§ 2. THE Young Gentlewoman, who is now (as I have told you,) to Write, rather than to be Written of, was Born at Boston in N. E. April 16. 1684. a Daughter of Dr. INCREASE MATHER; And in so saying, I have sufficiently intimated, what Education was bestowed upon her. The Reverend Mr. Richard Mather of Dorchester, and (by the Mothers side) Mr. Cotton, the for ever Famous Teacher of the Church first in Boston, were her Grand-fathers. She wanted not for good Sense; and as she was betimes a Good Reader, so by being a Great Reader ever since, Four Years Old, in Historical Books, as well as Theological, she furnished her mind with a stock of many Valuable ⟨p. 4⟩Treasures. But the Early Fear of God, was the most Valuable of all the things that Enriched her; and not the least Observable. Secret Prayer was an Exercise of her Infancy; The Fear of Sin, had a strong Influence upon her; And especially she so feared a Lye, that she then began a Custom she never left off; to Avoid Positive Expressions, but rather to say, I think, or, It may be, or, Tis likely; even in things that she was most assured of. So Dutiful she was to her Parents, that I have seen it asserted under their Hand; She never gave occasion to them, to be once Angry with her, throughout the whole Course of her Life! What she was in her Infancy, one might a little infer, from a Catalogue of her Sins, which her Penitent Soul drew up, as she was passing out of that Age, and yet scarce Entering into the Years which we call the Teens. Her Catalogue does consist of such strokes as these; What Sins have I been guilty of! O my Sins have been very many! — My Prayers have been slightly: And I have spent my Time very unprofitably, And I have Read the Holy Word of God slightly. And I have Heard the Word ⟨p. 5⟩of God sometimes, not with so much Diligence as I should have done. And sometimes I have not attended upon Hearing of Prayer as I should have done. And I have been Proud. And I have been Unthankful. And sometimes I have not Obeyed my Father and my Mother as I ought to have done. And I have Eaten things, which were hurtful for me to Eat; And I have Eat more than I have had need to have done. And I have been afraid to go alone to Pray. I used to Pray, when I was a bed. Those were Lazy Prayers indeed! I have omitted those Duties of Meditation and Self-Examination.
§ 2. THE Young Gentlewoman, who is now (as I have told you,) to Write, rather than to be Written of, was Born at Boston in N. E. April 16. 1684. a Daughter of Dr. INCREASE MATHER; And in so saying, I have sufficiently intimated, what Education was bestow'd upon her. The Reverend Mr. Richard Mather of Dorchester, and (by the Mothers side) Mr. Cotton, the for ever Famous Teacher of the Church first in Boston, were her Grand-fathers. She wanted not for good Sense; and as she was betimes a Good Reader, so by being a Great Reader ever since, Four Years Old, in Historical Books, as well as Theological, she furnished her mind with a stock of many Valuable ⟨p. 4⟩Treasures. But the Early Fear of God, was the most Valuable of all the things that Enriched her; and not the least Observable. Secret Prayer was an Exercise of her Infancy; The Fear of Sin, had a strong Influence upon her; And especially she so fear'd a Lye, that she then began a Custom she never left off; to Avoid Positive Expressions, but rather to say, I think, or, It may be, or, Tis likely; even in things that she was most assured of. So Dutiful she was to her Parents, that I have seen it asserted under their Hand; She never gave occasion to them, to be once Angry with her, throughout the whole Course of her Life! What she was in her Infancy, one might a little infer, from a Catalogue of her Sins, which her Penitent Soul drew up, as she was passing out of that Age, and yet scarce Entring into the Years which we call the Teens. Her Catalogue does consist of such strokes as these; What Sins have I been guilty of! O my Sins have been very many! — My Prayers have been sleighty: And I have spent my Time very unprofitably, And I have Read the Holy Word of God sleightily. And I have Heard the Word ⟨p. 5⟩of God sometimes, not with so much Diligence as I should have done. And sometimes I have not attended upon Hearing of Prayer as I should have done. And I have been Proud. And I have been Unthankful. And sometimes I have not Obeyed my Father and my Mother as I ought to have done. And I have Eaten things, which were hurtful for me to Eat; And I have Eat more than I have had need to have done. And I have been afraid to go alone to Pray. I used to Pray, when I was a bed. Those were Lazy Prayers indeed! I have omitted those Duties of Meditation and Self-Examination.
