The Mourners Companion, Title page – Errata
THE Mourners Companion: OR, Funeral DISCOURSES ON Several Texts.
BY JOHN SHOWER.
ECCL. vii. 2.
It is better to go the Houſe of Mourning, than to go to the Houſe of Feaſting, for that is the End of all Men, and the Living will lay it to heart.
LONDON, Printed by J. A. for J. Dunton at the Raven in the Poultrey, and A. Chandler at the Chyrurgeons Arms at the Entrance into Bartholomews-Cloſe in Alderſgate-ſtreet, 1692.
THE EPISTLE TO THE READER.
'TWill be generally granted that Funeral Diſcourſes are more like to affect than ordinary Sermons, becauſe of the freſh Inſtances and Examples, which give occaſion to 'em. If the matter be Inſtructive and Awakening, Practical, and Serious, they may be of ſingular Advantage to the Relations and Acquaintance of the Deceaſed; and of ſome unto other Reders, becauſe the Living know that they ſhall dye. I am not without Hope that theſe may be of ſome uſe to the Friends and Relatives, at leaſt, of the Deceaſed Perſons. This is ſufficient to ſatisfie me, whatever Cenſures I may incurr, that I do well to publiſh 'em.
I know this Nation abounds with good Books of practical Divinity, beyond any other in the World, and I rejoyce in it. Methinks it ought to be a real Pleaſure to a Good Man, to ſee the various Editions of ſome plain, practical uſeful Books, becauſe we may conclude that there are many thouſands in England who reliſh and read ſuch Books, or ſo many would never ſell.
It might be expected, that I ſhould have ſaid ſomewhat more particular of the Perſon, whoſe Death occaſion'd the firſt Diſcourſe. Her Acquaintance may think many things Praiſe-worthy in her Character, and Converſation, will accuſe my ſilence. But my Relation and Affection, according to the common Cuſtom and Uſage of the Word, made it unfit for me: (and my Brother Spademan by his Funeral Sermon, which is here added, hath made it now leſs needful;) thô I muſt ſay, that Cuſtom hath this Inconvenience attending it, that the only way almoſt by which we can attain to the true Knowledge of any Perſons Character, is thereby become an Argument againſt the publiſhing it.
I ſhall only requeſt of him that Reads, as a Friend who deſires thy Salvation, as ever thou hopeſt for the Comforts of a Dying man, or wilt anſwer it to God and Conſcience at laſt, that thou learn by theſe Diſcourſes, to Retire now and then, ſeriouſly to bethink thy ſelf of thy own Death; which is as certain as the Death of any of thoſe, whoſe Funeral thou haſt attended, or whoſe Funeral Sermon thou haſt heard or read: And beg of God the Wiſdom to conſider thy Latter End, and Prepare to follow: And then be true to God, and thy own Conſcience, reſolvedly to Act and Live in that manner, that ſuch thoughts ſhall ſuggeſt to be wiſeſt and moſt neceſſary. Do not refuſe or deny me this, as thou wilt anſwer it to thy Judge, who may ſummon thee before his Bar in an hour which thou thinkeſt not of. Farewell.
J. S.
THE CONTENTS.
Diſc. 1. OF Mourning for the Dead, from Ezek. 24.16. Son of Man, I will take away the Deſire of thine Eyes with a ſtroke, and thou ſhalt not mourn, or weep, neither ſhall thy tears run down—Since enlarged.
Diſc. 2. Prepare to Follow, from Mat. 24.44. Therefore, Be you alſo Ready — In two Sermons.
Diſc. 3. The Saints Deſire to be with Chriſt, from Phil. 1.23. I deſire to be diſſolved, and to be with Chriſt, which is far Better.
Diſc. 4. Sickneſs and Death for the Glory of Chriſt, from John 11.4. This Sickneſs is not unto Death, but for the Glory of God, that the Son of Man may be glorified thereby.
The Reader is deſired to correct a few of the moſt conſiderable Errata.
PAge 8. l. ult. t. foreign. p. 91. l. 21. after hauehave r. or. p. 40. l. 7. … reckon r. upon. p. 45. l. 24. for Change r. Chance, …. p. 46. l. 28. for Diſeaſe r. Deceaſe, p. 61. l. ult. for deca r. decima, p. 63. l. ult. for Knowledge of God r. Divine Life.
OF MOURNING FOR THE DEAD: OR, A DISCOURSE
FROM EZEK. 24.16, 17, 18.
Son of Man, behold, I take away from thee the deſire of thine eyes with a ſtroke; yet neither ſhalt thou mourn nor weep, neither ſhall thy tears run down: Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy ſhoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of Men: So I ſpoke unto the people in the morning, and at even my Wife dyed: —
By JOHN SHOWER.
Being the firſt Sermon he Preacht after the death of his Wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Shower: Who departed this Life Aug. 24. 1691.
LONDON, Printed for J. Dunton and A. Chandler. 1691.