0A.25. Chapter VIII.

Chapter VIII. Qualifications that Shall Obtain the Kingdom of Heaven The gospel requires qualifications in all that shall obtain the kingdom of Heaven. The renovation of man according to the likeness of God, is indispensably requisite for the enjoying of God.

Renewing grace described. The wisdom and justice of God require that men be sanctified before they are admitted into Heaven.

Without sanctification, there is a moral incapacity of enjoying the beatific vision. The means of our obtaining Heaven are to be considered. Though the divine goodness is free in its acts, and there can be nothing in the creature of merit, or inducement to prevail upon God in the nature of a cause—yet he requires qualifications in all those who shall enjoy that blessed unchangeable kingdom. The apostle expressly declares, "it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God who shows mercy." Rom 9:16. But we must distinguish the effects of this mercy, which are dispensed in that order the gospel lays down. The first mercy is the powerful and effectual calling of the sinner from his corrupt and wretched state. A second mercy is the pardoning his sins. The last and most eminent is the glorifying him in Heaven.

Now it is clear, that in this place "the showing mercy," signifies the grace of God in conversion; for in the 18th verse it is said, God shows mercy to "whom he will, and whom he will he hardens." Where it is evident that showing mercy is opposed not to condemning but to hardening; and consequently the intent of the words is this: that divine grace overcomes the rebellious will, softens the stiff and stubborn heart, and makes it pliant to obedience. This flows from his pure good will and pleasure, without the least motive from the inclinations or endeavors of sinful men. But the other effects of God’s mercy require conditions in the subjects who receive them; for he pardons only penitent believers, and glorifies none but persevering saints. To make this clear, it is worthy of observation, the gospel has several denominations:

1. It is called "a law, a covenant," and "a testament." Rom 3:27. It is called "the law of faith," and "the law of the spiritual life." As a law, it signifies a new right that God has most freely established in favor of lost man, that commands certain duties, and sets before them eternal life as the reward of obedience, and eternal death the punishment of disobedience. According to this, the trial and decision of men’s everlasting states shall be that which is the character of a true law. This law of grace is very different from the law of nature which required entire innocence, and for the least omission, or accusing act, passed an irrevocable doom upon the offenders; for that strictness and severity is mollified by the gospel, which accepts of sincere persevering obedience though imperfect; accordingly it is called "the law of liberty." Jas 2:1-26. But "the law of faith" is unalterable, and admits of no dispensation from the duties required in order to our being everlastingly happy.

2. The gospel is styled "a covenant," and that imports a reciprocal engagement between parties for the performance of the matter contained in it. The covenant of grace includes the promise of pardoning and rewarding mercy on God’s part, and the conditions on man’s, with respect to which it is to be performed. There is an inviolable dependence between them. He will be "our God," to make us happy, "but we must be his people to yield unreserved obedience to him." Heb 9:1-28. "He will be our Father, and we shall be his sons and daughters;" but it is upon the terms of "purifying ourselves from all pollutions of the flesh and spirit," and sincere endeavors to "perfect holiness in his fear." 2Co 7:1-16.

It is astonishing goodness that he is pleased to condescend to such a treaty with fallen creatures; by a voluntary promise he encourages them; but though most free in making, it is conditional in the performance. The constancy of his holy, nature obliges him to fulfill his word, but it is only if we do not fail on our part by carelessness of our duty. A presumer may seal assurance to himself, and be deceived in this great matter; but "God will not be mocked." If we prove false in the covenant, he will be faithful, and exclude those from Heaven who were neglectful of the conditions to which it is promised.

3. The gospel is styled, "a testament" sealed in the blood of Christ, confirmed by his death. The gift of eternal blessings in it, is not absolute and irrespective, but the heirs are admitted to the possession of the inheritance according to the will of the rich, liberal, and wise Testator. There can be no regular title or claim made out without performing what is required. And this "is the will of God and Christ, our sanctification," without which we cannot enjoy it.

Now from hence we may see the admirable agreement between these two notions, that Heaven is both a gift and a reward. It is a reward in the order of giving it, not due to the work, but from the bounty of the giver. God gives Heaven to those who faithfully serve him. But their service was due to God, of no worth in respect of Heaven; so that man’s work is no merit, and God’s reward is a gift. Our everlasting glory must be ascribed to his most free grace, as much as the pardon of our sins.

I shall now proceed to consider what the gospel declares to be indispensably requisite in order to our obtaining Heaven; this is comprised in the holy change of man’s nature, which I will briefly unfold, and show how necessary it is to qualify us for celestial glory.

1. This holy change is expressed in Scripture by the new birth. Our Savior, with a solemn repeated asservation, tells Nicodemus, "truly, truly, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3. Sin is natural to man from his conception and birth, and infects all his faculties with its contagion. This is fomented and cherished by temptations that easily encompass him. The understanding is polluted with evil principles, full of strong prejudices, and lofty imaginations against the supernatural mysteries of salvation. It is full of ignorance and folly, and from hence either rejects them as incredible, or despises them as impertinent or unprofitable. The will is depraved and perverse, full of unruly and unhallowed affections. The senses are sensuous and rebellious. In short, man is so viciously and sensually inclined, so "alienated from the life of God," as if he had no diviner part within him, which should aspire to a spiritual blessedness, which would regulate and control the excess of the inferior appetites. This is the unhappy character Satan impressed on him in his fall, and without renovation upon an infinite account, he is incapable of seeing God. This renovation consists not in the change of his substance, as the water was miraculously turned into wine at the marriage in Cana of Galilee; the same soul with its essential powers, the same body with its natural senses, the work of the Creator remains; but in the cleansing of his stained nature, in the sanctifying his faculties that are the springs of his actions, the whole man is quickened into a divine life, and enabled to act in conformity to it. Of this, the new birth is a convenient illustration. An active principle of holiness is planted in him, which springs up into visible actions. The apostle particularly expresses it in his earnest prayer for the Thessalonians, "The very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and preserve your whole spirit, soul and body blameless, until the coming of Jesus Christ." Every faculty is renewed, and every grace infused that constitutes the divine image. The mind is renewed by spiritual light, to believe the truth and goodness of unseen things promised, the reality and dreadfulness of things threatened in the word of God. It sees the truest beauty in holiness, the highest honor in obedience to God, the greatest equity and excellence in his service. The will is renewed by holy love, a purifying flame, and feels the attractive virtue of our blessed end before all desirable things on earth, and determines to pursue it in the vigorous use of proper means. The body is made a holy instrument fit for the renewed soul. In short, the natural man becomes spiritual in his perceptions, resolutions and actions. "All things are become new." There is a firm assent, an inviolable adherence to those most precious objects revealed in the Scripture, and a sincere chosen constant obedience flows from the renewed faculties. And from hence we may distinguish between regenerating grace—and formal hypocrisy in some; and the proficiency of nature—and power of common grace in others. A hypocrite in religion is actuated from without, by mercenary base respects; and his conscience being cauterized, handles sacred things without feeling. A regenerate person is moved by an internal living principle, and performs his duties with lively affections.

Natural conscience under the compulsion of fear, may lay a restraint upon the outward acts of sin, without an inward consent to the sanctity of the law. Renewing grace cleanses the fountain, and the current is pure. It reconciles the affections to the most holy commands. "I love your law because it is pure," says the psalmist. A moral principle may induce one to abstain from many sins, and to perform many praiseworthy things in conformity to reason. But this is neither sanctifying nor saving; for it only prunes sin as if it were a good plant, and does not root it up; it compounds with it, and does not destroy it. There may be still an impure indulgence to the secret lustings of the heart, notwithstanding the restraint upon their exercise. And many duties may be done on lower motives, without a divine respect to the commands and glory of God. But renewing grace subjects the soul to the whole royalty of the law, and uniformly inclines it to express obedience to all its precepts, because they are pure, and derived from the eternal spring of purity. It mortifies lust, and quickens to every good work, from a principle of love to God—and in this is distinguished from the most refined unregenerate morality. In short, there may be a superficial tincture of religion from common grace, a transient esteem, vanishing affections, and earnest endeavors for a time after spiritual things—and yet a person remain in a state of unregeneracy. But renewing grace is a permanent solid principle which makes a man partaker of the divine nature, and elevates him above himself. This holy change is wrought by divine power. Our Savior tells Nicodemus, "except a man be born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." The analogy of a new birth signifies, that it is entirely the work of the sanctifying spirit, which conveys a principle of life in order to the functions of it. It is the living impression of God, the sole efficient and exemplar of it, the fruit and image of the divine virtues. It is expressed by the new creature. The production of it is attributed to God’s power displaying itself in a peculiar excellent way, even in that precise manner, as in making the world. For as in the first creation all things were made originally of nothing, so in the second, the habit of grace is infused into the soul that was utterly void of it, and in which there was as little preparation for true holiness, as of nothing to produce this great and regular world. Although there is not only an absolute privation of grace, but a fierce resistance against it—yet creating invincible power does as infallibly and certainly produce its effect in forming the new creature, as in making the world. From hence it appears that renewing grace is so entirely the work of God, as his forming the human body from the dust of earth at first; but with this difference, the first creation was done without any sense in the subject of the efficiency of the divine power in producing it; but in the new creation, man feels the vital influence of the Spirit, applying Himself to all his faculties, reforming and enabling them to act according to the quality of their nature. And by the way, we may observe the admirable grace showed to man in the renovation of his corrupted nature. In the composition of his being are united a spirit like the angels, and a body like terrestrial animals, by which he partakes of the spiritual and natural life; but he has peculiar favors conferred upon him. For, whereas his soul sinned with the angels, and his body dies with the beasts—yet God is pleased to restore them by his glorious power. An angel after sin never repents, and is therefore incapable of pardon, and irrecoverably disinherited of Heaven; and a beast after death never revives; but though man sins and dies—yet his soul may be renewed by divine grace, and his body shall be raised in an incorruptible glory.

2. Now the indispensable necessity of this holy change is evident from the words of our Savior, for he speaks universally, "except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." He does not simply declare that an unregenerate man shall not, but with the greatest emphasis, cannot, to signify an absolute impossibility of it. The Jews highly presumed of the privilege of their carnal birth, they sprang from the pure and noble blood of Abraham, God’s friend; they had the seal of the holy covenant marked in their flesh; and hence it was proverbial among them, that every Israelite should have a part in the world to come. But our Savior overthrows this vain conceit, and tells them that only the supernatural birth entitles to the supernatural inheritance. Circumcision then, and baptism now, without real grace, is an ineffectual sign, and of no avail to salvation. In the quality of sons, we are heirs of God’s kingdom, Rom 8:17. And that honorable relation we have upon a double account, by adoption and regeneration, Gal 4:7. Divine adoption is not a mere change of our state, a naked declaration that one shall be dignified with the title of God’s Son; but a holy nature is infused into the person, whereby he is made like to God in his excellencies. In this it differs from human adoption, which gives the name and the honor and estate of the adopter to a person, without conveying any of his intellectual of moral endowments. Whom God adopts, he begets to a divine life.

Besides, our Savior purchased this high privilege for us, "God sent his Son made of a woman, under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons:" by union with him we receive the investiture of this dignity. "Now whoever is in Christ, is a new creature." For the quickening spirit, that is to the soul what the soul is to the body, the principle of life and strength, of beauty and motion, and an active purifying faith that is influential upon all other graces—are the band of that vital union. As all in Adam are universally corrupt by the first birth, so all that are in Christ are made holy by a new birth. But of this I shall speak in the next chapter more fully, under a distinct head.

Briefly, the spirit of grace that sanctifies, is the spirit of adoption that seals our right to that kingdom.

Now the reasons why this change must be in order to our obtaining of Heaven, are these:

1. There is an exquisite wisdom which shines in all God’s works, in disposing them for the ends to which they are appointed. It is monstrously absurd to imagine, that God will admit into his presence and kingdom those that are absolutely unqualified for its blessedness, and opposite to its purity.

2. His inviolable justice excludes forever all unholy people from Heaven. For in the last judgment God will be glorified as a governor in the distribution of rewards with respect to the obedience and disobedience of men. It is worthy of observation, that the actions of God on the reasonable creatures are of two sorts. Some proceed from his sovereign good pleasure, of which there is no motive or reason in the subjects on which they are terminated. Thus by a free and insuperable decree (when all mankind, lapsed and miserable, was in his view) he chose some to be "vessels of mercy," and separated them from the rest who finally perish. Now what induced him to place a singular love on the elect? There was nothing in them to incline his compassion, being equally guilty and depraved with the rest of the progeny of Adam. This difference therefore is to be resolved into his unaccountable and adorable will, as the sole cause of it. Thus God declares it to be his glorious prerogative, "I will have mercy on whom I mil have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." As a benefactor, he may dispense his own favors as he pleases. A gift from mere and arbitrary bounty may be bestowed on some, and not on others, without injustice. But there are other actions of God for which there is an evident reason in men on whom they are terminated. Thus, as the supreme Judge, "without respect of persons," 1Pe 1:17, he will judge and reward "every man according to his works," Rom 2:16. Acts 26:18. The evangelical law (as was touched on before) is the rule of eternal judgment, and gives a right from the gracious promises of God to all penitent believers in the kingdom of Heaven, and excludes all impenitent infidels. Divine justice will illustriously appear then, in distinguishing believers from unbelievers by their works, the proper fruits either of faith or infidelity.

All the thick clouds of disgraces, calumnies, persecutions, which often oppress the most sincere Christians here, shall not then darken their holiness. Just so, all the specious appearances of piety, which the most artificial hypocrites make use of to deceive others, shall not conceal their wickedness. And accordingly the one shall be absolved and glorified, while the others are condemned and punished forever. In short, without violation of his own righteous establishment in the gospel, God cannot receive the unholy into his glory, Heb 12:14.

3. Besides the legal bar which excludes unsanctified people from the beatific vision of God, there is a moral incapacity. Suppose that an unregenerate sinner is allowed into to Heaven, would the place make him happy? Can two incongruous natures delight in one another? So that unless God recedes from his holiness, which is absolutely impossible, or man is purified, and changed into his likeness—there can be no sweet communion between them. Our Savior assigns this reason of the necessity of regeneration in order to our admission into Heaven, "that which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the spirit, is spirit." According to the quality of the principle, such is what proceeds from it. The flesh is a corrupt principle, and accordingly the natural man is wholly carnal in his propensities, operations and end. The disease is turned into his constitution. He is dead to the spiritual life, to the actions and enjoyments that are proper to it; nay, there is in him a surviving principle of enmity to that life; not only a mortal coldness to God, but a stiff aversion from him, a perpetual resistance and impatience of the divine presence, that would disturb his voluptuous enjoyments. The pious exercises of Heaven would be as the torments of Hell to him; while in the midst of those pure joys, his inward inclinations vehemently run into the lowest depths of sensuality. And therefore until this contrariety, so deep and predominant in an unholy person, is removed, it is utterly impossible he should enjoy God with satisfaction. As it was necessary that God should become like man on earth, to purchase that felicity for him—so man must be like God in Heaven before he can possess it. Holiness alone prepares men for celestial happiness, which is against the corruption, and above the perfection of mere nature.

I shall now proceed to consider more particularly, what is requisite in order to our obtaining of Heaven.