Early piety, exemplified in the life and death of Mr. Nathanael Mather, who ...…

THE INTRODUCTION.

MY Reader will quickly discern what it is that I attempt the doing of; and I suppose he will then see no occasion of enquiring Why. The Apology's wherewith Writers usually fill the Prefaces of their Books, Do come of Evil; either the Vanity of the Composers is discovered, or the Candour of the Perusers questioned in them. That I Write the Life of a Christian, cannot be faulted by any one who Considers, That the Lives of Pious Men have been justly esteemed among the most useful Histories which the Church of God Enjoys; or that the best Pens in the World have been employed in thus helping the Just unto Eternal Memory. Our Lord will have as mean a thing as one Act of Devotion and Charity, in a poor Woman, to be mentioned wherever His Gospel comes. That I write the Life of a Brother, ⟨image 6⟩will not be reckoned absurd by them who understand what Patterns I have, both Ancient and Modern, for my doing so. James Janeway among the rest has had our Thanks for what an Account he has given of his Brother John. Indeed; if I should not thus Raise up for my departed Brother a Name in Israel, I were not worthy to Wear a Shoo, or to have a Face unspit upon. My Natural Relation to him doth oblige me to bestow an Epitaph upon his Grave; that the Survivors may not forget whose Dust they tread upon: But I am by (that which Ambrose calls) a Greater and Better Fraternity, concerned to Embalm the Memory of One, who maintained such a Walk with God, as he did until God took him to Himself. It has been observed, That they who Live in Heaven while they are on Earth, often Live on Earth after they are in Heaven. It were lawful for me to desire and Study such a thing on the behalf of my Brother, whose Early Piety is at once my own Shame and Joy: But I pursue an higher End than this, designing rather to procure Followers, than to bespeak Admirers of this good Example: That this is my Main Scope, in what I am now doing of, I declare sincerely and very solemnly. ⟨image 7⟩And hence I have not here made an Oration in his Praise, but given barely a Narrative of his Life, and this mostly by Transcribing of his own Memorials, in all affecting the plain style of a Just Historian. I do therefore Address this Exemplary Life unto the young People of New-England, and especially unto those of North-Boston, who are the Lambs that I have Received a peculiar Charge from the Lord Jesus about the Feeding of.