world my Peace to make with God an Eternity to provide for which the affairs of the world have thrust out or distracted me in This this shall be my imployment for the future for what will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul I leave all these things to others that succeed me 3. Relative work This also may be in some respects dispatched off our hands and the doing of it maketh more meet for Heaven This is not to be slighted for it is needful in its place When King Hezekiah was sick unto death God sends him this Message Set thine house in order for thou shalt dye and not live Isa 38.1 i. e. Make thy Will and dispose of thy domestical concerns so as may be a prevention of quarrels and contentions in thy Family after thy decease And ver 3. 't is said that Hezekiah wept sore Why so Was not Hezekiah a Godly Man Was not his Soul in a readiness for death Yes doubtless for he dare appeal to God that he had walked before him in truth and with a perfect heart What then was the matter Why Hezekiah had yet no Son Manasseh being not born till three years after this q. d. Lord if it may be thy will spare my Life and give me a Son for if I dye at this time I know not how to dispose of the Crown I am likely to leave the Church and State in miserable distraction and confusion through the great uncertainty of a succession and the proneness of the people to backslide to their false Worship God heard his Prayer gave him a lease of his Life for fifteen years But this is a duty to all though it be more necessary to some then to others But however its useful to settle the Mind at ease and prevent outward ill consequences and inward disturbances of Spirit but as that good Man was loath to go off the stage Heirless so other circumstances may call for the settlement of their Families by their last Will and Testament especially when Children are left young c. Yea and others also may say now God hath lengthened out my days to see my Children brought up and hopeful for Religion setled in Callings and Families there was but this Child or that business that I desired to see well ordered as to my Family-affairs As Jacob closed up his Blessing of Dan Gen. 19.48 I have waited for thy salvation O Lord. Now at last since God hath wrought on such a Child I will say with old Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Luk. 2.29 30. 4. Another work to be dispatcht off our hands is publick work This concerns men in a publick or private capacity as when Moses had led Israel out of Egypt and through the Wilderness he had dispatcht his work and having been faithful in Gods house he was fit to dye So when Joshua had conquered many Kings in Canaan divided the Land to Israel he got a discharge and fell asleep Thus David after he had served his own generation by the will of God fell on sleep and was laid unto his Fathers Acts 13.36 And so Aaron Samuel and the rest of the Prophets marcht off the Field by the order of our great Lord General when they had dispatcht their warfare and delivered their message Your Fathers where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever Zech. 1.5 And indeed to what purpose should they or we live when our work is done Especially when Gods servants have not only dispatcht that work that concerns present but future Generations For this is also the work of our present day Thus Solomon built God an house for future times And the Apostle Peter lays in for after ages 2 Pet. 1.15 Moreover I will endeavour that you may be able after my decease to have these things alwayes in remembrance It s the property of a good man to take care that Religion may live when he is dead Ambrose saith of Theodosius I loved the man exceedingly that when he dyed he was more sollicitous for the Churches then his own danger Then indeed is the Christian meet for Heaven when he hath dispatcht his work on Earth and laid a foundation for good in after times however bears his testimony against corruptions in future generations as Moses Deut. 31 26.-30 Quest You will say how can any man be said to dispatch his work till his life be done Surely the date of work and life run parallel Answ 1. Active doing work may be oft at an end when suffering work is but a beginning for God often reserves suffering work to the last that patience may have her perfect work that the Christian may be perfect and entire wanting nothing Jam. 1.4 The Christian hath little to do but lye in bed and patiently wait Gods pleasure and this usually follows on doing Gods will See Hebr. 10.36 This is indeed a great work to bear our burden patiently chearfully thankfully and fruitfully and say well for the present and will be better shortly the greatest part is then over 2. Though something be to be done or suffered yet when the greatest part of a Christians work is done it may be said it is finished So it was with our Saviour Joh. 17.4 I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do But was not dying upon the Cross for the sins of Men a principal piece of Christs work Answ It was so nigh that he speaks of it as already done so ver 11. I am not in the world for he was just a going out of it Besides he had done most of his work and was ready prest to do the work fully the rest that was behind And when our Lord had tasted the vinegar he said it is finished Joh. 19.30 This is a closing word as giving up the ghost was a closing work 3. Sometimes Divine Providence takes off Gods children from much of their work before their dayes be ended this is obvious to a rational eye that then their work is done as sometimes by natural causes Thus Isaac Jacob could presage their own death by the certain prognostick of death namely old age Others by some sickness Consumptions which are usually mortal Others are taken off most of their work by Persecutions Prisons c. Others are taken off the stage of the World by violent death As a dying Minister said on the Scaffold Isaac was old and knew not the day of his death I am young and know the day manner and instruments of my death It s but a nodding the head and death doth its office Now my work is ended 4. Yet once more Some godly Ministers and Christians have had a kind of instinct that death was approaching even in their best health and younger days and so consequently of the dispatch of their work as some Creatures by natural instinct foresee a falling house So we
comforts of his Spirit from the best of his Saints yea he with-held them from his own Son and another thing what may and usually is the effect of Mans sloth and negligence which is too commonly our case as Mr. Dod answered him that complained of want of assurance why Man assurance may be had and what have you been doing all this while 4. Yet this will hold good that a clear evidence of our title is a great meetness and readiness for Death For though assurance be not necessary ad esse to the being of a Christian yet it s necessary ad bene esse of a Christian i. e. to his well being or comfortable passage through or parting out of this World for if we must draw near to God in a duty with full assurance of Faith Heb. 10.22 much more at death Oh what a vast difference i◠there betwixt a Soul carried 〈◊〉 the wing of Faith and flames o◠Love in an extasie of Joy and the poor doubting heartless disconsolate Soul The former is like some high Mountains that are above Storms and Clouds as they say Olympus is clear and beautiful Oh the calmness and serenity of the well assured Christian He hath a double Heaven well at present better presently it s but shooting this gulf crossing this Jordan passing this stile as Dr. Taylor said and I shall be in my Fathers house Death it self as terrible as it is in it self and to others is a stingless Serpent my Friend and Fathers Servant sent to fetch me home Angels shall guard me my Lord will bid me welcome my Christian Friends gone before will make Heaven ring with shouts of joy at my landing safe and my Soul shall ever be with the 〈◊〉 But alas the poor doubting Soul whose evidences are not clear cryes out Alas dye I must and dye I dare not I dare not say God is my God Christ my Saviour the Spirit my sanctifier Promises the Charters that convey the Inheritance to others I cannot apply whither I am going I know not God carries strangely to me I remember God and am troubled guilt stares me in the face I am conscious to my self of thousands of sins and though I have been long bungling about Faith and Repentance yet I am not sure they are sincere and saving and whether God will receive my sad departing Soul Anxius vixi dubius morior as that great Man said I have lived under fears I dye under doubts and God knows what will become of me and I may thank my self alas this is the fruit of my sloth security my slipping into sin backslidings from God intermittings of duty careless and heartless performances wo is me what will become of me These are the astonishing thoughts of a poor doubtful dying Soul And is this Man meet for Heaven He may be right for the main but he cannot make Death welcome CHAP. V. Meetness for Heaven in dispatching our work here off our hands 3. THE next thing wherein our meetness for this blessed Inheritance doth consist is in dispatching our main work in the world that God sent us to do whatever that is God expects we should dispatch it and get it done this we must all address our selves chearfully to do and be very diligent in doing it Eccles 9.10 Whatsoever thine hand findes and do it with thy might This is 〈◊〉 a time of working the other world is a day of retribution and when the Child of God hath wrought his days work it s a fit time to go to Bed Thus our dear Lord tells his Father Joh. 17.4 5. I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do And now O Father glorifie me with thy own self Quest What work is it that God sets before Men to dispatch and manage Answ There is a fourfold work lyes upon a Christians hands to manage in this world 1. Personal Spiritual work Soul work wherein God is more immediately concerned which is the glorifying of God and saving his own Soul God hath involved these in one they are inseparable companions and its a mighty business Our Lord saith I have glorified 〈…〉 on the Earth This in 〈◊〉 measure is required of us and the sincere Christian makes it his design Thou knowest Oh my dear Lord what is that which hath lain highest in my heart ever since thou openedst mine Eyes The earnest desire of my Soul hath been to be nothing in mine own eyes that God alone may have all the glory I will confess and give glory to God I will and through grace have desired to make it my business to give glory to God by believing repenting obeying fruit-bearing yea in eating drinking and whatsoever I do in natural moral or civil actions This this is the mark I shoot at my highest aim that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 4.11 And my business is in order thereto to study how to please God and to abound more and more 1 Thess 4.1 to obey Gods Commandments and to do those things that are pleasing in his sight 1 Joh. 3.22 and oh that my Person and Prayers might be accepted in Christ The salvation of my Soul is more dear and precious then this poor perishing Carcase My grand enquiry is what must I do to be saved This is the one thing needful other things are upon the by Oh that I could work out my own salvation I appeal to thee Lord how many griefs and groans prayers and pains fears and tears this main concern hath cost me I know there 's much of this work about my precious Soul yet undone but thou knowest the main is dispatcht I have fought a good fight finisht my course kept the faith 2 Tim. 4.7 And now my Land-business is done let me go to Sea and launch out into that boundless ocean of eternal happiness 2. Temporal work the business of our Callings and particular occasions This also the dying Christian is drawing into a narrower compass that he may voluntarily leave the world before the world leave him the Christian having had his head and hands full of business in his younger days when old age comes is glad of a quietus est or writ of ease that he may vacare Deo be at more leisure for God in holy duties Methink saith the good heart I have had my share both of the imployments and injoyments of this lower world and am well content to shake hands therewith I can behold with pity the laborious Ants and Pismires running upon this Mole-hill and busily scrambling for a little dust let them take it God hath made my hands to be sufficient for me I have what will bear my charges to the grave let it go I am glad I have so fairly parted with it I would not be to enter again upon this busie stage or put forth to this tumultuous Sea I have now other things to mind I have now the great work to mind of setting streight my accounts for another
the Life of Paul the aged within a few days and my Lord only knows how soon my sun may set though I cannot say my Natural Vigour either of Body or Mind is in the least abated but I am mortal and am loath to be surprized unawares 2. I see a great failure in my self and other Christians in this that terminate our studies and endeavours in getting a title and then think all is well we need no more but surely there is much behind we have abundance of work upon our hands for obtaining actual meetness without which we cannot evidence our habitual meetness 3. I never yet met with any Treatise upon this subject though it be of great importance for every Christian surely Heaven is worth minding and methinks Abrahams Query in another case should be ours Gen. 15.8 O Lord God whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it 4. I have observed a commendable practice of some Christians which is to order some Books to be distributed at their Funerals The first that I knew of that nature was Mr. R. A. his Vindiciae Pietatis and some other practical pieces which by Gods Blessing have done much good Such a Memorandum would I bequeath as my last Legacy to you my dear People amongst whom I have laboured above thirty nine years in publick and private serving the Lord in some measure of Integrity and Humility with many Tears and Temptations through variety of Dispensations Excommunications Banishments Confiscations and Imprisonments but out of all these the Lord hath delivered me and set my feet in a large place and God that searcheth the heart knows what hath been my design in studying preaching praying preparing you a place to meet in to Worship God and what are the agonies and jealousies of my Spirit to this day least I leave any of you unconverted and so cashiered from Gods presence at the great day and now at last I solemnly charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect Angels that you rest not in a graceless state another day lest that be the last day and you be found unready And I solemnly require you that have a principle of Grace gird up your Loins trim your Lamps and observe these few Rules and the dispositions mentioned in this small Treatise I only hint further Be much in the love of God Dayly act Faith on Christ Walk in the Spirit Design Gods Glory Intermit not holy duties Be not content therein without communion with God Mingle Religion with civil acts Increase every Grace Redeem time Profitably converse with Gods Children Aim at perfection Maintain tender Consciences Keep strict accounts Study the life of Heaven Be still doing or getting good Set God before your eyes Trample on worldly things Live in dayly view of death Be nothing in your own eyes Be much in heavenly praises Say O Lord who am I and what is my Fathers house that thou hast brought me hitherto What is man what am I the least and worst of the children of men that the heart of God should be working for me and towards me in infinite bowels of eternal love That the Lord Jesus should shed his heart-blood for me That the holy Spirit should take possession of me That God should provide such an inheritance for me Assure me of it by precious Promises seal it to me in his holy Supper That ever God should give me an heart to fear him Heal so many backslidings Prevent total Apostacy Pardon all my iniquities Vouchsafe me such large priviledges Supply my wants Hear my Prayers Help me over so many a foul place in my journey Brought me to the borders of Canaan Given me so many foretasts of the promised Land Tells me the Jordan of death shall be driven back and give me a safe passage to Heaven O Blessed blessed be God all this is from sovereign Grace God doth what he pleaseth I would not exchange this hope for the worlds possessions Eternity will be little enough to be taken up in the praises of rich grace Thus the gracious Soul may quickly lose it self in these Divine Praises and Contemplations as that zealous German Martyr Giles Titleman who in his Prayers was so ardent kneeling by himself in some secret place that he seemed to forget himself being called many times to meat he neither heard nor saw them that stood by him till he was lift up by the Arms and then gently he would speak to them as one waked out of a deep sleep Oh that there were such a spirit in Gods children That our hearts were so intent on things above as to pass through the world as unconcerned in it Then shall you be content to leave all and go to Christ Then will you not be afraid of the King of Terrors though armed with Halberts Racks Fires Gibbets then will you have a brighter Crown and higher degrees of Glory and shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and as one Star differs from another in Glory so you will be set in the highest Orb and having had largest capacities on Earth shall have fullest joys in Heaven I will conclude with the blessed Apostles Prayer 1 Th. 3.12 13. The Lord make you to increase and abound in love one towards another and towards all men even as we do towards you to the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God even our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints Amen and Amen Thus prayeth Your Servant in our dearest Lord Oliver Heywood COLOS. 1.12 Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light CHAP. I. The Text opened Doctrines raised and explained PRayer and Praise are the two wings upon which a devout Soul mounts Heavenwards Prayer fetcheth down occasions of Praise These two are as Chariots and Factors to maintain intercourse betwixt God and his Children Paul was a great man in both for after the Inscription Subscription and Benediction in this Epistle he falls to Praise ver 3. then to Prayer ver 9. and in the Text he falls again to Praise and Thanksgiving wherein observe 1. The Duty Praise 2. The Mercy for what In the former observe 1. The Act giving thanks 2. The Object the Father 1. The Act 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifies a being of a good Grace having a very grateful Spirit and expressing it in words and actions Col. 3.15 Be ye thank ful or be ye amiable one to another or grateful both in conferring and receiving Benefits But here it referrs to God Obs 1. That thank fulness is the duty and property of a Christian Thankful retribution for Mercies is the study and enquiry of gracious Souls Psal 116.12 Prayer and Thanks are like the double motion of the Lungs the air of Mercy that is sucked in by Prayer is breathed out again by the duty of Praise O happy Christian that can and must in every
in your necessary confusion because you would nor voluntarily submit to his terms for so glorious an Inheritance CHAP. III. What actual meetness for Heaven is in the exercises of Graces 2. THE next general head I am to treat of is to discover what is the Souls actual meetness for this glorious Inheritance supposing the foresaid habitual meetness both relative and real For all a Christians work is not done when his state is changed and he becomes a Saint nay his work doth but now begin as a Saint to get into an actual meetness for Glory This this is the business of a Child of God The former hath a remote meetness this puts into a proximate or nearer er capacity for Heaven The former renders the Christians state safe this sweet and comfortable This is the Man that hath set all things in order for another world that hath nothing to do but to pass over the Jordan of Death into the Canaan of Heaven this is the Man that 's point blank meet mouth-meet as it were for Heaven fit to take his flight into another World Interpreters think this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sufficient or meet answers to the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dai Lev. 12.8 If she be not able to bring a Lamb Heb. thus Her hand find not sufficiency of a Lamb. The word is attributed to God who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God allsufficient Gen. 17.1 But as God is sufficient and suitable to all his Creatures so by the same Almighty grace he will make Creatures suitable to his mind and ends So then this word is rather to be rendered by idoneus meet then dignus worthy yet worthy in a Gospel qualified sense Observe it those judge themselves most unworthy whom God and Man oft judge most fit and worthy Luke 7.4 They said he is worthy for whom he should do this but ver 6. himself saith I am not worthy thou shouldst enter under my roof And thus it is with a gracious Soul looking up and seeing the holiness of Gods infinite Majesty looking forward and beholding the moment of Eternity and purity of Heaven looking inward and backward and seeing his many iniquities and great deformity Oh cryes the sensible Christian who is fit for Heaven Oh how unmeet am I for this glorious state or high honour It s true but grace makes of Rebels Subjects of Subjects Servants of Servants Sons of Sons Heirs of Heirs he so disposeth and qualifieth them that nothing will content them below this inheritance of the Saints in light and their Spirits shall be so suited to it that the great God will judge them worthy to obtain that world and the resurrection from the dead to be equal to the Angels as being the children of God and the children of the resurrection See Luke 20.35 36. As the Christian by conversion is the Man cut and shaped out for Heaven so whiles he lives he is and must be still a squaring hammering modelling for further meetness for it and as God is said to work us for the self-same thing 2 Cor. 5.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by curious contrivances of efficacious grace to put sinners into a capacity for glory As Goldsmiths who burnish Gold and Carvers or artificial Ingravers in Wood and Stone who make one part of their work suit and fit another So also Christians themselves must work out their own salvation Phil. 2.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Leave nothing undone which God hath injoyned you to do in this World in order to a due preparation for Heaven This in general is a meetness More particularly this actual meetness for Heaven consists in these four things 1. A lively exercise of suitable graces 2. A clear evidence of our spiritual state 3. A dispatching work off our hands 4. A being mortified to time and a longing to be in Heaven 1. A lively exercise of suitable graces i. e. Such graces as actually capacitate for glory its true every grace doth qualifie for glory for grace is glory begun and glory is grace consummate But there are some graces that have a direct tendency to and whereby a Christian doth as it were lay hold on eternal life as the word is 1 Tim. 6.12 19. e. g. 1. The grace of Faith which is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 It ventures all upon a promise sees him that is in visible ver 27. and represents Heavenly Objects as close at hand and embraceth them v. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drawing the Object to them as the word signifies Overlooking or overcoming all these worldly visible Objects Faith spyes something beyond Time or Clouds of more worth then all the World and hazards all for the obtaining of it When Faith is upon the wing it soars above the Sun and fetcheth down Heavenly objects and incomes into the Soul It is like the spyes and brings a cluster of the grapes of Canaan even Joy and peace in believing Rom. 15.13 yea Joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 Yea the lowest actings of the faith of adherence dare commit the keeping of the Soul into his Creators hands 1 Pet. 4.19 and is perswaded God will keep that which he hath committed to him 2 Tim. 1.12 And this composedness is an antedating of Heaven Alas faith the poor Christian I know not certainly how I stand for Heaven I dare not yet say my Faith will end in the saving of my Soul but this I dare say God is merciful to souls Christ dyed for sinners he is faithful that hath promised the Covenant is well ordered and sure some Souls shall be saved and why not I I hang on his Free-grace I come with Tears in my Eyes Confession in my Mouth Grief in my Heart for my sins I am weary of my burden and labour in my travels God-wards who can tell but. I may find rest He hath said those that thus come to him he will in no wise cast out I will venture this way I have tryed all other ways but they are in vain it s but losing my labour which I am sure I shall not if my Faith be but sincere This Soul is in the confines of the promised Land and is meet for this Inheritance 2. Hope As Faith brought Heaven down to the Souls Eye so Hope carries out the Soul to this future enjoyment This Anchor is cast into the vast Ocean of Eternity but finds sure Anchor-hold for it enters into that within the Vail Heb. 6.19 and this centers the tossing sinner on the rock of Ages It sees Heaven opened and it self in Gods time advanced with Lazarus into Abrahams Bosom and is content at present to bear the roughness and affronts he meets with in his way saying these things will be mended when I get home Nay the Text saith we are saved by hope Rom 8.24 Hope anticipates its revenues and like a young heir takes up upon trust and lives
clear up grace Blowing up sparks will best discover them A flame is sooner discerned then a spark in the embers Christians by stirring up the gift of God discover it 2 Tim. 1.6 Motion is a good evidence of life Activity for God and tendency Heaven-ward will put you out of doubt All duties tend to assurance or spring from it Striving running fighting will be crowned with clear evidence God loves to crown diligence To him that hath i. e. useth and improveth well what he hath shall be given and he shall have abundance i. e. more grace and the comfort of it as the collision of Flint and Steel begets light so the acting of grace produceth this fruit viz. Assurance For the work of righteousness is peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever Isa 32.17 Now now the Soul is ready for glory when he is in duty above duty with God in the lively actings of grace which is a part of and a prologue to glory The Christian is going from strength to strength till he appear before God in Zion Oh happy soul that is thus upon the wing 2. Reflection upon Heart and Life and comparing both with the word of God This is Gods way to get assurance Have I the conditions of Gospel-promises Faith and Repentance Do those graces within me answer the characters of such in the Scriptures Doth my Soul eccho to the experiences of Saints in the word of God Can I follow the Rules and prescriptions that my Lord hath laid down To deny my self take up his Cross and follow him Have I the essential characters of a Christian I dare not believe Satan and my own treacherous heart I will examine and prove my self 2 Cor. 13.5 I will not spare my self in any thing I will be impartial and deal faithfully by disquisitive tryal now as I would be found in the decisive tryal at the last day It s a matter of life and death I will lay judgment to the line I will go to the Law and to the Testimony The word must judge me at the great day it shall be my judge now No matter what the World saith of me nor must I be determined by the votes of the best Christians or Godly Ministers I must and will and do prove mine own work and then I shall have rejoycing in my self alone and not in another Gal. 6 4. 3. Appealing and approving the heart to God Alas the best Christian is too apt to be partial in his own case or blind at home our Minds are as ill set as our Eyes neither of them apt to look inwards and when we do look alas we are apt to look through a false or flattering glass or our Eye is vitiated with bad humours and therefore must we with Job appeal to God ch 10.7 Thou knowest that I am not wicked And ch 23.10 He knoweth the way that I take And though David had communed with his own heart and his spirit had made diligent search Psal 77.6 yet he challengeth God to a further privy search Psal 26.2 Ezamine me O Lord and prove me try my reins and my heart And again Psal 139.23 Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts Not as though God were ignorant of them till he searcht but it s spoken after the manner of Men And that God might further acquaint David with the secrets of his heart Thus the sincere Christian faith Lord I set my self before thee as a glass in the Sun look upon me look through me thou knowest all things see how my heart is affected towards thee discover to me the inmost working of my Soul if there be any secret guile in folding it self in the lurking-places of my heart bring it to light if there be any flaw in my evidences let me see it before it be too late I am too apt through self-love to judge the best but do thou declare my state and my frame as it is Thou that must be my judge shalt be my witness My witness is in Heaven and my record is on high Job 16.19 Here 's a Soul usually comforted in his integrity and such an one is meet for Heaven 4. Praying to God for the shinings and sealings of his Spirit For indeed let all these means be used yet evidence will not come unless God be pleased to shine upon his own grace in the Soul My Conscience saith Paul bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost Rom. 9.1 and Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God This indeed is the Sun-light assurance This alone scatters all mists answers all objections banisheth all doubts and fears and oh what an honour and satisfaction is it to a Child of God that the Third Person of the Sacred Trinity should come down and give in its infallibe Testimony at the Bar of a Believers Conscience This is like the Son of God coming down into our nature and dying for us Oh transcendent condescention Oh unparallell'd priviledge of Gods Children Yet this is purchased by Christ and promised to Believers not only to be a Witness but a Seal 2 Cor. 1.22 and 5.5 Eph. 1.13 This is often yea ordinarily given after believing and when it comes it brings its own evidence along with it So that the perplexed Child of God after many fore conflicts struglings ruggings sad thoughts of heart comes at last to some consistency as to expel fears cares doubts and now at last is brought to that that he no more questions Gods love then his faithfulness and this usually comes in after some notable wrestlings at the Throne of Grace in Prayer according to that Joh. 16.24 Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name i. e. Very little comparatively and as you shall do Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full God will have his Child to beg when he designs to give to exercise our Obedience and to honour his own Ordinance Then he gives assurance and the joy of his Salvation and now the believing Soul is meet to be translated into the joy of his Lord. But you will say is none meet for Heaven but such as have assurance Then what shall a poor doubting Soul say of it self that is dark and much discouraged as many a good Soul is Answ 1. A title to this Inheritance is necessary but knowledge of this title is not absolutely necessary Many have dyed safely though under clouds Our Lord himself cryed dying My God my God why hast thou forsaken me There was Relation my God yet in some sense he was forsaken 2. There 's degrees of assurance as he that said Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief Few enjoy a full plerophory and those that have it yet have it not at all times Mr. Pauls Bains said dying Sustentation I have but suavities spiritual I do not feel 3. It s one thing what God doth in an arbitrary way of suspending the
is not thy rest When I am abroad in a storm I hast to a shelter Oh think I then that I were with my dear Lord who is as the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land When I consider my dim Eyes my decrepit Feet my palsie Hands my panting Lungs Oh think I when shall this silver cord be loosned and the bowl broken at the Cistern That my Soul may return to God This is a pitiful ruinous Cottage when shall I be brought into the Kings Pallace In this my Earthly Tabernacle methinks I find now a pin loosened and a stake taken down then I say and sigh with the blessed Apostle 2 Cor. 5.4 We which are in this Tabernacle do groan being burdened not for that we would be uncloathed but cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life Here 's the Soul taking wing to fly into another World 4. The Christian is made meet for Heaven by intimate familiarity with the God of Heaven This indeed is the height of a Christians perfection on Earth The fitter for and freer intercourse with God the fitter is that Soul for glory VVhat is Heaven but the injoyment of God The nearer God the nearer Heaven for where the King is there is the Court Truly saith the Apostle Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 1 Jo. 1.3 Communion with God and assimilation to God is the life and perfection of our Religion and the former leads on to the latter 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. As grace increaseth glory increaseth and the vision of God tho' but through a glass mightily increaseth grace and fitteth for glory Now it is said of some great persons that they have spoken more with God then with Man Oh faith the Christian I could not tell how to spend my time if my Soul had not sometime free access to and intercourse with my best friend above Oh that it were oftner and longer sed rara hora brevis moka it were a brave resemblance of Heaven to have fixed communion with him but however I write that day as black and lost wherein God and my Soul are not together I cannot be content in a publick ordinance when I miss my beloved I follow him into my Closet and there usually I find him whom my Soul loveth O then think I that God would now stop this breath and translate my Soul into his immediate presence That as it s said of Moses that he dyed at the mouth or kiss of God Deut. 34.5 so some read it that he was kissed to death or overpoured with divine embraces VVould to God it were thus with me Methinks I am loath to part with these first-fruits without a full harvest now let me go over Jordan and see that goodly Mountain and Lebanon Oh let me not return down into this tempting world to be banisht again from thee O come thou down to me or take me up to thee Its pity my Soul should be thus tantalized with the sight of that which I cannot at present injoy well since it is thy pleasure I am content to be dismounted and descend down to take my lot with the rising Sons of Adam only I will be stretching out Neck and Arms and be looking for and hasting to the coming of my dear Lord. Come Lord Jesus come quickly Make hast my beloved and be thou like to a Roe or to a young Hart upon the mountains of spices Object You will say such an height of meetness for the Heavenly inheritance as you have described is not practicable or attainable in this life if none be saved but such as you have described woe be to all the world Answ 1. Most part of men are not capable of this actual meetness not having the habitual namely a relation to God and a principle of saving grace and no wonder if unexperienced persons call this Enthusianism and unintelligible nonsense for wisdom is too high for a fool it s not to be thought strange if some speak evil of that they know not and turn real experiments into a ridicule Alas they have no grace how then can they exercise it How can they evidence a title to Heaven that have none How can they dispatch their work that never begun it to purpose Or be mortified to things below that have their portion in this present life were never divorced from their lusts and have no treasure above We may pity such souls for Salvation is far from the wicked 2. But Wisdom is justified of her Children Sanctified souls know what these things mean and tho' the best complain of their low attainments yet the weakest sincere Christian can set to his seal that something of these things he hath found in his bosom as to sincerity and is aiming at further degrees and is not content to sit down short of perfection but is pressing toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus Phil. 3.14 3. There 's a great difference in Christians attainments in this world Some active vigorous souls get nearer to God then others some are Children others Fathers others are young Men that are strong and the word of God abides in them and they have overcome the wicked one 1 Joh. 2.12 13 14. The meanest child God hath in his Family will own and follow his Father tho' some dare not say he is my Father But some are grown up to great intimacy with God as that choice man of God Mr. Holland that said on his Death-bed Speak it when I am gone and Preach it at my Funeral that God deals familiarly with man 4. Yet it s every ones duty to endeavour after the highest pitch of meetness that is attainable in this life For as it is the nature of true grace to become deeper and deeper like the waters in Ezekiels vision and ascend higher and higher as the flame or rising Sun so the Christian dare not but obey Gods command to grow in grace and sees it necessary to comply with our Lords command Mat. 24.44 Therefore be ye also ready And this is one reason amongst the rest which I shall next add what a Godly dying Minister of my acquaintance said That the best preparation of the best man is all little enough when we come to dye But more of this anon This is the former head What is that meetness for Heaven that Christians must have or endeavour after CHAP. VII Some Reasons propounded why such must be made meet for Heaven here that hope to be saved hereafter THE second head in the Doctrinal part is the Reasons of this point That all those and only those that shall eternally partake of this Heavenly Inheritance in the other World are made meet for it in this World In handling this I shall endeavour not only
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 May not all be cleansed alike then Answ It s 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 it s 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. It s 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. It s the inheritance of Saints in light It s 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
towards that which suits the fancy but sound conviction and deep humiliation never prepared the Soul to a judicious relish of divine things nor do they produce those blessed effects in heart and life as in Gods Children Oh how many poor sinners are going on in a golden dream and fear no danger till they be past hopes of recovery Many think they are travelling towards Heaven and never question it till as they are stepping out of this world as they think into Heaven miss their footing and drop down into Hell That never see their errour till it be too late to retrieve it Oh that men were awakened in time If you stay till death have struck its stroke it will be too late Imparatum inveniet dies judicii quem imparatum invenerit â—â—es mortis The day of judgment must needs find him unready that the day of death finds unready Men have a conceit that the interval betwixt death and judgment may do great things to make them meet for Heaven but they are mistaken Death launcheth you into the boundless ocean of Eternity It is appointed unto men once to dye and after that the judgment Heb. 9.27 Ah Sirs what think you Is there an Heaven or Hell after this life or is there not And are you not certain whether you do enter by death into eternal happiness or misery and yet can you be quiet If you were not loose in your belief of future things you would be restlefs as long as you are doubtful You owe your ease to nothing but your Lethargy If you were not infidels you would be distracted What Man The next moment may be roaring in Hell and not repent on Earth He is worse then a Devil that trembles not under divine wrath What if it have not siezed on you as on Devils The flame is at next door wrath hangs over your heads the only reason you see it not is because you are blind The Lord open your eyes and I need not preach terrour to you your hearts will meditate terror Fearfulness will surprize you hypocrites and make you say Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire with everlasting burnings Isa 33.14 It s a wonder you do not run up and down like mad men surely you have taken some Opium to cast you in a dead sleep or intoxicate your Spirits Or as some Malafactors do that dare not dye sober Yea some wiser Heathens took great draughts of Wine saying That no voluptuous person can go in his Wits into an invisible state But is this a making meet for Heaven or Hell Can rational persons think to escape the ditch by winking Or will men say as it s reported of Robert Duke of Normandy William the Conquerours Father going on Pilgrimage to Jerusalem falling sick was born in a Litter on Saracens shoulders and said He was born to Heaven on the Devils back Alas will you trust the Fiend of Hell to bring you to Heaven Is he grown so full of charity to Souls Oh forlorn case of miserable sinners have you no better a friend then Satan That you can be content to be rockt asleep in his cradle and carried with ease to Hell rather then ride in our Lords chariot paved with Love to Heaven Is security your best fence against misery Can these poor fig-leaves of temporary Righteousness secure you from divine Vengeance Can you be content to stand by that another day that you dare not put to the tryal here Alas I am afraid 1. Some are ignorant sots that know not what is necessary to a meetness for Heaven Most think if they have but time to say at death Lord have mercy upon me God forgive me my sins Lord Jesus receive my Soul they think they have made their peace with God especially if they can say they forgive all the world and dye in charity with all and send for the Minister to pray with them and receive absolution and the Sacrament when perhaps they are little fit for such a solemn Ordinance then the Minister recommends their Souls into Gods hands commends them at their Funeral and now they are certainly gone to Heaven these poor wretched sinners blessed their Souls whilst living and men must praise them and account them blessed when dead Psal 49.18 2. Most are inconsiderate They consider nothing but meer objects of sense like the kine of Bashan go out at their breaches every one at that which is before her Amos 4.1 â—3 They never mind things out of their natural sight they put far away the evil day Am. 6.3 little thinking what will be in the end of their sensual ways Jer. 5.31 Either they say to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant Isa 56.12 or else in Atheistical scorn and mockery Let us eat and drink for to morrow we dye 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us be merry while we may we shall never be younger when we are gone all the world is gone with us as if there were no reckoning or rendering day or retribution in the other world but let such study Eccl. 11.9 10. Rom. 8.13 Luk. 12.19 20. Psal 9.17.2 Thess 1.6 7 8 9. Job 3.18 Psal 50 23. Oh Sirs disappointments are dreadful It s sad with a witness to be confident of Heaven and yet doomed to Hell As Hamilcar dreamed he should the next night sup in Syracusa which indeed he did not as a Conqueror as he hoped but as a Prisoner Oh how will it double your damnation to live in confident hopes of reigning with Christ yet to be judged by him and banished from him for ever If you say Soul take thine case and God say Devil take his Soul Whether of these think you will prevail CHAP. XI An Exhortation to all persons to get meet for Heaven 2. THE latter Use is Exhortation 1. To Sinners 2. To Saints to get meet for this Heavenly Inheritance The former by an habitual the latter by actual meetness for this glorious state I shall need to say the less to move you to it having urged practical Reasons from our natural unmeetness divine ordination the design of ordinances providences the season of life for it the work and priviledges here require it the inconsistency of a contrary-frame to that glorious inheritance Most of these are levelled to the state of unsanctified graceless Souls therefore I shall say the less to that branch Oh that I had here the Tongue or Pen of an Angel The Bowels of blessed Paul to perswade sinners to look after a meetness for Heaven Consider 1. What else have you to do in the world Your very Children will tell you that Mans chief end is to glorifie God and injoy him for ever If you attain not these ends you live in the world to no purpose you are unprofitable cumber-grounds 2. You frustrate Christs undertakings in the world and do what you can to render all his merits useless you tread under foot the Son of God count the blood of the Covenant an
unholy thing and despise if not despight the spirit of grace Heb. 10.29 you say plainly I like not the purchase I will have none of it you call Heaven cabul a dirty thing as Hiram called Solomons twenty Cities he gave him And can you think much to be dealt without Heaven that thus judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life Acts 13.46 3. Every day sets you nearer Heaven or Hell It s reported of the Pious Lady Falkland that going to bed at night she usually said Now am I nearer Heaven by one day then never I was One day added to your time is a day taken away from your life Oh think when you have heard a Sermon or spent a Sabbath I am now nearer Heaven or Hell this word hath been to me the savour of life unto life or of death unto death 2 Cor. 2.16 It sets me forward some way if I bring forth meet and suitable fruit I shall receive a blessing from God if bryars and thorns I am rejected nigh to a curse whose end is to be burned Heb. 6.7 8. The word either hardens or softens Woe be to me if all that God doth doth further my more dreadful condemnation 4. Eternity brings up the rear of time If it were but a making fit for a days pageantry there would be no such great need of curiosity to get matters ready though it s said Jer. 2.32 Can a Maid forget her ornaments or a Bride her attire though oft it is for the short shew of a Marriage day Oh but this is for Eternity That curious Painter being demanded why he bestowed so much labour on his Picture answered Pingo Eternitati I paint for Eternity Indeed there 's nothing of value but what relates to Eternity Eternity gives an accent and emphasis to all created beings The Apostle thought all visible sublunaries not worth a cast of his eye in comparison of this Eternity 2 Cor. 4.18 See a Book called Glimpse of Eternity on that Text. Alas Sirs is Eternity nothing with you Oh my Friends this if any thing is worth preparing for to be for ever with the Lord to injoy God ten thousands of millions of years or to be banished from his presence and be tormented with Devils and damned Souls for ever Oh this word for ever is amazing A godly man in company sate in a deep muse and being demanded what he was thinking of Answered only with repeating for ever for ever for ever for a quarter of an hour together This is indeed a confounding consideration Oh that you would solemnly lay upon your hearts the great things of another world On the one hand the injoyment of God Christ the company of Saints Angels the perfection of your natures a crown of glory fulness of joy and pleasures at Gods right-hand for evermore through the perpetual Ages of a boundless Eternity This were worth praying groaning obeying suffering for a thousand years to get read for and possessions of at last On the other hand to think of the sting of Conscience the company of Devils and damned Souls the loss of God Christ Heaven your precious Souls the burning Lake the bottomless Pit the scorching Flames and this for ever and ever an endless duration Oh Sirs if you should but look down into that stupendious gulf what a change would it work in your hearts You would banish your vain company lay aside your worldly business cast off your sensual pleasures and mind nothing else till your Souls be secured to all Eternity This would be as the cry at midnight Behold the Bridegroom cometh go ye forth to meet him Matth. 25.6 As sleepy as they were this startled them so it would you as if you heard a voice as out of the Clouds Sinner thou art now summoned to appear before the dreadful tribunal of the all seeing Judge to receive thy final sentence and to be sent to an everlasting state of weal or woe stay not one moment in thy state of unregeneracy hast hast yea make post hast out of it fall to the work of Faith and Repentance as for thy life defer not one day now or never You 'l say can I make my self meet for Heaven What can I do The work is Gods I answer God is the efficient but he will make you instruments in this work Gods grace and Mans duty are very consistent Study Phil. 2.12 13. Up and be doing and God will be with you Though God must turn yet you must endeavour to turn your selves Ezek. 18.30 31. Though God make you a new heart yet he will have you make you a new heart Oh Sirs fall close to the work examine prove try your states by the rule of the Word attend the most piercing powerful Ministry search out all your iniquities and confess them before the Lord with grief hatred and shame beg converting grace as for your lives plead with God for pardon through the Blood of Christ solemnly renew your Paptismal Covenant in taking God for your God and giving up your selves to him and then read meditate watch and pray mortifie your beloved lusts obey the commands of God and do these things speedily seriously and constantly and see what the effect will be If you will fall to it well and good if not you are guilty of self-murder and remember you are this day warned 2. I turn me to truly gracious Souls that are in a safe state for the main as to habitual meetness but I fear are far short of that actual meetness that is requisite as to a lively exercise of suitable graces clear evidence of spiritual state dispatching work off their hands being mortified to time and longing for Heaven Alas the wise Virgins slumbered and slept I fear few of us are in that readiness we ought to be in might have been in or that others have attained to nay it s well if now our Souls be in that frame that sometimes we have been in What decays of love zeal tenderness what backslidings deadness hardness worldliness formality do Gods Children fall into What staggerings in our Faith of the reality of unseen things How uncertain about our Title to this Inheritance Doth not our slavish fear of death shew thee Our instability and variable motions in Religion our distractions in holy duties our frequent closing with temptations and too oft stepping aside into sin our intermitting duties of Gods worship and strangeness growing betwixt God and our Souls our unreadiness in our accounts our unwillingness to go to God All these too sadly demonstrate our unmeetness for Heaven Alas Friends are we not yet meet Let us be ashamed of our slackness what have we been doing with all that time these helps and priviledges we have had Have not many young ones and others out-stript us and are got to Heaven that set out after us Are we not ashamed of our loytering and lagging behind What 's become of the many warnings we have had in our selves and others Have we any greater
matters to mind Do we not bring dishonour to God and discredit to our Religion by our backwardness And can we have that comfort and confidence in meeting the Bridegroom of our Souls as is fit Alas our Lord will be less welcome if he surprize us unawares as I have told you Ah Sirs you little know how near death is and therefore should be always ready to meet our Lord. It is matter of great lamentation that so few of Gods Children are meet for their home and like wayward Children are loath to go to bed though God hath taken a course to weary us out of the world The Lord help us to lament and lay to heart our great unmeetness for Heaven When sin security senselesness steals in upon thy Spirit search it out mourn for it confess it beg a pardon of it and recover thy self quickly out of it be not satisfied with any distance from God recover thy wonted familiarity with thy best friend and mend thy pace towards Heaven as a man in his journey that hath been hindered hies the faster to recover his way lost by his stay breath after more likeness to God fitness for every dispensation and long to be with God in Heaven Alas Sirs you little know how near you are to Eternity You see the sands that are run to the nether end of the glass but the upper part as one saith is covered with a mantle you know not how few sands are yet to run God forbid that you should have your Evidences to procure when you should have them to produce If you be not sure of Heaven you are sure of nothing all worldly things must leave you or you must leave them Dispatch all but this off your hands and be as the bird on her wings to her nest or the traveller whose mind is still on home home nothing will please him but home Say with Calvin Vsquequo Domine How long Lord shall my Soul be at a distance from thee Come Lord Jesus come quickly 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 It s 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 free-born 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
be above with God CHAP. XIII Some practical Inferences from this Doctrine USE of all this briefly is in four consectaries 1. That there is undoubtedly such a future state as bliss and blessedness for Gods ' Children after this life There remaineth a rest to the people of God Heb. 4.9 I need not go about to prove this it s sufficiently and abundantly confirmed by abler hands not only from Scripture but Nature Reason Divine Providence in the world and the grace of God in the hearts of his people Enough is said to silence Atheism in our Spirits and to stop the mouths of all Atheists on Earth Can any rationally imagine that God should endow Man with such a noble Soul and endue that Soul with such noble faculties of Mind Will and Conscience and Affections capable of knowing loving injoying God with fears and hopes of a future state and all this in vain Can we think the holy just good wise righteous God will always promote the wicked and punish the godly and not right these things in the next world Hath Christ come into the world to no purpose What would become of his Birth Life Doctrine Death Resurrection Ascention Intercession coming to Judgment if there were no life of future retribution What would become of the precepts promises threatnings motives means helps to an holy life here and to attain eternal life hereafter if there were no such thing Can we imagine that the great God governs the world by a lye Are Heaven and Hell bug-bears or meer imaginations of brain-sick fools Is there not a reality in Satans temptations to draw or drive us from God and future happiness Or are there no Devils or Spirits and so by consequence no God Away with these wild conceits contrary to the sentiments of all Mankind 2. Then it follows that assurance is attainable not only objective assurance that there is a glorious inheritance and that God will give it to some but subjective also that this is mine that its for me I have a title to it else how could persons thank God for making meet for this inheritance This assurance ariseth from actings of Faith and produceth rejoycing in hope of this glory of God Rom. 5.1 The gospel is a gospel of peace not of fears and doubts Assurance may be had not only by divine revelation but in the use of ordinary means I know in whom I have believed 2 Tim. 1.12 Read on and you 'l find not only his assurance of his present state but his perseverance and future felicity and it s not his peculiar priviledge but common to other Believers 2. Cor. 5.1 It s true God is a free Agent and may bestow it on whom and when he pleaseth Some have it most clearly at first Conversion as Bernard for a time after his Conversion remained as it were deprived of his Senses by the excessive consolations he had from God Cyprian saith He thought before his Conversion it was impossible to find such raptures and ravishments as now he found in a Christian course Many a close walking Christian can set his seal to this truth only it ordinarily comes in after hard conflicts with temptation wrestlings with God much experience and exact walking with God There is Salvation and there is the joy of Gods Salvation Psal 51.12 This saith Mr. Latimer is the sweet-meats of the feast of a good Conscience There are many other dainty dishes at the feast but this is the banquet This is better felt then expressed but must be endeavoured after prayed for Ask saith our Lord and ye shall receive that your joy may be full Joh. 16.24 3. That the work of thankfulness is the great duty of a Christian This this is the proper character and imployment of a Christian God commands it priviledges call for it gracious Souls have been much in it it is comprehensive of mans whole duty Vrsin entitles the practical part of his Carechism de Gratitudine of Gratitude Oh that Christians were more in it Praise is comely for the upright This is the Epitome of Religion the Emblem of Heaven the proper Air in which a Christian breaths It s most acceptable to God creditable to Religion and profitable to the Christian Mr. Fox tells us the City Zurick ingraved the Year of their deliverance from Popery upon Pillars in Letters of Gold for a lasting Memorial And have not Christians cause to thank God for grace and glory The Heathens could say Call a Man ingrateful and you cannot call him worse Hezekiah brought wrath on himself Judah and Jerusalem for not rendring to the Lord according to benefits done to him 2 Chron. 32.25 Oh Sirs you little know what an evil ingratitude is you fill your Souls with guilt you too much resemble wicked men whose character is unthankful 2 Tim. 3.2 That sin makes hard times yea it makes you like the worst of Heathen for which sin God gave them up Rom. 1.21 24. you act disingenuously as those that have served their turns of God and then disown him How can you own God in the next strait that are so much in arrears Will not your mouth be stopt and Conscience fly in your face Do you not daily depend on God for new Mercies And is not thankfulness a natural duty Is not gratitude for Spiritual Mercies a great evidence of your interest in them And is not every Mercy sweetened by thankfulness Nay is not this a mean to continue them The more thankful any have been the more eminent they have been Their graces have shined and glistered like Pearls and Diamonds Yea once more the more thankful you are and the more cause of thankfulness you will both have and see Thankfulness for what you are sure you have will produce a fuller evidence of that you are doubtful of The Lord humble us for our gross ingratitude which is as one saith a Monster in Nature a Solaecism in Manners a Paradox in Divinity and a parching Wind to damme up the Fountain of Divine Favours You 'l say Oh Sir I could be thankful with all my heart if I knew I were fit for Heaven and that my Soul shall at death enter into peace but alas as long as I am doubtful and at uncertainties how can I be thankful Conscience would check and condemn me and indeed I have more cause to be humbled and ashamed for my unmeetness then thankful for any meetness I find in me for Heaven Ans 1. There may be grounds both of humiliation and thankfulness in the same soul and subject Let the best Saints do the best they can and attain to the highest pitch imaginable they shall have cause of humiliation for their defects 2. Holy jealousie fears cares do well in Gods Children to keep them humble and indeed as grace increaseth fight of imperfections increaseth and sense of short-coming the more discoveries of Gods holiness the viler will the Christian be in his own eyes as Job and Isaiah Job 42. Isa 6.5
and the humbler the Soul is the fitter for God Isa 57.15 and 66.2 Thank God for that humility 3. You may and must be thankful for the Mercies which you have and cannot deny but God hath vouchsafed You have your lives for a prey are out of Hell which is more then you deserve you have abundant outward Mercies do not these deserve thankfulness Yea Christ hath purchased grace and glory for some nay further he hath put thousands into possession of this inheritance and should not this make you thankful Yea further Heaven is offered to you and you are under the means of grace and in a possibility of obtaining this happiness which Devils and damned Souls are not and is not this ground of thankfulness 4. Be sure you keep in mind the distinction of habitual and actual meetness for Heaven If you have not the former either relative or real be not adopted or justified are neither converted nor covenanted with God I say the Lord have mercy on you your case is doleful you have great cause of lamentation Oh man I am not now speaking to thee Be afflicted and mourn let your laughter be turned into mourning your joy to heaviness Jam. 4.9 Yea you graceless rich men weep and houl for your miseries that shall come upon you Jam. 5.1 I have not a word of comfort from the Lord to you Your eatthly inheritances shall be taken from you and you shall be thrust into the dungeon of Hell You may for a while kindle a fire and walk warm in the sparks you have kindled but faith God this shall you have of mine hand ye shall lye down in sorrow Isa 50.11 Stand you by while the Saints take comfort in their portion Read Isa 65.13 14 15. It is to you the heirs of promise to whom I am now speaking and bear you this in mind that its one thing to have right to this inheritance another to know you have right Many a gracious Soul is much in the dark about its relation yet its state safe for the main What sayest thou Hast thou not the things that accompany Salvation Heb. 6.9 Hath not God been dealing with thy heart as he useth to deal with such as he designs for Heaven Hast thou not seen thy woful state by Nature The necessity of Christ and grace Hast thou not experienced a change from Nature to Grace from Death to Life Hath not this new birth cost thee griefs and groans prayers and tears Dost thou not delight now in what thou didst disdain Is not thy principle rule end otherwise then formerly Hast thou not changed thy company courses manner of life Speak out man belye not thy self deny not Gods grace something like grace thou seest in thy self and to be sure Satan and World oppose it and man and thy self could not work it It is of God a seed sown by the hand of omnipotency And he that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 As to actual meetness for Heaven I refer you to what hath been laid down before look it over deal impartially see if your experience do not answer those heads hath not God helped you in the exercise of the graces of Faith Hope Love Humility Hath not God given you some grounded evidence of sincerity by diligence in duty reflection on your state appealing to God and pleading with God for the Spirits sealings Hath not God helpt you to be dispatching your work off your hands Spiritual Temporal Relative and Publick Are you not much mortified to corruption worldly injoyments and have you not spiritualized earthly things and got more intimate familiarity with God What say you to these things Do not your hearts eccho back with your probatum est setting your seal to these things I have not time nor room to inlarge further but I would have you diligently compare your selves now with what you were some years ago Is not your Repentance more Evangelical Doth not the sense of divine love extort from you more tears of godly sorrow and more vehement hatred of all sin purely it is offensive to God Hath not your Faith been more vigorous in its actings upon your dear Lord In closing more fully with promises Have you not been more frequent and serious in renewing your Covenant with God And have not such dayes and duties been solemn heart-melting opportunities Have you not been more constant and inlarged in the duty of secret Prayer with shorter intermissions and more favouriness Do you spend your time better then formerly Do you fill up every vacancy with some useful business for Earth or Heaven Have you not more incomes of grace and assistance in duties both as to matter and manner To knit your minds and raise your affections to God and sometimes suggest words to you Do you not more concern your selves for the Souls of Relations and others in Prayer and Discourse being more weighted with the necessity of their Conversion Are you not more endeared to Saints as Saints though poor or disobliging and of a different perswasion Have you not got power over your Passions to regulate them And if you feel unruly motions can you pray them down and through grace calm them Can you not put up injuries and affronts and not only so as not to revenge and forgive but pray more heartily for the repentance and remission of such as are most malicious against you Is it not more the grief of thy heart when God is dishonoured his Spirit grieved his Gospel reproached by the sins of profane or professours If thou think any body is offended by thee is it not more a real trouble to thee then formerly And thou canst not be quiet till thou seekest Reconciliation And if thou be conscious of giving them just occasion thou confessest thy fault and humblest thy self to them Hast thou not learned more faithfully and discreetly to manage the duty of private admonition of an offending Christian Drawing out bowels of compassion for and to such as are fallen Do not publick concerns of Church or Nation lye nearer thy heart daily Canst thou not more rejoyce in the gifts graces holiness usefulness of others though it obscure thine Art thou not more glad when corruptions are mortified then gratified When occasions of sinning are removed rather then afforded though it cost thee dear Dost thou not more sensibly understand the sweet life of faith in temporals Committing all to God thou findest provisions have been strangely made Are not thy affections more spiritualized towards dearest Relations Dost thou not love them in the Lord and the Lord in them and canst freely part with them upon Gods call Art thou not more taken up with Gods Mercies to give him the glory of them then any personal content thou hast in them Is not thy heart daily more weary of the world and longing for Heaven Yet after all this canst thou not say thou art nothing deservest nothing but Hell And if God glorifie his Justice in thy confusion thy mouth is stopped and thou must justifie him for ever with flames about thine Eares Dost thou not account thy self the greatest of Sinners least of Saints and by the grace of God thou art what thou art And this thou canst truly say that God is more thy exceeding joy and Christ more precious to thy Soul then ever Canst thou in thy sober solid setled frame answer these questions thy state is safe and sweet and thou art meet for Heaven yet not so meet but still breathing after more meetness till thy last gasp of breath for no man on this side death was ever meet enough and all must be ascribed to grace grace in the foundation grace in the topstone I shall conclude all with a part of a Poem in Mr. Herbert called Grace p. 52. Death is still working like a Mole And digs my Grave at each remove Let Grace work too and on my Soul Drop from above Sin is still hammering my heart Vnto an hardness void of love Let suppling Grace to cross his art Drop from above O come for thou dost know the way Or if to me thou wilt not move Remove me where I need not say Drop from above 2 Cor. 5.8 We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent frrm the body and to be present with the Lord. Amen FINIS Some Books to be Sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside A Call to Sinners such as are under sentence of Death and such as are under any prospect of it from the long suffering and gracious but most righteous God Three Questions resolved briefly and plainly viz. 1. What Conceptions ought we to have of the blessed God 2. What are those Truths whereof the Knowledge appeareth most indispensably necessary unto our Salvation and therefore to be first and most learnt by us 3. What is the change wrought in a Man by Gods H. Word and Spirit before he can safely conclude himself passed from Death to Life Being the Summ of three Sermons The Christian Temper Or the Quiet state of Mind that Gods Servants labour for Set forth in a Sermon at the Funeral of Mrs. Vrsula Collins A seasonable Question plainly resolved viz. What are we to judge of their spiritual estate who neglect the Lords Supper And what is that discerning of the Lords Body in it without which men do Eat and Drink their own Damnation The Christians earnest Expectation and Longing for the Glorious Appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Set forth in a Discourse occasioned by the Decease of that Excellent Christian and Minister of Christ Mr. Noah Webb late of Sandhurst in the County of Berks. FINIS In Answer to this question see 3 Opinions in Dr. Tuckney Theses Praet Theol. ubi videa praeclare furius disputata p. 269. ad p. 292.