of the Sword are inflicted on a people, it becomes them to consider what Provocations they have given to the Almighty God, who makes peace, and creates Evil; for 'tis He, the Lord, who doth all these things. The Sword by which we have been so grievously harassed, hath been in the Hands of God: and if our Father had not been very Angry, would He have taken a Sword into His Hands? We are Blind before Lightning, we are Deaf unto Thunder, if we do not sensibly perceive the Anger of God, in the Tremendous Rebukes that we have suffered: And we are unaccountably, and inexcusably stupid, if we do not E•quire, What means the Heat of this Anger? It was once the Combination of God, in Ezek. 7.24, 27. I will bring the worst of the Heathen, and they shall possess their Houses, and the Hands of the people of the Land shall be Troubled: Such Trouble hath come upon us, from the worst of the Heathen! But what was the cause of all? It follows, I will do unto them after their way, and I will judge them according to their Deserts, and they shall know that ⟨p. 210⟩I am the Lord. It is but seasonable for us now to Look back upon our own way, and see how much we have Deserved all this Vengeance, by going out of the way. Two persons in their Travels beholding the horrid Ruins of Germany, one of them said, Hic fuit Hostilitas; Behold the Fruit of Hostility! his Friend answered, Hic fuit Iniquitas; Behold the Fruit of Iniquity! If you will Travel over our East Country, how frequent, how dismal occasions will you see, to Sigh, See what has been done by Hostility! But there will be as many occasions for a sadder Sigh than that; Namely, See the sad Effects of Iniquity! Now, in this Contemplation, I do not go to charge them that were once Inhabitants of the Now Ruined Plantations, with any Sins, but what are more or less to be found in all our Colonies. I ask no more from our Brethren who yet Survive the Desolations that have come upon their Estates and Neighbours in those Plantations, but that they join with the rest of us all, in Searching and Trying of our ways, and in Judging of our selves. For, alas, Every mouth must be stopped, and all the Land is become Guilty before God! Let us all then Enquire, What may have been those provoking Evils, for which the Holy and Blessed God, hath given the Sword a Commission so dreadfully to devour us?