N00593:48
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.
Help for Distressed Parents. Offered, at the LECTURE in Boston, 14.… › Case 1: The first CASE.
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.
III. But is there not a Cure to be ⟨p. 25⟩Endeavoured? Being Afflicted with Ungodly Children, give not ever your Endeavours to get the Affliction Cured, in their Conversion unto God.
In the pursuance of this Blessed […] I would in the first place put in a Caution, That you would by no means make your Children Desperate; for that will make the Cure so. Although' you are never so much, and never so long Exasperated, if it be possible, do not utterly Cast them off, or, Lay them under Incurable Disobligation, Invincible Discouragement. When you pour out your Anger, never so vehemently, upon them, yet let them see your Love Tempering of it; and never Let your Passion carry you so far, that they shall think you have no Compassion for them. A Parent like Saul, of an Implacable Fury, will be like to Loose Children that were as Good as Jonathan himself. Alluding to what occurs in the Prophet [Jer. 31. 18, 19, 20.] In the Hottest Rage that you may have, against the Offences of an Ungodly Child, yet let them if it be possible, a little perceive those workings in your Parental Bowels; Ever since I spake against him, I earnestly Remember him still; therefore my bowels are Troubled ⟨p. 26⟩for him. It may be the Obstinate Ephraim will at length Bemoan himself, and say, I am Ashamed, yea, even Confounded, for the Reproach of my Youth.
In the pursuance of this Blessed 〈…〉 I would in the first place put in a Caution, That you would by no means make your Children Desperate; for that will make the Cure so. Altho' you are never so much, and never so long Exasperated, if it be possible, do not utterly Cast them off, or, Lay them under Incurable Disobligation, Invincible Discouragement. When you pour out your Anger, never so vehemently, upon them, yet let them see your Love Tempering of it; and never Let your Passion carry you so far, that they shall think you have no Compassion for them. A Parent like Saul, of an Implacable Fury, will be like to Loose Children that were as Good as Jonathan himself. Alluding to what occurs in the Prophet [