Mr. David Clarkfon's Funeral Sermou. 'vho .1re corruptible, and mortal, arc fo llightly built, that they may b~ con fum'd by Fire. batter'd by Storms, and without external Viol ence, yet from an inward princi ple ofDecay, rink into Ruins: but Heaven is the City of the liviug God, the Se:1t of ~\~~~t~~;n~: 1;;;~:~~;inn:,isd;~c~~\~:~:Ad, i ~~;iek~n~lr~,~~t;~~~s ~r i~, ri:~~~vi'ri~,~~~~~= pr.,. • o,. ven, and Earth, nu ll perifh, either by an entire Confumprion, or thei r ruin fhall 1 l'd . Ch ! · terminate in a renovation to a better State. Bnt the third He.1ven is above the dominion of the Elements, exempted from all changes, and for ever remains. 'Tisau iJJhcritallce incorruptible, 1mdejiled, and fadeJ 11ot away: The integrity, purity, and glory of it are always the fame. 'Tisthe habitation ofGod's Throne, He fit.~ in Heavm Pfab. fecnre from all the tumultuous Confpiracies of his Et:temies, and derides their impious Attempts, again{[ his Son, and Church. HisThrone isuntbaken there, notwith!hndjog things below areturn'd about in a vertiginous Circle. And as the Houfe, fo the Inhabitants, and their felicity, are eternal. Glory, Ho11011r, aud Immortality, are the Ram. :z. Reward?; all that p(ttimiiJ co11t inue in wGU-doillg. Our Saviour arfures hi s Difciples, ~~ca'(;e d~~~'r·~ei~~i~~~ :guSt. foh~~flB~h~d:thf:,:!~;:~ ;~d£~:!0::~ ;~l!e ir:/f~[Revet ,: Life will uphold the Saints in that blelfed State for ever: They fball never fall out of the Arms and Bofom of a gracious God. He will never withdraw his Love, and they fball never forfeit it: for Sin is from the perverf11efs of the Will, and diforder of the Affell:ions, join'd with fome error of the Mind. But in the Light of Glory, and fu ll enjoyment of God, the Under!l:anding is fo perfeCC!y illuminated, the Will and the Affell:ions fo exceedingly fatisfied, that 'tis impoffible they fbou ld apprehend crroneouny, or deGre irregularly. This p;lorious Advantage the redeemed Saints have ( by Jefus Chri!l: who obtain'd H<b. 9• .,, eter11al RedemptioJt for them) above the Grace given to Angels and Man in the firfl: Creation. The Angels were upon trial of their Obedience, not in a determin'd fl:ate of Felicity. Their fir!l: declination of Love and SubjeCtion, was a downfal from their b!elfed Habitation. Woful change ! how unlike themfelves in their original Purity, and Glory? An nnparallel'd Exarnpleof the frailt yof the Creature that forfakes God, and of the Divine Severity. Man did but !l:and in Paradife for a little while, and had a ruinous fall with all his Progeny. But the glorified Saints aanully ft with Chrifi in Heavenly Places, and enjoy an unchangeable happy State. The felicity Above is permanent, as the everla!l:ing Objell: that produces and preferves it, and the everla!l:ing Soul wherein it dwells. B!effed Security! how triumphantly do the glorifi ed in Heave.n fing, Thi< God i< o11rGod forever and ever. Earthly Relations,how near foever,detcrmine in Death ;and the forrowoflofing them,is in proportion tothe delightful enjoying thcm.But the Heavenl yRelation between God and the Saints,is as everlafl:- ing, as the Objell: on which 't is fixt: This God in whom are all amiable Excellencies, all Sweetnefs and Beauty to feed Defires and Delights, is our God in"!l:rill: propriety, in the dearefl: and mof\: revivingfrnition for even Thei rHappinefs is crown'd with Eternity. This is fo real an acceffion to their Felicity, that without the entire affurance of it, the !l:ate ofBleJfedncfs were incompleat;the leafl: jealonfieoflofing it,wou ld di!l:urb their peacefulfruition,and joyful tranqui lityinHeaven: For as Hope in Mifery !!llays Sorrow, fo fear in Happinefs JeJfens Joy. The apprehenljon of loGng fuch a Kingdom, would caufc torment. But, as in the contrary ftate, reprobate Sinners that are in Hell , under an utter impoffibility of Deliverance, are rack'd and tortur'd by ablolutc Defpair: So the BJeJfed Above, that enjoy the Bea tifick ViGon, by the infallible alfurance of its perpetuity, are filrd with a Joy nnfpeakable and glorious. 3· The Sanll:ity of this blelfed Houfe. 'Tisfeparate from the reil: of the World in its fublime Situation, and its unparallel'd Excellencies, Sanll:ity of Place is Relative, and is fo9nded, either upon the manife!l:ation ofGod's fpecial Prefence, or confecration of it to his Serv ice. 'Tis confi!l:ent with the divine Immenfity, to he Differently prefent in feveral places : as the Sou! is in another manner prefent in the Head, where it performs its nob!e!l: Operations, than in other parts of the Body; and upon any fpecial appearance of God, a Place is Sacred. Thuswhen M<fesapproach'd to fee the Flaming Butb, he was enjoin' d., Do not COI)Je ne11.r hither; p_lHck offth~ Shoe: Exod. 1 9 from off thy Feet , the place where thou Jlandejl i< Holy Gro•nd. The v!fib!e Te!l:tmony of the Divine Frefence fanll:ified the Place, and the moO: humble outward Reverence was due, a Sign and Effell: of.the internal Refpell: that is owing to his moll: adorable Majc!l:y. The fanll:ity of that Place, was an· extraordinary Relation, and ceas'd upon the vani!hing of the Flame, the Ggn of God's Prefencc. There is alfo a Relative Su nll:ity, by the Confecration of Time or Place for Holy Ufes. T hus the Seventh O.y,
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