Compassions called for. An essay of profitable reflections on miserable spectacles

There is a Faithful, and Worthy Man, Dr. John Edwards; who has lately obliged the Public, with a Printed Sermon, on the Heinousness of the Sins of England. That Servant of God, with a Courage well becoming such an one, hath Enumerated horrendous Instances, wherein the Land hath grievously Sinned. I will Recite some of his words. He says; There has been a shameful Degeneracy from those Christian Principles, which some brand with the Odious Name (as ⟨p. 17⟩they account it) of Calvinism. But it is plain to any Discerning man, that the Preaching of the Contrary Doctrines, hath given a New Turn to our Manners. It is Evident unto an impartial Observer, that for these Thirty or Forty Years, (the time they have been upheld and maintained by the Generality of our Preachers) Profaneness, Impiety, Scepticism, Debauchery have had an unusual Ascendent over us. He says, The Country was known in former Times, to be a place of Innocency and Simplicity. But it may cause Amazement to see, how these Places are changed of late, & over-run with all manner of Vice; Those Disorders which were, as it were, proper to Cities, are now come among the Inhabitants of these Parts. He says; It is true, God may Save us, by His Sovereignty and Prerogative; which we have no Ground to Rely upon. But if He proceeds according to His usual Method, and according to the Laws of His Declared Will, we have no Reason to look for any thing but Ruin and Destruction!

There is a Faithful, and Worthy Man, Dr. John Edwards; who has lately obliged the Publick, with a Printed Sermon, on the Heinousness of the Sins of England. That Servant of God, with a Courage well becoming such an one, hath Enumerated horrendous Instances, wherein the Land hath grievously Sinned. I will Recite some of his words. He says; There has been a shameful Degeneracy from those Christian Principles, which some brand with the Odious Name (as ⟨p. 17⟩they accout it) of Calvinism. But it is plain to any Discerning man, that the Preaching of the Contrary Doctrines, hath given a New Turn to our Manners. It is Evident unto an impartial Observer, that for these Thirty or Forty Years, (the time they have been upheld and maintained by the Generality of our Preachers) Profaneness, Impiety, Scepticism, Debauchery have had an unusual Ascendent over us. He says, The Countrey was known in former Times, to be a place of Innocency and Simplicity. But it may cause Amazement to see, how these Places are changed of late, & over-run with all manner of Vice; Those Disorders which were, as it were, proper to Cities, are now come among the Inhabitants of these Parts. He sayes; It is true, God may Save us, by His Sovereignty and Prerogative; which we have no Ground to Rely upon. But if He proceeds according to His usual Method, and according to the Laws of His Declared Will, we have no Reason to look for any thing but Ruine and Destruction!