“And now, Sirs, That I may set up an EBENEZER among you, there are these Things to be inculcated.”
“1. 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 an Ebenezer with the Acknowledgment in Acts 26, 22. Having obtained Help of God, I continue to this day. Our Town is now Threescore and Eight years old: and certainly ’tis Time for us, with all possible affection to set up our Ebenezer, saying, Having obtained Help from God, the Town is continued, until almost the Age of Man is passed over it. The Town hath indeed Three Elder Sisters in this Colony; but it hath wonderfully outgrown them all; and her Mother, old Boston, in England also; Yea, within a Few Years, after the first settlement it grew to be, the Metropolis of the whole English America. Little was this expected, by them that first settled the town, when, for a while, Boston was proverbially called Lost Town, for the mean and sad circumstances of it. But, O Boston, it is because thou hast Obtained help from God.” “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! But the fear’d Famine has always been kept off.”
The preacher proceeds,—
“A formidable French squadron hath not shot one Bomb into the midst of Thee;” our Streets have not run Blood and Gore; devouring-flames have not raged. “Boston, ’Tis a marvellous Thing, a Plague has not laid desolate!” “Boston, Thou hast been lifted up to Heaven; there is not a Town upon Earth, which, on some accounts, has more to answer for.”
Secondly, we are to acknowledge whose help it is. “This is the voice of God from Heaven to Boston this day; Thy God hath helped thee!” “Old Boston, by name, was but Saint Botolphs Town. Whereas Thou, O Boston, shall have but one Protector in Heaven, and that is Our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The preacher’s third division is that the help Boston has already had should lead her people to Hope. “Hope in him for more help hereafter.” “The motto upon all our Ebenezer’s is Hope in God! Hope in God!” In the course of this part of his lecture, the preacher says,—
“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 I 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 not very much. Now, stand still my Friends, and behold the will of God! Were any of these ever starved yet? No, these widows are every one in some sort provided for.”
Fourthly, “Let all that bear public office in the town contribute all the help they can that may continue the help of God in us!” First the ministers will help, and then he calls upon the Justices of the Courts, the constables, the school-masters and the townsmen to help: “Each of the sorts by themselves, may they come together to consider, What shall we do to save the town?”
Fifthly, “God help the town to manifest all that piety which a town so helped of Him, is obliged unto!” And then the town is warned against all sorts of iniquities: against fortune-tellers, bad houses, drinking houses, &c.
“Ah! Boston, Beware, Beware, lest the Sin of Sodom get Footing in thee!”