A70554:96
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.
Quest. What shall I do for God? Ans. It was suggested to me, to get some of my Acquaintance to spend some while every Friday night in Prayer, for the Success of the Work of Grace in New-England, especially in Boston, on the Souls of the Rising Generation. Let me propound this to some serious devout young Persons.
Quest. What shall I do for God? Ans. It vvas suggested to me, to get some of my Acquaintance to spend some vvhile every Friday night in Prayer, for the Success of the Work of Grace in New-England, especially in Boston, on the Souls of the Rising Generation. Let me propound this to some serious devout young Persons.
Thus was his Prayer as it were his Breath, and thus he was always fetching of it, until at last it expired in Praise, Praise for evermore.
Thus vvas his Prayer as it vvere his Breath, and thus he vvas always fetching of it, untll at last it expir'd in Praise, Praise for evermore.
Thirdly, He was one that Thought much of his GOD, and his END. There was a sort of Heaven formed in the just Soul of this Young-man, by the Thoughts that were continually sparkling there. He had an unpacifiable Dissatisfaction at himself until good Thoughts were lodged in him, and vain ones were forced to gnash their teeth, and melt away: Nothing would content him, but the bringing of his Thoughts into a Subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore he chewed much on the excellent Sermon of Mr. Charnock, about Thoughts; which he wrote out not only with his hand, but in his heart, and made it the very Mould of his gracious Mind. There are none, but very Renewed Souls, that are at great pains in a course of Meditation on the things of God. Yet this Young-man, like another Isaac, was grown very expert at it, and frequent in it. It was his manner in the Morning to meditate very seriously and fixedly upon some Truth, or some Text, for a good part of an hour together. He had collected a good variety of Subjects and Scriptures to handle in thus communing with himself, and went over more than a little Divinity in this transcendent Exercise. Sometimes, when