Mr. D avid ClarHon's Funeral Sermon. - Day,, upon the fin ifi1ing the <?rcation, w~s hallowed by G~d himfelf, fet apart as th~ ? rfl: Frmts of Days for Ius Service, and applied to Divme Wor!hip, that Man mtgnt.entm:ly ~xerc1 fe Ius Mmd_m adnurmg and praiiing the Creator, wbofe Glory was viiibk m Jus Works. And m b~tb thefe refpetl:s, the Temple of Hienfnlem was Holy, as bcmg appropnated to Gods ServJ<;e by Ius own Elechon and Appointment· and bcin~ th~ place wherein he ~x~ibited his Prefen~e i~ a fpecial manner. Solomo; , eh<.,, 4 . exp;·eifet 1th1s as the End of bmldmg the Temfele, m Ius L~tter to the King of Tyre ~~~~:~~ !~i~o~~~,a~~~~ ;toBb,;:~dbetJ~1Zi:Jfo~;'T,~c:;fo:ea~:tfo~ %:!:/:;;:al n'fh!~;aj ::1;~ ~i~j:;;;:~0/:;j;;g;;;~~ni~~d'::rG:1:g, ~~~h~~a;;;~~s~t "cl~ ~e~1~~~~n~fS::_ !o,m/s T emple, that a fuddain thick Cloud obfcur'd the Air,aGgn ofGod's defcending ijnd acceptance, whofe invifible Majefly was veiled under it: and whether from , Ch<. s· q, that Sacred Darknefs, or fear at the unexpeCted Miracle, the Priefl:s could not mini- ' •· fl er becaufe of the Cloud. The Sacrifices, Mufick, and all the Temple-Service was interrupted. But the Temple built with Hands, and all its pompous Service, was Pfol. " · •· but an imperfe/:c mutable Shadow of the Holy Temple Above, where God exhibits 1IisSacred Prefence, not in a dark Vapour, but in the richeflBeams of Glory, and wherein that mofl: pure Spirit is worfi1ip'd in Spirit and Truth for ever. The Saints arc a Royal P•·i~JI-hood to God,. in a fl:ate of Eminency, and feparation from the refl of the World : They now offer up the Sacrifice of Praife, and the facred Incenfe of Prayer, infinitely more pleafing to God than all the Sacrifice of Beafl:s, and the mofr precious Gums, and Aromatick Spices, that with their fweet Smoak perfum'd the Templ e. But in the Holy of Holiu Above, (where no defiled thing can enter) theyperHtt• f form Divine Service in a Divine manner. The perfeCl: Refr in Heaven, is a Sabbath's Refl , whe rein our fervent AffeCtions, the Springs of ACtivity, are in their powerful !'xercife upon God. Here our faint Earth clogs our afcend ing AffeCtions; and fuch JS the tender Indulgence of our Heavenly Father, that when the Spirit is' williNg, tho the Flejb be weak, he pard9ns and accepts us. But there our Bodies become Spiritual, qualified for theExercifes of Heaven, and all our Powers are in a holy !-!eat and Rapt ure, admiring and praifing the blelfed God. Here the Saints often retire from the World, to wor!hip the Divine Majefl:y in their Clofets; and the fecrecy of the Duty, is an Argument of the Sincerity. They with more freedom pour forth their Souls into his Bofom, and he infinuates the gracious acceptance of their Requefl:s : But the If• 6. ,. ~b~:~ ~~:a~i;J:~{i~rea~~~~i~~;e \~~~~?d~ 0~~;i~~1 ~~:~oa;~o~\~~r~a~:t~"tot~~~ ly i<the Lord of HoJit , the whole Earth k fi>U of hi< Glory. Here there mufl be fome interval between the folemn ACts of Wor!hip, the Circumfl:ances of the prefent State require it; but in the Heavenly SanCtuary, 'tis their continual work and delight to celebrate the high Praifes of God : They are before hi< Throne, a11dJerve bim day a11d nixht in hi< Temple. The Inhabitants of Arabia the Happy , burn, for their common ufes, thofe Aromatick Trees, that produce Myrrh and precious Balm, of which the Sacred Incenfc was compounded : and 'tis no wonder, becaufe thofeTreesgrow common in theif'Country, that is open to the mofl: favourable 1\fpeets of the Heovens, and the fl:rongeflheatofthe Sun: But to our Countries, how little ofthofe rich Perfumes are brought. And fuch is the Comparifon between the Praifes of the Angels and the glorified Saints, and ours here below. They are always in the noblefl: Work, excited by the highefl: Motives. They are always under the direCt Beams of God's Favour, which are vigorouOy refleCted in their Prai[es. All• their Felicity is, to contemplate his excellent 'PerfeCtions, all their Pleafurc to love him, all their Glory to obey him. Their affeCtiona te Praifes arc·renewed without intermiffion, becaufe the Di vine Favours are renewed C\'ery moment. There is a perpetual circulation of Graces f rom the bleffed Creator, and Thankfgivings from the happy Creature. All their joyful AffeCtions, and their folmn Thoughts and RefleCtiom are terminated m that great-and glorious ObjeCt. The Prophet decla res their hol y Employment; Tbey co>Jtimtd!ly jpeak of the glorio111 HoffOifl' of hi< Majejlj, dnd ofhit wotJdrofiS Workt : Tbey foeak of the Mi.~ht of hi< tm·ible Alls; atJd they declare hi< Goodmfi, mul fing ofhi< Righteollfneft. The. Lord h' gra.cio1n, tmd fidl of col~lpajfion; flow to anger, and of .~reat t?r;;z·pra~}:/:,;,d o "fo~t ~:i7h;'s:;~;: ~7:}re;l::.r¥;,:;''];e:k'if~X!~lr:;r~;h, Af_;;idom, and t alk of thy Power. Thy Kingdom is <'1.11 everlafting Kingdom ; and thy D omi11iou eudures through all Gemra.tions. They never ceafe to love, and admire, an.d therefore never ceafe to praife him. Their Hearts. are eternally inflam'd, ·~;~~~~:~
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