Dr. Thomas J acomb'r Funeral Serm011. but what is worthy of Imitat ion. He mufl lead a Life anfwerable to the Excellence and End of his Calling. He is to preach a Dol.l:rine fo holy divine and ':e.nerable, that it would become the unfpottcd Angels to be mtntftnng Sputts m ~·eveahng It to Men. He is therefore flril.l:ly obliged to fnew forth the Power of Godbnefs, and the Beauty of Holinefs in all his ways. He mufl imitate and honour his Mafler, who ~n:~~h:~~~an:;e~{J-;~;~;'tr:tl;;gi;,~,t;'tili'~n~\~~,d~ra~~;~!~~e ~~~Wa~1h~a t~!ci~:~ a dead Body, was forbidden to approach the Sanl.l:uary: and what a Violation is it of all the Rules of Decency and Reafon, for one who is employed in the holy Service of the Gofpel, to be polluted with dead Works? • TertuUia~t.w ri ting of the Ex-. Mif•ngo ceiJency of Patience, and refleCting upon hirnfelf, how oppofi te Ius fiery Nature was fcmp~rzg~~ ~~i~~~:r:~r~~d ~~~~f~e~;' I~!ei::;;i~~~~~i~:;~;~~~~j~;fr~~dc~~f: ~~sh~sno:~h~r; fJ!~~~~· ::· ~n~~~o~~i~~ te~~~~~~ii~vg~:r?~!0aU:da~~ ~fr~f~f~~~vL~~~~~n~~~7n;~~c~h":i~; ~::~!r~ braiding Speech of God to fuch? how peremptory the Rejel.l:ion? What haft thou to noo«;,m;m· do to d eclare my Statutes, ttnd to tttke mJ Coventtnt into thy Mo~tth,fince th01e hate]! to be re- ~~=~;~rc~~- Wa'i:~;fs4j;tt':frecth~Jp':;fu~:nbi;;n~l~=~ei: t!1.~ ;~!t~~:~~~~~l~=dF~~Ki~~fdrdb~d~ ~~[!~:~~ ence of the Gofpel. Now the P ral.l:tce of a Mimfler gtvcs We1ght and Efficacy to his 00 000 fim. Dol.l:rine, the exemplifying of it in his Al.l:ions is the mofl powerful perfwafive to draw Men to their Duty. Therefore theApoflle commands Titus in aUThings tofhew ~';{;K ~n~"~~~~nr[ ~:~e ~°F~~gra~~/~~~t~~~~ i~'~f,:;~r~:i~~~tti~~~~:~~~~di~7~ from them, but all their Branches, and Leaves, and Bark, are Aromat:i.ck. Thus a Minifler of the Gofpcl, mufl be Holy not onl y in his Dol.l:rine, but in all manher of Converfation. Be t hou <Ut Example of the Believers in Tford, i11 Conveifalion, in Charity, in Spirit, i11. Faith, in PJJrity, is the folcmn Charge to Timothy. He tl1at is holy in l1is Profeffion, and unholy in his Life, both difcrcdits the Gofpel , and lJardens Men in their Sins. Though his Tongue may direCt to Heaven, if his Life leads to Hell, the Authority of his A!l:ions will be more prevalent than of his Inflrul.l:ions. The Vices of a Minifl:er are more cot'tfpicuous and infamous than of private Perfons : As a Blemifh in the Eye is more confpicuous and disfiguring than in a concealed Part of the Body; and they have the mofl corrupting deflrul.l:ive Influence upon others. For there is nothing more natural th>o for Men to think that Miniflers do not believe what they preach, when there• is a· vifible Contradil.l:ion between their Lives and t11eir Words: That their mofl zealous Sermons are rather Pageantry than fetious Piety, and accordingly to flight them. This is a principal Reafon that the Converfion ofSinners is fo rare : Tis not from any defel.l: in theWord, for that is not like (ome medicinal Drugs, that Iofe their Virtue by Age, it has the f:1.me Divine Power to revive dead Souls, to transform the carnal into fpiritua l Perfons, to clarify the Mind that it may fee things invifible, to reconcile the Will to the Sanl.l: ity of God's Law, to ca lm the flormy Affel.l:ions, and leave an Impreffion of its Purity in the Hearts of Men: hut the admirable and fecret Grace of the holy Spirit is not ufually concomitant with the Miniflry ofthofe who grieve him, andquertch him in themfclves i and they' render the holy Dol.l:rine ineffel.l:ual by their difcordant Converfations, It was the Charal.l:er of the wicked Pharifees from the Mouth of Chrifl: They fay, and do 11ot: and to them, and all that are involved in the fame Guilt, the Saviour of the World threatens the mofl heavy Damnation. . 7· Humble, fervent, and continual Prayer to the Father of Mercies , and the Father of Spirits, that he would blefs the outward Miniflry, is requiGte to make it effel.l:ual. The Converfion of Man is not wrought by Man, but by the Ef\Cr gyof the holy Spirit. God inflrul.l:s us what be does in the more fecret Operations of Grace, by what he does in the more viGb\eOperations of Nature. This is exprefs'd by the Apofilc; Paul pl:mtJ, ttnd .'\ pollos waters, but God gives the l11creafe. AMan plants agreen Stick, and waters it ; but the God of Nature forms the Tree in all its Parts, the Root, the Sap, the Trunk, the Branches, and the Fruits: The planting by the Hand of Man is neccffary for the Growth of aTree, but what is that to the Divine Blefiinv t Tlms according to the ordinary Method of Divine Grace, God uuites his marvello~s Power with the weak Minift:ry of Men for the Salvation of Souls; and according to rhe Apofl:le's arguing, it is an impoffible Event thaf Mm jbould believe w~Jhout hearing the Gof!:el, aud kcar n'ithol!t a Preacber : But the converting and fav ing of Souls is tO' he afcnbed to God. And thns in tho Spirirual Husbandry, the Occafions of Pride I iiii 2 and
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