4. Suppose your child be taken from you,1 either he was good or bad; if he was Rebellious, you have not so much parted with a child, as a burden; you grieve for that which might have been a greater grief to you: if he was Religious, then remember, he is taken from the evil to come*, and placed in his cell of felicity. This lower Region is full of gross and hurtful vapours; how happy are those who are mounted into the celestial Orbs! The righteous is taken away; in the Original ⟨p. 62⟩it is, he is gathered*; a wicked child dying is cut off, but the pious child is gathered. Even as we see men gather flowers, and candy them, and preserve them by them; so hath God gathered thy child as a sweet flower, that he may candy it with glory, and preserve it by him for ever. Why then should a Christian be discontented; why should he weep excessively? Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for your selves*. So, could we hear our children speaking to us out of heaven, they would say, Weep not for us who are happy, we lie upon a soft pillow, even in the bosom of Christ; the Prince of peace is embracing us, and kissing us with the kisses of his lips, be not troubled at our preferment; Weep not for us, but weep for your selves, who are in a sinful, sorrowful world, you are in the valley of tears, but we are on the mountains of Spices; we are ⟨p. 63⟩gotten to our harbour, but you are still tossing upon the waves of inconstancy. O Christian, be not discontented that thou hast parted with such a child; but rather rejoice that thou hadst such a child to part with. Break forth into thankfulness. What an honour is it to a Parent to beget such a child, that while he lives increaseth the joy of the glorified Angels*; and when he dies, increaseth the number of the glorified Saints?6
4. Suppose your childe be taken from you,1 either he was good or bad; if he was Rebellious, you have not so much parted with a childe, as a burden; you grieve for that which might have been a greater griefe to you: if he was Religious, then remember, he is taken from the evil to come*, and plac'd in his cell of felicity. This lower Region is full of grosse and hurtfull vapours; how happy are those who are mounted into the celestiall Orbes! The righteous is taken away; in the Originall ⟨p. 62⟩it is, he is gathered*; a wicked childe dying is cut off, but the pious childe is gathered. Even as we see men gather flowers, and candy them, and preserve them by them; so hath God gathered thy child as a sweet flower, that he may candy it with glory, and preserve it by him for ever. Why then should a Christian be discontented; why should he weep excessively? Daughters of Ierusalem, weep not for mee, but weep for your selves*. So, could we hear our children speaking to us out of heaven, they would say, Weep not for us who are happy, we lie upon a soft pillow, even in the bosome of Christ; the Prince of peace is embracing us, and kissing us with the kisses of his lips, be not troubled at our preferment; Weep not for us, but weep for your selves, who are in a sinfull, sorrowfull world, you are in the valley of teares, but wee are on the mountaines of Spices; wee are ⟨p. 63⟩gotten to our harbour, but you are still tossing upon the waves of inconstancy. O Christian, be not discontented that thou hast parted with such a childe; but rather rejoyce that thou had'st such a childe to part with. Break forth into thankfulnesse. What an honour is it to a Parent to beget such a childe, that while he lives encreas•th the joy of the glorified Angels*; and when he dies, increaseth the number of the glorified Saints?6
- 14. Reply.
- *Isa. 57. 1
- *[Greek or Hebrew]〈non-Latin alphabet〉
- *Luk. 23. 28.
- *Luk. 15. 10.
- 6Lachryma poenitentiū sunt vinum Angelorū. Bern. serm. 30. super. Cant.Lachryma poenitentiū sunt vinum Angelorū. Bern. serm. 30. super. Cant.
