Mr. David Clarklon's F1meral Sermon. to be in his Bleffed Prefence. By the dircovery of there fil ia l Affell:ions, our Divine Relation is made [ure. The ApofHe infers, I[SoJJJ, then Heirs . Holinefs is the infalli ble Evidence of Elecrion; for theVef!ils ofMercy dre prepdr'd by Holim{s for Glory ; the Seal . of Adopt ion, whereby God's Children are diltinguifi1'd from the World ; and the Ea~'llt:ji of their !11heritance for Heaven, is a blifsful State of Purity; and the ~ Cor. s 5· Graces with the Comforts of the SI?i~it, are the beginnings of it here. 'Tis further to be obferv'd, that our right in the Heavenly Inheritance, depends upon our union with Chrilt. He inltates his Members in the fame Relation with himfelfto God. Thus he declares to his Difciples, I ttjcend to my Father, and yo11r Fathe1·, to my God, •nd yo11r God. Chrilt's Relation hath precedency in Point of Dignity and Caufality; ~rsdu~fv~~f:!~~ :n~ig;c~ffart~~/~/~~ ,~~~I:errl;e H~~~~~e~i:i~,c~;h~:V;;'{~ ~!::Jt~ift~z: ;~~rc;e~~;:~tby FFo~t?1u~0vjr~~~i~~ ~~r;1 ~~~: i~~!eJh~ ~~;~;,~;il!ot~,~ifj~~~~~~~; feeGod. The Exdufion is abfolute and univerfal o'1 all unfanftified Perfons. Tis impolli ble God fhould admit them into Heaven; for the Rights of Jultice are inviolable : we mull come to Chrilt's Tribunal before we come to his Throne: We mufr ;:;{ca~o ~~~o~~i~~~~eoolr 4fv:rtr~h;e ~;~v';/;(~~ti~f ~~~ ~~dm~!~r :{e1~~c~~bi~4~[ Heb. u . lJ. enjoying Heaven witbout Holinefs. The Wifdom ofGod appears, in that the various forts of Creatures live in the ~lements from which they were produc'd, and l1ave Natures fuitabl e to the Places of their Refidence. The Bea!ts that were form'd from tbe Ea rth, walk and rei! there: the Birds and Fifhes that were produe'd out of the \Vaters, the one fort flies in the Air, that is, rarefied Water; the other fwim in Water, that is, the thickelt Air ; and that Wifdom more evidently appears in fuiting the everlafl:ing States of Men to their moral Difpofitions, Th11.t we nmft be born from :,6/:}tr. Above, if we would joyfully live above. The Apofl:le tells us, Th"t Flefh and Blood ctJnHot inherit the Kin~f!.dom ~f Heaven. The natural Body muft be fpiritualiz'd and inveiled with Celeltial Qualities, before it can enter into that Glorious Place : and the Reafon is more fl::rong, that earthly fenfual Souls can never enter into Heaven, there being an abfolute Contrariety, and Oppofition between the habitual conltitution of ~)~~ho~1~:'~:er~~~~. a~~i~~e~o~~~~r~~~itte ~~~:r7~!~f'r~~J;;y'~b~~e~~~;J,i~; , c,.•. are wro•,ght fiir that bleflid E>td, deanfed, and purified, and endued with Holy Qualiti es, till they are mademeet, they cannot poffe{.t the lnheritmrce of the Saiut.t in Light. How vain and impollible are the hopes of unrenewed Sinners? The Prefence and Converfation o f the Saints is now an offence to them, damps their carnal Jollity and wild Mirth, for it upbraids their negleft of Serious Religion. How fearful will the ~g~ ~ilf?: ~t~~~:~ t~]~;';I<;J~~: ~~~f,~'~/tf!;u~~nTth~e~~~l7s~~~: ~~ i~sCSaanc~~~ employment, is their burden ; how can they expell: to enjoy an everb!ting Sabbath Above? How can there be a lively Hope of Heaven, that implies perfeftion of Haliners, when they neither feriouOy defire, nor endeavour to be Holy? They may l1ave a Cobweb Hope that will be fwept away, but Hope that is as an Anchor to fecurethe Soul, hath always a purifying influence on the Heart and Life. Whoever hath • John!· 1· thi< Hope of bei>tg li ke to Chrilt in Glory, purifes hinifelfevm M he is pure. In fhort, as the Jews had a carnal conceit of the MejfiM, and transform'd him into a temporal Prince coming with Pomp and Splendor, to free their Nation from Bondage, and exalt it to the highelt Dominion in the World: and this Conceit fo ltrongly poffelt them, that when the Son of God, who was Holy, Harmlefs, and Undefiled, and feparate from Sinners, appear'd in an humble !tate to reform and fave Mankind, they rejell:ed him: Thus the unregenerate have a carnal conceit of Heaven: They can only fancy it as a Place of vifible Glory, and a Sanftuary and Refuge from the Torments of Hell, and in that Notion defire it; but as the Place wherein that Holy God is enjoyed and glorified by the Saints, they cannot defire nor delight in it. v e:Carf~~~ ~:~~~;~~ ~~~~:r~fe~~~~~~~ ~~Jefu~~3r~ ~~~~-in~utf:~~~\I~~1e~~~; ~vf~~~~~l,;~~~~sp~e~~:·Til7~g;~er~~~fs aJ,~~~;;areW;~ ~~~~(\~~%~n~u~n~~~~~~~J Delights, and t\1oderate our Endeavours with refpeft to the prefent World . 'Tis tl]e wife and earnefl:: counfel of St. Peter, Dear!Jbeloved Brethren, I befeech )'Oil, as Pilgrim.r ~t~td Str:m~~er.t , ~tbflain from fiefbly Lujl.t, that .war againft the Soul. Senfual Lufis darken the Mind, that it dothnot rightly va lue Thmgs, nor make judicious Comparifons between
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=