Sermon on the Death of Anne Barnardiston, Title page – Dedication
A SERMON PREACHT Upon the DEATH OF Mrs ANNE BARNARDISTON, (DAUGHTER of NATHANAEL BARNARDISTON Eſq late of Hackney:) Who departed this Life the 30th day of Decemb. 1681. at the Age of Seventeen.
With a brief Account of ſome Remarkable Paſſages of her LIFE and DEATH.
Publiſhed at the Deſire of her Relations.
Pſal. 103.15. As for man his dayes are as graſs: as a flower of the field ſo he flouriſheth.
V. 16. For the wind paſſeth over it, and it is gone, and the place thereof ſhall know it no more.
LONDON, Printed by J. A. for Benjamin Alſop at the Angel and Bible, and John Dunton at the Black Raven, in the Poultrey. 1682.
TO The Much Honoured, MADAM ELIZABETH BARNARDISTON.
MADAM,
THE ſad Occaſion of the Sermon, and your Relation to Her, whoſe dying requeſt was fulfilled in my preaching it, doth ſtyle the Dedication yours. Though what I have mention'd of your excellent Daughter, is leſs than others would have ſaid on the ſame ſubject, yet having given an account of her preparedneſs and willingneſs to dye, methinks that ſhould be conſidered as a ſufficient Argument to mitigate your Sorrow, and prevent its exceſs.1 Theſſ. 13. 'Tis the Apoſtles Inſtruction concerning them who ſleep in Jeſus, that we ought not to ſorrow as do others, who have no hope. Such were the Aegyptians; and 'tis obſerv'd of them, that they mourned longer for the death of old Jacob, Gen. 50.3than his own Son Joſeph did. I know the Time of Her Death gives an Accent to the Calamity: That before your Mourning Weeds were laid aſide for one of the beſt of Husbands, who hath a good Report of all men, and of the Truth it ſelf; you ſhould be forced to continue the ſame, or put on more, for the Loſs of ſuch a Child, in the Prime of her Youth, and Strength, and Beauty: A Loſs for which you do not mourn alone, ſince many others are partners of your grief; not by ſympathy only as pitying you, but from a due Reſpect and Affection to her, and their own Concern at her departure.
But as your Afflictions abound, God can make your Conſolations by Chriſt abound much more: And ſuch Loſſes as theſe, (though ſome of the ſmarteſt and moſt afflictive to humane Nature) may turn to your Spiritual Gain: And even this Rod, like that of Aaron, may bloſſom, and produce the peaceable Fruits of Righteouſneſs: If in the want of their Company, God himſelf be more depended on as your All in all: If their removal out of this World, promote your Mortification to it: if their being taken up to Heaven, aſſiſt your Preparations, and excite your deſires to follow: God hath already made good his Covenant Promiſe, in a very peculiar manner, to thoſe whom he gave, and hath taken from you; and I truſt will do ſo as to thoſe who remain: that they may know and ſerve the God of their Fathers with a perfect heart, and ſee the Felicity of his Choſen: That they may tread in the ſteps of their departed Relatives, and bear up the Name of God in their reſpective ſtations; to his Glory, and your Comfort, and their Salvation. And if God ſhould not make your houſe to grow, 2 Sam. 2 5.yet he hath made an Everlaſting Covenant with you, well ordered in all things, and ſure.
I wiſh the following Diſcourſe may contribute any thing to your Support: or at leaſt be accepted, as an Expreſſion of my Obedience in complying with your requeſt thus to make it publick: And as a Teſtimony of my unfeigned Reſpect to the memory of the deceaſed: with a ſerious deſire of ſome benefit to others alſo, by ſuch a remarkable Inſtance of an Early Piety, of an Exemplary Life, of a peaceable Death: Which God grant, who alone can bring Good out of Evil; all whoſe Works are perfect, and whoſe Wayes are Judgment. I am
MADAM, Your moſt Affectionate Humble Servant, John Shower. London, Jan. 25. 1681/2