Dr. Thomas Manwn'.r Funeral Sermon. But have we not alfurance by the moft infu llible Principles of Faith, tlrat the Son of God came down from He:tven to live with us, and dy fOr us, an-J that he rofe :~ p,ain to confirm our Belief in his cxr:eediug great nucl prrcio11; Prom#fl: s concerl1ing this Happinefs in the future State ? And do not the moft e,·idcnt Prin c i ple~ ofReafon and univerfa l Experi ence prove, that th1s \'Vorld cannot alford true Happmefs to us) How wretchedly do we forfeit the Prerogative of rhe reafonahl e Na ture, by negl eGl:- iuc our Ja ft and ble!fed End ? If the Mind be darkned, that it does nor fee the amia~Je Execlle 0 ci es of God, and the Will fo depraved that it does not feel thei1· ravifhin.g Powe~ ; Man cea[cs to be ,a M1n, and becomes like the Bca fl:s that PeriOJ. As a blind Eye is no , longer an Eye, being abfolutcly ufelefs to that end for which it w.1s made. And though in this prcfent fl:ate Men are fiupid and nncpnccrn'd, yet hereafter their Mi(~ry will awaken them. to difcover what is that Snpream Good wherein their Perfeftion and Felicity confifts. When their folly fhall be expofed be- ;~~~ c,~~io~sn~~~· i~~~c~f!n~he~~~;~ha~u~x~:~~~l;~~rj~~l~ :;~~e~i~~1n~PJ::,b1~~~ foal/ fe ,Jvceping, and g11ajbing oftec tl~, when yejhallfce Abraham, aud Ifaac, 1111d]acob, and all the Prophets in the IG11~dom q_{ God, and JOlt yol!r fclvu tun/d o:tt. They fh~ll betortur'd with the defire of Happinefs without poffible C1tisfaCtion. Tis mort juft that thofe who err without excufe, fhould repent without remedy. · . 2. Let us be excited ferioufly to apply our [elves in the ufc of effefrual means for the obtaining this Happinefs. Indeed the original Caufe of it, is the pure rich Mer- ~lo0! ~~~~ta~~~ep!~:~:~~~r~~~~m~~i:~:e ~~fiAh~~~:~~t?s~~~i~~~~e 0:f0o~~rs~:~~~:tiiJ. b~:;h:0a~~d~'~eF~~~;;i~ ~} ~:~r ~~~yt.he i,~::,:?'f,(. O:trfcno"?)n[j o~~ ~~~~~::FJs,J! O,rift our Lord. But the Gofpel declares; That without 'Holimfs 110 Mmt fbaUfee God; !~ ~~~~f~~~Gt~yo~~qu~iJ:eat~1~es~r~~~fet~er~~~e0t~:i~~nCo~~~v~~.un~~1ed~~~;~~t~~~~; co11timtrmce iJt well-doing, Jcck for Glory, Hono11r, and J!uhortality, jhaU partake ofEterWi,ffJ'a!~~~ ::~: ~;M~e~~. otg~~ ih~afoo~~cf.~\~~ ~f'?rft!~~1i~n/n ~b~ ~:~Si;~[;~~ Things themfelves. Therefore our Saviour does not fimply declare, that an unregenerate Perfon jhaU not fee the_KingdomofGod,but with the greateft emphafis cannot, to fi!\llify an abfolute impoffibi! ity of it. Befides the Legal Bar that excludes unfanCl:ified Perfons from the beatifick vifion of God, there is a moral incapacity. Suppofe that Ju!lice fhouid allolv Omnipotence to tranflate fuch a Sinner to Heaven, would the Place make him happy? Can two incongruous Natures delight in one another? The Happinefs of Senfe is by an impreffion of Pleafure from a fuitable ObjeGl:: The Happinefs ofintel\efrual Beings arifes from an entire conformity of Difpofitions. So that unlefs God recede from his Holinefs, which is abfolutely impoffible, or Man be purified, and changed into his \ikenefs, there can be lio fweet Communion be• tween them. Our Saviour affigns this Reafon of the neceffity of Regeneration in order to our admiffion into Heaven: That which ;s bom of the jlejh, ;s jl~fh; and tha~ 'll>hich ;s born of the ffiirit, i< fPirit. Accprding to the quality of the Principle, fuch iS< what proceeds from it. The Flefi1 is a corrupt Principle, and accordingly the natural Man is wholly carnal in his Propenfions, Operations, and End. The Difeafe is turn'd into his Conftitution. He is dead to the Spiritual Life, to the Afrions and Enjoymentsthat are proper to it: Nay, there is in him a furviving PrincipleofEnmity to that Life: not only a mortal coldnefs to God, but a !tiffaverfion from l1im, a ~~~~~~~u~e~~l~;~,~~s.im~l~~en~~~~i~e1: ;;}ivh~~!~;~~~,d ~~tasw~h~dT~~~~~ts~} Hell to him, while in the midft of thofe pure Joys his inward Inclinations vehemently run into the loweftLeesofSenfua\ity. And therefore till this contrariety, fodeep and predominant in an unholy Perfon, be removed, 'tis utterly impoffible he !hould enjoy God with Satisfaction. Holinefs alone prepares Men for the po!feffiori of Celeftial Happinefs, that is againft the Corruption, and above the perfeGl:ion of meet' Nature. Let 1n then, haviug fuch a Joy jet before m, lay ttjide every weight, and the Sin wtich t!oth fo t>aji/y befet tlf, ttnd mn with patience the race that i:r Jet before ttf, loo~'ing t _d ]<('!'• the A1~thor and Fini(ber ofour Faith. Methinks the fight of worldly Men, Jo afrrve and v1grlant to profecute their low Defigns, fi10uld quicken us to feek witht7le !(l'eater d1hgence and alacrity the Kingdom ofHeaven, mtd the 1/.ighteMfmfs thereof 1\ carnal Wretch urged by the fting of a brutifh Defire, with- what impatience does G gggg 2 he
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