N00569:194
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.
(VII.)
Inasmuch as 'tis usual in several Towns of the Country, for the Pious Young men, to Associate themselves in pious Meetings, for their mutual Assistance in the Affairs of Religion; and inasmuch as 'tis of singular Consequence, not only for Young men to be quickened by their Pastors unto such quickening Methods of Devotion, but also to have such Meetings under an Exact Regulation: I shall here annex a Copy of the Orders, Agreed, Used, and Signed by a Young mens Meeting in our Neighbourhood; that if God please, it may indeed prove a Copy, so far as the promoters of such things do find convenient, for the Imitation of many others.
INasmuch as 'tis usual in several Towns of the Countrey, for the Pious Young men, to Associate themselves in pious Meetings, for their mutual Assistence in the Affairs of Religion; and inasmuch as 'tis of singular Consequence, not only for Young men to be quickened by their Pastors unto such quickening Methods of Devotion, but also to have such Meetings under an Exact Regulation: I shall here annex a Copy of the Orders, Agreed, Used, and Signed by a Young mens Meeting in our Neighbourhood; that if God please, it may indeed prove a Copy, so far as the promoters of such things do find convenient, for the Imitation of many others.
Our Agreement. WE that through' the Grace of God, have been Awakened in our Youth to be concerned about the Things of our Everlasting Peace, and that would Remember our Creator therefore in the Days of our Youth, do now desire to give up our selves unto God in Christ according to the Terms of His New Covenant; professing with His Help, that according to the Duty and the Promise of that Covenant, we are willing with full purpose of Heart to cleave unto Him. And for our Assistance in the Designs of Early Religion, as well for the prevention of the Snares, which Young People frequently find in Evil Company, we Associate our selves, for the Observation of the Ensuing Oers.