A token for mourners, or, The advice of Christ to a distressed mother bewailing…

O the sparing mercy of God! the wonderful long suffering of God towards thee! Possibly that poor creature that is gone, never provoked God as thou hast done; thy poor child, never abused mercies, neglected calls, treasured up the thousandth part of that guilt thou hast ⟨p. 46⟩done: So that thou mightest well imagine it should rather have cut thee down, that hadst so provoked God, than thy poor little one.

O the sparing mercy of God! the wonderful long suffering of God towards thee! Possibly that poor creature that is gone, never provoked God as thou hast done; thy poor child, never abused mercies, neglected calls, treasur'd up the thousandth part of that guilt thou hast ⟨p. 46⟩done: So that thou mightest well immagine it should rather have cut thee down, that hadst so provoked God, than thy poor little one.

But oh the admirable patience of God! Oh the riches of long suffering! Thou art only warned, not smitten by it: Is there nothing in this worth thy thankful acknowledgement? Is it not better to be in black for another on earth, than in the blackness of darkness for ever? Is it not easier to go to the grave with thy dead friend, and weep there; than to go to hell among the damned where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth?

Thirdly, This affliction for which thou mournest, may be the greatest mercy to thee that ever yet befell thee in this world. God hath now made thy heart soft by trouble, showed thee the vanity of this World; and what a poor trifle it is which thou madest thy happiness: There is now a dark cloud spread over all thy worldly comforts. Now, O now, if the Lord would but strike in with this affliction, and by it open thine eyes to see thy deplorable state, and take off thy heart for ever from the vain world which thou now seest hath nothing in it; and cause