Early piety; exemplified in Elizabeth Butcher of Boston

1 WHEN She was first taken, she was in some doubt of her spiritual State, and said, She was afraid she did not belong to God, nor love him as she should; for Mother, you have told me, that they that fear God and love him, would make it their chief Care and Endeavour to keep his Commandments; but I am afraid I have not kept them as I ought. Her Mother asked her, what particular Command she could accuse her self of breaking? She said, The Fifth Commandment saith, Honour thy Father and thy Mother, and have I honoured you? have I obeyed you as I ought? Her Mother told her; You have been an obedient Child to me, and wherein you have offended in any small Matter, I do forgive you, and pray God to forgive you also.

1 WHEN She was first taken, she was in some doubt of her spiritual State, and said, She was afraid she did not belong to God, nor love him as she should; for Mother, you have told me, that they that fear God and love him, would make it their chief Care and Endeavour to keep his Commandments; but I am afraid I have not kept them as I ought. Her Mother ask'd her, what particular Command she cou'd accuse her self of breaking? She said, The Fifth Commandment saith, Honour thy Father and thy Mother, and have I honoured you? have I obeyed you as I ought? Her Mother told her; You have been an obedient Child to me, and wherein you have offended in any small Matter, I do forgive you, and pray God to forgive you also.

2. The Day following she cried out — I am a great Sinner, a great Sinner, what will become of me, Oh! what will become of me, I am afraid that God will not have Mercy on me, my Sins are so many and so great. She was told, tho' her Sins were never so many and great, yet the Mercy of God was greater, and more abundant than her Sins; for that was like himself Infinite, and endureth forever, that there was Forgiveness with him; and that he had Promised, that those who confess and forsake their Sins should ⟨p. 10⟩Mercy. But said the Child, Satan tempts me to Despair of Mercy, because my Sins are so great and many. But she was then Exhorted not to give way to the Temptations of Satan, but to hope in the Mercy of God; for the Lord taketh Pleasure in them that Fear him, and in them that hope in his Mercy. And she was told that he said in