N00569:161
Early religion. Urged in a sermon. the duties, wherein, and the reasons wherefore, young…
Early religion. Urged in a sermon. the duties, wherein, and the reasons wherefore, young people should become religious. Whereto are added, the extracts of several papers, written by several persons, who are dying in their youth, left behind them those admonitions for the young survivors; with brief memoirs relating to the exemplary lives of some such, that have gone from hence to their everlasting rest. / By Cotton Mather. ; [Two lines of Scripture text]Early religion. Urged in a sermon. the duties, wherein, and the reasons wherefore, young people should become religious. Whereto are added, the extracts of several papers, written by several persons, who are dying in their youth, left behind them those admonitions for the young survivers; with brief memoirs relating to the exemplary lives of some such, that have gone from hence to their everlasting rest. / By Cotton Mather. ; [Two lines of Scripture text]
Boston: printed by B.H. i.e for Michael Perry, 1694
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.
and many other Scriptures, with much other Counsel; stirring us up to the Duty of Prayer, and promising his Prayer for us, as long as he had any Breath; which in part he performed by then praying with us. Three Weeks after this; namely, on April 21. 1687. We were Called Early in the Morning, to see our Dear Father going out of the World; who now again told us, That He was going from the Evil Days that were a coming, and still warned us to be careful, not to Forget the Ways of God. So he continued Speaking, doubtless Praying for Us, Longer than we could understand; and so He Dyed. This was very grievous to me: Now my chief Soul Friend in this World was gone: I thought my only way was to Go to God, and ⟨p. 90⟩Enquire the Cause of this Affliction; for I feared lest it might be in a way of Judgment against me, for my not hearkening to the Word from Him: and sad Conclusions I was ready to draw concerning my self. I was now Young, (not much exceeding Eighteen Years) and my Counsellor, and Admonisher, and he who used to Breathe out his Soul before God, with such fervour for me, was gone; which proved most unhappy indeed for me! For my subtle Adversary the Devil, knowing my Corrupt Nature, suited it with such Temptations, as were most Likely to take place. I not only Left off Constancy in my Duties, but Readily Entertained Idle Discourse, yea, I was too often an Abetter thereof; putting the Evil Day far away, and depending on a Too Morrow, for to do my Soul work in; and giving my self too much up unto the Pleasures of this World. But in Time, calling to mind a Sermon, which was Preached by Mr. Brown, from that place, Boast not of a To Morrow; I considered, it was Dangerous to Delay; for Gods Pleasure was, I saw, to Remove Younger as well as Elder Ones. But I feared that God had now indeed withdrawn Himself from me, and said concerning me, as in Isa. 5.5. Why should you be stricken any more? Ye will Revolt more and more. So I begged ⟨p. 91⟩of God, either to Draw me by his Mercies, or Drive me by Afflictions. I was also stirred up, by many Sermons of Mr. Danforth's, to seek unto God, in my Youth, and give Him the Flower of my Age. And I Joined my self to some Young men, who met at my House, every Sabbath-Evening, to Pray one with and for another. I many times made many Vows of Reformation and Obedience, but still I forgot them, and neglected to Watch my Ways.