Dr. Thomas Jacomb's funeral Sermon. vain 0£\:entation of Wit, debafes the Majefty, enervates the Vigour, and corrupts the pure tafl:e of the Gofpel. True Eloquence is always fuitabl e to the Subjetl:, and fprings from it; as the native Beauty of the Countenance that fprings from a found Complexion of Body, and is not varnifh'd with the Faint of Art. \lvhen the Truth of Eternal Things is planted in the Heart, and the viral Senle of them is f11ed in the Will and Affetl:ions, it will furnifh us with fit and powerful Words to exprefs them. Befides, in the managing of a facred Argument, jal111 pop,lifuprcma lex ejlo: The Salvation of Souls is the Rule t<> which the Language of Sermons mufl: be parallel. Divine Truths mufl: be repr:fented with t~1ofe clear a~d folemnExprcffions, as may powerfully affetl: the Confoence, and exote the pratl:rck Faculues of the Soul, with fuch weighty and ferious Words, as may awaken Sinners to fear the powerful and terrible Judge of the World, and to hate Sin that provokes his D ifpleafure. The curious Contexture of Words of pleafant Sound without Subfl:ance, is an elabwate Folly : 'Tis the framing a Net only fit to catch Flys, the vain Applaufes of the injudicious, not to take Souls, the Divine Work of a Minifl:er. And the Account mufl: be woful for thole MiniO:ers to the Redeemer of Souls, whofe Study, Thoughts, and Time are wafl:ed for fo guilty and bafe an End. 3· The Motives of their Affetl:ions and Endeavours in this Holy Service mufl: be the Love of Chrifl: and precious Immortal Souls. Our Saviour with repeated Earnefl:nefs recommends this to St. Peter, Lovejl thou me, feed my Lambs, feed my Sheep. The Salvation of Souls is his dearefl: Glory, and fatisfying Pl eafure : As it was prophefied, that he lhall.fee of the Trfl1Jel of hi< S01d, and befatirfied: And our zealous Endeavours to fave them from Death, is the natural and neceffary Effetl: of our Love to him. A true MiniO:er of Chrifl: has a diviner Principle, a fublimer Soul, than to aim at carnal Fruitions, at temporal and terreO:rial Rewards. The blefled End of his Office muft be the End of all his ftudious Thoughts and Labours, the Honour of his Mafl:cr in the Converfion and Salvation of Sinners. If the World be in their Eye and Heart as the Scope of their Minifl:ry, they are guilty ofthe moft unnatural Diforder by employing the moft excellent means for low and fordid Ends, they ufe God to enjoy the World: thi s corrupts and ftains their ¥~~~~cl;av~ ~f!~i~~~,~~~di~e:;~ eB~f [(;;'{~~;~f°Ckrt~':fttrr~~,f;~~i;;:~~7b'f£:::~ of a faithful Minifter : this regulates his Work in order to their fprritua\ and everJaftin!< Good. This will make him defcend to the Capacity of the meaneO:, and plainly toinfl:rutl: them in things concerning their Salvation. As E!ijbd put hi.t Mouth 11po11 the Mouth, and hi< Eyes "P"" theEyes, mzd hi< Hmrds upo11 the Ha11ds of the dead Child, and thereby conveyed a li ving Heat into him; [o a MiniO:er fhould apply himfelffuitably to their Capacity, who are but Children in Knowledge. 'Tis his Duty to raife the low Underfl:andings, as well as to humble the high and [welling Paffions of Men. This Love to Souls will inlpire him with tender melting Affetl:ions: without which, unlefs God renews the Miracle of Aaron's dry Rod blooming and bearing Almonds, our Difcourfes will be barren, without Fruit in the Hearers. A pia m Sermon ditl:ated from the Heart with a holy Heat of Affctl:ions, makes a folid Impreffion upon the Hea rers : When an elaborate Difcourle, not animated with the Affetl:ions, is of little Efficacy. As a blunter Iron, if burning hot, pierces more eafily and deeply into a Piece of churlifh Wood, then a {harper that is cold. ·. The Love of Chrifl: and Souls infpires with Joy and Alacrity in his Service. No Element is heavy in its own Sphere. A mercenary Spirit performs the Work as an irklom Task ; but Love fwcetens all the Duties of the facred Callinj, even fuch as are moft drO:aO:ful to the Carnal. Thrs ~~~etl:sR:a~~e: b~~~:r!ir:i~is. a b!~da~r~;b:~:~h;.!,{tb:~fh~oG::;f~:t~b~ 1~/ count at \aft. 3· The Minifl:ers ofCbriO: mufl: with moO: faithful Diligence attend his Service. T he Subjetl: and End of their Work challenges this of them, The Converfion and Salvation of Souls. What earneft and repeated Calls are neceffary to awaken thofe who are involved in carnal Security, to perfwade them to love what they hate, and to hate what they love? and when the Foundation is laid in ferious Repentance, and the Work of Grace begtm, what Diligence is requifite to raife it to Perfctl:ion? How does the malicious incelfant Enemy of our Salvation O:rive by a thoul.1nd Temptations to blafl: our Endeavours? The
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