N02463:49
The terror of the Lord. Some account of the earthquake that shook New-England, in…
The terror of the Lord. Some account of the earthquake that shook New-England, in the night, between the 29 and the 30 of October. 1727. : With a speech, made unto the inhabitants of Boston, who assembled the next morning, for the proper exercises of religion, on so uncommon, and so tremendous an occasion. : [One line from Corinthians]
Boston: printed by T. Fleet for S. Kneeland, 1727
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 are we in regard of Sabbatizing? The Right and High Strain of it, how is it sadly decayed with us? An Offended GOD by an Earthquake has not suffered us to take the Rest, into which we were composing our selves; has fetched us out of our Beds, and made us uncapable of enjoying our usual Rest. Most Equally punished! We have wretchedly Violated the Rest of GOD, by our Profanations of the Holy Sabbath, with which He has favoured us.
How are we in regard of Sabbatizing? The Right and High Strain of it, how is it sadly decay'd with us? An Offended GOD by an Earthquake has not suffered us to take the Rest, into which we were composing our selves; has fetch'd us out of our Beds, and made us uncapable of enjoying our usual Rest. Most Equally punished! We have wretchedly Violated the Rest of GOD, by our Profanantions of the Holy Sabbath, with which He has favoured us.
The Evening that follows the Lord's Day!— I do not plead for holding it properly a part of the Holy Time that belongs to the Christian Sabbath. Not only the Scripture, but also the Practice of the whole Church in all Ages and in all Places, have ever made the Evening that precedes the Lord's-Day, to be a part of it; until a certain Writer in Switzerland a little while ago, started that Opinion for another Beginning of the Sabbath, which now so many run into. But yet, I hope, I may plead, That this Evening may not be prostituted unto such Vile Purposes, as to spoil and lose all the Good of the Day; And that there may no more be such a Quick Transition as there often is, from the Exercises of Godliness, to all Ungodly Vanities and Lewdnesses. It is complained, That there is more Sin committed on that Evening among us, than in any ⟨p. 22⟩Evening of all the Week beside. Young People, Where were you, and what was it that you did last Night? And in what Airs did the Earthquake find you? Verily, Sirs; The Glorious GOD has taken the most Suitable Evening that could have been taken, to send an Earthquake upon us. A Time, how Indigitating! What He speaks to us, what He points to us, is plainly This. Let the Evening that ensues upon my Day, be better spent than it use to be. Spend it more in Employments, that may be agreeable and serviceable unto the Intentions of my Day that is then Expiring with you. Oh! That House-keepers would restrain those that are within their Gates, from going out of them, and assign them those Things to do, which may be most useful to them. [The Societies of Young Men meeting to Worship GOD and Edify one another, on this Evening, how much ought they to be Encouraged!]