N00569:48
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.
EXHORTATION,
Recommending of RELIGION unto the Rising Generation. Religion, (if you derive it, a Re-•l•gendo) is but a Choosing over again. When it is said, in Eccl. 12.1. Remember thy Creator in the Days of thy Youth, in the Original there is that Emphasis, Do it in the Days of thy Choice. Truly Sirs, The Days of your Youth, are the Days of your Choice; and in these Days you make that Choice, whereon depends your Everlasting Blessedness or Misery. During all the doleful Days of your Unregeneracy hitherto, you had made a Bad Choice: You have not Chosen, like Young Moses, the Condition of the People of God: You have not Chosen, like Young Mary, the Good part that cannot be taken away: You have Chosen like them that have Loved Death, by your Choosing to Wrong your own Souls, in Sinning against the Lord Jesus Christ. But, Oh! that you would by Religion immediately mend your Choice; and make such a Choice, as you may Joyfully stand by, throughout Eternal Ages! Choose God for your Portion, Choose Christ for your Saviour, Chose Heaven for your Inheritance; and therefore Choose Religion for the whole Conduct of your Li•es. There ate some have made, not Reason, but Religion ▪ the ⟨p. 22⟩Essential Difference between a Man and Beast. This I am sure of, There is all the Reason in the world, that as soon as ever you are come to the use of Reason, you should Employ it in the Exercises of Religion; and until you come to This, You are even, worse then the Beasts that Perish.
Recommending of RELIGION unto the Rising Generation. Religion, (if you derive it, a Re-lgendo) is but a Choosing over again. When it is said, in