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
find of Bishop Juel that long before his sickness he foretold it approaching and in his sickness the precise day of his death he dyed in the fiftieth year of his age The like we have of James Andreas who foretold the year yea hour of his death I shall but add one instance of that Holy Man of God and my dear Friend Mr. Isaac Ambrose his surviving Wife told me of his solemn farewel he gave to his Daughter and some other Friends Yea the very day of his death several Friends from Garstang visited him at Preston with whom he discoursed piously and chearfully telling them he had finisht his work having the night before sent his discourse of Angels to the Press attended them to their Horses returned dyed that Evening in his Parlour where he had shut up himself for Meditation Thus Gods children are made meet for Heaven by dispatching their work on earth CHAP. VI. Meetness for Heaven by being mortified to Sin Time and Earthly Objects and being elevated to Heavenly Objects 4. THE last thing wherein meetness for Heaven doth consist is a being dead or being mortified to all things below and alive and lively to God and things above It is true converting grace deadens the heart to all sublunaries and lifts it up to divine things Yea sometimes the first convictions take off the sinners Spirit more then is meet and quite damps the affections to lawful comforts and makes him think he must do nothing in worldly business but give himself to Reading Praying and Hearing but Gods grace in a little time discovers this to be a Temptation Yet as grace gets the upper hand and the Christian mellows and ripens for glory so he is mortified and gradually transformed and advanced 1. By further victory over his corruptions for as the Christian perfects holiness in the fear of God so he doth by degrees cleanse himself from all filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 Sin and grace being like two buckets at one chain as the one comes up the other goes down Or as the ebbing and flowing of the Sea where it gaineth in one place it loseth in another the more holiness the less sin Now the Christian grows stronger and stronger The inward man is renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 So the body of sin is weakened till at last his fleshly lusts are laid at his feet and spiritual sins pay tribute to the grace of God in his Soul Pride hardness unbelief and security keep the Christian humble and watchful jealous of himself and maintaining spiritual conflicts against them so occasionally he is a gainer by his losses a riser by his falls however the Christian grows more in sight of and serves under the burden of sin as Paul he cryes out Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7.24 O saith the Christian what shall I do with this untoward heart I am weary of these Daughters of Heth Fain would I get rid of this indwelling corruption Sin I hope hath not dominion over me but oh when shall the time come that it shall have no indwelling within me But this is my grief and I must bear it I am discontentedly contented with my burden Discontent with sin content with Gods pleasure But there 's nothing makes me weary of the World but sin Could I live without sin I should live without sorrow The less sin the more of Heaven Lord set me at liberty 2. By loosening the affections from all worldly injoyments Oh how sapless and insipid doth the World grow to the Soul that is a making meet for Heaven He is crucified to the World and the World to him Gal. 6.14 In vain doth this Harlot think to allure me by her laying out her two fair Breasts of Profit and Pleasure Surely I have behaved and quieted my self as a Child that is weaned of his Mother My Soul is even as a weaned Child Psal 131.2 There 's no more rellish in these gaudy things to my pallate then in the white of an Egg every thing grows a burden to me were it not duty to follow my calling and be thankful for my injoyments Methinks I injoy my Wife Husband and dearest Relations as if I had none I weep for outward losses as if I wept not rejoyce in comforts below as if I rejoyced not 1 Cor. 7.29 30. my thoughts are taken up with other objects The men of the world slight me many seem to be weary of me and I am as weary of them Non est mortale quod opto Its none of these earthly things that my Heart is set upon my Soul is set on things above my treasure is in Heaven and I would have my Heart there also I have sent before me all my goods into another Country and am shortly for flitting and when I look about me I see a bare empty house and am ready to say with Monica quid hic facio what do I here My Father Husband Mother Jerusalem above my Brethren Sister best Friends are above Methinks I grudge the World any thing of my Heart and think not these temporal visible things worth a cast of my Eye compared with things invisible and eternal 2 Cor. 4. 18. I do not only say with afflicted Job chap. 7.16 I loath it I would not live alway but even with Solomon in the top of all Earthly felicity Eccl. 2.17 18. Therefore I hated life yea I hated all my labour which I had taken under the Sun i. e. In comparison or in competition with Heavenly injoyments 3. By spiritualizing Worldly things and using them as steps by which the Soul mounts Heaven-wards The Believer considers these things were made not for themselves but for higher ends All things are as Talents to trade with for another World Matth. 25.16 for an account must be given of them not only Ordinances and Gospel-priviledges but Providences both sweet and severe yea Creature-comfors yea all visible objects Thus our Lord who had grace in perfection made notable Spiritual improvement of outward Water Bread vines for holy ends and the more Heavenly the Christian is the liker he is to his Head and so meeter for Heaven Whatever this golden hand of Faith toucheth is turned into Gold The Christian fetcheth honey thus out of the hard Rock Out of the eater comes meat O saith the believing Soul if meat be so sweet to an hungry stomach how much more excellent is Gods loving kindness If drink be so refreshing to the thirsty soul oh how sweet are those rivers of pleasures Surely his love is better then wine If it be so pleasant for the Eyes to behold the Sun how amiable is the Son of Righteousness How sweet is home to the weary Traveller And the Haven to the weather-beaten Mariner But infinitely sweet and contentful is Heaven to the tempted burdened tired Saint Methinks all I see and do and have minds me of my home and saith Arise depart this
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 ill-gotten 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 sun-shine 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 it s 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