them; will never depart from them; but make them glad for Ever and Ever in the City of their GOD. Their Treasures were fuch, as no created Power could take away; fuch as none but infinite Beneficence can beftow; and (Oh! comfortable to confider!) fuch as I, and every indigent longing Sinner, may obtain; Treasures of heavenly Knowlege, and faving Faith; Treasures of atoning Blood, and imputed Righteousness.

HERE* lie their Bodies in quiet Restingplaces. Here they have thrown off every Burthen,

* SOME, I know, are offended at our burying Corpfes within the Church, and exclaim against it as a very great Impropriety and Indecency: But this, I imagine, proceeds from an exceffive and miftaken Delicacy. Let proper Care be taken to fecure from Injury the Foundations of the Building, and to prevent the Exhalation of any noxious Effluvia from the putrefying Flesh; and I cannot discover any Inconveniencies attending this Practice.

THE Notion, that noifome Carcafes (as they are called) are very unbecoming a Place confecrated to religious Purposes, feems to be founded on an antiquated Jewish Canon: Whereby it was declared, that a dead Body imparted Defilement to the Perfon, who touched it; and polluted the Spot, where it was lodged. On which Account, the Jews were fcrupuloufly careful to have their Sepulchres built at a Diftance from their Houfes; and made it a Point of Confcience not to fuffer

Burthen, and are escaped from every Snare. The Head ach's no more; the Eye forgets to weep; the Flesh is no longer racked with acute,

fuffer any Cemeteries to fubfift in the City. But as this was a Rite purely ceremonial, it feems to be intirely fuperfeded by the Gofpel Difpenfation.

I CANNOT forbear thinking, that, under the Christian Economy, there is a Propriety and Usefulnefs in the Cuftom. Ufefulness, because it must render our folemn Affemblies more venerable and awful. For when we walk over the Duft of our Friends, or kneel upon the Ashes of our Relations, this awakening Circumftance muft ftrike a lively Impreffion of our own Mortality. And what Confideration can be more effectual, to make us ferious and attentive in Hearing, earnest and importunate in Praying?

As for the Fitness of the Ufage, it feems perfectly fuitable to the Defign of thofe facred Edifices. They are fet apart for GOD; not only to receive his Worfhippers, but to preferve the Fu niture for holy Miniftrations, and what is in a peculiar Manner appropriated to the Divine Majefty. And are not the Bodies of the Saints the Almighty's Property? Were they not once the Objects of his tender Love, and ftill the Subjects of his Special Care? Has He not given Commandment concerning the Bones of his Elect, and charged the Ocean, and injoined the Grave, to keep them till that Day? Are they not precious in His Efteem? So precious, that when Mountains bright with Gems, or rich with Mines, are abandoned to the devouring Flames; Thefe fhall be rescued from the fiery Ruin These fhall be tranflated into JEHOVAH'S Kingdom, and, conjointly with the Soul, made his Jewels," made his peculiar Treafure ;" made to fhine as the Brightnefs of the Firmament, and as the Stars for Ever and Ever.

acute, nor pines away under lingering, Diftempers. Here they find a final Release from Pain, and an everlafting Discharge from Sorrows. Here Danger never threattens them with her terrifying Alarms; but Tranquillity foftens their Couch, and Safety guards their Repofe. Reft then, ye precious Relicks, within this hofpitable.

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Is not CHRIST the LORD of our Bodies? Are they not bought with a Price? Bought, not with corruptible Things, Silver and Gold, but with his Divine Blood. And if the bleffed JESUS purchased the Redemption of our Bodies at fo infinitely dear a rate, can it enter into our Hearts to conceive, that he should dislike to have them repofed under his own Habitation? Once more; Are not the Bodies of the Faithful Temples of the Holy Ghoft? And is there not, upon this Suppofition, an apparent Propriety, rather than the leaft Indecorum, in remitting thefe Temples of Flesh to the Temple made with Hands? They are Vessels of Honour, Inftruments of Righteoufnefs, and, even when broken by Death, like the Fragments of a golden Bowl, are valuable; are worthy to be laid up in the fafeft, moft honourable Repositories.

UPON the Whole; fince the LORD JESUS has purchased them at the Expence of his Blood, and the bleffed Spirit has honoured them with his in-dwelling Prefence; fince they are right dear in the Sight of the adorable Trinity, and undoubted Heirs of a glorious Immortality; Why fhould it be thought a Thing improper, to admit them to a tranfient Reft in their Heavenly Father's Houfe? Why may they not lie down and fleep in the outer Courts, fince they are foon to be introduced into the inmoft Manfions of everlasting Honour and Joy?

Gloom;

Gloom; reft in gentle Slumbers, till the laft Trumpet fhall give the welcome Signal, and found aloud through all your filent Manfions," Arife; fhine; for your Light is come, and the Glory of the LORD is "rifen upon You."

To these how calm was the Evening of Life! In what a fmiling Serenity did their Sun go down! When their Flesh and their Heart failed, how reviving was the Remembrance of an All-fufficient Redeemer; once dying for their Sins, now rifen again for their Juftification! How chearing the wellgrounded Hope of Pardon for their Tranf greffions; and Peace with GoD, through JESUS CHRIST our LORD! How did this affuage the Agonies, and fweeten the Bitternefs of Death! Where now is Wealth,

with all her golden Mountains? Where is Honour, with her proud Trophies of Renown? Where are all the vain Pomps of a deluded World? Can they administer any Support in this laft Extremity? Can they compose the affrighted Thoughts, or buoy up the departing Soul amidst all the Pangs of Diffolution? The Followers of the Lamb feem pleafed and triumphant even at their laft Gafp. "GOD's everlasting Arms are "under

"underneath" their fainting Heads. His Spirit whispers Peace and Consolation to their Consciences. In the Strength of these heavenly Succours, they quit the Field of Battle, not Captives, but Conquerors; with Hopes full of Immortality.” AND now they are gone. -The Struggles of reluctant Nature are over. Body fleeps in Death; the Soul launches into the invisible State. But who can imagine the delightful Surprize, when they find themselves furrounded by guardian Angels, instead of weeping Friends? How fe-. curely do they wing their way, and pafs through unknown Worlds, under the Conduct of these celestial Guides!

The

The Vale of Tears is quite loft. Farewel, for Ever, the Realms of Woe, and Range of malignant Beings! They arrive on the Frontiers of inexpreffible Felicity. They are

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come to the City of the Living GOD:" While a Voice, fweeter than Mufic in her fofteft Strains, fweet as the Harmony of hymning Seraphims, congratulates their Arrival, and befpeaks their Admission: "Lift up your Heads, O ye Gates; and

"be ye lift up, ye everlasting Doors; that "the Heirs of Glory may enter in."

HERE,