A39690:441
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.
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 desired.
As to the case of Infants in general, it's none of our concern to judg their condition, and as for those that sprang from Covenanted parents, it becomes us to exercise ⟨p. 140⟩Charity towards them: the Scripture speaks very favourably of them.
And as for the more adult, who have escaped the pollutions of the world, and made Conscience of sin and duty, albeit they never manifested what you could desire they had; yet in them as in young Abijah, may be found some good thing towards the Lord, which you never took notice of. Reverence of your authority, bashfulness and shamefacedness, reservedness of disposition, and many other things may hide those small and weak beginnings 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.
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 desire they had; yet in them as in young Abijah, may be found some good thing towards the Lord, which you never took notice of. Reverence of your authority, bashfulness and shamefac'dness, reservedness of disposition, and many other things may hide those small and weak beginnings 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.