1. Answer.

Admit what the objection supposes, that you have real grounds to fear the e∣ternal condition of your dear Relation, yet it's utterly unbeseeming you, even in such a case as this, to dispute with, or repine against the Lord.

I do confess it's a sore and heavy tryal, and that there is no case more sad, and Page  138 sinking to the spirit of a gracious person. Their death is but a trifle to this; but yet, if you be such as fear the Lord, methinks his indisputable Soveraignty over them, and his distinguishing love and mercy to you, should at least silence you in this matter.

First, His indisputable Soveraignty over them, Rom. 9. 20. Who art thou, O man, that disputest with God? He speaks it in the matters of eternal election and reprobation. What if the Lord will not be gracious to those that are so dear to us; Is there any wrong done to them or us thereby? Aarons two Sons were cut off in an act of sin by the Lords im∣mediate hand, and yet he held his peace, Levit. 10. 3. God told Abraham plainly that the Covenant should not be establish∣ed with Ishmael, for whom he so earnestly pray'd, O let Ishmael live before thee! and he knew that there was no salvation out of the Covenant; and yet he sits down silent under the word of the Lord.

Secondly, But if this do not quiet you, yet, methinks, his distinguishing love and mercy to you should do it. O what do you owe to God, that root and branch had not been cast together into the fire! Page  139 that the Lord hath given you good hope through grace, that it shall be well with you for ever. Let this stop your mouth, and quiet your spirit: though you should have grounds for this fear.

2. Answer.

But pray examine the grounds of your fear, whether it may not proceed from the strength of your affections to the eter∣nal welfare of your friend, or from the subtilty of Satan designing hereby to over-whelm and swallow you up in sorrow, as well as from just grounds and causes? In two cases it's very probable your fear may proceed only from your own affe∣ction or Satans temptation.

First, If your Relation died young, before it did any thing to destroy your hopes. Or,

Secondly, If grown and in some good degree hopeful; only he did not in life, or at death manifest and give evidence of grace, with that clearness as you de∣sired.

As to the case of Infants in general, it's none of our concern to judg their con∣dition, and as for those that sprang from Covenanted parents, it becomes us to ex∣ercise Page  140 Charity towards them: the Scrip∣ture speaks very favourably of them.

And as for the more adult, who have escaped the polutions of the world, and made Conscience of sin and duty, albeit they never manifested what you could de∣sire they had; yet in them as in young Abijah, may be found some good thing to∣wards the Lord, which you never took notice of. Reverence of your authority, bashfulness and shamefac'dness, reserved∣ness of disposition, and many other things may hide those small and weak begin∣nings of grace that are in children, from the observations of the Parents. God might see that in them that you never saw; he despises not the day of small things.

However it be, it's now out of your watch, your concernment rather is to im∣prove the affliction to your own good, than judge and determine their condition; which belongs not to you, but God.