Mr. David Clarkfon's Funeral Sermon. But Heaven is the Element of Joy. Here a glancing fight of his Goodnefs how Ath 16. l.t> reviving is it? A living Vein of Light, from.his favourable Countenance Pierc'd -: 5 • into the milerable Dungeon where Pa11l and Silas were chain'd, and rais'd their Spirits to that Heavenly pitch, that they fang Praifes to God : the illullrious refleCI:ion ofParadife, lightned them at Mid11ight, and put a glofs of Joy upon theru. But in Heaven, thole moft divine and amiable Titles, that God if Light, and that God foe ~7,;•.:~~ ~.0~nf~llieffe1~~~~~0~1~~: ~x!neJi~~~\~~1te~r~~:r~~~~~r~; ~~e~~~iW;rl.;%' in his Works of Wonder are unfolded, and the fweetell: Manifeftations of hi; . Love are given to them. That which the Prophet declares of God's tender Afz,ph. 1• , 7 , feCI:ions to his Church, is verified in the moft excellent manner in Heaven; The Lord thy God in the midjl ofthee is Mighty : he wiU fave, he wiU rejoyce over thee with Joy: he wiU reft in his Love, he wiU joy over thee with [ingi11g. That the blelfed God is well pleafed in the glorified Saints, is the fupreme degree of their Felicity. How joyful a Complacency arifes from the Communion with the blelfed Re- ·deemer, and the Saints in Heaven? Love is the firft Fountain of Joy ; and the more intenfe, the more ravilbing is the Fruition. The Love ofChrift to them was fo great, that from Eternity he was infinitely pleas'd in the thoughts of their Salva- '''ov.•. Jl· ~~fiin H:r ~l~~th::r;;d W~r~e:::roo~~~g,b~~~~ Isb~Ked~~~~:;lilli!!~i? It::~~ If,!!· u. Evangelical Prophet declares, He fhaU fee of the travel ofhis Soul, and be fatifjied. And the Love of the Saints to Cbrift, is a correfpondent AffeCI:ion, according to ?.~?tJhi~o ~~~i:e~;~~ft i~af,f,~?ior ~~1 i~~eni~~aJ~re~v~~·;h;r~rL,~!:tr:~~in~err~n~~~·d'th:~ ~~u~ ~~~~her: with the dearefl: Price, and purchas•d for them an everlafHng Inheritance. He :~c~E=~~~ ;~\~p~~e~~e~, t;l;~r p~~~;r~e{z~;~i?;;r t!l:! ~~j;;;i~~~t ~f~~;~~~~}~ aH~l;~~~~~ae~; ret, dcfidere· Delire, and in Heaven where he appears in all his Brightnefs and Beauty, their '"'· ~h:'t,.~~ga~e~~htiv~ee ~Je,coi:~ve~~ l~~~{[o;~~e:;;:a~~~:~r,,c~~;'Ge1o'::g boJ Solomon, and their harmonious Affections exprefl: in the mort endearing manner. Open to me my Love, my Dove, my Vndejiled: And the inflam'd Sponfe, in a high and ' delightful rapture, breaks forth ; I am my Beloved's, and he if mine. If a Propriety and Intereft in him, be produCI:ive of fuch a pure Joy, what will the everlafting Fruition be? The Scripture reprefents it by a Marriage-Feaft, as the moft cornRev. 'H r:~~~.c~~~eTr~;~~~ ~fG~~tJ.';::,~"~! 1~~-; f;'~~e ~r:i~~:b:;at~~ L:n~e:sv:'m~:e::J his Wi:ft hath made hrr felf ready. What Union! what Joy! How will the Saints rejoice in God their Saviour, in the view of the furprifing Wonders of his Love? The Scripture fpeaks of another acceffion to the Joys of Heaven, the innumerable Company of Angels and Saints that live in perfeCI: Concord, inviolable Love, the Wh.~e~x~~:t~~~'o}J~~o~~~ ~~~p~~~e~l;n ;~~i~r,;l~~~~~~~1 A~~~~~e~afif~~~~ together in their Father's Houfe? We may conjeCI:ure how the Angels are affeCI:ed to us, by what is recorded concerni'}t, their appearance at the Birth of our Saviour; ;:E;r;;,s;.;:::1~;;jW{,f:::::;:"tren.•JiJ:;~{'h~~~~\ti:"t~c~~~~~ ;:;1 ~!~~~~~;; we hear of the Angels Song : They were commiffion'd to punilb rebellious Sinners, and appear'd with flaming Swords, the Inftruments of revenging Wrath. But when the Lord of Hofts became the God of Peace, they appear'd with Harps in their Hands, with Praife and Joy, celebrating his Mercy. They forefaw that Peace on Earth would end in the Glory of Heaven; and the Ruins of their Celeftial Country, would be repair'd by our Salvation. And the glorified Saints arc all Companions in the fame Joy, and the fame Blelfednefs. For never was there fuch a transforming of one Lover into another here, as there is of the Saints in Heaven : They are all animated by the fame Divine Spirit; their Thoughts and Inclinations are the fafne, and have the higheft fatisfaCI:ion in the Felicity of one another. Behold, how good, and l10w pleafant is it for Brethren to dwell in Unity! Briefly, we find that (enfiblc Joy is in its Elevation in the times of the Harveft and Vintage, and after ViCtory i b;~er~, t~~d~1h~~~f;;!t~~~· 2~~f~:~i~¥s ti,~u~:e'f~,~h~~:r!~~ :e~~i~~d,esa~fu~!::e:t.i Joy fills the Country. Now Light is fown for the RightcoiH, and 'joy for the upright i11 Heart. Ti<fown in Tears, b11t reap! with Exultation. We gather the FrultS of Blclfednefs
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