Dr. Thomas Jacomi:J's F1meral Sermon. St. J 0 HN xii. l6. If any Manferve me, let him foUow me; aid whe:re I am, the:re/hall alfo my Servant be: Ifany Man ferue me, him will my Fathe:r honour. IF it fo pleafed the wife and [overai;;n Difpofer of all Things, how much rather would I be an attentive Heareroftllat blelfed Servant of God who is now above, than preach his Funeral Sermon at this Time. That my fad Voice fi1ould be reon. ~-~r~~l ~~dt~~~t~l~~:tf~~ ~}'~~~! is~f,~\~~~\J'r{,a~~ ~~~f,~rt~,~~dD~~J~~~:i~ 777 whofe natural vigour and firm Complexion prom~fed a longer continuance here, fbould have a period put to his Days, and that I fhould furvive, wbofe Life has been preferved for many Years like the weak light of a Lamp in the open Air? but l1e has finifn'd his Work, and was more fit for Heaven : The laf't Lord's Day he entree! into everlafling Rcfl·: And I with you are f'till upon the Earth, that we may make a better Preparation for the Divine Prcfence in Heaven, and that Holy Alfembly that [erves him who fits upon the Throne without Imperfell:ion or Intermiffim1 for ever. In order to this end, I have chofen the prefent Subjell: ofmy Difcourfe. In the Verfe our Saviour gives a mofl imp<irtant Command and indifpenfably ob- .ligatory to all Chriflians; Ifmy Mmz jervCJ me, let him foil= me: If be alfumes the Title, and enters into the f.1cred Engagement of being my Servant, let his Carriage be anfwerable to his Condition, let him follow the Divine Example I have [et before him. And fince the way is narrow and be-fet with Thorns, our Creleflial Leader who by the Crofs afccnded to the Throne, allures us of a blelfed Retribution that fhall infinitely out-weigh all the numerous and heavy Troubles to which we are expos'd in his Service; all our grievous Sufferings fi1all end in Eternal Joys: Whert I tt1Tt, there jhttfi111J Servaut be: And he is at God's right H-and~ wher~ there ir fitlmfr of lt~~; ci:~k~;v;~: ~~gt~~~~~, ev;,-u ~d\r;~\~~fea~~o~~se~~~:rr;;c~n~~d~n~ 0~~~~r If diiJ J.Vl..tm fen~e me, him tviU my Fathe1· honour. Joy and Glory are the bright Sum of Heaven: The compleat Felicity that a f'tedfafl Faith in our Saviour's Promi[es, oppofes to the greatef't Evils, all the Ignominy and Reproaches, all the Pains and Miferies that can affiill: Life, or imbitter Deat'h: The lively hope of it inf!Jires his Servants with an invincible Courage and Patience to fuflain what ever Evils for his Sake. ·' I !hall confine my Difcourfe. to the lafl part of the Verfe; I[ any Manferve me, him will my Father honour: Havmg upon the like occalion treated of the Joy that !hall recompence all the Sorrows and Labours of the Saints. The Propofition I !hall infif't on is this: Gocl will crl!1r>" the Fi&klity mzcl Conjla11cy ofChrijl's Servants with the highe{l Honour. In the managing of the Point, I will confider, Firft, What the Service of Chrlfl implies. Secondly, Upon what accounts 'tis due to him. Thirdly, The final Reward that !hall certainly attend it. L.ftly, Bring it home to our own Bofoms by Application. im~fits'o'G~~i~~: ;~r~~f~~~(!:rit~,:ml~\~~f ~~~~~g~~;,"1w~t~;~~/~t ~~[;~~;;~; the End of them. His Will revealed in the Scriptures is a Rule eminently and exclu!ively. Eminently, for it has all the Perfell:ions of a Rule: Tls cleor and cornpleat, fufficient_ to make 11~ wifo to Salvation, and to direct us in the Wtty everlajli11g. 'Tis called the holy, acceptable, mzcl pe~fe/JWillofGod. Tis a Rullo Exclu!ively. To [peak flnll:ly, no Creature can be a Rule to another ; for they are all in an equal .Line of Subjell:ion to the Creator : One may be a Guide or Governour to another according to the Rule of Ood's Word. The Laws of Men cannot reach and bind the Confcience immediately, but by virtue of God's Command ; nor unlimitedly, but as they are lonfonant with his Laws. Now a univerfal refpell: ;o the Will llhhhh2 of
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