The Last Judgment, Tract · Doctrine 13
Ver. 34. Inherit the Kingdome, &c.
Doct. XIII. That the Kingdome that the Saints ſhall enjoy in Heaven is eſtatea upon them as an Inheritance: So 1 Pet. 1.3, 4 Heb 9.15. Acts 20.32. & 26.18. Eph. 1.11, 14 Coloſſ 1.12. & 3.24.
For opening of which, let me ſhew, 1. In what reſpects it may be ſaid to be an Inheritance. 2. What manner of Inheritance it is. 3. Why they have it by Inheritance. 4. The Uſes.
For the firſt: It may be ſaid to be an Inheritance, 1. In regard of the pu…chaſe of it, Eph. 1.14. Chriſt hath purchaſed it for us: Inheritances are ſo netimes purchaſed; ſo this. 2. In regard of the gift of it: Inheritances are made over by gift; ſo this, Acts 20.32. Coloſſ. 3.24. 3. In regard of the new birth that we are partakers of, 1 Pet. 1.3, 4. Inheritances are often by birth; ſo this: not by our firſt birth, (for that damns us) but by the ſecond. 4. In regard of the honour and dignity of it: Inheritances are honourable things that are eſtated upon men, much more this; no honour like to this. 5. In regard of the nonalienation of it: Inheritances are not alienated to ſtrangers; ſo this Inheritance is not alienated to others, but is the propriety of the Saints, Acts 20.32. & 26.18. 6. In regard of the right of it to the firſt born: Inheritances are the right of the firſt born, ſo this Inheritance, Heb. 12.23. 7. In regard of the Conveyance of it: an Inheritance is conveyed by the death of a father or friend; ſo is this Inheritance conveyed to us by the death of Chriſt, Heb. 9.15, 16. 8. In regard of the reſervation of it, 1 Pet. 1.4. Inheritances are reſerved for the right heirs; ſo this.
Q. 2. What manner of Inheritance is it?
Anſ. 1. It is incorruptible, 1 Pet. 1.4. 2. It is undefiled, ibid. 3. It f…des not away, ibid. Heb. 9.15. 4. It is a goodly Inheritance, Pſal. 16.6. 5. It is a large Inheritance, He…. 11.14, 16. John 14.2. 6. It is a coſtly Inheritance, Heb. 9.15, 16. 7. It is a glorious Inheritance, Eph. 1, 18. 8. It is a bountiful Inheritance, Col: 3.24. 9. It is a joyful Inheritance, Mat. 25.21, 23.
Q. 3. Why have they it by Inheritance?
Anſ. 1. They are joynt heirs with Chriſt, Rom: 8.17. 2. It is prepared for them: ſo the Text. 3. They are called to it, 1 Pet: 3.9. & 5.10. 4. They have the promiſe of it, Heb: 9.15. 5. They have the earneſt of it, Eph: 1.14. 6. They have the hope of it, Col: 1.5. 7. They have a taſte of it in the peace and joy that they have here in their ſouls, Rom: 5.1, 2. 1 Pet. 1.8. 8. The Lord Jeſus their Head hath taken poſſeſſion of it for them, Heb: 6.20. 9. The writings are drawn, the Seals put to, the Witneſſes are for the confirmation of it, Heb: 6.17, 18. Eph: 1.13. 1 John 5.7, 8, 11. 10. They long for the day when they ſhall come to be poſſeſſed of it, as other heirs do, Cant: 8. ult. Rev: 22.20.
Ʋſe 1. for Information: 1. We ſee what a firm ſtate the Saints ſhall enjoy in Heaven, for its an inheritance; for what is held by inheritance is moſt firm, and ſure, and ſtable hold, they ſhall never be removed from their bleſſed Tenure in Heaven. 2. We ſee what a peaceable poſſeſſion we ſhall there enjoy: Inheritances, of all other Tenures, are enjoyed moſt peaceably; they are moſt unqueſtionable tenures, and therefore moſt peaceably poſſeſſed: ſo this; we ſhall never be diſturbed when we come in Heaven. 3. We ſee what deſires we ſhould have after the poſſeſſion of that eſtate: young heirs in minority long to be at a full…ge, that they may poſſeſs their inheritances; ſo ſhould we, that we may poſſeſs ours. 4. We ſee in what eſteem the Saints ſhould be with us, for they are great heirs, and ſhall have a great inheritance another day: Great heirs on earth are eſteemed highly; how much more ſhould theſe? Pſal. 16.3. 5. We ſee what ſpeedy endeavours we ſhould uſe to get this inheritance: other inheritances are too haſtily gotten, Pro. 20.21. but we cannot be too ſpeedy in making ſure of this inheritance, 2 Pet. 1.10, 11. 6. We ſee what a rich and glorious eſtate the Lord hath called his Saints unto in Heaven, it is an inheritance, Eph: 1.17, 18. 7. We ſee a reaſon of the great Attendance that the Saints have Heb: 1.14. Pſal: 34.7. & 91.11. 8. We ſee how weanedly we ſhould enjoy what we have here, for our inheritance is not yet come, Heb: 11.9. 9. We ſee why husbands ſhould inſtruct their wives, 1 Pet: 3.7. 10. We ſee what little reaſon men have to be much taken with the greatneſs of any earthly inheritance 11. We ſee a reaſon of that joy in Heaven, Luke 15.7, 10.
Ʋſe 2. for Terrour: 1. To thoſe that ſell away the hope of this inheritance for trifles, as E…an did his birthright. 2. To thoſe that deſperately out themſelves of this inheritance by their groſs ſins, 1 Cor: 6.9, 10. Eph: 5.5. Gal: 5.19, 20, 21.
Ʋſe 3. for Exhortation: 1. To bear afflictions in our minority patiently, for our inheritance will ſhortly come to us: young heirs indure hardſhip in their minority; ſo muſt we, Gal: 4.1. Heb: 12.1, 2. 2. To long to be at our full age, to be po…ſened of our inheritance: ſo do other heirs, and ſo ſhould we. 3. To make ſure of this inheritance. And for that end, (1) Look to our Adoption, Rom. 8.15, 16, 17. (2) Look to our Sanctification, Acts 20.3…. & 26.18. (3) Look to our Juſtification, Tit: 3 7. (4) Look to our intereſt in the Covenant, Galat: 3.18. (5) Look to our Patience, Heb: 6.12, 15. (6) Look we be victorions, Rev: 21.7 (7) Look we get the earneſt of it, Eph: 1.14, 4. To endeavour to be meet for this eſtate, Coloſſ: 1.12, And for this end, (1) Be in expectation of it, Heb: 11.20. (2) Be thankful for it, Col: 1.12. (3) Seek for it, and defire after it, Heb: 11.13, 14, 15, 16. (4) Improve it; they are meet for an inheritance that can improve it, Heb: 12.28. Col: 3.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 1 John 3.2, 3. (5) Let all go rather then Ioſ… it, Heb: 10.34. (6) Seek it firſt, Mat: 6.33. (7) Sufferfor it, 1 Pet: 5.10. 2 Theſſ: 1.4.…5. (8) Rejoyce in hope of …t, Rom: 5.2. & 12.12. (9) Take it by violence, Mat: 11.12. (10) Wait patiently for it, Hebr: 10.36, 37. 5. To prize it highly: how do men prize their inheritances? 6. To beware we part not with it: ſee 1 Kings 21.3. 7. To loſe our lives rather then let it go, ibid. 8. To eſtate our Children in this inheritance, Prov: 13.22. 9. To be content though we have no earthly inheritance; we are ſure of that tha'ts better, Heb: 10.34. & 11.16. 10. To rejoyce in Chriſt Jeſus the procurer of it, Phil: 3.4.
Ʋſe 4. for Conſolation: 1. Againſt all earthly diſcouragements and wants. 2. Againſt Satans accuſations: he ſhall not out us. 3. Againſt our own ſuſpitions. 4. Againſt mens cavils.
2. Poſitive Comforts: 1. That we ſhall never be turned out of our inheritance. 2. That enemies cannot ſtrip us of it, as I…am. 5.1, 2. 3. That within a little time we ſhall enjoy it, Heb. 10.36, 37.