The First Remark.

Take a due and a deep Notice, I beseech you, of the Notable Judgments with which we have seen the Contempt of the Glorious Gospel, Revenged by the God of Glory. We have seen the Gospel, or, the Tidings of Salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ, for Miserable Sinners, Graciously Offered; We have seen the Offer of this Gospel, most ungratefully Refused; But of this Refusal, what Event have we seen? Truly, A very Terrible Event. I Re­member a passage of Scripture, which runs thus in [Page 29] our Translation, Isa. 2.22. Cease ye from man, whose Breath is in his Nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of? But, if you please, you may thus understand it. The Prophet is denouncing the Judgments of God, upon the Jewes, for their Des­pising of the Messiah; and the Denunciati [...]n is thus Concluded: Now forbear as to that man, [or, cease from Offending and Provoking of Him,] who is now very Angry, [which the Hebrewes Express, by Breathe in the Nostrils,] for none is able to de­clare, how high an Account is to be made of Him. Sirs, We have seen the God of Heaven very Ang­ry; He ha's Breathed the Hot Lightnings of Death, out of His Nostrils; when People have made no Account of the Lord Jesus Christ, and of His Gospel. We have seen These Four or Five Remarkables among the rest.

The Second Remark.

Men had ne [...]d beware of Rash Speeches, espe­cially of Rash Wishes, for we have seen Sore Judg­ments fall out, most agreeably thereunto. It was wholesome Advice once given by the Town-Cle [...] of Ephesus, Ye ought to Do nothing Rashly ▪ Truly, Nor should we Speak any thing Rashly, much less Wish any thing Rashly. Syrs, The An­gels of Death over-hear what we say, and God often gives 'em Commission to Sin [...]e a man, Ex Ore suo. How often have we seen it, That a Fools Mouth is his Destruction, and his Lips are the Snare of his Soul! There was once a very Godly man, of whom 'tis Reported, in Psal [...] [...]06.32. It went Ill with him, because they provoked his Spirit, so that he spoke unadvisedly with his Lips. I'll tell you what I have met withal. I have heard a vexed Father say, He cared not whether he ever saw such a Child again. That Child has gone out of his Presence, and through the Dispatches of Death, he has never seen that Child again.

I have known a Weary Mother say, She hopes this is the Last Child she shall ever have; and mul­ [...]iplied, and unhappy Miscarriages, ever after, have given 'em cause to remind what they said, with bitterness of Soul.

Again, There was a Sailor in a Boat bound hither from the Northward, who being disswa­ded [Page 35] from taking a Pipe of Tobacco, because they had a Barrel of Powder aboard, reply'd, I will take it, though the Devil carry me away alive! The Fire some how came at the Powder, which tore the Boat in pieces, and Lost all the Goods that were in it. All the men, were to admiration preserved; except that one Sailor, whom they long after found in the Woods, with his Body torn to pieces.

Once more; A Lewd Young man, being dis­satisfied, with the Service wherein he Lived, at the House of an Honest man, in a Neighbouring Town, when they told him, That his bad cour­ses would bring him to Hell at the Last, he wick­edly said, He had rather be in Hell than in his Ma­sters House. Immediately after this, he was in a very strange manner Drowned ▪ off a Litle Bank in the River. Take one Example more.

There was an Old Professor, in one of our Churches, who being under the Admonition of the Church for some Offences, was by his Friends called upon, to Repent, and Reform, and Hum­ble himself. But he flew into this outrageous Answer, No, I will Burn, before I will Turn. And Behold the Issue! This man some time after, fell into the Fire, and was Burnt to Death. Take yet one more Example.

A man, in our Narragansett-Country having set his Dog to mischief his Neighbours Cattel, de­ny'd the Fact, with Imprecations, That he might [Page 36] never stir from the place, if he had so done. The Neighbour, to whom he deny'd it, expressing himself troubled at his Impudent Lying, this A­theist hereupon used the Name of the Great God in his Imprecations, That God would never let him stir out of that place, if he did the Thing. The words were scarce out of his mouth, but he sunk down Dead in the place, and never stirred any more.

And as they who Curse ▪ themselves often smart for it, [consider of this, ye Hardy Wretches, who call upon the Almighty to Damn you, which the Devils themselves are not so Hardy as to Do!] So they who Curse others, do horribly wound themselves in the Recoyl. You shall hear an Example.

A Debauch'd Fellow, had Cursed that Excel­lent man, Governour Prince. The Governour Laid before the Transgressor, the Gre [...] Si [...] he had committed; and with a Grave, Holy, Aw­ful Admonition, besought him to consider of that Scripture, in Psal. 109.17, 18. As he Loved Cursing▪ so let it come unto him, as▪ he delighted not in Blessing, so let it be far from him. As he clothed himself with Cursing, like as with his Garments, so let it come into his Bowels, and like Oyl into his Bones. Quickly after this, a direful Cancer smote this man; the Cancer appeared first in his Lip, and so it Eat away his Flesh, and his Jaw, down to his Throat; where, with Inexpressible Torments, it kill'd him.

Behold, O man; If thou desirest Life; keep thy Tongue from Evil!

The Third Remark.

There is a Lying Proverb, A Drunken man gets no Harm: We have seen the Judgments of God upon Drunkards, most Wofully confuting of that Lye. I am sure, Tis not a Proverb of Solomons; for he sayes, in Prov. 23.29. Who hath Wo? They who tarry long at the Wine. Is it no Harm, for a man to bring Sickness, on his Body? We have seen Drunkards often perishing in Diseases contracted by their Debauches Is it no Harm, for a man to bring Disgrace, on his Esteem? We have often seen Drunkards become very Abjects, though they once were Folks of some Fashion and Figure in the World. Is it no Harm, for a man to bring Poverty on his Estate? We have often seen the Judgments of God fulfilling that word, The Drunk­ard shall come to Poverty. Surely, Tis no little Harm, for men to Debase, and Confound their own Souls, and lay themselves open, unto the worst of all the Temptations of the Devil, the worst of all Impieties. But Sirs, How often have we seen woful Drunkards doing so? We have seen them Turn Beasts, yea, Turn Devils! But more particularly.

A Drunken man, is in old English as much as to say, A Drowned man. To see then, a Drunken man, become a Drowned man, is to see but a most Retaliating Hand of God. Why, we have seen This very Thing, more than Threescore Times in our Land. And I remember the Drowning of [Page 38] one Drunkard, so odly circumstanced; It was [...] the Hold of a Vessel, that lay full of water nea [...] the Shore. We have seen it, so often, that I am amazed at you, O ye Drunkards of New England; I am amazed, that you can Harden your Hearts in your Sin, without Expecting to be destroy'd sud­denly, and without Remedy. Yea, And we have seen the Devil, that ha's possess'd the Drunkard, throwing him into the Fire, as well as into the Water. They have Tumbled into the Fire, and then kept Shrieking, Fire! Fire! till they have gone down to the Fire, that never shall be quench­ed. Yea, More than One or Two, Drunken Women, in this very Town, have, while in their Drink, fallen into the Fire, and so they have Tra­gically gone Roaring out of one Fire into another. O ye Daughters of Belial, Hear and Fear, and Do Wickedly no more!

The Fourth Remark.

It was a Thing once charged upon Sabbath-breakers, in Neh. 13 18. Ye bring Wrath upon Israel, by Profaning the Sabbath. And have not we seen the Wrath of God, Correcting Profanations of the Christian Sabbath, with Rebukes of Thunder and Lightning? And indeed, Some Intelligent Per­sons have noted it, That the dreadful Storms of Thunder and Lightning, which have kill'd many a­mong us from year to year, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah; they have mostly happen­ed on or near the Lords Day: As an intimation, [Page 39] that breaches of the Lords-Day, have procured the Firing of the Great Artillery of Heaven upon us. However, Our Land sees little Rest, through the Judgments of God upon us, for the Violations of the Sacred Rest, which he ha's appointed for us. And the many Disasters, which happen on the Lord [...] Day among us, may be so many Judg­ments, upon us, for our not Sanctifying the Day unto the Lord ▪ But all the more Special Exemples, of Judgments coming for Sins against the Sabbath, I will wrap up, in this one piece of History. I have been desired by many Malefactors, to be with them at their Execution; and Then, in those last and sad Minutes of their Lives, they have sometimes cryed out, This, This is a Judgment of God, upon my Sabbath-breaking; I may thank my Sabbath-breaking for all this; T'was for my mis­pending of the Sabbath with vain Persons, and in vain Actions, that God ha's left me to that Wickedness which ha's brought upon me, all of this horrible Misery! Think of This, you that still say of the Lords-Day, What a Weariness is it?

The Fifth Remark.

Disobedient Children! My Heart akes for you for I have seen the Judgments of God, makin [...] such as you ▪ the most astonishing Monuments [...] His Indignation. It was a Custome in Israel, tha [...] once a year, this Proclamati [...]n was made, fro [...] the Top of Mount Ebal, in D [...]ut. 27.16. Cursed he, that setts Light by his Father [...] or his Mother. A [...] [Page 40] all the People shall say, Amen. As from the Top of that Mount, I do this Day Proclame it, That [...] have seen the Curse of God, making a Quick work with such as have not Honoured their Parents; while I have also seen, those Children, who have Ho­noured, and Supported, and Comforted their Pa­rents, wonderfully Prospering under the manifold Blessings of God. And, I Pray all the People to mind it.

Very Few have Dy'd on the Gallowes, in this place, but what have Wrung their Hands upon the Ladder, with this out cry, This is a Judgment of God upon me, for my Undutifulness unto my Pa­rents; My Dis [...]bedience to my Parents ha's brought me hither!

But this Article of Discourse may not be dis­missed, until we have Singled out One particular Exemple, of the Strange Punishments, which Undu­tiful Children bring upon themselves, from the Judgments of God.

A Reverend Minister of Christ, that often Served Him, in that very Pulpit, where these words are uttered, once observed a Son, to behave himself undutifully towards his Father, in the Ferry boat, which was carrying them over the River. Whe [...]eupon that Man of God said unto the Young man, Young man, I am sorry to see you so little Regard your Father; I would ser [...]ously per­swade you to Rep [...] of your Undutifulness, or, I will solemnly Assure [...], that I Expect, the Killing Judg­ments [Page 41] of God will overtake you, before a year come to an end. And, behold, before that year was out, this Young man was miserably Mu [...]dered.

Hearken, my Young Folks; And Let not your Eye mock your Fathers, or despise to obey your Mothers, Lest the Ravens of the Valley do pick it out, and the Young Eagles do eat it!

The Sixth Remark.

Unto the Contentious we have seen God Recom­pence Indignation and Wrath, Tribulation and Anguish. Said th [...] Apostle once, in Rom. 16 17. I bes [...]ch you, Brethren, Mark them which cause Div [...]s. And I now say, I beseech you, Brethren, Mark the Places and the Persons, which by Divisions have m [...]de themselves Notorious: Mark, what Judgments of God have Signalized them. Something of what I have Marked, I will freely tell you.

I have Marked it, That those Places, which have kept up Divisions, and Strifes, and Schisms, have been direfully Smitten with Spiritual Plagues, the Plagues which are of all the direfullest. The most Lively Saints in those places, have been soon Snatch'd away by Death, one after another: The Power of Godliness hath been Lamentably lost a­mong the Survivers, and a Leanness hath been sent into their Souls: The Work of Conversion hath been at a deadly stand, and the Rising Generati­on hath pined away in their Iniquities. Yea, there was one Church among us, wherein an uncom­fortable Rupture happened: and a Young man [Page 42] in the Town was left unto an horrid Self-Murder; he Drowned himself: But he left behind him a Writing directed unto his Father, wherein there was this among other passages; Father, My Ruine was, the Stubborness and Unfaithfullness of my Tender years; and Evil Counsil, and Evil Company; and, The Differences in the Church, by reason whe [...]of I grew Pro [...]d, and did not carry it in my place, as I ought, which is the wide way to Ruine. God make this Young man, our Warner; His Name was, Warner!

Again, I have Marked it, That those Persons, who have been the Grand Incendiaries, in Divi­sions, have been often branded, with some Symp­tomes of the Displeasure of God. Those Persons, have, been very Industrious to Blott the Names of other men; and at last, they themselves have Dy'd with a Blott. This indeed, is a point wherein we must be sparing; yet I may not forget, That a Council Sitting at a Town, for the Composing of some Ecclesiastical Differences, Our Venerable Old Mr. Wilson saw one man to be Extreamly perverse above the rest, and most unreasonably, to disturb the Peace of the Church. Whereupon, that Zealous man, told the Council, he was Con­fident, That the Jealously of God, would set a Mark upon that man, and that the Ordinary Death of men should not befal him. It happened a little while after this, that the man was barbarously Murder­ed by the Salvages!

[Page 43]Again, There was a Quarrelsome Woman in a Church not far off; who having Accused a man in the Church, of a Fault that she could not prove, She yet remained so Irreconcileable, that she would never come to the Lords Table, as long as that man Lived. He Dying, she brag'd unto her Friends, That now she would go to the Sacra­ment, at the Lords Table. One of them solemn­ly told her, That she might yet Fear a Testimony of the Displeasure of God against her, for her Unchristian Absenting her self so long from that Ordinance. And, Lo, She Dyed Suddenly, Just before the Next Sa­crament was to be Administred: [though she had the Repute of a Godly Woman.] Don't then, Don't Sow Discord any of you, lest you be an Abomination to the Lord. Be not Unpeaceable, or Unplacable; God is not pleased with the Froward.

The Seventh Remark.

We are assured in 2 Pet. 2.9, 10. At the Day of Judgment sh [...]l b [...] punished, chiefly they that walk after the Flesh, in the Lust of Uncleanness. And it is no rare thing among us, to see Judgment in this World also overtaking them. Father Laty­mer once presented unto a Great man, a New Testament, with this Inscription Embossed on the Cover of it, Whoremongers and Adulterers God shall Judge. And indeed, how surprisingly, how Amazingly, may we see God Judging, that sort of Sinners!

We have seen many, many, many, to Dy in their [Page 44] Youth; because, Their Life has been among the Un­clean We have seen them, to mourn at the last, when their Flesh and their Body, has been consumed. We have seen them getting a Wound and a Disho­nour, and a Reproach, that is never wiped away. It may be, the Just God says upon the Unclean, Write this person Childless! or, it may be, the Lord says, I will kill their Children with Death. Or, 'tis pos­sible, some very miserable Disasters have attend­ed their Offsp [...]ing; Peccatum seminis punitur in se­mine. Why? Because that some old Acts of Uncleanness have not been enough Repented of.

'Tis said of Uncleanness, By means thereof, a man is brought unto a piece of Bread. Some forlorn peo­ple, have cry'd out unto me, of their desperate Poverty; and anon, they have confessed, That they believed the Judgments of God, made them, and kept them so poor, to Revenge the Secret, Cursed, Horrid Adulteries, which they had wallowed in.

Yea, How many have R [...]pen [...]ed themselves, for the most Capital Strokes of the Sword of Ju­stice, by this Wickedness! I have known several who under a Sentence of Death, for other Crimes wherein they thought themselves hardly dealt withal, have cryed out, Oh! 'Tis for my Secret A­dulteries, that the Holy God, has brought all this upon me! And how many Young Women, have been Executed among us, for Murdering of their Ba­stard Infants! But, at their Execution, this has been their Exclamation, Oh! 'that all young people, [Page 45] would beware of the Snares of Uncleanness: By con­tinuing in those woful Snares, without any speedy Re­pentance, we have been Ruined! One of the first in this Land, that came to such an End, [Her Name was Martin,] had yielded unto a Wicked man solliciting her Chastity: but with such Reluct­ances of Soul, that in her Prayers to God, for Help, she said, If ever she were overtaken again, she would Leave her self unto His Justice to be made an Example. She Remembred not her Vows, but was again overtaken: She Conceived, she Tra­vailed, she privately Destroy'd her Child, using Two several Attempts before she could wholly dispatch it. Afterwards, upon a Removal of the Family, the Murder strangely came to Light: God made the Infant Bleed afresh before her, for her Confusion; She own'd the whole Truth, and she Dy'd for i [...]: But she was Twice Turn'd off, before her Expiration. Say then, Say, my Friends, to all the Temptations of Uncleanness, How shall I do this Wickedness, and Sin against God!

The Eighth Remark.

Let us a Little Summ up the Gains, of those who have used Irregular Methods of Oppression, or of Dishonesty, to Gain the World. I have done it; and I'll tell you what I have seen the Sum Total to be. The Judgments of God have brought it unto That, in Jer. 17.11. He gets Riches, and not by Right; At his End he shall be a Fool. Fa­ther Latymer, would speak of a Grievous Cough [Page 46] which would come upon them that swallow'd Unrighteous Gains. Truly, Losses have usually fol­lowed upon such Gains, like so many Coughs, & men have Cough'd, & Cough'd, until they vomited up all that they had got. It is the Charge of our Lord Jesus Christ upon us, That no man go beyond, or op­press his Brother▪ in a matter; because that the Lord is the Avenger of all such. We are told, If thou seest the Oppression of the Poor, He that is Higher than the Highest, Regards it. We are told, God consi­ders all the Oppressions that are done under the Sun. There was much Notice taken of This, in the Infancy of our Plymouth Colony, when the poor Planters had their Dependence on certain Ad­venturers in England. The Adventurers, taking their Advantages, of the Extream Straits, which those poor Planters were in, sent over Supplies unto them, at the most Extreamest Rates imagi­nable. The poor Planters made Return in Pel­try; but the Vessel was taken by a Turks Man of War, and carried into Salley, where they Sold the Peltry for Groats a piece; as much too Low, as the Goods for which they had been Return'd were too High, and the men were made Priso­ners into the Bargain, to the great Loss of the Adventurers. But it would spend many Hours to Relate, the Notice which might have been since taken, of many more, such Evident Judg­ments o [...] God, on the Wayes of the Oppressor. Oh! do not Learn his Wayes; God gives unto all sorts [Page 47] of Devourers, Letters of Reprisal, to take away [...]is Unjust Gains from him; very commonly it so [...]alls out.

There are some, that have used the grossest [...]ort of Stealing, and Robbing. But have they Enriched themselves? I Entreat you, Syrs, to [...]ake our New-English Pyrates, the Subjects of your Meditations That man is Blind unto Sun­ [...]hine, and Blind before Lightning, who sees not [...]he Tremendous Judgments of God, pursuing of [...]hose wicked men. Let no man after this, run greedily after the Error, of those Children of Per­dition. But, if any of you, have knowingly [...]een Sharers with them in their Gains; for Gods sake, Repent of what you have done; you have carried Burning Coals into your fea­ther'd Nests; Don't put a farthing of that mo­ney, among the rest of your Possessions; it will consume all the rest.

Others have had their Finer wayes of Cheating; but, what ha's come of them? The Estates got­ten by Cheating, have been but so many Treasures of Snow; The Rains of the Wrath of God, have wonderfully melted them; — at least, Viz gaudet Tertius Haeres.

There are Persons that have Broken, by their own Extravagancies: Not meerly by sad Provi­dences, bu [...] their own Extravagancies: These have used more Fraudulence than Fair-dealing, in [...] Compositions with their Creditors: But have [...] [Page 48] not seen afterwards, That after This (as we say) No Butter would ever Stick upon their Bread?

Widowes, When the Estates of the Deceased Husbands have been Insolvent, have not alwayes given in True Accounts; They have held back [...] part, that they should not have witheld: God ha's been Offended at them; they have gone un­der the Scourges of God all their Dayes for that Offence.

Desperate Gamesters, What hand have they made of it? — I can tell, what one of them did. He had play'd away, about Forty Pounds, in Lew'd Company; and then, he fell into Horror of Conscience, wherein he often Cryed out, I am all on Fire, under the Wrath of God! I am all on Fire, under the Wrath of God! And so, he went and hang'd himself.

Make all the Restitution that you can, Ye Cheats; or Expect the Judgments of God upon you. — Dis­eite▪ Justitiam Moniti.

The Ninth Remark.

Methinks, The Publick Judgments under which we have laboured, have sometimes, very con­victively Intimated the Sins and Faults, for which those Judgments have been Laid upon us. I will use a plain dealing in this matter. When have the Judgments of God, ever Deprived us of any▪ Good Thing, but we first of all have Despi­ [...]d, that Good!

We have been Sensual, Excessive, Unthankful, [Page 49] in our Enjoyment of the Fruits of our Har­vest. The Judgments of God have blasted them.

We have made Idols of our Lands, and for the sake thereof, neglected almost all that is Holy, and Just and Good. There was a Time, when through the Judgments of God, our Titles to them all were contested.

Litigious Law-Suits, were Scandalously multi­plied among us. The Judgments of God, brought us into a Time, when the Extortions of the Law made a Cry among us.

Drinking-houses, have been a most undoing Stumbling-block of Iniquity, in the midst of us. The Judgments of God, brought us into a Time, when Unsufferable Villanies were perpetrated every where, under the pretence of the Excise.

Those Times, are now over-indeed. But our Indian Wars are not over yet! We have too far degenerated into Indian Vices. The Vices of the Indians are these; They are very Lying Wretch [...] ▪ and they are very Lazy Wretches; and they are out of measure Indulgent unto their Children; there is no Family Government among them. We have shamefully Indianized, in all those Abomina­ble Things. Now, the Judgments of God, have Employ'd Indian Hatchets, to wound us, no doubt for these our Indian Vices.

A Thousand more such Things, may occur to a serious Observation. Syrs, Consider the Wondrous Works of God!

The Tenth Remark.

Many people have Sinned Horribly, upon a pre­sumption that they Sinned Secretly: But the Judg­ments of God, have been wonderfully and pro­digiously, and stupendously Display'd, in the Discovering of Secret Sinners, among us. David no doubt, promised himself, an Everlasting Se­crecy, of his Transgression: Thou didst it Secretly, said the Prophet; And the Psalmist, calling to mind that word, own'd in Psal. 51.4. Against Thee, Thee only have I Sinned; And the Evil I have done in Thy Sight. None was privy to the Crime, except one man, who was a Partner in it. Yea, but, Says the Lord, I'll make all Israel Hear of it! The Sin-Confounding Judgments of God, made all the Sin to come out. Syrs, Those Judgments of God, have been so Exemplified among our selves, That I cannot imagine how some Guilty Wretches, whose Crimes are hitherto Secret, are able to Walk about, having the Terrors of the Shadow of Death upon their Souls.

How many Secret Murders, have strangly been Discovered among us! And, I believe, there are yet more to be Discovered.

There have been Devilish Filthinesses committed among us; But, Oh! how strangely, have the Sins of men found them out!

At the Southward, there was a Beast, which brought forth a Creature, which might pretend [...]to something of an Humane Shape. Now, t [...]e [Page 51] people minded, that the Monster had a Blemish in one Eye, much like what a profligate Fellow in the Town was known to have. This Fellow was hereupon Examined; and upon his Exami­nation, Confessed, his Infandous Beastialities, for which he was deservedly Executed.

But I'le never Confess, thinks many an Hard-hearted Sinner. No! So thought another man, whose Name I could mention. He was one, who had formerly, and frequently, derided other persons, as Fools for Confessing against themselves. This man Lived in Adultery, especially with one Vile Woman; until God Struck him with a Dead Palsey, and a Quick Conscience. Then, he that had Laughed at others, for not concealing their Sins, could not conceal his Own. He Revealed his Villanies with that Woman, and others; and he acknowledged the Justice of God, [...]n com­pelling him to Reveal them. The Woman also made an Acknowledgment of her Enormities; and they both, Dy'd for their Iniquities.

What shall I say? There have been Church-Members among us, who have made no mean Profession of Religion. These have gone on from year to year, in a Trade of Secret Filthiness. Even I know, and am a Witness of it, sayes the Lord. Some of these, have Dy'd in very sad circum­stances, and the World ha's never heard any thing of the Lords Controversy with them. Yea, but many of them, have been strangely Detecte [...] [Page 52] before they have Dy'd: They have been left unto some Foolish, and Sottish Action, at last, which ha's Occasion'd the Publishing of their Vileness unto all the World. The Holy Eyes of the Lord Jesus Christ, which are like a Flame of Fire, have seen their Damnable Hypocrisy, and Impiety; and, He hath made all the Churches to know, that He [...]earches the Reins and Hearts of men: He hath made their Wickedness to be Declared before the whole Congregation: He hath brought the Publick Censures of His Faithful People upon them. He hath done much in these awful Judg­ments; and, I fear, I fear, He hath yet more to do, upon some, in the midst of thee, O Boston▪ Except they Repent!

The Eleventh Remark.

The Judgments of God among us, have not been more Conspicuous upon any Sinners, than upon those that have made others to Sin. There are some, whom the Scriptures call, The Chief of Sinners: Those who are Chief, in Drawing others on to be Sinners. Truly, The Judgments of God, have often made these, as Exemplary in their Plagues, as they have been in their Sins.

I have known, some Wretched Young Men, in several Societies, who have been the Chief De­bauchers of the Societies which they belong'd unto. But Oh! What sad Things, could I tell you, of the Deadly Judgments that God hath Showred [...]om Heaven, upon the Heads of those Infamous [Page] Youths! God ha's made 'em, the Sons of Eli, with His Deadly Judgments.

Under this Head of the Divine Judgments, why should I not mention the Condition of one whom I knew in this Place? The man Denyed the Immortality of the Soul; and would go to de­bauch other men, with his vile Opinion, That we have no Immortal Soul in us. This poor man came to ly on his Death bed, and then the Terrors of God so Thunderstruck his Conscience, that his Dying out-cryes were, Oh! what shall I do for my Immortal Soul; what will become of my Immortal Soul for ever!

And, when, alas, when will our Indian Traders, apply to themselves, that Commination, in Heb. 2.15. Wo to him that gives his Neighbour Drink that puttest thy Bottle [thy Rhum Bottle!] to him and makest him Drunken also? While there ha's been a most Observable Blessing of God, upon th [...] Preachers of Truth to the Indians, all the World may Observe a Judgment of God, upon the Sellers of Drink to the Indians. I pray, what have the Estates of such men, generally come to? Do; Trade on, ye Merchants of Souls, or, more truly, ye Butchers of Souls: Trade on, till the Judgments of God, have caused you, to Trade your selves into Beggery at the last! But know, that the Blood of Souls, will be found on you [...] Skirts. It is not very long ago, that an unusu [...] Accident in a part of this Province, did [...] [Page] [...]he Neighbours into some serious Thoughts of this matter. Several Indians were made horri­bly Drank, by the Drink, [...] the English had Sold unto them. Returnin [...] home, over a Little Ferry, Eight of them were Drowned; and Three months after they were Drown'd [from December to March] one of their Dead Bodies came ashore, very near the place, where they had been suppli­ [...]d with their Drink; and [...]ying on the Shore, it [...] so plentifully as to discolour the Water and and about it. Upon which the Considerate [...]ectators, thought of that Scripture, The Stone all cry out of the Wall, against him that gives his [...]eighbour Drink. They thought, there was a [...]oud Cry of Blood! Blood! against some Wicked [...]glish in this matter.

The Twelfth Remark.

Finally; We have seen, we have seen, That [...] omitting thei [...] Prayers to God, men bespeak [...] themselves, the Judgments of God.

How many, that have Liv'd Prayerless, have we [...]en to Dy Prayerless, or to Dy Hopeless?

We often miscarry in our Enterprizes; Now [...] we would Search and Try our Wayes, it may be, we should find, That we did not sufficiently Pray, over our Enterprises, before we Resolved upon them. How often, How often, have I seen this [...]erified in the Judgments of God!

Yea, by a Prayerless Life, we have seen men, [...] down, the most consummate Judgments of [...] upon their own woful Heads.

[Page]It was a pathetical Passage in the [...] Prayer of a poor Murderer, that was Executed [...] this place not long ago.

Oh! (said he) If I had gone to Prayer that morn­ing, when I committed the Sin for which I am now to Dy, Oh! Lord God, I believe, thou wouldest have kept back my Hands from that Sin!

[...] Day, wherein men have gone abroad with­out Prayer, before they went, how often have th [...] Judgments of God made it a Day of Thick Darkness to the Prayerless people? Such a Day, w [...] that of poor Origens Apostasy.

Yea, There was an Aged Professor, [...] to a Church in this Tow [...], who, after [...] of Good Repute, with Good People, [...] Drunken Sot, for which he was [...] After his Excommunication, he fell [...] Anguish of Soul, and at length [...] Circumstances. But some of [...] words were; I often Pray'd unto God, fo [...] a [...] which He still Deny'd me. At [...]ength I g [...]ew Angr [...] at God: Whereupon I grew slack in my Acquaintance with the Lord; Ever since which, He hath dreadfull [...] forsaken me, and I know, that now He hath no Mercy for me. Think of these things, and Oh! do not so Reject Fear, as to Restrain Prayer, before the Lord.

These are the most peculiar Judgments of God unto which I have accounted i [...], not ami [...]s, [...] point you; That so you may Tremble for fear Him, and be afraid of His Judgments.