THE INHERITANCE OF THE SAINTS. REV. W. JAY. ARGYLE CHAPEL, BATH, SEPTEMBER 28, 1834. “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light."-COLOSSIANS, i. 12. My brethren, the goodness of God towards his people is infinite. Reflecting upon it, David found himself perfectly at a loss for words to express it; and therefore he exclaimed, "Oh how great is the goodness which thou hast laid up for them, (which thou hast wrought for them) that trust in thee before the sons of men." He views it, you see, in connexion with glory and grace; he views it in reference to the future and the present. He tells us, they have more in hope, but they have also much in hand; they have more in reversion, but they have also much in possession. It is very true that this is not their rest; they are only strangers and pilgrims upon earth. But though their manifestation is not arrived, now are they "the sons of God:" though the vintage be not come, they have the first fruits: though they are minors now, and under age, they are "heirs;" and they receive their remittances and their supplies; and they have their trainings, and their attendants, and their preparations. Witness the language of our Apostle here: "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." He hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. Let us consider three things: the inheritance, the meetness, and the praise. First, let us notice THE INHERITANCE itself. Here you will immediately perceive that it is spoken of as one common state: as there is one common salvation, so there is one common inheritance. And none, in consequence of this, need feel themselves troubled, because there is an ample sufficiency in it for all. An earthly inheritance, indeed, is impaired and diminished by division: but it is otherwise here. Here the number of possessors really adds to the happiness of every individual partaker: and every vessel of glory is as full, as if there were no other to be filled. All of them shine; though one star differeth from another star in glory: all of them dwell in the same heavenly Father's house, though in that house there be many mansions. How shall we estimate this inheritance? By what standard shall we judge it? Compared with this, what is the inheritance of the worldling, abounding with all the honours, riches, and pleasures of the earth? Compared with this, what was the inheritance of the Jews in the land of Canaan-a land flowing Compared with this, what with milk and honey, and the glory of all lands? was the inheritance of Adam previous to his fall? was the tree of knowledge-which after a while was felled down, or else died of decay-compared with the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God, and which abideth for ever? Compared with this, what is the inheritance of the saints in glory? He who is their Lord is our Elder Brother. He did not take upon him their nature, but ours: he was not made an angel, but a man and he came into the world, not only that we might have life, but that we might have it "more abundantly." Angels can never know the pleasures arising from reconciliation, or from the renewal of friendship, with an offended God; with the dislodgment of sin, after being their hateful possessor all through life; their safety after shipwreck, their triumph after battle; and all the ways of the Lord while passing through this wilderness, which were to his people mercy and truth. "Never did angels taste above Redeeming grace, and dying love." John, therefore, in the vision, saw the saints nearer the throne than the angels. What are we to think of the state of blessedness, that is intended to display the value of that blood which purchased it-the blood of God: that blessedness which is designed to show in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness towards us by Jesus Christ; that blessedness which exhausts all the world of nature in furnishing images to express it; that blessedness which, after all, the Scriptures have told us concerning it, is glory that is to be revealed. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." We will not, therefore, darken counsel with words without knowledge; but we will confine our attention at present, entirely to two things concerning the inheritance mentioned by the Apostle-the one regarding the possessors, and the other the region in which they are to enjoy it. The first regards the possessors: it is "the inheritance of the saints." (Mind this "the inheritance of the saints.") This, you know, is a term, abused and ridiculed by many, but it is the language of the Scriptures, and "“God is not mocked." The word simply means holy beings. Of such importance is the possession of this attribute, that we are assured "without holiness no man shall see the Lord." The design of the Gospel is to make us holy; because we are not such by nature; we are not born such, but "born again" such. Therefore says the Apostle, "called to be saints." And this will apply to the external call by the Word, and to the internal call by the Spirit; the one requiring the thing, the other producing it. All the people of God therefore, are to be considered as saints-the holy beings who are partakers of God's holiness now: they love holiness, but then they are not completely holy; at present they are encompassed with infirmities: they "groan" therefore "being burdened." But it will be otherwise at death. then they will drop all their imperfections; then they will join the spirits of just men made perfect; then they will be presented faultless before the throne of God; then they will be as innocent as Adamn in paradise-as holy as the Son of God himself. For though "it doth not yet appear what we shall be," we know that "when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." The Apostle notices the region in which the inheritance is to be enjoyed: "the inheritance of the saints in light." Hell is darkness-outer darkness, where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. The world is darkness: therefore our deliverance from it is represented as being called "out of darkness into marvellous light." But the Church is light; all the members are children of the light and of the day; they are not of the night, nor of the darkness. And yet, while they are here, they are able only to survey the dawning and glimmering of the day. Now they walk by faith, not by sight. Now, "who can understand his errors?" Now, how often do we mistake appearances for realities? Now, how often does evil cheat us under the notion of good! Now, how often are we baffled in our inquiries, turn we which way we choose, in order to move on? Now, what is conjecture but a thorny maze? Now, what aid can we derive from the counsel and advice of others? Now, how unable are we to discern our own privileges; and what distress arises from doubts and fears? Now, how frequently we mistake our best friends for our enemies; and charge God with foolishness and unkindness, while his wisdom and his goodness are peculiarly at work to advance our happiness. Will it be always so? Oh no! "There is a land of pure delight, Where saints immortal reign; There shall we see as we are seen-know as we are known. There, says the Christian "There shall I see, and hear, and know, All I desired and wish'd below." This is "the inheritance of the saints in light." And heaven is light-all light; there is no darkness at all; perfect light, endless light. Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw her shining: for God shall be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended. In the mean time, remember, that there is a relation between the present and the future. Having noticed the inheritance, we will now proceed to notice THE MEETNESS FOR IT. "Who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light? : In order to take a correct view of the condition of a fallen sinner, it is necessary to remember he is both guilty and depraved: and therefore, in order to his restoration, two things are necessary-justification and sanctification and though these are always inseparable, they are always clearly distinguishable. One of these delivers us from the condemnation of the law; the other brings us into communion with God. The one is a personal change; the other is a relative change. The one is a change of our state; the other is a change of our nature. The one is derived from the righteousness of Christ; the other is derived from the Spirit of Christ. The one is instantaneous in its accomplishment; the other is gradual in its advancement. The one gives us a title to the inheritance; the other gives us the meetness for it. And this is the thing we must now notice; remarking, in the first place, the nature of it. This meetness consists, in what the Scripture calls the renewing of the Holy Ghost; giving us new views, principles, and inclinations, and gendering in us heavenly habitudes. How is a man made meet for any earthly station? Take a youth: how is a youth to be made meet for any line of business in which he is to move? He is apprenticed; he goes through it; he begins with the elementary parts, and rises from the more easy to the more difficult, till he reaches the knowledge of the whole, and then launches away for himself. How does a child learn to walk? By walking. How does a musician learn to play? By playing: and he who now commands the finest and boldest notes, at first touched the instrument with an inaccurate and timid hand. How then are we made meet for heaven? I answer, by doing the work of heaven, and by enjoying the pleasures of heaven now-being drawn, as it were, through heaven now, in its lower parts. What is the work of heaven? It is to praise and serve God. Christians are praising and serving God now. What is the happiness of heaven? It is to see his face, and to hold communion with him. Christians see him, and commune with him now. All adventitious circumstances are there done away with for ever; and no distinctions are found there, but those which have resulted from character. If then I am made meet, it is obvious I must begin to rise above these adventitious distinctions, and that I shall learn to regard my fellow-creatures according to their real, their religious worth; that in my eyes a vile person will be contemned, however high, and that I shall honour them who fear the Lord, however low. All religious distinctions will then be done away for ever. No inquiry will there be made where you have worshipped, but only how; not to what denomination you belonged, but whether you worshipped God in the Spirit, and had no confidence in the flesh. It is obvious, if I am made meet for such a state, I must be rising above these distinctions already, and be ready to say with the Apostle, "Grace be with all them who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity." I must be ready now to stretch forth my hand towards his disciples, and say, "Whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." Can a bigot be made meet for such a state? As soon as he entered he would be looking for a steeple or a meeting-house, and would be disposed to turn his back on those who did not belong to his little party. And be it remembered, that to whatever party he belonged in this world, that party must be very small indeed, compared with "the multitudes which no man can number," gathered out of all kindreds, and nations, and people, and tongues. Can such feelings enter heaven? Impossible. Can the possessor of them enter? Yes, by becoming a new creature. Then let us, secondly, notice its necessity. And what is there that does not require preparation for it? You commonly suppose that your trials require preparation; and therefore you come to us, with long faces, and beg that we would pray you may be prepared for your trials. Why don't you come to us, also, and beg that we would pray that you may be prepared for your comforts? Is not prosperity as dangerous, at least, as adversity? A man suddenly gains a fortune, for which he was not qualified. What is the consequence? He falls into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. "The prosperity of fools destroys them." The French living so long under tyranny, were not prepared for the sudden enjoyment of liberty, and v therefore, you know, they ran mad. The higher the destination a man has in view, the more necessity is there for a meetness for it. This is the case with a prince; this is the case with a minister. And Christians are exalted to both these dignities; they are made kings and priests unto God; and can this require no meetness? A man raised from a low condition, and placed immediately in a higher one, only exposes himself to ridicule, and can enjoy nothing from want of fitness for it. All aptitude is the relation of two things to each other, by which they approximate, and touch, and unite. It is obvious that a man under the influence of bodily disease, cannot enjoy the pleasures of the healthful: it is undeniable that a man who has no ear for music, will hear either with irksomeness or indifference any melody or harmony. The pleasures of temperance have no charms, you may be assured, for the drunkard. God, therefore, does not exclude you as unregenerate from heaven: this is a mistake of some people: you exclude yourselves. The impossibility does not arise from his decree, but from the very nature of things. 'Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." If the devil, with his present malignity, could enter heaven, he would be a torment to himself there. Happiness does not (as you may well know, by attending to your feelings, and using that common sense in religion which you use in other things)—happiness does not arise merely from the excellences of the object, but from the faculty of being rightly suited to it. That makes you happy which meets your wants, which accomplishes your hopes, which affords gratification and indulgence—that is, from things which are congenial with your minds and all your feelings. Thus it is with regard to heaven; and so necessary is this meetness for it. In the third place you will observe the Author of it. The Author of it is God. And the very operation shows this: as the Apostle finely remarks in another passage "He that wrought us for the self-same thing is God, who also hath given us his Holy Spirit." It is God's doing, and is "marvellous in our eyes." "This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise”—not their own. If we are "a building," we are his workmanship: if we are fruitful, “in him is our fruit found:" we indeed bear it-He produces it. If we are trees, we are "trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified." And is there a Christian in this assembly who will be unwilling to acknowledge this, and ascribe to God the glory that is due to his holy Name? Who will not say, "Not unto us, not unto us; but by the grace of God, we are what we are: not we, but the grace of God which was in us." Then, fourthly, we remark the sureness of it, too. "Ob," says the Apostle to his companions, "the thing is done; and it is done in us; know it is." He says, "We give thanks to the Father who hath made us meet." Now, there are many who will readily acknowledge that God is the Author of this meetness, who are afraid they are not the subjects of it: they fear frequently they have no part nor lot in the matter, and that their heart is not right with God. But the determination of the case-or what the Apostle calls "the full assurance of hope" unto the end-is attainable: and I need not say it is desirable; a |