N00593:12
Help for distressed parents. Or, Counsels & comforts for godly parents afflicted with ungodly…
Help for distressed parents. Or, Counsels & comforts for godly parents afflicted with ungodly children; and warnings unto children to beware of all those evil courses, which would be afflictive unto their parents. / By Cotton Mather. ; [Two lines of quotation in Latin]
Boston: printed by John Allen for Vavasour Harris, 1695
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
But although the Trouble of Godly Parents mourning over Ungodly Children, be for the Pungency of it, Extraordinary; yet Alas, for he Frequency of it, it is very very Ordinary. Of this Heavy Trial, I may say with Him in another matter, It is an Evil, which I have seen under the Sun, and it is common among men. And indeed, I do not see the Rising Generation in my own Country, so free from fearful Instances of Degeneracy, but that there may be occasion enough to Discourse particularly upon such a Trial.
But although the Trouble of Godly Parents mourning over Ungodly Children, be for the Pungency of it, Extraordinary; yet Alas, for he Frequency of it, it is very very Ordinary. Of this Heavy Trial, I may say with Him in another matter, It is an Evil, which I have seen under the Sun, and it is common among men. And indeed, I do not see the Rising Generation in my own Countrey, so free from fearful Instances of Degeneracy, but that there may be occasion enough to Discourse particularly upon such a Trial.
If a Godly Parent, have many Children, it is very seldom seen that All of them do prove Ungodly; but it is very often seen, that some of them do so; and Holy David is among the Examples, that Confirm this Observation. That Great and Good Man, who was a Man after Gods own Heart, a Penman of the Sacred Scripture, a Picture of the Mighty Jesus, a Person, of whose Actions there ⟨p. 6⟩is more mentioned in the Oracles of Heaven, than any one mere Mans whatsoever; this Excellent Person, had among his Children, Two Sons that are branded through all Ages for their Wickedness, and a Third that was no Better than he should be. Nevertheless, we are Certain that several of his Children proved Godly Persons; and it is Likely enough that the most of them did so. But most of all Happy was David, in his Beloved and Renowned Son Solomon; whose Inspired Books, in the Language whereof he much followed, but in the Number thereof, Exceeded his Father, […] him to have bin, An Holy Man of God.
If a Godly Parent, have many Children, it is very seldome seen that All of them do prove Ungodly; but it is very often seen, that some of them do so; and Holy David is among the Examples, that Confirm this Observation. That Great and Good Man, who was a Man after Gods own Heart, a Penman of the Sacred Scripture, a Picture of the Mighty Jesus, a Person, of whose Actions there