A sermon preached at the funeral of Mr. James Houblon who was buried at St. Mary Wolnoth Church in Lombard-Street June 28, 1682 / by Gilbert Burnet.

To the Most Honoured Master

• Peter
• James
• John
• Jacob
• Isaac
• Abraham
• Jeremiah

Houblon, Sons of the Deceased Mr. JAMES HOUBLON.

Most Honoured,

AS I was invited by you to Preach this Sermon, so I am now deter∣mined by your Desires to Print it: and do esteem it a great ho∣nour, that I was made choice of by you, to do at once both a great Iustice to the Dead, and I hope some good to the Living, at least, by that part of it which relates to your Worthy Father.

Excellent Patterns afford great Instruction: and it is the more necessary to propose them to the Imita∣tion of others, in an Age in which, while we are disputing so hotly about Opinions and Forms, the Power and Life of Religion is like to wear out of the World: and so few instances of it appear, that no wonder Atheists take great advantages from thence, to perswade their weak and lewd followers, that none believe inwardly what they outwardly profess: and upon this account, we have great reason to make the most we can of all those living arguments that have been among us of the efficacy and amiableness of true Religion.

When I received from you some informations con∣cerning your dead Father, I perceived your chief de∣sign was, to have only so much told of him, as might preserve a just character of him to posterity; and particularly, for those descended from him: so as it might either engage them to follow his steps and imitate his Vertues; or remain as a witness against them, if they should decline from that good way which he both living and dying, has so earnestly recom∣mended to you and them. But I found you had no mind to have his praises raised to any indecent pitch, or to have any thing said, that savoured of vanity; but that his Funeral Sermon should be as free from these, as his Life was; and that it

should so far resemble him, as that it should be all to edification, and therefore that nothing should be put in it for pomp or shew. In this, your inclinations agreeing so much with my own, it was easie for me, to observe this part of your desires very exactly: and I was very glad to find most of the Hearers agreed with me in that which in the beginning of his Character I say I expected from them; that they would think I had rather said too little, than too much.

I hope he shall still live in you all, and that you shall happily reverse the Fable of the multiplication of the Hydra's head, seven shooting out, for one that was cut off; so I am confident that we shall have now in you, seven Heirs to your Fathers Vertues and true Piety, and that every one of you will with a ge∣nerous, yet kind emulation, study who shall come nearest that shining example which he set you: for which you shall never want the Prayers of,

Honoured Sirs, Your most humble and most obliged Servant, G. BURNET.