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
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
you what a heavy Judgment it was to have the Word of God taken from you I told you then it may be some of you thought too peremptorily God would bring this Judgment upon this Nation and this Congregation in particular I did bid you write it in a book the Year and Month and Day when I spake it therefore you may remember it God after this prediction waited the term of his Patience mentioned Luke 13.7 even three years and then soon after God began to inflict this Judgment O my Brethren had that warning been believed and improved to Humiliation Repentance closer Walking with God higher prizing the Word and Ordinances a study to walk worthy of the Gospel and Grace of God assuredly the evil threatned might have been prevented but where God hath sealed a Decree for his Judgments there Warnings do but harden the heart and hasten the Judgment When God had a purpose to destroy Ahab Micajahs words shall bear no sway with him When God had a purpose to destroy Jerusalem there Jeremiah Ezekiel and all the Prophets shall be mocked despised slighted laughed to scorn O that it had not been so with us Well Brethren you were told of this before you would not believe it then Will you believe it now Now you begin to feel it will you believe what you feel will you lay it to heart will you give glory to God if not I tell you what you feel is yet nothing to that you are like to feel The first year of the Famine in Egypt was nothing so bad as the second nor that as the third nor the third as the seventh every year the Famine grew sorer and pinched harder and harder Believe it so it will be with you you are not yet put to wander from Sea to Sea and from Coast to Coast to seek the Word of the Lord but believe it if these beginnings be not laid to heart you will once before God hath done with you be brought to this So the Text there saith plainly They shall go from Sea to Sea and from Coast to Coast to seek the VVord of the Lord and shall not find it This Threatning God fulfilled upon the Church and People of the Jews taking away the Spirit and gift of Prophecy from that Church from the time of the Prophet Malachi unto the birth of John the Baptist which was between three and four hundred years which is the thing pointed at in Psal 74.9 We see not our Signs neither is there any more any Prophet And withal at the same time God laid them under the forest Persecutions for their Religion that ever that Church and People met withal The same Judgment hath once been upon this Nation and upon the Christian World already God grant that our sins do not bring it a second time upon us But In the third place Is the VVord of God the VVord of his Grace Then this reproves all those that have lived under the continual dispensation of this VVord of Grace and yet have got no saving Grace no saving good by it but continue blind ignorant impenitent hard-hearted secure unbelieving unholy and that under the constant preaching of the Word O that such would in the fear of God consider First How dangerous their condition is Secondly How great their Condemnation will be First Consider how dangerous your condition is All you that live under the VVord of Grace and get no saving Grace no saving good by it Reade that one Text Heb. 6.7 8. For the Earth that drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed that is answerable to their gift and labours and continuance is blessed of God But that which bringeth forth briars and thorns is near unto cursing How near and unto what cursing in this life God only knows but to be sure their end will be sad whose end is to be burned A fearful end and such as should make the heart of every one who is guilty of being unfruitful under the VVord of Grace tremble to think or hear of it especially considering how little hope there is for such a one to escape this curse and to escape this dreadful and dismal end for if the VVord of Grace that is the power of God himself unto Salvation if that can do no good upon thee what can if that cannot work upon thy blind ignorant prophane hard heart no not in ten twenty thirty or forty years what can I tell thee if thou art past getting good by the VVord of Grace thou art past getting good by any thing at all Luke 16.31 If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they hear though one from the dead were sent unto them If what thou hearest from the VVord of Grace of the VVrath of God against impenitent sinners and the Grace and Mercy of God towards poor repenting sinners if what thou readest and hearest in and from the VVord of the torments of Hell and of the joyes of Heaven if what thou readest and hearest from the Word of these things do not bring thee to Repentance and Faith in the Lord Jesus nothing else will No though one should come immediately out of Hell with Hell-flames about his ears and burning brimstone dropping down at his heels to warn thee and fright thee from those torments or if an Angel should come from Heaven cloathed with the Sun and crowned with Stars to allure thee to Holiness by those glorious Rewards neither the one or the other will work upon thee to any purpose if the VVord of Grace hath not wrought upon thee for that is the Instrument that God hath appointed and ordained and made fit and able to work Grace in the Soul and therefore if that do not work upon thee what canst thou think will And if thou continue still in this condition not profiting by the VVord without any saving work of the VVord upon thee O consider how inexcusable how intolerable thy damnation will be Why doth our Saviour tell Chorazin and Bethsaida and the rest of the Cities where he had gone up and down preaching the VVord of Grace that it should be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah for Tire and Sidon in the day of Judgement than for them Mat. 11.22 24. But because Sodom and Gomorrah never had the Word of Grace preached among them as these Cities had had Turks and Heathens Sodomites and Gomorrahns yea the Devil and his Angels shall have more to plead in excuse of themselves in the day of Judgement than those that have lived under the Word of Grace and never did get any saving good by it Turks and Heathens Sodomites and Gomorrahans will be able to say Lord thou never sentest Prophets or Apostles or Ministers among us to tell us of the danger of sin or to call and summon us to Repentance to make known to us thy Will and the wayes of Grace and Holiness if thou hadst we should