Several sermons preach'd on the whole eighth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans eighteen of which preach'd on the first, second, third, fourth verses are here published : wherein the saints exemption from condemnation, the mystical union, the spiritual life, the dominion of sin and the spirits agency in freeing from it, the law's inability to justifie and save, Christ's mission, eternal sonship, incarnation, his being an expiatory sacrifice, fulfilling the laws righteousness (which is imputed to believers) are opened, confirmed, vindicated, and applied / by Tho. Jacomb.

To the Right Honourable ELIZABETH CONƲNTESSE DOWAGER OF EXETER, My Ever Honoured LADY.

MADAM,

ALthough I know before hand how the pre∣fixing of your Name upon this account will be resented by your Ladyship, yet I am by so many Reasons thereunto oblig'd that I must venture to do it, and cast my self upon your Goodness for my pardon. This Volume of Sermons (which is but a Forerunner to Two or Three more) I presume therefore humbly to de∣dicate to your Honour; which, though in it self and in your Ladyships esteem, it be a very insignificative thing, yet however 'tis a declaration to the World that I am

sensible of my vast obligations to You; and that I would catch at every thing wherein I might testifie how much I am beholden to you. And I hope you will not be offended with me for the doing of that, which all (who know my Circumstances) would have wondred if I had omitted. Surely (Madam) those extraordinary Favours which (for above Twenty Years) you have been pleas'd to confer upon me and mine, deserve over and over all those little expressions of humble Respect and Gratitude which I can possibly make: This Dedication therefore being design'd for those Ends, I beseech you that you will please to put a favourable interpretation upon it.

But besides this, your Ladyship may upon several Con∣siderations claim a special interest in this Work, (if there be any thing of good either in it or by it); One of which I shall not conceal, the rest I must. When I had finish'd my Preaching on the Chapter which I have gone over, You was pleas'd to desire me (and your De∣sires are, and ought to be, Commands to me), to publish to the World what I had done in a private Auditory: which desire of Yours (in concurrence with my own hopes of doing some good), did very much prevail with me to engage in this difficult and painful Undertaking, (which was before as much besides my intention as against my inclination). So that (Madam) you are in a special manner to be own'd in what is here done; and (the truth is) if any benefit shall thereby accrue to any, it must (under God) upon several accounts in a great measure be ascribed to your Honour, you having been so instru∣mental in the promoting thereof.

Madam, that which once was preached to your Ear is now presented to your Eye: and it is my hope (and shall be my prayer) that those heavenly Truths, which in the Hearing of them were not unto you (as well as others) without some considerable efficacy and sweetness, may

not in the Reading of them be unto you less efficacious and sweet. The Chapter opened is a Summary of Evan∣gelical Duty and Comfort; through the rich Grace of God you are (in a very eminent manner) a performer of the One, and through the same Grace of God you are also a partaker of the Other; and shall (I trust) grow up daily yet more and more to an higher partici∣pation of it. I cannot wish you to be more holy than to do what is here enjoyned, nor more happy than to possess what is here promised.

It pleases the Merciful God (the soveraign disposer of Life and Death, in whose hands Yours and all our times are), as yet to continue you in the land of the living: When many, very many of your dear Relations are taken away and are not, you your Self are yet spared (with a small number of Survivors). I beseech you give me leave (if you do not give it me I must take it), to pray for the long continuance of this mercy, that your days may still be prolonged on earth, and that you may arrive at a far greater Age than what as yet you have arrived at. You are impatient (I fear a little too much) to be gone; partly from the dread you have of the infirmities which attend old age, and your weariness of the world; and partly from the pantings of your Soul to be with Christ and in the possessing of the heavenly Glory. But (good Madam) I beseech you not too much haste, no not for Heaven it-self; you'l have it never the sooner for that. He that hath determin'd your Days and Months, and hath allotted you such Work to do in your Genera∣tion, will have you (let your own thoughts and de∣sires be what they will) live out that time, and finish that work which he hath set you: be entreated there∣fore quietly and chearfully to wait all the days of your appointed time till your change shall come. Heaven will

be the same twenty years hence that now it is; and the longer you are kept out of it, upon the doing of Gods work, the better it will be to you at last. 'Tis one of the highest degrees of grace that here a Saint is capable of, to be sure of Heaven and yet, in order to service, to be willing for a time to be kept out of Heaven; here was the* 1.1 heighth of Pauls grace and the excellency of his Spirit, Philip. 1.23, 24, 25. For I am in a straight betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all, for your furtherance and joy of faith. 'Tis a Saying of* 1.2 Seneca, It argues a great and generous mind for one to be willing for the sake of another to return to life again; surely that Christian discovers true greatness of Spirit, who for the good of Others is willing to continue in this Life and to be kept out of that which is far better. Madam, your Serviceableness is known to all but to your Self; many have cause to bless God for the good which they reap by your means, (who can speak that which 'tis not convenient for me to write): it will be a rare piece of Self-denyal, for you to submit (as to your own personal interest) to be a loser if others may be gainers thereby. Assure your self, many do earnestly beg of God the prolongation of your Days; You pray for your Death but they for your Life, I hope in this God will hear them and not you. Your gracious Father hath given you a title to Heaven, hath (in a great mea∣sure) fitted you for Heaven, and will in due time take you up into Heaven: it being thus, as to the ordering of your passage thither and the timing of your entrance into it, all that (good Madam) you should wholly re∣fer to his good pleasure.

Madam, The Dedication of Book (I very well know) signifies but little to your Ladyship, Prayer is the thing which you desire and value; wherein should I be wanting (it being the only requital I can make you for all your Favours) I should certainly be unworthy and ingrateful beyond all expressions. As God shall enable me, according to the many obligations which I lie under I shall never cease to pray for You and Yours. If hath pleased the soveraign and all-disposing God to cut off many Branches which grew from your Stock, yet One (and the principal One too) is hitherto spared; God grant he may be so long, and that all Heavenly Blessings as well as Earthly may be multiplied upon him. And blessed be the Lord you live to see Others who are of You (though not immediately yet but at one remove), whom God begins to bless with an hopeful Issue; the best of his Blessings be upon them also! That Honou∣rable Family (to which you are so nearly related) when so many Great and Ancient Families are melted away like Snow before the Sun, yet keeps up in its pristine Greatness and Splendor; and may it so continue from ge∣neration to generation till the World shall be no more! And for your Self (Madam) the God of Heaven bless you, and recompence into your bosome sevenfold all that kindness that ever you have shown to any of his: He grant that you may bring forth fruit in your old age and be fat and flourishing; that you may come to your grave in a full age like as a shock of corn cometh in its season; that as your outward man decays your inward man may be renewed day by day; that you may never want the light of his countenance; that you may at the last arrive at that Peace, Comfort, Assurance which you have so long been praying for; that you may yet be a shining light in that more publick Orb wherein you are fix'd, a pat∣tern of Humility and Condescension, of all Graces and

Vertues and good Works to all who behold you; and (finally) that when you have fought the good fight, and shall have finished your course, and kept the faith, you may receive that crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give you at that day. These are, have been, and ever shall be the daily and ardent Prayers of

Madam,

YOUR HONOURS Most humble and ever obliged Servant and Chaplain, THO. JACOMB.

SEPT. 18. 1672.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Theodoret.
• * 1.2

  Ingentis ani∣mi est alienâ causâ ad vitam reverti.