A39690:276
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.
Can I bring him back again? No, I can no more alter the purpose and work of God, than I can change the seasons of of the year, or alter the course of Sun, Moon, and Stars, or disturb the order of day and night; which are all unalterably established by a firm constitution and ordinance of heaven.
As these seasons cannot be changed by man: so neither can this course and way of his providences be changed, Job 23. 13. He is of one mind, and who can turn him? And what his soul desireth even that he doth. Indeed whilst his pleasure and purpose are unknown to us, there is room for fasting and prayer to prevent the thing we fear; but when the purpose of God is manifested in the Issue, and the stroke is given, then it is the vainest thing in the world to fret and vex our selves, as Davids servants thought he would do, as soon as he should hear the child was dead: but he was wiser than so, his tears and cries to God before, had the nature and use of means to prevent the affliction; but when it was come and could not be prevented, then they were of no use, to no purpose in the world. Wherefore should I fast? q. d. To what end, use, or purpose will it be now?
Well then, cast not away your strength and spirits to no advantage, reserve them for future exercises and trials. Time may come that you may need all the strength you have, and much more to support greater burdens than this.
Well then, cast not away your strength and spirits to no advantage, reserve them for future exercises and tryals. Time may come that you may need all the strength you have, and much more to support greater burthens than this.