from Hell to Heaven The Sunshine of Love comes to melt and thaw our frozen hearts that God may set a stamp upon us The loving kindness of God leads to Repentance Rom. 2.4 Oh what an influence will Gods native goodness have upon an ingenuous Spirit As the Sun attracts vapours from the Earth so this Son of Righteousness should and will if our sturdy hearts hinder not raise our hearts Heaven-wards It s pity we should stop here in the streams but that thereby we should be led to the fountain and follow the beams up to the Sun May this long-suffering of the Lord be your salvation 2 Pet. 3.15 May love constrain you to love God May these load-stones so attract you and these grapes of Canaan enamour you that you may never rest till you appear before God in Zion And what are all Gods rods and redoubled strokes for but to awaken you out of security Peat your fingers off from the world Weaken your corruptions and purge and furbish your Souls as vessels for the high shelf of glory For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 How is that Surely by working the Soul into a fitness for that glory This furnace melts away the dross of our Spirit Sea-tossings clear the liquor of grace this dark night fits for the pleasant morning these pangs prepare us for deliverance these blustering storms fit souls for the peaceable fruits of righteousness being sanctified by the Spirit and improved by Faith Affliction is Gods Physick which makes sick but prepares for sweet health and shall we frustrate Gods ends in this also What are you content with a Heaven here and an Hell hereafter Nay can you be content with an Hell in both worlds Must these be par-boilings for everlasting burnings God forbid Look at the Lords end in these sufferings and let it be yours 5. The time of this life is the only time men have given them to be made meet for Heaven This life is a praeludium to an eternal state It s a Seminary for another world Gal. 6.7 8. Whatsoever a man soweth that shall be also reap He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting Seeding is a preparatory to reaping yet men must expect only to reap that kind of grain that 's sown none can think to reap Wheat that sowed Oats and you know there 's more abundunce in the reaping then in the sowing So in this case Hell torments will be more exquisite and eternal then the profit and pleasure of the sinner in sinning Heavens joys will infinitely furmount the Christians labours and sorrows in this world and there is great equity in both for the object sinned against is infinite and satisfaction can never be made by a finite Creature and the grace from whence flows Eternal Life is infinite and will have an endless duration But the point I am upon is to demonstrate the necessity of making meet for Heaven in this world or it will never be done Now or never When the door is shut the gulf fixt and the Soul loosed from the Body and launcht out into that vast ocean of Eternity there 's no returning back to get the oyl of grace or be fiting the Soul for another world Eccl. 9.10 What soever thine hand findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest Time lasts not but floats away apace but what is everlasting depends upon it Hic aut accepimus aut amittimus vitam aeternam In this world we either win or lose eternal Life The great weight of Eternity hangs on the small and twittered thread of time Now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 This is our working day our market time surely it becomes us to lay that Foundation well that bears such a Superstructure To cast that Anchor safely that is entrusted with a Vessel so richly laden Oh Sirs sleep now and awake in Eell from whence is no redemption Suppose by misdemeanour you had forfeited your Estate and Life and upon much intercession the King causeth an Hour-glass to be turned and set you a work to do or lesson to learn if you performed it you are pardoned and promoted if not tortured and executed Oh how diligent would you be What pains would you take The case is your own Sirs Heaven and Hell are before you according to your improvement or non-improvement of this hour of life so must you fare dream not of a Purgatory as the Tree falls so it lyes You enter by death into an unchangeable state only the Body at the Resurrection will be joyned to the Soul to be partner with it in weal or woe bliss or bane for ever The state here is tempus operis the time of working hereafter mercedis of reward Oh look before you leap into another world That 's the fifth Reason 6. The Christian must be made meet here for the Inheritance above because he hath abundance of work to do and priviledges to injoy in order to the full possession of this blessed Inheritance above We have many graces to exercise duties to perform corruptions to subdue temptations to resist burdens to bear mercies to improve that will never be managed to purpose without a qualification for managing them And observe it the same disposition is requisite for making a Christian meet for any duty that 's requisite to make him meet for glory the same habitual principle and drawing it forth into lively exercise Not only must the man of God be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3.17 but every Christian that is a vessel unto honour must be sanctified and so meet for his Masters use and prepared unto every good work 2 Tim. 2.21 Alas an unsanctified heart is unfit for spiritual service Solomon saith The legs of the lame are not equal he halts and goes limping so is a parable in the mouth of fools Prov. 26.7 How aukwardly and bunglingly doth he go to work in sacred things just as an unskilful person handles a Lute a Viol or Instrument of Musick or as the men of Ephraim could not frame to pronounce Shibboleth aright Judg. 12.6 There must be a suitableness betwixt the Agent and Acts No carnal heart can do any one good work well materially he may do what is good but not formally as good in a good manner for a good end acceptably to God or profitably to himself For they that are in the flesh cannot please God and without faith its impossible to please God Rom. 8.8 Heb. 11.6 And can we think God will carry them to Heaven that never struck a right stroke or never did one hours work for God that he would accept A graceless sinner is like the fruitless
at the rate of that Inheritance he is heir to Thus the Christian gets everlasting Consolation because he hath good hopes through Grace 2 Thess 2.16 O saith the Believer Divine Revelations have so fully demonstrated the reality of future Glory that my Faith no more doubts of it then of going to Bed at night and why should not my Flesh and Spirit rest in hope Psal 16.9 Why should not then my heart be glad Why may not my glory rejoyce Yea I will rejoyce in hope of the glory of God for my hope will not make me ashamed Rom. 5.2 5. I dare venture my hopes and my all in this blessed Covenant-bottom My soul hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him and that for ever Psal 42.11 3. Love That 's a grace that shines brightest in its proper Orb above but the more it is exercised here below the more of Heaven Love resembles the Soul most to God and raiseth the Soul to an Heavenly Life God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him 1 Joh. 4.16 The Soul that is carried out to God in pure flames of holy love hath mounted already into the highest Region and bathes it self in those pure streams that raise and ravish the Spirit in a continued extasie The more Love the more fittedness for Heaven If love be increased and abound our hearts are established unblameable at his coming 1 Th. 3.12 13. Yea the more Love the more of Heaven for what is our love but a reflexion of Gods love 1 Joh. 4.19 Oh saith the Christian I feel the sweet beams of the Sun of Righteousness warming my heart methinks those Heavenly sparks have set me in a flame that when I am Musing the fire burns when I am Praying or Praising God my Soul mounts up to my Lord as pillars of smoak and I love to be near him and to be acting for him Oh how sweet is every Love-letter that comes from him How pleasant are some tokens of love that come from the hand and heart of my beloved Here is the soul that is meet for Heaven 4 Humility and Self-denyal Will you believe it The lower the Christian casts himself down the nearer Heaven But this is a truth Matth. 5.3 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven God makes his court in the humble and contrite Spirit Isa 57.15 Oh saith Christian this grace have I found in me that duty is performed by me this corruption have I mortified that burden have I born what say I That I have done this or that O no By the grace of God I am what I am I laboured yet not I but the grace of God 1 Cor. 15.10 I dare not say any thing is my own but sin and what 's performed by me is mixt with sin and imperfection Horreo quicquid de meo est I tremble for fear saith Luther at any thing that is of mine own I must not depend on mine own Righteousness O that I may be found in Christ I am nothing can do nothing deserve nothing but Death and Hell If ever I be admitted into Heaven it must be upon the account of Christ his Merits upon the Cross his Intercession in Heaven That 's an excellent Text Rev. 19.7 8. Let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her self ready But how is she ready Why to her was graunted that she should be arrayed in fine linnen clean and white for the sine linnen is the righteousness of Saints Indeed it s no other then Christs Righteousness imputed This is the upper garment that must not only cover our nakedness but the tattered rags of our own Righteousness whether that relate to a glorious state of the Church on Earth or in Heaven I dispute not But I am sure its the bravest suit that she can put on and she will look trim in that only and woe to them that appear in their best inherent Righteousness Let the proud self-justiciary say Coelum gratis non accipiam I will not have Heaven gratis or for nothing I will pay a proportionable rate for it then thou art like to go without it for it s not saleable Ware Rom. 9.31 But let a poor self-condemning Publican come and beg Pardon and Heaven for Christs sake and God will not deny him For he resisteth the proud but gives grace and glory to the humble Jam. 4.6 CHAP. IV. Meetness for Heaven in clear evidences of Title to it 2. THe next particular wherein a meetness for Heaven doth consist is Assurance or grounded evidence of our title to this Heavenly Inheritance for no Man is ready to go out of this World but he that hath solid grounds of his safe estate for another World for doubts breed fears and those lears beget unwillingness to go hence He dare not dye that knows not whither he must go and he is not meet for death that hath not used Gods appointed means to obtain assurance a thousand to one a Soul at uncertainties hath been a slothful negligent Soul for in an usual way diligence be gets assurance For so saith the Apostle Heb. 6.11 We desire that every one of you would shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end that ye be not slothful ver 12. So 2 Pet. 1.10 Give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure And what then Why then ver 11. he adds For so an entrance shall be ministred to you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ A Ship may make an hard shift to get sneaking into the Harbor with Anchors lost Cables rent Sails torn Masts broken these get safe in but with much ado but oh how gallantly doth another ride in to the credit of her Master good example to others comfort and satisfaction to all in the Ship when she comes in with Sails spread Flags up Trumpets sounding and well Victualled surely these come in bravely This is just the difference betwixt a lazy Professor that wants assurance and an active Christian in his voyage to this blessed Haven God requires this assurance means are appointed for attaining it serious Christians have gained it so mayest thou and so must thou endeavour after it You 'll say how is it got By what means may a Christian come to the assurance of his title to this Heavenly Inheritance that he may be meet or fit to take possession of it at death I Answer in general it must be supposed that you have a title which is your habitual meetness or else how can you be assured of it You that are unregenerate you have a greater work to pass through before you are capable of obtaining assurance But supposing this I answer 1. An holy diligence in increasing exercising graces and performance of duty This I hinted before Acts evidence habits Improving grace is Gods way to
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