A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

Parents love to hear well of their children's states in this life, much more •hould they enquire of their state to come. The greater their joy in them, the greater their sorrow for them; especially when they fall sick in the field, and die at •ome; as the^e Shunamites son: but more especially if like^f Davids son, they •ie without the Sacrament. Then their ignorance and distrust puts them into a hope•es grief: as if they were of the stock of Ismael, and not the seed of Israel. And •ven those that will not keep their hours with God and the Church, in respect of state and outward complement; yet take on with God and man if their children •misse baptism. I would they did think of that woman's speech to Elijah; ^gArt •hou come to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son? that God in slaying their •ons, brings to remembrance their sins. But that good Lord, who punisheth our neglect, shows mercy to those little ones. They often vanish from us in a night, be•ore we have scarce looked on their faces: but the God of compassion, who pities •hem in Ashur and Nineveh, will he forget the seed of Christians? We miss them •n our arms, behold they are in the arms of God. They are plucked from the mothers bosom, but unto Abraham's bosom: translated from a cradle below, to a Throne of immortality above. How oft doth a friend among men, take a babe from the poor feeble mother, and bring it up as his own; as Pharaohs daughter did Moses! ⟨p. 596⟩And shall not God take a child from the womb, or wane it from the breast, to have it nursed in heaven, lest it should find ill bringing up here?