95 8 A Funeral Sermon on Dr. W illiam Bates. ----A~~we but apprehe~vafl difference? ~~light G~-; ~~a;~~~~- have had in one another's fociety, they mull, then, be better Company How hard is it now, to communicate our Sentiments! We know not what our ways of Convcrfe ll1all hereafter be, but we know that filch words as 'we now ufe are very flow, defC8ive Medt4 of c?nveying, our Min~s and Senfc, to one another: What a ddficulry.do we n~w find, 1fwe~pprehend~ dung clearly our fe!V~s, to make ano!her Maller ofom Nonon? What Ctrcumlocutlons do we need! What Explications, to t~ake another uoderfiand our meaning! And then thofe Explications need further Explication ! And fo we ru~ our [elves into new d.i~cultics, and epranglc one anothei' more, and more. Moll of our ~ontn?verfie~ an!e _from our m1frali1ng one another's Senfe; rho' too often thofe Ml!takes are wilful wrth them who love ScritC more than Truth: And it is indufirioully endeavour'd, to pervert each others Words and put Senfes upon them quite befides, or again!( our true intent. But if we fpeak and hear with the greatefl Candor, and Sincerity that is poflible, we are frequently ' not underflood aright, either through the Unsklifulnefs of him that fpeaks, to chufe the aptefl VI ords, and Forms of Speech, or Unattcntivenefs, Incapacity, and lJulncfs, in them that hear: Frequently from both together. Hence is the Converfation of Chnflians fo little edifying, tho' they difcourfe of ufetul Subjects, Which, God knows, there is little of amongfl us! Tho' much more than is commonly apprehended, proceeds fi·om want of Love, that fhould let us into one another's Minds, and Hearts. Our very Sermons, when we fludy to make important things as plain as we can, a\e loft upon the moll. Tho' here we fee the advantage of a Peoples having a Love to their Minifler, which is a mighty Oratour within themfelvcs, an J will make them endeavour to rake in his Heart, and Soul; as on his parr, his Love ro them will • Th•ff. •· a. make him willing, as we heard from the Apoflle, to impart, witb the Gofpel, hi; own Soul. But as to C.hriflian Converfe in this our prefent State, befides the difficulty of underllanding one another, all, even of them who have great TreafUrcs of Knowledge in them, are not alike converfable, and communicative, nor any, at all times. The dearefl Friends often find on~ another indifpos'd, otherwife buGe, morofe, lower, and out of humour; apt to take, and perhaps, to give Offence, on one hand, and the other. And whereas we fhould moll intimately converfe with our jil'll<s; upon the mention'd accounts, we are, now, very often the worfi Company that can be, to our [elves; thorough the Darknefs, ConfuGon, Intricacy, and Incoherence of our own Thoughts; the Fervour, and Tumultuation of ill .Aife!hons, and the fiuggifhnefs, ~~~f~r~ha~l1~~~P[; fuc?,0~:~re~~i ~ ~~~,Y~:f~na~~e~; ~~!::a~e;;;;:'j}}fte~fo~ ~~~~; ()urft!ves! V> hen Death ll1all have difencomber'd, and fetus free from all forts of Diflempers, and brought us, into tl1e !late of perfect, and _Perfected Spirits, how delcllable will that Society be! When all !hall be full of DIVIne L1ght, L1fe, Love, and Joy, and freely communicate, as they have receiv'd fi·eely! How pleafant wdl it be, to fit down with .Abraham, ljaac, and 1acob, in the f(jngdom of God. To cbnvcrfe with .Angels! Thofe wife, kind Creatures! So full of profound Knowledge, and Bemgmty ! 111ftrulled by long, uninterrupted, Experience, and Obfervation of the Methods of the Divine Government, and Difpenfation ; highly pleas'd with our acceflion to tl1e Ge· nerat ..tljfembly; that rejoiced in theConverjion of a Sin_net, . whereby but one, was hereafter, in due time, to be added, much more in the glorification of fo "'"''], that are now afl•afly added to thtm ! What delightful communings will there be, of the Myfleries of Nat11re! Of the methods of Providence! Of the Wonders of Grace! Of the deep and ludden Coun{els of God! In what part it 1l1all be agreeable to h1s Wifdom, and good pleafurc, w let the{-11!'to~?er!~~e~a~td :hev;r;;sjiguwion, made the tranfported Difciplcs fay, 'TiT good to be hm: When the Glory, which while it oppreft, pleas'd them. Tho' this was but a tranfient view. But
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