N00569:192
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.
Mr. Thomas Thornton the aged and faithful Pastor of Yarmouth, was blessed with a Daughter named Priscilla, which at the Age of Eleven, left this world, having first given demonstrations of an Exemplary Piety.
Sect. 2. She was one remarkably grave, devout, serious; very inquisitive about the matters of Eternity; and in her particular Calling very diligent. She was nevertheless troubled with sore Temptations and Exercises about the state of her own Soul: the Anguish of her spirit, about Her body of Death, caused her to pour out many tears & prayers; and she pressed, That some other pious children of her acquaintance, might with her keep a Day of Humiliation together, That (as she expressed it) they might get power against their sinful Natures. But it pleased God at length to bless the words of her godly mother, for the qui•ting of her mind. It was her singular Happiness, that she had such godly parents; but it was her Opinion and Expression, We trust too much to the Prayers of our Parents, whereas we should pray for our selves.
Sect. 3. At last, she fell mortally sick. In the beginning of her Sickness, she was afraid of Dying; For, said she, I know of no promise to encourage me. She could not but own that she had in some measure walked with God; yet she complained, That she had not […] God meeting her in her prayers, and making her ⟨p. 114⟩heart willing to be at his Dispose; and that the Pride of her heart, now lay as a Load upon it. She owned, That she had many Thoughts of Jesus Christ, & that it grieved her that she had sinned against Him who had done and died for her.
Sect. 3. At last, she fell mortally sick. In the beginning of her Sickness, she was afraid of Dying; For, said she, I know of no promise to encourage me. She could not but own that she had in some measure walked with God; yet she complain'd, That she had not God meeting her in her prayers, and making her