The Serviceable Man

Ebenezer Prout Clerk.

To my Countrey.

ABove Seventy Years have Rolled about, since a Frenchman, who was by a Ship-wreck made a Captive among the Indians of this Countrey, did before his Expiration, as if under some Inspiration, tell those tawny Pagans, That God being angry with them for their wickedness, would not only destroy them, but also people the Place with another Nation, which would not live after their Bruitish manners. And accordingly, thô those Infidels blasphemously Replyed, God could not kill them; yet the Almighty God immediately after this visited them with a Pestilent and Prodigious Disease, which swept them away in such vast multitudes, that our first Planters thereby found the Land marvelously Emptied of its Primitive Inhabitants, and yet almost Covered with their unburied Carcases; while the Survivers were smitten into awful and humble Regards of the English, by the Terrors which the Prophesie had Imprinted on them. Thus, Thou hast brought a Vine out of Europe, O Lord, Thou hast cast out the Heathen and Planted it! But we are very stupid, if we do not read an Admonition to our selves, in this Ancient and Famous Providence. Indeed I am not without my lively and grounded Hopes, That our Good God will not ever (or at least, as yet) Remove the People which is now enriching this part of the New World, for Another Nation to succeed in the room thereof; however there are Ill men enough that have desired it. But we are surrounded with myriads of Dangers, and whether we consider our Corruptions within us, or our Enemies without us, we may see our selves in a Storm, that calls for the Help of every man aboard. Never did my distressed Countrey more want the Service of all that are in the least capacity to Do for us, than At such a time as this! Behold therefore one little Sermon more sent abroad for the Direction and Encouragement of us all, to Do all we can for the Service of a People which is well worthy of our All. I now take no further care about it, but Recommend it unto the Blessing of Him, who is the Hope of New-England, and the Saviour thereof in the Time of Trouble.

p. 1The Serviceable Man.

Think upon me, my God, for Good, according to all that I have done for this People.

THat you are this Day Assembled for a Revival & a Renewal of your Anniversary Elections, is, I suppose, intended by you, as no less p. 2a part of your Obedience to their Majesties, who upon the Address of our Convention to Them, Declaring, That they accepted Government of this People according to the Rules of the Charter, did in answer thereunto, Order A Continuance in the Administration thereof: than it is a part of your Deference to so great and just a Judgment, as that of the English Nation Assembled in Parliament, That the Invasion of our Charters was Illegal and a Grievance, and that they ought to be restored unto us. Bu◊ the Word of the Almighty God has been still one usual stroke in our Annual Solemnities, and something of that are you now to attend unto.

In the Words now Read, we find not only the Prayer, but also the Picture of a no les◊ worthy than famous Magistrate, and it will be no unprofitable Meditation, to reflect a little upon the occasion of it. The Truth and Manner of the Return which the Jew◊ made out of their Babylonish Captivity, ha◊ been declared in a Book written by Ezra, a great Man greatly concern'd in that Return. But the Fruit and Event of it is now related in a Supplement unto that History, written by Nehemiah a Renowned Governour of that Restored People; for whom it was no mor◊ improper to Record His own Acts, than it wa◊ p. 3for the Great Julius Caesar to write his Commentaries. This inspired Historian, was doubtless a very young man, when he first apply'd himself unto the more open and public service of his Countrey; for the Transactions of more than fifty years are comprized in this Narrative of his Administrations; nevertheless God made him a true Nehemiah to his Countrey men; that is, A comforter from the Lord. The good Providence of God, had made this Nehemiah, a blessed Instrument of Rebuilding and Resettling Jerusalem, which had been miserably Ruined by Chaldean Invasions and Oppressions; from whence, in the twelfth year of his Government, he goes back into Persia, where he had been an eminent Officer in the Court of Artaxerxes Longimanus; but from thence he soon repeats his Journey of above nine hundred miles, and revisits his beloved Jerusalem, with a new Commission, by vertue of which he sets himself to Redress divers Disorders, under which that little Common-wealth was labouring.

p. 3The common People at this time were very Poor and Low; for they had usually many Children in their Families that call'd for more Bread than their single hands could purchase for them; and yet they had heavy Taxes which the the Necessity and Calamity of their p. 4Affairs compelled them to the payment of. The People had no way, but the Borrowing of Money to defray all these Charges; but the Rich Lenders took them at this Disadvantage, so as not only to squeeze the cruel Int'rest of twelve in the Hundred from them, but also to seize upon their Lands which they had Mortgaged for the Principal: Yea they hook'd the very persons of their Brethren into Slavery. Very loud complaints were now made, of these oppressions; whereupon the Governour called a General Court, and procured the Relaxation of these Difficulties; he seems to erect a Bank of Credit among them, and render Credit so passeable, that the indigent people might still enjoy their Livings, and yet have Credit enough to demand from one another what their Exigencies called for. …