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 Offered, By a Native of Boston.  Ezek. 48.35. The Name of the City from that Day shall be, THE LORD IS THERE. 
B●ston, Printed by B. Green & J. Allen, for Samuel Phillips, at the Brick Shop. 1698.   
Vrbs Metropolis, ut sit maximae Auctoritatis, constituatur praecipuum pietatis Exemplum et Sacrarium. Aphor. Polit● 
The HISTORY of BOSTON, Related and Improved. At Boston Lecture 7. d. 2. m. 1698.  
REmarkable and Memorable, was the Time, when an Army of Terrible Destroyer's was coming against one of the Chief Towns, the Land of Israel. God Rescued the ●wn from the Irresistible Fury and Approach of those Destroyer's, by an Immediate Hand of Heaven upon them. Upon ●at Miraculous Rescue of the Town, and 〈◊〉 the whole Country whose Fate was ●uch enwrapped in it, there followed, ●at Action of the Prophet SAMUEL, ●hich is this Day, to be, with some Imitation Repeated, in the midst of thee, OH ●OSTON, Thou Helped of the Lord  1 SAM. VII. 12. 
Than SAMUEL took a Stone, and 〈◊〉 it up,— and called the Name of 〈◊〉 Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto the Lor● hath Helped us.   

THE Thankful Servants 〈◊〉 God, have used sometimes to Erect Monuments 〈◊〉 Stone, as durable Token of their Thankfulness t● God, for Mercies Received in the place● thus distinguished. Jacob did so; Joshu● did so; and Samuel did so; but they so did it, as to keep clear of the Transgression forbidden, in Leu. 26 1. You shal● 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 ●w● say, A Stone of Help; I know not whets t● any Thing might be Writ upon it: but B● ● sure, there is one thing to be now ●ad upon it, by ourselves, in the Text ●ere we found it: Namely, thus much, That a People whom the God of Heaven ●h Remarkably Helped, in their Distresses, aht Greatly and Gratefully to acknowledge, ●hat Help of Heaven they have Received.  
Now, '●is not my Design to lay the e'en of my Discourse, as far of as Bethcar, ●e place where Samuel set up his Ebenezer. ●am immediately to Transfer it into the ●eart of Boston, a place where the Remar●ble Help Received from Heaven, by the ●ople, does loudly call for an Ebenezer. ●nd I do not ask you, to change the ●ame of the Town, into that of Help-●tone, as there is a Town in England of ●at Name, which may seem the English, 〈◊〉 Ebenezer; But my Sermon shall be ●is Day, your Ebenezer, if you will with Favourable, and a Profitable Attention ●ntertain it. May the Lord Jesus Christ, accept me, and Assist me now, to Glorify ●im, in the Town, where I drew my First ●nful Breath; A Town, whereto I am un●r Great Obligations, for the Precious opportunities to Glorify Him, which I have quietly and publicly enjoyed therein, for● Near Eighteen years together. OH my Lord God, Remember me, I pray thee, and Strengthen 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 Acknowledgement in Act. 26.22. Having obtained Help o● God, I continued to This Day! Our Tow● is now Threescore and Eight years old; an● certainly 'tis Time for us, with all possible affection, to set up our Ebenezer, saying Having obtained Help from God, the Town is continued, until almost the Age of man i● passed over it! The Town hath indeed Three Elder Sisters in this Colony; but i● hath Wonderfully Outgrown them all; an● ●er Mother, old Boston, in England also; ●ea, within a Few years, after the first-●ettlement, it grew to be, The Metropolis of the whole English America. ●ittle 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 Circumstances of it. But, OH Boston, it is because thou ●ast Obtained Help from God; even from ●he Lord Jesus Christ, who, for the sake of His Gospel, Preached and once prized ●ere, undertook thy Patronage. When ●he World and the Church of God, had ●een Twenty six Generations, a Psalm was Composed, wherein that Note occurs with Twenty six Repetitions; His Mercy endureth for ever. Truly, there has not one year passed over this Town, Ab Urbe Condita, upon the Story whereof, we might not make that Note, our Ebenezer; His Mercy endureth for ever. It has 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 sometimes unto the Last Meal in the Barrel; We have cried out, with the Disciples, We have not Loaves enough to feed a Tenth part of us! B●t the feared Famine has always been kept of; always, we have had Seasonable and Sufficient Supplies, after a Surprising manner sent in unto us: Let the Three last years in this thing most Eminently Proclaim the Goodness of our Heavenly Shepherd and Feeder. This has 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, has 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 Twelvemonth, about one Thousand of our Neighbours, 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 Abandoned Habitations? This hath been the Help of our God; Because His Mercy endureth for ever. ●ever was any Town under the Cope of ●eaven, more liable to be laid in Ashes, ●ither through the Carelessness, or through ●e Wickedness, of them that Sleep in it. That such a Combustible Heap, of Contiguous Houses, yet Stands, it may be called, A standing Miracle; It is not, because the watchman keeps the City: Perhaps there ●ay be too much cause of Reflection in ●hat thing, and of Inspection too; Not, It from thy Watchful Protection, OH Thou keeps of Boston, who neither Slumbers nor Sleeps. Ten Times has the Fire made Notable ruins among us, and our Good Servant ●een almost our Master: But the Ruines ●ave mostly and quickly been Rebuilt. ● suppose, That many more than a Thou●●nd Houses are to be seen, on this little ●iece of Ground, all filled with the un●eserved Favours of God. Whence this preservation? This hath been the Help of ●ur God; Because His Mercy endureth for ●●er! But if ever this Town saw a Year 〈◊〉 Salvations, transcendently such was the ●ast Year unto us. A Formidable French squadron, hath not Shot one Bomb, into ●e midst of thee, OH thou Munition of Rocks; Our Streets have not Run with Blood, & Gore, and horribly Devouring Flames have not Raged upon our Substance Those are Ignorant, and Unthinking, an● Unthankful men, who do not own, tha● we have narrowly Escaped as dreadful Things, as Carthagena, or Newfoundland have Suffered. I am sure, our more considerate Friends beyond Sea, were very Suspicious, and well nigh Despairing, Tha● Victorious Enemies had swallowed up the● Town. But thy Soul is Escaped, OH Boston as a Bird out of the Snare of the Fowlers Or, if you will be Insensible of This, You Vain men, yet be sensible, That an English Squadron, hath not brought among us, the Tremendous Pestilence, under which a Neighbouring Plantation, hath undergone prodigious Desolations. Boston, 'Tis a marvellous Thing, a Plague has not Lai● thee Desolate! Our Deliverance from ou● Friends, has been as full of Astonishing Mercy, as our Deliverance from our Foes▪ We read of a certain City, in Isa. 19.18▪ called, The City of Destruction. Why so ● some say, Because Delivered from Destruction. If that be so, Than hast thou been ● City of Destruction: Or, I will rather ●y, A City of Salvation: And this, by the Help of God; Because His Mercy Endureth ●or ever. Shall I go on? I william. We ●ave not had the Bread of Adversity and ●●e Water of Affliction, Like many other places. But yet, all this while, Our Eyes ●ave seen our Teachers. Here are several ●olden Candlesticks in the Town. Shining ●nd Burning Lights, have Illuminated them. There are go to Shine in an Higher Orb, ●even Divines that were once the Stars ●f this Town, in the Pastoral Charge of ●; besides many others, that for some ●ears gave us transient Influences. Church●● flourishing with much Love, and Peace ●nd many Comforts of the Holy Spirit, have hitherto been our greatest Glory. I wish, That some sad Eclipse do not come e'er ●ong upon this Glory! The Dispensations ●f the Gospel were never Enjoyed by any Town, with more Liberty and Purity, for ●o long a while together. Our Opportunities to Draw near unto the Lord Jesus Christ, in His Ordinances, cannot be pa●allel'd. Boston, Thou hast been Lifted ●p to Heaven; There is not a Town upon Earth, which on some Accounts ha● more to answer for. Such, OH Such, ha● been our Help from our God, Because His Mercy Endureth for ever.  
II Let us Acknowledge, Whose Hel● it is, that we have Received, & not Giv● the Glory of our God unto another. Poorly Helped had we been, I may tell you, i● we had none but Human Help, all thi● while to depend upon. The Favours o● our Superiors we Deny not; we Forge● not the Instruments of our Help. Nevertheless, this Little Outcast Zion, sha● with my consent, Engrave the Name o● no MAN, upon her Ebenezer! It was we● confessed in Psal. 108.12. Vain is the Hel● of man! It was well counselled in Psa● 146.3. Put not your trust in Princes, nor i● the Son of man, in whom there is no Help  
Wherhfore,  
First, Let God in our Lord Jesus Christ, have the Glory, of Bestowing o● us, all the Help, that we have had. Whe● the Spirit of God came upon a Servan● of His, he cried out unto David, in ● Chron. 12.18. Thy God Helpeth thee. This This is the voice of God, from Heaven ●o Boston this Day, Thy God hath Helped ●hee: Thou hast by thy Sin destroyed thyself, 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 ●lanted me, Such a place watered me, and Caesar gave the Increase. One that passed ●y, with a witty Sarcasm, wrote under 〈◊〉, Hi● Deus nihil fecit. i e. God, it seems, ●id nothing for this man. But the Inscription upon our Ebenezer, owning what Help, this Town hath had, shall say, Our ●od hath done all that is done! Say than, OH Helped Boston, say as in Psal. 121.2. My Help is from the Lord, which made Heaven and Earth. Say, as in Psal. 94.7. Unless the Lord had been my Help, my ●oul had quickly dwelled in silence. And, ●oldly say, 'Tis only because the Lord has ●en my Helper, that Earth and Hell, have ●ver d●ne all that they would unto me.  
Let our Lord JESUS CHRIST, be ●ais'd as our Bl●ss●d Helper: That Stone ●hich the Foolish Builders have refused, ●h! 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, and there was none to Help; Therefore my own Arm hath brought Salvation unto it. It is foretold concerning the Idolatrous Roman Catholics, That together with the Lord Jesus Christ, they shall Worship other Mauzzim: that is to say, other Protectors. Accordingly, All their Towns, ordinarily have singled out their Protectors, among the Saints of Heaven; such a Saint is Entitled unto the Patronage of such a Town among them, and such a Saint for another: Old Boston, by Name, was but Saint Botolphs Town. Whereas, Thou, OH Boston, shalt have but one Protector 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 rendered, 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 Evocatus, alio commigraret. But, I shall be far from doing my Town any Damage, by publishing the Name of its Protecter; Not, Let all Mankind know, That the Name of our Protector, is JESUS CHRIST: For, Among the Gods, there is none like unto thee, OH LORD: Nor is any Help like unto thine: And there is no Rock, like to our God.  
Yea, When we ascribe 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, blamed the Heathen, for giving the Highest of their Gods, not Higher a Title, 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 Intent more than we Express; Lord, Thou hast been All unto us.  
Secondly; Let the Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, most Explicitly, 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 Burned Offering wholly unto the Lord; and Samuel Cried unto the Lord for Israel, and the Lord Herd 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 Comfortable Mystery, there was, A Sacrifice for the whole Congregation, prescribed in the Mosaic Pedagogy. 'Tis notorious, that the Sins of this Town, have been many Sins, and mighty Sins; The Cry thereof hath go 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 repent not, it would be no more than our Unrepented Sins deserve. How comes it than to pass, that we have had so much Help from Heaven after all? Truly, The Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, has been pleaded 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 pity for: But why so? He said, in Isa. 37.35. I will defend this Town, to Save it, for my Servant David's sake. Has this Town been Defended? It has been for the sake of the Beloved JESUS; Therefore has the Daughter of Boston shaken her Head at you, OH ye Calamities, that have been Impending over her Head. OH 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 Honoured by the Sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ than thou couldst be Honoured by overwhelming 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 owned, 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 ministered 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 upon the Stone, Let us than 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. See 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 persuaded from the Scriptures of Truth, to make no Doubt of This, Quod per Civitates distributae sunt Angelorum praefecturoe. When the Capital Town of Judaea, 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 Praeside 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 hindered their Invading of this Town? The Angel of BOSTON, was concerned for it! Why have not the Destroyer's broke in upon us, to pray 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 Helped a Daniel, when the Lions would else have swallowed him up. It was an Angel, that Helped a Lot, out of the Fires that were coming to Consume his Habitation. It was an Angel, that Helped an Elias to Meat, when he wanted it. They were Ang●●●, ●hat Helped the whole Pe●●l● 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 should go to Thank the Angels for doing these things, They would zealously say, See thou do it not! But if we Thank Their Lord, and ours, for His Employing Them to Do these things, it will exceedingly gratify them. Wherhfore, Bless ye the Lord, ye his Angels; And Bless the Lord, OH my Town, for these His Angels!  
III Let the Help which we have Hitherto had from our God, Encourage us to Hope in Him, for Moore Help Hereafter, as the Matter may Require. The Help that God had given to His People, of old was Commemorated, as with Monumental Pillars, conveying down the Remembrance of it, unto their Children. And what for? We are told, in Psal. 78.7. That they might set their Hope in God, and not Forget the Works of God. I am not willing to say, How much this Town may be Threatened, even with an Utter Extirpation. But ●his I will say, The Motto upon all out ●benezers is, Hope in God Hope in God The Use of the Former Help that ●e have had from God, should be an Hope ●or Future Help, from Him that is, A Pre●nt Help in the Time of Trouble. As in the Three First Verses of the Eighty Fifth Psalm, ●ix times over there occurs, Thou hast, ●hou hast: all to usher in this; Therefore ●hou WILL'T still do so. OH Let our Faith ●roceed in that way of Arguing, in 2 Cor. ●. 10. The Lord hath Delivered, and He doth Deliver, and in Him we Trust, that He will ●ill Deliver. We are to Day Writing, hitherto the Lord hath Helped us; Let us ●rite under it, And we hope, the Lord has ●ore Help for us, in the Time of Need! It ●ay be, some are purposing Suddenly and ●astily to Leave the Town, through their ●ars of the Straitss that may come upon  
But I would not have you be too ●udden and Hasty in your purposes, as ●o many have been, unto their After●orrow. There was a Time when People ●ere so Discouraged about a Subsistence in the principal Town of the Jews, that the● talked of plucking up Stakes, and flying away; 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 Sat Sill! Boston was not sooner come to some Consistenc● Threescore years ago, but the People found themselves plunged into a sad Non plus what way to take for a Subsistence. God than immediately put them into a way▪ and, Hitherto the Lord has Helped us! The Town is at this Day full of Widows and Orphans, and a multitude of them, are very Helpless Creatures. I am Astonished, How they Live! In that Church, whereof ● am the Servant, I have counted, The Widows make about a Sixth Part of our 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? Not, These Widows are every one in some sort provided for. And let me tell you, You Handmaids of the Lord, You shall be Still provided for! The Lord, whose Family you belong unto, will conveniently and wonderfully provide for you; if you say, and Oh! Say! of Him, The Lord is my Helper, ● will not Fear!  
What shall I say? When Moses was ●eady to faint, in his Prayers for his People, we read, in Exod. 17.12. They took a ●tone and put it under him Christians, ●here are some of you, who abound in ●rayers, that the Help of God may be granted 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 Public Office ● the Town, Contribute all the Help they ●n, that may continued the Help of God ●nto us. Austin, in his Confessions, gives ●hanks to God, That when he was an helpless Infant, he had a Nurse to Help him, ● one that was both Able & Willing to Help ●m. Infant- Boston, Thou hast those, whom ●e Bible calls, Nursing-fathers'. O, Be not ●oward, as thou art, in thy Treating of ●y Nurses; but give Thanks to God for them. I Forget myself; '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 approve themselves, as the Book of God has called them, The Helpers of your Joy. OH our dear Flocks; we own you our All; All our Love, all our Strength, ' all our Time; We, Watch for you, as those that must give an Account: And I am very much mistaken, if we are not willing to Die for you too, if called unto it. If our Lord Jesus Christ should say, to us, My Servant, if you'll Die 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, Than I'll Die with all my Heart. Sirs, we should go away Rejoicing with Joy unspeakable & full of Glory. I am satisfied, That the most Furious and Foul mouthed Reviler, that God may give any of us, to be Buffeted withal, if he will but come to sober 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. Wherhfore, OH our Beloved People, I beseech you, Leave of, Leave of, to Throw Stones at your Ebenezers. Instead of That, Pray for us, and Strive together with us, in your Prayers to God for us. Than with the Help of Christ, we'll promise' you; We will set ourselves to observe what Special Truths may be most needful to be Inculcated upon you, and we will Inculcate them. We will set ourselves to observe the Temptations that beset you, the Afflictions that assault you, and the Duties that are incumbent on you, and we will accommodate ourselves unto them. We will set ourselves to observe, what Souls among you, do call for our more particular Addresses, and we will Address them faithfully, and even Travail in 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 Enjoys, they shall have that convenience, in Ezra. 5.2. With them were the Prophets of God, Helping them. Well than, Let the rest of our Worthy Helpers, Lend an Helping 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 among 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 Profaneness, 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 Vices 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, TOWNSMEN, is that by which they are distinguished. Sirs, 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●MASTERS, do much to instil Principles of Religion, and Civility, as well as other points of good Education into the Children of the Town? Only Let the Town well Encourage its Well Deserving Schoolmasters.  
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 Choose among us, may be Choose in the Fear of God. May none but Pious, and Prudent men, and such as Love the Town, be Choose to Serve it. And, Secondly, It is to be Desired, That Officers of several sorts, would often come together, for Consultation. Each of the sorts by themselves, may they often come together, to Consult, 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 Entrusted 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 Stationed me?  
And, Will the REPRESENTATIVES of the Town, be considered among the rest, as Entrusted with some singular Advantages 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 obliged 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 Helped 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 writ the Law of our God, and Recognize the Obligations which the Help of our God, has laid upon us to keep it.  
We are a very Unpardonable Town, if after all the Help which our God has given us, we do not ingenuously Inquire, What shall we Tender to the Lord, for all His Benefits? Tender! Oh! Let us ourselves thus answer the Enquiry; Lord, we will Tender all possible, and Filial Obedience unto thee, because Hitherto thou hast Helped us: Only do thou also Help us, to Tender that Obedience! Mark what I say; If there be so much as one Prayerless House in such a Town as this, 'tis Inexcusable! How Inexcusable than, will be all Flagitious Outrages? There was a Town, ['Twas 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, left the Sins of Sodom get Footing in thee! And what were the Sins of Sodom? We found in Ezek. 16.49. Behold, This was the Iniquity of Sodom; Pride, Fullness 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 sand 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 Virtue was before Budding 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 Swallowed 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 Forestall 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 Transgressor's. I am sure, the preservation of the Town, from horrendous 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 loath to Stir, for fear of being reputed Ill Neighbours. But, I say unto you, That you are Ill Neighbours, because you do it not: All the Neighbours 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 has 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 often, or long in your Visits of the Ordinary, 'twill certainly Expose you to Mischiess more than ordinary. I have seen certain Taverns, where the Pictures of horrible Devourers were hanged out for the Signs; and thought I, 'tis 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 Devoured, when they are so besotted, that they are not in their Element, except they be Tippling at such Houses. When once a man is Bewitched, with the Ordinary, what usually becomes of him? He is a go man; And when he comes to Die, he'll cry out, as many have done, Ale ho●ses are Hell-Houses! Alehouses are Hell houses! But Let the Owners of those Houses, also now hear our Counsils. Oh! Harken to me, that God may Harken to you another Day! It is an Honest, and a Lawful, though it be not a very Desirable, Employment, that you have undertaken: You may Glorify the Lord Jesus Christ in your Employment, if you will, and Benefit the Town considerably. There was a very Godly man, that was an Innkeeper; and a Great Minister of God, could say to that man, in 3 Joh. 2. Thy Soul prospereth. OH Let it not be said of you, since you are fallen into this Employment, Thy Soul withereth! It is thus, with too many: Especially, when they that get a Licence perhaps to Cell Drink out of Doors, do stretch their Licence to Cell 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 confusion. 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 ordinarily 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 than 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'll say, I shall Starve than! I say, Better 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 Richeses, that will shortly melt away, and than run Like Scalding Metal down the very Bowels of thy Soul!  
What shall I say more? There is one Article of Piety more to be Recommended 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 People, have observed, That as they Sanctified the Lords Day, Remisly or Carefully, just so, their Affairs usually prospered all the Ensuing Week. Sirs, You cannot more consult the Prosperity of the Town, in all its Affairs, than by Endeavouring that the Lords Day may be Exemplarily Sanctified. When People about Jerusalem, took too much Liberty on the Sabbath, the Ruler of the Town Contended with them, and said, You bring wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath I fear, I fear, There are many among us, to whom it may be said, You bring wrath upon Boston, by profaning the Sabbath. And what Wrath? Ah Lord, prevent it! But there is an awful Sentence in Jer. 17.27. If ye will not Harken unto me, to Sanctify the Sabbath-Day, than will I kindle a Fire on the Town, and it shall Devour, and shall not be Quenched.  
Finally, Let the Piety of the Town manifest itself, in a due Regard unto the Institutions of Him, whose Help has Hitherto been a Shield unto us. Let the Ark be in the Town, and God will Bless the Town! I believe, it may be found, That in the Mortal Scourges of Heaven, which this Town has felt, there has been a Discernible 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 Common Deaths, yet the Destroying Angel, has not had so great a proportion of these in his Commission, as he has 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 backward and forward, passed 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'll Encamp about it. Nazianzen, a famous Minister of the Gospel, taking his Farewell of Constantinople, an old man, that had sat under his Ministry, cried out, Oh! my Father, Don't you dare to go away, you'll carry the whole Trinity with you! How much more, may it be cried out, If we Lose or Sleight, the Ordinances of the Lord Jesus Christ, we Forego 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 Extraordinarily signalised. A Town marvellously Helped by God, has This Foretold concerning it, in Isa. 1 26. Afterwards thou shalt be called, The City of Righteousness, The Faithful City. M●●●ie E●en●zer, of this Town, rende● it, A Town of Equity, and, A 〈◊〉 of Charity! Oh! There should be 〈…〉 Fair ●●●lings in a Town, 〈◊〉 with Heaven has Dealt so Favourably. Let us Deal Fairly in Bargains; Deal Fairly in Taxes; Deal Fairly in paying Respects to such as have been Benefactors unto the Town. 'Tis but Equity, that they, who have been Old Standards 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 Lesser Asia, [Reu. 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 Glorious Lord of Heaven, knows thy works, OH 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 Richeses of their Liberality. OH ye Bountiful people of God, All your Daily Bounties to the Needy, All your Subscriptions to Sand the Bread of Life abroad unto places that are perishing in Wickedness, All your Collections in your Assemblies as often 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 Devising Liberal Things, and our Lord Jesus Christ, Let's the Town Stand for the sake of those! Instead of Exhorting you, to Augment your Charity, I will rather utter an Exhortation, or at Lest, 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 than did, unto Decay, he fetched a deep sigh, and said, Our young men are too prodigal, our old men are too Affectionate, and we have no punishment for those that spend their years in Idleness. Ah, The last stroke of that complaint, I must here Sigh it over again. Idleness, alas, Idleness, increases in the Town exceedingly: Idleness, 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 wronged, 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, Sirs, Found out a method quickly, That the Idle persons in the Town, may Earn their Bread; It were the best piece of Charity, that could be shown unto them, and Equity, unto us all. Our Beggars, do shamefully grow upon us, and such Beggars too, as our Lord Jesus Christ Himself hath Expressly 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 than in the World: And in that Sermon, the Preacher had this passage; I have Lived in a Country, where, in seven years, I never saw a Beggar, nor heard an Oath, nor looked upon a Drunkard. Shall I tell you where that Utopia was? 'Twas NEW-ENGLAND! But they that go from hence, must now tell another Story.  
VII. May the Changes, and especially the judgements, that have come upon the Town, direct us, what Help to petition from the God of our Salvations. The Israelites had formerly seen dismal Things, where they now set up their Ebenezer: The Philistines had not lesle 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 Epitaph upon it, Here was poured out the Blood of the Righteous ABEL. I know nothing of This, The Names, I know, differ in the Original; 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 writ, MOURNING and SORROW, 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 writ 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 decayed among us. As the Prophet of old exclaimed, in Joel 1.2. Hear this, ye old men, and give Ear, ye Inhabitants; Has this been in your Days: Thus may I say, Hear this, ye old men, that are the Inhabitants of the Town: Can't you Remember, that in your Days, a Prayerful, a Watchful, a Fruitful Christian, and a well Governed Family, was a more common Sight, than it is now in our Days? Can't you Remember, that in your Days, those Abominable Things did not Show their Heads, that are now Bare-faced among us? Here than is a Petition to be made unto our God; Lord, Help us to Remember 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, almost all the Old Race of our First Planters here, are carried of; the Old Stock, is in a manner Expired. We see the Fulfilment of that word, in Eccl. 1.4. One Generation 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 Go, They are Go into that Eternal World, whither We must quickly follow them. Here is another Petition, to be made unto our God; Lord, Help us to Number our Days, and apply our Hearts unto Wisdom, that when the places that now know us, do know us not more, we may be go into the City of God.  
Furthermore; What Changes have we seen, in point of Possessions? If some that 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 Houses, and Seventy of thy Aware 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, has 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 Judgements of God A Renowned Writer, among the Pagans', could make this Remark; There was a Town, so Irreligious and Atheistical, that they did not pay their First-fruits unto God: (which the Light of Nature taught the Pagans' to do!) and says he, they were, by a Sudden Desolation so Strangely Destroyed, that there were no Remainders either of the People, 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 has been like a Tottering 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 daily moans are, Ah, My Son cut of in his Youth! My Son, my Son! Behold than, the Help that we are to ask of our God; and why do we, with no more Days of Prayer with Fasting, ask it? Lord, Help the Young People of Boston, to Remember thee in the Days 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. Taken a Great STONE. and set it up, and said unto all the people, Behold, this Stone shall be a witness unto you, Jest ye Deny your God. Thus, we have been this Day setting up a STONE, even an Ebenezer, among you; & I conclude, Earnestly testifying unto you, Behold this Stone, shall be a witness unto you, that the Lord JESUS 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 of for ever.   

Household Religion, Recommended, for the Preservation of our HOUSES. At Boston-Lecture. 26. d. 7. m. 1695.  It is Written in JOB XXII. 23. 
If thou Return to the Almighty, thou shalt be Built up; Thou shalt put away Iniquity, far from thy Tabernacles.  
IT is Reported, as the Special and Signal Favour of God, unto His People, in Exod. 1.20, 21. The People multiplied, and He made Them [that is, the People, for the word is in the Masculine Gender,] Houses: Which Favour of God in the nearest and strictest sense wherein that expression is commonly used, is not only most Mercifully Vouchsafed, but almost Miraculously continued, unto us who now Compose this Assembly. Our Gracious God has given us Houses, wherein we Enjoy the Comforts of Life, Covered and Sheltered from foreign Injuries; Yea, and we have the Houses of our Gracious God also set open unto us, without the Liberties whereof, I hope, we should not found ourselves able to Taste the Comforts of our own. Let it not be thought Unseasonable, I am sure, it should not be Unprofitable, for us to hear in the House of God at this Time, some Singular Things, wherein the Welfare of our own is more than a little concerned.  
Concerning the Houses, with which our God has favoured us, there are Two Considerations, which doubtless, every man in this Assembly, of his own Accord, hath Entertained.  
First, I suppose, We are all sensible, That for us to Lose our Houses by any Disaster whatsoever, would be a very terrible Calamity; Oh! It would be a Judgement of God, wherein the Anger of God, would be seen written with Fiery Characters. If by an Accident, or by an Enemy, our Houses be Laid in Desolations, every Roar of the Raging Flames, every Crack of the Tumbling Timbers, every Downfall of the Undermined Walls, and every Jangle of the Bells than tolling the Funeral of those Houses, would loudly utter that voice, in Deut. 32.22. A Fire is Kindled in the Anger of God It were a dismal Thing for our Houses becoming too Hot for us, to say, Be go; ye sinful Inhabitants, Be go; you shall never Eat, or Sleep, or Talk, or Pray, in us, any more; and for our Consorts & Children with us, to be Stripped in a few Hours, of all that we have been getting for many years, and be turned Shiftless and Helpless out of Doors, to Lodge Next Door unto Beggary. A Town so Afflicted, may have this Lamentable Account given of them, in Isa. 42.25. The Lord hath poured on them the Fury of His Anger, and it hath set them on Fire round about.  
Secondly, And there is as much cause for us to be sensible, That it is the mere Power and Patience of our Good God, which keeps us from such a Terrible Calamity, as the Loss of our Houses. How easy a thing were it, for the Vengeance of Heaven, to Lay all our Houses in Ruinous Heaps before to morrow morning! Truly, We may say, 'Tis because we have obtained Help from God, that we continued to this Day. We may sit in our Combustible Houses, and make that Confession, in Psal. 127.1. The Lord keeps the Town; the Watchman waketh but in vain. When we think, how much Destruction may arise from one Spark, or one Snuff, and, as the Apostle speaks, How great a matter a Little Fire kindles! And when we think, how many Careless, how many Foolish, how many Drunken, yea, and how many horribly Malicious persons, persons wicked enough, To burn their Neighbours Houses, only that they may Roast their own Eggs, may creep in among us; Or when we think of him whom we may call OG, which is in English, The Burner, for the Delight that he has taken in Scorching men with Fire; We may with Admiration acknowledge, 'Tis our God that is our Keeper. Oh! we must make that Acknowledgement before the Lord, in Psal. 121.4. Behold, He that keepeth Israel, doth neither Slumber nor Sleep; Else we should be waked out of our next Sleep, with a Formidable Outcry.  
Sensible of these Things, we shall not count it Improper, to bestow a brief Discourse, upon the Methods, which we are, as Christians, to take for the Comfortable Preservation of our Houses; especially, now the Season of the year advances, wherein there are the most pungent Invitations, for such Methods to be considered.  
Behold than the Great Method, for the secure Enjoyment of our Tabernacles, which the Oracles of God have directed us unto: It is, The putting away Iniquity far from our Tabernacles.  
That Perfect and Upright man, Job, had this among the Heavy Trials befalling of him, That he Lost his House: Now under this Trial, one of his Friends gives him this Advice: That he would by Acquaintance with God, and Repentance of Sin, Endeavour, to answer the Expectations of Heaven concerning him. To Encourage him hereunto, here is this Blessing promised, Thou shalt be Built up: q. d. Thou shalt than have thy House Repaired, without the fear of Losing it any more.  
The Clause which falls under our more particular Notice is that; Thou shalt put away Iniquity, far from thy Tabernacles: which is here mentioned, as the Effect of Returning to the Almighty. Now, by Iniquity, we may understand, either the Practice of Iniquity, or the Punishment of Iniquity. Take it for the Practice of Iniquity, and than the sense runs thus; Manifest thy Returning to the Almighty, by thy not Suffering of any Iniquity in thy Tabernacles. Take it for the punishment of Iniquity, and than the sense runs thus; By Returning to the Almighty thou wilt Save thy Tabernacles, from such Ruins as will come upon them, if thou continued in Iniquity. Take it which way you will, there is this Doctrine in it.  The Way for us to secure the Comfortable Enjoyment of our Tabernacles, is, by Returning unto the Almighty, to put Iniquity far from our Tabernacles. 
There are Three plain Assertions before us, by which I may come fairly at my Design, to promote Houshold-Religion, in the management of an Argument fetched from the Benefit thence arising, unto the very Houses, wherein we mentain that Religion.  
I In true Religion, men do Return unto the Almighty God. There was a Blessed Communion with God, which man had at his first Creation by God. But how Long did this continued? Alas, It was not Long, before Man turned his Back upon the Service and the Glory of His Maker: It was not Long before Man Embraced the Vain Things of this World, instead of the God that made him. Every Sinner is now Guilty of that Folly, that Frenzy, that Horrible Thing, in Jer. 2.13. He hath forsaken the Fountain of Living Waters, and he hath hue d him out Broken Cisterns. Well, but now in Religion, there is a Conversion and a Returning of the Sinner; he says, I will Return to my first Object, because it is best being with him. The Term From which a man does Return in Religion, is, All Sin whatsoever; and every Pleasure, every Profit, every Honour, which the Heart is by Sin carried forth unto. Thus 'tis said, in Jer 18.11. Return ye now every one from his Evil way. The Term To which a man does Return in Religion,, is, God in the Lord Jesus Christ; so that God becomes his Best Good, and his Last End, and the Lord Jesus Christ becomes his Prophet, his Priest, and his King for ever. Thus 'tis said, in Jer. 4.1. If thou wilt Return, Return unto me, saith the Lord  
II Those men that Return to the Almighty God, will put away Iniquity far from their Tabernacles. The House as well as the Heart of a man is cleansed by Religion; it will Reform not only his Living, and his Walking, but his Dwelling also. The Godly man is one that puts away all Iniquity, yea, that puts it far away: he does in Repenting of Iniquity, as the God of Heaven does in pardoning of it. In the pardoning of Iniquity, 'tis said, in Psal. 103 12. As far as the East is from the West, so far does God Remove our Transgressions from us; Thus, in the Repenting of Iniquity, the man saith, I would have all my Transgressions to be as far from me, as the East is from the West: The East and West will never meet, nor would I ever shake hands with any Iniquity. Even, the very Shadow of Iniquity is banished from a Regenerate man; the very Appearance of Evil, is the matter of his Abstinence, his Abhorrence: he puts it far away from his Conversation, far away from his Approbation, far away from his Inclination: But this is not all; He puts it far away from his Habitation too. Every Good man is Communicative of his Good●ess; he would have all about him to be as Good, as Holy, as Happy as himself; and those of his own House most of all: He will not permit any Iniquity, that he can prevent. A Religious Christian would be a Religious Housholder too; he would be such an Housholder, as Jacob, who, in Gen. 35.2. Said unto his Household, and unto all that were with him, put away the Strange Gods that are among you; he would be such an Housholder, as David, who said, in Psal. 101.2, 7. I will walk in my House, with a perfect Heart; He that works Deceit, shall not devil within my House; he that telleth Lies, shall not tarry in my sight. Or, as Joshua, who said, As for me and my Houfe, we will Serve the Lord  
III By Putting away Iniquity far from our Tabernacles, we do secure to ourselves the Comfortable Enjoyment of them. Let us drive our Sins out of our Houses, that we may not be driven out of them, ourselves.  
It is very true; A pious man, may have his Tabernacle taken from him; the loss of Houses is one of those Things, wherein the Sovereignty of God, will have All things come alike to all. A Triple Concession is to be made concerning this matter.  
First, A Godly man may Suffer the loss of his House, in a Common Calamity, with wicked men. If a Righteous Lot live in a Sodom, his House must be Burned among the Rest in the Vicinity.  
Again, A Godly man may Suffer the loss of his House, when man● wicked men Escape that Calamity. A Job, one who Fears God and Shuns Evil, may have his House laid even with the Ground, while he could yet complain, The Tabernacles of Robbers prospero. Yea,  
Thirdly, At the House o● a Godly man may begin that Calamity, that shall Involve the loss of many other Houses in it. A Fire may be carried, even from the Altar itself, over the whole City: and we know, Trouble may begin at the House of God. Wherhfore, upon the whole; Those persons are not always the Greatest Sinners, who are the Greatest Sufferers, in such a Calamity. Those Tabernacles may miscarry in which yet there are no abounding miscarriages of Iniquity.  
But all this Concession, will not Evacuate this Position; That we shall very much Consult the Safety of our Houses, if we keep Iniquity out of them. If we would not be put out of our Tabernacles ourselves, it should be our Study, to put Iniquity far away from our Tabernacles. There are many ways, by which men seek to Secure unto themselves the Comfortable Enjoyment of their Houses. They look to the Stuff, and the Place, of their Building; they have their Water Engines, their Ensurances, and their Friendly Societies. 'Tis well: But, Sirs, there is one way more to be laid in, which I now men●ion, in the approach of the Time of the year, when the Dangers of our being Turned out of our Houses, are the greatest; That is, Let us Put Iniquity far from our Tabernacles. Of this way, I may say, as David about the Sword of Goliath, There is none like it! For, There are Promises of our God, that the Tabernacles of men shall be spared, when the Iniquities of men are not spared in their Tabernacles: Promises, to be interpreted, with the Exceptions of the New Covenant. We have the word of a faithful God for it, Let no Sins devil with you, and I will not cut of your Dwellings: It is His Word, in Zeph. 3.7. I said, Surely, Thou wilt Fear me, thou wilt Receive Instruction, So their Dwelling should not be cut of. There is that Promise' given to the Reformers of Iniquity, in Isa. 65.21. They shall Build Houses and Inhabit them: There is that Promise' given to the Forsakers of Iniquity, in Ezek. 28.26. They shall Build Houses, and they shall devil with Confidence therein. It was no mistake, in him t●at said, in Job 8 5, 6. If thou wouldst seek unto God, if thou were't pure and upright, He would make the Habitation of thy Righteousness Prosperous. A Righteous Habitation, is like to be a Prosperous Habitation, and therefore a Preserved Habitation.  
But on the other side, There are the Menaces of our God, That if the Iniquities of men are not put away from their Tabernacles, their Tabernacles than shall be taken away from them. It is that which the most High God has threatened, Let your Sins go, or I will make your Houses go. See Zeph. 1 12, 13. It is Threatened, that God will Deprive us of our Houses, if Iniquity be countenanced in them; and this He can do when He will, by His Fiery Rebukes. We have it Threatened, in Ezek. 16.41. They shall Burn thine Houses with Fire. It is also Threatened, That God will Empty our Houses of us; and this can be done quickly, by Oppression, by Poverty, by Mortality. We have it Threatened, in Isa. 5.9. Many Houses shall be Desolate, even Great and Fair ones, without Inhabitant. Briefly, If we would not have the Great God, issue out a Writ of Ejection upon us, to Turn us out of our Houses, Let us put away Iniquity far from our Tabernacles.  
In this one Expression, all Household Religion, is to be understood, as contained and Intended. Accordingly,  
The CASE,  
Wherewith you are now to be treated, is, What is that Household Religion, or, what are those Cares, and those Acts of Religion, in our Houses, whereby the Comfortable Enjoyment of our Houses, may be Secured unto us?  
In answer hereunto, Let these Faithful Say be counted Worthy of all Acceptation with us.  
I If we would Comfortably Enjoy our Tabernacles, Let us particularly Put away those Iniquities, which have a particular Tendency to provoke, and procure our being Put out of our Tabernacles. The Jews tho●ght they consulted the safety of their Houses, when they Sought, and Cast, all their Leven out of their Houses. Let us in like manner Search our Houses, for every Iniquity, which may be like Leven in them, and let us, Away with it, Away with it all! Indeed, Every Iniquity is pernicious, not only to the Heart, but also to the House that gives a Lodging thereunto; and therefore we should fall out with all Iniquity. If any one should maliciously Burn us out of House and Home, we should never Endure the sight of such a Wretch; but see the Law of Death Executed on him. Why Sin, I say unto you, Sin would be such an Incendiary: it is said, in Isa. 9.18. Wickedness, burneth as Fire. But there are some Iniquities, which are more especially, and certainly, and frequently, as Fire balls upon the Houses wherein they are committed; and the Council thereupon unto us is, Oh! Turn those unfruitful works of Darkness out of Doors, Jest we be ourselves Turned out of Doors for the sake thereof.  
It was of old Required, concerning an House, which had the Leprosy Spreading and Fretting on it, in Leu. 14.45. The Priest shall break down the House, the Stones of it, and the Timber thereof, and all the Mortar of the House. What that Plague of Leprosy was, we do not in this Part and Age of the World seem to understand; if it were not a Plague peculiar unto Canaan, perhaps it means an Infection in the Walls of an House, from whence the Inhabitants might be in Hazzard of catching the Leprosy. But this may be said in Allusion hereunto; I● you keep any Bad Orders in your Houses, I must come unt● you, with such Language, as was than directed, It seems to me, there is, as it were a Plague in the House. Do not now stand ask of me, what I mean by Bad Orders. Ask your sober, honest, industrious Neighbours; or ask your own Consciences; They will tell you, What Bad Orders are. But Oh! Get thy House cleared of that Plague which is to be seen in the Bad Orders of it; Jest our Lord Jesus Christ the High Priest of the Creation, do break down that H●use, and, it may be burn thee out of such an House.  
There are Houses, where God is not Served, but where the people give themselves up to all Excess of Riot; Gaming Houses, Drinking Houses, perhaps Bawdy Houses; Houses, where Troops Assemble to Harlots; Houses, where young people Debauch themselves & one another. Those Houses, which make the Parents and Masters in the Town, continually afraid of having their Folks undone by those Houses. Methinks, I see written on their Doors, Lord, have mercy upon us! There is a Plague in them. The Keepers of such Houses, are not in this Congregation to Day. But, those that may keep a strict eye upon them are here; and unto them, I would say, If the Worshipful Justices, and the Constables, and the Tything men, would Invigorate their Zeal, to Rout the villainous Haunts of those Houses, the whole Town would be vastly the safer for it. There were Four whole Towns together once, in which there were many Houses, full of Riotous Iniquities; The Prophet says, There was nothing but Pride, and Luxury; and Idleness in their Houses; And the Wrath of God so broke forth against those Towns, that they were all consumed at once, and not one House Left Standing in them. The Nineteenth Chapter of Genesis, will tell you, what I mean.  
And besides these House consuming Bad Orders, there is especially one Iniquity more which will horribly Endanger the Tabernacles, that are Guilty of it; and that is, proper Iniquity, I mean, Dishonesty. It was a Remarkable passage, in Zech. 5.2, 4. A Flying Roll, the Length thereof Twenty Cubits, the Breadth thereof Ten Cubits; This is the Curse that goeth forth; I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of Hosts, and it shall enter into the House of the Thief, and the House of him that sweareth falsely; and it shall consume it, with the Timber thereof, and the Stones thereof. The Porch of the Temple, was, The Length thereof Twenty Cubits, and the Breadth thereof Ten Cubits: Now, 'tis Judged, there were men Employed as trusties of the Money gathered for the Building of the Temple: but some of them were such Thiefs as to convert part of this unto their own use, and yet they Sworn Falsely, in swearing to the Truth of their Accounts. Now, says the Lord, If the Temple itself were a Roll, or a Book, filled with Curses, it could not Express more Curses, than I will swiftly bring upon the Houses of such Dishonest men. Truly, All Dishonesty in Deal, does Endanger the Houses of the Dealers. Men that go to feather their Nests by any Dishonesty, do but carry Coals into them. The Flying Roll of the Curses from God, comes as a Fiery Roll, to consume the Houses of them that by Stealing, by Cheating, by Lying, propose to Enrich themselves.  
II If we would comfortably Enjoy our Tabernacles, Let us Dedicated them unto God, and Employ them in Uses agreeable to such a Dedication. We read in Psal. 30. Tit. concerning, The Dedication of the House of David. With such a Dedication Let us consecrated our Houses unto God, professing unto Him, Lord, This House which thou hast here given to me, I do give back to thee again, and I will use it for thy Glory, as Long as thou wilt Let me Live in it! And than according to this Consecration, as we read sometimes concerning, The Church in the House, of such or such a person, Let our Houses be a sort of Little Churches, for the Sacred Use that we put them unto. It was said of Jerusalem, in Zech. 2 5. I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a Wall of Fire round about, and I will be the Glory in the midst of her. Thus, Let God be Glorified in the midst of our Houses, and there will be a Wall of Fire, that is, a Guard of Angels, round about them, and so no other Fire shall pray upon them. Let our Houses be used, as if built on purpose for Works of Piety, and Works of Charity, to be therein performed; and Let our Character be that, in Acts 10.2. A Devout man, one that feared God, with all his House, which gave much Alms to the people, and prayed unto God always. There are two Names, that we should make our Houses now to become worthy of; the Name of Bethel, and the Name of Bethesda: both an House of God, and an House of Good. Let our Houses be as though Devoted unto the Service of God; Let Praying, and Reading, and Singing, be the Daily Exercises therein attended; so that you may look upon this and that Apartment with such a joyful Reflection in your minds, If the Walls of this place could speak, they would speak of many a good Hour which I have had with the Lord in this place. And let our Houses be, as though Devoted also unto the Succour of man; As far as you can, make Alms houses of them; Do what the Lord has bid, Bring the poor, that are cast out, unto thy H●use. Let an Hungry Jesus, a Naked Jesus, a Travelling Jesus, in His Members, be often Refreshed there. I tell you, The very Angels of God, Love to Watch about the Houses, that are so Devoted unto the Lord  
When the Jews built their Houses, they still had their Gnalijoth, their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, their Upper Chambers in them. There was always a Room, in the Upper part of the House, which they set apart for Sacred Employments; It was their Oratory, and they had in it a Window, which they called, God's Window, opening towards the Temple. Here Daniel waited upon God; Here Hezekiah lay Sick; Paul took this Room to Preach in, when Eutichus fell, 'tis probable, from that very Window. Even the Wickedest men among them, would not have an House without such a Room and such a Window in the Room; Hence the Lord said of one, in Jer. 22.14. woe to him, that saith, I will build me a wide House, and large Upper Chambers, and cutteth him out Windows there. But now, that which is to be urged upon us, in these Days, when Holiness of Places is abolished, is this; Let every Room of our Houses, in some sort or other, be the Lords.  
III Our Tabernac●es must not be Prayerless Tabernacles, if we would Comfortably Enjoy these Tabernacles. If we will Deny God, in our Houses, 'tis but just that He should than Dany Houses unto us. It is a dreadful Imprecation, in Jer. 10.25. OH Lord, pour out thy Fury on the Families, that call not on thy Name. And wherein will that Fury be discovered? It will be partly discovered, in Turning those Families out of their Houses.  
If there be so much as one owner of a Prayerless House, now appearing in this House of Prayer; yea, if there be so much as one of you, that Pray any seldomer with your Families, than ordinarily Twice in a Day, with a Morning and an Evening Sacrifice, I would address that man, with an Earnest Expostulation.  
Friend; The very Turks, do at this Day uphold a Family Worship among them; and art thou worthy to be called a Christian, that livest without any Family-Worship at all? Not, Thou art in this Thing, worse than a Turk. It is noted concerning Obed-Edom, The Lord blessed Obed-Edom, and his Household, while the Ark of the Lord was there. Even so, The Lord would Bless thee, and thy Household, if Prayer to the Lord were there. But thy Sinful, Woeful Family lies open to the Curse of God, as long as thou dost not carry those poor Children and Servants unto the Lord Jesus Christ, for His Blessing to be bestowed upon them: And how hideously, will They also Curse thee, throughout Eternal Ages, when they shall with Intolerable Anguish cry out, Oh! that I had never seen that Prayerless House! 'Tis that House, which has brought me to this Hell for ever! But there is this particular Aggravation of thy Impiety; That if the Town be laid in Ashes, 'tis thy Prayerless House that is among the just causes of it.  
Come than; Don't any more pled, That you have no Time for Family-Prayer. Did God Give thee all thy Time; and shall He have none of it? Found a little Time for thy Soul, as well as for the World; Or, go writ that Sentence upon thy Mantle tree, What is a man profited, if he gain the whole World, and lose his own Soul?  
And pled not more, That you want Confidence or Utterance, for Family Prayer. But, Meditate on that Warning of the Lord Jesus Christ, Whosoever shall be Ashamed of me, of him also shall the Son of Man be Ashamed. Sat down, and ponder, What are your Sin●, your Wants, your Woes; There is no need of making Elegant Orations before the Lord: Call thy Folks together; Fall down before the Lord among th●m all; Cry to the Lord for them as well as He shall enable thee: Try, to Night, if thou never didst before; Try; God will Help thee, man; and thou wilt come to the Minister who thus advised thee, and say, Blessed be the Lord, and Blessed be thy Advice, and Blessed be thou for giving it!  
IV. If we would Comfortably Enjoy our Tabernacles, Let us Conscientiously Instruct and Govern those that are under our charge, in our Tabernacles. Let us do what we can, that there may be none but such as may Know and Serve God in our Houses, and it may be Hoped that God will permit our Houses to stand before Him. There is to be Recommended unto us, the Great Exemple of Abraham, in Gen. 18.19. I know him, that he will command his Children and Household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord Oh! Let not the Houses of Christians, become like the Wigwams of Indian's, for the Unnurtured, Uninstructed, Ungoverned, Families in them! Wherhfore, Let us Faithfully Teach the Little Folks in our Houses; Teach them, as David and Bethsheba did their Solomon; Teach them to Know those things from their Childhood, whereby they may be made Wise unto Salvation: See that they be none of them unacquainted with the Covenant of God, or, with any agreeable Doctrine of God their Saviour. Let us also Fervently Charge those Little Folks: Charge them to Serve the Lord with a Perfect Heart and a Willing Mind; Charge them to Believe on Christ, and Repent of Sin, and Return to God; Charge them to Enter into their Closets, and Pray to their Heavenly Father in Secret; Admonish them, that they do Consider their Ways; and that especially they Eat all Bad Company, and not Consent, if Sinners do Entice them. If any of them do fall into any Sin against God, be sure to Reprove that Sin; Reprove it Scripturally, Reprove it Effectually. And Restrain them from every Sin, which they would be Ready to Run into. Let there be no Children of Belial with you, none that shall be free from the Yoke of a Serious Discipline.  
There is especially one Sin, which the Lord has Required Householders to keep all within their Houses from.  
The Fourth Commandment is, That the Lords Day shall not be profaned, by thy Son, or thy Daughter, thy Man servant, or thy Maid servant, nor thy Stranger that is within thy Gates. And it was once the Menace of Heaven, If ye will not harken unto me, to hollow the Sabbath-day, than I will kindle a Fire, and it shall devour, and it shall not be quenched! Oh! consider of it!  
V Let us carefully Attend, Esteem, Support the Tabernacles of the Lord, and that will be the way for us comfortably to Enjoy our own. When David was Banished from his own House, his value for the House of God, was Recompensed with a Return unto his own. Would we never be Banished at all, out of our Houses? Let us value the House of God above our own; and let us Build up His House, Jest He Burn down ours. Would we have many Days in our Tabernacles? Let us than hearty say, as in Psal. 84.1.10. How Amiable are thy Tabernacles, OH Lord of Hosts? A Day there is better than a thousand elsewhere. Would we have the Love and the Eye of God upon our Habitations? Let us than hearty say, as in Psal 26.8. Lord, I have Loved the Habitation of thy House, and the place where thy Honour dwells. The Jews give thi●, as the Definition of a Bad Neighbour: A Bad Neighbour is one who dwells in a Town, where there is a Synagogue, and never comes unto the Synagogue. Truly, that person, who comes not unto the Houses of God, in the Town, is a Bad Neighbour; and our own Houses may far the worse for having such a Bad Neighbour near unto them. They pled perhaps, That they have not Clotheses good enough. But you that are their Friends, I pray, ask them, whether they had not better come to the House of God, with mean Clotheses, than Lose the Garments of Salvation, which are here to be put upon their Souls. Ask them, whether they must not shortly be Shrouded in a Winding Sheet, and than they will mourn at the Last, that ever mean Clotheses were their Excuse for not coming to the House of God. If they profanely tell you, They stay at Home to Read a Chapter in Job, Turn 'em to a Chapter in Job, and that mark of a Godly man, in Job 23 12. I have Esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary Food. Briefly, It is the Church of God, that is the House of God. Now, Let the Church of God, receive all possible Regard and Kindness from you▪ Upon this Encouragement, you ca●not Show so much Respect unto the House of God, but God will show more to yours.  
VI Let us be Humbly Thankful, for ●he Mercies of God, which we Enjoy in our Tabernacles, if we would still comfortably Enjoy our Tabernacles. If we would ●ot be Turned out of our Houses, Let us ●ay the Rent which we own to our Great ●and lord for them: That Rent is this, Let us offer the praise that will Glorify Him, and Let us order our Conversations aright. We are not Abroad obnoxious to the Hardships of the Wether, Consumed, as the Patriarch was, In the Day by the Drought, and in the Night by the Frost; nor are we confined unto the wretched Cottages of the Savages. Now unto what is this to be ascribed?  
I'll mention unto you, a very Heart-melting Thought! Our Precious and Glorious Lord Jesus Christ, could say, in Mat. 8.20. The Foxes have Holes, and the Birds of the Air, have Nests; but the Son of Man has not where to Lay his Head. Now 'tis to this Humiliation of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we are to ascribe, the Mercies which we have, in our Commodious Houses. Oh! Let us Thankfully say before the Lord, My Lord Jesus Christ, by being Harbourless in this Evil World, has procured for me this Benefit, that I am in a Good Harbour here. Bless the Lord, OH my Soul, and Forget not such a Benefit! Hereupon, When we Look round about our Houses, and see the manifold Smi●es of God in every Corner of them, we should than Study with ourselves, What shall I now tender to the Lord? It is noted of David, in 2 Sam 7.1, 2. He sat in his House, and the Lord had given him Rest, and he than thought, What shall I do for the Ark of God? Would we Sat long, and Sat safe, and Sat quiet in our Houses? Let us, when we Sat there, contrive what Returns we shall make to the God of Heaven for them.  
VII. Would we comfortably Enjoy our Tabernacles? Than Let us Remember that they are no more than Tabernacles. When you go into your Comfortable Houses, reckon them not more than Stages, whereat you can only stay to Bait a while in your Journey, to your Eternal State. Oh! Live like Strangers in your own Houses; and be the House never so convenient, yet count not yourselves at Home, in that House.  
I beseech you, to Lay up this Admonition with you. If you would Keep any thing, in this World, you must not set your Hearts upon it: and indeed, it is fit that men should keep nothing of this World, which they do set their Hearts upon. The way for us, to have our Houses taken away from us, is, to have our Hearts vainly fond of continuing in them. It was therefore an Annual, and a most suitable Ceremony, which the Lord Enjoined upon His People of old; When a Good Harvest had filled their Houses, God ordered them to go out of their Houses; they must than go make Little Tabernacles abroad, and keep the Feast of Tabernacles. Thus did the Lord mind them of their Condition in this World; when they had never so much of this World about them, they must not forget that they were no more than Sojourners in the World. This I say; Thou we have Houses that we can Feast in, yet Let us have the Temper of a Feast of Tabernacles in us. Let our Hearts be go out of our Houses, & the Lord will give us, Leave to stay the Longer in them.  
Oh! Let us not be those Fools, of whom 'tis said in Psal. 49.11. Their Inward Thought is, that their Houses shall continued for ever, and their Dwelling-places to all Generations: Nor let us foolishly count, the Goods in our Houses, Goods laid up for many years. As we walk about our Houses, let this Consideration come into our Hearts; How easily can all these Richeses take themselves Wings and flee away! One or Two Hours, may lay this House Level with the Ground. But there is a further Consideration, which is than also to come into our Hearts; 'Tis but a little while that I shall remain in this House; It won't be long, before I am Locked up in a Coffin under Ground, when the place that now knows me, will know me not more.  
And what should be the Issue of such Considerations? I would Pray you, let it be This. Let us make sure of an House Eternal in the Heavens, to be Enjoyed by us, when our Earthly Tabernacles can be not more useful to us. If you Inquire, How this is to be done? I answer, in one Word; By giving to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of Heaven, a Dwelling in our Souls. Our Houses here, though made of Brick and Stone itself, they are only Tabernacles. But the Apostle tells us, in 2 Cor. 5.1. We have an House Eternal in the Heavens. The Blasphemous Julian, would insolently call our Lord Jesus Christ, The Carpenters Son. But, Christians; Be assured, That Blessed Son in Law of a Carpenter, is He that has built a Stately Palace, in the Heavenly Regions, for all His Choose one's; and He hath said, in Joh. 14.2. In my Father's House are many Mansions; Even, as there were many Chambers to Lodge the Priests, annexed unto the Temple of old. The Formidable Fires, that shall dispatch the Conflagration of the World, of which Conflagration, the Fires multiplied in our Days, are doubtless a Shadow, and an Omen; Those Fires, I say, will not reach this Illustrious House.  
When the Worthy Minister of Nola, had his House burnt, he li●t up his Eyes to Heaven, saying, Domine, ubi Omnia Mea Tu Scis; Lord, Thou knowest, I have a better House than This. Oh! Let us make sure of a Mansion in Heaven, by Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; and so, when our other Houses fail us, We shall be Received into Everlasting Habitations.  

CORONIS.  
But there is a Tribe of Zebulon, which makes no little part of our Neighbourhood. There are so many of our Neighbours, whose Employment lies at Sea, that in my own particular Congregation, I have counted near Ninety People, in one Day recommended unto our Prayers, by Bills from those who were Solicitous for their Friends than abroad.  
My Neighbours, Your Vessels are your Houses; what are your Ships, your Ketches, your Brigantines, and your Sloops, but your Tabernacles? Oh! may Iniquity be Put far from them! Since we have been pressing of that Religion, which may have a Tendency to preserve our Standing Houses a Shore, let us also press that Religion, by which the preservation of your Floating Houses at Sea may be be-friended.  
It is a passage, in Psal. 107.23.24. They that go down to the Sea in Ships, that do Business in great Waters, These see the works of the Lord, and His Wonders in the Deep.  
In the First place, before ever you Embark in those your Moving Tabernacles, become United unto the Lord Jesus Christ, by Faith in Him, that so you may be prepared for all the Wonders of those Dangers, which you may be Exposed unto. There are wondered Storms, which may Encounter and Endanger those your Feeble Tabernacles: But Calms, may likewise Incommode you worse than Storms. By Numberless Accidents, these Tabernacles may be Sunk and Lost in the Waters; but the Fires especially may more terribly threaten you, than the Waters. Enemies do much prey upon these Tabernacles on the Ocean, as the Greater Fish in it, upon the lesser ones; but the worst Enemies, are the Pirates of our own Nation, who barbarously butcher all that may discover them. In short, So Sensibly near to Death are you in these your Tabernacles, that, in Truth, Tam prope mors urget, quam prope cernis Aquam: 'tis but the Breadth of a Plank to two. My Friends, That Pitched Box of Plank, what is it, but a larger sort of a Coffin? Our Seafaring Folks, may say with the Psalmist, My Soul is continually in my Hand. But, before it come to this, OH man if thou Love thy Soul, effectually put thy Soul, into the Hand of the Lord Jesus Christ, Repairing to Him, and Relying on Him, for thy Righteousness, thy Blessedness, thy Everlasting Life. The Poet counted him a Bold man, [Audax Japeti Genus] who Ventured first of all to go to Sea. Yea, but I earnestly Protest unto you, He that will venture to Sea, before he hath Savingly Closed with the Lord Jesus Christ, by Faith, is a Bold, an Hardy, a Sottish, and a desperately Venturesome Creature. Sirs, Will you go to Sea, before you have made up your Accounts? There are sad Accounts between God and you; I beseech you, get 'em all made up, in your Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, for the Pardon of all your Sins, before you stir. The First Ship, even the Ark, was in this, a Type of the Lord Jesus Christ, that the Salvation of your Souls does depend on your being in Him. Neighbours, Don't Step into any Ship, till you are first got into that Ark! And Now,  
Be sure, That you Abandon those Vices, that Sailors too too generally are used, or at Lest, are Tempted unto.  
The first man, that ever set up a Ship, once fell into the Sin of Drunkenness. Are none of you, that Sail in a Ship, too Liable to that woeful Sin? Beware of that Beastly Vice. Beastly did I call it? Alas, I have wronged the Beasts in so calling it: Beasts will not seek to be Drunk; To be Drunk, turns men into worse than Beasts. A Drunken man, is q. d. a Drowned man; Let our Sailors Take heed of being Drunkards, Jest God Almighty Drown them, yea, Damn them, for their being so. And is not the Sin of profane Swearing and Cursing, become too notorious among our Mariners? Reform that Impiety Sirs; Jest you that now Sail in a vast Sea of Waters, e'er Long have that profane Tongue tortured in the Fiery Wrath of God, where you shall in vain cry, Oh! for a Drop of water to cool my Tongue! The Tongue is fitly compared unto the Helm, which turns about the Ships, though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds: That Little Helm, in thy mouth, Govern it, OH man, and Restrain it by the Rules of the Word of God, else thy Soul will be horribly Shipwrecked.  
Filthy Speaking, Bawdy speaking, vile Ribaldry, is too frequent a Vice of Mariners. Leave it of, I beseech you; and, Keep thy Tongue from Evil. It may be, Mispence of Time, is to be reckoned a principal Vice among you; certainly, 'tis a pernicious one. The Sails of Time, are furling apace, and yet how many weary contrivances have you to pass this Time away? Yea, but thy Soul is ready to put a shore in Eternity; and than, thou wilt wish, thy Time had been more of it spent in Reading, and Thinking, and Praying over the State of thy Soul.  
The Ships of Jehoshaphat were Broken: His men were an abominable Crew! Harken, Brothers; you'll hazard the Breaking of your Ships, if you don't break of your Ungodliness. Let the Sea, no Longer-say, Wisdom is not in me! on the occasion of ●he Follies almost universally indulged among the Sea faring.  
Finally; Use Prayer, before you Go to Sea, that you may bespeak the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, in your Fleeting Tabernacles. You tell us, You desire the Prayers of the Congregation. 'Tis but a ●ocking of God, if you make no Prayers ●f your own. But Invigorate your Prayers, with Faith, in such promises as that ●n Isa. 43.3. When thou passest through the Wa●ers, I will be with thee.  
And my Masters, continued your Prayers, with your Companies, even as with your Families, during all the Voyage. You are worse than Jonahs' Mariners, if you do it not.  
It may be, you have Received the Favours of God, on the Waters. Don't Writ the memory of them, as on the Waters, and forget the Vows of God that are upon you.  
Consider, Heaven as you Haven. And be desirous, that your Soul may like his, in 3 Joh. 2. make a Good Voyage of it. Have an Eye of Daily Observation on the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Sun of Righteousness. Don't neglect the Pole Star of the Scripture. Ply the Pump of Repentance, with continual Zeal to get Sin out of the Hold of the Heart. When the Gales of the Spirit Striving with you, are blowing, Spread the Sails of your Souls before them, and Sail tied before that blessed Wind. Often see What Way you make; and whatever you cast overboard, make no Shipwreck of Faith and a Good Conscience. And so, God Smile upon your Voyages.   
FINIS.