Meetness for Heaven Promoted, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Another Reaſon drawn from the neceſſary conſiſtency of a Chriſtians meetneſs for ſo glorious an Inheritance.
7. THE laſt Reaſon why ſouls muſt be made meet for Heaven is, becauſe other wiſe there would be no conſiſtency or ſuitable harmony betwixt men and glory: If their natures be not changed, they will not have a ſuitableneſs of diſpoſition to the glorious ſtate above. The truth of this I ſhall demonſtrate in theſe 4 particulars.
1. None but perſons made meet for Heaven will have any mind to leave the world, and go to God. A carnal unconverted ſoul is totally unwilling to go hence; they fancy to themſelves an Eternity below: Their inward thought is, that their houſes ſhall endure for ever: Pſal. 49.11. Yea, themſelves; for they put far from them the evil day, and ſing a requiem to themſelves, as the fool in the Goſpel; and no wonder, for they live by ſenſe, and know what they have here, but know not what they muſt have hereafter: As the old doting Monk, that ſhewed his brave accommodations, ſaying, Theſe things make us unwilling to dye. It was an uſual ſaying among the Heathens, [ſoli Chriſtiani ſunt mortis contemptores] that Chriſtians only are contemners of death: This is applicable to ſincere Chriſtians. Stoical apathy will not do it, but Faith will. Julius Palmer, the Martyr, ſaid, To them that have their Souls linked to the Eleſh, like a Rogues foot to a pair of ſtocks, it is indeed hard to dye; but for him who is able to ſeparate Soul and Body by the help of Gods Spirit; it is no more maſtery for ſuch a one to dye, then for me to drink this cup of Beer: Nay, when the Chriſtian is upon good terms with God, he deſires to be looſed or diſſolved and to be with Christ, Phil. 1.23. Yea, this is the diſpoſition of a Soul meet for Heaven, that he loves and longs for Chriſts appearing; 2 Tim. 4.8. but the ſincere Chriſtian that is not actually meet ſon Heaven (though through grace he be habitually meet) often ſhrugs at the approach of death, and is glad to chide himſelf out, and ſay as that holy man, [Egredere mea Arima, egredere,] Go out, my Soul, go out, what art thou afraid of? And ſurely that man is more acceptable to God, and comfortable in death, that hath ſet all things ſtreight, and hath nothing to do, but ſurrender his Soul into Gods hands; this man will make his Lord welcome any hour of the day, or watch of the night; but the other is like a Maid undreſt and unready, though for the main ſhe love her Friend, and deſire his coming, yet in the preſent juncture and under thoſe circumſtances, ſhe is ſurprized and troubled that he ſhould find her in that pitiful pickle. This is the caſe of the unmeet Chriſtian.
2. None but Souls meet for Heaven are fit for death, through which all muſt paſs. Its true, the Apoſtle doth diſcover to us this miſtery, (which among the reſt he might receive in the third Heavens,) 1 Cor. 15.51. We ſhall not all ſleep, but we ſhall all be changed; but this change is a peculiar diſpenſation in the end of the world, and this change is equivalent to death. This is certain, the fruit of the curſe, the ſting of death will faſten her fangs on the unconverted ſoul, that's under the covenant of works, and is not in Chriſt: Its only the ſincere Chriſtian that can ſing that [foreign,] the Song of Triumph; or can make that brave challenge, 1 Cor. 15.56, 57. O death where is thy ſting! O grave where is thy victory? Only our Captain Jeſus hath diſarmed death, and it is only for his members; others are left to its rage: Death feeds on them; Pſal. 49.14. it hath a full morſel of them. The firſt death kills the Body, and the ſecond death damns the Soul; but bleſſed and holy is he that hath part in the firſt Reſurrection, on ſuch the ſecond death hath no power. Rev. 20.6. Oh happy ſtate of real Saints! Chriſt, our David, hath conquered this Goliah: The Ark of the Covenant hath driven back this ſwelling Jordan: [Tollitur mors non ne ſit, ſed ne obſit;] This Serpent may hiſs and hit, not hurt; ſtrike down it may, not ſtrike home; it may thruſt Gods Children into the Grave, not into Hell: Nay, our Lord ſets his, not only above the danger by death, but fears of death, that are thus meet for Heaven; Heb. 2.14, 15. that can ſay, as that gracious Gentlewoman, a Martyr, written by me Anne Askew, that neither wiſheth for death, nor feareth his might, and as merry as one that's bound for Heaven: But oh the woful ſtate of a graceleſs ſinner! that is in Natures ſtate, and loves and lives in ſin, lyes and dyes in the old Adam. That's the ſadeſt word in all the Bible, pronounced twice in a breath by our bleſſed Lord, Joh. 8.21, 24. Ye ſhall dye in your ſins, i. e. under the guilt of your ſins and ſentence of condemnation: This is ſurprizing from what he adds in the firſt place, whither I go you cannot come; that is to Heaven, whither ſinners cannot enter: You'l ſay, then no man can enter into Heaven, for all men are ſinners even to the laſt breath. When are men cleanſed, is it [in Articulo mortis] in the paſſage of the Soul out of the Body? In Anſwer to this queſtion, ſee 3 Opinions in Dr. Tuckney. Theſes & Praet. Theol. ubi videa praeclare furius diſputata p. 269. ad p. 292.May not all be cleanſed alike then? Anſw. Its true all are ſinning to the laſt gaſp of breathing out their Souls; but
1. You muſt diſtinguiſh betwixt a ſtate of ſin, and having fin: The beſt have relicks of Original corruption as long as they live: The death of the body will only annihilate the body of death: Death is not properly the puniſhment, but period of ſin: It reigns not in Gods Children at preſent, it ſhall not remain in them when dead: The guilt of ſin is already gone, for there's no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, Rom. 8.1. and the filth, yea, being of ſin is taken away, as ſoon as death ſtrikes the ſtroke.
2. I ſee not but the mighty God can perfectly expel ſin out of the Soul, and alſo perfect defective graces in the inſtant of the Souls ſeparation from the Body, as well as he did infuſe a principle of grace into the Soul in an inſtant at the Souls firſt converſion; for by death the ſpirits of juſt men are made perfect; Heb. 12.23. Mind it, it is juſt men not wicked; God will not infuſe grace into men ordinarily in their paſſage out of the world; [qualis vita, finis ita;] as men live, ſo they dye; and if men imagine God will put another principle into their hearts juſt as they paſs out of this World; as this is a daring preſumption, ſo they will be miſtaken; for how is a departing Soul capable of ſuch receptions or reflections as are neceſſary in the work of converſion? Alas, the Eyes being ſet, Lips quivering, Memory failing, and the Body in a cold ſweat, is unfit for any thing; their hopes giving up the ghoſt as their breaths depart; and its a wonder that the Souls of wicked men go quietly out of their Bodies; its ſtrange they depart not as the Devils out of the Demonaicks rending, raging, tearing, foming; but if Conſcience be aſleep, death will awake it; could you follow their departing Souls a minute out of their Bodies, you would hear howlings and roarings.
3. Heaven will not receive any Souls but ſuch as are made meet for it on Earth. Rev. 21.27. There ſhall in no wiſe enter into it any thing that defileth, neither what ſoever worketh abomination, — for without are dogs. Rev. 22.15. They ſay Ireland will not brook a Toad, a Snake or venomous Creature to live and like in it: I am ſure Heaven will not admit, but caſt out an unſanctified heart. The Legions of apoſtate Angels knew this, who abode not one moment in that holy place after they left their innocency. It is ſaid of the Halcyons neſt, that it will hold nothing but its own Bird: The ſame may be ſaid of Heaven; the Serpent could wind himſelf into the Earthly Paradice, but none of the Serpentine brood ſhall once peep into this Heavenly Paradice. For
(1) The Text ſaith, It is an Inheritance; now an Inheritance is for none but Children; its true all Gods Children are heirs, Rom. 8.17. but none ſhall inherit Heaven except Children: By nature we are Children of Wrath; by grace and adoption Children of God. All Gods Children are begot again, to a lively hope for this incorruptible inheritance. 1 Pet. 1.3, 4.
(2.) Its the inheritance of Saints, i. e. of holy ſanctified Souls. Perſons muſt not think that Heaven is like Mahemets Paradice, where there is delicious fare, pleaſant gardens, fair women, and all ſenſual delights, fit lettice for an Epicures Lips. No, no, Heaven is a ſtate of perfect, immediate and perpetual injoyment of God, ſuited to the raiſed faculties of a ſanctified Soul.
(3.) Its the inheritance of Saints in light. Its a bright and lightſome ſtate, ſuited to ſeeing Souls; blind ſinners can ſee no beauty there; ſuch as are not changed from darkneſs to light are not fit for that ſtate; ſee Acts 26.18. Alas, a blind man can take no content in beautiful objects, though the Sun ſhine never ſo gloriouſly. Heaven and light are ſynonymous; but light and darkneſs are directly contrary: If we ſay that we have fellowſhip with him, and walk in darkneſs, we lye and do not the truth; 1 Joh. 1.6. and ſuch dark ſinners are far from a ſuitableneſs to this ſtate and place of light. O therefore poor ſinners conſider this, the holy God hates all the workers of iniquity; the holy Heaven is no ſanctuary for Rebels and Traytors; God will not take ſuch vipers into his boſom; thou muſt either be renewed or never received into glory; it is an undefiled inheritance, 1 Pet. 1.4. a dirty ſinner muſt not enter; this would diſparage and contradict all Gods Attributes, as his Juſtice, then God ſhould give to the wicked according to the work of the righteous; it would blemiſh his Holineſs, as though unclean were delighted in equally with the clean; it would contradict his Truth, as though God regarded not what he ſaid or ſwore, that no unclean thing ſhall enter there: Every Attribute would have dirt caſt upon it, if God ſhould ſave the unſanctified Soul: Nay, it contradicts the undertakings of Jeſus Chriſt, who came to ſave his people from their ſins, not in their ſins: It expoſeth the office and operations of the Holy Ghoſt, whoſe office it is to ſanctifie ſinners, and prepare Souls for Heaven; that ſinner muſt ſurely be in a deſperate caſe that muſt un God the infinite Jehovah, God bleſſed for ever, or elſe he cannot be ſaved.
4. The unſanctified ſinner would by no means like in Heaven. Heaven would be an Hell to him, except his Nature were changed and renewed. Moſt Men miſtake the nature of Heaven; they only look upon it as a place of happineſs; it is ſo, but withal it is a ſtate of perfect holineſs: They are holy priviledges, injoyment of God, and what care wicked men for his company? They ſay unto God, depart from us; and their choice ſhall be their puniſhment: They are holy joys and delights; how will they like that who were never pleaſed but with ſenſual laughter, which is madneſs? There's holy company above of Saints, but they cannot abide to be near them on Earth, how then can they like to be aſſociated to them in Heaven? There is holy imployment above, but alas, they are not at all qualified for, nor can they be delighted in the work of loving, praiſing, or taking pleaſure in God. Auguſtine hath a ſaying, [Canticum novum & vetus homo male concordant.] That the new Song and old Man agree not well together: —No man could learn that new Song, but the hundred fourty four thouſand, which were redeemed from the earth. Rev. 14.3. Alas, they have not hearts nor harps tuned for it. Suppoſe it were poſſible that our Lord ſhould bring an unſanctified perſon to Heaven, ſaith one, he could take no more felicity there, then a beaſt, if you ſhould bring him into a beautiful room, to the ſociety of learned Men, or a well furniſht Table; when as the poor thing would much rather be grazing with his fellow bruits; thus a poor graceleſs ſinner would rather be with his Cups or Queans, at beſt in his Markets, and counting his Bags, but there's no ſuch things in Heaven; therefore if he were there, he would be quite out of his Element; [tanquam Piſcis in avido] as a Fiſh in the Air, or a Bird in the Water, or Fire? Can you charm a Beaſt with Muſick? Or can you bring him to your melody, or make him keep time with your skilful quire? So the Anthems of Heaven, ſaith one, fit not a carnal mans mouth, ſuit not his ear: Poor wretches, they now think Sermons long, Sabbaths long, Prayers and Praiſes long, and cry, what a wearineſs is it? When will it be over? And are theſe think you, fit for this Heavenly imployment to all Eternity? where this noble company of Coeleſtial inhabitants, ſerve God day and night in the Temple. Rev 7.15. Alas, the poor unregenerate ſinner hath no faculties ſuited to ſuch a glorious ſtate and work, as that above is; the Mind, Will, Memory and Conſcience, are like a full ſtomach that loaths the honeycomb: Theſe old Bottles cannot hold the new Wine of glory: You may as well hew the Marble without Tools, or draw a Picture without Colours, or build without Inſtruments or Materials, as a Soul not qualified with Grace can do the work of God acceptably either on Earth or in Heaven Oh, Sirs, think of this, you muſt be prepar'd, fitted, qualified for Heaven here, or elſe Heaven will be no Heaven to you.