Page:A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).djvu/49

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the PLAGUE.
41

Money, and then their Fears work'd another way, namely, to Amazement and Stupidity, not knowing what Courſe to take, or what to do, either to help or relieve themſelves; but they ran about from one Neighbours Houſe to another; and even in the Streets, from one Door to another with repeated Cries, of, Lord have Mercy upon us, what ſhall we do?

Indeed, the poor People were to be pity'd in one particular Thing, in which they had little or no Relief, and which I Deſire to mention with a ſerious Awe and Reflection; which perhaps, every one that reads this, may not reliſh: Namely, that whereas Death now began not, as we may ſay, to hover over every ones Head only, but to look into their Houſes, and Chambers, and ſtare in their Faces: Tho' there might be ſome ſtupidity, and dullneſs of the Mind, and there was ſo, a great deal; yet, there was a great deal of juſt Alarm, founded into the very inmoſt Soul, if I may ſo ſay of others; Many Conſciences were awakened; many hard Hearts melted into Tears; many a penitent Confeſſion was made of Crimes long concealed: would wound the Souls of any Chriſtian, to have heard the dying Groans of many a deſpairing Creature, and none durſt come near to comfort them: Many a Robbery, many a Murder, was then confeſt aloud, and no Body ſurviving to Record the Accounts of it. People might be heard even into the Streets as we paſs'd along, calling upon God for Mercy, thro' Jeſus Chriſt, and ſaying, I have been a Thief, I have been an Adulterer, I have been a Murderer, and the like; and none durſt ſtop to make the leaſt Inquiry into ſuch Things, or to adminiſter Comfort to the poor Creatures, that in the Anguiſh both of Soul and Body thus cry'd out. Some of the Miniſters did Viſit the Sick at firſt, and for a little while, but it was not to be done; it wouldhave