A70554:102
Early piety, exemplified in the life and death of Mr. Nathanael Mather, who ...…
Early piety, exemplified in the life and death of Mr. Nathanael Mather, who ... changed earth for heaven, Oct. 17. 1688 whereto are added some discourses on the true nature, the great reward, and the best season of such a walk with God as he left a pattern of.
London: printed by J. Astwood for John Dunton, 1689
THE LIFE and DEATH OF Mr. NATHANAEL MATHER. › Part 2: II. His PIETY.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
But there was yet a more delightful and surprising way of Thinking, after which he did aspire. He considered, that the whole Creation was full of God; and that there was not a Leaf of Grass in the Field, which might not make an Observer to be sensible of the Lord. He apprehended that the idle Minutes of our Lives were many more than a short liver should allow: That the very Filings of Gold, and of Time, were exceeding precious; and, that there were little fragments of hours intervening between our more stated businesses, wherein Thoughts of God might be no less pleasant than frequent with us.
But there was yet a more delightful and surprizing way of Thinking, after which he did aspire. He considered, that the whole Creation was full of God; and that there was not a Leaf of Grass in the Field, which might not make an Observer to be sensible of the Lord. He apprehended that the idle Minutes of our Lives were many more than a short liver should allow: That the very Filings of Gold, and of Time, were exceeding precious; and, that there were little fragments of hours intervening between our more stated businesses, wherein Thoughts of God might be no less pleasant than frequent with us.
The Elegant and Excellent Meditations of Sir William Waller, had particularly ⟨p. 40⟩affected him unto a commendable Emulation of them; and hence he did attempt to make even the more common and more trivial occurrents of humane Life, the occasions of Great Thoughts within him. He would with the Chemistry of Occasional Reflections, Distil sublime Spirits from earthly Bodies; and from the view of mean things, fill his nobly employed Mind with Lessons and Prayers, which only the Father of Spirits was a Witness to.
The Elegant and Excellent Meditations of Sir William Waller, had particularly ⟨p. 40⟩affected him unto a commendable Emulation of them; and hence he did attempt to make even the more common and more trivial occurrents of humane Life, the occasions of Great Thoughts within him. He would with the Chymistry of Occasional Reflections, Distill sublime Spirits from earthly Bodies; and from the view of mean things, fill his nobly imployed Mind with Lessons and Prayers, which only the Father of Spirits was a Witness to.