August 30

Which hath made us meet to he partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. - Colossians 1:12.

HAVING noticed the inheritance, let us now proceed to consider the meetness for it. In order to take a correct view of our fallen condition, it is necessary to remember that we are both guilty and depraved, and therefore, in order to our restoration and to the enjoyment of this inheritance, two things are necessary-a change of state and a change of nature; the one is derived from, the righteousness of Christ, the other is derived from the Spirit of Christ; the one is accomplished for us, the other in us. The one gives a title to the inheritance, the other gives us the meetness for it.

Observe, with regard to this meetness, first, 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. We are made meet for heaven by doing the work of heaven, and by enjoying the pleasures of heaven. Now, what is the work of heaven? It is to praise and serve God. And thus Christians are praising and serving God. Now, what is the happiness of heaven but to see his face and hold communion with him? And Christians are doing this now. All adventitious circumstances are there unknown; all physical, local, social, and religious distinctions will be there done away for ever, and none remain but those which have resulted from character. And if I am made meet for heaven, I must be rising above all adventitious distinctions already, and be prepared to say, “Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.” No bigot, therefore, will be meet for such a state. The party to which he belonged in this world will then, as such, have no existence; and if it had, it 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.

Secondly, Its necessity. The higher the destination an individual 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? All aptitude is the relation of two things to each other, by which they approximate and touch and unite. It is obvious a man under the influence of bodily disease cannot enjoy the pleasures of the healthful. Without an ear for music, even melody or harmony will be regarded with irksomeness or indifference. The pleasures of temperance have no charm for the drunkard.

God does not therefore, as some people imagine, exclude any as unregenerate from heaven; they exclude themselves. The impossibility does not arise from his decree, but from the nature of things. Therefore, “except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of heaven.” Happiness does not arise merely from the excellence of an object, but from the faculty of being rightly suited to it. That makes us happy which meets our wants, accomplishes our hopes, and affords gratification and indulgence to our minds and feelings. Thus it is with regard to heaven, and so necessary is this meetness for it.

Observe, thirdly, The author of it. It is God “who hath made us meet.” As the Apostle finely remarks in another place: “He that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.” 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. By the grace of God we are what we are.

Observe, fourthly, The certainty of it. “Who hath made us meet?” “Oh,” says the Apostle, “the thing is done, and it is done in us; and we know it is accomplished.” Many 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 “full assurance of the hope” unto the end is not only desirable, but it is also attainable.

A Christian may be destitute of the assurance-he never can be destitute of the desire, and therefore he will be found upon his knees continually praying, “Say unto my soul I am thy salvation,” and “Give me a token for good.”