Dr. Thomas Jacomb's Funeral Sermon. Truths will not excufe the People; and Sil ence willcondemntheirGuides whofhould illuftrate and defend the Truth even in the Face of Danger. Befides they are guilty ?fUnfaithfulnefs to Chrift,_ who by colourable temperaments adulterate the Purity of the Truth, and by milder modifications qualify and leffe.n Errors\ who W<;mldjoyn the vv:ord of God with the Tradi tionsofMen, which are mcompatible as Mrd -m~ht and Mrd-day. None are more artrficial than fearful Spirits: They have many Turns and Expedien ts to compound neceffary Controverfies, and to make it feem indifferent which Opinion is chofen. They transform their fearful Apprehenfions, into Counfels of Prudence, and difguife the bafenefs of their CowardiCe under the Reputation of being Difcreet. The wifeft of Men who underftood the incomparable value of Truth, adviles, B11y the T.·11th, and feU it not : And we are told by St.1amcs, _The MJ_ifdom, that is from above, iJ firjl p11re, and the1z peaceah!e: But the Wordly-wife, With Art and Jnduftry endeavour to fecure their ourward Peace with the viC>lation ofTrntb. How contrary is the Judgment of God to t!Je vain Opinions of Men ? He is jealous of the Simplicity of lliS Truth and the Chaftity of h is Worfhip, and will at !aft convince fuch of their extream F;lly w] 10 would reconcile Religions that can neYer flow into one another. 'Tis therefore an indifpenfable Obligation of the Servants of Chrift to adhere to the eternal Truth in Scriptures, tho vilified by fame as an infufficient Rule, or impertinent and not abfolutely neceffary : And to preferve the pure Doll:rine and tranlmit it to fucceeding Ages. And this divine Encouragement fhould fuftain them with unfainting Refolution to do their Duty, that if they cannot £we the Truth from being overborn at prefent, yet the Truth will f.we them, and that it will pierce through all Oppofition, and be vill:orious in the IfiiJe. The Church of Chrift is of a fiJpernatu- :~1d0~~!J,t/fh~1db?rt1~;· ;,~~n~0~~rfot~e~~o~u~~m~,~:~:en~e~:l!~~sP~~=~'".;r;~ the utmofr Rage and Cruelty attempted its final Ruine it profper'd the more : The patient Deaths of the Martyrs, as well as confpicuous Miracles, gave credit and conveyance to the Gofpel. And the Minifters of Chrift muft with Faithfulnefs and Courage enforce the Commands of the Gofpel upon all. Carnal Men would fain relax the ftrill:nefs of the Golpel ; and endeavour to mak~ thdr P rinciples c~mefpondent to their Prall:ices: They try to bend the Rule to theu drfordered and licentious Appetites, and will not regulate their Hearts and Lives according to the Sa.n~ity ofthe Rule: And ~hofe who are high in theWorld,veryuneafil y bear the Convrll:wnandReproof ofthetr Sm: But a Minifter muft be faithful to Chrift and their Souls, and prefs upon them the Com- ~e~~~~:n~~;YJ~~tiidgt~r~~ke~~fr~h~j~(~sE{~' r~7,~;;{n(jirti~t/o~~;:;. upou the 5· They muft with a prudent temperament of Zeal and Meeknefs, infinuate and open a Paffage for fanetifying and faving Doll:rine in the Hearts of Men. This is the fuccefsful Method to convince thofe who are feduced with Errors, and to reclaim the Difobedient to the Wifdom of the }tjl. The Defence of the Truth muft be managed in a calm peaceable manner; .as th; Sun fcatters a,nd overcomes the darkn~fs of the Night and Clouds wtthout nmfe. Tts the Apoftle s Counfel, In Meekmifs uzJirlllli"g th'!fe that opp'!fe thenifilvu: Without Contumelies and Revilings; for .Injuries convince no Man. The Humane Spmt IS naturally proud and frtff, and wdl refifr fuch Arms : Fiercenefs and Scorn irritate the Paffions, and l1inder impartial and ferious Deliberation, that opens the Mind for receiving the Truth. To perfivade the Soul, the mild and placid manner of conveying the Tmth is as effell:ual as the Irradiation and Evidence of it. And to reclaim the difobedient there is nothing more powerful than Gentlenefs and the confrraint of Love. The mofr fervent Reprehenfions of Sinners mufr be mixt with tendernefs to their Souls. Under the Law there was a fevere Prohibition of offering Sacrifices with the common Fire: But only with that Fire that came from Heaven, and was preferved Day and Night in the Temple: TlJe A)lufion is eafy and lit: The Reprehenfion of Sinners in the Pulpit muft be always from Zeal for the Honour of God and the Eternal Salvation ofSouls, not from natural fi ery Paffions. If a Minifter denounces the Judgments of God with Cpmpaffion to Souls, if he thunder and lightens in his Sermons, a Shower of repenting T ears will follow in convinced ~inners. . . . · . 6. A MinifteroftheGofpcl muftJoyn a holy Lrfe wtth found Doll:nne, accordmg to our Saviour's Defcription of him: He tbat.fhaU do tlJirl teach my Co,~mtand.r, jhaU be great in the Kiugdo:'' o[He~vm. Hem~lfl: not only be free from Pollutwns, but ~xcel in Virt ues; nothmg m Ius Converf.1t10!l fhould be worthy of Reproach, no;lung but
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