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

Whereas, then I made Promises unto God, that if he would give me my Health, I would endeavour to become a New Creature, and he hath done so for these five Years: And whereas God hath of late been bestowing many and wonderful mercies upon me, What can I do less than give up my self wholly to him? Which now I do. And, O Lord God, I beseech thee to accept of thy Poor Prodigal, now prostrating of himself before thee. I confess, O Lord, I have fallen from thee by my Iniquity, and am by nature a Son of Hell; but of thy Infinite Grace thou hast promised Mercy to me in Christ, if I will but turn unto thee with all my Heart: Therefore upon the Call of thy Gospel, I come in, and from the bottom of my Heart I renounce all thy Enemies; with whom I confess I have wickedly sided against thee, firmly ⟨p. 18⟩Covenanting with thee, not to allo• my self in any known Sin, but conscientiously to use all means which • know thou hast prescribed, for the u•ter destruction of all my Corruptions. And whereas I have inordinately I out my Affections upon the World, here resign my Heart unto thee th•• made it; humbly Protesting before t•• Glorious Majesty, that it is the fin• Resolution of my Heart (and that I […] unfeignedly desire Grace from thee, th•• when thou shalt call me thereunto, • may put in practice my Resolution through thine Assistance, to forsake […] that is dear unto me in the World, rather than to turn from thee to t•• ways of sin; and that I will watch again all it's Temptations, whether of Prosperty or Adversity, lest they should withdraw my Heart from thee, beseechi•• thee to help me. I renounce all my own Righteousness and acknowledge that of my self I a• helpless and undone, and without Righteousness. And whereas, of thy bottomless Mercy, thou hast offered to accept of […] and to be reconciled to me, and […] be my God, through Christ, if I woul• ⟨p. 19⟩