4 534 The Life of Faith. 2. Think howunkindly and unthankfully you have dealt with a gracious Saviour, and a heavenly Father. 3. Let it take off your affcdions from all things under the Sun, and call them up the more to God : For who would love a world, where none are to be trufted, and where all things are vexatious, even the children ofyour love and bowels. Dire f. 8. If they die impenitently, and perifh, mourn for them, but with the moderation ofBelievers : That is, r: Con- fider that God is more theowner of your children, than you are ; and may do with his own as he lift. 2. And he is more wife and merciful than you ; and therefore not to be murmured at as wanting either. 3. And it is an unvaluable mercy that your own foul is fanetifted, and (hall be Caved. 4. And the molt god- ly have had ungodly children before you. Adam had a Cain, Noah had a Cham, Ifaac had an Efau, David had an Abfalom, &c. 5. And ifall the godly that pray for their chiidrens falva- tion mull be therein gratified, all the world would then have been Caved. For Noab would have prayed for all his children, and they for theirs, and fo to the worlds end. Objet. Ob but my ccrfcience telletb me, that it is my own finwhich bath had a bandin their undoing. «Anfw. Suppofc it befo; it is certainly apardonable fin. Do you then repent of it, or not ? If you repent ; as you mourn for your relations ; fo you (hould rejoyce that God bath forgivenyou. For repentedfin is certainlypardoned to you, andpardonedfin to you, is as great cauteof joy, as unpardoned fin in your rela- tions is caute offorrow. Therefore mourn with fuch mode- ration, and mixed comfort and thankfgiving, as bccorneth one that liveth by faith. The afflietion indeed is neer and great; and heavier than any calamity that could have befallen their bodies, and is not to be flighted by an unnatural infcnb rility But yet you have a God who isbetter to you than a thoufand children; and your crofsis but as a feather, if you let it in the !alliance again(# your blcffings, even the Love of God, and your part in Chrilt, and life eternal. CHAP.
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