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Counsel For Mourners
The Lord tells Christians that we will have trouble in this world. Part of that trouble is the effects of the fall and the death of those we love. In this work John Flavel tenderly shares what the bounds of Christian grieving are. This is a book to for every pastor and leader to read to be able to minister to those who are struggling with loss and falling away from the Lord.
- GenresTheology
76 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2009
44 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
John Flavel
333 books89 followers"John Flavel (c.1627–1691) was an English Presbyterian clergyman, puritan, and author.
Flavel, the eldest son of the Rev. Richard Flavel, described as 'a painful and eminent minister,' who was incumbent successively of Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, Hasler and Willersey, Gloucestershire (from which last living he was ejected in 1662), was born in or about 1627 at Bromsgrove.
Having received his early education at the schools of the neighbourhood, he entered University College, Oxford, at an early age, and gained a good reputation for talent and diligence.
On 27 April 1650, he was sent by 'the standing committee of Devon' to Diptford, a parish on the Avon, five miles from Totnes, where the minister, Mr. Walplate, had become infirm. On 17 October 1650, after examination and the preaching of a 'trial sermon,' he was ordained Mr. Walplate's assistant by the classis at Salisbury. He continued to minister at Diptford for about six years, succeeding the senior minister when he died, and endearing himself greatly to the people, not only by his earnestness, but by his easy dealings with them in the matter of tithes.
In 1656 he removed to Dartmouth, though the Diptford emoluments were much greater. On the passing of the Act of Uniformity (1662) he was ejected, but continued to preach in private until the Five Mile Act drove him from Dartmouth. He kept as near it, however, as possible, removing to Slapton, five miles off, and there preached twice each Sunday to all who came, among whom were many of his old parishioners. On the granting of the indulgence of 1671 he returned to Dartmouth, and continued to officiate there even after the liberty to do so was withdrawn. In the end he found himself obliged to remove to London, travelling by sea and narrowly escaping shipwreck in a storm, which is said to have ceased in answer to his prayers. Finding that he would be safer at Dartmouth he returned there, and met with his people nightly in his own house, until in 1687, on the relaxation of the penal laws, they built a meeting-house for him. Just before his death he acted as moderator at a meeting of dissenting ministers held at Topsham. He died suddenly of paralysis at Exeter on 26 June 1691, and was buried in Dartmouth churchyard. Wood bitterly comments on the violence of his dissent."
-- Wikipedia
Flavel, the eldest son of the Rev. Richard Flavel, described as 'a painful and eminent minister,' who was incumbent successively of Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, Hasler and Willersey, Gloucestershire (from which last living he was ejected in 1662), was born in or about 1627 at Bromsgrove.
Having received his early education at the schools of the neighbourhood, he entered University College, Oxford, at an early age, and gained a good reputation for talent and diligence.
On 27 April 1650, he was sent by 'the standing committee of Devon' to Diptford, a parish on the Avon, five miles from Totnes, where the minister, Mr. Walplate, had become infirm. On 17 October 1650, after examination and the preaching of a 'trial sermon,' he was ordained Mr. Walplate's assistant by the classis at Salisbury. He continued to minister at Diptford for about six years, succeeding the senior minister when he died, and endearing himself greatly to the people, not only by his earnestness, but by his easy dealings with them in the matter of tithes.
In 1656 he removed to Dartmouth, though the Diptford emoluments were much greater. On the passing of the Act of Uniformity (1662) he was ejected, but continued to preach in private until the Five Mile Act drove him from Dartmouth. He kept as near it, however, as possible, removing to Slapton, five miles off, and there preached twice each Sunday to all who came, among whom were many of his old parishioners. On the granting of the indulgence of 1671 he returned to Dartmouth, and continued to officiate there even after the liberty to do so was withdrawn. In the end he found himself obliged to remove to London, travelling by sea and narrowly escaping shipwreck in a storm, which is said to have ceased in answer to his prayers. Finding that he would be safer at Dartmouth he returned there, and met with his people nightly in his own house, until in 1687, on the relaxation of the penal laws, they built a meeting-house for him. Just before his death he acted as moderator at a meeting of dissenting ministers held at Topsham. He died suddenly of paralysis at Exeter on 26 June 1691, and was buried in Dartmouth churchyard. Wood bitterly comments on the violence of his dissent."
-- Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 30, 2025
Good. Flavel counsels a grieving mother against immoderate grief, discussing the signs of immoderate grief, dissuasion from this sin, removing the potential pleas in favour of immoderate grief, and providing the cures for such grief. Some of Flavel's advice, particularly from the perspective of secularism, could seem harsh. For instance, he counsels against a defence of immoderate grief that invokes the suddenness of death, stating that for the one who rightly keeps the fleetingness of all things before his eyes, death should not be sudden or unexpected. The secularist, often infatuated with the here-and-now and decrying the possibility of an afterlife, considers such a statement to be downright cruel and insane. The Christian replies that it is the wisdom of man that is the true insanity.
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December 10, 2019Las palabras de John Flavel llegaron a mi corazón.
July 23, 2023
Muy buen libro para meditar en el sufrimiento y como no caer presa de una tristeza desmesurada.
Increíble pensar el trabajo de John Flavel en consolar a una madre escribiendo esta obra.
Increíble pensar el trabajo de John Flavel en consolar a una madre escribiendo esta obra.
February 29, 2012
Really more of a three-and-a-half star book. In other words, better than The Touchstone of Sincerity and Navigation Spiritualized; not as good as Husbandry Spiritualized or A Saint Indeed. Here, Flavel shares his advice on how to avoid mourning overmuch--a sticky subject if ever there was one. However, as the Epistle Dedicatory points out, Flavel's first wife died giving birth to their first child, and he lost his second wife as well, so the man knows of what he speaks.
It must be noted, however, that the exegesis here is a bit rocky. The advice is sound, but Flavel bases the whole of the work on Jesus' words to the widow who'd lost her only son: "Do not weep." However, since Jesus raises the son mere moments later, it is not at all clear that his words are meant as an admonition to grievers everywhere not to mourn too passionately. Indeed, it seems more likely (to me) that he was letting her know that he was about to remove the cause of her grief altogether. Still, the conclusions Flavel draws about what it means to grieve as Christians are based solidly in Scripture. Just not this particular Scripture, methinks.
Fair warning--Flavel does not have much to offer in the way of comfort as we tend to define it in modern day America. His comfort is based in his understanding of human depravity--that is, whatever grief you may suffer, rest assured you deserve worse, and other have endured worse. He notes that death should come as no surprise to the Christian, and that nobody dies a moment before the time established by the Sovereign Creator. He admonishes us not to become overly attached to persons, but to find our joy in Christ and His sacrifice for our sin. He reminds us that we'll die soon ourselves, and then be reunited with those we've lost. Tears are to be expected, he notes, but he will have none of this moping about for long periods of time--grieve and get over it is his philosophy. This man does not pull any punches. (At one point he even asks how long the mourner will sit 'musing upon a dead creature'.)
I have not experienced much real grief in my life, so I honestly don't know how this book would be received by the actual mourners for whom it was written. I could certainly see this being something of a slap in the face for those still in the raw, early stage of grief. Still, as I've said, his counsel is based firmly on the Bible. And after all, there are times when we all need a slap in the face.
(For those who don't want to invest in a whole volume of Flavel's collected works, the substance of this book is also available in a stand-alone volume called Facing Grief: Counsel for Mourners, (with foreward by Mark Dever) published by Banner of Truth as part of their line of Puritan Paperbacks.)
[NOTE: Not a review of the above-pictured edition. I read this work in [book:The Works of John Flavel|6896460] (Volume 5), but wanted to review it separately.]
It must be noted, however, that the exegesis here is a bit rocky. The advice is sound, but Flavel bases the whole of the work on Jesus' words to the widow who'd lost her only son: "Do not weep." However, since Jesus raises the son mere moments later, it is not at all clear that his words are meant as an admonition to grievers everywhere not to mourn too passionately. Indeed, it seems more likely (to me) that he was letting her know that he was about to remove the cause of her grief altogether. Still, the conclusions Flavel draws about what it means to grieve as Christians are based solidly in Scripture. Just not this particular Scripture, methinks.
Fair warning--Flavel does not have much to offer in the way of comfort as we tend to define it in modern day America. His comfort is based in his understanding of human depravity--that is, whatever grief you may suffer, rest assured you deserve worse, and other have endured worse. He notes that death should come as no surprise to the Christian, and that nobody dies a moment before the time established by the Sovereign Creator. He admonishes us not to become overly attached to persons, but to find our joy in Christ and His sacrifice for our sin. He reminds us that we'll die soon ourselves, and then be reunited with those we've lost. Tears are to be expected, he notes, but he will have none of this moping about for long periods of time--grieve and get over it is his philosophy. This man does not pull any punches. (At one point he even asks how long the mourner will sit 'musing upon a dead creature'.)
I have not experienced much real grief in my life, so I honestly don't know how this book would be received by the actual mourners for whom it was written. I could certainly see this being something of a slap in the face for those still in the raw, early stage of grief. Still, as I've said, his counsel is based firmly on the Bible. And after all, there are times when we all need a slap in the face.
(For those who don't want to invest in a whole volume of Flavel's collected works, the substance of this book is also available in a stand-alone volume called Facing Grief: Counsel for Mourners, (with foreward by Mark Dever) published by Banner of Truth as part of their line of Puritan Paperbacks.)
[NOTE: Not a review of the above-pictured edition. I read this work in [book:The Works of John Flavel|6896460] (Volume 5), but wanted to review it separately.]
January 4, 2011
Sound biblical counsel on working through grief. It is a difficult thing to deal with one who is grieving, but Flavel does it well. It's probably not what many want to hear, but it is truth from God's Word and soothes the soul. I recommend it highly.
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March 11, 2020I read the Banner of Truth Work Vol. 5 version. I read this along some other similar works and was edified.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews