N01426:27
Maternal consolations. An essay on, the consolations of God
Maternal consolations. An essay on, the consolations of God; whereof, a man whom his mother comforteth, receives a shadow; and all the children of God, enjoy the substance. Made on the death of Mrs. Maria Mather, the consort of the Reverend Dr. Increase Mather, and the daughter of the renowned Mr. John Cotton, who expired on, 4 d. 2 m. 1714. In the seventy third year of her age. / By Cotton Mather, D.D. & F.R.S. and a son of the deceased gentlewoman. ; [Three lines from II Corinthians]
Boston: printed by T. Fleet for Samuel Gerrish, 1714
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.
They had the Pangs of leaving you in your Sins, in your sinful Impenitency, when they Died. Oh! that the Thoughts of what your Mothers underwent for you, may this Day make some Impression on you! Oh! that you would this Day resolve, I will no longer Delay what my Dear Mother Died so exceedingly wishing to have me brought unto!
II. But I must pass on to a Second Observation. Temporal Consolations must not be too long dwelt upon. God forbid, that Flesh and Blood should be the ⟨p. 18⟩chief of our Consolations. The best Relatives, who Dwell in Houses of Clay, will not long yield us any Consolations. Nor do they ever yield us our best Consolations. Nulli fit Injuria cui Deus praeponitur. It is no Disgrace cast upon the most affectionate Mothers, to say, That we have a better Comforter than the Best of them. Yea, if we have not a better than them, we shall anon find them to be but miserable Comforters. We will draw near now to that better Comforter, and make this Remark.
The Children of God will find their Heavenly Father gloriously Comforting of them, with Consolations beyond what the most affectionate Mother upon Earth can give, or so much as wish, unto her Children. Comfort ye, Comfort ye my People, faith the Lord, speak ye Comfortably to them. The comfortable Things we have now to speak, are such as these. Our God will Comfort His People, His People are His Children; and therefore He will Comfort them. When the good God comes unto the Comfort of His Children, 'tis with them, as with a Man whom his Mother Comforteth. ⟨p. 19⟩In the Consolations which an affectionate Mother affords her Children, there is a little Shadow of the Consolations, which the Blessed God bestows upon His. What are the Points, wherein our Mothers are willing to Comfort us? First, All the Comforts that come to us from our Mothers, do Originally come from GOD. GOD sends us our Comforts by their kind Hands, that indeed love to bring them to us. This Kindness in them to us, is also from GOD. GOD has planted it in them, touched them with it. GOD will do for us likewise all that is done by our Mothers; and very Transcendently so. They Feed us. Our Heavenly Father gives us the Bread of Life. They Clothe us. Our Heavenly Father gives us the Garments of Salvation. They Guide us. Our Heavenly Father leads us in the way wherein we should go. They keep us out of Harms-way. Our Heavenly Father does preserve us from all Evil. They confer Ornaments upon us. Our Heavenly Father beautifies us with Jewels of great Price. They Comfort us, with letting us know, that it is a Pleasure