Early piety, exemplified in the life and death of Mr. Nathanael Mather, who ... changed earth for heaven, Oct. 17. 1688 whereto are added some discourses on the true nature, the great reward, and the best season of such a walk with God as he left a pattern of.

ƲSE I.

Let them that have not Remembred their Creator in the days of their Youth, now in the days of their Age be ashamed of it, and afflicted for it.

There are two sorts of Aged People to be now treated with: There are some that are Converted unto God but late: They squandered away most of all their Youth, before they turned their feet unto the Te∣stimonies of the Lord. It becomes these Per∣sons now, as they Remember their God, so likewise to Remember their Sin: You make that your daily Prayer, in Psal. 25. 7. Re∣member not against me the sins of my youth. Be assured that God's dealing with you will in many regards be quite contrary to your dealing with your Sins. If you love them, he will hate you: If you slay them, he will save you: If you would have God

not Remember them, O then do you re∣member them your selves: 'Tis said in 1 Cor. 11. 3. If we would judge our selves, we should not be judged of the Lord. Well then, every one of you, like Pharaoh's Butler, now say, I remember my faults this day. O Remember all the lying, all the idleness; all the profuseness and profaneness of thy Youth. When Paul was a young Man, he had an hand in Abusing and Murdering an Eminent Minister of God, but he Remem∣bred it with sorrow all his dayes: O! said he many Years after; When the Blood of Stephen was shed, I was consenting to it. Come now and sit down in the Dust this day before the Lord; come, and lament it, and bewail it, that you so long lay out from God, and that you so long did the things, for which the Wrath of God comes upon the Children of Disobedience. Be able to say, My Soul has this in remem∣brance, and is humbled in me. But perhaps there are some of you that never yet were Converted unto God at all: As they said in Jer. 8. 20. The Harvest is past, the Sum∣mer is ended, and we are not saved; thus may too many confess, Our youth is past, and we are not Renewed. Surely 'tis Time, 'tis high Time for you to Remember your,

God, yet at last, before you go hence and be no more: Let this encourage you, That it is not too late as yet for you so to do. The Lord said in Jer. 3. 1. Though thou hast play'd the Harlot with many Lovers, yet re∣turn unto me: Even so, thô thou hast com∣mitted many sins; thô thou hast been sin∣ning many years; yet return unto me, saith the Lord. There was in this very Land, one that had lived a carnal, stupid, ig∣norant Person for about an hundred years, and yet became a serious Christian before he dyed. Unto the Oldest Enemy of God among us all, I this day proclaim the mer∣cy of the Lord: O let this break thy heart, and cause thee to come and say, I will do Iniquity no more.

But let this also Terrifie you, it will be too late for you e're long: It is said in Psal. 6. 5. In Death there is no Remembrance of thee. Thy Death, thy Death is just ready to seize upon thee, and there is no work, no wisdom in the Grave, whither thou art going. Then thy cry, will be like that of Despairing Ones, All too late! All too late! God prevent such a miscarriage of thy never-dying Soul.