of this that thou art an Heir of Heaven arm thy self against the sears of Death let Death be terrible to those whose portion is solely and wholly in this life whom Death separates from all the good they have and hope for As for thee who art a Child of God an Heir of Heaven why shouldst thou fear Death that doth but put thee into the actual possession of thy Inheritance Ejus est mortem timere qui ad Christum nolit ire ejus est ad Christum nolle ire qui se non credit cum Christo incipere regnare saith Cyprian Let him fear Death that is unwilling to go to Christ let him be unwilling to go to Christ that doth not believe he is a Joynt-Heir with Christ in the Kingdom of Heaven The same Cyprian speaks of a man that when he lay a dying with some unwillingness and lothness to dye had a Vision of one like the Son of Man appearing by him saying to him with some kind of indignation Pati timetis exire non vultis quid faciam pro vobis You are afraid to suffer you are not willing to depart what shall I do for you O think what a shame it is for those who when they do hope for this Inheritance to be so unwilling and loth to die as that Jesus Christ should have occasion thus to speak unto them A fourth Duty we should learn from hence is To walk worthy of this Inheritance And so First Far be it from those who profess and believe themselves to be Heirs of Heaven to be eager and covetous and greedy of earth and earthly things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If a King saith Chrysostom should take a Beggar from the Dunghil and make him the Heir of his Crown and be after this should go up and down a begging from door to door and be as solicitous about his raggs and patched clothes as he was before he was adopted to that Inheritance would not this be a disgrace to himself and to the King that had adopted him and would not all the World condemn him as a man of a base and dunghil spirit unworthy of that Honour and that Inheritance that was cast upon him For thee that art a Christian whom God hath taken from the Dunghil and made an Heir of Heaven for thee to be as greedy of the world as gripple of a half-peny or a peny as if thou wert one of the Worlds beggars still this is a base ignoble thing unworthy of such an Heir as thou dost pretend thy self to be Therefore abhor it away with it Secondly If thou be an Heir of Heaven labour to be content with thy present condition whatever it be in expectation and assurance of that Inheritance thou hopest for There is many a great Heir when he is in his minority lives in a pretty mean condition and makes nothing of it bears it all with patience he knows it will be better with him one day when he comes to Age there is a fair Estate coming to him and in the thoughts of that he comforts himself in his present condition So thou that art an Heir of Heaven though at the present thou livest barely and goest near the wind yet content and comfort thy self with this Thou hast a rich and glorious Inheritance reserved for thee in the highest Heavens when once thou comest to the enjoyment of that thou shalt be full and want nothing This was it which made the Patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Jacob content with a poor pilgrim life and condition a wandring state and condition because they looked for a better Country and when this took up their hearts then they could chearfully sit down in their Tents they could dwell in strange Countries they could go on in obedience to God what way soever he called them readily and so should we Thirdly Never fret nor repine at the happiness and prosperity of the Wicked When we see them swimming and bathing in all that affluence of good things which Job or David expresseth Job 21. and Psalm 73. They have Corn and Wine and Oyl and Gold and Silver and House and Lands and Children to inherit them Thou poor thou hast none of these things but hast thou Heaven though but in reversion never trouble thy self thy portion is an hundred thousand times better than theirs Was it any grief of heart think ye to Isaac to see the sons of Keturah have great gifts bestowed upon them by Abraham one of them it may be so many thousand Yoak of Oxen another so many thousand Sheep and Camels a third so many Talents of Gold and Silver as long as Isaac had the Inheritance this was no grief of heart to him Much good may it do them thinks he as long as the Inheritance is mine So say thou Much good may it do the World with all their Wealth and Riches as long as Heaven is mine I envy them not Thus much for the two first things Heaven is an Inheritance This Inheritance is a Gift I come now to the third and that is this That God gives the Inheritance of Heaven to his Children by his Word Therefore the Gift of this Inheritance is in part ascribed to the Word Which is able to build you up and give you an Inheritance A Father gives such or such an Inheritance to his Child by Testament or by Instrument in writing The Word of God it is Testamentum it is Instrumentum whereby God conveyeth the Inheritance of Heaven to his Saints and Children First God reveals by his Word that there is such an Inheritance reserved in the Heavens which were it not that God had revealed it in his Word the weak heart of sinful and fallen man could have no true notions or conceptions of For eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither can it enter into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love him The poor Heathens did stumble upon the Notion of Eternal rewards and punishments but alas fell as far short of the true Notion of those rewards and punishments as Earth is of Heaven But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2.10 that is by his Spirit in his Word Secondly As God reveals this Inheritance to us by his Word so secondly God makes offer of this Inheritance to us in his Word and invites and calls us to the participation of it 2 Thess 2.13 14. God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvution whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ Thirdly As God revealeth this Inheritance and calls and invites to the participation of it so God in his Word specifies who and what manner of persons they are upon whom he will bestow it Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven which the righteous Judge shall give and not to me only but to all that love his appearing 2 Tim. 4.8
Fourthly God by his Word begets those that are by his appointment and nomination the Heirs of this Eternal Salvation God by his Word begets them again to a lively hope of this Glory 1 Pet. 1.3 4. Blessed be God who hath begotten us again to a lively hope to an Inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved for us in the highest Heavens And that this begetting again is by the Word of God see afterwards ver 23. Being born again not of corruptible seed but incorruptible by the Word of God Fifthly God by his Word doth not only beget his People to a lively Hope of this Inheritance but he prepares and fits them for the possession of it and makes us meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Col. 1.12 Now this that God gives the Inheritance of Heaven by the Word this in the use of it still bespeaks our greatest affections for our highest esteem of our constant conscientious attendance upon the Word of God as that which is Patris nostri Testamentum Haereditatis nostrae Syngrapha Instrumentum The Will of our Heavenly Father the Deed of Gift and Instrument whereby he conveyeth over unto us our Heavenly Inheritance How Sacred and Inviolable do men count their Father's Will and Testament what honour do they put upon it what trust and confidence do they repose in it Such and infinitly more than such should be our honour for and our trust in the Word of God How precious do men count the Writings and Evidences whereby they hold their Inheritances So and infinitly more than so precious ought the Word of God to be unto us It being that Instrument whereby Heaven it self is passed over to us for our Inheritance Which is able to build you up and give you an Inheritance among all them that are sanctified In which words you have the proper and distinguishing Character of those to whom this Inheritance belongs and they are the Saints or Sanctified ones It is an Inheritance among ALL THEM that are Sanctified Where mark 1. The Restriction of this Inheritance it is limited only to them that are Sanctified 2dly The Extent of it it is in common to ALL THEM that are sanctified An Inhertance among all them that are sanctified I shall for the better dispatch put both these Particulars into one Doctrine namely That Heaven is the Inheritance of all Saints and only of Saints Or Heaven is only for them that are Sanctified and for all them Or thus No unsanctified person shall ever enter into Heaven Nor no Sanctified Person shall ever misse of Heaven The Negative That No unsanctified person shall ever enter into Heaven This is proved by clear and express Scripture 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterors nor Theeves nor Covetous nor Drunkards c. shall ever inherit the Kingdom of God Rev. 21.27 It is said of the heavenly Jerusalem there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth Heb. 12.14 Without holiness no man shall see the Lord therefore no unsanctified person shall ever enter into Heaven And for the second Branch which is Affimative That every Sanctified Person shall inherit Heaven That no Sanctified Person shall miss of Heaven This is as clear in Scripture Therefore it is called the Inheritance of the Saints Col. 1.12 because all and every of the Saints the least as well as the greatest have an equal share in this Inheritance And indeed Sanctification is but the earnest the first fruits the infancy of Glory and can no wayes be separated from it and it is as impossible that any one that is truly Sanctified should miss of Heaven as it is impossible for any unsanctified person to enter into Heaven For First Sanctification and Glorification Holiness and Heaven are joyned together in the Appointment and Decree of God Whom God hath predestinated to Heaven he hath predestinated to Holiness and whom he hath predestinated to Holiness He hath predestinated to Heaven Ephes 1.4 5. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundations of the world that we should be holy without blame before him in love Having predestinated us to the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ unto himself c. Mark whom God hath predestinated to be Children and so Heirs of Heaven he hath chosen to Holiness Heaven and Holiness are joyned together in God's Decree of Predestination Secondly Heaven and Holiness are joyned together in the Purchase Look how many Christ hath purchased Heaven for so many he hath purchased Holiness for Heb. 13.12 Jesus that he might sanctifie the People with his own blood suffered without the gate Mark Jesus Christ shed his blood not only that he might Save his People but that he might Sanctifie his People and not one Person more will be saved by the blood of Jesus than are sanctified by the blood of Jesus Heaven and Holiness are joyned together in the Purchase of the Son as well as in the Purpose of the Father Thirdly As Heaven and Holiness are joyned together in the Purpose of the Father and in the Purchase of the Son so they are joyned together in the Work of the Spirit None are called effectually by the holy Ghost to the participation of Heaven and Glory but such as are first called by the same Spirit unto Sanctification and Holiness nor none are effectually called by the Spirit unto Sanctification and Holiness but are called at the same instant unto Heaven and Glory 2 Thess 2.13 We are bound to give thanks alwayes to God for you Brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through the Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth whereunto He hath called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ Mark whom God calleth by the Gospel to Glory he calls by the same Gospel to belief of the Truth and Sanctification of the Spirit So that you see Heaven and Holiness are joyned together in the Purpose of the Father in the Purchase of the Son in the Operation of the Spirit And therefore it is not possible that ever any that are not holy should obtain Heaven and as impossible that ever any that are truly holy should miss of the Heavenly Inheritance Now this that no unsanctified person shall ever enter into Heaven nor no Sanctified Person shall ever miss of Heaven this in the use of it may be as terrible to all unsanctified ones as comfortable to all the Saints First This may be a sound of Fears in the ears and hearts of all unsanctified ones Is it impossible that ever any unsanctified one should enter into Heaven as you see it is O then think O then think of this and tremble you that despise Holiness you that mock and jeer at Holiness think of this you all you who
the first place That though men de not make all their children Heirs yet God doth Men usually settle the Inheritance upon the first-born or eldest and turn all the rest off with small portions But God doth not so all his Children Sons and Daughters both they are all Heirs not only Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the Patriarchs who were as I may say God's eldest Sons not only they are his Heirs nor only the Lord Jesus Christ who is the first-born of every creature not only He is an Heir but even thou who ever thou beest though the poorest weakest Saint thou art an Heir of God and Joynt-heir with Christ Secondly As thou art an Heir so the whole Inheritance is thine If a man had ten or twenty Sons and were resolved to make them all his Heirs he could not give the whole Inheritance to every one of them but must divide it into so many parts as he had Sons and give to every one but his piece of the whole Inheritance But now thou that art a Saint thou art an Heir and the whole Inheritance is thine All the Glory of God all the good things of God are thine intirely thine as if thou hadst them to thy self alone and there were none to share in them besides thy self Haec Haereditas non imminuitur copiâ possessorum nec fit angustior Haeredum Numerositate sed tanta est multis quanta paucis tanta singulis quanta omnibus saith Augustine this Inheritance is not lessened by the Multitude of those that possess it nor made narrower for the Numerousness of Heirs but it is as great to many as if they were few as large to every single person as it is to all This is very significantly expressed by the Apostle Paul Col. 1.12 where he calls it an Inheritance among the Saints in Light You know Light is a thing of that nature that it cannot be divided If there be twenty or an hundred men in a Room and there be but one light among them that light is not parted into twenty or an hundred peices but every man enjoyeth the benefit of the light as fully and wholly to himself as if there were none but he in the Room Or as it is with the light of the Sun or the Heavens all the men in the world that have eyes in their heads to see they have all a like share in and a like benefit by the light of the Sun and they do as fully enjoy it as if every man had it to himself alone So it is with the Inheritance of Heaven all that are in Heaven do possess it every one fully and entirely it is wholly the enjoyment of every one in Heaven even as the light of the Sun is the enjoyment of every one upon Earth Thirdly Thou that art a Saint how mean and weak soever as thou art an Heir and the Inheritance is wholly thine so thirdly this Inheritance is certain to thee thou canst no wayes miss it Indeed Inheritances that are left or given men many times prove great uncertainties Many an Heir is cozened or baffled of his fair Estate and many a young Prodigal quickly squanders away that Inheritance which his Father with a great deal of toil and care had got for him But this Inheritance is subject to no such mischance the Devil himself cannot cozen thee of this Inheritance he cannot wrest it from thee neither by force nor fraud not canst thou mortgage or forfeit or any other wayes imbezel thine Inheritance It is an Inheritance reserved for you in the highest Heavens and as this Inheritance is reserved for you so you are and shall be reserved unto it as it follows in the very next words Who are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 Fourthly As thou art an Heir and as the Inheritance is thine and wholly thine and surely thine so in the fourth place This Inheritance is a most rich and glorious Inheritance If a man were an Heir and had the whole Inheritance to himself and were sure that he could not lose it yet after all this it may be but a poor and slender Inheritance far from any sufficiency for a livelihood But now this Inheritance it is a sufficiency and not only a bare sufficiency but amplius something more Therefore the Apostle speaking of it calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Riches of the Glory of this Inheritance Mark the Apostle speaking of this Inheritance speaks not onely of the Riches of this Inheritance nor only of the Glory of this Inheritance but of the Riches and Glory yea of the Riches of the Glory of this Inheritance to shew that it is indeed an Inheritance most rich and glorious This Inheritance is so rich so glorious that Eye hath not seen ear hath not heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive of it Now thou that art a Saint this Inheritance this rich and glorious Inheritance it is thine wholly thine surely thine O then what cause hast thou to be comforted and rejoyce in this thy portion to sing David's Song of Praise Psal 16.6 The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places I have a goodly Heritage In the third place Is it so that not one that is unsanctified shall ever enter into Heaven nor no one that is sanctified shall ever miss of Heaven Then all you that desire Heaven that hope for Heaven labour to be holy for without Holiness you hope for Heaven in vain For though Holiness be not Causa Coeli yet it is Via ad Coelum though it be not the moving or meriting cause for which God gives Heaven and Happiness to us yet it is causa sine qua non as is clear in that Text Without Holiness none can see the Lord. And the truth is Holiness is that life and state begun upon Earth which is perfected and perpetuated in Heaven to all Eternity And that man never is nor shall be a glorious Saint in Heaven that is not first a gracious Saint upon Earth A man must be an Infant before he be a Man Grace is the Infancy of Glory O therefore every one of you desire Holiness seek Holiness pray for Holiness strive labour after Holiness as you would desire seek pray for strive labour after Heaven it self Holiness being that intrinsecal qualification which though it do not make you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet it makes you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it do not make you worthy of Heaven yet it makes you meet and fit to be partakers of that Inheritance which is amongst the Saints in Light Now the God of Peace sanctifie you throughout and I pray God your whole spirit soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ I Am now by the Providence of God upon the point of leaving not only you but the Land and I know not whether ever I shall see the face of this Assemblie any more and