A39690:264
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.
Parents now ponder these grounds; you have prayed for them, you have many times wrestled with the Lord on their behalf; you have taken hold of Gods Covenant for them, as well as for your selves, and dedicated them to the Lord, and they have not by any actions of theirs destroyed those grounds of your hope, but that you may with much probability conclude they are with God.
Why, if the case be so, what abundant reason have you to be quiet and well satisfied with what God hath done? Can they be better than where they are? Had you better provisions and entertainments for them here, than their heavenly Father hath above.
There is no Christian parent in the world but would rejoice to see his child out-strip and get before him in grace, that he may be more eminent in parts and service than ever he was; And what reason can be given, why we should not as much rejoice to see our children get before us in glory as in grace? They are gotten to heaven a few years before you, and is that matter of mourning? Would not your child (if he were not ignorant of you) say as Christ did to his friends a little before his death, when he saw them cast down at the thoughts of parting, Joh. 14. 28. If ye loved me ye would rejoice because I go unto the Father. q. d. Do you value your own sensible comfort from my bodily presence with you, before my glory and advancement in heaven? Is this love to me? Or is it not rather self-love?
There is no Christian parent in the world but would rejoyce to see his child out-strip and get before him in grace, that he may be more eminent in parts and service than ever he was; And what reason can be given, why we should not as much rejoyce to see our children get before us in glory as in grace? They are gotten to heaven a few years before you, and is that matter of mourning? Would not your child (if he were not ignorant of you) say as Christ did to his friends a little before his death, when he saw them cast down at the thoughts of parting,