Meetness for Heaven Promoted, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. An uſe of conviction and lamentation over Souls that are unmeet for Heaven.
I Now proceed to Application, and all the Uſes I ſhall make of this point ſhall be of Lamentation and Exhortation.
1. Of Conviction, Humiliation, Lamentation. A man would think upon ſuch plain demonſtrations as are oft laid before ſinners in the miniſtry of the Word, they would once at laſt reflect upon themſelves and ſay, am I thus or thus qualified? Upon what terms ſtand I for another world? Am I an adopted child of God? Am I juſtified? Am I converted to God, and brought through the pangs of regeneration? Have I made a covenant with God, and taken God for my God, and given my ſelf to him? What ſaving work hath paſſed upon my heart? If I ſhould come to you one by one, and poſe you with this ſolemn queſtion, Friends whither bound? Whither are you going? Are you for Heaven or Hell? Oh no, you'l ſay, God forbid, but that we ſhall go to Heaven! God is a merciful God; Chriſt dyed to ſave ſinners; we do not doubt but through the merits of Chriſt, we ſhall be ſaved as well as others: Alas, Sirs, theſe are too general grounds, to build your hopes of Salvation upon. God is merciful, but he is alſo juſt; Chriſt dyed for ſinners, but do you imagine all ſhall be ſaved by him? Let me ask you a few ſober queſtions, and anſwer them not according to your fancies, but according to Scripture rule: Do you believe that all men ſhall be ſaved? What is Hell then for, that's ſo oft mention'd in the Bible? Or do you think that the gates of Heaven are as wide as the gates of Hell, or that as many ſhall be ſaved as damned? Dare you ſo directly contradict our bleſſed Saviour, and give him the lye? Mat. 7 13, 14. Can you imagine that our Lord Jeſus (who is the doorkeeper keeper of Heaven) will admit any but thoſe that he ſaith he will entertain? Or do you think he will admit thoſe that he ſaith he will keep out? What think you, can any ſecretly ſteal in unknown to him, or forcibly thruſt in againſt his will? Is the infinite all-ſeeing God grown ſo weak or blind that you can couzen or conquer him? Or can you bribe him to let you in with fair words or large gifts? Or dare you ſtand to plead in his face that you are qualified and meet for Heaven, when he tells you, that you are not? Do you think there is ſuch a thing as a groundleſs preſumption, or rotten hope that will give up the ghoſt? Is not the Devil a cheat? Are not your hearts treacherous? And are not they fools that truſt theſe, and will not try by the word what they affirm? And have you ſolemnly and faithfully tryed your title to Heaven? Have you not taken all for granted without a ſerious proving of your ſtate, meerly becauſe you would have it ſo? And are you content to do ſo in temporals? And will you madly venture your immortal Souls on ſuch grounds as you dare not try? And can you think to eſcape the ſtrict tryal of the omniſcient God? Sirs, the buſineſs is important; Heaven and Hell depend upon it: We Miniſters that believe an Eternity, and certainly know upon what terms Souls are ſaved, dare not but be faithful to you, and declare the whole councel of God.
I muſt, 1. Tell you who thoſe are that are far off Salvation, and are utterly unmeet for this Inheritance, and can pretend no claim to it. 2. Such as pretend a claim, but its groundleſs, and but a pretended claim, and cannot be made out on Scripture grounds.
1. Their are a ſort of perſons within the pale of the viſible Church, (for I here meddle not with Heathens or Jews) that are [ipſo facto] point-blank excluded, in as plain terms as can be ſpoken. Theſe are a ſort of ſinners that carry the black brand in their foreheads, of whom a man may ſay without breach of charity, theſe carry viſibly the doleful tokens of eternal death and damnation. View two catalogues of theſe, one is in 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Know ye not [i. e. Methinks you cannot plead ignorance in ſo notorious a caſe ſo oft inculcated,] that (1.) the unrighteous ſhall not inherit the kingdom of God: [i. e. That grind the poor, over-reach their brethren, when they have them at advantage, God is the avenger of ſuch, 1 Theſſ. 4.6. therefore not the rewarder with Heaven.
(2.) Neither Fornicators ſhall inherit the Kingdom of God. Such filthy goats muſt be ſet at Gods left hand. This ſin [as venial a ſin as its reckoned by ſome] is damning, and excludes men from Heaven. Do you think ſuch dirty dogs ſhall ever trample on this golden pavement? when God would not ſuffer even the price of a whore or dog to come into his houſe. Deut. 23.18.
(3.) Nor Idolaters, groſs, or more refined; for God will not permit his children to keep company, or familiarly converſe with ſuch on Earth, 1 Cor. 5.11. and therefore ſhall not be aſſociated to them in the other world, and God is not well pleaſed with ſuch. 1. Cor. 10.5, 7.
(4.) Nor Adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abuſers of themſelves with mankind, ſhall inherit the Kingdom of God, ſuch filthy Sodomites ſhall rather have fire from Heaven, then be admitted into that holy place. Theſe horrible acts of filthineſs are not fit to be named among Saints, and ſurely the committers of them cannot be entertained among Saints: See Eph. 5 3, 4. They are given up. Rom. 1.24.
(5.) Nor Thieves. Not only open robbers by the high-way, or breakers of houſes, but gamſters that cheat others, or purloyning waſtful Servants, deceitful Tradeſmen, or wilful Bankrupts, that baſely get others Eſtates into their hands and never intend to pay their juſt debts: Theſe men, without reſtitution, ſhall have their illgotten ſilver and gold to torment them like burning mettal in their bowels. Jam. 5.2, 3.
(6.) Nor Covetous. Theſe are fitly joyned to Thieves, that run out with inordinate affection to the world, and ſuck her breaſts with great delight; that inlarge their deſires as Hell: Theſe muſt be ſhut out of Heaven, for they have their portion in this preſent life, Pſal. 17.14. and are real Idolaters. Col. 3.5. Eph. 5.5. Theſe muſt be baniſhed Heaven.
(7.) Nor Drunkards. Not only ſuch as bruitifie themſelves, and drink away their Reaſon, but ſuch as ſit long at it, continue till wine inflame them; yea though they be not intoxicated, yet they purchaſe a woe to themſelves, that are mighty to drink wine, and men of ſtrength to mingle ſtrong drink. Iſa. 5.11, 22.
(8.) Nor Revilers. Theſe are properly annexed to drunkards; for the godly are uſually the drunkards ſong, that ſcoff and jear at ſerious godlineſs, and break their ſcurrilous jeſts upon the holieſt Saints; but there's no railing among Angels or Saints in Heaven, Jude 9. nor ſhall ſuch come there: And one would think they do not deſire to come there, with thoſe they ſo abuſe.
(9.) I may add Backbiters, that love to take up and blaze abroad a falſe report againſt their Neighbours; theſe are excluded Gods Tabernacle, Pſal. 15.1, 3. that fling all the dirt they can in the face of ſuch as do them no hurt, wounding them ſecretly with a privy ſtab, or behind their backs; God will hold the door of Heaven againſt ſuch.
(10.) Swearers, that prophane the glorious and tremendous name of the eternal God by horrible oaths, curſes and execrations: Blaſphemers of old were to be put to death, and if men now ſpare them, the flying roll of curſes ſhall go out againſt ſuch, and cut them off, Zech. 5.2, 3, 4. Thoſe that ſwear fall into condemnation. Jam. 5.12.
(11.) Lyars, that invent or utter lies upon any account whatſoever; theſe carry their own doom in their Conſciences, and they may read the doleful ſentence in Rev. 21.27. There ſhall in no wiſe enter into it any thing that defileth, —or maketh a lye. The God of truth hateth lyars, and will baniſh them from his court, as David did. Pſal. 101.7.
(12.) Apoſtates, that once made a fair ſhew, but are renegadoes to the truth, way, people, worſhip of God; they bring a great reproach on Religion; and our bleſſed Saviour pronounceth ſuch as put their hand to the plow and look back, to be unfit for the kingdom of God; Luk. 9.62. Gods ſoul will have no pleaſure in them. Heb. 10.38. Oh the dreadful end of theſe that turn their backs on Chriſt. 2 Pet. 2.20, 21.
Hearken, you ſinners, if any of you be of this number, read and tremble, there's no room for you in this glorious City above, you muſt be ſhut out: Living and dying in this eſtate there's no more mercy for you then for the Devils: Heaven is ſhut againſt you, Hell is open for you: How can you eſcape the damnation of Hell? Mat. 23.33. Alas, you are daily filling up the meaſure of your ſins; the Ephah is well nigh full; t'other ſin, t'other neglect more, and next news you may hear, the talent of Lead may be caſt upon the mouth of the Ephah, and thy Soul carryed into thine own place: Zach. 5.7, 9. One Oath more, one Lye more, one fit of Drunkenneſs more, and thy iniquity is full, thy Soul is gone. Who can tell but God may ſay to thee as to the rich man, Luke 12.29. This night ſhall thy Soul be required of thee: Or as the word [foreign] they, that is the Devils ſhall require thy Soul. Oh how greedily are infernal. Fiends watching for a commiſſion to break, thy neck in thy travelling, or to ſtrangle thee in thy bed, and hurry thee headlong into Hell with them! Thy iniquity is filling up; the ſunſhine of proſperity ripens it apace; the ſweet rain of Goſpel Ordinances brings Weeds to perfection as well as Corn. As Gods children are making meet for Heaven, thou art making meet for Hell. Rom. 9.22, 23. What if God willing to ſhew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-ſuffering, the veſſels of wrath fitted to deſtruction: [foreign] Made up, made ready, like ſticks dryed and bundled up to be caſt into the fire. It is not ſaid that God fits them for deſtruction, as its ſaid, ver. 22. of the veſſels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory: No, no, there needs no more to a ſinners making meet for Hell, but a leaving him to himſelf; he will fall apace downwards to damnation with his own weight. Ah ſinner, thou little knoweſt how ſoon thy foot may ſlip off this ſlippery battlement on which thou ſtandeſt, into the precipice of eternal deſtruction. Little doſt thou know how ſoon that flaming ſword that hangs over thy head by the twine-thred of thy natural Life, may fall upon thee and ſeparate Soul and Body, and follow this ſtroke of vengeance into the other world. Methinks thou ſhouldſt not eat nor drink, nor ſleep quietly in this ſo dangerous, damnable eſtate. Every ſin thou committeſt is a treaſuring up unto thy ſelf wrath againſt the day of wrath. Rom. 2.5. Look to't, the Judge ſtandeth before the door; Death is ready to lay its cold hand of arreſt upon thee: There's but a ſtep betwixt you and death; and that door that lets you out of time ſets you in eternal torments; and are you taking long ſtrides to Hell? Shall you not be there ſoon enough? Can you not ſink your ſelves low enough? Muſt you needs add drunkenneſs to thirſt? Impenitency to your ſin? Alas, you love to wander, you hate to be reformed; yea, you hate inſtruction, and caſt his words behind you. Pſal. 50.17. Miniſters follow you from the Lord with tears, intreaties, arguments to perſwade, and means to direct, and willingneſs to aſſiſt you the beſt they can in your preparations for a future ſtate, but you are ſhy of converſing with them; you conceal your ſtate from them; they ſpend their time in ſtudying to do you good; they ſpend their Lungs in ſpeaking to you, in ſpeaking to God for you, but all doth no good, they cannot be heard till it be too late; no warning will ſerve. Men ſay as that evil Servant, My Lord delayeth his coming—ſo begin to eat and drink with the drunken: Let them know, the Lord of that Servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of; and ſhall cut him aſunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrities, there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. Mat. 24.48, 49, 50.51.