N00569:62
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.
O Do something to Rescue me out of the Terrible Damnation whereinto thy Wickedness has H••l•d me; Do something that I mayn't be Left without God, without Christ, without Hope, as I have been hitherto I again say, Take Heed, Lest a Slighted SOUL, become an Eternal Cast-away!
Secondly, TAKE HEED, Lest your Company prove your Confusion. •rigidus (O Juvenes fugite hinc) Latet Anguis in Herba. Oh! That our Young People, who are generally by Nature Sociable, would be sensible of the Concernment that Lies upon them, to be ⟨p. 29⟩wonderfully careful concerning their Society! I am to tell you, That your Society, will be perhaps the first Mark of your Conversion unto God. You will no sooner begin to be in Earnest about your Everlasting Interests, but it will be seen, by your Abandoning that Wild, Mad, Frolicsome Company, which has it may be heretofore Enchanted you. But I am also to tell you, That your Society is like to be the worst •ane of your Conversion. What is it that •inders you from that Sober, Serious, Thinking Disposition of Spirit, which might probably bring matters to that pass with you, He Thinks and he Turns! It is the Entanglement of Evil Company, that keeps the most of you, in the Snares of Death. I say then, Take Heed, Young Man, Take Heed, Lest you go to Hell with and for your Company; such Company, as I assure you, will but Inflame that HELL, till it be Seven times Hotter, than it Would have been without such woeful Company! Hear, that Loud Call of Heaven Depart from the Tents of these wicked ones, Lest you perish in all their sins. How often have you been Warned, That your Society is for your Eternity! Say then; Would you be willing, throughout the Days of Eternity to be Lodged among these Lewd Youths, Who never had one Savoury Word in their mouths, Who Scoff at all that has any Savour of Devotion, Who do ⟨p. 30⟩