# Puritan Funeral Sermons



## VirginiaHuguenot (Jul 9, 2006)

Is there a compilation somewhere of Puritan funeral sermons (as there is concerning Puritan farewell sermons from the Great Ejection) or are they best found among individual Puritan works?


----------



## BuddyOfDavidClarkson (Jul 9, 2006)

Yes! Everyone should have this book in their library:

A Guide To The Puritans (http://cvbbs.com/inventory.php?targ...keyword=&author_keyword=&sort_by=&bookid=1145)

The guy took all the Puritan literature and indexed it by verse and topic. One of the other sections is sermons for special occasions and funerals are listed there.




> _Originally posted by VirginiaHuguenot_
> Is there a compilation somewhere of Puritan funeral sermons (as there is concerning Puritan farewell sermons from the Great Ejection) or are they best found among individual Puritan works?


----------



## Arch2k (Jul 9, 2006)

> Rutherford, one of the Scottish Commissioners, held the view that there was no more occasion for an act of worship at a man's leaving the world, than at his entering it.
> Davies, Horton._ The Worship of the English Puritans._p. 45-46.



Leave it up to Rutherford! 

Seriously, I don't know of any compilations Andrew.


----------



## Don Kistler (Jul 9, 2006)

There was a large volume of Puritan funeral sermons published in the 17th century called "The House of Mourning." It has never been reprinted that I know of. It's a large folio. It is a combination of sermons the Puritans preached at funerals, as well as funeral sermons preached at the funerals of Puritan preachers.

Don Kistler


----------



## VirginiaHuguenot (Jul 9, 2006)

> _Originally posted by BuddyOfDavidClarkson_
> Yes! Everyone should have this book in their library:
> 
> A Guide To The Puritans (http://cvbbs.com/inventory.php?targ...keyword=&author_keyword=&sort_by=&bookid=1145)
> ...



Thanks. I have this book and it does not contain a compilation of Puritan funeral sermons. It is a reference book which lists authors, titles, topics and verses, and it has a very useful chapter on funeral sermons and bibliography, but it is an index rather a compilation. Nevertheless, I agree it is a great book and well worth having.

[Edited on 7-10-2006 by VirginiaHuguenot]


----------



## VirginiaHuguenot (Jul 9, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Don Kistler_
> There was a large volume of Puritan funeral sermons published in the 17th century called "The House of Mourning." It has never been reprinted that I know of. It's a large folio. It is a combination of sermons the Puritans preached at funerals, as well as funeral sermons preached at the funerals of Puritan preachers.
> 
> Don Kistler



Thanks for this tip. That is helpful to know. It would certainly be a blessing if this work could be reprinted.


----------



## VirginiaHuguenot (Jul 9, 2006)

I found this listing, perhaps this is the book you have in mind?

FEATLY, Daniel, & others.
The house of mourning: furnished with directions for, preparations to, meditations of, consolations at the hour of death... Lond. Dawson. 1660.


----------



## VirginiaHuguenot (Jul 9, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Jeff_Bartel_
> 
> 
> > Rutherford, one of the Scottish Commissioners, held the view that there was no more occasion for an act of worship at a man's leaving the world, than at his entering it.
> ...



That's ok, brother!  Wise words from Rutherford.

Yes, the Puritans were noted for their opposition to the idolatries that accompanied Roman Catholic and Anglican funerals in their day, but they also allowed that the occasion of a funeral certainly provides grounds for godly encouragement to look to Christ and be mindful of our mortality.

Westminster Directory of Public Worship:



> *Concerning Burial of the Dead.*
> 
> WHEN any person departeth this life, let the dead body, upon the day of burial, be decently attended from the house to the place appointed for publick burial, and there immediately interred, without any ceremony.
> 
> ...


----------



## Don Kistler (Jul 9, 2006)

yes, that's the book i had in mind, andrew. lots of funeral sermons in it.

Don Kistler


----------



## crhoades (Jul 9, 2006)

If I remember correctly, the Early American Imprints Series that can be found at colleges and seminaries online in pdf format has a category of funeral sermons under the general heading of sermons (election day sermons are another category). Granted that these will be American but they may still be of interest to you.


----------



## VirginiaHuguenot (Jul 9, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Don Kistler_
> yes, that's the book i had in mind, andrew. lots of funeral sermons in it.
> 
> Don Kistler



Very good, thanks!


----------



## VirginiaHuguenot (Jul 9, 2006)

> _Originally posted by crhoades_
> If I remember correctly, the Early American Imprints Series that can be found at colleges and seminaries online in pdf format has a category of funeral sermons under the general heading of sermons (election day sermons are another category). Granted that these will be American but they may still be of interest to you.



Yes, good tip -- thanks, Chris!


----------



## Don Kistler (Jul 9, 2006)

Most of the Puritan funeral sermons I've read had little to do with the person who had died. The funeral was an occasion to preach the gospel and extol Christ. Mention was made of the person's life, but Christ was the focus.

Regarding the American Imprint series, they are in PDF files, but you can only download one page at a time. The Early English Books Online series allows you to download an entire book all at once.

It wouldn't work to reprint the funeral sermons It's hard enough to sell these books as it is.


----------



## VirginiaHuguenot (Jul 9, 2006)

I believe a funeral sermon preached by Thomas Bainbridge was instrumental in the conversion of Thomas Goodwin.

Here are a few of the many funeral sermons that I have come across. They have been a blessing to me.

William Bates' Funeral Sermon for Thomas Manton

John Howe's Funeral Sermon for William Bates

John Howe's Funeral Sermon for Mrs. Richard Baxter

John Wesley's Funeral Sermon for George Whitfield

Thomas Manton's Funeral Sermon for Christopher Love, Vol. II of the Works of Thomas Manton

Some that I would like to read:

William Bates' Funeral Sermon for Richard Baxter

William Bates' Funeral Sermon for Thomas Jacomb

Thomas Jacomb's Funeral Sermon for Richard Vines

Thomas Jacomb's Funeral Sermon for Thomas Case

William Bates' Funeral Sermon for David Clarkson

David Clarkson's Funeral Sermon for John Owen

John Howe's Funeral Sermon for Matthew Mead

John Howe's Funeral Sermon for Peter Vink

John Reeve's Funeral Sermon for Thomas Brooks

Nicholas Bernard's Funeral Sermon for James Ussher

Daniel Mayo's Funeral Sermon for Edmund Calamy, III

Donald Cargill's Funeral Sermon for Richard Cameron (I don't know if this was ever published)

Simon Ashe's Funeral Sermon for Thomas Gataker

John Carstairs' Funeral Sermon for John Howie

John Ryther's Funeral Sermon for James Janeway

Funeral Sermons Preached by Increase Mather

Funeral Sermons for Matthew Henry by Daniel Williams, William Tong, Isaac Bates, and John Reynolds (Peter Withington and John Gardner's sermons were not published, I gather)

I would also like to read Daniel Defoe's _Hymn to a Funeral Sermon_ and _The Puritan funeral sermon in seventeenth century England_ by Selmer Neville Westby.

[Edited on 7-11-2006 by VirginiaHuguenot]


----------



## VirginiaHuguenot (Jul 15, 2006)

Matthew Henry preached a number of published funeral sermons, found in his complete Works, including sermons for:

Samuel Benion
Francis Tallents
Richard Stretton
Daniel Burgess
James Owen
Katherine Henry

[Edited on 7-15-2006 by VirginiaHuguenot]


----------



## VirginiaHuguenot (Jul 19, 2006)

> _Originally posted by VirginiaHuguenot_
> I found this listing, perhaps this is the book you have in mind?
> 
> FEATLY, Daniel, & others.
> The house of mourning: furnished with directions for, preparations to, meditations of, consolations at the hour of death... Lond. Dawson. 1660.



This work was published in 1640. The full title is: _Threnoikos. = The house of mourning furnished with directions for preparations to meditations of consolations at the houre of death. Delivered in XLVIIÂ· sermons, preached at the funeralls of divers faithfull servants of Christ._ By Daniel Featly Martin Day Richard Sibbs Thomas Taylor Doctors in Divinitie. And other reverend divines. {Including John Preston}

[Edited on 7-19-2006 by VirginiaHuguenot]


----------



## VirginiaHuguenot (Aug 24, 2006)

I recently acquired Simeon Ashe's funeral sermon for Jeremiah Whitaker: _Living Loves between Christ and the Dying Christian_. Also, Thomas Watson's funeral sermon for Jacob Stock: _The Holy Longing of the Saints, or the Saint's Desire to be with Christ_. 

Of Jeremiah Whitaker, it was said that he "read all the epistles in the Greek Testament twice every fortnight."

[Edited on 8-24-2006 by VirginiaHuguenot]


----------



## VirginiaHuguenot (Dec 2, 2006)

Volume 4 of _The Puritan Sermon in America, 1630 - 1750_ ed. by Ronald A. Bosco has a collection of _New England Funeral Sermons_.


----------

