Dr. Thomas Jacomb's F11neral Sermon. 797 ~~~~~:nj ,?eo~:~;~i~::, ;::~~~~:,:;;d ~~r~:v~~t:~~~r~h ~e~~;~~~11 /~~\~~~e g!~: ~sr~~ j'Oifr Prepnratiou.f for Hcavc11, 0 J'e.I fa id he, there Ifwjibly get f!, ro;md I blcjs God. An humble Submifiion to the Divine Pleafure was the habitual Frame of his Soul: Like a Dye that thrown hi ~ h or Jew, always falls upon its Square : thus whether hope of his Recovery were r:Iifcd or funk, he was content in every Difpenfation of Providence. His Patience under Omrp and cont inuing Pains was admirable. ~ The mofl: difficult part of a Chrill ian's Duty, the fublimeft degree of Holinefs upon Earth, is to bear tormenting Pains with a meek and CJUiet Spirit. Then Faith is made perfiO i1l Works: and this was eminently verjfied in his long Trial. His Pains were very fevere, proceeding from a cancerous Humour, that fpread it felf in his Joynts, and preyed upon the tenderefl- Membranes, the mol1 fen fi ble Parts, yet his Patience was invincible. How many re(Hcfs Nights dicf he pafs through without the leaf[ murmuring or Reluctancy of Spirit. He patiently futfered very grievous things through Chrifl that ftrwgthned him; and. in his moll afflicted Condition was thankful. But what Di[ea[e or Death could dillurb the bleffed Compofure of his Soul, which Wt>s kept by the Peace ofGod that paffes aU Vnderjianding. Such was the DivineMercy, he had no Anxieties about his future State, but a comfortable Affurance of the favour of God, and his Title to the Eternal Inheritance. He had a fubllantial double Joy, in the reflection upon hi s Life [pent in the faithful Service of Chrill, and the Profpect of a bleffed Eternity ready to receive him. 'fhis made him long to be above. He faid wi th [ome R.egret, Death flies from me, I make no hafte to JJt)' F~tther's Houfe. But the wife and gracious God, having tried his faithfHl Servant, gave him the Crorrm of Lift, which he hatb promifcd to thofc that love him. His Body, that poor Relick of Frailty, is committed intrufl: to the Grave, His Soul feu the Face o[God i11Righteoujitejf, and isfatisfied with his Likenefs. The Hope of this lhould allay the Sorrows of his dearell Friends. When the Perfans we love and have lived with, are to be abfent a few Months, it is grievous, but at the lafr lamenting Separation, all the Springs of our tender Affetl: ions are opened, and Sorrows are ready to overwbelm us. But the!\edfallBeliefofthe DivineWorld and that our Friends are fafely arrived tbither, is able to fupport our faint ing Spirits: and refre!h all our Sorrows. The truth IS, we have reafon to lay to Heart the Difpleafure of God, and our own Lofs, when bis £1 ithfu l Minillers are taken away. When the Holy Lights of Heaven are Eclips'd, it portends fad Things : When the Sa ints are removed from Earth to Heaven, their Souls freed from the interpofitioo of their dark Bodies, they truly live, but we that remain, dye, being deprived of their Holy Lives, their Examples, that are a prefervative from the Contagion ofthe World. A due Senfe of God's affi iCI:ing Providence is beeomin~>; us: But always allayed with hope of our being lhortly reunited w_ith our deare!\ Friends for ever io the better World. 0 that our [erious Preparations, our lively Hopes, and the Pre" fence of the great Comforter in our Souls,- may encourage us mofr willingly to leave this lower World, fo full of T emptations and Trouble, to afcend into the World Above, where perfect Peace, full .Joy, and the moll excellent Glory are in Coojun· Cl:ion for ever. A
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=