Meetness for Heaven Promoted, Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Diſtinctions about meetneſs for Heaven: What habitual meetneſs is: Both relative and real.
1. FOR a more methodical proceeding in explaining this Subject, I ſhall premiſe ſome diſtinctions, by which you may underſtand what that meetneſs for Heaven is, that I mean.
1. There is an [aptitudo Legalis & Evangelica,] a Legal and Evangelical meetneſs. Since the fall of Man, no meer Man can fulfil all Righteouſneſs, or by his own power attain to any thing pleaſing to God; ſo a legal meetneſs is not attainable; We have all ſinned and come ſhort of the glory of God: See Rom. 3.23, 24. ch. 8.2, 3, 8. Gal. 3.10.13.
2 Diſt. There is an [aptitudo operum & perſonae, i. e] meetneſs of works, and of the perſon: This explains the former in the Covenant of Works, the perſon was accepted for the works ſake; but in the Covenant of Grace the work is accepted for the perſons ſake: If the perſon be accepted in the beloved, Eph. 1.6. God owns both perſon and offering, as he did Abel, Heb. 11.4, 6. But what proportion can the beſt Services of the beſt Men bear to this Eternal Reward? Luke 17.10. Nor can Humane Sufferings purchaſe this Glory to be revealed. Rom. 8.18.
3 Diſt. There is [aptitudo perfecta & progreſſiva,] a perfect, compleat meetneſs for Heaven: This is compatible only to the Spirits of juſt men made perfect, Heb. 12.23. But who can ſay I have made my heart clean; I am pure from my ſin. Prov. 20.9. Alas, we know but in part, and ſo love but in part. 1 Cor. 13.12. Even Paul that was perfect in point of ſincerity, yet was not already perfect in point of degree, but was preſſing forward, Phil. 3.12-15. Chriſtians here below are but [in via non in patria] in the road to perfection, ſinging the ſong of degrees, and not in the height of Zion. Sincerity is Goſpel perfection, and the Chriſtians preparation, together with a progreſſive motion.
4 Diſt. There is [aptitudo habitualis & actualis] an habitual and an actual meetneſs for Heaven; or which may be thus diſtinguiſhed; there is a [jus haereditarium, and a jus aptitudinale] an hereditary right, and an aptitude or actual fitneſs for this Inheritance: My Text includes both, and I ſhall open both; for they are both neceſſary in their kind; and in this ſenſe Gods Children are ſaid to be counted worthy of Kingdom of God, 2 Theſſ. 1.5. and ſaith Chriſt, They ſhall walk with me in white, for they are worthy, Rev. 3.4. And therefore are we exhorted to walk worthy of God, who hath called us unto his Kingdom and Glory, 1 Th. 2.12. It imports a conveniency, ſuitableneſs, anſwerableneſs in a limited Goſpel-ſence; like Children of ſuch a Father, as Heirs of ſuch an Inheritance, as Candidates for ſuch an Office and Honour: There is a (foreign) ſeemlineſs appertaining to every Calling; Princes, Magiſtrates, Miniſters, muſt have a decency and ſuitableneſs to their Profeſſion: So here.
Well then, I ſhall chiefly ſpeak to this twofold meetneſs. 1. Habitual meetneſs, which is in oppoſition to perfect unmeetneſs, i. e. a ſtate of Nature, Unregeneracy. 2. An actual meetneſs, which is contra-diſtinct from imperfect meetneſs; and both are neceſſary in their kind.
Queſt. 1. What is that habitual meetneſs for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light, without which Men can never attain to it, or have eternal poſſeſſion of it?
Anſw. This habitual meetneſs conſiſts in a twofold change;
1. Relative.
2. Real.
1. It conſiſts in a Relative change: This alſo is twofold, viz.
(1.) Juſtification.
(2.) Adoption.
(1.) The poor ſinner is ſtanding at Gods Bar as a guilty Malefactor, under the dreadful Sentence of a juſt Condemnation, for all the World is become guilty, (foreign) ſubject to judgment, before God, Rom. 3.19. Not a Son of Adam can plead innocence. Its well if we be as the bluſhing Roſe, the Lilly-whiteneſs is loſt. He that believeth not is condemned already, John 3.18. and the wrath of God abides on him, verſe 36. It was on him when he was born; and it abides ſtill on him, if not taken off him by Juſtification: Who can think the Prince will promote him to Honour that is under an attainder for Treaſon? He muſt be cleared of that charge, or he is fitter for Execution then Promotion. Pardon muſt precede preferment. You muſt be firſt in Chriſt Jeſus, and then there is no condemnation to you, Rom. 8.1. You muſt be received into Favour before you be promoted to Honour. The ſinner muſt be juſtified before he can be glorified. Rom. 8.30. Never think of aſcending to Heavenly Glory under the load of guilt: That guilt will ſhut Heavens gates againſt thee: The guilt of one ſin will preſs a Soul, (yea, millions of Souls) to Hell; for the wages of ſin is death. Rom. 6.23. O therefore, what need is there of Juſtification as the introduction to Salvation! You muſt be juſtified by his grace, if ever you be made heirs according to the hope of Eternal Life, Tit. 3.7. Never think your ſins will be blotted out in the day of refreſhing, except you repent here and be converted: Acts 3.19. You muſt be juſtified by faith that you may have peace with God here, and ſo rejoyce in hope of the glory of God: Rom. 5.1, 2. You cannot think to leap from the Bar to the Throne: But muſt be cleared by order of Juſtice, through Chriſts ſatisfaction in the Court of God. This, this is abſolutely neceſſary to a meetneſs for this Heavenly Inheritance.
(2.) Adoption: This is another Relative change. Alas, by nature we have quite loſt our Filiation, and ſo forfeited our Childs part of the Heavenly Inheritance: We are (exules a Regno) baniſht out of Paradice, and there are placed Cherubims, and a flaming Sword, which turns every way to keep the way of the Tree of Life: Gen. 3.24. Yea, we are voluntarily gone into a far Countrey, have waſted our ſubſtance, diſowned our Fathers houſe, are feeding ſwiniſh Luſts, and feeding our ſelves with poor husks of worldly things; and till we be adopted and admitted again into our Fathers houſe, we are not fit to eat the Childrens Bread, or heir the Childs Inheritance: God himſelf hath contrived a way how to ſettle the beſt Inheritance on ſuch as he finds ſtrangers. Jer. 3.19. But I ſaid, how ſhall I put thee among the Children, and give thee a pleaſant land, a goodly heritage of the hoſts of Nations? Then I ſaid thou ſhalt call me, my Father, and ſhalt not turn away from me: Oh bleſſed contrivance! And will any think to croſs Gods contrivance! Shall Mens ſolly challenge infinite Wiſdom! Is not the Heavenly Inheritance Gods own to give? And doth not our Lord ſay, ſuch honour ſhall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. Matth. 20.23. Can you think to wreſt Heaven out of Gods hands whether he will or not? And muſt he falſifie his word to gratifie you? Will he ſet the Crown on Rebels heads? Or give this Inheritance of Saints to the Devils ſlaves? No, doubtleſs you muſt be adopted Sons, or no Lawful Heirs. Baſtards heir no Land. Jephthahs Brethren thruſt him out, ſaying, Thou ſhalt not inherit in our Fathers houſe, for thou art the Son of a ſtrange Woman. Judg. 11.2. And what bold intruder art thou, that dareſt expect to claim ſuch an Inheritance as Heaven without the relation of a Son? Adam its true, was Gods Son by Creation; but alas, he and we in him have quite loſt that ſweet Relation; and we muſt either be reſtored in Chriſt, Gods well-beloved Son, or we are like to be baniſht for ever: God ſent his own Son, —that through him we might receive the adoption of Sons: Gal. 4.5, 6. And have you the Spirit of his Son in your hearts to cry Abba Father? which elſewhere is called the ſpirit of Adoption. Rom. 8.15. Tell me not that all Men are the Sons of God: So were the Devils: God will make you know that this is a peculiar priviledge, known to very few, injoyed by fewer; but it is the fruit of ſingular Love, and is attended with this unparalell'd advantage of ſeeing God as he is; and a day is coming when theſe Sons and Heirs in diſguiſe ſhall then be like their Father; 1 Joh. 3.1, 2. then Atheiſts that will not believe that there is any ſuch difference among Men, and bold intruders, that dreamed of a right, without pretending or proving their Adoption, ſhall be utterly confounded.
2. But beſides this Relative change, there is alſo a real change upon thoſe Souls that God makes meet for Heaven, and this conſiſts in
1. Converſion to God.
2. Covenanting with God.
1. Converſion to God: This is expreſſed in the words immediately following my Text, Ver. 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkneſs, and hath tranſlated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. This is a deſcription of Converſion, and a preparation for Glory: Compare this with Acts 26.18. See there the priviledge annexed: Obſerve it, Converſion makes Saints, and only Saints partake of this Inheritance: If all the Men on Earth, and Angels in Heaven, ſhould joyn their Forces together, they could not ſave one unconverted Soul: Truth it ſelf hath aſſerted it with a ſolemn aſſeveration, Matth. 18.3. Verily I ſay unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little Children, ye ſhall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: The like doth the ſame mouth aſſert with a fourfold aſſeveration; Joh. 3.3, 5. I wonder often how careleſs ſinners ners that are conſcious to themſelves that never any ſuch work paſſed on them, can eat and drink, or ſleep quietly, and never ſo much as ask this queſtion; Am I converted or am I not? If I be, when or how did my Soul paſs through the pangs of the new birth? What tears, fears, what groans and agonies hath it coſt me? What fruits hath it brought forth in me? Where's this new Creature, the Divine Nature, the Image and Seed of God working Heaven-wards? What ſtamp, what ſheep-mark can I ſhew, as the fruit of Gods being at work on my Soul, and an earneſt of this glorious Inheritance? But if there be no ſuch change, (as I doubt there is not) how can I be quiet? Sure my pillow is ſoft, or my heart hard, and my Conſcience ſeared, that hear or read my own doom in ſuch a Scripture, from the mouth of the Judge himſelf, ſtanding at Heaven-gates and ſhutting me out, as if he named me, ſaying, Be gone thou unconverted ſinner; I know thee not; converting Grace never changed thy Heart or Life; though I often ſummoned thee, and knockt at thy door, yet thou hadſt no heart or deſire to turn from thy ſinful ways, nor ſo much as fall down on thy knees, and ask this grace of Converſion of me, or uſe the means for it, or ſo much as examine whether thou haſt it or no, but wenteſt on in a golden dream, and now I muſt tell thee roundly to thy coſt, depart, oh be gone from my preſence thou poor wretched unconverted ſinner: This ſtate, this place is for none but ſincere Converts.
2. Covenanting with God: When the glorious day of our Lords appearing ſhall ſpring, he calls forth his covenanted people to crown his gracious promiſes with compleat performance. Pſal. 50 5. Gather my Saints together, thoſe that have made a covenant with me by ſacrifice: q. d. I take little notice of common or outſide Worſhippers, they ſhall be ſet on my left hand; but there is amongſt you ſome ſerious Souls that look beyond the Ordinance, I have obſerved them, they have ſolemnly devoted themſelves to me, and accepted me in a Covenant-way: Theſe, theſe are the perſons, and theſe only, that I have taken for the lot of my inheritance, and for whom I have laid up a ſafe and ſatisfying inheritance: But to the uncovenanted ſoul, or hypocritical pretender to covenant, God will ſay, What haſt thou to do to declare my ſtatutes, or that thou ſhouldeſt take my covenant in thy mouth? Pſal. 50.16. What ground haſt thou to own me? Or to claim any thing from me for this world or another. Man as a creature can have no intercourſe with God, but in a Covenant-way; much leſs can a ſinner expect any good from God, but by vertue of Covenant: But what canſt thou ſay for this promiſed Inheritance, that haſt nothing to do with the promiſes? For all the promiſes of God in Chriſt are yea and amen; 2 Cor. 1.20. But thou haſt never ſpent one hour ſolemnly to review and renew thy Baptiſmal Covenant, and ingage thy Soul to God; and ſince thou art an Alien from the Commonwealth of Iſrael, and a ſtranger from the Covenant of Promiſe, by conſequence thou art without Chriſt, and without God in this world, and therefore without hope of a better ſtate in the other world: Eph. 2.12. But ſtrangers and forreigners are become fellow-citizens with the Saints of this new Jeruſalem; ver. 19. How is that? Doubtleſs by taking this ſacred Oath of Fealty and Allegiance to the King of Heaven: By Covenant you have a title to all the good things of Earth and Heaven. Sinner think of this, thou that loveſt to be looſe, and ſcorneſt the ſetters of this Holy League; thou doſt in effect ſay, I will have none of God, Chriſt, Pardon, Heaven: If I muſt have them on no other terms, but under ſuch bonds and obligations, let them take this Heavenly Inheritance for me: And doſt thou think this golden chain of honour, worſe then the Devils iron fetters of ſin, and amazing reward of flames and torments? If you need not God and Heaven, be it known to you, God needs not you; but can ſtrain for the revenue of Glory to his Juſtice in your neceſſary confuſion, becauſe you would nor voluntarily ſubmit to his terms for ſo glorious an Inheritance.