Meetness for Heaven Promoted, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. The ſecond Doctrine briefly handled, that a meetneſs for Heaven is a mercy worth thanking God for.
I Proceed briefly to explain the ſecond Doctrine in my Text, which is,
That its a tranſcendent Mercy worth thanking God for, to be made meet for the Heavenly Inheritance.
If we muſt thank God for Daily-bread, for Houſes, Health, Eſtates, Worldly comforts and accommodations for our Bodies, how much more ſhould we thank God for Heaven, and a meetneſs for Heaven? without which we ſhall never come there.
The truth of this I ſhall demonſtrate in theſe ſeven particulars.
1. Spiritual Mercies are of moſt worth, and deſerve moſt thanks from us to God: But this is a Spiritual Mercy, Eph. 1.3. Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who hath bleſſed us with all Spiritual Bleſſings in Heavenly places in Chriſt. It is [foreign,] and ſo may ſignifie ſpiritual things as well as places; i. e. Graces, Priviledges, Comforts, or whatever hath a tendency to the good of the Soul, or eternal Salvation in Heaven: Theſe indeed are a Benjamins portion, a goodly heritage, the quinteſſence and marrow of all Bleſſings. If God ſhould give you the whole World, and put you off therewith, you are curſed and wretched; if he give you Grace and Glory, you are happy, if you had nothing elſe. Our Lord thought that a plenary Benediction, (with which he begins his firſt Sermon) Matth. 5.3. Bleſſed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God. There's the mercy promiſed, and the qualification for it, both choice Bleſſings.
2. That which is the purchaſe of Chriſt is worth our thanking God for; but this is the fruit of Chriſts purchaſe: Its not only a purchaſed inheritance, nor did Chriſt only purchaſe us to be heirs of this inheritance, but he hath purchaſed a meetneſs in Believers for that Inheritance. Tit. 2.14. Who gave himſelf for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purifie to himſelf a peculiar people, zealous of good works. How do men thankfully celebrate Chriſts Nativity? But that mercy of Chriſts being born into the world, (though tranſcendently great) will never advantage you, unleſs Chriſt be in you, the hope of glory, Col. 1.27. his dwelling in your hearts by Faith, Eph. 3.17. intitles you to the inheritance he hath purchaſed. Look within thee Man, as well as without thee, and above thee, for the fruits of Chriſts purchaſe, and occaſions of thankfulneſs to God.
3. The operations and fruits of the Spirit are ſurely worth thanking God for; but this is one of the moſt glorious fruits of the Spirit, to fit Souls for Heaven. Our Lord promiſeth to ſend the Holy Ghoſt to ſupply the want of his Bodily preſence, and it is the richeſt gift that ever proceeded from Father and Son; ſuch as have it, out of their Belly flow Rivers of living water, Job. 7.38, 39. God is to be admired in all the ſaving works and actings of the Spirit, the convincing, humbling, ſanctifying, ſupporting, ſatisfying, ſealing, comforting, quickening, inlarging, confirming, witneſſing, and reviving operations of it. Alas, we had never lookt after God, had not the Holy Ghoſt knockt at our doors; we had been blind in the things of God, but that the Spirit inlightened us; dead but that the Spirit enlivened us; we had wandered for ever, but that the Holy Spirit reduced us, our hearts had been for ever hardened from Gods fear, had not Gods Spirits ſoftened us; we ſhould have been unlike God, but that the Holy Ghoſt ſtampt Gods Image upon us; whatever hath been done upon our Spirits to fit us for Heaven, the Holy Ghoſt hath been the Agent; yea, that Spirit that we have quenched, grieved, reſiſted, vexed; what cauſe then have we to be very thankful? This is the golden Oyl, that runs through the golden pipes of Ordinances into the candleſtick of the Church. Zech. 4.11, 12.
4. The Goſpel-diſpenſation is great matter and ground of thankfulneſs: It is a miſtery which in other ages was not made known to the ſons of mon: Eph. 3.4, 5. But what is the marrow and main deſign of this Goſpel-revelation? Why, ver. 6. That the Gentiles ſhould be fellow heirs, and of the ſame body, and partakers of his promiſe in Chriſt by the Goſpel. Oh glorious deſign! Oh bleſſed Charter! But what are we better unleſs we be partners of this priviledge? Therefore chap. 2.19. ſaith, Chriſtians are fellow-vitizens with the Saints. This is the Goſpel way of infranchiſing and incorporating poor ſtrangers in the Immunities of Heaven, and ſurely this is worth thanking God for. The Charters of ſome Cities coſt them dear, and the Chief Captain ſaid to Paul, with a great ſumme obtained I this freedom; Paul ſaid, [and ſo may Believers ſay in this ſenſe,] but I was freeborn. Acts 22.28. Though it coſt Chriſt dear, yet it coſts us nothing, but reception. This new Jeruſalem is built all of Free-ſtone, and ſhall not our ſhoutings echo, grace, grace to the Head-ſtone, Jeſus Chriſt? Zech. 4.7. Eſpecially ſince our freedom reſcues us from Helliſh tortures, as Pauls did him from ſcourging; and makes us heirs of Heaven.
5. Peculiar advantages not afforded to all, gives grounds of thankfulneſs; ſuch is this. Our Lord ſaid, Matth. 11.25, 26. I thank thee O Father, Lord of He aven and Earth, becauſe thou hast hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them unto babes. Alas what have any of us, but what we have received? Diſcriminating kindneſſes call for the greateſt gratitude: What did God ſee in any of us that might procure for us Heaven? Or within us what preparation for Heaven? You and I are of the ſame polluted lump of Mankind as others: Moſt unlikely to become heirs of ſuch a glorious inheritance as Heaven is. What could God ſee in us to attract his heart to us? Nay, what did he not ſee in us to turn his ſtomach againſt us? It was the kindneſs and love of God our Saviour: Not by works ef Righteouſneſs which we had done, but according to his Mercy he ſaved us. Tit. 3.3, 4. Alas, what lovelineſs could God ſee or foreſee in us to make us Children, then heirs of God, joynt-heirs with Chriſt? We may ſay with honeſt Judas, Job. 14.22. How is it that thou wilt manifeſt thy ſelf to us, and not unto the world? It muſt be anſwered, Even ſo Father, for ſo it ſeemed good in thy ſight. When thouſands are left, why art thou taken? How came it to paſs that when Philoſophers and wiſe Sages of the World, bewildred ſo in the dark about felicity, that God ſhould ſhew you the right way to true happineſs, and lead you into it, and in it? Surely all is of free grace.
6. Fittedneſs to any duty or diſpenſation is a Mercy worth thanking God for: Such is the Chriſtian frame that makes meet for Heaven; ſuch a perſon is fit to do Gods will, or ſuffer Gods will; he is ſuited to a proſperous and adverſe condition; his foot ſtandeth in an even place; like a Watch in a Mans pocket, turn it this way or that way, it keeps its motion; ſo the Chriſtian in all conditions, his ſtation and motion Heaven-wards. The righteous ſhall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands ſhall be ſtronger and ſtronger. Job 17.9. He is [utrin que paratus] ready for any thing that God calls him to: Like the man of God mentioned, 2 Tim. 3.17. That is perfect, throughly furniſhed unto all good works. Oh what a bleſſed thing is it to be in a capacity to embrace a motion to pray, read, conſer, meditate, receive the Lords Supper upon an invitation from Men, or ſummons from God! The Church in Cant. 5.2. found the want of this, when ſhe ſaith, I ſleep, but my heart waketh; i. e. I have the principle, but want the exerciſe of grace; and alas, how unready was ſhe to entertain her beloved, though ſhe had given him a call; and the ſad conſequences of this unfit frame are obvious, both as to her ſin and ſuffering: But oh what a mercy is it to have an heart ready preſſed for Gods ſervice! Give God the glory of it, and its worth ſomething to be in a readineſs for Mercy, Affliction, Death, Judgment, as thoſe are that are meet for Heaven. It was a noble Speech of Baſil, when Modeſtus the Praefect threatened Confiſcation, Torments, Baniſhment; he anſwered, He need not fear Confiſcation that hath nothing to loſe; nor Baniſhment to whom Heaven only is a Countrey; nor Torments, when his Body would be daſht with one blow; nor Death, which is the only way to ſet him at liberty. Polycarp was ready for Beaſts, or any kind of death, for he was ready for Heaven: For as this Chriſtian is delivered from danger by death, ſo from the fear of death. Heb. 2.15. Death it ſelf is the day break of eternal brightneſs to the Child of God; and is not this worth thanking God for?
7. Heaven is ſurely worth thanking God for. Could we get a glimpſe of that ſtate and place of glory, and this inheritance of the Saints in light, together with our title to it; Oh how would it dazzle and tranſport us! its ſaid that the Temple of Diana was ſo bright, that the Door-keeper ſtill cryed to ſuch as entered, Take heed to your Eyes: Much more may we ſay ſo of the ſurprizing glory of the Heaven of Heavens; and therefore our Lord ſaith, None can ſee his face and live: But death blows duſt out of the Eyes of glorified Saints, and the Morning-Star at the Reſurrection doth ſo fortifie the ſight, that it can behold this inacceſſible light with admiration; even as all the Stars look upon the Sun. Fear not little flock, ſaith our Saviour, Luk. 12.32. for it is your Fathers good pleaſure to give you the Kingdom. Is not a Kingdom worth thanks, and ſuch a Kingdom; and to have this freely of gift, not to wade to it through Wars and Blood, and all this by hereditary right, which is the cleareſt title. Oh Sirs, do you know what Heaven is? It is the immediate injoyment of God, an immunity from all evils, a poſſeſſion of all good, the perfection of our natures, the maturity of our graces, the deſtruction of all ſin, the baniſhment of Satan and his temptations, the fulneſs of joy, and total death of all grief. Indeed it is ſuch a ſtate as can neither be expreſſed nor conceived. How vile and contemptible would all things below appear to one that with Paul, is rapt up into this Paradice! I read of one Adrianus an Heathen, that was preſent when Martyrs were examined and tormented, he asked, What was the Reaſon they ſuffered ſuch Tortures; it was anſwered in the words of that Text, 1 Cor. 2.9. Eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him: The very rehearſal of which words converted this Adrianus, and he became a Martyr alſo. Oh what a tranſcendent reward is there in theſe Manſions above! And God doth not grudge us the knowledge of theſe glorious things. He is not like ſome rich men that will not let their heirs know, what they will do for them, till they dye; no, the Text ſaith, ver. 10. that God revealeth them to us by his Spirit; and v. 12. that we may know the things freely given to us of God. We may know them perceptively, not comprehenſively; by Faith tho' not by Senſe. We know but yet in part, [non rem ſed aliquid rei] but then we ſhall know as we are known; [not as God knoweth us; for our knowledge and Gods muſt not be ſo comparatively likened, but] as holy Spirits know us both now and for ever, we ſhall both know and be known by immediate intuition; yet in this world God gives his Children (though differently) ſome glimpſes and dark repreſentations, [per Species, as through a glaſs] by Metaphors or Parables, and this diſcovery is to raiſe up our hearts in thankfulneſs, admiration and longing deſires to be above with God.