N00725:419
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.
X. In the WAR that hath been upon us, Whoso is Wise, may Observe those Loud Calls to a Reformation o• our Miscarriages, which 'tis a Dangerous and a Desperate thing to neglect any longer. It was the Voice of the Blessed God, in Psal. 81.13, 14. O That my People had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my •ayes! I should soon have Subdued their Enemies, and turned my Hand against their Adversaries. Ah, New-England; Thy God hath not soon Subdued thine Enemies, nor soon turned His Hand against thine Adversaries: but let 'em Vex thee for Ten years ⟨p. 250⟩together. Surely, Thou hast not hearkened unto Him, nor Walked in His Ways! In that which was called, The Holy War, the Ambassadors of a Saracen Prince, demanded of a Famous Christian General, How he came to have, Manus tam Doctas ad Praeliandum, Hands that were so Able to Fight? The Christian General replied, Quia Manus Semper habui puras, Because I never defiled my Hands, with any Notorious Wickedness. Alas, our Hands have made but poor work at Fighting. 'Tis Time for us, then to Reform all the Notorious Wickedness in our Hands! Do we Dream that the Almighty hath spent all His Arrows? No, after all that for •en years together have been spent upon us, there are yet more Arrows, and Judgment left in the Quiver of God: And Except we Turn unto Him, who can say, What Arrows He may next ordain against us? The Roman Emperor Upbraided his General Terentius, for Loosing a Battle; but the General, having too much occasion to say so much, replied, Sir, I must tell you, that it is you that L•st the Day for us, by your open Fighting against the God of Heaven as you do. If it be asked, How 'tis come to pass, that we have Sped so Ill in many a Battle, since this War began? Some will blame one, and some will blame another: but I will take Leave to tell all them that Lead an ⟨p. 251⟩Ungodly Life, Sirs, 'Tis to you, that we owe all our Ill Success! I need not quote one of the Ancients, namely, Ambrose, for that Observation, Graviores Inimici sunt mores pravi, quam Hostes Infensi: We have had enough in our own Experiments to convince us, That our worst Enemies are our Vices, which provoke Heaven to Chastise us with all our other Enemies: And indeed, If our Ways did please the Lord, our Enemies would be at peace with us.