Mr. Benjamin Afhurfl:'r Funeral Sermon. ment. The Rewardablcnefs of Humane All: ions is limited to the prefent Li fe ; and when Men !hall appear before the Judgment Seat of Cbrifr, a full Reward will be difrributed to them. Here the faithful Servants of God have fome V ails to encourage them in their Work, and to deli&ht in their Dutj~: and in their various Sorrows and Sufferings they are cheared wtth fome forerunmng Beams of Heavenly Ltght, revtved with the Air of Paradife, refrefh'd with Waters of Life from the facred Springs of Comfort the Promifes of God, and rejoyce ;, the hope ofG/ory : but then they are received in: !~e~0~f,~~r~~}e~r~~~n~l;e~hb; :~er;h;l/~;~i~{fJ0&h;~~h~v~;~ g;t;::t{~;~ {~ 'joy of their Lord, a11d 'joy elllerf i~tto them replenifhing all their Faculties? · Here the wicked feel fome beginnings of Sorrows, the twinges of an accufin~ Confcience that fettles into the undying Worm : The fir([ Breath of God's fndigna~ tion fometimes finges them here: but then the Flames of it will break forth with vel1emeoce: in this World his Difpenfation is a Compound of Jufrice and Mercy, he is unwilling to ufe Extremity: when he is exceedingly provok'd, Mercy mollifies the Rigor of Jufrice, calms the Fiercenefs of his Wrath, lightens the Weight of his Power : he does 1zot t·ewn,.d them t~.ccording to their luiquitie.r: but theo nothing will break the blow of his Revenging Hands: Strill: Jufrice will then inflill: a Punifhment commenfurate to the guilt of their Sins. All the leading Faculties of the Soul, the Mind, the Fancy, the Memory, the Will, the Affell:ions, that have been polluted with ' Sin, all the fenfitive Faculties of the Body that have been infrrumental in the commiffion of Sin, !hall be tormented. The voluptuous Wretch, whofe Soul was drown' cl in Flefi1 and Blood, and riotouOy feafred every day, his Tongue was tormented in the Fire. Briefly, Pain is more intenfe and violent according to the Capacity of the Patient, and the 'AIJ:ivity and Impreffion of the Agent : Thus in the Body thofe Parts that are of the g_uickefr and mofr tender Senfe, are mofr receptive of Pain ; and when lharp and ptercing H:umours fa~\ upon them, are vehemently affell:ed : How great lhall be the Punifhment, when the intire Man the Soul and Body are prepared to be moll capable of Torment, and Infinite Power. inflill: it? Weeping and gnafhing of 'Fee'lh, extream Sorrow, and extream Rage, are the Charact:ers of Damnation. 0 doleful State beyond all poffible Expreffion! 3· The Reward is perpetual : 'tis the ilfue of Eternal '}11dgmwt: The Sentence is fixt and unalterable for ever. The Snbtls fhaU ever be with the Lord, whofe Prefenc~ is the living Fountain of Felicity. Their Bodies lhall be endowed with a Celefrial unfading Beauty and Vigor becoming the glorious Quality of the Sons of God : their Souls !hall for ever be fatisfied with the fight of his Glory, and ravifh'd with ~}e1tfi~~tii~~ ?{h~t/:cv~f G~~e;~j~rd~ ~~~~Jnv~Wc~sb~f~~r~~l~'a:~~ch~n~~~t~~ as l1is Nature : and 'the Divine Beauty fixes the flame of their pure Affell:ions upon the Deiey: II'hey enjoy an everlafring Communion with him. Eternity crowns and confummates their Happinefs. The wicked are ·excommunicated from the Beatifical Prefence of God, and the joyful Society of the Saints for ever. T hey are im~rifon'd in Hell during the DifJlleafure of the Immortal King, who is inflexibly angry, and irreconcileable for ever. In the prefent State violent Pains or Paffions extinguifi1 Life, as a fierce Fire devours the matter that feeds it : The natural Body could not endure the Torments of Hell a moment, the frail Tabernacle of Flefh would prefently be dilfolved : But the Divine Power will uphold the danmed in vivacity to feel infernal Torments. Here there are intermiffions and paufes between the ftrokes of God's Hand ; even Pharoah that proud Rebel was indulg'd at times, to lead him to Repentance: but there is an uncelfaot perpetuity of Torments: the obfrinate Sons of Darknefs are without cafe or end of their Mifery. F01rrthly, We are to confider the refpell:ive difference of the Rewards, accordinr;. ~~ ~1~ll~~d~l~fd~~~':,1';o~t~~d~~if~~ ~:~.ref~e:r,:~ltl;~~~nf:ywJ'~~~:e~~of. Ecdef. ll. '4' the Line, tl11d Righteoufoefl to the Plum111et, and bring every Work to 111d,<;ment, whe!her good or evil. He will try our goodWorks inclufively, with our Principles, and Atms, cand Affell:ions, wherein their fpiri tua l value confifrs. He alone has exall: Scal~s to wt;fgh the Spirit I of Mw, a Divine Faculty to fee the deepefr Seeds of thetr AIJ:wns. · When Religious Dut ies, when AIJ:s of Charity and of any Virtue are performed m Qbedience to God, to pleafe and glorify him, they lhall be rewarded accordtng)ru;
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