786 · Dr. Thomas Jacomb's Funeral Sermon. and Slothfulnefs are equally removed. As the fam: Apofile faith, He that p! 4111s ;, 11othmg , and he thttt waters, 11 nothm~, b11t God that f!JVCI the lncreafe. Tt1is Confideration fhou!d be an Incenti ve in our Breafis, to petition the God of all Grace that he will pleafe togive Life and Efficacy to his Word. In J acob's Vifion of the myfierious Ladder that reach 'd from Heaven to Earth, theAnp;elswere afcending and defcending: An Emblem of a Minill:er's Duty, they mu![ fir(\ afcend in Prayer and Contemplation, and then defcend in preaching to the People. 'Tisobfervab!ethatfometimes Men of excellent Accompli!hments are b!a!1ed in their Minil\ry ; and others of meaner Abilities, but ofmore holy AffeClions, are very inftrumenta l to fave Souls. The Reafon is plain ; thofe who are moll frequ ent and fervent in Prayer, obtain th~ rich ell Abundance of the Spiri t, and are u[ua ll y mofi b!ell: with Succefs. When the Apol\les were filled with the Holy Ghof'c, defcending in the fignificant Emblem of fi ery Tongnes; whatan admirable Inflnence had thei r Preaching upon the obdurate J ews? The fir(\ Sermon prefently convinc'd and converted three thoufand, tharwere Murderers ofour Saviour, with the Stains ofhis Blood fre!h upon them. Tongues of Fle!h are without vigor, make no Iafiing Impreffion upon the Hearers : Tongues of Fire have a divine Force and Operation, to difpel the Ignorance and Errors of Mens Minds, to quicken the dull Earth of their Affell:ions, to refine and purify their Converfations. Lajlly , To fum up all in one general Confideration; }le ferves Chri!1, that em· E~~~::Pp~~e~~~it}~{ th~dJ~f~~~!13~~~r~~~:~:. in ~~fs Tsi~~;r~~e~~cT~~it~~P~r::b~ of the Talents, which the Mal\er committed to his Servants ; different in their Number, but to be faithfully improved for the Mafier's Interel\. Under the Talents are comprifed all that we have and are; whether in the Order of Nature, and witb refpell: to our civi l State in the World, all our intellell:ual and fenfitive Faculties, all our innate and acquired Endowments, our Time, our Health, our Dignities and Power, our Ellates ; or Spiritual Bleffings, all the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit, the Ligbt of the Gofpel, all tbe Agvantages we bave of doing or receiving Good for our more excell ent and immortal Part, the Salvation of our Souls. Every one according to the Charafl:er wherewith he is_invefted in this World, and according to his Capacity of doing Good, mu(\ be diligent in the fervice of Chrifl:. In what Relation foever Men arc, as Fathers, Mafters, orMagifirates in a fuperiour Rank, or as Friends and Affociates in an equal Line, and as they f'cand related to all Men, they are eithe~ by Authority and Command, or by Counfel and compaffionate Care and Encouragements to promote wi th Diligence, their T emporal and Eternal Welfare. The Apo£He's Advice with refpell: to All:s of Beneficence for relieving the Poor, Let""· do good 11nto all a< we have opport11nity, is by jull: Analogy binding to all other Expreffions of Love, to direll:, to perfwade Men to their Duty, to comfort them in their ~0~~;:1-s ~/gj~i~;~~~~:~:st~~~fi~ai~tstl~~i~ f.~:g~~~~~·pro~/~:~llti~~i~{f~~~ts"fu~ bis Glory, as our Saviour declares, Who ;,. that wife and foithfit! Servant ; and, Well doNe ~ood a11d faithfit!.Servant. 2. <We are to !hew upon what accounts our Service is due to Chril\. If we fedoufly confider t hings, it will be evident that by all the Titles of Jullice and Gratitude, by all Divine and Rational Rights we are obliged to ferve him-intirely and for ever. In the prefent State there are four ways whereby Men become Servants: Some are born Servants ; fome are by ranfom and purclmfe ; fome by vill:orious refcue and deliverance; others are Servants by Covenant and Agreement. Now all .thefe Titles concur in obliging us to ferve Chril\. I. We are his Servants by Nature, he bas an original and unalienable Right in us as our Creator. God to fatisfy the Inquiry of Mofes defines bimfelf, I am : All the intimate and eternal Attributes of tbe Deity are implyed in that !hort Title: He is tiJe only neceffary Being by his Nature, and confequently has all Perfell:ions in himfclf, and is the Fountain of all Being. . Hi! Hand~ made tf$ and fojhitme~ m, he brea.. thcd i11to '"a living So11l. All our Facult~es and their Efficacy are from lum. He produces this evidence of l1is Right in us, R emember 0 Jacob thoJt art my Servant, I havt Ef,... " · formed thee: The Pfalmil\ declares,. Know ye that theLord. he isGod; 'tis he that made t#' ,wd 11ot 1ve our Selves; we ttre hu People fl11d Sheep ofhu Pajhtre: We owe to lum an'Obedience as ready and unconl\rain'd as the meekel\ Creatures pay to thofetha t fee? and condull: them. His Perfell:wns qualify hun to he our ahfolute Mal\er, for Jus Will is always direll:ed by infi nite Wifdom, 'tis the Rule ofGoodnefs, and l1 i~e~~ \..
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