The Bostonian Ebenezer. Some historical remarks, on the state of Boston, the chief town of New-England, and of the English America. With some agreeable methods, for preserving and promoting, the good state of that, as well as any other town, in the like circumstances / humbly offer'd, by a native of Boston. ; [Two lines of Scripture text]

1 SAM. VII. 12.

Then SAMUEL took a Stone, and set it up, — and called the Name of it, Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto the Lord hath Helped us.

THE Thankful Servants of God, have used sometimes, to Erect Monuments of Stone, as dureable Tokens of their Thankfulness to God, for Mercies Received in the places thus distinguished. Jacob did so; Joshua did so; and Samuel did so; but they so did it, as to keep clear of the Trans|gression forbidden, in Lev. 26 1. Ye shall not set up an Image of Stone in your Land, for to Bow down unto it.

The Stone Erected by Samuel, with the Name of Ebenezer, which is as much as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 say, A Stone of Help; I know not whet•••••• any Thing might be Writt upon it: but 〈◊〉〈◊〉

am sure, there is one thing to be now Read upon it, by our selves, in the Text where we find it: Namely, thus much,

That a People whom the God of Heaven hath Remarkably Helped, in their Distresses, ought Greatly and Gratefully to acknowledge, what Help of Heaven they have Received.

Now, 'tis not my Design to lay the Scene of my Discourse, as far off as Bethear, the place where Samuel set up his Ebenezer▪ I am immediately to Transfer it into the Heart of Boston, a place where the Remar|kable Help Received from Heaven, by the People, does loudly call for an Ebenezer. And I do not ask you, to change the Name of the Town, into that of Help-Stone, as there is a Town in England of that Name, which may seem the English, of Ebenezer; But my Sermon shall be this Day, your Ebenezer, if you will with a Favourable, and a Profitable Attention Entertain it. May the Lord Jesus Christ, Accept me, and Assist me now, to Glorify Him, in the Town, where I drew my First Sinful Breath; A Town, whereto I am un|der Great Obligations, for the Precious Opportunities to Glorify Him, which I have

quietly and publickly enjoy'd therein, for Near Eighteen years together. O my Lord God, Remember me, I pray thee, and Streng|then me this once, to speak from thee, unto thy People!

And now, Sirs, That I may set up an EBENEZER among you, there are these Things to be Inculcated.

I. Let us Thankfully, and Agreeably, and Particularly, Acknowledge What Help we have Received from the God of Heaven, in the years that have Rolled over us. While the Blessed Apostle Paul, was, as it should seem, yet short of being Threescore years old, how affectionately did he set up an Ebenezer, with an Acknowledgment, in Act. 26.22. Having obtained Help of God, I continue to This Day! Our Town is now Threescore and Eight years old; and certainly 'tis Time for us, with all possible affection, to set up our Ebenezer, saying, Having obtained Help from God, the Town it continued, until almost the Age of man is passed over it! The Town hath indeed Three Elder Sisters in this Colony; but it hath Wonderfully Outgrown them all; and

her Mother, old Boston, in England also; Yea, within a Few years, after the first-Settlement, it grew to be, The Metro|polis of the whole English America. Little was This Expected, by them that First-Settled the Town, when, for a while, Boston, was proverbially called, Lost Town, for the mean and sad Circumstan|ces of it. But, O Boston, it is because thou hast Obtained Help from God; even from the Lord Jesus Christ, who, for the sake of His Gospel, Preached and once prized here, undertook thy Patronage. When the World and the Church of God, had seen Twenty six Generations, a Psalm was Composed, wherein that Note occurs with Twenty six Repetitions; His Mercy endu|reth for ever. Truly, there ha's not one year passed over this Town, Ab Urbe Con|dita, upon the Story whereof, we might not make that Note, our Ebenezer; His Mercy endureth for ever. It ha's been a Town of Great Experiences. There have been several years, wherein the Terrible Famine, hath Terribly Stared the Town in the Face: We have been brought some|times unto the Last Meal in the Barrel;

We have cryed out, with the Disciples, We have not Loaves enough to feed a Tenth part of us! But the fear'd Famine ha's alwayes been kept off; alwayes, we have had Seasonable and Sufficient Supplyes, after a Surprising manner sent in unto us: Let the Three last years in this thing most Eminently Proclame the Goodness of our Heavenly Shepherd and Feeder. This ha's been the Help of our God; Because His Mercy endureth for ever! The Angels of Death, have often Shot the Arrows of Death, into the midst of the Town; The Small Pox, ha's especially Four Times, been a Great Plague upon us: How often have there been Bills desiring Prayers, for more than an Hundred Sick, on one Day in one of our Assemblies? In One Twelve-Month, about one Thousand of our Neigh|bours, have one way or other been carried unto their long Home: And, yet we are after all, many more than Seven Thousand Souls of us, at this Hour, Living on the Spot. Why is not, a, Lord, have Mercy upon us, written on the Doors of our Abandon'd Habitations? This hath been the Help of our God; Because His Mercy endureth for ever.

Never was any Town under the Cope of Heaven, more liable to be laid in Ashes, either through the Carelesness, or through the Wickedness, of them that Sleep in it. That such a Combustible Heap, of Contigu|ous Houses, yet Stands, it may be called, A Standing Miracle; It is not, because the Watch-man keeps the City: Perhaps there may be too much cause of Reflection in that thing, and of Inspection too; No, It is from thy Watchful Protection, O Thou keep|er of Boston, who neither Slumbers nor Sleeps. Ten Times ha's the Fire made Notable Ruines among us, and our Good Servant been almost our Master: But the Ruines have mostly and quickly been Rebuilt. I suppose, That many more than a Thou|sand Houses are to be seen, on this little piece of Ground, all fill'd with the un|deserved Favours of God. Whence this preservation? This hath been the Help of our God; Because His Mercy endureth for ever! But if ever this Town saw a Year of Salvations, transcendently such was the Last Year unto us. A Formidable French Squadron, hath not Shot one Bomb, into the midst of thee, O thou Munition of Rocks;

Our Streets have not Run with Blood, & Gore, and horribly Devou••ing Flames, have not Rag••d upon our Substance: Those are 〈…〉〈…〉, then hast thou been

〈◊〉〈◊〉 City of Destruction: Or, I will rather say, A City of Salvation: And this, by the ••elp of God; Because His Mercy Endureth for ever. Shall I go on? I will. We have not had the Bread of Adversity and the Water of Affliction, Like many other places. But yet, all this while, Our Eyes have seen our Teachers. Here are several Golden Candlesticks in the Town. Shining and Burning Lights, have Illuminated them. There are gone to Shine in an Higher Orb, Seven Divines that were once the Stars of this Town, in the Pastoral Charge of it; besides many others▪ that for some years gave us transient Influences Church|es flourishing with much Love, and Peace and many Comforts of the Holy Spirit, have hitherto been our greatest 〈◊〉〈◊〉. I wish, That some ••ad Eclipse do not come e're long upon this Glory▪ The Dispensations of the Gospel were never Enjoy'd by any Town, with more Liberty and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, for so long a while together. Our Opportuni|ties to Draw near unto the L••••d Jesus Christ, in His Ordinances, cannot be pa|rallel'd. Boston, Thou hast been Lifted up to Heaven; There is not a Town up|on

Earth, which on some Accounts has more to answer for. Such, O Such, has been our Help from our God, Because His Mercy Endureth for ever.

II. Let us Acknowledge, Whose Help it is, that we have Received, & not Give the Glory of our God unto another. Poorly Helped had we been, I may tell you, if we had none but Humane Help, all this while to depend upon. The Favours of our Superiors we Deny not; we Forget not the Instruments of our Help. Ne|vertheless, this Little Outcast Zion, shall with my consent, Engrave the Name of no MAN, upon her Ebenezer! It was well confess'd in Psal. 108.12. Vain is the Help of man! It was well counsell'd in Psal. 146.3. Put not your trust in Princes, nor in the Son of man, in whom there is no Help.

Wherefore,

First, Let God in our Lord Iesus Christ, have the Glory, of Bestowing on us, all the Help, that we have had. When the Spirit of God came upon a Servant of His, he cried out unto David, in 1 Chron. 12.18. Thy God Helpeth thee. This,

This is the voice of God, from Heaven to Boston this Day, Thy God hath Helped thee: Thou hast by thy Sin destroyed thy self, but in thy God hath been thy Help. A Great man, once Building an Edifice, caused an Inscription of this Importance, to be written on the Gates of it, Such a place planted me, Such a place watered me, and Caesar gave the Increase One that pass'd by, with a witty Sarcasm, wrote under it, His Deus nihil f••cit. i. e. God, it seems, did nothing for this man. But the Inscrip|tion upon our Ebenezer, owning what Help, this Town hath had, shall say, Our God hath done all that is done! Say then, O Helped Boston, say as in Psal. 121.2. My Help is from the Lord, which made Heaven and Earth. Say, as in Psal. 94.17. Unless the Lord had been my Help, my Soul had quickly dwelt in silence. And, Boldly say, 'Tis only because the Lord has been my Helper, that Earth and Hell, have never d••ne 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that they would unto me.

Let our Lord JESUS CHRIST, be prais'd as our Blessed Helper: That Stone which the Foolish Builders have refused, Oh! Set up that Stone; even, that H••gh

Rock, Set Him on High in our praises, and say, That, That is our Ebenezer. 'Tis our Lord JESUS CHRIST, who in His Infinite Compassions for the Town, hath said; as in Isa. 63.5. I Looked, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 there was none to Help; Therefore my own Arms hath brought Salvation unto it. It is fore|told concerning the Idolatrous Roman Catholicks, That together with the Lord Jesus Christ, they shall Worship other Ma|uzzim: that is to say, other Protectors. Ac|cordingly, All their Towns, ordinarily have singled out their Protectors, among the Saints of Heaven; such a Saint is En|tituled unto the Patronage of such a Town among them, and such a Saint for ano|ther: Old Boston, by Name, was but Saint Botolphs Town. Whereas, Thou, O Boston, shalt have but one Pro|tector in Heaven, and that is, our Lord JESUS CHRIST. Oh! Rejoice in Him alone, & say, That Lord is my Fortress and my Deliverer! There was a Song once made for a Town, which in its Distresses had been Helped wondrously; & the First Clause in that Song, [you have it in Isa. 26.1.] may be so rendred, We have a

strong Town; Salvation [or JESUS, the Lord whose Name hath Salvation in it] Will appoint Walls and Bulwarks. Truly, What Helps we have had, we will Sing, 'Tis our JESUS, that hath appointed them. The old Pagan Towns, were sometimes mightily solicitous, to conceal the Name of the particular God, that they counted their Protector, Ne ab hostibus E••••••catus, alio commigraret. But, I shall be far from do|ing my Town any Damage, by publish|ing the Name of its Protector; No, Let all Mankind know, That the Name of our Protector, is JESUS CHRIST: For, Among the Gods, there 〈◊〉〈◊〉 none like unto thee, O LORD▪ Nor 〈◊〉〈◊〉 any Help like unto thine: And there is no Rock, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to our God.

Yea, When we ••••scribe the Name of Helper, unto our Lord JESUS CHRIST, Let us also acknowledge, that the Name is not sufficiently Expressive, Emphatical, and Significant. Lactantius of old, bla|med the Heathen, for giving the Highest of their Gods, no Higher a Ti••le, than that of, Jupiter, or, Juvans Pater, i. e. An Helping Father, and he says, Non intelligit Divina Beneficia, qui se a Deo tantummodo

Juvari putat: The Kindnesses of God, are not understood, by that man, who makes no more than an Helper of Him. Such indeed is the penury of our Language, that we cannot coin a more Expressive Name. Nevertheless, when we say, The Lord JESUS CHRIST hath been our Helper, Let us Intend more than we Ex|press; Lord, Thou hast been All unto us.

Secondly; Let the Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, most Explici••ly, have the Glory of Purchasing for us all our Help. What was it, that procured, an Ebenezer, for the People of God? We read, in 2 Sam. 7.9. Samuel took a Sucking-Lamb, and offered it a Burnt Offering wholly unto the Lord; and Samuel Cryed unto the Lord for Israel, and the Lord Heard him. Shall I tell you? Our Lord Jesus Christ, is that Lamb of God; and he has been a Lamb Slain as a Sacrifice; and He is a Sacrifice pleadable, not only for persons, but also for peoples▪ that belong unto Him. To Teach us this Evangelical and Com|fortable Mystery, there was, A Sacrifice for the whole Congregation, prescribed in the Mosaic Paedagogy. 'Tis notorious, that the Sins of this Town, have been many

Sins, and mighty Sins; The Cry thereof hath gone up to Heaven. If the Almighty God should from Heaven Rain down upon the Town▪ an horrible Tempest of Thunderbolts, as He did upon the Cities which He overthrew in His Anger, and re|pented not, it would be no more than our Unrepen••ed Sins deserve. How comes it then to pass, that we have had so much Help from Heaven after all? Truly, The Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, has been plea••ed for Boston, and, Therefore, say, Therefore it is, that the Town is not made a Sacrifice to the Vengeance of God. God sent Help to the Town, that was the very Heart and Life of the Land, that He had a pitty for: But why so? He said, in Isa▪ 37.35. I will desend this Town, to Save it, for my Servant Davids sake. Has this Town been Defended? It has been for the sake of the Beloved JESUS; Therefore has the Daughter of Boston sha|ken her Head at you, O ye Calamities, that have been Impending over her Head. O Helped, and Happy Town! Thou hast had those Believers in the midst of thee, that have pleaded this with the Great

God; Ah! Lord, Thou hast been more Ho|noured by the Sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ than thou couldest be Honoured by o|verwhelming this Town with all the plagues of thy Just Indignation. If thou wilt Spare, and Feed, and Keep, and Help this poor Town, the Sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, shall be own'd, as the price of all our Help. 'Tis This, that hath procured us all our Help: 'Tis This that must have all our praise.

Thirdly; Let the Lord be in a special manner Glorified, for the Ministry of His Good Angels, in that Help that has been ministred unto us. A Jacob lying ••n a Stone, saw the Angels of God Helping him. We are setting up an Ebenezer; but when we Lay our Heads and our Thoughts up|on the Stone, Let us then see, The Angels of God have Helped us. When Macedonia, was to have some Help from God, an Angel, whom the Apostle, in Acts 16.9. Saw Habited like a man of Macedonia, was a mean of its being brought unto them. There is abundant cause to think, That every Town in which the Lord Jesus Christ is worshipped, hath an Angel to watch over it. The Primitive Christians,

were perswaded from the Scriptures of Truth, to make no Doubt of This, Quod per Civitates distributae sunt Angelorum prae|fecturoe. When the Capital Town of Ju|daea, was rescued from an Invasion, we read in 2 King. 19.35. The Angel of the Lord WENT OUT, and smote the Camp of the Assyrians. It should seem, There was an Angel, which did Reside in, and Prae|side over the Town, who went out for that amazing Exploit. And is it not Likely, That the Angel of the Lord WENT OUT for to smite the Fleet of the Assyrians, with a Sickness, which the Last Summer hindred their Invading of this Town? The Angel of BOSTON, was concerned for it! Why have not the Destroyers broke in upon us, to prey upon us, with sore Destruction? 'Tis because we have had, A Wall of Fire about us; that is to say, A Guard of Angels, those Flames of Fire, have been as a Wall unto us. It was an Angel, that Help'd a Daniel, when the Li|ons would else have swallowed him up. It was an Angel, that Help'd a Lot, out of the Fires that were coming to Consume his Habitation. It was an Angel, that

Help'd an Elias to 〈◊〉〈◊〉, when he wanted it. They were Ang••••••, ••hat Help'd the whole 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of God, in ••he Wilderness, to their Daily Bread▪ Their Manna, was Angels Food And is it nothing, that such Angels have done for this Town, Think you? Oh! Think not so. Indeed, If we sh••uld go to Thank the Angels for doing these things, They would zealously say, See 〈◊〉〈◊〉 do it not! But if we Thank Their 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and ours, for His Employing Them ••o Do these things, it will exceedingly 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them. Wherefore, Bless 〈…〉〈…〉, ye his Angels; And Bless 〈…〉〈…〉 Town, for these His Angels!

III. Let the Help which we have Hi|therto had from our God, Enc••u••••ge 〈…〉〈…〉 Hope in Him, for More Help 〈◊〉〈◊〉, as the Matter may R••quire. The He••p 〈◊〉〈◊〉 God had given to His People, 〈…〉〈…〉 Commemorated, as with 〈…〉〈…〉 Pil|lars, conveying down the Remembrance of it, unto their Children. And what for? We are told, in Psal. 78.7. That they might se•• their Hope in God, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Forget the Works of God. I am not willing to say,

How much this Town may be Threaten|ed, even with an U••ter Extirpation. But this I will say, The Motto upon all out Ebenezers is, Hope in God! Hope in God! The Use of the Former Help that we have had from God, should be an Hope for Future Help, from Him that is, A Pre|sent Help in the Time of Trouble. As in the Three First Verse o•• the Eighty Fifth Psalm, Six times over there occurs, Thou hast, Thou hast: all to usher in this; Therefore Thou WILT still do so O Let our Faith proceed in that way of Arguing, i•• 2 Cor. 1.10. The Lord hath Delivered, and H•• doth Deliver, and in Him we Trust, that He will still Deliver. We are to Day Wil••ing, Hitherto the Lord hath Helped us; Let us write under it, And we ho••e, the Lord 〈◊〉〈◊〉 m••re H••lp for us, in the Time of Need! It may be▪ some are purposi••g Su••denly and Hastily to Leave the Town, th••oug•• their Fears of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that may come upon it. But I would not have you be too Sudden and Hasty in ••our purposes, as too many have been▪ ••nto 〈…〉〈…〉-S••rrow. There was a Time when P••ople were so Discouraged about a Subsistence in

the principal Town of the Jews, that the talk'd of plucking up Stakes, and flying ••••way; but the Minister of God came to them, [And so do I to you, this Day! Saying, in Isa. 30 7. I Cried concerning•• This, Their Strength is to Sit Sill! Bosto•• was no sooner come to some Consistenc•• Threescore years ago, but the People foun•• themselves plunged into a sad Non plu•• what way to take for a Subsistence. Go•• then immediately put them into a way•• and, Hitherto the Lord has Helped us! Th•• Town is at this Day full of Widows an•• Orphans, and a multitude of them, are very Helpless Creatures. I am Astonish'd, Ho•• they Live! In that Church, whereof 〈◊〉〈◊〉 am the Servant, I have counted▪ The Widows make about a Sixth Part of ou•• Communicants, and, no doubt, in the whole Town, the proportion differs no•• very much. Now, stand still, my Friends and Behold, the Help of God! Were any of these ever Starved yet? No, These Widows are every one in some sort pro|vided for. And let me tell you, Ye Hand-Maids of the Lord, You shall be Still pro••vided for! The Lord, whose Family you

••elong unto, will conveniently and won|••erfully provide for you; if you say, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉! Say! of Him, The Lord is my Helper, will not Fear!

What shall I say? When Moses was ••••ady to faint, in his Prayers for his Peo|••le, we read, in Exod. 17.12 They took a ••••one and put it under him Christians, ••here are some of you, who abound in ••rayers, that the Help of God may be ••••anted unto the Town; the Town is ••uch upheld by those Prayers of yours. ••ow, that you may not faint in your ••rayers, I bring you a Stone: The Stone, ••s our Ebenezer; or, the Relation of the ••elp that hitherto the Lord hath given us.

IV. Let all that bear Publick Office 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Town, Contribute all the Help they 〈◊〉〈◊〉, that may continue the Help of God ••••to us. Austin, in his Confessions, gives ••hanks to God, That when he was an ••elpless Infant, he had a Nurse to Help him, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 one that was both Able & Willing to Help 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Infant-Boston, Thou hast those, whom 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Bible calls, Nursing-Fathers. Oh, Be not ••oward, as thou art, in thy Treating of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Nurses; but give Thanks to God for

them. I Forget my self; 'Tis with the Fathers themselves, that I am concerned.

When it was demanded of Demosthenes, what it was, that so long Preserved Athens in a flourishing State, he made this answer, The Orators are men of Learning & Wisdom; the Magistrates do Justice, the Citizens love Quiet, and the Laws are kept among them all. May Boston flourish in such happy Order!

And first, You may assure yourselves▪ That the Ministers of the Lord Jesus Christ among you will be Joyful to ap|prove themselves, as the Book of God has called them, The Helpers of your Joy. O our dear Flocks; we owe you our All; All our Love, all our Strength, all our Time; We, Watch for you, as th••se that must give an Account: And I am very much mistaken▪ if we are not willing to Dy for you t••o, if called unto it. If our Lord Jesus Christ should say, to us, My Servant, if you'l Dy to Night, you shall have this Reward; The People that you Preach to, shall be all Converted unto me! I think, We should with Triumphing Souls Reply, Ah! Lord, Then I'l Dy with all my Heart. Syrs, we should go away Rejoycing with Joy unspeakable &

full of Glory. I am satisfied, That the most Furious and Foul mouth'd Reviler, that God may give any of us, to be Buf|feted withal, if he will but come to so|ber Thoughts, he will say, That there is not any One man in the Town, but the Ministers wish that man as well as they do their own Souls, and would gladly Serve that man by Day or by Night, in any thing that it were possible to do for him. Wherefore, O our Beloved People, I beseech you, Leave off, Leave off, to Throw Stones at your Ebenezers. Instead of That, Pray for us, and Strive together with us, in your Prayers to God for us. Then with the Help of Christ, we'l promise you; We will set our selves to observe what Special Truths may be most needful to be Inculcated upon you, and we will Inculcate them. We will set our selves to observe the Temptations that beset you, the Afflictions that assault you, and the Duties that are incumbent on you, and we will accommodate our selves unto them. We will set our selves to observe, what Souls among you, do call for our m••re particular Addresses, and we will Ad|dress

them faithfully, and even Travail i•• Birth for them. Nor will we give over Praying, and Fasting, and Crying to our Great LORD for you, until we Dy. Whatever other Helpers the Town En|joyes, they shall have that convenience, in Ezra. 5.2. With them were the Prophets of God, Helping them. Well then, Let the rest of our Worthy Helpers, Lend an Hel|ping Hand, for the promoting of those things, wherein the Weal of the Town is wrapped up! When the Jews thought that a Defiling Thing was breaking in a|mong them, in Acts 21.28. They cried out, Men of Israel, Help. Truly, there is cause to make that Cry, Men of Boston, Help! for Ignorance, and Prophaness, and Bad Living, and the worst things in the World, are breaking in upon us.

And now, Will the JUSTICES of the Town, set themselves to consider, How they may Help to Suppress all growing Vice•• among us?

Will the CONSTABLES of the Town, set themselves to consider, How they may Help to prevent all Evil Orders among us?

There are some who have the Eye of

the Town so much upon them, that the very Name of, TOWNS-MEN, is that by which they are distinguished. Syrs, Will You also consider, How to Help the Affairs of the Town, so as that all Things may go well among us?

Moreover, may not SCHOOL-MAS|TERS, do much to instil Principles of Religion, and Civility, as well as other points of good Education into the Chil|dren of the Town? Only Let the Town well Encourage its Well Deserving School-Masters.

There are some other Officers; But concerning All, there are these Two Things to be Desired. First, It is to be Desired, That such Officers as are Chosen among us, may be Chosen in the Fear of God. May none but Pious, and Prudent men, and such as Love the Town, be Chosen to Serve it. And, Secondly, It is to be Desired, That Officers of several sorts, would often come together, for Con|sultation. Each of the sorts by themselves, may they often come together, to Con|sult, What shall we do to Serve the Town, in those Interests which are committed unto

our Charge. Oh! What a Deplorable Thing, will it be, for persons to be En|trusted with Talents, [your Opportunities to Serve the Town, are so many Talents!] and they never seriously consider, What Good shall I do, with my Talents, in the place where God hath Station'd me?

And, Will the REPRESENTATIVES of the Town, be considered among the rest, as Entrusted with some singular Ad|vantages for our Help! The Lord give you understanding in all Things.

V. God Help the Town, to manifest all that Piety, which a Town so Helped of Him, is oblig'd unto! When the People of God, had been carried, by His Help, through their Difficulties, they set up Stones, to keep in mind how He had Help|ed them: And something was written on the Stones: But what was written! See; Josh. 8.32. Joshua wrote upon the Stones, a Copy of the Law. Truly, upon those Ebenezers, which we set up, we should write the Law of our God, and Recognize the Obligati|ons which the Help of our God, ha's laid upon us to keep it.

We are a very Unpardonable Town, if after all the Help which our God ha's given us, we do not ingenuously Enqu••••••▪ What shall we Render to the Lord, for all His Be|nefits? Render! Oh! Let us our selves thus answer the Enquiry; Lord, we will Render all possible, and Filia Obedience unto thee, because Hitherto thou hast Helped us: Only do thou also Help us, to Render that Obe|dience! Mark what I say; If there be so much as one Prayerless House in such a Town as this, 'tis Inexcusable! How Inexcusable then, will be all Flagitious Outrages? There was a Town, [T'was the Town of Sodom!] that had been wonderfully Saved out of the Hands of their Enemies. But after the Help that God sent unto them, the Town went on to Sin against God, in very prodigious Instances. At last, a provoked God sent a Fire upon the Town, that made it an Eternal Desolation. Ah, Boston, Beware, Beware, lest the Sins of Sodom get Footing in thee! And what were the Sins of Sodom? We find in Ezek. 16.49. Be|hold, This was the Iniquity of Sodom; Pride, Fulness of Bread, and Abundance of Idleness was in her; Neither did she Strengthen the

Hand of the Poor and the Needy; There was much Oppression there. If you know of any Scandalous Disorders in the Town, do all you can, to Suppress them, and Redress them: And let not those that send their Sons hither from other parts of the world, for to be improved in Virtue, have cause to Complain, That after they came to Boston, they lost, what little Vertue was before Bud|ding in them: That in Boston they grew more Debauched & more Malignant than ever they were before! It was noted concerning the famous Town of Port Royal in Jamaica, which you know, was t'other Day Swal|low'd up, in a Stupendous Earthquake, that just before the Earthquake the People were Violently and Scandalously set upon going to Fortune Tellers upon all Occasions: much Notice was taken of this Impiety, generally prevailing among the People: but none of those Wretched Fortune-Tellers could Foresee, or Forestal the direful Catastrophe. I have heard, That there are Fortune-Tellers in this Town, sometimes consulted by some of the Sinful Inhabitants. I wish the Town could be made too Hot for these Dangerous Transgressors. I am sure, the

preservation of the Town, from horren|dous Earthquakes, is one thing that bespeaks, our, Ebenezers; 'Tis from the Merciful Help of our God unto us. But, Beware, I beseech you, of those Provoking Evils that may Expose us to a Plague, Exceeding all that are in the Catalogue of the Twenty Eighth of Deuteronomy. Let me go on, to say; What? Shall there be any Bawdy-Houses in such a Town as This! It may be, the Neighbours, that could Smoke 'em, and Rout 'em, if they would, are loth to Stir, for fear of being reputed Ill Neighbours. But, I say unto you, That you are Ill Neigh|bours, because you do it not: All the Neigh|bours are like to have their Children and Servants poisoned, and their Dwellings laid in Ashes, because you do it not! And, Oh! that the Drinking-Houses in the Town, might once come under a laudable Regulation. The Town ha's an Enormous Number of them! Will the Haunters of those Houses, hear the Counsils of Heaven? For You that are the Town Dwellers, to be oft, or long in your Visits of the Ordi|nary, 'twill certainly Expose you to Mis|chiefs more than ordinary. I have seen

certain Taverns, where the Pictures of horrible Devourers were hang'd out for the Signs; and thought I, 'twere well, if such Signs were not sometimes too too Significant! Alas, men have their Estates Devoured, their Names Devoured, their Hours Devoured, and their very Souls De|voured, when they are so besotted, that they are not in their Element, except they be Tipling at such Houses. When once a man is Bewitched, with the Ordinary, what usually becomes of him? He is a gone man; And when he comes to Dy, he'l cry out, as many have done, Ale ho••••ses are Hell-Houses! Ale-houses are Hell hou|ses! But Let the Owners of those Houses, also now hear our Counsils. Oh! Hear|ken to me, that God may Hearken to you a|nother Day! It is an Honest, and a Lawful, tho' it be not a very Desireable, Employ|ment, that you have undertaken: You may Glorifie the Lord Jesus Christ in your Employment, if you will, and Benefit the Town considerably. There was a very Godly man, that was an Inn••keeper; and a Great Minister of God, could say to that man, in 3 Joh. 2. Thy Soul prospereth. O

Let it not be said of you, since you are fallen into this Employment, Thy Soul wi|thereth! It is thus, with too many: Espe|cially, when they that get a License per|haps to Sell Drink out of Doors, do stretch their License to Sell within Doors. Those Private Houses, when once a Professor of the Gospel, comes to Steal a Living out of them, it commonly praecipitates them, into abundance of wretchedness and con|fusion. But, I pray God, assist you that keep Ordinaries, to keep the Commandments of God, in them. There was an Inn at Bethlehem; where the Lord JESUS CHRIST was to be met withal. Can Boston boast of many such? Alas, Too or|dinarily it may be said, There is no Room for Him in the Inn! My Friends, Let me beg it of you; Banish the unfruitful works of Darkness from your Houses, and then the Sun of Righteousness will shine upon them. Don't countenance Drunkenness, Revelling, & Mispending of precious Time in your Houses: Let none have the Snares of Death Laid for them in your Houses. You'l say, I shall Starve then! I say, Bet|ter Starve than Sin. But you, shall not.

It is the Word of the Most High, Trust in the Lord, and do Good, and verily thou shalt be Fed. And is not Peace of Conscience, with a Little, better than those Riches▪ that will shortly melt away, and then run Like Scalding Metal down the very Bow|els of thy Soul!

What shall I say more? There is one Article of Piety more to be Recommend|ed unto us all; and it is an Article, which all Piety does exceedingly Turn upon▪ That is, The Sanctification of the Lords Day. Some very Judicious Persons, have obser|ved, That as they Sanctified the Lords Day, Remisly or Carefully, just so, their Affayrs usually prospered all the Ensuing Week. Sirs, You cannot more consult the Prosperity of the Town, in all its Affayrs, than by Endeavouring that the Lords Day may be Exemplarily Sanctifyed. When People about Jerusalem, took too much Liberty on the Sabbath, the Ruler of the Town Con|tended with them, and said, Ye bring wrath upon Israel by prophaning the Sabbath▪ I fear, I fear, There are many among us, to whom it may be said, Ye bring wrath upon Boston, by prophaning the Sabbath. And what

Wrath? Ah Lord, prevent it! But there is an awful Sentence in Jer. 17.27. If ye will not Hearken unto me, to Sanctify the Sabbath-Day, then will I kindle a Fire on the Town, and it shall Devour, and shall not be Quenched.

Finally, Let the Piety of the Town ma|nifest it self, in a due Regard unto the Institutions of Him, whose Help ha's Hitherto been a Shield unto us. Let the Ark be in the Town, ••nd God will Blest the Town! I believe, it may be found, That in the Mortal Scourges of Heaven, which this Town ha's felt, there ha's been a Discernable Distinction, of those that have come up to Attend all the Ordinances of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Communion of His Churches. Though these have had, as 'tis fit they should, a Share, in the Com|mon Deaths, yet the Destroying Angel, ha's not had so great a proportion of these in his Commission, as he ha's had of others. Whether This be so, or no; To Uphold, and Support, and Attend the Ordinances of the Lord Jesus Christ in Reforming Churches, This will Entitle the Town to the Help of Heaven; for, Upon the Glory, there shall be a Defence! There were the Victorious

Forces of Alexander, that in going back|ward and foreward, pass'd by Jerusalem, without Hurting it. Why so? said the Lord, in Zech 9.8. I will Encamp about my House, because of the Army. If our God have an House here, He'l Encamp about it. Nazianzen, a famous Minister of the Gos|pel, taking his Farewel of Constantinople, an old man, that had sat under his Ministry, cryed out, Oh! my Father, Don't you dare to go away, you'l carry the whole Trinity with you! How much more, may it be cryed out, If we Loose or Sleight, the Ordinances of the Lord Jesus Christ, we Foregoe the Help of all the Trinity with them!

VI. Extraordinary Equity & Charity, as well as Piety well becomes a Town, that hath been by the Help of God so Extra|ordinarily signalized. A Town marvel|lously Helped by God, has This Foretold concerning it, in Isa. 1 26. Afterward thou shalt be called, The City of Righteousness, The Faithful City. 〈…〉〈…〉 Ebenezer▪ of this Town, render it, A Town of Equity, and, A Town of Charity! Oh! There should be 〈…〉〈…〉

with Heaven ha's Dealt so Favourably. Let us Deal Fairly in Bargains; Deal Fairly in Taxes; Deal Fairly in paying Re|spects to such as have been Benefactors unto the Town. 'Tis but Equity, that they, who have been Old Standers in the Town, and both with Person and Estate Served the Town unto the utmost for many years together, should on all Proper Occasions be considered. For Charity, I may indeed speak it without Flattery, this Town has not many Equals on the Face of the Earth. Our Lord Jesus Christ from Heaven, wrote, unto the good people of a Town, in the Les|ser Asia, [Rev. 2.19.] I know thy works, and Charity. From that Blessed Lord, I may venture to bring that Message unto the Good people of this Town; The Glo|rious Lord of Heaven, knows thy works, O Boston, and all thy Charity. This is a poor Town; and yet it may be said of the Bostonians, as it was of the Macedonians, Their Deep poverty hath abounded unto the Riches of their Liberality. O ye Bountiful people of God, All your Daily Bounties to the Needy, All your Subscriptions to

Send the Bread of Life abroad unto place•• that are perishing in Wickedness, All your Collections in your Assemblies as of|ten as they are called for; All these Alms are come up for a Memorial before God! The Lord Jesus Christ in Heaven hath Beheld your Helpfulness, and Readiness to every good Work; and He hath Requited it, with His Helpful Ebenezers. It was said, in Isa. 32.8. The Liberal Deviseth Liberal Things, and by Liberal Things he shall stand. There are some in this Town, that are always Devi|sing Liberal Things, and our Lord Jesus Christ, Lets the Town Stand for the sake of those! Instead of Exhorting you, to Augment your Charity, I will rather utter an Exhortation, or at Least, a Supplication, that you may not Abuse your Charity, by misapplying of it. I remember, I have Read, That an Inhabitant of the City Pisa, being asked, Why their Town so went, as it then did, unto Decay, he fetch|ed a deep sigh, and said, Our young men are too prodigal, our old men are too Affecti|onate, and we have no punishment for those that spend their years in Idleness. Ah, The last stroak of that complaint, I must here

••igh it over again. Idleness, alas, Idleness, increases in the Town exceedingly: Idle|ness, of which there never came any Goodness; Idleness, which is a Reproach to any people. We work hard, all Summer, and the Drones count themselves wrong'd, if they have it not in the Winter divided among them. The Poor that can't Work, are Objects for your Liberality. But the Poor, that can Work and won't, the best Liberality to them, is to make them. I beseech you▪ Syrs, Find out a method quickly, That the Idle persons in the Town, may Earn their Broad; It were the best piece of Charity, that could be shown un|to them, and Equity, unto us all. Our Beggars, do shamefully grow upon us, and such Beggars too, as our Lord Jesus Christ Himself hath Expresly forbidden us to countenance. I have Read a printed Sermon, which was Preached before Both Houses of Parliament, the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London, and the Assembly of Divines; the Greatest Audience then in the World: And in that Sermon, the Preacher had this passage; I have Lived in a Countrey, where, in seven years, I never

saw a Beggar, nor heard an Oath, nor look••d upon a Drunkard. Shall I tell you where that Utopia was? 'Twas NEW-ENG|LAND! But they that go from hence, must now tell another Story.

VII. May the Changes, and especially the Judgments, that have come upon the Town, direct us, what Help to petiti|on from the God of our Salvations. The Israelites had formerly seen dismal Things, where they now set up their Ebenezer: The Philistines had no less than Twice beaten them there, and there taken from them the Ark of God. Now we are setting up our Ebenezer, Let us a little call to mind some Dismal Things that we have seen; the Ebenezer will go up the better for it.

We read, in 1 Sam. 6.18. concerning, The Great Stone of Abel. Some say, That Adam Erected that Stone, as a Grave stone for his Abel, and wrote that Epi••aph upon it, Here was poured out the Blood of the Righ|teous ABEL I know nothing of This, The Names, I know, differ in the Origi|nal; But as we may Erect many a Stone

for an Ebenezer, so, we may Erect many a Great Stone of ABEL, that is to say, We may write, MOURNING and SOR|ROW, upon the Condition of the Town in various Examples. Now, from the Stones of Abel, we will a little gather what we should wish to write upon the Stones of our Ebenezer.

What Changes have we seen, in point of Religion? It was Noted by Luther, He could never see Good order in the Church, last more than Fifteen years together in the Purity of it. Blessed be God, Religion hath here flourished in the Purity of it, for more than Fifteen years together. But, certainly, the Power of Godliness is now grievously decay'd among us. As the Prophet of old Excla|med, in Joel 1.2. Hear this, ye old men, and give Ear, ye Inhabitants; Ha's this been in your Dayes: Thus may I say, Hear this, ye old men, that are the Inhabitants of the Town: Can't you Remember, that in your Dayes, a Prayerful, a Watchful, a Fruitful Christi|an, and a well Governed Family, was a more common Sight, than it is now in our Dayes? Can't you Remember, that in your Dayes, those Abominable Things did not

Show their Heads, that are now Bare-faced among us? Here then is a Petition to be made unto our God; Lord, Help us to Re|member whence we are Fallen, and to Repent, and to Do the First Works.

Again; What Changes have we seen, in point of Mortality? By Mortality, al|most all the Old Race of our First Planters here, are carryed off; the Old Stock, is in a manner Expired. We see the Fulfil|ment of that word, in Eccl. 1 4. One Ge|neration passeth away, and another Generation cometh. It would be no unprofitable Thing for you, to pass over the several Streets, & call to mind, Who Lived here so many years ago? Why? In that place lived such an one; and in that place lived such an one. But, Where are they Now? Oh! They are Gone, They are Gone into that Eternal World, whither We must quickly follow them. Here is another Petition, to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 unto our God; Lord, Help us to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 our Dayes, and apply our Hearts unto Wis•••••• that when the places that now know 〈…〉〈…〉 us no more, we may be gone into the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of God.

Furthermore; What Changes have we

seen, in point of Possessions? If some ••hat are now Rich, were once Low in the World, 'tis possible, more that were once Rich, are now brought very Low. Ah! Boston, Thou hast seen the Vanity of all Worldly Possessions▪ One fatal Morning, which laid Fourscore of thy Dwelling Hou|ses, and Seventy of thy Ware houses, in a Ruinous Heap, not Nineteen years ago, gave thee to Read it in Fiery Characters. And an huge Fleet of thy Vessels, which they would make, if they were all together, that have miscarried in the late War, ha's given thee to Read more of it. Here is one Petition more, to be made unto our God; Lord, Help us to Ensure a Better and a lasting Substance in Heaven, and the Good part that cannot be taken away.

In fine; How dreadfully have the Young People of Boston, perished under the Judg|ments of God! A Renowned Writer, a|mong the Pagans, could make this Remark; There was a Town, so Irreligious and A|theistical, that they did not pay their First-fruits unto God: (which the Light of Na|ture taught the Pagans to do!) and sayes he, they were▪ by a Sudden Desolation so

Strangly Destroy'd, that there were no Remainders either of the Persons, or of the Houses, to be seen any more. Ah, My Young Folks; There are few First-fruits paid unto the Lord Jesus Christ among you. From hence it comes to pass, that the Consuming Wrath of God, is every day upon you. New England ha's been like a Tott'ring House; the very Foundations of it have been Shaking: But the House thus over setting by the Whirlwinds of the Wrath of God, hath been like Jobs House; It falls upon the Young men, and they are Dead! The Disasters on our Young Folks have been so multiplied, that there are few Parents among us, but what will go with Wounded Hearts, down unto their Graves: Their dayly moans are, Ah, My Son cut off in his Youth! My Son, my Son! Behold then, the Help that we are to ask of our God; and why do we, with no more Dayes of Pray|er with Fasting, ask it? Lord, Help the Young People of Boston, to Remember thee in the Dayes of their Youth, and Sanctify unto the Survivers, the Terrible Things that have come upon so many of that Generation.

And now as Joshua, having Reasoned with his people, a little before he Died, in Josh. 24.26, 27. Took a Great STONE▪ and set it up, and said unto all the people, Be|hold, this Stone shall be a witness unto you, Lest ye Deny your God. Thus, we have been this Day setting up a STONE, even an E|benezer, among you; & I conclude, Ear|nestly testifying unto you, Behold this Stone, shall be a witness unto you, that the Lord JE|SUS CHRIST, has been a Good Lord unto you; and if you Seek Him, He will be still found of you, but if you Forsake Him, He will cast you off for ever.