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A Sermon Preached at the
Funeral of Mr. Thomas
Lamb.

JOHN XVII. 4, 5.

I have glorified thee on the Earth, I have finight the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorifie thou me with thine own felf, with the glory which I had with thee before the World was.

Othing can afford fo much comfort

No

and fupport, in the day of Calamity or Death, as the Confcience of a well spent Life; a faithful discharge of our Duty, being the Sole-Rational Proof of our fincerity, and our fincerity being the only folid ground of Hope, and affurance towards God. If our heart (i. e. our Confcience) condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God, 1 John 3. 21.

This is a Leffon our Saviour has taught us by his own Example here in my Text; very well knowing that the time of his Death and Crucifixion was very near at hand, that he might fortifie himself against all the Terrours of it, by

con

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confirming and ftrengthening, his Hope of that Joy that was fet before him, he enters upon a furvey of his paft Life, recollects all his performances, reflects upon his Actions, and calls himself to an account concerning the Discharge of that Truft which God had committed to him, of the great Work which he had undertaken for the Salvation of man, and the Honour of God: And finding upon a Juft and Impartial Reflection that he had through the whole Courfe of his Life, acquitted himself faithfully and vigorously, his Soul rejoyceth within him, and he breaks out into expreffions of holy Confidence and an affur'd and earnest expectation of the Reward of his Obedience and Faithfulness. I have glorified thee on the Earth, &c. And now, O Father glorifie thou me with thine own felf, &c.

Thus I have in part explained the words already, having given you an account of the Occafion, Defign and Tendency of them: As they belong properly and peculiarly to our Saviour they im ply two things.

Firft, His Faithful Difcharge of his Prophetick Office: I have glorified thee, &c. This confifted especially publishing the will of God to the World, as he himself explains it more fully in

1. In

the

the following part of the Chapter
2. In the proof and Evidence he
gave of
his Commiffion from God, and the Di-
vinity of his Doctrine, which was the
Wonderfulness of his Works, and the un-
parallell❜d Sanctity of his Life.

Secondly, His Expectation of Reward,
confifting in the exaltation of his Hu-
man Nature, and it's admiffion into a
participation of that Glory, which he
enjoy'd with the Father from all Eterni-
ty. And now,
O Father, Glorifie thou me
with thine own felf, with the Glory which I
had with thee before the World was.

But if we confider that Chrift is the Chriftians great pattern; that his Life is propos'd to us, as an Example to our Obedience; that his peace and joy is in fome degree the Portion and Bleffing of every faithful Difciple, and Follower of his; and that laftly his exaltation and Glory is the Original and Idea, by which ours fhall in it's due proportion be form'd and modelled, I may very well be allowed to interpret the behaviour of our Lord in my Text as an Example set us all in general, containing matter of Inftruction and Advice to all Chriftians, which may be refolv'd into these two Propofitions,

ift. That

Serm. 2.

Vol. I.

Ift. That there is a Work given every one of us to finish, a Duty prescrib'd each of us, by the Confcientious performance of which we may glorifie God on the Earth.

2dly. That a Chriftian's Comfort and Affurance in Death, if rational, ought to flow from the Confcience of a faithful discharge of this Duty.

§. 1ft. That there is a work, &c. The Duties of humane life are of two forts; First, fuch as are common to all as Men and Chriftians. Secondly, fuch as are proper and peculiar to fome Men as engag'd in diftinct Callings and Profeffions as Men and Chriftians. Sobriety, Purity, Truth, Juftice, Charity, Meeknefs, Long-Suffering, Devotion, Faith, Self-Refignation, Obedience, and fuch like are the works which God hath preordain'd that we should walk in: Thefe are Reflections and Raies of the Divine glory, these are the Tracts and Characters of the Divine Image, thefe are the Ornaments and true Excellencies of a Chriftian in comparison of which, the Celebrated Exploits of the Heathen Gods, Jupiter, Hercules, Bacchus, &c. are, as Lactantius fpeaks, but childish braveries, the blind Sallies of an Impotent Paffion, of an Unbalafted Impetus: By the conftant and fincere practice of thefe, we exalt and

perfect

perfect our Natures, advancing them in- Serm. 2. to a nearer participation of the Divine I. mage; by the conftant and fincere practice of thefe, we procure the Peace, the Security, the Welfare and Profperity of human Society; And finally, by the conftant and fincere practice of thefe, we adorn the Gospel of Chrift, promote the Honour of God, and fhem forth the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his Marvellous Light; for nothing does more convincingly manifeft and publish to the World the Honourable Notions we entertain of God, the Purity and Power of our Christian Faith, than a Life imploy'd and spent in these works; for by this we openly proclaim to the World, that we do not believe that a Holy and good God can be pleas'd with any thing but Holinefs and Goodness, or that any Sacrifice can be fo acceptable to him as the imitation (according to our power) of his Divine Perfections.

Befides these Duties common to all Christians, there are others which flow from our diftinct Profeffions and Callings; Every Man's Calling, whether he be a Paftor in the Church or a Ruler or Officer in the State, whether he be a Trader, Phyfician, &c. doth more peculiarly exact fome diftinct kind of Vertue; As Watch

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