Meetness for Heaven Promoted, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Some Reaſons propounded why ſuch muſt be made meet for Heaven here, that hope to be ſaved hereafter.
THE ſecond head in the Doctrinal part, is the Reaſons of this point, That all thoſe and only thoſe that ſhall eternally partake of this Heavenly Inheritance in the other World, are made meet for it in this World: In handling this I ſhall endeavour not only to evince the truth of it, but convince the Conſcience of the neceſſity of it, and perſwade the Affections to comply with it.
1. Its fit perſons be made meet, becauſe no man by nature is meet for Heaven. Man is eſtranged from God, even from the Womb, Pſal. 58.3. and are theſe fit to live with God till brought nigh? Man is ſhapen and conceived in ſin, Pſal. 51.5. and is this fit to dwell with an Holy God till ſanctified? Man is dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, Eph. 2.1. and is ſuch a dead block meet to converſe with the living God? Man is darkneſs, Eph. 5.8. and what fellowſhip hath righteouſneſs with unrighteouſneſs? and what communion hath, light. with darkneſs? 2 Cor. 6.14. Man by nature is a child of wrath, Eph. 2.3. and how can dryed ſtubble dwell with conſuming fire? Alas, we are all enemies to God in our minds, Col. 1.21. yea, enmity it ſelf, Rom. 8.7. and can two walk together except they be agreed? Amos 3.3. Can the ſin-revenging God and the guilty ſinner hold intimate correſpondence till they be reconciled? O no, it will never be: Heaven and Hell will as ſoon joyn as God and an unregenerate ſinner: Will the holy God take ſuch vipers into his boſom? Can you imagine God will deface or lay aſide his immaculate Holineſs, to take you from the Swine-ſty into his holy Sanctuary? What cleanly perſon can endure to have a filthy ſwine a bed and board with him in his Parlour or Bed-chamber? Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowſhip with thee? Pſal. 94.20. No, no, God is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity, with liking and delight. Hab. 1.13. If God ſhould take men [a caeno ad coelum] from the dunghil into his Palace, others would conclude that God is reconciled to ſin, that its an harmleſs thing, and not that abominable thing which his Soul hates: No, it can never be; graceleſs ſinners, ſo remaining cannot dwell with God. Pſal. 5.4, 5.
2. Becauſe this is the divine ordination and appointment, that there ſhould be a connexion betwixt grace and glory, holineſs and happineſs: Pſal. 84.11. As Sin and Hell are joyned by divine commination, ſo Grace and Heaven are knit together by divine promiſe. So ſaith the Text, Rom. 2.7, 10. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing, ſeek for glory and honour, and immortality, eternal life. This is a connexion of grace, not of merit; of promiſe, not of debt, yet inviolable, for Gods Juſtice and Truth are ingaged in it. Its fit the infinite God ſhould diſtribute his Mercies to whom, and upon what termes he pleaſeth; now he hath ſaid peremptorily, without holineſs no man ſhall ſee the Lord: Heb. 12.14. All things are ordered and wrought after the councel of his will; Eph. 1.11. Firſt he chuſeth them before the foundation of the world, that they ſhould be holy: Eph. 1.4. They are redeemed to be holy, Tit. 2.14. called with an holy calling, 2 Tim. 1.9. and therefore they are holy Brethren that are partakers of this Heavenly calling: Heb. 3.1. Let wicked ſcoffers mock on to their guilt and coſt: Such there are in the world, and ſuch muſt they be if they think to inherit Heaven: Its Gods ordination: you muſt be Saints in this world, or never Crowned as Saints in the other; tho' Canonized for Saints by Men, when gone. Conſider ſinner, whoſe word ſhall ſtand? Gods or thine? Thou hopeſt to go to Heaven without Saintſhip, or meetneſs for it; God ſaith it, yea ſwears it, Heb. 3.18. that thou ſhalt never enter into his reſt. This is Gods councel, that men muſt be brought through Sanctification to Salvation, 2 Theſſ. 2.13. and can you think to overturn his appointed Will, or contradict his Councels? Muſt the Earth be forſaken for thee? Muſt the immutable God falſifie his word to ſave chee againſt his will, yea, againſt thy will? For thou wilſt not come to him for life: God will not be merciful to any wicked tranſgreſſour: The eternal determination of Heaven is recorded in that chain of Salvation, Rom. 8.30. and all the Men on Earth and Devils in Hell cannot break one link of it: Predeſtination, Vocation, Juſtification, Salvation or Glorification: Go try the turning Day into Night, or Winter into Summer, or ſtop the courſe of the Sun, before thou think to divert the proceedings of grace in the ſalvation of Souls; but its vain to attempt either; for his councel ſhall ſtand, and he will do all his pleaſure.
3. This is the deſign of God in all his Ordinances to make Souls meet for Heaven: It pleaſed God by the fooliſhneſs of Preaching to ſave them that believe. 1 Cor. 1.21. Miniſters and Ordinances were given for perfecting of the Saints. Eph. 4.11, 12, 13. This is the means of Converſion, the power of God to ſalvation; Rom. 1.16. the means of edification, of reſolution of doubts, conſolation and confirmation; ſo are the Seals of the Covenant given to this end, to bring Souls onward to this glorious Inheritance. Now, Sirs, conſider, ſhall you receive this grace of God in vain? Shall all the Ordinances be loſt upon you? You muſt give account of Sabbaths, Sermons, Sacraments, ſhall they be the ſavour of death unto death to you, or the ſavour of life unto life? Alas, how do poor Miniſters toyl and travel, pray and watch, weep and ſigh, to the breaking of their Loyns, ſpending of their Spirits, to bring you to God and Heaven, and you pretend kindneſs to us, but have no real kindneſs to your own Souls, we dare not but warn you in the name of Chriſt, leſt you fail of the grace of God, and fall ſhort of this Inheritance: We watch for your Souls as thoſe that muſt give an account: O let us do it with joy and not with grief. Heb. 13.17. If it be uncomfortable to us, it will be unprofitable to you? Muſt our ſweat and labour be in vain? But it will not be in vain to us, for our work is with the Lord, we ſhall not loſe our reward: God will pay the Nurſe, though the Child dye: Our Crown will be given us, if we be faithful, though we be not ſucceſsful, for that's in Gods hands: But woe be to thoſe ſouls that have ſitten under powerful Ordinances, and miſs of this Inheritance! O woe, woe to you, you cannot miſs of Heaven, but be plunged into a deeper Hell: O eaſe our Hearts, and ſave your own Souls: Kill us, and damn your ſelves; nay, murder your ſelves, and you again Crucifie Chriſt, whoſe perſon we repreſent: Rather give us leave to eſpouſe you to one Husband, [foreign, I have fitted you, as things that are pieced together, glued or ſoddered, let us do ſo with you,] that we may preſent you as chaſt virgins in Chriſt, 2 Cor. 11.2. Would to God this were the fruit of our labours.
4. This is the deſign of all Gods Providential diſpenſations: Mercies, afflictions, ſmiles, frowns, come upon this errand to make Souls meet for Heaven: Cords of love draw, rods of wrath drive the poor ſinner from Hell to Heaven: The Sunſhine of Love comes to melt and thaw our frozen hearts that God may ſet a ſtamp upon us: The loving kindneſs of God leads to Repentance. Rom. 2.4. Oh what an influence will Gods native goodneſs have upon an ingenuous Spirit. As the Sun attracts vapours from the Earth, ſo this Son of Righteouſneſs ſhould and will (if our ſturdy hearts hinder not) raiſe our hearts Heavenwards. Its pity we ſhould ſtop here in the ſtreams, but that thereby we ſhould be led to the fountain, and follow the beams up to the Sun: May this long-ſuffering of the Lord be your ſalvation: 2 Pet. 3.15. May love conſtrain you to love God: May theſe load-ſtones ſo attract you, and theſe grapes of Canaan enamour you, that you may never reſt till you appear before God in Zion: And what are all Gods rods and redoubled ſtrokes for, but to awaken you out of ſecurity? Peat your fingers off from the world? Weaken your corruptions, and purge and furbiſh your Souls, as veſſels for the high ſhelf of glory? For our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 2 Cor. 4.17. How is that? Surely by working the Soul into a fitneſs for that glory. This furnace melts away the droſs of our Spirit. Sea-toſſings clear the liquor of grace; this dark night fits for the pleaſant morning; theſe pangs prepare us for deliverance; theſe bluſtering ſtorms fit ſouls for the peaceable fruits of righteouſneſs, being ſanctified by the Spirit, and improved by Faith. Affliction is Gods Phyſick, which makes ſick, but prepares for ſweet health; and ſhall we fruſtrate Gods ends in this alſo? What, are you content with a Heaven here, and an Hell hereafter? Nay can you be content with an Hell in both worlds? Muſt theſe be parboilings for everlaſting burnings? God forbid. Look at the Lords end in theſe ſufferings, and let it be yours.
5. The time of this life is the only time men have given them to be made meet for Heaven. This life is a praeludium to an eternal ſtate: Its a Seminary for another world. Gal. 6.7, 8. —Whatſoever a man ſoweth that ſhall be alſo reap: He that ſoweth to his fleſh, ſhall of the fleſh reap corruption; but he that ſoweth to the ſpirit, ſhall of the ſpirit reap life everlaſting. Seeding is a preparatory to reaping; yet men muſt expect only to reap that kind of grain that's ſown; none can think to reap Wheat that ſowed Oats; and you know there's more abundunce in the reaping then in the ſowing: So in this caſe, Hell torments will be more exquiſite and eternal, then the profit and pleaſure of the ſinner in ſinning: Heavens joys will infinitely furmount the Chriſtians labours and ſorrows in this world; and there is great equity in both, for the object ſinned againſt is infinite, and ſatisfaction can never be made by a finite Creature; and the grace, from whence flows Eternal Life, is infinite, and will have an endleſs duration: But the point I am upon is to demonſtrate the neceſſity of making meet for Heaven in this world, or it will never be done: Now or never. When the door is ſhut, the gulf fixt, and the Soul looſed from the Body, and launcht out into that vaſt ocean of Eternity, there's no returning back to get the oyl of grace, or be fiting the Soul for another world: Eccl. 9.10. What ſoever thine hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wiſdom in the grave whither thou goeſt. Time laſts not, but floats away apace; but what is everlaſting depends upon it. [Hic aut accepimus, aut amittimus vitam aeternam] In this world we either win or loſe eternal Life: The great weight of Eternity hangs on the ſmall and twittered thread of time: Now is the accepted time; now is the day of ſalvation: 2 Cor. 6.2 This is our working day, our market time; ſurely it becomes us to lay that Foundation well, that bears ſuch a Superſtructure: To caſt that Anchor ſafely that is entruſted with a Veſſel ſo richly laden; Oh Sirs, ſleep now, and awake in Eell, from whence is no redemption. Suppoſe by miſdemeanour you had forfeited your Eſtate and Life, and upon much interceſſion, the King cauſeth an Hour-glaſs to be turned, and ſet you a work to do, or leſſon to learn; if you performed it you are pardoned and promoted, if not, tortured and executed: Oh how diligent would you be! What pains would you take? The caſe is your own, Sirs, Heaven and Hell are before you; according to your improvement or non-improvement of this hour of life, ſo muſt you fare; dream not of a Purgatory; as the Tree falls ſo it lyes: You enter by death into an unchangeable ſtate, only the Body at the Reſurrection will be joyned to the Soul to be partner with it in weal or woe, bliſs or bane for ever. The ſtate here is [tempus operis] the time of working; hereafter [mercedis] of reward: Oh look, before you leap into another world. That's the fifth Reaſon.
6. The Chriſtian muſt be made meet here for the Inheritance above, becauſe he hath abundance of work to do, and priviledges to injoy, in order to the full poſſeſſion of this bleſſed Inheritance above: We have many graces to exerciſe, duties to perform, corruptions to ſubdue, temptations to reſiſt, burdens to bear, mercies to improve, that will never be managed to purpoſe without a qualification for managing them: And obſerve it, the ſame diſpoſition is requiſite for making a Chriſtian meet for any duty, that's requiſite to make him meet for glory; the ſame habitual principle, and drawing it forth into lively exerciſe: Not only muſt the man of God be perfect, throughly furniſhed unto all good works; 2 Tim. 3.17. but every Chriſtian, that is a veſſel unto honour, muſt be ſanctified and ſo meet for his Maſters uſe, and prepared unto every good work: 2 Tim. 2.21. Alas, an unſanctified heart is unfit for ſpiritual ſervice. Solomon ſaith, The legs of the lame are not equal, [he halts and goes limping] ſo is a parable in the mouth of fools: Prov. 26.7. How aukwardly and bunglingly doth he go to work in ſacred things; juſt as an unskilful perſon handles a Lute, a Viol, or Inſtrument of Muſick: or as the men of Ephraim could not frame to pronounce Shibboleth aright: Judg. 12.6. There muſt be a ſuitableneſs betwixt the Agent and Acts: No carnal heart can do any one good work well; materially he may do what is good, but not formally as good; in a good manner, for a good end; acceptably to God, or profitably to himſelf: For they that are in the fleſh cannot pleaſe God; and without faith its impoſſible to pleaſe God. Rom. 8.8. Heb. 11.6. And can we think God will carry them to Heaven that never ſtruck a right ſtroke, or never did one hours work for God, that he would accept? A graceleſs ſinner is like the fruitleſs Vine tree, Ezek. 15.3, 4, 5. that is not meet for any work, but it is caſt into the fire for fuel; juſt ſo is that branch (that's profeſſionally) in Chriſt, that beareth not fruit, its taken away, — and caſt into the fire and burned. Joh. 15.2.-6. The Divine Wiſdom is ſeen in ſuiting means to the end, object to the faculty, back to the burden: Now graceleſs ſinners are not fit for Gods work, and if they be not fit in this world, they will never be fit.
2. The Chriſtian hath many priviledges to injoy which he muſt be meet for even in this world, as Reconciliation, Juſtification, Adoption, Joy in the Holy Ghoſt, Peace of Conſcience, Communion with God, Audience of Prayers, &c. All theſe God hath promiſed, Chriſt hath purchaſed for his Children, and they are Childrens bread, and muſt not be given to dogs: God will not throw away his Mercies on ſuch as value them not, but ſcorn them; they ſet light by precious delicates of his Table, Mat. 22 5. The whole ſlight the Phyſitian: Mat. 9.12. The full ſoul loaths the honey comb: The carnal heart will not thank God for pardon and grace; and can we think God will force his Bleſſings on ſuch ungrateful miſcreants, that ſcorn both him and his kindneſs? No ſurely, there are ſome that long for theſe Bleſſings, and will thankfully accept them: See Acts 13.46, 48. and 28.28. Yea, he will make you prize them, and part with all for them, or you ſhall never have them: What think you, doth not the great God take care to ſecure his own glory, as well as Mans felicity? And would it not be diſhonourable to God to beſtow his richeſt treaſures and pleaſures of grace on ſuch as deſpiſe them, and take more pleaſure in rooting in the ſordid dunghil of ſenſual delights, then in ſeeking firſt the Kingdom of God, which conſiſts in righteouſneſs, peace and joy in the Holy Ghoſt. Rom. 14.17. Alas, Honour is not ſeemly for a fool: Prov. 26.1. As a Jewel of Gold in a ſwines ſnout, ſo is a fair Woman without diſcretion. Prov. 11.22. Theſe ſilly fools are not meet to ſit as Princes with the King at his Table, becauſe they want a Wedding-garment of ſuitable diſpoſition for ſo high a priviledge. Mat. 22.12.