Chap. IX. Of HEAVEN. Natural Man is wholly carnal in his propenfions, operations and end. The Difeafe is turn'dinto his Con£htmion. He is dead to the Spiritual Life, to the aaions and enjoy- ~if~:s ~~:to~~ ~r~~;~~f ~o~d~(s''t~h~r~di: ~u~i~ finrr:~~~farf~~n~~~~ 0~i~~~i~:;e~~:~ refiltance and impatience of the Divine Prefence, that would difturb his voluptuous enjoyments. T he Exercifesof H"":v~n woul~ be. as the Torments of Hell. to him, while in the m1dft of thofe pure Joys h1s mward mchoauons vehemently run mto the loweft Lees of Senfuality. And therefore till this Contrariety, fo deep and predominant in an unholy Perfon, be removed, 'tis utterly impoffible he Jhould enjoy God with fatisfa8:ion. As it was nece!fary that God Jhould become like Man on Earth, to purchafe that Felicity for him, fo Man muft be like God in Heaven before he can po!fefs it. Holinefs alone prepares Men for Celeftial Happinefs; that is againft the corruption, and above the perfcc.tion of mere Nature. I Jhall now proceed to confider more particularly what is requifite in order to our obtaining of Heaven. CHAP. IX. Faith h1 the fl\,edeemer iJ indifpmfobly requir'd of all that ••ill partake of SallJation : , HtaiVen muft be chojen aJ our Supreme Happinefi, and / oug/,t ,., our la[l End. 7],e e/,oice of Heallm muft be Ji>~cere, early, firm and co>~ftant. The Sincerity of the Choice difcollertd by the ~alotu ufe of means to obtain it. The Sincerity of th~ Choice ••ill .egulate ou• Judgment' and Ajfe8io111, with refpe8 to temporal things that are fo f ar good or elJil to m, aJ they condua or dil!ert m from Elea1•en. The Jincere Chotce of Heallen will make m ajpire to the highe{t degrw of Holinefi we are capable of in the prejent State. The 1>anity of the /,opes of the Lukewarm in tJ\eligio11 difco1>ered. r. FAITH in the Redeemer is abfo!utely required of all that will partake of the Salvation purchafed by him. God fo fovea the World, that he gave his onlj he. gotten So~, .that wh~er belmtes in him, fbould not perijb, but have Eternaf Life, John J. x6. This lS the Spmt and Subftance of the Gofpel, therefore I w1ll bnefly unfold it. ~hfo~~~c0~~;:!i~~v~f~~~~hi/~~ ~~~-ant~at~~~he~n~a;ef~0~Te:1ed~i~l~~~n~b!: ence, ·that from his loweft State he rais'd him to DivioeGlory, and gave him fupreme Authority, and alfufficient Power to communicate that Glory to others. Thus our Saviour d<clares; Thou haft gwen him (j.e. the Son) power over all Flefb, that he fbou!d give Eternal Life t i! as many as thou hafl given him, John •7 · 2. And he exhorts the People, La6our for that Meat that endures unto Eti rtial Life, which the Son of Man jba!l gwe unto you, for him hatliGod the Father foaled, John 6. Now this glorious Life is not given to all, but only to thofe who are united to him. As .A dam, the principle of the carnal corrupt Nature, derives Guilt and Death to all his Progeny: So Jefus Chrift (who is oppofed to him) the Head and Prince of the renewed State, communicates Life and Glory to his People. The Apoftle expre!fes it, As in A dam all die (his natural Defcendems arc involv'd in his Condemnation) even fo in Cliri.ft fba/1 all be made alive, r Cor. :oh~:. th~;~ s~~~;~t~ :clis ~;~i'H.1;ba~h~;t :ze ~~; ~:l1lj{t~~~th~i~g~~h~ths!:r~b~ Son, hath not Life, 1 John S· 12. The having the Son, upon which our right to eternal !f:!~.1~;:~1:'e~~3eb~nt~~~ ~~~· B;a~~h!~aa~~e~~)~:~ ~~1 ci:~%j~ ~:~v~~eg~~::~; !;;;;:I!~ !;'im~od,lnodh~h;ilt'is(fa~ ~o~~:hu~~t%rH~:~t~f~l'f!;fh,t~~hcl:a?.;~ ThiS IS not a mere all'ent to the Do8:rines of the Gofpel concerning the Dignity of his Perfon, that he is in fo high and glorious a Relation of being the Eternal Son of God, and r~e infinite value of his Merits, whereby he is able to fave all that come unto God by h1m, and Ius merctful compaffionate ~ature to embrace. returning Sinners, and the ex:- cellency of the Benefits purchafed by h1m, but fuch a Behef as fways the Will and Affection& 501
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