N01264:40
Compassions called for. An essay of profitable reflections on miserable spectacles
Compassions called for. An essay of profitable reflections on miserable spectacles. : To which is added, A faithful relation of some late, but strange occurrences that call for an awful and useful consideration. Especially distresses and deliverances, of a company lately shipwrecked on a desolate rock, on the coast of New-England. ; [Three lines of Scripture texts]Compassions called for. An essay of profitable reflections on miserable spectacles. : To which is added, A faithful relation of some late, but strange occurrences that call for an awful and useful consideration. Especially distresses and deliverances, of a company lately shipwreck'd on a desolate rock, on the coast of New-England. ; [Three lines of Scripture texts]
printed by B. Green, 1711
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.
First; Be sure, Sorrow, Sorrow, is the Affection, which the Spectacle does call for. The sight of Sin, wherever we see it, should always broach our Sorrow. Oh! Let the Sinfulness of the World, and particularly, peculiarly, our part of the World, which lies most nearly before our Eyes, let it affect us at that rate; Psal. CXIX. 136, 158. Rivers of Waters run down mine Eyes, because they keep not thy Law. I beheld the Transgressors & was Grieved, because they kept not thy Word. No doubt, Here are some, that in their Travels have had a sight of Bedlam. If they were in a Sober Mind when they saw it, it Grieved them to see such a Collection of Madmen; the sight is a Grievous One! Sirs, The Sinful World, is little better than an Entire Bedlam; Tis full of Mad-men; All Sinners are Mad-men! With what Affliction, if we have any Love to Mankind, with what Affliction, must we say of the Foolish and Hurtful Things that we see done every Day; Poor Creatures, They know not what they do! Oh! To see Mankind almost every where, acted with nothing but Madness: Every where playing the parts and ⟨p. 20⟩pranks of Mad-men; It should afflict us wonderfully! If we are the Children of God, or have any Hope, of His Looking on us, as He uses on them that Love His Name; it must affect us and afflict us, to see His Name Dishonoured among the Children of men.
But then, I must add, That Abhorrence is another affection, which belongs to the Spectacle. Our Affection must be an Aversion, for the Sins that we see in other People. When others make void the Law of our God, Therefore, Therefore, Let us Love it above Gold, yea, above fine Gold; and Hate every False way. When we see Ill Things, Vile Things, done by other men, it should so Affect us, as to make us Avoid those Things, and be able to say with him; Neh. V. 15. But so did not I, because of the Fear of GOD. I have known some, who have Lived with Parents or Masters, which took very Bad Courses. The fight of the Sin in those whom they Lived withal, it looked so Odious to them, it has made them abhor those Bad Courses. Children, You make an Excellent Improvement of what you see.