N00941:47
Meat out of the eater. Or, Funeral-discourses occasioned by the death of several relatives.…
Meat out of the eater. Or, Funeral-discourses occasioned by the death of several relatives. Work accommodated unto the service of all that are in any affliction; but very particularly such as are afflicted with the loss of their consorts or children. / By Cotton Mather. ; [Four lines from I Corinthians]
Boston: printed by B. Green & J. Allen for Benjamin Eliot, 1703
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.
APPLICATION.
I am now to recommend the faith of Abraham unto the Emulation and the Imitation of all that would be called the Children of Abraham As for us, God never Tried us as He did Abraham. Tis but a little Trial that the most of us have met withal. It was said, Heb. 12. 4. You have not resisted unto blood. If it should come to Blood, that we must be tried whether we would offer up our very Blood, for the Service ⟨p. 24⟩of our Great Lord; One said, Have. […] but one Life to part with for Christ? This were the Temper we should arrive to. But as for us, all our Trials hitherto are little things, for People that have a great Faith. Well then, let us under our Trials, whatever they are, be as like Abraham as ever we can. Here is the first Lesson we all have to Learn; If a man will be my Disciple be must deny himself. To be sure we are actually to part with all our sinful Enjoyments; (if any Sinful things may be called Enjoyments!) It is demanded, Ezek. 18. 31. Cast away all your Transgressions, why will you dye: But we must Habitually part with all our Lawful Enjoyments too. He that Loves Son or Daughter more than me, is not worthy of me, says our Lord. If God call for a Son or a Daughter, and we ben't willing they should go to Heaven before us, we may fear we shall never see Heaven our selves, Cut the Throat of thy own Son, that is, by Resigning of him to the Wounding Hand of God. Laetus offer Filium Deo, esto Sacerdos animae Fili•tui. Oh, he such a Priest-unto God, as to make an offering of thy very Son, when God will have it so. That man is not worthy to be called a Child of Abraham, ⟨p. 25⟩that is not willing to part with his dearest Enjoyments when God calls for them. These things are particularly to be pressed upon us.