N01426:40
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.
I. And now, Behold, what we have to Comfort us, when our Desirable Relatives, and even our Mothers themselves, are taken from us; They which were the Desire of our Eyes, taken away with a Stroke! In the loss of Relatives, we lose our Comforters. And some thereupon abandon themselves to such an Excess of Sorrow, that they Refuse to be comforted. An Error this; Inasmuch as we know where to repair unto one, who tells us, As it is with a Man whom his Mother Comforteth, so will I Comfort you! A Sorrow on the Death of a Mother is very allowable; Yea, 'tis a Phrase for a very pungent Sorrow, Psal. XXXV.14. I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his Mother. But the Sorrow is to be Moderated and Regulated, by the Consolations of God. It is to be considered, That it is GOD who gave us our comfortable Relatives, and made them to be all that they were unto us. It was GOD, who was the Giver, and ⟨p. 30⟩Author of all that we found Comfortable in them. It is to be considered, That when God pleases to call for our comfortable Relatives, He does but call for His own; He may do what He will with His own. He does it also to bring us unto a more entire Dependence on Himself alone, for all that is Comfortable. Our other Comforters are one after another going from us. But we have a Glorious GOD still to Comfort us; An Eternal GOD still to be a Refuge unto us. We are so advised; Psal. CXLVI.3, 4. Put not your Trust in the Son of Man, in whom there is no Help; His Breath goes forth; he returns to his Earth; in that very Day his Thoughts Perish. This, this is the Voice of our God unto us, in the Death of our Comforters;, Oh! No longer expect your Comforts from the Children of Men; Children, expect them not from your fondest Parents. They are Dying. Their Comforts will Dye with them. They return to their Earth; see the Vanity of such Earthly Comforts. When their Breath goes forth, in that very Day, the Comforts we had ⟨p. 31⟩in them, do all Perish. Retire then unto the Living God; Oh! Cry out for Him, to Him; and say, My God, Thou shalt be my Comforter! This was the Comfort which a Child of God once refreshed himself withal; And, Oh! the reviving Refreshment of such a Cordial!