A39690:141
A token for mourners, or, The advice of Christ to a distressed mother bewailing…
A token for mourners, or, The advice of Christ to a distressed mother bewailing the death of her dear and only son wherein the boundaries of sorrow are duly fixed, excesses restrained, the common pleas answered, and divers rules for the support of Gods afflicted ones prescribed / by J.F.
London: printed for Robert Boulter, 1674
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 confess also, I find my self under great disadvantages for this work, I cannot ⟨p. 44⟩offer them those reviving cordials that are contained in Christ, and the covenant for Gods afflicted people; but yet such is the goodness of God even to his enemies, that they are not left wholly without supports, or means to allay their Sorrow.
If this therefore be thy case, who readest these lines; afflicted and unsanctified, mourning bitterly for thy dead friends, and more cause to mourn for thy dead soul; Christless, and graceless, as well as childless or friendless: no comfort in hand, nor yet in hope, full of trouble, and no vent by prayer or faith to ease thy heart.
Poor creature, thy case is sad, but yet do not wholly sink, and suffer thy self to be swallowed up of grief, thou hast laid thy dear one in the grave, yet throw not thy self head-long into the grave after him; that will not be the way to remedy thy misery: but sit down a while and ponder these three things:
First, That of all persons in the World, thou hast most reason to be tender over thy life and health, and careful to preserve it; for if thy troubles destroy thee, thou art eternally lost, undone for ever. Worldly sorrow (saith the Apostle) works death.