History of the War with Indian Savages, Part 2
II. In the WAR that hath been upon us whoſo is wiſe, may obſerve, in the very Inſtruments of our Calamity, ſhrow'd Intimations of the provoking Evils, for which the Righteous God hath Chaſtiſed us, by ſuch Instruments.
When the Miſeries of the Sword are inflicted on a people, it becomes them to conſider what Provocations they have given to the Almighty God, who makes peace, and creates Evil; for 'tis He, the Lord, who doth all theſe things. The Sword by which we have been ſo grievouſly haraſſed, hath been in the Hands of God: and if our Father had not been very Angry, would He have taken a Sword into His Hands? We are Blind before Lightning, we are Deaf unto Thunder, if we do not ſenſibly perceive the Anger of God, in the Tremendous Rebukes that we have ſuffered: And we are unaccountably, and inexcuſably ſtupid, if we do not Enquire, What means the Heat of this Anger? It was once the Commirration of God, in Ezek. 7.24, 27. I will bring the worst of the Heathen, and they ſhall poſſeſs their Houſes, and the Hands of the people of the Land ſhall be Troubled: Such Trouble hath come upon us, from the worſt of the Heathen! But what was the cauſe of all? It follows, I will do unto them after their way, and I will judge them according to their Deſerts, and they ſhall know that I am the Lord. It is but ſeaſonable for us now to Look back upon our own way, and ſee how much we have Deſerved all this Vengeance, by going out of the way. Two perſons in their Travels beholding the horrid Ruines of Germany, one of them ſaid, Hic fuit Hostilitas; Behold the Fruit of Hoſtility! his Friend anſwered, Hic fuit Iniquitas; Behold the Fruit of Iniquity! If you will Travel over our Eaſt Countrey, how frequent, how diſmal occaſions will you ſee, to Sigh, See what has been done by Hoſtility! But there will be as many occaſions for a ſadder Sigh than that; Namely, See the ſad Effects of Iniquity! Now, in this Contemplation, I do not go to charge them that were once Inhabitants of the Now Ruined Plantations, with any Sins, but what are more or leſs to be found in all our Colonies. I ask no more from our Brethren who yet Survive the Deſolations that have come upon their Eſtates and Neighbours in thoſe Plantations, but that they join with the reſt of us all, in Searching and Trying of our ways, and in Judging of our ſelves. For, alas, Every mouth muſt be ſtop'd, and all the Land is become Guilty before God! Let us all then Enquire, What may have been thoſe provoking Evils, for which the Holy and Bleſſed God, hath given the Sword a Commiſſion ſo dreadfully to devour us? But then, Let us be ſure to Enquire wiſely concerning that matter. And here, I will not Enquire, whether thoſe that went before us, might never be too forward in any Unjuſtifyable Encroachments, to poſſeſs and command thoſe Lands, which have ſince proved ſo Expenſive unto us? Older men then I, are beſt able to manage that Enquiry, though I alſo have heard it made. But that whereupon I rather beſpeak your Thoughts, is This: Will you pleaſe to Enquire into the Properties and Qualities, of our Adverſaries? 'Tis poſſible, that in their Properties and Qualities, we may read ſomething of thoſe Miſcarriages, for which our God, hath Raiſed them up to be our Adverſaries. It hath been commonly ſeen, That when the people of God have ſinfully come to Imitate the Evil manners of other Nations, God hath made thoſe very Nations to be a ſo…e ſcourge unto them. And the ſenſe of This was that which long ago cauſed many ſenſible perſons, to foretel, which of the Neighbour Nations, would bring our dear England Low. Now, ſince the INDIANS have been made by our God. The Rod of His Anger, 'tis proper for us to Enquire, whether we have not in ſome Inſtances too far Imitated the evil manners of the Indians? The Indians are Infamous eſpecially for Three Scandalous Vices. Firſt, They are Lyars of the firſt magnitude; One cannot believe a word they ſpeak. Secondly, They are Sluggards to a proverb; they are for any way of Living rather than work. Thirdly, They are abominably Indulgent unto their Children; there is no Family Government among them. Will you now Enquire, Sirs, how far we have Indianized in every one, but eſpecially, the laſt of theſe Evil Manners? If we find theſe Indian-Vices to grow Epidemical among us, Oh! don't wonder, that our God hath been with Indian Hatchets cutting down the Tree, that brings forth Fruits thus diſagreeable to Him that Planted it.
Now, Whoſo is wiſe, will Obſerve theſe things. And yet the Obſervation may Extend it ſelf a little further. Sometimes, the Soveraign God chooſes a Nation Remarkably laudable, for ſome Good Thing, to puniſh His own people, for the want of that Thing. Thus, when the Chriſtian Churches fell into Idolatry, God ſent the Mahometans upon them, to Torment them with one Wo a…ter another horribly; and the Mahometans are very Remarkable for this, That they are Great Haters of Idolatry, and wherever they come, they deſtroy thoſe Idols, and works of mens Hands, which are Adored in the Antichriſtian Apoſtacy. Well, But can any Good Thing be reported of our Indian Invaders? Yes, there is one Good Thing which the French have taught them; There is Family-Prayer among them, a daily Family-Worſhip upheld among them. I Fear, I Fear, this is more than can be ſaid of many Engliſh Sufferers, that have been annoy'd by thoſe Indian-Invaders. It may be, the Wretched Indians have cut off multitudes of Families, to whom they might have ſaid, Theſe Families never Pray'd unto God once in a Month, and we have done it every Day! And many of our poor Folks, never heard any Family-Prayer in their Lives, till they were drag'd into the forlorn and howling Wigwams, of thoſe wretched Salvages. I have hea…d it ſaid, That in a Town or it may be more than Seventy Families, there have not been Twice Seven Families, that have had any conſtant Invocation of God in them. If it be ſo, then hear the Voice of God in it, when He ſent thoſe Monſtrous and Furious Barbarians, to burn down ſuch Prayerleſs Houſes: The Voice of Heaven in it, is, If Indians Will pray in their Families more than Engliſh, then let Indians deſtroy thoſe Engliſh Families. It was once the direful Imprecation, in Jer. 10.25. Pour out thy Great Wrath upon the Heathen that know thee not, and upon the Families that call not on thy Name. Truly, God ha's uſed a Sort of Heathen, to Pour out His Great Wrath upon Families, which in this one point, were worſe than thoſe Heathen, that they did not call on His Name. For Gods Sake, be ſo Wiſe as to Obſerve theſe things, and let Family Prayer, be no where neglected throughout the Land, leſt while God is puniſhing us by the Pagans, we become worſe than Pagans. Let me faithfully and ſolemnly adviſe you, Sirs; A Prayerleſs Family is a Pagan Family. Do not now imagine, That it is only the more Strict and Severe Doctrine of a Non-Conformiſt that now Smites your Conſciences; it is the Doctrine of a Chriſtian; and it may be t'will have the more Force upon ſome of you, if I tell you, that the late Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury, in a Book on that Subject, ha's this paſſage; That Conſtant Family-Worſhip is ſo Neceſſary to keep alive a ſenſe of God and Religion, in the minds of men, that he ſees not, how any Family that Neglects it can in Reaſon be Eſteemed a Family of Chriſtians, or indeed to have any Religion at all. I will add but this word unto all the reſt: If after this there be a Prayerleſs Family, among us, I would, if I could, Write upon their Door; Lord Have Mercy upon us; for there is a Plague in that Pagan Family.