N00569:74
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.
Young People, You are to List your selves under the Banners of the Lord Jesus Christ; and being so Listed, you are to Fight the Good Fight, by a perpetual Religion, Opposing all the Enemies of His Kin• dom. THIS is the Service, whereto I do […] Press you this Day in the Name of the Eternal MAJESTY. Shall I show you the Glorious Pay, that you are to Receive, if you Obey? ⟨p. 41⟩'Tis Contained in the Promises of God. Read that Promise, in Prov. 8.17. They that Seek Me Early sh•ll find Me; and say, what think you about Finding the Lord Jesus Christ, That Pearl of Great Price. 'Tis here promised under the Hand and Seal of Heaven, That if Young people will come to Walk uprightly, they shall have Grace and Glory, and no Good Thing shall be Withheld from them. Young people, What are you for? Are you for Pleasures? Become Virtuous, and you have a Promise of Pleasures at Gods Right-Hand for ever more. Are you for Profits? Become Virtuous, and you have a Promise of Durable Riches with Righteousness. Are you for Honours? Espouse virtue, and you have a Promise of a Crown, a Throne, an Eternal Kingdom. Well, but on the other side, I am also to set before you the Death, which is to be inflicted on you, if you Refuse. 'Tis Described in the Threatenings of God. Read that Threatening in Isa. 9.17. The Lord shall have no Joy in their Young men, for every one is an Evil Doer; and then Think, What will come upon you, if you continue in your Evil Doings. 'Tis Threatened, That if Young people, as well as others, […] Sin against God, their Souls are to Die for their Sins: Oh! but, The Death of a Soul, What a Formidable Thing is That! It is the Threatening of Heaven, That the Wicked shall be Turned into Hell, and all the Nations that Forget ⟨p. 42⟩God. But what? Are there no Wicked Ones, but such as have Grey Hairs upon them, that fall within the reach of this Commination? Yea, There are Small Chips as well as Great Logs, Burning in the Fire of Hell. It is the Threatening of Heaven, That the Wrath of God shall be Revealed from Heaven, against all Ungodliness, and Unrighteousness of men. But What? Shall only Aged men, if they be Ungodly and Unrighteous, fall under the Wrath of God? Nay, the Least of you all, do Lie open to, not the Least of that Wrath. Oh! Lay the Threatening of the Almighty, before your Eyes;