Mr. David Clarkfon'r Funeral ~ermon. ro his Farhcr; D~·hol.:ll, tmd the Cbildreu that God htH givc11 me. The Angels and S;1ims Above overflow with Joy; when the Soul, as a pure Spark freed from its AOJCs, alcends to the Element ofSpirits, how joyfully is it entertain'd by that Glorious A!Tembly > The Angels that rejoyce at the Converfion of a Sinner, will much mo :-c at the Glorification of a Sa int: and theSaintsbave a new acceffiontotheir Joy, upon the reception of any of their Brethren to that State of Felicity. The Saints of all Ages may be refemb!ed to a Fleet ofMerchant-men that arc bmmd for the (~unc Port, fame arrive Cooner, others later, according to the time of their fettingout: butthofe who arrive firfl: , how do theywelcometheirFriendsthat come \afc!y afterwards? An impcrfetl: refemblance how dearly and joyfully the Saints :l~~~~~~~t~0~:~s~~;~;~~~,;v,~~n~~r~~~~,w~~:;~i f~ ~~~;~1:~: eb:~~ ~(f'a,~~~\:~' f~fr for ever. All Heaven is in Mufick, celebrating the Prai\es of God, and expref!ing their joyful Senfe, when a Viftorious Samt is come to receive his Reward. How Jocs this Conuderation upbraid us, that we are fo unwilling to be di!To!v'd, and to be with our bcft Fr iends in the beft Place? that our Tears and Sorrows for leaving the Earthly Tabernacle, and the low Comforts of this Life, fhould continue till we come to the Gate of Hca1•en? How can we be content with the Imperfetl:ions of the prefcnt State? Here we are as diftant from compleat Happincfs, as the higheft Heaven is fi'om the Earth. Where is our Faith in the Promifes of God? Where is our Love to our Redeemer and our Souls? The lothnels ofa Sincere Chriftian to die, and bewith Chrift, is a dcAetl: ion from his Chriftianity. Laftl y, Thi s fhould refre01 our Sorrows for the Iols of our deareft Friends that die in the Lord . Here is a mournful parting, when they are laid in the cold, dark and fil ent Manlions of the Earth : when thofe whom we lov'd as our own Souls, are fina lly feparated from us, and we O>a\1 fee their Faces no more. And as one that is direCl:ed by the Light of a Torch in the Ni ght, when •tis taken away, is more fenfib!e of the Oarkncfs, than if he had not been inlightncd by it : So when thofe dear Friends are taken away, whofe Converfation was the Light and Joy of our Lives, we are more darkned with Sorrow, · than if we had never eujoy'd them. But if we du ly confider Things, there is more reafon of Joy, than Sorrow, at the departure of ~;~e~~~~~ ?~~~Y~a;};~~!~~s!:~: ~;~~~~~',.e;~~c~:vz;:a;ifemffo~"f ~~~ft~; ;~g:~YJ~?h!~?~! reign with him iJT Soveraigu Glory. Sincere Love will make us more to rejoyce in their ~~i~b:7~?e~~rEl;~~li:~~ 0t:~ ~~r~in~tf~~~i~~~Jl~~;~~~~!~fe ~~~~~e~~~t:l;o~v~~~r :vc A Short Charafler of Mr. David Clarkfon. ALtho the Commendation of the Dead Is often fufpeCled to be guilty of Flattery either in difgu ifing their real Faults, o~ adorning them with falfe Virtues; ami fuch Praifes are pernicious to the Living: Yet of thofe Perfons whom God hath chofen to be the fingular Objctl:s of his Grace, we may declare the praile-worthy Qualities and Actions which refl ect an Honour upon the Giver, and may excite us to imitation. And fuch was Mr. David Clarkjo11, a Perfon worthy of dear Memory and Value, who was furni!h'd with all tho(e Endowments that are requifite in an accomplilh'<l Minifter of the Golpe!. He was a Man of fincere Godlinefs, and true Holine\s, which is the Divine Part of a Minifter, without which oll other Accomplifhments are not likely to be effeCtual for the great End of the Minifrry., that is, to tranOate Sinners from the Kingdom of l)arknefs, into the Kingdom of God's dear Son. Converfion is the fpecial Work of Divine Grace, and it is moft likely that God will ufe thoCc as l nftruments in that Bl e!Tcd Work, who are dear to him, and earneftly deGre to glori fy him. God ordinarily works in Spiritual Things, as in Natural : for as in the Produtl:ion of a li ving Creature, befides the Influence of the Univerfal Caufe, there muft be- an ~~;:1f~i~~~at~~~~ ~~~1~~a~~~n~~n~~~{n~~~ ~~~~~0~e 0~l;! I:n~~ut~~~~i~}'~a~~r;~~~~~~; fo. Let a Minifter be Mafler of Natnral and Artificial Eloquence, let him underft and all the fecrct Springs of Perfuauon , let him be furni!h 'd with Learning and Knowl~dge, yet he is not likel y to fuccced in his Divine Employmeut without Q q q q q o Santl:i-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=