N00941:81
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.
3. Any man and particularly any Afflicted man, that has the Fear of God, may upon Trial know that he has that Fear. He that has in him the Grace of God may come to know that he has it. The Grace of God is a discernible thing. Tis resembled unto Light: a man may see that Light: unto Fire, a man may feel that Fire. It is the Precept of our God unto us, 2 Pet. I. 10. Make your Calling and Election sure. That argues that it may be perceived. A man may come to be sure, that God has called him to Himself, and that therefore he may call God his own God. A man may know his Love to God and Christ. Peter did so, when he said, Joh. 21. 17. Thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I Love thee. Surely then he may know his Fear of God, and Fear of Christ. A man may know the Love of God and Christ unto him. So Paul did, when he said, Gal 2 20. He hath Loved me and given himself for me. Now we know, that this peculiar Love of the Lord, is towards one but such as Fear […] that Lord. A man may come to know […] Interest in the New-Covenant; and one thing in that Covenant, is, I will put my Fear in their Hearts, Thus Job could say, I know ⟨p. 44⟩my Redeemer Lives. But how shall a man come to know it? Take by the way, this General Direction! Beware of proceeding by Wrong Rules, in our Self-Examination; else we shall Wrong our selves. When we Examine, Whether we have the Fear of God or no? We should not make the mere Opinions or Experience of Other men, the Rules by which we shall pass an Judgment on our selves. As the Fear of God is not to be Taught, So neither is it to be Tried by the Precepts of men. The Rules, the Marks, the Signs, by which we are to Examine our Fear of God, must be Scriptural Ones. And the whole Scripture is profitable, for our Instruction in this Devotion; to Instruct us for Self-Examination. And especially the First Epistle of John, seems to be special portion of Scripture, for Self Examination; That Epistle may well be our Vade Mecum, when we go to Examine our selves.
3. Any man and particularly any Afflicted man, that has the Fear of God, may upon Tryal know that he has that Fear. He that has in him the Grace of God may come to know that he has it. The Grace of God is a discernible thing. Tis resembled unto Light: a man may see that Light: unto Fire, a man may feel that Fire. It is the Precept of our God unto us,